Mars Once Had Salt Lakes Similar To Earth

Texas A&M researchers found that Mars has undergone wet and dry periods and salt lakes formed similar to some found in South America. Read on Texas A&M Today

COLLEGE STATION, Oct. 14, 2019 – Mars once had salt lakes that are similar to those on Earth and has gone through wet and dry periods, according to an international team of scientists that includes a Texas A&M University College of Geosciences researcher.

Marion Nachon, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Texas A&M, and colleagues have had their work published in the current issue of Nature Geoscience.

The team examined Mars’ geological terrains from Gale Crater, an immense 95-mile-wide rocky basin that is being explored with the NASA Curiosity rover since 2012 as part of the MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) mission.

The results show that the lake that was present in Gale Crater over 3 billion years ago underwent a

Medicare recipients eligible for free benefits counseling from Area Agency on Aging

Open enrollment for 2020 begins October 15

Houston, Texas - Medicare beneficiaries reviewing their 2020 health and prescription drug plan options can get free help from benefits counselors with the Harris County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of the Houston Health Department.

Medicare open enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7. It is a period for beneficiaries to compare all their Medicare options and make changes to their health or prescription drug coverage for the following year.

“Mulling over the wide range of Medicare health care options can seem quite daunting to some seniors and people with disabilities, said Rose Ortega, a benefits counselor with AAA. “Guiding them as they evaluate their options can help them find the Medicare plans that better suit their health needs.”

Open enrollment for most beneficiaries may be the only time they can make changes to their Medicare coverage. They can:

change their Medicare health or prescription drug coverage for 2020;
decide which plan will meet their needs for 2020;
check for changes in their plan such as costs;
check drug coverage; and
check if they will be able to see their preferred doctor or pharmacy.
Medicare beneficiaries or their legal representatives can obtain benefits counseling or more information by calling AAA’s call center at 832-393-4301.

Benefits counselors do not recommend or endorse any specific insurance product, insurance company or plan. They provide information and advice so beneficiaries can make their own decisions.

People can enroll in Medicare if they are 65 or older, under 65 and have a disability or have either end-stage renal disease or ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease.

New coverage begins January 1.

DART Agrees to Shuttle Agreement with Richardson

Dallas, Texas - A three-year agreement with the City of Richardson for a Galatyn Park Station shuttle was approved on Tues., Oct. 8, by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

Providing a last-mile connection, the agreement calls for a shuttle from DART's Galatyn Park Station to the Crescent Palisades Employment District that serves the surrounding industrial park areas, corporate offices, entertainment and residential housing, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Service currently supports 118 weekday riders, but the area is going through accelerated development that includes mixed business, entertainment and residential.

Originally created by a private business, the shuttle was eventually taken over by the city. DART has been a funding partner with Richardson since 2008.

TRE Will Operate a Bus Shuttle between Richland Hills Station and Downtown Fort Worth Central Station, Effective Saturday, October 26, 2019

Please consult TRE website for upcoming service interruptions due to construction of the Trinity River Bridge in Fort Worth.

TRE will operate a bus shuttle between Richland Hills Station and downtown Fort Worth Central Station only, with Trinity Metro and TEXRail providing service between Fort Worth Central Station and Fort Worth T&P Station.

October 26, 2019 - All Day

Passengers should allow for additional time beyond your normal commute if utilizing these three stations. Passengers starting their trip at Fort Worth T&P Station should plan on riding TEXRail to Fort Worth Central Station, where Trinity Metro buses will shuttle them to Richland Hills Station to connect with TRE trains to Dallas and points in between. For passengers starting their trip at Fort Worth Central Station, Trinity Metro buses will take passengers to the Richland Hills Station, where they will connect with TRE trains to Dallas and points in between. Make sure to plan your trip to arrive several minutes prior to the regularly scheduled departure times, to make your connections between Fort Worth Central Station and Richland Hills Station, located at 7225 Burns St., Richland Hills.

We thank you for your patience.

Vanpool agreement approved by DART

Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board has approved an interlocal agreement with the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) for the funding of a vanpool services program.

The agreement allows DART to expand the vanpool program to 225 vehicles.

Currently, the program has 183 vans in operation with 1,353 participants using vehicles that hold seven to 15 passengers.

The vans are used for trips that cannot be made using other DART services and is available anywhere in Dallas, Ellis, Collin, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman and Navarro counties.

NCTCOG's federal funds would offset 35 percent of program costs while 60 percent would come from the users and 5 percent from DART in-kind services.

For more information, call 214-747-RIDE or visit dart.org/vanpool.

Mayor to announce details of Oct. 27 new city jazz event

WHAT:
Mayor Sylvester Turner's news conference to unveil details of an Oct. 27 new city jazz event that is free and open to the public

WHEN:
10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019

WHERE:
Proclamation Room, 3rd floor, City Hall, 901 Bagby St.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Mayor Turner will be joined by KTSU-FM General Manager Ernest Walker, Texas Southern University Director of Jazz Studies Brian Perez and Susan Christian, director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events.

Beaches of Pensacola Now Accessible for All Thanks to Mobi-Mat Installation

Pensacola, Fla. – Sugar-white sand and emerald green water on the beaches of Pensacola are now accessible for all thanks to the installment of five Mobi-mats on Pensacola Beach. Mobi-Mats are a non-slip matting laid down over the sand that provides grip and easy access for wheelchairs, strollers, and pedestrians on unstable surfaces.

Funded by the Santa Rosa Island Authority and deployed by Escambia County Public Works, the mats will be located on five beaches along the island: 

• Casino Beach: A Mobi-Mat is located east of the Public Safety Building, and one is stationed west of The Dock Bar.
• Park West: One mat is located on the sound (north) side near the two pavilions.
• Moms Beach (Quietwater Beach): A Mobi-Mat is stationed near the lifeguard tower.
• Boardwalk Beach: A mat is located just east of the Quietwater Beach shell.
• Baby Beach: A Mobi-Mat is located off Avenida 18 on the sound side.

Furthermore, beach wheelchairs, both electric and traditional, are available for rent from several vendors along Pensacola Beach.

“This is an incredible addition to the Pensacola Bay Area,” President of Visit Pensacola Steve Hayes said. “Thanks to the Santa Rosa Island Authority, residents and visitors of all abilities will be able to enjoy our destinations beautiful features.”

To add to the Mobi-Mats, the Pensacola Bay Area has activities aplenty for people of all abilities. From baseball games to museums to cruising the bay, there’s so much to do and see here for travelers looking to plan a vacation. For more information on an accessible trip to Pensacola, visit www.visitpensacola.com.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration, and communication.