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Federal judge blasts Texas Child Protective Services over missing reports

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Federal judge blasts Texas Child Protective Services over missing reports


A federal judge blasted Texas Child Protective Services for appearing to withhold serious incident reports involving children permanently in the foster care system.

Judge Janis Jack had fiery remarks for the Texas Commissioner over the Department of Family Protective Services in a hearing.

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“Commissioner Muth, not much will get past monitors with whistle blowers who care about children calling routinely, so you need to factor that in when you decide what not to disclose next time,” said Judge Jack.

The first serious incident that was missing from shift logs involved a child who caused a concussion on a caseworker.

DFPS told the court’s monitors it was inadvertent, but then the same thing happened again.

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READ MORE: Texas CPS making progress in reducing number of unplaced youth

This month, a whistle blower sent the court monitors a news report from Waco.

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Waco resident David Drakes was arrested for charges of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old foster child who ran away multiple times over three days.

The monitors determined that child is one only temporarily in the foster system.

However, the monitors learned from a forensic interview that the child reported another child, who is permanently in the foster system, ran away with her.

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It turns out the child’s caseworker had been contacted by a Waco police detective who said when the child returned to the foster care home she made an outcry that she had been raped and was taken to the hospital for a new exam.

When the monitors checked the shift logs for February DFPS only produced logs for the child the day before she ran away, and the day after she returned.

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The explanation came down to a DFPS procedure regarding runaways that the department changed as of Thursday.

“Up until yesterday we were not uploading first night notes,” said Deputy Commissioner Audrey O’Neil. “We have changed that practice. Now, any child in DFPS supervision for a portion of the day will be uploaded.”

[JUDGE JACK: “I’m still not understanding why the shift notes were not uploaded. Do you have an explanation other than trying to hide the ball?”]

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“Your honor, we are absolutely not trying to hide the shift logs,” replied O’Neil.

[JUDGE JACK: “Well that’s what happened, isn’t it?”]

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The next step in the 12-year-long lawsuit against the state will be for Judge Jack to determine if the state is in contempt. That could involve the state paying a fine.

The judge will also rule on the state’s motion for relief from remedial orders.

Attorney Paul Yetter said in a statement nothing will improve until the state gets serious about fixing its broken system.

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Ex Texas Longhorns 5-Star Johntay Cook Announces Transfer Commitment

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Ex Texas Longhorns 5-Star Johntay Cook Announces Transfer Commitment


Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook has found his next home.

And it is with a familiar foe.

According to reports from On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Cook has committed to the Washington Huskies, picking the Big Ten team over pursuit from Florida.

The Longhorns, of course, fell to the Huskies in the 2023 College Football Playoff semi-finals, coming up just short of a national title appearance as a result.

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The 5-foot-11, 175-pound speedster had originally been predicted to stay in the SEC and sign with the Florida Gators. That said, with the Huskies, he should have a tremendous opportunity to be the No. 1 receiver in the program.

Texas Longhorns receiver Johntay Cook II (1) makes a touchdown catch over UTSA safety Elijah Newell

Texas Longhorns receiver Johntay Cook II (1) makes a touchdown catch over UTSA safety Elijah Newell (22) during the game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cook II, a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, had just eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns this season. He had three catches for 35 yards and two scores in the win over UTSA on Sept. 14.

There was an expectation entering the 2024 season that Cook II would see an increased role after minimal usage as a freshman but has instead become buried on a depth chart that features Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Moore Jr., Silas Bolden, and true freshman standout Ryan Wingo.

Cook ranked as the No. 31 player in the nation, No. 3 wide receiver and No. 5 player in the state of Texas for his class. As a transfer, he ranks as the No. 44 player available in the portal and the No. 14 wide receiver.

Cook ends his Longhorns career with just 16 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns across two seasons.

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Other Texas Longhorns News:

MORE: Arizona State’s ‘Stud’ RB Cam Skattebo Has Attention of Texas Longhorns’ Defense

MORE: Texas Ex’s Could Play Big Role For Arizona State in Peach Bowl vs. Longhorns

MORE: Texas’ Steve Sarkisian Named Finalist for George Munger College Coach of the Year

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MORE: Texas Longhorns in Contention for Two Top 2026 Recruits

MORE: Urban Meyer Believes Texas Longhorns Beat Arizona State For One Reason



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Marshall takes on Texas State, seeks 5th straight home win

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Marshall takes on Texas State, seeks 5th straight home win


Associated Press

Texas State Bobcats (6-4) at Marshall Thundering Herd (5-6)

Huntington, West Virginia; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

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BOTTOM LINE: Marshall will try to keep its four-game home win streak intact when the Thundering Herd face Texas State.

