|
Police Chief Finner: Violent Crime Decreased in Houston in 2022
Former NFL Player motivates Lone Star College baccalaureate students to finish their degrees
Lone Star College is one of the top associate degree producers in the nation. Today, it also offers four baccalaureate programs for students interested in earning a bachelor’s degree close to home.
“The baccalaureate programs expand Lone Star College’s commitment to providing high-quality academic and workforce programs while ensuring that students meet industries’ needs,” said Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC Chancellor.
LSC held a Bachelor’s Degree Holiday Retention and Recruitment Event at LSC-University Park Dec. 16. Devon Still, former NFL Defensive End, and current speaker and Positive Psychology Instructor at Penn State University, spoke to attendees, encouraging them to finish their baccalaureate program despite challenges they may face. Still earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston-Downtown after he played for the Houston Texans in 2016.
“Your character determines what you’re willing to go through to achieve your goal,” said Still. “Storms will not last forever; endure them. Good times won’t last forever; savor them. Education provides individuals with the knowledge and skills to live a flourishing life. Without it, there is no progress individually or collectively.”
Before the event, Asma Mirza, Steradian Technologies co-founder and CEO, encouraged students to cultivate powerful networking relationships with their professors and find opportunities to create innovative ideas in their chosen industry. Mirza said that her bachelor’s and master’s degrees led her to create Steradian, a Houston-area deep-tech, health care startup developing a novel way to detect respiratory infections within 30 seconds for the price of a latte.
“It’s important for students to understand that earning a bachelor’s degree and forming solid networking groups can lead them to create their own jobs and excel in their careers,” said Mirza. “Earning a bachelor’s degree can be their big step toward becoming great.”
At the Bachelor’s Degree Holiday Retention and Recruitment Event, Jose R. Lopez said LSC is an economical choice for earning his bachelor’s degree in Energy, Manufacturing and Trades Management. He will graduate in May 2023. Lopez is a 30-year career machinist and quality inspector in the Energy and Manufacturing industry. He previously earned an associate of arts degree and an associate of applied science degree at LSC-CyFair.
“During the pandemic, I was laid off, but I did not want to stop my educational journey,” said Lopez. “I was planning to attend the University of Houston, but during my research, I found out that Lone Star College offered a degree that was less expensive. It was a good deal that I couldn’t pass up.”
Nathaniel Littlepage, a student in the Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity program, felt LSC was the only educational institution in the area that could offer him the next step in his desired field.
“I earned an associate degree in CISCO Networking, but I had no place to go with it,” Littlepage said. “Lone Star College’s Cybersecurity bachelor’s degree is the only program locally, and I’ve learned many skills, such as programming and threat analysis, which will prepare me for a forensics career in law enforcement.”
LSC is the only community college in the state to launch four baccalaureate degrees in Nursing, Cybersecurity, Emergency Management and Energy, Manufacturing and Trades Management. These programs were recognized for multiple promising practices in the 2022 e-book issued by the Community College Baccalaureate Association.
“Lone Star College offers bachelor’s degrees in a wide range of fields focused on industries that are critical to the local and regional economies where community college students live and work,” said Dalia Sherif, Ph.D., LSC-University Center at The Woodlands Executive Dean of Baccalaureate Programs and Partnerships. “Additionally, students can earn their bachelor’s degrees at the same tuition rates as an associate degree, thus saving them thousands of dollars.”
Visit LoneStar.edu/Programs-Of-Study/Bachelors-Degrees to learn more about Lone Star College’s baccalaureate programs.
Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2022 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education, ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list and recognized by Fortune Magazine and Great Place To Work® as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Texas™. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
The City of Houston Awards $11.5 Million in Grants to Arts and Culture Nonprofit Organizations and Individual Artists
|
Three people killed in crash on the north side
Eyewitnesses said the sound of the crash that killed three young people overnight on Thousand Oaks Drive is something they may never forget.
Taylor Tucker was outside in his backyard directly across the street when he heard tires squeal just after 10 p.m.
