A GOP power grab shatters 30 years of political progress for Black voters in Galveston County
Republicans dismantled the only Galveston County commissioners precinct in which voters of color held political clout. It’s a major blow for Black and Hispanic voters who had been building political momentum.
Fatal boat collision near Galveston leaves Pharr man, 2 others dead
The captain of a fishing boat that collided with a chemical tanker near Galveston, Texas, killing three people, did not respond to danger signals from the ship before the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.
myrgv.comWALKING IN UNITY
Saturday's Juneteenth Celebration in San Marcos began with a unity walk starting at the MLK LBJ Crossroads Memorial and ending at Dunbar Park. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The day is celebrated on June 19, marking the day Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of Texas' slaves on June 19, 1865.
sanmarcosrecord.comVideo: Texas fishing boat gets ‘incredible’ encounter with huge pod of killer whales off Galveston coast
Not only did they see a huge pod of orca whales swimming in the Texas gulf, but some of those orcas swam right up to the boat to check them out. AdHardeman said the encounter lasted about 30 minutes until the group of orcas got bored and swam back to join their pod. Orcas do live in the Texas Gulf but are rarely sighted. Hardeman started his career 17 years ago in Alaska and has been working on offshore fishing boats in the Texas gulf for about 10 years. Hardeman said he’s happy he can share the video of his orca encounter so others can enjoy it too.
Woman refuses to wear mask in Texas, again, gets arrested
Police identified the woman in the video as Terry Wright. GALVESTON, Texas – An Oregon woman who was recorded on police body camera video refusing to wear a mask at a Texas bank last week was arrested Wednesday after declining to wear a mask inside another Texas business. Terry Wright, 65, already had a warrant out for her arrest after she refused to wear a mask in a Bank of America branch in Galveston, Texas, last Thursday. Terry Wright was charged with resisting arrest and criminal trespass last week after refusing to wear a face mask inside a Galveston bank. In the widely seen video of Wright's confrontation with the officer at the Galveston bank, Wright stands in the bank’s lobby, surrounded by other customers, all of whom were wearing masks.
Arrest warrant issued after woman rejects mask at Texas bank
GALVESTON, Texas – An arrest warrant was issued for a woman who refused to wear a mask at a Texas bank, saying to a police officer: “What are you going to do, arrest me?”Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Terry Wright, 65, of Grants Pass, Oregon. Police say they've obtained an arrest warrant on resisting arrest and criminal trespassing charges. In the video, Wright can be seen standing in the middle of the bank’s lobby, surrounded by other customers, all of whom were wearing masks. Wright told the officer she had come to the bank to make a withdrawal. Wright told The Washington Post that she has never covered her face inside stores, even when the statewide mandate was in place.
President Biden to visit Texas on Friday following deadly winter storm
President Joe Biden said he will travel to Houston, Texas, on Friday. The presidential trip comes after a deadly winter storm that hit a large swath of the country and battered Texas with snow and subfreezing temperatures. The entire state was under a winter storm warning for the first time ever. Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday, after the state's vulnerable electric grid failed, leaving millions without power, heat or water. Greg Abbott had requested a major disaster declaration for all 254 counties.
cnbc.comTexas grid failure ignites feud over Republican oversight of the energy industry
The Texas grid failure that's left millions struggling without power in freezing conditions has ignited a feud between Democrats and the GOP over Republicans' decades-long oversight of the energy industry and prompted calls for a system more resilient to extreme weather conditions. Texas has avoided federal regulation by establishing its own power grid that's nearly cut off from the rest of the country — an isolated system that conservatives in power have long praised. "Going back to the deregulation of our electricity grid in Texas, which has created an incentive to actually not weatherize or protect against these events." "The energy capital of North America cannot provide enough energy to warm and power people's homes," O'Rourke continued. "We are nearing a failed state in Texas.
