SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 15 -- The Alamo Colleges District issued the following news release: For the first time ever, the Fabulous GED Brunch, a major fundraiser supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, including Brunch founder Martha Tijerina and the Alamo Colleges Foundation, went virtual and still garnered tremendous community support, raising more than $42,000 to support the Foundation's Student Impact Fund, which provides emergency aid to students to help with rent, utilities, food in  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSPer) -- The Alamo Colleges District issued the following news release: At a special meeting on December 17, 2020, the Alamo Colleges District canvassed the votes cast in the district's runoff elections for trustee district's 4 and 9 and declared the winners to be Dr. Lorena "Lorraine" Pulido in District 4 and Leslie Sachanowicz in District 9. Both are serving for the first time on the board and will be sworn in at a later date. Pulido replaces retiring board cha  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 15 -- The Alamo Colleges District issued the following news release: Beginning in January 2021, local employers can hire Alamo Colleges' work-study students and have their wages partially paid by the district. Small businesses will pay 25% of the students' wages, while large businesses will pay 50%. Alamo Colleges will pay the difference. Interested employers must attend a webinar to get details about becoming a partner: December 10, 9-10 a.m. or December 17, 3-4 p.m.   more

CHARLES TOWN, West Virginia, Dec. 15 -- The American Public University System issued the following news release: Highlighting its ongoing commitment to the active duty military and veterans communities, American Public University System (APUS) has expanded support of National Wreaths Across America Day this holiday season. APUS is increasing efforts by: * Coordinating the delivery of over 43,300 wreaths in seven tractor-trailer trucks to 28 sites in six states across the United States; * Dona  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Texas A&M University issued the following news release on Dec. 17: The MSC Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee at Texas A&M University welcomes educator and anti-racism activist Jane Elliott to deliver the keynote address of the 14th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Jan. 21, 2021. Organizers said the event, which serves as an observance of the MLK holiday on Jan. 18, 2021, is a way to reflect on the life and legacy of King. The  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- The Austin Community College District issued the following news: Austin Community College District (ACC) extends and expands deep discounts in fast-track training programs to help get more Central Texans into promising career fields -- quickly. The 50-percent tuition discount is now available through August 2021 for a total of 26 programs in the highest-demand sectors in the region, including healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and education. ACC offers four ways to learn i  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSRes) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: The number of Houstonians who had COVID-19 could be four times higher than indicated by viral testing, according to new data from the Houston Health Department, Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University. The department tested the blood of volunteers from randomly selected Houston households for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, an indication of previous infection. Data from the antibod  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSJou) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: Research has shown that human milk is the optimal nutrition source for neonates and infants. It confers protection against both immediately life-threatening infant diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis, as well as later onset diseases in adults, like obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Scientific evidence suggests that what a mother eats while she is breastfeeding can modulat  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSJou) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release on Dec. 18: The rhesus macaque is the most widely studied nonhuman primate in biomedical research. A genome sequencing project for this species, led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Missouri and the University of Washington, has created a new framework for study of this important primate. Research published in the journal Science has established a new reference gen  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSRes) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: In the midst of a national opioid crisis and with increasing data showing the adverse effects of opioids, it's important for patients to know that they can now recover from major surgical procedures without the need for opioids. A Baylor College of Medicine orthopedic surgeon, a pioneer of this innovative approach, explains how he is able to successfully offer opioid-free surgery recovery to hi  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: Research has shown that gut microbes can influence several aspects of the host's life, including aging. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the human gut environment, elucidating how a specific microbial species contributes to longevity has been challenging. To explore the influence of bacterial products on the aging process, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University d  more

WACO, Texas, Dec. 15 -- Baylor University issued the following news: Jonathan Chew, a senior in the Business Fellows program at Baylor University, has been selected one of 12 members of the George J. Mitchell Scholar Class of 2022, a prestigious scholarship program of the US-Ireland Alliance, which sends future American leaders to Ireland for a year of graduate study. The selection marks the first time a Baylor student has been named a recipient of the scholarship. The non-partisan and nonprof  more

