Houston ship channel shut due to collision

By Bruce Nichols

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Houston Ship Channel, the busiest U.S. petrochemical port, was shut indefinitely on Tuesday after two vessels collided in heavy fog, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

There were no injuries or fires after a tanker and a cargo vessel collided at about 8 a.m. CST near the Texas City Dike, which is in the lower end of the channel between Galveston and Texas City.

There were no oil or chemicals spilled during the collision on the 53-mile (85-km) waterway that routes vessels from the Gulf of Mexico to the huge complex of refineries in Houston and Texas City, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The tanker was believed to be carrying the chemical acetone, a cleaning solvent, the spokesman said. It was not known what the cargo vessel was carrying.

The vessels involved were the tanker Charleston and the cargo vessel Harvest Sun, both about 50,000 tons dead weight and about 600 feet long, the Coast Guard said.

The Charleston was northbound, headed to Houston. The Harvest Sun was southbound, headed from Houston to Texas City, the Coast guard said.

Both vessels anchored safely outside the channel, awaiting investigators, the spokesman said.

Houston Pilots had stopped boarding vessels due to the fog prior to the accident, the spokesman said, and it was unclear when the fog would lift or boarding would resume.

Houston refineries along the ship channel are Lyondell Basell's 268,000 barrel-per-day refinery, Pasadena Refining's 100,000-bpd refinery, Valero Energy Corp's (VLO.N) 83,000-bpd refinery and Royal Dutch Shell's (RDSa.L) joint-venture 327,000 bpd refinery in Deer Park.

Exxon Mobil Corp's 560,640-bpd refinery in Baytown, the country's largest, also receives crude via the waterway.

The refineries in Texas City supplied by the ship channel are BP Plc.'s 437,080-bpd refinery, Valero's 214,000-bpd refinery and Marathon Petroleum Corp.'s 76,000-bpd refinery.

(Editing by Chris Baltimore and Andrea Evans)

Widow of Navy Seal searches for lost wedding ring ...

A Navy SEAL widow traveling through Houston lost her late husband’s wedding ring and has launched a campaign to try to retrieve it.

Kimberly Vaughn lost the ring Saturday, somewhere between a Super 8 in Deer Park, a Thrifty rental car and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

She describes the ordeal on a Facebook page that already has more than 4,000 fans:

Aaron Vaughn (US Navy SEAL) was Killed in Action in Afghanistan on August 6th, 2011. I (Kimberly) wore his wedding band as a constant reminder of our love. Unfortunately I lost it on October 1st while traveling from Houston, TX (Houston George Bush Intercontinental airport) through the Charlotte, NC airport on my way back to Washington DC. Hopefully someone will find it?!

My path of mayhem… Saturday morning, October 1st at 8:30am I left the Super 8 hotel in Deer Park, TX and then returned a rental car (Orange colored Kia Soul) to IAH from Thrifty Rental car.

I checked in for US Airways flight 1864 out of IAH (Houston George Bush Intercontinental) and then went through security boarding my flight at gate A19. I sat in seat 18E of flight 1864.

In Charlotte I switched planes boarding US Airways flight 1327 to DCA (Washington’s Reagan Airport) at gate C13. I did stop at a women’s restroom … hopefully it did not slip off my hand when I washed/dried them… Then a quick stop at TCBY and finally boarded at gate C13. I sat in seat 10A when the horrible realization hit me… I HAD LOST MY HUSBAND’S WEDDING BAND! A flight attendant took every step to help me find it aboard, but to no avail (even dismantling my seat to check every crevice!)

IF YOU HAVE SEEN OR FOUND MY PRECIOUS MEMENTO, PLEASE CONTACT ME, KIMBERLY VAUGHN AT NavySEALring@gmail.com

Deer Park woman killed by alleged DWI.

THE CHRON:

A car struck and killed a Deer Park woman and seriously injured a Cleveland man walking along the Galveston seawall before rolling onto the beach, police said.

Amanda Medlock, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene and Vincent Jeffus, 36, was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch emergency room where he was in serious condition, Galveston police spokesman Cpt. Jeff Heyse said.

The driver of the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, Felix Dominic Garza, 29 was charged with driving while intoxicated, manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

READ MORE HERE AT THE CHRON

Bastrop is burning ...

BASTROP

- The most destructive wildfire on record in Texas showed no signs of slowing down Monday, destroying 25,000 acres in Bastrop County and 476 homes, more houses than any single wildfire before and more than all other fires this year combined, according to the Texas Forest Service.

With more than 60 new wildfires raging across the state, Gov. Rick Perry left the campaign trail Monday in South Carolina to address the public and organize requests for more federal aid.

Closer to Houston, a fire in Magnolia burned 20 homes and more than 1,600 acres, and was threatening subdivisions in Montgomery and Grimes counties late Monday. It had moved southwest into Waller County last Monday.

