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Harris County Judge Hidalgo Kicks Off Historic Term With County-wide Engagement Initiative

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4 January, 2019

Harris County Judge Hidalgo Kicks Off Historic Term With County-wide Engagement Initiative

“Talking Transition: Harris County” Will Ring County Government to the People

After her historic inauguration with more than 2,200 attendees, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced that she is launching a new civic engagement program designed to help shape the first year of her administration.

Judge Hidalgo capped her inauguration remarks with an emphasis on opening the doors of County government at a public ceremony celebrating 81 newly elected Harris County officials. She highlighted the need for elected officials to “proactively inform our community about County government, and bring lessons from our community and from thought leaders into our policy agenda.”

Judge Hidalgo’s initiative, Talking Transition: Harris County, will provide a forum for residents to discuss the issues that matter most to them, learn about County government, and weigh in on pressing public policy matters.

The first program of its kind in Harris County, Talking Transition will allow Judge Hidalgo and her team to obtain a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the issues and ideas that most impact County residents, as they work to shape their agenda.

“Throughout my campaign, I pledged to increase transparency and accountability in Harris County government. Too few residents know how County government works and how to engage with it,” said Judge Lina Hidalgo. “For me, public service means ensuring that our most vulnerable residents have the same voice in our local government as the most powerful among us.”

Talking Transition: Harris County is expected to be the largest civic engagement program in the South. It is modeled after similar programs in New York and Washington, D.C., and made possible by the Houston Endowment and the Ford Foundation.

“Houston Endowment recognizes the value of community voice in good governance,” said Ann Stern, president and CEO of Houston Endowment. “By ensuring all voices are heard, we can continue to enhance our region’s assets, achieve equitable outcomes, and resolve issues that are important to the residents of Harris County.”

Talking Transition will address seven public policy areas – education, housing, transportation, resiliency, health, justice, and economic opportunity – through a series of public events across the County. The initiative includes a variety of ways for Harris County residents to interact with and learn more about their local government. The core components include:

Transparency Announcements throughout the County will provide easily-digestible information about how County government works and eye opening statistics intended to motivate residents to learn more.

Civic Saturdays: Offered at a seven locations around Harris County, Civic Saturdays are a series of full-day public events happening on consecutive Saturdays:

Civic School: Features classroom-style lessons for Harris County residents to learn about how County government works.
Town Halls: A large gather- ing organized around a specific policy area that will give residents a chance to share new ideas for improving their communities and to hear from others.
Action Plan Workshops: Smaller working groups for people who have devoted time to specific issues to focus on how to best realize community-driven ideas through County government.

Survey: Teams of canvassers will be spread throughout the County to ask residents about what needs to be improved among County services, what would help them engage more with County government, and what needs to be prioritized when it comes to prioritizing the County budget. The survey will also be available both online and at each Civic Saturday.

All Talking Transitions events are free and open to the public. A full schedule of activities will become available online at www.talkingtransition.us.

James Harden Named Western Conference Player of the Week

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4 January, 2019

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James Harden Named Western Conference Player of the Week

The NBA announced that Houston Rockets guard James Harden has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, Dec. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 30 (Week 11). It is Harden’s second Player of the Week award of the season and the 20th of his career, all coming as a Rocket.

The Rockets were 3-0 for the week, while outscoring oppo- nents by an average of 7.3 points per game. Harden scored 40-plus points in each of the three games, marking the longest streak of his career. For the week, he aver- aged 42.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.67 steals and 1.33 blocks.

Harden opened the week by scoring a game-high 41 points vs. Oklahoma City on Christmas Day. It marked the highest point total by any player on Christmas dating back to 2011. Harden scored 28 of his game-high 45 points in the second half of the win vs. Boston on Dec. 27 and closed out the week by leading all scorers with 41 points at New Or- leans on Dec. 29.

For the season, Harden is averaging 33.0 points, which would be the highest scoring average by any player since Kobe Bryant’s 35.4 ppg in 2005-06. Harden has recorded at least 35 points and 5 assists in each of the past seven games, tying Oscar Robertson for the longest streak in NBA history. His seven-game streak of scoring 35-plus points is tied for the fourth-longest of any player since the 1976-77 NBA/ ABA merger.

Harden has also hit at least four 3-pointers in each of the past seven games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in NBA history. He leads the league with 146 3FGM overall this sea- son, which is tied for the highest total through a player’s first 32 games played in league history.

Source: nba.com/rockets

Texans and Colts Prepare for Playoff Showdown

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4 January, 2019

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Texans and Colts Prepare for Playoff Showdown

The Texans were back to game to overtime. Luck completed work on Monday, preparing 40-of-62 passes for 464 yards and for the Indianapolis Colts in four touchdowns but fell short in Saturday’s AFC Wild Card game. The Texans and Colts will face each other for a franchise-high third time this season.

