Farmersville Lights 300 x 250

35 Texas counties eligible for individual disaster aid

by | Jun 12, 2024 | Opinion

Residents in a total of 35 Texas counties now qualify for individual disaster assistance following a series of severe storms and flooding that began in late April, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“I thank our federal partners and emergency response personnel across our great state who are working tirelessly to protect and support their fellow Texans,” Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday. “Texas will continue to provide every necessary resource to regions across the state who are recovering from these storms.”

Under the individual assistance program, funding can be provided for temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, The News reported.

The following counties qualify for the federal assistance: Austin, Bell, Calhoun, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Jasper, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Newton, Polk, San Jacinto, Smith, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker and Waller.

Homeowners and renters can apply for the aid at disasterassistance.gov or by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s hotline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Math results still lagging, STAAR results indicate

Scores released from the state’s standardized test indicate high school students are still struggling with algebra, with scores 17 percentage points below students’ pre-pandemic scores in spring 2019. The Texas Tribune reported scores have remained essentially unchanged in Algebra 1, with 45% meeting grade levels.

“The data is clear; Texas students continue to struggle with math recovery,” said Gabe Grantham, policy advisor at public policy think tank Texas 2036. “We run the risk of leaving students ill-equipped to enter the future workforce without the basic math skills needed to be successful.”

On the bright side, the percentage of Texas students who met or mastered grade-level English has increased since 2017 from 45% to 57%, the Texas Education Agency reported.

Across the five subjects that are tested, low-income students graded lower than other students. For example, 35% of low-income students met grade level in Algebra I, compared to 61% of all other students.

PUC sees strong industry response to loan program

The Public Utility Commission has received 125 notices of intent to apply for loans through the Texas Energy Fund Loan Program intended to boost power generation throughout the state. The requests for loans total $38.9 billion for nearly 56,000 megawatts of proposed power generation projects for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

“To ensure reliable, affordable electricity for the growing number of homes and businesses in Texas, we need more on-demand, dispatchable power generation,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said. “Seeing such a strong initial response from industry … is an encouraging sign that the Texas Energy Fund will be an effective tool and incentivize the investment needed to bring more on-demand power to the state.”

The program will provide low-interest loans to finance new construction or upgrades to existing electric generating facilities and requires a minimum of 100 MW of new generation to the ERCOT grid.

Stock exchange possibly coming to Dallas

Efforts are underway to create a Texas-based stock exchange that backers believe could be a major boost to the Texas economy. The Texas Standard reported that financiers have raised $120 million in capital to start a stock exchange in Dallas later this year. Backers include BlackRock, Citadel Securities and about two dozen other investors. The Texas Stock Exchange’s backers are seeking registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to open later this year.

“Texas and the other states in the southeast quadrant have become economic powerhouses. Combined with the demand we are seeing from investors and corporations for expanded alternatives to trade and list equities, this is an opportune time to build a major, national stock exchange in Texas,” said James Lee, founder and CEO of TXSE Group.

Stock exchanges allow stocks, bonds and other securities to be traded. If TXSE is cleared to trade, it would be the first stock exchange to open in the country in recent years.

The Dallas area is second only to New York in number of financial industry jobs, with about 400,000 employed — roughly half of the number working in finance in the Big Apple.

Consumer protection rules in place as summer arrives

The Public Utility Commission is reminding Texans of consumer protection rules that prohibit disconnecting an individual’s electric service during extreme weather. Providers are required to offer deferred payment for bills incurred during extreme weather as the state again faces a long, brutal summer.

“Anyone who has experienced a summer in Texas knows that having reliable power to cool your home or business is a matter of health and safety,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said. “Ensuring the power stays on for all consumers during extreme weather, regardless of their financial situation, is a top priority for the PUCT.”

Gleeson added the PUC wants Texans to be aware of rules to protect them as temperatures begin to rise. Consumers are encouraged to first contact their electric provider to resolve any issues regarding ability to pay. If they are unable to reach a resolution, they can contact the Consumer Protection Division of the PUC at 888-782-8477 or by emailing [email protected].

Enjoying this column? Want to read more like this? Support your local community newspaper subscribe, to The Wylie News today!

Best of 2025 Leaderboard

0 Comments

Subscribe RH Love

Related News

Someone’s watching

Someone’s watching

While some in society have stopped wearing watches, columnist John Moore isn’t one of them. Courtesy John Moore I noticed his Watch immediately. I usually notice watches immediately. But his was especially noticeable. It was a Rolex. I don’t own a Rolex, but one day I...

read more
The perplexity of dreams

The perplexity of dreams

I’m fairly certain my dreams have a drug dealer. What is it with dreams? Sleep is supposed to be an 8-hour window (mine’s never that long) when we rest, regenerate, and arise feeling as refreshed as the person in the Folger’s commercial who throws back the covers and...

read more
Vehicle inspections no longer required 

Vehicle inspections no longer required 

Drivers will no longer be required to get annual safety inspections beginning Jan. 1, the Texas Standard reported. However, drivers in the state’s 17 most populous counties will still be required to get an emissions test in order to register their vehicles. While...

read more
Hope for the holidays

Hope for the holidays

I especially love this time of the year! The Christmas season brings back so many fond memories from my childhood. Growing up in the humble neighborhoods of Brooklyn didn’t allow us to have much other than the music of Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis. I was too young...

read more
What was in store

What was in store

Columnist John Moore likes the local hardware stores. And the free calendars. Photo: John Moore When Wal Mart grew, warnings that it would put the mom-and-pop businesses under seemed to come true. Now, online businesses seem to bring the same threat to Wal Mart. But...

read more
A lot of class

A lot of class

Columnist John Moore’s graduating high school class recently gathered for their 44th reunion. Photo Olyvia Howard Bennett In the movie “The Big Chill,” a group of old friends gather for the funeral of one of their own, and it turns into a reunion. Recently, a group of...

read more
Picturing Grace

Picturing Grace

Columnist John Moore grew up seeing a special painting on his grandmother’s wall. At least, he thought it was a painting. When I was a child, there was a painting that hung on my grandmother’s kitchen wall. It portrayed a man who was praying over a meal of bread and...

read more
Surviving the holidays

Surviving the holidays

The holidays are more than football (here’s hoping watching the Cowboys is the most painful thing you’ll do this time of year) and food. It can be a season of joy, but for many of us, they can be full of difficult interactions. Whether you’re navigating grief or...

read more
Leftover Leftovers

Leftover Leftovers

Columnist John Moore believes some things are better left off holiday menus. Photo credit: John Moore “It’s a leftover. What a sad word that is. Leftover. How would you like to be… a leftover? Well, it wouldn’t be bad if they were taking people out to be shot. I might...

read more
Order photos