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Celebrate Jesus Sanchez 30th Birthday Fundraiser with MECA
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Publicación 1243 de SAN ANTONIO – Revista Digital 04 de agosto – 10 de agosto / 2022
Gracias por SEGUIRNOS, este artículo contiene la revista digital de SAN ANTONIO de ¡Que Onda Magazine! De fecha 04 de agosto – 10 de agosto / 2022
Russians shell city near Europe’s largest nuclear plant
Russian forces shelled a Ukrainian city close to Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant Thursday, reinforcing warnings from the U.N. nuclear chief that the fighting around the site could lead to a disastrous accident.
Dnipropetrovsk’s regional governor said Russia fired 60 rockets at Nikopol, across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been under Russian supervision since Moscow’s troops seized it early in the war.
Some 50 residential buildings were damaged in the city of 107,000, and residents were left without electricity, Valentyn Reznichenko wrote on Telegram.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, had warned on Tuesday that the situation was becoming more perilous daily at the Zaporizhzhia plant in the city of Enerhodar.
“Every principle of nuclear safety has been violated” at the plant, he said. “What is at stake is extremely serious and extremely grave and dangerous.”
He expressed concern about the way the plant is being operated and the danger posed by the fighting going on around it. He cited shelling at the beginning of the war when it was taken over and continuing instances of Ukraine and Russia accusing each other of attacks there.
Experts at the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said they believe Russia is shelling the area intentionally, “putting Ukraine in a difficult position.”
“Either Ukraine returns fire, risking international condemnation and a nuclear incident — which Ukrainian forces are unlikely to do — or Ukrainian forces allow Russian forces to continue firing on Ukrainian positions from an effective ‘safe zone,’” the think tank said.
The Russian capture of Zaporizhzhia renewed fears that the largest of Ukraine’s four nuclear power plants could be damaged, setting off an emergency like the 1986 Chernobyl accident, the world’s worst nuclear disaster, which happened about 110 kilometers (65 miles) north of the capital, Kyiv.
Also in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the Russian military struck two Ukrainian munitions depots near the village of Novoivanivka and a fuel depot near the Zaporizhzhia railway station.
In northern Ukraine, the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was shelled by the Russians, Ukraine’s presidential office said. Several industrial sites were hit in the city, which has been a frequent target. In the nearby city of Chuhuiv, a rocket hit a five-story residential building.
Fighting continued in the fiercely contested Donetsk region in the east, with Ukrainian authorities saying a school was destroyed in the village of Ocheretyne. The attacks have disrupted supplies of gas, water and power, and the region’s residents are being evacuated.
In the town of Toretsk, artillery shells hit a bus stop, a church and apartment buildings, killing at least eight people, regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
In the city of Donetsk, Russian-backed separatist authorities accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the central part of the city Thursday. The area hit was near a theater where a farewell ceremony for a prominent separatist officer killed a few days ago was being held. Donetsk Mayor Alexei Kulemzin said six people were killed.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied Ukrainian involvement. He alleged, without offering evidence, that Russian or separatist forces were responsible for the shelling.
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of firing on territories under their own control.
Russian forces have already seized the Luhansk region that neighbors Donetsk. Its Ukrainian governor, Serhiy Haidai, said on social media that local residents are being mobilized by the Russian side to fight against Kyiv’s forces and that “even indispensable mine workers are being taken.”
Ukrainian authorities reported another abduction of a mayor who reportedly refused to collaborate with the Russians in the southern Kherson region, which is also almost entirely occupied.
The reported kidnapping of Serhiy Lyakhno, mayor of the village of Hornostaivka, comes as Russia amasses more troops in the area in anticipation of a counteroffensive by Kyiv and ahead of a planned referendum on the region becoming part of Russia.
Source: click2houston
12th annual Back to School Fest presented by Shell to return to George R. Brown Convention Center
Mayor Sylvester Turner was joined by representatives from Shell and the Houston Food Bank in a news conference Thursday to announce details on the 12th Annual Back To School Fest presented by Shell.
