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Nasdaq, other stock exchanges consider relocating to Texas

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Nasdaq, other stock exchanges consider relocating to Texas

Wall Street moving to Big D? Nasdaq, other stock exchanges consider relocating to Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott to meet with Nasdaq, other stock exchange officials Nov. 20

Officials from Nasdaq and other major stock exchanges will meet with Gov. Greg Abbott on Nov. 20 in Austin to discuss a possible move from New Jersey to Texas, nbcdfw.com and the Dallas Morning News reported.

The meeting comes on the heels of the exchanges threatening to move their trading platforms out of New Jersey, the report said.

Abbott and other Texas officials plan to boast the state’s business-friendly environment during the meeting.

“Texas continues to be the premier economic destination in the country, attracting more leading businesses than any other state,” spokeswoman Renae Eze said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. “The governor looks forward to meeting with Nasdaq and showcasing Texas’ business-friendly environment, skilled workforce, robust infrastructure, and low taxes, all of which foster greater economic growth in the Lone Star State.”

According to The Dallas Morning News, Abbott’s office has been talking with Nasdaq and other exchanges about moving their data centers to Dallas because of a potential tax on financial transactions in New Jersey.

The proposed tax would charge a quarter of a cent per “financial transaction” at entities in New Jersey that process at least 10,000 transactions annually via electronic infrastructure, the Dallas Morning News reported. That tax would generate an estimated $10 billion annually for the state.

Most major stock exchange operators, including the New York Stock Exchange operate their trading platforms from data centers in New Jersey.

Con récord absoluto de 29 tormentas tropicales: se forma tormenta subtropical Theta sin amenaza alguna para Texas

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Con récord absoluto de 29 tormentas tropicales: se forma tormenta subtropical Theta sin amenaza alguna para Texas
¿Cuál es el peligro?:

La tormenta subtropical Theta se ha formado en el Atlántico. Theta es la tormenta con nombre número 29 de la temporada de huracanes 2020, y rompe el récord de la mayor cantidad de tormentas en una sola temporada de huracanes. Según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes, Theta se mueve actualmente de este a noreste hacia el Atlántico oriental. Theta no representa amenaza alguna para Texas.

Qué necesita hacer:

La temporada de huracanes concluye hasta el 30 de noviembre. Si bien la tormenta subtropical Theta no afectará a Texas, aún debe cerciorarse que usted y su familia estén preparados.

HAGA UN PLAN

MANTÉNGASE INFORMADO

Record Breaking Subtropical Storm Theta Forms, No Threat to Texas

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Record Breaking Subtropical Storm Theta Forms, No Threat to Texas
Record Breaking Subtropical Storm Theta Forms, No Threat to Texas
What is the danger?
Subtropical Storm Theta has formed in the open Atlantic. Theta is the 29th named storm of the 2020 Hurricane Season, and this breaks the record for the most number of storms in a single hurricane season. According to the National Hurricane Center, Theta is currently moving east-northeast toward the eastern Atlantic. Theta poses no threat to Texas.
Image did not load.
What you should do:
Hurricane Season does not end until November 30th. While Tropical Storm Theta will not impact Texas, you should still take time to make sure you and your family are prepared.
 
MAKE A PLAN
STAY INFORMED
Text CV19 to 888777 to receive COVID19 updates.

Supreme Court appears to signal Obamacare will survive latest GOP challenge

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Supreme Court appears to signal Obamacare will survive latest GOP challenge

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested Tuesday that it wasn’t the Supreme Court’s role to invalidate the entire sprawling, 900-page Affordable Care Act, even if one or more provisions are deemed unconstitutional, signaling the key parts of Obamacare will survive the latest court challenge.

