Socorro ISD trustee arrested for assault, “dismissed” by Fort Bliss contractor

KVIA on July 27, 2026

Armando Ramirez

UPDATE (July 29, 2026): A spokesperson with Fort Bliss confirmed to ABC-7 that Ryan Reid Woodcraft worked as Network Integration Planner for the military installation and provided the following statement:

“Mr. Ryan Reid Woodcraft was a contractor employed by JANUS Research Group who worked for the U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command as a Network Integration Planner on Fort Bliss, Texas. JANUS Research Group has since dismissed Mr. Woodcraft and he no longer supports the JMC.”

UPDATE (July 27, 2026): Socorro ISD Board of Trustee member Ryan Woodcraft allegedly choked a teenager and asked for narcotics at a party in June, according to arrest documents obtained by ABC-7.

According to arrest documents, on June 21, El Paso police officers went to a home on Meadow Lake Avenue near Pebble Hills High School for an assault report. There, officers met with a 16-year-old boy who alleged Woodcraft assaulted him.

Woodcraft left the home before officers arrived, documents said. The boy’s mother reported the alleged assault to police, and her family friend was also there.

The boy and his mother told police they went to a Father’s Day barbeque at the family friend’s house. While there, the boy alleged Woodcraft was “acting strange,” according to documents.

Documents said Woodcraft allegedly placed a temporary tattoo on his chest and lifted his shirt to show children at the gathering.

The boy said he tried to get away from Woodcraft while he undressed, documents said. Woodcraft allegedly continued following them, according to documents.

Documents said the boy and others at the gathering entered the garage, and Woodcraft allegedly entered after and grabbed a large trash bag roll, which weighed 50-100 pounds, and threw it at the boy and his friends.

The boy told police Woodcraft missed and allegedly charged and tackled him.

Documents said the boy fell backwards and hit his head against the garage door. He alleged Woodcraft grabbed the bottom of the boy’s shirt, pulled it over his head and dragged him through the home.

When he stopped dragging him, Woodcraft allegedly started choking the boy, documents said. The boy told police he tried to fight him off by punching him.

The boy told police it was hard to breathe, felt dizzy and had “tunnel vision like sensations,” documents said.

A witness had kicked Woodcraft in the head multiple times, which is when he released the boy from the chokehold, documents said.

Woodcraft reportedly started apologizing to the boy when he got up. Documents said Woodcraft was escorted out of the house and left.

According to the witness, the family friend who hosted the barbecue, Woodcraft had already been drinking alcohol when he arrived, documents said.

The witness also told police Woodcraft was “acting odd” because he allegedly asked the witness if he had marijuana, documents said.

At one point, Woodcraft allegedly took the witness’ phone, went to an unknown website that sold narcotics and said, “If you order shrooms, tell them in the notes that Woodcraft sent you,” according to documents.

The witness told police that 30 minutes after the phone incident, he entered the home and saw Woodcraft allegedly choking the boy, documents said.

Documents said the witness saw the boy had “red and purple in the face, drooling and [had] tears coming out of his eyes.”

The witness said he grabbed Woodcraft’s hair and yelled at him to stop, which reportedly didn’t work. Documents said the witness said he kicked his head until he let go.

Woodcraft’s mugshot.(Courtesy: El Paso Police Department)

According to Woodcraft’s description on the SISD website, he’s a Network Integration Planner at Fort Bliss. He’s also a retired Army Chief warrant Officer and served more than 20 years in the Army.

Woodcraft is also a member of the City of El Paso’s Bond Overview Advisory Committee and volunteers with the Pebble Hills High School band & Baseball Booster programs, according to the website.

Woodcraft’s term expires in 2029, according to the district.

SISD said it’s aware of Woodcraft’s arrest.

Woodcraft’s attorney, Brian Kennedy, sent ABC-7 the following statement:

“Mr. Woodcraft categorically denies the exaggerations and erroneous statements that have been made public. We look forward to clearing his name in court.”

