White House to Seek Stay of Immigration Ruling
by Julián Aguilar, The Texas Tribune – February 20, 2015
*Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comment from Gov. Greg Abbott.
The Obama administration will ask a court on Monday to allow the president’s controversial immigration order to move forward after a Texas judge halted the program this week.
“The Department of Justice has made a decision to file a stay in this case,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Friday, according to a transcript of a news conference. “I would anticipate that they will file documents at the district court level on Monday at the latest.”
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen blocked the executive action, which was announced in November. The policy would have allowed an estimated 5 million undocumented immigrants — including some 1.46 million in Texas — to apply for a work permit and a reprieve from deportation.
Earnest said the stay request is separate from an appeal of the ruling, which the administration still plans to file. If the stay is granted, the administration could begin accepting applications for the program, which it was slated to begin doing on Wednesday. But Earnest added that there is no certain timeline if the stay is issued.
“[The appeal] was something that we announced in the immediate aftermath of the decision,” he said. “And we will seek that appeal because we believe that when you evaluate the legal merits of the arguments, that there is a solid legal foundation for the President to take the steps that he announced late last year to reform our broken immigration system.”
Hanen, of Brownsville, ruled in a 123-page opinion that the Obama administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs the way regulations are made and how much input the public has.
But he did not reject the case based on whether the president had the authority to change immigration laws by circumventing Congress.
Gov. Greg Abbott, the state’s former attorney general, filed the lawsuit before being sworn in as governor. On Friday, he said the stay request should be denied.
“A stay is typically granted to have the status quo maintained,” Abbott said in a statement. “Here the status quo is the immigration law passed by Congress, not the executive action by the President that rewrites immigration law. The President’s lawless trampling of the Constitution thwarts the status quo.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office is now handling the case, expressed confidence that the state will prevail.
“We are a nation of laws, and I will vigorously defend the United States Constitution, as Texas and our fellow states continue to fight back against the aggressive overreach of this lawless administration,” he said in a statement.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/20/white-house-will-ask-court-let-immigration-plan-mo/.
*Updated* Winter Weather in Sulphur Springs
A few shots of the wintry weather here in Sulphur Springs. Have a picture of winter weather where you are? Email them to KSST at [email protected]
Hospital Goes Forward with a Family Practice Residency Program
During Monday night’s regular meeting of the Hopkins County Memorial Hospital Board, the board is expected to review and approve an affiliation agreement with UT Northeast for a family practice residency program. The board meets at 6 p.m. in the Medical Plaza Conference Room.
Stay tuned to KSST 1230 AM for latest info…..
KSST will be updating our listeners on the winter storm warnings throughout the day, on 1230 AM as well as here on our website and our Facebook page. School Closings as well as business and municipal activities will be reported as we receive them.
Winter Storm Warning 6p.m. Sunday- 6 p.m. Monday
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM CST MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. * PRECIPITATION TYPE...MAINLY SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. * ACCUMULATIONS...SLEET ACCUMULATIONS AROUND 1/2 OF AN INCH WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS UP TO 1 INCH. ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM FREEZING RAIN AROUND 1/10 OF AN INCH. * TEMPERATURES...FALLING TO BELOW FREEZING SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY WILL REMAIN IN THE UPPER 20S TO NEAR FREEZING. * MAIN IMPACT...SLEET AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS. BRIDGES ARE LIKELY TO ICE OVER FIRST WITH MAIN ROADS ALSO ACCUMULATING SLEET. * OTHER IMPACTS...TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW FREEZING MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. ANY ICE ON AREA ROADWAYS WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHEM MELTING MAY BEGIN TO OCCUR. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
Senator Bob Hall In Town for Town Hall Meeting
District 2 Senator Bob Hall was in Sulphur Springs Saturday morning for a town hall meeting with area residents and county and school leaders.
During the time, Hall pointed out that the Texas senate has a more conservative shift this year and that is not simply based on eight (8) new members who consider themselves conservative. He attributed his statement to the fact that it now takes 13 votes and not just 11 to block a bill from being considered by the body. He stated the Blocker Rule had been detrimental to bringing bills to the floor of the Senate. He also pointed to campus carry and open carry bills (those that would allow a more visible presence of firearms) as an indicator of the conservative nature of the Senate. Touting Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s timeliness, Hall said the Senate now starts on time. Resolutions presented to the body have also received a process that allows greater speed for presentation and conclusion to the matter. Noting that committee structure for the Senate has reduced the number of committees from 18 to 14, he says conflicts with meeting times have been reduced and allow Senators to attend more discussions regarding senate bills.
Hall encouraged those attending to take care before supporting or opposing a bill when basing their opinion only on the name of the bill. He pointed out that all bids follow a process that can change the content of the bill to the point of the bill being a 360-degree turn from its original intent. He encouraged those attending to read the bill, question the content of the bill, and to utilize the state website for more information about the bill before forming their opinion.
Senator Hall has filed two bills in the 84th Legislative Session. One, SB 438, would prohibit the use of public funds to enforce federal and international firearms laws that do not exist under the legislation of Texas. The second bill, SB 429, would protect Texas gun-owners from a deficiency in the current penal code, which criminalizes gun-owners who carry a handgun on another person’s property even with the permission of the property owner. Several fellow senators signed on to the bill at the time of filing.
Hall has also signed on in support of SB 346 which allows Texans’ who have a concealed handgun license to carry a handgun openly, SB 11 which would allow people who hold a concealed handgun license to carry on the campuses of public and private colleges and universities, and SB 342 which lifts the burdens and barriers on Texans’ “God given right to defend themselves and their families.” He also supports SB446 related to the increase of penalties for the offense of trafficking persons that involves a child victim or the death of a victim., SB 447 which would designate English as the official language of Texas, and SCR 6 which urges the United States Congress to propose and submit to the states for ratification the Parental Rights Amendment to the U S Constitution.
The Senator urged local politicos to travel to Austin to support those items of legislature that would benefit the county citizens. He is also seeking to receive input from schools in the district regarding their top five unfunded mandates that are hampering their work in educating students.
NorTex Tractor Sales Donation
Nor Tex Tractor is having a sales donation from now through to March, 6. Nor Tex will donate $500 for every Mahindra tractor sold to the Hopkins County Junior Partnership Show whenever they purchase anything from the champion projects of the Show.
“This will residually increase our spending limit, which is what we want to do,” Nor Tex manager Tommy Mobly said. “It’s way to get the community involved and and so these guys buying tractors know that we’re doing stuff for the kids. It’s a good place to put the money.”
Nor Tex chose the Mahindra brand of tractor specifically because of its high sales this time of year. The tractors that qualify for the sales donation range from the smallest to largest size of Mahindra tractor.
“This time of year, we’re going to sell more of those smaller tractors,” Mobly said. “They do move a little more in that size range that we’re targeting. There’s not any specific size Mahindra, so anything from a 25 horsepower to a 105 horse power.”
This sales donation is new for Nor Tex. They began the donation to promote future farmers. Nor Tex wants to sell ten more Mahindras during the two weeks they have left before the deadline.
“It’s something that is beneficial for everybody,” Mobly said. “Customers that buy a tractor can know that we are giving back to the kids, and putting the money right back into the upcoming farmers. It just kind of works better for everybody.”
Kayla Price was named the Woman of the Year
Sulphur Springs City Councilwoman and President of the Sulphur Springs Symphony League Kayla Price was named the Woman of the Year at the 89th annual Chamber Banquet Thursday night. The award was presented by Pam Hollingsworth with Beta Sigma Phi.
Chicks for Charity Hopkins County Received the Community Pride Award
Chicks for Charity Hopkins County received the Community Pride Award Thursday night during the 89th Annual Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
Chicks for Charity started in November 2011 with a social gathering in the fellowship hall at First United Methodist Church. Each of eight women who regularly met as a dinner club invited 10 other women who shared their desire to make a difference in the community. When they met, each brought a blank $50 check and the desire to fund a 501c3 charity. Three women were chosen to present their charity and a secret ballot vote determined the recipient charity.
As he presenting the award, County Judge Robert Newsom emphasized the simplicity of Chicks for Charity. He stated they have no bank account, no Board of Directors, everything is handled by email, word-of-mouth, or social media. He continued by pointing out there is no postage or overhead cost and First United Methodist Church waives the Hall fee.
To date, Chicks for Charity has donated over $78,000 to Hopkins County non-profit organizations that provide meals, life experience, and other needs for youth, adults, and seniors.
Chicks for Charity define themselves as women who are passionate about supporting communities in Hopkins County. Members are of all ages, come from all walks of life, all denominations, and different financial backgrounds. Working as a group, they determine to have the ability to contribute to the good of the community in ways they never thought possible.
