COVID-19 has certainly changed our traditional plans this Mother’s Day. While Texas is beginning to open their doors, many families are choosing ways to celebrate Mom at home, rather than a large brunch of social gathering.
Below, we’ve compiled 5 ways you can still make Mom feel special this Mother’s Day.
Order Her Flowers from H-E-B
Nothing says “I love you” more than a beautiful bouquet of flowers from your local H-E-B! The local grocery chain is offering online ordering, letting your order to be delivered to her at her doorstep.
While going to a restaurant to celebrate with the whole family may have been your plans in years past, but this year plans have to change. Treat Mom to a delicious Mother’s Day brunch at home, complete with pancakes, eggs and mimosas!
Go for a Walk
Sometimes all a mother wants on Mother’s Day is to spend quality time with her children. Find a local trail or park near you and go for a walk. Bonus points if you find a nature trail full of beautiful flowers! Reminisce on old memories and talk about exciting plans for the future. Mom will love it!
Let Her Relax
After all she does for the family, Mom deserves some special time to relax this Sunday! Offer to do her household chores for her, babysit the younger kids and give her some time to relax, watch her favorite shows, read, or even nap. She will feel recharged and energized!
Celebrate Virtually
If you’re not able to see your Mom in person this year, help her set up Facetime or Zoom so that she can talk to all of her loved ones from the comfort of her own home. Let her know how much she is loved and appreciated.
Today, May 5, 2020, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, along with program administrators from Houston-Galveston Area Council are proud to announce that the first set of cash disbursements have been made to successful applicants to the Harris County Loan Program.
The Program was developed by Commissioner Garcia’s office and approved by Commissioners Court on April 7th. Less than 4 weeks later, money in the form of forgivable loans has begun flowing to qualifying applicants.
The first batch of businesses have already received or will receive their loans shortly. These loans can be forgivable if certain conditions are met. In total, around more than 600 local small businesses are expected to receive loans.
“I am extraordinarily pleased with how fast we’ve gotten these lifelines into the hands of our local small businesses,” Commissioner Garcia said. “For a program to be designed from scratch to money in bank accounts in less than a month exemplifies the strong leadership local government has taken during this pandemic. We’ve proved that we are often the best option to move most quickly to respond to residents’ needs. I also want to thank the fine folks at Houston-Galveston Area Council for stepping up and acting fast for the people of Harris County.”
“We’re moving as quickly as possible to navigate the applicants through the underwriting and review process, and to get funds distributed to these businesses that are in dire need,” said Omar Fortune, program manager of the Houston-Galveston Area Local Development Corporation.
Opportunities to speak with speak with recipients of the loans will be available for press covering the program. Please contact Scott Spiegel to make arrangements. Commissioner Garcia is also available to speak with media.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON LOAN PROGRAM
The $10 million Harris County Small Business Loan Program administered by H-GAC was approved by Commissioners Court by a 3-2 vote on April 7, 2020. The money was split evenly among the 4 Harris County Precincts ($2.5 million each). On April 9, 2020, the website HarrisCountyLoan.com was launched for loan applications. In less than 30 hours, more than 7,000 requests were made for a total of more than $150 million sought by local businesses. At that time, the application process was paused. Plans for another loan program for either applicants that still have need or those that remain on the waiting list are being discussed.
El IRS envía pagos de impacto económico. Estos pagos se envían automáticamente para la mayoría de las personas. Sin embargo, algunas personas que normalmente no presentan una declaración de impuestos tendrán que enviar información básica al IRS para recibir su pago.
¿Preguntas? El IRS actualiza regularmente las páginas de preguntas frecuentes en IRS.gov acerca de pagos de impacto económico y la herramienta Obtener mi pago a medida que haya más información disponible. Aquí hay algunas respuestas a las preguntas más comunes.
¿Cómo se calculan los pagos y a dónde se enviarán?
Si los contribuyentes ya presentaron su declaración de impuestos de 2019 y solicitaron el depósito directo para su reembolso, el IRS usará esta información para calcular y enviar su pago. Aquellos que no proporcionaron información de depósito directo de 2019 o adeudan impuestos, pueden usar la herramienta Obtener mi pago para ingresar información de su cuenta bancaria o se le enviará el pago por correo. Para aquellos que no han presentado su declaración de 2019, el IRS usará su declaración de impuestos de 2018 para calcular el pago.
Los pagos también serán automáticos para aquellos que reciben beneficios de jubilación del Seguro Social, beneficios por incapacidad (SSDI) o ingreso de seguridad suplementario (SSI), beneficios de veteranos y jubilación ferroviaria que normalmente no presentan una declaración de impuestos.
Sin embargo, para agregar el monto de $500 por niño elegible a estos pagos, el IRS necesita la información de dependiente antes de que se emitan los pagos. De lo contrario, su pago en este momento será de $1,200 y, por ley, los montos de $500 adicionales por niño elegible se pagarían en asociación con una presentación de declaración para el año tributario 2020.
¿Qué pasa si el IRS no tiene la información de depósito directo del contribuyente?
