GRAPHIC: News round up for December 2018. This image is of the riots/protest in France as part of the "yellow vest" movement and is overlayed with photo of Jasmine Barnes. Graphic created by The Signal Reporter Trey Blakely and Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell. — News round up for December 2018. This image is of the riots/protest in France as part of the "yellow vest" movement and is overlayed with photo of Jasmine Barnes. Graphic created by The Signal Reporter Trey Blakely and Online Editor Alyssa Shotwell.

Local, State & National NewsNewsThe Current

News roundup: December 2018

By Alyssa Shotwell, Online Editor Last updated Mar 5, 2019 107 0

Here are some important stories you may have missed in the final month of 2018 from Texas, the United States and around the world.

PHOTO: Mariel Mendez and her son are one of the hundreds of asylum seekers dropped off by ICE Christmas Eve. They are sitting at a park in down town El Paso with other immigrants. They are others were provided with shelter and shelter by the volunteers who stepped up. Photo courtesy of Julian Aguilar with The Texas Tribune. — Mariel Mendez and her son are one of the hundreds of asylum seekers dropped off by ICE Christmas Eve. They are others were provided with shelter and shelter by the volunteers who stepped up. Photo courtesy of Julian Aguilar with The Texas Tribune.

Texas:

Child killed in drive-by: Seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes was killed Dec. 30 as she, her mother and three teenage sisters drove by their neighborhood Walmart. After a week of national attention and donations exceeding 100,000 dollars for family expenses and tip money, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. has been charged and arrested for capital murder. Larry Woodruffe, the second suspect, is being charged with capital murder as well.

ICE on Christmas Eve: Ruben Garcia, director of El Paso’s Annunciation House, stated that between 1,600-1,700 immigrants were dropped off between Dec. 23-26 at a bus station with no instructions leaving the shelter and surrounding community scrambling to get the families sheltered. Former El Paso State Representative Beto O’Rourke said normally local shelters are alerted in advance so that they can make accommodations. ICE’s public relations’ office has not given a statement as they have been closed due to the government shutdown.

PHOTO: Before becoming acting Secretary of Defense for the Trump Administration, Shanahan worked for defense contractor and aircraft giant, Boeing for over 30 years. Shanahan has no military experience. Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense. — Before becoming acting Secretary of Defense for the Trump Administration, Shanahan worked for defense contractor and aircraft giant, Boeing for over 30 years. Shanahan has no military experience. Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense.

United States:

Student Loan Debt: The Department of Education is forgiving $150 million in federal student loan debt to students who attended for-profit schools that closed their doors between November 2013 to December 2018. About 40 percent of the debt is owed by students who attended Corinthian Colleges. This forgiveness comes from a legal battle lost by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos where she attempted to discontinue the “borrower-defense rule” from the Obama Administration.

Secretary of Defense resigns: General James Mattis submitted a resignation letter to President Trump Dec. 20 stating he was stepping down February 2019. This came one day after Trump announced they were pulling troops out of Syria due to “defeating ISIS.“ In his letter, Mattis stated his reasoning as “because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects.” He cites “these” as his views on maintaining good terms with allies and not putting guard down against Russia. Trump expedited the process Dec. 23 by appointing Patrick Shanahan as acting secretary, Mattis’ second in command, to the position starting Jan. 1.

Government shutdown: Disputes over the amount allocated in the Congressional budget towards President Trump’s border wall has kept the federal government has been partially shut down since Dec. 22. Roughly 800,000 federal are being furloughed and hundreds of government contractors will not be paid. Trump has said he is willing to continue the shutdown for weeks or years. The Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), food stamps, is due to run out of funds in February and there are conflicting reports on how the IRS will handle ‘tax season’ if the shutdown continues next month.

PHOTO: The donning of a yellow vest comes from the law that all French motorist are required to carry them in their vehicles. Many bought vests even if they aren't motorist when they took to the streets. This photo is right outside of Place de la Republique on Dec. 8. The statue is of Marianne, the national symbol of France and personification of liberty . Photo courtesy of Stephane Mahe with Reuters. — The donning of a yellow vest comes from the law that all French motorist are required to carry them in their vehicles. Many bought vests even if they aren’t motorist when they took to the streets. This photo is right outside of Place de la Republique on Dec. 8. The statue is of Marianne, the national symbol of France and personification of liberty. Photo courtesy of Stephane Mahe with Reuters.

International:

France “yellow vest” protest: Since Nov. 17 ”gilets jaunes” (yellow vest) protesters erupted across France speaking out against the planned 2019 “green tax” on gasoline and diesel. The first major ‘act,’ involved over a quarter of a million protesters and since then there has been nine deaths and hundreds of injuries. Prime Minister Macron suspended plans Dec. 5 to increase fuel prices. January 2019 began ‘act 8’ as the protesters have continued to criticize Macron’s economic reforms overall. Within the protest there are factions of left-wing and right-wing groups, however, the core of the protesters are not aligned with a political party.

Drones disrupt major UK airport: Hundreds of flights were canceled between Dec. 19-21 at Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport in the U.K., for safety concerns as a drone was spotted over the runway dozens of times. The distance and time the drone was in the air lead the investigators to believe it was a planned disturbance. While the police are still looking for the perpetrators, Gatwick plans on spending five million pounds (roughly 3.9 million dollars) to prevent future attacks.

Tsunami in Indonesia: The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano resulted in an underwater landslide that caused a tsunami to hit Sunda Strait late at night Dec. 22 with no warning. The death toll is at 420 with over 40,000 people displaced as of Dec.29. There was still a high risk of a second tsunami prompting the authorities to warn residents to stay away from the coastlines. In October 2018, Indonesia’s disaster agency stated the buoys designed to detect tsunamis have not worked in six years.

On the bright side:

Alan Naiman, a Washington state social worker, left eleven million dollars behind to be donated various children’s organizations like Pediatric Interim Care Center, Treehouse, Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center and WestSide Baby when he died early 2018. Outside of working in the Department of Social and Health Services for over 20 years, he held side hustles, saved money he inherited and was described as thrifty by those who knew him. When not fostering children, or taking care of his brother until his death in 2013, he kept to himself and occasionally went on road trips.

Beto O'Rourke Betsy DeVos Department of Education El Paso France fuel immigration Indonesia