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Houston, San Antonio, Austin under winter advisory
MICHAEL GRACZYK, Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) — Ice-glazed roads in Austin caused dozens of wrecks Tuesday morning as a line of moisture combined with frigid temperatures socked normally balmy Central and Southeast Texas for the second time in less than a week.
Upper decks of Interstate 35 and some flyover ramps in Austin were closed. Police reported more than 150 traffic wrecks in Austin after 5 a.m.
The University of Texas at Austin, along with several state offices and other school districts, delayed opening until noon. Others closed for the day.
In Houston, there were only scattered reports of freezing rain and traffic was light. Most schools and city and county offices throughout the area were closed. The Texas Department of Transportation sent sanding trucks to overpasses where ice was reported.
Last Friday, a similar storm that also brought snowfall to some places was blamed for hundreds of traffic accidents in far wider area of Central and South Texas.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Houston, Austin and San Antonio areas until midday. That was an improvement from the winter storm warning that had been issued for Houston. The warning remained in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday for far Southeast Texas, including Beaumont, where authorities closed about a half dozen traffic bridges in anticipation of treacherous conditions.
Airlines canceled hundreds of flights at Houston's Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.
"It's a bummer when it happens to you and you are delayed a whole day," said C.J. Ochoa, 20, of Midland, who was stranded at Bush Airport after a vacation in Hawaii.
He told the Houston Chronicle he was considering taking a bus home.
"I need to get back home and get back to work," he said.
The freezing rain expected to end by early afternoon, and temperatures could climb above freezing before a hard freeze Tuesday night, forecasters said. Highs were expected to reach into the 70s by later in the week.
The worst of the weather appeared to be east of Texas and into Louisiana, where a couple inches of snow were possible through early Wednesday along the Interstate 10 corridor.
In Austin, the school closures threw a special election for a seat in the state legislature in confusion, since many polling places were in the schools. Travis County officials said they were searching for alternative locations for voters.
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Associated Press reporter Chris Tomlinson contributed to this story from Austin.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News Release
STATEMENT FROM THE EAGLE PASS INDEPENTDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT REGARDING INCLEMENT WEATHER PREPARATION AND PROTOCOL
Superintendent Gilberto Gonzalez met with the EPISD Advisory Board on January 27, 2014 to review inclement weather preparation and protocol. Current weather forecasts indicate that an arctic cold front is approaching the Eagle Pass area. The approaching cold front brings the possibility of wintry precipitation.
News Gram Exclusive:
Gallego honors La Pryor State-Quarterfinalists
A.D. Ibarra
-La Pryor, TX
US Congressman Pete Gallego made an appearance at a ceremony honoring the 2013 La Pryor Bulldog Football Team who advanced to the State Quarter-Finals this season.
Gallego and his aides made it into town on Tuesday at approximately 2:00 PM after a visit to Cotulla earlier in the day.
Gallego was seen greeting Mr. Gonzalez' Pre-K students as they walked to the main campus after a hard day of learning in the La Pryor ISD.
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
A simply beautiful resident of the City of Eagle Pass received one of the highest honors by local government when Mayor Ramsey English-Cantú read a proclamation marking Nati Rodriguez', aunt of Maverick County Financial Advisor Robert Rodriguez, 100th anniversary of her birth.
A.D. Ibarra
-Laredo, TX
Congratulations are in order for the Ray H. Darr Mav Starz Dance Team of Ana Chavez, Sandra Luna, Nadaly Rodriguez, Yaritza Ovalle, Yahaira Magdaleno, Kassandra Portillo, Jocelyn Gutierrez, Kayla Hinojosa, Noemi Mata, and Lourdes De Leon. They placed 3rd over 9 teams in their category in Laredo on January 19th 2014.
Thank you to all the parents for making this happen from Coach Assenet Luna and coach Yuri Rodriguez. Keep up the good work girls!
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
Local deputy, former police officerand martial arts instructor Jesse Sanchez who is deathly ill and he calls upon his friends and former students who can help him and his family.
A.D. Ibarra -
Eagle Pass
Eagle Pass citizens are advised that Wednesday was the first day you can pick up applications at the Planning Department offices located at the International Center for Trade. The Eagle Pass City Council, announced a program of assistance for the rehabilitation of 4 households through a grant from the state. for which the individual should apply from Wednesday. Qualifying families must meet the following requirements : They must live within the city limits; The residence must be occupied by the owners; The home must have a value of at least $100,000; the home must not be a mobile home; and finally, the home must not have been restored by a previous program. This program is designed to assist those families whose income is considered to be very low based on area median income and also gives preference to those with disabilities, veterans or active military personnel or seniors.
A.D. Ibarra -
Maverick County Showbarn
Of the 275 projects to be presented at livestock exhibition to be held this week at the Maverick County Showbarn, only 162 will be auctioned, said Tom Hardt, Chairman of the Organizing Committee. Last year the auction managed to raise about $260,000, and this year they hope to exceed this amount as the event is more than likely the most popular event of the year in terms of business participation. These funds are awarded to these youngsters for months of working on breeding the best possible specimens in each individual breed. Participants present projects in cattle such as calves, steers, goats, sheep and pigs, and the judges rate the best projects during the week and Saturday is the big day where the participants hope to hear their names called on money day. Livestock events exhibition began on Tuesday. 162 0f 275 proyectos serán puestos a subasta De los 275 proyectos que serán presentados en la feria de ganado que se celebrará esta semana en el condado de Maverick Showbarn, sólo 162 serán subastados, dijo Tom Hardt, Presidente del Comité Organizador. El año pasado la subasta logró recaudar unos $260.000 dólares, y este año esperan superar esta cantidad como el evento es más que probable que el evento más popular del año en términos de la participación empresarial. Estos fondos se otorgan a estos jóvenes durante meses de trabajo en la cría de los mejores razas individual. Participantes en el ganado como terneros, bueyes, cabras, ovejas y cerdos, y los jueces califican a los mejores proyectos durante la semana y el sábado es el gran día en que los participantes esperan para escuchar sus nombres. La Exposición del evento ganadero comenzó el martes.
Congratulations to the C.C. Winn Varsity Football Team. Three team members were selected this year as 1st team and 2nd team recipients for Academic All-State Football Honors. The awards were announced by the Academic All-State Committee of the Texas High School Football Coaches Association.
To be nominated for Academic All-State, a senior student must be of good moral character and overall have a grade point average of 92 or above.
When reviewing the nominations, each student’s GPA, class rank, SAT and or ACT score is also reviewed. The students receive points based on each of the criteria. The total number of points they receive determines which team they are placed on.
The Academic All-State Athletes are, 1st Team-Rodolfo Lara and 2nd Team-Steven Garcia and Esai Fuentes.
Congratulations to the Mighty Maverick Football teams on excelling on and off the field.
Press Release
As the possibility of winter weather makes driving conditions unpredictable and dangerous, the Texas Department of Transportation reminds drivers to stay off the roads as much as possible and use extreme caution when travel is necessary.
If you must drive, please keep in mind that sleet or freezing rain can make driving and walking extremely hazardous. Roadway conditions motorists could encounter during adverse winter weather include:
- Loss of pavement friction due to wet, snow-covered or icy conditions
- Restricted visibility due to fog, falling rain or vehicle spray
- Lane obstruction due to standing water or plowed or blowing snow
- Infrastructure damage (such as a washed-out road)
