Houston Style Magazine Vol 31 No 18

Houston Style Magazine April 30 – May 06, 2020

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 31 | Number 18

CORONAVIRUS – US WEEKLY NUMBERS –

Complimentary

March 19, 2020 Cases: 10,442 Deaths: 150

March 26, 2020

Jesse Jackson

Cases: 75,233 Deaths: 1,070

Let The Prisoners Go. . .

April 02, 2020

Cases: 226,374 Deaths: 5,316

April 09, 2020

Cases: 455,876 Deaths: 16,314

April 16, 2020

Cases: 661,813 Deaths: 33,490

April 23, 2020

Al Edwards

Cases: 854,722 Deaths: 48,412

Passing of A True Champion of Houston’s Minority Community

April 30, 2020

Cases: 1,075,643 Deaths: 662,342

STAY HOMEHWORK SAFE COVID-19 Reports on State of Texas, Harris, Fort Bend Counties & City of Houston

Follow Us #TeamStyleMag

Twitter @HoustonStyle

Instagram @HoustonStyleNews

H-E-B & FAVOR INTRODUCES TWO-HOUR DELIVERY

Facebook: @HoustonStyleMagazine

Congressman Al Green Joins Mayor Turner To Open New COVID-19 Testing Site

ESSENTIAL SERVICE: BLACK NEWSPAPERS ARE NEEDED! New ‘Texan’ – Ross Blacklock

N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T Support Black Owned Businesses

Texans Helping Texans Bringing us together during uncertain times.

To learn more go to heb.com/texanshelpingtexans 2

April 30 – May 06, 2020

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Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com

Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com

ESSENTIAL SERVICE: Black Newspapers are Needed Too!

Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com Sports Editor Brian Barefield

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NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com

LIFE LESSIONS: Ross Blacklock Learned from His Dad

William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com Semetra Samuel semetra@artistikrebelcreative.com

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Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com Robert Franklin editorial@stylemagazine.com

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d.b.a. Houston Style Magazine & StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035 ©2020 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2019 audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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COMMENTARY

Let The Prisoners Go. . .

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

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cross the United States and across the world, prisoners are among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. Overcrowded facilities, shortages of food and medicine, totally inadequate testing expose prisoners who are disproportionately poor and afflicted with prior conditions that render them vulnerable to the disease. Prisoners increasingly are protesting their conditions, objecting to being sentenced to die in prison.

Experts across the world are urging governments to reduce their prison populations swiftly. Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations high commissioner for Human Rights, warned that “The consequences of neglecting [overcrowded conditions] are potentially catastrophic.”

Many countries have begun to act. Turkey’s parliament authorized the release of 45,000 prisoners.

Indonesia has released at least 30,000. Even Iran’s dictatorial regime has released roughly 85,000 detainees, while dealing harshly with those protesting the risks.

The United States locks up more people than any other country in the world, largely because of harsh and wrong-headed policies. Fifty-five thousand are detained in jail awaiting trials, too poor to pay for their freedom under the current cash bail system that is prevalent in many states.

The Prison Policy Initiative reports that 48,000 children are incarcerated on any given day. Many are charged only with “status offenses,” such as truancy or homelessness. The Health and Human Services office in charge of the custody of unaccompanied undocumented minors reports that 2,000 are locked up.

The New York Times reports that 59 in custody have already tested positive for COVID-19.

In California, The Marshall Project notes, more than one in seven prisoners are over the age of 55.

The percentage of those 55 and older in prison in the country has tripled over the course of this century. As Piper Kerman, author of “Orange is the New Black,”

wrote in the Washington Post, this is largely the result of prison sentences that are longer than those imposed by any other country. “Elderly probationers and parolees have some of the lowest recidivism rates of all former inmates. Releasing such people poses very low public safety risks and will have a dramatic effect on preserving public health.”

After an outbreak killed six inmates in a federal prison in Lisbon, Ohio, U.S. District Court Judge James Gwin decried the “shockingly limited” amount of testing, noting that the prison has received fewer than 100 tests, while a state prison of similar size had done about 4,000 tests. Two federal prisons in New York City reported that they had tested a total of only 19 inmates since the outbreak began; 11 were positive.

This has to change before the pandemic spreads, and prisons across the country go up in flames as prisoners’ riot against their conditions.

Inmates awaiting trial, the elderly, the afflicted, those who have served much of their sentence should get early release, if possible quarantined at home to ensure they are safe. The space freed up should be used to provide more “social distancing,” while emergency steps are taken to provide adequate medicine, protective equipment like masks and gloves, and food.

Correction officials need particular priority, for they are most at risk and, if infected, could spread the virus in the local communities. And the failure to provide adequate testing in prisons and jails, as well as in society as a whole, is utterly inexcusable at this late date.

The crisis should also lead to larger reforms - drastically reducing sentences while expanding alternatives to incarceration, ending the cash bail system and the practice of locking poor people up while they await trial, expanding parole, reducing the overcrowded and primitive conditions of too many jails and prisons. The virus is like getting hit by a club across the head. Perhaps, that might help bring us to our senses.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this newspaper or by email at jjackson@rainbowpush.org. Follow him on Twitter @RevJJackson.

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Refund Transfer (RT) is a tax refund-related deposit product by Axos Bank™, Member FDIC. Fees apply. You must meet legal requirements for opening a bank account. RT is a bank deposit, not a loan, and is limited to the size of your refund less applicable fees.

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Black-Owned Newspapers and Media Companies Are Small Businesses Too! Too! Financial Support Is Essential To Delivery Of These Essential Services

By Stacey M. Brown, Senior Correspondent, NNPA Newswire

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Dear World, the entire planet is feeling the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic,” Cheryl Smith of

Texas Metro News wrote to her readers. “We must be concerned about ourselves, as well as others. You may be aware that the media is considered ‘essential.’ So, guess what? We have a responsibility, a moral obligation to use this status to be a source of

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information, support, and inspiration, just as we are at all other times,” – Smith wrote.

ublishers of Black-owned community newspapers, including Janis Ware of the Atlanta Voice, Cheryl Smith of Texas Metro News, Chris Bennett of the Seattle Medium, Denise Rolark Barnes of the Washington Informer, and Brenda Andrews of the New Journal & Guide in Virginia, are desperately trying to avoid shuttering operations.

On Wednesday, April 29, Rolark Barnes, Andrews, Bennett, and Ware will participate in a special livestream broadcast to discuss how their publications are enduring as the pandemic rages on.

In a heartfelt and straight-tothe-point op-ed published recently, Ware explained to her tens of thousands of readers that The Atlanta Voice has boldly covered the issues that affect the African American community.

“Our founders, Mr. J. Lowell Ware and Mr. Ed Clayton, were committed to the mission of being a voice to the voiceless with the motto of, ‘honesty, integrity and truth,’” Ware wrote in an article that underscores the urgency and importance of African American-owned newspapers during the coronavirus pandemic. Ware has established a COVID-19 news fund and aggregated the Atlanta Voice’s novel coronavirus coverage into a special landing page within its website.

To remain afloat, Ware and her fellow publishers know that financial backing and support will be necessary. Following the spread of the pandemic, many advertisers have either paused their ad spending or halted it altogether. And other streams of revenue have also dried up, forcing Black-owned publications to find ways to reduce spending and restructure what were already historically tight budgets.

With major companies like Ruth Chris Steakhouse and Pot Belly Sandwiches swooping in and hijacking stimulus money aimed at small businesses, the Black Press — and community-based publishing in general — has been largely left out of the $350 billion stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program packages.

To make matters worse, there are no guarantees that a second package,

specifically focused on small business, will benefit Black publishers or other businesses owned by people of color.

Publications like the New Journal and Guide, Washington Informer (which recently celebrated its 55th anniversary) and the Atlanta Voice have been essential to the communities they serve — and the world at large for 193 years.

Unfortunately for some publishers, the impact of COVID-19 has brought business operations to a near halt. While none are thriving, some publishers have developed ingenious and innovative ways to continue operations.

“Dear World, the entire planet is feeling the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic,” Cheryl Smith of Texas Metro News wrote to her readers. “We must be concerned about ourselves, as well as others. You may be aware that the media is considered ‘essential.’ So, guess what? We have a responsibility, a moral obligation to use this status to be a source of information, support, and inspiration, just as we are at all other times,” Smith wrote.

Smith’s statements echo the more than 200 African American-owned newspapers in the NNPA family. The majority of the publications are owned and operated by women, and virtually all are family dynasties so rarely seen in the black community.

The contributions of the Black Press remain indelibly associated with the fearlessness, determination, and success of Black America.

Those contributions include the works of Frederick Douglass, WEB DuBois, Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah, and former NNPA Chairman Dr. Carlton Goodlett.

Douglas, who helped slaves escape to the North while working with the Underground Railroad, established the abolitionist paper, “The North Star,” in Rochester, New York.

He developed it into the most influential black anti-slavery newspaper published during the Antebellum era.

The North Star denounced slavery and fought for the emancipation of women and other oppressed groups with a motto of “Right is of no Sex – Truth is of no

Color; God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren.”

DuBois, known as the father of modern Pan Africanism, demanded civil rights for Blacks but freedom for Africa and an end to capitalism, which he called the cause of racism and all human misery.

Many large news organizations have begun targeting African Americans and other audiences of color by either acquiring Black-owned news startups or adding the moniker “Black” to the end of their brand. However, it was Blackowned and operated news organizations that were on the front lines for voting rights, civil rights, ending apartheid, fair pay for all, unionization, education equity, healthcare disparities and many other issues that disproportionately negatively impact African Americans.

Today, the Black Press continues to reach across the ocean where possible to forge coalitions with the growing number of websites and special publications that cover Africa daily from on the continent, Tennessee Tribune Publisher Rosetta Perry noted.

The evolution of the Black Press, the oldest Black business in America, had proprietors take on issues of chattel slavery in the 19th century,

Jim Crow segregation and lynching, the great northern migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the transformation from the printing press to the digital age and computerized communication.

