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DART Offers Free Rides the Week of January 24

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DART Offers Free Rides the Week of January 24

To celebrate the launch of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) New Bus Network on January 24, all rides will be free the week of January 24 – 30.

DART will also offer 50% off all rides purchased with any DART contactless payment option from January 31 until the end of service on February 14. Contactless payment options include:

  • GoPass® app
  • GoPass® Tap card
  • Contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards with contactless payment at the validators
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, and more with contactless payment at the validators

Paratransit services will be $1. Learn more about contactless payment methods at GoPass.org.

The New Bus Network Free and Reduced Rides promotions are valid on all DART transit services throughout the entire DART Service Area including buses, light rail, TRE (between EBJ Union Station and CentrePort/DFW Airport Station), GoLink, Dallas Streetcar, and Paratransit Services.

With the goal of providing greater frequency, longer service hours and improved access to destinations across North Texas, DART’s new bus network launches on January 24, 2022. The new bus system is designed to ensure passengers have quick and easy access to employment, education and entertainment destinations.

Greater Frequency
Core Frequent Network service will provide bus frequency matching or better than light rail service – 15-minute peak and 20-minute midday. Light rail service will also return to pre-pandemic levels, providing 15-minute peak service and more frequent evening service.

Expanded Coverage
With the implementation of the new bus network service changes, 74% of DART service area residents will have access to transit services within walking distance. This is an increase of 6% above the current bus network design.

More Direct Routes
By making the new bus routes more direct, focusing on major transit corridors and reducing the number of bus stops, DART bus service will be faster, ensuring passengers get to their destinations quicker and improving connections.

Longer Hours of Service
With a focus on transit riders working non-traditional hours, all local DART bus routes will provide service 7 days a week between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and midnight at a minimum. The 22 core frequent bus routes will operate between 4:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m.

Improved Access to Jobs
The new bus network will increase the number of jobs that a resident of the DART service area can reach in one hour by 34% compared to the existing bus network.

New GoLink Zones
GoLink, DART’s on-demand, curb-to-curb microtransit service solution operates in zones across the DART service area. GoLink offers service with connections to DART transit facilities as well as anywhere within each specified zone.

With the start of the new bus service on January 24, 13 new GoLink zones will be added, replacing traditional fixed-route service, bringing the total to 30. In addition, weekend hours have been added to many GoLink zones, with 13 zones offering Saturday service and 6 zones offering Sunday service.

GoLink is available to customers at no additional cost with a valid DART fare. The UberPool shared ride program is also an option as part of the GoLink service. With UberPool, travel to or from any DART station or transit center within a zone is $1, and travel to or from any destination within a zone is $3. The $1 fee has been waived during the introductory period. Prices are per trip, per person. GoLink riders can book and pay for trips with either the DART GoPass app or by calling 214-515-7272. UberPool riders will need to download the Uber app as well to book their trip. Both apps are free from the Apple Store and Google Play.

More information about DART’s new bus network is available at dartzoom.org. A new DART Trip Planner tool, where you can compare your old and new route options, is available under “Find My New Route.”

Source: dart

Governor Abbott Announces $1 Million In Texas Talent Connection Grants

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Governor Abbott Announces $1 Million In Texas Talent Connection Grants
Governor Greg Abbott today announced $1 million in Texas Talent Connection grants supporting a two-year pilot program connecting foster youth and victims of sex trafficking, age 16-25, to workforce education programs and services to help them in finding and maintaining employment leading to independence and self-sufficiency.

“Every Texan deserves the opportunity to live lives worthy of their potential,” said Governor Abbott. “Foster youth and young adults who have been victims of sex trafficking are especially vulnerable and often need support to overcome obstacles in their path. The First Lady and I thank the Local Workforce Development Boards and Texas employers for joining with us to help these young Texans on the path to self-sufficiency, career success, and a lifetime of opportunities.”

The Texas Workforce Investment Council and the Child Sex Trafficking Team, both within the Office of the Governor, identified a need to provide workforce services to foster youth and young adult victims of sex trafficking to support their education and workforce progression and help deter repeat victimization.

The Texas Employment Empowerment Model for Disenfranchised Youth and Young Adults pilot responds to this need. The model brings together Local Workforce Development Boards with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ Foster Youth Transition Centers and Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth Advocates to develop a tailored process, led by a Training and Employment Navigator, to help foster youth and young adult victims of sex trafficking find a path to independence and self-sufficiency. Navigators, workforce center staff, and employers will be trained on working with vulnerable individuals as a foundation for the pilot.

Four Local Workforce Development Boards and Foster Youth Transition Centers are participating in the two-year pilot program:

  • Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas and CitySquare of Dallas Foster Youth Transition Center
  • Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast and Harris County Protective Services for Children and Adults/HAYS Center Foster Youth Transition Center
  • Workforce Solutions Alamo and BCFS Health and Human Services Transition Center/San Antonio Foster Youth Transition Center
  • Workforce Solutions North Central Texas and CitySquare of Fort Worth Foster Youth Transition Center

A Training and Employment Navigator will guide each individual through the workforce center services, such as career readiness and coaching, referrals, training and support services, and employment connections. The Navigator will serve as the single point of contact for the participant, providing specialized intake and assessment to identify programs and services of benefit. The Navigator will also coordinate with Texas employers who commit to hiring and supporting program participants. Feedback from program participants and the Training and Employment Navigators will help further develop this Texas Employment Empowerment Model for Disenfranchised Youth and Young Adults.

About the Texas Workforce Investment Council: The Texas Workforce Investment Council assists the Governor and the Legislature with strategic planning for and evaluation of the Texas workforce system to promote the development of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce for Texas. The Council members represent workforce system partners and stakeholders, including business and industry, organized labor, education, and community-based organizations, as well as the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Texas Talent Connection grants awarded by Governor Abbott are Wagner-Peyser 7(b) grant funds allocated to the Governor’s Office by the U.S. Department of Labor to encourage innovation in workforce training and job placement services. Read more on the Texas Talent Connection grant program at https://gov.texas.gov/organization/twic/wagner_peyser_7b_program.

About the Child Sex Trafficking Team: The Child Sex Trafficking Team in the Governor’s Public Safety Office supports Texas communities in protecting children and youth from sexual exploitation by: helping the public recognize sexual exploitation in all its forms; recovering victims with protective and empowering collaborative responses; supporting healing of survivors through a variety of trauma-informed and responsive services and supports; and bringing justice for survivors by holding exploiters accountable.

Source: gov.texas.gov

Governor Abbott Appoints Williams and Wright to Permanent School Fund Corporation Board of Directors

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Governor Abbott Appoints Williams and Wright to Permanent School Fund Corporation Board of Directors
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Todd A. Williams and Brad Wright to the Permanent School Fund Corporation Board of Directors, to terms that will expire as provided by Senate Bill 1232 of the 87th Legislature. The newly-created board will oversee the investment of the multi-billion dollar Permanent School Fund which is a source of funding for Texas public schools.

Todd A. Williams of Dallas is the chairman and CEO of The Commit Partnership and the founder and president of the Todd A. Williams Family Foundation. He is the former chairman of the board for the Real Estate Council of Dallas and the Real Estate Finance Investment Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, he is the former chairman of the Dallas ISD Citizen Budget Commission, Teach for America Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin College and previously served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Texas Commission on Public School Finance and the School Land Board. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Austin College and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Brad Wright of Houston is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bandera Group, LLC, an energy investment firm headquartered in Houston. He has previously worked in various senior professional roles in the energy and finance sectors, including a Chief Financial Officer role and positions related to mergers and acquisitions. He serves on the Advisory Council for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law, and Business at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) and on the Advisory Committee of the McCombs School of Business Energy Initiative at UT. Wright received a Bachelor of Arts in Plan II and Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Honors from UT, a Master of Business Administration from the UT McCombs School of Business, and a Juris Doctor degree from UT School of Law.

