Texas finally gets its turn with Oct. 7 statewide event

Around 30 exhibitors, including the Travis County Sheriff's Department and the Austin SWAT patrol, will be presenting static displays this year at Austin's festivity, which will start with a kickoff celebration at Turner Roberts Recreation Center at 5 p.m. Mimi Freeman, program director for the Parks and Recreation Department, arranged for the facility.

Other companies and organizations are following suit. A prominent Austin cab company voluntarily advertised the event on taxi billboards, and Austin Energy sponsored a coloring contest in the city's daily newspaper, according to Salinas.

"We want folks to learn about reporting suspicious activity," Salinas said. "We're combating a fear of retaliation."

And Salinas is looking to put Texas back on top this year after last year's 2nd place finish, the only instance in the past 14 years the state did not carry top honors.

"We're going to take back No. 1 this year," she said.