He said he looked up and heard the crash of what he knew was a fatal impact.
“The second I saw it, I ran as fast as I could. There was nothing I could do to help anybody,” Tucker said, adding that many people tried to come to the aid of the victims.
Tucker said “Multiple people were trying to help but the interior of the car was so mangled there was no way I could get to them. It was no way, they had to be cut out by the jaws of life.”
Eric Santos said he was driving by and stopped to help.
“That’s somebody’s family members, me personally I wanted to get out and help and see what I could do because this could happen to anyone and you don’t want to see someone’s family members like that,” Santos said.
Police said the frantic efforts by everyone involved were not enough.
The Medical Examiner has not released the names of the deceased, saying their identifications are only tentative, but they believe the dead are a 22 year old woman, a 17-year-old boy and a ten-year-old boy. The woman has been identified as Evelyn Flores.
Police said the driver of the southbound car failed to yield the right of way to an oncoming northbound Jeep.
The driver of the Jeep was taken to the hospital as well. A condition update on that person is not available.
Santos said he hopes the family members of the victims know they were not alone in the end.
“Nobody gave up. Everybody was here trying to help out and trying to see what was wrong and they weren’t left there to be forgotten or nothing. We were there trying to help. Everybody was trying to help: police, firefighters, bystanders, anybody,” Santos said.
Police said a secondary accident happened when a passing pickup truck came into contact with wires knocked down in the initial crash.
That driver did not require medical attention.
The force of the collision rattled a large concrete pillar out of its base and sheared a utility pole clean off.
Tucker said he hopes the crash will result in some sort of upgrade to traffic control at the corner of Alamo Blanco, where he said drivers often treat Thousand Oaks like a raceway.
“This is like a drag strip every night! I would do anything for a light right here. Anything for a light!” Tucker said.
A steady stream of people came to pay their respects at the site Monday morning.
Jennifer Johnson brought flowers.
“I came here to leave flowers because that could have been anybody’s kids. I seen it on the news this morning and it definitely does break my heart,” Johnson said.
Source: kens5
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Border Enforcement Actions
While the courts have prevented the Title 42 public health order from lifting for now, the Biden-Harris Administration today is announcing new enforcement measures to increase security at the border and reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully between ports of entry. These measures will expand and expedite legal pathways for orderly migration and result in new consequences for those who fail to use those legal pathways. They also draw on the success of the Venezuela initiative, which launched in October 2022 and has resulted in a dramatic drop in the number of Venezuelan nationals attempting to enter the United States unlawfully.
The Administration is also announcing that it is surging additional resources to the border and the region, scaling up its anti-smuggling operations, and expanding coordination and support for border cities and non-governmental organizations. Importantly, the actions announced today are being implemented in close partnership with Mexico and governments across the Western Hemisphere.
While these steps will help address some of the most acute challenges at the Southwest border, they will not solve all of the problems in an immigration system that has been broken for far too long. That can only happen if Republicans in Congress who have spent the past two years talking about border security quit blocking the comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures President Biden proposed on his first day in office, and opposing the billions of dollars in additional funds the President has requested for border security and management.
Unlike some Republican officials playing political games and obstructing real solutions to fix our broken immigration system, President Biden has a plan and is taking action. Under the new enforcement measures announced today, the Biden-Harris Administration will:
Impose New Consequences for Individuals who Attempt to Enter Unlawfully
To facilitate a return to the processing of all noncitizens under Title 8 authorities when Title 42 eventually lifts, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is:
- Increasing the Use of Expedited Removal. Effective immediately, individuals who attempt to enter the United States without permission, do not have a legal basis to remain, and cannot be expelled pursuant to Title 42 will be increasingly subject to expedited removal to their country of origin and subject to a five-year ban on reentry.
- Announcing New Measures to Encourage Individuals to Seek Orderly and Lawful Pathways to Migration. DHS and the Department of Justice today are announcing their intent to propose a new regulation that would encourage individuals to seek orderly and lawful pathways to migration and reduce overcrowding along the southwest border and the strain on the immigration system.