WACO, Texas, Dec. 15 -- Baylor University issued the following news: Baylor University senior Sophia Fulton has won a Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship, a highly competitive national award for students who want to become United States Foreign Service officers, with special emphasis on trying to diversify the Foreign Service. Fulton, who is from Oronoco, Minnesota, is the second Baylor student to receive the prestigious award, funded by the U.S. Department of State. She is a Baylor Business  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 19 -- CenterPoint Energy issued the following news release: Beginning this month, CenterPoint Energy, in collaboration with the National Energy Foundation (NEF), will launch a new energy safety education program for secondary, vocational and college students providing relevant on-the-job safety education in Indiana. The Energy Safe Skills program will teach future job site workers how to be safe and protect the communities where they will work. Energy Safe Skills is a safe  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 19 -- CenterPoint Energy issued the following news release: CenterPoint Energy's Indiana-based gas utility, Indiana Gas Company, has filed a request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) for recovery of investments made within its Indiana natural gas service territory. The filing comes at the completion of the company's 7-year, $725 million gas modernization plan, which was filed in 2013 to comply with federal pipeline safety rules and continue the safe, re  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSPer) -- Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences issued the following news release: Dr. William Murphy, a professor in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS), was recently named a fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading pu  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 -- ConocoPhillips, a producer of oil and gas resources, issued the following news release: ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) will host a conference call webcast on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss fourth-quarter 2020 financial and operating results. The company's financial and operating results will be released before the market opens on Feb. 2. To access the webcast, visit ConocoPhillips' Investor Relations site, www.conocophillips.com/investor, a  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 15 -- The University of Texas's MD Anderson Cancer Center issued the following news release: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is prepared to accept, store and distribute the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following the Food and Drug Administration's decision on Friday, Dec. 11, to grant Emergency Use Authorization. At present, state and local health officials have allocated 4,875 doses of vaccine in the first shipment to MD Anderson for use with frontline health   more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 18 -- The Dallas Independent School District issued the following news release: For the past several years, a task force of educators within Dallas ISD has been focused on creating supports for students, teachers and campuses within the district in hopes of building enrollment, increasing Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and heightening achievement. That work has taken on even more importance since the passage last spring of the Board of Trustee's resolution to address in  more

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, Dec. 17 (TNSGra) -- Duke Energy Foundation issued the following news release: Duke Energy Foundation and Duke Energy Renewables has awarded the Maryneal Volunteer Fire Department with a $20,000 grant to help maintain the critical safety services it provides to the local businesses and residents of Maryneal, Texas, and its surrounding area. "These funds will enable Maryneal Volunteer Fire Department to obtain the equipment necessary to enhance the fire suppression ca  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Dec. 18 (TNSGra) -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: Dr. Timir Paul of East Tennessee State University's Quillen College of Medicine has received a $200,000 research grant from the University of Texas Southwestern to evaluate the "real world" effectiveness and use of non-stent and stent-based therapies among patients treated with peripheral artery disease. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries serving the le  more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 15 -- ExxonMobil, an international energy company, issued the following news release on Dec. 14: ExxonMobil said today it plans further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years to support the goals of the Paris Agreement and anticipates meeting year-end 2020 reductions. * Greenhouse gas plans consistent with goals of Paris Agreement * Sets 2025 greenhouse gas emission reduction plan: intensity of upstream emissions to drop by 15-20%; methane intensit  more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 16 -- ExxonMobil, an international energy company, issued the following news release on Dec. 15: Darren Woods, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation, presented $50,000 to Community Partners of Dallas today to support the organization's work to assist and provide comfort to abused and neglected children in North Texas. The contribution marks the 15th annual ExxonMobil Chairman's Gift, which is given during the holidays to benefit and help highlight a  more

LAREDO, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Texas A&M International University, a member of the Texas A&M University System, issued the following news release: A gift of languages might be the perfect gift for that special someone on your holiday list. Texas A&M International University's (TAMIU) Office of Continuing Education is offering virtual introductory conversational language courses in French and Italian as part of its Personal Enrichment Series at TAMIU this Spring 2021. The courses are led by TAMIU's  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 19 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release: iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, which also has a greater reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, announced today the lineup for the fourth annual iHeartRadio ALTer EGO Presented by Capital One. Although fans are unable to attend the 2021 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO in person given the limitations on live events during the pandemic, this year's virtual event, hosted by Woody of iHeartRadio ALT 98  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSPer) -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Dec. 16: iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) announced today that Gabe Fleet has been named Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Chief Music Licensing Counsel, effective January 11, 2021. In his new role, Fleet will lead iHeartMedia's Business Affairs team and focus on strategic deals and relationships with the company's music and entertainment partners and be responsible for business and legal affairs   more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 16 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Dec. 15: HBO Max today announced season four of the Max Original SEARCH PARTY premieres on Thursday, Jan. 14 with three episodes. The comedy thriller's ten-episode season continues with another three episodes on Jan. 21 and the final four episodes on Jan. 28. Teaser trailer: https://youtu.be/VgG1B6w39XI In SEARCH PARTY season four, Dory (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her psychotic stalker Chip (Cole Escola), w  more