It was one of several fires to hit the area, straining state and local resources as officials focused on the most dangerous blazes. One firefighter was injured and one fire engine burned in blazes in the Magnolia area, said Lt. Dan Norris, spokesman for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities did not yet know how much of the most dangerous fire had been contained Monday, but planned to continue fighting it "as long as necessary," Norris said.

Strong winds and dry conditions fanned the flames and aided the blaze's rapid growth, forcing the evacuation of more than 150 homes. Montgomery County officials were encouraging evacuations from the intersection of FM 1774 and FM 1488, about 42 miles northwest of Houston, up to the Grimes County line, an official said.

Magnolia fire

The Magnolia fire, located off FM 1774 and FM 1488, jumped FM 1488 late Monday and forced further evacuations, although some families were being allowed back to their homes. The Magnolia Independent School District canceled classes today because of the fires. Evacuation shelters were being set up throughout the area, including at Magnolia High School.

Another fire in the area had burned 100 acres and was 80 percent contained, Norris said. It had destroyed one structure and caused no injuries after 50 homes were evacuated.

A fire covering about 100 acres was burning in Oak Ridge North late Monday.

A fire near Nacogdoches that started Sunday night raged to 300 acres Monday and forced 60 families to evacuate their homes, said Ralph Cullom, a spokesman for the Texas Forrest Service. That fires grew with strong gusts of winds and fed off of dry conditions on the ground.

"This drought we're having is just unprecedented," Cullom said.

No injuries have been reported in Bastrop, but two people were reported killed in a North Texas fire Monday. A woman and her 18-month-old child died when a fast-moving fire near Gladewater, east of Dallas, set their mobile home on fire and they were unable to escape.

The Bastrop County Complex Fire, pushed by strong winds and fed by plenty of dry grasses, shrubs and trees, steadily moved south Monday and expanded throughout the day. It jumped the Colorado River twice.

"We will be working days on end," said Mike Fisher, the Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator. "The fire is so dynamic we really have no idea where it is."

'Lives at stake'

Perry said the wildfire burning in the central part of the state is "as mean looking" as he's ever seen.

Don't be alarmed - it's only an exercise ...Deer Park!

Residents of Deer Park may see more emergency response personnel and vehicles than normal next week, but it’s only a drill hosted by Deer Park’s Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) to test and practice the coordination and response needed to mitigate large-scale incidents. The drill is scheduled from 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7 through 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9.
The full-scale exercise will simulate a hypothetical oil spill from a ruptured pipeline.

In the drill scenario, oil will flow through the streets of Deer Park and into the Houston Ship Channel. The drill will test the ability of multiple agencies and organizations to stop and clean up the spill. No actual oil will be spilled during the drill, but emergency responders will be on-scene and drill activities may be visible to passing motorists and community residents.

“Drills and exercises are important tools to test the ability of the city and industry to work together,” said Deer Park City Manager and LEPC Chairman Jay Stokes. “Drills allow us to evaluate our emergency response plans, personnel, and equipment, and be better prepared to respond to any real incident in the future.”

The city of Deer Park will activate its Emergency Operations Center to test communications and coordination between emergency responders on-scene and city management in the EOC. “We must be able to react quickly and communicate effectively with one another,” said Sam Pipkin, emergency management coordinator for the city of Deer Park. “We will also establish a Joint Information Center to simulate communications with our community residents, neighboring cities, and local news media.”

More than 100 responders from several different organizations plan to participate in the 3-day exercise, including Deer Park Emergency Management, Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department, Deer Park Police Department, Harris County, Texas General Land Office, U.S. Coast Guard, Channel Industries Mutual Aid and area industry representatives.

Deer Park LEPC is composed of community, government and industry representatives who develop an Emergency Response Plan in case of a chemical release impacts the city of Deer Park. The LEPC has developed community education and warning systems such as the AM 530 radio station, telephone notification systems, and outside alarms or sirens throughout the city. The Deer Park LEPC also developed the Wally Wise Guy turtle mascot to teach school children and their parents how to Shelter In Place during a chemical emergency.

Driest year on record plagues Texas ...

VOA: Weather forecasters and agriculture experts in the southwestern U.S. state of Texas say there is no relief in sight for what already is the worst drought year on record. The searing heat and dry conditions have caused devastating wildfires in the western part of the large state and led to crop losses, cattle deaths and water rationing in areas of east Texas that are normally wet at this time of year.

Driving through the countryside northwest of Houston, one sees dried up fields, dying trees and livestock ponds that are not much more than a puddles of fetid, algae-covered water. In some towns, farmers' markets have been cancelled because local growers have little to offer. Those with wells for irrigation are struggling with the high cost of fuel to run their pumps.

