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Homicide Investigators Need Publics Help On Locating Murder Suspect.

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Agency Logo
Wednesday February 9, 2022, 11:32 AM

Harris County Sheriff’s Office

Your 21st Century Leading Law Enforcement Agency

Community: Homicide Investigators Need Publics Help On Locating Murder Suspect.

Dear Nixle User,

On, Monday, February 7, 2022, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to an in progress life in danger  type call for service at the 5800 block of Elberta Street.
Upon arrival, the decedent  38-year-old Arturo Pecina, was located unresponsive inside of his motor vehicle.

Deputies attempted life saving measures, but Mr.Pecina, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene.

Harris County Homicide Investigators interviewed witnesses who identified  33-year-old Samuel Ibarra-Cleto as the suspect.

We have received information that Ibarra-Cleto is fleeing to Mexico at this time to avoid apprehension and prosecution.

His vehicle is described as a blue in color, 2009 GMC Sierra, two door extended cab with a Texas temporary license plate (39103P7.)

Ibarra-Cleto is still believed to be in possession of the murder weapon and should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.

If you have any information in regards to the whereabouts of Ibarra-Cleto you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or the HCSO Homicide office at 713-274-9100

¿Ganará o perderá? Empresario texano apuesta 4.5 millones de dólares a Bengals en el Super Bowl LVI

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El empresario texano James Franklin McIngvale, apodado ‘Mattress Mack‘ y conocido en EUA por sus millonarias apuestas deportivas, se juega esta vez más de 4.5 millones de dólares por la victoria de los Bengals de Cincinnati en el LVI Super Bowl.

Propietario de la cadena minorista Gallery Furniture, “Mattress Mack” ha vuelto a acaparar titulares con esta apuesta hecha a través de una aplicación para móviles de la firma Caesars Sportbook.

Obviamente, no pudo apostar una suma tan grande de una sola vez, según contó a las cadenas de televisión de EUA.

Pasó más de dos horas en una tienda de bebidas alcohólicas registrando apuestas con su teléfono hasta completar los 4.53 millones de dólares que decidió arriesgar por los Bengals.

Además, para poder apostar legalmente tal cantidad debió viajar desde Texas al vecino estado de Luisiana, cuyas normas sobre apuestas deportivas son más suaves.

Los medios dicen que se trata de la mayor apuesta deportiva hecha por medio de una aplicación en la historia de EUA.

La final de la liga de fútbol americano, el popular Super Bowl, se disputará este 13 de febrero entre los Rams de Los Ángeles y los Bengals de Cincinnati en el SoFi Stadium de Inglewood, California.

“Mattress Mack” acompaña sus apuestas con promociones en sus tiendas por el Super Bowl. En este caso si los Bengals ganan la liga, los clientes de su tienda que hayan comprado un colchón o determinados muebles recibirán el dinero gastado.

En caso de ganar la apuesta, McIngvale recibirá 7.7 millones de dólares.

Si no, su fortuna, que se calcula en unos 300 millones de dólares, se reducirá en 4.5 millones de dólares y “Mattress Mack”, seguramente recibirá una reprimenda de su esposa, dice uno de los medios.

De acuerdo con esta información, el empresario, miembro del movimiento conservador Tea Party, ha conocido la derrota en otras apuestas pero no escarmienta.

Source: elsiglodetorreon

Houston – Harris County Task Force on Special Events Announced Today

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HOUSTON –  Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia today announced the creation of the City of Houston – Harris County Task Force on Special Events.

The full news conference can be viewed here.

The Special Events Task Force was created to review and make recommendations to improve communication, protocols, and permitting requirements in Houston and Harris County to ensure consistent operational standards for future events. Existing policy, procedures and requisites will be reviewed, as well as industry standards and best practices, to enhance operational management and other event disciplines.

