August 27, 2018

Valdez agrees to debate Abbott on Sept. 28 in Austin

By Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


Lupe Valdez, the Democratic candidate for governor, has agreed to debate the Republican incumbent, Greg Abbott, on Sept. 28 in Austin, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether the two would face off.

Earlier this summer, Abbott announced his RSVP for the Austin debate, which is being hosted by Nexstar Media Group. A week later, Valdez accepted an invitation to a different debate — Oct. 8 in Houston — balking at the timing of the Austin debate, which falls on a Friday evening in the middle of high school football season.

While the timing of the Austin debate has not changed, Valdez claimed victory Monday in getting a Spanish-language media partner — Telemundo — for the debate. Valdez's campaign said Telemundo "will broadcast the debate live across the state on television and online, and provide a moderator and instantaneous Spanish translation for their viewers."

“I’m glad to announce that after weeks of negotiations, we have succeeded in making our debate with [President Donald] Trump’s favorite puppet governor more inclusive, representative, and accessible to Texans across the state," Valdez said in a statement that continued to press her desire for an in-studio audience and Spanish questions.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/08/27/lupe-valdez-agrees-debate-greg-abbott-sept-28-austin/

August 27, 2018

Trump welcomes president of Kenya to the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday welcomed the president of Kenya to the White House, where the two leaders talked trade, security — and Trump's accomplishments.

Trump hosted President Uhuru Kenyatta as Kenya is emerging from a period of election turmoil. He's the second African leader to meet with Trump at the White House, following a visit by Nigeria's president earlier this year.

Trump has been criticized for paying too little attention to the continent and faced demands for an apology earlier this year after his private comments about "shithole countries" in Africa and other regions were leaked to journalists.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump, who helped welcome Kenyatta and his wife to the White House, is planning a solo trip to Africa this fall.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Trump-welcomes-president-of-Kenya-to-the-White-13185586.php

Now for the question that everyone wants to know: Did President Kenyatta bring President Barack Obama's birth certificate with him?

August 27, 2018

He called their town the "armpit of East Texas"; San Augustine ISD cut ties.

The east Texas city of San Augustine may be small and struggling, but residents won't tolerate anyone calling them names.

In June, the Houston Chronicle published a story about the closing of the local Dairy Queen, one of 27 stores a franchisee closed across the state.

"This is the armpit of East Texas," Jason Monday, of Nacogdoches, told the paper when asked for his thoughts on the subject. Monday was in San Augustine that day installing a sign at a business across the street from the shuttered Dairy Queen.

Word traveled fast, though it wasn't the first insult to be hurled at the town.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/He-called-their-town-the-armpit-of-East-Texas-13185389.php

I've been to San Augustine and thought it was fairly nice, plus it has historical significance for being the first European settlement in the area dating back to 1717. For Southwestern University alumni it is also significant since it was the home of Wesleyan College which is one of the four colleges that were combined to form the university. Yes, I've seen the plaque in a lot overgrown with weeds where Wesleyan College was located.

August 27, 2018

UT System officially appoints James B. Milliken as new chancellor after McRaven's departure

The UT System Board of Regents officially appointed James B. Milliken, the former City University of New York chancellor, as its new chancellor at a special meeting on Monday.

After naming the long-time higher education leader as the sole finalist for the role three weeks ago, the regents voted unanimously to confirm him as chancellor, as required per Texas law.

“Let me officially welcome you to the University of Texas System Board of Regents,” Board Chairman Sara Martinez Tucker said after the vote. “We look forward to our time together.”

Milliken is expected to formally become the System’s 12th chancellor on Sept. 17, and is chancellor designee effective immediately. After his appointment, Milliken held a press conference and said he was optimistic about the future of higher education, especially in Texas.

Read more: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/08/27/ut-system-officially-appoints-james-b-milliken-as-new-chancellor-after-mcravens-departure

August 27, 2018

ETMC, Paramedics Plus, Oklahoma agency agree to $21 million settlement

A Tyler hospital, an affiliated ambulance company, and an Oklahoma agency have agreed to pay about $21 million to settle a federal kickbacks lawsuit, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The former East Texas Medical Center, its former subsidiary Paramedics Plus, and the Oklahoma agency Emergency Medical Services Authority agreed to settlements totaling $20,949,000, according to the federal government.

The whistleblower lawsuit, picked up by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2017, alleged that the entities had been involved in an illegal kickback scheme. Austin-based attorney Patrick O’Connell represents the original whistleblower, Dr. Stephen Dean, who first brought the issue forward in 2014.

The federal government alleged the parties created a slush fund controlled by East Texas Medical Center and Paramedics Plus and used the fund to pay more than $20 million in kickbacks in the form of cash payments, political contributions, marketing expenses, and payments to contractors.