With the Plessy vs. Ferguson Supreme Court ruling that said no black man has any rights that a white man must honor, there came a flood of Black publications to advocate for Black rights and to protest the wrongs done to Blacks.

An expose in Ebony Magazine in 1965 alerted the world to a Black female engineer, Bonnie Bianchi, who was the first woman to graduate from Howard University in Electrical Engineering.

It was through the pages of the Black Press that the world learned the horrors of what happened to Emmett Till.

The Black Press continues to tackle domestic and global issues, including the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects on all citizens – particularly African Americans.

Tune in to the livestream at www.Facebook.com/BlackPressUSA.

The Black Press continues to tackle domestic and global issues, including the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects on all citizens – particularly African Americans.

(Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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Coronavirus Briefs. . .

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Announces Phase One to Open Texas, With Health Protocols

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

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overnor Greg Abbott announced the first phase of the State of Texas› ongoing plan to safely and strategically open Texas while minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

Under Phase I, certain services and activities are allowed to open with limited occupancy, and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is issuing minimum standard health protocols for all businesses and individuals to follow. The Governor also outlined special guidance for Texans over 65 and detailed a comprehensive mitigation plan for nursing homes in Texas. The Governor also announced a statewide testing and tracing program developed by DSHS that will help public health officials quickly identify and test Texans who contract COVID-19 and mitigate further spread of the virus.

The Governor›s announcement is accompanied by Texans Helping Texans: The Governor›s Report to Open Texas. This detailed report, available on the strike force website, helps Texans understand phase one by outlining the new protocols, guidance, and recommendations. The report also includes a series of Open Texas Checklists that outline DSHS› minimum standard health protocols for all Texans.

«This strategic approach to opening the state of Texas prioritizes the health and safety of our communities and follows the guidelines laid out by our team of medical experts,» said Governor Abbott. «Now more than ever, Texans must remain committed to safe distancing practices that reduce the spread of COVID-19, and we must continue to rely on doctors and data to provide us with the safest strategies to restore Texans› livelihoods. We must also focus on protecting the most vulnerable Texans from exposure to COVID-19. If we remain focused on protecting the lives of our fellow Texans, we can continue to open the Lone Star State.»

By way of Executive Order (GA-18), all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and malls are permitted to reopen on Friday, May 1. These services must limit their capacity to 25% of their listed occupancy.

Within shopping malls, the food-court dining areas, play areas, and interactive displays and settings must remain closed.

All museums and libraries may open under the same 25% occupancy limitation, but interactive areas of museums must remain closed. State libraries and museums will open by May 1, and local public museums and libraries may reopen only if permitted by the local government. Single-person offices may reopen as well.

Churches and places of worship remain open. Outdoor sports are allowed to resume so long as no more than four participants are playing together at one time. Certain social distancing practices must also be followed. Local government operations, including county and municipal government

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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operations relating to permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, may reopen as determined by the local government.

Essential services such as farmers and ranchers, grocery and drug stores, banks, and gas stations will continue to operate. Public swimming pools, bars, gyms, cosmetology salons, massage establishments, interactive amusement venues, such as bowling alleys and video arcades, and tattoo and piercing studios will remain closed through Phase I. Nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, and long-term care facilities must remain closed to visitors unless to provide critical assistance.

The Governor also established increased occupancy protocols for certain counties with five or fewer laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19. Those counties may, on an individualized basis, increase occupancy limits to up to 50% for restaurants, retail, shopping malls, museums and libraries, and movie theaters if they meet certain criteria. The county judge must certify and affirm to DSHS that the following standards have been investigated and confirmed to be met: 1. The county had five or fewer COVID-19 laboratory confirmed cases on April 30, 2020 or, at a later date, five or fewer active COVID-19 cases as verified by DSHS. 2. The county has created a list of testing opportunities in the county or the area.

3. The county has been in contact with its designated regional advisory council to ensure the community is prepared for any needed health care transfers.

4. The county has provided public notice to the residents of the county, including: Signs and symptoms of COVID-19: Recommended health and safety protocols in line with CDC guidance; Information regarding how residents can get tested in the area; A link to the DSHS website where residents can go to learn about community spread in nearby communities, in order to help county residents understand their risk to exposure if they travel regularly outside of the county.

5. The county has contacted each of the following types of facilities located in the county to ensure they are complying with Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding COVID-19: Nursing homes; Assisted living facilities; Industrial, agricultural, or business facilities with a significant number of employees; and City or county jails.

6. The county is equipped and prepared to protect vulnerable populations, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

7. The county has documented procedures to be activated if a resident becomes COVID-19 positive, including procedures to take appropriate measures as necessary in line with the plan to open Texas.

8. The county has contacted DSHS in order to create a plan to ensure contact tracing will occur within 48 hours of a positive test reported to DSHS. Phase I will begin Friday May 1 and continue until at least May 18.

The Governor will continue to evaluate next steps for the state.

