Daniel Rodriguez was out of town during the 2022 massacre. He told the local newspaper he was “not forced, asked or pressured” to resign.  The Uvalde police chief who was on vacation during the Robb Elementary School shooting — but who also led a department with officers that didn’t receive sufficient active shooter training — resigned on Tuesday. He told the local newspaper it was a decision in the best interest of his family.  Daniel Rodriguez’ resignation comes days after a city-sanctioned review of the May 24, 2022 shooting response cleared all local officers of wrongdoing — and at points praised those officers’ actions. Those findings were in contrast to previous audits of the police response that faulted law enforcement at all levels, in part due to lack of training.  Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the massacre that’s been defined by a catastrophic police response and failure of leadership resulting in children being trapped with the gunman for more than an hour. Some of the children called 911 from the classrooms, begging for help as responding officers stood in the hallway. view article arw

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said they are still investigating to determine the cause of death and what happened.  Two Houston area teachers were found dead inside a Richmond home on Monday, according to Fort Bend County authorities. Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office Investigations Command told Chron Tuesday morning preliminary findings indicate a murder-suicide. view article arw

Texas teens must get parental OK for birth control A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a Texas father can deny his daughters access to contraception, finding that a state parental rights law trumps a federal program that allows some clinics to forgo getting that approval. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit marks the first major decision on birth control access since federal protections for abortion were overturned almost two years ago. view article arw

A third infant nearby also contracted botulism last August. Local and state health officials said there is no public health emergency.  Two newborns living with their families in the same West Texas neighborhood were earlier this year diagnosed with botulism, a rare — and in some cases, fatal — illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves. The families, who live within blocks of each other, learned of the diagnosis in mid-January and early February.  A third newborn in the same neighborhood was previously diagnosed with botulism, which can cause difficulty breathing and muscle paralysis, in August.  Hospitals in Lubbock treated the three infants. view article arw

State schools are struggling to outpace the surge of illegal alien students being enrolled in public education, per a recent report by the Heritage Foundation.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, when a child unaccompanied by an adult or legal guardian is apprehended at the southwest border by immigration authorities, the child is transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee and Resettlement “while they wait for immigration proceedings.”  The ORR subsequently releases illegal minors to sponsors—who, oftentimes, are family members. Sponsors are considered custodians throughout the child’s immigration proceedings. view article arw

Report: Though outgunned and underequipped, Uvalde police didn’t run from school shooter Paxton filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden's administration March 8 and said that the EPA's new air quality standards are not based on sound science and will impose significant economic harm on Texas. He said the new rule will result in the closure of manufacturing and industrial facilities, and put workers out of jobs. view article arw

In late February and early March, Round Rock ISD named two new heads of departments overseeing special education as well as the district's safety and security initiative. Read on to learn more about these new program leaders. view article arw

A Point Isabel Independent School District employee was booked into jail this weekend on new charges. Omar Vera (Cameron County Jail) Omar Vera was arrested in February on five counts of distribution of harmful material to a minor. On Saturday, he was booked into the Cameron County Jail on four new charges: indecency with a child, online solicitation of a minor and two counts of child grooming. view article arw

According to the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District, education officials were made aware of concerns on social media of an alleged threat made toward the high school. Law enforcement was contacted immediately, school leaders said, and a call was made to parents Friday night. LCM Police Chief Mike Hennigan and Orange County Sheriff’s Department personnel investigated of the alleged incident.  “The rumor of the alleged threat quickly spread across social media, but it is determined no credible threat was made to the safety of LCM students, staff or schools,” a district statement read.  view article arw

The Texas Panhandle faces a long road of recovery following a series of wildfires this month that have scorched more than 1 million acres.  Federal, state and local governments are working with the communities to support the region, a panel of officials told The Texas Tribune Friday.  “I think it's fair to say that we're all feeling overwhelmed right now – overwhelmed with loss and overwhelmed also with the response,” said Hemphill County Judge Lisa Johnson. “The outpouring of help and support has been tremendous, but it's quite a task to get all those resources in the hands of people that are in need.” view article arw

A North Texas middle school teacher has been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, officials said. David Goggins, 32, was arrested Tuesday by officers from the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, according to court records. Goggins is a teacher at Pike Middle School in the Northwest Independent School District, school officials said. Northwest ISD spokesperson Anthony Tosie told the Star-Telegram that Goggins turned himself in to authorities. He was hired by the district for the 2022-23 school year. view article arw

A North Shore High School senior and football player for the nationally-ranked Mustangs was killed in a shooting this weekend, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed Sunday. Jarvon Coles, 18, was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound at the 4900 block of Fieldwick Lane in Humble late Saturday night. Per Gonzalez, "a large group of persons, most in their teens and early 20s, were attending a party at a home rented via Airbnb" that police believe was advertised on social media. KHOU reports that deputies responded to a welfare check and found "50-60 people" at the property, where Coles was found unresponsive in the backyard. EMS arrived on the scene and determined he had been shot. view article arw

