Friends,
It is hard to believe we are almost halfway through the month of September.
Over the last couple of weeks much has happened in Senate District 28. Please take a moment to read the newsletter below and pass it along to anyone who might be interested in reading it.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns never hesitate to reach out to my office!
For Texas,
Senator Charles Perry
10 COMMANDMENTS AT O'DONNELL HIGH SCHOOL:
Last week, the 'Freedom From Religion Foundation' threatened O'Donnell High School with a lawsuit over their display of the Ten Commandments.
For years this organization has fought to intimidate Christians into eliminating all public displays of faith from our society. Last year they unsuccessfully targeted the Kountze Cheerleaders and the Childress Police Department.
I support the rights of students to display their faith, but I also recognize that it is when that faith is challenged it tends to grow the most. I want a level playing field. The Christian faith wins every time we stand in faith, regardless of any man-made obstacle. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
There will always be challenges to displays of faith as long as we have a federal government that uses funding dollars as coercion to corrupt local communities. We must pull back the reigns on the federal government and ensure both our First and Tenth Amendment Rights are protected!
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY INVESTING TO CONSERVE WATER:
Earlier this week, the Abilene Reporter News published my editorial on the importance of the oil and natural gas industry in Texas and their efforts to conserve water. You can read it here or below:
Oil and gas production in Texas began on January 10, 1901 when the Lucas No. 1 well spewed mud, oil, and gas more than 100 feet into the air. Although capped nine days later, Spindletop changed Texas forever. Little did we know that cold winter day near Beaumont would give us the energy resources necessary to power railroads, cars, and other equipment that would, in time, diversify our state's economy from its rural agricultural roots to a modern, urbanized, and industrialized economic behemoth that currently is the world's 10th largest economy.
Fast forward 80 years and George Mitchell is experimenting with different hydraulic fracturing techniques in the Barnett Shale, trying to identify and perfect a way to economically extract oil and gas from shale rock. By 2013, fracking was in widespread use across the state and country. This caused an economic boom in Texas and was broadly credited for causing the "shale revolution" that has made American energy independence a real possibility.
Click here to continue reading.
UPCOMING TOWN HALL FORUMS:
Town halls are a great away for citizens to get engaged in the political process without traveling all the way to Austin. Hearing directly from the people I represent is one of the most valuable things I do as a State Senator.
Below are some upcoming town halls in the 51 counties I represent:
Wednesday, September 21st: (w/ Rep-Elect Mike Lang)
2:00 - Breckenridge, TX
TSTC - Technology Center
401 N Breckenridge Ave.
Breckenridge, TX 76424
3:30 - Albany, TX
Aztec Theatre
141 S Main St.
Albany, TX 76430
Tuesday, October 11th:
8:30 - Levelland, TX
South Plains College
1401 South College Ave.
Levelland, TX 79336
Monday, October 24th (w/ Rep. Drew Springer)
9:00 - Crosbyton
Public Library
114 W Aspen St.
Crosbyton, TX
10:30 - Floydada
Covey's Smokehouse
102 S. 5th St.
Floydada, TX
1:00 - Matador
District Courtroom
701 Dundee
Matador, TX
2:30 - Dickens
Dickens Co. Annex
Multi-purpose Room
Dickens, TX
4:00 - Guthrie
King Co. Courthouse - Hwy 83
Commissioners Courtroom
Guthrie, TX
5:30 - Paducah
Paducah Community Center
711 Richards St.
Paducah, TX
Tuesday, October 25th (w/ Rep. Drew Springer)
8:00 - Post
Community Room
129 W. Main
Post, TX
10:00 - Jayton
Community Room
156 W. 4th St.
Jayton, TX
12:00 - Roby
Courthouse Coffee Room
112 N. Concho St.
Roby, TX
2:00 - Aspermont
Senior Citizen Center
516 Washington Ave.
Aspermont, TX
3:30 - Haskell
Haskell City Hall
301 S 1st Street
Haskell, TX
5:00 - Throckmorton
Imprint Ministries
131 N. Minter
Throckmorton, TX
Wednesday, October 26 (w/ Rep. Drew Springer)
8:30 - Vernon
Vernon College Auditorium
216 S Main
Willbarger, TX
1:00 - Quanah
Three Rivers Ballroom
216 S Main
Quanah, TX
2:30 - Childress
The 501 Winery
109 Ave. E. NW
Childress, TX
STAR OF TEXAS AWARDS: HONORING FIRST RESPONDERS:
Over the last year, we have unfortunately seen more hostility toward our law enforcement and first responders than ever before.
As you are aware, peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical first responders across Texas place themselves in harm's way to serve their fellow Texans. To recognize the sacrifices of these first responders, the State of Texas created the Star of Texas Award in 2003. This award serves to honor the bravery of Texas' first responders who have been killed or sustained serious injuries in the line of duty.
This year's awards took place last Monday, and I was proud to help recognize the following individuals who were seriously injured in the line of duty:
· Deputy Ryan Burns (Lubbock County Sheriff's Department)
· Sheriff (Retired) Richard Doane (Concho County Sheriff's Office)
· Corporal Ryan Durrett (Lubbock Police Department)
· Officer Jacob Flores (Lubbock Police Department)
· Officer Michael Orndorff (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
· Officer Ricky Wallace (Texas Tech University Police Department)
· Officer Brian Jackson (San Angelo Police Department)
Below are some pictures from the event:
