Here is the latest Local News from the Houston Chronicle.
Inmate thought to be pregnant flees LBJ Hospital
The search was continuing late Wednesday for a jail inmate thought to be pregnant who escaped custody while at the hospital.
Residents wait warily, and wearily, for new round of storms
After days, and even weeks, of extraordinary rainfall that filled rivers and bayous and ruined homes throughout the Houston region, residents and officials waited warily, and wearily, as forecasts predicted a new round of storms over the next few days.
The National Weather Service said that most of greater Houston will see between 3 and 6 inches of rain through Sunday, with some areas getting more. Forecasts indicated that the heaviest rainfall would arrive Thursday, much of it coming in strong downpours like those that caused flooding in April and May.
It was hard to tell where to brace for the most rain, but meteorologists said there was potential for flooding throughout southeast Texas. That’s because the already-wet ground and swollen rivers likely will force water into streets and homes.
Even before another round of storms, flooding was so severe that Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday declared a state of disaster in 31 counties, including Brazoria, Fort Bend, Grimes, Liberty and Montgomery.
Boys accused of sexually assaulting girl in Alief Middle restroom
Several boys are accused of sexually assaulting a girl inside a restroom at Alief Middle School, according to reports on Wednesday.
Cancer doctor wants to withdraw guilty plea in child porn case
A former pediatrician at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has asked a federal judge to let him withdraw his guilty plea to child pornography charges, joining a multistate challenge to the FBI’s sting using a so-called “dark web” server.
Metro bus crash injures dozens near downtown Houston
A Metro bus crash in downtown Houston just north of Minute Maid Park has injured several people, according to reports.
Teacher accused of sex with teen student turns herself in
Alexandria Vera, the Aldine ISD middle school teacher accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with an underage student, has turned herself into law enforcement.
Cell phone audio captured sexual assault, death of missing girl
The teenage boyfriend of a missing 15-year-old girl has been charged with murder, accused of sexually assaulting and then choking the girl and recording it on a cellphone, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Houston police release video of attempted robbery off downtown rail line
The Houston Police Department has released surveillance footage of an attempted robbery just off a MetroRail line downtown early last month.
Mayor Turner questions media coverage of police chief search
Mayor Sylvester Turner reacted sharply to news coverage questioning the transparency of his search for a new permanent police chief Wednesday morning.
Referencing a front-page story in this morning’s Houston Chronicle that discusses the mayor’s decision not to release records related to the search, which is being conducted pro bono by a private search firm, Turner cautioned council members, “Let’s be careful about what we read.”
Middle school teacher charged with having sex with student
The student, now 14, and Vera began having a sexual relationship when she was his eighth grade English teacher last year at Stovall Middle School in the Aldine Independent School District, according to a sworn statement from an Aldine police officer who investigated the case. According to the sworn statement, Vera told the Aldine officer that she and the boy “love each other” and that she attended family gatherings as his girlfriend.
Some Texans going nuts again over weather word ‘haboob’
A certain type of Texan is freaking out about haboobs again. Summer must be here.
Police release new details in deadly West Houston shooting spree
The Houston Police Department on Tuesday said they’re still not completely sure why 25-year-old Dionisio Garza III chose a car wash in west Houston as the location to go on a shooting spree Sunday.
Top photos from the 2016 Memorial Day weekend floods
As some residents continue to rebuild after the devastating 2015 Memorial Day floods, high water wreaked havoc in the Houston area during the holiday weekend again this year.
Suspect in fatal home invasion is in custody
Julius Merchant, 18, is accused of shooting 59-year-old David Macias at the victim’s home in the 6000 block of Ettrick.
Road rage may have led to NW Harris shooting
Sheriff’s deputies are investigating whether a shooting that sent a man to the hospital by LifeFlight was the result of a road rage incident.
Trinity Broadcasting co-founder Jan Crouch dies at 78
Jan Crouch, co-founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest religious television network, died Tuesday after suffering a massive stroke. She was 78.