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — According to court records obtained by ABC-7, Socorro Independent School District (SISD) board Trustee Ryan Reid Woodcraft was arrested and is being charged with assault causing bodily injury.

Court records say that Woodcraft was arrested on Saturday, July 25 and was booked into the Downtown Detention Facility.

ABC-7 reached out to SISD for a statement regarding Woodcraft’s arrest and released the following statement:

“Socorro ISD is aware of the situation involving Mr. Woodcraft and will follow the appropriate process in reviewing the matter. The District has no additional information to share at this time.”

According to a biography on SISD’s website, Woodcraft represents District 2 for the district.

This is a developing story and once more information becomes available, we will update you on air and online.

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Seven arrested in downtown Columbia brawl, internal police use of force review underway

KMIZ on July 27, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Seven people were arrested on charges that included felony assault of a police officer during a brawl early Sunday in downtown Columbia.

Officers were called to the fight near Ninth and East Walnut streets at about 1:30 a.m. Police who were at the scene had requested emergency assistance, according to a news release.

A video posted on social media shows multiple people scuffling downtown early Sunday, with police trying to subdue them. It’s not clear from the video how the fight started or whether anyone fighting was seriously injured.

An officer was hit in the head and evaluated for injuries, but was not hospitalized.Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude confirmed Monday the officer hit will be able to return to work without issue.

The seven suspects were arrested on suspicion of charges including peace disturbance, third-degree assault, assault on an officer and resisting arrest. One person had an outstanding warrant, the release states.

CPD released the names of the people detained during the incident in an updated press release on Monday evening:

Kaye’yanna Jacobs, 20, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Ja’vonika Triplett, 19, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Ja’jazania Houston, 23, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Deasia Houston, 18, of Columbia, resisting arrest and peace disturbance by fighting

Tinoz’shia Harris, 21, of Columbia, assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest

Ariana Jones, 21, of Columbia, peace disturbance by fighting

Shawn Henderson, 57, of Kansas City, Mo., outstanding warrany

One suspect attempted to get away but was caught by officers, the release states.

Several people were pepper-sprayed and then decontaminated at the Columbia Police Department, CPD says. Each of them declined additional medical treatment. Schlude said pepper-spray is a resource officers are trained to utilize if necessary.

“It’s assessing the situation which sometimes takes place in a matter of just a split second. Pepper spray is a very real low level kind of equalizer in a fight. It’s very hard to fight if you can’t see what’s going on,” Schlude said.

A use-of-force review of the officers’ actions is underway. Schlude said as of Monday night no officers had been placed on leave.

“Uses of force are always reviewed through the chain of command to make sure they comply with policy and law. That can be something as low as a balance displacement, clear to shots being fired,” Schlude said.

Some people in downtown Columbia on Monday said they avoid downtown at night entirely due to its safety concerns.

Anna Regna, a University of Missouri student, said that the school has received complaints about how unsafe downtown Columbia is.

“There’s been a lot of just kind of clap back with, like, Mizzou, and they’re like, well, we don’t feel safe,” Regna said. “I would just say I would never feel safe to go out downtown by myself.”

This fight brought up concerns about downtown safety for Regna.

Regna said that after a Stephens College student was shot by a stray bullet in September during a fight, she is now cautious when roaming downtown because that bullet could have hit anyone in the area.

“She’s my age, and she’s gone,” Regna said. “She wasn’t even involved in it, and she just got, like, shot for no reason. So I feel like that was kind of scary for all of us because we were just like, we go out there like, we could have been there easily.”

When Regna is out downtown, she said she doesn’t see many officers patrolling.

“I don’t feel like I see a lot of police. I’m going to be honest, like I will see a lot of people getting like pulled over, which is probably good because they’re probably getting DUIs,” Regna said.

The fight has reignited a push for a dedicated downtown police unit. The unit was put on hold in April just before its expected May relaunch due to staffing issues. The unit was disbanded in 2019 and reintroduced by Schlude in October following the deadly September shooting. However, staffing continues to keep it on ice.