cnbc.comSan Antonio is now a bird conservation oasis
More bird conservation opportunities are coming to San Antonio. Bird City Texas, a partnership program between Audubon Texas and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, announced in a news release Wednesday that San Antonio, Galveston, and Surfside Beach have been certified as Bird City Texas communities. "...Galveston, San Antonio, and Surfside Beach all embody the conservation ethic and leadership both TPWD and Audubon Texas want for all our Texas communities." In the coming months, Bird City Texas will provide virtual or socially distanced birding opportunities in each community. To learn more about Bird City Texas community programming, those interested can visit the TPWD Bird City Texas website.
mysanantonio.comMother of ‘Little Jacob’ sentenced to life in prison after 4-year-old son was found dead on Galveston beach
Rebecca Rivera is seen in this mug shot released Feb. 4, 2021. GALVESTON, Texas – A 37-year-old Texas woman has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the death of her 4-year-old son, whose body was found on a beach in Galveston in 2017. Rebecca Suzanne Rivera was sentenced Thursday following her conviction on a charge of injury to a child by omission, according to court records. The records show Rivera, who had pleaded not guilty, has filed notice to appeal both her conviction and sentence. Prosecutors said the boy's body showed signs of being tortured, malnutrition and pneumonia, and that a cause of death could not be determined.
Texas woman sentenced to life for death of 4-year-old son
This Aug. 7, 2018, photo provided by the Galveston, Texas, County Jail shows Suzanne Rivera. Rivera has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the death of her 4-year-old son, whose body was found on a beach in Galveston in October 2017. Court records show Rebecca Suzanne Rivera was sentenced Thursday, Fev. (Galveston County Jail via AP)GALVESTON, Texas – A 37-year-old Texas woman has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the death of her 4-year-old son, whose body was found on a beach in Galveston in 2017. Rebecca Suzanne Rivera was sentenced Thursday following her conviction on a charge of injury to a child by omission, according to court records.
Meet the ‘Golden Girl’ of Moody Gardens
Meet Fox, a chinstrap penguin at Moody Gardens in Galveston. This makes her the facility’s oldest chinstrap penguin and the second oldest in North America. Meet our Texas Golden Girls starring “Fox” the Chinstrap penguin. Like Rose and Betty White, she is spunky, loves walking, visiting with her other 37 and 34-year-old Golden Girl gal pals and brings joy to all,” Moody Gardens said in a Facebook announcement. You can visit Fox at the Moody Gardens or through the live penguin webcam.
Black man who police led by rope sues Texas city for $1M
GALVESTON, Texas – A Black man who was led by a rope by two white officers on horseback has sued a southeast Texas city and its police department for $1 million, saying he suffered humiliation and fear during his arrest. Photos of the August 2019 encounter showed Neely being led by the officers on a rope linked to handcuffs — reminiscent of pictures showing slaves in chains. In body-camera video, one officer could be heard twice saying that leading Neely by rope down city streets would look “bad." A Texas Rangers investigation determined the officers didn’t break the law. City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit to news outlets.
Carnival cancels cruises out of Galveston, most 2020 US trips as CDC extends ban
Carnival cruises won’t sail out of Galveston — or most U.S. ports — anytime soon. The company said it is canceling sailings from all ports except its home ports of Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida. The CDC said it knows of 3,689 reported coronavirus cases and 41 deaths linked to cruises in U.S. waters between March and September. Even before the CDC announced its decision, the cruise industry had voluntarily suspended U.S. sailings through Oct. 31. Carnival rival Norwegian Cruise Line said Thursday that it hasn’t canceled any scheduled cruises and remains optimistic it can resume U.S. operations soon.
Portion of fishing pier in Galveston completely detaches as Tropical Storm Beta approaches Texas
SAN ANTONIO – A portion of the 61st Pier in Galveston completely detached and floated away Sunday night due to rising water from Tropical Storm Beta. Here is a video of the end of the 61st Pier breaking off and floating away shortly after 10pm tonight. #HOUwx #GLSwx #Beta #txwx(webcam from @SaltwaterRecon) pic.twitter.com/x2cUUkssxj — NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) September 21, 2020The 61st Pier is located along Galveston’s main strip, Seawall Boulevard, and is about three miles away from Pleasure Pier. You can also find your local forecast anytime - including potential impacts from Tropical Depression Twenty-Two - on the KSAT Weather page. The latest on Tropical Storm Beta:
Biggest unknown with Beta is how much rain it will bring
HOUSTON – As Tropical Storm Beta neared the Texas coast Monday, the biggest unknown was how much rainfall it could produce in areas that have already seen their share of damaging weather during a busy hurricane season. Rain from Beta was already coming down Monday in the Houston area. Earlier predictions of up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) in some areas were downgraded Monday to up to 15 inches (38 centimeters). Forecasters and officials reassured residents Beta was not expected to be another Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Imelda. Harvey in 2017 dumped more than 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain on Houston, causing $125 billion in damage in Texas.
