SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 13 -- The Alamo Colleges District issued the following news release: The Alamo Colleges is serving as a key institutional partner with UTSA, which has been awarded a three-year, $5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support community partnerships focused on advancing a more democratic society through racial justice and social equity. The project, "Democratizing Racial Justice," was among 16 other projects selected from 165 grant applications and the   more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 13 -- The Alamo Colleges District issued the following news release on Feb. 12, 2021: San Antonio College, Northeast Lakeview College and Palo Alto College have been recognized recently for their cybersecurity programs. San Antonio College (SAC) has been re-designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as the Southwest Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-C) Regional Hub. SAC previously served as the South Central Regional Hub since 2017, providing le  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: The University of Houston is enriching its collection of Dorothy Hood treasures with a donation of the Texas painter's work to Public Art of the University of Houston System. "Coptic Days," a painting and mixed media collage created by the late artist, is a gift from Houston gallerist Deborah Colton. Maria C. Gaztambide, Public Art UHS director and chief curator, calls the piece a "phenomenal example" of on  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- The Austin Community College District issued the following news: Austin Community College District's (ACC) Fast Track Career Program, aimed at getting Central Texans back to work, continues to grow. More and more students are seeing the need to earn a short-term credential that leads to an in-demand career in one year or less. As of February 11, 2021, preliminary enrollment numbers for the spring 2021 Continuing Education courses show a more than 38 percent increase c  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- The Austin Community College District issued the following news: Austin Community College District (ACC) joins the Equity Transfer Initiative (ETI) to help develop programs and pathways to increase transfer rates for African-American, Hispanic, adult, and first-generation learners. National data show 80 percent of community college students enter a community college with the intent to transfer to a four-year university, but only 34 percent reach their goal. Transfer s  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSJou) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions have identified a novel strategy that can eliminate bacteria in a specific location before they cause an infection. The strategy uses a phage, a virus that infects and destroys bacteria, that can specifically locate in the same place the bacteria live in the gastrointestinal tract. The proximity between phage and bacteria facilita  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSGra) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: After a favorable program review in December 2020, NASA has exercised its option to renew the Houston-based Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) until 2028. TRISH works closely with NASA's Human Research Program in advancing innovations in biomedical research to protect astronauts on deep space missions. The Institute will receive additional funding up to $134.6 million fr  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSRes) -- The Baylor College of Medicine issued the following news release: As the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine rollout begins across the country and everyone is eager to get back to normal life, it can be confusing to understand what you can and cannot do once you and those around you are vaccinated. A Baylor College of Medicine vaccine expert weighs in on why we still need to be cautious of spreading the virus in the community. First, it is important to get both do  more

WACO, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Baylor University issued the following news: With its vision to enhance Baylor-Waco partnerships, Baylor University's Office of External Affairs has launched the Solid Gold Neighbor Research Fellows Program, a comprehensive annual community-based participatory research grant program that ties civic and nonprofit needs with academic research capabilities through master's degree and doctoral students to advance social change within the Greater Waco community. Funded grant   more

NACOGDOCHES, Texas, Feb. 13 -- Stephen F. Austin State University issued the following news release: Kasey Jobe will represent Stephen F. Austin State University at the 2021 Texas Undergraduate Research Day held virtually at the state Capitol Feb. 23 and 24. Jobe, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in forestry, worked with Dr. Christopher Schalk, assistant professor of forest wildlife management at SFA's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, to investigate how   more

DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 11 -- The Dallas Independent School District issued the following news release: When active PTA mom Jamie Nelson learned there was a vacant theater teacher position at Sidney Lanier Expressive Arts Vanguard, where her two sons attend, she immediately told the principal she was stepping in. Starting in the late Fall of 2019 as a volunteer, Nelson finalized her alternative teaching certification over winter break and was officially hired in January 2020, putting to good use h  more

WACO, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Baylor University issued the following news: "A Long, Long Way Film Series" sponsored by Baylor University and Washington National Cathedral annually will be fully online this spring and open to all Baylor faculty, staff and students, rather than a few undergraduates who usually attend the annual event in Washington, D.C. The two-part series, co-sponsored by Austin Film Festival and the March on Washington Film Festival, will be aired via Zoom at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard  more

CANYON, Texas, Feb. 12 -- West Texas A&M University issued the following news: In the largest gift in its history, High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation will give $3 million to support West Texas A&M University's nursing program. The gift also is the fourth-largest single gift in the University's history. "This is a significant investment in our student nurses and our faculty -- nearly double the size of any gift the foundation has ever given," said Dr. J. Dirk Nelson, dean of the Colle  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: The Leatherwood family has made a $1 million gift to the Houston Cougars women's golf program in memory of Carolyn Macow Leatherwood, a longtime University of Houston supporter and lover of golf. Carolyn passed away last summer at the age of 73 after a long battle with Crohn's disease. Carolyn spent many days on the golf course, perfecting each part of her game. She loved the competition but also loved the   more