H-E-B, Central Market, Joe V’s and FAVOR Introduce New Express Home or Office Delivery Two-Hour Grocery Delivery Now Available

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By StyleMagazine.com, Newswire

-E-B and Favor Delivery have introduced a new service that allows customers to have grocery essentials delivered straight to their doorstep in two hours or less. In addition to H-E-B Curbside and Home Delivery, Texans can now use Favor’s new Express Delivery service, to have products delivered from every H-E-B, Central Market and Joe V’s store in Texas, with no membership fees or minimum order requirement.

With Express Delivery, customers can choose up to 25 items from a selected list of groceries and essentials, such as dairy, meat, produce, beer and wine and more, and customize their desired sizes and quantities. Each order will have a dedicated Favor Runner (delivery driver) who will contact the customer with any substitutions along the way. All deliveries will be placed at the customer’s doorstep for a completely contactless experience, and customers will receive a notification when their Favor has arrived at their door.

“This new service is another

way H-E-B and Favor are working together to respond to unprecedented demand during this crisis to get Texans the essentials they need, when they need them,” said Jag Bath, H-E-B Chief Digital Officer and Favor CEO. “We continue increasing H-E-B Curbside and Home Delivery availability for customers who want to place orders in advance for same day, next day or later — and now, with Express Delivery, Texans can get two-hour delivery on up to 25 items when they need an immediate option.”

Express Delivery from H-E-B, Central Market and Joe V’s is available seven days a week, via the Favor app or favordelivery.com.

Express Delivery — Favor app and website: • H-E-B and Joe V’s: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

• Central Market: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

For a limited time, Express Delivery includes a $4.98 two-hour delivery fee (regularly $9.95) and $10 tip,

which goes entirely to the Runner who will personally shop and deliver items.

In an effort to serve more Texans during this crisis, H-E-B and Favor recently announced Favor’s rapid statewide expansion to provide more Texans with access to on-demand delivery from restaurants and stores, and to support more seniors via the H-E-B & Favor Senior Support Program. Within an accelerated one-week timeframe, Favor doubled its delivery footprint across Texas by launching 75 new markets and expanding its existing markets in all directions. This move enabled H-E-B and Favor to expand its Senior Suppert Program to every H-E-B, Central Maket and Joe V’s store in Texas.

H-E-B and Joe V’s: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

To continue making this service affordable to seniors, H-E-B and Favor will extend waiving all delivery service fees for the Senior Support Program through the end of May, and orders will only require a $10 Runner tip. To help make these deliveries even more affordable for seniors, Texans can give directly to the Senior Support Fund at favordelivery.com/SeniorSupportFund or after placing an order in the Favor app. 100% of contributions are directly applied to seniors’ orders to ensure they have access to low-cost home delivery during this crisis.

For more info go to: www.MyHEB.com

Central Market: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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From the Edwards Family and Mayor Turner CDC Recommends Wearing A #FaceMask on the Death of Former State Rep. Al Edwards When Out In Public to #FlattenTheCurve

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Passsed Away of Natural Causes

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

The CDC recommends wearing a #FaceMask when out in public to #FlattenTheCurve of #COVID19.

As part of our #MaskUpHou campaign, we are working to distribute 200,000+ face masks to areas designated as #CompleteCommunities and other vulnerable communities in #Houston.

n Thursday, April 29, 2020, former State Representative Al Edwards passed away. The Edwards’ family statement is below, followed by a statement from Mayor Sylvester Turner.

EDWARDS FAMILY STATEMENT: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce that former District 146 State Rep. and Civil Rights Leader, Al Edwards Sr. died today from natural causes. He was an ordained minister, father, and grandfather that notably sponsored the legislation making Juneteenth the first legal Texas state holiday for African Americans. He was a proud graduate of Phyllis Wheatley High School and Texas Southern University. He will be sorely missed by all who loved him. He was 83 years old.”

MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER: “The Honorable Al Edwards worked tirelessly for the people of House District 146 and the state of Texas. During nearly three decades in the Texas House,

For more information on #FacialCoverings, visit www.HoustoEemergency.org/covid19 #CoronaVirus #StopTheSpread #TeamStyleMag

Senator John Whitmire, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Al Edwards

he served with distinction on several influential committees. In 1979, in the face of considerable opposition, Edwards passed legislation to recognize the abolition of slavery in Texas as an annual holiday, earning him the well-deserved nickname “Mr. Juneteenth.”

CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN SENATOR BORRIS MILES (SD13), REP. ALMA ALLEN (HD-131), COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS (PCT. 1), & COUNCIL MEMBER MARTHA CASTEX-TATUM (DISTRICT K) IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEW FAITH CHURCH & COMMUNITY LEADER VIVIAN HARRIS

U.S. Census Self-Response Rate As ofByMonday, April 27, 2020 CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire Houston increased it’s Census self-response rate by 1.7% from a week ago to 45.4%. The overall self-response rate in the U.S.

PRESENT

HIRAM CLARKE DRIVE-THRU FOOD & MASKS DISTRIBUTION

#YesToCensus2020 #HoustonCounts #HtownCounts #TeamStyleMag

Food and masks will be distributed to the first 500 cars. Food will be provided by Houston Food Bank. Masks will be provided by the Office of Council Member Castex-Tatum.