BEAUMONT, Texas, Dec. 14 -- Lamar University issued the following news: Lamar University has selected 15 students to serve as Lamar University Ambassadors. They will join 30 returning ambassadors in representing the student body at official university functions during the 2020-2021 academic year. "The success of many endeavors at Lamar University is due, in large part, to our collaborations with alumni, donors and community leaders," said Shannon Figueroa, director of alumni affairs. "The Amba  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSPer) -- The University of Texas's MD Anderson Cancer Center issued the following news release: Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D., M.Sc., associate professor in Health Services Research with a joint appointment in Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been elected to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Board of Directors. Members of the board are elected by ASCO's members. Those who serve in these roles are cancer  more

STARKVILLE, Mississippi, Dec. 19 -- Mississippi State University issued the following news: Twenty-five students from throughout Mississippi, as well as Alabama, Tennessee and Texas are 2020-2021 ambassadors for Mississippi State's College of Education. The College of Education Ambassadors serve as liaisons for the college's faculty and staff to students, prospective students, alumni and other constituents. "This is an amazing group of young people. They are excited to represent the College o  more

BISMARCK, North Dakota, Dec. 18 -- North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued the following news release: Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem joined a bipartisan coalition of states in two antitrust lawsuits against Google. The first lawsuit, filed by the states in US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that Google engaged in false, misleading and deceptive acts while selling, buying and auctioning online display ads. Google's monopolization of online display adver  more

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, Dec. 16 -- New Mexico State University issued the following news: Arrowhead Center is housed at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, but its mission is to serve entrepreneurs and businesses extends beyond campus. Arrowhead Center's world-ranked student business accelerator, Studio G, is currently open to students and recent alumni at 18 colleges and universities in New Mexico and Texas. Entrepreneur-in-residence Victor Hughes has been key to Studio G's expansion i  more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Nexstar Media Group, a television broadcasting company, issued the following news release on Dec. 16: Nexstar Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST), announced today that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire leading consumer product recommendations company BestReviews from Tribune Publishing Company (Nasdaq: TPCO) for $160 million in a transaction that is immediately accretive to Nexstar's operating results. BestReview  more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Nexstar Media Group, a television broadcasting company, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation announced today it will donate $5,000 to several Salvation Army chapters serving central North Carolina on behalf of WGHP-TV FOX8, the Nexstar Inc. local television station serving Greensboro, High-Point, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, known locally as "The Triad." The contribution is part of the 2020 FOX8/Old Dominion Triad   more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 19 -- Nexstar Media Group, a television broadcasting company, issued the following news release on Dec. 18: Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) announced today that its wholly-owned cable network, WGN America, has reached its first-ever multi-year comprehensive agreement with Hulu to be carried by the streaming service beginning Jan. 19, 2021. The agreement also restores Nexstar's ABC-affiliated television stations to Hulu + Live TV. Today's announcement marks Nexstar's  more

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 15 -- Ohio House Democrats issued the following information on behalf of Ohio State Reps. Paula Hicks-Hudson, D-Toledo, and Catherine D. Ingram, D-Cincinnati, on Dec. 14: Ohio Democratic lawmakers Reps. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) today sent a letter to 42 Republican House members who last week, without evidence, urged the Ohio Attorney General to join the Texas Attorney General's attack on the democratic presidential election result  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Dec. 16 -- The Oklahoma Democratic Party issued the following news release: The Oklahoma Democratic Party released the following statement on filing a request for copies of public records on the costs associated with Oklahoma A.G. Hunter joining the Texas Attorney General's lawsuit to try and overturn the Presidential election: "Just after 10:00 o'clock this morning, the Oklahoma Democratic Party filed a Freedom of Information request to determine how much money the At  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- The Public Utility Commission of Texas issued the following news release on Dec. 17: In a unanimous vote, commissioners today promoted longtime agency employee, Thomas Gleeson, to the role of Executive Director for the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Having excelled in multiple roles since joining the agency in 2008, Gleeson most recently served as Chief Operating Officer. "I am delighted that Thomas has accepted our invitation to continue serving Texas as our Exe  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 19 -- Rice University issued the following news release: Applications are open for next summer's Rice Visiting Owls program, a unique way for visiting high school, undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students to complete essential courses for credit. Visiting Owls summer courses will be presented in six available blocks across a range of meeting times during the day and evening. Among the more than 140 proposed courses are high-demand subjects that fulfill general educati  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release on Dec. 17: When surgeons remove cancer, one of the first questions is, "Did they get it all?" Researchers from Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have created a new microscope that can quickly and inexpensively image large tissue sections, potentially during surgery, to find the answer. The microscope can rapidly image relatively thick pieces of tissue with cellular resolut  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSRes) -- Rice University issued the following news release: A new small home designed and being built by Rice University students divides to conquer in the quest for energy efficiency. The Auxiliary ADU (accessory dwelling unit) under construction in Houston's northwest-of-downtown First Ward is a house in two parts, with a living room and kitchen on one side, a bedroom and bathroom on the other and a Texas-style "dogtrot" breezeway that separates the two. When eith  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSRep) -- Rice University issued the following news release: The reduction in mobility along the Texas-Mexico border caused by COVID-19 will hurt the state's economy as a whole, according to new research from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "Because the border economy is heavily dependent on cross-border trade and consumption, the economic impact of reduced cross-border mobility cannot be underestimated," wrote Jose Ivan Rodriguez-Sanchez, postdoc  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSRes) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Lockdowns at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic may have been the most important factor in reducing the ultimate spread of the disease in the United States, according to a new report from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "State Restrictions and the COVID-19 Death Rate" was co-authored by Mike Saletta, owner of Saletta Strategies, an Austin, Texas-based data analysis and strategy firm; Mat  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Nanomaterials researchers in Finland, the United States and China have created a color atlas for 466 unique varieties of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The nanotube color atlas is detailed in a study in Advanced Materials about a new method to predict the specific colors of thin films made by combining any of the 466 varieties. The research was conducted by researchers from Aalto University in Finland, Rice  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release: You have to look closely, but the hills are alive with the force of van der Waals. Rice University scientists found that nature's ubiquitous "weak" force is sufficient to indent rigid nanosheets, extending their potential for use in nanoscale optics or catalytic systems. Changing the shape of nanoscale particles changes their electromagnetic properties, said Matt Jones, the Norman and Gene Hackerman Assista  more

