October 29, 2014

Texas nurse in quarantine after Sierra Leone trip

A nurse has agreed to quarantine herself in her Texas home after she returned from working with Ebola patients in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, according to the governor’s office.

The nurse, who was not identified, does not show signs of symptoms, but she is at risk under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols, a news release said. She landed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport early Wednesday morning.

“In Texas, we have a great tradition of welcoming our heroes back home and this heroic individual deserves our appreciation, our compassion, and our utmost respect,” Gov. Rick Perry said in the release.

Perry requested that the nurse quarantine herself at home, where the Texas Department of State Health Services will monitor her twice a day for 21 days.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/nurse-quarantines-herself-after-return-from-work-w/nhtt2/

October 29, 2014

Jon Stewart rips Greg Abbott, hosts Joaquin Castro in Austin taping of Daily Show

AUSTIN – Comedian host Jon Stewart had harsh words for Texas Republicans during a Tuesday appearance in Austin.

“We invited every Republican congressional member from Texas, all the candidates – Cruz, Abbott, the other guy, Cornyn – we invited them all, and almost to a person not only did they turn us down they didn’t get back to us,” said Stewart, referring to U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and Republican nominee for Texas governor Greg Abbott.

For purposes of this blog, we’ll just say Stewart then referred to the whole lot of ‘em as something akin to bird excrement.

Stewart is in Austin this week filming The Daily Show, his biting yet comedic look at national and world events that airs weekday nights on Comedy Central. Monday night he hosted Democratic nominee for Texas governor Wendy Davis, a state senator from Fort Worth, and Tuesday he had on U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio.

Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/texas-politics/2014/10/jon-stewart-rips-greg-abbott-hosts-joaquin-castro-in-austin-taping-of-daily-show/

October 29, 2014

Bexar County officer dies accidentally shooting himself in the groin

SAN ANTONIO - A Bexar County Medical Examiner's office identified an adult probation officer who died after an accidental shooting as Thomas Zaldivar, 53.

Officials with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said Zaldivar was at the Bullet Hole gun range near Highway 90 and Grosenbacher Road around 3 p.m. Monday when he accidentally shot himself in the groin area.

"We found the victim bleeding a lot. He was in and out of consciousness. We were able to call for AirLIFE to come pick him up," said James Keith, chief communication officer for the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.

-snip-

A spokesperson for the Bexar County Adult Probation Department said Zaldivar has been with the department for 24 years.

Read more: http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/10/28/bexar-probation-officer-killed-in-accidental-shooting-identified.html

October 29, 2014

Dallas GOP county judge candidate Natinsky ripped for 'food stamp' remark

Republican Ron Natinsky says the Dallas GOP will be better off if residents in a southern Dallas congressional district “spend their food stamp money” on Election Day instead of voting.

Natinsky, a candidate for Dallas County judge, made the remark last November during a meeting of the Coppell Republican Club. A video of his appearance was on the club’s website for months but was taken down Tuesday once a report about it appeared on dallasnews.com.

“We don’t want to motivate her voters,” Natinsky said of Democratic Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson in the appearance. “What we want them to think is: ‘There’s no reason. She doesn’t have an opponent. I don’t need to go to the polls. I’ll go spend my food stamp money at the grocery store, or whatever, you know, on Election Day.’”

Natinsky said Tuesday that he doesn’t remember the speech or the comment about food stamps.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/local-politics/20141028-gop-county-judge-candidate-natinsky-ripped-for-food-stamp-remark.ece

October 29, 2014

Wharton County Election Report

I made it to the polls today to cast my ballot. This is the first election that I voted using an electronic ballot, but I did not vote a straight ticket because there were a few offices that did not have a Democratic candidate and for these offices I cast ballots for the Green party candidate (my other choices were Republican or Libertarian).

After I voted I spoke with one of the election judges and she indicated that the voter turnout has been relatively high. I'm hoping that will translate into good news for the Democratic candidates; however, the most important thing is that people are apparently showing some interest in this election.

Some news from other regions around the state indicate that the interest in the election in the western counties of Texas has been low to moderate. Since these are usually the more conservative counties it could mean that the statewide races might be closer than what is being forecast by the polls.