Friday, May 1, 2020 1:00 PM CST 4315 W Fuqua St Houston, TX 77045

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

increased from 51.6% to 53.7% for the same period.

– Keep it up Houston!

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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4/1/20 7:08 PM

Next COVID-19 Stimulus Already Facing HILL Fight As Both Sides Draw Red Lines Hard-Fought Negociations To Come on Capital Hill

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By CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

emocrats and Republicans are already drawing red lines over what they hope will be included in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation, signaling there will be hard-fought negotiations to come on Capitol Hill.

Congressional Democratic leaders have made clear that a top priority for any upcoming aid measure will be funding for cash-strapped state and local governments whose resources have been stretched thin by the crisis.

Republicans are signaling they may be willing to accept that, but only if it comes along with conditions for liability protection that they want to see in the legislation, that Democrats are so far pushing back against.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that he is open to considering more money to help state and local governments respond to the coronavirus outbreak, but said it would be conditioned on passing liability reforms to protect employers from a rash of lawsuits he believes will be aimed at them after the pandemic clears and businesses reopen.

“We are going to insist on this reform, which is not related to money, as a condition for going forward. We need to protect the American people and protect the brave people who have been

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on the front lines,” he told Fox News Radio.

That condition is already setting up a clash with Democrats who have been critical of the request.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that by pressing for liability protections for businesses and health care professionals in the next coronavirus bill McConnell is “putting barriers in the way of giving state and local governments desperate money they need.”

During a call with reporters, Schumer raised concerns that such a proposal might put workers at a disadvantage.

“I haven’t seen the details of what he said, but is he saying that if an owner tells a worker they have to work next to somebody who might have coronavirus without a mask or (personal protective equipment), that that owner wouldn’t be liable? That makes no sense,” Schumer said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi similarly emphasized the importance of protecting workers when asked about the issue of liability on a call with reporters on Tuesday.

“We are there to protect the workers. I don’t think at this time of the coronavirus that there is any interest

April 30 – May 06, 2020

in having any less protection for our workers, in fact, even more,” she said.

Pelosi has also made clear that in her view, money for state and local governments is a non-negotiable.

“There will not be a bill without state and local,” the speaker said last Friday.

Congress has already passed trillions of dollars in legislative relief to respond to the pandemic, but the scale of the devastation that the crisis has inflicted -- both in terms of public health and loss of life and to the economy, which has been placed in a deep freeze -- has led to both Democrats and Republicans saying more aid will be needed.

The fact that a slate of aid measures have already passed Congress may make negotiations over any upcoming aid package even more complicated given concerns among rank-and-file members on both sides over concessions made in previous packages and a sense that it is unclear how many future packages there might be to come.

That has raised the stakes of the negotiations and increased pressure on leadership on both sides of the aisle over what will be included in any next round of funding.

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The Senate will return to Washington next week, despite the fact that much of the District of Columbia remains shut down in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus with stayat-home order in effect until at least May 15.

The House, in contrast, will not be returning just yet. Members of the US House of Representatives will not return to Washington next week, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday morning, a reversal from the plan Democratic leaders announced fewer than 24 hours earlier.

But Hoyer indicated that the House will return when it is ready to take up the next relief package, which lawmakers are referring to as “CARES 2” after the earlier passage of the more than $2 trillion CARES Act last month.

“We have decided we will not come back next week, but we will come back very soon to pass the CARES 2 piece of legislation, and at that time we will be asking members to return to the Congress, to Washington,” Hoyer told reporters on a call.

CNN’s Haley Byrd, Alex Rogers and Ali Zaslav contributed to this report.

Newest ‘Texan’ Ross Blacklock Learned Life Lessons From An African-American Pioneer, His Dad – Jimmy Blacklock

By Brian Barefield, Sports Editor

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s the cameras began to roll in the home of Texas Christian University’s defensive lineman Ross Blacklock, an older gentleman, whose demeanor expressed that of a person who never rattles under pressure, was sitting to his left. The man was one that seemed to always have control of every situation and remained calm, even when his son’s life just changed for the better.

That man was the former University of Texas basketball star Jimmy Blacklock, Ross’ dad.

The Houston Texans selected the younger Blacklock with the 40th overall pick in the second-round of 2020 NFL Draft. As he spoke with the media afterward, he made sure to acknowledge his dad for his upbringing.

“My dad, he’s a pioneer, he’s a walking legend,” said Blacklock. “He doesn’t talk about it as much as I do.”

Jimmy Blacklock was a high school superstar on the basketball court at Jack Yates High School and continued playing the game he loved at Tyler Junior College for two years. It was his outstanding play that caught the eye of the University of Texas basketball coach Leon Black, whose team had been less than stellar since he arrived in Austin, Texas. He made Blacklock the second African-American player on the team behind Sam Bradley, who had integrated the UT basketball program one year earlier.

To put it modestly, the Longhorn basketball program thrived under Blacklock. He led them in scoring his first year on campus at 16.6 points per

Jimmy Blacklock game during the 1970-71 season and was named team MVP. Blacklock elevated the program to new heights the following season. Earning team captain honors in his senior year, Blacklock led the Longhorns to 19-wins and their first share of the Southwest Conference championship in seven years. Yet all his accomplishments were not without scrutiny as racism ran rampant in the South during those times.

