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☆ Prominent bankruptcy judge David Jones recused from cases, under investigation after exposure of undisclosed romantic relationship
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Nicole Einbinder | Dakin Campbell | Esther Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Last week, Insider revealed that prominent bankruptcy judge David Jones was in a romantic relationship with a bankruptcy attorney. The Office of the US Trustee, the bankruptcy regulator, has filed an objection in the Corizon bankruptcy case, citing Jones' "admissions." The Office of the US Trustee intervenesToday the Office of the US Trustee, the federal regulator that oversees bankruptcy cases, took the unusual step of intervening in the bankruptcy case. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe office filed multiple objections to the proposed settlement plan overseen by Judge Jones, including concerns about Jones' role as mediator. The bankruptcy plan breaks creditors down into several classes.

Persons: David Jones, Jones, —, Elizabeth Freeman, Freeman, Corizon, Tehum, Michael Van Deelen, didn't, he'd, Harris, Marvin Isgur, Christopher Lopez, Lopez, Judge Jones, Hector Garcia Jr, Hector Garcia, they're, Lila Hassan Organizations: Fifth Circuit, Service, Southern, Southern District of, Court, Fifth, Tehum Care, Wall Street Journal, Houston, Corizon Locations: Southern District, Southern District of Texas, Texas, YesCare, New Mexico

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Friday is expected to release a playbook on best practices for training workers as the low 3.8% unemployment rate and years of underinvestment have left manufacturers, construction firms and other employers with unfilled jobs. As part of the 2021 pandemic rescue package, state and local governments have committed $11 billion to worker training. The eight-page playbook being issued in conjunction with the remarks details possible models that the administration believes state and local governments can follow. Money also is going to supportive services for child care and transportation, which are two of the big reasons why people are unable to complete training or stay on the job. Iowa is making $26.6 million available to help employers make child care available, while Phoenix's airport is offering child care scholarships to workers.

Persons: —, Biden, underinvestment, Joe Biden, Veronica Soto Organizations: WASHINGTON, Treasury Department, The Associated Press, Labor Department Locations: Harris County , Texas, Maine, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Phoenix's

☆ Texas is about to shut down an election office in a heavily Democratic county that includes Houston less than two months before the city's mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Harris County, which includes Houston, must close its election administration office by Friday. Losing Republican candidates blamed the Harris County election office for their losses in 2022. But that election will no longer happen under the authority of Harris County elections officers. Harris County election office shut downLegislators passed the bill abolishing the Harris County elections office after so far unproven claims by losing Republican candidates that administrative issues at the office swayed the results of the November 2022 general election, the Texas Tribune reported. The Texas Office of the Attorney General did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

Persons: Sylvester Turner, Greg Abbott, Christian Menefee, Menefee, Turner, Sheila Jackson Lee, State Sen, John Whitmire Organizations: Houston, Service, Democrat, Republicans, Democratic, Texas Gov, Republican, Texas Tribune, Houston Public Media, Texas Office, State Locations: Harris, Houston, Wall, Silicon, Harris County, Texas, Democratic Harris County

☆ Chief of Texas' largest county takes medical leave for depression
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo addresses the news media, the day after a deadly crush of fans during a performance by rapper Travis Scott at the Astroworld Festival, in Houston, Texas, U.S. November 6, 2021. REUTERS/Daniel Kramer/File PhotoHOUSTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Lina Hidalgo, chief executive of the third-largest U.S. county and the largest one in Texas, has checked in to a medical facility outside the state to be treated for clinical depression, she said on Monday. Hidalgo, a Democrat elected in 2018 to lead the county of 4.9 million residents, has battled Republican state officials over election administration and police funding. Last November, she won re-election as Harris County judge against a well-funded political novice with a slim margin of about 17,000 votes. Reporting by Gary McWilliams in Houston Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lina Hidalgo, Travis Scott, Daniel Kramer, Harris, Hidalgo, Kim Ogg, Gary McWilliams, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Democrat, Republican, Thomson Locations: Harris, Houston , Texas, U.S, Texas, Hidalgo, county's, Houston

☆ What to Know About the Opera Star David Daniels’s Sexual Assault Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Javier C. Hernández | More About Javier C. Hernández | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The opera star David Daniels, one of the world’s leading countertenors, is expected to go on trial in Houston this week over charges that he sexually assaulted a young singer after a performance there in 2010. Mr. Daniels and Mr. Walters have denied the accusations, saying they had consensual sex with Mr. Schultz. Mr. Daniels is one of the most prominent classical stars to face criminal charges during the national #MeToo reckoning. Opening arguments are scheduled to begin in Houston on Friday morning. Mr. Daniels, 57, and Mr. Walters, 40, each face one felony count of aggravated sexual assault.