Source: gov.texas.gov

Governor Abbott Appoints Seven to Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

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Governor Abbott Appoints Seven to Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Deborah “Debbie” Carlisle, Kyle Cox, Angela “Angie” Panzica, and Jaime Thomas and reappointed Scott McAvoy and Randell Resneder to the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027. Additionally, the Governor appointed Amanda Miles for a term set to expire on February 1, 2025.

Deborah “Debbie” Carlisle of San Antonio is a personal care attendant for Alegre Home Health Care. She also serves as a clinical assistant at Premier Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Health. Carlisle received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Schreiner University and an Associate in Applied Science in Surgical Technology from Baptist School of Health Professions.

Kyle Cox of College Station is a special projects coordinator for 12th Man Technology. Cox received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University and a Master of Public Administration from the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Angela “Angie” Panzica of Houston is a program facilitator for Baylor College of Medicine. Panzica received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Social Work from the University of Houston.

Jaime Thomas of Abilene is a regional coordinator for Partners Resource Network. Thomas received a degree in Early Childhood Education from Cisco Junior College.

Scott McAvoy of Cedar Park is the executive vice president for the Marbridge Foundation. McAvoy received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maine and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans.

Randell Resneder of Lubbock is the executive director of Disability Awareness Programs of Texas. He is a former gubernatorial appointee to the State Independent Living Council. Resneder received a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies/Human Development from the University of North Texas and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and Master of Education in Instructional Technology from Texas Tech University.

Amanda Miles of Alvin is a board member for Alvin Meals on Wheels. She also serves as the board vice president of Gulf Coast Self Advocates. Miles is a graduate of Pearland High School.

Source: gov.texas.gov

Stuck at home during MLK Day? No problem! Here are ways to serve, celebrate the holiday

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Stuck at home during MLK Day? No problem! Here are ways to serve, celebrate the holiday
The country will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day on Monday.
Much like other holidays, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will likely have a different dynamic this year, considering the ongoing pandemic.

It’s possible that parades, rallies and other events usually held to celebrate the occasion might be held virtually this year — but there are still ways to honor King’s legacy, even if those ways are limited by the shutdowns.

Here are some ideas on how you can serve on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, virtually.

Volunteer

Think you can’t volunteer and make the lives of others better from home? Think again.

Some senior centers have programs and opportunities in which you can teach virtual classes in areas of interest or hobbies such as cooking, exercise or history.

It’s a chance to share meaningful stories and lessons with seniors who can’t be visited in-person.

An example of one program that’s in need of volunteers is the Selfhelp Virtual Senior Center.

Celebrate in the neighborhoods

While some official parades and live events might not be taking place, holding peaceful celebrations with walks in the neighborhoods or parks is another way to commemorate King’s legacy and what he did for civil rights.

Mask up, keep some social distance, and small neighborhood events are likely pretty safe, if done right.

Send care packages

Care packages can prepared and sent to hospital patients, senior centers or military members.

One way to send packages to military members is through Operation Gratitude, an organization that has partnered with Amazon to send items such as food, clothing or sunscreen to those serving our country.

Source: click2houston

Inside a Texas hospital battling omicron and staffing shortages

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Inside a Texas hospital battling omicron and staffing shortages

Earl Sprunger sits in his hospital bed, struggling to speak. He anxiously strokes his long, scraggly goatee every time he winces in pain. He’d hoped to shave it off before coming to the hospital, but there wasn’t time.

The 67-year-old originally showed up here, at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, when an existing stomach issue flared up so badly he couldn’t stand. He tested positive for COVID and was admitted.

“These other problems I already had, but I didn’t know it was that bad. [My surgeon] believes COVID brought them on, like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.

Sprunger has been here, in the hospital’s respiratory unit, for a week now, with only his nurses and a Christian YouTube channel for company. His daughter, a mail carrier, has been nervous to visit. Sprunger, a retired veteran, is working on getting his strength back, taking slow, supervised walks around the room with the help of a walker.

All 32 beds in this unit are full with COVID patients right now, and the hospital has reopened the overflow unit. Almost all of the patients, like Sprunger, are unvaccinated.

