Gov Abbott gets heckled by his opponent plus Latest in the investigation
Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-TX, interrupted a press conference from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott about the Uvalde shooting Wednesday, shouting at the current governor before being escorted from the auditorium.
O'Rourke said the response from Abbott and other Texas leaders was "totally predictable," and did nothing to solve the problem of easy access to guns that is plaguing communities across Texas and the nation.
Abbott ordered law enforcement officers to escort O'Rourke, who won his Democratic primary for governor, out Tuesday, outside the building.
Several attendees on the stage, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, began yelling back, telling O'Rourke to sit down, that he was "pathetic," and that this was no place for politics.
Abbott said he blames the shooter's mental state for the killing of 21 people. And more details about the gunman emerged on Wednesday: He had trouble getting along with his mother, so he was living with his grandparents. Rolando Reyes told ABC News that he didn't know his grandson “had weapons or nothing...If I would have known, I would have reported it."
After an argument that ended with the shooting and wounding of his grandmother, Ramos went to Robb Elementary School, where he opened fire on students and teachers. As of this writing there is still no word on the grandmother's condition.
As for the 19 children and their teachers who died, portraits are emerging of the young lives taken. Several sets of cousins and a 10-year-old boy whose family called "the life of the party." A girl who had just celebrated her 10th birthday and a teacher who had been with the school her entire career of 23 years.
Meanwhile, Investigators are still looking into the gunman's online presence as well as talking to friends and families to learn more about what drove the shooter to this deadly rampage that left at least 21 dead in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday.
The picture that's developing through social media and interviews with friends and relatives is of a disturbed young man who had some prevalence towards violence. Law enforcement is looking closely at social media as they try to search for some kind of triggering event. Were there signs? And it seems to be as they dig into these social media posts, they are finding plenty of images of guns and other violent content, friends have spoken about animal abuse and instances that the shooter shared with them on social media.
As for the guns used in the massacre: the shooter purchased two AR-15-style rifles at Oasis Outback, a federally licensed store located in Uvalde. Oasis Outback is located approximately three miles from Robb Elementary School. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the gun purchases were made on two separate days: May 17 and May 20. That means the gunman bought the first AR-15-style rifle one day after he turned 18 and the second four days before the shooting. Both weapons were purchased at that same store. The guns were purchased legally.
Contrary to earlier reports, the gunman was not wearing body armor during Tuesday's massacre. Multiple law enforcement officials told ABC News that he was wearing tactical gear, including a vest that could hold ammunition, but there was no armor or fabric that would protect him from gunfire, the sources said.
Source-ABC
New Music released on Friday May 27th 2022
New music is making its way to us now with projects by newly formed rap duos to albums by dancehall greats and rising hip-hop stars, check out this week's New Music Friday for the culture's latest & greatest in music.
--Sean Paul, Scorcha -- Dancehall's finest dropped off his new fifth studio album, a heavy collaborative project with reggaeton and Jamaican favorites like Jada Kingdom, Stylo G and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley.
--Jim Jones and Maino, Lobby Boyz -- The recently formed rap duo of New York greats delivered their first official joint project. The album includes features from Fabulous, Styles P & Fivio Foreign, who helped introduce the album by way of the music video for "Slide."
--Chance The Rapper, "A Bar About a Bar" -- The Chicago rapper dropped off not only the new single but an accompanying music video and art piece as well. The painting was created by Nikko Washington and unveiled at the Art Institute of Chicago.
--Ye & XXXTentacion, "True Love" -- Seeing its official release this week as part of Ye's Donda 2 and X's Look at Me: The Album, the new single plays over the end credits of the late rapper's Hulu documentary, Look at Me: XXXTentacion.
Hits in Heavy Rotation
--Elevation Worship, "Same God"
--CeCe Winans, "I've Got Joy"
--Jazmine Sullivan, "Hurt Me So Good"
--Sentury, "Be Over"
--Dixson ft. Sevyn Streeter, "Cherry Sorbet"
--Summer Walker ft. Ari Lennox, "Unloyal"
--Tink ft. 2 Chainz, "Cater"
--Toosii, "Keeper"
--French Montana ft. Kodak Black, "Mopstick"
--Chris Brown, "WE (Warm Embrace)"
Artist on the Rise
Georgia rapper Jaida Chanel Roby, known by her stage name Pap Chanel, is making waves in the hip-hip world due to her lyrical abilities and unapologetic style. The self-proclaimed "pretty & paid" rapper is said to have worked with Lil Baby, T.I. and Trina.
