Thursday News Rundown (11-6-14)

By Emily Parma
Assistant Web Content Manager

After the GOP took over the Senate and House two days ago, Republicans and Democrats plan to start getting down to business. President Obama and Senate leader Mitch McConnell both pledged to end current political gridlock. The president said he is eager to work with the new Congress and and make the next two years as productive as possible. The incoming Senate leader also stated that he would make the Senate function and work to pass bills. McConnell also pledged to work with Obama on issues they can agree on like tax reform and trade agreements. The president plans to host a meeting Friday with Democratic and Republican leaders.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry is set to appear in court today. The former governor is scheduled to attend his first court hearing in relation to a felony case charged against him. Perry is being charged with the threat to withhold a $7.5 million, two-year appropriation to the Public Integrity Unit of of the Travis County District Office. The hearing will be the third time prosecutor Michael McCrum and Perry’s defense team have met in court, but the first time State District Judge Bert Richardson has required Perry’s attendance. Richardson is expected to consider at least two issues in the case: whether McCrum must provide a transcript of a grand jury proceeding to Perry’s lawyers and whether McCrum is properly serving as a special prosecutor.

A three day manhunt ended today after police found an abducted Philadelphia woman alive in Maryland. 22-year-old Carlesha Freeland-Gaither was found in Jessup, MD after her abduction was captured on a surveillance video in Philadelphia. The suspect is identified as 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, who is wanted for prior multiple charges in Virginia. Barnes is suspected in using Freeland-Gaither’s ATM card the morning after the abduction in Aberdeen, 75 miles away from the abduction site. Barnes is currently being held in custody.

Linda Homeyer, professor and former chair of Texas State’s Department of Counseling, Leadership and Adult Education, has been conferred the honor of director emeritus by the Association For Play Therapy Board of Directors. Homeyer, who is the sixth past director to receive the designation, is honored for her lifetime achievements, contributions and service to play therapy and the association. Play therapy is a therapeutic approach to use play to help clients better describe and resolve their problems, which is a favored and particularly effective communication method with children. Homeyer is a play therapy author and assisted the establishment of The Institute for Play Therapy.

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter Adoption Center is hosting a Cat Adoption Program this month. This is a part of the Home For The Holidays national campaign, an effort to find cats homes during the Thankful Cat Adoption, which will take place from now until November 29.