A $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that would modernize some 35,000 public schools nationwide is capturing the interest of school officials in Texas. Part of the president's American Jobs Act, the school provision's goal is to upgrade the nation's schools and help them meet the needs of the 21st century student.

In Texas, the funding available to invest in K-12 school infrastructure as part of the Jobs Act is $2.3 billion. The number of jobs these infrastructure funds have the potential to support is 30,300.   

"It will help," said Clay Robison (left), spokesperson for the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA), regarding the proposed $2.3 billion in funding that would make its way to Texas school districts if the Jobs Act as introduced is passed.  

Of the $25 billion in funds earmarked for upgrades to existing public school facilities, $10 billion would be directed toward the 100 largest high-need public school districts throughout the country. It is based on the number of students living in poverty in those districts. Nineteen of those districts are in Texas. Officials in the Obama administration say they would expect those funds to make their way to school districts within 60 days of passage of the bill.  

The amount of funding available to Texas' largest school districts from the Jobs Act includes: 

• Houston Independent School District - $233.6 million;
• Dallas Independent School District - $191.6 million;
• Fort Worth Independent School District - $84.9 million;
• Austin Independent School District $69.3 million;
• San Antonio Independent School District - $69.1 million;
• El Paso Independent School District - $66.2 million;
• Brownsville Independent School District - $60 million;
• Aldine Independent School District - $50.4 million;
• Alief Independent School District - $44.8 million;

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TCEQ accepting nominations for Environmental Excellence Awards
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is now accepting nominations for the annual Texas Environmental Excellence Awards, which recognize achievements that significantly reduce waste, conserve natural resources or prevent pollution across the state.

The public may nominate an individual, community, company or organization. From the nominations, a committee will select award winners in nine categories: Agriculture, Civic/Community, Education, Individual, Innovative Operations/Management, Pollution Prevention, Technical/Technology, Water Conservation and Youth.

Make nominations online at http://www.teea.org/apply.htm. Deadline for applications is Oct. 7.

Officials of Texas State University System recently reached an agreement with the Texas General Land Commission to transfer the Christmas Mountains to the university system. Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson transferred the land at no cost to the university because of the educational benefits the area offers students of the university system.

The 9,269-acre land tract in Brewster County is destined to be an outdoor classroom with conservation of the land guaranteed, said Chancellor Brian McCall (pictured) of the Texas State University System. While students will study biology, geology and archeology in the mountains, the area also will be open for the public to enjoy, McCall said.

Officials of Sul Ross State University, Sam Houston State University, Lamar University and Texas State University-San Marcos all plan new research efforts in the rugged terrain of the Christmas Mountains. Those research efforts range from studies of the bears, mule deer and Bighorn sheep and other wild creatures who live in that area of the Chihuahua Desert performed by Sul Ross students to climate studies being conducted by students of Sam Houston State University, McCall said.

Senate committee approves judicial nominees, four from Texas

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved a dozen of President Barack Obama's appointees, including four U.S. attorneys for Texas.

The nominees are: Austin lawyer Robert Lee Pitman, assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of Houston, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldaņa of Dallas and John Malcolm Bales of Beaumont, interim U.S. Attorney for the East Texas district. If Saldaņa is confirmed by the Senate, she would become the first Hispanic to serve as a chief prosecutor in Texas.

All the nominees have the support of the Democratic congressional delegation as well as Texas' two Republican U.S. senators.

Lone Star College receives grant to create workforce programs   

Lone Star College recently received a $500,000 grant to create three fast-track training programs that get students certified in 16 weeks.

The Wagner-Peyser grant program - which gives money to projects that lead to job placement, increased wages and job retention - will create LSC programs in engineering technology, welding inspection and machining design and rapid prototyping.

"We want to build programs that strengthen the workforce and promote jobs in highly-sought-after positions in industries that benefit the Gulf Coast area," said Linda Head (pictured), associate vice chancellor of workforce development and Lone Star Corporate College.

Blinn College expected to select new president soon

The search for a new Blinn College president has been narrowed to two candidates and trustees expect to make a final selection at the Sept. 20 board meeting, said board member Douglas Borchardt (pictured).

The two candidates, selected from a field of 35 applicants, are Harold E. Nolte Jr., president of Ellis County campuses for Navarro College and Edward E. Raspiller, provost for Blinn's Brazos County campuses.

Nolte, who has more than 30 years of higher education experience, earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Baylor University and a Ph.D. from Mississippi State University.

Raspiller, who has more than 20 years experience at community colleges, earned a bachelor's degree from Governors State University, and a master's and Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University.

TCEQ accepting applications for school bus retrofits
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is now accepting grant applications to retrofit eligible diesel-powered school buses with emissions-reduction technology.

A total of up to $2 million in grants is available to Texas public and charter schools that operate one or more diesel-powered school buses.

While districts may apply for any amount of funding, the TCEQ has limited funds and will review applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for application is Nov. 30.

For detailed information, please visit the Clean School Bus Web page here, or call 512-239-3100.

Eight universities, TSTC celebrate opening of new center

The University Center at Harlingen, which serves as the local campus for eight universities, recently opened its $7.2 million building with a ribbon cutting ceremony (pictured right).

The universities, in partnership with Texas State Technical College, will offer 23 bachelor's programs and 23 master's programs.

The eight universities are: University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Texas-Pan American, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Our Lady of the Lake University, the University of Houston, LeTourneau University and Wayland Baptist University.

Anna Hovenden certified by Project Management Institute           

Anna Hovenden (pictured) of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been certified by Project Management Institute (PMI) as a Project Management Professional, effective Aug. 31.

As project manager of TxDOT's online grant management system, Hovenden oversees the development and implementation of eGrants enhancements.

Hovenden, who holds a bachelor's degree from St. Edward's University, has spent 23 years with the State of Texas, and has experience in areas of government including public information, technical writing, policy and procedures, legislative analysis and Spanish media.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Jeffrey Costa has been nominated to serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Costa, who has served as an assistant U.S. attorney since 2005, previously worked as an associate in a Houston law firm from 2002 to 2005. He has also served as a law clerk to the Honorable William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States, and also to the Honorable A. Raymond Randolph of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 

Costa received a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, and a law degree with highest honors from The University of Texas School of Law. Prior to attending law school, he taught elementary school through the Teach for America program.

Dallas sets standard as first Texas city to launch carton recycling

Dallas city officials recently launched a new program that adds food and beverage cartons to the residential curbside recycling program.

Under the new initiative, which is part of a national trend, Dallas residents can recycle milk, juice, wine cartons and more in their own recycling bins or at community drop-off locations.

"Dallas is proud to be the first big city in Texas to make sure that liquid food and beverage cartons are recycled and kept out of landfills," said Mary Nix (pictured), Director of Sanitation Services.

SHSU information technology now reporting to president

Sam Houston State University's Information Technology department was recently reorganized so that associate vice president Mark Adams (pictured) reports to the university president, effective Aug. 21.

The change was made because the department's interim vice president, Tom Graf, has stepped down from the temporary position, said SHSU President Dana Gibson. The senior technology officer, now Adams, needs to serve at the President's Cabinet level, Gibson said.

Adams, who has served as associate vice president since 2006, oversees centralized information technology operations and also serves as the external liaison for campus technology relationships and collaborative projects.

Lone Star develops curriculum for firm's Brazilian workforce

LSCS Chancellor Dr. Richard Carpenter (left) and Ricardo Peduzzi, president of Peduzzi & Co., sign a memorandum of understanding. .

Houston school board OK's $10.3 million technology plan

The Houston ISD School Board recently OK'd a plan to pump $10.3 million into an improved computer network that will allow educators to access detailed student achievement data.

The upgrade will create "data dashboards" that allow principals and teachers to analyze data like exam scores and attendance records at the student, classroom, campus and district levels.

The data can be used to drive instruction in the classroom, said Superintendent Terry Grier.

Austin unveils schematic design of new $90 million central library

Austin City Council members recently unveiled a preliminary floor plan or layout for the new $90 million central library to be built on W. Cesar Chavez St.

The new 180,000-square-foot to 200,000-square-foot central library will replace the outdated John Henry Faulk Central Library that city officials say is too small to accommodate the city's population growth.

Architects are scheduled to complete the exterior and interior design of the new library by next year with the library to be completed by winter 2015, city officials said. Voters approved bonds to pay for the new library.

The Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau recently moved from City Hall to 4 Houston Center in the heart of downtown.

The bureau was recently asked to move out of leased space at City Hall, where employees were spread throughout the building. At the new location, which sits atop the Shops at Houston Center, all bureau employees will be located on the same floor, said Greg Ortale (pictured), president of the HCVB.