Persons: David Daniels, Daniels, Scott Walters, Samuel Schultz, Walters, Schultz, Mr Organizations: Attorney’s, University of Michigan Locations: Houston, Harris County, Texas

The opera star David Daniels, one of the world’s leading countertenors, pleaded guilty on Friday in Houston to sexually assaulting a young singer who had attended one of his performances there in 2010. The plea deal was announced just as the trial of Mr. Daniels, 57, and his husband, Scott Walters, 40, was about to begin. Mr. Daniels pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault of an adult, a second-degree felony. He avoided a more serious charge of aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree felony, which carries harsher penalties. Mr. Walters, who was facing the same charges, pleaded guilty under similar terms.

Persons: David Daniels, Daniels, Scott Walters, Samuel Schultz, . Walters, Matt Hennessy, Walters, Judge Reagan Clark Organizations: Court Locations: Houston, Georgia, Harris County

☆ Fact Check-U.S. malaria outbreak in 2023 not caused by GM mosquitoes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

(This story was corrected on July 27, 2023, to clarify that genetically modified mosquitoes were not released in Texas. The modified mosquitoes, which were released only in Florida, were all male, and only female mosquitoes feed on blood, which is how they transmit the malaria parasite from person to person, a mosquito-control expert said. Moreover, Markowski noted, only female mosquitoes “blood feed,” which needs to happen to transmit diseases like malaria, and the only genetically modified mosquitoes released are males, which feed only on plant juices and therefore cannot transmit malaria (explained further here). Reuters has previously addressed misinformation about uses of genetically modified mosquitoes (here), (here) and (here). Recent cases of malaria in the U.S. could not have been caused by the release of genetically modified mosquitoes.

Persons: they’re, Aedes aegypti, Daniel Markowski, Markowski, Oxitec, Joshua Van Raalte, “ Oxitec, Read Organizations: Oxitec, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Reuters, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, American Mosquito Control Association Locations: Texas, Florida, Harris County , Texas, U.S, BioNTech, Florida and Texas, Saharan Africa, South Asia

☆ She's an 'Alien Superstar' — and now she's in housing. Beyoncé joins Kelly Rowland and the city of Houston in support of a new affordable development.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Beyoncé Knowles is teaming up with Kelly Rowland and Houston officials to support a housing project. It was unclear if Knowles and Rowland are investing in the project. However, Knowles and Rowland are among the few that have taken their real estate interests beyond the glitz and glamor of purchasing luxurious homes. With more buyers moving into the area, home prices and rents have surged as residents compete for housing. Given that statistic, he said he's "grateful" for the Knowles and Rowland project.

Persons: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, —, Knowles, Rowland —, Kennedy Sessions, Rowland, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Queen Latifah, they're, Harris, Lina Hidalgo, Joe Biden's, Houston Pastor, Rudy Rasmus, he's Organizations: Houston, Service, American, Harris County, Hollywood, NBA, Golden Globe, Coalition, Homeless, Census Bureau, Texas Tribune Locations: Houston, Harris County, Midtown, Harris, America

“In this instance, the grand jury of the 228th District Court of Harris County found that no crime did occur, that no single individual was criminally responsible,” Ogg said. But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide,” Ogg also said. He’s looking forward to getting back home after being cleared by the grand jury,” Schaffer told CNN. The grand jury met for six hours and homicide detectives testified, according to Schaffer. It was unclear at the time what Scott saw from the stage and whether he was aware of the conditions in the crowd.

Persons: Travis Scott –, Kim Ogg, John Junnell, Brett Silberstein, ” Ogg, isn’t, “, Scott, Travis Scott, ”, Ted Anastasiou, Kent Schaffer, Schaffer, ” Schaffer, Troy Finner, Mike Barrow Organizations: CNN, Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, District, Schaffer . Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Locations: Harris County, Harris

Travis Scott poses. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File PhotoJune 29 (Reuters) - A Texas grand jury is meeting Thursday to weigh possible criminal charges against rapper Travis Scott and others over a 2021 crowd crush at a musical festival that left 10 dead and injured thousands, Scott’s lawyer confirmed. “Nothing Travis did or failed to do fits within the Texas criminal code,” Schaffer told Reuters. The plaintiffs allege Scott, Live Nation and more than two dozen other defendants let too many people into the venue despite knowing the risks because they wanted the concert to appear packed. The family of one of the people killed settled on undisclosed terms with Scott, Live Nation and others in October 2022.