Read more: https://tylerpaper.com/news/local/etmc-paramedics-plus-oklahoma-agency-agree-to-million-settlement/article_8271b2c0-aa31-11e8-ab0e-57b3f55f4b2b.html

August 27, 2018

Hold the Mayo! Florida town is changing its name temporarily

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Mayo, Florida is holding the mayo, at least for a few days.

The mayor of this tiny town of less than 1,500 residents, located where Florida's Panhandle morphs into a peninsula, is announcing Saturday that the city is switching its name to "Miracle Whip." But it's a joke.

The name change started as a secret, tongue-in-cheek marketing proposal for the Kraft Heinz-owned mayonnaise-alternative. Videographers for Miracle Whip on Saturday wanted to capture the shock of residents when they hear that the name of their town is being changed to a corporate brand. Representatives of the condiment planned to spend the next few days filming their jocular efforts to get residents to remove mayonnaise from their homes.

The town's elected officials say they will let residents in on the joke after a few days, but not before street signs and the name on the water tower have been switched out. The town located halfway between Tallahassee and Gainesville is getting between $15,000 and $25,000 for the name change, and the money will be used for city beautification measures.

Read more: https://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/us_news/hold-the-mayo-florida-town-is-changing-its-name-temporarily/article_ea15e9e4-30b5-5b08-8e8f-7f8e12aa59c2.html

August 27, 2018

Kushner Cos. fined $210K by New York for false documents

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The Kushner family real estate company has been fined $210,000 by New York City regulators following an Associated Press investigation that showed it routinely filed false documents with the city claiming it had no rent-regulated tenants in its buildings when it, in fact, had hundreds.

The city buildings department on Monday fined the Kushner Cos. for filing 42 false applications for construction work on more than a dozen buildings when presidential adviser Jared Kushner ran the business.

The false documents allowed the company to escape extra scrutiny during construction that watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative has said led to harassment of low-paying, rent-regulated tenants to get them to leave.

The Kushner Cos. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: https://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/elections/kushner-cos-fined-k-by-new-york-for-false-documents/article_03cf16c9-32c1-5ae1-b2fe-effb2fb2bd15.html

August 27, 2018

Trump praises Tiger Woods, Jim Brown for supporting him

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday praised two African-American athletes after they recently defended him in public.

Trump's public praise comes amid his continued disapproval of NFL players, most of them African-American, who kneel during the national anthem to protest police treatment of black men. It also follows his recent criticism of the NBA star LeBron James.

Tiger Woods, a friend of Trump's, called Sunday for respect for the office of the president. Woods and Trump have played golf together.

Asked how he'd respond to people who are intrigued by his "friendly relationship" with Trump, Woods said: "He's the president of the United States and you have to respect the office. And no matter who's in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office."

Read more: https://www.valleymorningstar.com/sports/trump-praises-tiger-woods-jim-brown-for-supporting-him/article_6487da0a-8dc7-5ee0-9813-d02d21bc82de.html

I don't believe that an endorsement from either Woods or Brown amounts to much of anything considering their past legal issues.

August 27, 2018

San Angelo police make arrest after child shoots toddler

San Angelo police have arrested a man they believe tampered with or fabricated evidence after a child shot a 2-year-old.

The 2-year-old was flown to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth where he continues to receive treatment, a news release from the San Angelo Police Department states.

About 3:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 police responded to Shannon Medical Center after receiving a report of a child shooting victim.

"Investigation revealed that the shooting was an accident that resulted from another young child gaining access to a gun," the news release states. "No charges will be filed against that child, as per Texas law."

Read more: https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/crime/2018/08/27/san-angelo-police-make-arrest-after-child-shoots-toddler/1111112002/

August 27, 2018

U.S. and Mexico Agree to Preliminary Nafta Deal

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The United States and Mexico have reached agreement to revise key portions of the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement and a preliminary deal could be announced on Monday, a crucial step toward revamping a trade pact that has appeared on the brink of collapse during the past year of negotiations.

Reaching an agreement on how to revise some of the most contentious portions of what President Trump has long called the worst trade pact in history would give Mr. Trump a significant win in a trade war he has started with countries around the globe, including Mexico, Canada, the European Union and China.

Still, a preliminary agreement between the United States and Mexico would fall far short of actually revising Nafta. The preliminary agreement still excludes Canada, which is also a party to Nafta but has been absent from talks held in Washington in recent weeks.

The agreement with Mexico centers on rules governing the automobile industry, resolving a big source of friction, but leaves aside other contentious issues that affect all three countries.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/us/politics/us-mexico-nafta-deal.html