‘Our decision to form the Task Force is about looking to the future and not back on any incident. We realize that by working together and bringing together many of the best individuals in event planning and safety, we can and must form stronger alliances,” said Mayor Turner. “We will not directly investigate the deadly Astroworld Festival, and I think we would be dishonest if we say it didn’t precipitate it. Certainly, it did. The task force will be futuristic. The investigation into the Astroworld event continues, so we certainly do not want to impede that investigation.”

“As the county and city continue to grow their events portfolio, it is more important than ever to develop procedures that ensure public safety. In the immediate aftermath of any emergency, clarity is crucial. This task force of industry and government leaders is designed to create new best practices,” said Commissioner Garcia. “I am confident that the team led by our new Deputy County Administrator for Public Safety and Justice, Perrye Turner, along with his co-chair from the city of Houston’s Office of Special Events, Susan Christian, will work expeditiously to develop plans that will make Harris County a leader in hosting world-class events. I also want to thank our other committee members for lending their expertise to these efforts.”

Mayor Turner and Commissioner Garcia have selected ten industry leaders to serve on the Special Events Task Force. Each member of the task force brings individual expertise in various disciplines within the events industry.

The task force is expected to hold monthly meetings.

City of Houston 

  • Susan Christian, Director, Mayor’s Office of Special Events
  • Troy Finner, Chief of Police, Houston Police Department
  • Samuel Pena, Chief, Houston Fire Department
  • Steven Adelman, Vice President, Event Safety Alliance
  • Rob McKinley, Co-Founder, President and Owner, LD Systems

Harris County

  • Perrye Turner, Harris County Deputy County Administrator for Justice & Safety and Task Force Co-Chair
  • Laurie Christensen, Harris County Fire Marshall
  • Rolf Nelson – Harris County Sheriff’s Office Major over Homeland Security
  • Ryan Walsh, Executive Director, Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation
  • Mike DeMarco, Chief Show Operations Officer, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Susan Christian and Perrye Turner will serve as task force co-chairs.

Susan Christian is Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events (MOSE). While embracing public and private partnerships, she developed the city’s year-round Civic Celebration Program that includes nationally noted signature events. Today, the program is an ambitious revenue-generating platform that manages nearly 1000 events, representing over 2000 event days, and attended by more than 10 million people. Christian also developed the City’s Special Events Ordinance, Chapter 25, one of the most contemporary ordinances in the nation. She serves as Ex-officio Director of Houston Civic Events, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit, local government cooperation, which supports MOSE programs and services that was established in 2015 by Houston Mayor and City Council.

Steven A. Adelman is a lawyer focusing on safety and security at live events, as well as Vice President of the Event Safety Alliance and Deputy Chair of the Global Crowd Management Alliance.  He is principal author ANSI ES1.9-2020, the authoritative standard for crowd management in the United States.  He has taught Risk Management in Venues at Arizona State University’s law school, and he has served as an event safety expert in some of the largest lawsuits in recent U.S. history.

Troy Finner has served the citizens of Houston for 31-years. He was named Houston Police Chief in April 2021 and has risen through the ranks to lead a police force of about 5,100 officers and 900 civilian employees. Troy Finner was born in the 5th Ward area of Houston and raised in the Hiram Clarke neighborhood. He holds a Bachelors of Science, Criminal Justice from Sam Houston University and a Masters of Criminology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He believes in strong community policing and is committed to youth mentoring programs that help to bridge the gaps in trust and communication with the police. Chief Finner leads from the front line during major events, civil unrest, and protests. He embraces the use of technology and data-driven analysis in the reduction of crime. He has a proven record of bringing community unity, leading operational improvements, and enhancing departmental productivity to reduce costs.

Samuel Peña is a 28-year veteran of the fire service and leads the third largest municipal fire department in the country. Peña has general responsibility for the supervision and management of emergency fire and medical response, and enforcing all laws of the state and ordinances of the City of Houston covering fire prevention and the adopted fire code. Peña has served in Unified Command directing Houston fire department assets during Hurricane Harvey, Tropical Storm Imelda, Tropical Storm Beta, Hurricane Nicholas, Winter Storm Uri, Super Bowl 51, World Series 2017, 2019, 2021, and the Watson Grinding explosion in 2020. Chief Peña holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso, and served four years as a command and control specialist in the U.S. Air Force. His is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); National Association of Search and Rescue.

