AV's H -Town Headlines

Carnival Data Breach Potentially Affects 800K+ Texans

(Houston, TX)  —  The Texas attorney general’s office says more than 800 thousand Texans could be among millions of Carnival Cruise passengers whose personal information may have been exposed in a recent data breach.  Carnival Corporation says a cybercriminal breached its I-T system in mid-April.  The company says the hacker may have made off with names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, and driver’s license and passport numbers.  Security experts say the rise of A-I is making cyberattacks easier to carry out.

Seven HISD Campuses No Longer Automatically Offer Free Breakfast And Lunch

(Houston, TX)  —  Families at seven Houston ISD campuses will be required to apply for meal benefits in the upcoming school year.  HISD officials say the district will continue to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision, under which qualifying schools provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, and families don’t have to submit meal applications.  Most HISD schools qualify for the program, but students at six elementary schools and the Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts will have to apply online to determine their eligibility.

Teenager Found Fatally Shot Outside New Caney Home

(New Caney, TX)  —  The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a teenager was found shot to death outside a New Caney home late Saturday.  Deputies responded around 11:30 p.m. to a 9-1-1 call about an unknown person lying in the front yard of a home on Stevens Road.  They found a 15-year-old black male who had been shot.  The teen was pronounced dead at the scene.  His name hasn’t been released.  No word about a suspect or a motive.

Steel Beam From World Trade Center Displayed At Space Center Houston

(Houston, TX)  —  A steel beam from the World Trade Center is on a multi-state tour, and Houston was one of its stops on Sunday.  The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Steel Across America” tour visited Space Center Houston, where the 17-thousand-pound beam received a blessing in a solemn ceremony.  The tour is carrying the beam more than ten thousand miles, with three dozen stops in 21 states and Washington, D.C.  The final destination of the beam and a mobile 9/11 exhibit will be Ground Zero, on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Opal Lee Releasing New Memoir Ahead Of Juneteenth

(Fort Worth, TX)  —  The “Grandmother of Juneteenth” is releasing a new book ahead of the federal holiday.  Opal Lee, who advocated for making Juneteenth a federal holiday, has a new memoir releasing in June.  The book titled “A Committee of One: How Faith + Action = A Purposeful Life,” comes out on June 2nd and discusses key moments in her life as a teacher, activist and humanitarian.  Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday on June 17th, 2021 and commemorates the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas.  Fox4 reports Lee is planning to take part in the annual two-and-a-half-mile Juneteenth walk in Fort Worth.

Southwest Reverses Plus-Size Passenger Policy

(Dallas, TX)  —  Southwest Airlines is reversing course on its plus-size passenger policy.  The discount carrier will no longer require plus-size customers to book an extra seat in advance.  Gate agents will now assign an extra seat for free if available or work to get the customer on a later flight.  Southwest said the change aims to create “a more consistent and seamless experience.”  Passengers needing an extra seat are still encouraged to book one in advance and will be able to request a refund within 90 days of travel.