Daily Archives: April 4, 2021

Vaccination progress after Texas’ eligibility extension | News | dailytoreador.com – The Daily Toreador

Posted: April 4, 2021 at 5:20 pm

With Texas opening COVID-19 vaccination opportunities to all adults 16 and older, most people are now eligible to receive a vaccine dose. The City of Lubbock continues to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center every week to make sure they meet the demands of citizens.

Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Public Health Department, said that with President Joe Biden pushing for all states to open up vaccination options for everyone, it is understandable how the eligibility suddenly got extended.

Here in Lubbock, we have already seen a decrease in the number of people seeking vaccines, Wells said. So, I had advocated with the state to open up soon, so we dont lose momentum with the number of people getting vaccinated.

Lubbock receives five thousand doses of vaccination a week, Wells said prior to the extension of eligibility. It was very hard to get people to make an appointment in order to reach all five thousand. For the week beginning from March 29, however, there is a significant change in the number of people registering for the vaccination.

Weve seen a bit of a bump this week, with more people seeking vaccines than before, Wells said.

Madeline Geeslin, a Health Promotion supervisor at the Civic Center, Lubbocks main COVID-19 vaccination clinic location, said they have seen a rise in the number of people from the age of 18 to 30 registering for a vaccination after the eligibility extension.

We have seen a lot of people looking like college students, which is great to see that they are taking advantage of it, Geeslin said. You never know if these people will make these decisions on their own, and this might be one of the first healthcare decisions that they made without their parents. We are glad to see a lot of students taking that initiative and making a step to protect their health.

There has not been any vaccine shortage recorded after the eligibility extension. In addition, there is also no problem with the vaccine storage. Geeslin said that they have a storage where vaccines are kept in the Civic Center.

Every morning, we bring vaccines here from the Health Department, Geeslin said, and it is kept until the end of clinic. The vaccines will be moved back to the Health Department later that day.

As the number of people taking vaccination rises, the amount of people susceptible to COVID-19 also drops. Geeslin said no vaccine is 100 percent effective, so people should still follow precautions like wearing masks and keeping personal hygiene to prevent contracting the virus.

Our vaccination rate is pretty high compared to the rest of the state, Geeslin said. We are about 35 percent of adults vaccinated, which is not bad, but in order to reach the herd immunity level, we really need to be at 65 or 70 percent.

The coronavirus pandemic is not over yet; cases are still rising and new variants have been found in Lubbock. Geeslin said they encourage everyone to take the vaccine because it takes everyone to help Lubbock move on from COVID-19.

The Public Health Department representatives said vaccination is highly encouraged and people should take the vaccine whenever it is available to them. People who wish to get vaccinated can call the Public Health department number or go online to the City of Lubbocks webpage to make an appointment.

Vaccination progress after Texas' eligibility extension | News | dailytoreador.com - The Daily Toreador

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Forward progress stopped on Boulder Creek vegetation fire – KION

Posted: at 5:20 pm

News

BOULDER CREEK, Calif. (KION) UPDATED 4/3/21 1:00 p.m. CAL FIRE CZU said forward progress has stopped on the Deer Fire.

The agency said the 1-acre fire burned brush in the Las Cumbres area and was reported at 11:30 a.m.

CAL FIRE CZU said this fire was not in the CZU Lightning Complex burn area.

The cause is under investigation.

Fire crews are battling a two-acre vegetation fire near Deer Creek Road in Boulder Creek, according to the Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

The department said a CAL FIRE helicopter is above the fire making drops and BCFD also has engines attacking the flames from the ground. BCFD said the fire is moving at a slow rate of spread.

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

Santa Cruz County / Top Stories / Wildfires

Broncos’ 2021 roster is still a ‘work in progress’ – Broncos Wire

Posted: at 5:20 pm

After the Denver Broncos signed cornerback Ronald Darby and running back Mike Boone, re-signed defensive lineman Shelby Harris and picked up outside linebacker Von Millers contract option, general manager George Paton said the teams roster still needed more improvements.

Its been an exciting week, Paton said on March 18. Free agency is always an exciting time and this week has been no different. We have a long way to go, but I think weve helped our football team. I think weve improved. Again, we have a long way to go, but Ive liked the process from the start.

Since he made those remarks, Denver added another free agent cornerback Kyle Fuller and gave a four-year contract extension to safety Justin Simmons. Its probably safe to assume Paton still feels the roster could use more help, particularly at linebacker.

