Best of Texas Blogs: Cypress

Toll highway mulled by Harris County

2012-01-25T07:29:00.000-08:00

THE CHRON:

Harris County may pick up where the Texas Department of Transportation left off as Commissioners Court considers whether to study the feasibility of building a tolled segment of the Tomball Parkway.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority is asking that it be allowed to look at State Highway 249, also known as Tomball Parkway, to see whether it would be make sense to build a toll road from Spring-Cypress Road about 10 miles north, to near Farm-to-Market 1774. Toll roads officials stress that the study is preliminary and no end point has been determined.

"You've got a populated area that's growing that needs more mobility," said Peter Key, executive director of the toll road authority. "We're taking those first steps to try to find something that's feasible."

Starting the toll road north of Spring-Cypress is natural, he said, as that is where the existing expressway ends and splits into two frontage roads separated by 400 to 500 feet of grass median.

"There was some forethought years ago when the state constructed that," Key said. "They were thinking long term: 'One day we'll come back.' Well that day has come, so now who's going to find a way to afford putting it in the ground?"

The Texas Department of Transportation and Montgomery County already have begun discussions on the project, Key said. About 64,500 vehicles per day travel between Beltway 8 and FM 1774, according to 2010 TxDOT data that includes trips in both directions.

"The people out in Tomball really want that to occur," said County Judge Ed Emmett, a former transportation consultant. "Everybody I talk to says it's almost a no-brainer that it's a financially good thing to do."

Shorter commutes

John Fishero, a vice president at Lone Star College-Tomball and chairman of the 249 Coalition, a nascent group advocating for growth along the road from Beltway 8 to Navasota, agreed.

Morning radio traffic reports, Fishero said, often cite 45-minute drive times on 20-mile stretches of the North and Eastex freeways. The commute on 249, he said, often is pegged at 30 minutes for a stretch of road one fourth as long.

"They're talking about Spring Cypress to Beltway 8, and that's only about 6 miles," Fishero said. "People are sitting there going nowhere. Getting the flow of traffic away from the stop lights and stop signs between Spring-Cypress and Magnolia will definitely help."

Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, whose precinct includes the area, said he has heard positive feedback from his constituents.

"That region is one where we are exploding in our growth," Cagle said. "Having the opportunity to explore avenues of increased mobility is just a positive discussion for us to have."

Terri Hall, of Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom, a group that opposes many toll roads, disagreed.

"People can't afford to pay tolls, especially with gas going up," Hall said. "You might be able to get it built sooner, but who's going to drive on it? They're going to still be sitting on frontage roads."

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Severe weather expected today in Houston area

2012-01-25T07:20:00.001-08:00

KRPC: You can see a wall of heavy rain," KPRC Local 2 meteorologist Anthony Yanez. "From 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock is the time to watch for these dangerous storms."

"Do not take these warnings lightly. Typically, whenever we get these and see a pattern like we had this morning, we'll see a handful of tornadoes," Yanez said.

Gusty winds and scattered showers moved through the area at 2 a.m., knocking out power to 30,000 CenterPoint Energy customers. As of 6:30 a.m., approximately 18,000 people remained without electricity.

"Earlier this morning, we had wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph," Yanez said. "That's what knocked down some of those trees and power lines. We could still see some 60 mph straight-line winds, hail and lots of lightning."

A low-pressure system is responsible for strong storms in central and northern Texas, which are expected to drench the Houston area most of the day.

"There's a couple of lines that we're tracking. The strongest one will arrive in Houston around noon. It's a concern for this morning until early afternoon. The radar is picking up a lot of twisting winds," Yanez said. "It's going to be wet from 8 o'clock all the way through 2 o'clock. By 5 p.m., this storm system will be in our eastern counties."

Yanez said south of Interstate 10 is not expected to see the strongest storms.

"It's a lot more scattered and not as well put together," Yanez said.

Power outages caused problems for some southwest Houston businesses.

Whataburger on the Southwest Freeway near Weslayan had to turn away customers when employees could not prepare food for the morning rush.

