North & East Texas
Angelina County Commissioners Court granted permission for a military exercise at the county airport by the Operations Group of the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. The airport will remain open with county staff members, but the runway lights will be off during the nighttime exercise.
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Bowie County Commissioner Pat McCoy resigned in April, and Judge Sterling Lacy appointed Texarkana businessman Mike Carter to fill the vacancy.
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Dallas County was recognized by the National Weather Service as a “Storm Ready Community,” a national preparedness program that distinguishes communities for their work in advance planning, education, and awareness of hazardous weather situations.
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Denton County adopted CodeRED, an emergency communications network, for residents across the county.
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Ellis County Commissioners Court approved a grant of $25,000 for Meals on Wheels.
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Grayson County Commissioners Court voted to require county employees covered in Grayson’s insurance program to get annual physical examinations, including biometrics and online health assessments, or pay a fine.
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Houston County Judge Erin Ford was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Product Development and Small Business Incubator Board.
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Jefferson County Commissioners Court approved tax incentives to speed the development of a hotel and water amusement park at Ford Park.
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Johnson County received a U.S. flag from Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, that flew at the U.S. Capitol in honor of the centennial celebration of the courthouse.
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Kaufman County Commissioners Court approved installation of cameras on school buses to catch drivers who fail to stop as children exit buses and to catch drivers who are speeding in school zones. Commissioners Court also approved $1.l million to renovate a National Guard armory building for use as a regional dispatch center.
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Limestone County Commissioners Court approved tax refunds for Rogers Manufacturing Co., which is establishing a new
$2.6 million facility in Mexia to employ at least 21 people to build wooden trusses.
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McLennan County Commissioners Court eliminated six county positions (justice of the peace, clerk, and constable in each of two precincts) by approving a new map that reduces the justice of the peace precincts from seven to five. The Waco Tribune said the move will save McLennan about $1 million in four years.
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San Augustine County Judge Samye Johnson was honored by the Deep East Texas 12-county branch of the National Association of Social Workers as the Elected Public Official of the Year.
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Smith County Commissioners Court added electronic cigarettes to the list of tobacco products banned within and adjacent to county facilities.
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Upshur County Commissioners Court approved a two-year contract with Sysco-East Texas of Longview for food for inmates in the county jail. Commissioners Court also approved a contract with Longview-based Community Healthcore for emergency mental health services.
South Texas
Bexar County reached an agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to purchase the bank’s building of 90,980 square feet and an adjacent parking lot in downtown San Antonio. Construction of a new bank building is nearing completion, according to the San Antonio Express News.
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Burnet County is again operating its jail after Southwestern Corrections did not sign a new contract when the previous contract expired March 31.
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Comal County Commissioners Court voted to abolish the position of county elections administrator and assign duties of voter registration and elections management to the county clerk. Commissioners Court also allocated $20,000 to begin converting a donated 52-acre tract of land near Canyon Lake into James Curry Nature Center.
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Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with Fort Bend County Women’s Center for funds to help victims of family violence and child neglect.
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Gonzales County Commissioners Court approved a joint physical fitness and wellness program with the local Texas Department of Public Safety. Also, Commissioners Court voted to purchase the Randle-Rather Building in downtown Gonzales to provide much-needed space for the office of the tax assessor-collector.
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Guadalupe County Commissioners Court voted to donate
4.76 acres of land owned by the county to the city of Martindale to expand Allen Bates River Park.
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Hays County Commissioners Court approved $5 million for the southwest portion of the SH45 road project, a four-lane toll road in southwestern Travis County and northern Hays County.
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Hidalgo County has an interim sheriff until the November election. Eddie Guerra, 52, Precinct 4 constable, was appointed after the resignation of Lupe Trevino. Commissioners Court also honored county resident Pedro Cano, World War II veteran and U.S. citizen since 1946 who was one of 24 recipients of the Medal of Honor on March 19 in Washington, D.C.
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Lavaca County Commissioners Court approved the sale of the county’s old jail for $35,000 to Rita Inc. of Brenham.
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Live Oak County received a donation of $5,000 from Talisman Energy for new computers.
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Matagorda County conducted a free health fair for county employees and residents in May on the grounds of the courthouse.
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Travis County Commissioners Court approved a $1 million program to help poor families in unincorporated areas with housing, job training, services for children and teens, behavioral health services, and access to healthy food and good transportation. Also, the community of Travis Country in southwest Austin earned recognition as a Firewise Community from the National Fire Protection Association. In addition, Commissioners Court approved
$84.8 million in bonds for transportation and park projects, design of a new medical examiners building, and part of construction of a building for the district attorney.
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Washington County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of 10 conducted electrical weapons by TASER International for the sheriff’s office.
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Williamson County Commissioners Court voted to pay $10,000 to evaluate a new source of water in adjacent Lee County. Williamson is considering buying rights from 180 acres in the Corrizo-Wilcox aquifer, a major source of groundwater extending from Louisiana to Mexico.
West Texas
Andrews County Commissioner Hiram Hubert resigned in March during his third term. His interim replacement, Jeneane Anderegg, businesswoman and volunteer, is the county’s first female Commissioner, according to the Andrews County News.
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El Paso County Commissioners Court approved the use of a new automated phone calling system, I-Plow, justice collection and compliance solution provider in San Antonio, to collect unpaid fines and court fees.
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Hardeman County held rededication ceremonies in May after restoration of its 106-year-old courthouse.
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Hemphill County Commissioners Court voted to fund construction of a Texas Department of Public Safety scale facility in Canadian. The Canadian Record said total cost is about $300,000.
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Kerr County received the Gold Star Safety Award for the 2nd consecutive year from the Texas Association of Counties. This award is given to counties with an active safety program that meets or exceeds the award criteria. All of Kerr County’s departments comply with the county’s safety and health programs. The Kerry County Road and Bridge Department continues to innovate new ways to prevent both vehicle and workers’ compensation injuries.
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Parker County Commissioners Court adjusted the county’s 50 percent cost-share agreement with the city of Springtown to $700,000 for a flood mitigation project, according to the Springtown Epigraph.
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Pecos County Commissioners Court approved an annual grant of $25,000 for the Lilah Smith Safe House for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.
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Reagan County Commissioners Court approved the paving of two streets in Big Lake as “a clear benefit to the county” to improve highway access for residents northeast of the city. The Big Lake Wildcat said the cost is about $100,000.
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Scurry County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements and a $2.7 million, 30-year loan for the Texas Housing Foundation, which has proposed a 127-unit apartment complex in Snyder. Half the units will provide affordable rent based on income, according to the Snyder Daily News.
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Wise County has an interim County Judge. Glenn Hughes, the county’s special projects manager and interim commissioner for Precinct 4, was appointed to serve as Judge after the death of Bill McElhaney until the November election.
– Compiled by Garner Roberts