Its a work in progress, Paton said of the teams defense. Were not there yet. We have the rest of free agency. We have the draft to add good, young players that fit our culture and fit the scheme. We have a ways to go. Im really happy with the additions we have, but we have time and were working the phones. [When] we go back, Ill be on the phone. Its a long process and I think by the time we get to the season, well feel good about this defense.

Adding a cover linebacker, a safety to groom and more depth at cornerback, on the defensive line and at outside linebacker, the Broncos defense will be in position to have a big year in 2021.

On offense, Denver appears to be a quarterback away from really clicking. Paton will need to decide if he thinks Drew Lock will make a jump, or if a new option needs to be added. But thats a conversation for another time.

For now, the Broncos are making progress. Theres still more work to do.

Broncos' 2021 roster is still a 'work in progress' - Broncos Wire

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Construction was thrown a curveball last year. But, Berkshires’ progress is on ‘state’s radar.’ – Berkshire Eagle

Posted: at 5:20 pm

PITTSFIELD Except for a few tangibles, like site plans and environmental assessments, visible signs of development at the William Stanley Business Park had been few and far between, until last year.

The biggest achievement was the opening of the much-anticipated $13.8 million Berkshire Innovation Center, which officially was dedicated last year, two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the local economy.

But, the momentum appears to be continuing.

This year, the city of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority have received $1.1 million in state money to prepare the parks largest building site for development, and construction on a 20,000-square-foot marijuana-cultivation facility is expected to begin this summer, on a parcel located across from the center.

Then, there is Electro Magnetic Applications, one of the centers tenants, which recently received a $429,000 grant from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Institute to support the development of new specialized equipment for testing the reliability and compatibility of spacecraft components.

The continued development at the 52-acre business park is one example of what could be an increase in construction all over the county as the coronavirus pandemic subsides. Although the cost of building materials, especially lumber, continues to increase, sales of commercial property in the Berkshires increased 24 percent last year, to $21.9 million, according to the Berkshire County Board of Realtors.

I see construction picking up all over Berkshire County, said Maurice Mick Callahan, the chairman of the development authoritys board of directors and the only remaining original member of the board that heads the quasi-public agency tasked with overseeing the business parks development.

I do see a lot of activity. Maybe some of it is pent up from a year when we all got a curveball. But, across the country, theres a fair amount of activity that includes residential construction and the renovation of commercial/industrial spaces.

Quite frankly, if you ask people, you would be hard-pressed to find a contractor right now who isnt busy.

On the national level, affordable interest rates are making it easier for developers to pursue new construction opportunities, said Callahan, who is a developer. In Massachusetts, the state has made attracting new business and retaining existing companies a priority, he added.

But, the opening of the BIC, a project that suffered innumerable setbacks and took over a decade to complete, has put the Berkshires, generally, and the William Stanley Business Park and Pittsfield, in particular, on the states radar, Callahan said. It took a private-public partnership of state and local officials to fill a funding gap that delayed construction for three years and finally pushed the project over the finish line.

We see the example of the BIC as Pittsfields being on the states radar, Callahan said. Right now, its a major magnet for people who are interested in technology and advanced manufacturing, and its working exactly as it was planned, because its a drawing card.

In the past, Pittsfield has had a number of older industrial-style buildings that developers could renovate if they wanted to avoid the costs of new construction. But, a dwindling number of those structures, as well as new building codes, make retrofitting those types of structures for high-tech businesses more difficult.

What happens with clean technology manufacturing or in applied science applications is that they either need clean environments, or they need air-handling systems that are more up to date than what may exist in an older facility, Callahan said.

Pittsfield has a more coordinated approach to development, with the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority, the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. and the city all under the auspices of what is known as the Red Carpet Team, headed by the citys business development manager, Michael Coakley. Instead of trying to determine which agency to approach, developers seeking to build in Pittsfield now have a single point of entry.

Pittsfield also has a more coordinated approach to development, with PEDA, the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. and the city all under the auspices of what is known as the Red Carpet Team, headed by the citys business development manager, Michael Coakley. Instead of trying to determine which agency to approach, developers seeking to build in Pittsfield now have a single point of entry.

When the city, PEDA and PERC agreed to join forces four years ago in the interest of boosting Pittsfields economic growth, the idea that a pandemic would upend society was the furthest thing from anyones mind, Coakley said.

However, that foresight has not only provided the structure to keep business development on track during a time of significant disruption, it has positioned our city to hit the ground running as the economy opens up.

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Construction was thrown a curveball last year. But, Berkshires' progress is on 'state's radar.' - Berkshire Eagle

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Warning Progress is Often Reversed, Secretary-General Stresses Need to Complete Work of Clearing, Destroying Deadly Landmines, in Message for…

Posted: at 5:20 pm

SG/SM/20667

Following is UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres message on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed on 4 April:

Today, on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, we reflect on how far we have come in raising awareness of the dangers posed by landmines, and recommit to our target of a mine-free world. More than 160 States are party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. I call on those that have not yet acceded to the Convention to do so without delay.

Landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices disproportionally affect the vulnerable, the forcibly displaced, the dispossessed and children. They impede peaceful solutions, hinder humanitarian responses and are an obstacle to sustainable, inclusive development.

Unfortunately, we sometimes make progress on clearing mines only to see it rolled back. But, we cannot be content simply with advocacy and campaigning to create awareness of the dangers posed by landmines. The United Nations Charter calls us to complete the work: to survey, clear and destroy these deadly devices. Lets make this the last decade when we need to devote ourselves to this task.

For information media. Not an official record.

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Warning Progress is Often Reversed, Secretary-General Stresses Need to Complete Work of Clearing, Destroying Deadly Landmines, in Message for...

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Elon Musk hiring "several thousand" people to work at SpaceX Starbase in Texas – TechRepublic

Posted: at 5:19 pm

Musk tweeted that he needs more employees, and he is giving $30 million to the community where SpaceX launches its prototype Mars rockets.

Image: iStock/Andrei Stanescu

If you're an engineer, technician or builder and you're ready to move to the Brownsville/South Padre, Texas area, Elon Musk has the job for you.

On Tuesday, Musk tweeted that he's looking for employees at SpaceX, and in less than 24 hours, his post received over 162,000 likes and more than 20,000 retweets. This follows on the heels of Musk announcing he was donating $20 million to Cameron County schools and $10 million to the City of Brownsville for downtown revitalization. Brownsville is the county seat for Cameron County and the quality of schools is always a big draw for anyone with kids.

SEE: Elon Musk and the cult of Tesla: How a tech startup rattled the auto industry to its core (TechRepublic free PDF download)

Musk's tweeted, "Please consider moving to Starbase or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so! SpaceX's hiring needs for engineers, technicians, builders & essential support personnel of all kinds are growing rapidly."

Image: Teena Maddox/TechRepublic

Starbase is what Musk has suggested renaming Boca Chica Village, where the SpaceX launch facility is located. Currently, Boca Chica is a small, unincorporated community in Cameron County.

There are currently more than 1,000 job openings posted for SpaceX, with 109 located in Brownsville, and four positions can be located in Brownsville or Hawthorne, California. The Brownsville jobs range from senior software engineer and a thermal hardware specialist to a build engineer for the Starship heat shield, a construction project manager, apipe fitter, and even a barista, who needs at least three years of experience for the six-month gig.

Activity is continuing to ramp up at the Boca Chica SpaceX facility. The Federal Aviation Administration reported on March 17 that "SpaceX proposes to conduct Starship/Super Heavy launch operations from the Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas. SpaceX must apply for and obtain an experimental permit(s) and/or a vehicle operator license from the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation to operate the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle."

Tuesday's posts from Musk came hours after SpaceX's Starship SN11 prototype Mars rocket broke apart before touchdown in Boca Chica.

The SN11 was the fourth SpaceX rocket to fail. The first two prototypes, SN8 and SN9, exploded spectacularly on the pad. The next prototype, SN10, landed safely, but disintegrated six minutes after touchdown, according to CNET.

Our editors highlight the TechRepublic articles, downloads, and galleries that you cannot miss to stay current on the latest IT news, innovations, and tips. Fridays

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Elon Musk hiring "several thousand" people to work at SpaceX Starbase in Texas - TechRepublic

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Elon Musk’s open call: Move to Texas and work for me – Fox Business

Posted: at 5:19 pm

Dr. Michael Pillsbury addresses Elon Musk's commentary on the strength of China's economy and climate plans.

SpaceXCEO Elon Muskhas extended an open invitation to his followers and anyone else interested inmovingto Texas andcoming to work for the aerospace company.

