Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
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One hundred and eighty-five years ago this month, the Republic of Texas passed a piece of legislation that set the framework for education funding to this day. On January 26, 1839, a bill passed that set aside land for public schools in Texas and two public universities. It fulfilled the vision President Mirabeau Lamar had for a public education system endowed by public lands in the state. Though not immediately successful, the program had lasting impacts and earned Lamar the...
On October 25, 1886, the Texas State Fair opened in Dallas. For 137 years, the Fair has operated in Dallas. During the first State Fair, a rival organization opened the Dallas Exposition at the same time. Both fairs were successful and drew crowds of over 35,000 people a day at the time. Eventually the groups merged and became the State Fair of Texas. The current fair grounds in Fair Park were the original location of the Dallas Exposition. The grounds were expanded in 1936...
Summer is in full swing, but back to school is right around the corner. Be sure to stay cool during these hot Texas days! Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Property tax relief measures passed, signed by Governor Abbott This month, the Texas Senate and House of Representatives came together and made a deal to deliver property tax relief to homeowners across the state. The $18 billion package is the largest tax cut in Texas history. Senate Bill 2, by Senator P...
My five cents… We have passed the halfway point in session this week, but most of the work is before us. It is full speed ahead for the next two months until Memorial Day. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Bill establishing rural law enforcement fund passes Senate Senate Bill 22 by Senator Drew Springer passed the Senate this week. The bill would establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to sheriff’s departments and prosecutor’s offices in co...
It’s time to spring forward! Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend. Remember to set your clocks forward Saturday night. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Bill filing deadline This Friday, March 10 marks the end of the bill filing period for the 88th Legislature. After Friday, no more general law bills can be filed. There are exceptions for local bills. After the deadline, the Legislature and the public will have a good idea about the total number of bills...
On February 24, 1836, William B. Travis wrote his famous letter from the Alamo. He wrote the defenders would never "surrender or retreat" and ended with the iconic line "Victory or Death." Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Governor Abbott announces emergency items Last week, Governor Greg Abbott gave his State of the State address. In that address, he listed his seven emergency items that he is asking the Legislature to address this session. Emergency items...
On February 15, 1876, Texas adopted the Constitution of 1876. The document is the sixth constitution by which Texas has been governed since declaring independence from Mexico. Despite having been amended more than 230 times, it remains the basic law of Texas today. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Lt. Governor Patrick releases list of priority bills Earlier this week, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick released a list of 30 pieces of legislation that he would like...
This week we celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a visionary leader and made an invaluable impact on our country. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Budget filed in both the House and Senate Now that the members are sworn in and both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are sworn in, the legislature can begin the work of the people. The first step is the filing of the budget by both the House and the Senate on their...
Sixty-four years ago this month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which established NASA and emphasized our commitment to space exploration and manned space flight. NASA later elected to build a new flight-control center outside of Houston, making Texas an essential piece of the space race. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. ALERRT and House Committee release reports on shooting in Uvalde This month, both the...
Last month, I was proud to co-host the Lone Star Legislative Summit in Nacogdoches with Rep. Travis Clardy in conjunction with the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce. We hosted a number of attendees from across the state including Speaker Dade Phelan and panels on immigration and border security, education, infrastructure, energy, health care, and social media and freedom of speech. It was a pleasure to have so many familiar faces in East Texas. Here are five things happening...
AUSTIN, TX - Last week, State Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) filed for re-election for Texas Senate District 3. The newly redrawn district covers much of the existing district including the majority of East Texas. Major changes include picking up the greater part of Jefferson County and losing San Jacinto County and Montgomery County. "Serving the people of Senate District 3 is a tremendous honor and I humbly ask for their support to continue our important work at the capitol and remain a strong voice for rural...
The Legislature adjourned Sine Die for hopefully the last time this year after completing our third special session. While we accomplished many great things for the state over the past ten months, I’m glad to be back in East Texas. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Redistricting maps finalized, sent to the Governor The Legislature has finished the third called special session of the year and completed the challenging redistricting process. The state grew substantially over the past decade which forced t...
This week Hurricane Nicholas made landfall, impacting the coastal region of Southeast Texas and neighboring counties. Though the storm hit as a hurricane, it was later downgraded to a tropical storm and then to tropical depression. There are 19 counties under the disaster declaration and five are in Senate District 3, including Jasper, Liberty, Montgomery, Newton, and Orange Counties. If you have been affected by Hurricane Nicholas, please complete the Self Reporting Damage Survey found on Texas Department of Emergency...
