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The amendment narrowly passed the committee, 33-29 . Two Republicans, Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo of New Jersey and Nevada Rep. Joe Heck, who is running for the Senate , voted against it.
Whether the entire House will vote to remove the provision will be up to the Rules Committee , which meets Monday afternoon on the defense bill.
WATCH: Border Wall Prototypes Destroyed, Making Way For New Fencing Eight steel-and-concrete mock-ups of border wall prototypes were put up near the San Diego-Tijuana border in 2017. They were supposed to represent the "next generation" of border barriers.
In 2017 the Trump Administration put up eight border wall prototypes to demonstrate the "next generation" of border barriers. On Wednesday, all but one were demolished.
President Trump's highly touted border wall prototypes between San Diego and Tijuana were largely demolished on Wednesday morning to make way for a replacement barrier of secondary fencing based on older designs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection paid $5 million to have eight steel-and-concrete mock-ups erected a few yards from the border with Tijuana, Mexico, in 2017. Reporters from around the world broadcast photos of the imposing, 30-foot-tall prototypes. At the time, border officials said the wall segments represented "the...
Critics called it expensive, militaristic political theater to please the president's build-the-wall supporters.
"The prototypes were used as a tool. They used them for different attributes," explained Border Patrol agent Vincent Pirro beside the demolished fencing. "They looked at some of the pros and cons of the prototypes, and they put them in a toolkit. And that's what they're going to use for future wall projects."
A team of military and CBP specialists tested each wall segment for characteristics such as breaching, scaling, and aesthetics. KPBS obtained the heavily redacted CBP report and reported in September 2018 that each of the eight prototypes was vulnerable to at least one breaching technique.
Demolition crews tore down seven of the eight the prototypes on Wednesday to make way for 14 miles of largely replacement secondary fencing that is under construction to stop illegal crossers from Tijuana. Only one-and-a-half miles of the project will be new wall and not a replacement for an existing fence.
"To actually incorporate the new wall with the eight different prototypes would cost a lot more money," said Border Patrol Agent Pirro.
The towering prototypes — one topped with steel spikes — made for impressive optics. But Border Patrol officials in South Texas, where 88 miles of new fence construction is currently planned, have been quietly saying they plan to follow the conventional barrier design — 18-foot hollow steel bollards filled with concret...
The new secondary fence, which is already under construction, will reach at least 30-feet high. Customs and Border Protection plans on completing construction in January 2020.
Bote went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Marlins.
Bote followed up a three-RBI game Monday with another strong performance Tuesday, and he's now batting .294 this season with a solid .885 OPS. The 26-year-old isn't quite an everyday player, but the Cubs should continue to find him regular opportunities as long as he stays locked in at the plate.
Now unable to work and with persistent medical bills, the Price family may lose their home. The students at Porter Ridge teamed up with Bonfire Bar & Grill in Indian Trail to help out the Price family. Ten percent of all proceeds from that day's sales went to the Price fund.
Price formerly worked for the Matthews Volunteer Fire Department and for the Matthews Police Department before the cancer forced him to retire.
"I enjoyed my time in Matthews and miss the things I did helping others," Price said. He hopes now that the community will come together and help his family stay in their home. His wife, Trish, was laid off from her job at Redbox and is now an assistant manager at Bojangles. Other than Christopher, they also have a dau...
To donate to the Price fund, visit www.sheepletalk.com or send checks payable to Barry Dale Price Jr. to 6300 Frost Court, Indian Trail, NC 28079.
Mile of quarters: Greg's Barbecue has joined with Matthew's Police to raise one mile of quarters for the Special Olympics of North Carolina.
They are asking for quarters to be deposited in the donation box inside of Greg's Barbecue to help reach the goal. Greg's is located at 10915 Monroe Road, Matthews.
Signature event: Jacob's Ladder Job Center needs volunteers for their fall signature event to raise funds necessary in training and preparing underprivileged individuals to join the workforce.
