Latest news with #CentralTexas
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Minh Tran, PE, CFM, Joins Quiddity Engineering as Senior Project Manager
AUSTIN, Texas, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Minh Tran, PE, CFM, has joined Quiddity Engineering as a Senior Project Manager in its Central Texas Transportation Practice. As Senior Project Manager, Minh will focus on expanding the company's growth and development in Central Texas and across the State. With significant experience working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Minh will manage projects that support TxDOT as well as the state's critical transportation infrastructure needs. He knows how TxDOT operates, and clients have lauded his ability to identify and solve problems before they become issues that impact budget and schedule. Minh has more than 30 years of experience delivering Schematic and PS&E for conventional design-bid-build transportation projects as well as complex design-build. Specialty areas include complex highway, drainage, urban and rural roadway, traffic control, SWP3, signing, pavement markings, and bridge design and he has extensive knowledge working with assembling PS&E packages, construction management, utility coordination, cost estimating, quality assurance/quality control, project management, construction scheduling, and subconsultant coordination. His client list includes multiple Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) districts as well as the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, counties and various municipalities across the State of Texas. "The addition of Minh to our Central Texas staff is going to be a tremendous plus for our clients," said Ryan Quinn, General Manager for Quiddity's Central Texas operations. "He has a history of excellence and is highly proficient and detail-oriented. We are excited to have him join our company." For nearly 50 years, Quiddity has successfully delivered innovative transportation solutions and exceeded its clients' goals and needs. Minh received his B.S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Please congratulate and connect with Minh on LinkedIn ( About Quiddity Engineering Quiddity is an Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firm providing innovative civil engineering solutions for public infrastructure and private development projects. Acclaimed as both a Top Workplace and Best Places to Work, Quiddity is a full-service civil engineering, planning, surveying and consulting firm with more than 700 employees in 10 offices across Texas and additional offices in Florida. Our team is organized around 12 services that support nearly 20 public and private market sectors. From wastewater treatment and highway design to multi-family housing and master-planned communities, we've been building community, inside and out, since 1976. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Quiddity Engineering
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Fort Hood in Texas reverts to original name after brief renaming to Fort Cavazos
Just two years after being renamed Fort Cavazos, the U.S. Army base in Central Texas has reverted to its original name — Fort Hood. Last month, President Donald Trump announced his intent to restore the names of several military installations that were changed during the Biden administration. "We won a lot of battles out of those forts. It's no time to change," Mr. Trump said while visiting Fort Bragg ahead of the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebration. The Killeen base was originally named after Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood. In 2023, it was renamed to honor Texas-native Gen. Richard Cavazos, the U.S. Army's first Hispanic four-star general. Cavazos was a decorated veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He also served as the commanding general of III Corps at Fort Hood from 1980 to 1982. The fort is now named for World War I hero, Col. Robert Benjamin Hood, the Fort Hood Media Center said. A Distinguished Service Cross recipient, Hood was dedicated to his Soldiers and deeply respected by his peers and subordinates, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral said. "Colonel Hood represents the ideal citizen-soldier, a man who rose to the occasion when his nation needed him most, and continued to give back long after the fighting had ceased," Admiral said. "In recognition of his service, Colonel Hood's name will live on as generations of Soldiers who served and will serve here learn about his career and the impact he had on our Army." The renaming was part of a national renaming process ordered by Congress and completed under President Biden to remove Confederate references from U.S. military sites. Mitzi Huffman, Hood's daughter, attended the July 28 ceremony with her husband and other family members. She said the post's redesignation in her father's name has been humbling and overwhelming. "I've been very humbled," she said. "He never talked about his military experience. I did not know that he had a Distinguished Service Cross until we were preparing him for burial in Arlington." Hood passed away when Huffman was a young teen, the Fort Hood Media Center said, but Huffman said she remembers his military bearing and discipline during her childhood. She said her father encouraged his daughters to be strong when most young women were graduating from high school and marrying. The Cavazos family expressed sadness when they learned of Mr. Trump's plan to revert the base's name to Fort Hood. In a statement, the Cavazos family said they were told the renaming may honor a different Hood, whom they described as the "courageous Colonel Hood of World War I" rather than, in their words, the "infamous Gen. John Bell Hood." "We do not and cannot share the same understanding as the president as to his reasoning for doing so," the family said in the statement. The family said its "greatest focus is and should always be on the everyday men and women who serve this country in the armed forces." "While the name of the base may change, the everlasting legacy of the incredible men and women who continue to serve there cannot," the statement said. Mr. Trump said in June that he plans to restore several Army base names that originally honored Confederate military figures Earlier this year, the Trump administration changed back the names of Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, and Fort Benning, in Georgia. The two bases were previously named after Confederates, but were renamed in recent years to Fort Liberty and Fort Moore — and then were changed back to recognize non-Confederate soldiers with the last names Bragg and Benning.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials issue warning after lake in Texas hits 100% capacity for first time in 15 years: '[One of] the most important ... in Central Texas'