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, Feb. 11 -- Indiana University's Media School issued the following news: Texas sports legends Randy White and "Too Tall" Jones balled their fists and aggressively gritted their teeth in a 1987 "Don't Mess with Texas" commercial from the Texas State Department of Highways. The message of the PSA? Pick up your litter. "Advertisements are very effective at driving behaviors," lecturer Nic Aguirre explained Thursday in his talk, "Hypnosis in the Media," the second of a series  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 9 -- The University of Houston Law Center issued the following news release: The Initiative on Global Law and Policy for the Americas, founded by University of Houston Law Center Professor Elizabeth Trujillo, will launch by hosting a webinar series in Spring 2021 in partnership with the University of Bologna Center for Latin American Studies. The Latin America Interest Group from the American Society of International Law (ASIL-LAIG) will also co-sponsor the event. The them  more

BEAUMONT, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Lamar University issued the following news: The dean's office in the Department of History has a new look, a friendlier, brighter and more engaging ambiance. Wall calendars, monochrome maps and images of confederate soldiers adorning the walls for years have been replaced with unique artwork from Lamar University's Dishman Museum of Art's permanent collection. Dr. Rebecca Boone, interim chair of the Department of History, initiated the refurb in hopes of creating a  more

BEAUMONT, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Lamar University issued the following news: Andre Favors, instructor for the Lamar University Department of Communication and Media, was selected by the Texas Academic Advising Network, TEXAAN, for the Faculty Advisor Recognition Award. The purpose of the award is to celebrate individuals whose primary responsibility is teaching and who spends a portion of their time providing academic advising services to students. "This award is an honor to receive and a highlight  more

RUSTON, Louisiana, Feb. 9 -- Louisiana Tech University issued the following news: Bill, '77, and Mary Anne, '77, Waldrip, of San Antonio, Texas, have established the University of Louisiana System Foundation and Linda Woodard Hensley and Dorothy Woodard Patterson Endowed Professorship in STEM Education in Louisiana Tech University's College of Education through gifts from the Waldrip Family Foundation and the University of Louisiana System Foundation. Funds will enhance the College of Educatio  more

SAN DIEGO, California, Feb. 9 -- EDF Renewables, a renewable energy developer, issued the following news release: Masdar, one of the world's leading renewable energy companies, announced today that it has achieved the first closing on the acquisition of 50 percent of a 1.6-gigawatt (GW) clean-energy portfolio of projects in the United States from EDF Renewables North America. Masdar and EDF Renewables North America announced last year that they had agreed to partner in eight renewable energy p  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRes) -- The University of Texas's MD Anderson Cancer Center issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2021: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. today announced a strategic research and development collaboration to expand the evaluation of Mirati's two investigational small molecule, potent and selective KRAS inhibitors - adagrasib (MRTX849), a G12C inhibitor in clinical development, and MRTX1133, a G12D inhibitor in pre  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Feb. 12 -- The North Carolina Republican Party issued the following news on Feb. 11, 2021: In a recent ABC News interview, Radical Liberal Erica Smith slammed Cal Jr.'s "Cookie Cutter" style campaign. It appears that the ghost of Cal Sr. continues to haunt North Carolina Democrats. The national Democrats' strategy of picking cookie-cutter candidates that went on to tank in Kentucky, Texas in North Carolina continues to throw their party into disarray. "Radical Liberal   more

ALBANY, New York, Feb. 13 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release on Feb. 12, 2021: New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 16 attorneys general from around the nation in fighting alongside President Joseph Biden to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. On the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memo ordering a moratorium on deportations for 100 days, while  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSPer) -- The University of Texas issued the following news release: The National Academy of Engineering has elected S.V. Sreenivasan, professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, and three UT alumni as part of the Class of 2021. Sreenivasan is being recognized by the academy for his innovation and entrepreneurship in industrial deployment of nanoimprint lithography equipment, having pioneered the creation of nanosc  more

CARSON CITY, Nevada, Feb. 13 -- Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford issued the following news release: Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general fighting alongside President Joseph Biden to pause deportations pending the Administration's review of policies. On the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memo ordering a moratorium on deportations for 100 days while a thorough review of the DHS  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSPer) -- Houston Baptist University issued the following news release: Dr. Robert Sloan, President of Houston Baptist University, and Dr. Stan Napper, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, are pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Katie Evans as Dean of the College of Science and Engineering and Professor of Mathematics. For the past 16 years, Dr. Evans has been on the faculty of Louisiana Tech University where she was a professor and administrator. Dr.   more