Si el IRS no ha procesado el pago del contribuyente, el contribuyente puede usar la herramienta Obtener mi pago para proporcionar su información bancaria a la agencia para que sus pagos puedan depositarse directamente. Si no se proporciona información bancaria, el IRS enviará un cheque a la dirección que tiene registrada para el contribuyente. La información de la cuenta de débito directo usada para hacer pagos al IRS no se puede usar como la información de la cuenta para el depósito directo de su pago.
¿Pueden los contribuyentes que no están obligados a presentar una declaración de impuestos recibir un pago?
Sí. Las personas que normalmente no presentan pueden usar la herramienta Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here para proveer información básica al IRS para recibir sus pagos de impacto económico. Esto incluye a los contribuyentes de bajos ingresos o sin ingresos.
¿Pueden los contribuyentes que no han presentado una declaración de impuestos de 2018 o 2019 recibir un pago?
Sí. Cualquiera que esté obligado a presentar una declaración de impuestos y no haya presentado una declaración de 2018 o 2019 debe presentar su declaración de 2019 tan pronto como sea posible para recibir un pago. Deben incluir información bancaria de depósito directo en su declaración.
Recibí un pago adicional de $500 en 2020 por mi hijo calificado. Sin embargo, recién cumplió 17 años. ¿Tendré que devolver los $500 el próximo año cuando presente mi declaración de impuestos de 2020?
No, no hay ninguna disposición en la ley que exija que el pago de impacto económico se tenga que devolver. Cuando presente el próximo año, puede reclamar créditos adicionales en su declaración de impuestos de 2020 si es elegible para ellos, por ejemplo, si su hijo nace en 2020. Sin embargo, no se le pedirá que pague ningún pago al presentar su declaración de impuestos de 2020, incluso si su hijo calificado cumple 17 años en 2020 o su ingreso bruto ajustado aumenta en 2020 a más de los umbrales mencionados anteriormente.
Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that the lights of Houston City Hall, the Southwest Freeway bridges, and Bush Intercontinental Airport will turn blue Saturday evening in honor fallen Houston Police Department Tactical Flight Officer Jason Knox.
Knox died early Saturday morning when the police helicopter he was in crashed near a Greenspoint apartment complex. The pilot, Senior Police Officer Chase Cormier, survived the crash and is recovering at Memorial Hermann Hospital following surgery.
Knox was the son of Houston City Councilman Mike Knox, a retired Houston Police Officer. Jason Knox leaves behind a wife, two children, and an extended family.
“The City of Houston is heartbroken following the tragic death of HPD Officer Jason Knox. He was a dedicated public servant who inspired his fellow officers and worked to build meaningful relationships throughout the community. “
“Officer Knox lived each day to the fullest and died while performing his passion, working as a member of the HPD Air Unit, and keeping our city safe. “
“I had the pleasure of meeting Jason on several occasions through his father’s work on the Houston City Council. I know Mike and Helen Knox were proud of their son and will miss him dearly. I want to express my deepest condolences to the family as they grieve the loss of a beloved son, husband, father, and friend.”
“I also thank the Houston Fire Department, the crew of Life Flight, and Memorial Hermann Hospital doctors and nurses for their brave work to save the officers.”I ask our city to join me in praying for the Knox and Cormier families. May God bring comfort in their time of grief and strength to the men and women of the Houston Police Department.”
Two HFD Firefighters are currently deployed to the Holcombe Rd Wildland fire in Crockett Co in between Val Verde & Ozona Tx. Senior Captain Nicasio & Firefighter Steven Billnoske (Deployable Operations Group) have been on assignment since April 21st and were deployed as part of the Texas A&M Forest Service’s Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS).
The task force was assigned primarily to the east side of the incident protecting numerous oil fields. More than 300 structures were threatened when TIFMAS sent five strike teams to assist the Texas A&M Forest Service and local fire authorities. The fire, initially 700 acres, grew by an additional 10,000 acres within 24 hours. The fire now is at more than 25,958 acres and 89% contained. HFD’s recent acquisition of Booster 32 is being used for fire patrol and should return to Houston later this week.
The Houston Public Library will remain closed through May 31, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis. HPL will continue to provide robust online resources so that the public can enjoy the library at home.
By visiting www.houstonlibrary.org, adults, teens, and children will discover the diverse online virtual programs, services, and plentiful educational and entertaining resources that are available for free. A MY Link library card is required to access these resources. If customers don’t have a library card, the Library is offering temporary free online cards that will be good until August 1, 2020. Visit www.houstonlibrary.org/my-link-library-card-registration.
“This unprecedented moment in our history requires that we intentionally put first the health and safety of our staff members, families, friends, and neighbors. To that end, at the direction of our Mayor and advice of City public health officials, the Houston Public Library will remain closed to the public at least through May. Please stay safe, and stay tuned for updates regarding the status of the library.” said Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Library Director.
Brainfuse is a great resource for many parents helping with schoolwork. Customers can get live homework help with a tutor, build skills, receive writing assistance, and more. Brainfuse is available 24/7 for grades Kindergarten through college. This is especially exciting news for parents helping their kids with homework while everyone is working from home. In addition, Brainfuse has tools for adults that include career resources, resume help, practice tests, live job coaching, ESL, and more at http://houstonlibrary.org/learn-explore/online-resources-kids.
