Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Police department held a memorial service honoring the sacrifice of the police officers from both the Dallas and DART police departments following a protest march in Dallas on July 7, 2016.

Dallas Police Sergeant Michael Smith, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patricio Zamarripa, and DART Police Officer Brent Thompson sacrificed their lives to protect the lives of others.

DART Police Officer Thompson, 43, became the first DART police officer killed in the line of duty when he gave his life, saving the lives of countless civilians and fellow officers.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it will publish a notice in the Federal Register to extend the comment period for the COVID-19 healthcare emergency temporary standard (ETS) to August 20, 2021.

OSHA is extending the comment period by 30 days to allow stakeholders additional time to review the ETS and collect information and data necessary for comment.

Comments can be submitted electronically for Docket No. OSHA-2020-0004 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for making electronic submissions.

On June 21, 2021, OSHA published an ETS to protect healthcare and healthcare support service workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19 in settings where workers are likely to have contact with someone infected with the virus. More information about the ETS is available at:  https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

Source: www.osha.gov

Governor Greg Abbott today announced the Texas Music Office (TMO) and Visit Port Aransas will co-host a Music Friendly Community workshop on Tuesday, July 13.

TMO Community Relations & Outreach Specialist Chip Adams will be present to explain the Music Friendly Community designation and answer questions.

Participation in TMO’s Music Friendly Community program provides Texas communities with a network for fostering music industry development and sends a clear message to industry professionals that certified communities are serious about attracting and developing music industry growth. Port Aransas’s workshop is the first step in the certification process. When complete, Port Aransas will join more than 20 other Texas cities that have earned the coveted designation “Music Friendly.”

“As we unleash the full might of the Texas economy, I am committed to working alongside community and business leaders in Port Aransas to ensure they have the knowledge and tools they need to succeed,” said Governor Abbott. “Music is a big part of the Texas brand and our local economies, and I thank the Texas Music Office for helping communities large and small to amplify creative partnerships and spur new business growth.”

“Port Aransas is already a musical powerhouse for the celebration of the live music scene in Texas,” said Brett Stawar, President & CEO of the Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce. “Port Aransas is home to over 25 live music venues that offer regular live music performances. On the Gulf, Port Aransas is on the forefront of showcasing live music performances and welcomes the opportunity of being a Music Friendly Community.”

Musicians, venues, and the general public are all welcome to attend.

Music Friendly Community Workshop – Port Aransas

Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 5 pm CT

Port Aransas City Hall Council Chambers 710 West Ave A Port Aransas, TX 78373

FREE registration and tickets: portaransas.org/chamber/improve/workshops/port-aransas-music-friendly-community-workshop

Questions and media inquiries can be directed to Lisa Shelton: LShelton@visitportaransas.com

More information on TMO’s Music Friendly Community program: gov.texas.gov/music/page/music-friendly-communities

Source: gov.texas.gov

Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Sheila Faske and Stephen Lee and reappointed Alan Tinsley to the Texas State University System Board of Regents for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027.

Sheila Faske of Rose City is the owner of American Office Liquidators LLC in Beaumont. She serves as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Rose City and serves on several community advisory committees. Additionally, she is a member of the Beaumont Founders Lions Club and the Orange, Beaumont, and Port Arthur Chambers of Commerce. Faske received an Associate of Science in Business and Computer Information Systems from Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont.

Stephen Lee of Beaumont is Chairman, President, and CEO of First Financial Bank-Southeast Texas. He is a member of the Texas Bankers Association and a director for the Baptist Hospital System Foundation Board, Lamar State College-Orange Foundation Board, and the 100 Club of Southeast Texas Board. Additionally, he is the former president of the Kiwanis Club of Orange and former board member and treasurer of the United Way of Orange. Lee received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Lamar University and is a graduate of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.

Alan Tinsley of Madisonville is an attorney in private practice. In addition to holding Board Certifications in both Tax Law and Probate and Estate Planning, he specializes in business entities, real estate, oil and gas, contracts, and civil and commercial litigation. He was appointed by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization to the Probate and Estate Planning Commission and previously served as chair of the District 2C Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas. Tinsley received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University, a Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law, and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

Source: gov.texas.gov

Las Lift Zones están completamente equipadas con Wi-Fi gratuito para ayudar a los estudiantes a acceder a recursos digitales y aprendizaje a distancia 

Como parte de compromiso continuo por ayudar a conectar a Internet a las familias de bajos recursos, para que estas puedan participar de lleno en las oportunidades educativas y la economía digital, Comcast anunció hoy que ha equipado a cincuenta Lift Zones en el área de Houston y alrededores con WiFi gratuito.

En colaboración con su red de socios sin fines de lucro, Comcast está ofreciendo hotspots WiFi robustos en espacios seguros creados para ayudar a los estudiantes a conectarse en línea, participar del aprendizaje a distancia y realizar su tarea. Esta iniciativa proveerá una conexión gratis dentro de los centros comunitarios asociados durante los próximos tres años.

