Primary Election Nominations for Kleberg County
Republican
District Attorney for Kleberg and Kenedy County
John T. Hubert
Democrat
County Attorney
Kira Talip Sanchez
Kira Talip Sanchez
Republican
Sheriff
Richard Kirkpatrick
Richard Kirkpatrick
Democrat
Sheriff
Danny Pena
Democrat
County Tax Assessor
Susan DeLeon
Republican
County Tax Assessor
Maria Victoria "Vicky" Valdez
Democrat PCT 21 THRU 24
Constable Pt. 2
Omar Rosales
Democrat PCT 31 THRU 35
County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Pablo Soliz
Arturo "Artie" DeLaRosa
Roy Cantu
Democrat PCT 41 THRU 45
Constable, Precinct 4
Andrew Robert Mendez
Amando O. Vidal
Republican PCT 11 THRU 14
Commissioner, Precinct 1
David Rosse
Tim Strubhart
Constable, Precinct 1
Bill Hack
Republican PCT 31 THRU 35
Commissioner, Precinct 3
Richard S. Perez
Jerry Martinez
Jacob Moseley, Sr.
Constable, Precinct 3
Jesse Riviera
Early Voting Location - Kleberg County
Early Voting for Kleberg County starts today.
For more information go to Kleberg County Election Office.
Kleberg County Early Voting Annex Office
(Tuesday, February 18th - Friday, February 28th)
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: 720 E. King at 12th, Kingsville
Early Voting Locations - Nueces County
Early Voting start today. Here is a list of Nueces County Voting Locations.
For a downloadable copy of locations click here.
February 18th-21st 18-21 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
February 22nd 22 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
February 23rd 23 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
February 24th-28th 24-28 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Main Early Voting Location
Nueces County Courthouse
901 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Bishop Community Center
102 West Joyce St., Bishop, TX 78343
Closed February 22 & 23
Calallen ISD
Administration Building Board Room
4205 Wildcat Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78410
Closed February 22 & 23
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center
5151 McArdle Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Closed February 23
Del Mar College
Hendenfels Administration Building
101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78404
Closed February 22 & 23
Ellis Memorial Library
700 W. Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Closed February 22 & 23
Ethel Eyerly Senior Center
654 Graham Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Closed February 22 & 23
Greenwood Senior Center
4040 Greenwood Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78416
Closed February 22 & 23
Hilltop Community Center
South WingSouth Wing #1 Back of Building Back of Building
11425 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, TX 78410
Closed February 23
Johnny Calderon Building
710 East Main St., Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 23
Nueces County
Emergency Services DistrictEmergency Services District #4
5781 FM 666, Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 22 & 23
Padre Island Baptist Church
14253 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Closed February 23
Petronila Elementary School
2391 Co. Rd. 67, Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 22 & 23
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Carlos F. Truan Natural Resources Center (Rm. 1009)
6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78412
Closed February 22 & 23
The Valencia
2nd Floor Conference Room
6110 Ayers St., Corpus Christi, TX 78415
Closed February 23
Veterans Memorial high school
Auditorium
3750 Cimarron Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Closed February 22 & 23
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For a downloadable copy of locations click here.