"Their lights just came back on (at 6 a.m.), but they weren't ready to serve yet," customer Carol Bennett said.

Many Houstonians were worried about flooding after severe weather left its mark on Jan. 9.

Houston firefighters performed about 140 water rescues when people became stranded in high water.

Officials warned drivers to "turn around, not drown" if they approached rising water.

Flooding is the most common hazard in Houston and many times, individuals are not able to judge the depths of water along roadways and find themselves in perilous conditions.

Officials said 6 inches of water can cause tires to lose traction and begin to slide, and 12 inches of water can float many cars. Two feet of rushing water will carry off pickup trucks, SUVs and most other vehicles.

Water across a roadway may hide a missing segment of road or a missing bridge, officials said.

In flash floods, waters rise so rapidly they may be far deeper by the time you are halfway across, trapping you in your vehicle.

Be especially cautious at night, when it's even more difficult to gauge the amount of water in a roadway.

The safest option is to simply avoid driving over water and find an alternate, safer route, or wait until the danger has passed.

Woman charged with ripping off church ...

2012-01-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas.
Rebekah Talley, 33, is charged with aggregate theft.

Court documents state Talley stole as much as $151,000 from the church from September 2008 through May 2011.

She stole that money by repeatedly cashing in forged checks at her credit union. It was learned she had created fake bank statements relating to legitimate accounts from the church.

On May 12, 2011, church employees noticed there were accounting discrepancies and asked Talley about them. She said she did not notice any.

Later that day, she left the church with a trash bag, saying she was sick.
She never returned.

She was later arrested on Tuesday. Her first court date is pending.

Read more HERE

Houston skyscraper implosion ...

2012-01-09T06:44:00.001-08:00

by KHOU
KHOU
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:57 AM
Updated today at 8:14 AM

HOUSTON — A big boom could be heard on Sunday at the Texas Medical Center in Houston as demolition crews brought down a 20-story building that was once the home of KVUE's sister station, KHOU-TV.

Rare treat: Houstonians can watch as Space Station crosses Moon

2012-01-04T11:08:00.001-08:00

A slice of Houston will have a chance to view a rare treat this evening.

Not only will the International Space Station make an incredibly bright, six-minute track across the sky tonight, some observers will be able to see the orbital laboratory blink across the moon.

Beginning at 6:28 p.m. the station will rise above the northwest horizon in Houston, and disappear just above the southeast horizon some six minutes later. Skies are forecast to be partly cloudy.

Along this path, for some parts of Houston all the way to Galveston, the station’s track will bring it across the face of the moon.

The following map, made by Steve Clayworth of Observable Universe, shows the approximate area from which this will be visible.

2012 is here!

2011-12-31T20:30:00.001-08:00

Cypress nurses file complaint

2011-12-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

Cypress-area registered nurses filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center on Dec. 21, protesting the hospital's sick leave policy.

The nurses publicly accused hospital administrators of adopting a policy that encourages nurses to work while they are sick at a conference last Wednesday. The nurses are asking the hospital to suspend its sick-leave policy during flu season.
The hospital's official sick-leave policy prohibits nurses from taking off more than six sick days within a 12 month period. However, the hospital also allows nurses to take additional days without penalty, if they are able to find a replacement.

To reduce its employees chances of becoming sick, the hospital offers its employees opportunities to receive free flu shots and, according to reports, nurses are required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at the hospital, if they have not received a flu shot.

"...We have never asked our nurses to report to work with an illness," said hospital spokesperson Nadia Saqr. "As professionals who work in the healthcare industry, we choose to lead by example and do all we can to protect our patients, colleagues, families and friends from preventable illnesses such as the flu."

The nurses at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center, who became the first Texas members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Texas/National Nurses United in 2008, have been publicly protesting the policy since October, but have not received any concessions, resulting in the nurses filing the complaint.
So far, the NLRB has listed the case as pending and has not released any additional information.

