Former Mission Mayor “Beto Salinas” has endorsed Norie Gonzalez-Garza for Mayor of Mission in the upcoming run-off election. Exclusive Courtesy Image
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Former Mission Mayor “Beto Salinas” has endorsed Norie Gonzalez-Garza for Mayor of Mission in the upcoming run-off election on June 11th. Early voting starts May 31st.
I am pleased to offer my full support and urge the Mission voters to support Norie Gonzalez Garza for Mayor of Mission. My campaign focused on issues that require immediate attention – from nullifying the PSI Contract to fiscal responsibility, among others. It is my duty and obligation as a political candidate and former Mayor of this great city to select the most viable candidate. There is no doubt that Norie For Mission Mayor is the candidate who shares a similar vision but takes a different approach and loves this city as much as I do.
Norberto “Beto” Salinas
Pictured from L-R: Abiel Flores the new City Councilmember Place 3, taking over Norie’s commissioner seat, former mayor Beto Salinas, Commissioner Ruben Plata and former City manager Julio Cerda. All endorsing Norie Gonzalez Garza, according to press release. Courtesy photo
Governor Greg Abbott today provided an update on the state’s ongoing response to yesterday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Photo: Office of the Governor
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AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott today provided an update on the state’s ongoing response to yesterday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Following a briefing with federal, state, and local officials, the Governor was joined at the press conference by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, Senator John Cornyn, Senator Ted Cruz, Attorney General Ken Paxton, State Senator Roland Gutierrez, State Representative Tracy King, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Hal Harrell, and other state and local officials.
Photo: Office of the Governor
Photo: Office of the Governor
Photo: Office of the Governor
“All Texans have been shaken to their core in the wake of the horrific tragedy that occurred yesterday in the close-knit community of Uvalde,” said Governor Abbott. “We must come together in support of the families of the innocent victims, the law enforcement officers who heroically responded, and the entire Uvalde community, which will be impacted by this senseless act of violence for generations to come. As the investigation by state and local authorities continues, it is our duty as elected officials to evaluate all possible means of making our schools safer to prevent future tragedies and ensure communities across the state—whether they are underserved populations within large cities or rural areas of the state—have the mental health resources needed. The State of Texas continues working to better protect and serve all Texans, young and old.”
Governor Abbott implored all members of the Uvalde community – victims, families, family members, friends, and law enforcement – to use available mental and emotional health resources as they begin to navigate the weight of this tragedy.
The Governor added the ongoing investigation is being led by DPS Texas Rangers and the Uvalde Police Department and supported by DPS Highway Patrol and Criminal Investigation, DPS Aircraft and Intelligence, and DPS Crime and Victim Support. Additionally, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, San Antonio Police Department, San Antonio Fire Department, and other local law officials are also providing resources in support of the investigation.
Texans in the Uvalde community are strongly encouraged to use mental health resources provided by federal, state, and local partners in the area, including: Family Resource Center in Uvalde County Fairplex, Uvalde Civic Center school crisis teams, Texas Child Mental Health Consortium, Bluebonnet Children’s Advocacy Center, and counseling services provided by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and TEA. DPS and FBI are also providing mental health services for law enforcement officers. The Uvalde District Attorney’s Office for Victim Services is also available by phone at 830-278-2916.
Judicial Watch argues that Illinois election law violates federal law, which defines Election Day as “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year.” Image for illustration purposes
Judicial Watch argues that Illinois election law violates federal law, which defines Election Day as “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year.” The complaint states:
Despite Congress’ clear statement regarding a single national Election Day, Illinois has expanded Election Day by extending by 14 days the date for receipt and counting of vote-by-mail ballots
Judicial Watch points out that the current Illinois election law allows vote-by-mail ballots received up to 14 days “after the polls close on Election Day” to be counted as if they were cast and received on or before Election Day. Illinois law also provides that “[e]ven vote-by-mail ballots without postmarks shall be counted if received up to 14 calendar days after Election Day if the ballots are dated on or before Election Day.”
Judicial Watch’s lawsuit notes:
The Board … advised that the number of ballots received after Election Day through November 17, 2020, could materially affect the unofficial election results.
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[Illinois’ own data indicates that] Illinois received 266,417 vote-by-mail ballots statewide during the period from November 3rd through November 17th.
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[M]ost of the 266,417 vote-by-mail ballots were received after Election Day, which would mean that as many as 4.4% of votes cast in 2020 were received after Election Day. [Emphasis in original]
Judicial Watch argues that holding voting open for 14 days past Election Day violates the constitutional rights of voters and candidates:
By counting untimely and illegal ballots received after Election Day and diluting Plaintiffs’ timely cast and received ballots, Defendants, acting under color of Illinois law, have deprived and are depriving Plaintiffs of rights protected under the First Amendment and 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
“We are supposed to have an Election Day, not Election Weeks – or months. Illinois’ 14-day extension of Election Day beyond the date set by Congress is illegal, violates the civil rights of voters, and encourages fraud,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
In a separate Judicial Watch election lawsuit against Illinois, a federal court ruled in June 2021 that the lawsuit could proceed against Illinois officials for denying public access to Illinois’ voter registration database.