"We wanted to be in a first class space in the heart of Downtown and be able to tour our customers in a 'walkable' Houston," said Ortale.

Dallas City Hall tech director resigns following media investigation

Dallas City Hall's chief information officer, Worris Levine (pictured), recently resigned after a media investigation exposed that at least eight members of Levine's Fort Worth church were working in his department.

Levine will continue temporary duties of helping develop a city disaster recovery plan until his resignation in January.

The Dallas Morning News' investigation found that most of the Chosen Vessel Cathedral members - including two associate pastors, a deacon and at least five others - reportedly bypassed a thorough vetting of their qualifications.

A team of city leaders - the assistant city manager, human resources director, civil service director, an assistant city attorney and city auditors - has formed to review hiring practices and to discuss privatizing some city responsibilities.

Connected Texas appoints executive director, program coordinator

New top executives were recently appointed at Connected Texas, a nonprofit created to identify gaps in high-speed Internet availability across the state.

Don Shirley has been named executive director and LaTanya Tatum is program coordinator.

Shirley, who will oversee management and administrative aspects of the initiative, was previously a field operations manager and executive director of the Connect Ohio program. He holds a bachelor's degree from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

As program coordinator, Tatum will manage the activities of the regional planning teams, which set goals and implement strategies to increase broadband adoption and digital literacy.

Previously, Tatum worked at the Texas Education Agency as a program specialist. She holds a bachelor's degree from Jackson State University in Jackson, and two master's degrees - one from St. Edwards University in Austin and another from Texas State University.

Houston attorney Benny Agosto, Jr. (pictured) was recently named president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) for 2011-2012.

"I will advocate for Hispanics in regards to the fair and equitable administration of justice, promote diversity and equitable hiring practices and continue the advancement of all Hispanics in the national legal community," said Agosto, who is also a member of the Houston Bar Association and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.

Agosto is a founding member of the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas and a co-founder of the HNBA's only nonprofit charitable organization, the Legal Education Fund.

Houston city officials recently entered into a public-private partnership to build the city's first electric-charging stations for vehicles at two locations, a supermarket on the Buffalo Speedway and another in downtown Houston.

Subscribers to the "Freedom Stations" service will be able to plug in vehicles while shopping and add 30 miles of range in about 10 minutes, said a spokesman for the company building and maintaining the charging stations.

As part of a public-private partnership paid for in part by a federal stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the company plans to eventually install more than 200 charging stations in the Houston area in the future. The company also plans to install about 14,000 residential and commercial charging stations in 18 cities and metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. 

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The North Central Texas Regional Transportation Council (RTC) recently approved about $400 million to pay for a $639 million bridge project for Interstate 30 and Interstate 35E. The bridges spanning the Trinity River in Dallas and linking the downtown freeway are identified as one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the state.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins (pictured) noted the replacement bridges will spur economic growth in south and west Dallas. The I-30 replacement bridge includes a scaled-down signature element designed by a Spanish architect to complement the design of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway extension bridge now under construction.

Texas Department of Transportation officials plan to use a design-build contract to speed up construction and hope to begin the work in about a year. The bridge project should be complete by 2015, said Jenkins.

Trustees for the Frankston Independent School District recently agreed to ask voters on Nov. 8 to approve $17.3 million in bonds to upgrade facilities.

Plans call for the bonds, if approved by voters, to be used to pay for building 18 additional classrooms with more natural light, new technology and work centers for students. It includes a "core facility" containing a cafeteria, media center/library and offices and updates to the gymnasium, locker rooms, a new science classroom and a teacher work room at the middle school.

If voters agree, trustees also plan to expand and renovate the agriculture department to provide more space for equipment and build a cafeteria with an athletic complex that includes baseball and softball fields. Trustees also plan to renovate the existing cafeteria into a life skills area, a science classroom and teacher work room.

City of Arlington hires new chief information officer

Information technology expert Dennis John (pictured) was recently named the City of Arlington's new chief information officer, effective Sept. 19.

In his new role, John will research, develop and the implement technologies to support the city's operation and administration.

John, who most recently served as chief information officer of Milwaukee County, has more than 20 years of technological knowledge and management experience. John holds a bachelor's degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, IL.

McAllen rejects proposed amusement park and development

McAllen City Commissioners recently rejected a proposal from a McAllen-based group to develop an amusement park and River-Walk-style mixed-development on prime commercial property that is now a city reservoir. City officials plan to take the main reservoir offline in late 2011 as construction is nearing completion on a replacement reservoir.

