Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Education Agency to ensure school facilities are made safer in the wake of the killing of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
In a letter to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, the governor requested the agency:
• Instruct school districts to identify actions to make campuses more secure prior to the start of the new school year.
• Instruct all school districts to conduct weekly inspections of exterior doors to verify they are secure during school hours.
• Develop strategies to encourage school districts to increase the presence of trained law enforcement officers and school marshals on campuses.
The state has made an initial $5 million investment to establish a Family Resiliency Center in Uvalde County. The center will provide psychological services, crisis counseling and other health services for those affected by the massacre.
To date, the governor has rejected calls for a special session to consider additional gun control measures. Instead, he has asked legislative leaders to convene special committees to develop recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, firearm safety and other issues.
EMERGENCY SNAP BENEFITS AGAIN EXTENDED
Once again, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide nearly $318 million in emergency food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for June.
All SNAP households will get a minimum of $95 in additional food allotments on top the regular allotment. More than $6.9 billion in emergency benefits have been provided to Texans since April 2020.
“We’re here to support families when they need us most,” said Texas HHSC Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter. “Providing access to fresh, nutritious foods is essential for healthy families.”
VEHICLE DEATHS REACH 41-YEAR HIGH IN 2021
The number of people killed in vehicle crashes totaled 1,532 last year, with 6,493 major injuries — the highest level since 1981. More than a third of those deaths involved excessive speed, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. With a 16% increase last year in speed-related wrecks, TxDOT is urging drivers to slow down and drive to weather and traffic conditions.
COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO RISE
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Texas during the past week rose to 46,946, with 42 new deaths reported by the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University. That is more than double the number of new cases reported a month ago. The number of labconfirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state also rose to 1,168, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches and Cedar Park. Email: [email protected].