Government Officials Met with Carnival Cruise Port Managers following Fire Incident
On Thursday, May 26, 2022, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) was notified of an incident at the Carnival Cruise Centre on the island of Grand Turk, where there was a fire on the vessel Carnival Freedom Cruise Line.
A quick response by both the Carnival Freedom Cruise Response Team and TCI Domestic Fire team quickly extinguished the blaze and brought the incident under control.
The Deputy Governor, along with the Acting Director of DDME and TCI Regiment, visited Grand Turk to assess the situation. A meeting was convened with the Carnival Terminal Management Team and was co-chaired by Deputy Governor and Hon. Otis Morris, Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication. The purpose of the meeting was to identify resources needed and coordinate and support response between Carnival Terminal Management team and the TCI Government.
Also present at this meeting to provide support were representatives from the following agencies: Port Authority, Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) , Domestic Fire Department, TCI Airport Authority, Department of Maritime and Fisheries and the Ministry of Tourism.
Carnival Terminal Managers reported that no one sustained injuries and the ship is operating on full power, however access to the upper deck is currently restricted. Assessment Team (Carnival) was requested and is expected to arrive later today (Thursday, May 26, 2022) to assess the ability of the ship to sail.
Subsequent to the meeting at Carnival Cruise Centre, a preliminary assessment was conducted at JAGS McCartney International Airport to explore the possibility of charter flights landing on Grand Turk for passengers who may not wish to return on the Cruise Line Vessel.
The situation is under control and commendation is expressed to all agencies for their support in bringing the incident under control.
Department of Youth Affairs Hosted Emotional & Conflict Management Training
The Ministry of Education, Labour, Employment and Customer Services is on a mandated mission to identity and implement robust strategies to aid in eradicating bullying and cases of youth violence throughout our Schools.
Therefore, it is imperative to train youth on how to regulate their emotions and resolve conflict through effective nonviolent communication strategies. It is imperious that we instill in young people the necessary tools that are needed to succeed in life; and one way this can be achieved is through PEER TRAINING.
Towards this goal, The Department of Youth Affairs, recently hosted an Emotional and Conflict Management Training Workshop on 18th May 2022. The Department accommodated thirty (30) participants from across the Government’s High Schools, including representatives from the Turks Caicos Islands Community College. The session was well received by the participants and provided a forum and Safe Space for the youth to express themselves free of judgements.
Further, the Department of Youth Affairs recently launch its National Youth Policy which speaks to creating Safe Spaces and environments for young people. Moreover, developing young people as Peace Builders who will be able to resolute conflict among their peers, signifies the Department’s commitment to ensure that our youth are receiving preventative strategies and are proactively engaged.
Mrs. Jasmine Thomas, Director for the Department of Youth Affairs commented, “It is the Department’s goal to ensure development of violence prevention measures in the Education System at all levels, while utilizing evidence-based models. In addition, focusing on preventative programs to assist with conflict management, anti-behaviors and gang violence”
Dr. Barbara Ambrister, of Human Capital Development and Training Services and facilitator for the training commented, “It is amazing how our young children have already framed their perspectives of the world and are adjusting themselves with techniques of survival”.
The Minister of Education stated, ‘ As we aim to address Human Capital Development, it is paramount that we also address the social ills of society in an effort to ensure that there is inclusivity in our development of our people. We will make bold steps through our initiatives in an effort reach our youths in all communities.’
Youth who participated in the training will serve as Peer Mentors and Peace Ambassadors in their schools. The Department of Youth Affairs will continue to implement more holistic and evidence-based violence prevention initiatives.
'Goodfellas' actor Ray Liotta dead at 67
Goodfellas actor Ray Liotta has died at age 67, his publicist confirms to ABC News.
No cause of death was given, though there are unconfirmed reports that he passed away in his sleep while shooting the movie Dangerous Waters in the Dominican Republic.
Liotta caught the attention of Hollywood in the 1986 film Something Wild, playing star Melanie Griffith's violent ex-con husband, and role for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He went on to appear as Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1989's baseball-themed classic Field of Dreams, with Kevin Costner, in which he delivered the memorable, oft-quoted line "Hey, rookie! You were good!"
But Liotta's breakout role came in the 1990 Martin Scorsese classic Goodfellas, as part of an all-star cast that included Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco. Based in part on the life of former mobster turned government informant Henry Hill, which Liotta played, the film became a near-instant classic and launched Liotta to stardom.
