Houston’s Mayor Turner names new City Attorney

Lewis was a partner at Baker Botts LLP, which he joined right after graduating from Harvard with honors in 1983. He is a trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience handling complex cases for businesses and individuals in the energy, real estate, construction, financial and manufacturing industries.

HOUSTON, TX – Mayor Sylvester Turner has announced his selection of Ronald C. Lewis as the new city attorney. Like the mayor, Lewis is Harvard educated and has run his own law firm.

“I wanted a lawyer’s lawyer, someone highly respected who can relate well to me as well as City Council and the general public,” said Mayor Turner. “Ronald certainly fits this description. He is an outstanding lawyer with excellent credentials and the experience necessary to run the law firm that is part of City government.”

Before co-founding Marshall & Lewis LLP in 2006, Lewis was a partner at Baker Botts LLP, which he joined right after graduating from Harvard with honors in 1983. He is a trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience handling complex cases for businesses and individuals in the energy, real estate, construction, financial and manufacturing industries. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association as well as a Life Fellow at the Houston Bar Foundation, where he was chairman of the board in 2000. His undergraduate degree is from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

“I look forward to serving the people of Houston, their elected officials and city employees,” said Lewis.

Lewis’ professional affiliations include the Best Lawyers in America, the American Law Institute, and The International Association of Defense Lawyers. In addition, he has served as a member of the Houston Bar Association Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee, as a steering committee member for the State Bar of Texas Minority Counsel Program and on the Commission for Lawyer Discipline. He volunteers for the Center for Public Policy Priorities and has previously served as a member of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, the South Texas College of Law Board of Trustees, Texas Appleseed, Neighborhood Centers Inc., and Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas.

Lewis was selected after a competitive search coordinated by a panel comprised of local lawyers. There were about 30 applicants who went through the selection process. Houston City Council is expected to be asked to confirm Lewis’ appointment in two weeks. He will start work May 2, 2016 and is replacing retiring City Attorney Donna Edmundson, who has agreed to stay through the end of May to help with the transition.

HCC-ASPIRE initiates awards to honor excellence

HCC-District VII Trustee Neeta Sane and HCC-ASPIRE volunteers plan for the May 4 Awards Ceremony to honor the Hon. Mayor Sylvester Turner and others.

HOUSTON [April 5, 2016] — Houston Community College (HCC) and the HCC Foundation are dedicated to ensuring resources to support the educational pursuits and achievements of students, faculty, and staff throughout the district. As a supporting organization of the HCC Foundation, HCC-ASPIRE (Asian Scholarship Program Inspiring Results and Excellence) continues to grow to newer heights. In addition to awarding scholarships to HCC students, HCC-ASPIRE has initiated financial awards for the faculty and staff of HCC who demonstrate excellence in their studies or professions. To facilitate further growth, HCC-ASPIRE will host an Awards Reception honoring several high-profile Houston leaders on May 4.

“Our May event will strengthen partnerships for future fundraising for scholarships for students and professional development for faculty and staff.” said HCC-ASPIRE Founder Neeta Sane, also HCC trustee from District VII.

“We are very pleased to have a powerful group of community leaders who will be honored during our early evening reception,” Sane said. “We will begin the awards ceremony by presenting the Public Service Award to the Hon. Mayor Sylvester Turner, and the Immigrant Achievement Award to the Hon. Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos.”

Others to be honored during the event include Mrs. Susan Sarofim with the Philanthropy in Education Award, the George Foundation with the Corporate Philanthropy Award, and HCC Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Parvin Bagherpour with the Legacy Award.

“While the Asian-American community continues to contribute to the Houston economy, HCC-ASPIRE has made it a priority to celebrate the multi-culturalism in our city. We bring the communities together to ensure fair and equal opportunities for all at HCC, be it in education or employment or entrepreneurship.” added Sane.

The HCC-ASPIRE Awards Ceremony will be held from 6 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4 at the Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, 77027. The donation to attend the event is $25 per person. Reservations may be made online at www.hccsfoundation.org/hccaspire by April 28. Those interested in attending may also send their reservation to the HCC Foundation via check to HCC-ASPIRE, 3100 Main St., Suite 12B2, Houston, TX 77002.

