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Saturday, March 15, 2025

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Texans O-Line could be in for more changes

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The Texans offensive line has already had a number changes through three games and more could be coming. With the latest injury to Senio Kelemete, Greg Mancz could start in Houston’s Week 4 matchup at Indianapolis.

“Not sure about Kelemete right now, probably will know better about Kelemete in the middle of the week for you,” head coach Bill O’Brien said Monday. “Mancz is a fighter. He’s a smart player, tough guy, and he did okay.”

Mancz started at left guard for Kelemete, who suffered a knee injury in warmups prior to the Texans Week 3 game against the New York Giants.

It was the third consecutive week with a different starting offensive line. Both starting tackles have changed since the start of the regular season. Right tackle Seantrel Henderson underwent season-ending ankle surgery after his Week 1 injury. Starting left tackle Julién Davenport moved to right tackle for Week 2, while rookie Martinas Rankin took over the blind side for Week 2.

With five players working to build chemistry, the Texans offensive line has had its share of penalties and early challenges. Second-year tackle Davenport, who spent most of training camp working at left tackle, has also struggled after his switch to the right side.

“Yeah he’s (Davenport’s) struggling and we just to got to work with it and keep getting better,” O’Briens said. “We’re definitely looking at that position. He’s a good guy. He’s going to work hard to get better but he needs to improve no doubt.”

Every week, the team brings in players for tryouts on Mondays and Tuesdays. The offensive line could be among the position groups that the Texans look to add depth and improve in the weeks to come.

Recap: Houston Dyanmo 0, Orlando City SC 0

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The Houston Dynamo earned their second consecutive positive result with a 0-0 draw at Orlando City SC Saturday night. Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis earned his fourth clean sheet of the season, posting four saves on the night to deliver the result for his side.

The Dynamo created a pair of golden scoring chances in the first half but were not rewarded on either. The first came in the 17th minute when defender Alejandro Fuenmayor sent a long ball upfield, putting forward Romell Quioto in alone against Orlando goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Grinwis was first to the ball at the edge of the box, but his touch to collect the all was too heavy, creating an opportunity for Quioto. The ‘keeper dove for the ball but Quioto managed to get a toe on it, poking it away from Grinwis and dribbling it into an empty net for an apparent goal. The play went to Video Review and called back by referee Baldomero Toledo, who whistled a foul on Quioto for kicking the ball out of the goalkeeper’s possession upon review.

The second half began with a quick foul by Dynamo midfielder Darwin Cerén, leading to a free kick just outside the box. Orlando forward Yoshimar Yotún took the shot, but it caught the foot of Kljestan and trickled wide of the target. The Dynamo saw their first chance of the second half in the 58th minute, when midfielder Boniek García sent a long diagonal ball to Quioto to put him behind the defense. Quioto ran onto the ball and fired a low shot from just outside the box that was saved by an onrushing Grinwis.

Dynamo midfielder Tomás Martínez gathered the rebound and sent another shot on target, but his effort was blocked by a diving effort from an Orlando defender. Houston created a pair of late scoring chances as the game neared its conclusion.

In the 89th minute when midfielder Arturo Alvarez, a second-half substitute, dribbled through two Orlando defenders into the penalty area, but the defense was able to recover just in time to deny Alvarez a shooting chance. Then in the first minute of stoppage time, Alvarez slipped forward Ronald Peña in behind the Orlando back line, but the Venezuelan’s low shot was saved by Grinwis.

LSC-University Park’s Puente Project addresses diversity, achievement

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Lone Star College-University Park’s Puente Project is bridging academic success gaps and creating innovative opportunities for students to complete degrees and achieve greater personal success.

Puente, which means “bridge” in Spanish, is a community college program that provides instruction, advising and mentoring for diverse, traditionally underrepresented and first-generation college students. The program helps students earn associate degrees and certificates, transfer to fouryear universities and colleges, and return to their communities as future mentors.

