News from August 2024
Mexican national gets 245 months after recruiting for Mexican cartel
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
Karla Adriana Votta-Cardenas, 43, will spend over 20 years in prison for two counts related to drug trafficking. This announcement came in an August 21 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) news release.
Texas secures $1.4 million in USDA funds for specialty crops
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has secured over $1.4 million in funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). This funding will be used to develop programs aimed at strengthening Texas's specialty crop industry.
Texas DPS rescues stranded hikers in Guadalupe Mountains National Park
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
AUSTIN – Last week, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) rescued a family of stranded hikers in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Culberson County.
Eligibility for DIR's technology offerings outlined
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
State agencies, institutions of higher education, K-12 schools, local governments, public safety organizations, out-of-state public entities, independent utilities certified for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power region, and assistance organizations are among those eligible to benefit from the Department of Information Resources' (DIR) offerings.
Take Care of Texas launches new ambassador program for educators
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
Take Care of Texas is launching a new Ambassador Program and has selected 15 educators to participate this school year. The goal is to equip these educators with knowledge and resources to spread awareness of the Take Care of Texas program among colleagues and administrators.
DPS offers safety tips ahead of Labor Day holiday
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
As part of an effort to keep drivers safe this Labor Day weekend, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is increasing enforcement efforts, including Operation Crash Awareness Reduction Effort (CARE) from Aug. 30 through Sept. 2, statewide.
Governor Abbott announces over $2.6 million in career training grants
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 31, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott announced today that nine Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants, totaling over $2.6 million, have been awarded to nine schools in South Texas by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). These grants will support career and technical education (CTE) training programs by helping schools purchase and install equipment to train over 1,200 students for high-demand occupations such as welders, food service managers, registered nurses, automotive service technicians, and more.
Senator Menéndez: Making Delta-8 illegal would give ‘illegal markets more product’
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 30, 2024
Texas State Senator José Menéndez said that abruptly making Delta-8 910 products illegal would push them underground, increase illegal market activity, and reduce state revenue for public services. Menéndez was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
OPINION: US public school enrollment has peaked
By Bill King | Aug 30, 2024
In the second half of the twentieth century, enrollment in U.S. public schools nearly doubled. There was some slowdown during desegregation, as enrollment in private schools surged. However, growth resumed by the early 1980s at a little less than 2% each year. But by the late 1990s, the growth rate began to noticeably slow, eventually falling to under .5% annually. Public school enrollment peaked in 2019 at 50.8 million.
Texas Association of Manufacturers praises efforts to bolster grid reliability
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 30, 2024
Texas Association of Manufacturers (TAM) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Bennett praised "the work of the Texas legislature and the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and staff to bolster grid reliability and expand dispatchable generation in our growing state."
Texas real estate firms pursue legal and criminal action against alleged Colorado fraudster
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 30, 2024
Two prominent Texas real estate firms, S2 Capital and Fort Capital LP, are pursuing action against Jakub Kostecki, a Colorado man with a controversial history of alleged fraud and extortion. Both companies claim Kostecki has engaged in a targeted campaign of defamation and extortion, aimed at damaging their reputations and leveraging those attacks for personal financial gain.
Bitcoin mining company opens new data center in North Texas
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 30, 2024
Bitcoin mining company Genesis Digital Assets Limited (GDA) has announced that its Rowdy Data Center is now operational.
Supporting Public Education: TASB's Advocacy for Effective School Policies
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 29, 2024
Highlights from our interview with Dax Gonzalez, Director of Government Relations for Texas Association of School Boards.
Rep. Vasut: Underfunding the government ‘can be a threat to individual liberty’
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 29, 2024
Texas State Rep. Cody Vasut said that while the government can be a threat to individual liberty if it becomes too large, underfunding it, particularly in judicial pay, can also endanger liberty by affecting the quality and number of judges. Vasut was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
New lawsuit filed against Austin City Council, testing Texas’ taxpayer protection statute
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 28, 2024
On Monday, August 26th, attorneys representing seven Austin taxpayers filed a class action lawsuit against the Austin City Council.
Rep. Plesa: Recapture reform is a ‘very important issue’
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 28, 2024
Texas State Rep. Mihaela Plesa said that while recapture reform is crucial due to its impact on property taxes, it’s important to prevent voucher system bills from reaching the House floor, considering their negative effects in other states. Plesa was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
Sid Miller calls for self-reliance in securing Texas' water supply
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 27, 2024
Water is essential for Texas agriculture, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley. For decades, Texas has depended on Mexico to fulfill its obligations under a 1944 water treaty. However, recent shortfalls have left Texas short by over 900,000 acre-feet of water. "Mexico has now fallen behind, once again," said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. He emphasized that Texans need to take charge and secure their own water supply.
Public Safety Commission honors courageous acts at August meeting
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 27, 2024
AUSTIN – The Public Safety Commission (PSC), along with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw, recognized the service of several Texans at the PSC meeting at DPS Headquarters in Austin. Commissioners and Director McCraw presented one Medal of Valor, three Director’s Awards, five Lifesaving Awards, and one Unit Citation.
Texas removes over one million ineligible voters since passing Senate Bill 1
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 27, 2024
Governor Greg Abbott announced today that since the enactment of Senate Bill 1 in 2021, Texas has removed over one million ineligible voters from its rolls. The removals include individuals who have moved out-of-state, are deceased, or are noncitizens.
More Texas school districts adopt policies limiting cell phones in schools, will Texas require it?
By Lone Star Standard | Aug 27, 2024
In August, Fort Worth area school districts Keller, Grapevine-Colleyville, and Northwest joined Richardson and Mansfield in putting in place policies that limit students’ use of cell phones during class times.
