Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Toyota ShareLunker program archives are bustling with big bass records dating back nearly four decades. Through mid-December, the popular spawning and genetics research program had taken in 3,856 entries between 8 and 18.18 pounds. It’s an impressive list representing 175 different public reservoirs, several private lakes and an army of anglers who have participated since the program’s inception in 1986. Lawrence Lee of Tolar knows his way around the Toyota ShareLunker mobile entry app way better than most. The electronic app allows anglers to use a Smartphone to enter qualifying fish weighing at least eight pounds or 24 inches in multiple categories over the course of the year. Fish also can be entered online at texassharelunker.com . Lee has entered 69 bass weighing upwards of eight pounds in the program during 2024 alone. His single year total is more than twice the number of fish entered by the program’s No. 2 contributor, Deric Miller of Southlake. Miller has registered 35 entries spanning 2018-23 from three different lakes — Fairfield, Mill Creek and Purtis Creek, according to Natalie Goldstrohm, Toyota ShareLunker program coordinator. Miller’s list is an impressive one, but Lee is on a different level. His resume includes 36 eight pounders, 15 nine pounders, 10 10 pounders, two 11 pounders, one 12 pounder and four heavyweights over 13 pounds. Sixty-eight of Lee’s fish were caught from Lake J.B. Thomas since last January, including a 13.79 Legacy Lunker that ranks as the official lake record. The remaining trio of teeners were Legend Class lunkers caught outside the program’s Jan. 1 - March 31 collection season for spawning fish. Lee’s remarkable track record lands him in pretty tall cotton. Not only has he recorded more ShareLunker entries than anyone. He is also the first angler in the history of the program to enter four fish over 13 pounds during the same calendar year. Mr. Big Fish “Mr Big Fish” might be a befitting title for the 33-year-old angler. Clayton Gladfelter called him an animal. “Some people like fishing and some people love fishing, but Lawrence Lee lives fishing, " Gladfelter chuckled. “He eats, lives and breathes fishing more than any angler I have ever met. I guess that’s why we hit it off so well and became such good friends. He’s got a fish brain, just like me.” Gladfelter is a fishing guide and forward-facing sonar expert from Albuquerque, N.M., who first discovered big bass nirvana at J.B. Thomas during spring 2023. He has since relocated to Abilene to be closer to the remote West Texas fishery 12 miles southwest of Snyder. The 28-year-old angler has steered dozens of clients to their personal bests over the last 18 months. Lee’s Legacy Lunker is among them. Gladfelter said he first met Lee at a bass tournament in 2020. One thing led to another and the two men eventually went fishing together on Lake O.H. Ivie, where Gladfelter was guiding at the time. Lee landed a 12 pounder on the first cast of the morning. “We hit it off right then,” Gladfelter said. “We’ve fished quite a bit since. He’s one of most skilled anglers I have ever had in the boat. He’s a fishing machine.” Lunkers Galore The guide believes Lee’s ShareLunker entry resume represents only a small fraction of the eight pounders he has caught this year. “He’s caught hundreds of them,” Gladfelter said. “We fun fish a lot together and we don’t weigh or submit (to ShareLunker) half of the eight pounders we catch. And we catch a bunch of ‘em.” Lee agreed. He claims he has logged numerous days fishing alone when 20 or more fish over eight pounds hit the deck. Most were caught at J.B. Thomas using forward-facing sonar to single out individual fish amid dense clouds of bait fish, small carp, catfish and crappie. He has also reeled in scads of big ones at other lakes he had rather not name or advertise for fear of attracting boat traffic. “We’re spoiled out there at J.B. Thomas — an 8-9 pounder doesn’t mean much to us anymore,” Lee said. “If it’s not at least a 10 pounder, I usually just throw it back without bothering to weigh it. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I would guess I’ve caught close to 500-600 bass over eight pounds this year.” A Sleepless Angler If it sounds like Lee is obsessed with chasing the big bite, that’s because he is. The angler claims he fishes 2-3 days a week and still holds down a full-time job doing rotating shift work at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Glen Rose. The job typically demands about 55-70 hours per week. Lee says it is not uncommon for him to pull a 12 hour night shift, drive four hours to the lake and fish well into the night before taking time for a short nap. Then he’ll fish more and head back to work for another 12 hour shift. “I’m addicted,” he said. “I don’t do much sleeping at all. Twice a week I’ll stay up for 24 hours. Instead of wasting time sleeping when I’m off work I just stay up and go fishing. A lot of times I’ll show up at the lake after I’ve been awake for 15-17 hours. That’s pretty much my routine.” It’s a mindset that has paid off with a bounty of big bass. Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by email, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com . Outdoors Briefs Winter rainbow trout stockings underway statewide By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer Texas Parks and Wildlife’s annual winter rainbow trout stocking program is underway statewide. Between now and early March, TPWD will release more than 342,000 hatchery raised rainbow at dozens of community lakes and ponds, state park waters and 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes. The cold water fish are stocked on a put-and-take basis. Anglers are encouraged to keep their daily limit of five trout (no minimum size) on most waters, because the fish are unable to survive the warm weather months. The exceptions are special trout management zones on the Guadalupe River downstream of Canyon Lake. Texas does not require a fishing license for youth under the age of 17, but adults must have a fishing license with a freshwater fishing endorsement. Licenses and endorsement requirements are waived at state park waters. Rainbow are fairly easy to catch using small spinners, worms, manufactured dough baits and corn kernels. Light tackle with a small diameter line and a small hook are advised. Dates and locations of upcoming stockings are listed on TPWD’s website. No-cull crappie at Fork and ‘Pines Crappie fishermen headed to Lake Fork and Lake O’ the Pines between now and February 28 are reminded of a special wintertime “no cull” regulation currently in effect on those two impoundments. From December 1 to February 28, anglers are required to keep every crappie they catch, up to a legal limit of 25 fish, regardless of size. It is illegal to release any crappie on either lake during the three-month period. Both lakes will return to the statewide 25-fish, 10-inch rule on March 1. The special regulation was implemented in 1991 to curtail the perceived waste of fish that die from over-inflated air bladders (called barotrauma) as the result of being pulled quickly out of deep water.Max Verstappen has admitted he came close to quitting Red Bull during his turbulent title-winning season in Formula 1 this year. Verstappen sealed his fourth world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix after he finished ahead of Lando Norris to extinguish the McLaren man’s faint championship hopes for good. OPINION: Why Verstappen's 2024 title success is his greatest yet But Verstappen’s success has come against a political backdrop that led him to reconsider his place with the Milton Keynes squad. The 27-year-old was caught up in an internal investigation into team principal Christian Horner at the turn of the year, with his father Jos Verstappen embroiled in the bitter battle, a situation the younger Verstappen labelled as “messy”. Consequently, the Dutchman was openly courted by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who made no secret of the fact he wanted the Red Bull driver to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton . Questions were raised whether Verstappen would quit the team and force through a move to the Silver Arrows. And, while Verstappen admitted he did think about his options, he has now pledged his future to Red Bull, saying he is “loyal to the team”. When asked by Autosport if there was any moment he considered leaving Red Bull for Mercedes, or indeed quitting altogether, he said: “I think in your life, every year there are always thoughts going through your head from, 'how long do I still want to do this? Where do I want to do this? How do I want to do this?' “There are things in your private life that happen, of course. In your racing life, there are always things that you have to deal with and think about. “But that's fine. I think in general I'm quite relaxed about these things because it's very important to split your private life and racing life. “But it's fine to have these thoughts in your head about what you want to do. “But at the same time, I'm also not someone that makes very drastic decisions. And I'm just very happy where I'm at the moment. “I'm very loyal to the team. I appreciate, of course, what they have done for me from picking me up out of F3 and giving me an F1 seat and then going through all these emotions over all the years with these key people in the team. “So, when there are tough times, it's very easy to say goodbye or forget about it or ignore it. But I think it's actually way more important to actually face them and go through it together and deal with it and just try to move on from there and focus back, of course, on the performance side of things and have fun out there. “That's, at the end, the most important. If you're not having fun, then there's no point to continue.” Horner had hailed Verstappen’s fourth title win as the best of his career and when the Dutchman was asked if he agreed with his boss, he added: “I think so, too. “Last year, I had a dominant car, but I always felt that not everyone appreciated what we achieved as a team, winning 10 in a row. “Of course, our car was dominant, but it wasn't as dominant as people thought it was. I will always look back at [2023], because even in places where maybe we didn't have the perfect set-up, we were still capable, because in the race, our car was always quite strong, to win races. “But I'm also very proud of this season because, for most of the season, I would say for 70% of the season, we didn't have the fastest car, but actually we still extended our lead. So that is definitely something that I'm very proud of.”
