Austin – Governor Greg Abbott today announced 152 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants totaling over $54 million have been awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to public community, state, and technical colleges, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools across the state. These grants will be used to purchase necessary equipment to establish or expand career and technical education programs that offer Texas students the opportunity to earn a license, certificate, or post-secondary degree in fields such as nursing, welding, automotive repair, and dentistry.

AUSTIN – Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit today to stop the Biden Administration from ignoring a federal immigration law, known as the public-charge rule, that prevents illegal aliens from residing in the country if they are likely to rely on taxpayer-funded programs. Federal law has barred the admission of such aliens since 1882, and Congress reaffirmed the rule in 1996 when it enacted the Welfare Reform Act. But the Biden Administration has demonstrated its intent not to enforce the law and to open the borders to illegal aliens who will be dependent upon welfare benefits.

BEAUMONT – Jason Baldwin has been named Associate Athletics Director/ CFO/Strategic Analyst announced Lamar University Director of Athletics Jeff O’Malley Monday afternoon. Baldwin’s official start date is set for Feb. 1, 2023.

The South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETRPC) is currently conducting a Regional Transit Connectivity Study to assess the demand for regional transit services connecting cities and towns in Southeast Texas. The goal of the study is to analyze potential regional connections. For example, linking Port Arthur, Beaumont, Silsbee, Orange, Jasper, or Woodville.

Kountze ISD has scheduled public comment on the 2021-2022 TAPR (Texas Academic Performance Report) at the January School Board Meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17th in the Kountze Elementary Cafeteria starting at 6:00pm. Please contact James Stevenson (stevensoon@kountzeisd.org) if you have any questions. You can also find a copy of the districts’ TAPR on the school website at kountzeisd.org.

The Lumberton Police Department released the following informataion. Each individual named to this report is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Hardin County Sheriff ’s Office released the following information. Each individual named in this report is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Silsbee police Department released the following information. Each individual named in this report is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Austin – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to take historic action in 2022 under Operation Lone Star to secure the border and stop cartels and criminals from smuggling deadly drugs, weapons, and people into Texas.

One activity director in Hardin County has this to say about her job. “You can make it what you want it to be. Sometimes the residents need someone to be their friend, to hold their hand, to love them but most of all to be their friend.” That director is Judy Smith.