In February 2022, Judicial Watch settled its lawsuit against North Carolina and two of its counties after the North Carolina removed over 430,000 ineligible names from the voter rolls.
In March 2022, a Maryland court ruled in favor of Judicial Watch’s challenge to Maryland’s Democratic legislature “extreme” congressional redistricting gerrymander.
For more than 25 years, Judicial Watch has been known for its aggressive, leading-edge use of public records laws and lawsuits, as well as taxpayer, civil rights and whistleblower protection litigation to fight government corruption. Judicial Watch is a national leader in voting integrity and voting rights. As part of this effort, Judicial Watch assembled a team of highly experienced voting rights attorneys who stopped discriminatory elections in Hawaii, and cleaned up voter rolls in California, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, among other achievements.
Christine Svenson, Esq., of Svenson Law Offices in Palatine, Illinois, is assisting Judicial Watch with the lawsuit.
The City of Laredo Mayor Pro-tempore and Council Member for District 2, Vidal Rodriguez, along with other City leaders, hosted a special ceremony to celebrate the renaming of the Santo Niño WIC Health Clinic to the Carlos René and Raquel G. Ramirez WIC Clinic & Health Center. Courtesy Image
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LAREDO, Texas — The City of Laredo Mayor Pro-tempore and Council Member for District 2, Vidal Rodriguez, along with other City leaders, hosted a special ceremony to celebrate the renaming of the Santo Niño WIC Health Clinic to the Carlos René and Raquel G. Ramirez WIC Clinic & Health Center. A mural, painted by local artist and son of the honorees, Carlos Rene, Jr., also known as “Sketch”, was unveiled to promote the clinic’s services.
The renaming of the clinic and mural were dedicated to the Ramirez family, who placed their trust in the Santo Niño WIC clinic with their children. The mural represents Carlos René and Raquel’s story. The characters were painted faceless so that the viewers can see themselves in the story. In addition, the facility is also introducing a new logo (as demonstrated below). The logo represents Raquel, who always made her presence known by waving the “I love you” sign in American Sign Language. The two fingers cradling a baby represent the WIC staff’s care for the children they help. The hand is also in the shape of a dove that Raquel famously drew in all she did.
Courtesy Image
On May 4th, 2020, the Laredo City Council approved the re-naming of the clinic. The clinic currently sees over 4,200 cases each month. It is home to the only Baby Café in Laredo – where individuals are able to consult with an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant every week and receive free breastfeeding resources for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The location is also strategically located in the southside of town and two blocks from the H-E-B in Zapata Highway, which is the largest seller of WIC products in Laredo. WIC Clinics improve families’ health, connecting them to health care services, including maternal, pediatric, and dental care. They connect moms to immunization centers and promote breastfeeding, as it is the only source of baby food for some families.
The unveiling ceremony included remarks from Carlos René Ramirez, expressing gratitude for the City’s work and honoring the memory of his wife, Raquel, and a musical performance from their children, Carlos Roberto and Carlos Ricardo. The Carlos René and Raquel G. Ramirez WIC Clinic and Health Center is located at 2201 Saltillo St.
Multi agency effort shuts down stash house in Laredo. USCBP Image
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LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo South Station, together with the Laredo Police Department, shut down a stash house yielding the apprehension of several undocumented individuals in south Laredo.
The incident occurred on May 22, when agents acted on a request for assistance from officers in regards to a suspected stash house on Market Street. Agents confirmed 63 undocumented individuals including several unaccompanied children inside the residence. They were identified as being from the countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico. All were medically screened before being processed accordingly.
Help take a stand against criminal organizations and their potentially dangerous acts by reporting suspicious activity. To report suspicious activity such as human and/or drug smuggling, contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994.
Five high school and middle school bands from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) earned Division 1 ratings at the 12th Annual McAllen Jazz Festival held at Nikki Rowe High School on May 7, 2022. Image for illustration purposes
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PHARR, Texas –Five high school and middle school bands from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA ISD) earned Division 1 ratings at the 12th Annual McAllen Jazz Festival held at Nikki Rowe High School on May 7, 2022.
PSJA ISD Jazz Bands recognized included ensembles from: PSJA North Early College High School, PSJA Memorial Early College High School, PSJA Southwest Early College High School, PSJA T. Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School and LBJ Middle School.
At PSJA ISD, students can participate in the following superior music programs: Band, Orchestra, Choir, Jazz Band and Mariachi. In addition to this, the district also started offering Conjunto at all high schools during the 2021-2022 school year.
Most recently, PSJA ISD was honored with the 2022 Best Communities for Music Education national designation from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education for the 8th consecutive year.
“We are proud of our students for being actively involved and taking advantage of our high-quality fine arts programs,” said PSJA Superintendent Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo.
Congratulations to the students and their directors!
An attack on any child is an attack on the moral fabric of our society. Image for illustration purposes
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Judge Richard Cortez Courtesy Image
EDINBURG, Texas – Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez issued the following statement in response to the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas:
“As details of the tragedy in Uvalde emerge, we cannot help but suffer together. An attack on any child is an attack on the moral fabric of our society. We cannot allow that to happen. Let us grieve together and in that grief, let us find a common ground that honors the memory of these children and of their teachers by forging a solution to prevent this need to grieve in the future.”
