FORT WORTH, Texas, March 21 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas issued the following news release: A three-Judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Second District of Texas denied an appeal for Crystal Mason, a Tarrant County resident who was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for casting a provisional ballot that was not counted in the November 2016 election. The civil rights organizations and criminal defense attorneys representing her will seek to have the full Cou  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 20 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas issued the following news release: The ACLU of Texas and a coalition of civil rights leaders sent almost 500 letters to criminal justice officials urging them to take public health experts' advice and release individuals who are at high risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 from county jails. Specifically, the focus is placed on communities in jails with populations identified by the Center for Disease Control and P  more

BETHESDA, Maryland, March 19 -- The American College of Medical Genetics Foundation for Genetic and Genomic issued the following news release: The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is proud to present the 2020 ACMG Foundation/David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award to Thelma Alessandra Sugranes, MD for her platform presentation, "Age of First Cancer Diagnosis and Survival in Bloom Syndrome." Dr. Sugranes is a first-year medical genetics resident at the Memorial Sloan Ketterin  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 19 -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities' (HACU) virtual 25th Annual National Capitol Forum on Hispanic Higher Education will take place on April 21-22, 2020, with sessions covering the most pressing legislative and appropriations priorities for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. This marks the first time the annual Forum will be held as a virtual event. See the onli  more

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, March 21 -- The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology issued the following news release: Despite the presence of the lone star tick, which is known to induce alpha-gal syndrome, cases of alpha-gal in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico are low, and it might be due to the invasive fire ant species. Originally scheduled to be presented for the first time at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) before it was cancelled d  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 20 -- The American Botanical Council issued the following news release: The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has announced the recipients of its annual ABC Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award. Mary Blue, Katheryn Langelier, and Nicole Telkes are three herbalists who became the face of the "Tradition Not Trademark" movement when they were sued for trademark infringement and battled in court to keep the herbal legacy product "fire cider" a generic term.   more

DALLAS, Texas, March 21 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: As hospitals, health professionals and healthcare systems, governments and leaders work to reduce community spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. and protect the most vulnerable individuals, the American Heart Association offers further tips for heart attack and stroke survivors regarding secondary prevention. Reducing risk of another event and staying as healthy as possible is more important than ever   more

DALLAS, Texas, March 18 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: As the global impact of COVID-19 rises, the scientific community continues to evaluate the clinical impact and health care needs of patients with cardiovascular disease, who are at increased risk for serious complications with COVID-19. Together, the American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) jointly published this new state  more

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The American Medical Association issued the following news release: The Physicians Foundation, American Medical Association, Florida Medical Association, Massachusetts Medical Society and Texas Medical Association, announced the launch of The Telehealth Initiative, which helps physicians implement telehealth services. With the current COVID-19 crisis, the organizations moved up the Initiative's launch to support physicians in their shift to telehealth models as a means t  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 20 -- The American Payroll Association issued the following news: On March 18, President Trump signed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes several payroll-related provisions. Emergency Paid Sick Leave Effective April 2 through December 31, 2020, private employers with fewer than 500 employees and all government employers must provide two weeks of paid sick leave to their employees (including part-time employees). The leave must be pr  more

TUCSON, Arizona, March 19 -- The Center for Biological Diversity issued the following news release: The Trump administration's latest border-wall plan will wall off all remaining jaguar corridors across the U.S.-Mexico border. The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it will waive dozens of environmental and public health laws to fast-track border wall construction in Arizona, California and Texas. "The new border walls will mean the end of jaguar recovery in the United States  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 20 -- Consumer Energy Alliance issued the following news release: Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the leading consumer energy advocate, released the following statement after Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed HB-44, a critical pipeline and infrastructure protection bill. CEA Vice President of State Affairs Brydon Ross said: "Thank you to Governor Beshear for signing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will protect our key energy infrastructure, like the pipe  more