Expand Legal Pathways for Safe, Orderly, and Humane Migration
The Biden-Harris Administration and its international partners in the region are also announcing new and expanded legal pathways to the United States and other countries that individuals can and should use to avoid consequences for crossing the border unlawfully. These include:
- Expanding the Parole Process for Venezuelans to Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Cubans. Today, the Biden Administration is announcing it will extend the successful Venezuela parole process and expand it to nationals of Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba. Up to 30,000 individuals per month from these four countries, who have an eligible sponsor and pass vetting and background checks, can come to the United States for a period of two years and receive work authorization. Individuals who irregularly cross the Panama, Mexico, or U.S. border after the date of this announcement will be ineligible for the parole process and will be subject to expulsion to Mexico, which will accept returns of 30,000 individuals per month from these four countries who fail to use these new pathways.
- Tripling Refugee Resettlement from the Western Hemisphere. The Biden-Harris Administration intends to welcome up to 20,000 refugees from Latin American and Caribbean countries during Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, putting the United States on pace to more than triple refugee admissions from the Western Hemisphere this Fiscal Year alone. This delivers on the President’s commitment under the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection to scale up refugee admissions from the Western Hemisphere.
- Launching Online Appointment Portal to Reduce Overcrowding and Wait Times at U.S. Ports of Entry. When Title 42 eventually lifts, noncitizens located in Central and Northern Mexico seeking to enter the United States lawfully through a U.S. port of entry have access to the CBP One mobile application for scheduling an appointment to present themselves for inspection and to initiate a protection claim instead of coming directly to a port of entry to wait. This new feature will significantly reduce wait times and crowds at U.S. ports of entry and allow for safe, orderly, and humane processing.
- New Legal Pathways to Other Countries Across the Region. Countries across the Western Hemisphere are delivering on their commitments under the Los Angeles Declaration to expand legal immigration pathways. Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Belize are each implementing new regularization or temporary protection policies to provide legal status to hundreds of thousands of migrants. Canada, Mexico, and Spain have expanded refugee resettlement and temporary work opportunities. Mexico and Guatemala have also significantly grown their asylum system. Individuals are encouraged to avail themselves of this wide range of legal pathways in the region and avoid the dangerous consequences of irregular migration.
- Increasing Humanitarian Assistance in Mexico and Central America. The United States is announcing today nearly $23 million in additional humanitarian assistance in Mexico and Central America. This new assistance will help governments in the region respond to the increased humanitarian and protection needs of migrants, refugees and other vulnerable populations in their care. Recognizing that no one country can respond to these needs alone, this assistance will help support shelter, health, legal assistance, mental health and psychosocial support, water, sanitation, hygiene products, gender-based violence response, livelihoods, other protection related activities, and capacity building for partners.
Surge Resources to Secure the Border, Disrupt Criminal Smuggling Networks, and Support Border Communities
The Biden-Harris Administration is surging resources and expanding efforts to securely manage the border, disrupt the criminal smuggling networks preying on vulnerable migrants, and support communities receiving migrants as they await their immigration enforcement proceedings. New and expanded efforts include:
- Mobilizing Record Resources for Safe, Orderly, and Humane Processing of Migrants. The Biden Administration is marshalling available authorities and resources from across the Federal Government to help ensure the border is secure and well-managed when the Title 42 public health order eventually lifts. DHS and DOJ are surging asylum officers and immigration judges to review asylum cases at the border more quickly – with the aim of reducing initial processing times from months to days. The two agencies are also expanding capabilities and technologies to support faster processing, including by installing hundreds of phone lines and privacy booths to conduct these interviews and proceedings. DHS is also hiring and deploying additional agents and officers to join the over 23,000 already working to secure the border. In addition, DHS is significantly scaling up its air and ground transportation capabilities to quickly remove migrants when warranted or transport migrants to less-congested border sectors for further immigration enforcement proceedings.