In partnership with the Puente Project based at the Center for Educational Partnerships at Berkeley, California, LSC-University Park has tailored this national award-winning program to fit the needs of the local community, ensuring that education levels better match the local demographic.

“LSC-University Park is the community’s college, and as such, we work tirelessly to better serve the community,” said Dr. Shah Ardalan, LSC-University Park president. “Diversity and inclusion are central to our mission and are purposefully addressed each day with our students, faculty and staff. Puente supports education and workforce demand and is culturally relevant, adding value to our community. We are proud to support each student on their paths to successful futures.”

Puente allows faculty and staff to meet students where they are and build on their experiences and backgrounds. Trained English instructors use experientially and culturally relevant materials to help students reach their course learning outcomes. The program also provides wrap-around services, including a dedicated mentor and an adviser, and sets up opportunities for students to make connections in the college and the community.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) higher education plan, 60x30TX, calls for 60-percent of Texans between 25- to 35-years-old to have a certificate or degree by 2030 for the state of Texas to be competitive. Puente takes direct aim at reaching this goal. Led by Paula Khalaf, professor of developmental English at LSCUniversity Park, and Shannon Hausinger, director of the Student Learning Resource Center at LSC-University Park, Puente is showing high retention and course completion rates in less than two years.

“Puente is a fairly new program to our college, but data indicates that Puente is a worthwhile endeavor for student success,” said Khalaf. “Our students have more opportunities to successfully reach their academic goals and achieve completion. Puente is giving students a support system and family within the college, encouraging them to enroll in the next semester and take one more step to a degree or certificate.” Outside the classroom, Puente students visit several four-year institutions, including University of HoustonDowntown, Sam Houston State University, and most recently, University of Houston. Students also participate in mentor activities and enjoy gatherings involving their families and classroom communities.

“To give our Puente students a better foundation for success, we work with them to build a trusted network within the college and develop involvement from home,” said Khalaf. “Each semester, we offer opportunities for students to meet with professionals in industries they are interested in, and for family members or friends to visit LSC-University Park with the students and meet the professors, advisers and mentors. We are building richer environments of support to guide our students to the finish line.”

To support the services Puente offers, professional development for instructors has become key. Puente includes training and support components for professors, advisers and mentors throughout the year. Faculty and staff participate in fiveday, in-residence immersion training on Puente techniques, and two additional two-day seminars.

“Puente is a methodology about good teaching, not a curriculum,” said Hausinger. “We have made it a priority to work with our professors to enhance their classroom approaches and design instruction around their students’ cultural capital and individuality.”

“Puente has made me a more conscious, more deliberate instructor in terms of building community,” said Brian L. Reeves, professor of developmental English and department chair at LSCUniversity Park. “In a single activity, students can learn, become more confident and build relationships. That is the power of Puente.”

As Puente continues to grow at LSCUniversity Park, Khalaf and Hausinger will expand the program beyond the traditional English focus of California’s program, and will involve more disciplines of core freshmen courses, including mathematics, history, speech, psychology and sociology. As well, they are considering the addition of a service learning component.

Established in 2012 and enrolling more than 13,000 students per semester, LSCUniversity Park has been recognized as one of the fastest growing and most innovative institutions of higher education in the country. Under its founding president, Dr. Shah Ardalan, LSC-University Park is devoted to impacting the community’s prosperity and upward mobility through student success. The college’s competent and compassionate faculty and staff provide students with holistic and immersive education and training in disciplines and industries that meet current and future workforce needs. Standout college facilities include the Center for Science & Innovation, the Energy & Manufacturing Institute, the Innovation Lab and the Geology Rock Wall. For more information about LSC-University Park, please visit LoneStar.edu/UP or call 281.290.2600.

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.

Programa de ICE que recluta policías locales para perseguir a indocumentados sigue en alza

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Desde que Donald Trump llegó a la presidencia se dio inicia a una ola nacional para combatir la inmigración ilegal y como pieza fundamental de esta estrategia, el programa 287(g).