As the pandemic rages, President Donald Trump lashes out at election returns and President-elect Joe Biden prepares for a new administration, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments to discuss whether to invalidate the linchpin of the nation’s health care system.
The Trump administration and several Republican-led states are asking the court to strike down the law, 10 years after it was passed, potentially impacting millions of Americans. Should Roberts and Kavanaugh, at the very least, side with the court’s three liberals, the law would remain intact.
Roberts said simply that if Trump and Republicans wanted to kill the law, they could have done it.
“I think it’s hard for you to argue that Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate was struck down when the same Congress that lowered the penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act,” Roberts told the attorney representing Texas, one of the states fighting the law.
“I think, frankly, that they wanted the court to do that, but that’s not our job,” Roberts added.
At another point Kavanaugh told a lawyer supporting the law that he agreed with his position that some provisions could be severed if necessary. “I tend to agree with you on this very straightforward case for severability,” he said.
Roberts and other justices began their questions asking whether the individual plaintiffs and Republican-led states can show that they have the legal injury necessary to allow them to bring the challenge to the law. This discussion on standing is a dry legal concept but it could be critical.
Supporters of the law say the challengers have no legal injury because after Congress amended the law in 2017 there is no longer a penalty for failing to buy health insurance. Lawyers for the Democratic-led states and the House of Representatives say the court should therefore dismiss the challenges
But several of the justices floated hypotheticals suggesting that even if there was no longer a penalty for not following a regulation there could still be an injury, suggesting that a challenge could be brought.
Justice Clarence Thomas, for instance, asked about a potential regulation that required someone to wear a mask, even if there were no penalty for a failure to do so.
“What if someone violates that command, let’s say it’s in similar terms to the mandate here but no penalty, would they have standing to challenge the mandate to wear a mask?” Thomas asked.
So far, the justices have lain low, avoiding any significant participation in post-election litigation, but now all eyes will be on the court as it sorts through the most controversial case of the term, which could impact tens of millions of Americans — including roughly 20 million who have gained coverage over the law’s exchanges and the expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults.
Also at risk are popular provisions that protect those with preexisting conditions as well as those that allow parents to keep their children on their health insurance plans until the age of 26.

Third time back at the court

The dispute pits California and other Democratic-led states against Texas and Republican-led states plus the Trump administration.
This is the third time the court has heard a significant challenge to the law, although this time the stakes are heightened given the implications of Covid-19, the catastrophic deaths and the current burdens facing the health care industry.
In 2012, Roberts cast the key vote in a 5-4 decision that stunned Republicans, holding that the law’s individual coverage mandate was valid under Congress’ taxing power. By 2017, the Republican-led Congress cut the tax penalty for those who lacked insurance to zero as part of the year-end tax overhaul.
The Republican-led states sued, arguing that since the mandate was no longer tied to a specific tax penalty, it had lost its legal underpinning. They also argued that because the individual mandate was intertwined with a multitude of other provisions, the entire law should fall, including protections for people with preexisting conditions.
Last December, a federal appeals court held that the individual mandate was unconstitutional. But critically, the court punted on whether the rest of the massive law — even provisions unrelated to the mandate — could remain on the books.
In court, Texas Solicitor General Kyle D. Hawkins said the 2017 change made the individual mandate unconstitutional. “It is a naked command to purchase health insurance, and, as such, it fall outside Congress’ enumerated powers,” he said. “The proper course is to take Congress at its word and declare the mandate unconstitutional and inseverable from the remainder of the ACA,” he said.
Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall sided with Texas on the issue, arguing that the mandate “exceeded” Congress’ powers. The government is making the relatively new argument that the entire law should fall but the ruling should apply only to the 18 states that brought the challenge. Texas told the justices that it thinks the Justice Department’s narrowed remedy would cause chaos and require that the states bringing the challenge heavily subsidize other states.
During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly said he would come up with an alternative but never issued any substantive details. His three Supreme Court appointees — Justices Neil Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — will play a key role in deciding the future of the law.
Barrett, before taking the bench, expressed criticism concerning Roberts’ original reasoning to uphold the law. But during her confirmation hearings last month she declined to tip her hand as to how she might rule on the dispute.
In court Barrett too, zeroed in on the intent of Congress in 2017.
“So what should we make of the fact that Congress didn’t repeal the provision?” she asked.
At another point she noted that Congress was “free” to come back in and better explain what it meant to do.

