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HAVANA (AP) —
Gov. Greg Abbott enjoyed dinner and a private concert in Havana but made little progress in finding opportunities for Texas businesses on the second day of a three-day trip to Cuba.
The Texas Republican was at least the third U.S. governor to travel to Cuba since the declaration of detente with the U.S. last year. He appeared to be trying to maintain a low profile, announcing the trip at the last minute and declining to speak with international media based in Cuba.
According to the pool report by a Texas-based reporter traveling with Abbott, the governor dined and watched a concert at one of the capital's high-end private restaurants Monday evening but was told by Cuban officials Tuesday that there were little opportunities for businesses from his state on the island at the moment.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced several deals with Cuban state enterprises when he was here last April, but in recent months Cuban officials have been using visits by U.S. politicians as opportunities to advocate for Congress to lift the half-century-old trade embargo on Cuba.
There has been little response from Congress, leaving Cuba-U.S. trade frozen in almost every area except tourism, which has flooded Cuban businesses with hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue but has yet to generate many returns for American firms.
After arriving Monday, Abbott and his delegation enjoyed a meal in the high-end Miramar neighborhood that began with mojitos and ended with flan and espresso, according to the pool report.
On Tuesday, they traveled to Cuba's new Mariel port and free trade zone, where they were told by Cuban officials that the embargo meant there was no opportunity for U.S. businesses to invest there.
Abbott told the officials that "Texas has an abundance of (rice and other products) and a very easy ability to export from Texas to Cuba," according to the pool report.
The port officials responded that Cuba would buy rice from other sources, primarily Vietnam, until the U.S. allowed the communist-run island to buy on credit, a measure currently prohibited by the embargo.
PHARR, Texas—
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr International Bridge arrested a 27-year-old man from Pasadena, Texas after discovering $1,189,000 worth of alleged heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine within the Honda Civic he was driving.
“Our CBP officers demonstrated tremendous tenacity with the outstanding interception of these hard narcotics,” said Acting Port Director Javier Cantu, Hidalgo/Pharr/ Anzalduas Port of Entry. ”Being able to detect anomalies with travelers and with vehicles is the asset our officers possess which allows for these type of seizures.”
On Nov. 30, CBP officers working at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge encountered a black 2002 Honda Civic driven by a legal resident male Mexican national from Pasadena. After referring the vehicle and driver for further inspection, officers discovered packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the Honda. Officers removed and seized three packages of alleged heroin weighing seven pounds, four packages of alleged cocaine weighing 9.74 pounds and 26 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing almost 42 pounds. The estimated street value for the narcotics is $280,000, $75,000 and $834,000, respectively.
CBP OFO seized the vehicle and arrested the driver who was ultimately released to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.
AUSTIN, Texas—
Texans who sustained damage or losses from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred Oct. 22 through Oct. 31 can now register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 15 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.
Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Applicants will be asked for the following information:
• Social Security number
• Address of the damaged primary residence
• Description of the damage
• Information about insurance coverage
• A current contact telephone number
• An address where they can receive mail
• Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds
Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants to help pay for:
• Temporary housing
• Essential home repairs
• Uninsured and underinsured personal property losses
• Other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available for businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.
FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.
Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.
Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if a survivor has registered with another disaster-relief organization, such as the American Red Cross, or received federal disaster assistance as a result of a previous disaster.
For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.
WHARTON, Texas (AP) —
Sheriff's officials say they have discovered human remains believed to be those of a 15-year-old girl missing for 25 years, after receiving a tip from the family of a man considered a suspect in her death.
Wharton County authorities said during a news conference Wednesday that the tip led them to property owned by the suspect's family about 70 miles southwest of Houston, where the remains were found.
Officials believe the remains found Tuesday are those of Rosemary Diaz, who went missing in 1990 from the general store where she worked. A ring was found that Diaz's family believes belonged to her.
Authorities have not released the identity of the suspect who died months ago, but say comments led his family to believe he played a role in Diaz's death.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Texas will receive federal aid for the ongoing recovery from October storms that left six people dead.
The White House on Wednesday announced a major disaster declaration for 15 Texas counties that include Houston and Austin.
The declaration authorizes federal aid that includes temporary housing grants and loans to cover the loss of uninsured property. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin taking online or telephone applications for assistance Thursday.
Storms and heavy rain flooded streets throughout Central and Southeast Texas. Houston police found two dead, one in a rain-swollen ditch and another in a wooded area where there had been water.
The counties under the disaster declaration are Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy, and Wilson.
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Texas asked the Supreme Court Monday for more time to answer the Obama administration's immigration appeal, a delay that probably would prevent the plan to shield millions of immigrants from deportation from taking effect during Barack Obama's presidency.