Rob McKinley is the Co-Founder, President, and General Manager of LD Systems in Houston, Texas.  LD Systems is a national Sound-Lighting-Video Production Services company based in Houston, Texas with satellite operations in San Antonio and Austin.  While earning an Electrical Engineering Bachelor of Science degree at Rice University, McKinley co-founded the company in 1975 and has established LD Systems as one of the premier providers of technical production services to the event industry.  Noteworthy large scale events with LD Systems services are The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, San Antonio Rodeo, Austin Rodeo, ACL Festival in Austin, Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee, The NFL Draft, July 4th Freedom Over Texas in Houston,  and The Power Of Houston-citywide civic celebration.  McKinley and team have been involved with thousands of events over their 46 year history in the presentation and entertainment industry.

Major Rolf Nelson serves as the Homeland Security Bureau Major for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Maj. Nelson began his law enforcement career in 1984 as a U.S. Army military police officer. He served in the U.S. Army for three years, rising to the rank of sergeant. After serving his country, Maj. Nelson joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1990 and has since held a variety of roles over his more than three decades of public service, including field training patrol deputy, firearms instructor, training academy instructor, accident reconstructionist, and homicide sergeant. His primary role in the Homeland Security Bureau is to support front-line deputies with resolving various crises without incident, ranging from a warrant execution and a barricaded suspect to hostage negotiation and counterterrorism operations.Ryan Walsh started with the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation in February of 2017 as Director of Projects and Capital Improvement and was appointed Executive Director by the Board of Directors in May of 2018. HCSCC was created by Harris County Commissioners Court to oversee, maintain, manage and develop county-owned NRG Park that includes NRG Stadium, NRG Center, NRG Arena, and the NRG Astrodome. As Executive Director, he is responsible for the oversight and operation of NRG Park in both day-to-day operations and long-term development. Notable projects include coordinating NRG Park operations for the Federal Disaster Shelter and Recovery efforts after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. In his time working for the county, Ryan worked on various policy issues, including Emergency Management, County Boards and Commissions, and Harris County Public Health.

Mike DeMarco is the Chief Show Operations Officer for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. His responsibilities are the facility’s day-to-day operations, including safety and medical, security to include law enforcement planning and oversite, cleaning, facility grounds staffing, traffic control, transportation, busing operations, and carnival operations. Mike oversees 30 plus committees with over 8000 volunteers. He has a full-time staff of 30 plus employees and at showtime 250 plus contractors. Year after year, the rodeo continues as the most highly attended event in both the city of Houston and Harris County.

Chief Laurie Christensen is the Fire Marshal of Harris County, Texas, the third-most populous county in the United States. Fire Marshal Christensen is a graduate of the University of Houston Downtown with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management from Sam Houston State University. She is an accredited Fire Marshal, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, a Master Peace Officer, and a Master Firefighter. Christensen is a retired member of the Pasadena Fire Department, the former Fire Marshal of La Porte, TX, and has over 30 years of experience in emergency response. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office is an independent law enforcement agency. The duties encompass Head of Department for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and Head of Department for Texas Fire Commission (TCFP) administrator for the department and county government. The mission of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office is to safeguard the lives and property of the residents in Harris County through effective fire prevention, fire investigation, education, hazmat operations, emergency response, and emergency management.

Perrye K. Turner, Sr. brings more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and security operations in the public, private, and education sectors. He recently retired from the Houston Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as Special Agent in Charge. In this role he directed daily operations including all national security, criminal investigative programs, operational, administrative, financial, and security functions. Turner’s exceptional experience and dedication to public safety have prepared him to drive Harris County’s ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and reform the criminal justice system in support of the 4.7 million residents of Harris County. Highlights from his 30-year tenure with the FBI include leading FBI Field Office management of security operations for Super Bowl LI, the MLB World Series, and Hurricane Harvey recovery and response, and serving as the on-scene commander for the Santa Fe High School and Naval Air Station (Corpus Christi) active shooter investigations. In 2015, Turner received the Presidential Rank Award, one of the most prestigious honors in the federal career civil service, which is only given to the top one percent of Senior Executives by the President of the United States.

City of Houston and CenterPoint Energy announce transformative initiative to enhance energy resilience and promote transition to sustainable energy

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HOUSTON, Tx —  The City of Houston and CenterPoint Energy today announced the launch of Resilient Now, a first-of-its-kind collaborative framework to develop a regional master energy plan to enhance local power resilience across the greater Houston area.

The collaboration is designed to optimize infrastructure investments and advance new energy solutions to address the challenges of increasingly frequent and disruptive weather events, while building the blueprint for a sustainable future to support increased electric transportation and the use of more renewable energy sources. As part of the master energy plan, the public-private collaboration will develop programs to advance residential weatherization and economic development in vulnerable communities. The initiative will also focus on the training needed to enable a new sustainable energy workforce.

Originally announced at Houston’s State of the City Address, Resilient Now aligns around three core pillars critical to the success of the endeavor: Infrastructure modernization; outcome-based investments; and inclusive and continuous communication.

“CenterPoint Energy is proud to be collaborating with the City of Houston to develop a regional plan to focus on immediate, medium- and long-term reliability solutions that are specific to the needs of individual communities,” said Dave Lesar, President and Chief Executive Officer of CenterPoint Energy.

“My administration set out to make resilience a foundational priority because, as the past six years have shown us, we continue to face increasingly challenging weather events of an unprecedented magnitude,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “We must all work together to address power vulnerability and insecurity across every community in our area. Resilient Now will include additional infrastructure investments to support our community in a manner that helps businesses grow, and even thrive, in our changing environment.”

Lesar added, “Last year’s winter storm and other storms like Hurricane Nicholas demonstrated the effects increasingly disruptive weather can have on our community. Resilient Now will help establish the range of strategic power infrastructure investments that will help advance the greater Houston area as a leader for meeting community power reliability needs and supporting our continued population growth, while also enabling a roadmap to a clean energy future.”

Both the City of Houston and CenterPoint Energy have begun implementing a range of individual and joint actions to strengthen critical infrastructure and protect essential services in neighborhoods. During its most recent session, the Texas Legislature authorized several measures that are allowing Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs), such as CenterPoint Energy, to immediately implement critical actions to lessen both the frequency and impact of power outages. These actions include piloting a year-round volunteer commercial load-shedding program and the procurement of mobile emergency electric generation to aid in more quickly restoring power to distribution customers during certain widespread power outages, which are defined by the legislation.

Meanwhile, the City of Houston has strengthened its own infrastructure to improve resilience at its water plants and other critical facilities, including the acquisition of emergency generators, upgrades to electrical circuits to enable highspeed rollover services, and repairs and winterization at these facilities. The City is also looking toward long-term resilience by exploring and investing in electric vehicle infrastructure, repurposing brownfields for renewable energy resources, and expediting the implementation of both the Houston Climate Action Plan and Resilient Houston to afford immediate benefits to Houston communities.

Resilient Now will guide strategic plans and investments around power resilience over the next 10 years. CenterPoint Energy is working jointly with the City of Houston’s leadership team, including the Airport System, Public Works, the Office of Emergency Management and METRO. They are also working with Harris County and other regional cities and counties to implement the necessary actions and investments to drive successful outcomes.

Mayor Turner added, “As the fourth largest U.S. city, Houston endeavors to be a global leader in innovation and establish a model of resilience for cities everywhere. The City of Houston is committed to this higher purpose and believes making these improvements today will position us to continue our global leadership in energy, space exploration and healthcare innovation.”