IRVING, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Nexstar Media Group, a television broadcasting company, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: The Digital Division of Nexstar Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST), today announced the promotion of Lori Tavoularis to Chief Revenue Officer/EVP Revenue Operations. In this newly created role, she will oversee all revenue-related functions for Nexstar Inc.'s Digital Division, including national, local and programmatic sal  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The University of Houston Law Center issued the following news release: University of Oklahoma College of Law students Tanner Herrmann and Morgan Vastag were the victors of the 2021 Hunton Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship held Jan. 28-30. The invitation-only event, organized by the University of Houston Law Center's Blakely Advocacy Institute, features the top 16 moot court programs in the country to compete each year for the title "best of the best." T  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- The Public Utility Commission of Texas issued the following news release: In light of a forecast featuring the lowest temperatures seen in Texas in decades and the accompanying likelihood of record usage across the Texas grid, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has been working closely with government entities, ERCOT, and other organizations across the power industry to prepare to have adequate resources in the coming days. "While people often associate the dog da  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Rice University researchers have created a "defective" catalyst that simplifies the generation of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen. Rice scientists treated metal-free carbon black, the inexpensive, powdered product of petroleum production, with oxygen plasma. The process introduces defects and oxygen-containing groups into the structure of the carbon particles, exposing more surface area for interactions. When  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRep) -- Rice University issued the following news release: The United States must focus on improving infrastructure as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the top priorities include increasing broadband access, expanding public transportation, and improving emergency response and health care facilities, according to a new survey and report from Rice's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. "A Bottom-Up Infrastructure Strategy for American Renewal" summarizes t  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRes) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Valentine's Day consumer spending will look different this year, and an expert from Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business is available to discuss how that will affect the way Americans celebrate it. "Lower consumer confidence and uncertainty about the overall economy will shape Valentine's Day spending trends -- not the other way around," wrote Constance Porter, assistant clinical professor of   more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Learning about chemistry is largely a hands-on experience. But the hands don't necessarily need to be your own. Members of Rice University's Department of Chemistry put forth a video-based strategy to help undergraduate students experience the decision-making process involved in experimentation after in-person labs were temporarily suspended. Their laboratory-based, "choose-your-own-adventure" video activit  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 13 (TNSRep) -- Rice University issued the following news release on Feb. 12, 2021: Inequities in marijuana policy persist because of a failure to center reform around racial justice, according to a new report by experts at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in the American Bar Association publication The Judges' Journal. Public support for cannabis legalization has surged in recent years, and public policy is slowly catching up, according to report co-auth  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 13 -- Rice University issued the following news release: Kirsten Siebach, a Martian geologist at Rice University, is available to speak with the media before NASA's next Mars rover, Perseverance, lands on Feb. 18. The rover will be the first in a chain of missions designed to bring pieces of Mars back to Earth, and Siebach is one of the mission specialists selected to help operate the rover and scout for those samples. Among its sophisticated instruments, Perseverance will  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSRep) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Nanotechnology can deliver solutions to U.S. economic, energy and geopolitical challenges while also helping the world meet climate targets and sustainability goals, according to a new report from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "By creating a domestic source for materials production through methane pyrolysis, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and other nanomaterials can reduce dependencies on fore  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSJou) -- Rice University issued the following news release: Finding a needle in a haystack is hard enough. But try finding a specific molecule on the needle. Rice University researchers have achieved something of the sort with a new genome editing tool that targets the supporting players in a cell's nucleus that package DNA and aid gene expression. Their work opens the door to new therapies for cancer and other diseases. Rice bioengineer Isaac Hilton, postdoctoral r  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Rice University issued the following news release: OpenStax, Rice University's educational technology initiative, has added more of its textbooks and new features for instructors to OpenStax Tutor, an online reading and homework platform designed to engage all students. OpenStax's "Anatomy and Physiology" and "Psychology 2e" textbooks are now available in OpenStax Tutor. The group also added "Entrepreneurship" and "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," a reso  more

WAXAHACHIE, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSPer) -- Southwestern Assemblies of God University issued the following news on Feb. 10, 2021: SAGU American Indian College is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Jonathan Gannon to follow Dr. David Moore as president of the SAGU-AIC campus. Dr. Moore will continue as campus president until May 31, 2021. Dr. Jonathan Gannon will begin his role as campus president on June 1, 2021. SAGU President, Dr. Kermit Bridges, and SAGU-AIC President, Dr. David Moore, an  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSGra) -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio issued the following news release: Did you know that Latinos represent 18.5% of the U.S. population, but are less than 10% of those in federal cancer and drug studies? This makes it hard for researchers to create treatments that work best for Latinos. To engage more Latinos in research, the Salud America! program at UT Health San Antonio has received a three-year, $650,000 grant from Genentech  more