- Taking Thousands of Smugglers off the Streets and Countering Smuggler Misinformation. In Los Angeles earlier this year, President Biden announced a first-of-its kind operation against the multi-billion-dollar human smuggling industry. Since April, this operation has led to over 7,300 arrests, forcing many criminal smuggling organizations out of business. The Administration is also taking on the smuggler misinformation. The Department of State is expanding its paid and earned media outreach to ensure timely and accurate information is reaching migrants. Messaging and outreach will target high out-migration communities and migrant routes through relevant communications channels (e.g., radio, digital, trusted partners, and more.) with an estimated reach of over 85 million potential migrants
- Expanding Coordination with and Support for Border Cities, Receiving Communities, and Non-Governmental Organizations. The Biden-Harris Administration is increasing funding available to border cities and those cities receiving an influx of migrants, in addition to strengthening ongoing coordination and collaboration across all levels of government. DHS is also expanding outreach efforts with local jurisdictions to provide coordination of resources and technical assistance support and the Administration has been facilitating coordination between state and local officials and other federal agencies. Additionally, the Administration will continue to mobilize faith-based and non-profit organizations supporting migrants, including those providing temporary shelter, food, and humanitarian assistance before often reuniting with family as they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings.
The Biden-Harris Administration will do everything within its authority and available resources to manage this challenge, but until and unless Congress delivers the funding as well as comprehensive immigration reform measures President Biden requested, the United States’ broken immigration system will indeed remain broken.
Source: whitehouse
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON IN GALVESTON!?
Amazing festivals, food- and drink-related celebrations, special events and more – there’s always something to do in Galveston, Texas.
Washed Ashore: Art to Save The Sea
Kevin McCarthy elected US House Speaker after 15 rounds of voting
Kevin McCarthy has been elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives after heated exchanges that almost saw fellow Republicans come to blows.
It took 15 rounds of voting for Mr. McCarthy to win the job, despite his party having a majority in the chamber.
It came after a dramatic pressure campaign played out live on the House floor as party rebel Matt Gaetz was urged to vote for Mr. McCarthy.
The Florida Congressman was among six holdouts who relented late on Friday.
Earlier, amid heated scenes in the chamber, Mr. Gaetz had almost come to blows with Rep Mike Rogers – a supporter of Mr. McCarthy. The Alabama congressman had to be physically restrained by colleagues as he bellowed and jabbed his finger at Mr. Gaetz.
The Speaker sets the House agenda and oversees the legislative business. The post is second in line to the presidency after the US vice-president.
Mr. McCarthy told reporters that former President Trump had helped him get the final votes: “I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence”.
“He was with me from the beginning… he would call me and he would call others,” he said.
US President Joe Biden congratulated Mr. McCarthy for his win and said he looked forward to cooperating with the Republican Party.
“The American people expect their leaders to govern in a way that puts their needs above all else, and that is what we need to do now,” he said.
Republicans have already pledged to launch investigations into Mr. Biden’s family business dealings and administration.
In a remarkable turnaround in the 12th round of voting, Mr. McCarthy was able to persuade 14 Republican holdouts to cast their vote for him. A 15th rebel followed suit for the 13th ballot.
After the 13th ballot was adjourned, Mr. McCarthy insisted to reporters that he would “have the votes” to take the speakership in the next round.
But the California congressman was still three votes short of the 217 he needed to take the prized gavel, and in chaotic and dramatic scenes, he again failed to win on the 14th ballot.
The dissidents included members of the House Freedom Caucus, who argue that Mr. McCarthy is not conservative enough to lead them as they work to try to oppose Democratic President Joe Biden’s agenda.
Mr. McCarthy has offered various concessions to the rebels, including a seat on the influential rules committee, which sets the terms for debate on legislation in the chamber.
He also agreed to lower the threshold for triggering a vote on whether to unseat the Speaker, to only one House member, leading to the possibility that the Republican coalition could easily fracture again even after Mr. McCarthy’s victory.
