Area News

It is no secret that COVID-19 has brought confusion along with concern. This confusion provides opportunities for scammers to target consumers in new, creative ways. A recent study from BBB shows that reports on government impostor scams have decreased, but the pandemic has allowed for these scams to take new forms that may be more difficult to recognize. From posing as CDC officials to preying on CARES funds, impostors are once again taking advantage of trying times.

On August 1st, 2020, new rules governing accessible parking signage and markings went into effect. Rule 68.104 (Texas Administrative Code) implements House Bill 3163, passed during the 86th Legislative Session in 2019. All projects registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) on or after August 1st, 2020 must comply with the rule in addition to Texas Accessibility Standards requirements related to parking spaces. Any new or alteration construction projects that begin on or after August 1st, 2020 must also satisfy this rule if they include accessible parking requirements. All projects registered with TDLR on or after August 1, 2020 must comply with the rule, as well as Texas Accessibility Standards requirements related to parking spaces. This includes projects that do not meet the $50,000 TDLR registration threshold. The new rules are as follows:

Despite stay at home orders and less traffic the past few months, Texas has continued to see about the same amount of fatalities on our state’s roadways. In an effort to reach drivers more creatively about the dangers of distracted driving, TxDOT has launched a new web-based augmented reality (AR) game that reinforces the importance of paying attention behind the wheel and reminds drivers to keep their heads up. Around 1 in 5 crashes on Texas roads are caused by distracted driving and all of them are preventable.