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Posts published in “Day: August 30, 2018”

Wrist Band studies check exposure to toxins after Hurricane Harvey

August 30, 2018
Silicone Wristbands were worn by participants for one week, to register any toxins they were exposed to.

After Hurricane Harvey, Oregon State University’s Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology send a research team to Houston, to ascertain the threat to human health from exposure to toxins in the water, soil and air. They worked with Texas A&M, and THEA to gather the results.

Data was collected by using passive wristband samplers to determine personal chemical exposure after the flooding.

These wristbands can measure up to 1,530 different chemicals. 41 Superfund sites in Houston were affected by the hurricane, and 13 of these were flooded.

Although the study was conducted throughout the Houston area, a subset of 32 people were recruited from the Highlands area, and of these 27 returned their wristbands and had them analyzed.

Researchers looked for 1,530 chemicals found in several different chemical classes. Some chemicals are included in more than one class. For example, triclosan is found in both personal care products and is considered a pesticide. On average, each person had 28 chemicals in their wristband.

They measured chemicals at the nanogram level, which is a very small amount. However, they are still learning how much of a chemical is needed to cause a negative health effect.

Of the Highlands sample group, 119 chemicals were found across all 27 wristbands. 1411 chemicals were not detected.

GBOGH heart screen bill gains Legislative support

August 30, 2018
Dan Huberty, left, announces with Scott Stephens, right, founder of the Cody Stephens Memorial Foundation that Dan Patrick and Crosby’s Current State Representative Briscoe Cain, R., 128th, have come out in Support of House Bill 76 to move through the House and Senate to the Governor’s desk next session. 10 Years ago Huberty took over as the local state representative in Crosby from Republican Joe Crabb. In 2013 redistricting took the promising Huberty over to Humble but he never wanted to leave representing the area and fighting for the well-being of its people.

CROSBY – The Cody Stephens Memorial Fundraiser set a record last Saturday and attendees learned from State Representative Dan Huberty that next session Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick will endorse the measure to have heart scans for starting athletes across Texas.

Some 400 supported the cause to screen young athletes to prevent sudden death, and corporate sponsorships were at an all time high. The designation of the bill to screen first time athletes across Texas has been reserved to be HB76, Cody Stephen’s football jersey was 76.

There were many highlights at the fundraiser. Young Hanna O’Neill was awarded a belt buckle for her efforts last year. Al and Sherri Juniel had a son Cameron pass away playing a basketball game and they now are dedicated to the cause of screening all first time Texas athletes.

Dan Huberty, R., Texas House District 127, took the microphone to say he was sorry that he had been unable to pass the bill before now, pointing out that it was a victim of the Mother’s Day Massacre last session, where many consent agenda bills were crushed in the rush to budget. And Huberty said that he had always had a problem moving the bill to the forefront in the Senate, “But, I have come here today to announce that I have just gotten off the phone with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, head of the Senate, and I asked if he would guide the Cody Stephens Bill to the Governor’s desk in this next session and he answered, ‘Yes, I will.’”

Voters Approve Flood Bond

August 30, 2018

HARRIS COUNTY – Voters overwhelmingly approved a $2.5 Billion dollar bond proposal, that will result in 237 projects to mitigate future flood dangers in the county.

With 98% of the votes counted, District Clerk Stan Stanart reported that the bond issue passed with 85% approval, or about 129,000 votes. Opposing the proposal were 15% of the voters who turned out, about 21,000. Votes were almost evenly split between Absentee, Early, and Election Day votes.

Election Day was August 25th, the one year anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Harvey onto the Texas coast.

The bond issue includes 237 projects, $1.2 Billion for channel improvements, $12.5 Million for floodplain mapping, and $1.25 Million for an early warning system.

Crosby ISD election set

August 30, 2018

CROSBY – On November 6, Crosby ISD will have a school board trustee election. Kasey Lewis and Sharon Eavon Fain will vie for Position 2 in the only contested position. The At-large Position is to continue with John Warren Swinney as a leader. Swinney asked the Superintendent to examine how Crosby ISD got into financial problems and if there was any culpability or criminal activity, to proceed with prosecution vigorously.

The school district has set the next school board election with 4 positions on the ballot. Only two trustees are changing and one of those is simply the retiring of a distinguished trustee that tried for a decade to rein in spending. He will be replaced by a new trustee that had tried to stop the last bond because of lack of information.

Position 1 will be retained by Tanya Eagleton.

Joseph R. Humphries is the only candidate that applied for Position 3, now held by John Lindsey for over 10 years.