Aldine ISD teacher wanted in connection with sexual abuse of teenage male student
An Aldine Independent School District middle school teacher is wanted by authorities in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a former student.
Charges dismissed against doctor accused of domestic violence
Charges against a surgeon at Houston Methodist Hospital have been dropped after a Montgomery County grand jury declined Tuesday to indict him.
Dr. Rafael Lugo, 49, had been charged with assault of a family member, a felony, in December for allegedly breaking the finger of his then-girlfriend, former KHOU news anchor Christine Haas, while trying to keep her from leaving his home.
Brazos River crest could match 1957 record
RICHMOND – While the Brazos River was expected to reach its crest height mid-day Tuesday in the Richmond area, additional voluntary evacuations were also underway in Fort Bend County for communities along the waterway to the south of the city.
The new voluntary evacuations, which included Thompsons, Brazos Bend State Park and Rosharon, were put in place as the day progressed Monday, said Lach Mullen, of the Fort Bend County office of emergency management.
Texas hero on tractor delivers Whataburger to neighbors trapped by Brazos River flooding
On Monday, Gary Gostecnik, a 71-year-old man from Pattison, had had enough. Flooding in the Brazos River wasn’t going to separate him from the orange-and-white-striped beacon in the distance — Whataburger.
The Houston Zoo weighs in on Cincinnati Zoo incident
In the wake of a tragic incident at the Cincinnati Zoo that left a gorilla dead after a child fell into its enclosure, the Houston Zoo weighed in on what its course of action would be in a similar situation.
Simonton swamped and rising Brazos River could bring more water to town
In the small town of Simonton about 50 miles west of Houston, most of the 800 residents living near the raging Brazos River had been evacuated by mid-afternoon Monday, many by airboats, high water vehicles and dump trucks.
In Simonton, the parking lot at city hall had become an impromptu staging area for law enforcement and fire fighters, some from as far away as Austin, to bring in residents stranded by the quickly rising waters.
Entergy working to restore power to 3,800 Texas homes, businesses
Since the bad weather began Thursday, Entergy has been able to restore electrical service to 95,210 customers in its Texas territory that were experiencing outages, the company said.
As Brazos River rises, Richmond closes flooded streets
As the Brazos River continued rising early Monday, the city of Richmond in Fort Bend County began closing streets that are now underwater and officials urged residents to avoid driving in standing water and avoid flooded streets.
The river has topped a level of 50 feet overnight and is predicted to crest a 53.5 feet later today.
Teen in critical condition after being pulled from NW Harris County pool
A 15-year-old boy was found near drowned in a community pool in northwest Harris County and taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital on Sunday afternoon.
Space City Comic Con attracts fans, families, and cosplayers to NRG Center
The Space City Comic Con invaded NRG Center this weekend attracting sci-fi and comic book fans from around the area.
Alligator breaks windshield of local trapper’s car
A 7-foot-6 alligator cracked the windshield of a trapper’s car in Rosenberg Sunday morning, after being caught the night before in Fulshear.
Prison brawl breaks out after power outage caused by flooding
Inmates at a state prison unit in Navasota got into a massive brawl on Saturday night after flooding led to a power outage at the facility, officials said.
6 horses rescued from flood water in NW Harris County
Harris County calls for voluntary evacuation near rising creek
Lines long at debut of Katy waterpark
2 injured in four-car pile-up on North Freeway
Couple rescued after slamming Mercedes into tree in the Heights
Reports: Victim posted heartbreaking photo before he went missing in floods
Texas floods always seem to claim lives of many and left others missing for days or weeks at a time, but a viral photo from the point of view of the victim, gives a new reality to these tragic floods.
2 men killed as drug deal turns deadly
Police have identified one of two men shot to death Thursday night in a shooting during a drug deal at a home in northeast Houston. The shooting happened about 8:40 p.m., said M. Dykens, a homicide investigator with the Houston Police Department. Police said the other victim pulled his vehicle into the driveway and inadvertently blocked in the suspects’ vehicle.