"Please consider moving to Starbase or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so!," Musk tweeted on Tuesday."SpaceXs hiring needs for engineers, technicians, builders & essential support personnel of all kinds are growing rapidly."

SpaceX currently has over 100 temporary and full-time job openings on its website located in Brownsville, Texas.

SPACEX STARSHIP DEBRIS RAINS DOWN DURING BOTCHED TEST FLIGHT LANDING IN FOGGY CONDITIONS

Earlier this month, Musk expressed interest in incorporating Boca Chica Village,home of SpaceX's launch facility, into acity calledStarbase.

Under Texas law, the incorporationprocess is handled by the Cameron County Commissioners Court. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. saidthe court was "informed of SpaceX's endeavor" on March 2.

"If SpaceX and Elon Musk would like to pursue down this path, they must abide by all state incorporation statutes," Trevino said in astatement. "Cameron County will process any appropriate petitions in conformity with applicable law."

Musk said on Tuesday thatStarbase is expected togrow by several thousand people over the next two years.

Musk also plans to donate$20 millionto Cameron County schools and another $10 million to Brownsville for a "downtown revitalization."Specific details related to that donation will be revealed next week.

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In addition, Musk is makinghiring investments in the city of Austin, Texas.

SpaceX revealed in a job posting earlier this monththat it is breaking ground on astate-of-the-art manufacturing plantin Austin.According to the posting, the candidatewillhelp produce equipement forStarlink, SpaceX'sglobal high-speed internet service made up of a constellation of satellites, andmust agree to up to 25% travel to SpaceX's Los Angeles-area headquarters until the Austin facility is "fully established."

Meanwhile, Musk's Boring Companyposted several job openings in Austin in November, hinting that one of the company's tunnel systems could be comingto the city.Musk also announced construction plans in July for a second Tesla factory in Austin, which could potentially bring in hundreds of jobs.

Musksetdown his own roots in Texaslast year,after growing increasingly frustrated with California's COVID-19 restrictions. He alsomoved his private foundation, according to a December filing with the Texas secretary of state.

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SpaceX is currently developing Starship, a rocket that will transport humans to Mars and the Moon.Musk said in December that heremained highly confidentthat SpaceXwill land humans on the red planet by 2026.

Other SpaceX projects in the works include theCrew-2missionto the International Space Station, which will lift off fromLaunch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlierthan April 20, Inspiration4,theworld's first 'all-civilian mission to orbit Earth', which is set to take offas early as the fourth quarter of 2021, and dearMoon,the first-everprivate commercial space trip to the Moonscheduled for 2023.

In addition, SpaceX has struck space tourism partnerships withSpace Adventuresin 2021andAxiom Space in2022.

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Elon Musk's open call: Move to Texas and work for me - Fox Business

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Elon Musk donating $30M to schools, city near his new Texas ‘Starbase’ | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: at 5:19 pm

Elon Musk says hes making generous donations to a Texas county and city near one of SpaceXs rocket production facilities and launch sites.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

Am donating $20M to Cameron County schools & $10M to City of Brownsville for downtown revitalization. Details to follow next week.

The SpaceX CEO made the announcement after the private rocket companys most recent launch out of Boca Chica, Texas, which is just outside Brownsville, ended in an explosion. Musk has previously said he wants to grow the small town into a city called Starbase

In 2014, SpaceX broke ground on its launch facility in the southeast Texas community and began testing rockets there in 2019, including tests of its Starship prototypes Musk is hoping to one day send to the Moon and Mars.

Musk also called on engineers, technicians and others to move to the area saying he expects the town to grow by several thousand people over the next year or two.

Please consider moving to Starbase or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so! he tweeted.

SpaceXs hiring needs for engineers, technicians, builders & essential support personnel of all kinds are growing rapidly, he added.

Brownsville Mayor Juan Trey Mendez told local KSAT talk of the donations was exciting and said he looked forward to speaking with Musk about future development of the city.

We look forward to a discussion about how this could help our community prosper as we take a front seat to the next chapter of space exploration and innovation, Mendez told the outlet. For years, the City has invested in infrastructure and improvements to capitalize on the beauty and charm of our historic downtown.