HUNTSVILLE, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSPer) -- Sam Houston State University issued the following news on Dec. 15: Sam Houston State University will soon have a Bearkat in the White House. Ashley Etienne was recently named to the communication staff for the Joe Biden administration. Etienne, a 2000 SHSU graduate with a degree in political science, will serve as the communications director for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. She is part of an all-female senior White House press team for the incoming   more

HUNTSVILLE, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSGra) -- Sam Houston State University issued the following news: A $251,139 grant award from the Greater Texas Foundation will allow Sam Houston State University to enhance ELITE and Evolve programs serving male students of color and female transfer students. One major goal that the funding will allow the programs to accomplish is the hiring of an outreach specialist, to broaden recruitment and program development efforts. "The outreach specialist will aim to ease  more

NEW YORK, Dec. 17 -- Simon and Schuster, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS, issued the following news on Dec. 16: Today Simon & Schuster announced that it is publishing Watermelon and Red Birds, an essential cookbook for the all-American celebration of Juneteenth, by food writer and cookbook author Nicole Taylor, slated for publication in 2022. Nearly two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops spread the word of liberation to African-Americans. And so, June 19,   more

GEORGETOWN, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSRes) -- Southwestern University issued the following news: A recent study commissioned by Chorus America found that "choruses are powerhouses of connection and tolerance," with 73% saying singing with a group makes them feel less lonely and 63% believing singing has made them more accepting of people different from them. Choral groups have proven to be an invaluable creative outlet for people of all backgrounds to build their voices and communities together, and S  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 -- District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine issued the following statement on Dec. 12: * * * Attorney General Karl A. Racine today issued the following statement after receiving news that the United States Supreme Court denied Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to invalidate the results of the election in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. "When our coalition of 23 Attorneys General submitted our brief to the Supreme Court opposing the Tex  more

DOVER, Delaware, Dec. 14 -- Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings issued the following statement on Dec. 12: * * * Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Saturday regarding the Supreme Court's rejection of Texas' last-ditch election suit: Last night the Supreme Court -- including President Trump's own judicial appointees -- rejected a desperate, 11th hour attempt by Texas' attorney general to overturn millions of votes. It was only the latest in a virtually unbro  more