Woman charged in MS-13 machete murder is on the run; reward offered

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   A woman charged with murder for luring a man to his death at the hands of machete-wielding MS-13 gang members is on the run and a reward is being offered for tips leading to her capture, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Wednesday.  

Karla Jackelin Morales, 20, cut off her ankle monitor with GPS tracking abilities and jumped bail just days before her October 2021 trial was set to begin for her role in the 2018 shooting and machete killing of 24-year-old Jose Villanueva.

Authorities had hoped to capture Morales in recent weeks but are now asking for the public’s help.

“She helped plan and plot this vicious execution, and somebody out there knows where she is hiding,” Ogg said. “You can do the right thing by helping deliver justice for Jose’s family, and you can collect a reward for your efforts.”

Five gang members who slaughtered Villanueva have already been convicted and sentenced to prison. Morales is the last to face trial.

Morales goes by the nicknames “Cherry,” “Karlita,” “Missy,” and “Foxy.” She is 5 feet tall with a heavy build. She has black hair and brown eyes, as well as tattoos, including a large one on her upper left chest that reads “Alicia.”

The defendant was set for trial on Oct. 25 and was free on a $60,000 bond. On Oct. 20, she cut off her ankle monitor, which included a GPS tracking device, and absconded. She has since been charged with bond jumping.

Ogg said that authorities will not ask the immigration status of potential tipsters, and they can in fact remain anonymous, even when they get paid.

On July 29, 2018, Morales lured Villanueva, who liked soccer and rap music, to a grassy field near a Spring elementary school to smoke marijuana, a belated birthday gift. Once he got there, several MS-13 members hacked him with machetes, and then, as he tried to crawl away, shot him repeatedly with a handgun. Villanueva had been hiding from the gang members, who were searching for him for allegedly disparaging the gang in a rap-music battle. In a scheme that was planned for weeks, Morales delivered Villanueva into the hands of his attackers.

His wracked and decomposing remains were found days later.

Morales was born in California but has family in Central America, including Honduras and El Salvador. Authorities believe she may still be in the Houston area.

Back when Morales was charged, prosecutors asked a magistrate judge to set her bond at $250,000. The judge instead set it at $100,000. A district court judge later lowered the bond to $60,000 and waived the defendant’s fees for an ankle monitor. She failed to show up for a hearing days before her trial was to begin and hasn’t been seen since.

The case is being prosecuted by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office’s Gangs and Organized Crime Division. It was investigated by the Houston Police Department’s Gangs Division.

Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering a reward of $5,000 for information leading to her capture. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Donovan Carrillo, el joven mexicano que hizo historia al clasificarse para la final de patinaje artístico en los Juegos de Invierno

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Donovan Carrillo en Beijing 2022

El joven de 22 años se clasificó para la final de patinaje artístico individual masculino de los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Beijing 2022, con una rutina que causó mucho orgullo en su país.

Al ritmo de los temas Black Magic Woman y Shake it, de Carlos Santana, Carrillo bordó un programa que dejó buenas sensaciones y la mejor puntuación de su carrera: 79,69.

“No quería que terminara. Estaba siendo un momento muy especial y estaba disfrutando al máximo lo que más amo en la vida, que es patinar”, le dijo a la prensa en Pekín tras completar la rutina que dedicó a su familia y a todo México.

“Debutar en estos Juegos Olímpicos es un sueño hecho realidad para mí. En general el programa fue sólido, me siento muy contento con el resultado”, añadió.

Y es que el camino hacia Beijing 2022 no ha sido nada sencillo para Carrillo Suazo y su familia, pues en México no tiene la infraestructura necesaria, empezando por una pista de patinaje profesional.

Donovan Carrillo en Beijing 2022

“En México, la mayoría de las pistas de hielo que hay están dentro de centros comerciales”, donde él ha tenido que entrenar para las grandes competencias, dice en la serie documental Winter Track de Beijing 2022.

Eso también se refleja en el hecho de que ningún otro patinador mexicano se había clasificado para los Juegos Olímpicos invernales desde hace 30 años. Carrillo es, además, el primer latinoamericano en disputar la final en su disciplina en unas Olimpiadas.

