October 29, 2019

How Teenagers Are Using their Quinceaneras to Boost the Latinx Vote in Texas

On a recent Saturday night in southeast Dallas, the savory smell of arroz rojo and beef fajitas drifted through the swinging doors of the community center kitchen at the Pleasant Grove Christian Church. There, members of the Alvarez and Lucas families made their way to their respective seats, with dinner and plastic cups full of agua de melón in tow. Meanwhile, their children ran towards a table overflowing with tamarindo treats, de la Rosa mazapán, and chile watermelon candies.

Maya Alvarez, 15, glided from table to table, clad in a black ball gown embroidered with flowers. A bright pink shawl, which matched the floral stitching on her dress, rested on her arms. She mingled with relatives until her cousin Josue Lucas—the choreographer for the night—cued her with a signal. Alvarez suddenly dashed out into the hallway; her quinceañera was about to begin.

The centuries-old Latin American celebration honors a young girl’s entrance into womanhood. But as times have changed, so has tradition. In the past, quinceañeras would often mark the first time the birthday girl put on makeup or wore high heels. Typically her dress would be white, to symbolize purity and new beginnings.

These days many young Latinxs have chosen to sport trendier dresses rather than ball gowns, combine quince traditions with a sweet sixteen party, or even go on a quince cruise. For Alvarez, that meant opting for cowboy boots instead of high heels, and inviting a voter registration team to join her on her special day.

Read more: https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/latinx-voters-texas-quinceaneras/

October 29, 2019

Drunk San Antonio Woman Attacks Mother with Crucifix During Argument

A local woman is in police custody after attacking her mother with a religious object.

According to a report from News 4 San Antonio, Christian Lydia Martinez came home drunk during the weekend and began arguing with her mother. The argument escalated to the point that Martinez grabbed a heavy, 10-inch crucifix off the wall and struck her mother several times over the head with it.

Martinez reportedly hit her mother so hard that the victim suffered a fractured skull. The suspect fled the scene when she saw that her mother was bleeding, Telemundo San Antonio reports.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/10/28/drunk-san-antonio-woman-attacks-mother-with-crucifix-during-argument

October 29, 2019

La Cantera Resort Firm Paying $2.625 Million to Settle Federal Complaint Over English-Only Workplace

La Cantera Resort Firm Paying $2.625 Million to Settle Federal Complaint Over English-Only Workplace Policy


SAN ANTONIO -- La Cantera Resort & Spa's former management company will pay $2.625 million to settle an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it created a hostile workplace for Latinx workers.

The federal agency sued in September of 2018, alleging that the Hill Country resort's operator Destination Hotels and Resorts — purchased last year by Hyatt Hotels Corp. — mistreated workers based on their national origin and retaliated against those who opposed an English-only policy.

In a news release, La Cantera said its former management company reached a settlement on this issue but added that the claims, which date back five years, are without merit. The resort is currently operated by Benchmark Global Hospitality.

“Several employees, who are among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, remain employed at the resort, in that same department," La Cantera Resort Managing Director John Spomer said in a written statement. "We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in any form and are proud to employ a diverse, multicultural workforce with ethnic minorities being the majority of our staff.”

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/10/28/la-cantera-resort-firm-paying-265-million-to-settle-federal-complaint-over-english-only-workplace-policy

October 29, 2019

Protesters Gather Outside John Hagee's Cornerstone Church to Decry His 'Extremist Message' on Israel

Two dozen people gathered Sunday evening outside Pastor John Hagee's San Antonio megachurch to protest the controversial preacher's ongoing sponsorship of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

Hagee — who preaches that Palestinians have no right to the land where they reside — is founder of Christians United for Israel, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group. Sunday's annual Night to Honor Israel event regularly draws thousands to hear the pastor's message that the gathering of Jews in Israel is prerequisite for Christ's second coming.

"What John Hagee wants is an extremist policy that inherently requires the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people," said Moureen Kaki, one of the protest organizers. "We're a people who have suffered too long under colonial rule and occupation."

The event inside the church featured Mark Levin, a conservative radio talk show host who's accused President Obama of "seeking to destroy Israel" and only liking Jews who supported his campaign.

