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Posts published in “Day: June 11, 2020”

Oil pollutes Crosby waterways

June 11, 2020
A Harris County contractor is working diligently to remediate the area before any storm spreads the oily substance further. Since last week remediation teams have removed over 20 thousand gallons of contaminated oil/water mix from those ditches. Laboratory analysis is still underway to determine what exactly the substance is, in process to figuring out how it got there and who is responsible.

CROSBY — Remediation continues in the 1000 block of Church St. where an oil like substance was found layered into the ground and overflowing into the ditches late last week.

A specially funded Environmental Enforcement unit from Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen’s Office was called out to answer a resident’s complaint of a black oily substance in the ditches along Church Street on May 28. This discharge appeared to be coming off a property on Church Street. It stretched at least one-quarter mile west along Church Street and 655 feet to the south along the San Jacinto River Authority’s clean water basin.

Precinct One Investigators, working with Harris County Pollution Control and the San Jacinto River Authority, spent the day using an excavator to search for that source. They believe the perpetrator buried barrels or containers of oil on the property repeatedly over an extended period of time, possibly years. Investigators characterize the size and volume of the contamination as one of the largest and most significant they have ever worked.

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Governor announces phase III to open Texas

June 11, 2020

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced the third phase of the State of Texas’ plan to safely open the economy while containing the spread of COVID-19. Under Phase III, effective immediately, all businesses in Texas will be able to operate at up to 50% capacity, with very limited exceptions. Business that previously have been able to operate at 100% capacity may continue to do so, and most outdoor areas are not subject to capacity limits. All businesses and customers should continue to follow minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

As with previous phases, the Phase III plan is based on the advice and support of the four doctors on the Strike Force to Open Texas medical team. Via Executive Order, Phase III begins immediately.

“The people of Texas continue to prove that we can safely and responsibly open our state for business while containing COVID19 and keeping our state safe,” said Governor Abbott. “As anticipated, the new positive cases that we are seeing are largely the result of isolated hot spots in nursing homes, jails, and meat packing plants. Thanks to the effectiveness of our Surge Response Teams, we have the ability to contain those hot spots while opening up Texas for business. As we begin Phase III, I ask all Texans and Texas businesses to continue following the standard health protocols and to heed the guidance of our state and federal officials who continue to closely monitor COVID19.”

Between May 26th and June 2nd, over 45% of new cases came from jails or prisons, meat packing plants and nursing homes. There are currently 1,487 Texans hospitalized due to COVID-19. There are 20,679 active cases in the state and 45,858 Texans are estimated to have recovered.

Effective June 3:

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Attorney Chris Hollins new Harris County Clerk

June 11, 2020
Chris Hollins sworn in as Harris County Clerk, replacing Dr. Diane Trautman after her recent resignation due to health reasons.

By Allan Jamail

Monday, June 01, 2020 — Christopher G. Hollins, a 33 year old Houston attorney married to wife Morgan with daughter Vivian, won the approval of Commissioners Court to fill the vacated position of Dr. Diane Trautman. He has pledged to hold the job only in an interim role, avoiding the potential distraction of running a campaign this fall.

On May 19th Commissioners Court voted 3-2 along party lines to appoint Hollins, vice chairman of finance for the state democratic party. He will serve until a new clerk can be elected in November.

Commissioners Court members said they were impressed with Hollins’ credentials, as well as his commitment not to seek the job permanently. “I think his background with McKinsey a global consultancy company will be helpful in getting procedures in place to get through this election process,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said.

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