Latest news with #Waco-based
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers want to spend millions on Child ID kits. Experts say there's no evidence they work.
(The Texas Tribune/ProPublica) — Two years ago, Texas lawmakers quietly cut millions of dollars in funding for kits intended to help track down missing kids, after ProPublica and The Texas Tribune revealed there was no evidence they had aided law enforcement in finding lost children. The company that made the kits had used outdated and exaggerated statistics on missing children to bolster their sales and charged for the materials when similar products were available for less or for free. Now, some Texas legislators are again pushing to spend millions more in taxpayer dollars to purchase such kits, slipping the funding into a 1,000-page budget proposal. Although the proposal does not designate which company would supply them, a 2021 bill introduced by Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell all but guarantees Texas will contract with the same vendor, the National Child Identification Program. Back then, Campbell made clear that her intent was to enshrine into law a long-standing partnership between the state and NCIDP that goes back more than two decades. Her legislation, signed into law that June, also specified that whenever the state allocated funding for such materials, the Texas Education Agency must purchase identification kits that are 'inkless,' a technology that NCIDP has patented. The Waco-based company is led by former NFL player Kenny Hansmire, who ProPublica and the Tribune found had a history of failed businesses and financial troubles, including millions of dollars in federal tax liens and a ban from conducting certain finance-related business in Connecticut due to his role in an alleged scheme to defraud investors. Hansmire cultivated relationships with powerful Texas legislators who went on to support his initiatives. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Senate, championed Campbell's legislation funding the kits and later told the news organizations that the state should prioritize anything that can speed up the return of a missing child. Campbell told lawmakers in a hearing that the bipartisan measure, which was brought to her by Hansmire and Patrick, was important to 'protect our children.' Patrick, Campbell and Hansmire did not respond to interview requests for this story. Hansmire previously told the newsrooms that his debts and other financial issues had been resolved. He also defended his company's kits, saying they have helped find multiple missing children, and instructed reporters to ask 'any policeman' about the kits' usefulness. However, none of the dozen Texas law enforcement agencies that the news organizations reached — including three that Hansmire specifically named — could recall any examples. Stacey Pearson, a child safety consultant and former Louisiana State Police sergeant who oversaw that state's Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children, said she has never seen any cases demonstrating that these kits work, including in the last two years since lawmakers discontinued the funding. 'I don't understand why we're going back to this,' said Pearson, who spoke with the newsrooms recently and for their previous investigation. 'It wasn't a good idea in 2023 and it's not a good idea now.' Despite the lack of evidence, Pearson said companies like NCIDP are able to profit off the kits by marketing them as part of a larger child safety program, a strategy that makes opposing lawmakers look as if they are against protecting children. Texas allocated nearly $6 million for the kits between 2021 and 2023. Lawmakers did not explain their reasoning when they decided to stop paying for the kits in 2023. Republican state Sen. Joan Huffman, who chairs the high chamber's Finance Committee, told the newsrooms at the time that both the House and the Senate had agreed to remove the funding 'after review and consideration.' During this year's budgeting process, Democratic state Rep. Armando Martinez proposed adding $2 million to the House's budget to provide kits to families with children in kindergarten through second grade. Martinez did not respond to an interview request. State Rep. Greg Bonnen, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, did not respond to interview requests or written questions. Bonnen was among the 33 lawmakers who voted against Campbell's bill that established the child identification kit funding four years ago. The newsrooms attempted to reach a handful of those legislators, but none responded. Huffman and the Senate have so far chosen not to restore the program's funding. Huffman declined the newsrooms' interview requests. 'The entire budget process is ongoing,' she wrote in an emailed statement. 'No final decisions have been made on most issues.' Legislators from the two chambers will continue hashing out the differences between their budget proposals in a joint committee that operates behind closed doors. There's no guarantee that the funding will make it into the final budget, which lawmakers must pass before the legislative session ends in early June. Pearson cautioned legislators to question whether the kits are the best use of state funding, given the absence of documented success. 'My advice would be for lawmakers to ask themselves, 'If this was your personal money and not the taxpayers', would you spend it on this program?'' Pearson said. 'And the answer is going to be no.' The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What Trump's new tariffs could mean for Texas jobs, oil, and your wallet