The development company requested the city offer economic incentives, including a part of the reservoir property valued at between $16.2 million and $21.3 million to support building the proposed amusement park, housing and retail development. City commissioners, however, agreed that the developers had little history in developing such a large property and unanimously voted to reject the proposal.

UT Southwestern, Texas Health Resources partner on initiatives

Officials at Texas Health Resources in Arlington and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas recently announced a plan to collaborate more on research, medical education and health care delivery.

The agreement, which does not involve a merger, includes the potential for development of post-acute care offerings and a joint database for research on health care delivery issues to improve outcomes and value.

"We look forward to combining efforts with leaders from Texas Health, who share our commitment to delivering greater levels of integrated, patient-centered care," said Daniel Podolsky (pictured), president of UT Southwestern.

New director sworn in for Texas agency regulating police officers

Former Abilene police officer Kim Vickers has been named executive director of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, the agency that regulates the licensing of law enforcement personnel.

Vickers, the agency's fifth top executive in 46 years, previously served as the director of education and credentialing services and as a field agent for the West Texas Region. Vickers, who also works as a consultant on family violence issues, is a board member for the National Council on Family Violence and National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The new director began his career as an Abilene training officer in 1979, and moved up the ranks of that police department until his 2006 retirement as commander of the Critical Missing Response team.

The city of Eastland and Eastland Economic Development Inc. (EEDI) recently won a $1 million grant from the federal Economic Development Administration to pay for upgrading water and sewer lines at a proposed 92-acre business park. The city and EEDI are required to match the grant dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million, said Jerry Conner, executive director of EEDI. Total cost of the infrastructure project is about $2.5 million, Conner said.

Several businesses, which could create from 200 to 400 jobs in the community in coming years, have voiced commitments to lease at the business park if the needed infrastructure is built, he said. EEDI has about 75 percent of its share of matching funds already in reserves, but Conner warned council that it could be two years before construction kicks off on the business park site along Interstate 20. The next step is to complete engineering design for the water and sewer lines, Conner said.

Bezaury selected as Arlington workforce services director

Workforce management expert Cindy Bezaury (pictured) has been named Arlington's new director of the Workforce Services Department, effective Oct. 10.

Bezaury will lead workforce administration, recruitment, training, employment relations, compensation and benefits design.

Bezaury, who most recently served as human resources director in Tucson, holds a bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., and a master's degree from Michigan State University.

Richland Hills kicks off $2 million expansion of railway station

Richland Hills recently kicked off a $2 million expansion of the Richland Hills Railway Station on the Trinity Railway Express line. The railway station project includes realigning Burns Street and adding 108 more parking spaces. The goal of the project is to spark development in the surrounding industrial area.

The first phase of the project, which is being funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, includes adding the paved parking spaces to increase the capacity to 671 vehicles at the railway station. Moving Burns Street several hundred feet to the south should result in some of the private property within the train station area to be developed into restaurants, dry cleaners and other retail and service establishments that cater to commuters. Landscaping also will be added to the railway station.

City officials also have discussed creating a special tax district to capture future property tax revenues and help offset development costs.

Beaumont Independent School District officials recently began notifying parents that confidential information on about 15,000 students was left available online accidentally.

Private data such as names, birth dates, gender, social security numbers, grades and test scores on students of the third grade through 11th grade was to be posted last fall only on a server that was supposed to be accessible only to campus principals. A student searching last week for his information, however, was able to access the file containing the confidential information and notified district officials that the private data was available and not in a secured file.

District officials said they secured the confidential data as soon as the problem was reported. No evidence exists that any student information was misused, the superintendent said.

Austin Energy recently won a $499,792 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help pay for a plan for building charging stations for electric vehicles.

The department of energy also awarded $500,000 to an Austin-based organization to help pay for a plan to install plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure between Austin and San Antonio, in the Houston/Galveston area and in Dallas/Fort Worth.

Austin Energy officials plan to use their share of the grant to develop a plan for placing charging stations between San Antonio and Georgetown, city officials said.

Denton Independent School District officials recently learned the district could sell about $45 million in bonds that can be used to pay for postponed construction projects without stretching the district's bond capacity.

Facing increased enrollment in middle schools, district officials are considering moving ahead with a building a middle school that was postponed earlier. District officials also are considering a postponed elementary school project.

The district has more than $116.7 million in bonds remaining from a 2007 bond election, but should issue only about $45 million in bonds at this time, the financial adviser told trustees.

Beeville recently won a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant that will be used to replace aging water lines with new, six-inch PVC pipe water lines and to add more fire hydrants on the west side of the city.

The new water lines on Springer, Crockett, Milam and Corpus Christi streets will provide better water pressure and reduced repairs to water lines, said City Manager Tom Ginter.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded more than $3.2 million in community block grant funds to help improve water treatment, water lines and sewer lines in other communities in South Texas, including Falfurrias, Karnes City, Kenedy, Mathis, Premont, Runge, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Sinton and Yorktown.

Memorial City to spend $2.5 million to upgrade city hall

City officials in Memorial City plan to soon seek bids for an estimated $2.5 million renovation project for city hall.

Contractors have properly abated asbestos and lead-based paint, the city manager said. The city is acting as its own general contractor for this project and expects renovations to be completed by the end of September 2012. City officials have already spent 21.44 percent of the projected cost of the city hall renovation project.

Killeen city officials recently narrowed their search for a new city manager to five finalists. One of the five finalists is Tom Muir (pictured), who previously served as director of general services for 11 years in Killeen and is currently the city manager in Haltom City.

The four other finalists for city manager are:

• Ron Bottoms, city manager of La Porte;
• Stephen Rasmussen, former city manager of Jefferson City, Missouri;
• Isaac Turner, former city manager of Venice, Florida; and
• Melissa Vossmer, city manager of Angleton.

The new city manager will replace former City Manager Connie Green, who agreed to a $750,000 buyout of his contract in March. The city manager candidates are scheduled to attend a reception on Sept. 19 to interview and meet citizens at a public reception.

Former DeSoto superintendent gets $188,000 payout from school

DeSoto school district officials recently paid former Superintendent Kathy Augustine a settlement of $188,000, her entire annual salary.

Augustine, who worked one day in the DeSoto district, was placed on leave after being implicated in a cheating scandal in Atlanta (Georgia) schools, where she previously served as second-in-command.

Augustine continues to deny the allegations, despite a State of Georgia investigation that found she approved a letter sent to state officials falsely claiming that no evidence of cheating existed.

Hudson native named Lufkin's full-time municipal court judge

Hudson native April Earley (pictured) was recently named the City of Lufkin's first full-time municipal court judge. Officials said that while a part-time judge was previously sufficient, the burgeoning caseload now warrants a full-time hire.

Earley, selected from a pool of 35 qualified applicants, earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Southern University and a law degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston. She most recently worked as associate attorney at a Lufkin firm.

Killeen announces dates for interviews for city manager 
City of Killeen officials will begin interviewing 13 city manager candidates Sept. 19. Candidates will meet with city staff as well as Killeen residents.

A panel of residents have already reviewed a synopsis of each candidate and selected favorites. A list of finalists has not been released.

BexarMet may have to meet

to call election - again

Officials at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality do not believe the board of the Bexar Metropolitan Water District held a legitimate vote last week to call for a November election for its own dissolution.

The BexarMet board, which voted 3-2 to hold the election, may have to vote again because the Texas Water Code requires a majority of the seven-member board to back any business changes. So, the board must have four votes either for or against the election to make it official, a TCEQ spokeswoman said. The TCEQ has filed arguments in federal court demanding another vote, while the BexarMet board's attorney has argued that the 3-2 vote is valid and plans to file a response to the TCEQ.

Lindsay ISD officials considering new master plan for district          

The Lindsay ISD school board recently hired an architectural firm to evaluate the sustainability and life expectancy of all campus buildings. From that information, the firm will develop a district master plan, which could include renovating current buildings and constructing new facilities.

The architects will meet with administrators, staff and community members to discuss priorities and values.

The board of the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation recently selected Floyd Akers (pictured) as the new executive director. Akers, who has been serving as interim executive director since March, replaces Charles Simon, who resigned from that post.

Akers previously was employed as the city attorney in Pflugerville. He also was an assistant city attorney in San Antonio, a city attorney in New Braunfels, a municipal judge in Bryan and served as an attorney for the Texas Department of Public Safety, The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. He has a bachelor's degree and a law degree from the University of Wyoming.

To adapt to state budget cuts, Lake Arrowhead State Park officials recently announced several changes to park operations projected to save from $6,000 to $8,000 a year, the majority in electricity costs. One of the changes is to install solar panels to help save another $500 a month on electricity once they are operating, said John Ferguson, park supervisor.

