Williamson County, Texas

WHEREAS, Juneteenth recognizes that on June 19, 1865, almost three years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Union General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston the freedom of all slaves throughout Texas with these words, “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free,”; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth has been a long-time, official state holiday honoring the courageous Black Texans who have long struggled for civil rights in the 156 years since General Granger’s proclamation; and

WHEREAS, Williamson County residents value historical truth, ethnic heritage, and culture, which accurately reflects the real lives and struggles of African-Americans past, present, and future; and

WHEREAS, let us all be reminded that our nation, state, and county have not yet achieved its full potential.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Williamson County Commissioners Court takes hereby recognizes and proclaims, June 19, 2021 as:

“JUNETEENTH – TEXAS EMANCIPATION DAY”

When the state of emergency for COVID-19 was declared in March 2020, the Williamson County Justice Center, assisted by county departments such as IT and others, was able to conduct business throughout the shutdown.

“We knew that the ‘wheels of justice’ had to keep turning, so we did what you do in a desperate situation, we came together and figured it out,” said Judge Donna King of the 26th district court.

They didn’t just figure it out, they excelled at conducting daily business and holding court hearings virtually.

King also credits the support from the Commissioners Court.

This March, the emergency order permitted courts to begin holding in-person proceedings following COVID-19 prevention standards but encouraged them to continue remote proceedings through June 1.

King held her first in-person jury trial on April 13, describing it as “almost a feeling of relief to be back in a jury trial.”

Although the logistics of the proceedings looked very different from the prepandemic jury trial, they had turned a corner and their hard work of planning paid off.

She described feeling a sense of pride that those summoned to appear for jury duty honored their responsibility to the community. They showed up, participated and seemed to share in this “corporate” sense of relief that the proceedings were well-organized and COVID-protocol compliant.

While virtual jury trials were conducted during the shutdown in other counties, Wilco courts didn’t, citing a lack of control over procedure and adherence to the rules of trial, exposure to information outside the proceeding and constraints on litigants’ rights to confront their accusers fully and appropriately.

Before the shutdown, jury trials involved large cattle calls of prospective jurors and a flurry of activity to see which case would be selected, all in-person. The court now has implemented limitations on the number of cases heard per day and plans that reduce the number of people convened at the courthouse.

WHEREAS, National Prevention Week, created by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), is an annual time to raise awareness of the importance of substance use prevention and implementing positive mental health changes; and

 WHEREAS, this year’s National Prevention Week theme is “Youth Leading Prevention,” recognizing youth prevention leaders across the country and the power that each young person has in influencing positive community change; and

WHEREAS, according to the 2020 Texas School Survey, 42.8% of high school students (grades 9-12) and 21.3% of middle school students (7^th and 8^th grades) report drinking alcohol in the previous 30 days, and the 2019 Texas College survey found 54.8% of college students acknowledged alcohol use in the previous 30-days; and

WHEREAS, mental health workers around the world have reported increased feelings of stress, fear, anxiety, and isolation in people of all ages, where youth have been especially impacted, during this pandemic leading to increased use of alcohol and other drugs to cope with this uncomfortable reality; and

WHEREAS, preventing substance use before it begins is the most effective way to eliminate the damage caused by drugs and alcohol abuse; and

WHEREAS, our elderly population are vital and integral members of our society and their wisdom and experience have enriched our lives; and

WHEREAS, abuse and exploitation of the elderly in domestic and institutional settings are wide-spread problems, affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the country; and

WHEREAS, Texas Adult Protective Services In-Home Caseworkers in Williamson County investigated 1,284 allegations of which 388 cases of Abuse, Neglect and/or Exploitation were confirmed against our elderly Texans in 2020; and

WHEREAS, elder abuse, which happens to men and women of all income levels, all cultural and ethnic groups, in good health or incapacitated in some way, and across every type of community, is grossly underreported because the elderly who are being abused, find it very difficult to tell anyone, are usually ashamed, sometimes afraid, or may not be aware that someone they trust is taking advantage of them, or, in fact, not understand they are being abused; and

WHEREAS, the Williamson County Attorney’s Office serves an important role in the investigation and prosecution of elder abuse and exploitation, and they also have a strong victim services program to assist those who have been targeted for the abuse;

Some of these are  Williamson County medical offices who offer their doses only to their clients.

This data is self-reported as their inventory for 1^st doses from 4/30/21  to 5/2/2021.

Click here to view the accessiblity data for vaccine providers.