Texas
Culinary Competition is preparing Texas high schoolers for the future
WACO, Texas — The 2024 ProStart competition has over 500 high school students from Texas for a state-wide competition that prepares them for a future in the culinary and hospitality world.
SEE MORE: Students win over $1M at Texas Prostart Invitational culinary competitions
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
For high school students thinking about a career in the culinary or hospitality world…
“There’s about 500 students here across Texas,” President and CEO of the Texas Resturaunt Association, Emily Williams-Knight, said.
The ProStart Invitational amps up that passion, with individual and team competitions, with scholarships available to ignite that passion further.
“Just under $1.5 million dollars in scholarship money will be up for grabs. The stakes are high, but more importantly, they’re learning so much about themselves and reinforcing why they should be part of our industry,” Williams-Knight said.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the U.S. Economy to add over eight million jobs by 2030, nearly two million of those to be in leisure and hospitality.
“We have about 1.4 million employees now, we’re now the largest employer in the state of Texas, so we need these young people to come compete against the best of the best in the state, reinforce that this is a place that they can build a career and be amongst the industry itself,” Williams-Knight said.
Getting live education and experience in different sectors of the culinary world.
“We learn a lot in the culinary industry, it’s a great way to get a job, it’s a great way to get your certifications, and it’s just a lot of fun in general,” sophomore competitor Hallie Riggen said.
“They just really encouraged me every step of the way to just get better,” sophomore competitor Kaden Walker said.
Having the opportunity to showcase promise and potential in a unique arena.
“Our kids work just as hard as the football team, basketball team, all those other teams, and so this is their outlet, this is their culinary Olympics,” culinary instructor David Roberson said.
High stakes for one of the largest industries across the globe.
“Come watch these kids you’ll be truly inspired,” Williams- Knight said.
Texas
27-year-old tattooed Texas man gets 40 years for slashing 81-year-old boyfriend’s neck
A tatted Texas man was sentenced to 40 years behind bars last week for slashing the throat of his elderly lover, who was three times his age, in a heinous murder last year, according to reports.
Alberto Rafael Ferrer Cabrera, 27, was handed down the four-decade sentence by Bexar County Judge Kristina Escalona on Friday for fatally slashing Donald Atha Weynandt, his 81-year-old common-law husband, in San Antonio on Feb 1, 2025, according to KENS5.
Cabrera, who was 26 at the time, confessed to a 911 dispatcher around 5 a.m. that morning that he had stabbed and killed Weynadt, KSAT reported.
Cops responded to the home and pronounced the octogenarian dead at the scene, according to the outlet.
A motive for the fatal slashing was never determined, but Cabrera was reportedly “stressed” at the time about bringing his 4-year-old son to the US from Colombia, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office said.
By the time Cabrera completes his 40-year sentence, he will still be significantly younger than his lover was when he was slaughtered.
Cabrera had a detainer placed on him by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement shortly after his arrest and was charged with illegal entry from a foreign nation, alongside murder charges. But the charge no longer appears on his online court records, KSAT reported.
Weynandt’s daughter, Katrina Mercado, previously told the outlet that she had never spoken to Cabrera and “personally did not trust the situation.”
“It’s hard to believe,” Mercado said. “I think the questions will forever be developing over time, processing what happened.”
The shocked daughter said she ultimately wished for Weynandt to be remembered as a “loving father.”
“Mr. Weynandt deserved to live out his life in safety and dignity,” District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement obtained by the outlet. “Our office remains committed to holding those who commit acts of violence fully accountable.”
Texas
TribCast: Inside Texas’ massive ICE detention facilities
As the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement, Texas has come to play a central role in hosting the detained migrants. Texas is home to the largest ICE detention center, a sprawling tent city on the edge of Fort Bliss in El Paso known as Camp East Montana, and the only family detention center, outside San Antonio.
Almost 20,000 people are currently detained at ICE facilities in Texas. Many of the detainees have reported poor conditions, including inadequate food, insufficient medical care and overcrowding. At least seven migrants have died in Texas lockups in just the last few months.
To discuss the current state of ICE detentions, TribCast is joined by Texas Tribune political reporter Alejandro Serrano and investigative reporter Lomi Kriel, who have been covering the fallout.
Watch the video above or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday.
Texas
Large blast at Valero oil refinery in Texas sends smoke, flames into the air
A large explosion at a Valero oil refinery near the Texas Gulf coast Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced some nearby residents to shelter in place.
But Port Arthur Mayor Charlotte Moses told CBS News, “We had no fatalities and no injuries! Valero is working diligently to contain the fire and currently we have no air quality issues.”
Still, she urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to say put.
Refinery spokesperson Carol Herbert told CBS News, “All personnel have been accounted for. Valero’s emergency response team is responding and coordinating with local authorities. … As always, the safety of our workers is our top priority.”
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Images and video posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery. Some residents reported hearing a loud boom and seeing their windows shake.
“For your safety please remain in place until the ‘All Clear’ is given by emergency personnel,” the City of Port Arthur said in a post on its Facebook page.
Valero didn’t respond to an email or call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Texas state Rep. Christian Manuel said in a post on social media that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had arrived at the refinery with air monitoring equipment and was working with local and state partners.
He told nearby residents to stay inside.
“Please limit outdoor activity, keep windows and doors closed, and follow guidance from local officials,” he said.
Port Arthur is about 90 miles east of Houston.
-
Detroit, MI7 days agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Georgia1 week agoHow ICE plans for a detention warehouse pushed a Georgia town to fight back | CNN Politics
-
Movie Reviews7 days ago‘Youth’ Twitter review: Ken Karunaas impresses audiences; Suraj Venjaramoodu adds charm; music wins praise | – The Times of India
-
Science1 week agoIndustrial chemicals have reached the middle of the oceans, new study shows
-
Sports4 days agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
Science1 week agoHow a Melting Glacier in Antarctica Could Affect Tens of Millions Around the Globe
-
Culture1 week agoTest Your Memory of Great Lines From Classic Irish Poems
-
New Mexico3 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
