CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS | Gary Borders
A federal investigation into five state facilities concluded children in custody face excessive force, sexual abuse and a lack of vital services, The Dallas Morning News reported.
At a news conference last week, Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said children held in those facilities are not receiving the treatment and rehabilitation they are supposed to get.
“Our investigation provides reasonable cause to believe that, far from achieving those objectives, TJJD engaged in a pattern of abuse, deprivation of essential services and disability-related discrimination that seriously harms children and undermines their rehabilitation, all in violation of their rights,” Clarke said.
In response, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department said it had made “several significant improvements” in staffing, educational programs and mental-health care. The Legislature appropriated more than $1 billion last session to improve youth facilities.
The youth facilities are located in Gainesville, Edinburg, Brownwood, Giddings and Mart.
Investigators found evidence of physical and sexual abuse, according to the report.
TxDOT adopts long-range transportation plan
“Connecting Texas 2050” was adopted recently by the Texas Transportation Commission to help guide priorities in the next quarter-century. The plan establishes the vision, goals, objectives and strategic recommendations for the state’s transportation system.
“With a growing population and new technologies changing how we move, these goals will help us plan for decades to come and connect future generations of Texans,” said Marc Williams, TxDOT executive director.
The agency held a series of public meetings to gather input from the state’s residents. Among the priorities listed were safety, alternative modes of travel, public-transportation options and maintaining the state’s existing transportation infrastructure.
To learn more about the plan, go to www. ConnectingTexas2050. com.
Court: Buoys can stay in Rio Grande until trial A full panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals ruled last week that a 1,000-foot-long barrier of buoys can stay in the Rio Grande until a full trial is held. The buoys, meant to deter illegal migrants, were placed on orders by Gov. Greg Abbott. Their legality was challenged by the federal government, which argues the placement violates federal treaties between the United States and Mexico.
At issue is whether this stretch of river is navigable, according to a report in the Texas Standard. A trial over the legal merits was slated to start in an Austin federal court this past week.
Flesh-eating bacteria on rise along coast
Authorities are warning of an outbreak of flesh-eating bacteria, with nearly a dozen people infected so far, The News reported. Galveston County officials said 11 cases of vibrio infections have been reported this summer, compared to just two last year.
The bacteria occur in coastal waters and are found in higher concentrations when water temperatures are warmer. It can be contracted when an open wound comes into contact with coastal waters or from eating raw or undercooked shellfish.
“There’s no need to panic,” Dr. Phillip Keiser, CEO of the Galveston County Health District, said in a statement. “Use common sense: avoid raw seafood, practice good hygiene and stay informed to keep safe.”
The Centers for Disease Control estimates 80,000 cases of vibrio occur in the U.S. each year.
PUC gets 72 applications for energy-loan program
The Public Utility Commission received 72 applications for loans available through the Texas Energy Fund, which if all granted would provide $24.41 billion to finance 38,379 megawatts of power-generation projects in the region served by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
“Texans have made it clear that they expect reliable electricity today and well into the future, and I am pleased to see industry leaders responding to that call and planning for major investments in dispatchable power for the state,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said.
The program will provide low-interest loans to finance new construction or upgrades to existing power-generating facilities within the ERCOT region, which serves most of the state. Funding for the loan program was approved by Texas voters in a constitutional amendment election last November.
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, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: [email protected]