If customers need help with any HPL resource, they can call 832-393-1313 and get assistance Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. or send a message through Email Reference at https://houstonlibrary.org/email-reference. Customers will receive a response within 48 to 72 hours.
As retailers and restaurants, along with other businesses prepare to reopen, Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City’s COVID-19 Recovery Czar, Marvin Odum, on Thursday encouraged Houstonians to practice caution before returning to a normal routine.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order allows some businesses to reopen at 25 percent capacity on Friday, May 1. The city of Houston supports a safe and responsible transition to reopening the economy.
“Do not stop social distancing or wearing face coverings because the virus is still prevalent in our city,” Mayor Turner said. “As businesses reopen, I will continue to stress the need for robust and ubiquitous testing.”
On Thursday, the Houston Health Department reported 98 new cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths.
Recovery Czar Odum said he is working with local businesses and other stakeholders to develop plans to help Houstonians safety return to work. Odum stressed that contact tracing and testing are priorities.
Additional guidance on reopening is available at the HoustonEmergency.org website.
The city of Houston City will return to its normal schedule of operations on June 1, if there is no resurgence of COVID-19 during the governor’s phased-in approach to reopening businesses.
The city has modified the Stay Home, Work safe order and all city permitted and sponsored events are canceled through May. The Houston Public Library will remain closed, and all Houston Municipal Court trials, along with arraignments, hearings, jury duty, and parking adjudication hearings, also will be suspended through May.
In an effort to continue to encourage the health and safety of the public and court staff members from the spread of the COVID-19, the City of Houston Municipal Courts Department has extended the suspension of ALL JURY AND JUDGE TRIALS,JURY DUTY, ARRAIGNMENTS AND PARKING ADJUDICATION HEARINGS through May 31, 2020. All court functions will resume on Monday, June 1, 2020 unless further notification is provided. The Court remains open for all other proceedings.
Members of the public should contact a health care provider and not come to court if they have come into contact with someone who is experiencing symptoms or is experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19. Once cleared by a physician, individuals may visit any City of Houston court location to speak with an Annex Judge to reset a case. CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
If you have missed court during the COVID-19 emergency, resets will be given in person at all City of Houston court locations beginning Monday, May 11, 2020 through Friday, May 29, 2020 until 5 p.m. Please visit the Municipal Courts’ website at www.houstontx.gov/courts for information on all court locations and hours of operation.
Through May 31, 2020, there will be:NO TRIALS, ARRAIGNMENTS OR COURT HEARINGS. If you are a DEFENDANT scheduled for court during this period, you do not have to appear. You must reschedule your setting in person no later than Friday, May 29, 2020 to receive a new court date. All court functions will resume on Monday, June 1, 2020 unless further notification is provided. It is important to note that if an individual fails to reset their case(s) during the reset period (5/11/2020 through 5/29/2020), an arrest warrant may be issued.NO JURY DUTY. If you are a Juror and have been scheduled for jury duty, you do not have to appear during this period. You do not need to reschedule your Jury Service. Jury duty will resume Monday, June 1, 2020 unless further notification is provided. NO PARKING ADJUDICATION HEARINGS. You may contest your parking citation at https://houstonparking.t2hosted.com/app/index.aspx.For additional announcements and information please call the City of Houston Helpline at 3-1-1, or 713.837.0311 if outside of the City of Houston, or visit the Municipal Courts website at www.houstontx.gov/courts.
National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of the travel industry, will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this year’s theme: Celebrating the Spirit of Travel.
Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. The 37th NTTW (May 3-9) arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit and elevate the role it will play in America’s economic recovery.
Visit Corpus Christi is asking the community to join in going Turquoise for Tourism during NTTW, May 3-9, 2020. Turquoise for Tourism acknowledge s all the travel and tourism employees who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Harbor Bridge and digital bulletins across the city will be lit up with the color turquoise to celebrate the Corpus Christi tourism industry. Options for going Turquoise for Tourism can be found here. If you would like to go Turquoise for Tourism and have special dimensions, please contact Visit Corpus Christi for a custom size creation.
Turquoise for Tourism is also an initiative to raise awareness for the Visit CC Cares Program Emergency Relief Fund to help employees in the hospitality and tourism industry who have experienced a financial hardship and work furlough. Visit Corpus Christi has partnered with local brand, Made in Corpus Christi, to create custom line of merchandise for the program – including special turquoise stickers and buttons to be displayed and worn throughout NTTW. Turquoise for Tourism stickers and buttons can be purchased here. “There’s no doubt this has been an incredibly challenging time for Corpus Christi but we see National Travel and Tourism Week as an opportunity to remind our visitors and our residents of the incredible spirit and resiliency of the travel industry and our workforce. It’s only a matter of time before we all get moving again, and Corpus Christi will be more ready than ever to welcome travelers with open arms.” said Brett Oetting, Visit Corpus Christi President & CEO.
Please click here to learn more about Visit Corpus Christi’s NTTW plans and visit ustravel.org/NTTW to learn more about the week.