“We’re already down to a one person traffic unit, we disbanded the DWI unit, we just got to the point where we have more than one detective investigating property crimes,” Schlude said. “We really need a core group of six officers and a sergeant to be down there.”

Schlude said a dedicated downtown unit would help better police relationships with bars and create a familiarity with the community and the officer’s presence.

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe did not want to speak about the fight directly, but did urge voters to pass a public safety sales tax, or Proposition 1, on the upcoming August ballot.

If approved by voters, the tax is expected to generate an estimated $38 million annually. The revenue would be dedicated exclusively to public safety, including hiring additional police officers and firefighters, purchasing equipment and vehicles, and improving public safety facilities.

“We constantly hear that public safety is our number one priority in our community and so for me this is a way for me to ask, okay if it’s our number one priority, we need to locally invest in that,” Buffaloe said.

Schlude said it was too early to say whether anything will be released publically after the internal review of the officers is completed.

ABC 17 News reached out to the Boone County prosecutor’s office on Monday.

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Wyden and Merkley secure $488,500 for Oregon veteran transport

KTVZ on July 27, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today they secured $488,500 in federal funding for key veteran health care programs in rural parts of eastern and southern Oregon. This funding will support no-cost transportation services for veterans traveling to medical facilities.

The funding is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) highly rural transportation grants program. Oregon is one of only 12 states nationwide to receive this grant, which expands the capacity of veteran service organizations and state veterans service agencies in providing free transportation for veterans to VA or VA-authorized health care facilities.

Thanks to this funding, the Oregon counties of Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Wallowa and Wheeler will continue to provide free rides to and from VA-authorized health appointments.

U.S. Sen. Wyden emphasized the importance of accessible care for veterans. “It’s unacceptable for any veteran to forgo the care they need due to transportation barriers,” Wyden said. “Oregon’s veterans have spent their lives serving our country and they shouldn’t need to jump through hoops to get a ride to the hospital for the care they need.”

Transportation barriers currently result in thousands of missed VA-authorized health appointments, preventing veterans, particularly aging veterans, from getting necessary care. In 2024, nearly 260,000 veterans resided in Oregon, with 138,066 enrolled in the VA Health care System, according to the Virginia

U.S. Sen. Merkley highlighted the challenges faced by veterans in rural areas. “Our veterans face tremendous hurdles, including access to medical care when they live in rural areas,” Merkley said. He thanked the VA for recognizing this need and the Veteran Service Organizations and Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs for providing transportation. “It is our obligation to fight for the brave servicemen and women who have sacrificed to fight for us.”

The grant funding will help connect Oregon veterans to the state’s three inpatient care facilities, five veteran centers and 21 outpatient care sites.

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American Falls water boil notice is lifted

KIFI on July 27, 2026

Curtis Jackson

UPDATE July 29, 2026: AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)—The City of American Falls said testing has confirmed that the tap water is now safe to use.

A boil order was lifted around 11 a.m. Wednesday, when test results showed no contaminants were found in the water.

The boil order was issued Monday when communication with the water system was lost and the water pressure fell below safety levels.

Crews worked to flush the system and tested the water to make sure the water was safe.

ORIGINAL STORY

AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)—The City of American Falls has issued a water boil notice on Monday morning.

The order comes after water pressure fell below the minimum safe level. The loss of water can increase the risk of contaminants entering the water system. They said the cause was a loss of communication with the city’s water system.

The advice people to boil water for at least one minute before using it. Bottled water may be used as an alternative.

City crews are working to stabilize the water pressure and flushing the water system.

The boil order will remain in effect until testing shows the water is safe.

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Oregon Department of Revenue schedules one-hour closure tomorrow

KTVZ on July 27, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Revenue will temporarily close its Salem office and all contact centers for one hour tomorrow, July 28. The closure, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., is for an all-staff event.

This temporary disruption will affect customers seeking in-person services at the Salem office, located at 955 Center Street NE and those needing phone support. However, the department’s five regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Medford and Portland will continue to operate during the one-hour closure.