Nurses to speak out against flu policy

2011-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

Registered nurses at the Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center will speak out against the hospital’s flu policy at a conference at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, claiming they are forced to work while sick.

The nurses, members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Texas/National Nurses United, will also file a complaint on Wednesday against the hospital with the National Labor Relations Board
The nurses complain they are threatened with termination if they stay home while sick, and are forced to come to work and expose their patients to their illness, according to a statement.

As a proposed solution, the nurses are asking the hospital to suspend their sick policy during flu season.

There are 307 Registered Nurses on staff at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center’s two facilities.
The nurses are currently in negotiations over the sick policy with the hospital, which is owned by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp.

CF-ISD names police chief

2011-12-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD named Alan Bragg its first chief of police during the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Monday, Dec. 12.

Bragg comes to CFISD from Spring ISD, where he served 21 years as the chief of police after implementing the full-service, 24-hour department in 1990.

"We're delighted to welcome Chief Bragg to the Cy-Fair family," said Dr. Mark Henry, superintendent of schools. "His wealth of experience in public education law enforcement-especially the first-hand knowledge of forming a department from the ground up-will be invaluable in building a CFISD Police Department."

His experience includes serving as a lieutenant for the Houston ISD police department from 1981-1990; a police officer for Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, from 1978-1981; and a police officer for the City of Wichita Falls from 1972-1978.

Bragg studied criminal justice at Midwestern State. He is a graduate of the Wichita Falls Police Academy, the FBI National Academy and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Series (LEEDS). He is licensed as a Master Peace Officer through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE), a state agency created by the 59th Texas Legislature.

Offices held in professional organizations include past president of the Houston Area Police Chiefs Association, and he currently is serving as vice president of the Texas School District Police Chiefs Association.
"I am honored to serve as chief of police for the new department in Cy-Fair ISD," Bragg said. "I look forward to assuming this important leadership role and creating a model law enforcement agency within the district."

Cypress pastor accused of child rape

2011-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

by KHOU.com staff
khou.com

CYPRESS, Texas – A 32-year-old youth pastor at a Houston-area church was behind bars Friday, accused of raping a 16-year-old girl.

Chad Foster is charged with sexual assault of a child.
According to court documents, Foster met the girl over the summer, while working as a high school youth pastor at the Community of Faith Church on Becker Road in Cypress.

The victim told investigators that she and Foster immediately became friends, and at some point, they exchanged phone numbers. She said they would communicate regularly via text messages.

Then, in late July, the victim told investigators that their relationship became sexual at Foster’s home.
The victim said she and Foster continued to have a sexual relationship through mid-October.

The victim told investigators that Foster told her multiple times how important it was that they keep their relationship a secret, because of their age difference. She said Foster told her if anyone found out, he would be in legal trouble.

But in late October, the girl said she started feeling bad about her relationship with Foster, so she made outcry to her Spanish teacher and another pastor at the church. They notified the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim said Foster has sent her multiple texts and emails, asking her to deny their sexual relationship to anyone who might ask about it.
Charges were filed against Foster on November 3, and he was arrested the same day

Quake shakes South Texas ...

2011-10-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge:

A shallow, moderate earthquake struck southern Texas (TX) on Thursday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was the strongest earthquakes to hit the U.S. state in 45 years.

The 4.8 magnitude quake, upgraded from 4.6mb, occured at 07:25 AM local time (13:25 PM GMT) and was recorded at an extremely shallow depth of 3km (1.9 miles). It struck below Fashing, but was felt as far as Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Austin.

The epicentre of the quake was located 22 km (14 miles) NW (321°) from Pawnee, TX; 23 km (14 miles) SSW (213°) from Falls City, TX; 26 km (16 miles) WSW (249°) from Karnes City, TX; 60 km (37 miles) NW of Beeville, TX; 76 km (47 miles) SSE (154°) from San Antonio, TX; 92 km (57 miles) E of Pearsall, TX; 166 km (103 miles) SSW of AUSTIN, TX; and 463 km (288 miles) SSW (197°) from Dallas, TX.