Tropical Storm Beta churns slowly toward Texas and Louisiana
Forecasters said Beta was not expected to bring the same amount of rainfall that Texas experienced during either Hurricane Harvey in 2017 or Tropical Storm Imelda last year. The first rain bands from Beta reached the Texas coast on Sunday, but the heaviest rain wasn't expected to arrive until Monday into Tuesday. If the system makes landfall in Texas, it would be the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. in 2020. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda. Wilfred, which had been a tropical storm, weakened to a tropical depression earlier Sunday.
Tropical Storm Beta spurs hurricane worries for Texas
MIAMI – An exceptionally busy Atlantic hurricane season was churning along Saturday as the Texas coast prepared for a tropical storm that could strengthen into a hurricane before breaching its shores in the week ahead. Both the city of Galveston and Galveston County on Saturday issued voluntary evacuation orders ahead of Tropical Storm Beta, as did the city of Seabrook to the north of Galveston. Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning from Port Aransas, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana. Beta had maximum sustained winds at 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 2 mph (4 kph) Saturday night. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda.
Hurricane Laura in Texas: Storm downgraded to Category 2
A sign in Galveston as Hurricane Laura approached. Credit: Julio-Cesar Chavez/REUTERSThursday's biggest developments:Hurricane Laura downgraded to Category 2Hurricane Laura downgraded to Category 2[7:12 a.m.] After battering the Gulf Coast shortly after midnight Thursday, Hurricane Laura has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm as it moves northeast through the Texas-Louisiana border. Cassi Pollock, Matthew Watkins and Brandon FormbyHurricane Laura intensifies and is close to becoming Category 5 hurricane[8:27 p.m., Wednesday] As Hurricane Laura barreled toward the Gulf Coast on Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center reported that the storms maximum sustained winds had reached 150 mph just 7 mph short of becoming a Category 5 hurricane. The storm is expected to bring "catastrophic" storm surge, winds and flash flooding. The storm, currently a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to hit land just east of the Texas-Louisiana border by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
These are all the evacuation orders in place in Texas because of Hurricane Laura
GALVESTON, Texas – Mandatory and voluntary evacuations have been ordered for several Texas cities and counties ahead of Hurricane Laura. Get the latest tracking on Hurricane Laura here from the KSAT meteorologists, Your Weather Authority. San Antonio is helping out those that may be impacted by the storm. According to the San Antonio Fire Department, 1,458 evacuees have arrived at the city’s evacuation center since it opened at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. San Pedro Manor, a nursing home facility near San Antonio College, also received 57 evacuees from a sister nursing home in Galveston early Tuesday morning.
Laura now forecast to be a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane
GALVESTON, Texas Forecasters Hurricane Laura is now expected to rapidly power up into a 'catastrophic' Category 4 hurricane an even stronger storm than previously expected as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana, gathering wind and water that now covers much of the Gulf of Mexico. Satellite images show that Laura has become a formidable hurricane" in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, and there are no signs it will stop soon, with shear remaining low-to-moderate over the deep warm waters of the central Gulf of Mexico," the National Hurricane Center said in a briefing early Wednesday. Lauras maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) with higher gusts, forecasters said early Wednesday. Homes and businesses will be damaged," said Donald Jones, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is near the bullseye of Laura's forecast track.
