Texas Third Court of Appeals Justice Melissa Goodwin will speak at Star Republican Women’s October 19th meeting at Quail Point Community Center.

Justice Goodwin, first elected in 2010, is serving her second six-year term of office on the Third Court of Appeals.

The Court has intermediate appellate jurisdiction of both civil and criminal cases appealed from lower courts in 24 counties of Texas, mostly rural counties including Burnet and Llano counties, along with urban Travis County.
Because the Third Court resides in Travis County where the State Capitol is located and State Agencies are headquartered, the Court is also the last resort for regulatory matters in Texas. In that role the Third Court acts as a statewide administrative law court and many of its rulings are on major policy issues and regulatory matters.

When Justice Goodwin first joined the Third Court of Appeals in 2010, it was comprised of three Republicans and three Democrats. In 2016 when Goodwin was re-elected the Court was 100% Republican. Today, however, Justice Goodwin is the sole Republican on the court, largely reflecting the increased population of Travis County.

In 2018, Democrats lost many statewide offices including Beto O’Rourke’s loss to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. However, in the judiciary branch of government, Texas Democrats flipped the four influential state appeals courts that serve Austin, Houston and Dallas. At that point, Democrats held majorities on seven of the state’s 14 appeals courts compared to only three before the 2018 election. This shift in the appeals courts has created an ideological tension between the Democratic courts of appeals and the state’s all-Republican high courts – The Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Justice Melissa Goodwin received a law degree from St. Mary's School of Law and a BA from the University of Texas. Prior to her election to the Third Court of Appeals, Justice Goodwin served as a District Court Judge, for the 427th Judicial District Court of Travis County and Justice of the Peace for Precinct 3, Travis County, Texas. She has also served as an attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Justice Goodwin has also served the State of Texas as Commissioner for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education. She has been appointed to the Texas Judicial Council, the Judicial Ethics Committee and the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas. In addition to her responsibilities as Justice on the Third Court of Appeals, Justice Goodwin travels throughout Texas as a teaching faculty member with the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center and the Texas Justice Courts Training Center.

Kathy Hussey, VP Programs

“Who knows but that you have come to this place for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14

I certainly can’t compare myself to Esther, but truly believe that God has brought me to this place for such a time as this.  These past three years as your president of Star Republican Women have been such a learning and growing experience for me!  It has been such an honor to serve in this capacity and truly believe that God has called me to another area of service in a different capacity.  Until the end of 2022, I have made the commitment to serve as District Representative for our State Senator Dawn Buckingham for Llano, Burnet, Blanco, and Lampasas counties.  

And now I am so excited to see what happens next in Star Republican Women with Sara Boyd at the helm as our new president.  There are already so many new and exciting things happening for our organization.  New officers (Sara as president and Julia Hall as treasurer), and new committee chairwomen are bringing fresh new ideas and activities to our organization.  I hope you’ve been involved with some of the great Caring for America projects that have been happening in Horseshoe Bay over the past 6 months.  These activities not only help spotlight those in our community, but also make residents and visitors of Horseshoe Bay aware of the conservative family values SRW works diligently to promote and protect in our community, state, and country.

It is no coincidence that each and every one of us are where we are, doing what we are doing and that our membership numbers are growing. We are in the midst of a battle, a war between good and evil over our country and state and it is our responsibility to protect both for future generations. As Republican Women, it is our responsibility to set the example and be the difference makers. In order to accomplish our mission, we must be positive in our approach, work together with other conservative groups, and rise above the divisiveness and evil that is present all around us today.

Liberal agendas are being pushed at every level.  School Boards across the country are allowing Critical Race Theory (CRT) to creep into their school districts. If you are not aware of this poison being force fed to our children and grandchildren, contact me and I will send you information.  Please see the Daily Wire article (click HERE) about teachers who say they are willing to violate law to keep pushing CRT in Texas.

It has been such a privilege to serve as president of Star Republican Women.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me this opportunity!

With gratitude,

Denise Rives, SRW President​​

As you saw in the article from current President Denise Rives, there will be some changes in the SRW Board, both in the Executive Committee (officers) and the general body of the Board comprised of officers and Committee Chairwomen.

When a Nominating Committee was formed September 2020, there were no candidates interested in the position of president.  Denise Rives agreed to accept this responsibility for one year only, with the stipulation that by the end of 2021, a new president would be named.  In November 2020, officers were elected for a two-year term, with the SRW Board understanding that the president’s term would be for one year.  

Bylaws stipulate that the position of president be automatically filled by the 1^st Vice President, who is Kathy Hussey.  However, because of business commitments in south Texas with her husband and her aging mother living in another state often needing assistance, Kathy declined to take on the commitment of president at this time.  In July 2021, a Nominating Committee was appointed and approved by the Board to fill the impending vacancy of both president and treasurer.

Charlotte Steindorf has faithfully served as our Treasurer for the past three years, but recently moved to the DFW area.  Therefore, the Nominating Committee recruited Julia Hall who has graciously accepted this position and has been “learning the ropes” from Charlotte.  Sara Boyd, current Chairwoman of the Legislative Committee, was recruited and has joyfully agreed to accept the position of President. 

Both of these new officers will be administered the Oath of Office by Justice Melissa Goodwin at the Oct. 19^th Star Republican Women meeting.  Please be there to hear Justice Goodwin as well as show your support to these amazing ladies who have stepped up to these leadership positions!

Committee Chair positions may see a shuffle as our new President fills her vacated role of Legislative Chairwoman as well as other vacancies that have recently arisen.  When President Sara Boyd contacts you about serving in any position, please prayerfully consider the opportunity to be part of a fantastic group of conservative women who take seriously the importance of passing on the legacy of freedoms we enjoy to our grandchildren and their grandchildren.  Help Keep Texas Red!

Star Republican Women's Red Shoe Book Club will meet 4 - 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 12 at Flat Creek Enoteca Restaurant in Marble Falls to discuss the book "The Dutch House," authored by Ann Patchett.   

SRW Literacy Committee Chairman Kathy Hussey will lead the discussion about the book. Even if you haven't read the book, you can attend and enjoy the conversation about the book and other topics of interest to the group.  

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 Ann Patchett, the number-one New York Times best-selling author of Commonwealth, delivers her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love, and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves, and of who we really are.

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. 

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

Kathy Hussey, Literacy Committee Chairwoman

It has become apparent that the security and sovereignty of Texas has become the target of the Biden Administration with an open border and humanitarian crisis for the state and the nation. Covid positive illegal immigrants, drug cartel, and sex traffickers are  flowing across our porous border.

My personal sources through Hispanics for Trump 2020 assure me the border is open and the only slowing was when the Governor ordered a wall of State vehicles to block movement in Del Rio.

The Feds are preparing for recording shattering 400,000 illegal crossings in October breaking  a 21-year record of more than 200,000 in August. The mounted border patrol had been ordered to cease working our border over a false optic of abuse use of the long horse rein used by working cowboys on quick dismount. Governor Abbott has vowed to hire any federal agents fired by the Biden Administration.   

Redistricting first draft is completed  with possible slight bump for Republicans with Republican districts increasing from 80 to 85. Austin has been designated together as a new Democratic district.  Court challenges anticipated . .....to be continued……. 

 Sara Boyd, Chairman of Legislation Committee

It's time to renew your Star Republican Women membership.  And don't forget to sign up your spouse as well!

Click on the button below to get your membership form.  Complete the form and bring it and your check to the upcoming meeting or mail it to the address on the form.

Membership is $30 and Associate Membership is $20.

We appreciate your involvement in Star and the Texas Federation of Republican Women!

Kathy Stahl, Membership Committee Chairman