Este programa está destinado a reclutar a departamentos de polícia locales para colaboren de distintas maneras con ICE y en algun caso realicen funciones de autoridad migratoria, algo que ha estado desde la creación del programa en el centro de las críticas por parte de densores de los inmigrantes.

Una reciente auditoria sobre el programa concluyó que durante la administración Trump el programa se ha extendido demasiado en ocasiones eludiendo la planificación, capacitación y tecnología necesarias para la identificación de indocumentados, informó este lunes el Inspector General del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional.

Conocido como 287 (g), el polémico programa se ha más que duplicado bajo la presidencia de Trump, de 36 a 76 departamentos locales que participaron desde esta primavera. Parte de estos problemas, asegura la auditoría, es que el Congreso también ha reducido las finanzas del programa, dejándolo sin el dinero para contratar gerentes de programas para supervisar los departamentos locales que se están inscribiendo.

El informe alertar sobre los vacios que esta generando este programa por el afán del gobierno de Donald Trump de sumar más departamentos locales de polícia en su guerra contra la inmigración ilegal.

Wortham Theater Center: Home is where the art is

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QUICK REFERENCE FACTS

Wortham Harvey facts:

August 27, 2017 water from Hurricane Harvey filled the basement of the Wortham. Some flood water also reached other parts of the venue, and flood water filled the Theater District underground parking garages, including the tunnel between the garages and the Wortham.

GALLONS OF WATER IN UNDERGROUND THEATER DISTRICT PARKING GARAGE

  • 270 million gallons of water filled underground garages and tunnel connected to Wortham

FLOOD WATER IN WORTHAM

  • 12 feet of water filled Wortham basement
  • About 3 inches of water entered the Texas lobby of the Wortham
  • Several inches of water entered the Brown Theater from the street and from Buffalo Bayou reaching parts of the stage, carpeting, walls of the theater and filling the orchestra pit.
  • Water reached the two side aisles of the Cullen Theater, but did not reach the stage or seating.

DAMAGES

  • One-third of 60 air-handling units damaged.
  • Mechanical equipment; electrical, plumbing and elevator systems below ground floor suffered extensive damage.
  • Opera & Ballet performance and rehearsal spaces, costume shops, and storage, all located in the basement, all destroyed.
  • Brown Theater – flood water reached parts of the stage, so the flooring had to be replaced; no seats were damaged.
  • Cullen Theater – the stage was not impacted, but a few inches of flood water did come down two side aisles, so carpet and sections of plaster walls had to be replaced. Seats were not damaged, but were replaced as part of already planned upkeep and maintenance.

RESTORATION & RECONSTRUCTION

  • Gilbane & its subcontractors responsible for initial recovery and restoration; pumping out water, preserving integrity of building
  • Manhattan & its subcontractors responsible for reconstruction, renovation of building • Turner is Project Manager
  • HKA & ARUP are project design teams

COSTS OF HARVEY DAMAGES

  • Estimated $100 million (Does not include recovery costs in underground garages or mitigation)

NUMBER OF EVENTS & PERFORMANCES RELOCATED/RESCHEDULED/CANCELLED

  • 229

NUMBER OF TICKETS REFUNDED

  • More than 3,000 tickets refunded that had already gone on sale to 17 performances

LAST EVENT/PERFORMANCE BEFORE CLOSING DUE TO HARVEY

  • Mayor’s Jazz Brunch, Sunday August 13, 2017 in Grand Foyer
  • Dave Koz concert, Sunday, July 23, 2017 in Brown Theater
  • The Gongoliers, Sunday, July 23, 2017 in Cullen Theater

FIRST PERFORMANCE AFTER REOPENING

  • The Houston Grand Opera presents world-renowned tenor, Placido Domingo, Wednesday, September 26, 2018

WORTHAM CENTER FACTS:

  • YEAR WORTHAM BUILT • 987
  • NUMBER OF THEATER SEATS
    • Brown – 2400
    • Cullen – 1100
  • SIZE OF WORTHAM • 38,000 square feet
  • COSTS TO BUILD WORTHAM • $66 million
  • RESIDENT COMPANIES • Houston Ballet • Houston Grand Opera
  • HOME TO OTHER PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS & PRODUCTIONS • DaCamera • Mercury • Society of Performing Arts • Number of other entertainment and production groups

Register to vote in Harris County and Early Voting

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Registering to Vote

To vote in a Harris County election, you must be registered to vote at least 30 days before the election date. To change your name or address, a completed and signed application is also required.

ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION:

To be eligible for registration as a voter in this state, a person must:

  1. be 18 years of age* or older;
  2. be a United States citizen;
  3. not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be:
    • totally mentally incapacitated; or
    • partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
  4. not have been finally convicted † of a felony or, if so convicted, must have:
    • fully discharged the person’s sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or
    • been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote; and
  5. be a resident of the county in which application for registration is made.

* To be eligible to apply for registration, a person must, on the date the registration application is submitted to the registrar, be at least 17 years and 10 months of age and satisfy the above requirements except for age.

† A person is not considered to have been finally convicted of an offense for which the criminal proceedings are deferred without an adjudication of guilt.

CONFIRM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

You may easily confirm your voter registration status by searching for it on our website or the Texas Secretary of State’s website. If you are currently living in Harris County but are registered to vote in another county, you must be registered to vote in Harris County at least 30 days prior to Election Day in order to vote in Harris County.

WHERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

Registering to vote is fast and easy! Simply complete a Voter Registration Application and mail the signed application (at least 30 days before the election date) to:

ANN HARRIS BENNETT

Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar

P.O. Box 3527 Houston, Texas 77253-3527

OBTAIN A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION BY THESE CONVENIENT WAYS:

  1. Visit any Harris County Tax Office location and submit your completed, signed form from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  2. Download and print an application in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese
  3. Request an application online from the Texas Secretary of State.
  4. Request, via e-mail at voters@ hctx.net, and our office will mail a paper application to you. Please provide a mailing address and phone number in your email. (Harris County Tax Office) 5. Call 713-274-VOTE (8683) to be assisted in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese.
  5. You can pick-up an application at your local U.S. Postal office, library, high school, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) site, Texas Health and Human Services Commission and other government offices.

Early Voting by Personal Appearance FAQ

WHAT DOES EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE MEAN?

Early Voting By Personal Appearance means that a registered voter in Texas may vote prior to General Election Day during a period designated by state law.

WHEN DOES EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE TAKE PLACE?

Texas Election Code: Sec. 85.001. EARLY VOTING PERIOD.

  1. General Election: During a General Election the period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th day before Election Day and continues through the fourth day before Election Day, except as otherwise provided.
  2. Runoff Election: The Early Voting Period for a special runoff election for the office of state senator or state representative or for a runoff primary election begins on the 10th day before election day.
  3. If the date prescribed by Subsection (a) or (b) for beginning the period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state holiday, the early voting period begins on the next regular business day.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE EARLY BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE?

Any qualified voter may vote early by personal appearance. No reason is needed. Notice of Order Priority

WHERE CAN A REGISTERED VOTER IN HARRIS COUNTY VOTE DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD?

Any qualified voter may vote in person at the main early voting polling place or at any other designated early voting branch location during designated times. Usually, there are numerous early voting locations in Harris County during the conduct of a countywide election.

WHY WAS THE PERIOD FOR EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE ESTABLISHED?

Early Voting by Personal Appearance was introduced in Texas in the mid-1990s to make voting more convenient for the citizenry. It also provides voters who may be away from the county of residence on Election Day the opportunity to vote in person.

HOW ARE EARLY VOTING SITES DESIGNATED?

By law, in counties with a population of 400,000 or more, the commissioners court has the authority to establish at least one early voting site at each state representative district.

