October 5, 2018

Thank you for subscribing to my e-newsletter. Below you will find updates from federal, state and local agencies on events from this week.

It was a busy week in House District 127. We attended several events across the community and visited with many constituents. I am looking forward to seeing more of the community at the Town Hall meeting hosted by Council Member Dave Martin on Tuesday, October 9th, at the Kingwood Community Center at 6:30 PM. It is sure to be an informative event.

I will be speaking at other events across the district next week and then have a House Pensions Committee meeting on the University of Houston campus on Friday. Be sure to tune to watch live or even attend in-person. You can find more information in the October calendar below.

Take a look at the updates we have gathered for you this week. It includes information from federal, state and local entities. As well, there are links to both the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program and the nomination form for the Haden McKay Citizen of the Year award.

Should you have questions regarding anything in this newsletter, please feel free to contact us directly using the information provided at the bottom of this email.

Sincerely, 

Click Here to View and Download This Month's Calendar!

Oct. 9 is the last day to register for the Nov. 6 election

Hurricane Harvey forced tens of thousands of Texans out of their homes, and more than a year later, many still have not returned. But that won’t prevent you from voting in the Nov. 6 election. If you have relocated, permanently or temporarily, or if your identification is inaccessible or lost, a solution can be found at www.VoteTexas.gov/harvey . To access the information in Spanish, visit www.VoteTexas.gov/es/harvey . 

 

“We understand many Texans are still recovering from the devastation brought by Hurricane Harvey last year, and we want to do everything we can to ensure that impacted Texas voters have unhindered access to the ballot box,” Texas Secretary of State Rolando B. Pablos said. “At a time when many Texans are facing difficult challenges, we want to make sure that all eligible Texas voters have the resources and information they need to register and cast a ballot in the upcoming General Election.”

 

The first step in voting is getting registered. If you are not registered to vote, you must submit your application by Tuesday, Oct. 9, or have it postmarked by that date. Texans who submit applications after Oct. 9 will not be eligible to vote early from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2, or vote in person on Nov. 6, when the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

 

According to www.VoteTexas.gov , “the voter is the one who decides what the voter considers to be home.” Therefore, your address could be a home from which you were forced to evacuate (if you plan to return), one in which you currently live (including a shelter, if you consider it to be home), or one where you plan to live soon (as long as you have been there before). Click here to read more.

 

As flu season begins, the Texas Department of State Health Services encourages everyone 6 months old and older to get vaccinated now to protect themselves from getting the flu. Early vaccination is important because it takes about two weeks for the body to make flu antibodies after the vaccine is administered.

 

“This year, there are many different flu vaccines available, and they have all been updated for this flu season. The nasal spray flu vaccine, also known as FluMist, is once again on the list of recommended flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season,” said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, DSHS Infectious Disease Medical Officer. “There are also special flu vaccines designed for people 65 years and older. Your doctor can help you figure out which vaccine is right for you.”

 

People with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, young children, older adults, and the people who live with them should get vaccinated in order to minimize the risk of developing serious complications from the flu. Caregivers should get the flu shot to protect themselves and to prevent spreading the flu to the vulnerable people they care for in their families and communities.

 

Influenza is an illness caused by one of a number of related viruses. Symptoms usually start suddenly and include fever, body aches, chills, a dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, headaches and extreme fatigue and can last a week or longer. It is important to note that not all flu sufferers will have a fever. People can help stop the spread of illness and reduce their chance of catching the flu by getting vaccinated, washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home if they’re sick. Additional flu information and tips are at TexasFlu.org .

 

All flu vaccines this season are made to protect against viruses similar to the strains A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1), A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2) and B/Colorado/06/2017 (B/Victoria lineage). Some vaccines include an additional vaccine virus strain, B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage).

 

People can contact their health care provider, local health department, local pharmacy or use the Vaccine Finder at TexasFlu.org to find out where flu shots are available. Health officials encourage people to seek treatment promptly if they are experiencing flu symptoms. Antiviral drugs may help shorten the duration or lessen the severity of the flu if started within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

Did you know the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Early Childhood webpage has a section of State and Community Resources ? You will find information about services in the community that range from healthcare to child safety. One resource featured on the page is Help for Parents, Hope for Kids, which is a website that offers parenting tips, water safety and child safety information for families. It includes videos on a range of topics such as “First-Time Dad”, “Bedtime Struggles”, and “Temper Tantrums”. Stop by the State and Community Resource page on the TEA EC webpage to find this and other great resources.

Click here for more information.

NASA wants today’s students to become the engineers, scientists, researchers and innovators of tomorrow. High School Aerospace Scholars offers a one-of-a-kind experience for Texas high school students to explore the possibilities of a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related major or career. Learn more about the activity by viewing  What Can You See . The adventure starts this fall with an online course and culminates - for students who earn the opportunity - with an onsite summer experience at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Eligibility requirements include: U.S. citizen; Texas high school junior; Committed to a one-year relationship with NASA; and Internet access (from home, school or public library).

Click here for more information.

The Haden McKay MD Citizen of the Year Award recognizes selfless public service by an individual, performed by the recipient on his/her own time and not in the regular course of earning his/her living or advancing himself/herself professionally. Anyone 21 years of age or older who lives in the Lake Houston Area is eligible. The winner will be honored at the Annual Awards Extravaganza on January 18th, 2019. Deadline for nominations is October 18, 2018.

Nominate someone for the Haden McKay MD Citizen of the Year Award!



Our office is always ready to assist you. Call or email us and we will do our best to help. Many State Agencies also have hotlines or citizen assistance offices to assist you. That contact information is available at this link, in alphabetical order: 

http://www.lrl.texas.gov/genInfo/stateAgencies.cfm

All of the relevant information our office has gathered during the week will be posted to our Facebook page. By "liking" us, you will stay up-to-date about important matters across the state that affect you and your family. Click below to find our page.

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