Customers still have options for conducting business during the temporary closure. The Salem office drop box will remain accessible for clearly labeled payments, excluding cash and for tax forms that are deposited in sealed envelopes.

Additionally, the department’s website and Revenue Online platform will experience no service disruption. Individuals who anticipate needing contact center support or in-person services at the Salem office on the afternoon of July 28 are advised to plan accordingly for the temporary closure.

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CDOT explains challenges of repairing highway bumps & dips

KRDO on July 27, 2026

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Road Warrior showed us how the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) repaired a pesky bump last week on southbound Interstate 25, under the pedestrian bridge near downtown.

But dips — areas of low pavement — are a concern, as well.

A series of dips had long existed in both directions of I-25 between Bijou Street and the Colorado Avenue bridge; those dips, combined with a bend in the highway, made drivers feel as if they were driving on waves.

CDOT recently explained its repair strategy during three overnight work sessions to correct the problem.

“It’s really unknown what caused those dips to develop,” said Eric Meyers, a CDOT maintenance supervisor. “But the result was sunken concrete panels.

He said that the dips in the lanes and shoulders created more than a maintenance issue and required an engineering solution — with a process known as foam jacking.

“We hired a contractor and provided traffic control for them,” Meyers said.

In foam jacking, small holes are drilled into the panels, and a polyurethane foam is injected; the foam cures in less than 30 minutes and can bear the weight of traffic almost immediately.

Foam jacking offers advantages over traditional mud jacking in that the drilling holes are smaller and the foam is waterproof and erosion-resistant.

Meyers said that another engineering solution will eventually be needed on the bump mentioned above, as a CDOT crew made temporary repairs there.

“They saw-cut that area,” he said. “They jackhammered all that concrete out, removed all the concrete, and then, through lifts, put hot mix asphalt back in it, to the current pavement level.”

Myers said that any kind of concrete work on a busy highway such as I-25 is a major challenge.

“When you talk about concrete pavement, it’s on an interstate corridor; it’s extremely thick,” he explained. “And it takes a long time when you have to remove that and then put a product back in there to get it back up to where traffic can flow on it within the constraints of the closure.”

Myers said that the best solution for potholes and bumps on concrete pavement is to remove the damaged panels and replace them.

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Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher Powers a Forward-Looking Economic Conversation with Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan

CNN Newsource on July 27, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

Click here for updates on this story

    July 20, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston knows how to power a conversation—and Houston City College Chancellor Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher made certain this one generated more than polite applause.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas welcomed Houston business and community leaders to its Houston Branch office at 1801 Allen Parkway on July 16 for a timely conversation between Dr. Ford Fisher and Dallas Fed President and CEO Lorie Logan. Held in coordination with Logan’s Listening in 360 tour, the program examined the energy industry, artificial intelligence, workforce disruption, regional growth and the Federal Reserve’s evolving leadership.

Serving as moderator, Dr. Ford Fisher did not simply introduce the guest and surrender the microphone. She guided the discussion through nine carefully constructed questions reflecting the challenges confronting Houston employers, workers, students and families.

Naturally, the conversation began with energy.

Dr. Ford Fisher asked what Logan was hearing from energy executives about whether increased domestic oil and gas production could offset supply disruptions from the Middle East. The question carried special weight in Houston, where global conflict can quickly move from a television headline to higher fuel prices, shifting investment decisions and increased costs throughout the supply chain.

She then turned toward the electricity demands created by data centers and generative artificial intelligence. With AI expected to consume significantly more power during the coming years, Dr. Ford Fisher asked where those pressures were already appearing across the Federal Reserve’s Eleventh District—and how rising demand might influence monetary policy.

She also placed nuclear energy on the table, asking about the prospects for adding nuclear generating capacity as part of the solution. It was a distinctly Houston question: practical, future-focused and unafraid to discuss how innovation must eventually plug into an electrical outlet.