EARLY VOTING IN-PERSON: LIMITED BALLOT

A registered voter in the state of Texas may qualify to vote a limited ballot at the main early voting site during the early voting period in a federal and state election. For more information see section 112.001 to 112.0012 of the Texas Election Code.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis responds to historic flood bond election and renews commitment to equity and transparency for funding flood control projects

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By passing Prop A, those who voted made it clear that we must effectively address flood control—one of the greatest challenges we face. We owe it to everyone to ensure that urgently needed flood control projects are funded equitably and transparently so that every community is protected from future floods.

We still have a lot of work to do to educate and engage the public so that they can better understand where and how these dollars will be spent on flood control, especially in hard-hit and vulnerable neighborhoods that have long been neglected and under-funded.

Throughout this process, I have made it clear that equity, transparency and resiliency must be at the center of the decision-making process for funding flood control projects. Voters have my commitment that I will continue to advocate for transparency and equitable funding for flood mitigation to foster resiliency and protect all neighborhoods.

Fire Chief Sam Peña announces funding for ballistic vests

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With an increase in the number of violent incidents against first responders across the county the need for increased Firefighter personal protective equipment is great. Many times, firefighters arrive on scene before law enforcement on incidentsof violence such as shootings, stabbings and assaults. The gear traditionally worn by firefighters is designed to protect them from flames, not penetrating trauma. That’s why Fire Chief Samuel Peña pushed for the purchase of ballistic vests for HFD and thanks to Mayor Sylvester Turner, City Council, and federal grant funding, the process has begun to move forward. The total cost is more than a million dollars for this department-wide purchase.

“The threat of falling through a collapsing roof, working in busy traffic lanes, or oxygen deficient atmospheres is not the only on-the-job danger today’s firefighters have to worry about. We must now also consider protection against violent acts. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) now has standards that discuss Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for active-shooter and civil-unrest situations,” said Fire Chief Sam Peña. “It is a new reality that is contrary to how we’ve always viewed this honorable profession, but protective clothing must be compatible with the environment we work in. This is the next progression of tools of the trade. Vest-wearing as PPE will come to be an industry best-practice,and this is something our Firefighters deserve for us to be out in front on.”

The bid process is now ongoing. Once approved and procured, firefighters will wear the vests during calls that clearly have the potential for danger, such as domestic violence incidents, shootings, stabbings, etc. The vests will be paid partly through a federal grant and general fund allocations approved by Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I appreciate the taxpayers, Mayor Turner and City Council for allocating funding for this purchase. Making sure our firefighters are protected in dangerous situations is of the upmost importance,” said Chief Peña.

Governor Abbott attends Caterpillar’s 400,000th engine milestone celebration

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Governor Greg Abbott attended Caterpillar’s Engine Milestone Celebration in Seguin, Texas, which commemorated the completion of the 400,000th engine produced at this facility. This 1.7-million-square-foot plant employs more than 2,000 workers and partners with Caterpillar locations in the San Antonio area to complete engine production.

“Today’s milestone is a product of all the hard work that not only powers this factory, but keeps the Caterpillar name going strong here in Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “Caterpillar has been a significant part of our economic growth, but this company is more than just an economic partner. Last year alone Caterpillar donated more than $1 million to charitable causes throughout Texas, including Harvey relief efforts. We are proud to have a partner like Caterpillar investing in our state and communities.”

Governor Abbott also took a tour of the facility, which produces equipment used in the defense, construction, and energy sectors. Caterpillar Inc. currently operates more than 20 facilities and employs more than 4,000 Texans across the state.

Huracán Rosa incrementa su paso por México incrementando a nivel 4

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Este 28 de septiembre el huracán subió de nivel a categoría 4 y se desplaza hacia la península de Baja California, donde espera que arribe la próxima semana ya en grado de tormenta tropical.

Según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes de los Estados Unidos el huracán se ha fortalecido la noche del jueves y llegado a la categoría 4 en la escala de Saffir-Simpson, la Comisión Nacional del Agua de México informó mediante un Twitter que a las 4:00 hora local de México se localizaba a unos 1.400 kilómetros al sur oeste de Cabo San Lucas, en el estado mexicano de Baja California Sur, con vientos aproximados de 230 kilómetros por hora y rachas de 275.