Austin, TX
Ascension Seton nurses vote to authorize 1-day strike
AUSTIN, Texas — The union representing 900 registered Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin nurses on Thursday announced they overwhelmingly voted to allow a one-day strike. It would be the largest such strike in Texas history, according to the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).
Nurses voted on Wednesday and Thursday, with 98% voting to strike, NNOC/NNU said. Nurses would provide at least 10 days of notice before striking.
NNOC/NNU in a news release said nurses are protesting “ASMCA management’s unacceptable and delayed responses to nurses’ contract proposals, which would ensure the highest level of patient care in Austin, by improving nurse recruitment and retention so that every unit has safe staffing levels.”
“Our patients can’t wait any longer,” Lindsay Spinney, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, is quoted in the news release. “Nurses are sending a message to management with this overwhelming strike authorization that we are ready to do what it takes to win a strong contract that protects our patients’ safety.”
The union further claims the hospital is “putting profits over patients.” Ascension, which owns the hospital, is a large, nonprofit Catholic health system.
“It’s morally distressing to work tirelessly for a nonprofit, Catholic system that consistently puts profits over its own patients and staff. We believe it is our duty to exercise our union power to ensure Ascension invests its deep financial resources back into its staff, patients, and the Austin community,” said Matthew Clark, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit.
Nurses are also complaining of chronic staffing shortages, making it difficult to provide quality care to patients, as well as “a revolving door of new graduates getting hired, receiving their hands on-training at ASMCA, and then leaving the hospital.”
Spectrum News 1 reached out to at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin for comment. We are awaiting a reply.
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Austin, TX
DPS Reminds Texans of Vehicle Safety Inspection Changes
![DPS Reminds Texans of Vehicle Safety Inspection Changes](https://sanangelolive.com/sites/default/files/styles/facebook/public/2024-07/dpslogo.jpeg?h=e009a64d&itok=w_GR2u35)
AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Department of Public Safety reminded Texans this week of upcoming changes to the state’s Vehicle Safety Inspection Program that will eliminate most inspections.
House Bill 3297, which was passed by the 88th Legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023, abolishes the Vehicle Safety Inspection Program for non-commercial vehicles.
Beginning January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles will no longer need a vehicle safety inspection prior to registration. However, all non-commercial vehicles in the state will be subject to a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee. This fee will be added to your total when you register your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
New vehicles (those of the current or preceding model year on the date of purchase) purchased in Texas that have not been previously registered in Texas or another state are required to pay an initial inspection program replacement fee of $16.75 to cover two years.
Vehicles Registered in Emissions Counties
While comprehensive vehicle safety inspections will be eliminated for all non-commercial vehicles, Texans whose vehicles are registered in emissions counties will still be required to have emissions tests.
Emissions tests are required in major metropolitan areas, including Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, Williamson and El Paso counties Bexar County will be added to the list of counties requiring emissions tests in 2026.
Commercial Vehicles
All commercial vehicles in all counties will still be required to obtain a passing vehicle safety inspection. Because they will be required to pay for that safety inspection, commercial vehicles will be exempt from the inspection program replacement fee.
All vehicles will still need to be registered. The registration process will continue to be managed by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Austin, TX
New Charter School Approved in Big Spring
![New Charter School Approved in Big Spring](https://sanangelolive.com/sites/default/files/styles/facebook/public/2024-07/schoolphoto.jpeg?h=fac417c4&itok=gJckyIci)
AUSTIN, TX — The Texas State Board of Education approved recommendations made by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath at last week’s meetings, opening the door for four new charter schools around the state.
One of the charter schools will be located in Big Spring, located about 85 miles northwest of San Angelo.
Subject to clearing contractual contingencies, the following applicants will open new charter schools and begin serving Texas public school students in the 2025-2026 school year:
- Pathway Academy in Big Spring
- Infinite Minds in Arlington
- The Texas Girls School in Austin
- Unparalleled Preparatory Academy in Manor
In other action, the SBOE discussed the rule process for potentially removing materials from the lists of approved and rejected materials as part of the Instructional Materials Review and Approval process. The public can view the list of materials submitted for review and access copies of the instructional materials, SBOE feedback forms and SBOE-approved IMRA rubrics by visiting sboe.texas.gov/imra. The list of materials will be voted on by the board at its November meeting.
Rule amendments made by the board in April, including revisions to the Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders, are now effective. The Handbook was updated to include adopted changes that align with the requirements of House Bill (HB) 3928 from the 88th regular session. For more information, visit the Texas Education Agency’s Dyslexia and Related Disorder webpage.
Recognition
The board recognized the 2024 Student Heroes, an inspiring group of 15 Texas public school students who have made a significant impact through their volunteer efforts. The board approved a resolution in their honor.
The SBOE also recognized:
- 2024 Presidential Awards Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) State Finalists
- 2024 Milken Educator Award winners Dr. Johnny Walker of Winona ISD and Juan Dominguez of Somerset ISD
- 2024 Texas Teacher of the Year, Taniece Thompson-Smith of Abilene ISD
- 2024 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year, Naveen Cunha of Bryan ISD
The SBOE will reconvene the week of September 9, 2024.
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Austin, TX
Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Captured in Wyoming
![Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Captured in Wyoming](https://sanangelolive.com/sites/default/files/styles/facebook/public/2024-07/untitled-3_1.jpg?h=11f65397&itok=0T2F_EfL)
AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced that a Texas 10 Most Wanted sex offender is back in custody following his recent arrest.
Authorities arrested Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Ramiro Dominguez on June 27 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Dominguez was DPS’ Featured Fugitive in June 2024, and a Crime Stoppers reward will be paid for his arrest.
Ramiro Manuel Dominguez, 35, was taken into custody in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Following up on tip information received last month, DPS Special Agents from Lubbock coordinated with officers from the Cheyenne Police Department to locate and arrest Dominguez.
Dominguez had been wanted since Dec. 2023, when a warrant was issued out of Hale County, Texas for his arrest for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. In 2012, Dominguez was convicted of first-degree rape in Oklahoma following an incident with a 10-year-old girl. He was subsequently sentenced to 8 years of confinement. Also in 2012, he was convicted of domestic assault and battery/abuse in Oklahoma and sentenced to 3 years of confinement to be served concurrently with his 8-year sentence for rape. More information on Dominguez’s capture can be found here.
Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders or Criminal Illegal Immigrants. So far in 2024, DPS and other agencies have arrested 23 Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders and Criminal Illegal Immigrants, including 10 sex offenders, 8 gang members and 2 criminal illegal immigrants.
To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the following three methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about then clicking on the link under their picture.
- Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
All tips are anonymous — regardless of how they are submitted — and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.
DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders and Criminal Illegal Immigrants Lists. You can find the current lists — with photos — on the DPS website.
Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous.
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