February 18th-21st 18-21 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
February 22nd 22 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
February 23rd 23 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
February 24th-28th 24-28 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Main Early Voting Location
Nueces County Courthouse
901 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Bishop Community Center
102 West Joyce St., Bishop, TX 78343
Closed February 22 & 23
Calallen ISD
Administration Building Board Room
4205 Wildcat Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78410
Closed February 22 & 23
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center
5151 McArdle Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Closed February 23
Del Mar College
Hendenfels Administration Building
101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78404
Closed February 22 & 23
Ellis Memorial Library
700 W. Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Closed February 22 & 23
Ethel Eyerly Senior Center
654 Graham Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Closed February 22 & 23
Greenwood Senior Center
4040 Greenwood Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78416
Closed February 22 & 23
Hilltop Community Center
South WingSouth Wing #1 Back of Building Back of Building
11425 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, TX 78410
Closed February 23
Johnny Calderon Building
710 East Main St., Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 23
Nueces County
Emergency Services DistrictEmergency Services District #4
5781 FM 666, Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 22 & 23
Padre Island Baptist Church
14253 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Closed February 23
Petronila Elementary School
2391 Co. Rd. 67, Robstown, TX 78380
Closed February 22 & 23
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Carlos F. Truan Natural Resources Center (Rm. 1009)
6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78412
Closed February 22 & 23
The Valencia
2nd Floor Conference Room
6110 Ayers St., Corpus Christi, TX 78415
Closed February 23
Veterans Memorial high school
Auditorium
3750 Cimarron Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Closed February 22 & 23
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MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER SERGIO TINOCO TO VISIT AREA GEARUP STUDENTS AT H.M. KING HIGH SCHOOL
Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) students will listen to Sergio Tinoco, author of Proud American: The Migrant, Soldier and Agent. He will speak about his struggles as a young migrant worker and how he strives get an education. The GEAR UP program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post secondary education.
GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high poverty middle and high schools. Currently, GEAR UP is serving class of 2020 and 2021 at the following three schools: Mary Carroll High School, H.M. King High School, and Roy Miller High School.
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GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high poverty middle and high schools. Currently, GEAR UP is serving class of 2020 and 2021 at the following three schools: Mary Carroll High School, H.M. King High School, and Roy Miller High School.
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020
9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
H.M. King High School
2210 Brahma Blvd.
Kingsville, TX 78363
ABOUT SERGIO TINOCO Tinoco started his journey to America as a poor migrant worker of Mexican descent, having to pick crops for a living at the age of seven. To break from the family cycle of farm labor and depending on government welfare programs, he joined the United States Army and served 10 years on active duty. He now serves as a Border Patrol agent and writes columns for Homeland Security Today about conditions, challenges and humanity of the situation on the southwest border. Return to South Texas Community News
Next Financial to Refund $500,000 to Customers, Pay $100,000 Fine
Next Financial Group Inc. of Houston agreed to refund $500,000 to customers of a former Texas agent who for five years moved clients in and out of high-cost mutual funds to generate commissions.
Next Financial Group also paid a $100,000 fine to the State of Texas for failing to properly supervise the agent, who worked for the brokerage from 2007 until Sept. 27, 2019. He is no longer registered to sell securities in Texas.
The sanctions are part of a Disciplinary Order that Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered on Feb. 13.
Next Financial Group will apportion the $500,000 to the former agent's customers based on the amount of mutual fund trading in their accounts.
From 2014 through 2018, the agent made hundreds of trades involving the Class A shares of mutual funds, which typically cost investors more than other mutual fund share classes because they carry an upfront sales charge of up to 5% or higher.
The charge, known as a front-end sales load, is paid to the broker as a commission.
The agent consistently bought and sold these high-cost mutual funds for clients, claiming it was part of a research-based mutual fund trading strategy.
Next Financial Group failed to rein in the agent even though it received hundreds of alerts from the regulatory system it had set up to detect mutual-fund switching.
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Navy to begin testing for private drinking water wells
Press Release:
The Navy is seeking to sample private drinking water wells in designated areas near Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Waldron, and NAS Kingsville, Texas. These free tests are to determine whether certain chemicals used by the Navy in its activities on base have migrated through groundwater to private drinking water wells at levels greater than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory levels.
The Navy will be holding Open House events, to inform the community of the sampling program and respond to questions from the public, as follows:
NAS Corpus Christi and NOLF Waldron
February 25 and 26, 2020 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
New Life Church, South Campus
1241 Flour Bluff Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418
NAS Kingsville
February 27, 2020 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Elks Lodge
1404 South 6th Street, Kingsville, Texas 78363
Also on hand at the Open House events and working in partnership with the Navy are representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of State Health Services, the City of Corpus Christi and the City of Kingsville.