The Host Committee for the May 4 event includes Centerpoint Energy, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Aga Khan Council for Southwestern USA, Cathay Bank, H-E-B, Society of Iranian-American Women for Education, Wae Lee, Lina and Michael Sabouni, Dr. Melanie Christofferson, Dr. Rita Raju, Glen Gondo, Stephen Le Jr, CC Lee, Dr. Mohammad Athari, Dr. Art Tyler and Pegah Pouasef, J.D., as well as HCC-ASPIRE Founder and President Neeta Sane.

Partners in organizing the event are Aga Khan Foundation, American Leadership Forum, Chinese Community Center of Houston, Greater Houston Black Chamber, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, HCC Board of Trustees, HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, HCC Foundation Executive Director Carme Williams, Houston International Trade Development Council, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, Houston Woman Magazine, India House, Muslim Association of Greater Houston, Pakistan Chamber of Commerce, People Caring for the Community , Inc.(PCCI); Raindrop Turkish House, Houston; South Asian Chamber of Commerce, Houston; Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston; United Nations Association – Houston; Vietnamese Culture and Science Association and World Chamber of Commerce, Texas.

The Executive Team of HCC-ASPIRE included HCC Trustee Neeta Sane, Dr. Parvin Bagherpour, Sheila Briones, Dr. Ritu Raju, Ajanta Barua, Munira Panjwani, Munir Ibrahim, Elaine Barber, Mehmet Okumus and Sara Abraham. For more information, please call HCC Trustee Neeta Sane, 832.279.8601.

Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hits buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win national championship

Villanova players celebrate after winning the national championship over North Carolina on Kris Jenkins' three-pointer at the buzzer. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press) — Villanova players celebrate after winning the national championship over North Carolina on Kris Jenkins’ three-pointer at the buzzer.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

HOUSTON — All that talk of this being the worst Final Four in history sure looks silly now.

Two dull, one-sided national semifinals paved the way for the most riveting national championship game in recent memory.

With time melting away in a tie game, Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono sprinted up floor, drew two defenders and dished to teammate Kris Jenkins running alongside him. Jenkins pulled up from the right wing and buried a tie-breaking 3-pointer at the buzzer over the outstretched arms of North Carolina’s Isaiah Hicks, giving the Wildcats a 77-74 victory and their second national title.

Jenkins’ shot dwarfed another dramatic 3-pointer that only seconds earlier appeared as though it was going to go down in NCAA tournament lore. Marcus Paige’s off-balance, leaning 3-pointer with six seconds left capped a 17-7 North Carolina surge, tied the score at 74 and set off a celebration among Tar Heels fans certain the title game was headed to overtime.

There was no overtime because Hicks inexplicably gave too much space to Jenkins, a lethal shooter who hit 17 of 33 attempts from behind the arc during the NCAA tournament. His final one forever secured his place in Villanova lore and will be replayed every March for decades and decades.

“We’re going to enjoy this one,” Jenkins said.

“Ryan Arcidiacono, he’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with. For a senior to get the ball and make the right play and not try to shoot the ball in double coverage just shows a lot about him. He’s just all about winning.”

The wild finish gave Villanova its first national title since 1985 when Rollie Massimino coaxed a No. 8 seed to a stunning upset over a star-studded Georgetown team. This one will be just as memorable considering the many momentum changes that preceded Jenkins’ moment of glory.

Though North Carolina led by five at halftime, it was an advantage that came with many warning signs. A typically cold-shooting Tar Heels team ranked 294th in 3-point shooting knocked down 7 of 9 attempts from behind the arc yet could not generate any separation.

Once the Tar Heels cooled off just a bit from the perimeter, Villanova made its move. The Wildcats unleashed a 33-16 second-half surge to erase a seven-point deficit and build a 10-point lead with just over five minutes to go.

The most remarkable part of Villanova’s title run is that it’s come without surefire NBA talent. Whereas the previous 28 national champions have each had at least one future first-round pick on their roster and often as many as four or five, NBA scouts are skeptical any of this year’s Wildcats will ever be worthy of being selected in the opening round.