Not only did Blacklock endure racism on the road where he played at some venues where individuals didn’t want “Black” people, much less, black athletes anywhere near them. He had to deal with discrimination on his own team. Remember that UT’s basketball program had only been integrated for

three years even though their program had been in existence since 1906. Although Blacklock experienced all kinds of racist acts like the time he had a bug left in his drink by an assistant coach and teammate. Despite it all, those things didn’t stop him from earning his degree in business administration from UT.

The determination to overcome adversity is what Jimmy has instilled in his son Ross. That character trait was very much needed when Ross tore his achilles his sophomore year at TCU and was out for the entire season. This came on the heels of having an outstanding freshman year where he earned Freshman First-Team All-American and Big 12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.

“I spent more time in film even though I couldn’t be there most of the time because due to my injury I couldn’t walk for a while,” said Ross Blacklock about his 2018 injury. “Once I got back I was always active with the guys, I was always watching film with them as if I was still playing that season, just another coach on the side. I get most of that maturity from my father, my parents. I grew up in a great home, they taught me well.”

Although Jimmy Blacklock was a superstar basketball player in high school and college, a skill that would eventually lead him to a career with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters as a player and now a coach, he never forced his son into the sport.

“Growing up with him [Jimmy Blacklock], basketball just wasn’t my first love,” said the 2019 First-Team AllBig 12 selection. “Football was always my first love. I thought basketball was just too soft for me. I always used to foul out when I played AAU and stuff like that. I think my dad created a legacy in basketball for our family, so I think I was meant to do it for football. I’ll be the first person in my family to be in the NFL, so this is a pretty good start for me.”

“He’s just inspiring to me,” Blacklock said in 2019 at Big 12 Media Day. “I try to do everything as hard as he works, I try to do everything to mirror him. He taught me how to play sports, he taught me everything, so he’s a great mentor, a great father.”

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MANDATORY MASK: MASK:

“

Living The ‘New ew’’ Normal

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

We are still in the thick of it,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo at a press conference where she gave updates about the state of the county during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the curve seems to be flattening, Houston has yet to reach its peak and new admissions of patients with the coronavirus are still occurring. This information coupled with research from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and others is of great concern for Judge Hidalgo and other leaders to the point that they can’t comfortably relax any precautionary measures that they have already taken. Saving lives is always at the forefront of Judge Hidalgo’s mind in every decision made in this crisis and why she issued a mandatory mask order on April 22nd.

Calling the mandate something “we have to do for the sake of our safety, our lives and our economy,” Judge Hidalgo issued the face covering order to begin April 27th and end May 26th.

The mandate required anyone over the age of 10 to cover their mouth and nose with some type of face covering including masks, scarves, bandannas, handkerchiefs, or t-shirts when out in public. Evidence has shown this practice with social distance has been the most effective line of defense with battling the spread of the coronavirus.

Anyone found not obeying the order would be issued a fine of $1,000.

Many exceptions to the mandate included exemptions to those with health and/or mental conditions where a mask could hinder healthcare, as well as when one is at home or doing activities as driving or exercising alone and eating.

No sooner had the words left Judge Hidalgo’s mouth came the backlash from the state governor’s office on down. Governor Greg Abbott said no local government could issue such a mandate with a fine even though he recommended Texans to wear masks.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said Judge Hidalgo was abusing her authority and understood why some were angry. Other leaders called the action a government tyranny. A local doctor took it a step further by formally suing the county judge to block the order citing that it was a violation of citizens’ constitutional rights. Harris County Sheriff

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Ed Gonzales, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said they would not order officers to issue fines for noncompliance but instead would give residents a mask as the goal with all precautions is to keep people healthy, safe, and educated.

Following the governor’s comments, Judge Hidalgo said the implementation of the fine was to let the public know the seriousness of wearing a mask. The fine was not the intent of the order. She also issued the following statement:

“Harris County is the epicenter for the COVID-19 crisis in Texas and face coverings are one of the only weapons we have to stop the spread of the virus and reopen safely. We have a face covering order today and we’ll still have a face covering order tomorrow.

In practical terms, the governor’s order doesn’t change much because, like every order we’ve issued so far, we’d made it clear that the priority was education. The fine was there as a signal of how vital mask wearing is, and in many ways, the community got that message.

It’s been disappointing to see folks politicize public health, and I hope this means they’ll go back to focusing on health and safety instead of politics. As we have in the past, we will amend this order to conform with the governor’s.”

Judge Hidalgo may not be able to require citizens to wear masks, however private businesses still can. Several businesses have already started to make all employees wear masks and have encouraged their customers to do so along with limited the number of shoppers on the premise, enforcing social distancing, and disinfecting their property daily.

THE NEW NORMAL

As Texas begins to reopen the state using the multiphase plan outlined

by Gov. Abbott, Harris County and Houston officials remain meticulously cautious with Judge Hidalgo saying the new norm is to wear masks, gloves, and be socially distant.