By Tony Leys | KFF Health News GLENWOOD, Iowa — Hundreds of people who were separated from society because they had disabilities are buried in a nondescript field at the former state institution here. Disability rights advocates hope Iowa will honor them by preventing the kind of neglect that has plagued similar cemeteries at other shuttered facilities around the U.S. The southwest Iowa institution, called the Glenwood Resource Center, was closed this summer in the wake of allegations of poor care . The last of its living residents were moved elsewhere in June. But the remains of about 1,300 people will stay where they were buried on the grounds. The graveyard, which dates to the 1800s, covers several acres of sloping ground near the campus’s brick buildings. A 6-foot-tall, weathered-concrete cross stands on the hillside, providing the most visible clue to the field’s purpose. On a recent afternoon, dried grass clippings obscured row after row of small stone grave markers set flat in the ground. Most of the stones are engraved with only a first initial, a last name, and a number. “If somebody who’s never been to Glenwood drove by, they wouldn’t even know there was a cemetery there,” said Brady Werger, a former resident of the facility. During more than a century of operation, the institution housed thousands of people with intellectual disabilities. Its population declined as society turned away from the practice of sequestering people with disabilities and mental illness in large facilities for decades at a time. The cemetery is filled with residents who died and weren’t returned to their hometowns for burial with their families. State and local leaders are working out arrangements to maintain the cemetery and the rest of the 380-acre campus. Local officials, who are expected to take control of the grounds next June, say they’ll need extensive state support for upkeep and redevelopment, especially with the town of about 5,000 people reeling from the loss of jobs at the institution. Hundreds of such places were constructed throughout the U.S. starting in the 1800s. Some, like the one in Glenwood, served people with disabilities, such as those caused by autism or seizure disorders. Others housed people with mental illness. Most of the facilities were built in rural areas, which were seen as providing a wholesome environment. States began shrinking or closing these institutions more than 50 years ago. The shifts were a response to complaints about people being removed from their communities and subjected to inhumane conditions, including the use of isolation and restraints. In the past decade, Iowa has closed two of its four mental hospitals and one of its two state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush. The neglect drew protests and sparked efforts to respectfully memorialize people who lived and died at the facilities. “At some level, the restoration of institutions’ cemeteries is about the restoration of humanity,” said Pat Deegan, a Massachusetts mental health advocate who works on the issue nationally . Deegan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, sees the neglected graveyards as symbolic of how people with disabilities or mental illness can feel as if their individual identities are buried beneath the labels of their conditions. Deegan, 70, helped lead efforts to rehabilitate a pair of overgrown cemeteries at the Danvers State Hospital near Boston, which housed people with mental illness before it closed in 1992. More than 700 former residents were buried there, with many graves originally marked only with a number. The Massachusetts hospital’s grounds were redeveloped into a condominium complex. The rehabilitated cemeteries now have individual gravestones and a large historical marker, explaining what the facility was and who lived there. The sign notes that some past methods of caring for psychiatric patients seem “barbarous” by today’s standards, but the text portrays the staff as well-meaning. It says the institution “attempted to alleviate the problems of many of its members with care and empathy that, although not always successful, was nobly attempted.” Deegan has helped other groups across the country organize renovations of similar cemeteries. She urges communities to include former residents of the facilities in their efforts. Iowa’s Glenwood Resource Center started as a home for orphans of Civil War soldiers. It grew into a large institution for people with disabilities, many of whom lived there for decades. Its population peaked at more than 1,900 in the 1950s, then dwindled to about 150 before state officials decided to close it. Werger, 32, said some criticisms of the institution were valid, but he remains grateful for the support the staff gave him until he was stable enough to move into community housing in 2018. “They helped change my life incredibly,” he said. He thinks the state should have fixed problems at the facility instead of shutting it. He said he hopes officials preserve historical parts of the campus, including stately brick buildings and the cemetery. He wishes the graves had more extensive headstones, with information about the residents buried there. He would also like to see signs installed explaining the place’s history. Two former employees of the Glenwood facility recently raised concerns that some of the graves may be mismarked . But officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which ran the institution, said they have extensive, accurate records and recently placed stones on three graves that were unmarked. Department leaders declined to be interviewed about the cemetery’s future. Spokesperson Alex Murphy wrote in an email that while no decisions have been made about the campus, the agency “remains committed to ensuring the cemetery is protected and treated with dignity and respect for those who have been laid to rest there.” Glenwood civic leaders have formed a nonprofit corporation that is negotiating with the state over development plans for the former institution. “We’re trying to make the best of a tough situation,” said Larry Winum, a local banker who serves on the new organization’s board. Tentative plans include tearing down some of the existing buildings and creating up to 900 houses and apartments. Winum said redevelopment should include some kind of memorial sign about the institution and the people buried in the cemetery. “It will be important to us that those folks be remembered,” he said. Activists in other states said properly honoring such places takes sustained commitment and money. Jennifer Walton helped lead efforts in the 1990s to properly mark graves and improve cemetery upkeep at state institutions in Minnesota . Some of the cemeteries are deteriorating again, she said. Activists plan to ask Minnesota legislators to designate permanent funding to maintain them and to place explanatory markers at the sites. “I think it’s important, because it’s a way to demonstrate that these spaces represent human beings who at the time were very much hidden away,” Walton said. “No human being should be pushed aside and ignored.” Related Articles Health | A stroke changed a teacher’s life. How a new electrical device is helping her move Health | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too Health | CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes Health | New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants Health | Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans On a recent day, just one of the Glenwood graves had flowers on it. Retired managers of the institution said few people visit the cemetery, but amateur genealogists sometimes show up after learning that a long-forgotten ancestor was institutionalized at Glenwood and buried there. Former grounds supervisor Max Cupp said burials had become relatively rare over the years, with more families arranging to have deceased residents’ remains transported to their hometown cemeteries. One of the last people buried in the Glenwood cemetery was Kenneth Rummells, who died in 2022 at age 71 after living many years at the institution and then at a nearby group home overseen by the state. His guardian was Kenny Jacobsen, a retired employee of the facility who had known him for decades. Rummells couldn’t speak, but he could communicate by grunting, Jacobsen said. He enjoyed sitting outside. “He was kind of quiet, kind of a touch-me-not guy.” Jacobsen helped arrange for a gravestone that is more detailed than most others in the cemetery. The marker includes Rummells’ full name, the dates of his birth and death, a drawing of a porch swing, and the inscription “Forever swinging in the breeze.” Jacobsen hopes officials figure out how to maintain the cemetery. He would like to see a permanent sign erected, explaining who is buried there and how they came to live in Glenwood. “They were people too,” he said.TORONTO and DALLAS , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. (TSXV: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) ("Perimeter" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage medical technology company, wishes to notify shareholders that in case of disruption due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, the Company's meeting materials (the "Meeting Materials") for the Company's upcoming annual general meeting to be held on December 12, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. (Toronto Time) (the "Meeting"), may be viewed on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and are also available electronically on the Company's website at www.perimetermed.com . The Company has delivered the completed Meeting Materials to the appropriate parties for mailing to registered and unregistered shareholders prior to the Meeting. However, due to the postal strike, it is possible that the Meeting Materials will not be delivered to shareholders prior to the Meeting. Shareholders will still be able to vote their shares either directly or by proxy, or indirectly via their intermediary. Registered and beneficial shareholders who have not received their Meeting Materials, including the proxy, can direct requests for copies of the Meeting Materials to Stephen Kilmer , Investor Relations, at the contact details below. The Company will provide copies of the Meeting Materials by email to each shareholder who requests them while the strike is ongoing, at no charge. If you are a registered shareholder, please contact Computershare Investor Services Inc. at 1-800-564-6253 (toll free within North America ) or 1-514-982-7555 to obtain your proxy form control number to cast your vote for the upcoming Meeting. If you hold shares through an intermediary such as a brokerage firm, please contact your intermediary directly for a copy of the proxy form and instructions for voting. The Company's annual financial statements and related management discussion and analysis, as well as interim financial statements and related management discussion and analysis are available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile and the Company's website as noted above. About Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. Based in Toronto, Canada and Dallas, Texas , Perimeter Medical Imaging AI (TSX-V: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address areas of high unmet medical need. Available across the U.S., our FDA-cleared Perimeter S-Series OCT system provides real-time, cross-sectional visualization of excised tissues at the cellular level. The breakthrough-device-designated investigational Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI represents our next-generation artificial intelligence technology that is currently being evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial, with support from a grant of up to US$7.4 million awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas . The company's ticker symbol "PINK" is a reference to the pink ribbons used during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Perimeter B-Series OCT is limited by U.S. law to investigational use and not available for sale in the United States . Perimeter S-Series OCT has 510(k) clearance under a general indication and has not been evaluated by the U.S. FDA specifically for use in breast tissue, breast cancer, other types of cancer, margin evaluation, and reducing re-excision rates. The safety and effectiveness of these uses has not been established. For more information, please visit www.perimetermed.com/disclosures . Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, words such as "may," "would," "could," "will," "likely," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to management's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements or information regarding the future financial position, business strategy and strategic goals, competitive conditions, research and development activities, projected costs and capital expenditures, research and clinical testing outcomes, taxes and plans and objectives of, or involving, Perimeter. Without limitation, statements regarding the timing of the annual meeting, are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, any particular result will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Perimeter's control. Such forward-looking statements reflect Perimeter's current view with respect to future events, but are inherently subject to significant medical, scientific, business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. In making forward-looking statements, Perimeter may make various material assumptions, including but not limited to (i) the accuracy of Perimeter's financial projections; (ii) obtaining positive results from trials; (iii) obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; and (iv) general business, market, and economic conditions. Further risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those applicable to Perimeter and described in Perimeter's Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 , which is available on Perimeter's SEDAR+ profile at https://www.sedarplus.ca , and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Perimeter does not intend, nor does Perimeter undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws. SOURCE Perimeter Medical Imaging AI Inc.
