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Hill Country homes face wildfire risks; Enchanted Rock grows double in size; Habitat for Humanity honors Jimmy Carter

Kristin Quintanilla
/
TPR

This is TPR's roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It provides a succinct and clear summary of the stories TPR is following.

Today's weather: It's going to be mostly cloudy with a high near 58. A low around 46 tonight with a chance of showers after midnight.

This week will be more seasonal with highs in the 50s and 60s and perhaps some rain by Wednesday.

Hill Country should be cautious of wildfires

Amid deadly wildfires across California, the Texas Forest Service is offering tips for Hill Country residents on how to protect their homes from wildfires.

Agency spokeswoman Dayziah Petruska said the first step is to check so-called "structure ignition zones" — one at five feet out, the other at 30 feet out

No combustible materials should be near five-feet of a home and gutters should stay clean.

Keep grass mowed and big trees trimmed 30 feet out of a home.

So prevention is important. The first step is to check 'structure ignition zones' outside of the home — one zone should be five feet from the home and the other zone should measure 30 feet from the home.

Trump unlikely to dismantle the Dept. of Education

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to close the U.S. Department of Education, which oversees everything from student financial aid to civil rights enforcement.

Michael J. Petrelli, the leader of conservative-leaning think tank Thomas B. Fordham Institute, told TPR's "The Source" Republicans are unlikely to have enough votes to dismantle the DOE.

He said Congress created the department and it would have to be the one to eliminate it.

One of Donald Trump’s campaign promises is to close down the Department of Education. Trump picked former wrestling executive Linda McMahon to be his education secretary. She has limited experience in educational administration. What would be the fallout if the Department of Education is shut down?

Enchanted Rock doubles in size

A $43 million purchase by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will add more than 3,000 acres to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Llano County.

The new property had been used mainly for private hunting but will now become an extension of one of Texas' most popular state parks.

The land will also help conserve the night sky and viewshed in a rapidly developing area of the state.

An opening date for the new property has not been announced.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department spent $43 million to add more than 3,000 acres to the Llano County park.

Habitat for Humanity to honor Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter

The nonprofit, which constructs affordable homes for local families in need, is building a house in honor of the Carters.

Stephanie Wiese, the chief development officer of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio and Guadalupe Valley, said the Carters were integral to the organization.

"They were normal volunteers," she said. "We're just so pleased that they were a part of our organization for so long. We just really want to honor them."

Habitat for Humanity will start building the house at the end of April.


New e-book looks at how to reduce cancer in Latinos

A conference held last year brought hundreds of researchers, advocates and survivors to hear about the advancements in research concerning cancer in Latinos.

Those findings are now published in an online book by UT Health San Antonio and other cancer experts.

The book finds cancer is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Latino population, with around 144,154 Latinos diagnosed with cancer every year.

It also found Latinos face heavy cancer burdens due to low screening rates and barriers to care.

The findings from a conference a year ago were published in an online book with recommendations to combat the disparities in the incidence of cancer in Latinos.

VIA wants feedback on its Better Bus Plan

VIA Metropolitan Transit holds community workshops this week on its Better Bus Plan to deliver faster, more direct service on traditional bus routes and expand the VIA Link on-demand service.

Half of all bus stops currently have wait times longer than half an hour. The plan aims to drop those wait times across the entire bus network.

The first workshop is Jan. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Mexican American Unity Council.

Learn more about upcoming workshops here.

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