In May 2016, the EPA issued lifetime health advisory levels for two chemicals: perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The EPA’s health advisory level for lifetime exposure is 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS and 70 ppt for PFOA. When both PFOS and PFOA are found in drinking water, the combined concentrations should not exceed 70 ppt. Although these health advisory levels are not enforceable regulatory standards, the Navy is seeking to identify private wells that have been impacted at levels greater than the lifetime health advisory levels.
PFOS and PFOA (two types of a class of chemicals collectively referred to as PFAS) are man-made chemicals persistent in the environment. PFAS has been used since the 1950s in products that resist heat, stains, grease and water. It has been used in a variety of products and substances such as non-stick cookware, food packaging such as microwaveable popcorn bags, and water-resistant textiles and sprays used to treat carpets and fabrics. The most common historical Navy use of these chemicals has been through the firefighting agent, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF).
More information about the Navy’s PFAS initiative and drinking water testing program at NAS Corpus Christi and NOLF Waldron may be found online at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_corpus_christi.html or by contacting the Public Affairs Office at 361-961-2674 or email at nascc-pao@navy.mil.
More information about the Navy’s PFAS initiative and drinking water testing at NAS Kingsville may be found online at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_kingville.html or by contacting the Public Affairs Office at (361) 516-6500 or email kngv-pao@navy.mil.
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The Great Texas Warrant Roundup
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The City of Corpus Christi Municipal Court and area law enforcement representatives will announce the kickoff to the 2020 Great Texas Warrant Roundup. This year, the 12-day amnesty period starts on Monday, February 17 and ends on Friday, February 28.
Municipal Court administrators will explain the City’s involvement in the Roundup and how those with warrants can avoid arrest by taking care of their citations through various payment options.
Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call 361-826-3234, in advance.
For more information media representatives can contact Public Information Officer Dale Stephán at 361-826-3234 or by email at dales3@cctexas.com.Return to South Texas Community News
STUDENTS RALLY TO SAVE LIVES WITH MARROW DRIVE
Press Release:
KINGSVILLE (February 10, 2020) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville students can potentially save the life of a cancer patient by joining the Be The Match Registry during GenCure’s fifth annual Be The Cure On Campus marrow registry drive Feb. 17-19.
Every person who joins the Be The Match Registry gives hope to blood cancer patients. For many patients fighting leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers and blood diseases, a stem cell or marrow transplant is their best hope for a cure. Just 30% of patients find a match from within their family.
Most patients turn to the Be The Match Registry in hopes of finding an unrelated donor who closely matches the genetic tissue typing of their immune system, which is inherited from a person’s ethnic background. However, only 7% of the current registry is made up of donors who are of Hispanic descent, leaving many Hispanic patients, including Lou, with no available matches on the registry.
Texas A&M-Kingsville students can join the registry by visiting one of GenCure’s sign-up tables from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday, Feb. 17-19. Tables will be located at:
Since the program began at A&M-Kingsville in 2016, more than 1,700 students have joined the Be the Match Registry. This year’s drive aims to add 300 potential marrow or stem cell donors to the registry.
For Deleon, every person who signs up for the registry fulfills her mission.
“I want anyone fighting this to hear that wonderful, amazing news that ‘We found a perfect match for you,’” she said.
KINGSVILLE (February 10, 2020) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville students can potentially save the life of a cancer patient by joining the Be The Match Registry during GenCure’s fifth annual Be The Cure On Campus marrow registry drive Feb. 17-19.
The drive is in honor of Lou Gonzalez, an A&M-Kingsville student who passed away in his junior year after a long battle with leukemia.
“Lou is no longer here, so this is my mission,” said Cindie Barrera Deleon, Lou’s mother. “I don’t want any other parent to feel the way that I did.”
GenCure, a subsidiary of San Antonio-based BioBridge Global, works with Be The Match to find potential donors in South Texas.