Report: Arlington High students accused of vandalizing rival Martin High
Five Texas high school students are in hot water after they are accused of vandalizing their rival high school.
Photo showing really bad parking at Texas school goes viral
An image that went viral on Reddit Thursday shed light and humor on an ever-present problem at parking lots across the country.
Cattle flee floodwaters, block U.S. 290
Many head of cattle were loose and swimming in flooded pastures Friday along U.S. 290 in Washington and Waller counties as rain storms swamped the area.
Shelter opened in Waller County as rainfall again batters area
Lawsuit says man beaten unconscious in jail, held on misdemeanor
A 28-year-old Houston man whose father is a deputy constable has filed a lawsuit claiming he was beaten unconscious by two jailers at the Harris County jail after being arrested on a minor trespassing charge.
Michael Alaniz was denied medical treatment for more than a day and was eventually diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose, according to the lawsuit.
Texans star Whitney Mercilus reports his dogs missing from his Pearland home
Houston Texans defensive star Whitney Mercilus has taken to social media to get the word out that his two dogs are missing from his Pearland-area home.
Texas auto registration fees would jump $5 in DMV plan; tax collectors opposed
Base charge of $50.75 would be augmented with $5 processing and handling fee.
The plan, still under consideration by the DMV’s board, which meets next month, is vigorously opposed by county tax collectors, who stand to lose some of their share of the revenue.
Tornado hits prison in Pack Unit prison in Navasota
A tornado struck a state prison in Southeast Texas, damaging the roofs on a pair of watchtowers and an outbuilding but injuring no one.
Watch out for these speed traps across Texas when driving for Memorial Day weekend
Speeding tickets can be costly, and this weekend, officers will be out in full force to make sure drivers are staying safe and under the speed limit. For our lead-footed readers, we’ve compiled some of the most notorious speed traps across Texas.
‘Animal crush’ videos bring more prison time to Houston man
An animal cruelty officer who took the call from an animal rights advocate subsequently discovered that a man had been recruiting animal torture-averse actresses on an African dating site, and then marketing custom-made “animal crush” videos and live-streamed performances to customers in California and Washington, D.C., according to court testimony. The first witness called to the stand by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack was Justice’s co-defendant in the case, Ashley Nicole Richards, who admitted to appearing in videos and mutilating and killing animals at Justice’s direction. Suzanne Hollifield, the animal cruelty officer, testified that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, tipped off the Houston Police Department’s animal cruelty division to the videos, and that she later determined they were linked to an alias used by Justice. A search warrant at their shared home turned up lights, cameras, and a tripod believed to have been used in the videos as well as a Mardi Gras mask, high heels, a dagger and a butcher knife that matched ones used in the videos. David Ko, a special agent for Houston’s FBI division, also took the stand, explaining through emails and receipts he obtained, how Justice had sold his videos through PayPal and Western Union to customers.
Data compilation shows how much a decent apartment in Houston costs
There are around 785,312 renters in the Houston area, but how many of them are getting a fair shake when it comes to living expenses?
Victim shot to death in N. Houston home
Police are investigating a fatal shooting Thursday night at a home in north Houston.
Baytown Rep. Smith seeks recount of Tuesday’s balloting
Veteran Baytown House member Wayne Smith, who narrowly trailed in voting in Tuesday’s election, has decided to seek a recount of his contest with lawyer Briscoe Cain. Cain defeated Republican Smith by a razor-thin margin in Baytown’s District 128, according to complete but unofficial runoff results.
Schools announce schedule changes due to storms
Due to the severe flooding in counties north of Houston, multiple school districts have decided to delay or cancel school on Friday.
Tubing expected to be very busy this Memorial Day weekend
After three years of bad weather and flooding, tubing is expected to make a big comeback this Memorial Day Weekend on the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers, officials say.
The true story of when Dennis Hopper came to Houston and nearly killed himself
It was 33 years ago this month that actor Dennis Hopper came to Houston’s Rice University to screen a film and casually try and blow himself up at a racetrack just north of the city in front of dozens of college kids.