The event will return to the George R. Brown Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
The 12th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest presented by Shell provides 25,000 Houston area students with the tools they need to start the school year off right, according to a release.
Backpacks underwritten by Shell USA and school supplies donated by a multitude of corporations in the Houston community will be distributed.
Additionally, health screenings will include dental screenings and sealants, vision screenings, routine immunizations and COVID-19 vaccines. The event also provides families with a wide range of health and social services offered by community agencies.
Shell has been the title sponsor of the program for 12 years.
Source: click2houston
Gas Prices Today, August 4, 2022: Check the cheapest Gas Stations Today
While gas prices fell during the month of July when compared to June, the trend doesn’t seem to be continuing in August with the nationwide average price of gas currently at 4.139 dollars in the United States of America.
The United States is still coping with record levels of inflation with the price of a gallon of gas still considerably higher than they were at the start of 2022.
It’s also worth noting that the average price of gas isn’t uniform across the country with some states being more expensive than others and vice-versa.
With the price of gas varying greatly even within a state, we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in 10 of the US’ most populated cities.
Which state has the highest gas prices?
California continues to lead the way in terms of being the state with the most expensive gas prices with a gallon of gas costing 5.539 dollars on average, which is 1.40 dollars above the national average.
Which state has the lowest prices?
Texas maintains its status as the state with the lowest average price with a gallon of gas costing 3.644 on average, which is 0.495 dollars lower than the country’s average.
Where are the cheapest gas stations in the US located?
The following list details a set of 10 of the cheapest gas stations in some of the biggest cities in the country.
- New York, New York (3.80 dollars): Western Door, 379 Martin Rd Akron, NY
- Los Angeles, California (4.59 dollars): Berri Brothers, 3860 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA.
- Chicago, Illinois (3.49 dollars): Luke, 9502 E 37th Ave, Hobart, IN
- Houston, Texas (3.13 dollars): Circle K, 13215 W Little York Rd, Houston, TX.
- Phoenix, Arizona (3.75 dollars): Gurus Grace LLC, 1949 E Osborn Rd, Phoenix, AZ
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3.84 dollars): Sun Gas & Diesel, 1228 Middletown Warwick Rd, Middletown, DE
- San Antonio, Texas (3.19 dollars): Flying J, 1815 N Foster Rd, San Antonio, TX.
- San Diego, California (4.73 dollars): Circle K, 26746 N Centre City Pkwy, Escondido, CA
- Dallas, Texas (2.64 dollars): Exxon, 2410 S Hampton Rd, Dallas, TX
- San Jose, California (4.89 dollars): Chevron, 710 San Benito St, Hollister, CA
Source: marca
Houston-born basketball star Brittney Griner found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in Russia
Houston-born Brittney Griner has been found guilty of drug possession in a Russian court and now faces a jail term of nine years. ABC News was the first to report the ruling that was announced early Thursday, August 4.
Jailed in Russia since February, the six-foot-nine basketball star tearfully begged a judge for leniency on August 4 in Khimki, Russia. The court, however, believed that the 31-year-old Griner deliberately brought cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia, which is illegal there.
“I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling, that it doesn’t end my life here,” Griner said to the judge on August 4, according to Reuters. “My parents taught me two important things: one, take ownership of your responsibilities and two, work hard for everything that you have. That’s why I pled guilty to my charges.”
In response, President Joe Biden released the following statement on August 4:
Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.
How this affects the current U.S.-Russia prisoner swap proposal remains to be seen. As CNN first reported, the Biden administration has offered to send convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who is currently in the U.S. serving a 25-year prison sentence, in exchange for Griner and fellow detained American Paul Whelan.
President Joe Biden was said to support the proposed trade, which overrules the current Department of Justice stance that is decidedly anti-prison swap.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced at a July 27 press conference the Biden administration approached Moscow with the prisoner deal. Blinken called the arrangement a “substantial proposal” for Whelan and Griner, who are officially classified as wrongfully detained.
