The Texas House Democrats killed Senate Bill 7 late Sunday night when they took a stand against the most restrictive bill since the end of  Reconstruction, which echoed Jim Crow-era policies, by walking off the state House floor, leaving majority Republicans without the quorum they needed to approve the bill before the midnight deadline.

The election restrictions presented in SB7 would profoundly affect people of color. The unity our state leaders showed at the Capitol was the right thing to do. We must all work together and stand against efforts that obstruct the right to vote.

In Fort Bend County we made bipartisan changes before the 2020 elections, with county commissioners voting unanimously to extend voting hours and creating drive-thru voting for those who were unable to walk inside a voting center. This bipartisan leadership also supported initiatives to increase election security and accessibility by advocating for an online voter registration application portal for eligible voters, funding more efforts to increase civic engagement, and create a tool for registered voters to track their mail-in ballots.

At a time in our country when we should all come together, these restrictive laws needlessly and unfairly make it more difficult for people to vote.  Our fight is not over, Governor Greg Abbott has made clear his intentions to bring this legislation back up as part of a special session of the Legislature. We must continue to shut down partisan falsehoods of voter fraud and use our voices to speak against this attack on voting rights and our democracy.

DQ RESTAURANTS IN TEXAS ARE CELEBRATING WITH BOGO HUNGR-BUSTER BURGERS!

Double Your Burger Fun with The Oh-So-Simple DQ Texas Mobile App!

 …and Don’t Forget the Summer Blizzard Treat Menu

The hamburger is perhaps America’s most popular food item. And at DQ® restaurants in Texas, hamburgers are iconic. So, for National Hamburger Day on Friday, May 28, it’s only fitting that one icon celebrates the other with a BOGO deal on the mouth-watering Hungr-Buster® at DQ restaurants in Texas.

The juicy, quarter-pound grilled beef Hungr-Buster is a genuine icon in its own right –

topped with crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, purple onions, tangy pickles and bold yellow mustard, it’s a classic interpretation of America’s favorite meal. And the only thing better than one Hungr-Buster is TWO for the price of one!

 Scoring this deal is simple. Just download the DQ Texas mobile app, available on both the iPhone at the Apple App Store for Apple devices and Google Play Apps for Android devices. Fast and easy, the app is a great way to find the “The Best Treats & Eats in Texas,” earn rewards, hear about deals – and of course, get the National Hamburger Day Hungr-Buster® BOGO bargain. It’s deliciousness in the palm of your hand!

Speaking of deliciousness, nothing goes better with a Hungr-Buster than a Blizzard® Treat.  The Flavors for Instant Summer Blizzard Treat menu includes:

• Brownie Batter Blizzard Treat: World-famous vanilla soft serve blended with rich brownie batter and super chocolatey brownie dough chunks.
• Drumstick® with Peanuts Blizzard Treat: Genuine Drumstick® chocolatey-coated waffle pieces and chopped peanuts blended with soft serve.
•  Girl Scout Thin Mints® Blizzard Treat: The chocolatey and minty flavor everyone loves blended with soft serve – and it’s the June Blizzard of the Month.
•  Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard Treat: Animal cookies topped with pink confetti frosting and mixed with soft serve.
• Cotton Candy Blizzard Treat: Cotton candy topping, all pretty in pink, mixed with candy sprinkles and soft serve.
• Raspberry Fudge Bliss: Tart raspberries, gooey soft fudge pieces and choco chunks blended with soft serve.

DQ restaurants in Texas continue to offer their menu via drive-thru windows, pick-up and take-out, as well as delivery and online ordering, where available.

Derion Vence pleaded guilty Thursday to tampering with a corpse and injury to a child — 4-year-old Maleah Davis — and was sentenced to 40 years in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced. 

Vence, 28, dated Maleah’s mother.  Vence, Maleah and her little brother were all reported missing the morning of May 4, 2019. When Vence and Maleah’s brother showed up at a hospital late that night, Maleah was not with them.  Her remains were found by the side of a road in Arkansas a month after she disappeared.

 “Children are the most vulnerable members of our community and young Maleah’s death is tragic,” Ogg said. “We may never have all the answers in this case and our thoughts are with her family.” 

 Maleah was being watched by Vence because her mother was out of state on a trip. Vence eventually told police he had been attacked by unknown men a day earlier while on his way to the airport to pick up the mother along with Maleah and his son. He said that when he woke up after the attack, Maleah was missing. 

 His story did not match up with surveillance video which showed his departure from the apartment with only his son.  Additional video review showed him leaving his apartment with a full garbage bag in a laundry basket.

Intentional injury to a child which causes serious injury by act or omission is a first degree felony.  He was sentenced to 40 years for intentional injury to a child and 20 years for tampering with a corpse.  Vence will serve the sentences concurrently. 

The Houston Police Department Homicide Division investigated the case.  It was prosecuted by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Major Offenders Division.