Houston Style Magazine Vol 32 No 21

Houston Style Magazine May 20 – May 26, 2021

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 32 | Number 21

H CDC UPDATE: VACCINATED? NO MASK H

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

COVID-19 Is A Global Threat That Requires A Global Mobilization

The Right To Choose: Whose Right Are Really Being Protected?

Mayor Sylvester Turner Proposes 18 Percent Pay Raise for Houston Firefighter

Words By Jo-Carolyn Goode

STAY HOME H WORK SAFE CORONAVIRUS – US NUMBERS: Cases: 33,810,015 Deaths: 602,112

TAG US: #TeamStyleMag

Twitter: @HoustonStyle

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Falyn M. Davis

Wedding or Mortgage?!

Some Have to Choose

Houston Synphony Returns to Miller Outdoor Congressman Green Works With Community STYLE HAUTE SHOTS

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

Week of May 10, 2021

1.

Houston Metro Fallbrook, 111 Fallbrook Dr., 77038| Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Daily: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

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Acres Homes Multi-Service Center, 6719 W. Montgomery Rd., 77091| Drive-thru or Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | No appointment required.

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Houston Community College – North Forest, 6010 Little York Rd, 77016 | Drive-thru | Nose self-swab | Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m.—7 p.m. | Registration available onsite or online via doineedacovid19test.com.

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United Memorial Medical Center, 510 W Tidwell Rd., 77091 | Drive-thru | Healthcare nasal swab | Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | No appointment required.

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Clark Community Center, 9718 Clark Rd, 77076 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Nose self-swab | May 11-15: 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | No appointment required.

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Kashmere Metro, 5700 Eastex Freeway, 77026 | Walk-up | Nose self-swab | Daily: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

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Metro Addicks Park & Ride, 14230 Katy Fwy, 77079 | Drive-thru | Nose self-swab | Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Call 832-393-4220 for access code.

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Memorial Park Conservancy, 1153 East Memorial Loop Dr., 77007 | Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Daily: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.| Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

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Houston Community College – Northeast Campus, 555 Community College Dr, 77013 | Drive-thru | Mouth self-swab | Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via docshealthtesting.com.

10. Minute Maid Park, Lot H, 1643 Memorial Dr, 77002 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Mon.-Wed.: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. | Th: 12–8 p.m. | Fri.: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sat.: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | Appointment not required but available at curative.com.

11. University of St. Thomas, 3800 Montrose Blvd, 77006 | Walk-up |Shallow nose self-swab | Daily: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

12. Leroy Crump Stadium, 12321 Alief Clodine Rd, 77072 | Drive-thru | Healthcare nasal swab | Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via texas.spartancovidtesting.com.

13. Houston Metro West, 11555 Westpark Dr, 77082 | Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

14. PlazAmericas, 7500 Bellaire Blvd, 77036 | Drive-thru | Healthcare nasal swab | Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | No appointment required.

15. Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star Dr, 77074 | Drive-thru | Nose self-swab | Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m.—7 p.m. | Registration available onsite or online via doineedacovid19test.com.

16. Miller Outdoor Theater, 6000 Hermann Park Dr., 77030 | Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Daily: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via curative.com.

17. Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol St., 77011 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Mouth self-swab | Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | No appointment required.

18. Houston Community College – Southeast Campus, 6815 Rustic, St., 77087 | Drive-thru | Healthcare nasal swab | MondayFriday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | No appointment required.

19. Edgewood Community Center, 5803 Bellfort Ave, 77033 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Nose self-swab | May 11-15: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | No appointment required.

20. Houston Community College – South Campus, 1990 Airport Blvd, 77051 | Drive-thru | Healthcare nasal swab | MondaySaturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Appointment not required but available via covidtest.tdem.texas.gov.

21. Cloverland Park Bessie Swindle Community Center, 11800 Scott St., 77047 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Nose selfswab | May 11-15: 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | No appointment required.

22. Hiram Clark Multi-service Center, 3810 Fuqua St, 77045 | Drive-thru or Walk-up | Mouth self-swab |Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | No appointment required.

Rev: 05/08/21 8:30 a.m.

COVID-19 Call Center: 832-393-4220

2

May 20 - May 26, 2021

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

NATIONAL WRITERS

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

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©2021 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 Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

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May 20 - May 26, 2021

3

\

COMMENTARY

COVID-19 Is A Risk To Humanity

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

C

OVID-19. Saturday, it suffered a new record of more than 335,000 new infections and over 4,000 deaths in one day, while hospitals run out of oxygen and beds, and as morgues and crematoria are overwhelmed. In total, a staggering 22.6 million people have been infected, with 246,116 deaths.

COVID-19 knows no national boundaries. It does not discriminate by race or religion or ideology. The pandemic poses a threat to humanity, not to any one country. Our response must be as encompassing as the threat: we cannot end the threat here without ending it everywhere.

Today, India is suffering a brutal second wave of the disease.

A staggering 400,000 new cases are counted a day; the actual number is surely higher. Medical facilities run out of oxygen, ventilators, and beds.

Thousands die a day, increasing numbers from oxygen shortages. The crematoriums are overwhelmed. In some cities, the dead are burned overnight in parking lots; the sun dawns on the ashes left behind.

Across the global South, the pandemic rages. South Africa is the epicenter in Africa, with 1.6 million infected and only 500,000 fully vaccinated. Brazil is second only to the U.S. in diseases, but unlike the U.S. where 70 percent will have at least one shot of vaccine by July 4, in Brazil less than 8 percent have been fully vaccinated.

With the U.S. well on the way to beating the pandemic at home, we must lift our sights to join in combating it across the world. Public Citizen estimates that for $25 billion, we could buy 8 billion doses of vaccine,

4

enough to vaccinate one-half of the planet. For far less, we could help countries build manufacturing facilities and enable them to manufacture the vaccine themselves.

I s o u r v i s io n e x p a n s i ve enough to meet the challenge posed

by COVID-19? Our vision was big enough to help save Europe after World War II with the Marshall Plan.

Is it big enough to help save the global South -- and ourselves today?

On the evening of April 15 in Indianapolis, a gunman opened fire in a FedEx facility where he had worked. He knew it was overwhelmingly staffed by Sikhs, Indian-Americans. Four of the eight people killed were Sikhs. He specifically targeted Sikh employees, with one employee reporting that the gunman “told a white woman running toward him to get out of the way, after having just shot a Sikh man in the face.”

The massacre took place just a month after the targeting of Asian American spas in Atlanta which left eight people dead, including six Asian women. Violence against Sikhs and against Asian Americans spiked after 9/11, and now it is spiking again in the wake of the pandemic, which originated in China. Today, a generation after 9/11, Sikhs are five times more likely to be targets of hate than they were before 9/11.

With COVID-19 we do not have the luxury of hate. We need to rise above our divisions to join to defeat the pandemic. It is long past time for the U.S. to help mobilize a far bolder global initiative to ensure the rapid vaccination -- and the adequate supplies for treatment -- across the world. We need to help save Indians

May 20 - May 26, 2021

Human behaviour has been critical in shaping the COVID-19 and South Africans and Brazilians to help save ourselves. We need to join with China and Russia and our allies to address the needs, not compete with them as if this were a fight over markets or influence.

Dr. Martin Luther King taught that all of us are “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The pandemic -- and future pandemics -- demonstrate the truth of his words.

We need a bigger vision. We can find it in many faith traditions. In the wake of the massacre in Indianapolis, Valarie Kaur, a Sikh-American civil rights leader, hailed the multiracial vigil that took place to mourn those who were lost, noting, “We need a shift in consciousness and culture.

Sound government is necessary but not sufficient to create an America where you see my children as your

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own. We need educators, community leaders, faith leaders, parents, and students everywhere to rebuild and re-imagine our nation where they are. We can find inspiration in the vision of Guru Nanak, the first teacher in the Sikh faith: See no stranger.

Anti-racism is the bridge: love is the destination.”

We need this consciousness to bring Americans together across boundaries of race and religion. And now we need this heartfelt vision for our own security in dealing with a pandemic that threatens all.

Follow him at: Twitter @RevJJackson Share this story online at:

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LOCAL NEWS: Mayor Sylvester Turner Proposes 18 % Pay Raise for the Houston Firefighters Photo by Karen Eure Wilson

Mayor Sylvester Turner, Announcment at Press Confrence • The last time firefighters accepted a pay increase was in 2014. That pay raise amounted to 3%.

• The 18 percent pay increase will have a cumulative cost of $115.3 million over three fiscal years.

• It will bring first-year firefighter’s salaries from $43,528 to over $51,000 per Sylvester Turner – Mayor of Houston, Works With Houston Firefighters

T

his Mayor Sylvester Turner today proposed increasing the salaries of Houston firefighters by 18 percent over three years. The pay increase would begin July 1, 2021, with firefighters receiving a six percent raise every year for three years.

“I have always said and believed that fire-

Mayor Turner. “The pay increase we are announcing today will serve to move firefighter’s salary to within market average range for their jobs as determined by the city’s most recent salary survey conducted by Segal Waters Consulting.”

This pay proposal allows us to continue to fund the other obligations necessary for a functional

year, increasing over $8,000 per year.

“Today’s proposed pay increase puts Houston firefighters in better standing compared to firefighters in other cities based on the number of hours worked and hourly rate of pay,” said Mayor Turner.

“We all want the best for our firefighters.

Mayor Turner and his administration have been working hard on this issue, and now it’s happened.

This pay plan will help us be more competitive in our industry, help with retention and recruitment, and allow us to continue funding all other obligations for a functional fire department. I am extremely grateful and appreciative of this plan,” said HFD Fire Chief Sam Pena.

In February of 2020, the mayor also approved a pay raise for fire cadets. That pay bump lifted cadets’ annual compensation from $28,000 to $36,000, and it was the first cadet pay raise since 2001.

In 2019, the mayor and city council authorized $17 million in backpay to Houston firefighters to comply with Prop B until it was ruled unconstitutional.

fighters work very hard at protecting our community and deserve a pay raise that the city can afford,” said

6

May 20 - May 26, 2021

fire department and makes commitments that we can fulfill in the future. mayors are amplified on all fronts.

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TEXAS NEWS: Legal Challenges Likely Ahead For Strict New Texas Abortion Law Opinion By Caroline Kelly – www.CNN.com / www.StyleMagazine.com

Gov. Abbott signs Texas ‘Heartbeat Bill’ into law.

A bill signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott restricting abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected likely faces numerous legal challenges.

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exas Gov. Greg Abbott on We d n e s d a y s i g n e d i n t o law a so-called “heartbeat ban” abortion bill -- barring most abortions at the onset of a fetal heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy and before many people know they are pregnant.

“Our creator endowed us with the right to life and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion,” Abbott said. “In Texas, we work to save those lives. And that’s exactly what the Texas legislature did this session.”

The Texas bill, SB 8, requires that abortion providers c h e c k f or a f etal hea rtbe at before performing an abortion, and bans them from carrying out the procedure if one is detected. It makes exceptions “if a physician b e l i e v e s a m e d i c a l e m e rg e n c y exists,” but not for instances of rape or incest, citing that “public and private agencies provide ... emergency contraception for victims of rape or incest.”

The measure joins a growing cohort of state abortion bans in 2021, with many Republican-led state legislatures advancing restrictions on the procedure at a renewed pace that could eclipse the similar wave seen in 2019.

The bills run starkly counter to -- and largely seek to overturn -Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide prior to viability, which typically occurs

8

The bills run starkly counter to -- and largely seek to overturn -- Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide prior to viability, which typically occurs at around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

at around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

A b b o t t ’s s i g n a t u r e a l s o comes on the heels of the Supreme Court on Monday agreeing to take up a key abortion case next term concerning a controversial Mississippi law that banned most abortions after 15 weeks, rekindling a potentially major challenge to Roe in front of the majority conservative court. The c o u r t ’s a n n o u n c e m e n t i s o n l y expected to intensify the growing trend of state-level abortion restrictions coming out of Re-

later effective dates. Neither have any of the 10 gestational bans,​ which bar abortions past a certain point in pregnancy, that passed in 2019 and 2020.

Ab o rt i o n ri g h t s s u p p o r t ers slammed the bill, with Diana Gómez, advocacy manager at P r o g r e s s Te x a s , a s s e r t i n g t h a t “this abortion ban contains some of the most extreme abortion restrictions in the country.”

“Let me be clear: Abortion is health care and it is still legal in Texas,” she said in a statement.

publican-controlled legislatures, according to activists on both sides of the issue.

Texas joins South Carolina, Oklahoma and Idaho in codifying bans this year on abortion at the onset of a fetal heartbeat. Also this year, Arkansas and Oklahoma have enacted near-total abortion bans, and Montana banned the procedure at 20 weeks. None of the bills have gone into effect, either because of court actions or

“This six-week abortion ban is unconstitutional and others like it have been struck down by federal courts across the nation. Roe v.

Wade is still the law of the land and regardless of whatever bill Gov. Abbott signs, no law will stop abortions from happening.”

Among the increasingly common heartbeat bans passed this year, however, Texas’ bill is unique in that it includes a provision opening anyone who aided

May 20 - May 26, 2021

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in accessing such an abortion to legal liability.

It allows for civil charges to be brought against those who provide abortions after the detection of fetal heartbeats, as well as anyone who “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion through insurance or otherwise,” after the onset of a fetal heartbeat. Those found guilty would face a $10,000 fine for each abortion performed or facilitated.

The bill would allow nearly anyone other than a Texas government official to file a lawsuit regarding any abortion allegedly violating the heartbeat ban, with the Texas House adding an amendment that says a perpetrator of rape or incest cannot file a lawsuit against those providing or facilitating their victim’s abortion should it violate the heartbeat ban.

The Texas House passed the bill earlier this month. Republican state Rep. Shelby Slawson introduced the bill in the House to applause and whoops, saying it would “protect the lives of our most precious Texans, starting at the moment their heart begins to beat.”

M u l t i p l e Te x a s H o u s e Democrats decried the measure going into the vote. When Slawson said that people who successfully bring claims against those who provide or facilitate abor

The justices have agreed to take up a major abortion case next term that could test the limits of Roe V. Wade. It’s really the court’s first big move to try to reconsider abortion rights since Justice Amy Coney Barrett took the bench.

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citizens to bring those suits is one way to do that.”

That same provision, he believes, could get the bill farther along in an anticipated court challenge, based on signs from higher courts that have considered similar restrictions.

“Based on what we read in court opinions from other abortion cases, and other federal cases, we believe this bill -- because of the private civil enforcement, primarily, and a few other things -- is drafted differently than those other heartbeat bills that are pending, that are awaiting court ruling today,” he said.

Leaders of Texas abortion funds -- which help pay for the procedure and related expenses for abortion seekers who cannot afford them -- have decried the b i l l a s p u t t i n g t h e i r o rg a n i z a tions, as well as abortion seekers’ friends, in legal jeopardy.

The bill “allows literally anyone, including non-Texas residents who maybe have zero connection to the person having an abortion, it allows them to use lawsuits to harass people who help people access abortion care after six weeks,” Amanda Williams, executive director of the Lilith Fund, told CNN. “That would also obviously include us, as an abortion fund, who helps people access abortion care.”

“These are expensive. This is our time and our resources,” she said of hypothetical challenges against the group, which she noted does not have a legal budget. “If we were to be hit by frivolous lawsuits left and right, I mean, this would really prevent us from doing our work in a lot of ways.”

GU

tions in violation of the heartbeat ban would receive the $10,000 sum dictated by the bill, Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier said that “it’s just like a lottery, basically.”

“There will always be women who will pursue having abortions despite what you do here today and what you’ve been doing for a decade to create all these obstructions,” said state Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, a former nurse. “It will always be a case that women will seek abortions, because women are not always in a position to have that baby. And you guys don’t have to have them, we do. It affects our lives.”

Te x a s s t a t e S e n . B r y a n Hughes, the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, told CNN before the bill’s signing that “it was time for Texas to pass a heartbeat bill. We looked at what other states had done, looked at what the Supreme Court and other federal courts have said about abortion and what states can do, and took all that into account to come up with Senate Bill 8.”

Regarding the lack of exceptions for rape and incest victims, Hughes said, “Let’s do everything we can to hold people accountable who do something like that, to protect women from that,” adding, “Let’s harshly punish the rapist, but we don’t, we don’t punish the unborn child.”

P o i n t i n g t o Te x a s l a w s regarding Medicaid fraud and religious freedom that he said similarly allow any person to file suit over alleged violations, Hughes said that the provision in SB8 “is to encourage people to bring these claims. So the Legislature has made it, has determined that illegal abortions should be discouraged, and so enabling private

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May 20 - May 26, 2021

9

The Right to Choose: Whose Rights Are Really Being Protected?