As CultureMap previously reported, Griner entered the plea in a Russian court on Thursday, July 7 for bringing hashish oil into the country in her luggage in February. In the country to play for Team BC UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League during the WNBA’s offseason, she was immediately detained and jailed by Russian Customs.
After worldwide scrutiny, her trial began on July 1.
Griner told the Russian judge that she had “inadvertently” brought the hashish oil into the country — where it is illegal to do so — and asked the court for mercy, ESPN reports. She could face up to 10 years in prison.
During her detainment, calls came from across the globe for her release, especially to President Joe Biden, whose administration was criticized for being slow to act. “I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote to Biden in a handwritten letter.
Officially, the White House said it would employ “every tool” to release Griner, stating that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine complicated negotiations. Russia’s demand for a prisoner swap led to the belief among many that Griner, a woman of color and gay, was targeted and made to be a political pawn, as the New York Times notes, between two adversarial global superpowers.
Her wife, Cherelle Griner, made a recent publicity tour, where she made passionate pleas for her wife’s release and shared that she was disappointed to not hear from the White House personally, prompting phone calls from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Born in Houston, the six-foot-nine Griner was the top-ranked female basketball player in the nation and chose to stay in state and play for the Baylor Lady Bears, where she became one of college basketball’s biggest stars. Famed for her unstoppable post presence, defensive skills shot blocking, and offensive dominance, she was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury professional franchise. She later led Team USA to Olympic gold in the Rio and Tokyo games.
Griner, who boasts a size 17 shoe and a wide wingspan, is one of only 11 women to win an NCAA championship, WNBA championship, Olympic gold medal, and a FIBA World Cup gold medal.
Source: culturemap
Oil & Gas Regulatory Chairman Lauds Industry’s Tax Contributions to State Budget, Criticizes ESG Investments and Encourages More Fossil Fuel Energy Generation
Railroad Commission of Texas Chairman Wayne Christian applauds the Texas oil and gas industry following the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts’ announcement of continuous record-breaking tax revenues from the industry.
“I hope all Texans are paying attention to the fact that it’s oil and gas — not wind and solar — that are bringing home the ‘bacon,’ providing reliability for our state’s budget, economy and electricity,” said Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian. “As Texans battle the endless summer heat and sweat rising energy costs, it’s important to note that our houses could be cooler and our electric bills could be lower, if Texas were building out more reliable energy generation, like natural gas, and relying less on unreliables, like wind and solar.”
“Texas’ oil and natural gas industry continues to pay record taxes, reminding Texans why the industry is so vital to our economy,” continued Chairman Christian. “While wind and solar investments have skyrocketed thanks to taxpayer subsidies and the rise of ESG investing, oil and gas investments have seen a 90% drop-off in capital over the last 5 years leading to less build-out of fossil fuel-based electric generation. As our state welcomes 1,000 new Texans every day, we equally need to be building out—not dismantling—the reliable energy infrastructure as well.”
The Comptroller recently announced the oil and gas industry paid record-breaking taxes to the state. In July, the oil production tax generated $694 million – up 84% from July 2021 and the highest monthly collection on record. For the same month, the natural gas production tax generated $532 million – up 185% from July 2021 and the highest monthly collection on record.
Governor Abbott, HHSC Announce Extension Of Emergency SNAP Benefits For August 2022
“It is imperative that every family across our state has access to nutritious food,” said Governor Abbott. “Through the extension of emergency SNAP benefits and the work of HHSC, we are ensuring Texans have the resources they need to stay healthy.”
“Nutrition plays a vital role in the lives of Texans,” said Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter. “We’re proud to continue providing nourishment to families through healthy foods.”
HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the maximum, allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size, and all SNAP households will receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments. This additional emergency allotment should appear in recipients’ accounts by Aug. 31.
The emergency August allotments are in addition to the more than $7.6 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020.
Administered by HHSC, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas. Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.