Houston & Alexander - June/July 2022

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken Skewers

When many think of stalking, the common image is likely a stranger prowling around in the shadows of the night, showing up at random places uninvited, or spying on victims from afar. However, stalking can potentially involve so much more. Stalking is menacing behavior that makes victims feel unsafe and can lead to some terrifying acts. Stalking is more common than you may think: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in every 6 women and 1 in every 17 men have reported experiencing stalking at some point in their lives. For women, roughly 54% experienced it before the age of 25, and for men, 41%. Research conducted by the CDC revealed that stalking can damage its victims, leading to potential depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s reported that roughly 68% of female and 70% of male victims received threats of physical harm in connection with stalking at some point in their lives. Stalking takes place when a person repeatedly harasses or threatens another person. In most cases, a victim’s stalker is someone they know or were once in an intimate relationship with. While it’s always important to never engage with your stalker, you can take certain steps to protect your safety and well-being. Is Somebody Watching You? Stalking — Here’s How to Handle It

Inspired by RecipeRunner.com

Summer is here, and you know what that means: It’s time to break out the barbecue and meat skewers!

Ingredients

For the Marinade • 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp honey • Juice of 1 lime • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika • 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce • 2 tbsp rice vinegar

For the Skewers • 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-size cubes • 1 small pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. 2. In a reusable freezer bag, combine cubed chicken and all but 1/4 cup of the marinade. 3. Seal bag and massage marinade into the chicken. Chill in the fridge overnight. 4. The following day, preheat the grill to 400 F. Thread chicken and pineapple onto skewers, adding two cubes of chicken for each cube of pineapple. 5. Grill the skewers for 3–4 minutes per side, brushing with the reserved marinade in the final minutes. 6. Serve over rice or with your favorite barbecue sides!

First and foremost, you must know the signs and tactics of stalking, which include:

• Receiving unwanted emails, phone calls, text messages, voicemails, social media direct messages, or instant messages • Appearing uninvited at places such as the victim’s home, school, or place of work • Leaving strange or potentially threatening items for the victim to find • Watching, following, or tracking a victim • Sneaking into the victim’s home or car and doing things to scare the victim or let them know the perpetrator had been there To keep yourself safe, what can be done? Of course, if you are ever in immediate danger or if someone has made a credible threat, you should call the police right away. Be sure to carry a charged cellphone with you at all times for this reason. If someone is following you, seek out the nearest safe place to go, whether it be a police station, fire station, public place, or a friend’s house. Always trust your instincts: If you feel like something is wrong, it likely is. If you feel like someone may be taking an unnatural interest in you, begin varying your routines and routes a bit. Be careful when posting on social media; don’t give out information about where you live, work, or enjoy hanging out. Lastly, try to avoid going places alone. Exercise with a friend if you can and walk to your car with a coworker after work. Stalking is a serious problem and many people assume that ignoring the behavior will take care of the issue. In most cases, that doesn’t happen. When people stalk other people, they violate boundaries in order to make their victims feel unsafe. If you ever fall victim to stalking, it’s paramount that you take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe as well as involve law enforcement.

our clients say it best

“I am a professional in the transportation industry and keeping my license is my livelihood. I was faced with a charge that could have ruined my career if I had been convicted. Johnny was easy to talk to, very accessible every time I called and he kept me informed. When we went to court, I could not believe how friendly he was with all the court personnel. I observed him talking to the DA and arresting officer as soon as he entered the court room before court ever started, Before I knew what happened, the case was over and my charge was reduced to speeding! Even during an election year when the DA is trying to make a name for himself Johnny made this happen. Great outcome and I could not be happier. I can finally sleep again!”

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