The event will be 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at 1327 S. Mint St. Volunteer help is needed to assist with various aspects of the event including: event coordination, photography, graphic design, clerical support and phone calls, finance and auction committee members, social media experts, food and decorations, and interactive games...
Race series: The NC Outward Bound School is currently holding a series of races at the U.S. National White Water Center to raise scholarship money for Charlotte Mecklenburg students and educators to participate in Outward Bound adventures."
The last two race days are July 1 and Sept. 24. For details and to register, visit www.riverboundrace.com. All events are held at the Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway.
Barbecue: Team Carpe Diem which is participating in the 24 Hours of Booty cycling event will be hosting a Barbecue for Booty night 6:30-10 p.m. July 9 at Mac's Speed Shop, 19601 Liverpool Parkway, Cornelius.
Cost is $20 per person with a portion of the proceeds going to 24 Hours of Booty. Ticket includes a pulled pork plate, dessert and beverage. There will also be a silent auction and raffle. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit bbqforbooty.eentbrite.com. For any questions call 704-365-4417.
Cycling event: Team Gita, which is participating in the 24 Hours of Booty cycling event, will host a Bottoms Up for Booty 6-10 p.m. July 21 at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 215 Southside Drive.
Tickets are $30 and include a brat plate, beer and two raffle tickets. A portion of proceeds will benefit 24 Hours of Booty. Purchase tickets at bottomsupforbooty2011.eventbrite.com. For any questions call 704-365-4417.
Limited edition: Donald Haack Diamonds' & Fine Gems has designed a limited-edition sterling silver charm for the 10th anniversary of 24 Hours of Booty, a charity cycling event that raises money for cancer research.
The charm costs $45 and can be purchased at the store, 4611 Sharon Road # 100, or at the event July 29-30. Proceeds from the sale of each "Booty Charm" will benefit 24 Hours of Booty. For details email sueann@donaldhaack.com or call 704-365-4400.
Carolina Panthers: CBCC and the Panthers will host the fourth annual "I Bleed Black & Blue for My Community" blood drive 9 a.m.-7 p.m. July 14 in the visitors' locker room at Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St.
Donors will receive a T-shirt and giveaways from the Panthers. Donors also will be able to sign up for tours of the stadium. Appointments are recommended. To make one, visit www.cbcc.us/donate and enter sponsor code "Panthers" or call 704-972-4733.
Medical transportation: The Shepherd's Center East will hold a golf tournament fundraiser 8:30 a.m. August 30 at Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation, 7504 Olde Sycamore Drive, Mint Hill.
Entry deadline is Aug. 9. Cost is $100 per person. Net proceeds will help fund the Medical Transportation Program for East Charlotte Seniors who can no longer drive themselves to medical appointments and cannot afford a taxi or city transportation. To register, call the SCE office at 704-338-1511.
Molina was born in Mexico and came to Los Angeles when he was 5. He met his wife while guarding an office building in Santa Monica, where she worked as part of the night cleaning crew. A 10-year veteran, he joined the Marines to support his family.
Thank you, God Bless you and your family for the sacrifice. May your children hold their heads and heart high in honor. You are a true hero. Semper Fi.
” — George C., May 26, 2008 at 7:14 p.m.
To the widow of this fallen hero, I served with the Navy with the Marines. My heart goes out to you. My only words of encouragement would be, Trust in the Lord he will guide you to know what to do. I will pray for you and your children. Thier Father is a hero.
” — Retired Navy Corpman, December 30, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.
” — David Kim, May 26, 2009 at 1:16 p.m.
” — Combat Joe, June 12, 2009 at 3:21 p.m.
SSgt. Molina, my thoughts and prayers are with your family. i must admit doing you color guard was hard. it was hard for me to bury someone i looked up to. stay strong and i will see you on the other side. ooh-rah.
” — Cpl. Jeffery L. Hansen, June 15, 2009 at 4:35 p.m.
” — Estella & Roberto Santacruz, November 10, 2010 at 1:26 p.m.
” — Jeff Hart, December 5, 2010 at 11:06 a.m.
