Remember former State Rep. and now Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his vaginal probing sonogram bill back in 2011?
And State Rep. Carol Alvarado (Commentary’s client), in a classic and memorable response said this:
“This is not the jelly on the belly that most of you think. This is government intrusion at its best. We have reached an all high, a climax, in government intrusion.”
Here is the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBrbGrvDPvE.
Looks like Sid and Carol have gone from the vaginal probe into the deep fryer. From the Trib:
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Thursday restored the option for public schools to serve certain fried foods and soda by lifting a decade-old statewide ban on deep fryers and soda machines.
The policy, which supporters say gives control over nutrition back to school districts, instead of the state, goes into effect July 1.
“We are working to put an end to a one-size-fits-all approach mandated from Austin,” Miller said in a press release. “We want families, teachers and school districts to know the Texas Department of Agriculture supports their decisions and efforts to teach Texas students about making healthy choices.”
School groups that sell fatty foods or sugary sodas on campus for fundraising purposes are now allowed to do so six times per year, up from once, and to sell during school hours.
Critics have argued that Miller’s push is a step backward for childhood nutrition. In 2013, 16 percent of high school students in Texas were obese, up from 14 percent in 2005. Only Arkansas, Kentucky and Alabama reported higher rates. Nationwide, child obesity rates have jumped from 7 percent in 1980 to 18 percent in 2012. Among minorities, the rates for children and adolescents were significantly higher, with Hispanics at 22 percent and non-Hispanic black youth at 20 percent.
Ironically, the reversal was announced as part of a new plan by the Texas Department of Agriculture to reduce childhood obesity. The primary objective of the plan is to connect farmers with schools to provide more local food. It’s designed to promote community engagement and student involvement, as well as training to help schools serve meals that are “attractive and taste great.”
Rep. Alvarado’s Statement:
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that the Texas Department of Agriculture is repealing certain prohibitions under the state’s decade old school nutrition policy that restricted the use of deep fryers and soda machines in Texas schools. State Representative Carol Alvarado issued the following statement:
“First, he granted amnesty to cupcakes and now it is deep fryers in the lunchroom. Will his next step be recommending that schools replace physical education classes with doughnut eating contests?
I think it is mind-boggling that our Agriculture Commissioner would think that placing deep fryers and soda machines back in our schools would help reduce childhood obesity.
Healthy eating should not stop once a child enters the school house doors. Most children consume about one half of their daily calories at school, so our schools play a vital role in helping cultivate a healthier lifestyle. Commissioner Miller’s plan is a mistake and a huge step backwards in ensuring that our children are eating healthy and living healthier lifestyles. This Commissioner should be finding more ways to provide healthier food options instead of finding more ways for the state to subsidize obesity.”
Only in Texas. This fella is a caricature for sure.
A-Roid is sitting on 2,999 career base hits. How many MLBers are in the 3,000 career base hit club?
Nobody can say Bill King doesn’t take a position. Here is from Rebecca Elliott of the Chron:
Houston mayoral candidate Bill King wants to put ReBuild Houston, the city’s controversial streetnand drainage program, back up for a vote.
Narrowly approved by voters in 2010, the pay-as-you-go maintenance and repair initiative has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks, with the mayor’s race underway and a series of storms testing the limits of Houston’s drainage infrastructure.
Criticism of the program has only intensified in the last week, after the state Supreme Court ruled that the language of the ReBuild charter amendment did not adequately describe the program’s character and purpose. In a unanimous decision, the court sent the case back to trial court, where legal experts expect the city to face an uphill battle.
Then, on Wednesday, a Houston resident filed a separate class-action lawsuit seeking to have the city to refund property owners some $500 million in drainage fees.
King, the most vocal opponent of ReBuild Houston in the race, has seized the moment to attack ReBuild.
“I only see one way out of this quagmire,” the former mayor of Kemah said in a statement Thursday. “We need to have another election on the ReBuild Houston program in November. But this time with clear and transparent ballot language.”
Should ReBuild make it back on the ballot this year, King said he would continue to oppose the program, proposing instead to finance city infrastructure projects with bonds.
King’s statement does not name any other mayoral candidates by name, but City Councilman Stephen Costello — an engineer and strong advocate of ReBuild — is the implied target.
In the crowded race to replace term-limited Mayor Annise Parker, King and Costello are seen as direct competitors for the votes of Houston’s fiscal conservatives.
I am not going to say anything about the Governor’s appointment to chair the State Board of Education.
28 former MLBers have reached the 3,000 career base hit milestone of course.
Our lead is now up to three and a half games. We are the first NL team to win 40 games this season. Not bad at all!
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