Elon Musk takes Texas city by surprise by tweeting hes going to donate $30 million to boost the area – Business Insider

Posted: at 5:19 pm

A Texas city was taken by surprised when Elon Musk tweeted on Tuesday that he would donate $30 million to revitalize it and its schools, after appealing to people to move there to work for SpaceX.

Musk tweeted that he was donating $20 million to schools in Cameron County and $10 million to revitalize downtown Brownsville, home to one of the company's rocket-production facilities and close to the launch site in Boca Chica, which Musk has said he wants to grow into a city called Starbase.

Musk added: "Details to follow next week."

The cash pledge for Brownsville was a surprise to Mayor Trey Mendez.

"Unfortunately at this time, I am unable to give you much information as we are still not sure about any details," he told Protocol on Wednesday.

Mendez continued, "This came as a surprise to everyone yesterday morning and we have not had a chance to speak with Mr. Musk to obtain more information."

In a subsequent interview with KSAT 12, Mendez said: "It's certainly exciting to hear of Elon Musk's proposed donation to the city for downtown revitalization.

"We look forward to a discussion about how this could help our community prosper as we take a front seat to the next chapter of space exploration and innovation."

Mendez said that the private sector has "taken notice" of the investment opportunities in Brownsville, adding that he hoped Musk's capital would help "accelerate the progress even more."

The SpaceX CEO pledged the money after the company's most recent launch in the area the fourth test flight of the Starship prototype ended in an explosion.

Musk tweeted: "Please consider moving to Starbase or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so!"

He added that Starbase would "grow by several thousand people over the next year or two."

The SpaceX CEO moved from California to Texas in December in response to local coronavirus restrictions temporarily closing Tesla's US car factory.

Are you currently living in or around Brownsville? What's it like having SpaceX in the area? Contact this reporter via Twitter or email: kduffy@insider.com

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Elon Musk takes Texas city by surprise by tweeting hes going to donate $30 million to boost the area - Business Insider

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Is Elon Musk Seeking a Return to the Days of the Company Town? – InsideHook

Posted: at 5:19 pm

What does it mean to be a company town? In the 19th and early 20th century, towns whose fortunes were intricately linked with that of their primary employer abounded. This wasnt a uniquely American phenomenon, either some may recall Fordlandia, Henry Fords foray into municipal planning. In more recent years, variations on the theme have continued including some that bordered on the absurd but the idea of the company town hasnt gone away. As anyone whos seen Nomadland can attest, company towns are still a very real phenomenon.

Reportedly, Elon Musk is looking to offer his own spin on the concept. A new article by Samantha Masunaga at the Los Angeles Times notes that Musk has Tweeted about wanting to create a new city that would incorporate Boca Chica Village, Texas the location of SpaceXs Starship facility.

Musk expressed his interest in naming this new city Starbase, and hes gone on to use the name in posts on social media. Masunaga writes of the potential advantages of this arrangement: In theory, it might help the private spaceflight company attract future employees, foster a political climate friendly to a business thats bound to be a noisy neighbor and even pave the way for the development of the kinds of amenities that might crop up near a would-be transportation hub.

Still, the article also notes that creating a company town is no easy task, especially when history has not always looked kindly on company towns treatment of workers. That said, SpaceXs holdings in Cameron County location of Boca Chica Village currently include 110 parcels of land, according to the Los Angeles Times. That sounds like the start of something big.

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Is Elon Musk Seeking a Return to the Days of the Company Town? - InsideHook

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Daily Archives: April 4, 2021

Vaccination progress after Texas’ eligibility extension | News | dailytoreador.com – The Daily Toreador

Forward progress stopped on Boulder Creek vegetation fire – KION

Broncos’ 2021 roster is still a ‘work in progress’ – Broncos Wire

Construction was thrown a curveball last year. But, Berkshires’ progress is on ‘state’s radar.’ – Berkshire Eagle

Warning Progress is Often Reversed, Secretary-General Stresses Need to Complete Work of Clearing, Destroying Deadly Landmines, in Message for…

Elon Musk hiring "several thousand" people to work at SpaceX Starbase in Texas – TechRepublic

Elon Musk’s open call: Move to Texas and work for me – Fox Business

Elon Musk donating $30M to schools, city near his new Texas ‘Starbase’ | TheHill – The Hill

Elon Musk takes Texas city by surprise by tweeting hes going to donate $30 million to boost the area – Business Insider

Is Elon Musk Seeking a Return to the Days of the Company Town? – InsideHook

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