I had the pleasure of knowing Jorge, We both were at Huntington Park High School. Never knew what became of him after High school. And now i find this news link. Very sad.
My heart goes out to his loved ones.
” — Octavio, January 27, 2013 at 9:49 a.m.
I am a retired USMC. I was with Jorge during this same time in Iraq. I have to meet his family and give my condolences. I have never known my father and so I have a real deep feeling for his wife and boys.
” — Andres Garcia, November 14, 2013 at 9:32 p.m.
I am so proud of my brother SSgt Jorge Molina Bautista. Jorge joined the USMC because since he was very young that was his dream. He was dedicated to his job and family. Jorge touched so many hearts. He was a person that was easy to talk to; he was smart, funny a great husband, father, brother and son. But most of all,...
” — Gladis Molina Dewey, January 16, 2014 at 11:33 a.m.
” — SSGT Raczkowski, January 17, 2014 at 5:44 p.m.
” — Jose Molina, March 16, 2014 at 3:11 p.m.
Rest In Peace SSgt. Moilna-Bautista. I remember chatting with you back at the CP In Blue Diamond. I remember you were real down to earth and a real nice guy. Especially for a staff NCO. You always had a friendly word and always provided a littel intel when you we would be leaving on missions or preparing for one, even ...
” — Sgt Frank Arevalo, September 16, 2014 at 12:54 a.m.
” — Carlos Duran, October 29, 2014 at 4:56 a.m.
Thank you to SSGT Raczkowski, Sgt Frank Arevalo & Carlos Duran for posting stories or comments about my brother SSgt MolinaBautista. Carlos Duran, it's never to late to talk to his children. They will be very happy to hear from someone that care about their dad.
” — Gladis Molina Dewey, January 6, 2015 at 11:01 a.m.
Here is another story about my brother SSgt Molina Bautista.
I am the second oldest, I was 11; Mike our brother was 10; and Jorge was 9 years old at that time. Our mom needed to work so I would watch over my little brothers. Anyway, I was going to cook dinner and I needed rice & tomatoes from the store. Jorge & Mike were playing outside and I called Jorge and asked him to go to ...
” — Gladis Molina Dewey, January 6, 2015 at 12:02 p.m.
” — Betty Bautista, April 19, 2015 at 5:01 a.m.
” — Gladis Molina Dewey, May 24, 2015 at 11:32 a.m.
Hello Gladis, I was in contact w Jorges oldest sone for a minute, then the replies ended. I was working w him and another veteran gentleman to get a banner w jorge information displayed, but that is when all comm seized. I hope his oldest son is ok as well as the redt of his family. Im gonna put his pic in instagram un...
” — Andres garcia, February 17, 2016 at 5:20 p.m.
my mother got close to me and I could see his head, at first he looked bold to me, but when I touched him, he had hair, but it was so blond I couldn't see it. He was so cute! When he got older we were like partners in crime, we were the ones to get always in trouble with our mother.
He was a wise man, he had a good hart, there was something very special about his personality, he was very likable kind of guy.
I feel so honored to be his sister and I am so proud of him, at 13 years of his passing my pain still there and it will never go away.
I thank all of his friends and all of the ones who knew him and remember him, for posting stories about Jorge and expressing words of love for him, it makes me happy to know he will not be forgotten. I love you always and forever little brother and I am missing you very much.
” — Connie Molina Bailey, May 15, 2017 at 4:46 p.m.
Jorge was my first vehicle commander back in 1993. The lessons he taught me lasted my entire time in the Corps. I will never forget him and thank him for being a friend and brother. I hope his family realizes that he lives in all of us. As long as a man is remembered, he is never gone.
” — CWO2 (Gunner) Aucoin, May 24, 2017 at 12:34 p.m.
” — Carlos Molina, November 3, 2017 at 4:53 p.m.
There are so many books and articles written about how to communicate effectively that it often can be overwhelming knowing what to believe. Below are some of the most important factors couples need to focus on to improve their relationship.
My ideas are based on my observations of working with hundreds of couples over the last 10 years.
