Archive for the ‘Texas’ Category

Read and watch between the lines and come to your own conclusion:

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashtx.htm

http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/12227/

Today, Texas Gov. Rick Perry rejected $555 million in federal stimulus money that would expand state unemployment benefits, saying the money would have required the state to keep funding the expanded benefits after the stimulus money ran out.

Perry, an outspoken critic of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill, did accept most of the roughly $17 billion slated for Texas in the plan.

But he said the requirements attached to the federal stimulus money would require a change in the state’s definition of unemployment, expanding coverage to more people and placing more of the state’s tax burden on employers.

“During these tough times, Texas employers are working harder than ever to move products to market, make payroll and create jobs,” Perry said at a news conference. “The last thing they need is government burdening them with higher taxes and expanded obligations.”

Perry said such an expansion would counteract the package’s objective of job creation by leading companies to limit hiring and raise prices.

To receive the full amount of stimulus money available, lawmakers would need to adjust the time period used to determine whether people are eligible for benefits.

Texas also is being asked to expand eligibility to include thousands of low-wage workers. Lawmakers have said the change would help part-time employees like single mothers, college students and senior citizens.

Ok boys and girls, The State Fair of Texas is now open! Opening day is always a wonderful time to go….

….the park is clean…
…the carnies still have their voices…
…the grease is fresh…

Fletcher’s Corny Dog’s are the original and located near Big Tex’s boots, the struedel, fried twinkies, lemonade and battered deep fried bacon is all waiting for you.

The Midway’s game booths are stuffed full and the Arts & Crafts building show off amazing crafts handmade by local residents and the Embarcadaro building has the best of Texas produce whether it’s salsa or jams.

And remember, nothing beats people watching at the Fair! Mullet hunting season is now open.

See ya’ll out there.

The website link below is being updated with hotel room availability for Hurricane Ike evacuees.

>>>>>http://www.tacvbemergency.net/searchrooms<<<<<

Please check for availability before heading to a city as many small town hotels and budget hotels in the major cities are completely sold out.

Hurricane Ike is expected to hit south of Galveston Island as a Category 3 storm with up to 125 mph winds - wind gusts may be up to 160.

Evacuation orders are already in place for all of Galveston and portions of Houston. As the worst part of the storm is the south and east, NASA Mission Control and the largest U.S. oil refinery - which is owned by Dallas-based ExxonMobil - are all under threat. 25% of the nation’s oil is refined along the Texas Gulf Coast so there is a chance that if systems go down our gasoline prices will go up. The refineries are built to withstand hurricane force winds; however, it’s the tidal surges that has people concerned.

This morning, medical patients started arriving on military planes at DFW International Airport where they were evaluated by medical teams and sent to area hospitals.

As of now, the southbound lanes of I-45 between Dallas and Houston have not been reversed - but that is a possibility as the storm grows closer to hitting landfall Saturday morning.

The storm is expected to head for Dallas as of Sunday morning and we, at this time, are to expect 40+mph winds, gusts up to 65mph and the possibility of tornadoes to the south and east. We might also expect up to 6″ of rain which could result in flash flooding.

Dallas County school buses rolled out of North Texas early Monday, bound for San Antonio. They are ready to take part in what could be another massive Gulf Coast evacuation ahead of Hurricane Ike later this week.

>>Track Hurricane Ike at this link.<<

About 50 buses are prepared to help in the effort, depending on the path that Ike takes after it enters the Gulf of Mexico. Drivers said they are anxious, but eager to provide needed assistance. The buses and their drivers are headed to a staging area in San Antonio where they will wait for word on whether they are needed.

Dallas County Schools is sending only half of the 100 buses they dispatched last week for Hurricane Gustav because fewer vehicles are available with the start of the school year.

Texas is moving forward on the nation’s largest wind-power project, a plan to build billions of dollars worth of new transmission lines to bring wind energy from gusty West Texas to urban areas.

Texas is already the national leader in wind power, and supporters say Thursday’s preliminary approval by the Public Utility Commission, will make the Lone Star State a leader in being able to move all that energy to the urban areas that need it.

Environmentalist and consumer groups called the move a critical expansion of the “renewable energy superhighway,” predicting it will spur wind energy projects, create jobs, reduce energy costs and reduce pollution.

Texas electric customers will bear the cost of the $4.9 billion plan over the next several years, paying about $4 more per month on their electric bills.

State officials, however, say those increases could be several years away, and the payments would be no different than the current system of paying for new transmission lines from power plants.

The 2-1 vote by the PUC, however, didn’t commit to as big of a project as some environmental groups and state lawmakers had wanted. The chosen plan would transmit a little more than half the energy some advocated.

Texas already generates the about 5,000 megawatts of wind power, tops in the nation. The new plan would add transmission lines to boost capacity to about 18,000 megawatts.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas says one megawatt of power provides enough electricity for 500-700 average homes under normal conditions in Texas, or about 200 homes during hot weather.