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 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
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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.
| 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.
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.
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Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division need the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect(s) responsible for a Murder.
On Saturday, February 20, 2021, at approximately 2:00 a.m., two victims were shot in the 11000 block of East Freeway in Houston, Texas. During the incident, a large disturbance occurred in the parking lot when an unknown suspect(s) began shooting. Two victims were struck and sadly one died as a result of the injuries they sustained. 
The family of Julian Martinez is requesting the community’s help with identifying the suspect(s) responsible for this murder.
Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and/or arrest of the suspect(s) in this case. Information may be reported by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org, or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app. Only tips and calls DIRECTLY TO Crime Stoppers are anonymous and eligible for a cash reward.
A 37-year-old woman accused of stealing $31,000 worth of lottery tickets from an East Side convenience store where she was employed was arrested on Wednesday.
San Antonio police said Mayra Alejandra Rios stole 30 lottery ticket bundles between October and December of 2022 that were worth a combined $31,000 from a location near where Loop 410 intersects with Rigsby Road. She then cashed in more than $21,000 worth of winnings, according to Jennifer Rodriguez, a police spokesperson.
In yet another move to improve transparency, the Railroad Commission has launched an interactive map of ongoing orphan well plugging with the use of federal infrastructure funding.
The data visualization allows users to choose what they see on the map, including which county to view, the fiscal year, and whether the wells have been plugged or have had a work order issued to be plugged.
The RRC received a $25 million initial grant to plug abandoned oil and gas wells from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2022. Texas was the first state in the country to start plugging abandoned oil and gas wells using federal funds with projects in Refugio County in October (video).
The funds are part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which dedicated the funds to plug abandoned oil and gas wells.
So far, the agency, which has the critical mission of protecting public safety and the environment, has already plugged 128 orphaned wells with federal funding and plans to plug about 800 abandoned wells by the end of the fiscal year.
“Thanks to our well-established well plugging program, we were able to hit the ground running to start plugging wells with the federal funds,” said Clay Woodul, RRC Assistant Director of the Oil and Gas Division for Field Operations. “The data visualization allows anybody with access to the Internet to see our progress plugging wells the federal funds.”
RRC’s State Managed Plugging Program, which utilizes revenue from industry fees and fines, has exceeded performance measures set by the Texas Legislature for six consecutive fiscal years.
The RRC may receive up to $318 million in additional formula funding from the federal government to plug orphaned wells. More information and links can be found via the following webpage: https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/environmental-cleanup-programs/federally-funded-well-plugging/.
Source: rrc.texas.gov
Governor Greg Abbott today appointed Senator Jane Nelson as the 115th Secretary of State for Texas. The Secretary of State serves as Chief Election Officer for Texas, assisting county election officials and ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas. The Office of the Secretary of State also provides a repository for official business and commercial records required to be filed with the Office. The Secretary publishes government rules and regulations and commissions notaries public. The Secretary also serves as the keeper of the state seal and attestor to the Governor’s signature on official documents.In addition, the Secretary serves as senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs and as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas.
Senator Jane Nelson is a businesswoman and former teacher who was first elected to the Texas Senate in 1992 after serving two terms on the State Board of Education. She was Chair of the Senate Health Committee for longer than anyone in history before becoming the first woman to be Chair of the Senate Finance Committee. In addition to writing four balanced state budgets, Senator Nelson has a long list of accomplishments that include establishing the Cancer Research & Prevention Institute of Texas, reforming medical liability, achieving tax relief, overhauling the foster care system, expanding access to mental health care, and passing over 30 bills to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Her work has been recognized with dozens of awards, including from the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, Texas Association of Business, Texas Council on Family Violence, CASA, Texas Hospital Association, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Texas PTA, Texas Retired Teachers Association, the Women’s Health Coalition, and many others. Senator Nelson and her husband, J. Michael Nelson, owned and operated an aircraft component manufacturing company in Denton County. They have five children and 12 grandchildren.
Source: gov.texas.gov
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