Governor Abbott, Texas National Guard Announce COVID-19 Mobile Testing Sites

AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas National Guard will be mobilizing more than 1,200 personnel as part of COVID-19 mobile testing teams (MTT). The 45 member teams will be mobilized in various parts of the state providing greater access to medical testing. The areas for these MTTs will be identified by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) with the first two of the 25 teams deployed to Fredericksburg and Floresville, Texas. The remaining 23 teams will be deployed to additional locations based on assessments made by DSHS.

"The State of Texas continues to expand our COVID-19 testing capacities and ensure that communities across the Lone Star State have access to the resources they need," said Governor Abbott. "I am grateful for the dedication of our Guardsmen as they continue to serve their fellow Texans throughout the COVID-19 response."

"COVID-19 testing is a crucial mission in our fight against this virus," said Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, adjutant general of Texas. "We are proud to support our partners TDEM and DSHS in bringing this critical capacity to areas in need of medical support."

           

The teams will have 11 medical professionals and support staff, as well as 34 soldiers. Currently, the Texas National Guard has the capacity to test 150 people per day at each mobile testing team location. 

The Texas Military Department was activated by Governor Abbott in March to assist communities across Texas in the COVID-19 response. Currently, over 2,500 Guardsmen are serving in various capacities in response to this activation. In working with local communities they have helped manufacture over four million pieces of personal protective equipment, conducted over 9,000 COVID-19 tests, and helped distribute food and supplies with local food banks to thousands of Texans each day. 

The MTTs are in collaboration with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and DSHS.

(PHOTO: Texas Military Department, 4/20/2020)

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(PHOTO: Texas Military Department, 4/20/2020)

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(PHOTO: Texas Military Department, 4/20/2020)

Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Establishing Strike Force To Open Texas

Directs Select Services To Reopen, Closes Schools For Remainder Of Academic Year

AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference where he issued three new Executive Orders to begin the process of reopening the state of Texas while revising hospital capacity and certain social distancing guidelines. Within the orders, select activities and services that pose minimal to no threat of spreading COVID-19 are allowed to reopen using a "Retail-To-Go" model, certain restrictions on surgeries have been loosened, and schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. 

Within these orders, the Governor has established the Strike Force to Open Texas—a team of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders who will advise the Governor on safely and strategically reopening the state of Texas.

"Texans are battling a colossal challenge—an invisible enemy

Doctors’ Group Goes Full Totalitarian

The American College of Physicians (ACP), which claims to represent 159,000 physicians, has released its detailed plan to achieve “universal coverage.”

            Before Medicare, the American Medical Association proclaimed that “the voluntary way is the American way.” Now, the ACP is advocating the involuntary way.

            Takeaway points from its proposal:

7 Day Weather Forecast

Today

Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Areas of fog after 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 52. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday

Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Tuesday Night

Increasing clouds, with a low around 61. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight.

Wednesday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.

Thursday

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 62. East wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 58. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south after midnight.

Friday

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 71. South wind around 10 mph.

Friday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Port Arthur Parks & Recreation Summer Recreation 2020

Port Arthur, Texas - The Parks and Recreation Department is recruiting seasonal workers for its 2020 Summer Recreation Program.  Applications are available at the Port Arthur Senior and Recreation Center, 1308 9th Avenue, beginning today, January 9, 2020, until February 14, 2020.

Top Ten Energy Efficiency Stories from the Southwest in 2019

In 2019, SWEEP and its allies were instrumental in securing approval of numerous new policies that will advance energy efficiency and vehicle electrification in the Southwest. Here is my list of the Top Ten success stories of 2019, in no particular order regarding importance. 1. Colorado Governor Issues EV Executive Order On January 17th, newly elected Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued and Executive Order supporting vehicle electrification in the state. Among its directives, it instructed the Department of Public Health and Environment to propose a Zero Emission Vehicle standard and state agencies to only support EVs in disbursing funds received from the settlement of the VW emissions cheating scandal. This was Governor Polis's first Executive Order, and SWEEP helped to draft it. 2. New Mexico Updates Efficient Use of Energy Act On March 13th, the New Mexico legislature adopted energy savings requirements for New Mexico’s

Coast Guard to commission Fast Response Cutter Daniel Tarr in Galveston, Texas

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Paige Hause

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a commissioning ceremony for the service's 36th fast response cutter, the Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr, in Galveston, Texas, Friday.

