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Governor Abbott Announces Statewide Day Of Prayer For Ukraine, Special Lighting Of Texas Governor’s Mansion

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Governor Abbott Announces Statewide Day Of Prayer For Ukraine, Special Lighting Of Texas Governor’s Mansion
Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation announcing Sunday, March 13, 2022, as a Day of Prayer for Ukraine. Governor Abbott also announced that the Texas Governor’s Mansion will be lit blue and yellow on Saturday, March 12, and Sunday, March 13 in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. In addition, the Ukrainian flag will be flown at the mansion on Saturday and Sunday.

The Governor announced the Day of Prayer and the mansion lighting on a conference call with 80 Texas faith leaders earlier today. Father Mykola Dovzhuk of Pokrova Ukranian Catholic Church in Houston gave the invocation on the call.

“Cecilia and I encourage Texans of all faiths and religious backgrounds to join us in a day of prayer for all of Ukraine and to stand in solidarity with the thousands who have been affected by this horrific war,” said Governor Abbott. “Prayer has the power to comfort, heal, and bring peace beyond all understanding, and it is my hope that we can come together to honor the people of Ukraine this Sunday. May we acknowledge God’s glory and continue to advocate for democracy for all nations.”

WANTED: Suspect who posed as a licensed auction auto dealer and swindled victims

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WANTED: Suspect who posed as a licensed auction auto dealer and swindled victims

 
For Immediate Release: March 9, 2022

Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department’s Burglary and Theft Division need the public’s assistance locating fugitive (Kenny Osita Okolie) who is wanted for two (2) counts of Felony Theft – by Swindle.

In December of 2018 and October of 2021, fugitive Kenny Osita Okolie committed two (2) counts of Felony Theft— by Swindle in the Greater Houston, Texas area. During both incidents, the fugitive presented themself as a licensed auction auto dealer, took money from both complainants and failed to deliver a vehicle in exchange for monetary payment. The fugitive is wanted on several outstanding Harris County warrants.

Fugitive: Kenny Okolie is a Black male, 43 years old, 6’02”, 220lbs. with brown eyes and black hair.

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.

WANTED: Suspect responsible for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child

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WANTED: Suspect responsible for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child

Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department Special Victims Division need the public’s assistance locating a fugitive (Joel Granados Saenz) who is wanted for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child.

In March of 2021, the Houston Police Department received a report of sexual abuse that occurred in the 6100 Block of W. Bellfort St. in Houston, Texas. During the investigation, the child victim made an outcry of sexual abuse by the fugitive, Joel Saenz that occurred from February 3, 2014 to February 3, 2021.

Fugitive Joel Saenz is a Hispanic male, 37 years old, approximately 5’07”, 165 lbs., with brown eyes and brown hair.

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.

Oscars 2022: ¿Cuáles son las películas nominadas y dónde se pueden ver?

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Oscars 2022: ¿Cuáles son las películas nominadas y dónde se pueden ver?
Esta es la lista de películas nominadas a los Oscars 2022 y las...
Esta es la lista de películas nominadas a los Oscars 2022 y las plataformas para verlas.

El mundo del cine vivirá este año los premios Oscar 2022, en donde las mejores películas del año pasado serán galardonadas y aquí te decimos cuales son las nominadas para esta ceremonia.

¿Cuándo es la ceremonia de premiación de los Oscars 2022?

El domingo 27 de marzo será la ceremonia de lo mejor del cine, por lo que si eres fanático no se pierda la entrega completamente en vivo.

¿Dónde ver las películas nominadas a los Oscars? Netflix, Streaming y cines

  • Belfast | Cines
  • Coda | Amazon Prime Video
  • Dont look Up | Netflix
  • Drive My Car | Cines
  • Dune | HBO MAX
  • King Richard | HBO MAX
  • Licorice Pizza | Cines
  • Power of the Dog | Netflix
  • West Side Story | Disney+
  • Nightmare Alley | Cines
  • The Eyes of Tammy Faye | Amazon Prime Video
  • The Lost Daughter | Netflix
  • Madres paralelas | Netflix
  • Being the Ricardos | Amazon Prime Video
  • Spencer | Cines
  • Tick, Tick, Boom | Netflix
  • The Tragedy of Macbeth | Apple TV
  • James Bond: No time to Die | Apple TV
  • Fue la mano de Dios | Netflix
  • Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
  • The Worst Person in the World
  • Los Mitchells contra las máquinas | Netflix
  • Encanto | Disney+
  • Flee
  • Luca | Disney+
  • Raya y el último dragón | Disney+
  • Shang Chi | Disney+
  • Cruella | Disney+
  • Ascension
  • Attica
  • Summer of Soul | Disney+
  • Writing With Fire