If the justices agree to the state's request, the administration's plan would miss the court's informal deadline for a decision by the end of June. The plan that Obama unveiled a year ago mainly affects people who are living in the country illegally, but who have children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Unless the court was to take the rare step of scheduling an argument in May, the issue would not be heard by the justices until the fall or decided before spring 2017.
The administration is opposing the request for a 30-day delay, Justice Department spokesman Patrick Rodenbush said. "The case presents issues of national importance and the department believes it should be considered expeditiously," Rodenbush said.
It is not unusual for a party to request that a deadline be pushed back, and the other side often does not object.
But timing is everything in the immigration case.
If the court turns Texas down, agrees to hear the case and decides it by June, and if the justices side with the administration, that would leave roughly seven months in Obama's presidency to implement his plans.
Texas and 25 other states, almost all led by Republicans, sued in federal court to challenge the immigration plan roughly two weeks after it was unveiled. The states have won every round in court so far, including a Nov. 5 ruling from the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Justice Department chose not to ask the high court to block those earlier rulings and allow the plan to take effect pending a final court decision in the case. On the other hand, the administration's allies said the appeals court effectively tried to run out the clock by taking much longer than usual to issue its opinion.
Dissenting Judge Carolyn Dineen King lent some credence to their complaint by taking note of "the extended delay that has occurred in deciding" the case.
IRVING, Texas (AP) —
Attorneys for a 14-year-old Muslim boy arrested after the homemade clock he took to his Dallas-area school was mistaken for a possible bomb said Monday he was publicly mistreated and deserves $15 million.
A law firm representing Ahmed Mohamed sent letters Monday demanding $10 million from the city of Irving and $5 million from the Irving Independent School District. The letters also threaten lawsuits and seek written apologies.
Ahmed took his clock to school in September, and an educator thought it could be a bomb. Ahmed was arrested but never charged. He was suspended from school.
"What has happened to this family is inexcusable," Kelly Hollingsworth, an attorney for Ahmed and his family, said in an email. "As indicated in the letters, the long term effects on Ahmed are incalculable."
Meribeth Sloan, a spokeswoman for Irving said the city is reviewing its letter and has no comment. The district didn't immediately return a message Monday.
The family accepted a foundation's offer to pay for Ahmed's education in Qatar and moved to the Persian Gulf country. He had visited Qatar during a whirlwind several weeks following the incident that even included a stop at the White House.
Hollingsworth said Ahmed and his younger siblings have found schools in Qatar, but his older sisters, who are 17 and 18, have not.
"Ahmed is very gratified by all of the support that he has received, but just like his siblings and his parents, he misses Texas. It is his home," Hollingsworth said.
FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) —
Four people were killed when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise at Fort Hood in Texas, U.S. Army officials said.
The Black Hawk went down about 6 p.m. Monday in the northeast portion of the sprawling military post about 60 miles north of Austin.
Emergency crews conducted an extensive search of the area before finding the wreckage and the crew members dead at the scene, according to a Fort Hood statement.
Post officials did not release the names of the victims, saying Tuesday that their identities would be made public 24 hours after the families have been notified. Officials said the crew was assigned to Division West, First Army, and was on a routine training mission when the helicopter crashed.
The cause of the crash was unknown and Fort Hood officials said a panel would be assigned to investigate.
No further details were available.
Fort Hood covers 214,000 acres, making it one of the largest Army posts in the country. More than 135,000 acres are reserved for training purposes.
AUSTIN –
Governor Greg Abbott today issued a statement following the death of four U.S. Army soldiers who were killed in a helicopter crash during a training mission at Fort Hood on Monday evening:
“Cecilia and I extend our sincerest condolences to the families of the four soldiers who tragically lost their lives in preparation for defending our country. Whether at home or abroad, our soldiers put their lives on the line every day to secure the freedoms we hold dear in Texas and the United States of America. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with the military community at Fort Hood during this difficult time.”
AUSTIN -
Governor Greg Abbott today declared a state of disaster in Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy, and Wilson Counties in the State of Texas. This declaration comes after preliminary damage assessments were finalized and federal declaration criteria was met. Governor Abbott is also requesting that the President declare a major disaster for individual assistance. If the request is granted by the President, affected citizens in these counties may be eligible for Individual Assistance grants of up to $33,000 from the federal government, and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“The flooding that occurred this past October throughout the state forever changed many Texans’ lives,” said Governor Abbott. “Declaring a disaster in the Lone Star State may allow affected citizens across the state to gain access to the resources they need in order to start rebuilding their lives. I have no doubt that the victims of this flooding will build an even stronger future for themselves, their families and the State of Texas.”