WHO: Vice Adm. Scott Buschman, Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander, will preside over the ceremony. Rear Adm. John Nadeau, Eighth Coast Guard District commander, and Lt. Nicholas Martin, Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr commanding officer

WHAT: Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr commissioning ceremony

WHERE: Sector Field Office Galveston
 3000 Fort Point Rd.
Galveston, TX 77550

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 10, 2020 at 11 a.m.

Daniel Tarr, the cutter’s namesake, was one of four Coast Guard coxswains who served with the Marines during the amphibious invasion of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, in August 1942. Tarr enlisted as a surfman and later became coxswain of USS McKean’s Boat Number 1 prior to the invasion. On Aug. 7, 1942, Tarr, along with the other 3 coxswains, landed the first wave of the Marine Corps’ Raider Battalion on the beaches of Tulagi; in the following three days, they also delivered vitally needed equipment, ammunition and supplies. For their role in the landing of the Marines’ first wave, and capture of Tulagi, the four coxswains were awarded the Silver Star Medal. They were the first enlisted men in the Coast Guard to receive the Silver Star Medal.

The Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr’s patrol area will encompass 900 miles of coastline for the Coast Guard’s Eighth District, from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. Fast response cutters are named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes and will replace the service's 110-foot patrol boats. These vessels feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

-USCG-

AG Paxton Statement on Dismissal of Lawsuit Challenging UT Austin’s Relocation of Confederate Monuments

AUSTIN, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton today released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that parties protesting the relocation of Confederate monuments at the University of Texas do not have standing to pursue their lawsuit:  

“This case was correctly dismissed months ago for lack of standing, and we are pleased that the Fifth Circuit agreed with our arguments and affirmed the district court’s decision. As the Court recognized, the plaintiffs had no legal injury from the University’s decision to move property on its campus.”

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HOLDS TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO INTRODUCE THE FINALISTS FOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION

Austin, Texas - Following an extensive recruiting process, Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) invites the community to two town hall meetings to introduce the finalists for an Assistant Director position with the department. During the town hall, stakeholders can learn about the hiring process and the candidates and provide the hiring manager with feedback. 

The Assistant Director will serve under the Director of PARD. They will plan, direct, and manage the functions and programs of a multi-disciplinary parks and recreation system. The Assistant Director will be responsible for service operations, budgets, personnel, and management for community recreation centers, senior centers, adaptive recreation, nature based programming, forestry, outreach programming, athletics, cultural arts, and museums.

The town hall meetings will take place on Jan. 16, 2020 at the following locations and times:

Zilker Botanical Garden Auditorium, Noon
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746
Parking fee waived for attendees

Conley Guerrero Senior Center, 6:30 p.m.
808 Nile St, Austin, TX 78702

ACL Seeks Business Partners to Increase Hiring of Workers with Disabilities

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) believes that all Americans — including people with disabilities and older adults —should be able to live at home with the supports they need, and participate in communities that value their contributions. ACL was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHSC) in 2012 to centralize efforts to realize this vision.  

According to ACL, firms that employ and support workers with disabilities have 28% higher revenue and 30% higher profit margins than peer businesses that do not. Hiring and retaining workers with disabilities benefits everyone — inclusive employers report higher employee morale and higher employee retention rates. 

ACL invites businesses to compete for cash prizes to help them expand their recruiting and retention programs to better include workers with disabilities. They are particularly interested in programs that address the unique needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. ACL believes that businesses are the experts on what works for them, and are best suited to develop innovative solutions for hiring and retaining employees with disabilities. Cash prizes will be awarded at each of the three phases of the competition, which will serve as seed money to help the winners refine and implement their initial concepts. 

The Grand Prize is $100,000. All prize winners will receive travel to Washington, D.C., mentorship from experts in the field, and promotion of their business innovation models. Every participating business will receive feedback on their proposals and permission to use the "Administration for Community Living Inclusive Talent Pipeline Partner" logo.

The deadline to submit a proposal is February 14th, 2020.

If you have questions or want to learn more, email aod@acl.hhs.gov

Click to Submit Your Proposal!