The Thundering Herd have gone 4-2 at home. Marshall ranks ninth in the Sun Belt in team defense, giving up 66.7 points while holding opponents to 39.3% shooting.

The Bobcats are 4-1 on the road. Texas State has a 1-0 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

Marshall averages 71.8 points, 6.1 more per game than the 65.7 Texas State gives up. Texas State averages 3.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.6 fewer makes per game than Marshall allows.

The matchup Sunday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.

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TOP PERFORMERS: Aislynn Hayes is averaging 17.7 points for the Thundering Herd.

Jaylin Foster is scoring 10.0 points per game and averaging 7.1 rebounds for the Bobcats.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Court orders Biden admin to stop selling border wall materials, was 'illegally subverting' laws: Texas AG

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Court orders Biden admin to stop selling border wall materials, was 'illegally subverting' laws: Texas AG


The Biden administration on Friday said it would stop selling off materials slated to be used to build a border wall ahead of the incoming Trump administration, which has promised to bring back tougher efforts to combat illegal immigration.

The Biden administration confirmed to a court that it will agree to a court order preventing it from disposing of any further border wall materials over the next 30 days, allowing President-elect Trump to use those materials, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. 

The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023, with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces, after it abruptly shut down most border wall construction in 2021.

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO BLOCK FEDS FROM DISPOSING OF BORDER WALL MATERIALS AMID AUCTION BACKLASH 

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Piles of unused border fence sit at one of the border wall construction staging areas on the Johnson Ranch near Columbus, N.M., on Monday, April 12, 2021.  (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump then urged the Biden Administration to stop. Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump’s representatives. 

“We have successfully blocked the Biden Administration from disposing of any further border wall materials before President Trump takes office,” Paxton said. 

“This follows our major victory forcing Biden to build the wall, and we will hold his Administration accountable for illegally subverting our Nation’s border security until their very last day in power, especially where their actions are clearly motivated by a desire to thwart President-elect Trump’s immigration agenda,” he added. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

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Paxton presser

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a news conference in Dallas on June 22, 2017.  (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

In a news release, Paxton’s office said that if the Biden administration disposes of border wall materials purchased with funds subject to an injunction in violation of a court order, “it would constitute unethical and sanctionable conduct and officials could be held in contempt of court.”

Texas has said it intends to do all it can to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border when Trump enters office.

The Biden administration abruptly ended border wall construction in January 2021 after 450 miles had been built in the first Trump administration. While border hawks say a wall is a critical tool to stopping illegal immigration, some Democrats have said a wall project is xenophobic and ineffective.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATING BIDEN ADMIN’S SALE OF BORDER WALL PARTS: ‘WASTE AND ABUSE’ 

Trump at a part of the border wall

President Donald Trump tours a section of the border wall, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, in San Luis, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The auctioning off of border wall parts began in 2023 with parts listed for sale on GovPlanet.com, an online auction marketplace. The Defense Department’s logistics agency told media outlets that the excess material had been turned over for disposition by the Army Corps of Engineers and was now for sale.

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Those auctions have continued, with officials in Arizona telling Fox News Digital that auctions have been occurring weekly for some time. The practice drew attention last week when The Daily Wire published video showing unused wall parts being transported on flatbed trucks in Arizona, even though the materials could be used in the next Trump administration. 

Trump previously called Biden’s efforts to sell unused border wall materials at a discounted rate “almost a criminal act.”

Trump said the auctions would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to re-purchase the large steel bollards and concrete. He called on President Biden to “please stop selling the wall” and suggested his team would obtain a restraining order to halt the sales.

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“What they’re doing is really an act, it’s almost a criminal act,” he said. “They know we’re going to use it and if we don’t have it, we’re going to have to rebuild it, and it’ll cost double what it cost years ago, and that’s hundreds of millions of dollars because you’re talking about a lot of, a lot of wall.”

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Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw, Brooke Singman and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report. 



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