NACOGDOCHES, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSPer) -- Stephen F. Austin State University issued the following news release: Stephen F. Austin State University has named a longtime student affairs staff member to serve as interim dean of students. Dr. Hollie Gammel Smith, assistant dean of student affairs for programs, supervises student engagement programs, the Center for Career and Professional Development and SFA's award-winning Spirit Teams. Recently, she also has managed SFA's COVID-19 contact tracing.   more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release on Dec. 15: Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, Tarleton State University will provide annual scholarships and guarantee admission to Dublin High School seniors who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class. The Dublin Independent School District and Tarleton leaders finalized the agreement with a memorandum signed at the Nov. 16 meeting of the DISD Board of Trustees. As part of the Distinguish  more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSGra) -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: A $750,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will help Tarleton State University boost workers displaced by COVID-19 and assist students who stopped short of completing their undergraduate degree. The Texas Reskilling Support Fund Grant Program stems from $175 million given the THECB from the Governor's Emergency Educational Relief Fund - originally part of the Coronavir  more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Tarleton State University Wednesday finalized the purchase of the Bosque Crossing Apartments, within walking distance from the Stephenville campus across West Vanderbilt Street. Approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents earlier this year, the 173-unit one- and two-bedroom complex with covered parking will increase housing options for graduate students as well as students with familie  more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 15 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Tarleton State University's storied rodeo team has a new home on the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch in the heart of the "Cowboy Capital." The announcement was made this afternoon during a celebration for rodeo athletes following the school's participation in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association National Finals Rodeo in Arlington last week. Longtime Tarleton supporters Brad and Nancy Allen bought a   more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSAwa) -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Tarleton State University professor Dr. James Muir was presented this year's Charles Leonard Weddle Memorial Award by the Native Plant Society of Texas for lifetime achievement in the field of Texas native plants. In addition to his work in the Tarleton Wildlife, Sustainability and Ecosystems Science Department, Dr. Muir is a grassland ecologist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extensi  more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, Tarleton State University will provide annual scholarships and guarantee admission to Johnson City High School seniors who graduate in the top quarter of their class. The Johnson City Independent School District and Tarleton leaders finalized the agreement with a memorandum signed at the Dec. 3 meeting of the ISD's board of trustees. As part of the Distinguished  more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Tarleton State University has announced a graduate admissions agreement with Southwestern Oklahoma State University. High-achieving SOSU environmental chemistry and chemistry students will be guaranteed acceptance to Tarleton's master of science in environmental science program. Operated from the College of Science and Technology, the program is interdisciplinary and fully online. The pact takes effect  more