Persons: Travis Scott, Sarah Meyssonnier, Kent Schaffer, Scott, Travis, ” Schaffer, Robert Hilliard, Jack Queen, Mike Spector, Amy Stevens, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Cannes, Houston, Festival, Reuters, Attorney’s, Prosecutors, Ticketmaster, Thomson Locations: Cannes, France, Texas, Harris, Houston, New York

☆ With New Voting Bills, Texas Legislature Targets Elections in Democratic Stronghold
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( J. David Goodman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Why It Matters: Harris County could tilt the power balance in Texas. Harris County, the state’s most populous county, has become a reliable Democratic stronghold. Senate Bill 1750 eliminates the appointed position of elections administrator, which has been in place in Harris County only since late 2020. Yet another bill, House Bill 1243, increases the penalty for illegal voting from a misdemeanor to a felony. The bills invite new scrutiny of elections, especially in Harris County, where officials would be expected to revamp their system just months before important elections.

☆ Arby's employee who died after she was accidentally locked inside walk-in freezer 'beat her hands bloody' trying to get out, lawsuit says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The children of a woman who died in a Louisiana Arby's earlier this month are suing for negligence. The lawsuit claims Nguyet Le died because a broken freezer latch caused her to be locked inside while alone in the restaurant. The suit also alleges multiple managers were aware the latch had been broken for at least nine months before Le's death. Employees allegedly used a screwdriver to get the door open, and often propped the door open with a box so the freezer, kept at -10 degrees Fahrenheit or below per company policy, didn't close all the way, according to court documents. Le's children are seeking at least $1 million in damages, claiming Arby's and the franchisees were negligent in failing to inspect and repair the broken freezer latch for at least nine months.

☆ Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( J. David Goodman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

HOUSTON — Across Harris County, an emerging Democratic stronghold in reliably red Texas, roadside signs posted last November urged harried drivers to vote Republican. A celebrity furniture salesman, beloved by many Houstonians, cut ads with the Republican candidate for the top county administrator’s post. Now, the county is in the cross hairs of the Republican-dominated state Legislature, which is trying to exert more control over voting there. Lawmakers are pushing dozens of new election bills, including limits on polling places, felony penalties for illegal voting and a mechanism for the state to order new elections when voting problems occur in Texas counties with more than 2.7 million people, a category that includes only Harris County. While local leaders acknowledge issues, evidence has not been presented that they affected the results.

☆ New York Is Full of Empty Offices After Covid. Make Way for the Playground City. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Edward L. Glaeser | Carlo Ratti | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +20 min

We are witnessing the dawn of a new kind of urban area: the Playground City. The transformation toward the Playground City will not happen on its own. To draw people into the Playground City, we need to show, not tell. 6.Engage citizensGovernments should empower citizens to participate directly in making the Playground City. The Playground City sees people as both a means and an end, and it should involve them in the process of its creation.

CNN —A Texas man who was allegedly scammed of $40 in parking fees while on a date shot and killed the man who posed as the lot’s attendant – and then “nonchalantly” walked away to proceed with his dinner plans, court records show. Before the couple walked into a restaurant, they were informed by a restaurant employee that they had been scammed, the affidavit says. Aguirre allegedly shot Nix in the torso, and he died later at the hospital from his wounds, according to court records. The woman on the date later told police she did not see or know about the shooting at that point, the affidavit states. Before being seated at the restaurant, “Erick started to look uncomfortable and suggested they go eat somewhere else,” the woman told police.

☆ Man Resumed Date After Killing ‘Scammer’ Over $40, Police Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Jesus Jiménez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The man, Erick Aguirre, 29, was arrested on Tuesday in Aransas County, north of Corpus Christi, Texas, and charged with murder in the death of Elliot Nix, 46, on April 11. Brent Mayr, a lawyer for Mr. Aguirre, declined to comment on Friday. According to a charging document, Mr. Aguirre was going out to eat on April 11 with Melanie Castillo, who said in a voluntary statement that she and Mr. Aguirre were dating. They drove separately to Rodeo Goat, a hamburger restaurant east of downtown Houston. Mr. Aguirre paid the man, and the couple went to Rodeo Goat.

"We greatly sympathize with Mr. Vadell for everything he and his family have been through," a Citgo spokesperson said in a statement. "We disagree with this lawsuit, which irresponsibly equates CITGO, an American company based in Houston, with an authoritarian regime in Venezuela." Vadell and the other executives were summoned to a meeting at Venezuelan state-oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA.UL), Citgo's parent. A Venezuelan court sentenced the executives in 2020 to prison terms ranging from eight to 13 years. The case is Tomeu Vadell et al V. Citgo Petroleum Corp., Harris County District Court, No.