None
Dunnes Stores bosses slash the price of ultimate cosy winter essential that’s ‘ideal for gifting’ to just €20
The heartfelt present Kate Middleton gave the Queen for her FIRST Christmas at Sandringham - and it was inspired by her own grandmotherAfter institutions for people with disabilities close, graves are at risk of being forgotten
Pechanga Resort Casino partners with The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt following a low snap. Thomas then took the kick back 43 yards as the Cowboys (4-7) ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Part of that was the play of backup Cooper Rush, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs in his third start in place of starter Dak Prescott. Part was also the defense forcing two turnovers, as Chauncey Golston ripped the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.’s hands for what was called an interception of Daniels in the second quarter, and Donovan Wilson stripped John Bates midway through the fourth. KaVonte Turpin provided the fireworks with a spinning, 99-yard kickoff return TD seconds after Daniels found Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored on a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three with 3:02 left. In the final three minutes alone, the Commanders (7-5) scored 10 points and allowed Thomas' TD. All that after the score was 10-9 through three quarters before madness ensued. Washington's playoff hopes that looked solid not long ago are now in serious jeopardy after losing to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas. Before the scoring outburst late, much of this defeat had to do with Daniels and the offense not being able to find any kind of a rhythm. The Cowboys did, despite playing without their two best offensive linemen, top cornerback and starting tight end. Rush's 6-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert was Dallas' first third-quarter TD of the season, and his 22-yarder to Luke Schoonmaker came after Wilson's forced fumble. Daniels finished 25 of 38 for 274 yards, including his second interception of the game on a failed Hail Mary as the clock expired. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards to spring the upset for the Cowboys, who were 10 1/2-point underdogs on BetMGM Sportsbook. Injuries Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was injured on a kickoff return in the final seconds. ... Robinson left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Up next Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DALLAS — Currently, in the state of Texas, survivors of child sexual abuse have 30 years from their 18th birthday to sue their perpetrators in civil court. State Representative Ann Johnson, D-Houston, wants to eliminate that restrictive timeline and bring it in line with the criminal side, where there is no statute of limitations. Rep. Johnson said it seemed like an easy fix, but it’s been anything but. And she hopes H.B. 179 will at least get a hearing during the 89th legislative session that starts in January. “This is now the third session in a row where we have offered this legislation. And I hope, for the first time, that we will get a hearing so that other Texans can hear from the victims who have suffered abuse at the hands of individuals, oftentimes that were being shielded by organizations or institutions that have avoided civil responsibility,” the Democrat told us on Inside Texas Politics. Rep. Johnson was the chief prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Section. Now in private practice, she works as an attorney for victims of sexual exploitation, often helping people who cannot afford a lawyer. Since her legislation has never received a hearing, the Democrat said the public, and lawmakers, deserve to learn who is actively campaigning against it behind the scenes. When discussing her legislation, Johnson specifically mentioned Cindy Clemishire, a north Texas woman who accused Gateway Church senior pastor Robert Morris of first molesting her when she was only 12 years old. Morris, the megachurch's founder, resigned within days of the accusation going public. Johnson also highlighted the sex abuse scandals at Irving-based Boy Scouts of America and the Southern Baptist Convention as examples of organizations protecting sexual predators. She argues that opening up the civil courthouse doors will allow the public to learn more about such organizations. “If you opened up the hearing room, if you opened up the courthouse doors and you heard from these victims, then every Texan would learn about what’s a good organization and what’s not. Who’s protecting kids and who’s not,” said the lawmaker. “I do not understand why the state of Texas continues to shield sexual predators and the organizations that have protected them.”
Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.To play Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie had to learn how to breathe again