Liotta most recently appeared in films including the Sopranos spin-off The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story and No Sudden Move. He also starred in TV shows including Shades of Blue opposite Jennifer Lopez, Amazon Prime’s Hanna, and the Apple TV+ series Black Bird, alongside Taron Egerton.
In 2005, Liotta won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for his role as Charlie Metcalf in an episode of ER called "Time of Death."
Liotta leaves behind a daughter, Karsen, and a fiancée, Jacy Nittolo.
Source-ABC
TCI ONE OF SAFEST COUNTRIES FOR TRAVEL, SAYS TOURISM MINISTRY
Following the recent news of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands relaxing travel restrictions and public health measures, the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board released an uplifting message on Thursday, 19th May.
The TCI Tourist Board encourages travelers to bear in mind that more than 85 percent of the adult population within the TCI are fully vaccinated, making the Turks and Caicos Islands one of the most inoculated countries in the world.
The Board stated that due to the ‘Beautiful by Nature’ British Caribbean islands’ commitment to the health and safety of its citizens, residents, and visitors, the country has received an Alert Level 2 from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Josephine Connolly said that “travelers can take heart and be confident in their vacation plans, as they make the Turks and Caicos Islands their destination of choice to visit.” She added that “the Turks and Caicos Islands is one of the safest countries for travelers”.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services announced a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in April which is currently being administered to adults throughout the country, prioritizing those aged 60 and older or who are immunocompromised.
The Minister of Health, Hon. Jamell Robinson, said that “the COVID-19 pandemic was first and foremost a humanitarian crisis affecting people’s lives and livelihoods, but it also impacted our Islands further as tourism is an important part of our economy.”
The Honourable Minister mentioned that the government’s health team moved quickly to introduce measures aimed at containing the spread, while minimizing as much as possible the impact on the tourism sector.
In this regard, the great work of TCI’s health professionals and personnel is being celebrated this week with the launch of EMS Week 2022 – Rising to the Challenge last Sunday.
Hon. Robinson stated that his health team has “worked hard to restore traveler confidence and stimulate demand with new safe and clean labels for the health sector through information apps and continuous promotion campaigns.”
Hon. Connolly stated that when the country’s borders opened in July 2020, Turks and Caicos saw a steady increase in visitor arrivals. She went on to say that last year, the destination performed tremendously well, showing that the number of arrivals were returning to pre-Covid numbers.
She explained that as the tourism sector continues to rebound, the preliminary numbers have indicated that the Turks and Caicos is once again breaking visitor arrival records, with some 138,700 air arrivals and 173,100 cruise arrivals in the first quarter of 2022.
The Minister of Tourism continued to say that last month travel restrictions have relaxed significantly, so travelers are now being encouraged to embrace all that the Turks and Caicos Islands has to offer and create memories to last a lifetime.
Hon. Connolly reminded the public that while all travelers over the age of 18 must still show proof of full vaccination to visit the Islands, they are no longer required to provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of travel insurance to gain entry as of 1st May 2022.
Also, she reminded persons that all visitors will no longer be required to upload their information to the TCI Assured Portal, as it was discontinued on Saturday, 30th April 2022. Moreover, face masks will no longer be required indoors and in enclosed spaces.
THE TCI TOURIST INDUSTRY IS BOOMING
According to the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board, the tourism sector continues to rebound as the Beautiful By Nature Islands once again breaks visitor arrival records, with over 138,700 air arrivals and 173,151 cruise arrivals in the first quarter of 2022.
Mary Lightbourne, Director of Tourism (Acting), Turks and Caicos Tourist Board declared that the tourism industry is poised for a full recovery. She stated that the first quarter of 2022 has been particularly strong in context to the destination revitalizing from the decline dealt to the sector by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years.
Miss Lightbourne said that the Tourist Board is indeed buoyed by these figures, in particular the month of March, which is critical to the sector. She went on to say that the first quarter, especially March, is traditionally excellent for winter vacationers, having seen a robust in visitor arrivals, almost paralleling the corresponding month in 2019, which saw the best pre-COVID arrivals for the sector.
For the air arrivals specifically, the Board stated that the TCI saw an average increase of approximately 33% in stopover arrivals through the Providenciales International Airport and FBOs, growing from the 34,057 stopover arrivals in January 2022 to 44,596 stopover arrivals in February 2022, and 60,109 in March 2022.
The stopovers received in February 2022 was a significant increase of 248% year over year, according to the Board. As the destination received only 12,798 stopover arrivals in February 2021; a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures put in place to contain its diffusion.
The Tourist Board also emphasized that the U.S. market continues to dominate as the main source market claiming the majority of total visitor arrivals, January through March 2022.