Debbie Cross, who operates a farmers' market near Cypress, Texas, says people are becoming discouraged by the lack of rain and the high temperatures, which are around 40 degrees most days.

“The drought is hurting everything. It is hurting all the crops, the cattle, the hay. There is no grass. The chickens are miserable. I mean everybody is just miserable. We need water,” Cross said.

Cross says local farmers are unable to supply much fruit and vegetables and that she is getting by with produce trucked in from other states where conditions are better.

“We are getting it from the local southern states and southwestern states are kicking in -- Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma. Everybody knows that the Texas market is a great consumer market, so they are helping out a lot here,” Cross said.
a\
One of the hardest hit agricultural sectors is livestock. Texas is the biggest cattle producer in the United States and ships beef to many foreign markets. Earlier this year, ranchers endured one of the worst winters on record, with several days of subzero temperatures in a region where freezes are rare. The drought has made it even harder, driving up the cost of hay and leaving some areas so dry that cattle have died of thirst in their pastures.

One rancher who has managed to get through this crisis with most of her stock in fairly good condition is Dorie Damuth, owner of the Flying D ranch near Magnolia, Texas.

Damuth raises prize-winning Texas Longhorns for breeding and she has managed to find hay and enough water to keep them alive. She says she has seen dry spells before, but nothing that compares to this year.

“The drought is something I, as a cattle woman, and all of my fellow cattlemen and cattlewomen have never experienced before. This is probably the 100-year drought, just like you can have a 100-year flood. It is very devastating for all of us ranchers who work so hard to provide beef for our country as well as for around the world,” Damuth said.

In a dried up lake on her property, there is a Longhorn skull sitting on top of cracked earth that is muddy and soft underneath.

“We have had lakes and stock ponds on the ranch that have dried up because of no rain, no rainfall. They will dry down to a little mucky place in the middle that is still wet and the cattle will sometimes go down and try to get water and they can't. And they step into that mucky mud and it is kind of like quicksand, and they can't get out.”

Lately, there have been beautiful fluffy clouds floating over the area. But ranch hand Chris Quinters is not encouraged by them.

“Those are some nice clouds, but it don't look like they are going to bring any rain,” Quinters said.

Local Marine Punished For Fraudulent Recruitment

Local Marine Punished For Fraudulent Recruitment: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

Mutilated boy thriving - family needs your help.

Warning: This story involves some graphic and disturbing details.
HOUSTON -- Four years ago the world was horrified by a most unusual case of genital mutilation. The victim was a five-week-old baby boy.

In March of 2007, Holden Gothia’s mother, Katherine Nadal, took a knife and cut off all his private parts. She also cut deeply into his leg.
"His femoral vein was severed and his artery was punctured," said Patches Deshazo, Holden’s paternal aunt who adopted him.

Nadal got 99 years in prison for what she did. She claimed the small family dog was responsible for Holden’s brutal injuries. During trial, it was revealed that she used cocaine and appeared unconcerned in the minutes after she mutilated her baby.

Four years later, Holden is having the best life possible in Deer Park with the only family he has ever known. Not only did he survive the brutal attack, he is thriving.
"Holden is amazing," Deshazo said. He is the baby brother to the family’s three boys, ages 24, 17 and 14.

"He’s got ten times more energy than I do. He wears me out daily," said Parker Deshazo, a 17-year-old high school football player.

Holden doesn’t typically call his adopted brothers by name. Instead he refers to them as, "The Bubbas," collectively and individually, his mom Patches said.
He sat still just long enough for an interview about what he wants to be when he grows up.
"A football player and a Power Ranger and a drummer," Holden said.
He sings too.

"’Standing on the corner.’ That’s Dean Martin," he said. When told that’s an old song, Holden replied, "Well, not for me."

Then he grabbed the reporter’s microphone and started interviewing her and his family members.
"When’s your birthday?" he asked.

"September 16th," one "Bubba" answered. "July 3rd," said another.
Holden sees his biological dad, Camden, on a regular basis. But his mom said he doesn’t know about his biological mother. Patches said when the time comes she will tell him about her, and in an age-appropriate way, tell him what she did to him.

"His story is his story and it’s not gonna’ change no matter how we feel or how badly we want to change it," said Patches. "And so we don’t ever want him to feel shameful. I just feel like it’s going to be healthier for him to just own his story and for him to be really okay with it. "
She said Holden looks at his dad and his brothers and figures the only reason he doesn’t look like them is because he is too young. He thinks his penis and testicles will grow when he is older.

"There is nothing," where they should be, said Patches Deshazo. "There’s just a hole where the urethra meets the surface of the skin and it looks a lot like here," she said, pointing to the inside of her arm, "but with a lot of scar tissue, like a burn victim," she said.
Just before he hits puberty Holden will face extensive and expensive reconstructive surgery, estimated to cost at least half a million dollars.

To help pay for it, strangers, well-wishers, family and friends have donated $300,000 so far.
There was a benefit concert in Lake Charles, Louisiana on June 5. Holden took the stage to thank the crowd and was reluctant to give the mic back, his mom said. He also enjoyed playing a drum solo.
His family has created a website: Heroes for Holden.org for those wishing to show support.

2 killed in single-vehicle wreck in Pasadena

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 7:04 PM

PASADENA, Texas – Two people died in a single-vehicle car wreck in Pasadena on Sunday.
Authorities said a car was traveling south in the 8600 block of Red Bluff when for some reason the male driver lost control.

Police said the vehicle rolled over and hit a Centerpoint pole.
Both occupants in the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
No additional details were immediately available.

Texas Local Web Site Blooms into a Flower for the Community

New exciting things are developing in the Summer of 2011 for ExploreHouston.com

Best Publications wants to welcome the public to this new web business directory and informational mecca for ExploreHouston.com that will continue to be filled with. . . Community Links and Events, Guide Pages for Restaurants, Weddings, Florist, Services, Auto Sales, Entertainment, Real Estate, Eye Care, Dental, Medical, Employment, Shopping! Read a variety of Articles | Forums Topics | Daily Deals | Coupons | Directory Hot Links | Interact Page to Join the Community Fun!

Register with ExploreHouston.com site so you can gain the benefits. User can post Social and Public Events.

Take the opportunity for High School and University Students to announce Sports and School Events, Professional Sports Links and Ticket Information | Post a photo or comment on other people’s Photos, Comment of Articles or Forum Topics | Post a Scan of your Child’s Artwork | Free Classified Postings & Add Your Own

The staff of ExploreHouston wants the community to benefit from the information we can share... as well as encourage you to participate. Send us a comment.

Post your event or Your Organization Benefit in ExploreHouston.com Event section. We want our information to accurate, so we depend on our community to help us stay in touch.

Are you a writer that wants to be published? Got an article? Send it in a word document to info@ExploreHouston.com

Engage! Enjoy! Grow with us!

~ ExploreHouston.com Staff

Pasadena woman charged with rape of 12-year-old boy

PASADENA, Texas - A Pasadena mother accused of raping her friend's 12-year-old son almost a dozen times is now behind bars. Police arrested Brandi Fuller, 30, in Hitchcock after receiving a tip from Crime Stoppers. The focus now turns toward DNA; there is an allegation the young boy fathered one of Fuller's six children.

Jimbo Cozad always saw kids coming and going from the trailer where Fuller used to live.

"I don't know what was going on in there because that's one of the stipulations I tell my tenants when I rent to them, what goes on in your house keep it because if I hear it I'm going to call police," said the landlord.

Now Cozad wishes he'd paid more attention. It's inside the trailer where police say Fuller began having sex with her friend's son. He was just 12-years-old at the time. The boy said it happened again and again, according to court documents.

"We believe it was at least a couple of years. There were ten to eleven sexual contacts between the defendant and the juvenile," said Amy McCauley, Harris County Assistant District Attorney.

Investigators say Fuller confessed to having sex once with the boy after he forced himself on her. She says she had sex with him because she didn't want to "make a big scene" while others were asleep inside the trailer.

"I don't believe it. I don't. I really don't," said Jennifer Fuller, the suspect's sister.

Jennifer Fuller is helping to care for her sister's six children. The youngest is ten-months-old. Investigators now want to know if the victim fathered that baby. Fuller says the baby's father is actually the victim's older brother.

"I know for a fact this is his, the older son's baby, because I was in the house when my sister was dating the older son and I was there when she took the pregnancy test," said Jennifer Fuller.

Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/110602-brandi-fuller-arrest#ixzz1OW3WaFGH

Mother Caught; Accused in Rape of Boy: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

Deer Park Boot camp : Exercise prevents strokes

I

If you are health-conscious, you know how important our lifestyle is in preventing a host of serious diseases and other medical conditions, including stroke, which is the third leading cause of death right after cancer and heart attacks.

Since May is the Stroke Awareness Month, it is a good time to learn about some preventive measures to protect ourselves from the debilitating “brain attack,” which kills or disables someone in the United States every 45 seconds. Not coincidentally, May is also the High Blood Pressure Education Month, shedding light on this symptom-less condition that can, if left untreated, lead to strokes.

“Stroke happens when a blood clot blocks an artery, interrupting blood flow to the brain,” says Sara Oliver, CPT, owner of Bay Area TX Adventure Boot Camp. “We do know, however, that physical activity helps prevent the formation of blood clots by stimulating circulation.”

While strokes usually happen to people over 55, a disturbing new report recently released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the incidence of strokes is on the rise among young people, possibly due to the increase in obesity and generally unhealthy lifestyle.
Among controllable and treatable factors that increase a stroke risk are heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

The good news, Oliver says, is that many of the stroke-inducing risk factors can be prevented or reduced with simple steps anyone at any age can take– such as a healthy diet and regular exercise.

“Numerous studies indicate that exercise has significant benefits when it comes to reducing the incidence of strokes,” Oliver notes. “Research also shows that people who are physically active before suffering a stroke may have a less severe loss of brain function and recover better than those who did not exercise before. Either way, physical activity is a stroke of luck – no pun intended.”

What workouts are best for stroke prevention?
“Any vigorous and sustained physical activity that tackles each of the risk factors will be beneficial,” Oliver says. “In other words, exercises that raise your heart rate, improve the overall quality of your blood vessels, lower your blood pressure, and reduce or maintain your weight, will be very useful.”


For example:
Brisk walking, jogging or even jumping jacks or jumping rope “will strengthen your cardiovascular system and increase the volume of blood and oxygen that moves through your body.”
Strength training “will reduce your body fat and blood pressure, lower your cholesterol level, and build up your endurance, keeping your heart healthy and strong.”

READ MORE HERE

al Queda possibly targeting oil and gas infrastructure ...

Washington (CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have warned police across the United States that al Qaeda has a "continuing interest" in attacking oil and natural gas targets, a department spokesman said Friday.

The warning came as a result of information seized during the May 2 raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, a U.S. official said.
"We are not aware of indications of any specific or imminent terrorist attack plotting against the oil and natural gas sector overseas or in the United States," said Homeland Security spokesman Matthew Chandler.

"However, in 2010 there was continuing interest by members of al Qaeda in targeting oil tankers and commercial oil infrastructure at sea."
Chandler said it is "unclear if any further planning has been conducted" since the middle of last year.

The U.S. official said there's "not a lot of detail" concerning the information, and strikes against the oil infrastructure have "long been part of the al Qaeda playbook." However, the official said, non-Muslim countries were mentioned.
"No specific attack method was identified in 2010 and there was no reference to a specific date or time of the threatened attack. The global marine industry operates under an international convention intended to prevent terrorist incidents from occurring on commercial ships and in port facilities," the official said.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY AT CNN

BEST Publications "Red Book" Celebrates 10th Anniversary

BEST Publications,LLP started with a small group of seasoned yellow page account representatives, graphic artists and ad productions specialists in July of 2001. 10 years later the company is publishing it's 10th anniversary edition in the Pasadena-Deer Park-La Porte-Baytown area.

The 10th Anniversary edition will contain a helpful community guide section and a complete yellow pages section. The book is scheduled to hit the streets in late May of 2011. The complete book can also be found online at www.ExploreHouston.com and www.ExplorePasadena.com. The Pasadena, Texas yellow pages can also be found on the ExploreHouston i-phone, i-pad and Android app.

Once known as Account Representatives, BEST Publications representatives are now known as Marketing consultants as they are fully trained and knowledgeable on the many different types of marketing available to businesses.

Whether it's Direct mail, e-mail solutions, mobile text marketing, Daily Deals, Internet Yellow Pages, website building, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Integration or Pay Per Click, BEST Publications can design a solution that fits your company. BEST Publications is now poised to be the leader in business marketing solutions for decades to come.

Bus driver charged with sexual assault ...

Bus driver charged with sex assault

By T.J. Aulds
The Daily News
Published May 5, 2011
DICKINSON — A Deer Park man who worked as a school bus driver for the Dickinson Independent School District was arrested Tuesday on charges he sexually assaulted an underage female family member.

The unidentified girl he is accused of assaulting is not a Dickinson student, officials said.

David Ray Tyler, 54, is charged with continued sexual abuse of a child, Deer Park police said.

Police in Deer Park were tipped to the alleged assault Monday after the girl had been taken to Texas Children’s Hospital.

Police did not confirm the extent of the girl’s injuries.

On Tuesday, Deer Park and Dickinson police arrested Tyler at the Dickinson school district transportation center in the 3300 block of Owens Drive.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE AT GALVESTONDAILYNEWS.COM

Texas City hit with power outages

TEXAS CITY, Texas, April 26 (UPI) -- Dry weather may be to blame for knocking out power to three refineries and two chemical plants in Texas City, Texas, officials said.

Emergency management officials issued two different shelter-in-place orders overnight after a series of power outages hit the city, The Galveston County (Texas) Daily News reported Tuesday.

The first outage took BP's Texas City refinery and chemical plants offline, prompting the city to declare a level 3 emergency. Dow Chemical also had to shut down because of the lack of power, officials said.

Power went out at the Valero and Marathon Oil refineries, prompting both facilities to activate their flare systems. Texas City Homeland Security Coordinator Bruce Clawson said Marathon had its power situation under control quickly.

Texas City school officials canceled Tuesday classes and residents were advised to stay indoors and turn off their air conditioners.

Officials said a build-up of salt on power line insulators, caused by drought and windy conditions, may have been to blame for the outages.



Read more HERE

Refinery Status: Valero Restarts Port Arthur Hydrocracker

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

The following table lists unplanned and planned production outages at U.S. refineries as reported by Dow Jones Newswires. The information is compiled from both official and unofficial refining sources and doesn't purport to be a comprehensive list.

Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) restarted the 45,000 barrel-a-day hydrocracker at its Port Arthur, Texas, on April 8, a company spokesman said.

Shell Oil Co.'s refinery in Deer Park, Texas, would attempt to restart the DU2 Unit Crude Column V-5102 during the weekend of April 9 after shutting it down on March 31 because of a light naptha leak, a trader said.

Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) said a small fire caused the shutdown of one of the two crude distillation units at its refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, on April 7.

Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ) restarted an FCCU at its 80,000 barrel-a-year refinery in Krotz Spring, La., after a loss of steam put it offline, the company said April 6.

Exxon Mobil Corp.'s (XOM) has resumed normal operations at its 500,000 barrel- a-day Baton Rouge refinery after a completed turnaround at the site's FCCU unit, the company said April 5.

Sunoco Inc. (SUN) is restarting the FCCU and crude distillation units at its Philadelphia refinery, according to government documents made public April 5. The company delayed restarting the FCCU at its refinery in Marcus Hook, Penn., according to a government agency.

Tesoro Corp. (TSO) completed the restart of unspecified units at its 97,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Wilmington, Ca., on April 5 following routine maintenance, a company spokesman said.

LyondellBasell restated the FCCU at its Houston refinery, two traders said on April 1. A Lyondell spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.

BP plc.'s (BP) refinery in Texas City, Texas, is emitting hydrogen sulfide into the air because of a malfunctioning valve, the company said in a government filing made public on April 1.

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) said on April l it had restarted unspecified units at its refinery in Torrance, Ca., that had been shut down for unplanned maintenance in early March.

Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) said March 31 it had restarted an alkylation unit at its 72,000 barrel-a-day Texas City refinery that been shut down for repair on March 28.

Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ) said March 31 it had restarted its 50,000 barrel-a- day refinery in Paramount, Ca., after a months-long suspension of operations.

Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) reported emissions at its Corpus Christi West Plant starting March 29 resulting from the restart of the plant's units. The company said March 30 that the plant was moving to planned rates.

ConocoPhillips's (COP) Los Angeles refinery took its coking unit down for repair, traders said on March 28. The unit is expected to restart in mid-April, traders said.

BP PLC (BP) will begin about 60 days of scheduled maintenance at Reformer No. 4 and an alkylation unit at its Whiting, Indiana, refinery and the end of March. Separately, planned maintenance at the plant's Pipestill 12 has been delayed by three months; the work was scheduled to begin in November, a person familiar with operations at the refinery said March 25.

ICE busts Deer Park Man for video piracy

ICE arrests man for allegedly streaming live sporting events online
By Gautham Nagesh

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Texas man Thursday morning on allegations he operated a website dedicated to illegally streaming copyrighted live sporting events over the Web.

Bryan McCarthy, 32, of Deer Park, Texas, was taken into custody at his home and charged with one count of criminal infringement of copyright. ICE claims McCarthy made more than $90,000 by operating channelsurfer.net, which was seized by federal authorities on Feb. 1 as part of a crackdown on online piracy.

McCarthy allegedly sought to profit by intercepting and then streaming live sporting events, hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet to make a quick buck through what is little more than high-tech thievery," said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

According to the criminal complaint, channelsurfer.net served as an online portal to pirated webcasts of NFL, NBA, NHL, World Wrestling Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship events. Since its seizure the site has received more than 1.3 million hits.

ICE said McCarthy registered the domain name in December 2005 and ran it out of his home until its seizure. It claims at the time of the seizure the site was one of the most popular illegal streaming content sites on the Web. If convicted, McCarthy faces a maximum of five years in prison.


READ MORE ON THE HILL

Crime alert: Home invaders posing as Cable installer

DEER PARK, Texas—Crime Stoppers and Deer Park police are seeking the public’s help identifying three suspects in a brazen home invasion.

According to investigators, the suspects – dressed in reflective work vests and hard hats, knocked on the victim’s door in the 1400 block of North Park Ridge around 9 p.m. on February 5th

They told the victim they had information that he’d been stealing cable service and asked him to meet them in the backyard of the home so they could inspect his cable box.

When the victim met the men in the yard, police said he was attacked.
The suspects bound the victim’s hands and feet and took him back into the house.
Police said the suspects ransacked the home, but they only stole a gun.
After they left, the victim was able to free his legs and contact a neighbor, who called 911.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging or arrest of any suspects in this case. Tips can be made by phone at 713-222-8477 or online at crime-stoppers.org.
Tips can also be sent via text message – just type TIP610 plus your information and send to 274637.

Breaking: Explosions rock Belvieu plant!

Multiple explosions, fire at Mont Belvieu plant

Credit: AIR 11
A fire at Enterprise Products in Mont Belvieu was burning out of control more than an hour after witnesses heard multiple explosions.

by Michelle Homer / khou.com
khou.com
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Updated today at 1:39 PM


MONT BELVIEU, Texas – Several explosions at a Mont Belvieu plant were followed by flames that could be seen from miles around.
The explosions happened at Enterprise Products at 135 Sun Oil Road around 12:25 p.m.


Witnesses reported seeing workers fleeing from the Chambers County plant. Other workers were being told to stay inside.
The company hasn't released any details about injuries. An employee, who didn't want to be identified, said at least one contractor has not been accounted for.


The employee said the explosion happened in a subsection of the plant.
Chambers County officials say there's no known threat to the public at this time. They have not called for evacuations.
State Highway 146 is closed near the plant.
The fire was still burning out of control nearly an hour after it began. The flames could be seen 25 miles away in Houston.

A Houston caller named Pat said she was talking by phone to a relative inside the plant when the first set of explosions happened. There were three more explosions while they were still on the phone. "Anywhere from eight to 11 explosions," according to Pat.

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Controversy surrounds teen beating by Houston police

(CNN) -- Houston's mayor and police department were on the defensive Friday, two days after graphic video came out showing several police repeatedly kicking and beating a 15-year-old burglary suspect as he lay on the ground.
An internal police investigation of the incident last March led to the firing of seven police officers, said spokesman John Cannon of the Houston police department.

Two successfully appealed and returned to their jobs, said Houston NAACP President D.Z. Cofield.

Five other officers were disciplined in other ways, Cannon said. And a Harris County grand jury indicted four of the officers this summer, based in part on the video.
Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos opposed the video becoming public and felt doing so might prejudice potential jurors and force the indicted officers' trials to be moved out of the county.

Quanell X, a local activist, got hold of the surveillance tape showing the scene outside a storage facility and gave it to the media.
He said he had every right to obtain the footage and make it public.

"I will show my people what they deserve to see, and let the public see what you don't want them to see," Quanell X said.
Mayor Annise Parker said the police leadership and city acted properly.

"I resent any implication that we were trying to hide the tape," she said.
After viewing the footage, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland Jr. fired the seven officers and a grand jury called for misdemeanor charges against four of them in June.

Lykos told reporters Thursday there was not sufficient evidence to pursue more serious charges, such as aggravated assault.
"Without revealing what was presented to the grand jury, in order to have aggravated assault you have to have serious bodily injury or impairment or use of a deadly weapon," she said. "None of that was apparent in this case."

The tape, first shown Wednesday on CNN affiliate WTRK, shows the 15-year-old boy -- being chased by police and falling to the ground after being upended by a moving police car. He then falls face first and places his hands on the ground.

A disciplinary letter from McClelland, dated June 23 and posted online less than two weeks later by CNN affiliate HTRK, says that the boy had his hands behind his head and neck area, in an obvious position of surrender.

Then, the letter adds and the tape shows, Officer Raad Hassan "then ran toward (the boy) and kicked him a total of 15 times," then later kicked him more times in the groin area even after he "was handcuffed and no longer a threat."

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Bay City Substitute Teacher Arrested For Making Death Threats

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on January 27, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Updated today at 11:23 AM


BAY CITY, Texas – A substitute teacher has been arrested and charged in connection with death threats made to students in Bay City ISD, the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Paul Nolen May, 41, was arrested on Wednesday.
He’s charged with 12 counts of making a terroristic threat – all of which are third-degree felonies.

The threats began on December 28 when the district received a hand-written, profanity-laced letter, purportedly from the parent of a student.

In the letter, the sender expressed anger over their child being disciplined at school. The letter detailed new "rules" for the school to follow regarding discipline and threatened to "kill a random student" if the demands were not met.
About a week later, a second threat was sent via text message.

The message, sent from an anonymous source and forwarded among Bay City ISD students, said this: "Hey! Forward this to everyone…1 rule broken, two girls dies at the jr. high and 2 from high school, dnt go! The school will be on lockdown."

It was not clear if May was suspected in both threats. Investigators declined to release any additional information Thursday.

May was being held in the Matagorda County Jail on bonds totaling $240,000.

Michael Jackson's Doctor Clueless

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The pretrial hearing for Dr. Conrad Murray continues Wednesday as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge decides whether there is "probable cause" to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the death of pop star Michael Jackson.

The hearing, which began Tuesday, is expected to last two or three weeks, with 20 to 30 witnesses testifying.
On Tuesday, Jackson's former security chief testified that Murray seemed not to know how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation as he waited for paramedics to arrive at the singer's house.
Faheem Muhammed said he and and guard Alberto Alvarez saw Murray crouched next to Jackson's bed "in a panicked state asking, 'Does anyone know CPR?' "

"I looked at Alberto because we knew Dr. Murray was a heart surgeon, so we were shocked," Muhammed said.

Jackson's doctor heads to court Murray faces court hearing Events surrounding Jackson's death

When defense attorney Ed Chernoff asked if perhaps Murray was asking for help because he was tired, Muhammed said, "The way that he asked it is as if he didn't know CPR."

Jackson appeared to be dead at that time, with his "eyes open and his mouth open, just laying there," Muhammed said.

Prosecutor David Walgren earlier said that Murray used "ineffectual CPR with one hand while the patient was prone on a soft bed." Two hands with the patient prone on a hard surface is the proper method, he said.
Muhammed, the third witness on the opening day of the hearing, said he never saw

Murray performing CPR on Jackson before paramedics arrived and carried him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Jackson's mother, Katherine, sister La Toya and brothers Randy and Jackie sat in the second row of the courtroom during Tuesday's opening session.
Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, were at their father's bedroom door as the drama unfolded just after noon on June 25, 2009, Muhammed said.

"Paris was on the floor on her hands and knees and she was just crying," he said.
The children would learn two hours later that their father had died when Murray and Jackson manager Frank Dileo talked to them in a hospital room.
"Frank blurted out and said, 'Your daddy had a heart attack and died,' " Jackson personal assistant Michael Williams testified.

At the start of the hearing Tuesday, the prosecutor said that Murray waited at least 21 minutes after he found Jackson unresponsive before calling for an ambulance.

"By all accounts, Michael Jackson was dead in the bedroom at 100 North Carolwood prior to the paramedics' arrival," Walgren said.
The coroner concluded Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with "the contributory effects of the benzodiazepines," Walgren said.
Propofol is a powerful anesthetic used to "put people under for surgery," and the benzodiazepines were sedatives Murray later acknowledged giving Jackson in the morning before his death, he said.

"Michael Jackson was preparing for one of the most important tours of his life" in the months before his death, Walgren said.
Murray's defense team has hinted it would argue that Jackson was under pressure from the concert promoter, which led him to demand treatments to help him sleep.
Kenny Ortega, who was directing what would have been Jackson's comeback concerts, was the first of about 30 witnesses the prosecution is calling.
Ortega described Jackson as "involved, active, participating" at his last rehearsal, which ended 12 or 14 hours before his death.
"He was in a delightful mood, and we had an absolutely fantastic day," Ortega testified.

But Ortega described a different, "scary" Jackson at the Staples Center rehearsal on June 19, six nights before his death.
"I just felt that he appeared, you know, really lost," Ortega said. "It was scary. I didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it."


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EPA Vs Texas

HOUSTON — A longstanding tit-for-tat between Texas and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over how to regulate pollution has grown fierce in recent months, leaving industry frustrated and allowing some plants and refineries to spew more toxic waste into the air, streams and lakes than what is federally acceptable.

Both sides and conservation groups agree the battle has put the health of Texas residents and the environment at risk. But the back-and-forth over everything from who should issue permits to whether state agencies are properly cracking down on polluters shows no signs of slowing down.

The fight has gotten so ugly that the EPA took the unprecedented step this month of announcing it will directly issue greenhouse gas permits to Texas industries beginning in January after the state openly refused to comply with new federal regulations.

"Emissions are too high, the emissions are too toxic and Texas water is being harmed," said EPA regional director, Al Armendariz.

The EPA is "putting politics ahead of the environmental issues," said Bryan Shaw, chairman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Texas and the EPA have disagreed for years over pollution regulation, but the hostility intensified recently with Republican Gov. Rick Perry accusing the EPA and the Obama administration of overstepping boundaries and meddling in states' rights. With a more conservative state Legislature about to convene next year, there's appetite to keep up that fight.

The EPA, meanwhile, by flexing its muscles in Texas, may be able to send a message to other states that the days when the agency allowed contentious issues to languish unresolved have ended.

Other states have had their differences with the EPA, and at least a dozen have come together in a lawsuit — along with Texas — challenging new greenhouse gas regulations.

All are taking steps in the meantime to comply. Except Texas.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday declined to issue a stay that would delay the EPA's plans as Texas' lawsuit against the federal agency moves forward.