En las pistas de centros comerciales

Carrillo Suazo nació en la ciudad de Guadalajara, la segunda más grande de México.

Su acercamiento al patinaje se dio porque su hermana lo practicaba y porque su madre le inculcó el gusto por el deporte, como él mismo explica. Y también por amor, pues dice que le gustaba una niña patinadora.

“Poco a poco el patinaje me fue envolviendo hasta que terminé enamorándome del deporte“, explica.

Sin embargo, la única pista de hielo con condiciones aceptables para practicar el patinaje artístico cerró en Guadalajara, lo que lo obligó a mudarse en 2013 con su entrenador, Gregorio Núñez, a la ciudad de León, a 220 km de donde vivía con sus padres.

“No es un deporte barato y yo creo que es el primer impedimento que lo detenía a él”, explica Núñez en Winter Track.

Sin embargo, su deseo de ser el mejor y aspirar a los más grandes escenarios del patinaje artístico lo motivó a continuar pese a la falta de condiciones.

“En México, la mayoría de las pistas de hielo que hay están dentro de centros comerciales. Y el entrenar en una pista donde hay cierto tipo de distractores y situaciones, como patinar con música todo el tiempo, hace que el entrenamiento se vuelva más desafiante”, señala Carrillo Suazo.

“Tienes que entrenar con una calidad de hielo muy, muy por debajo de la que existe en competencias internacionales.

“Muchos países sí tienen la fortuna [de tenerlo]. En el verano estuve entrenando en Italia, en una ciudad superchiquitita, con muy pocos habitantes, tenía un complejo impresionante con una pista de hielo que quisiéramos tener en Guadalajara”, añade.

Su padre, Adolfo Carrillo, reconoce que “no hay dinero” suficiente para costear un deporte así, incluso su entrenador no ha cobrado los honorarios que debería, pero lo han apoyado cuanto han podido: “Ha sido un proceso, pero creo que vale la pena”.

En 2019 Carrillo Suazo fue incluido en el programa de deportistas de alto rendimiento del gobierno de México, lo que le ayudó a costear los gastos para entrenarse y competir a nivel mundial.

Un toque mexicano al patinaje

La última vez que México tuvo patinadores artísticos en Juegos Olímpicos fue en Albertville 1992, pero nunca se habían clasificado para una final.

Se trata de un deporte escasamente practicado a nivel profesional en ese país.

Sin embargo, desde hace algunos años, la habilidad y estilo de Donovan Carrillo Suazo lo han destacado a nivel nacional, con rutinas en las que incluye temas de la cultura popular mexicana, como música de Juan Gabriel, piezas de danzón o mariachi.

“Siempre intento resaltar la cultura mexicana”, explica.

Donovan Carrillo en una actuación¿Y cómo ha logrado impulsar su carrera, a pesar de los obstáculos?

Para el joven patinador, la preparación va más allá de la cuestión técnica y artística.

“El visualizarme a mí mismo, en diferentes espacios, pistas, escenarios, es algo que hago desde pequeño: ver mi rutina de inicio a fin, en un espacio grande, con un graderío, con jueces viéndome, a un lado mi entrenador… Y la mente es súper poderosa”, “, dice Carrillo Suazo.

Para él, hay algo que los mexicanos deben tener en mente a la hora de seguir sus metas: “No importa las adversidades que se te presenten, trabaja duro y nunca te rindas”.

Source: bbc

NATIONAL PIZZA DAY

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National Pizza Day on February 9th celebrates one of America’s all-time favorite foods. Whether it is thin crust, Chicago-style, deep dish, or anything in between, pizza is an American favorite.