FLOWER MOUND, Texas, March 21 -- Epilepsia, a peer-reviewed journal that says it features clinical and research results on all aspects of epilepsy from the International League Against Epilepsy, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Accidental deaths in young people with epilepsy and psychiatric comorbidity--A Danish nationwide cohort study * Bioavailability and safety of diazepam intranasal solution compared to oral and rectal diazepam in healthy vol  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 20 -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has signed on to a letter directed to the leadership of the appropriations and education and labor committees of the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to support funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. The letter requests $1.5. billion be set aside for Historically Bl  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 21 -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has issued a call-for-action for additional funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) that were forced to abruptly end or quickly transition classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The persistent federal underfunding of HSIs and Hispanic higher education remains a major impediment. HSIs receive 68 cents  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The Immigration Reform Law Institute issued the following news release: * * * - IRLI argues that the plaintiffs should be kicked out of court * * * Yesterday the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), on behalf of Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the Trump administration. The administration is appealing an injunction an activist Texas district judge had placed on Trump's emergenc  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 18 -- The International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, a journal that says it contributes to the study, prevention and treatment of gynaecological cancer from the International Gynecologic Cancer Society and European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, published research articles, including the following topics, in its March 2020 edition: * Does small volume metastatic lymph node disease affect long-term prognosis in early cervical cancer? Original articles: * Retrospe  more

ADDISON, Texas, March 17 -- Job Creators Network issued the following news release: CNN and Univision hosted a debate between presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Alfredo Ortiz, President and CEO of the Job Creators Network (JCN) released the following statement: "We are in the midst of a true economic emergency, so it is appalling that both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders completely ignored America's small business community when discussing what needs to be done to keep our eco  more

ADDISON, Texas, March 17 -- Job Creators Network issued the following news release: The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero to respond to the economic impact of the coronavirus. Alfredo Ortiz, president and CEO of the Job Creators Network, released the following statement: "The Fed's move to cut interest rates to zero will help small businesses and consumers weather the economic impact of the coronavirus. By lowering the cost of borrowing to essentially nothing, the Fed is helping smal  more

CARROLLTON, Texas, March 19 -- The Journal of Athletic Training, a journal that says it features prevention, evaluation, management and rehabilitation of injuries from the National Athletic Trainers' Association, published research articles on the following topics in its March 2020 edition: * Point-of-Care Clinical Trials in Sports Medicine Research: Identifying Effective Treatment Interventions Through Comparative Effectiveness Research Hip: * Early Sport Specialization and Subjective Hip a  more

MISSION, Texas, March 18 -- LIBRE Initiative issued the following news release: The LIBRE Initiative, an organization committed to empowering the Hispanic community, joined Americans For Prosperity and Concerned Veterans for America to send a letter to congressional leaders and all Members of Congress on how they ought to respond to contain Covid-19 and its impact on the economy. The letter, signed by The LIBRE Initiative President Daniel Garza, AFP Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardn  more

TYLER, Texas, March 17 -- Mentoring Minds issued the following statement: We understand that it's a stressful time as COVID-19 impacts communities across the country. We know that the education community is doing everything they can to resolve challenges that stem from school closings and public health concerns, while still prioritizing learning. With this in mind, we'd like to share the proactive measures our team has taken to support your campus over the coming weeks. * The Mentoring Minds   more

NEW YORK, March 18 -- The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following news release: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) joined twenty-six other voting rights organizations in sending a letter to Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughes urging the expansion of vote-by-mail eligibility in response to COVID-19. State law says that a voter qualifies to vote by mail "if the voter has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at the po  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 20 -- Consumer Energy Alliance issued the following news release on March 19: Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the nation's leading consumer energy advocate, applauds the farmers, truckers and energy workers who are putting themselves at risk to make sure those of us staying at home have all the food, medicine and energy we need as we all pull together to defeat the Coronavirus outbreak. "Too often, the things we take for granted - steady energy supply, home delivery of an  more

ARLINGTON, Virginia, March 17 -- The National Grain and Feed Association issued the following news release: During its annual business meeting on March 10 at the NGFA's 124th annual convention in Austin, Texas, the National Grain and Feed Association's (NGFA) members elected JoAnn Brouillette, president of Demeter LP in Fowler, Ind., as NGFA chairman. "I'm deeply humbled to serve this industry that is very near and dear to my heart and my family's heart," Brouillette said during convention. He  more