SHIRO, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSAwa) -- Tenaska, an independent power producer, issued the following news release: Employees at Tenaska Frontier Generating Station have been honored with four National Safety Council (NSC) awards for their 2019 safety performance. The plant, located near Shiro, has had zero work-related injuries or illnesses resulting in time away from work (lost time) since the start of commercial operation in 2000 - an achievement 20 years in the making. "Reaching this impressive s  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences issued the following news release: More than 650 people from across the United States attended the 2020 Annual Meeting of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' (NIEHS) Hazardous Substance Basic Research and Training Program (Superfund Research Program) on Dec. 14-15, during which researchers from across the country came together to showcase and discuss the latest r  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences issued the following news release: Two Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) veterinary students had the rare opportunity to care for endangered sea turtles found on Massachusetts beaches suffering from hypothermia and other complications. On Dec. 7, more than 120 cold-stunned turtles were found in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Because there were too many  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Three faculty members in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University shared their experiences and explained what it is really like to be an assistant professor. As an assistant professor, one wears many hats - from teaching classes and advising students to drafting research proposals and applying for the top research grants - making this a very d  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: An essential component of engines used in aircraft and power generation is a gas turbine. The efficiency of these machines can be significantly amplified if they are made of materials that can endure harsh environments, such as high temperatures. These high-performance, futuristic turbines will have the potential to benefit not just the aviation and power industry, but also consumers by r  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Hydraulic fracturing, an oil-recovery process in shale reservoirs, uses tremendous amounts of fresh water to crack the shale rock and free trapped oil and gas. Some of this water eventually flows back to the surface, where it can be reclaimed and treated for reuse. However, this flowback water flushes out another kind of fluid from the reservoir, called produced water. Since prod  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: A "Self-Portrait after the Spanish Flu" was painted by Edvard Munch in 1919 after the disease infected an estimated 500 million people around the world. Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity when Cambridge University shut down due to the Great Plague of London, forcing him to return home where an apple mysteriously fell onto his head. A team of students has paired with Rosemarie Fiore, a py  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Both a machine-learning algorithm and an engineer can predict if a bridge is going to collapse when they are given data that shows a failure might happen. Engineers can interpret the data based on their knowledge of physics, stresses and other factors, and state why they think the bridge is going to collapse. Machine-learning algorithms generally can't give an explanation of why   more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 19 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Amanda Gibbens, a former student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, recounted her time at Texas A&M University, expressing her love for the time she spent here and all the things she was able to accomplish. Gibbens' journey at Texas A&M started with her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering and led her to continue her academic career, earning a master's degree. During   more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 19 (TNSPer) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Two faculty members from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University were named 2020 distinguished members of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) for their outstanding scientific contributions to computing. The two inductees were Dr. Tracy Hammond and Dr. Shuiwang Ji. All 64 of the inductees are longstanding members of the ACM and were se  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: With the growing global concerns over climate change, scientists are looking for cleaner energy sources and other ways to minimize the carbon footprint in the world. Researchers at Texas A&M Engineering and the Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Arts et Metiers (ENSAM) are collaborating to look at the materials and products we use daily. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Hospital-acquired infections are a global health problem that threatens patients' treatment in intensive care units. Patients who require intubation are at a higher risk of contracting life-threatening cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Dr. Vanderlei Bagnato, a Hagler Faculty Fellow with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University, is testing a new cle  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: From Corpus Christi to Canada and around the world, salt marshes and other ecosystems act as barriers for coastal communities against storm surges and natural disasters. Normally, the resiliency of these natural barriers - or the ability for them to bounce back and recover - allows them to continue to function and protect the communities they separate from the sea. However, with  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: The United States generates a colossal seven million tons of sewage sludge annually, enough to fill 2,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. While a portion of this waste is repurposed for manure and other land applications, a substantial amount is still disposed of in landfills. In a new study, Texas A&M University researchers have uncovered an efficient way to use leftover sludge to  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release on Dec. 16: Attorney General Ken Paxton announced today that the State of Texas is leading a multistate coalition in a lawsuit against Google for multiple violations of federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws, including anticompetitive conduct, exclusionary practices and deceptive misrepresentations in connection with its role in the multi-trillion-dollar online display advertising ind  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued the following news release: As part of its ongoing commitment to reducing recidivism and supporting reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals, TDLR is working with state agency partners and stakeholders to provide a licensing pathway that previously might have been unattainable because of an applicant's criminal history. Thanks to a memorandum of understanding (or MOU) signed last week, TDLR, the Windham Scho  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Arlington, having completed the multi-step certification process, has been designated as a Music Friendly Community by the Texas Music Office (TMO). The Music Friendly Community program seeks to foster music business economic development in Texas cities and communities. TMO Community Relations & Outreach Specialist Chip Adams will present the Music Friendly Community  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 16 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 15: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Denison, having completed the multi-step certification process, has been designated as a Music Friendly Community by the Texas Music Office (TMO). The Music Friendly Community program seeks to foster music business economic development in Texas cities and communities. TMO Community Relations & Outreach Specialist Chip Adams will present the Music Friendly   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Jacob Boggus to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners for a term set to expire on February 1, 2021. The board licenses and regulates occupational therapy services in the state of Texas. Jacob Boggus of Harlingen is the General Manager of Boggus Ford Harlingen. He is a board member of Valley Automotive Dealers Association and Valley Zoological Socie  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Susan Kelly as Judge of the 54th Judicial District Court in McLennan County, effective January 1, 2021, for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Susan Kelly of Waco is an attorney in private practice. She is board certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is license  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Jay Riskind to the Texas Public Finance Authority for a term set to expire February 1, 2023. The authority issues and sells bonds for designated state agencies in order to finance the acquisition or construction of buildings. Jay Riskind of Austin is president of The Riskind Group, a cross border firm focused on the development of asset platforms and special situation inve  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Antoinette "Toni" Jackson and Sheela Lahoti, M.D. to the Texas Medical Board District One Review Committee for terms set to expire on January 15, 2022. Additionally, he appointed Aundrea Young and reappointed David Davila, D.O. and Courtney Townsend, M.D. for terms set to expire on January 15, 2024 and appointed Imran Dar, M.D. and Kimberly Phillips for terms set to expire   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Zachary Jones, M.D. and reappointed Lewis Benavides to the Texas Medical Board District Two Review Committee for terms set to expire on January 15, 2022. Additionally, he appointed Carrie de Moor, M.D., Clyde Loll, and Robert Simonson, D.O. for terms set to expire on January 15, 2024 and appointed Angela Downes and Ivan Rovner, M.D. for terms set to expire January 15, 2026.  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 15 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 14: Governor Greg Abbott today visited the White House where he attended a briefing on Operation Warp Speed with Vice President Mike Pence and other state and federal leaders. During the briefing, the leaders discussed the ongoing COVID-19 response and the vaccine distribution currently taking place across the country and in Texas. The first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Texas this mornin  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference where he provided an update on the statewide COVID-19 vaccine distribution at the UPS Distribution Center in Austin. The Governor was joined for the press conference by Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd and Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD. "It is a historic week in the   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Brandon Troy Hurley to the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission for a term set to expire on September 1, 2025. Pursuant to an interstate compact with Vermont and in accordance with relevant federal and state laws, the Compact Commission oversees and provides for the efficient management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste while working to prot  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 19 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 18: Governor Greg Abbott today held a call with hospital CEOs and representatives across Texas to discuss the importance of COVID-19 therapeutic antibody treatments in the state's fight against COVID-19. The Governor was joined for the call by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield, and Texas De  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division Of Emergency Management (TDEM) has established a COVID-19 therapeutic infusion center in Harlingen to treat outpatient cases of COVID-19. The infusion center, which began accepting patients today, has been provided with bamlanivimab to treat patients, who meet certain criteria, with a referral from a hospital or doctor. This infusion  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) today announced that a supplemental K-5 math computer program will be made available to school systems through TEA's Texas Home Learning 3.0 (THL 3.0) initiative. Like other THL 3.0 offerings, these instructional materials are optional and aligned to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)--the state standards for what grade-level knowl  more