Tornado touches down in Bryan
Police say the tornado hit in the area of Boonville Road and FM 1179.
Council passes controversial HFD contract
City Council held its collective nose and voted this week to authorize a controversial contract to replace the fire department’s supply of defibrillators over concerns that the pricey devices were not put out for competitive bidding.
The agreement with Washington-based Physio-Control came to council six months after the city issued an emergency purchase order for 300 automated external defibrillators and 100 more expensive devices known as monitor defibrillators. Many of the items, the former of which cost $2,200 apiece and the latter of which go for $36,000, already have arrived and been put into service, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
Legislator, others call for county bail reform
Criminal justice reform advocates in Harris County called Thursday for an end to money bail for minor crimes because it keeps poor people behind bars before they are convicted.
The group – which included state Sen. Rodney Ellis, community leaders Deric Muhammad and Johnny Mata and officials with the Texas Organizing Project – praised a recent federal lawsuit challenging the lawfulness of the county’s current system of bail at a press conference on the steps of the criminal courthouse in downtown Houston.
“It’s necessary to protect the rights of Harris County residents who are kept in a modern day debtor’s prison—locked up because they are poor,” said Ellis, D-Houston. “It’s necessary to save taxpayer dollars that are paying to ship inmates out of our overcrowded jail.”
City makes it faster for residents to seek speed bumps
Houston City Council accelerated the process of slowing traffic on residential streets Wednesday, voting to streamline a program that gives neighborhoods speed bumps and other “traffic calming devices.”
At the heart of the changes is the elimination of a requirement that a traffic and speed study be conducted to prove the speed bumps were justified.
Fort Worth Zoo’s baby gorilla Gus shares tender moment with 2-year-old girl
A 2-year-old girl in Fort Worth shared a moment with a baby gorilla that many of us have only dreamed of and it was caught on camera.
Waller Co. Commissioner Barnett survives Democratic primary runoff
Officers searching for robber who shot victim in NW Harris
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is on the lookout for a man who shot a young woman while attempting to rob her in northwest Harris County two weeks ago.
Pasadena resident claims $1M lottery prize
Upper Kirby ice house will only allow drinkers 23 years and up from now on
Kirby Ice House has been open for only a few months but has recently decided to restrict service to those 23 years of age and up.
Fireflies appear to have returned to Texas just in time for summer
If you have been missing the sight of fireflies on warm early evenings, Central Texas might be the place where you need to be this year.
Professor indicted in ‘kush’ case ordered to stay in federal custody
A University of Houston-Victoria professor and five co-defendants will remain in federal custody following a federal indictment in Houston last month on allegations they aided in one of the largest known operations manufacturing and distributing the plant products commonly called kush or synthetic marijuana.
Gunfight reportedly leads to officer-involved shooting in SE Houston
A gunfight between at least two people has led to an officer-involved shooting in southeast Houston on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports.
Lawsuit against proposed towering Corpus Christi landmark cross thrown out
A lawsuit filed against the church that has proposed building a towering landmark cross in Corpus Christi was thrown out Tuesday morning, according to the church’s legal counsel.
Rare birth of African elephant calf at Dallas Zoo caught on video
The birth of a rare African elephant was captured on zoo cameras at the Dallas Zoo. The still unnamed calf was born overnight May 14, 2016 to mother Mlilo, one of several elephants rescued from drought-stricken Swaziland this spring.
Elderly man arrested for alleged $5M investment scheme
Mourners pack church for funeral of 11-year-old stabbing victim Josue Flores
Mourners packed the Holy Name Catholic Church on Tuesday afternoon to say goodbye to Josue Flores, the 11-year-old who was fatally stabbed last week while walking home from Marshall Middle School.
Adventure fisherman and shark have close encounter on small kayak in the Gulf
A Plano man recently had an unexpected run-in with a smallish shark on his boat off the coast of Corpus Christi. Judging by video from the boat, he’s lucky the shark didn’t take a piece of him to go.