Senate Democrats pull vote to advance Biden ICE nominee after alleged domestic complaint

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Senate Democrats pull vote to advance Biden ICE nominee after alleged domestic complaint
Ed Gonzalez, nominee to be director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on July 15, 2021.

In an unusual move, Senate Democrats on Tuesday withdrew a vote on a procedural motion to advance Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, President Joe Biden’s pick to be the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after a Republican senator raised an alleged domestic complaint against the nominee.
The allegation, which stems from an affidavit filed last July, is described in a letter from Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, who asked Democratic leaders to put off the vote so the allegation could be investigated.
The affidavit, provided by Lankford, was part of a lawsuit against staff members of Houston Community College and unrelated to Gonzalez. A licensed police officer for the college claimed in the affidavit that he, along with another officer, was called to investigate “an alleged domestic dispute” involving Melissa Gonzalez. The affidavit doesn’t describe the nature of the domestic incident.
In a statement, Ed Gonzalez’s wife, Melissa Gonzalez, denied that she had filed or made a complaint against her husband. “To be clear, the assertions referenced in the affidavit, as they relate to me, my husband, or my marriage, are completely false,” she said in a statement shared by the White House.
Gonzalez was elected sheriff of Harris County, Texas, in 2016 and has a decades-long career in law enforcement, according to his Harris County biography. Biden nominated Gonzalez last year to helm ICE, the immigration enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
The White House stood by Gonzalez’s nomination Tuesday evening.
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“Sheriff Gonzalez is an extraordinarily qualified law enforcement professional with 30 years experience. He has a proven track record of implementing progressive solutions to difficult problems while coordinating with federal partners, including ICE, to make Harris County Texas safer, and he should be confirmed without delay,” a White House official said.
Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over ICE, said that “any allegation of domestic abuse concerns me” and “we’ll have to wait to see” if the nominee gets a vote on the floor after more information comes to light. Peters’ committee voted again this year to move Gonzalez for full Senate consideration despite GOP objection.
Peters said he had personally talked to Gonzalez about the allegation but did not provide additional details. In a statement to CNN, Gonzalez said, “The allegations are false, all politics.”
The last time ICE came close to permanent leadership was in 2019, with the appointment of Ron Vitiello. Vitiello’s nomination was unexpectedly yanked by then-President Donald Trump and consistent turnover followed.
ICE, which is currently led by career official Tae Johnson in an acting capacity, never had a Senate-confirmed director during the four years of the Trump administration.

Mayor Turner’s statement on HUD finding that the GLO discriminates against communities of color

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Mayor Turner’s statement on HUD finding that the GLO discriminates against communities of color

Mayor Sylvester Turner today agreed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s finding that the state’s General Land Office (GLO) discriminated against communities of color when denying flood mitigation funding to Houston and Harris County.

“The city has no interest in fighting the state GLO because no one benefits. We are asking for our proportional share of flood mitigation dollars, and that is what HUD is saying. HUD is saying you cannot take the money we are sending to Texas because of Hurricane Harvey and then direct most of those proceeds out of Houston and Harris County, which experienced 50 percent of the damage. That doesn’t make sense because it goes against the intent, and it benefits other communities that are not nearly as prone to flood as Houston Harris County,” said Mayor Turner.

In its 13 page decision on a complaint filed by Texas Housers and Northeast Action Collective, HUD wrote, “The Department finds that the design and operation of the Competition discriminated on the basis of race and national origin. GLO utilized two scoring criteria that substantially and predictably disadvantaged minority residents,1 with particularly disparate outcomes for Black residents.”

