Category: Government

Pitts authors Second Amendment Preservation Act

Jim Pitts
Jim Pitts

Press release from Office of Rep. Jim Pitts

AUSTIN – In response to potential federal actions that could unconstitutionally restrict the right to bear arms, State Rep. Jim Pitts joint authored House Bill 553 to reaffirm and protect Texans’ second amendment rights.

“The Second Amendment was written with the tremendous foresight of our founding fathers and has endured for over two centuries as a necessary protectorate of a citizen’s right to bear arms. I intend to stand up for that right and am proud to join Representative John Otto in authoring HB 553, the Second Amendment Preservation Act,” Pitts said.

The proposed legislation applies to all federal acts, laws, executive orders, agency orders, and rules or regulations of all kinds and nullifies federal acts with the purpose, intent, or effect of:

  • confiscating a firearm,
  • banning a firearm,
  • limiting the size of a magazine for a firearm,
  • imposing a limit on the ammunition that may be purchased for a firearm,
  • taxing a firearm or ammunition, or
  • requiring the registration of a firearm or ammunition.

“My goal is to best represent my constituents, and after hearing significant concerns about possible Executive Orders and other federal actions, I felt that this legislation was necessary,” Pitts said.

Pitts has served House District 10, which now includes parts of Cedar Creek Lake, for the past 20 years.

Sen. Nichols named to committees

Nichols
State Sen. Robert Nichols

While everyone was getting ready for a long weekend last Friday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced committee assignments for the 83rd Legislative Session.

Henderson County’s representative in the Senate, Robert Nichols, was named to the following committees:

  • Committee of the Whole Senate
  • Health & Human Services
  • Intergovernmental Relations (Vice Chair)
  • Natural Resources
  • State Affairs
  • Transportation (Chair)

The big plum is chairmanship of the Transportation Committee. Before the session began, Nichols said transportation was one of the “Big 3,” along with education and water.

Daily Brief: Monday, Jan. 21

Parade 1
(MICHAEL V. HANNIGAN PHOTO)

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day AND happy Inauguration Day.

The Henderson County Black Rodeo Association held a well-attended parade Saturday. See photos from the event here. 

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DON’T FORGET: The Henderson County Black History Committee will be hosting its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Vigil tonight in Malakoff starting at 7 p.m.

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Congratulations to Bill Hunt of Texas Ragtime Inc. on being named the Athens Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year at the chamber banquet last Friday night.

You can find a list of the other award winners here, as well as our Facebook photo album with pictures from the event here. 

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Not everything this weekend was happy. Sunday night, a candlelight service was held at Malakoff High School in honor of Jamiya Givens Williams and her daughter, Alahna Williams. who were killed in a car accident Sunday, Jan. 13.

We were there for the vigil. 

Funeral services were set for today at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church on Mitcham Street in Malakoff under the direction of Huckabee/Tomlinson Funeral Home, Malakoff.

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Rich Flowers over at the Review has the first interview with new Athens City Council member Monte Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery took Mayor Jerry Don Vaught’s spot when Mr. Vaught became mayor.

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Average retail gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 2.0 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.14/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 13,114 gas outlets in Texas. This compares with the national average that has increased 0.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.26/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Texas during the past week, prices yesterday were 9.7 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 10.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 1.9 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 8.9 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

Morning Brief: Wednesday, Jan. 16

State Rep. Jim Pitts
State Rep. Jim Pitts

In the photo above, State Rep. Jim Pitts, who now represents parts of Cedar Creek Lake, files House Bill 1, the base budget bill, Tuesday in Austin. (COURTESY PHOTO)

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While we are talking about the Legislature, Rep. Lance Gooden has filed several resolutions, including a couple about Henderson County folks. 

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What are you going to do for the National Day of Service this Saturday? We asked our Facebook community, and looks like the Family Peace Project could use some help. 

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Thank you to Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly for their $10,000 donation to the Athens Splash Pad project. The Athens Review has a photo. 

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Don’t forget, the Athens Chamber of Commerce Banquet is this Friday night. There’s still time to get tickets. 

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From the TVCC Facebook page: 

The Cardinal Sports Network will webcast tonight’s Region XIV Conference Doubleheader at Cardinal Gym between the Lady Cardinals, Cardinals and Kilgore College. Sports Information Officer Benny Rogers and President Dr. Glendon Forgey will handle the play by play and commentary. Watch all the action starting at 5:20 p.m.

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TWITTER USERS: If you see something newsworthy (or interesting or fun) in the county, tag it #hctnow.

FOR NON TWITTER USERS: What the above means is that any tweet with the tag #hctnow can be gathered into one list … so you could conceivably track that one tag and get information from Seven Points to Chandler.

Gooden files resolutions honoring local residents (UPDATED, Jan. 30)

Gooden
Lance Gooden

UPDATED (Wednesday, Jan. 30, 11 a.m.): State Rep. Lance Gooden has added to the list of resolutions he has filed honoring the people and organizations of Henderson County. The new bills include:

 

 

 

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UDPATED (Friday, Jan. 18, 9:45 a.m.): State Rep. Lance Gooden has filed more resolutions celebrating the people and organizations of his district, which includes most of Henderson County, including:

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The first bills filed by State Rep. Lance Gooden this legislative session are a series of resolutions spotlighting people and organizations in House District 4, which includes Kaufman County and most of Henderson County.

Athens resident David Campbell is honored with a resolution marking his induction into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2012.

“David Campbell’s dedication to the care and management of fish in Texas waters has earned him the respect and admiration of anglers and outdoor writers across the state and beyond, and it is indeed fitting to recognize his contributions to the freshwater sport-fishing industry …” reads the resolution.

Here’s a story from when Dave was inducted.

Another resolution filed by Gooden celebrates the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the East Texas Medical Center Athens Auxiliary.

The resolution reads, in part, “For more than five decades, the ETMC Athens Auxiliary has been a boon of immeasurable value for staff and patients alike, and the outstanding efforts of its members, both past and present, are indeed worthy of commendation …”