Making Progress

"Getting better every day:" KTRK's Tim Melton on the road to recovery afterstroke

Fans knew something was amiss when Tim Melton, a sports anchor at ABC-13 since 1981, suddenly disappeared from the airwaves last October.

Although reports of health problems circulated, Melton broke his silence this week, taking to Facebook to talk about the stroke that knocked him off the air and his recovery process at TIRR Memorial Hermann, the hospital that received national attention in 2011 for treating Gabrielle Giffords.

Yes, I'm still here! Sorry for being out of touch for so long, but I suffered a stroke last October and spent two months at TIRR undergoing rehab. I thank all of you who have expressed your concern as to what caused my absence, but I wanted to wait until I had a good sense of what the future holds before saying anything. I am happy to report I'm getting better every day.

My thanks to all my friends at Channel 13 for their concern and support. Thanks to the doctors, therapists and nurses at TIRR. And special thanks to my sons and wife, who have had to go through the recovery with me... and I'm not always the greatest patient."

Melton has not said when he plans to return to television, and in December KTRK hired Hugh Lewis, formerly sports director of KVUE in Austin.

"It’s like the injury report, where they’re listed as day to day,” Melton told the Chronicle. “The thing is making progress. Some areas are closer than others, but I’m making progress every day. At least I have a good sense of the fact that I can make it back, and that is the biggest thing.”

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana