TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalPlano fire captain suspended for attempting to acquire a fake vaccine card
PLANO, Texas — A captain in Plano’s Fire-Rescue Department was suspended for attempting to illegally buy a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine card for his unvaccinated wife, according to official city documents.
On the morning of Aug. 4, according to the documents, Captain Richie Floyd approached fellow firefighter Steven Tuck about acquiring an official CDC vaccine card with a lot number, which is required for traveling. Floyd and his wife were planning a trip to New York City, and his wife needed the card in order to attend a Broadway show.
After initially agreeing to illegally acquire a card for Floyd, Tuck instead reported the incident to his captain, who in turn reported the incident to their battalion chief.
Floyd was suspended for 24 hours by the department’s chief, Sam Greif.
“I take full responsibility for my role in this incident,” Floyd said in a written statement obtained by Spectrum News 1. “I apologize for lack of consciousness and lapse of [sic] judgement in this matter, for putting my brother in a situation I should have never put him in, for acting haste, for my lack of moral character, for bringing a stain upon the PFR officer corps and our department. I ask all involved to forgive me for all I have done concerning this matter and the extra work I have created.”
Read more: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2021/09/29/plano-fire-captain-suspended-for-attempting-to-acquire-a-fake-vaccine-card
So attempting to break a federal law only warrants a suspension of 24 hours?
Central Texas law enforcement experiences major spike in COVID deaths since August
TEXAS — COVID-19 is currently the leading cause of death for law enforcement in the U.S. Numbers from the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund show that from January to June of 2020 76 of the 155 nationwide line-of-duty deaths were a result of the virus.
Here is Texas, statewide data shows there have been hundreds of police officer COVID deaths, with a major spike in the last few months in Central Texas. Since August, there have been at least five officer or deputy deaths because of COVID in the region.
“There’s not a week gone by that we haven’t been involved in a funeral,” said Rick Randall with the Austin Police Department.
After 25 years on the force, Randall has made a few friends. As an APD chaplain his job is to console and council his coworkers, and he says there’s been a whole lot of that recently.
Read more: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2021/10/01/central-texas-law-enforcement-experiences-major-spike-in-covid-deaths-since-august
American model outperforming European in hurricane forecasts
It's time we give credit where it's due. The GFS American computer model is consistently doing better than its European counterpart in predicting the path of tropical storms.
This is huge news because for many years, the ECMWF model (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), typically referred to as the 'Euro' model, would consistently beat the GFS American model.
The GFS model underwent a massive overhaul that was years in the making. Technically, it's now the GFS-FV3, but everyone still calls it the 'GFS.' Using new supercomputers and a new dynamic core, the GFS now has a higher level of accuracy. This major overhaul went into effect in 2019, with upgrades thereafter into 2020.
Computer modeling isn't simple and can take years of collaboration between government, university and international scientists to make improvements and corrections. I learned this firsthand when I started my career at the National Weather Service headquarters before getting into the broadcast side of the business. I have a lot of respect for the scientists in this field that keep moving us forward in weather prediction.
Read more: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/san-antonio/weather/2021/09/27/american-gfs-model-outperforming-european-model-with-hurricane-forecasts
North Dakota Governor Warns That Hospitals Are At "Redline Capacity"
From North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum:
“The pressure on hospitals and clinics in both our urban and rural areas is reaching critical levels, and we all need to do our part to avoid hospitalization and prevent further strain on these facilities and their staff as we work through this incredibly challenging time,” Burgum said.
Regional centers are currently unable to support critical access hospitals as they have in the past, and providers have seen adverse outcomes due to delays in care, said Dr. Chris Meeker, chief medical officer at Sanford Bismarck.
Today North Dakota’s six largest hospitals reported 43 patients were deflected to other facilities, including six psychiatric patients; and 29 patients were waiting in emergency departments to be admitted to the hospital.
“Health systems across North Dakota face headwinds in caring for the people of our state. Our hospitals are at or above capacity, affecting care for all medical conditions. Physicians, nurses, and other vital frontline health care workers are doing heroic work caring for our communities despite shortages in staff and space,” Meeker said.
Read more: https://www.joemygod.com/2021/10/nd-gov-warns-that-hospitals-are-at-redline-capacity/
Self-Described Member of "Boogaloo Bois" Pleads Guilty to Riot
MINNEAPOLIS – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to a federal riot charge in connection to the 2020 civil unrest, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, Ivan Hunter, 24, admitted to traveling from San Antonio, Texas to Minneapolis with the intent to participate in a riot. Hunter is a self-described member of the Boogaloo Bois, a loosely connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government.
On the night of May 28, 2020, Hunter was captured on video discharging 13 rounds from an AK-47 style semiautomatic rifle into the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building. At the time of the shooting there were other individuals believed to be looters still inside the building. Law enforcement recovered from the scene discharged rifle casings consistent with an AK-47 style firearm.
According to court documents, upon returning to Texas, Hunter made various statements on social media describing the violence in which he engaged in Minneapolis. On June 3, 2020, officers with the Austin Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a pick-up truck for numerous traffic violations. Hunter was one of three occupants in the vehicle. Hunter, the front seat passenger, had six loaded magazines for an AK-47 style assault rifle affixed to a tactical vest he was wearing. Officers found three semi-automatic rifles on the rear seat of the vehicle, one loaded pistol in plain view next to the driver’s seat, and another loaded pistol in the center console. Several days after the traffic stop, federal agents became aware of Hunter’s online affiliation with Boogaloo Bois member Steven Carrillo, who has been charged in the Northern District of California with the May 29, 2020, murder of a Federal Protective Service Officer in Oakland, California.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/self-described-member-boogaloo-bois-pleads-guilty-riot
Laredo's new $50M avocado distribution facility opens, bringing at least 120 jobs to city
Mission Produce celebrated the grand opening of one of its largest facilities on Wednesday with both local and state guests including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who prompted a discussion about the value of Laredo toward the state and the country as its largest land port.
"I am proud to welcome Mission Produce's new distribution center to Laredo, spurring economic growth and creating even more good-paying jobs for generations of Texans to come," Abbott said. "The entire community of Laredo and investments from great companies like Mission Produce play pivotal roles in Texas' economic success story, and together we will keep the Lone Star State the best place to live, work and raise a family."
Teclo Garcia, the Laredo Director of Economic Development, was a proponent of the new investment by Mission Produce CEO Steve Barnard, as he believed having the largest avocado company in Laredo would bolster the city’s economy.
He explained that the company had directly invested $50 million to build the new facility, situated close to the city limits off Mines Road. Through discussion with Barnard, and an eight-year tax break, the deal was made eight months prior to the grand opening as construction of the mega center began in the summer of 2020.
Read more: https://www.lmtonline.com/insider/article/Laredo-s-new-50M-avocado-distribution-facility-16499011.php
(Laredo Morning Times)
NXIVM doctor who branded women loses medical license
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York health officials have revoked the medical license of a doctor with the cult-like group NXIVM who branded 17 women with the initials of the group's leader, Keith Raniere.
A health department hearing committee sustained multiple of counts of professional misconduct against Danielle Roberts, who belonged to a secret women's group within NXIVM called DOS that required a “vow of obedience” between master and slave.
Many of the counts stem from Roberts using a cauterizing device to brand “KAR” on the women in their pelvic region without anesthesia “to intentionally cause them pain,” according to the decision released this week.
The brands were meant to symbolize the women’s status as sex slaves for the now imprisoned self-help guru.
Read more: https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/NXIVM-doctor-who-branded-women-loses-medical-16502752.php
(Laredo Morning Times)
Kentucky governor files paperwork for reelection run in 2023
Source: AP
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Fresh off landing a record-shattering economic development deal with Ford Motor Co. that put Kentucky at the forefront of the green energy movement, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday launched a reelection run that will be tied to his aggressive actions to combat COVID-19 in his rapidly reddening state.
Still two years away from voters delivering a verdict on his pandemic-plagued term, Beshear filed paperwork allowing him to raise and spend money on his 2023 reelection bid. The 43-year-old governor faces a bruising campaign in a state dominated by Republicans eager to rip into his coronavirus-related restrictions during much of the pandemic.
In a social media post, the governor said: “There are so many challenges facing our Commonwealth. Kentuckians are counting on me to deliver, and I won’t let them down.”
Eric Hyers, the governor's 2019 campaign manager and adviser to his reelection effort, called Beshear a “game-changing” governor and said the filing was “the first step in a long campaign.”
Read more: https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Kentucky-governor-files-paperwork-for-reelection-16502063.php
Link is to the Laredo Morning Times.
Hanford work ordered to continue, with or without fed shutdown
Hanford nuclear reservation workers are being told to report to work as usual after Thursday even if the federal government shuts down.
However, by Thursday afternoon a shutdown, at least before December, looked unlikely.
Friday, Oct. 1, is the start of fiscal 2022 for the federal government.
By Thursday afternoon both the U.S. Senate and House and passed short-term bills to keep the federal government funded after midnight Thursday through early December. The bill still needed the president’s signature.
If the bill had not been approved, about 11,000 Hanford site workers were expected to be paid with money budgeted for fiscal 2021 that has not yet been spent.
Read more: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article254627827.html
Oregon group claims new nuclear reactor plan poses threat to Tri-Cities, Columbia River
RICHLAND, WA -- An Oregon environmental group is objecting to Energy Northwest’s plan to place a small modular power reactor on its leased land on the Hanford nuclear reservation near the Columbia River just north of Richland.
Earlier this year Energy Northwest, which operates the Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant near Richland, announced plans with X-energy and Grant County PUD to add a small modular reactor near its current, full-size commercial nuclear power reactor.
Columbia Riverkeeper says in a new report that it is concerned about the used radioactive fuel the proposed new reactor would generate.
The United States now lacks a deep geological repository for used commercial nuclear power plant fuel, after work stopped to develop the repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev.
Read more: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article254631237.html#storylink=mainstage_lead
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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