“What HUD is saying to the state GLO is that you need to redo your matrix and get it right. If you don’t, we’ll turn it over to the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Mayor Turner, who added, “when hurricanes come, and extreme weather events happen, they are not looking for a Democratic or Republican city or neighborhood. In Hurricane Harvey, it did not matter if you lived in a poor or affluent community or Democratic or Republican neighborhood. Hurricane Harvey poured rain on the city of Houston across the board, 52 inches in about four days. HUD is saying to the GLO that the state’s matrix is inherently discriminatory. That is what the city and Harris County have been saying for some time.”

In May 2021, Mayor Turner joined Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Houston City Council Members, and Harris County Commissioners in sending a letter to the GLO to express disappointment that the state agency denied flood mitigation funding (CDBG-MIT) for the City of Houston and Harris County.

Mayor Turner and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis also sent a letter to The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, criticizing the evaluation criteria and matrix that GLO used in determining the allocation of $1 billion, which left zero dollars to Houston.

Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Introduces Harris County Women’s Commission

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Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Introduces Harris County Women’s Commission

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Today Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee’s proposal to create a Harris County Women’s Commission was approved by Commissioners Court. The Women’s Commission will conduct research, engage with the community, and make recommendations to the Commissioners Court related to economic opportunities and health outcomes of women in Harris County.

“It’s important that we don’t just recognize International Women’s Day as a holiday, but use it to inspire real action,” said County Attorney Menefee. “The Harris County Women’s Commission will research and identify inequities, identify gender disparities in county institutions, and engage in community participation to work toward a more equitable county.”

Annual areas of focus will include economic opportunities including childcare infrastructure, pay equity, and workplace advancement as well as health outcomes including access to quality healthcare, maternal morbidity rates, and gender-based violence.
About the Harris County Attorney’s Office
Christian D. Menefee serves as the elected, top civil lawyer for Texas’ largest county. The Harris County Attorney’s Office represents the county in all civil matters including lawsuits. Menefee leads an office of 250 attorneys and staff members. He entered office at 32 years old, making him the youngest person and first African American elected as the Harris County Attorney.

Harris Co. Elections Administrator submits resignation after issues with primary

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Harris Co. Elections Administrator submits resignation after issues with primary
Isabel Longoria told Harris County commissioners Tuesday afternoon that she wants to step down on July 1.

More than a week after a series of issues and mounting complaints about the 2022 primary elections, Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria verbally submitted her resignation Tuesday to commissioners.
Longoria addressed commissioners by phone during their regular meeting and said she intends to step down on July 1.

“Today I am submitting my resignation, effective July 1,” Longoria said. “I think this date ensures that there is a presiding officer during the May and June elections and allows the election commission the time they need to find a replacement. I remain committed to the office and its mission and hope to aid in defeating harmful rhetoric to ensure successful elections in the future.”

The announcement comes after elections officials over the weekend revealed around 10,000 mail ballots were not entered into the Election Night count.

The primary also saw longer-than-usual vote-counting times, staffing challenges, and equipment issues.

“The buck stops with me to address issues for voters and I did not meet my own standard or the standard set by commissioners,” Longoria said.

Before Longoria’s appearance, Judge Lina Hidalgo addressed last week’s elections, saying that she had spoken with Longoria and expressed a desire for “change in leadership.”

According to reporter Adam Bennett, who’s monitoring commissioners court, Hidalgo said three things need to happen.

  • Protect continuity with three elections coming up (May 7 special, May 24 runoff, Nov. 8 general)
  • Work w/elections commission to find new leadership after a “thorough search”
  • ID issues from primary & find solutions

Harris County commissioners are looking for answers to what went wrong during the Texas primary election.

On Monday, the Harris County GOP held a press conference to announce a new lawsuit against Longoria for what they called the “worst elections fiasco in Texas history.”

The Harris County GOP has been calling for Longoria’s resignation since last week and after she made the announcement, the party released the following statement:

“Harris County is the third-largest county in the country with the longest ballot nationwide – it’s critical that we get our elections right. The widespread problems in the Primary Election are inexcusable due to the incompetence of Democrat leader Lina Hidalgo and her unelected, unqualified Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria. That’s why the Harris County GOP took action by filing a lawsuit, calling for Longoria to be fired or resign, and requesting the appointment of an independent elections overseer. While Longoria’s resignation today is a good first step, it is not the only step that the Harris County voter needs to see take place before the next election is held. Longoria cannot remain in place for the May 7 local elections or the May 24 primary runoff without independent oversight from either the court or the Secretary of State. Because she has resigned in place, independent oversight is needed immediately, independent of Harris County and the Harris County elections office.”