SEGUIN, Texas, Dec. 18 -- Texas Lutheran University issued the following news: After the loss of her father during freshman year, Cherelle Vanbrakle began studying biology and exercise physiology to better understand the science behind various health issues. That determination, along with the guidance of mentor and former TLU Professor William Squires, helped her process what happened to her father. Under the direction of Dr. Squires, Vanbrakle developed an interest in public health, pediatric   more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 12 (TNSRes) -- Rice University issued the following news release: A project that uses data science techniques to help save babies with congenital heart defects won the Fall 2020 Virtual Showcase held by Rice University's Data to Knowledge Lab (D2K Lab). Ten student teams competed in the end-of-semester event to show their work with the D2K Lab, which connects community members with student expertise in the analysis of data that can make a difference to society. The winner  more

CANYON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSPer) -- West Texas A&M University issued the following news: "Old teachers don't fade away. They just keep teaching." That's how Dr. Trudy Hanson says she's looking at her impending retirement as head of the Department of Communication at West Texas A&M University. Hanson's career as department head and professor will end Jan. 15 after 31 years of service to the University. Her colleagues agree: Neither Hanson nor her influence on the department will fade away. "Wh  more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 19 -- Edmentum issued the following news release: Edmentum, a global leader and pioneer in online education solutions, is excited to announce that its Exact Path and Courseware programs have been honored "Best of 2020" winners through Tech & Learning magazine's 2020 Best of Show at ISTE Awards. The publication annually recognizes exceptional products and services that positively impact educators and students in the K-12 space. This year, a new "Best of 2020" category highli  more

LA JOLLA, California, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The University of California San Diego campus issued the following news: University of New Hampshire (UNH) researchers recently used Comet at the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego and Stampede2 at the Texas Advanced Computing Center to identify new inhibitor binding/unbinding pathways in an RNA-based virus. The findings could be beneficial in understanding how these inhibitors react and potentially help develop a new generation of drugs to   more

BOULDER, Colorado, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The University of Colorado Boulder campus issued the following news: "Let it go." "Think about something else." "Clear your head." In our attempts to de-clutter our busy minds and make room for new, often more productive thoughts, people tap an array of different approaches. Which works best, and how does each strategy distinctly impact the brain? Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Texas at Austin have taken a first s  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 17 -- The University of Houston Law Center issued the following news release on Dec. 16: The University of Houston Law Center has established the Initiative on Global Law and Policy for the Americas (GLPA), aimed at uniting academics, practitioners and policy makers to develop research, coursework and collaboration in the areas of international and comparative law. Elizabeth Trujillo, founding director and Mary Ann & Lawrence E. Faust Professor of Law, says the mission is   more

VICTORIA, Texas, Dec. 17 -- The University of Houston Victoria campus issued the following news release: The University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration's Strategic Master of Business Administration program has been recognized as a top program in the nation. The Princeton Review included the business school in its The Best Business Schools 2021: Best On-Campus MBA Programs list. The list includes schools from across the country and the world and is determined by using fact  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSRep) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: Longstanding skepticism among Texans toward the climate movement has shifted, and attitudes in the nation's leading energy-producing state now mirror those in the rest of the United States. About 80% of Americans - almost 81% of Texans - say they believe climate change is happening, according to new research by UH Energy and the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. Slightly lower p  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSGra) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: A University of Houston pharmacological researcher believes that prescribing the drug Metformin for children and teens as soon as they are diagnosed with mental illnesses, like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, may save them from gaining an enormous amount of weight. In up to 80% of cases, the use of atypical/second generation antipsychotic (SGA) drugs - tranquilizers - causes antipsychotic-induce  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 16 (TNSJou) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: A survey of small farmers in Texas identifies a significant gap in food safety protocols and resources, increasing the risk of produce contamination and foodborne illness. Very few small growers - most of whom are not required to follow federal food safety guidelines - have previous food safety training, according to the study led by the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Re  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSJou) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: Political polarization - the ever-present and growing division between Republicans and Democrats along ideological lines - has a powerful grip on the United States, and a University of Houston researcher has helped explain why, reporting his findings in Science Advances. "Political polarization is linked to economic inequality, and we have created a mathematical model showing a causal explanation   more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 17 (TNSJou) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release on Dec. 16: Companies worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from modifying operations to keeping employees safe and informed. But not all businesses have followed the recommended safety protocols set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This mixed messaging could have a significant impact on employee trust, loyalty and overall commitment, according   more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release on Dec. 17: Superhard materials are in high demand in industry, from energy production to aerospace, but finding suitable new materials has largely been a matter of trial and error based on classical materials such as diamonds. Until now. Researchers from the University of Houston and Manhattan College have reported a machine learning model that can accurately predict the hardness of new materials,   more

