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Plans changed for new international terminal at Houston Bush

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

A recent meeting confirmed a change of plans for the new international terminal at Houston George Bush Intercontinental to better address congestion and allow the airport to cope with its growing prominence as an international gateway. Set to open in 2024, the new proposals for the international terminal would see the existing Terminals D and E combined into a single terminal. It would cost $1.2 billion and aims to replicate the setup of the airport’s other terminals.

HIV/AIDS program cuts to pay for immigrant child detentions

Michelle R. Matisons Civil & Government

Amidst the news about the controversial practice of locking up immigrant children whose parents are not U.S. citizens is the looming question of who will pay for these detentions. Corrections facilities already face overcrowding and harsh conditions, and now we are seeing how the Trump administration plans to pay for all this: shifting funds from programs essential to some Americans’ lives, including HIV/AIDS programs. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides myriad social service programs and also pays for the more than 13,000 children held in U.S. immigration detention facilities.

Fair trade? China-US tariff tensions rise

Seth Sandronsky Civil & Government

Take the world's two biggest economies. Then, increase trade tariffs, or taxes, as a policy to solve disputes. President Trump said on Sept. 17 that tariffs on $267 billion of China’s imports to the U.S., its top buyer, will begin on Sept. 24 (10 percent) and rise in 2019 (25 percent) if Chinese concessions to Washington are not met. In response, officials in China have announced retaliatory tariffs of $60 billion on U.S. imports. Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary, downplayed the economic impacts of the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to American businesses and consumers.

Is honesty the best policy?

Frank R. Myers Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Every department operates with policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines, etc. However, no matter how strictly you follow these parameters, they do not "always" work from a practical standpoint. Is following them to the "T" always working in the best interest of the client/patients/public? Sometimes the decision-makers within the top ranks of a department do not have in-depth knowledge about what is taking place at the lower levels — in my case, serving in the emergency response division of the fire department for most of my career.

Florence lands in Carolinas, killing 23 people

Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & Environmental

Hurricane Florence, which has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, landed in the Carolinas over the weekend, delivering predicted damage. So far, the storm has killed 23 people as North and South Carolina brace for more rain in the coming days. There are close to a half-million people without power as of the morning of Sept. 17. Rain is still falling across the two states, and flooding is so severe that towns, like Wilmington, are cut off, requiring emergency services to airlift food and water into the city.

Can the US do ‘slow’ urban development?

Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building Materials

The Cittaslow ("Slow City") movement, launched by a group of small Italian towns in the late 1990s, professes to "do for urban planning what the Slow Food movement has done for agriculture." It calls for a slower form of city- and town-making based on values of environmental sustainability, craft, seasonality, and the revaluing of local history and heritage. As their manifesto states, the movement strives for "towns where men are still curious of the old times."

New Census data shows uninsured rate remains unchanged

Seth Sandronsky Medical & Allied Healthcare

What has happened to the rate of insured Americans after a year of the GOP-controlled Congress trying to end the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare? The number of uninsured Americans has remained statistically unchanged, 28.5 million at any time in 2017 versus 28.1 million in 2016, or 8.8 percent of the populace both years, according to Census Bureau data released on Sept. 12. The uninsured rate was 13.3 percent in 2014, when most major provisions of the ACA began, the Census reported.

Department of Education considers armed teachers, Title IX reforms

Michelle R. Matisons Civil & Government

Schools are back in session, and we all know what this means. Time to sharpen those pencils, set that alarm clock, and pack your bulletproof backpack up with everything you’ll need, right? Wait! Did you say bulletproof backpack? Earlier this year, after the tragic Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, there was widespread debate immediately on the almost desperate school security situation. Schools perform under mounting pressure to both protect students and staff while also building learning climates that are not ruled by fear. This is not an easy task.

Officers build community bonds with summer charity events

Dr. Denise A. Valenti Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

As summer was coming to an end, the Arlington, Virginia, Police Department was practicing using its muscle to pull an airplane.The pull, before it was canceled by Hurricane Florence, was to raise money for the local Special Olympics. But last year, the officers from Arlington got soaked to demonstrate precision rather than brute strength. To promote and encourage attendance at a community block party, five officers shed their protective police gear and decked themselves in goggles and floral swim caps. They then performed a synchronized swimming routine. The hilarious event was made available on video.

How to find a new, affordable place to hunt in Texas

John McAdams Recreation & Leisure

I think we can all agree that finding a quality place to hunt at a reasonable price in Texas can be a pretty challenging endeavor. Since upwards of 97 percent of land in the state is privately owned, there aren’t many public land hunting opportunities in Texas. So, if you or someone you’re close to is not a landowner, then you probably only have two choices: either hunt out of state or shell out some serious cash for a hunting lease or a guided hunt on private land. What if I told you there was another option, though?

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