“I think it’s always challenging to play a team three times,” head coach Bill O’Brien said Monday. “I’m glad it’s at home. I think that’s a big deal that we’re at home. I know our crowd’s going to be into it. We have the best crowd in the NFL, so I think that’s a big deal. But it’s always hard to play a team for a third time because you just have to understand, at the end of the day we have to do what’s right for our team and not block a lot of ghosts, if that makes sense. Just do the best you can to put together as good a game plan as you can for your team.”

The Texans are 1-1 against their division rival with the Week 4 victory marking the beginning of a nine-game win streak and the loss on Dec. 9 end- ing it. Both games were decided by three points. Each team started the season with a losing record (Texansat0-3,Coltsat1-5).The Texans have gone 11-2 since then while the Colts have won nine of their last ten games of the season. In Week 4, down 28-10 in the third quarter, Andrew Luck mounted a 21-point comeback that forced the the Texans 37-34 overtime win. In Week 14, the roles reversed. Deshaun Watson led the Texans back after trailing 17-7 at half- time. After a seven-yard touch- down pass to DeAndre Hopkins brought them within three points, the Texans were unable to stop the Colts from driving down the field in the 24-21 loss.

The Colts, who have not made the playoffs since 2014, clinched the No. 6 seed with a 33-17 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night. A lot may have changed over the course of the season, but both teams have battle their share of adversity this season to earn a playoff spot. The key to a Texans win on Saturday will come down to limiting mistakes and momen- tum-shifting plays, according to O’Brien.

“The mental toughness of both teams is evident,” O’Brien said. “To be 1-5 and to be where they are now, and then for us to be 0-3, there’s no doubt about it. That’s why it’s going to be a huge battle. Our guys know that. It’s going to come down to takeaways, giveaways. It’s going to come down to penalties. It’s going to come down to who can execute at the highest level. We know it’s go- ing to be a huge challenge for us.”

Source: houstontexans.com

Madre De Niño Hospitalizado en Oakland No Puede Visitarlo Por La Prohibición Del Viaje De Trump

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4 January, 2019

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Madre De Niño Hospitalizado en Oakland No Puede Visitarlo Por La Prohibición Del Viaje De Trump

La madre de un niño de 2 años de edad que está conectado a una máquina de vida artificial en un hospital de Oakland no puede ver a su hijo debido a la prohibición de viaje de la Casa Blanca, según oficina del Valle de Sacramento del Concilio de Relaciones Americanas-Islámicas (CAIR).

Abdullah Hassan está con un respirador en el hospital de niños Benioff de la Universidad de California en San Francisco de Oakland y sufre de una afección cerebral genética.

“Mi hijo, Abdullah, necesita a su madre. Mi esposa me está llamando todos los días queriendo besar y sostener a su hijo”, dijo Ali Hassan, de 22 años, dijo a los periodistas antes de romperse en lágrimas durante una conferencia de prensa en el hospital. “Se está acabando el tiempo. Por favor ayúdenos a reunir a mi familia otra vez”.

La madre del niño ha solicitado una exención para estar con su hijo, y la oficina de CAIR en Sacramento Valley planea presentar documentos judiciales pidiendo al Gobierno que acelere su solicitud de exención, dijo la organización.

La madre de Abdullah es una ciudadana yemení que vive en Egipto, dice CAIR. El niño, cuyo cumpleaños fue el sábado, y su padre son ciudadanos estadounidenses.

El padre de Abdullah trajo al chico a Estados Unidos para el tratamiento médico hace algunos meses, según CAIR dice. Los doctores han dicho que Abdullah no puede resistir la vida artificial por mucho tiempo más.

“Nuestros corazones se están rompiendo para esta familia”, dijo el abogado de CAIR, Saad Sweilem. “La pérdida de un niño es algo que ningún padre debe experimentar, pero no ser capaz de estar allí en los últimos momentos de su hijo es insondable cruel”.

Aunque la prohibición de viajar del Presidente Donald Trump — propuesta como un medio para frustrar la entrada de terroristas en Estados Unidos — ha enfrentado desafíos legales, la orden ejecutiva todavía restringe a los ciudadanos de Yemen y a otros seis países mayormente musulmanes de entrar en el país

Sony Music Y Maluma Renuevan Su Contrato Discográfico

Entertainment

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4 January, 2019

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Sony Music Y Maluma Renuevan Su Contrato Discográfico

Sony Music Latin reciente- mente renovó el contrato discográfico del ídolo juvenil de la música Latina a nivel mundial, MALUMA, en una reunión que se llevó a cabo en su ciudad natal de Medellín, Colombia.