HUNTSVILLE, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSRes) -- Sam Houston State University issued the following news: The Center for Assessment, Research, and Educational Safety (CARES) at Sam Houston State University continues to develop, engage in, and disseminate innovative research to better the lives of educators across the state of Texas. Recently, CARES was awarded a $350,000 grant from the Greater Texas Foundation to conduct a study on the ways academic advising in Texas must change as a result of COVID-19.   more

STEPHENVILLE, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Tarleton State University issued the following news release: Tarleton State University's Department of Diversity and Inclusion will host the "i-Bodies" art exhibition through Feb. 26 at the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center Gallery in Stephenville. Titled after gestalt psychologist James Kepner's term, "i-Bodies" is a collection of prints, paintings and collages that draw on the human body as a source of inspiration and lived experience. Representative and abstrac  more

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 13 (TNSPer)-- Tarrant County College issued the following news release: Tarrant County College Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Rev. Leonard Hornsby to fill the District 5 seat recently vacated by Pastor Michael Evans, who resigned after becoming mayor of Mansfield. Hornsby took the oath during the Feb.11 trustee work session meeting. District 5 covers south Arlington and Mansfield, an area served by Tarrant County College Southeast in Arlington. Horns  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences issued the following news release: A team of researchers led by Dr. Ivan Rusyn, a University Professor in the Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) department at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS), has found that some energy drinks have adverse effects on human cardiomyocyte-like cells, or the muscle cells of the heart. In the stud  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 13 -- The Texas A&M University System issued the following news release: The Texas A&M University System is giving vaccination efforts in rural Texas a shot in the arm, rushing COVID-19 vaccinations to underserved communities. The vaccine push is targeting homebound Texans 65 years or older. The effort is part of the State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program, which has delivered the life-saving vaccine to 10 Texas counties, which include DeWitt, Glasscock, Kenedy, Marion,  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's Health Science Center issued the following news: American journalist and author Elizabeth Gilbert once said, "If you can let go of passion and follow your curiosity, your curiosity just might lead you to your passion." Taehyun Roh, PhD, is an example of just that, having built upon his academic career by letting his curiosity lead him in new directions toward his passion. From pharmacy to toxicology to epidemiology, Roh has nev  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSJou) -- The Texas A&M University's Engineering Experiment Station issued the following news: The gram-negative bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) colonize the stomachs of the majority of the world's population. Although most people may never experience major complications due to the pathogen, H. pylori infections increase the risk of certain types of gastric cancer, as well as other illnesses such as peptic ulcers and gastritis. Currently, H. pylori inf  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSJou) -- The Texas A&M University's Engineering Experiment Station issued the following news: Among the many avenues that viruses can use to infect humans, drinking water may pose only a tiny risk for spreading certain viruses like the coronavirus. However, in cases where there is unauthorized wastewater disposal or other events of inadvertent mixing of wastewater with water sources, the possibility of transmission through drinking water remains unknown. Usin  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSPer) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following Q&A: Esu Ekeruche is a sophomore in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University. Moving from Nigeria to the United States at a young age brought a new perspective to her life and a passion for service and listening to others' stories. She is a member of the Zachry Leadership Program and the National Society of Black Engineers. She is also an electrical   more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 13 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Dr. Daniel A. Jimenez, professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University, was chosen to serve as the guest editor and selection committee chair of the 2021 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Micro publication's "Top Picks from the Computer Architecture Conferences" issue. Each year, IEEE Micro collects and features the   more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have transformed our daily lives. Our phones keep getting smarter. We have smart home devices that can control everything in our home by voice command. Even social media platforms and web browsers have a good understanding of what we really want to see and do based on the data provided. In addition to all of this progress, artificial intel  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSRes) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Wind turbines in clean energy production are like giant pinwheels that convert wind energy into electricity. Some of the strongest and most constant winds are those found offshore, feeding the need for floating wind farms and further research to advance renewable energy technology and methodology. Dr. Shu Dai, a doctoral graduate from the Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: A team of researchers, including Dr. Madhav Erraguntla, Dr. Mark Lawley, Dr. Josef Zapletal and Dr. Neda Najmitabrizi from the Wm Michael Barnes '64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University, are investigating strategies to overcome mosquito-borne illnesses by introducing a self-eliminating mechanism (SEM), or biodegradable genetic modification, into  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSJou) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: In a recent study, Texas A&M University researchers have described a new process to purify astatine-211, a promising radioactive isotope for targeted cancer treatment. Unlike other elaborate purification methods, their technique can extract astatine-211 from bismuth in minutes rather than hours, which can greatly reduce the time between production and delivery to the patient. "As  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 13 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: The annual Susan M. Arseven '75 Conference for Women in Science and Engineering will be held virtually on Saturday, Feb. 20. The conference's mission is to provide a space for women who have interconnecting passions to share their struggles, triumphs and advice to others who face similar situations as women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). As an attendee of the virtual  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 13 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: For nearly five decades, the Student Paper Contest held by the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University has provided a critical professional development opportunity for junior, senior, master's and doctoral students in the department. This year was no exception, even