What Villanova lacks in raw talent it makes up for in chemistry, work ethic and motivation. The roots of this year’s title run can be traced back to the Wildcats’ past March failures.

Motivated to shed its reputation for early NCAA tournament exits after back-to-back second-round losses the past two years, Villanova entered this season with something to prove. They’ve evolved from a good team to one of the nation’s best as Brunson and Bridges grew more comfortable at the college level and Hart, Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds adjusted to increased responsibility.

They’ve embraced the importance of moving the ball unselfishly and displaying smarter shot selection. They’ve learned to defend with more cohesiveness and communication in their aggressive, switching man-to-man scheme. They’ve also benefited from Daniel Ochefu returning from injury and blossoming into an interior scoring threat who’s also able to pass out of double teams.

The product of Villanova’s season-long progression was a formidable yet undervalued team capable of gaining the March validation it craved. The Wildcats defeated their first five NCAA tournament opponents by an average of 24.2 points, a run highlighted by their 44-point beatdown of Oklahoma in Saturday’s national semifinals.

Monday night’s win was more dramatic than all the rest but it was also the sweetest.

Mayor Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee will be special guests at the Elliot Chandler Foundation Gala

slider2 — Mayor Sylvester Turner will join a lineup of other special guests, including –Key Note Speaker – Jonathan Sprinkles and Gina Gaston of ABC Channel 13 as emcee to grace this event.

Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee will energize a full house of audience as Elliott-Chandler Foundation host its 8th Annual Gala on April 9, 2016. This year’s gala “A Night in Black and White” will feature live music from The Collective Band featuring Ashley Branch, a fine seated dinner, and a fabulous silent auction. This “Grand Affair” promises to be a great evening with an opportunity for great fundraising.

With plans for more than 600 of Houston’s most influential philanthropist to gather to celebrate the foundation’s accomplishments, Chairs – Regina and Ronald Jackson along with Honorary Co-Chairs – Tammy and Michael Harris, Mary Walker and Jim Rice, are thrilled to share the stage on Saturday evening with a lineup of other special guests, including –Key Note Speaker – Jonathan Sprinkles and Gina Gaston of ABC Channel 13 as emcee. Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships and mentorship programs for deserving young men in the Greater Houston area.

The foundation seeks to positively affect the lives of young men by creating academic and leadership based scholarships through the efforts of generous Houstonians. For the second year the Elliott-Chandler Foundation will honor the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men and award each of their 2016 graduating seniors with a scholarship to pursue their higher education at any accredited college or university. ECF has already awarded over $75,000 in scholarships to some of Houston’s most exceptional and brightest young men.

“As today’s society becomes increasingly competitive, the youth of today and the leaders of tomorrow will need to invest in higher education,” Ronald Jackson, Founder, points out, “It is our vision that the young men who hold this scholarship will gain perspectives and experiences that will help them fully realize character, drive and potential and will become integral to their own visions for the future.”

Invitation Summary

WHAT: ECF to Host its 8th Annual Fundraising Gala: A Night in Black and White!

WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 7:00pm – 12:00am

WHERE: Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel

The Elliot Chandler Foundation strives to achieve its mission through two paths, offering financial assistance through scholarships and support through a mentoring program. Truly, financial assistance is paramount in this endeavor, but without the solid foundation of mentorship and guidance, positive change and effectual vision cannot take place.

The Elliot Chandler Foundation – Based in Houston, Texas, founded in 2008, the Foundation supports the development of leaders of tomorrow by providing financial support and critical assistance to deserving young men with a demonstrated record of academic performance and an interest in pursuing a degree from a higher learning institution. .For more information, visit www.elliottchandlerfoundation.org.

United Airlines flight attendant pulled emergency slide, walked away

By Cailey Rizzo | Mashable

A United Airlines flight attendant pulled the emergency slide and exited a parked plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Monday morning. The flight from Sacramento landed at the airport at 11:26 a.m. and taxied for five minutes. After the Boeing 737 made a complete stop at the gate, the flight attendant opened the plane’s front door, deployed the emergency slide, slid out and walked away.

