CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx \u2014 Good morning Coastal Bend friends, and happy Thursday!<\/p>\n
Your favorite Anchors Bryan and Michelle Hofmann here, thanks for starting your day with us. This morning, we’re following the death of a former PTA volunteer who was awaiting trial on child pornography charges, new federal safety violations issued after a worker’s death at a Corpus Christi business, overnight Harbor Bridge lane closures, two family-friendly events happening tonight, and the latest on the state’s response to ongoing flooding across Texas.<\/p>\n
Here’s your 6 Things to Know.<\/p>\n
Former PTA Volunteer Dies While Awaiting Trial<\/p>\n
\u2022 Benjamin Milfelt has died while awaiting trial on child pornography charges.
\u2022 He had been free on bond since his arrest in April.
\u2022 Authorities have not released a cause of death.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Milfelt, the former Mireles Elementary PTA volunteer charged with possession of child pornography, has died. Milfelt was arrested in April after investigators executed a search warrant at his home. According to the arrest affidavit, investigators found two cell phones in his pickup truck, and one allegedly contained images and videos depicting children between the ages of 10 and 14 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The 42-year-old had been released on bond following his arrest and was scheduled to appear in court Monday for a hearing related to the case. That hearing has now been canceled. Officials have not released a cause of death.<\/p>\n
OSHA Cites FleetPride After Employee’s Death<\/p>\n
\u2022 OSHA issued 16 safety violations following a fatal workplace incident.
\u2022 Investigators say a worker died while inspecting a tanker trailer.
\u2022 The company faces more than $264,000 in proposed penalties.<\/p>\n
FleetPride Incorporated, a heavy-duty truck parts distributor along Interstate 37, has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 16 workplace safety violations. The citations stem from the January death of a 63-year-old employee who died from asphyxiation while inspecting a tanker trailer. OSHA investigators found the company failed to implement a required confined space safety program and also cited deficiencies involving respiratory protection and electrical safety. FleetPride faces more than $264,000 in proposed penalties and has 15 business days to respond to the citations.<\/p>\n
Nighttime Harbor Bridge Lane Closures<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lane closures begin tonight at 9 p.m.
\u2022 Southbound U.S. 181 traffic will be reduced near Beach Avenue.
\u2022 Drivers should expect delays through Friday morning.<\/p>\n
If you’re traveling across the Harbor Bridge overnight, plan for extra travel time. As part of the ongoing Harbor Bridge Project, the inside and center southbound lanes of U.S. 181 near the Beach Avenue entrance ramp on North Beach will close beginning at 9 p.m. tonight. The closures are expected to remain in place until 6 a.m. Friday while crews continue construction. Drivers should expect slower traffic and consider allowing extra time for their commute.<\/p>\n
Portland Hosts Park It Summer Nights<\/p>\n
\u2022 Family activities begin at 6:30 p.m. at Moser Park.
\u2022 Games and activities are planned for all ages.
\u2022 Admission is free.<\/p>\n
Looking for something fun to do with the family tonight? The City of Portland is hosting another “Park It” Summer Nights event at Moser Park. The free community gathering begins at 6:30 p.m. and will feature games and activities designed for children and adults alike. Organizers encourage families to come out and enjoy an evening outdoors.<\/p>\n
Bay Jammin Concert Series Continues<\/p>\n
\u2022 The 36th annual concert series returns to Cole Park tonight.
\u2022 Music begins at 7:30 p.m. at the amphitheater.
\u2022 Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.<\/p>\n
Live music returns to the Corpus Christi waterfront tonight as the 36th annual Bay Jammin Concert Series continues at Cole Park. The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the amphitheater and will feature performances by local bands. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of live entertainment along the bay.<\/p>\n
State Continues Flood Response<\/p>\n
\u2022 More than 1,300 personnel have been activated statewide.
\u2022 More than 30 agencies are involved in the response.
\u2022 State leaders say rescue efforts remain the top priority.<\/p>\n
Governor Greg Abbott says Texas continues to mobilize significant resources in response to ongoing flooding across parts of the state. During a Wednesday news conference, the governor said more than 1,300 personnel from over 30 state agencies have been activated to support rescue, recovery and emergency operations. Abbott said the storms could prove to be record-breaking, adding that the state’s primary focus remains protecting lives and assisting communities impacted by severe flooding.<\/p>\n
Thank you for waking up with the Hofmanns.
As always, stay safe, stay curious and stay kind.
We will see you bright and early tomorrow morning.
Bryan and Michelle Hofmann.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx \u2014 Good morning Coastal Bend friends, and happy Thursday! Your favorite Anchors Bryan and Michelle…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131922,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[186,132748,5908,155,157,156,3576,17055,132749],"class_list":["post-375439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-corpus-christi","tag-6-things-to-know","tag-bay-jammin","tag-closures","tag-corpus-christi","tag-corpus-christi-headlines","tag-corpus-christi-news","tag-flooding","tag-osha","tag-pta-volunteer-dies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=375439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375439\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=375439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=375439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=375439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}