The conversation then moved from powering artificial intelligence to understanding what AI may do to the broader economy.

Dr. Ford Fisher asked whether the economic impact of AI and data-center construction was already measurable and how those investments might affect inflation, employment and interest-rate decisions. She also asked how AI is reshaping the labor market nationally and across Texas.

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh recently told Congress that rapid business investment is being driven largely by data-center construction and demand for AI-related equipment and software. He said the Fed is monitoring what that expansion could mean for productivity, inflation and workers.

For Dr. Ford Fisher, the workforce dimension is not theoretical. She leads a seven-college institution responsible for preparing students for careers being redesigned in real time. HCC’s programs, employer partnerships and flexible learning pathways position the college as a bridge between technological innovation and the people who must learn to work alongside it.

That bridge is carrying more people than ever. Houston City College surpassed 100,000 enrolled students in June 2026, reaching its highest enrollment since 2019 and achieving a major institutional milestone under Dr. Ford Fisher’s leadership and reported first in Houston Style Magazine.

Turning closer to home, Dr. Ford Fisher asked Logan to assess the economic outlook for the Eleventh Federal Reserve District, which includes Texas, northern Louisiana and southern New Mexico. She also asked what Logan had learned during two days of meetings with Houston business and community leaders—and how those firsthand observations might influence her economic outlook and monetary-policy decisions.

Logan has emphasized that economic statistics alone cannot tell the full story.

“There’s no substitute for on-the-ground insight,” Logan said in remarks delivered before the conversation. She explained that discussions with workers, executives, bankers and community leaders reveal how national policy decisions affect individual communities.

Logan also offered a cautionary view of inflation. She said inflation appeared to be moving toward the mid-2 percent range rather than returning completely to the Federal Open Market Committee’s 2 percent goal. With unemployment averaging 4.3 percent during the first half of 2026, she argued that modestly higher interest rates could better balance inflation and employment risks.

“Better modest restriction now than severe restriction later,” Logan said.

Dr. Ford Fisher closed the discussion by addressing the institution behind those decisions. She asked why Federal Reserve independence remains essential during a period of intense public and media scrutiny, connecting independence not only to economic stability but also to public trust.

She also invited Logan to discuss the transition from former Chairman Jerome Powell to Chairman Kevin Warsh, who took office May 22, 2026.

The conversation included Warsh’s newly announced Federal Reserve task forces examining communications, balance-sheet policy, economic data, productivity and jobs, and inflation frameworks. The productivity and jobs task force will specifically study how general-purpose technologies—including artificial intelligence—may affect workers and the economy.

That final exchange brought the discussion full circle. Energy powers AI. AI influences investment and employment. Employment connects directly to education. Education remains the gateway through which Houston residents can participate in economic change rather than merely endure it.

Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher demonstrated why educational leaders belong in the rooms where monetary policy, technology and regional growth are discussed. With wisdom sharpened by more than four decades at HCC, she asked the questions Houston needed answered—and ensured that students and workers remained visible in a conversation often dominated by percentages, projections and policy language.

For Houston Style Magazine readers, the message was both serious and hopeful: Houston’s economy is changing, but under Dr. Ford Fisher’s visionary leadership, Houston City College is preparing its students to change with it—and, better still, to help lead it.

More information on the Federal Reserve – Houston, go to: dallasfed.org/houston

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

Women In Alliance Women’s Leadership Summit & Luncheon: Where Port Region Power Meets Pink

CNN Newsource on July 27, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

Click here for updates on this story

    July 22, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Leadership is not simply about earning a seat at the table. It is about bringing knowledge, confidence, relationships—and perhaps a fabulous pink outfit—to the room.

On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, women from across Greater Houston and the Houston Port Region will gather for the Women In Alliance Women’s Leadership Summit & Luncheon, a high-energy morning of professional development, purposeful networking and industry inspiration.

The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at San Jacinto College’s LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy & Technology, located at 7901 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, Texas 77507.

