The New World Screwworm has been in the news lately, with confirmed detections of the insect in five Texas counties, according to the USDA. 

The parasitic fly that feeds on the tissues of warm-blooded animals is a serious pest of livestock and wildlife. It has NOT yet been reported in Caldwell County as of this evening (6/12).

Early detection is key. Watch for unusual wounds that do not heal, wounds containing visible larvae (maggots), or signs of infection in livestock and pets. 

Suspected cases in wildlife should be reported to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Suspected cases in livestock should be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission.

For more information and to track its whereabouts, visit the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension's webpage devoted to the screwworm here: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/new-world-screwworm

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) allocated $244,100,000 for the Homeowner Assistance Program to help repair and reconstruct owner occupied single-family homes in 27 counties damaged by the 2024 disasters…including Caldwell County.

What is the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP)? 

HAP helps homeowners affected by the 2024 Disasters repair and rebuild their homes. The housing program is administered by the GLO and provides homeowner assistance through:

• Rehabilitation (repairing homes)
• Reconstruction of homes over the threshold for repairs

If approved for rebuilding or reconstruction assistance:

• Hazard Mitigation (improving a damaged home so that it is stronger against natural disasters)
• Elevation (elevating homes above flood level in conjunction with reconstruction assistance)
• Temporary Relocation Assistance (TRA)

Damage inspectors will inspect homes and confirm the estimated cost of repairs. If the repairs exceed the caps for repairs, reconstruction will be required. The damage cap is $90,000 for non-historic and $175,000 for historic homes.

Learn about the program and submit an application.

CAPCOG is hosting local government officials and community stakeholders from Caldwell County for its County Days tour event, which seeks to strengthen the region through local knowledge sharing and greater member partnerships.

The event will be held from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. June 23 at the new Caldwell County Community and Evacuation Center.

County Days will feature a townhall with CAPCOG staff members giving presentations on current activities. A listening session will follow where member organizations and community residents can discuss local needs that could benefit from being addressed through regional planning and cooperation.

Key CAPCOG staff will be in attendance from the following divisions:

• Regional Planning and Services
• Aging Services
• Emergency Communications
• Homeland Security
• Regional Law Enforcement Academy

The meeting is open to the public and registration is not required to attend. However, CAPCOG requests that those planning to attend RSVP.

More information: https://www.capcog.org/trainings/caldwell-county-day/