Of course after getting home from voting I had a fight with my brother who blames all of his problems on liberals. The funny thing is that even though he has made this area his home he has not registered to vote and all he needed to do was check the box on the form when he renewed his drivers license in May. At least my vote didn't cancel out the vote from someone else in my family so we are at a +1 for Democratic Party in this household.

October 28, 2014

John Goodman, Houston billionaire polo playboy, found guilty of DUI manslaughter

WEST PALM BEACH -- A second jury in three years has convicted Wellington polo club founder John Goodman of DUI manslaughter with failure to render aid in the February 2010 death of Scott Patrick Wilson.

The six-member jury, selected in Tampa and sequestered during the three-week trial, reached its decision after four hours of deliberation, starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Chief Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath will order Goodman, 51, to be taken into custody immediately until he is sentenced.

"I'm guessing that you're going to ask an appellate bond, and I'll make myself accessible as quickly as possible for that," Colbath told Goodman's defense attorney Douglas Duncan.

-snip-

Goodman had been drinking at a nearby bar and had a .177 blood-alcohol content three hours after the crash.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/houston/article/John-Goodman-guilty-verdict-DUI-manslaughter-5853301.php?cmpid=bna

October 28, 2014

Lockheed, Pentagon reach agreement on new F-35 contract

Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon announced a deal Monday on a production contract for the next batch of F-35 fighter jets, which is projected to lower the price per plane by 3.6 percent.

The contract, expected to be finalized in the next several weeks, would cover 43 F-35 aircraft including 29 for the U.S. military, the first two for Israel, the first four for Japan, four for the United Kingdom and two each for Norway and Italy.

Deliveries from what is known as “Low-Rate Initial Production lot 8” would begin in 2016. The Pentagon said cost details will be released later, but sources told Reuters last week that it is worth about $4 billion.

In a statement, Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, the top Pentagon official over the F-35, said the agreement represents the program’s “ongoing maturation.”

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/10/27/6235225/lockheed-pentagon-reach-agreement.html

October 28, 2014

Militia member to undergo psychiatric evaluation

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS -- Militia member John Fredrick Foerster limped into federal court Monday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Morgan for a hearing on a firearms violation.

In 1999, Foerster was sentenced to two years in prison and five years probation in the 138th state District Court for two counts burglary of a building, according to court records.

Because of the previous conviction, Foerster is not allowed to carry any firearms.

Foerster was found hiding in brush and allegedly pointed a firearm at a U.S. Border Patrol agent who then reportedly fired several shots at the militia man on Aug. 29 in Brownsville.

Read more: http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/militia-member-to-undergo-psychiatric-evaluation/article_7a73ad3a-5e54-11e4-ab8a-001a4bcf6878.html

October 28, 2014

San Antonio Zoo: World's oldest okapi dies

The San Antonio Zoo announced Saturday that Chuma, a 29-year-old Okapi, died over the weekend.

In a Facebook post, the San Antonio Zoological Society said Chuma was the oldest known okapi in the world and a necropsy will be performed to determine cause of death.

"He brought tremendous joy to staff and was awe-inspiring to guests who visited him daily," the post said. "He will be greatly missed."

Okapis are hard to find in the wild, according to the San Diego Zoo. They reside in the northeast region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/World-s-oldest-okapi-dies-at-San-Antonio-Zoo-5851123.php

October 28, 2014

Controversial Texas Tech cheerleader, huntress kills alligator in new YouTube show

A Texas Tech University cheerleader who drew ire online in June after posting pictures from a hunting trip to Africa on her Facebook fan page has launched her own hunting show on YouTube.

The premiere episode of "Game On," sponsored by Remington Arms Company and posted Oct. 21, follows Kendall Jones and friend Taylor Altom as they hunt and kill an alligator with a .22-caliber rifle before harvesting it in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

"Can't wait for my boots and handbag! Should be coming in the mail any day now," Jones said in a Facebook post Wednesday.

Jones drew outrage this summer after posting several photos on Facebook of leopards, lions, and elephants she killed on an African hunting trip. Facebook deleted the photos.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Controversial-Texas-teen-huntress-launches-5850247.php