E

very Having the freedom to choose is one of the undeniable rights that every natural born American has. Because we are all created equally with the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we all know what it means to be free. However, when one American’s right to choose negatively effects another American’s inalienable right, who is really in the right and who is wrong? That is the big question when it comes to the new executive order from the office of Gov. Greg Abbott issued this past week.

Keeping up with the ever-changing masks mandates has been a task over the last few weeks.

Since everyone is so ready to return to normal and go outside again, there have been major pushes to reopen Texas causing Gov. Abbott to issue out a flurry of executive orders. From April 17, 2020, to May 18, 2021, Gov. Abbott has issued sixteen executive orders each opening Texas a little more until the state is 100% open.

His latest executive order has stirred up a round of controversy for the negative impact it will have on Texas’ schools. Executive Order GA 36 prohibits governmental entities and officials from mandating face coverings or restricting activities in response to the COVID-19 disaster. Starting June 5, 2021, all Texas public schools can’t mandate that any “student, teacher, parent, or other staff member or visitor” wear a mask while on campus. This is a big change from the governor’s previous mask mandate that banned the requirements of wearing a mask statewide. However, it allowed schools to have their own mask policy. The new order strips them of that power.

Many, especially those in education, are opposed to this order. Maintaining the health and safety of students, educators and communities are the top priority of the Texas State Teachers Association. The organization’s president, Ovidia Molina, said the

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May 20 - May 26, 2021

governor should have waited until the CDC made new mask guidelines.

This is so distressing since a majority of children are not vaccinated since the Pfizer vaccine was just recently approved for those 12 years old and up. Now with 30% of Texans being fully vaccinated and growing, children are becoming more vulnerable to getting COVID-19. The newly approved Pfizer vaccine and the pending approval from the FDC for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be well received news by those in the education field.

The order also further bans that no government entity can require the wearing of masks to fight COVID-19. Some exemptions do apply for living centers, government-owned or -operated hospitals, Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, and county and municipal jails.

Also concerning is the potential fine of up to a $1,000 business owners could face if they require the wearing of face coverings at their establishment. This has put many business owners in a vicarious position since many support the wearing of masks by their employees and customers. H-E-B has previously said that they would not mandate the wearing of masks but would strongly encourage it.

According to a previous H-E-B statement, the San Antonio based grocer has been a “strong proponent and advocate of mask use.”The statement went on to say, “ The ending of mask ordinances puts real pressure on retailers to enforce an emotional topic for many.

Gov. Abbott said in an official statement.

“Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while

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defending Texans’ liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.”

Gov. Abbott said he issued the mandate because of the decrease of hospitalizations, new cases, and deaths. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is also boasting about improved COVID-19 numbers. Judge Hidalgo has lowered the COVID-19 threat level from red to orange. Under the new level, citizens are encouraged but not forced to avoid large crowds and businesses that lack safety protocol. She and other officials will continue to monitor those metrics to reduce the threat level further.

Back to the original question, “Who is right or wrong in the inalienable rights debate?” The long-standing argument has been that the government should stay out of citizens’ personal affairs. Yes, the role of government should be protecting citizens.

That is why issuing the mask mandate (when it was in effect) was so critical. But when one’s right to choose interferes with one’s right to remain healthy where is the protection for the other person. COVID-19 has not completely been eradicated. People are still getting diagnosed with it even if they have been fully vaccinated. Lifting the mask mandate and not allowing schools and businesses to execute their own mask policies puts everyone in danger.

Sure fully vaccinated people are said to be able to venture out indoors and outdoors mask less. But how do you know who has been vaccinated and who has not? Records indicate that only 48% of Americans have had at least one vaccine and that 37.5% have been fully vaccinated. Looking at Texas and how massive it is, a mere 30% have vaccinated. That’s not even half the state. So Gov. Abbott may be moving too soon and Texans could see the return of restrictions.

Being healthy should be valued and not toyed with. If one person has been vaccinated and continues to wear a mask, they are showing their concern for others. Protecting this right does not threaten the life of someone else. Allowing business owners and schools to regulate mask wear on their campuses is giving them rights as an owner and helping them to protect their customers. Another benefit is that they lower their risk of being sued by someone who claims they got COVID at their place of business. Executive Order GA 36 gives Texans the right to choose. With this right comes a threat to others’ health by removing the first line of defense against COVID-19.