The Latest: Laura becomes catastrophic category 4 storm
The Latest on Hurricane Laura (all times local):GALVESTON, Texas The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Laura has become an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane packing 140 mph winds, clocked by an Air Force hurricane hunter airplane flying into the storm. Tropical storm winds reached the coast of Louisiana Wednesday afternoon. Forecasters expect up to 20 feet (6 meters) of storm surge. -GALVESTON, Texas Texas Gov. Abbott said storm surge was going to be a big problem and it was expected to rise 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) in the Jefferson County area.
Texas herd move to higher ground in prep for Laura
GALVESTON, Texas Not only are people preparing for Hurricane Laura in Texas, law enforcement officials closed the High Island Bridge in Galveston County, Texas, in order to allow ranchers to move cattle to higher ground in preparation for the storm. Ranchers on horseback and in pickup trucks moved a herd of nearly 1100 livestock to a location near the town of Winnie, Texas, about 52 miles north of Galveston. Hurricane Laura sets sights on Texas/Louisiana coastForecasters say Hurricane Laura is rapidly intensifying and will become a "catastrophic" Category 4 hurricane before landfall. It's churning toward Texas and Louisiana, gathering wind and water that swirls over much of the Gulf of Mexico. Follow KSAT Meteorologist Justin Horne as he reports from the Texas Coast ahead of Hurricane Laura
Several Texas cities issue mandatory evacuation orders as Hurricane Laura strengthens in the gulf
The mayor of Galveston called for a mandatory evacuation of the city Tuesday morning after Tropical Storm Laura strengthened into a hurricane and its path shifted westward, increasing the chances that it could strike the Houston area. Galveston residents have until Wednesday morning to evacuate, but city services will be suspended Tuesday at noon, according to a city Facebook post. Voluntary evacuation orders are in place for Chambers County, Galveston County and the City of Seabrook. Laura is bearing down as the coronavirus pandemic remains a major concern in Texas, especially in cities like Houston. Laura could become the second significant storm to impact Texas during the 2020 hurricane season.
New Braunfels Schlitterbahn to reopen in mid-June at 25 percent capacity
New Braunfels Schlitterbahn to reopen in mid-June at 25 percent capacitySchlitterbahn plans to reopen its New Braunfels and Galveston waterparks in mid-June, according to a statement issued on Tuesday. Schlitterbahn plans to reopen its New Braunfels and Galveston waterparks in mid-June, according to a statement issued on Tuesday. Photo: Courtesy Of Schlitterbahn / Photo: Courtesy Of Schlitterbahn / Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close New Braunfels Schlitterbahn to reopen in mid-June at 25 percent capacity 1 / 1 Back to GallerySchlitterbahn plans to reopen its New Braunfels and Galveston waterparks in mid-June at 25 percent capacity, according to a statement issued on Tuesday. Greg Abbott issued new orders on Tuesday that allows Texas waterparks to open Friday at 25 percent capacity. Last summer, Cedar Fair purchased the two parks from the Henry family, the owners of Schlitterbahn Waterparks & Resorts.
mysanantonio.com2 Texas teens ensuring graduating foster kids feel loved, celebrated
That's why it's important to acknowledge the 500 foster kids across Texas who are graduating this year. This unprecedented time has made it difficult for those students to be celebrated, so during National Foster Care Month, two driven teenagers are asking for the community's help. They want families to "adopt a foster senior." "I went into foster care until I somehow through the courts ended up with my biological father's family. Beaton and Graves know as foster kids graduate high school, they are usually aging out of the foster care system which makes their future scary and uncertain.
Six classic cocktails to make at home and the stories behind them
To mark the milestone in the most appropriate way with a drink we've chosen six classic cocktails with recipes from around the globe, each with a story of its own. Bloody mary The St. Regis, New YorkAs with many iconic cocktails, stories abound about the provenance of this simple but delicious classic, the bloody mary. Petiot was head bartender at the King Cole Bar in The St. Regis New York a bar that still exists today. St. Regis hotels continue to honor his creation with regional variations on the classic served across their global properties, but this is the original recipe as provided by Andrea Minarelli, head mixologist at St. Regis Hong Kong. Ingredients:13.5 ounces tequila7 ounces Cointreau7 ounces lime juice27.5 ounces soda water (about 3.5 cups)Sudachi or lime wedges Preparation:Mix the tequila, Cointreau and lime juice in a one-liter bottle and shake well.