Question of severability

Supporters of the Affordable Care Act think the court should uphold the entire law. But in case it does strike down the mandate, they stress that Congress never meant to bring down the entire law when it made changes in 2017.
“Congress made a single surgical change,” California Solicitor General Michael Mongan told the justices. He stressed that the rest of the law should remain in effect if the mandate is struck “because that’s the very framework Congress itself already created.”
Former US Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, arguing on behalf of the House of Representatives, argued that the two individuals and Republican-led states do not have the legal injury necessary to bring the challenge. He said that now that Congress has brought the penalty down to zero, those who refuse to buy health insurance are no longer faced with a tax for failing to do so.
“There is just no way that Congress would have preferred an outcome that throws 23 million people off their insurance, ends protections for people with preexisting conditions and creates chaos in the health care sector,” he said.
Justice Elena Kagan seemed to agree. “A lot of legislation now is in these huge packages,” she said, “and it would seem a big deal to say that if you can point to injury with respect to one provision and you can concoct some kind of inseverability argument, that it allows you to challenge anything else in the statute.”
Justice Samuel Alito suggested at one point that the law had been functioning since the mandate had been brought to zero. Referencing an airplane, he said, “the plane has not crashed” without the individual mandate.
Roberts pressed Verrilli, who had argued in favor of the law when he served as solicitor general for the Obama administration, on the fact that back then the government had repeatedly stressed how important the individual mandate was to the entire law. On Tuesday Verrilli argued the opposite. “Why the bait and switch?” Roberts asked.
Twice in the previous court term, the justices relied on severability doctrine to save laws after finding individual provisions unconstitutional. In one case Roberts wrote, “We think it clear that Congress would prefer that we use a scalpel rather than a bulldozer.”
In another case, Kavanaugh pressed his belief that the court in the case at hand should work to “salvage rather than destroy” a law with an unconstitutional provision.
Some legal experts doubt that the justices would strike the down the whole law.
Notre Dame Law professor Richard Garnett, who is close with Barrett, said in a statement that he doubted the court would invalidate the entire law. “Although in 2017 Congress lowered to zero the penalty for failing to comply with the so-called ‘individual mandate,’ there is very little chance that a majority of the justices will conclude that this move renders the entire ACA — including portions dealing with coverage for pre-existing conditions — unconstitutional,” he said.
And although Biden was vice president when the law passed, experts say the fact that the Senate may remain majority Republican will complicate his efforts to save the law.
“Biden would need to pass a law to kick the case to the curb,” said Nicholas Bagley, professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School.
Bagley said such a law would be “simple” to draft. “Congress could increase the tax penalty to a nominal amount (say, $1); it could eliminate the language telling people to buy insurance; or it could add a severability clause. Any one of those laws would kill the case,” he said.
“If Republicans still control the Senate after this election, they’re unlikely to play ball. Whatever the Supreme Court says is likely to stick.”
Near the end of the arguments, Wall, perhaps making the Trump administration’s last significant argument before the Supreme Court in a blockbuster case, said that the individual mandate “exceeds Congress’ enumerated powers” and that the court should leave it up to the “political branches to decide how to proceed.”

Suspect accused of shooting HPD sergeant to death arrested

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Suspect accused of shooting HPD sergeant to death arrested

The man accused of killing a Houston police sergeant is now in custody.

Robert Soliz, 24, was booked into jail Tuesday 24 hours after the shooting death of Sgt. Sean Rios.

Rios was killed Monday afternoon in the 7900 block of the North Freeway after police say he engaged the Soliz in a gun battle. After being shot, Rios ran into the Taj Inn & Suites motel looking for help and collapsed. He was declared dead at the scene.

HPD Chief Art Acevedo said Rios was headed to the airport for his 2 p.m. shift when he was involved in the shootout. Authorities and witnesses say the officer, who was wearing plain clothes, was shot multiple times.

A witness at the scene who heard the gunshots told ABC13 he saw the officer running toward the motel searching for help.

“He was just bleeding everywhere, all over, and just not running right. He entered the office at the motel and he collapsed right in there,” the witness said.

This was the seventh murder to have taken place in the city of Houston on Monday. It is also the second Houston police officer killed in three weeks, and the fourth Houston police officer killed in 12 months.

Lifestyle Pfizer claim their vaccine is 90 percent effective against the coronavirus

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Lifestyle Pfizer claim their vaccine is 90 percent effective against the coronavirus

The coronavirus vaccine being worked on by Pfizer and BioNTech is 90 percent effective against COVID-19, the manufacturers have claimed. This vaccine is currently in phrase three of testing and is just one more step away from being approved.

Trials were run in which some patients were given this experimental vaccine and others were injected with a placebo. The American company then claim that the results showed a 90 percent effectiveness rate, well above that which most experts thought was possible.

The company says there have been no serious side-effects either

“Today is a great day for science and humanity,” Pfizer CEO Dr Albert Bourla said. “The first set of results from our phase three COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19.

“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development programme at a time when the world needs it most, with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.” There have been more than 50 million confirmed coronavirus cases across the planet, and over 1.2 million deaths.

“I congratulate the brilliant women and men who helped produce this breakthrough and to give us so much cause for hope,” US president-elect Joe Biden said when he addressed the news.

“It is also important to understand that the end of the battle against COVID-19 is still months away. A mask remains a more potent weapon against the virus than a vaccine. Today’s news does not change this urgent reality.”

