Tx Capitol Report | A view from the Texas state capitol

Neat Memorial Day story

The Austin American-Statesman has a touching story today about soldiers flying from the U.S. to the battlefield in the Middle East.
Reporter Denise Gamino flew with troops, including some from Fort Bliss, and filed this emotional report. It's worth a read.

Shapleigh: Wash your hands

In case you hadn't already heard enough warnings about protecting yourself from swine flu, here's one from state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso:

EL PASO - Today, Senator Shapleigh urges El Pasoans to take appropriate health precautions in the wake of recent confirmed cases of swine flu in Texas.

Today, Dr. David Lakey, head of the Department of State Health Services, told the Texas House Committee on Public Health that his department is treating the swine flu as a pandemic. This follows the World Health Organization already raising its severity status for the swine flu from three to four on their six-point pandemic scale.

The virus has claimed more than 140 lives in Mexico. There have been at least six confirmed cases of swine flu in Texas.

Because of these cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano have urged Americans to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. At the U.S./Mexico border, customs officials will conduct passive screening of travelers and are prepared to isolate those who show signs of infection and are deemed necessary to refer to the CDC.

To keep yourself healthy, the CDC recommends:

• covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue in the trash after you use it;

• washing  your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hands cleaners, especially after you cough or sneeze;
• avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and
• avoiding close contact with sick people.

If you get sick, the CDC recommends staying home from work or school and limiting contact with others.

"We ask El Pasoans to just use common sense; wash your hands, cover your cough and avoid people who have flu symptoms," Senator Shapleigh said. "For information on swine flu in Texas, here is the hotline number:"

Texas' flu hotline is available daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1-888-777-5320.

No "doctor fish" in Texas

(AP Photo)

An e-mail with the subject line "TDLR Statement on 'Fish Pedicure' Procedure" caught my attention this morning.
Here's a story about this trendy spa treatment.
Apparently, my nail salon is behind the times, because the doctor fish treatment isn't even an option. But, um, even if it was. Uhhh. Gross.
It seems the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation agrees with me. Here's what the e-mailed statement said:

TDLR concludes that this procedure is not permitted in Texas under TDLR'€™s health and safety rules.

TDLR researched the health and safety aspects of the procedure, including seeking the opinion of officials at the Texas Department of State Health Services. Based on this research, we believe  that the procedure poses an undue risk to public health and is not consistent with TDLR's health and safety rules at 16 Texas Administrative Code,
Sections 82.100 - 82.114 (barber) and 83.100 -€“ 83.114 (cosmetology). TDLR rules do not permit this procedure because the same fish are used on multiple customers and could transmit infectious diseases. Additionally, the use of live fish does not allow for the footbaths and the holding tank for the fish to be adequately cleaned and disinfected in accordance with the rules.

Arson video - look like anyone you know?

The Texas Department of Public Safety released video footage today of the suspected arson who lobbed a Molotov cocktail at the Governor's Mansion and set the place ablaze.
They're offering $50,000 for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. Call any of these numbers if you think you know who the shadowy figure is: (512)506-2849, (512)506-2861, (512)506-2862. 
DPS also released a report (Download pr072808.pdf) yesterday detailing the agency's response to the fire. The department has come under intense scrutiny and its leader has resigned since flames engulfed the structure and nearly destroyed it.

El Pasoans in the news

Here are a couple of items I saw today from/about El Pasoans. They're worth a read.
This story in the Dallas Morning News is about a Latina doctor in Dallas who grew up in El Segundo Barrio in the 1950s. I couldn't help but think about the two young ladies I spoke with recently who are applying to the first class at the medical school in El Paso. I'm sure their experiences are better now, but I wonder, also, how much might be the same.
This is a column in the Washington Post from a former El Pasoan lamenting the disappearance of the Rio Grande. She writes beautifully about how the river is part of who she is and worries about how the border fence might change the place she calls home.

Inside the blackened mansion

Gov. Rick Perry's office just released photos they took of the burned inside of the historic governor's mansion. Click here to see more photos.
Reports today say investigators are still looking for a suspected arsonist and officials are beginning to assess how much it could cost to restore the building. There has also been some controversy over how Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who were guarding the facility reacted to the blaze.

Charred mansion

You've probably read or heard by now that the governor's mansion in Austin caught fire early yesterday morning. The governor was out of the country and hasn't been living in the historic home for months because it is undergoing renovation. Also because of the renovation, the historic artifacts that usually decorate the interior were not inside at the time of the fire.
Investigators suspect the blaze was intentionally set. At a press conference this morning, investigators said they are culling through hours of videotape and hoping tipsters will call their hotline (877-434-7345) with information that will lead to the culprit. This afternoon, a canine team is scheduled to search the scene for accelerant that may have started the blaze.
"We're very confident we're going to find the perpetrator," said Paul Maldonado, state fire marshal.
Here are some photos of the blackened front of the mansion:

Capitol stormed

Crews on the Capitol grounds today are cleaning up uprooted trees, downed limbs and a general mess caused by a storm that ripped through Austin late last night and early this morning.
The storm, with winds reportedly as high as 70 miles per hour, also blew out a couple of windows on the fifth floor of the Capitol, said Julie Fields, spokeswoman for the State Preservation Board.
Glass inside that had blown down to the rotunda was cleaned up early this morning before the hordes of school children that descend on the Capitol for tours each spring started to arrive.
But Fields said it would take weeks to clean up and repair the damage to the trees.
"We are still making an assessment of how many trees we lost," Fields said. "We're still trying to get a full list of what type of trees they were. I know they lost an Oak and an American Elm."
An estimate of the cost of the damages was not available yet, she said.

Here are some photos of the Capitol mess:

This is a tree on the southern edge of the Capitol grounds along 11th Street.

Workers dragged downed limbs off the Capitol lawn.

When this tree right next to the "great walk" up to the Capitol doors split, some of its branches were draping over one of the benches along the pathway.

If you look really closely (click on it to make the picture bigger), you can see the plywood on the windows behind the railing.

Immigration, a skit and ice cream

I'm no photographer, but I caught a few decent shots at the immigration rally here at the Capitol today. So, I thought I'd share.
State troopers estimated more than 300 attended, which is fairly large as Capitol rallies go. Still, the event today was a fraction the size of the rally in 2006 when  thousands took to the streets.
At the rally today there was music, a traditional blessing and incense and even a skit that dramatized immigration raids that the protesters said have torn apart many Latino families.
If you have photos of a rally you attended, share them in the comments section.

One of the things I found kind of entertaining was watching the Capitol visitors who didn't know about the protest and staffers who walked by as they left work. Some just passed by without even pausing, while others took a moment to assess the situation and try to figure out what all these people were making a fuss about.

This is the skit I mentioned above. In a few seconds this actor pretending to be an undocumented immigrant field worker will get tackled by other actors pretending to be immigration agents.

I didn't get this gentleman's name but I thought he had a neat flag. It was almost as big as him.

After speeches, music and performances at the Capitol, the marchers turned and headed south on Congress Avenue. They planned to march past the jail and the governor's mansion (which is empty right now because of renovations) and end up at Austin City Hall.

Before taking off on their trek across Austin, a few of the protesters grabbed some ice cream for the road. I mean, it was pretty warm today.