The CDC is recommending the use of scarves, hand towels, bandanas, and even coffee filters as materials to make homemade masks. Cotton and tightly woven fabrics are suggested too. According to the CDC website

April 30 – May 06, 2020

cloth face coverings should meet the following requirements: · FIT SNUGLY but comfortably

against the side of the face · BE SECURED with ties or

ear loops · INCLUDE MULTIPLE LAY-

ERS of fabric · ALLOW FOR BREATHING

without restriction · Be able to BE LAUNDERED

and machine dried without damage or change to the shape

There are ways to make masks via two methods, sew and no sew, on the CDC website as well as other sources.

All are encouraged to wash face masks daily either in a washing machine or hand washing using soap and water.

Be very mindful of how a mask is put on and be especially careful when taking it off. The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages the cleaning of hands with soap and water or using an alcohol based sanitizer before putting on a mask. Once the covering is on the face, make sure the mouth and nose are completely covered with no gaps between the face and mask. Also, avoid touching the mask while in use. Remove the mask if it becomes damp and never use a single-use mask more than once.

When removing the mask, exhibit caution by using the ear loops far behind the ears and discarding in the proper container. Followed by cleaning hands using the above mentioned method for at least 20 seconds.

As the new normal is taking over, Houstonians have not lost their sense of style. From masks that represent colleges, sports teams, and businesses to ones that support charitable causes, state messages, and represent faith in a higher power, facial masks fashion is a trending topic that all can have fun with various colors and patterns.

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Ivette and Marcus Colvin made it kids’ choice when it came to their family’s masks. Little brother Konnor’s favorite color is blue and purple is big sister Khloe’s favorite color. Getting the patterned purple and blue masks also happened to represent Ivette’s college Prairie View A&M University and Marcus’ fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Gwendolyn Brinkley, Shalondra Moore, and Felicia Gilbert’s mask fashion were inspired by the membership that all three share in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. whose colors are pink and green. Felicia said the bonus for her wearing the pink and green mask is to commemorate her 25 years as a member of the organization.

“I am proud to wear my AKA mask in an effort to maintain my safety and the safety of others around me,” said Felicia.

Deshara Goss who stays out in the community working hard said her mask fashion was a way to express herself. “If I’m going to wear one I’m going to be stylish and different.”

Rosa Terrance Green is a nurse practitioner serving on the front lines of the COVID fight. She has a different mask for every day of the week. Her co-workers always love to see Rosa coming to see which mask she is wearing that day.

Walter Williams has added masks to his business line. He already has a well established custom apparel company and saw making masks as a way to keep his employees paid and fulfill a need. To date, Walter and his team have created masks for over 20,000 people. He makes all versions – disposable (10 for $20), filtered, custom (starts at $20) – whatever one likes he can do.

Trinity Newman is also in the mask making business. She started creating custom masks because she wanted to push people to wear them. “People are more inclined to wear a mask if they think it is nice looking or they can identify with it, ”said Newman whose masks range in price from $15 to $25.

Houston, let’s get masked up!

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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Congressman Al Green Joined By Mayor Sylvester Turner, HHD and TDEMA For New Coronavirus Testing Site In Sunnyside

By StyleMagazine.com, Newswire

Mayor Sylvester Turner

Congressman Al Green

n Wednesday, April 29, 2020, Congressman Al Green joined Mayor Turner as well as representatives from the Houston Health Department and Texas Department of Emergency Management to announce a new coronavirus testing site in Sunnyside, located in the Ninth Congressional District.

Congressman Green released the following statement:

“I am gratified to join city and state officials in announcing the opening of a new coronavirus testing site in Sunnyside, located in the Ninth Congressional District. According to the Houston Chronicle, the 77051zip code has the second-highest rate of coronavirus cases in Harris County, Texas, and includes Sunnyside, which is a predominantly African-American community,” said Congressman Al Green. “My colleagues and I – at both the local and national levels – must continue to work together to ensure vulnerable, majority-minority communities like Sunnyside have adequate access to coronavirus testing.”

Green – whose congressional

district includes the Sunnyside neighborhood – added, “What’s happening in Sunnyside and other African-American communities across our nation is a bellwether of how the coronavirus crisis may impact other communities.

The United States has quickly become the leader of global coronavirus cases, and we have seen the crisis’s disparate impact on African Americans. Even in Houston, more than 50% of coronavirus deaths have been African Americans, while African Americans make up only 23% of the population.”

“I must thank Mayor Turner as well as Director Williams and Dr. Persse of the Houston Health Department for their continued leadership in combatting the coronavirus crisis in the City of Houston. Although today we are here about Sunnyside, this is bigger than Sunnyside. What happens in Sunnyside can impact the east side, west side, north side, and all sides. Each of us must continue to do our part to protect all vulnerable communities from further harm due to COVID-19.”

O

GUIDANCE FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS Food has not been identified as a likely source of COVID-19 infection at this time; however, food businesses can play an important role in both protecting their employees and their customers from coronavirus infection by following the below personal and environmental hygiene practices.