Longoria spoke out against claims of voting delays, saying the counting process was normal for an election. For the unentered ballots, the administrator’s office said they would be transparent and provide updates when they were available.

All 10,000 are expected to be counted by Tuesday.

“Wobbly-wheel” scammer who victimized at least 25 people sentenced to six years in prison

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“Wobbly-wheel” scammer who victimized at least 25 people sentenced to six years in prison

A Spring Branch man has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to engaging in organized criminal activity for his part in a “wobbly-wheel” scam, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday. 

“These fraudsters targeted innocent drivers by acting like good Samaritans to take advantage of people’s good nature,” Ogg said. “To add to the deception, they even used their own families and kids to bolster the lie.”

Sam Yonko, 34, was one of six family members indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity for working together to pull off the scam.

 The family was known to operate in the area of Westheimer Road from the 610 West Loop to Highway 6, Richmond Avenue inside the 610 Loop and S. Main Street near Braeswood Boulevard.

“They pulled up alongside motorists honking or yelling that their front wheel was loose,” said Assistant District Attorney Sheila Hansel, who prosecuted the case. “When the victim pulls off the roadway, members of the family would then convince them the wheel could be fixed with a part they happen to have with them. Family members often had children in the car so the target would lower their guard.”

After “repairing” the wheel, the scammers would then ask to be reimbursed for the part and even drive the victims to a bank or ask for payment in gift cards.

Yonko was identified by two dozen victims in photo lineups as the man who swindled them. Of his five co-defendants, one has been arrested, but has failed to show back up in court since being released on bail.

Paul Yonko (DOB 4/7/1983), photo attached, is wanted by police. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS.

Three other people have yet to be arrested, and the sixth died of an overdose in 2020.

By pleading guilty to engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony, Yonko must serve at least half time before he is eligible for parole.

“Yonko and these others are prolific con artists preying on folks in the Houston area,” said Hansel, of the Consumer Fraud Division. “We worked hard to prove that this series of misdemeanor thefts is a felony. The law in Texas on Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity lets us prosecute con artists in proportion to the number of victims they leave in their wake.”

The case was investigated by the Houston Police Department’s Swindle Squad.

Mayor Turner Kicks Off Signature Hire Houston Youth Program

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Mayor Turner Kicks Off Signature Hire Houston Youth Program

HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner joined City officials and business leaders Monday to kick of his signature program, Hire Houston Youth, which provides paid summer jobs and internships to youth, age 16 – 24, at the City of Houston and in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

“Employment plays a pivotal role in reducing gender, ethnic, racial, and other social inequalities,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Therefore, providing meaningful employment experiences for our youth is in the best interest of all, including young people, their communities, and Houston as a whole.”

Originally, the deadline for students to apply to participate was Friday, March 11. However, in light of Spring Break schedules, the Mayor announced at the press conference that the application period had been extended until April 8.

In 2021, with the economy on the rebound from the COVID-19 public health emergency, Hire Houston Youth offered over 9,500 opportunities. This year, Mayor Sylvester Turner set a goal of offering 12,000 job and internship opportunities, with a stretch goal of 15,000.

Recently, Houston was one of just five cities across the nation awarded a $150,000 grant by the National League of Cities that will be used for the Hire Houston Youth initiative. In addition to the monetary award, Houston will receive specialized assistance from the National League of Cities staff and other national experts to advance the city’s efforts to expand STEM career pathways for marginalized young people.

Through Hire Houston Youth and the awarded funds, the City of Houston has an opportunity to address long-standing inequities by creating pathways from residents to resilient, living wage trajectory jobs. This initiative also aligns with the Mayor’s One Safe Houston campaign that seeks to reduce
WATCH: What is Hire Houston Youth?
Employers can sign up, and youth can apply for jobs by visiting http://www.hirehoustonyouth.org. The application deadline is April 8. For more information, please visit our website or contact our team at hirehoustonyouth@houstontx.gov.

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