Nearly 200 early ballots were cast by Canadian ISD voters in the May 2 school consolidation election, and in Higgins ISD, 94 early votes were cast when early voting ended at the close of business on Tuesday, April 28.

FORT WORTH—Robert McKnight, Jr., president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order to invoke the Defense Protection Act and keep beef processors open during the COVID-19 pandemic: “On behalf of cattle producers and beef consumers across the country, I would like to thank President Trump for his executive action to keep beef processors open amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining the viability of the beef supply chain has been TSCRA’s top priority since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Though fears of a shortage were largely unfounded, rumors can be self-perpetuating and cause over-buying of a product out of panic. Today’s action should go a long way toward easing consumer fear.”

This week, President Donald J. Trump is enacting the Defense Production Act to ensure that Americans have a reliable supply of products like beef, pork, and poultry. The presidentsigned an executive order providing the authority to ensure the continued supply of beef, pork, and poultry to the American people. Under the order, the Department of Agriculture is directed to ensure America’s meat and poultry processors continue operations uninterrupted to the maximum extent possible.

Texas oil regulators will decide at a public meeting on Tuesday whether to cut oil production, as plummeting global demand has already impacted the oil and gas sector in Texas.