cnbc.comA disaster foretold: Shortages of ventilators and other medical supplies have long been warned about
The lesson, though, was clear: The nation needed larger caches of standby medical supplies and hospitals that were better prepared to handle a surge of infected patients. The GAO, public health experts and others issued a steady drumbeat of warnings that America would sooner or later face a widespread infectious disease outbreak or a major bioterrorism attack and was woefully unprepared. Ventilators have long been recognized as a weak link, said Crosse, who spent 35 years at GAO before retiring in 2018. AdvertisementThese shortages are particularly appalling, said Jeffrey Levi, a professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and former head of the Trust for Americas Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy group. Auerbach, who was Boston health commissioner for nine years, said he and other public health officials routinely pleaded with Congress to restore the spending.
latimes.comSan Antonio Identifies Fourth Travel-Related Coronavirus Case and Texas Records First COVID-19 Death
On Monday, health officials confirmed a fourth travel-related coronavirus case in San Antonio this time, a doctor at University Health System.Authorities also confirmed late Monday that a man near Galveston died Monday after testing positive for COVID-19, becoming Texas' first such death. Greg Abbott announced he's activating the Texas National Guard in response to the outbreak. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. Its never been more important to support local news sources. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current.
sacurrent.comLA's Gmez elected 1st Hispanic to lead US Catholic bishops
Gmez, 67, has been vice president of the bishops' conference for the past three years. "The first Latino to lead Catholic bishops at a time when the Trump administration is attacking immigrants won't be afraid to call out racism and nativism." Following the election of Gmez, the bishops chose Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron, 71, as the new vice president. Like Gmez, Vigneron has criticized some U.S. policies he deemed hostile to immigrants. Also Tuesday, the Catholic bishops voted to authorize development of a "comprehensive vision" for Hispanic ministry, to be completed over the next few years.
chicagotribune.comMan on cruise ship goes overboard
The Carnival Dream departed Galveston, Texas, Thursday on a four-day cruise when a guest went overboard. GALVESTON, Texas - The Coast Guard is searching for a 26-year-old man who was reported overboard from a Carnival cruise ship Thursday evening. The Carnival Dream departed Galveston, Texas, Thursday on a four-day cruise when the guest went overboard, Carnival said in a statement to CNN. A 22-year-old man with autism was on a cruise to Mexico with a nonprofit organization that works with disabled adults when he climbed over a deck rail and went missing, according to the cruise line. Days earlier, a 26-year-old man went overboard from a ship 35 miles south of the Florida Keys, sparking search and rescue efforts.
U.S. Coast Guard hunts man who went overboard from cruise ship
(Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard was searching early on Friday for a 26-year-old man who went overboard from a Carnival Cruise ship about 47 miles (76 km) out in the Gulf of Mexico, near the port of Galveston in Texas. A spokeswoman said the coast guard was preparing to launch a search-and-rescue cutter after midnight, with more than 10 of its crew having joined the initial stages of the search. The ship, Carnival Dream, started a four-day cruise from Galveston on Thursday, the cruise operator Carnival Corp said. The 14-deck vessel can accommodate more than 3,600 passengers in more than 1,800 cabins, internet cruise tracking site Ship Technology said. No further information from the Coast Guard or the cruise line was immediately available.
feeds.reuters.comMan arrested by officers on horseback says video of incident made him feel shame
Houston A homeless black man who was led by a rope by two white officers on horseback in a southeast Texas city said he was overcome with shame after watching video of his arrest. "It came back and hurt me because I did not know I was getting video recorded by the public. Now I feel embarrassed," Neely told the newspaper during an interview at a restaurant near his sister's home in suburban Houston. Galveston, where Neely had been living on the streets since 2016, is about 50 miles southeast of Houston. In the video, one officer can be heard twice saying that leading Neely by rope down city streets would look "bad."