Most patients turn to the Be The Match Registry in hopes of finding an unrelated donor who closely matches the genetic tissue typing of their immune system, which is inherited from a person’s ethnic background. However, only 7% of the current registry is made up of donors who are of Hispanic descent, leaving many Hispanic patients, including Lou, with no available matches on the registry.
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| https://bethematch.org/ |
“Having a child go through this battle and to never get the news that he had a match, it’s devastating,” Deleon said.
Instead, Lou received a matching cord blood transplant, which includes stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood. He relapsed soon after and received a 50% matched marrow transplant from his father. After two years of battling cancer, Lou passed away in June 2018.
- Memorial Student Union Building (First Floor)
- Outside the Javelina Dining Hall
- Outside the Jernigan Library
- Dotterweich College of Engineering Building
- Fine Arts Quad
For Deleon, every person who signs up for the registry fulfills her mission.
“I want anyone fighting this to hear that wonderful, amazing news that ‘We found a perfect match for you,’” she said.
Potential donors must be between the ages of 18-44 to register, in general good health, and have no history of or current serious illnesses. Those who sign up will be on the registry until they are 61. More information about the registry is available at GenCure.org/BeTheMatch.
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Corpus Christi - Wastewater in Oso Bay
Press Release:
Update 2/11/2020 4:10 p.m.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The City of Corpus Christi has not issued a water boil advisory for municipal water customers.
Update 2/11/2020 4:10 p.m.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The City of Corpus Christi has not issued a water boil advisory for municipal water customers.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – A broken wastewater pipe has resulted in a discharge into Corpus Christi Oso Bay from a wastewater line near the City of Corpus Christi’s Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant on Monday, February 10, 2020.
The City was notified this afternoon about a fish kill in a creek located along the Oso Golf Course. Crews immediately responded to the area and established isolation booms to contain the spill. They used drone technology to assess the situation and are actively working on identifying the location of the pipe break. The City’s contractor is currently cleaning the creek. There is currently no accurate estimate as to the amount of wastewater discharge. The City has contacted appropriate officials, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Regional office.
The City is required by 30 Tex. Admin. Code Section 319.303(c) to issue the following precautionary statements:
(1) Persons using private drinking water supply wells located within 1/2-mile of the spill site or within the potentially affected area should use only water that has been distilled or boiled at a rolling boil for at least one minute for all personal uses including drinking, cooking, bathing, and tooth brushing. Individuals with private water wells should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling.
(2) Persons who purchase water from a public water supply may contact their water supply distributor to determine if the water is safe for personal use.
(3) The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the spill.
(4) If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil, or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.
For further information, contact: Kim Womack, Communication Director, at 361-826-3211.
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GEOPHYSICS LECTURE
PRESS RELEASE:
KINGSVILLE (February 3, 2020) — The 2020 1Q/2Q Distinguished Lecturer from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), Dr. Sergey Fomel, will be making a stop at Texas A&M University-Kingsville with his presentation Automating Seismic Data Analysis and Interpretation. Fomel will present his lecture at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at Peacock Auditorium in the Biology and Earth Sciences Building. “Recent developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning can automate different tasks in data analysis,” he said. “I will discuss the quest for automation by tracking the development of automatic picking algorithms, from velocity picking in seismic processing to horizon picking in seismic interpretation. We will search the limits of automation to discover the distinguishing qualities that separate human geophysicists from machine.”
About Dr. Sergey Fomel
Fomel is the Wallace E. Pratt Professor of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin and the director of the Texas Consortium for Computational Seismology (TCCS) in Austin. At UT Austin, he is affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Geology, the department of geological sciences and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. He received his doctorate in geophysics from Stanford University. For his contributions to exploration geophysics, he was been recognized with a number of professional awards including SEG’s J. Clarence Karcher Award in 2001 and the EAGE Conrad Schlumberger Award in 2011. Fomel has served SEG in different roles including most recently, vice president of publications. He also serves as the project manager for Madagascar, an open-source software project for geophysical data analysis.