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws issued the following news release: Officials with the United States Department of Agriculture have approved plans submitted by several states regulating domestic hemp production. Under federal law, states wishing to license hemp production must submit their plans for approval from the federal agency. To date, the agency has approved plans submitted by the following states: Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana,  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 20 -- Operative Dentistry, a peer-reviewed journal from the Academy of Operative Dentistry, published research articles on the following topics in its March/April 2020 edition: * Multidisciplinary Management and Pulp Vitality Preservation of a Tooth With Extensive Iatrogenic Furcal Root Perforation and Biologic Width Violation CLINICAL RESEARCH: * 24-Month Clinical Evaluation of Different Bulk-Fill Restorative Resins in Class II Restorations * Perceptibility and Accepta  more

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- Public Citizen issued the following statement by Director Adrian Shelley: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced Wednesday that it will allow companies to ask for exemptions from environmental regulations due to the coronavirus. If these exemptions lead to more air pollution, then the respiratory health of vulnerable populations will suffer, potentially exacerbating the coronavirus-related public health crisis. Imagine if Texas responded to a sho  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, March 20 -- The Security Industry Association issued the following news release: The Security Industry Association (SIA) has selected Efrain Pardo as the spring 2020 recipient of the Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship, a program presented in partnership with the Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin offering $5,000 scholarships for SIA members to help further their education in the field of identity management. This scholarship program -  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The Texas Association of Broadcasters issued the following news on March 16: By now, most folks working in a Texas newsroom have seen a viral video of a Houston news crew getting verbally accosted during a COVID-19 related live shot late last week. We're likely to see more of it in the coming days. People are angry, frustrated, and frankly, a little scared. The sad fact is that it's a common human response to lash out at someone or something when feeling such emotions.   more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 21 -- Texas Hospital Association issued the following news release: Texas hospitals moved quickly to tighten visitor policies, advocate for funding and personal protective equipment, address non-essential procedures and request childcare flexibilities for health care workers to ensure hospital COVID-19 preparedness. Texas hospitals are working with state leaders to continue strengthening the infrastructures in place to respond, and additional resources are needed to protect  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 20 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas issued the following news release: In an effort to ensure strong participation in the May elections despite coronavirus concerns, the ACLU of Texas sent a letter Thursday to Texas officials encouraging them to provide all eligible Texas voters the option of voting by mail and to continue with May runoff elections as scheduled. Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Secretary of State Ruth Hughes and County C  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 17 -- The Texas Organizing Project issued the following news release: The Texas Organizing Project (TOP) released a list of demands for City of San Antonio and Bexar County officials, as well as local business leaders to address the economic and health needs of local residents during the spread of COVID-19. "In this time of uncertainty for many working families, we need our local officials and business leaders to step up in a big way and act on policies that will successf  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 16 -- The Texas State Teachers Association issued the following statement by President Noel Candelaria: The Texas State Teachers Association and the National Education Association are proud to recommend Joe Biden for president of the United States. Joe Biden respects and values public education and educators. He will be our partner, not our adversary, in the White House, working with us to provide the necessary resources to give every American child an opportunity to succee  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 20 -- The Texas State Teachers Association issued the following statement by President Noel Candelaria: We applaud the state's action in ordering the closure of schools, at least temporarily, as a safety measure against the spread of the coronavirus because the health of all our students, school employees and their local communities is a top priority of the Texas State Teachers Association. We also urge Gov. Abbott, the education commissioner and school districts to take st  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 17 -- The Texas State Teachers Association issued the following news release: The Texas State Teachers Association urged Gov. Greg Abbott and Education Commissioner Mike Morath to seek a waiver from federal testing requirements and cancel STAAR testing this spring as schools plan closures and take other emergency steps to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. "We don't know how critical this health emergency will become in Texas, how many families will be affected and how lo  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 18 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release on March 17: The American Heart Association and its thousands of science volunteers are poised and ready to provide urgent support to ensure optimal care for patients with cardiovascular disease who contract COVID-19 (coronavirus), according to a new article on the American Heart Association President Page, published in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation. The Association recog  more