cbsnews.comMan led by rope says video of arrest made him feel shame
A homeless black man who was led by a rope by two white officers on horseback in a southeast Texas city said in an interview that he was overcome with shame after watching video of his arrest. "It came back and hurt me because I did not know I was getting video recorded by the public. Now I feel embarrassed," Neely told the newspaper during an interview at a restaurant near his sister's home in suburban Houston. Galveston, where Neely had been living on the streets since 2016, is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Houston. In the video, one officer can be heard twice saying that leading Neely by rope down city streets would look "bad."
chicagotribune.com'This looks so bad,' says white Texas cop on horseback, leading black man on a rope
(Reuters) - One of two white police officers who rode through the streets of Galveston, Texas, on horseback escorting a black man walking tethered to a rope is heard saying: This is going to look really bad in newly released police video footage of the incident. A still photo of the arrest captured by an onlooker and posted on social media went viral, prompting a public outcry. A separate Texas Department of Public Safety review determined no criminal investigation of the officers was warranted. Slideshow (4 Images)Barnett said the chief also has suspended all mounted police patrols in Galveston, a Gulf Coast island resort city and port southeast of Houston. She said the city typically uses mounted police for ceremonial events and crowd control only but was trying out horseback patrols on busy summer weekends.
feeds.reuters.comGalveston mounted officer said 'This is gonna look really bad'
Galveston, Texas - A mounted Galveston police officer said "this is gonna look really bad" shortly before he escorted a handcuffed man down the street by a line. The Galveston police chief will now review the report and decide whether any further action is needed, the city said in a statement. "This is gonna look really bad," Brosch says. As the officers lead Neely away, Brosch says again, "This is gonna look so bad." "I'm glad you're not embarrassed, Mr. Neely," Brosch says.
New bodycam video shows handcuffed man led by horseback
Houston Images of a handcuffed man led by police officers on horseback caused a national outcry this summer. For the first time, officers' bodycam video has been released. Instead of sending for a police car, the officers walked Neely to the station, clipping a rope to his handcuffs. Galveston Police DepartmentNeely, a mentally ill man who was once homeless, was arrested for criminal trespass. The officers were not disciplined, but Galveston police say that the practice of using rope has been discontinued.
cbsnews.comImelda continues to drench Texas, floods cause severe damage
HOUSTON - Hundreds of cars were left on Houston freeways Thursday as flooding made the highways and many other roads impassable. The storm brought intense rain to southeastern Texas over three days. Houston may receive more than 12 inches of rain before the storm is over, while suburbs will have received more. Generally, Harvey, which claimed dozens of lives and caused billions of dollars in damage, dropped more rain than Imelda. Harvey left 34 inches of rain at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and more than 40 inches in areas east of the city.
'It's bad': Hundreds of water rescues as Imelda soaks Southeast Texas
Still, the Houston area faced heavy rains Thursday, leading forecasters to issue a flash flood emergency through midday Thursday for Harris County. Imelda is the first named storm to impact the Houston area since Harvey hovered for days in August 2017 and inundated the flood-prone Gulf Coast. The storm dumped more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water on the town of Nederland, Texas, near the Louisiana border. Beaumont police said on Twitter that 911 had received requests for more than 250 high water rescues and 270 evacuations. In the Houston area, the rainfall flooded some roadways Wednesday, stranding drivers, and caused several creeks and bayous to rise.
Barrientes Vela accused of sex discrimination in latest lawsuit filed by deputy constable
The suit, filed in district court Sept. 3 by Precinct 2 Deputy Constable Chris De La Cerda, claims that Barrientes Vela retaliated against him and another deputy constable from the agency, Leonicio Moreno, after Moreno refused sexual overtures from Barrientes Vela. The suit claims that De La Cerda was in a hot tub with Barrientes Vela and Moreno during the incident in question. Tumultuous work relationshipIn January 2018, months after the hot tub incident, Barrientes Vela accused De La Cerda and Moreno of falsifying agency training records. Late last year, after the filing of the first hot tub lawsuit, Barrientes Vela released a statement claiming she had witnesses who could disprove Moreno's version of what happened. Barrientes Vela responded to a request for comment late Tuesday evening with the following statement:Michelle Barrientes Vela response 9/10/19Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.