Musk and Abbott celebrate new lithium refinery in Texas. Kingwood doctor says don't bring snakes to the ER. Pride Houston only has parade, no festival
Posted by
Qale
May 8 '23, 18:09
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Gov. Greg Abbott and Tesla CEO Elon Musk celebrated the groundbreaking of a $375 million lithium refinery Monday, praising the facility for advancing clean energy, keeping Texas independent and helping to prevent a bottleneck as Tesla ramps up production.
"It's important to address what we think is, as we look ahead a few years, a fundamental choke point in the advancement of electric vehicles," Musk said.
The refinery, located near Corpus Christi in the city of Robstown, is expected to be finished next year, with full production a year later. Musk said it would produce more battery-grade lithium than the rest of North America's refining capacity combined.
And it's just the latest component of Musk's Texas empire. The billionaire controls thousands of acres across Texas, spanning sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, farmlands outside Austin, a McGregor facility that once made bombs and industrial space in Houston’s sprawling metropolis.
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A snake-related incident at an area emergency room prompted a Kingwood doctor to set the record straight about what to do if bitten, and what patients should and should not bring to the ER.
"There are several misconceptions when it comes to handling a snake bite,” said Dr. Spencer Greene, an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood.
A patient who recently sought treatment for a snake bite brought the live copperhead to the ER.
Greene, who is known for treating the most snake bites in the country, said it wasn’t the first time he’d seen this happened.
People are sometimes tempted to find or kill the snake, and some may want to bring it to the ER with them, he said. Bringing a live snake of any kind into an ER, though, is not a good idea.
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Pride Houston has once again announced changes to its annual celebration.
The festival has been scrapped this year, with plans to return in 2024. The parade is scheduled for June 24 in downtown Houston.
In a statement, organizers said they "needed time to revamp the festival." An earlier post on social media cited increasing costs for security, marketing and insurance; COVID-19 fallout and dangerous daytime heat.
This years theme is "All We Need Is Love." Karbach Brewing Co. will also host a Pride Market (June 4). Other events include Rock the Runway fashion show (June 22 at Rise Rooftop) and Eden dance party (June 23 at Rise Rooftop).
Pride Houston hopes to host a Friday night festival and Saturday night parade in 2024.
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