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Wall Street is rattled. Groceries may soon cost more. And in the heart of the Permian Basin, economists say the fallout from President Trump's sweeping new tariffs could cut deep, even for energy producers and oil-working families. The Associated Press reports that stock markets plunged after Trump announced the most severe volley of tariffs to date, sparking fears of rising inflation and economic slowdown. Nearly every sector felt the shock, from crude oil and Big Tech to U.S.-only small-cap stocks. For West Texans, the immediate concern isn't Wall Street…it's the wallet. According to economist Dr. Ray Perryman, President of the Waco-based Perryman Group and a long-trusted voice on Texas economics, the financial fallout could be massive. 'No one's going to escape this completely,' Perryman said. 'We estimate a potential loss of $46 billion in annual gross product and 370,000 jobs in Texas alone.' Calling foreign trade practices a national emergency, Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), triggering a 10% 'blanket tariff' on all imports starting April 5. By April 9, countries with the largest U.S. trade deficits, like China, will face even higher, individualized rates. A White House statement framed the move as a patriotic stand for 'reciprocal trade' and economic sovereignty. 'Access to the American market is a privilege, not a right,' it read. But Perryman warns the economics don't add up. 'When a good comes into the U.S., the person or company receiving it pays the tariff,' he said. 'That cost gets passed to consumers. It's not foreign governments paying us—it's us paying more.' The Permian Basin's economic backbone, oil and gas, relies heavily on steel, equipment, and imported parts. 'Steel plays a crucial role in oil production, from drilling rigs to pipelines,' Perryman said. 'Tariffs on steel will drive up costs for energy companies across the region.' Higher production costs may temporarily boost local oil output, but Perryman said the long-term effect will be negative. 'We already have ample supply,' he explained. 'If these tariffs remain in place long-term, the strain on our supply chains and budgets will be severe.' From oil rigs to grocery aisles: What tariffs could mean for the Permian Basin And it's not just energy. 'Produce prices will go up, car prices will go up,' he said. Perryman estimates the average Texas family could end up paying $1,500 more annually if the tariffs are sustained. The cost of an average vehicle could rise by as much as $10,000 due to tariffs on imported parts. Markets reacted sharply because the tariffs were 'larger than anticipated,' Perryman explained. While short-term volatility is common, he warned that if tariffs are sustained, 'you're looking at a potential vulnerability of about over 3 million jobs in the United States.' That level of job loss, he said, 'falls in the category of a very significant recession.' When asked about the Permian Basin specifically, Perryman was clear: 'It kind of cuts across the board. The Permian has historically been counter-cyclical because we benefit when oil prices are high. But steel tariffs hit oil and gas directly. So yes, we will be impacted.' The timeline for the impact varies. Grocery prices could rise almost immediately, especially for produce imported from Mexico. Industrial effects, like those in oil and gas, could take longer to materialize but would grow over time if the tariffs are not rolled back. Despite criticism, Trump has stood firm. The White House insists that reciprocal tariffs are necessary to protect national sovereignty, bolster the defense-industrial base, and force trading partners to offer the same terms they demand from the U.S. 'This is the Golden Rule for Our Golden Age,' the administration said in a statement. 'Treat us like we treat you.' Perryman isn't convinced. 'The basic economic logic that says tariffs are a bad idea was developed in 1811, and it's never been contradicted,' he said. 'We've modeled trade deals for decades, including NAFTA and USMCA. They brought broad benefits to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. What we're seeing now… is potentially very disruptive.' The biggest unknown is duration. 'If the tariffs are sustained for several years, the damage will be significant,' Perryman said. 'But I suspect we'll start to see some walk-backs, especially as economic data rolls in and political pressure mounts.' Until then, West Texas families, workers, and energy producers are bracing for impact. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Statewide high school robotics teams compete in Waco
Waco, TX (FOX 44) — Waco is welcoming 45 high school robotics teams to compete in a high-energy competition! These students have been building and programming robots up to five feet tall for the past three to four months. This year's robotics game theme is called Reefscape, where students build a robot that can pick up balls, representing ocean algae and pipes that represent coral. Five robots compete in a match in the center of the arena. 'In the center, we have our playing field up there,' says Harmony School Innovation senior Archer Allen. 'Up there we have a big screen, so the audience here can watch, and we actually stream it live on Twitch so people at home can watch.' There is a position for each student with a potential for growth in a field they are interested in – whether it be electrical, mechanical or programming how the robot will drive. The robots are controlled by team members with game controllers behind glass. 'We drive around, we can play a little bit defense,' Allen said. 'Our drivers are skilled in that, but we're just out here looking to have a good time, play the game, and meet some new people.' Schools are grouped into different teams and put their problem-solving skills to the test by identifying what went wrong during the game. After the practice round, Harmony School of Innovation was eight points behind – but they felt good about the round. Waco's Harmony School of Innovation is the only Waco-based team competing at this level. They say their goal is to qualify for the world championship in April. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
