May 21, 2015

Homes evacuated, crews working to shut down gas well in Karnes County

FM 792 to remain closed until further notice

SAN ANTONIO - Crews worked Wednesday to shut down a gas well that continues to spew natural gas in Karnes County.

The well, owned by Encana, has been spewing gas since Tuesday afternoon.

According to Encana spokesman Doug Hock, the situation Wednesday afternoon was in a "critical stage."

Hock said two well-control specialists were working feverishly to shut down the well. He said it could take several hours before the well was capped.

Read more: http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2015/05/20/crews-working-to-shut-down-gas-well-in-karnes-county.html

Earlier report: http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2015/05/19/homes-evacuated-north-of-karnes-city-due-to-natural-gas-leak.html

[font color=green]I used to drive through this area frequently.[/font]

May 21, 2015

Police: 2 middle school students poisoned by other students

Two Eagle Ridge Middle School students were hospitalized Monday after ingesting what most likely was copper sulfate given to them in a sports drink bottle spiked by a pair of male students, according to police.

The two boys suspected of spiking the drink could face criminal charges, said Capt. Paul Rogers, spokesman for the Rio Rancho Police Department.

Police are still piecing together what happened by interviewing students, checking surveillance cameras and talking to the two boys suspected of giving the laced drink to one male and one female classmate, he said. The suspect boys have changed their stories several times.

“They retrieved a solution of copper sulfate, mixed it with water in a Gatorade bottle,” he said. “They gave it to the female student at the lunch table and shortly after she complained of burning in her throat and abdominal pain.”

Read more: http://www.abqjournal.com/587546/abqnewsseeker/police-2-middle-school-students-poisoned-by-other-students-2.html

May 21, 2015

Clinton plans June campaign fundraising stop in Albuquerque

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is coming to Albuquerque next month, but she doesn’t plan to have any events for the general public.

Clinton — a former U.S. secretary of state, U.S. senator from New York and first lady — is scheduled to appear at a fundraising breakfast June 3 at the Albuquerque home of Ed Romero, a former U.S. ambassador to Spain and a longtime Democratic fundraiser.

The huevos rancheros won’t be cheap. Admission to the breakfast is $2,700 — the maximum amount someone can contribute to a presidential campaign, according to federal law.

“This is a short notice fundraising stop on the way to {Texas} for more fundraising,” former Albuquerque mayor Martin Chavez, who has been involved with the Clinton campaign for months, said in a text message to a New Mexican reporter. He said at this early stage of the campaign, he expects Clinton to have most of her public events in states with early primary elections.

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/clinton-plans-june-campaign-fundraising-stop-in-albuquerque/article_86605a4e-7a68-58c4-9adf-e25365a1bd2a.html

May 21, 2015

NY lawmakers want to enact non-essential travel ban to Louisiana following Gov. Bobby Jindal’s E. O.

Two New York lawmakers want to ban all non-essential, state-funded to travel to Louisiana in the wake of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive “Marriage and Conscience Order.”

New York Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell and State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Mike Gianaris have urged New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to enact the travel ban, which is similar to what New York enacted on Indiana after it passed its religious freedom law.

After Indiana revised its law, New York and two other states lifted formal travel bans to that state.

Meanwhile, following Jindal’s executive order, O’Donnell drafted correspondence to Cuomo prompting the governor to “move our business to places that treat their citizens equally and fairly.”

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/12429864-123/new-york-lawmakers-want-non-essential (Baton Rouge Advocate)

Cross-posted in the Louisiana Group.

May 21, 2015

NY lawmakers want to enact non-essential travel ban to Louisiana following Gov. Bobby Jindal’s E. O.

Two New York lawmakers want to ban all non-essential, state-funded to travel to Louisiana in the wake of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive “Marriage and Conscience Order.”

New York Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell and State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Mike Gianaris have urged New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to enact the travel ban, which is similar to what New York enacted on Indiana after it passed its religious freedom law.

After Indiana revised its law, New York and two other states lifted formal travel bans to that state.

Meanwhile, following Jindal’s executive order, O’Donnell drafted correspondence to Cuomo prompting the governor to “move our business to places that treat their citizens equally and fairly.”