though the local contest was held virtually for the first time. "Over the years, we've gon  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 11 -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Amelia Bradley and Claire Rodgers, students from the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering at Texas A&M University, were selected as members of the Zachry Leadership Program (ZLP). As members of the program, they will spend the next two and a half years developing their leadership and interpersonal skills to prepare them for a future in engineering. "What really stood out about the  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 9 (TNSPer) -- Texas A&M University's College of Engineering issued the following news: Dr. Karen Wooley has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her contributions to the fields of organic and polymer chemistry, particularly for the synthesis and applications of functional polymer materials and nanoscopic objects. Wooley is the W.T. Doherty-Welch Foundation Chair in Chemistry and a professor in the Department of C  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced the hiring of Brent Dupre as the Director of Law Enforcement at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. "Brent Dupre brings years of seasoned experience to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. He has dedicated his life to the mission of safeguarding Texans and enforcing the rule of law," said Attorney General Paxton. "His  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced the hiring of Murtaza Sutarwalla as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel. "I am honored that Attorney General Ken Paxton has appointed me to serve the State of Texas," said Murtaza Sutarwalla. "As the son of immigrants, this is what the American Dream can represent for those that work hard, follow the law and love their land." "  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined a 14-state coalition in sending a letter to President Biden, urging him to reconsider the rushed decision to revoke the 2019 Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. The letter outlines how this move will result in thousands of Americans losing well-paying jobs, will increase reliance on energy produced in Russia and the Middle East, and will cause los  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news: The Texas Democratic Party is grateful to Congressman Joaquin Castro and the other impeachment managers who thoroughly detailed every tweet, speech, and video where Donald Trump widely spread violent rhetoric and false narratives about election fraud, while calling for action that led to the deadly insurgent attack on the US Capitol building and Congress on January 6. To view Congressman Castro's Full Presentation,  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 11 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following statement by Communications Director Abhi Rahman: "If only Dan Patrick and the rest of his Trump Republican brethren cared more about a violent right-wing mob attempting to overthrow our Capitol than they do about what a private organization chooses to play at their home games. "Patrick isn't a patriot. "He's a secessionist coward whose rhetoric and actions incited the violence that we saw at the Capitol leaving 6 peopl  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news: Since the FBI announced its investigation of Ken Paxton for fraud and abuse of power, groups on both sides of the aisle have either completely divorced or quietly distanced themselves from Paxton. Multiple groups, both Democrat and Republican, have also called on Paxton to resign for his seditious speech meant to incite a violent mob into attacking the US Capitol on January 6. Members of the Texas Senate's Finance   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news on Feb. 9, 2021: President Joe Biden's climate-centered energy agenda has not been absent of any empty criticism from Greg Abbott and other Texas Republicans. They have lobbed false narratives about how these initiatives will hurt Texas' energy sector, but, per usual, Texas Republicans are making baseless claims and misrepresenting the full story. Today, the Texas Tribune reported (https://www.texastribune.org/2021/  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSRep) -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news: A survey released by the University of Houston's Hobby School for Public Affairs shows how President Joe Biden, a Delaware Democrat, is more popular in Texas than our own Republican governor, Greg Abbott. ICYMI: NBC-Austin KXAN: Survey shows President Joe Biden more popular than Gov. Greg Abbott among Texans (https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/survey-shows-president-joe-biden-more-popular-than-gov-gr  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news on Feb. 9, 2021: Seditious Texas Republican Ted Cruz yet again put his subservience to Trump over defending our Constitution by voting against a bipartisan effort to bring the 2nd impeachment trial of Donald Trump to the floor of the US Senate. Cruz is best known for his traitorous attempt to object to the results of the 2020 Presidential election, which Joe Biden won handedly. Since then, the Texas Democratic Party  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news: The Texas Democratic Party and the Webb County Democratic Party hosted a virtual press conference with community leaders to discuss the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in Webb County and to demand action from Governor Greg Abbott and help in the form of more vaccines and resources for our community. To view the full press conference, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFj-F_O-SVo&feature=youtu.be). Texa  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 11 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following news: The Biden White House announced that they are partnering with the state of Texas to open three new mass vaccination sites to vaccinate up to 10,000 Texans in underserved communities per day. This follows Texas ranking 49th in vaccine distribution due to Abbott's inability to advocate for Texas, with underserved communities getting less of the vaccines distributed compared to their affluent counterparts. Texas Demo  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has obtained a permanent injunction in state District Court against Victor L. Reed, d/b/a "Home King Air Conditioning Services", "AC Repair Today", "Houston AC Fix" and "VL Reed Unlimited", for providing unlicensed air conditioning and contracting services in the Houston and Austin areas. Reed has advertised and pr  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the City of Anahuac, having completed the multi-step training and certification process, has been designated the 150th Film Friendly Texas community by the Texas Film Commission, which for 50 years has helped to grow local jobs and economies by promoting the Lone Star State as the premier destination for film, television, commercial, animation, visua  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 8, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that his communications director, John Wittman, will be departing the Office of the Governor at the end of February. Wittman has worked for Governor Abbott for the past seven years, most recently guiding the messaging, press relations, and media strategy for the Office of the Governor. "John has been an invaluable member of my team for years and establishe  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Dustin Howell as Judge of the 455th Judicial District Court in Travis County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Dustin