There is still work to be done and the company is working on assembling the safety data that is still required. This is expected to take until the end of November, after which approval will be sought for this vaccine to be used on people between the ages of 16 and 85.

They are planning to produce 50 million doses this year, which would be enough for 25 million people since it requires two doses. Then, the plan is for 1.3 billion doses to be manufactured before the end of 2021.

Houston Fire Department to Place Eight New Ambulances In Service

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Houston Fire Department to Place Eight New Ambulances In Service

Houston Fire Department Placed Eight New Ambulances In Service Last Month
On October 8, 2020, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) accepted eight new ambulances that are in the process of being placed in service this month.

Five of the ambulances are all new redesigned 2020 Chevy C3500 chassis with a 12 foot module. Equipped with a 6.6 L gas engine enhancing standard performance and capability, delivering more than 21 percent greater torque. These ambulances are custom Frazer-Bilt Type 1 models, which is Frazer’s most popular model of generated-powered EMS apparatus. The all-aluminum construction provides an exceptionally safe and strong environment for HFD firefighters. Frazer vehicles are engineered from the ground up to maximize available space, providing an environment that is not only efficient, but is also comfortable and a pleasure to work in.

Other safety enhancements include, a UV-C air disinfection system built into the HVAC system. The in-duct air purifier works to reduce the presence of odors while providing passengers with fresher, cleaner, and healthier air on-board, helping in the fight against COVID-19. The unit produces no harmful ozone and will not significantly decrease air flow velocity through the duct.

Some of the advanced safety features firefighters and citizens can expect to see on the new ambulances are:

• Built to industry compliance standards CAAS GVS v2.0
• Back up camera built into the dash
• Backing sensors with audible driver alerts
• Liquid spring rear suspension for increased comfort and handling
• Low profile console in cab for lowered MDT mount
• Crash compliant Stryker cot retention system
• Crash compliant cabinet doors with restocking feature
• Multi-point harnesses at all seating positions
• Grab handles coated with anti-microbial coating
• Vertical stair chair storage
• And much more!

These safety features can be expected to be implemented in future ambulance purchases.
To learn more visit: https://www.frazerbilt.com/videos/video-houston-fire-department/

These advancements in safety and technology would not be possible without Mayor Sylvester Turner, who’s leadership ensures HFD has the necessary resources to protect our citizens.
New HFD Ambulances
looking through back of ambulance with doors open
inside / dash of new ambulance
back of ambulance with doors shut

Wrapping Up Buffalo Bayou Park’s Fifth Year Anniversary

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Wrapping Up Buffalo Bayou Park’s Fifth Year Anniversary

 

Wrapping Up Buffalo Bayou Park’s Fifth Year Anniversary
A Picnic to Celebrate 5 Years of Buffalo Bayou Park

The 2020 Buffalo Bayou Partnership Picnic, Celebrating Five Years of Buffalo Bayou Park,was held under the stars last Thursday, November 5th to raise much-needed funds for our organization. Guests had the option of attending a socially distanced, seated picnic dinner on The Brown Foundation Lawn of The Water Works or enjoying a custom picnic basket at home for a virtual experience. Special thanks to event co-chairs, Winifred and Carleton Riser and Leslie and Shannon Sasser, and to all who participated. Proceeds from this fall fundraising event cover a significant portion of BBP’s operating budget, and we greatly appreciate the generous support of all of the donors!
Read the Houston Chronicle Recap

Recognizing 25 Years of Anne Olson’s Leadership

A surprise announcement was made at our Buffalo Bayou Partnership Picnic: November 5th is now known as “Anne Olson Day” in Houston! Congratulations to Buffalo Bayou Partnership President Anne Olson for being recognized by Mayor Sylvester Turner with a proclamation honoring her 25 years of service to BBP this year. Anne’s unwavering leadership and vision have brought unique experiences, green spaces, and trails to Houston’s diverse communities, positively impacting the lives of all our city’s residents.
Artful Anniversary Comes to a Close

Music, dance, and public art brought Buffalo Bayou Park to life for its fifth anniversary this fall. BBP extends tremendous thanks to partners including Houston Grand Opera, Urban Souls Dance Company, DACAMERA, and Urban Yarnage for helping us celebrate theArtful Anniversary of one of Houston’s most important and dynamic green spaces. We hope you enjoyed the virtual and visual experiences, and if you missed them, not to worry – tune in here to view the online performances through the fall. Knitscape (pictured below) is extended through November 30 and Carmen Herrera’s Estructuras Monumentales is on view through April 23, 2021.