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/12429864-123/new-york-lawmakers-want-non-essential (Baton Rouge Advocate)

Cross-posted in the New York Group.

May 21, 2015

Scalise says GOP bill targets wasteful studies, but Dems say real target is climate change work

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds have been wasted on research studying human set fires in New Zealand in the 1800s, civil lawsuits in Peru and production of a musical on climate change, says House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson.

Scalise said that Republicans intend to end funding on "programs that don't meet the national interests" with legislation, passed Wednesday 217-205, that would focus federal research in biology, chemistry, math and computer science.

But Democrats, who didn't provide a single vote for the bill, said that while there may be a few questionable research projects funded by the federal government, the Republican-drafted bill makes deep cuts in vital scientific research and seems intended to block research into climate change.

The bill bars the Department of Energy's Office of Science and Technology from approving new climate change science research "without making a determination that such work is unique and not duplicative of work by other agencies." Avoiding duplication makes sense, particularly at a time of large deficits and significant other funding priorities, said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/05/scalise_says_gop_bill_targets.html

May 21, 2015

Transocean reaches $212 million settlement over oil spill claims

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune

Transocean Ltd. has agreed to a nearly $212 million settlement with Gulf Coast individuals and business owners over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, plaintiff's lawyers said Wednesday (May 20).

Transocean was the owner of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, which sank after the April 20, 2010 blowout at BP's Macondo well. The disaster killed 11 workers and set off the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

In a statement, Transocean said the settlement and a separate agreement reached with BP to settle ongoing litigation "resolve substantially all outstanding" oil spill claims against the company.

The Transocean settlement -- $211.7 million total -- follows a similar agreement reached with Halliburton, the cement contractor on the Macondo well. Halliburton agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle claims last September.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/05/transocean_oil_spill_settlemen.html

May 21, 2015

Annual Red River, N.M., biker rally comes week after Waco shooting

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Law enforcement agencies are preparing for an annual motorcycle rally in northern New Mexico a week after a deadly Texas shootout involving rival motorcycle gangs.

Around 20,000 bikers are expected to attend the Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally in Red River this weekend. Officials say past attendees included members of the gang, the Bandidos.

Authorities say the Bandidos were involved in a deadly shooting in Waco, Texas, that killed at least nine. About 170 bikers have been charged with engaging in organized crime.

Red River Town Marshal David Smith says 50 officers from different agencies will be patrolling the area to the Colorado border every day but authorities don't believe there will be any spillover from Waco.

Read more: http://amarillo.com/news/latest-news/2015-05-20/annual-red-river-nm-biker-rally-comes-week-after-waco-shooting

May 20, 2015

Clinton To Skip San Antonio During Upcoming Campaign Stops

Hillary Clinton is coming to Texas. But she’s staying north of San Antonio.

Clinton, the former secretary of state, will hold fundraisers in Austin and Dallas as she swings through Texas on Wednesday, June 3 and Thursday, June 4.

Clinton is the odds-on favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Her only competition so far is Bernie Sanders, the socialist senator from Vermont.

Clinton cut some of her political teeth in Texas on the presidential campaign of Sen. George McGovern, D-SD, in 1972. She and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, campaigned throughout the state for McGovern, and registered voters in the Rio Grande Valley, according to the Texas Tribune.

Read more: http://www.sacurrent.com/Blogs/archives/2015/05/20/no-san-antonio-for-clinton-during-upcoming-texas-campaign-stops

May 20, 2015

See (10 of) you in Cleveland: details emerge for first 2016 primary debate on Aug. 6

Source: Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON – It’s official. The first Republican presidential debate will be held Aug. 6 in Cleveland. Only 10 contenders get to participate. And Fox News and Facebook will play host.

The debate will take place at Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the 2016 GOP convention, from 8 to 10 pm CT. Three Fox anchors will serve as moderators: Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace.

Fox announced that it will invite contenders who placed in the top 10 in an average of five national polls in the days leading up to the debate.

The emphasis on national polls, rather than polling in Iowa or New Hampshire or another early voting state, could be a boon to both the more centrist, establishment figures in the race and to some of the more ideologically extreme contenders.

Read more: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/05/see-10-of-you-in-cleveland-details-emerge-for-first-2016-primary-debate-on-aug-6.html/