El acuerdo multi-millonario incluye condiciones que se ajustan al mercado actual de la música, los nuevos compromisos del artista, así como los del equipo de Sony. El contrato fue la resultante de varios meses de negociación por parte de Sony y el equipo de Maluma.

“Me llena de felicidad y or- gullo seguir esta aventura de la mano de la discográfica que creyó en mi desde el principio – soy crey- ente en que en la union está la fuerza y más aún cuando hay bue- na vibra y se hacen las cosas con pasión – Sony junto con mi equipo de management, somos un team ganador y estoy seguro que juntos seguiremos teniendo importantes logros y muchísimos éxitos,” ex- presó Maluma.

“Ha sido un honor para to- dos nosotros trabajar con Maluma desde el inicio de su carrera. Juan Luis es una persona maravillosa y un artista que no para de crecer. Gracias Juan Luis, gracias a tu familia, gracias a Walter Kolm, Miguel Lua y el gran equipo de WK por renovar la confianza con tu otra familia: Sony Music. Te deseamos todo lo mejor del mundo. Esto recién comienza” dijo Afo Verde, el Chairman y CEO de Sony Music Latin Iberia.

Maluma firmó su contrato discográfico con la multinacional Sony Music Latin a fines del 2014 y desde entonces se ha posicionado once veces con el #1 en la radio de Estados Unidos según el lista- do Latin Airplay de Billboard y se ha consolidado como un artista multi-platino y multi-premiado, ganador del Latin GRAMMY al Mejor Album Pop Vocal Contemporaneo 2018 (por F.A.M.E.). La representación de Maluma está a cargo de Walter Kolm Entertainment en colaboración con la em- presa del artista Royalty World Inc.

“Desde que arrancó la car- rera de Maluma fue en Sony Mu- sic. Feliz de extender el contrato con la compañía número uno y de la mano de su líder Afo Verde,” expresó Walter Kolm.

County Attorney Ryan Obtains Settlement to Stop Polluting by Pasadena Refinery

Houston

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4 January, 2019

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County Attorney Ryan Obtains Settlement to Stop Polluting by Pasadena Refinery

Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan obtained $210,000 for the County this week in the settlement of an environmental enforcement action against Pasadena Refining Services Inc. (PRSI). The company also agreed to perform an audit and to take corrective actions to prevent the occurrence of future violations and to correct other problems uncovered at the refinery during the lawsuit. The settlement comes as the result of a lawsuit seeking to hold the company responsible for repeated violations of Texas environmental protection laws.

Harris County filed suit against PRSI in March of 2017 for five separate violations of the Tex- as Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act that occurred between 2015 and 2016 that were investigated by the Harris County Pollution Control Services Department.

County officials and company representatives agreed to work together to resolve the case rather than require a trial to achieve compliance. The company agreed to pay a total of $415,000 in attorney’s fees and penalties. $210,000 of this amount was paid to Harris County this week with the balance being paid to the State of Texas.

In addition to paying penalties and attorney’s fees, PRSI must hire an independent auditor to certify the causes of the violations and report recommended corrective changes to the company. PRSI must then implement those changes according to a timetable that is a part of a judicial order.

Violations included an incident that occurred on July 25, 2016, in which 1,446 pounds of sulfur dioxide was released during a flaring operation. Sulfur dioxide is a toxic gas that has a characteristic smell. Human exposure to the gas can cause difficulty breathing and can be fatal. The release was almost five times the limit imposed by law. As a result of the release, the Washburn Tunnel and the Houston Ship Channel were closed and the City of Galena Park issued a shelter-in-place order that lasted for one-and-a-half hours.

PRSI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petrobras, a Brazil-ian national oil company. The violations occurred at the century-old refinery the company operates on the Houston Ship Channel at 111 Red Bluff Road in Pasadena. The facility in question is one of oldest refineries in Texas.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Tex- as Attorney General also participated in the case.

Statement From Tony Buzbee in Light of Today’s Ruling by Judge Randy Wilson

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4 January, 2019

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In a December 10, 2018 statement, Sylvester Turner said:

“So either we must implement Prop B or Prop B is void because it is pre-empted by state law. The court will ultimately decide.”

The court has decided.

Today, Harris County Judge Randy Wilson nullified the temporary restraining order requested by the Houston Police Officers’ Union to block implementation of Proposition B, the voter-approved pay parity amendment.

“The balance of equities weighs in favor of firefighters after the Houston voters decided they would rather have pay parity,” Judge Wilson said, adding that, “The Pay Parity Amendment does not violate public policy, is not unconstitutionally vague, and can be addressed through the initiative process.”