Howell of Austin is the former Judge of the 200th Judicial District Court and 459th Judicial District Court, both in Travis County. He previously served as an associate at Baker Botts   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Daniel B. "Barry" Moore as the presiding officer of the Brazos County Regional Mobility Authority for a term set to expire on February 1, 2023. The regional mobility authority is a political subdivision that allows local transportation planning and project delivery leaders to partner with the state to deliver transportation infrastructure projects that serve Brazos County  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Brian Brumley and Benny "Ben" Morris to the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027. Additionally, the Governor appointed Jennifer Swords to the board for a term set to expire on February 1, 2025. The board is responsible for regulating the practice of social work in Texas. Brian Brumley of Sumner is a Licensed Master Soci  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today held a roundtable discussion at Ruibal's Plants of Texas in Dallas where he heard from the owners Ruibal's and GOLD Landscape and their employees on how the state can continue to support small businesses in Texas. Following the discussion, the Governor held a press conference where he provided a summary of the roundtable. During the roundtable discussion, the Gov  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today met with Colonel Steve McCraw, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), to discuss safety and security along the Texas border. A readout of the meeting can be found below: Colonel McCraw provided Governor Abbott with an update on safety and securing threats along Texas' southern border. The Governor and Colonel McCraw discussed a recent surge of i  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Jessica Barta to the Injured Employee Public Counsel for a term set to expire February 1, 2023. The Public Counsel helps injured employees in the workers' compensation system, oversees the ombudsman program, and advocates on behalf of injured employees. Jessica Barta of Austin has served as the Injured Employee Public Counsel since October 2014. She serves on the board fo  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Cassie Brown as Commissioner of Workers' Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) for a term set to expire on February 1, 2023. TDI's Division of Workers' Compensation regulates the workers' compensation system in Texas, ensuring injured workers receive the necessary benefits to quickly return to work, and that workers' compensation costs are kept at a re  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Stanley Duchman, M.D., Sherron Franks-Meeks, Ph.D., Shilpa Shamapant, and Marcia Gonzalez Wilson to the Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027. Additionally, the Governor named Hildebrand chair of the council. The council is charged with developing an effective and resource-efficient plan to reduce the morbidity, mortality  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Jay Hodge as the presiding officer of the Sulphur River Regional Mobility Authority to complete the remainder of a two-year term that will expire on February 1, 2023. The regional mobility authority is a political subdivision that allows local transportation planning and project delivery leaders to partner with the state to deliver transportation infrastructure projects  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Robert "Bobby" Jenkins, Jr. as the presiding officer of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority for a term set to expire on February 1, 2023. The regional mobility authority is a political subdivision that allows local transportation planning and project delivery leaders to partner with the state to deliver transportation infrastructure projects that serve Williamso  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Lisa J. Rodriguez and John H. Eichelberger, III to the Appraisal Management Companies Advisory Committee for terms set to expire on January 31, 2023. The committee advises the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board and makes recommendations on matters relating to the regulation of appraisal management companies. Lisa J. Rodriguez of Schertz is owner and Operat  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Joyce Wilson as the presiding officer of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority for a term set to expire on February 1, 2023. The regional mobility authority is a political subdivision that allows local transportation planning and project delivery leaders to partner with the state to deliver transportation infrastructure projects that will serve the El Paso region.   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Cecile Young as the Executive Commissioner for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for a term set to expire on February 1, 2023. Cecile Young of Austin has served as Commissioner since August 2020, and has more than 30 years of experience in state government. She previously served in various roles at HHSC, including Acting Executive Commissioner, Chief D  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 9 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 8, 2021: * * * Governor Greg Abbott today issued a statement following the death of U.S. Congressman Ron Wright: "I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of U.S. Rep. Ron Wright. "Ron was a principled leader who fought to preserve Texas values and was an exemplary representative of his district. "His personal strength and commitment to standing up for the unborn were unwavering. "He leaves be  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is establishing mass community vaccination sites in the DFW Metroplex and Houston. These federal pilot sites, which will be based at AT&T Stadium, Fair Park, and NRG Stadium, are part of a joint effort to support vaccination efforts in underserved areas. The sites will be operated by FEMA in partnership   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), in partnership with the Texas Military Department (TMD), will deploy State Mobile Vaccination Teams (SMVT) to five additional underserved counties this week: San Saba, Goliad, Sterling, Jeff Davis, and Crockett. SMVTs previously deployed to Motley, Glasscock, Kenedy, Terrell, McMullen, DeWitt, Marion  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has launched the Texas Rent Relief Program -- the first statewide rent and utility assistance program for qualifying households throughout Texas. This program has been created to administer the more than $1 billion allocated to Texas through the latest federal COVID-19 stimulus bill. TDHCA   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: The Governor's Committee to Support the Military today released their 2020 report with recommendations for policy changes and legislative action to improve education, health care, quality of life, workforce development, encroachment, and infrastructure as they relate to the military community of Texas. "I am grateful for the Committee's hard work in developing meaningful recommendations that  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2021: Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency today announced the nomination of 26 Texas public schools as 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools. "These 26 schools exemplify academic excellence, and I thank the teachers, staff, administrators, students, and parents for their outstanding work," said Governor Abbott. "We have a responsibility to ensure that every Texas student graduates wit  more