A happy medium would be to lift the mask mandates but allow business owners and public schools to have the same rights as individual citizens.

Allow them to police their own establishments with mask mandates. Thereby, giving them the right to choose.

For more information, visit:

www.CDC.gov

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The Houston Symphony Returns To Miller Outdoor Theatre

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After a Yearlong COVID-19 Induced Absence

his June, the Houston Symphony returns to Miller Outdoor Theatre for two free and exhilarating performances: Romeo and Juliet, Piazzolla & More, June 10 at 8:30 p.m. and Mozart, Holst & More, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. with the Saturday performance being livestreamed. An annual summer tradition, these evening concerts bring the Symphony to Houston audiences in a relaxed and casual outdoor setting. Houstonians can access the free livestream through Miller Outdoor Theatre’s Facebook page, their website, and YouTube channel. This marks the Houston Symphony’s first performances in its annual summer home after COVID-19 caused the cancellation of its 2020 performances there.

This year’s performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre are led by the Symphony’s Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Conducting Fellow Yue Bao, who makes her Miller Outdoor Theatre debut. The Shanghai-born conductor joined the Symphony in 2019 after completing her tenure as

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the Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellow at the Curtis Institute of Music. She made her Houston Symphony debut in May 2019 followed by conducting the annual Theater District Open House concert in August 2019, and then opened the Symphony’s 2020–21 Season in September 2020 marking her subscription debut.

Starting June 10, Houston audiences are treated to a concert highlighting the brass, winds, and percussion sections of the Symphony in Music at Miller: Romeo and Juliet, Piazzolla & More at 8:30 p.m. Bao opens the program with two short works: a two-minute Fanfare for brass choir from Dukas’s La péri, and Red Clay & Mississippi Delta for wind quintet, a blues-inspired chamber music work by Valerie Coleman.

To close out the performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Bao leads the strings of the Houston Symphony in Music at Miller: Mozart, Holst & More, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. The program opens with China-born, American-composer Chen

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Yi’s piece Shuo for String Orchestra followed by Mozart’s lively and joyous three-movement Divertimento in D major for Strings, K.136 and Elgar’s Serenade in E minor, Opus 20, a Romantic-era string work, full of dancelike character. Then, the program continues with contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery’s one-movement work titled Starburst, which combines exploding dynamics and gentle melodies to create a multidimensional musical landscape. The evening concludes with a string arrangement of the high-spirit and energetic “Jupiter” movement from The Planets by Gustav Holst. The final performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre is livestreamed on Saturday, June 12, at 8:30 p.m. CT. Admission is free at Miller Outdoor Theatre, but tickets are required for the covered seating area for each performance. Free tickets are available online (limit of 4 tickets per person) a week prior to each performance starting at 9 a.m. via www.milleroutdoortheatre.com.

Olivera Jankovska New Director of Office of Education

M

By www.StyleMagazine.com

ayor Turner announced Wednesday the appointment of Olivera Jankovska as new Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education.

Jankovska joins the City from UNICEF USA, where she served as a spokesperson in the Southwest region and leveraged the agency’s education, advocacy, and influence to transform the lives of children. She also serves as a non-resident fellow at Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy’s Center for Energy Studies. Additional, she is a published children’s book author. She speaks eight languages and is a native of Kriva Palanka, Macedonia.

“Olivera is an excellent choice to lead my Office of Education,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

“Her diverse experience and proactive, determined personality will be

an asset at a time when our schools particularly need innovation and flexibility. Ms. Jankovska is empowered to coordinate, communicate, and collaborate with stakeholders to bring about real change and impact for our students.”

Created in 2016, the Mayor’s Office of Education works to improve collaboration between the City and local schools, community colleges, and universities. The office’s many initiatives include the Hire Houston Youth program, which has given 26,000 students career experience through an internship, apprenticeship, and job opportunities since 2016.

Jankovska succeeds Juliet Stipeche, who returned to private legal practice. www.houstontx. gov/education/

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#Graduation21

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W

elcome back to The Open House. Some of you may have heard of Netflix’s hit new series Marriage or Mortgage.

But for those who haven’t, it’s basically a show where couples have to decide between having an elaborate, fairytale wedding or moving into their dream home.