1. Seek to understand before trying to be understood.
One of the most common negative patterns I see in my work with couples is the cycle of criticism and defensiveness. This often happens when you hear something you perceive as an attack or criticism from your partner, which leads you immediately to defend yourself.
This pattern sets both of you up not to be heard. As soon as you start to defend your position, you’ve lost the opportunity to understand your partner. Even if you feel under attack or think you hear a criticism, try to understand your partner’s thoughts and feelings before you respond.
2. Slow down your communication to truly hear your partner.
Many issues get out of control because once this dynamic of criticism and defense is under way, the interaction often moves very quickly. When your communication is speeding up, you can miss a lot of important information that your partner is expressing. This fast pace also increases the volatility of your discussion, ...
If you notice that your discussion is moving too quickly, intentionally put on the brakes and slow down the exchange. Make sure your partner knows you truly want to understand what he or she is saying. This helps defuse the reactivity and allows you to continue to communicate in an adult-to-adult way.
3. Be curious about your partner’s perspective.
This one is easier said than done when you’re feeling blamed, criticized or attacked. However, one of the best things you can do in such circumstances is to be curious about your partner’s perspective. This can be disarming in a positive way, and it immediately helps de-escalate the rising tension between you.
By being curious, you can learn new things about your partner, as well as support your conversation in moving toward a resolution. You can still disagree with your partner’s perspective and remain curious and interested in how their view is different from yours. Practice this next time you feel a heated discussion comi...
4. Recognize your emotional triggers and learn to self-soothe.
When you know what your emotional triggers are, it allows you to be aware when the potential for their activation is present. We all bring ‘baggage’ into our relationships — from our childhood, previous relationships, school experiences and of course, our family of origin. There’s no such thing as a person who is ‘bagg...
Practice observing yourself, even when you feel triggered by your partner. See if you can name it by saying “I’m feeling [insert feeling] now, and I think it’s also touching something in my past that’s not related to you.” By naming the trigger, it helps your partner understand that there’s more at play here than just ...
5. Practice using empathy to foster a closer connection.
Empathy is the fuel of good relationships. Being empathic is about imagining yourself walking in your partner’s shoes seeing the world from their perspective. When you can respond empathically to your partner, it facilitates a deeper bond and creates a strong sense of safety and trust between you. When you’re feeling a...
Practicing empathy does not mean that you have to completely surrender and give up what you want or give up your own reality. It just means you need to suspend your own perspective, even momentarily, so you can appreciate the smallest part of how your partner sees things. Start small – even if you’re imagining only one...
6. Listen for the hidden unmet need or emotion.
When your partner is in distress and voicing a complaint or you’re feeling criticized or blamed, there’s always some unmet need, want, desire or unexpressed emotion underlying this cry. The challenge for you is to go underneath the overt complaint and see if you can tap into the hidden emotion. By uncovering this emoti...
This is no easy task, as it requires you to figuratively step up and out of the current conflict and to look and listen for what’s not being expressed. It also requires you to suspend your own reactivity and defensiveness in order to connect with your partner’s deeper needs.When you find yourself in a conflict situatio...
7. Anticipate issues before they become issues.
Many current issues could have been dealt with much earlier in the relationship, but weren’t. Avoiding talking about small issues often can lead to unresolved issues festering and expanding over time, only eventually to explode and become much bigger than they were initially. You may not want to rock the boat when thin...
The reality is, couples who seek to avoid conflict almost always end up in lots of it. Get into the habit of naming and flagging issues with each other, even when they are small. One of the ways to do this is to have a regular check-in to discuss current issues and assess where your relationship is going. Over time, th...
Communication in a relationship requires constant attention. Start with the basics and establish rituals of communication and connection to ensure the longevity of your love and connection with each another.
Clinton is a relationship therapist with over 14 years of experience working with individuals and couples with relationship issues. He is the founder of Clinton Power + Associates, a private practice dedicated to helping singles and couples move out of relationship pain in Sydney, Australia. Clinton Power is the former...