- Coming up this evening, State Rep. Brent Money (R-Greenville) will be hosting two online forums regarding bills before the Texas Legislature that would affect public education. In the Texas House of Representatives, there are three bills currently under consideration affecting education. HB 2 deals with public school funding, HB 3 would create a voucher-like system for private school tuition, and HB 4 relates to student assessment and school accountability. The two online meetings scheduled for this evening are organized by topic. One forum will address how HBs 2, 3, and 4 would affect public schools. That is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., with registration at https://tinyurl.com/mpz6fzz5. A second forum focusing on private schools and homeschooling is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Registration available at https://tinyurl.com/w4u8eucw. Questions for either forum can be submitted along with registration. State Rep. Money represents House District 2, composed of Hunt, Hopkins, and Van Zandt counties.
- Public health officials have identified a case of measles in Rockwall County. The Texas Department of State Health Services says the confirmed case of measles was found in an unvaccinated adult on Tuesday (Feb. 25.) The Rockwall County Health Authority says the patient is hospitalized and all those who have come into contact with the patient have been notified. Local and state officials also say the patient recently traveled internationally and that the case appears unrelated to the measles outbreak in West Texas. Statewide, officials confirmed Tuesday (Feb. 25) at least 124 cases and 18 hospitalizations since the measles outbreak was first reported late last month. A majority of cases are among unvaccinated individuals and most are children. Wednesday (Feb. 26), state and local officials in Lubbock confirmed the first death related to the measles outbreak in Texas. Officials said the patient who died was an unvaccinated school-aged child. The child had been hospitalized in Lubbock since last week.