As the last politician on the roll – Montana’s Ryan Zinke – voted, the House floor erupted in applause as it became clear Mr. McCarthy had finally emerged victorious.
Mr. McCarthy hugged other representatives and signed autographs, but across the room, the Democrats’ side was completely silent. No democrat applauded.
Senior Democratic Party lawmakers accused Mr. McCarthy of ceding power to an extreme wing of his party and likened the stand-off to the riot exactly two years ago on Capitol Hill by Trump supporters who disrupted Mr. Biden’s certification as president.
“Two years ago insurrectionists failed to take over the Capitol,” Congressman Eric Swalwell wrote on Twitter. “Tonight Kevin McCarthy let them take over the Republican Party.”
And Virginia Congressman Don Beyer referred to the angry scenes among Republicans that followed the 14th count.
“Unsettling that this process ends in threats of violence in the House Chamber, on this of all days,” he said. “Maybe it didn’t determine the outcome, but that is no way to conduct the people’s business. A dark and sobering moment will probably be remembered long after this session ends.”
The minority Democrats had continued to vote in unison for their leader, New York’s Hakeem Jeffries, the first black person ever to lead a party in Congress.
Friday was the first day that Mr. McCarthy’s vote count actually surpassed that of Mr. Jeffries.
Mr. McCarthy opened his acceptance speech by joking; “that was easy, eh?”. He outlined a range of Republican policy objectives that included lowering prices, securing the US-Mexico border, and combatting what he described as a “woke indoctrination”.
He said one of his primary goals was to stop “wasteful Washington spending”.
The lawmakers began leaving the Congress around 02:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Saturday morning – 14 hours after the gavel first rang at noon.
Not since 1860 in the build-up to the American Civil War has the lower chamber of Congress voted this many times to pick a speaker. Back then it took 44 rounds of ballots.
In November’s midterm elections, Republicans won the House by a weaker-than-expected margin of 222 to 212. Democrats retained control of the Senate.
Source: bbc
Additional Losing Candidates File Election Contests in Harris County
|
|
|
|
|
Top 10 most stolen cars in Texas
With car prices continuing to soar thanks to the global microchip shortage, there are plenty of reasons to keep your older vehicle if it’s working well. These cars may be a good target for theft since they lack several security systems seen in more modern vehicles. However, keep in mind that your trusted vehicle may also appeal to criminals.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau ” Hot Wheels ” list, here’s a list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Texas.
Top 10 most stolen cars in Texas
| Model | Units stolen |
| Chevrolet Pick-up (Full-size) | 9,382 |
| Ford Pick-up (Full-size) | 8,433 |
| GMC Pick-up (Full-size) | 2,891 |
| Dodge Pick-up (Full-size) | 2,481 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 1,814 |
| Honda Accord | 1,423 |
| Nissan Altima | 1,407 |
| Toyota Camry | 1,369 |
| Ram Pick-up (Full-size) | 1,340 |
| Honda Civic | 1,197 |
Not surprisingly, full-size pick-up trucks top the list of most stolen vehicles in Texas. While Chevrolet and Ford pick-up trucks are the most targeted vehicles in the state, other GMC, Dodge, and Ram models are not far behind.
Sedans are the second most stolen type of car in the Lone Star state, with the Honda Accord topping the list. The Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Honda Civic are the other sedans that are theft magnets in Texas.
How can I protect my car from theft in Texas?
The most efficient method to ensure that your car does not get stolen is to lock all doors and shut the windows when you exit the vehicle. Most vehicles that made it to the list above were manufactured in an era before “smart keys” became popular. Hence, installing a modern anti-theft system with an audible alarm and an engine immobilizer could help deter car thieves from stealing your vehicle.
However, if you don’t want to spend a fortune on car safety equipment, there’s another great option for you: comprehensive car insurance.
2023 RODEO HOUSTON Lineup Revealed!
|
