The Leonard Graphic

March 31, 2011 - This past week the House passed SB 14, the voter identification bill about which I wrote about recently. House committee work has increased significantly as almost all of the 3825 house bills have been referred. The House Committee on Redistricting also laid out its first map, for the State Board of Education (SBOE) districts.

There are 15 SBOE districts in Texas. The ideal district population for each district under the new census numbers is 1,676, 371. That population is greater than the population of states like Vermont, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Montana. Because some parts of the state grew faster over the last ten years than others, the districts need to be redrawn so that each SBOE member represents the same number of constituents. All districts must be of the same population to ensure that every person's vote is equal.

March 31, 2011 - Catherine Rainbow, 14-year-old Sherman resident and Fannin County Four Corners 4-H Club member, is heading up a project to bring raised accessible gardens to the senior residents of Pecan Place Apartments in Bonham, a non-profit property of the Retirement Housing Foundation, and Clyde Cosper Veteran's Home.

Rainbow took the idea to Nicole Morgan of Lifetime Designs in Sherman and a portfolio was developed and presented to Pecan Place Apartment Manager Jason Castle, Activity Director Carolyn Hackler and Clyde Cosper Texas Veterans Home Texas Veterans Land Board member Amanda Gilbreath. The idea included a partnership between the 4-H club and Lifetime Designs who would work together and design accessible, raised gardens for senior residents.