We love our pizzas, and they come in so many varieties, too. As we nosh on our favorite, explore a few pizza facts:

  • Pepperoni is the most popular pizza at 36% of all pies ordered.
  • Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the USA each year.  Add another 1 billion on frozen pizzas
  • In the United States, 17% of all restaurants are pizzerias.
  •  Antica Pizzeria, the first Pizzeria, opened in Naples, Italy, in 1738.
  •  Gennaro Lombardi, the first Pizzeria in the United States, opened in 1895 in New York City.
  • Americans consume on average 23 pounds of pizza per person each year.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPizzaDay

NATIONAL PIZZA DAY HISTORY

National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this ever-popular food holiday. However, the mystery remains. One thing we do know is how to eat pizza. Do you?

Pizza FAQ

Q. Are all pizzas round?
A. No. Pizzas are also made into rectangles and squares.

Q. Do thing crusts have leavening agents in them?
A. Most thin crust pizza recipes call for some sort of leaving agent such as yeast or baking soda. There are recipes, however, that call for no leavening agent.

Q. Which is better, thin or thick crust?
A. It depends on a variety of factors and personal choice. Different toppings fair better on one type of crust versus another. Some sauces require a thicker, more durable crust.

Source: nationaldaycalendar

Budgeting for Justice, Fairness, and Equity

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Today, Commissioners Court approved Harris County’s FY2022-FY2023 budget. A budget is more than dollars and cents; it’s a reflection of our values. Harris County should be a place where every resident is safe, healthy, and has the opportunity to thrive. And that’s what we are working toward with this budget.

The newly approved budget of $1.302 Billion for Short Fiscal Year 2022 that continues the direction we set in 2020 for greater opportunity, equity, and justice. For too long, our county has been a place of deep inequities—where life expectancy varies by more than 20 years depending on one’s zip code, or where nearly a quarter of children live in poverty. And the pandemic exacerbates those disparities—with Black and Hispanic communities and women still bearing a disproportionate burden of the last two years. With this budget, we are working to narrow those gaps, by providing vital services to increase access to healthcare, affordable housing, childcare, good jobs, clean air and water, and economic opportunities for everyone.

This is a budget that prioritizes community health and safety—with justice, fairness, and equity at its center. We focus on proven strategies to make communities safer by investing in community and hospital-based violence interruption programs, holistic first responder teams, cleaning up neighborhoods so they are places where children can play, and community-oriented policing in communities with historic under-investment. We are making our justice system fairer and more effective through additional court resources, multilingual interpretation, and quality lawyers. We are going to deliver justice more quickly and ensure that anyone, no matter how much money they have in the bank, has a fair shot in court.

These key investments in our community will move Harris County forward on the path to a safer, healthier, and more resilient community that provides equitable opportunities for all residents.

Unfortunately, due to three straight years of irresponsible cuts to vital services—forced by our colleagues refusing to maintain longstanding tax rates—this proposed budget falls far short of what the people of Harris County deserve. Had we simply maintained the tax rate, over the last three budget cycles, there would have been $500 million to invest in community safety, flood protection, healthcare, creating good jobs, and affordable housing. I want to do more to protect our community from pollution, to rebuild flood-damaged homes, and to support mental health during these challenging times. This is what the people of Harris County deserve.

This budget is a step in the right direction, and I will keep fighting for more resources to go to making Harris County families safer and healthier. For resources to give workers and small businesses, a chance to thrive economically and recover from the devastating effects of this pandemic. For resources to protect access to the ballot box, in the face voter suppression. For resources to improve health, reduce pollution, and keep homes affordable and resilient.

Allocating limited resources is not easy for a household, and it’s not easy for a county. We must be intentional and effective with investments that promote equity, justice and opportunity. I will continue to fight for the resources and services you Harris County residents deserve—for a safe, healthy, and equitable county.

Oscar Nominations Revealed!

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Academy Awards 2022 (2022)
THE OSCARS®
LIVE Sunday, March 27th 8e/5p
The Oscars® Race is On!
The Oscar® 2022 Nominations have been announced! See the stars and films looking to achieve the highest honor, and watch LIVE Sunday, March 27th 8e/5p on ABC!
Academy Awards 2022 (2022)
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