Changes in park operations include closing all bathrooms except one in the campground area, closing the main office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, requiring visitors to use a self-pay station on those two days, and shutting off lights on the fishing pier at midnight, the park supervisor said. Park employees also will reduce driving into town several times a week to pick up supplies and run errands to one trip a week.

Brown resigning as chief appraiser in Travis County

Patrick Brown recently announced he is resigning as chief appraiser in Travis County. Brown held the post for four years. Board members plan to meet on Sept. 27 to discuss the search for a new chief appraiser to replace Brown, the chairman of the board of directors said.

Brown, who has 16 years of experience in the property tax field, previously worked as an appraiser for Travis County from 1996 to 2002, an appraiser for Lubbock County and as a deputy chief appraiser in Williamson County. He returned to Travis County In November 2007 and moved to chief appraiser a month later.

Joe. A. Aceves (pictured), director of infrastructure services for Bexar County, recently announced he is retiring from that post. County officials also selected Renee Green, who previously oversaw public works as county engineer, as the new director of infrastructure services.

Aceves, who spent 41 years in public service, previously worked as a public works director in San Antonio and as the first president and chief executive officer of the San Antonio Water System.

Mindy Williams resigns

as Kerr County treasurer

Mindy Williams (pictured) recently resigned as county treasurer in Kerr County, a post she has held since 2007. She had worked 22 years for the county.

Commissioners plan to select a new county treasurer who will serve until the next general election, a year from November, county officials said.

President Barack Obama recently nominated Judge David Campos Guaderrama to fill a vacancy for a judge in the Western District of Texas. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Guaderrama will fill the post in El Paso that has remained vacant since February 2009 when Judge David Briones took senior status.

Guaderrama has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Texas since October 2010. He also served as a district judge in the 243rd District Court of Texas and as the chief public defender for El Paso County. He has a bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

• Maceo Crenshaw Dailey Jr. of El Paso, Humanities Texas;
• Joy Ann Havran of Fort Worth, Humanities Texas;
• Polly Sowell of Austin, Humanities Texas;
• Venus Strawn of Austin, Humanities Texas;
• Richard H. Dolgener of Andrews, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• Eric J. Doyal of Houston, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• Milton B. Lee II of San Antonio, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• Linda Morris of Waco, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• John Matthew Salsman of College Station, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• Robert Wilson of Lockhart Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission;
• Steven M. Weinberg of Colleyville, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;
• Janie Allen Carpenter of Garland, State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
• Joe Mac King of Dallas, State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
• Chad Upham of Boerne, State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
• Brandon Bouma of Plainview, Texas Animal Health Commission;
• Thomas Kezar of Dripping Springs, Texas Animal Health Commission;
• Ernie Morales of Devine, Texas Animal Health Commission;
• Michael Vickers of Falfurrias, Texas Animal Health Commission;
• Rita E. Baca of El Paso, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Andrew Barlow of Austin, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Patricia "Patty" Bryant of Amarillo, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• David C. Garza of Brownsville, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Mila Gibson of Sweetwater, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Ronald "Ronnie" Sanders of San Antonio, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Marsha Wilson Rappaport of Galveston, Texas Commission on the Arts;
• Albert Hawkins of Austin, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• Chelsea Buchholtz of Austin, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
•  Rep. Ruth McClendon of San Antonio, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• David "Scott" Matthew of Georgetown, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• Vicki Spriggs of Austin, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• Cheryln "Cherie" Townsend of Austin, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• Debbie Unruh of Austin, Juvenile Justice Services and Facilities Transition Team;
• Alan "Al" Abeson of Fort Worth, Public Transportation Advisory Committee;
• Dianne McVeigh of Harlingen, Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee; and
• Lois Palermo of League City, Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee;
• Travis Motley of Colleyville, chair, Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners
• Brian Carpenter of Bridgeport,Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners;
• Fred E. Davis of Austin, Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners;
• Alice G. Mendoza of Kingsville, Texas State Board of Pharmacy;
• Phyllis Stine of Abilene, Texas State Board of Pharmacy; and
• Jeanne Waggener of Waco,Texas State Board of Pharmacy

New Braunfels chooses

Acevedo as new city attorney

New Braunfels city officials recently selected Val Acevedo as the new city attorney. Acevedo, currently the first assistant city attorney in Laredo, has a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University and a J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law. She will begin her new duties in New Braunfels on Nov. 2.