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KINGSVILLE (February 3, 2020) — The 2020 1Q/2Q Distinguished Lecturer from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), Dr. Sergey Fomel, will be making a stop at Texas A&M University-Kingsville with his presentation Automating Seismic Data Analysis and Interpretation. Fomel will present his lecture at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at Peacock Auditorium in the Biology and Earth Sciences Building. “Recent developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning can automate different tasks in data analysis,” he said. “I will discuss the quest for automation by tracking the development of automatic picking algorithms, from velocity picking in seismic processing to horizon picking in seismic interpretation. We will search the limits of automation to discover the distinguishing qualities that separate human geophysicists from machine.”
About Dr. Sergey Fomel
Fomel is the Wallace E. Pratt Professor of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin and the director of the Texas Consortium for Computational Seismology (TCCS) in Austin. At UT Austin, he is affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Geology, the department of geological sciences and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. He received his doctorate in geophysics from Stanford University. For his contributions to exploration geophysics, he was been recognized with a number of professional awards including SEG’s J. Clarence Karcher Award in 2001 and the EAGE Conrad Schlumberger Award in 2011. Fomel has served SEG in different roles including most recently, vice president of publications. He also serves as the project manager for Madagascar, an open-source software project for geophysical data analysis.
Winter Cleanup Needs Volunteers
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Looking for something you and your family can do together this weekend to give back to the community? Why not join volunteers as they pick up litter at Cole Park, 2600 Ocean Drive, on Saturday, February 8th at 9:00 a.m.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/39pkxGz Register online: https://bit.ly/2SqshAW
The City’s Solid Waste Services Department will provide volunteers with gloves, bags, and pickers. In addition to cleaning Cole Park, volunteers tally the different items they collect during the cleanup and the information is sent to the State’s Adopt-a Beach program. The group’s efforts are all part of the State’s Keep Texas Beautiful program which hosts three cleanups annually, not only at Cole Park but also on North Beach and North Padre Island. To volunteer for the cleanup, you can contact the Beautify Corpus Christi Association at 361-290-2461.
Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call 361-826-1655, in advance.
For more information media representatives can contact Senior Public Information Officer Amy Gazin at 361-826-1655 or by email at amyg2@cctexas.com.
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AG Paxton Files Brief Supporting Fifth Circuit’s Obamacare Decision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2020
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief with the United States Supreme Court today, arguing that the Fifth Circuit’s decision to declare Obamacare’s individual mandate unconstitutional and remand the case to the district court does not require review by the Supreme Court at this time. The brief also argues the U.S. House of Representatives, which petitioned the Supreme Court to review the decision, lacks standing to request such a review.
“The Fifth Circuit’s opinion declaring the individual mandate unconstitutional is a straightforward application of existing U.S. Supreme Court precedent. The Fifth Circuit has ordered this case to return to district court to determine which, if any, provisions of Obamacare are still valid notwithstanding the unconstitutional mandate. That is where this case belongs at this time,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I applaud the Fifth Circuit for upholding the core principle that the federal government cannot order private citizens to purchase subpar insurance that they don’t want. I look forward to demonstrating exactly how this law has failed in district court.”
When the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Obamacare in 2012, a majority of the justices agreed that Obamacare’s individual mandate was constitutional only because its accompanying tax penalty could justify forcing individuals to purchase health insurance under Congress’ taxing power. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 removed the penalty, meaning Obamacare’s intrusive individual mandate cannot be preserved as a tax, and rendering it unlawful.