As a proud media sponsor, Houston Style Magazine is honored to support a gathering designed to help women sharpen their voices, strengthen their professional brands and confidently pursue bigger opportunities in business, public service, education, energy, engineering and industry.

Women In Alliance, an initiative of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, brings together exceptional women leaders committed to lifting as they climb. Its mission extends beyond the professionals already building successful careers throughout the Port Region. The organization also works to pass wisdom, strength and opportunity to young women growing up in communities surrounding the Port of Houston.

After all, the next generation should not have to reinvent the ladder. It should be encouraged to climb higher.

In a region where major projects depend on collaboration, technical excellence and trusted relationships, women’s leadership is not a side conversation—it is central to progress. This summit creates space for honest career advice, strategic introductions and the kind of encouragement that can turn a promising idea into a powerful next move.

The summit begins with registration and networking from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m., followed by two limited-seating breakout sessions from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Attendees may select one session, making early registration especially important.

The “Communication & Negotiation” panel will provide practical guidance for negotiating salaries, navigating difficult conversations and communicating effectively from the frontline to the executive suite. Featured participants include Nellie Baktashi Macaluso, MBA, of Houston Methodist; Linda Fields of Meador Staffing Services, an Openwork company; and moderator Heather Betancourth of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

“Networking & Relationships: Your Voice Is Your Brand,” led by Samantha Varner, will focus on building authentic professional relationships, approaching new contacts with confidence and using communication to strengthen personal-brand visibility.

In other words, attendees will learn how to work the room without allowing the room to work their nerves.

Luncheon networking begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by the program and lunch at 11:30 a.m. The featured discussion, “Women Driving Industry Forward,” will spotlight Amy Caldwell of LyondellBasell; Lydia Boek of Shell Deer Park Chemicals; Cydney Schwarzlose of BGE, Inc.; and Elizabeth Fazio Hale, JD, LLM, of Gulf Coast Authority.

Their collective experience reflects the leadership helping move Southeast Texas industry, infrastructure and economic opportunity forward.

Guests can also enjoy onsite vendors, a purse raffle, selfie station, event backdrop and complimentary valet parking. Purse raffle tickets may be purchased in advance, and valet gratuities are appreciated.

Houston Style Magazine proudly joins fellow sponsors Harris County Precinct 2, Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom S. Ramsey, P.E., San Jacinto College, Gulf Coast Limestone and Bayside Printing. Additional sponsorship opportunities remain available for organizations ready to invest in women’s leadership and connect with influential professionals throughout the Port Region.

Registration and sponsorship opportunities are open now. Contact Marisela Ramirez at marisela@allianceportregion.com or call 281-476-9176.

Register or learn more through the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region. Wear your pink. Bring your business cards. Come prepared to learn, connect and leave with more than motivation—leave with momentum.

#WomenInAlliance #WomensLeadershipSummit #HoustonWomenInBusiness #HoustonPortRegion #WomenDrivingIndustry #HoustonNetworking #WomenInLeadership #HoustonStyleMagazine

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

James Talarico Faces Houston Voters in Candid Town Hall

CNN Newsource on July 27, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

Click here for updates on this story

    July 22, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston welcomed Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico to the Kingdom Builders Center on Sunday, July 19, 2026, for a spirited community town hall centered on listening, accountability and Black voter engagement.

Hundreds filled the southwest Houston venue, greeting Talarico with cheers and a “Take Back Texas” chant following introductions by U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons and Houston City Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum.

For more than 90 minutes, Talarico faced supportive comments, sharp questions and candid concerns about voting rights, public education, Black farmers, diversity initiatives, campaign representation and support for Black candidates. The conversation occasionally grew tense, but the candidate remained onstage, extended the program and continued answering questions.

Talarico acknowledged that Democrats cannot win statewide without showing up for, investing in and listening to Black communities. He also pledged $25 million toward Black voter outreach, describing it as a historic investment in Texas politics.