Dallas-area BBQ joint says it’s getting death threats over silly Rougned Odor promotion
Ever since Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor punched Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista square in the face, he’s been getting plenty of silly offers. One Fort Worth barbecue joint, Heim Barbecue, offered him free food for life and now they say they are getting death threats over it.
New tool to help judges determine if suspects need to be jailed
Reports: Walmart worker pistol-whipped in attempted heist
Authorities are searching for two armed robbers who tried to intercept a night deposit leaving a Spring-area Walmart on Monday night, according to reports.
Federal credit union CEO sentenced 41 months for embezzlement
The attorneys on both sides of Harmon’s court Monday agreed that Vickers has repaid $947,000 of that total, but she still owes the credit union $300,000, which defense attorney Christopher L. Tritico said she hopes to repay after her home in the northwest part of greater Houston undergoes flood-related repairs and gets sold. According to her plea, Vickers re-issued stale checks to her personal creditors to pay her credit card expenses and other bills. When FBI agents arrived at her home, Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek said, Vickers offered to write a check on the spot to repay the money. After court her lawyer said that while Vickers was not offering excuses for her conduct, her late husband was an emotionally abusive alcoholic who spent their savings on multiple race cars, multiple RVs, sets of golf clubs, country club memberships and other expenses, even during periods when he was unemployed.
Reports: Man shot multiple times in NW Harris
A man was taken to the hospital after being shot multiple times in northwest Harris County on Monday evening, reports say.
Man jumps to his death downtown
A man jumped to his death on Monday night in downtown Houston.
Three dead in drunken driving wreck
Two days later, Ramires and his parents were killed in a crash involving an alleged drunken driver in Spring. The school’s student council is raising money for funeral costs. Grief counselors will be available Monday, and the school’s “Live Your Dreams” drunken driving presentation will be dedicated to Mauricio. On May 14, 18-year-old Jocelynn Valero was killed by a drunken driver while leaving an IHOP after her prom, police said.
Houston man convicted again for selling animal torture videos across state lines
A man serving a 50-year state sentence for making erotic videos in which animals are tortured and slaughtered was convicted in federal court in Houston Monday of selling the same videos across state lines to customers.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake heard the entire case against Brent Justice in a swift three-hour bench trial, convicting him on the spot of the four charges that remained before him. Justice, 54, was found guilty of three counts of making so-called animal crush videos and one count of distributing them to customers. The judge has not yet set a date for sentencing.
Turner calls for information in killing of northside boy
Mayor Sylvester Turner appealed to Houston residents Monday for information on last week’s stabbing death of sixth grader Josue Flores, emphasizing the need to apprehend his killer after police admitted they initially arrested the wrong man.
Tree-killing beetle reaches Texas
The emerald ash borer, an invasive species of beetle responsible for killing tens of millions of ash trees across the country, has made its way to Texas, federal and state officials confirmed Monday.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Forest Service and Texas A&M Forest Service trapped four adult beetles in Harrison County, just south of Karnack. Lab results confirmed those beetles are emerald ash borers, which can kill ash trees within three years of infestation.
Houston lawyer sentenced to 15 years in prison
A disgraced Houston lawyer who took $1.8 million in a mortgage fraud while on probation for another scam was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison. The attorney had admitted guilt for the first two charges and could have escaped a felony conviction if he had successfully completed probation. State District Judge Jeannine Barr handed down the sentence Monday, after spending months reviewing records and letters from people on both sides.
Houston firefighters battle blaze in downtown parking garage
On Monday afternoon the Houston Fire Department was battling a fire in a downtown Houston parking garage. The cause of the fire was unclear.
Texarkana company’s custom-designed firearms turn heads
A shop in Texarkana, Texas, has been making fans on social media for the unique coating system it utilizes to adorn firearms with custom designs.
HPD credit union exec sentenced for embezzling over $1 million
A retired vice president of accounting for the Houston Police Federal Credit Union was sentenced Monday to serve three and a half years in federal prison for embezzling $1.2 million from her former employer.
Cheryl Vickers, 67, stood before U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, and dabbed her eyes with a wad of tissues. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Honest.”
