January 31, 2025
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
AframNews.com
Vol.30, Issue 2
FREE
African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
HOUSTON
3rd Ward native, Rep. Lauren Simmons was officially sworn in her for first term in the Texas House of Representatives. She represents House District 146 (HD146), HD146 covers historic and underrepresented neighborhoods like Third Ward and Sunnyside.
LIVINGSTON
A bill named after 11-year-old murder victim Audrii Cunningham was filed in the Texas Legislature. Texas House Bill 2000 or “Audrii’s Law.” Cunningham’s murder Don Steven McDougal was not required to register as a sex offender despite previous convictions of harming children. If Audrii’s Law is passed it will expand the state’s sex offender registry requirements.
AUSTIN
Named top city for tech and engineering workers in 2025. Austin was ranked #2 for the number of professional opportunities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields.
FREDERICK VAUGHN NEWHOUSE
A LEGACY REMEMBERED
By: Chloé Richards
The world has lost a true champion both on and off the track. Fredrick Vaughn Newhouse, an Olympic gold and silver medalist, trailblazing leader, and proud alumnus of Prairie View A&M University, passed away on January 20th, 2025, at the age of 76. Over the course of his extraordinary career, he won a gold medal in the 4x400 relay and a silver medal in the 400m at the 1976 Olympic games in Montreal, Canada. Known for his excellence, dedication, and impact, he will be remembered as a symbol of perseverance and success. Born in Honey Grove, Texas (90 miles northeast of Dallas), to the late Lucious and Cleopatra Newhouse. He graduated salutatorian from Galilee
High School in Hallsville, TX in 1966. Newhouse chose to attend Prairie View majoring in electrical engineering, a decision heavily influenced by his high school counselor and his older brother Luscious. In a 2020 interview with his alma mater, he said “My brother Lucious was at Prairie View when I graduated from high school. He naturally talked a lot about the good experience he was having. He told me the girls were pretty, and that sealed the deal for me! My high school counselor also pressed me to consider Prairie View. It was during that transition period of integration.” After his first semester at Prairie View, Newhouse decided to play Legacy on pg. 3
PRAIRIE VIEW
PVAMU Alumnus, Olympic gold Medalist, and two-time PVAMU Sports Hall of Fame inductee Fredrick Vaughn Newhouse passed away on January 20th, 2025.
MARSHALL
Wiley College offers tuition incentive to new students. Wiley will give students a $750 tuition credit, for all new Wiley college students if they enroll for the fall semester before June 28th, 2025.
DALLAS
Kimberly Bizor Tolbert named Dallas’ first Black woman city manager. She received a 13-2 vote by council members. She will be responsible for hiring a new police chief and exploring voter approved charter rules.