Report details progress in school safety
AUSTIN — The Texas School Safety Update, a report highlighting progress made to keep students and teachers safe at school, was released by Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 27.
The report gives Texans an update on efforts by the governor’s office, the Legislature and state agencies toward implementing recommendations made in the School Safety Action Plan released on May 30, 2018 and the subsequent update in August 2018. 

 New Texas Safety Commission meets for first time

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 22 hosted the first meeting of the Texas Safety Commission, pulling together a group of lawmakers, educators, advocates, community leaders and public safety experts.

Created Aug. 19 by the governor, the commission is tasked with developing “an immediate action plan to provide community healing, combat the rise of extremist groups and hateful ideologies, keep guns out of the hands of deranged individuals, and combat domestic terrorism in Texas.” 

Governor takes action to prevent acts of terrorism
AUSTIN — Texas now boasts its own Domestic Terrorism Task Force, established by order of the governor in the wake of the deadly Aug. 3 shooting in El Paso.
Twenty-two people were killed and 24 injured by a suspect firing a military-style assault rifle in a popular shopping venue. 

Officials meet to discuss public safety following deadly shooting
AUSTIN — Following the Aug. 3 shooting that claimed the lives of 22 people and injured 24 others at a popular El Paso shopping venue, Gov. Greg Abbott and a group of officials met in the border city to discuss ways to address violence.
Joined by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, state Sen. Jose Rodriguez, and area state Reps. Cesar Blanco, Art Fierro, Mary Gonzales, Joe Moody and Lina Ortega, Abbott and the group talked about how to improve public safety.

Q: Have a post office that is refusing to deliver newspapers without the tags on the tubs that are delivered at the DDU drops for same day delivery. Where can I find the ruling that says they have to deliver these local newspapers without the tags? 
A: Send the Domestic Mail Manual citation to quit using tubs. Tub use for bundles at DDU drops is a waste of time and energy and is not a good use of “mail transport equipment,” which should be reserved for mail going through the postal distribution network from post office to plant and beyond. See below. 

Q: On the advance agenda for our next school board meeting “teachers salary scale” is listed as one of the topics of discussion in the meeting’s closed session. Isn’t salary scale a policy discussion that should be in open session?

The rattlesnake was uncoiled, curled in an elongated ’S’ on the edge of an asphalt road. The grass and dirt, and a distinctive white scrap of something at the side of the road, offered some sense of scale, but none was needed. Rattlers always look lethal, regardless of size.

Abbott, Patrick react after 20 die in deadly shooting
AUSTIN — After a gunman was arrested in the killing of 20 people and wounding 26 others at a popular shopping venue in El Paso on Aug. 3, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick offered thoughts and prayers.
Abbott ordered flags lowered in memory of those who lost their lives and said flags should remain at half-staff through sunset on Aug. 8.
The suspect, 21-year-old Patrick Crusius of Allen, Texas, surrendered after waves of first responders arrived on scene.

Paxton lauds ruling against preclearance for redistricting maps
AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded a federal court ruling allowing the state to proceed with redistricting legislation without asking the federal government’s permission.
The July 24 ruling by a three-judge federal court rejected plaintiffs' petition to require the state to obtain permission from the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal court before redistricting legislation could take effect.  

Top officials attempt to clarify new hemp law for prosecutors
AUSTIN — Some district and county attorneys reportedly have begun to dismiss misdemeanor marijuana possession cases following the Texas Legislature’s passage of House Bill 1325, a law creating a legal path for the cultivation and marketing of hemp and hemp products.