Corpus Christi - Future of Cole Park Pier
PRESS RELEASE: CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Today, the City of Corpus Christi held a news conference to share with the community the future and next steps for the Cole Park Pier. The pier is a popular destination that has been closed to the public since it was damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Councilman Ben Molina shared the City is moving forward with rebuilding this iconic landmark. The current pier is 500 feet long and Councilman Molina would like to see the pier be made wider allowing for more promenade-type features. Additional amenities he would also like to include are shade covers, benches, better nighttime lighting, and more fish cleaning stations. Funding for the design of the project will come from the voter approved Bond 2018 program. Funding for construction has not been fully identified at this time but several options have been identified including grant resources and Bond 2020.City Manager Peter Zanoni also announced City staff will recommend to Council on February 11, Jacobs Engineering be chosen as the designer for the rebuild project. The firm is headquartered in Dallas and has a specialized Ports and Marine group of over 550 professionals. The Jacobs design team is familiar with the salt-water environment and understands construction techniques required to provide a long-term cost-effective pier. Additionally, Zanoni shared the design process will take anywhere from six-months to a year depending on the permit process by the Texas General Land Office and the US Army Corp of Engineers. Estimated time of construction could take up to one year with the potential to have a finished product by June 2021.
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TAMUK - Department of Music
PRESS RELEASE
KINGSVILLE (February 3, 2020) — After a nearly two-year process, the Department of Music at Texas A&M University-Kingsville has earned the designation School of Music. The process started with Dr. Paul Hageman, Regents Professor and Chair of Music, making the request to university administration and ended with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approving the new designation.
Hageman said a School of Music is usually a larger, more comprehensive unit than a Department of Music.
“It may often have more internal structure and be divided up into areas of teaching, performance and ensembles. Becoming a School of Music allows us to be recognized as a comprehensive music program and allows us the structure to continue to grow and expand our offerings.
“A School of Music is usually thought of as a larger entity. If you look just even at the state of Texas, the largest programs are Schools of Music, like University of Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, West Texas A&M,” Hageman said. “We have joined the ranks of those groups in some ways and we feel we are ready to do that.”
The news comes as 275 music majors began classes this month in the new 90,000 square foot Music Education Building. An official ribbon-cutting celebration of the new building is scheduled for April.
“We have grown over the years and we currently have 275 majors and as we go into our new building, we anticipate continued growth,” Hageman said. “Even with our new building, we are looking to the future and what we have built will be able to house 450 to 500 majors. That is where we would like to get one day.”
The recommendation to pursue the designation was made in the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) 2017 Visitor’s Report, Hageman said. “It all started with our accreditation visit from the NASM. Every 10 years, we get reaccredited. The last suggestion in the report was to work toward becoming a School of Music.
“The initial work on becoming a School of Music began with our Music Council. The Council conducted extensive research and examined policies, procedures, and organizational structures that we thought would make it appropriate for us to become a School of Music. We produced a comprehensive proposal that included input from our music faculty and other entities. Our music faculty voted to accept the proposal and become a School of Music. We then sent the document forward to our campus administration for their perusal and approval,” Hageman said.
“We are growing and we certainly feel like we have the student body to do this. Our students are just fantastic young men and women. They work very hard and they have accomplished a lot. We have been winning awards at the national and international level. This is a good way to help springboard them to their future if they can say they came from a School of Music,” he said.
The new designation elevates the reputation of an already stellar music program, said Dr. Jaya Goswami, associate vice president for academic affairs.
“It certainly makes the program even more attractive to future students and faculty,” she said. “The School of Music also opens doors to prospective donors and other funding sources to help students and faculty in the program. This designation is most timely, given the brand new building to house the program.”
“I feel like it gives me a stronger foundation when I look for a job,” said Olivia De La Rosa, a senior music education major from Kingsville. “A lot of great educators come from this program.
“The School of Music title matches what has been on-going, like the way the professors train us and everything is very professional and it prepares us for everything,” she added.
Although David De La Rosa, a sophomore music education major from San Benito, has a couple of years before he starts looking for a job, he agreed with Olivia De La Rosa. “For later in the future, when I am looking for a job, I think it will help me on my resume.
“I will come from a more prestigious school. When they see that on my resume, they will see that I came from a School of Music rather than a Department of Music,” he said.
“The university administration supported it. The last two steps was for it to be approved by The Texas A&M University System and then by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
“Right away students shouldn’t see any changes other than the name. We will continue to be one of the programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. We answer to the dean just like we always have done,” Hageman said. “There will be no change in our structure now. In the future, this will allow us to grow a little bit more.
