In the News
Two Texas lawmakers toured one of the country's largest postal facilities in Houston on Tuesday to address changes that could affect mail-in voting, including sorting machines that were taken out of service and local post offices' refusal to stock voter registration cards supplied by the League of Women Voters.
During a visit to the million-square-foot North Houston USPS Processing & Distribution Center, U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Al Green raised concerns over 12 sorting machines had been shut down, including a universal sorter that handles thousands of packages per hour. They also brought up reports that volunteers from the League of Women Voters had been told they could not bring voter registration cards into 13 Houston area post offices.
HOUSTON (CW39) – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) is participating in a food distribution drive at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center as part of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's National Day of Action focused on the continued impact of COVID-19 on children across the country and the importance of passing the HEROES Act.
The Act would provide relief to families, increase food assistance for children, and provide funding for education to local school districts.
Congresswoman Garcia was joined by Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Aldine ISD Superintendent, Candis Houston, Aldine AFT President, and Elizabeth Aguilar, Marshall Middle School PTO President, and a representative from BakerRipley.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The 62-year-old physician from Baton Rouge was experiencing "mild symptoms that began this morning," his spokesperson Cole Avery said.
"I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same," Cassidy said in a statement.
HOUSTON — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a report on an Humble man who ran out of his heart medication after his package was delayed by USPS.
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia hosted a today along with other local labor leaders on crisis involving the United States Postal Service.
Garcia and USPS labor leaders were joined by some of their constituents who will share their stories on how the crisis of receiving mail on time has impacted their lives.
HOUSTON – The U.S. Postmaster General announced Tuesday he will halt operational changes at the United States Postal Service until after the 2020 election.
Some Texas congressional members called for legislation to prevent the postmaster from doing another about-face.
Embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that he'll wait until after the November election to make operational changes at the USPS. DeJoy said retail hours won't change, mail processing equipment and collection boxes will stay where they are and overtime for employees will be restored.
DeJoy said the USPS is prepared to adequately handle all election mail this Fall.
Following days of mounting public pressure, U.S. Postmaster Louis DeJoy said Tuesday he would halt all operational changes he's made to the postal service in recent months, including major cutbacks, until after the November election.
Mail delays caused by the pandemic have reportedly worsened across the country since President Donald Trump appointed DeJoy, a new postmaster general with no previous experience in the field.
HOUSTON — Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia hosted a today along with other local labor leaders on crisis involving the United States Postal Service.
Garcia and USPS labor leaders were joined by some of their constituents who will share their stories on how the crisis of receiving mail on time has impacted their lives.
Texas Democrats are not used to having such a small role during a Democratic National Convention.
In an event that features dozens of prominent prime time speakers, no Texans were on the initial schedule aside from The Chicks, the band formerly known as the Dixie Chicks who will perform on Thursday night just before Joe Biden accepts the Democratic nomination for president.
"I don't understand that," Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa told NBC affiliate KXAN in Austin. "Somebody messed up. Somebody dropped the ball."
Texas Democrats were assured Friday the schedule was still evolving and some Texans will be included in the final lineup.
"Our understanding is that the speaking program is not yet final. We are concerned, we have made inquiries, and we continue to advocate for Texas' Democratic leaders," Hinojosa said.
No party should take for granted the votes of any group tied together by race, ethnicity, gender or religion. And yet for all the focus they've put on diversity in recent years, Democrats appear to be doing just that as they gather virtually beginning tonight for the party's four-day online convention.
Latinos, part of a voting bloc that is expected to play a large role in determining the outcome of the election, are all but shut out of the prime speaking spots. In fact, Texas itself, where Latinos are an especially big factor and helping to make the state competitive for the first time in decades, is nearly absent from the podium. That's a big mistake on both fronts.
HOUSTON — Flags from the U.S., Texas and Mexico flew at half staff Friday as a white, horse-drawn carriage embellished with white flowers brought in the custom green casket that carried the remains of a slain soldier.
Vanessa Guillen, who was last seen on April 22, was memorialized nearly four months after she is said to have been killed by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood, a U.S. Army base in Texas. Mourners gathered at Cesar Chavez High School in Houston, where Guillen grew up playing soccer and dreaming of joining the military.
"She's very happy where she is next to God and the Virgin Mary," Lupe Guillen said. "We are not here for justice or politics today. We are here to remember, honor and respect Vanessa Guillen and her beautiful life, her tender heart and her beautiful face."