Officials issue warning after lake in Texas hits 100% capacity for first time in 15 years: '[One of] the most important ... in Central Texas' Weeks after devastating rainstorms unleashed deadly flash floods across Central Texas, some lakes in the region have reached water levels not seen for decades, Newsweek reported. In response, officials issued a warning that flood gates would be opened to release excess water from Lake Buchanan, which local news outlet KXAN called one of "the most important lakes in Central Texas." In mid-July, the waters of Lake Buchanan reached 1,020 feet above mean sea level, a level not touched since March 2005, KXAN reported. As the lake neared its maximum capacity, officials ordered its flood gates to be opened for the first time since 2019. "This coordinated response helps manage significant water inflows across the Highland Lakes system," the Lower Colorado River Authority announced, per Newsweek. Waters released from Lake Buchanan flow through a downstream network of lakes into Lake Travis, which, despite also reaching levels not seen in years, still had the capacity to hold about 15 feet of additional water, per KXAN. The amount of rainfall taken in by the lakes over such a short period of time has astounded observers. As recently as July 2, the LCRA said that Lake Buchanan stood at 60% capacity. Just weeks later, the lake had reached its maximum level. Rainstorms over the July Fourth weekend brought as much as 22 inches of rain to the Highland Lakes region, according to the LCRA. The deluge caused rivers to overrun their banks, resulting in catastrophic flash floods that tragically killed more than 100 people. For decades, scientists have predicted that, as global temperatures rise, the intensity of severe weather events also would increase. The transformation of the Highland Lakes system from drought-stricken to nearing maximum capacity within a matter of weeks is an example of this intensity. Rainstorms in particular become more severe as temperatures rise because warmer air can hold significantly more moisture. For every 1 degree Fahrenheit that the temperature increases, air can absorb 4% more moisture, according to Climate Central. Since 1970, hourly rainfall intensity has increased 15% across 126 U.S. cities, according to a study by the independent group of scientists and communicators. Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely Somewhat Depends on the time of year Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As recent flooding in New York City illustrated, urban areas are ill-equipped to absorb large influxes of water. Paved ground gives water nowhere to go but storm drains, which have a limited capacity and can be decades old, if not older. This leads to flash floods, which cost lives, destroy homes, devastate communities, and cause billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage, making insurance premiums more expensive everywhere. In order to avoid the worst impacts of rising global temperatures, it is necessary to lower the amount of heat-trapping pollution that is released into the atmosphere, largely from burning fossil fuels. While the problem might seem so large as to be insurmountable, taking simple, everyday actions does add up, especially if multiplied by millions of people. For example, riding your bike instead of driving whenever possible is a great way to reduce pollution while also getting some exercise and saving money on gas. Other steps include taking public transit, growing your own food, driving an EV, and installing solar panels on your home. While no one can do everything, if everyone does something, it will add up to a meaningful difference. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
Why mobile homes get hit hard by extreme weather and how to build better
Mobile homes are among the most frequent casualties of extreme weather. They are regularly swept away in floods, including this month in Central Texas and New Mexico. They are often hit hard by hurricanes and destroyed by wildfires. That's partly because parks designed for mobile homes, recreational vehicles and manufactured housing are typically located on less expensive land that is at higher risk for hazards. It's also partly a result of how older mobile homes were built.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Texas sports teams help launch the Texas Sports for Healing Fund to help raise money for flood victims
After the devastating floods that impacted Central Texas on the Fourth of July, 39 local and national sports organizations have come together to launch the Texas Sports Healing Fund, a united effort to support immediate relief and long-term recovery. Among the latest to join the initiative are the Dallas Mavericks. The fund, spearheaded by Texas-based sports teams, aims to assist communities affected by natural disasters across the state, with a special focus on supporting youth and families. Fans can support relief efforts through a national online auction featuring over 150 pieces of rare sports memorabilia. Proceeds will directly benefit flood victims. Additionally, the Mavericks have been selling "Texas Strong" T-shirts at Dallas Mavs Shops to raise further support for the fund. So far, the Mavs and its fanbase have collectively raised nearly $550,000, according to the team. In total, sports organizations have already contributed $6.3 million toward flood relief efforts outside of the Texas Sport for Healing Fund. The goal of the Texas Sports Healing Fund is to foster resilience by helping young people and their families recover emotionally and physically from the disaster. That includes funding access to mental health resources, launching community programs and creating safe spaces where youth can connect and heal. Fans and supporters can make a difference by donating directly to the Texas Sports Healing Fund here. The auction is open until Friday, August 8.