While we feared an undercount for Texas, it was even worse than expected. Image for illustration purposes
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Dr. M. Ray Perryman President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group
The US Census Bureau recently released the 2020 Census estimated undercount and overcount rates from its Post-Enumeration Survey. While we feared an undercount for Texas, it was even worse than expected.
A total of 14 states have meaningful undercounts or overcounts. Undercounts were found in Arkansas (-5.04%), Florida (-3.48%), Illinois (-1.97%), Mississippi (-4.11%), Tennessee (-4.78%), and Texas (-1.92%). Overcounts likely occurred in Delaware (+5.45%), Hawaii (+6.79%), Massachusetts (+2.24%), Minnesota (+3.84%), New York (+3.44%), Ohio (+1.49%), Rhode Island (+5.05%), and Utah (+2.59%).
Before the Census occurred, we examined the potential for an undercount based on data regarding hard-to-count populations. It appeared as if, without intervention, the gap in Texas would be at least 1.49%; we noted in our report that the number was likely conservative. Understatement!
This shortfall really matters in that there are a variety of federal funding mechanisms that are driven by population estimates. It also makes it hard to effectively plan for future needs without an accurate count.
When you examine the projected losses in funding through 2030, it will be many billions for Texas. A shortfall of this magnitude will ripple through the economy. Because of the way that many major programs determine eligibility and allocations, the loss of Federal dollars can be much greater than the magnitude of the undercount. Moreover, the primary categories of reductions are in sectors (such as health care, housing, education, and infrastructure) that are critical to the ongoing wellbeing of the population.
We evaluated the downstream effects of these losses using our impact assessment system, academic studies, and economic modeling to estimate the impact of reduced funding on underlying factors such as health, social services, homelessness, hunger, education, traffic congestion, and infrastructure. For example, having less funding for nutrition, education, social services, health care, and other programs can lead to reduced productivity and efficiency, diminished overall health (further reducing productivity), and increased stress on the social service system. Similarly, inadequate infrastructure resources impose costs on local businesses and households and harm efficiency.
The estimated costs of these downstream effects over the 2021 through 2030 period include an estimated $59.0 billion in gross product and over 640,000 job-years in Texas (when multiplier effects are considered). Business activity generates tax revenue, so it’s also bad news for the State and local government.
We suggested at the time that the State should invest modest resources into improving the count, as many others did successfully. The commitment of a few million dollars could well have brought a return of tens of billions. Unfortunately, Texas chose not to do so, and the results speak for themselves.
These effects persist over a decade, negatively affecting key programs, Texans, and the economy – a classic unforced error. Stay safe!
Dr. M. Ray Perryman is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group (www.perrymangroup.com), which has served the needs of over 2,500 clients over the past four decades.
Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to mobilize state resources in anticipation of severe weather and flash flooding that is expected to impact areas of Texas beginning today through Wednesday. Image for illustration purposes
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AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to mobilize state resources in anticipation of severe weather and flash flooding that is expected to impact areas of Texas through Wednesday. Threats from the severe storms moving across the state are expected to bring large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding, and the potential for tornadoes. Additionally, the state continues to support firefighting efforts in response to wildfires across Texas.
“The State of Texas stands ready to offer robust assistance and provide rescue efforts to those affected by severe weather in the coming days,” said Governor Abbott. “It is important for Texans to be prepared for the severe weather and stay alert through their community warning system to protect their property and ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones.”
The following state assets have been mobilized for activation in response to severe weather:
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service – Texas A&M Task Force One and Texas Task Force Two: Boat Squads to support water rescue operations
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Boat Teams to support water rescue operations
Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams
Texas Department of Public Safety: Helicopters with hoist capability
Texas Department of State Health Services: Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) severe weather packages
Texas Department of Transportation: Monitoring of road conditions, and equipment to support emergency debris removal from major roads
Public Utility Commission: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers as needed
The Texas State Emergency Operations Center (SOC) is activated at Level II Escalated Response in support of severe weather.
Texans are urged to follow these flood preparedness and safety tips during severe weather events:
Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
Build an emergency supply kit. For more information on how to build a kit, visit: https://www.ready.gov/kit.
Purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. Homeowner’s policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes up to 30 days for a policy to go into effect, so the time to buy is well before a disaster. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies.
Protect your property. Move valuables to higher levels.
Declutter drains and gutters. Install check valves. Consider a sump pump with a battery.
Be extremely cautious of any water on roads or in creeks, streams, storm drains, or other areas. Never attempt to cross flowing streams or drive across flooded roadways, and always observe road barricades placed for your protection. Remember, Turn Around Don’t Drown.
Results of the May 24th Election. All results are unofficial. Image Sources: Twitter, Facebook, wikipedia, for illustration purposes
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All information in the election night returns portal is reported by Texas counties. The Texas secretary of state’s office does not alter or modify the data provided in any way. County officials may update election results on their own web sites or to the media before updating results through the Texas secretary of state’s portal.
