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.

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)

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

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. 

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

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

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.

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:

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 …”

Heads in Austin for Legislative Session

Head 2 Former Athens State Rep. Fred Head and his wife, Henderson County Democratic Party Chairman Marsha Head, were in Austin for the start of the 83rd Legislative Session this week.

TOP PHOTO: Fred Head and his wife, Marsha, right, enjoyed a visit with current Texas House of Representatives Speaker Joe Straus and his wife, Julie, at the Texas Legislative Wife’s Club Dinner Dance held at the Omni Hotel Ballroom in Austin Monday, Jan. 7. (COURTESY PHOTO)

BOTTOM PHOTO: Shown below with Representative Gooden (center) are Marsha Head (left, her husband Fred (right) and their granddaughters Katie and Clara Love (center left and right), who work in Austin after finishing their University Educations there. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Head 1

 

Pitts looking to end 15-percent Rule

Jim Pitts
Jim Pitts

State Rep. Jim Pitts has filed legislation that would end the so-called 15-percent Rule, which would require that 15 percent of a student’s final grade come from their State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) end-of-course exams.

The STAAR replaced the TAKS two years ago. According to the Texas Education Agency: “The STAAR program at grades 3–8 will assess the same subjects and grades that are currently assessed on TAKS. At high school, however, grade-specific assessments will be replaced with 12 end-of-course assessments: Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, biology, chemistry, physics, English I, English II, English III, world geography, world history, and U.S. history.”

Continuing uncertainty about the STAAR test, however, has caused the 15-percent rule to be deferred the past two years.

Now Pitts would like to just end the rule permanently. In December, State Rep. Lance Gooden announced that he was going to file legislation that would do the same thing.

Area superintendents have reservations about the STAAR.

In December, Athens ISD Superintendent Blake Stiles said, “The plan for implementation of the end-of-course tests has been very disorganized. Schools did not know what the passing standards would be and there was very little directions from the state as to how we should apply the 15 percent rule to the courses (by semester, by year, retakes, GPA, etc.). The rules and procedures for the end-of-course tests and the 15 percent rule should be crystal clear before we hold our students accountable for their performance on the exams.”