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 18 -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news release: A University of Texas at Dallas UTDesign senior capstone team won first place in the national Student Manufacturing Design Competition at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference for the sixth consecutive year. Another UT Dallas team was awarded second place in the national competition. The first-place team designed a tool to help corporat  more

GALVESTON, Texas, Dec. 16 -- The University of Texas Medical Branch issued the following news release: On Tuesday, Dec. 15, UTMB received and began administering the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to its "first tier" health care workers--those frontline employees who are at elevated risk for occupational exposure to the virus. To make the best use of limited initial supplies, UTMB is following CDC and state guidelines to first vaccinate health care workers and first responders at highest   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 15 -- The University of Texas System issued the following news release: Six faculty members from five University of Texas institutions were recently named National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows, the highest professional distinction accorded to academic inventors. The 2020 Class of Fellows from UT institutions are: * UT Arlington: David Hunn * UT Austin: Lizy Kurian John and Van N. Truskett * UT Dallas: Naofal Al-Dhahir * UT Medical Branch: Jia Zhou * UT San Antonio  more

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news release: Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of faculty and students at The University of Texas at Dallas. To submit items for consideration, contact your school's communications manager. Center for BrainHealth Partners with Global Project The Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas recently collaborated on an editorial published in the journal M  more

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 14 (TNSAwa) -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news release: Each year, Clarivate Analytics Web of Science identifies the world's most influential and exceptional researchers. The 2020 list of Highly Cited Researchers includes three University of Texas at Dallas faculty members from multiple disciplines. The list is determined by the number of times a particular scholar's published studies are cited by other researchers. This citation rate is   more

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 14 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news release: Quantum computers have the potential to transform fields such as medicine, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence by solving hard optimization problems that are beyond the reach of conventional computing hardware. But the technology to manufacture the devices on a large scale does not yet exist. Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have developed a technique that coul  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas issued the following news release: The jagged terrain of Greenland's mountains is protecting some of the island's outlet glaciers from warm coastal waters, according to a team of researchers that included scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and NASA. Outlet glaciers protrude from the ice sheet into the sea, where surging ocean heat can speed up the loss of ice, making the glaciers thinner and raising sea levels. The scien  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 15 -- The University of the Incarnate Word issued the following news: The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is excited to announce a team of three students from Universidad Incarnate Word Campus Bajio (UIW Campus Bajio) as the winners of the 2020 Startup Challenge and a $10,000 first prize, sponsored by HOLT Ventures. The Startup Challenge, now in its third year, is hosted each fall semester by the H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) at UIW. The w  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 17 -- The University of Texas's MD Anderson Cancer Center issued the following news release on Dec. 15: Following receipt of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday morning, MD Anderson's Pharmacy, Infection Control, Employee Health and clinical and facilities experts re-reviewed protocols and procedures, and an initial vaccination clinic simulation was completed. Based on those successful efforts along with a manager briefing and employee town hall, positive feedback from ma  more

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Dec. 19 -- Johns Hopkins University issued the following news release: Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center has launched a tracking tool to offer daily updates and nationwide perspective on the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the United States. The vaccine tracker launched today, with the latest numbers for doses administered by U.S. states that have started to make this data available. Those initial states are: Ohio Michigan Texas Neb  more

CANYON, Texas, Dec. 15 (TNSPer) -- West Texas A&M University issued the following news: As soon as Dr. Trudy Hanson announced her retirement was set for Jan. 15, faculty sprang into action to establish a scholarship in honor of her 31 years at WT and 14 years as head of the Department of Communication. The Dr. Trudy L. Hanson - Write Your Own Scholarship, which honors Hanson's service to the University and to thousands of students who crossed her path during her time at WT, will become endowed  more