Gov. Greg Abbott made two appointments to the state's Commission on State Emergency Communications, which oversees poison control and 9-1-1 services. Ernestine Robles of Garden Ridge and William “Bill” Buchholtz of San Antonio, who was reappointed, will serve terms until Sept. 1, 2021.
Abbott named emergency physician Robert Greenberg of Belton the chairman of the Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services, the group that makes recommendations on the state's EMS/trauma system. Abbott also named six others to the council: He appointed Jeffrey Barnhart of Canyon, Sheila Faske of Rose City and Robert Isbell of Midland and reappointed Ryan Matthews of Holliday and Robert Vezzetti of Austin to serve until Jan. 1, 2022, and Mike Clements of Cypress until Jan. 1, 2020.
SD-13 candidate Borris Miles announced endorsements in the past week from Houston’s current mayor, Sylvester Turner, and its most recent mayor, Annise Parker. Democratic precinct chairs in the district meet Saturday to choose who will take the spot on the ballot belonging to state Sen. Rodney Ellis, who has chosen to run instead for Harris County commissioner.
Senfronia Thompson, another contender for the SD-13 seat, received an endorsement this week from Annie’s List, an organization dedicated to electing more pro-choice women to office.
State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, has been chosen to serve as chairman of the Fiscal Affairs & Government Operations Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference. The SLC is the Southern office of The Council of State Governments. It met this week in Lexington, Kentucky, for its 70th annual meeting during which representatives from 15 states shared information and best practices.
The Center for Public Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank, has named two people, Nick Canedo and Kelly Josh, to its leadership team. Canedo, a San Antonio native who previously worked at the nonprofit Rainforest Alliance in New York, will takeover as CPPP's director of development. Josh, previously at the Texas Defender Service, will join CPPP as its director of finance and administration.
The new government relations consulting firm Grace & McEwan has hired its first associate, Andrea Chavez, who previously worked in the government law and policy section at the law firm Greenberg Traurig. She was a field representative for the Texas Republican Party over the 2014 elections.
Michael Drankoski is joining Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP to serve as the law firm's executive director. Drankoski was previously the director of administration in Norton Rose Fulbright's Dallas office.
Disclosure: The Center for Public Policy Priorities and Greenberg Traurig have been financial sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.