U.S. Carbon Emissions Are Actually Dropping
Increased natural gas consumption helped bring down U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to a recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Tune In: Aspire TV's "One Sided Love" Film Block
Independent Film Series, In Partnership with Damn Write Originals, Airs Every Tuesday at 8pm ET on Aspire TV
Tomorrow night, Aspire TV, in partnership with Damn Write Originals, will present the second installment of its new weekly independent film series, the 2020 Urban Indie Film Block. The network’s 2020 programming block features the best of urban short films by up and coming filmmakers, and presents passionate stories that touch upon a variety of themes and genres including romance, friendship, drama, human connection, comedy and even action and sci-fi.
Understanding the risky combination of diabetes and the coronavirus
While most people are anxious about the coronavirus, people with underlying conditions such as diabetes may be especially so.
Texans' Whitney Mercilus takes school shopping for groceries
Smartie Pants Academy receives foo
Houston Texans' Outside Linebacker Whitney Mercilus partnered with his foundation WithMerci for a grocery shopping spree for Smartie Pants Academy. Mercilus and his foundation focus on helping families of children with disabilities, and Smartie Pants Academy is a long-time partner of the WithMerci Foundation.
Harris, 22 Senators Reintroduce Resolution Designating April 11-17 as Black Maternal Health Week
On Monday, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) led 22 of her colleagues in reintroducing a resolution to designate April 11-17, 2020 as Black Maternal Health Week to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis. The resolution was led in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC).
Harris County Attorney ready to take on price gouging
Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan has set up a website for residents to file complaints about price gouging.
Mothers on low incomes left out of pandemic support, say Baker Institute experts
COVID-19 impact on child development addressed in new brief
Government relief packages have failed to provide adequate support for low-income mothers, say experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and that will have a long-term impact on their children.
Governor Abbott, Goldman Sachs, LiftFund Announce $50 Million in Loans For Texas Small Businesses
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Goldman Sachs and the LiftFund, along with other community development financial institutions (CDFIs), are partnering to provide $50 million in loans to small businesses in Texas that have been affected by COVID-19 as part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. These loans, made through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), will primarily be used for payroll so that employees can continue to receive paychecks and small businesses can retain their employees and will be partially or wholly forgiven.
New website gives specific location of COVID-19 cases in Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County today launched an updated website that gives the exact zip code, precinct and jurisdiction of people who test positive for COVID-19. To see the data, go to the response hub and look at the map on the right side of the dashboard. The map lands on cases by zip codes. Underneath the map, there is an arrow to toggle to jurisdiction and precinct.
Prosecutors agree that death row inmate is not eligible to be executed because of intellectual disability
Prosecutors said Monday that a man who has been on death row for almost 20 years cannot be executed because he is intellectually disabled,
Governor Abbott Continues to Mismanage the Unemployment Crisis in Texas
Under Abbott’s Leadership, Over 1 Million Texans Have Filed for Unemployment
This past month, more than 1 million Texans filed for unemployment, more than the total number of Texans who filed for unemployment in all of 2019. The Texas Workforce Commission failed to upgrade its “outdated and broken” unemployment benefits system. Abbott’s hand-picked Commissioners were “well-aware of [these] shortcomings.” This failure leaves unemployed Texans “locked . . . out of the system.”
Beyond the Rhetoric: They Blame it on Us?
It is absolutely shocking! In Illinois, 43 percent of people who have died from the disease and 28 percent of those who have tested positive are African-Americans, a group that makes up just 15 percent of the state’s population. African-Americans, who account for a third of positive tests in Michigan, represent 40 percent of deaths in that state even though they make up 14 percent of the population. In Louisiana, about 70 percent of the people who have died are black, though only a third of that state’s population is.
Loni Love Welcomes #ClubQuarantine's D-Nice and Star of The Clark Sisters Biopic Kierra Sheard to #QuarantineWithLoni
In light of COVID-19, Emmy and 2x NAACP Image Award winner Loni Love has been providing fans an opportunity to escape for an hour a day. #QuarantineWithLoni is an Instagram Live series (via @ComicLoniLove) in which Love brings on fans to chat about how they are dealing with the 'stay at home' order. Many fans have checked in with her from around the world giving various perspectives of regulations within their country. To add some fun, fans look forward to playing the popular 'Shoutragous!' game as seen on "The Real" that requires blurting out things related to a specific topic before time runs out!
Tru by Hilton™ Lake Charles donating rooms
Lake Charles hotel participating in Hilton and American Express front-line medical professionals room donation program.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) and American Express (NYSE: AXP), recently announced in partnership with Hilton’s ownership community, will donate up to 1 million hotel room nights across the United States to front-line medical professionals leading the fight against COVID-19.
New Guidance about COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Beneficiaries from Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul
“The Treasury Department launched a new web tool allowing quick registration for Economic Impact Payments for eligible individuals who do not normally file a tax return, and also announced that it would begin making automatic payments. However, for some people receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration--specifically those who have dependent children under the age of 17--it is to their advantage to go to this portal to ensure they also get the $500 per dependent Economic Impact Payment. I encourage them to do this as soon as possible, and want to provide the following details:
Ex-NFL Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson Dies in Single Car Accident
Former NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson died at the age of 36 in single-car accident after his vehicle struck a tree Sunday night in Alabama.
5 Ways Pitchers Can Stay Sharp And In Shape During The Long Interruption
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused either the indefinite suspension or cancellation of baseball seasons. Meanwhile, social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders have prevented players from working out in public facilities or participating in outdoor team activities like they normally would.
How Staying Safe By Telehealth Also Means Keeping Cyber-Secure
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted social distancing as a safety measure across the country. How this new normal affects general health care can be seen in the rise of telehealth services, as people are encouraged to use them to limit in-person interactions with medical staff and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Work Smarter: How to Use a Mobile Hotspot for iPhone and Android
Is your smartphone your primary connection to the Internet or do you need a reliable backup for Wi-Fi? You’re not alone: T-Mobile says mobile hotspot usage on its network is up 60% as more people are staying and working from home.
Quarantine And Winning Highlight: Certified Life Coach Jasmine Jackson Is Bringing A New Meaning To Being Savage
Atlanta-based Consulting firm founded by Jasmine Jackson is committed to assisting in finding their lane in quarantine and beyond.