“Estamos orgullosos de asociarnos con organizaciones comunitarias en el área de Houston y alrededores, equipándolos con un servicio de Internet gratuito para proveerles de una conexión segura, rápida y confiable” dijo Ralph Martínez, vicepresidente regional senior de Comcast Houston. “La crisis de COVID-19 ha puesto a muchos en riesgo de quedar relegados, lo que aceleró nuestra labor por alcanzar la equidad digital integral con programas de adopción de Internet para apoyar este esfuerzo. Esperamos que estos Lift Zones puedan ayudar a quienes, por distintos motivos, no cuentan con una conexión en sus hogares para llevar adelante su educación a la distancia de manera eficiente.”

Cada sede de Lift Zone será equipada con una solución robusta de WiFi, provista por Comcast Business sin costo alguno. Estos sitios están equipados con una combinación de las galardonadas soluciones Business Internet, WiFi Pro y SecurityEdge de Comcast Business; customizadas en base al tamaño y las necesidades de conectividad de cada sede.

Algunos de los centros comunitarios del área de Houston y alrededores que han establecido Lift Zones en sus respectivas sedes son el Boys and Girls Clubs del área metropolitana de Houston, de la ciudad de Houston y de la ciudad de Galveston. El listado completo de las Lift Zones de Comcast en el área de Houston y alrededores puede encontrarse aquí.

A principios de este año, Comcast anunció un compromiso de mil millones de dólares a ser ejecutado durante un período de diez años como parte de su apoyo continuo para alcanzar la equidad digital, incluida la iniciativa de Lift Zones, la cual busca establecer hacia fines de 2021 espacios seguros de conexión a WiFi para estudiantes y adultos en más de mil centros comunitarios en toda la nación

Los Lift Zones complementan al programa Internet Essentials de Comcast, el cual ha ayudado a conectar a Internet a aproximadamente diez millones de hogares de bajos recursos desde 2011, incluidos casi un millón en el estado de Tejas.

Acerca de Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) es una compañía global de medios y tecnología que conecta a las personas con los momentos que importan. Estamos principalmente enfocados en banda ancha, agregación y streaming con más de 56 millones de relaciones con los consumidores a lo largo de los Estados Unidos y Europa. Ofrecemos banda ancha, red inalámbrica y video por medio de las marcas Xfinity, Comcast Business y Sky. Creamos, distribuimos y realizamos streaming de contenidos lideres en entretenimiento, deportes y noticias por medio de Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, las cadenas de difusión NBC y Telemundo, Peacock, NBC News, NBC Sports, Sky News, y Sky Sports; además brindamos experiencias memorables en Universal Parks y Resorts en los EEUU y Asia. Visita www.comcastcorporation.com  para más información.

Europe’s largest PEM hydrogen electrolyzer^*, today began operations at Shell’s Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland, producing green hydrogen.

As part of the Refine European consortium and with European Commission funding through the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), the fully operational plant is the first to use this technology at such a large scale in a refinery.

Plans are underway to expand the capacity of the electrolyzer from 10 megawatts to 100 megawatts at the Rheinland site, near Cologne, where Shell also intends to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using renewable power and biomass in the future. A plant for liquefied renewable natural gas (bio-LNG) is also in development.

 “This project demonstrates a new kind of energy future and a model of lower-carbon energy production that can be replicated worldwide,” Shell’s Downstream Director, Huibert Vigeveno, said at today’s official opening ceremony.

“Shell wants to become a leading supplier of green hydrogen for industrial and transport customers in Germany,” he added. “We will be involved in the whole process — from power generation, using offshore wind, to hydrogen production and distribution across sectors. We want to be the partner of choice for our customers as we help them decarbonize.”

Shell has a target to become a net-zero-emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society. As part of its Powering Progress strategy, Shell plans to transform its refinery footprint to five core energy and chemicals parks. This means Shell will reduce the production of traditional fuels by 55% by 2030.

The Rheinland electrolyzer will use renewable electricity to produce up to 1,300 tonnes of green hydrogen a year. This will initially be used to produce fuels with lower carbon intensity. The green hydrogen will also be used to help decarbonize other industries.

The European consortium backing the project consists of Shell, ITM Power, research organization SINTEF, consultants Sphera and Element Energy. The electrolyzer was manufactured by ITM power in Sheffield, UK, and includes parts made in Italy, Sweden, Spain, and Germany.

Armin Laschet, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President, said: “We are a hydrogen region. With the commissioning of the largest PEM electrolysis plant in Europe, we are further expanding our leading role in this field. We are therefore laying the foundation for modern and green industry, with highly skilled jobs. Today, 30% of German demand for hydrogen already comes from North Rhine-Westphalia’s industry. Estimates predict that demand will double by 2030. This is why we need innovative solutions that will meet the demand for CO₂-neutral hydrogen. Projects such as Refhyne demonstrate how innovation can benefit both the environment and the economy.”

Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director of FCH JU, said: “In order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, we need to fundamentally reshape our energy system. Clean hydrogen will play a key role in e-mobility and in industry, as it has great potential for decarbonizing sectors where direct use of renewable energy is not possible. Accordingly, we want to accelerate the market launch of fuel cells and hydrogen technology and tap into their advantages in Europe.”

Source: www.shell.com