Robstown Health Fair

The Dia de la Mujer Latina health fair in Robstown on August 7 allowed concerned agencies such as STCI and the South Coastal Area Health Education Center, to raise health awareness in, provide initial health screening, lead patients to follow-up services and gather data to better assess the community's needs.

Colonias that aren't near the border...

Many federal and state programs that were created to address the issues of colonias have requirements that they be anywhere from "within 50 miles from the border" to "in a county whose furthest corner is less than 150 miles from the border". With these requirements, thousands of people in colonias throughtout the state are being forgotten by the agencies created to assist them. Hopefully, these mileage laws may be changing with recent cases brought by the state against developers. However, as this story noted (and this comment in South Texas Chisme: Colonia projects too slow ), projects that are underway in some colonias are for some reason hampered by very long delays.

What would Daniel Boone do?

Interesting post on "Texas housers - working together to make low-income housing and community development a priority in Texas". A writeup about the dilemmas of imposing state regulations to improve housing in Texas colonias and a nice history lesson on the relationship between the colonia homebuilders, the developers, assorted Texas commissions, and the Texas Legislature.

Farmworker Groups Ask EPA Administrator to Uphold Environmental Justice for Farmworker Communities

Farmworker unions, support groups, and worker advocacy organizations today asked Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to stop the pesticide poisoning of farmworker communities and uphold the Obama administration’s commitment to environmental justice.

The letter, signed by 28 groups from across the country, says that the new fumigants policy “continues an outdated EPA approach to pesticide regulation that adopts unrealistic and unenforceable standards as risk mitigation measures, in an age of safer, greener approaches to agricultural pest management.”

The EPA announced its decision May 27, 2009 to allow continued use of toxic soil fumigants with modified safety measures, falling far short of safety advocate efforts to adopt more stringent use restrictions and chemical bans. The rule was first proposed in July 2008, but weakened as it was finalized by EPA under industry pressure. Advocates believe that the country can do better to phase out the uses of highly hazardous chemicals that have devastating impact on exposed workers and communities in which they are used, and advance green technologies and organic practices.

Story from Common Dreams and Beyond Pesticides. A copy of the letter is available here.

Colonias residents won't do without this Christmas

Five colonias in Nueces County received septic tanks through TCEQ's Supplemental Environmenal Projects.

"I am in the colonias everyday and I've seen a marked improvement in the areas that received septic tanks," Lionel Lopez said. "Not only has the appearance of the people and their living areas changed, but their demeanor as well."

Rose Acres Colonia

Legal battle causes delay for colonia. Rose Acres colonia residents have waited years for basic upgrades. http://www.caller.com/news/2008/nov/30/legal-battle-causes-delay-for-colonia/

Concerns For Colonia Safety Around Prison

With the correctional facility in Robstown set to open in October, advocates are worried that the warning system for a prison escape is not adequate to notify the residents. Lionel Lopez set up a town hall meeting with L.C.S. officials about adding a loud siren to alert those living in the area. Officials were originally going to warn the 6000 residents by calling those within a 2-mile radius and canvasing the area. With the concerns for those without phone service, the prison officials were willing to add the siren. KRISTV has a couple segments on the meeting including an interview of Lionel.