Speaking specifically to cruise arrivals, the Board mentioned that in December 2021, when the TCI reopened its cruise sector, there was total of 25,573 arrivals during that month, which was 21% of arrivals seen in 2019.
They explained that the TCI then received 173,151 cruise visitors in the first three months of 2022, which was 62% of the 277,280 cruise arrivals received in the same three months of 2019. January welcomed 27 ships with 43,035 cruise visitors, whereas February received 24 ships and 50,148 cruise visitors, with March welcoming 28 ships and 79,968 cruise visitors.
The US’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention lifted its risk advisory for cruise ship travel in March 2022 - indicating that the public health measures in place on cruise ships are effective and will hopefully influence more cruise passengers.
Acting Director Lightbourne added that the arrival figures are indicative that the Turks and Caicos continue to be a much sought-after destination. She said that the TCI is on track to increase arrivals in the coming weeks and months, welcoming all our guests to our Beautiful by Nature isles.
FACEBOOK FRAUDSTER IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO VENGEFULLY WOUNDED FRAUDSTER IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO VENGEFULLY WOUNDED
In Trinidad & Tobago, two men attempting to lure buyers using a Facebook advertisement for a car that did not exist were not prepared for the potential customer who responded on Saturday, 21st May. The customer was asked to meet the sellers at Wayne Street, Cap-de-Ville, where he would be allowed to view the car.
A police report stated that the customer, an off-duty police officer, arrived at the location and was greeted by two men around 3.30p.m. that Saturday. Police said the men, armed with a Chinese chopper and a firearm, demanded that the officer hand over cash and other valuables.
The officer, who is attached to the Debe Police Post in Trinidad, told investigators that he saw his life was in imminent danger and drew his licensed firearm. The officer fired in the direction of the men, hitting the man armed with the chopper in his back, while the gunman ran away.
The wounded man, who lives in Tarodale, San Fernando, was taken to Point Fortin Hospital. Police say they have the identity of the second suspect and are searching for him
JAYSON TATUM RUNS RAMPANT AS CELTICS DOMINATE HEAT 102-82 IN GAME 4
The Boston Celtics could not have asked for a better time for Jayson Tatum to rediscover his best form than on Monday night. The 24-year-old, who has blossomed into one of the NBA's biggest stars this season, scored 31 points as the Celtics dominated the Miami Heat 102-82 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
After a disappointing Game 3 in which he scored just 10 points as the Heat comfortably won, Tatum looked back to his best, racking up eight rebounds and five assists as well. The result levels the best-of-seven series at 2-2, with the two sides facing off next in Game 5 in Miami on Wednesday.
When asked about his Game 3 performance, Tatum said that he felt like he let his teammates down, but he thinks he does a really good job of sleeping it off, regardless of having made 10 points or 46 points.
He went on to say that he is a big believer that you can't change what happened, so he didn't doubt himself. Tatum added that they definitely knew how important the game was, so everyone simply had to come up with a different sense of urgency.
Throughout the regular season, Boston's defense had been the No. 1 ranked in the NBA, and it showed why early on in Game 5, even without the NBA's defensive player of the year, Marcus Smart.
Miami missed 15 of their first 16 shots as the Celtics stifled the Heat, allowing them to build a 26-4 lead and cruise to a comfortable victory late on. Boston led by 27 points in the second quarter and as many as 32 points in the third. For the Heat, it was a disappointing outing after an impressive Game 3 performance on the road.
Nineteen students, two teachers dead after shooting at Texas elementary school
At least 19 students and two teachers are dead after a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, a Texas Department of Public Safety tells ABC News.
The 18-year-old suspect, identified by law enforcement sources and Gov. Greg Abbott as Salvador Ramosa, a student at Uvalde High School, is also dead.
Ramosa also allegedly shot his grandmother before entering the school and again opening fire. The grandmother was listed in critical condition as of Tuesday night.
Authorities have recovered an AR-15-style rifle and numerous magazines, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Multiple police officers were among those injured, according to the TX DPS spokesperson.
"When parents drop their kids off at school, they have every expectation to know that they're going to be able to pick their child up when that school day ends. And there are families who are in mourning right now," Abbott said. "The state of Texas is in mourning with them for the reality that these parents are not going to be able to pick up their children."
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been briefed on the situation and the agency "is actively coordinating with federal, state, and local partners," a spokesperson said. Customs and Border Protection officials in the area also responded to the scene.
The National Counterterrorism Operations Center believes there is "no known terrorism nexus" at this time, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.
Source-ABC