 

Virtual Discussion: The Art of Carmen Herrera in Houston
You’re invited to a virtual discussion on December 3! Panelists will discuss Herrera’s current exhibitions in Houston: Estructuras Monumentales in Buffalo Bayou Park and Structuring Surfaces on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Panelists include:
Rachel Mohl, Assistant Curator, Latin American and Latino Art, MFAH
Daniel S. Palmer, Curator, Public Art Fund
Dena M. Woodall, Ph.D., Curator, Prints and Drawings, MFAH
Moderated by Judy Nyquist, BBP Board Member and Co-Chair and Public Art and Programming Committee

Register to receive the link to join!
Register Here

Meet Maddie Taylor and Tiffany Smith!
In May, Maddie Taylor joined BBP as our Events, Programs and Outreach Assistant.

After graduating from the University of Denver with a degree in Media Studies, she moved to New York to fulfill a dream of living in Manhattan. A dedicated and native Houstonian, she is now back home.

Maddie is experienced in customer service, pays careful attention to detail, and is an outdoor enthusiast. She is a great addition to the BBP family!

Tours of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern and Private Pontoon Boat Tours have resumed. All other BBP programs, tours and events are canceled through November 30.

The following are closed to the public until further notice:

  • Lost Lake Visitor Center and The Kitchen at The Dunlavy
  • Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area
View Trail Closures

Join us for Live from The Cullen with Arturo Chacón-Cruz!

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Join us for Live from The Cullen with Arturo Chacón-Cruz!

SAVE THE DATE

Live from The Cullen:

Arturo Chacón-Cruz

Friday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. CST

7:00 p.m.

Pre-show
Tune in on Facebook or YouTube for a live event.

7:30 p.m.

Performance
Enjoy the show for free at HGO.org/Digital or at Marquee.tv/hgo-digital.

ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE

This Friday, November 13, Live from The Cullen returns with HGO Studio Alumnus and leading tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz accompanied by pianist Kirill Kuzmin.

To view the digital program, click here.

YOU HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO WATCH

To ensure you are all set for the launch of HGO Digital, be sure to check your login credentials for the platform you are planning to use.

1. Watch the HGO Digital season for free on your television using Marquee TV: Set up a username and password for Marquee TV at marquee.tv to create your free account. Then pull up the Marquee TV app on your television using your AppleTV, Roku, or Amazon/FireTV device; log in; and enjoy free access to the HGO Digital season.

2. Watch it online for free at Marquee.TV: Use your free Marquee TV account to watch the season using your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

For a Marquee TV Guide, click here.

 

3. Watch it online for free at HGO.org/Digital: The season will also be available on HGO’s website and viewable using your computer, tablet, or smartphone. You will need to utilize your HGO login to access the content. Be sure to check your HGO login credentials prior to showtime.

If you miss the initial air date of an HGO Digital performance, don’t worry! You have an entire month to watch—and re-watch!—each offering.

Houston police officer killed in north Houston is 2nd officer killed in 3 weeks

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Houston police officer killed in north Houston is 2nd officer killed in 3 weeks

The Houston police officer shot and killed in north Houston has been identified as 47-year-old Sgt. Sean Rios, a 25-year-veteran of the Houston Police Department.

Rios was killed Monday afternoon in the 7900 block of the North Freeway after police say he engaged a suspect in a gun battle. After being shot, Rios ran into the Taj Inn & Suites motel looking for help and collapsed. He was declared dead at the scene.

Authorities and witnesses say the officer, who was wearing plain clothes, was shot multiple times.

A witness at the scene who heard the gunshots told ABC13 he saw the officer running toward the motel searching for help.

“He was just bleeding everywhere, all over, and just not running right. He entered the office at the motel and he collapsed right in there,” the witness said.

No arrests have been made but Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said they have leads of the suspects involved. Acevedo said police are searching for a four-door Mercedes Benz and a black pickup. One of the suspects is described as a heavily tattooed Hispanic male in his mid-20s.

“We are going to catch you,” Acevedo said. “Do yourself a favor and turn yourself in. The best thing you can do if you know this person, is turn themselves in.”

Acevedo added that Rios was headed to the airport for his 2 p.m. shift when he was involved in the shootout. Rios leaves behind four kids.

This is the fifth murder to have taken place in the city of Houston on Monday. It is also the second Houston police officer killed in three weeks, and the fourth Houston police officer killed in 12 months.

On Oct. 20, Houston Police Sgt. Harold Preston was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence situation. The 41-year veteran of the department, who was preparing to retire this year, was laid to rest on Oct. 30.

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