SEGUIN, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Texas Lutheran University issued the following news: Texas Lutheran University (TLU), in partnership with Synergis Education, has officially opened a New Braunfels campus location at the Resolute Health Hospital Medical Office Building for its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree track. Since officially beginning online in June, TLU has enrolled summer, fall, and spring cohorts for a total of 83 ABSN students to date. The new campus location is phy  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSPer) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: Three University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering researchers have been named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for 2021. Hien Nguyen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; Jeffrey Rimer, Abraham E. Dukler Endowed Chair, William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; and Gangbing Song, Moores Professor of Mechanical E  more

SANTA CRUZ, California, Feb. 12 -- The University of California Santa Cruz campus issued the following news on Feb. 11, 2021: In the 1998 movie "Armageddon," an asteroid the width of Texas is about to hit Earth. The heroes who stop it in just the nick of time are a group of orange-suited Americans, all men. Life isn't always like the movies. Not that an asteroid couldn't slam into Earth, mind you. Asteroids -- mostly tiny ones -- pass by our planet virtually every second. But the people charg  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 9 -- The University of Houston issued the following news release on Feb. 8, 2021: The C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston announced today that they will begin offering both the legendary Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees as fully online options starting Fall 2021, in addition to five specialized master's degrees. These seven online degree programs are part of the Bauer College 2020-2025 St  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 11 -- The University of Houston issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2021: The University of Houston College of Medicine is the newest official member of the Texas Medical Center (TMC) - the largest medical city in the world - following approval by the TMC Board of Directors. As the 63rd member institution, the city of Houston's first new medical school in nearly a half-century will have increased opportunities for collaboration with dozens of hospitals and academi  more

VICTORIA, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSGra) -- The University of Houston Victoria campus issued the following news release: Abran Rodriguez, an assistant professor of counselor education at the University of Houston-Victoria, recently was a recipient of the Chi Sigma Iota Excellence in Counseling Research Grant in the amount of $2,170 for wellness counseling research. Rodriguez received the grant for his study titled "The Essential Self: Gay Men's Perceptions of Spirituality, Gender Identity, Cultural I  more

VICTORIA, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRes) -- The University of Houston Victoria campus issued the following news release: Esther Cuenca has pondered and pored for several years over documents to learn more about town clerks and the authors of written local customs in medieval English towns. Her work recently paid off with an award from the Medieval Academy of America. Cuenca, an assistant professor of history at the University of Houston-Victoria, recently was awarded the 2021 Van Courtlandt Elliott P  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSRep) -- The University of Houston issued the following news release: More than three years after Hurricane Harvey damaged hundreds of thousands of homes in Houston and beyond, flooding remains the top major concern for Harris County residents, according to a new report released Wednesday by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. When presented with 24 issues, 66% of residents chose flooding as a major concern followed by violent crime at 62%. With  more

DENTON, Texas, Feb. 9 -- The University of North Texas issued the following news release: The University of North Texas Police Department is moving toward a green fleet with the introduction of six new hybrid police vehicles. Based on 2019 mileage rates for UNT Police patrol vehicles, the department estimates they will save more than $3,000 per vehicle annually. Additionally, the hybrid vehicles will eliminate an estimated 19,539 pounds of CO2 per year. For comparison, that's approximately the  more

ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 13 -- The University of Texas Arlington campus issued the following news release: The University of Texas at Arlington is building a new home to teach and train the next generation of social workers and health care professionals. UTA leaders broke ground on Feb. 9 on a $76 million facility that will usher in critical advancements in the field of health care, bringing together the University's celebrated School of Social Work and the College of Nursing and Health Innovati  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSRes) -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio issued the following news release: Treatment with convalescent plasma was associated with significant survival benefit in patients with blood cancer who were hospitalized with COVID-19. The new data analysis was released Feb. 5 by the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19). The Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, is part of the CCC19. The international consortium is c  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio issued the following news release: Humans possess a formidable multi-layered defense system that protects us against viral infections. Better understanding of these defenses and the tricks that viruses use to evade them could open novel avenues for treating viral infections and possibly other diseases. For example, a human protein called SAMHD1 impedes replication of the human immunodeficiency   more

GALVESTON, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas Medical Branch issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: A collaborative team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and Pfizer has shown that the common mutations of SARS-CoV-2 that have appeared in the United Kingdom and South Africa strains of the virus can be neutralized by the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The study, using sera from 20 vaccine recipients, was published today in Nature Medicine. Dr  more

TYLER, Texas, Feb. 10 (TNSGra) -- The University of Texas's Tyler Campus issued the following news release: The University of Texas at Tyler has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the T.L.L Temple Foundation in Lufkin to help support the partnership with Panola College to produce more teachers. "We are extremely grateful to the T.L.L. Temple Foundation for the continued support of The University of Texas," said UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP. "In a time when qualified teachers ar  more

ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The University of Texas Arlington campus issued the following news release: After his son was born with spina bifida in 1986, Doug Garner quickly set out to rectify what he viewed as an alarming lack of sports opportunities for children with disabilities. This personal mission launched a 30-year career as an advocate for students with disabilities, most recently as assistant director for adaptive sports and recreation at The University of Texas at Arlington. For h  more

ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The University of Texas Arlington campus issued the following news release: A University of Texas at Arlington associate dean in the College of Business is one of two Mavericks selected for the Dallas Business Journal's first class of Leaders in Diversity Awards. Myrtle Bell, associate dean for diversity, racial equity and inclusion in the College of Business and a professor of management, is joined by 13 other advocates, including Doug Garner, coach of the Movin'   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 11 (TNSJou) -- The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Advanced Computing Center issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2021: Individual choices in medicine carry a certain amount of uncertainty. An innovative partnership at The University of Texas at Austin takes aim at medicine down to the individual level by applying state-of-the-art computation to medical care. "Medicine in its essence is decision-making under uncertainty, decisions about tests and treatments,  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 10 -- Gov. Ralph S. Northam, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2021: Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Vytal Studios, a technology-based education and training content developer and producer, will invest $6.8 million to relocate its corporate headquarters from Austin, Texas to the City of Richmond. The company will renovate the facility at 1802 Semmes Avenue to include studio space for filming content and office space for development and  more

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Feb. 12 -- Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences issued the following news release: Paula Plummer knows firsthand what having a pet with cancer looks like. For the last 14 years, Plummer has been a licensed veterinary technician in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences' (CVMBS) Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), and for three of those years, she has been a dedicated member of the Surgical Onco  more

PLAINVIEW, Texas, Feb. 12 (TNSRes) -- Wayland Baptist University issued the following news release: When it comes to general political knowledge in West Texas, the name Emma Grigsby Meharg may not ring any bells, but perhaps it should. Meharg was the first woman to serve as Secretary of State for the State of Texas, doing so in the mid-1920s under governor Miriam "Ma" Ferguson who was the first woman governor of Texas. What may be of more interest is that Meharg lived in Plainview. It was a fa  more

CANYON, Texas, Feb. 10 -- West Texas A&M University issued the following news: The West Texas A&M University Distinguished Lecture Series and Department of Communication will host bestselling author Erik Qualman, who will speak on "The Power of Focus: Stepping Into Your Story" at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 via Zoom. Qualman is recognized as a top speaker on digital leadership and has presented in 55 countries reaching 50 million people. He was voted "2nd Most Likeable Author in the World'' behind J.K. Row  more

BEAUMONT, Texas, Feb. 13 -- Lamar University issued the following news: LU Professor Dr. Stuart Wright is the coeditor of a book compiled by a team of international scholars. Wright, chair of the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice at LU also authored several chapters of "The Demise of Religion: How Religions End, Die or Dissipate," including chapter one, How Religions End: Terms and Types and chapter nine, State Actions in Western Democracies Leading to the Dissolution o  more