Harmon sentenced Vickers, who has been free on bond, to serve 41 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $1,247,785 in restitution. Following her term in prison, she must be on supervised release for three years, the judge said. She pleaded guilty in January to stealing money from a federally insured credit union.
Alleged drunk driver in triple fatality had prior DWI’s
A Spring man accused of killing three people in a drunken driving crash will be prohibited from driving and have to wear an alcohol monitor if he makes bail set at $300,000, a judge ruled Monday.
Houston’s favorite street art piece gets temporary military makeover
This weekend Houston’s favorite street art piece got a temporary military makeover thanks to a happy accident and heavy duty railroad cargo.
Analysis shows Houston facilities with the most dangerous chemicals
Four workers died in a toxic gas leak at the DuPont plant in La Porte in November 2014. In response to that accident, the Chronicle obtained the chemical inventories of more than 2,500 businesses in greater Houston.
Governor inspires Houston graduates
St. Thomas awards Abbott honorary doctorate, distinguished alumnus In a speech lasting less than 15 minutes, Abbott said little about the issues of the day or politics, choosing instead to poke fun at himself and give a little laugh to the friends and families of the class of 2016. Before his commencement address, Abbott received an honorary doctorate of letters. Every time I tell that story, I watch people shake their heads, and I know they’re thinking, ‘How slow was that guy jogging to get hit by a tree?’ In a wheelchair since that incident, Abbott somberly noted that he was told at his law school graduation that he would be confronted by challenges that he could not foresee.
3 dead in N. Houston drunk-driving accident
Three family members were killed when an alleged drunken driver wanted for failing to comply with the terms of a previous DWI conviction ran a red light shortly after midnight in north Harris County, authorities said. A mother, father and teen son were in a black Honda that was making a left turn from Kuykendahl onto FM 2920 when they were struck by a speeding pickup truck.
Community marches for slain 11-year-old
3 shot, 2 killed during argument in southeast Houston
Two men were killed and another was injured Saturday evening after an argument escalated to a shootout in southeast Houston, police said.
Woman killed in NE Houston hit-and-run
A woman was killed early Sunday after an unknown driver struck her and fled the scene in northeast Houston, police said.
Dozens turn out to support Houston Muslims
A rally outside the downtown Houston Islamic Da’wah Center Saturday attracted about a dozen protesters, more than 50 counterprotesters and a local resident armed with a fully charged bubble machine. A group calling themselves Heart of Texas called for the rally to protest what they consider “Islamization” of Texas – sparked in part by the recent opening of a privately funded library inside the downtown center. Rachel Schneider-Vlachos, a doctoral student in religion at Rice University, said it’s important to show the Muslim community that people in Houston are willing to stand with them. A person thought to be sympathetic to the counterprotesters turned on a bubble machine that sent hundreds of shimmering, soapy bubbles cascading on the anti-Islamic Center group. Houston police did arrest one woman for interfering with a police officer.
Fender bender turns deadly in southwest Houston
What started as a hit-and-run fender bender in far southwest Houston turned deadly early Saturday.
2 shot, 1 dead in early morning melee
A large fight in north Houston turned deadly Saturday morning when one man was fatally shot and another was injured. Eight to 10 people were involved in the fight around 6 a.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of McDaniel near Schneider, according to Houston police. Homicide detectives are interviewing witnesses and took several possible suspects into custody, said David Stark, an HPD homicide investigator. No motive for the fight has been released.
Governor makes Houston commencement address
3 killed as alleged drunk driver runs red light in N. Houston
Driver critical after being hit by alleged drunk driver
Construction worker killed on I-10
FBI looking for Houston bank robber
The FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force is searching for an accused bank robber and is asking the public for help.
8 Texas men accused of soliciting children on Internet
Eight men were arrested Friday for trying to solicit children online.
2 former Houston-area officers indicted in cocaine ring
A former Houston police officer and an ex-Harris County deputy constable are among 15 people indicted in connection with a statewide cocaine trafficking ring, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Friday.
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