“When we landed … we were told to stay in our seats as de-planing would take a bit longer,” passenger Jonah Vella told local news station Click 2 Houston. “Everything seemed to be pretty standard.”

According to the station, there was a medical emergency happening at the back of the plane at the same time that diverted passengers’ attentions.

There were 159 passengers onboard the flight, plus six crew members, including the flight attendant in question.

While the flight attendant’s motive is not immediately clear, United said that they believe the action was done intentionally.

“We hold all of our employees to the highest standard,” the airline said in a statement. “The unsafe behavior is unacceptable and does not represent the more than 20,000 flight attendants who ensure the safety of our customers.”

The airline removed the flight attendant “from her flying duties.”

The plane was shortly taken out of service for inspection and then continued onto Fort Lauderdale after a 40 minute delay.

Bush Intercontinental Airport confirmed to Mashable that the incident did not affect airport operations. United did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Maersk Oil to close Houston office

Maersk-Becoms-Part-of-WTO’s-Trade-Facilitation-Alliance — Danish energy company Maersk Oil will manage oil off the U.S. coast from Copenhagen as it moves to shut down its offices in Houston.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 1 (UPI) — Danish oil company Maersk said it would manage its U.S. assets in the Gulf of Mexico from Copenhagen as it moves to shut down its offices in Houston.

Directly employing about 60 people in Houston, Maersk said it was closing its offices in Houston in an effort to streamline corporate operations. Its holdings in the Gulf of Mexico would be managed from an office at the company’s headquarters in Copenhagen.

“We recognize that this is an unsettling time for our people, to whom we offer full support throughout this process,” Chief Operating Officer Gretchen Watkins said in a statement.

Many energy companies working in the United States have their headquarters in Texas. Oil field services company Halliburton, which is based in Houston, in February said it was cutting its workforce by about 5,000 because of “ongoing market conditions.”

The economy in Texas is diversified by a strong manufacturing sector, though a report from the Dallas Federal Reserve said the state is facing headwinds because of pressure from lower crude oil prices.

Labor markets, the Dallas Fed said, continued to face pressure as 12 percent of the firms surveyed said they were hiring, against 22 percent reporting net layoffs.

Maersk suffered a blow in early 2016 when Norwegian energy company Statoil canceled a contract with the Danish company’s drilling unit. The cancellation from Statoil came at a time when businesses servicing the exploration and production side of the energy sector face pressures from lowered industry spending that’s developed since crude oil prices started collapsing in mid-2014.

Maersk Drilling said it landed a dozen new contracts last year, though the industry pressures were apparent. Day rates were revised sharply lower given the weak oil economy.

Elsewhere, Maersk Oil said it was trimming operations in Angola, leaving only a handful of employees behind to manage its Chissonga oil project in the West African country. Like many other deepwater projects, Watkins said restructuring options were necessary during the downturn.

“This difficult decision does not diminish our keenness to pursue the Chissonga project sanction in due course, provided we can achieve an attractive return on our investment,” she said.

HCC celebrates art and achievement with Center of Excellence grand opening

The Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence provides technical design, fashion, food, culture, costume, beauty, interior and kitchen design training through its eight award-winning arts and degree or certificate programs.

Everyday, our lives are touched by art, design, and fashion. We live in a visual world in which aesthetics influence how we feel, how we think and how we act. For that reason, industries like fashion design, cosmetology, and interior design have become multi-million dollar empires searching for new talent. Much of that talent can be found at the Houston Community College (HCC) Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence (COE).

Fashion design student Alan Romo never imagined he could achieve his dream of being a fashion designer until he came to HCC. The former Wal-Mart cashier recently landed a job as a production assistant for a Houston area luxury jewelry company.

“The Fashion Design program at HCC is innovative, cutting edge, and skillful. It has opened many doors for me and changed my life,” said Romo.

Fashion design, interior design, culinary and pastry arts, hospitality administration, and cosmetology are among the internationally recognized, award-winning programs offered at the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, which held its grand opening at Central College. HCC officials, industry partners, faculty, staff, and students joined in the celebration highlighting present achievements and the future.