This weekend, we recognize the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We remember and pray for all the Americans who were killed during the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. Let us never forget. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Governor Abbott calls third special session Governor Abbott announced this week that he will be calling the Legislature back for a third time starting September 20. One of the most important topics the legislature will cover in...
On August 17, 1786 frontier icon and brave defender of the Alamo, Davy Crockett was born in Tennessee. Throughout his life, he acquired a reputation as a sharpshooter, hunter, and outdoorsman. He left his home state of Tennessee when he was 49 and set out for Texas. He arrived here in February 1836 and joined the Texas Revolutionaries at the Alamo. On March 6, 1836, he died during the Battle of the Alamo. Here are five things happening around your state: • Proposed amendments to Texas Constitution This week, Governor A...
Summer is drawing to a close and back-to-school season is here. TxDOT asks all Texans to be aware of school zones and school buses as children head back to campus. Remember to slow down for school zones and be prepared to stop for stopped school buses. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Second special session begins This week Governor Abbott called a second special session starting on August 7. For this special session, he added several more agenda items to the call from the first special. Some of the new...
The Battle of Nacogdoches occurred 185 years ago this week. On August 2, 1836, a group of Texas settler defied an order from a Mexican Army commander and did not surrender their weapons. This battle is often referred to the opening gun of the Texas Revolution. The revolutionaries were successful in this first conflict and cleared East Texas of military rule, allowing citizens to meet in convention without military intervention. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Texas Historical Commission approves plan for...
The last week of session is coming to a close and the long nights have stretched into the early hours of the following mornings. We’re sprinting to the finish of an unusual session and passing consequential and substantial legislation. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Budget Conference Committee Report approved by Senate In one of the last steps the State budget needs for approval, the Senate passed the final version of the budget this week. This session’s budget appropriates $248.5 billion in All Funds fo...
One hundred and thirty-three years ago this month, the present Texas Capitol was formally dedicated. On May 16, 1888, the dedication ceremony was held with a service, parade, and a celebration to mark its opening. Over 20,000 people attended the week of festivities. There were military displays, concerts, drill team competitions, and fireworks. Senator Temple Houston, Sam Houston’s youngest son, accepted the building on behalf of the state. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Texas launches mobile vaccine t...
We have less than 50 days left in the 87th legislative session and the pace is picking up rapidly. Just this week, the Senate unanimously passed the Texas Consumer Privacy Act Phase 1, a bill I authored to ensure that the data the state has on private citizens is protected. Protecting consumer privacy is a priority for the Senate this session and I was proud to author this bill and see it pass unanimously through the Senate. Now, on to the House! Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Vehicle title and registrat...
This week in 1836 the Convention of 1836 adjourned abruptly as the Mexican army approached Washington-on-the-Brazos. The convention, which began on March 1, drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Constitution, organized the government, and named Sam Houston commander-in-chief of the military forces before the delegates had to be evacuated. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Texas to receive over 800,000 COVID-19 vaccine first doses The Texas Department of State Health Services allocated...
This week has been historic in terms of the severity of the weather across the state. I am praying for the safety of our community and our state. Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Winter weather cripples Texas A large winter system blew through Texas this week dropping 6-8 inches of snow and ice in parts of the state and leaving millions without power for days at a time. Freezing temperatures coupled with water and snow on the roads lead to iced out conditions, impassable roads, and multiple, lasting road...
Last week, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced committee assignments for the 87th Legislative Session. I am honored to once again chair the Senate Transportation Committee and look forward to working with my fellow members on transportation legislation. The Lt. Governor also appointed me as the Vice Chair of the Senate Business and Commerce committee and a member of the Senate committees on Criminal Justice, Finance, Local Government (formerly known as Intergovernmental Relations), and the Select Committee on Redistricting....
A monthly column from Sen. Robert Nichols by Sen. Robert Nichols, Senate District 3 One hundred and thirty-six years ago this month, the Texas State Fair opened in Dallas. The iconic predecessor to our present-day State Fair of Texas drew crowds from across the state. A rival fair, the Dallas exposition, opened around the same time and together they welcomed over 35,000 people. Both fairs were successful and, ultimately, decided to combine efforts in 1887 to establish the State Fair of Texas as we know it today. Here are...
The history of East Texas is rich with stories of Texans fighting for our states independence. In July of 1832, an order was given requiring Texans to surrender their weapons to the Mexican army. In response, a band of settlers in Nacogdoches attacked the town’s Mexican garrison. To some historians, the Battle of Nacogdoches not only freed East Texas from Mexican military rule, but also served as the starting point of the Texas Revolution and led to the independence of our great state. Here are five things happening around y...