The Open House: With Realtor Falyn Davis

How To You Choose Marriage or Mortgage?!

Having just got married at the beginning of 2021, I have some experience in making this tough decision. With COVID-19 on the rise, my husband and I opted to hold off on a big wedding and chose instead to put that money towards the down payment on our beautiful first home!

Instead, we did have a very small ceremony with just our immediate family and it was super intimate and special. Plus, we had a private dinner that evening with all of our best friends to celebrate. This was the best decision for us because we didn’t put anyone at risk in contracting covid and we were able to buy our dream first home!

Falyn M. Davis

BUYING H SELLING H LEASING H APT. LOCATING Licensed Professional Realtor

day. So many people I know regret spending so much money on their wedding and wish they put that money towards other things… like a home!

So ladies, I know you’ve been I’m not going to tell you what dreaming of your wedding your decision to make, but I am here to entire life, but one thing to keep inform you that buying a home will in mind is that it’s just ONE be a great long term investment.

Think equity… think legacy! If you need assistance finding the home of your dreams contact me, I’d love to assist!

After you meet all the requirements and a broker has accepted your license, you can begin working as a Sales Agent! If you have any questions on the process or would like real estate school recommendations, please feel free to reach out to me! I would love to assist you.

Cell Phone: 832-396-6276 Email: FalynMDavis@gmail.com Social Media: @FalynDavis

MEMBER FDIC All loans are subject to credit approval.

There may be money in your house.

And not just in the couch cushions.

If you need to repair or improve your home, you deserve to have a trusted partner to help you find the right loan product for your unique needs.

Talk to a Frost banker at (800) 51-FROST or visit your nearest financial center.

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May 20 - May 26, 2021

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H 2021 Social Media Haute Shots + Around Town H

The Tiger Was Found In Houston, Texas LOL

Tiffany & Tony Rachal

Kerry Washington #OverACliff

Dwight Boykins Supporting Sunnyside Seniors w/Supplies

Oscar McGarr #LookingGood

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Marching For Justice for George Floyd – I Can’t Breath

Liz Rachelle – Ready To Love #Own #EveryFriday

Community Leaders Supporting Black Voters Matter #BlackVotersMatter #BlackLivesMatter

World Transplant Games #5KAnyWay #WTG2021.com

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First enhanced child tax credit payments to go out July 15

By Tani Luhby - www.CNN.com

T

he families of more than 65 million children will start receiving enhanced child tax credit monthly payments of up to $300 on July 15, the Biden administration announced Monday.

The temporary benefit, which will be sent to 39 million households and covers 88% of children in the US, stems from the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package. The vast majority of families will receive the

funds via direct deposit, while the rest will get checks or debit cards in the mail.

The Internal Revenue Service will send the payments on the 15th of the month, unless it falls on a holiday or weekend, through December. Eligi-

ble parents will receive $300 a month for each child under age 6 and $250 for each one ages 6 to 17.

Payments will be based on taxpayers’ 2020 tax returns or their 2019 returns if the 2020 returns are not filed and processed yet. To reach low-income households that don’t typically file taxes, the agency is setting up a portal to allow them to submit their information.

This will allow them to claim both the enhanced child tax credit and stimulus payments they might have missed. A similar online form existed last year to allow low-income Americans to receive the first round of stimulus checks from the March 2020 relief package.

Meanwhile, the IRS will also launch a separate portal to allow parents to update their address, bank account information and family size, as well as opt out of the monthly payments in favor of receiving the tax credit as a lump sum next year when they file their return. If a family’s situation changes during the year, the IRS can adjust the payment when they file their 2021 tax return to claim the second half of the credit.

Lower income taxpayers will not be required to return any overpayments, a senior administration official said.

www.IRS.gov

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GIRLS ROAD TRIP: #CheaperThanTherapy

Samuel L. Jackson and wife – LaTonya supports Spellman

@50Cents Gives $600K To HISD

Mary Benton With 50 Cents at Houston’s City Hall Elizabeth and Jerry #Lunching

Kerry Washington #SchoolForGoodandEvil

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POLICE WEEK: Mayor Turner at Houston Police Officiers’ Memorial paying respects to In The Line Of Duty Fallen Police

May 20 - May 26, 2021

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@50Cents Gives $600K To HISD

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