A third infant nearby also contracted botulism last August. The Midland health department said it would not issue a public health warning.  MIDLAND — Two newborns living with their families in the same West Texas neighborhood were earlier this year diagnosed with botulism, a rare — and in some cases, fatal — illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves.  The families, who live within blocks of each other, learned of the diagnosis in mid-January and early February.  A third newborn in the same neighborhood was previously diagnosed with botulism, which can cause difficulty breathing and muscle paralysis, in August.  Hospitals in Lubbock treated the three infants. view article arw

A contracted security officer at Johnson Elementary School in Bryan was fired on Tuesday after leaving their gun and holster in a nurse’s bathroom, according to the school district. In a recorded phone message shared with parents this afternoon, the school district said the incident happened earlier in the school day. “We wanted to inform you that earlier today an armed campus security officer left their duty belt in the nurse’s office bathroom. While no student handled the duty belt and the weapon remained holstered, we understand that this news may be unsettling,” the recording said. view article arw

The fire chief of a small town in the Texas Panhandle region where large wildfires have been burning died responding to an unrelated structure fire Tuesday, officials said. Fritch Fire Chief Zeb Smith was responding to a structure fire in the city at around 7 a.m. when he went inside to check for people who needed rescue and never came out, a spokesperson for the Hutchinson County Office of Emergency Management said. Fritch Fire Chief Zeb Smith. Fritch Fire Chief Zeb Smith.City of Borger's Office of Emergency Management Smith was first on the scene of the fire in the town of around 1,800, officials said. He was found by a rapid response team inside the home at around 7:30 a.m., emergency management office spokesperson Brandon Strope said at a news conference. view article arw

When a motion detector went off overnight at Kromrey Middle School, a police dispatcher called up a digital map of the building, pinpointed the detector, clicked on a live feed from the nearest camera and relayed the intruder's location to responding police.  Within moments, they captured the culprit: a teenager, dressed in dark clothes and a ski mask but carrying no weapon.  The map and cameras “let the dispatcher keep things from becoming super-escalated,” said the school's security director, Jim Blodgett. “The dispatcher could see that it looked like a student ... just kind of goofing around in the building.” view article arw

BLANCO COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A Blanco Independent School District School Resource Officer is under investigation for allegedly making inappropriate comments to a student. The city confirmed a student made the complaint against the SRO that worked at Blanco High School. Former Blanco County detention officer faces sexual assault charge Maria Mathis-Kruser said she found out about what allegedly happened from the parent of the teen. “I have a very, very close family friend that I work with,” Mathis-Kruser said. “He was telling me about this incident with the resource officer and his daughter. When he was speaking to me about it, it was very concerning.” The city said the SRO is accused of making inappropriate comments to a female student at the school. “Very much like, ‘Oh, when are you turning 18? So you can come over.’ In no world, is that OK,” Mathis-Kruser said. view article arw

The Texas health department recently reported a statewide uptick of meningococcal disease, which can cause a severe form of meningitis, or inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. view article arw

Already in Fiscal Year 2024, there have been 59 individuals on the terror watchlist encountered at the southwest border.  Although the number of encounters with illegal crossers has dropped significantly at the southwest border, an individual on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s terror watchlist was apprehended.   According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources, 40-year-old Carlos Obed Yepez-Bedoya was apprehended by Texas Department of Public Safety agents on February 21. Yepez-Bedoya was attempting to cross the Texas-Mexico border in Eagle Pass.   CBP sources confirmed with Fox News that the Colombian national is registered on the FBI’s terror watchlist but have not said why.  view article arw

For the second day in a row, Grady Independent School District will not be having school due to continuous gas leaks. School was closed Thursday because of a gas leak discovered on Wednesday. Now, an additional leak was found, prompting no school on Friday. This is what Grady ISD posted on Facebook Thursday: view article arw

Opioid overdoses are not slowing down in Texas. But locating Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an overdose quickly, has been tough for Texans since it was made available without a prescription last year.  When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone an over-the-counter medication last summer, health care advocates praised the removal of the prescription barrier as an effective tool to prevent fentanyl deaths.  That is, if you can find it.  A February report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy found that of the 156 pharmacies they contacted, 71 percent of the Houston pharmacies kept it behind the pharmacists’ counters or were entirely out of the product. view article arw

A Texas mother is facing charges after a drink she allegedly gave to her son to prevent bullying was consumed by a student at a school in San Antonio, sending the child to the hospital, police say. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office says it responded to Legacy Traditional School – Alamo Ranch on Tuesday upon learning that the sick child was "given a drink by a classmate during P.E. class." "The drink provided was found to contain a mixture of lemon, salt and vinegar inside a sports drink bottle," police said in a statement. "Shortly after the child consumed the drink, he began experiencing nausea and a headache. view article arw

Longview ISD Leave Specialist Kristie Womack and Assistant Director of the East Texas Advanced Academies Department Ivie Abron have something in common with hundreds of employees at LISD: they’re feeling better, losing weight, and the district? It's saving money on substitutes. view article arw

Trerosilyn Carston is hoping criminal charges will be brought against a Cypress-Fairbanks ISD substitute teacher who she said pushed her 10-year-old son with special needs to the ground. The incident happened on Feb. 6 at Duryea Elementary School, and it was all caught on school surveillance cameras, but the recording of the video is not fluid. The surveillance camera appears to only capture images every few seconds. view article arw

The defund the police movement is not dead. It has just taken a new form that strips departments of proactive policing policies that leaves officers and law-abiding citizens at risk, a retired police chief argued. "Defund the police isn't dead. There's police executives around the United States that will tell you that defund the police is over. It's not," retired Riverside, Illinois, Police Chief Tom Weitzel told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview. "It depends on the geographical area that you're in. But it's gaining speed again, and it's gaining speed in this format." Weitzel is referring to a new push in jurisdictions across the nation that are stripping police departments of their authority and policies to proactively protect the community. Late last month, Pittsburgh officials, for example, announced the police department would no longer respond to lower-priority calls that the bureau says do not require an in-person response. view article arw

CENTRAL TEXAS (KWTX) - After the tragedy in Uvalde, the State of Texas began conducting tests to make sure doors in every school are locked. Last school year, the Texas State University School Safety Center was in charge of these intruder detection audits. But at the start of this school year, the TEA took them over. KWTX found out that so far this school year, a majority of Central Texas schools have passed. The intruder wasn’t able to get inside schools tested at Waco, Temple, Belton, Chilton and Clifton. The intruder did get into one of the Killeen ISD schools tested. Meanwhile Aquilla ISD hasn’t yet had a test performed. view article arw

On Saturday, the Lago Vista ISD school board unanimously voted to hire a third–party firm to investigate why a “private coach” was not properly vetted before working with its high school runners. In the email to parents, the district said a community member, presenting himself as a “private coach”, approached a group of high school male athletes practicing on their own over the summer. view article arw

A 32-year-old woman is under arrest after crashing into an Edinburg CISD school bus Saturday evening while allegedly driving drunk, according to a news release.  Edinburg police responded to the 3600 block of S. Sugar Road at approximately 6:50 p.m. that day regarding a three-vehicle crash.  “The incident included an Edinburg CISD school district bus with four students, a sponsor, and a driver on board,” the release stated.  There were no major injuries. view article arw

A high school student from Pflugerville was arrested after police said he brought a sword to campus. According to Pflugerville ISD police, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 17-year-old Trinceton Arnold was arrested and is now charged with a felony for bringing a sword to Connally High School. view article arw

A retired Harris County sheriff deputy is criticizing Katy Independent School District’s plan arming elementary school security guards. Robert Amboree, who spent over two decades in law enforcement, doesn’t believe security guards are enough to be stationed at schools. He believes it’s cutting corners. view article arw

A Wharton ISD support staff member was terminated after the district was made aware of an inappropriate relationship with a student, officials say. According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael O’Guin Sr., the district was made aware of an inappropriate relationship last week, and the support staff member was immediately suspended. That person has since been terminated. view article arw

A Pflugerville ISD student was arrested Tuesday for bringing a small sword to school, according to court documents. Trinceton T. Arnold, 17, was charged with a third-degree felony for unlawfully carrying a weapon.  Connally High School administrators found Arnold in possession of a sword with a 12-inch blade during a search in the boy's bathroom, which was initiated due to the odor of burnt marijuana, the arrest affidavit said.  In a letter to parents, Associate Principal Scott Ford said "any student found in possession of a weapon will face the maximum disciplinary measures, along with potential criminal charges." view article arw

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — A Dripping Springs ISD mother describes an Oct. 20 family dinner with her elementary student in heart-breaking detail. During nightly family dinners, she, her husband and children do “highs and lows” — each tells the others about the best moment and worst moment from their day.  “I don’t have a high for the day,” said one of her children.  “We kept calm in the moment,” said the mom, after learning her child’s low for the day. “I just kept thinking, ‘what the f— happened to them?'” view article arw

Purple flowers and child sized angel wings surrounded Audrii Cunningham’s closed Lisa Frank casket Friday evening as hundreds of mourners gathered at Livingston’s First Baptist Church for her visitation service.  Audrii is now known across Texas as the 11-year-old who was found on the banks of the Trinity River Feb. 20, five days after her family reported her missing. To friends and family, she’ll be remembered for her good humor and positive outlook on life. view article arw

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Robin Hunting served in the Royal Marines and now shares the knowledge and expertise he gained during his military service equipping individuals with the know-how to maintain their personal and family safety. Mr. Hunting, who now lives in Florida with his wife and three children, is popularly known online as “Dutch in the USA.” With his day job of working as an operations manager for a large recycling company, he turned to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic and began creating informative videos on how people could stay safe in potentially dangerous circumstances. view article arw