What has been going on locally? Plano ISD meeting of August 8th spent a great deal of time trying to figure out how to comply with House Bill 3, requiring armed security on each campus. Plano police does not have enough officers to cover all the schools, therefore Plano will have to go about hiring security officers who meet the …
Not Done Yet
Hello Collin County, This week we have news from McKinney and Parker. With all our wins in the May elections, now is a great time to support our new council members and trustees by getting involved in our mission. We still need coverage of city council and school board meetings across the county. If you can watch meetings from home …
2023 Municipal Elections – Is Collin County finally flipping?
Hello Collin County, In case you forgot amidst everything else that happened to our community these past couple weeks, we had an election. We didn’t just have an election. We had THE election that may be the start of this county flipping in our favor. We had major victories all across the county. Down here in Richardson, every candidate recommended …
Give a D@mn!
Hello Collin County, This week I have a short and quick legislative update. I cannot write this column without your participation. Democracy is not an amenity. Democracy is our work. I need you, yes even you, to watch your local city council and school board meeting every other week. Then, I need you to send in a report on that …
Keep up the Fight
Hello Collin County, This week’s column discusses news from city councils in Celina, Murphy, Sachse, Princeton, Richardson, Plano, and Wylie. Look for a legislative update and call to action on bills concerning school finance and the LGBTQIA+ community at the end. I appreciate you reading this column to stay informed on what is happening. I encourage you all to use …
Common Sense
Hello Collin County, It’s been quite the week. Let me help break it down for you and show what is affecting us here in Collin County. This week, we hear from McKinney, Richardson, and Parker. And of course, more bills! As the chaos continues around us, let’s remember what we’re trying to accomplish. We want common sense governance that includes …
Our Community
Hello Collin County, Unfortunately, I don’t have many reports this week to include. So, we will cover the latest from Richardson and focus on legislation. We’ll focus on legislation introduced by one of our own, Representative Mihaela Plesa, as well as legislation that covers gun regulations, the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled rights, and school choice. If you’d like to help with …
One Step at a Time
Hello Collin County, Let’s dive into what’s been happening in our county lately. This edition covers some concerning statements made by school boards trustees, and highlights some of the latest news from city councils and school boards across the county. I hope to one day have complete coverage for every city, town, school board, and county level of government in …
We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Together
Hello Collin County, I hope to earn your trust as I begin writing this column. I’ve reported on Richardson meetings for some time now, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share some of my ideas with the rest of the county. I was listening to a 1968 Staple Singers song entitled “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Together” to …
Book Banning Is a Slippery Slope to Fascism
Texas Republicans, having worked up hysteria around so-called “critical race theory” being taught in schools (it’s not), have moved on to the next culture-wars issue: banning books from schools that they claim are pornographic or present history or society in ways that makes them feel uncomfortable. This is nothing new; Americans have been banning books since before there was a …
What Black History Month Means To Me
By Frederick L. Nickens IV Vice-Chair Collin County Democratic PartyBlack History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role they have played in the building and shaping of U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event was originally called “Negro History Week,” created in February 1926 by …
Democrats Deliver: Broadband For All
Here in Collin County, we take it for granted that we have high-speed broadband. And for good reason: nearly everyone in the county, 97.6%, have access to at least 100 mbps (megabits per second) wired broadband at home. Besides giving us the opportunity to “Netflix and chill” on Friday nights, fast internet access enables access to telemedicine, allows students to …
The Republican Primary: A Race to the Bottom
As expected, the 2022 Republican Primary is a race to the bottom for right-wing extremism and bigotry.
Volunteer for Boards and Commissions
City of Plano Planning and Zoning Commission Meets At City HallNational news can be so overwhelming, making us feel helpless under the weight of all of it. But remember the famous words of former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill: All politics is local. If we are to effect real change in our country, we have to create change …
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg – May Her Memory be a Blessing
Mike Rawlins, County Chair She came to be known to many of us as “The Notorious RBG”. She was so incredibly dedicated, and seemed indestructible, persistently and insistently carrying on the work of her life’s passion through numerous personal hardships and illnesses. Until she didn’t. I think that’s one reason that her passing last Friday evening felt so unexpected, and …
What is a County Commissioner?
Map Credit: Collin County Government Geographic Information System Sadly, most people pay less attention to county government than city government (and they generally pay very little attention to the latter!) A few people know that a County Commissioner is a member of the Commissioner’s Court, presided over by the County Judge, and that it has something to do with county …
Activists Celebrate Marijuana-Related Bills Filed and Mark Marijuana Advocacy Day
Are you interested in attending a Legislative Day in Austin for a Cause of Yours? Check out the TXLege2019 Corner in the Rally each week for information and details on upcoming legislative days. The following article describes an advocacy day in the Capitol during the Texas Legislature on February 7, 2019. Lawmakers can begin debate and then vote on those …