“The Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence is a great opportunity to serve our industry leaders, our students, and the city of Houston,” said Adriana Tamez, Ed.D, chair, HCC Board of Trustees, District III. “We are making sure that we prepare everyone who walks through our doors to play a key role in the future success of our city, our state, and our nation.”

During the event, culinary arts students served tasty samples of their work; fashion and interior design students displayed their creative creations.

“I find the students who graduate from the HCC Interior Design program are more mature and better prepared than the students I see from other institutions,” said Kip Allsteatter, The KipCo & CS Gulf Coast. “The professors prepare them more from real life experiences It prepares them to be a leader in the industry.“

Central College President William Harmon, Ph.D., and COE Director Anthony Hancock, Ph.D., believe the programs are dynamic and lend themselves to the entrepreneurial spirit.

Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 13 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more about the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, visit hccs.edu/centers.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Division seeks help in identifying two suspects

Anyone with information on these two suspects is encouraged to call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Division at 713-274-9210, or Crime stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5000 for information leading to the charging or arrest of suspects.

Harris County, TX) Harris County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Division is seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspects wanted for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon of two women in west Harris County. Robbery investigators say on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 , the two suspects pictured, followed the 37 year old and 78 year old complainants from the Woodforest Bank located at 1313 N. Fry road after they withdrew a large amount of cash. The female complainants told investigators they noticed the two suspects standing near the bank teller line. They finished their transaction and were leaving the bank, when they observed a white colored Nissan Maxima parked near their vehicle with a young black female in the driver seat.

They then left the parking lot and traveled to their home in the 4800 block of Redwing Brook Trail. The women were exiting their vehicle, when the same white Nissan stopped, and the two suspects got out, with one brandishing a silver colored revolver at them. The suspect with the short braids demanded their money and other valuables.
The suspects then ran back to the vehicle and fled in an unknown direction. The first suspect is described as black male 5’5 to 5’6 in height, weighing 150 to 160 lbs. with a light complexion, and short braids. The second suspect is a black male 5’10 in height, heavier build, with a light goatee beard.

Anyone with information on these two suspects is encouraged to call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Division at 713-274-9210, or Crime stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5000 for information leading to the charging or arrest of suspects.

College Student, 24, Pays Off Grandparents’ Mortgage by Saving Money Eating Microwave Pizza and Skipping Parties

Stefun Darts – a Houston native, college students and founder of non-profit Caring Heart Youth – repaid his grandparents for everything they’ve done for him by gifting them with a $15,000 check and a trip to the Bahamas. “I promised God in the second grade I would pay off you guys house and help you retire. A promise I would never break,” Darts, 24, wrote on Facebook. “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touchedâ€¦ but are felt by the heart. “Even with this, I could never repay you for what you’ve done for me,” the San Jacinto College student said. “I sacrificed my teenage and early adulthood of not having fun for this moment. I couldn’t stand you going to work at night, some nights I didn’t even sleep knowing it shouldn’t be like this. Never have I wrote a check wanting this to be the first one. To all my friends that stood by me over these last 6 years I appreciate you.” According to local CBS affiliate KHOU , Darts saved the money by eating microwave pizza and opting to not go out with friends in order to save the money for Marilyn and Cecil Roberts who have been making mortgage payments for over 20 years.
“While many teenagers are partying and having fun I had to sacrifice, and finally this Sunday on March 20th, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.,” Darts told PEOPLE in a statement. “I will experience tears of joy by handing them a check paying off their house so they can retire from work.”

Had their grandson not stepped in, they would have continued to pay for another four years, the network reports. “I couldn’t believe it,” Marilyn said, Darts’ grandmother told KHOU. “To have a grandson like that is a blessing.” Lifting the burden of a mortgage payment wasn’t the only thing Darts gave his grandparents. He also bought them tickets to the Bahamas. “Somethings were never said and I’m glad you guys had enough sense to understand I had something greater to complete,” he continued on Facebook. “Tale this check and pay your house off, and retire from work. Y’all owe no man but God. Even copped y’all some tickets to the Bahamas.” Well, there’s certainly no doubt about who grandson of the year is.

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