Summer is on its way, along with increasing temperatures and water conditions that are suitable for the spread of an uncommon but usually fatal illness that can occur when water is forced up your nose, usually during swimming or water recreation.
Thousands of “travelers” will join a virtual road trip next week to explore the wonders of Texas, from the Gulf Coast and Piney Woods to the far reaches of the Panhandle and the Rio Grande and everywhere in between. Using real-time satellite maps and live streams, Texans will undertake a unique journey on the Texas Counts Virtual Road Trip, celebrating the state while making an historic attempt to increase responses to the 2020 Census. As of June 17, 2020, only 56.1% of Lone Star residents had completed their questionnaires, making Texas 41st among the 50 states. This low response rate endangers billions of dollars in future funding and the state’s representation in Congress.
The following news announcements are mainly from the Office of Gov. Greg Abbott (gov.texas.gov) and the Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (texasattorneygeneral.gov). They have been summarized for space considerations, but the full press releases are available at the respective websites.
Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to institute police reforms when he met with the Houston family of George Floyd, who was handcuffed and killed by police in front of a Minneapolis convenience store on May 25.
The Mexia ISD school board voted to go ahead with two renovation projects this summer at its regular board meeting Monday, June 15, and OK’d a number of waivers related to the shutdown of all schools in the state since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.