VISIT WWW.HCPHTX.ORG OCEE 03/13/2020

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•

Stay home when you are sick with fever, coughing, and sneezing

•

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for 20 seconds upon first arriving to work, after using the restroom, before and after eating and frequently throughout the day. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

•

Provide alcohol based (60%) hand sanitizers for use for both employees and customers by placing them at convenient/accessible locations

•

Use sanitizing solution (i.e., one teaspoon of unscented household bleach in a gallon of cool water) to frequently sanitize commonly touched surfaces and objects such as electronics, door knobs, faucet handles, counter tops, cash machine key pads, dining tables frequently throughout the day. Change the sanitizing solution at least once every four hours

•

Consider temporarily limiting self-serve operations. Examples of such operations include; salad bars, buffets and dispensers. Replace utensils frequently (approximately hourly) during peak use hours for self-serve style operations

•

Ensure dishwasher and/or three-compartment sinks are used properly and have the appropriate level of sanitizer for final rinse (50-100 PPM chlorine-based sanitizer, follow product label for other approved sanitizers)

•

Ensure sneeze guards are in place where required

•

If you have food employees at higher risk for coronavirus with underlying health conditions, such as people 60 or older, people with underlying health conditions (heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes) or those with weakened immune systems or those who are pregnant: consider temporarily assigning them to non-public-contact duties

If you are a food business owner or a food worker and have questions related to your operation, please reach out to your Health Investigator or call 713-274-6300 to speak with office staff. For the latest information, please visit the following site: www.hcphtx.org\COVID-19

April 30 – May 06, 2020

Congressman Al Green Hosts Sunnyside and Hiram Clarke Food and Masks Distributions

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n Friday, May 1, 2020, Congressman Green will be joined by Senator Borris Miles (SD-13), Representative Alma Allen (HD-131), Commissioner Rodney Ellis (Pct. 1), Council Mem-

ber Martha Castex-Tatum (District K), Dr. Andre J. Lewis - Pastor of New Faith Church, and Community Leader Vivian Harris to distribute food and masks to the first 500 cars present at 1 PM at New Faith Church located at 4315 W Fuqua Street, Houston, Texas, 77045.

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sued checks for customers and associates.

Kroger to Accept SNAP/EBT for Pickup Orders and Expand Store Hours

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

K

roger Houston today announced the acceptance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for Pickup. The low-contact, convenient service allows customers to shop online for groceries on Kroger.com or the Kroger app and pick up their order curbside at a nearby Kroger store. The announcement also shares the updated store hours of 7am – 11pm in Houston area stores starting Monday, April 27th.

“As part of our commitment to serve our customers and communities, we are pleased to announce our expanded store hours of 7am – 11pm starting next week,” said Joe Kelley, President of Kroger Houston. “We understand that many essential workers continue to work late hours, and Kroger is committed to meet the needs of those on the front lines by staying open later than any other Houston grocery retailer.

This is in addition to rolling out SNAP and EBT payment through our Pickup service, offering the no-fee, low-contact service to more families looking for

fresh, affordable food while maintaining physical distancing.”

Kroger is currently waiving the fee for all customers on free same or next day pickup at Kroger locations across the Houston area, offering groceries for the same low prices as instore. HEB today shared that they are reinstating the $4.95 fee for Curbside Pickup.

How Kroger Pickup Works: 1.

Choose your preferred store location on Kroger.com or the Kroger app 2.

Shop and place your order for groceries on Kroger.com or the Kroger app 3.

Select a pickup date and time and SNAP/EBT as the payment method. If you’re using an EBT card, you’ll present your payment method at the time of pick up 4.

An associate shops for your order 5.

When it’s time to pick up your order, look for the pickup signs in the store’s parking lot and pull into your parking spot then call the number on

the sign to let an associate know you’ve arrived 6.

An associate will bring your order out and load it into your car. At this time, EBT card customers can complete their transaction via a mobile point-ofsale system and pay for ineligible EBT purchases or any remaining balance with their debit or credit card

Kroger has also recently expanded the following helpful services and programs to benefit customers and associates: Kroger Pay

Kroger Pay is another capability within the Kroger mobile app that provides a contactless payment solution, simplifying the checkout and payment process for customers. The capability is available in several markets.

Waived Check Cashing Fee for Government-Issued Checks

Starting April 24, the Kroger Family of Companies is supporting the CARES Act by temporarily waiving the check-cashing fee for government-is-

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Extension of $2 per Hour Premium for Hourly Frontline Associates through May 2

The Kroger Family of Companies has extended the Hero Bonus for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates. The $2 premium above associates’ standard base rate of pay is being applied to hours worked March 29 through May 2. The premium is disbursed weekly to ensure associates have access to additional cash.

Emergency Personnel Designation for Frontline Associates

The Kroger Family of Companies and the UFCW are calling on federal and state government leaders to take swift action to designate associates at grocery stores as “extended first responders” or “emergency personnel” to help receive priority access to protective masks and other benefits.

For more information: www.Kroger.com

April 30 – May 06, 2020

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April 30 – May 06, 2020

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