With more than 250,000 followers and 2.7 million likes, Chef Way grew to stardom on TikTok for his cooking videos. But now, the social media influencer who is an assistant district attorney in Texas is facing backlash for his previous comments belittling Black women — particularly those with dark skin. In a series of deleted tweets that date back to 2015 from @WaymoTheGod, Chef Way, whose real name is Waymond Wesley, posted demeaning photos and made misogynistic comments about Black women. “To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry,” he wrote. “Women of color have been too forgiving in the past, which put some of us in undesirable positions and unhealthy situations,” one user tweeted.

☆ Philadelphia woman jailed for nearly a week after being wrongfully arrested in mistaken identity case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Following her arrest, Hudson's family contacted law enforcement in both Texas and Philadelphia in a bid to clear her name. The Harris County District Attorney's Office in Texas said that after learning about what happened it dismissed the case "within five minutes," citing insufficient evidence. “We accept charges based on the sworn evidence presented to us by law enforcement,” a spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office wrote in a statement to NBC Philadelphia. In a statement Thursday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner apologized for Hudson's ordeal. “The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office became aware of Julie Hudson’s predicament last evening, thanks in part to media reports out of Houston and in Philly,” Krasner wrote.

☆ Texas taqueria customer fatally shoots masked robber and returns money to patrons, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

An armed masked robber who stormed a Texas taqueria demanding money was stopped by a patron who brandished his own gun, fatally shot the suspect, and handed the cash back to shaken diners, police said. Houston police are seeking to speak with that patron who foiled the robbery on Thursday. Texas police want to speak to the man who fatally shot a masked robbery suspect at the Houston taqueria. Houston Police DepartmentWitnesses told officers that the suspect had barged into the restaurant and pointed a pistol at diners demanding their money. The patron then collected the stolen money from the suspect, and returned it to the other diners, police said.

☆ Texas man who met woman on Bumble kidnapped and tortured her for 5 days, authorities say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Antonio Planas | Antonio Planas Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A Texas man who met a woman on the dating app Bumble, kidnapped, beat and tortured her for five days after she denied his sexual advances, authorities said. Court records also show prosecutors requested $100,000 bond while his defense asked for $20,000 bond. The two had begun a romantic relationship after meeting on the dating app, according to a probable cause statement. At Mills' apartment, he promptly attempted to have sex with the woman who denied his advances, court records said. “He immediately began to physically assault her and would not let her leave the residence,” the probable cause statement said.

The proposals have alarmed voting rights activists and state Democrats, who tried and failed last year to block a GOP-backed overhaul of election laws — a priority of Gov. The 62 voting rights-related bills Texas lawmakers have already prefiled represent nearly all prefiled voting rights legislation across the country, according to a review of prefiled bills by Voting Rights Lab and NBC News. An election police forceRepublican-authored Texas bills, such as HB 549 and SB 220, propose creating a system of state “election marshals,” who would investigate allegations of violations of election and voting laws, and file criminal charges when warranted. Harsher penaltiesLegislation such as HB 39, HB 52, HB 222, HB 397 and SB 166 aims to raise the penalty for election and voting rights crimes to a felony from a misdemeanor. “All my bill does is restore the felony punishment for illegal voting,” Texas Rep. David Spiller, the author of HB 52, said in an interview.

Despite police, county executives and national pundits falsely labeling bail reform a disaster, in the few places like New York state that have tried it, bail reform has been a win for freedom. Bail reform has been a win for fiscal responsibility, saving taxpayers millions of dollars by avoiding the costs of unnecessary mass detention. Laura Gillen, a Democrat and fierce opponent of bail reform who lost her Long Island congressional race, took to Twitter to argue that bail reform was a reason Democrats lost control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats lost because they ran from the truth about bail reform, amplifying lies instead of championing what should have been their policy win. The truth about bail reform isn’t just a political game — it is a moral imperative.

Police arrested two people in connection with the slaying of renowned Migos rapper Takeoff, who was "an innocent bystander" when he was fatally shot last month, Houston authorities said Friday. News of the arrests came one month after Kirshnik Khari Ball, known professionally as Takeoff, was killed on Nov. 1 outside a downtown Houston bowling alley. Officials said Takeoff and Quavo, 31, another member of Migos, were at a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling. Police would not discuss if Clark and Joshua knew Takeoff, or if they were invited to the private party. The group had four Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, although Takeoff was not on its multiweek No.

“You really need leadership in these local areas to execute on the Inflation Reduction Act to the fullest extent,” Spears said. “This completely opens the pathway for Michigan to lead on clean cars of the future, and that’s really exciting,” Spears said. Climate victories at the local level are also poised to make a big impact. If fully implemented, climate experts have said the Inflation Reduction Act could reduce U.S. emissions by about 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. “So it’s really important to have climate leadership in state and local governments to actually execute on that and make sure it happens well.”

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