MedSurge Respiratory nurse Whitney Thiry checks a line of COVID-19 patient Earl Sprunger, 67, at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022.

Whitney Thiry, a respiratory unit nurse, checks on patient Earl Sprunger, 67, while he is being treated for COVID-19. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune

“I don’t do vaccines too much really,” he said. “Years ago, they gave me the vaccine for flu or whatever it was. It gave me the flu bad, real bad…so it makes me leery about that stuff now.”

Sprunger says there haven’t been enough studies about the coronavirus vaccines and he’s worried about the side effects. His brother, who got vaccinated and boosted, is hospitalized in Michigan right now, he says, and Sprunger believes the vaccine made him worse, not better.

If unvaccinated people do get sick from this new, highly contagious COVID variant, Sprunger says they can just do what he did.

“If you get it, go to the hospital,” he said. “They’ll get you through it.”

That’s hard for nurse and unit manager Kristen McLaury to hear, considering just how many of her patients haven’t gotten through it.

McLaury treated one of the hospital’s first COVID patients and hasn’t stopped since. She now runs the respiratory unit, where she and her nurses have watched otherwise healthy young people gasping for breath. They’ve put countless people on oxygen, or taken them off life-support. They’ve had to comfort grieving families, and facilitate video calls so no one had to die alone.

She’s risked her own life on the frontlines for nearly two years, and now, watching these hospital beds fill up again, she just feels defeated. In Montgomery County, a conservative, wealthy suburban county northwest of Houston, only 53 percent of its more than 600,000 residents are vaccinated, which is among the lowest rates for Texas counties with populations exceeding 500,000. Less than 16 percent of residents have received a booster shot.

“I work 60 hours a week and I don’t see my child, I don’t see my husband so that I can come and care for you while you yell at me because you’re upset that you have a disease that I told you how to prevent in the first place,” McLaury said.

As the unit manager, it’s McLaury’s job to keep morale up among the other nurses, a herculean task right now. Like every hospital across the country, they’re facing a nursing shortage, an increase in employee infections, and a potentially terminal case of staff burnout.

As the omicron variant surges, Texas is on track to soon surpass its previous COVID hospitalization record, set in January 2021. Then, at least, there was the hope of vaccines on the horizon. Now, nurses like McLaury don’t see much hope at all.

From behind her Houston Astros mask and face shield, she begins to cry.

“It’s real, and maybe it might not be you [in the hospital], but it might be somebody else,” she said. “That compassion, I think, is just gone. The world has become so selfish.”

Source: click2houston

Shell and ScottishPower win bids to develop 5 GW of floating wind power in the UK

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Shell and ScottishPower win bids to develop 5 GW of floating wind power in the UK
  • Joint ventures plan to build and operate two of the world’s first large-scale floating offshore wind farms in UK waters
  • Partners will use innovative technology to install turbines further from shore to catch more powerful winds as part of Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind leasing
  • As the global economy transitions to a low-carbon future, Scotland has the opportunity to pioneer expertise to develop a new global centre of excellence for offshore wind

Shell and ScottishPower have secured joint offers for seabed rights to develop large-scale floating wind farms as part of Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind leasing. The partners have won two sites representing a total of 5 gigawatts (GW) off the east and north-east coast of Scotland.

The new wind farms will be delivered through two joint ventures called MarramWind and CampionWind. They bring together ScottishPower’s and Shell’s decades of experience working offshore and significant presence in Scotland, as well as their strong innovation capabilities for delivering world-class offshore energy projects.

The development, construction and operation of ScotWind projects is set to bring new skilled jobs and manufacturing opportunities and boost local supply chains.

Wael Sawan, Integrated Gas and Renewables and Energy Solutions Director at Shell, said: “Shell and ScottishPower can now look forward to generating floating wind power at significant scale in the UK to accelerate the country’s transition towards net zero. Floating wind plays to our strengths in deeper offshore projects, and we are well placed to help advance the wider take-up of this important clean energy source. Renewable electricity will play an increasingly important role in our customer-focused strategy, as we provide more low-carbon products and services customers need for their own journey to net zero.”

Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, said: “Offshore wind is set to become the backbone of the UK’s energy mix and will do the heavy lifting as we ramp up the production of clean electricity on the journey to Net Zero. Our ScotWind projects will make the best use of our fantastic natural resources to help power the UK’s transition from fossil fuels to renewables and a better future, quicker.

“They will also deliver investment, support jobs and boost supply chains – particularly in areas like the north-east that play a key role in the energy sector – opening up immense opportunities for businesses and institutions across the country. This is a pivotal moment that will reinforce the UK’s position as the global leader in offshore wind and give a significant boost to the economy. We’re excited to have the green light to kick start our plans and look forward to working with Shell and our supply chain partners – who can get in touch now – to bring the world’s first large-scale floating windfarms to UK waters.”

Once built, MarramWind’s and CampionWind’s floating wind projects could accommodate a total generation capacity of around 3 GW and 2 GW, respectively, bringing clean energy to power the equivalent of 6 million homes in Scotland. This is more than double the number of homes in Scotland today.

The joint ventures have already started initial development planning and will continue to work at pace towards final investment decisions.

Floating offshore wind is suitable for use in deeper water zones, where fixed foundations are not feasible, making it ideal for Scottish waters. Almost 80% of Europe’s offshore wind resource is situated in waters too deep for conventional bottom-fixed wind turbines. Floating wind platforms are a proven technology to unlock these deeper waters but this will be the first time they are planned to be deployed at this scale anywhere in the world.

Source: shell

Governor Abbott Statement On Ongoing Hostage Situation At Congregation Beth Israel In Colleyville

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Governor Abbott Statement On Ongoing Hostage Situation At Congregation Beth Israel In Colleyville
Governor Greg Abbott today issued a statement in response to the ongoing hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville:

“The Texas Department of Public Safety is working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville. The State of Texas is ready to provide additional assistance as requested and we will continue to monitor the situation. I ask Texans to join Cecilia and me as we pray for the safety of the congregants.”

Czechs to let some workers stay on after testing positive

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Czechs to let some workers stay on after testing positive
FILE- Medical workers examine the rapid antigen tests for the coronavirus in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. Czech Republic's Health Minister Vlastimil Valek said Friday Jan. 14, 2022 that the new Czech government will allow some people who have been tested positive for the coronavirus to keep working, an extraordinary measure to ease possible staff shortages caused by an anticipated surge of the omicron variant. The measure, which was used during the previous coronavirus waves, would only apply for workers at the health care system and in nursing homes who have no symptoms of COVID-19. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, file)The new Czech government will allow some workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus to stay on the job, in an extraordinary measure to ease possible staff shortages caused by an anticipated surge of the omicron variant.
Health Minister Vlastimil Valek said Friday the measure, which was also used during previous coronavirus surges, would only apply to workers in health care and nursing homes who have no symptoms of COVID-19.
Valek said it would be used only when absolutely necessary, amid strict safeguards to prevent such workers from infecting other people. Further conditions will be set by health authorities.
New infections in the Czech Republic had been declining since a record high in late November, but started increasing again last week. The highly infectious omicron variant is now dominant in the country.
The Health Ministry has said daily infections could reach 50,000 later this month, far exceeding a record of almost 28,000 on Nov 25.
The Czech Republic has reported almost 2.6 million confirmed infections and 36,799 deaths.

RRC Commissioners Assess More Than $845,000 in Penalties

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RRC Commissioners Assess More Than $845,000 in Penalties

The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $848,845 in fines involving 185 enforcement dockets against operators and businesses at the Commissioners’ Conference on Tuesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the state’s oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety.

Seven dockets involved $385,383 in penalties after operators failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings. Master Default Orders can be found on the RRC Hearings Division webpage.

Operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules and assessed $61,912 for oil and gas, LP-Gas or pipeline safety rule violations. Pipeline operators and excavators were assessed $401,550 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules. Master Agreed Orders can be found on the RRC General Counsel webpage.

In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders.

Source: rrc.texas.gov

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