Read more: https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/10/28/protestors-gather-outside-john-hagees-cornerstone-church-to-decry-his-extremist-message-on-israel

October 29, 2019

Back in time for Halloween -- Sugar: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

This segment is from Last Week Tonight in October 2014. The conclusion of the video takes on some additional meaning since Trump became president.

October 29, 2019

Beto For America Weekly Update with Ofirah Yheskel, Rob Friedlander & Rob Flaherty 10.28.2019

This was a big week! Not only because we had a debate and a Rally Against Fear, but also because our Weekly Update has very special guest hosts: Digital Director Rob Flaherty, Communications Director Rob Friedlander, and Deputy Communications Director Ofirah Yheskel. Watch!

October 29, 2019

Beto For America Weekly Update with Ofirah Yheskel, Rob Friedlander & Rob Flaherty 10.28.2019

This was a big week! Not only because we had a debate and a Rally Against Fear, but also because our Weekly Update has very special guest hosts: Digital Director Rob Flaherty, Communications Director Rob Friedlander, and Deputy Communications Director Ofirah Yheskel. Watch!

October 29, 2019

Houston Oil And Gas Jobs Set To Decline Through 2020

The outlook for Houston’s oil and gas sector is increasingly grim. The industry is on track to finish out the year shedding almost all the jobs it’s added since the start of 2019, according to the Greater Houston Partnership.

Local employment in oil and gas appears to have hit the high point of its current cycle in June. Patrick Jankowski, senior vice president of research at the Greater Houston Partnership, said he expects things to get worse over the next year.

“We’ve seen a significant drop in the rig count,” Jankowski said. “We’ve seen more capital discipline, where the energy companies are not able to get the funds they need or they would like to continue to do drilling. And we’re starting to see layoffs in the industry. So rather than saying things look bright for the oil industry in 2020, I’m afraid they’re starting to look pretty cloudy.”

Jankowski said the long-term outlook isn’t much brighter. “We have most likely seen peak employment for the oil and gas industry,” he said. “That occurred in 2014, and we will probably never get back up to those levels of employment in the industry.”

Read more: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2019/10/28/350056/houston-oil-and-gas-jobs-set-to-decline-through-2020/

October 29, 2019

Man arrested in Texas shooting that left 2 dead, 12 hurt

GREENVILLE, Texas (AP) — A man suspected of opening fire at an off-campus college party in Texas, killing two people and injuring 12 others, was arrested Monday.

Brandon Ray Gonzales, 23, of Greenville, Texas, was taken into custody less than 48 hours after Saturday’s shooting, Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks said. Gonzales, who was arrested at the auto dealership where he worked, was booked into the Hunt County jail on a charge of capital murder of multiple persons. Bond was set at $1 million.

The shooting happened around midnight Saturday outside Greenville, 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of a satellite campus of the Texas A&M University System. Authorities believe the shooter may have been targeting just one person at the party of about 750 people, and that others may have been shot at random, Meeks has said.

Kevin Berry Jr. of Dallas and Byron Craven Jr. of Arlington, both 23, were killed, authorities said.

The shooting took place at a Halloween and homecoming party for Texas A&M University-Commerce at a facility called The Party Venue, according to Meeks, though officials said it was not a school-sanctioned event.

Read more: https://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/news/20191028/man-arrested-in-texas-shooting-that-left-2-dead-12-hurt

October 29, 2019

Guilty plea in Maryland newspaper shootings; insanity hearing is next

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland man pleaded guilty Monday in the slayings of five staffers at an Annapolis newspaper, and a jury is expected to hear testimony within weeks about whether he was not responsible by reason of insanity.

Jarrod Ramos pleaded guilty in the 2018 massacre at the Capital Gazette newspaper. Judge Laura Ripken accepted his plea Monday afternoon.

Ripken said she determined that Ramos “freely, knowingly and voluntarily” waived his right to a jury trial to determine his guilt or innocence.

Wearing green jail clothes and a long beard, Ramos stood in court and repeatedly answered “that is correct” when asked by the judge whether he understood he was giving up his right to the first phase of his trial to determine whether he committed the crimes.

Read more: https://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/zz/news/20191028/guilty-plea-in-maryland-newspaper-shootings-insanity-hearing-is-next