The Houston stop was less campaign rally than civic examination—and that made it meaningful. Voters did not offer automatic applause or easy approval; they demanded specifics, respect and results. Talarico left with encouragement, scrutiny and a clear message: Black Houston is listening, organizing and expecting candidates to earn every vote.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

Reyes and Wiltz Bring Light—and Resolve—to Monday Meyerland Meeting

CNN Newsource on July 27, 2026

By Burt Levine

Click here for updates on this story

    July 23, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Monday night’s Meyerland Area Democrats meeting offered a vivid reminder that democracy does not always enter the room wearing a pressed suit. Sometimes it arrives with tired eyes, a trembling voice and the worn-out shoes of someone who has spent days standing beside a grieving family. Other times, it walks in smiling, carrying the confidence of a candidate who kept knocking after the political establishment had already counted him out.

East Houston entrepreneur and community advocate Conchita Reyes and newly elected Pearland Mayor Quentin Wiltz delivered both sides of that democratic equation: righteous urgency and stubborn optimism.

Reyes spoke first, bringing the pain of Houston’s East End directly into the Meyerland gathering. As the mother of a deployed U.S. Navy sailor, she addressed the audience while the nation was absorbing the death of Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old Carrollton native killed during an Iranian attack on a U.S. air base in Jordan. The news added another layer of concern for military families already carrying the emotional weight of deployment.

Yet Reyes’ message centered closer to home: the fatal July 7 shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Houston’s Magnolia Park neighborhood.

Salgado, 52, was a husband, father of three and construction-business owner whose death has generated protests, demands for transparency and sharply conflicting accounts of what happened. Federal authorities have defended the agent’s actions, while passengers traveling with Salgado have challenged that version of events. Investigations and related court proceedings remain ongoing.

“Since Lorenzo Salgado’s murder two weeks ago, we haven’t slept,” Reyes told the audience, describing the exhaustion of advocates supporting the Salgado family and pressing public officials for answers. Her words reflected the anger and grief felt by many residents, even as the legal determination surrounding the shooting remains unresolved.

Reyes described Salgado not simply as a political symbol, but as a neighbor whose mornings looked familiar to working families across Houston: breakfast before sunrise, a lunch prepared by his wife and a day spent building a better future for his children.

Her voice cracked as she emphasized that people traveling to work should not have to fear being targeted because of their appearance, accent or neighborhood. Salgado’s death has produced widespread anxiety throughout Houston’s immigrant communities and renewed demands for transparency surrounding federal enforcement operations.

Reyes’ central challenge was unmistakable: concern must become civic action. Sympathy has value, but democracy requires receipts—and Election Day is where voters present them.

She urged attendees to remain watchful, organized and prepared to carry their determination into the November 3, 2026, general election.

Wiltz then stepped forward, embraced Reyes and helped move the room from grief toward possibility. His trademark smile was not empty cheerfulness; it was the expression of a man who understands that hope becomes credible only after it has survived rejection.

In May, Wiltz made history as Pearland’s first Black mayor and the city’s first Democrat-backed mayor in decades. Although Pearland municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, his victory represented a significant political shift in one of Greater Houston’s rapidly growing and diversifying suburbs.

Official results showed Wiltz winning 6,020 votes, or 51.09 percent, against longtime Councilmember Tony Carbone’s 5,764 votes, or 48.91 percent. It was close enough to keep every campaign volunteer’s blood pressure interesting, but decisive enough to make history.

“I wasn’t going to give up,” Wiltz said, recalling how he continued knocking on doors and asking residents throughout Pearland to consider his vision.

Wiltz connected his perseverance to the values he and his wife, Monique, teach their sons, including a son serving in the Army and preparing to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Public service, sacrifice and faith in America’s future are not abstract concepts in their household.

Together, Reyes and Wiltz gave Meyerland Democrats a Monday-night message worth carrying into the fall: democracy must be compassionate enough to mourn, courageous enough to demand accountability and optimistic enough to keep organizing.

One speaker brought the room the heat. The other brought the light.

Both reminded Houston that history is rarely written by spectators.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446