Music degrees offered at A&M-Kingsville include: Bachelor of Music in the following areas: Teacher Certification, Performance, Performance with an Emphasis in Piano Pedagogy, and Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz Studies; Master of Music in the following areas: Music Education, Performance, and Conducting.
About the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
The National Association of Schools of Music is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges and universities with approximately 639 accredited institutional members, according to its website. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music and music-related disciplines and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational and other music-related endeavors.
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Texas Flag to be lower to half-staff
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX –Governor Greg Abbott honored the request from Mayor Joe McComb on behalf of the City of Corpus Christi to lower flags to half-staff in honor of fallen police officer Alan McCollum.
FMI: http://news.cctexas.com/news/releases-20200202
FMI: http://news.cctexas.com/news/releases-20200202
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PRESS RELEASE - TAMUK 2019 INCOME TAX PREPARATION
TAMUK BUSINESS STUDENTS OPEN SECOND LOCATION
FOR 2019 INCOME TAX PREPARATION
Press Release: Texas A&M University Kingsville
KINGSVILLE (January 30, 2020) — Students from the College of Business Administration at Texas A&M University-Kingsville will again offer free income tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA provides free basic income tax preparation for taxpayers with incomes below $56,000.
This year volunteers will be at two different locations. Beginning Monday, Feb. 3, and continuing every Monday and Tuesday through April 14, taxpayers may visit room 107 of the College of Business Administration building from 4 to 8 p.m. Free parking is available in the lot north of the building.
The second location is at the Texas Community Federal Credit Union, 605 E. Caesar Ave. in Kingsville. Volunteers will be at the credit union from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays beginning Jan. 30.
Taxpayers may drop off their returns. Citizens should bring their tax information, photo identification and Social Security card.
For more information, call 361-593-3787.
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PRESS RELEASE - Annual anti-terrorism force protection exercise
PRESS RELEASE:
NAS KINGSVILLE – Naval Air Station Kingsville will participate in an annual anti-terrorism force protection exercise Feb. 3-14.
Exercise Citadel Shield/Solid Curtain 2020 is conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Navy Installations Command on all Navy installations in the continental U.S.
The exercise is a regularly scheduled event designed to enhance the readiness of Navy security forces and ensure seamless interoperability among the commands, other services and agency partners. It is not in response to any specific threat.
“This annual exercise uses realistic training scenarios to ensure U.S. Navy security forces maintain a high-level of readiness to respond to changing and dynamic events,” said Commanding Officer Capt. Erik Spitzer.
The captain continued that the air station has had advanced coordination with local law enforcement and first responders, and that measures are in place to minimize disruptions to the community and to normal base operations.
“There may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around the air station or delays in base access,” said Spitzer. “Residents in the immediate vicinity of the air station may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise.”
Patients of the Branch Health Clinic should anticipate delays entering the air station and plan accordingly in order to arrive on time for scheduled appointments. Additionally, at some point during the two-week exercise, entry to the clinic will be routed through the Flag Pole/Quarterdeck entrance, require 100% ID checks, and limit the disability parking to the parking lot with the blue ramp. Patients requiring wheelchair assistance into the building should call the Quarterdeck at 361-516-6160 upon arrival.
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Fun Holiday - Chocolate Cake Day
Chocolate Cake Day on January 27 celebrates everyone’s favorite cake!
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_cake
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The Lone Star Flag is 181 years old
According to the Texas State Historical Association on January 25, 2020 the Lone Star Flag will be 181 years old.
"Texas has had three official national or state flags during its existence: the 1836 national standard, the 1836 national flag for the naval service, and the 1839 national flag, which became the state flag. Stephen F. Austin designed a proposed Texas flag that was never adopted, and some authorities also claim that Lorenzo de Zavala designed a Republic of Texas flag."
The Lone Star Flag was adopted by the Texas Congress in 1839 and the designer of the Lone Star Flag is unknown.
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| Lone Star Flag |