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A full mess up ‘: Texas’ pride in energy goes out in the cold

Published

10 months ago

February 17, 2021

Eswar Prasad

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A full mess up ': Texas' pride in energy goes out in the cold

Rage over Texas’ power grid collapsing in the face of a historic winter freeze mounted Tuesday as millions of people remained shivering in the U.S. energy capital without guarantees that their electricity and heat will return quickly or stay on once it eventually does.

“I know that people are angry and frustrated,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston, who woke up in his city to more than a million people still without electricity. “I am so.”

In all, nearly two full days after record snowfall and single-digit temperatures, between 2 and 3 million customers in Texas still had no fuel, generating a rise in demand for electricity to warm up homes unaccustomed to such severe lows, buckling the power grid of the state and triggering widespread blackouts. Tuesday night started to bring more bad weather, including freezing rain.

Making matters worse, hopes that the outages would be a mutual sacrifice by the state’s 30 million people soon gave way to a cold reality, as pockets were l0eft to shoulder the enduring brunt of a devastating power failure in some of America’s largest cities, including San Antonio, Dallas and Austin, and in subfreezing temperatures that Texas’ grid operators had known was coming.

The breakdown sparked increasing anger and demands for answers over how Texas, whose Republican representatives taunted California over the rolling blackouts of the Democratic-led state as recently as last year, failed such a huge test of a major point of state pride: independence from oil. And it cut through politics, as fuming Texans took to social media to highlight how, amid urgent demands to save electricity, downtown skylines glowed as their neighbourhoods froze in the gloomy Monday night.

“We’re really upset. “I’ve been checking on my neighbour, she’s mad, too,” said Amber Nichols, whose home in north Austin hasn’t had any power since early Monday. “We’re all upset because there’s no reason to leave whole neighbourhoods freezing to death.”

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Eswar Prasad

My self Eswar, I am Creative Head at RecentlyHeard. I Will cover informative content related to political and local news from the United Nations and Canada.

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2021 All-Pac-12 football teams, awards: CU Buffs land one player on second team

Published

1 min ago

December 8, 2021

Rajesh Khanna

2021 All-Pac-12 football teams, awards: CU Buffs land one player on second team

One player from the Colorado Buffaloes football team received all-conference honors from the Pac-12, which released its of accolades for the 2021 season.

Senior linebacker Nate Landman was named to the All-Pac-12 second team. Despite missing four games, Landman was second on the team in total tackles (71) and tied for the most unassisted tackles (52). This is the 6-foot-3, 235 pounder’s third appearance on the list, earning first team honors each of the previous two seasons.

USC wide receiver Drake London was named the offensive player of the year and Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd earned the defensive honor. Utes’ Kyle Whittingham won coach of the year. Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura and Utah defensive tackle Junior Tafuna were the freshmen offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.

CU Buffs receiver Brenden Rice and cornerback Christian Gonzalez were honorable mentions for the freshmen awards.

Eight Colorado players were honorable mentions for the all-conference teams: Junior all-purpose/special teams Daniel Arias, junior defensive back Mekhi Blackmon, sophomore running back Jarek Broussard, freshman defensive back Christian Gonzalez, senior offensive lineman Kary Kutsch, sophomore defensive lineman Jalen Sami, junior punter Josh Watts and junior linebacker Carson Wells.

Here’s a look at the Pac-12’s awards and all-conference teams:

Individual awards

Offensive player of the year: Drake London, WR, USC
Defensive player of the year: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
Offensive freshman player of the year: Jayden de Laura, QB, Washington State
Defensive freshman player of the year: Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah
Coach of the year: Kyle Whittingham, Utah

2021 All-Pac-12 football first team

Offense

QB: Cameron Rising, So., Utah
RB: B.J. Baylor, R-Jr., Oregon State
RB: Tavion Thomas, So., Utah
WR: Drake London, Jr., USC
WR: Kyle Philips, R-Jr., UCLA
TE: Greg Dulcich, R-Jr., UCLA
OL: Abraham Lucas, R-Sr., Washington State
OL: Nick Ford, Jr., Utah*
OL: Sean Rhyan, Jr., UCLA
OL: Nathan Eldridge, R-Sr., Oregon State*
OL: Jaxson Kirkland, Jr., Washington*
OL: T.J. Bass, Jr., Oregon

Defense

DL Kayvon Thibodeaux, So., Oregon*
DL Mika Tafua, Jr., Utah
DL Tuli Tuipulotu, So., USC
DL Brandon Dorlus, So., Oregon
DL Ron Stone Jr., R-Jr., Washington State
DL Tyler Johnson, Gr., Arizona State
LB Devin Lloyd, Jr., Utah*
LB Noah Sewell, Fr., Oregon
LB Avery Roberts, R-Jr., Oregon State*
DB Trent McDuffie, So., Washington
DB Verone McKinley III, So., Oregon
DB Kyler Gordon, So., Washington
DB Elijah Hicks, Sr., California

2021 All-Pac-12 football second team

Offense

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Sr., UCLA
RB Zach Charbonnet, Jr., UCLA
RB Rachaad White, R-Sr., Arizona State
WR Calvin Jackson Jr., Gr., Washington State
WR Travell Harris, R-Sr., Washington State
TE Brant Kuithe, Jr., Utah
OL Bamidele Olaseni, Sr., Utah
OL Braeden Daniels, So., Utah
OL Kellen Diesch, Gr., Arizona State
OL Alex Forsyth, Jr., Oregon
OL Dohnovan West, Jr., Arizona State

Defense

DL Kyon Barrs, So., Arizona
DL Thomas Booker, Sr., Stanford
DL Mitchell Agude, Sr., UCLA
DL D.J. Davidson, Gr., Arizona State
LB Darien Butler, Sr., Arizona State
LB Drake Jackson, Jr., USC
LB Nate Landman, Sr., Colorado
DB Clark Phillips, Fr., Utah
DB Kyu Blu Kelly, Jr., Stanford
DB Quentin Lake, Sr., UCLA
DB Qwuantrezz Knight, R-Sr., UCLA

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Former St. Louis officer made $50K for unworked security hours

Published

14 mins ago

December 8, 2021

Rajesh Khanna

Former St. Louis officer made $50K for unworked security hours

ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis Police officer hired to work security on his off-duty hours lied on his timesheets and bilked his employer and city taxpayers of tens of thousands of dollars over a two-year period.

Officer Brad Stephens pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of mail fraud. He’ll be sentenced on March 11, 2022.

According to the plea agreement, Stephens had worked for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department since Oct. 2014. Beginning in 2015, he dedicated some of his off-duty time to working for City Wide Security, a private company that contracts with local businesses and organizations to provide security patrols in the Tower Grove South neighborhood.

Stephens filed false documentation regarding his hours worked. In 2018, Stephens falsely represented that he worked 93 days. In 2019, Stephens falsely claimed that he worked 76 days. All told, CWS received $50,000 from businesses and organizations in Tower Grove South for all the hours Stephens claimed to have worked.

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Broncos’ Mike Boone on backup running back duties: “Whenever they call my number, I’ll be there”

Published

26 mins ago

December 8, 2021

Rajesh Khanna

Broncos’ Mike Boone on backup running back duties: “Whenever they call my number, I’ll be there”

Mike Boone’s first season in Denver certainly hasn’t gone the way the running back planned.

Signed to a two-year deal in the offseason with $2.6 million guaranteed for 2021, Boone suffered a severe quad injury during a joint preseason practice in Minnesota. He finally made his Broncos debut in Week 6, but mostly as an expensive special teams player for his first four games before finally getting a shot at tailback against Kansas City.

Coach Vic Fangio said Boone — playing behind rookie Javonte Williams on Sunday because of hip/shoulder injuries to Melvin Gordon — graded out solidly after rushing for 35 yards on four carries, along with a 19-yard catch.

“He hadn’t played in a live game since (Aug. 12) with Minnesota — he had no preseason action, no carries or catches in any of the games this year,” Fangio said. “Under those circumstances in an important (divisional) game like that, I think he played really well.”

Boone said the 17 offensive snaps he got in the 22-9 loss to Kansas City “knocked a little rust off” after he only saw seven offensive snaps, and no carries, in his first four games in orange and blue. And his mind never questioned whether his leg would hold up at Arrowhead Stadium from the “freak accident” that derailed his season about three months beforehand. Boone suffered a Grade 3 tear (the most severe) of the quadriceps tendon, but it didn’t require surgery.

“That felt good to come in and contribute and help the team out,” Boone said. “(With the quad injury), out of nowhere I was sprinting and then I felt a sharp pain. That’s what happened. But I’m over it. I didn’t think about that (Sunday) at all while I was running. I felt good out there.”

While Boone’s health is intact, his role in the backfield down the stretch of the season is less clear.

Fangio said Monday he expects Gordon “will be back to practice at some point during the week” as Denver prepares to host the Lions. Through the first 11 games, Gordon and Williams split carries nearly 50/50, with no opportunity for Boone to share any of that workload. And Williams, whom Boone labeled “a stud,” is coming off a big performance against the Chiefs (102 yards rushing, 76 yards receiving and Denver’s lone touchdown).

But No. 26 vowed to stay ready for another chance to show what he can do running the football. Boone’s career high was 49 rushes for 273 yards and two touchdowns in 2019 with Minnesota, when he appeared in all 16 games as the Vikings’ No. 3 tailback behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison.

“I’m staying heavy in the training room… and when my number’s called, it’s about executing and being (reliable),” Boone said. “Hopefully (I get more carries), but that’s not my decision. Whenever they call my number, I’ll be there.”

Simmons nominated again. Broncos safety Justin Simmons is the Broncos’ Walter Payton Man of the Year, becoming the only Denver player to earn that award three straight seasons. The award recognizes a player for leadership on the field and in the community.

Simmons will wear a helmet decal throughout the rest of the 2021 season to signify his nomination. The national winner will be announced Feb. 10 during NFL Honors. John Elway is the only Broncos player to win the national award, in 1992.