I am again offering to me- diate a discussion between the firefighters’ union and the city. I will not make a dime on this work – I am passionate about taking care of our first responders and not wasting this city’s money. Litigation is not the answer. The firefighters have accepted my offer, will the mayor?

City council members approved a $500,000 contract to be paid to Turner’s former law firm to defend the city against litigation related to the voter-approved pay parity charter amendment. If anyone thinks this dispute will only cost our city the planned $500,000 in lawyers’ fees, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Litigation is simply not the fiscally-responsible path forward, nor is it the sole option.

Not only is fighting Proposition B—the will of 292,000 voters—a losing battle, but it will take years, and it will waste tax- payer money. In the meantime, there are firefighter families out there who can’t sign their kids up for dance classes, tutoring and other activities. It’s time we equally value our police and fire first responders in Houston. I am offering to facilitate a cost-free discussion between the firefighters and the city to find a solution that works for everyone.

My goal is to start a dialogue with the mayor and get other community leaders engaged to try to resolve this dispute. Let’s sit down, roll up our sleeves and get to work. The city will have to compromise, perhaps the fire- fighters will have to compromise, but let’s stop this litigation process.

www.txattorneys.com

East End Chamber Of Commerce: Blanca E. Blanco Wins 2018 Best Small Business Of The Year

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4 January, 2019

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East End Chamber Of Commerce: Blanca E. Blanco Wins 2018 Best Small Business Of The Year

Independent Financial Advisor, Blanca E. Blanco, was awarded the 2018 Best Small Business Award at the East End Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Awards Banquet. “I was honored to be nominated along other great companies,” said Blanco, who was overjoyed and surprised, since the other two nomi- nees are more seasoned in their businesses.

Blanco has fifteen years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to starting her financial firm three years ago, she did a six-year stint at Chase Bank, as a financial advisor. Although, becoming an independent financial advisor has its challenges, Blanco worked hard to overcome them. This tenacity helped to establish herself as the “go to person for women” who suddenly find themselves single with assets to invest. Blanco has discovered this exclusive niche that also includes a mix of Spanish-speaking clients and investors. She has expanded her services to include life insurance to protect the assets of her clients, as well. Her fifteen year trajectory in the financial services industry began at Edward Jones in Texas City in 2002, and then in 2005, she transitioned to Merrill Lynch in Galveston, Texas.

Blanco moved from her native San Antonio in the ‘80’s to Houston seeking greater opportunities in the law field where she worked as a legal secretary for 12 years. Although, the economy was in a downturn due to the oil and real estate bust, Blanco prospered working at large law firms, including Baker & Botts, and later at Gissell, Stone, Barker & Lyman.

One day she witnessed a friend doing a newspaper lay out, and Blanco, said, to herself, “I can do that”. Little did she know that her belief would be a portal that would one day lead her to publish VIVA! Magazine. The publication was a Hispanic themed newsprint tabloid insert, printed in English, which circulated in the Houston Post from 1991-1995. Blanco was the publisher, editor, writer, photographer and layout designer for this weekly periodical with a 300 thousand circulation. VIVA! Magazine featured Hispanic business owners, who went from rags to riches to build successful enterprises. In its heyday, the magazine was the place to be seen in the social pages.

Blanco is a high-profile influencer and master networker in Houston’s East End. She has a decade of being an active member of the East End Chamber of Commerce, where she has served on the Ambassador Committee. In that role, she has worked hard to expand the East End Chamber’s footprint recruiting new members and welcoming new business to the area.

She also gives her time serving on the board of the East End Management District, an agency that promotes redevelopment of the East End community. Other highlights of her career include serving as the Host Committee Chair, for the East End Street Fest this past October. In 2003, Blanco served as President of the Rotary Club in La Marque, TX. Her legacy has been to serve and give back to the community where she hangs her business shingle. Presently, Blanco assists the Cleveland-Ripley House in Pasadena, TX, conducting financial educational seminars in Spanish. Another milestone was being named “Woman of the Year” for the Business and Professional Women Association of Houston. She is also a proud inductee in the Hispanic Women Hall of Fame by the Houston Hispanic Women in Leadership.

Blanco is also an active Democrat who has worked on several campaigns including Tex- as State Senator-Elect, Carol Alvarado, Congresswoman-Elect Sylvia Garcia, and Harris County Judge- Elect Lina Hidalgo, as well as, Pct 2 Commissioner-Elect Adrian Garcia.
Her philosophy is to never forget where one comes from and to aid those that need a helping hand. Her goals for 2019 include growing her business so she can “pay it forward” giving more of her time and resources to those in need. Furthermore, she wants to mentor and pass on her life lessons that she has gained over her business life.