The last time Texas experienced a tremor similar in intensity to Thursday’s quake was on July 20, 1966. The magnitude 4.8 earthquake was centred in the Panhandle, near Borger and Amarillo.

The most recent earthquake to strike the region hit on 25 April, 2010. The 4.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded 56 km west of Corpus Christi.

Boy Scout saves choking friend

2011-10-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

KPRC - A 12-year-old boy saved a friend from choking at school by using skills he learned as a Boy Scout.

During lunch one day in the Smith Middle School cafeteria in Cypress, Texas, Chase Greer said his friend started choking on his food.

He said learning the Heimlich maneuver and practicing it with the Boy Scouts helped save his friend's life.

"It was different because I had somebody's life in my hands," Chase said. "I knew if I didn't do it correctly or fast enough it could turn for the worst."

Chase said he didn't think he would ever need to use the life-saving skill, but was glad he had it.

"I started patting him on the back to see if that would give him some relief... it did not, so I started doing the Heimlich gently," Chase said.

He said it took 28 tries, and finally, his friend started breathing.

"It took me a few seconds then it hit me... this was huge," Chase said.

The Scout of four years recommends that everyone take a first aid training course and learn the Heimlich maneuver because you never know when you're going to need it.

KPRC

Guard your credit cards - even from your family!

2011-09-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

FOX BUSINESS":

In the classic 1989 movie "Parenthood," Keanu Reeve's character makes the point that "you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car--hell, you even need a license to fish. But they'll let anyone be a father."
That was slightly edited, for anyone who doesn't like salty language. Anyhoo…truer words were never spoken, as you'll see in our first story in this week's look at odd credit card crimes.

In Houston, three women have been charged with using a young boy to help them steal an elderly couple's credit cards. According to Click2Houston.com on Sep. 15, police accuse Ginger Frank, 29, of using her five-year-old son as a prop to help her in her life of crime.

If all went down as they and the victims say, Frank and her son knocked on the elderly couple's front door and said that they needed help finding the boy's lost cat, and that they needed to look in their back yard for it.

So probably being kind and helpful sorts of people, the elderly couple gave them the go-ahead, and of course, they went along with them to the backyard to look.

Shortly after, the mom told the couple that the boy needed to use the restroom. The couple said that that was fine, and then the boy soon after reported that he saw a spider in the bathroom and that he needed to use another bathroom.

The couple agreed, which meant the mother and son were able to penetrate the house more deeply.

About this time, another woman reportedly appeared at the front door and claimed to be offering cleaning services, which kept the couple occupied while the mom--and a third partner-in-crime, according to KHOU 11 News on Sep. 15--searched the home and stole jewelry and credit cards.

It isn't clear what the boy was doing during the theft. Probably wondering how, of all the mothers out there, he got stuck with this one.

The elderly couple apparently declined the cleaning services and bid the woman farewell, about the same time the mom and son said goodbye to the couple, never finding the kitten, of course. Meanwhile, the elderly couple--KHOU reports that the husband is 87--at first didn't realize anything was amiss.

The women then allegedly used the stolen credit card to buy two Versace purses and a $900 Nordstrom gift card, according to KHOU. They also filled up their SUV with $100 worth of gas.

But there is a happy ending. While the "missing" kitten was never found, Frank and her alleged accomplices were. KHOU reports that the credit card company noticed that the transactions seemed unusual and called the U.S. Secret Service (!). The police found Frank and her accomplices, Roseanna Marks, 36, and Rhina Mitchell, 31, with the help of the Secret Service and a store's surveillance video, which caught them using the cards.

Meanwhile, with any luck, the little boy is safe with a relative or social services.

Another interesting credit card crime in the Houston area, involving another senior citizen, and again from the KHOU news team. A 70-year-old woman in Cypress, Texas, recently found a bill on her Kohl's credit card with a purchase that she hadn't made.
She called the police.

The police looked into it and found the culprit.
The identity of the accused? None other than the woman's 32-year-old daughter.
Yikes. Well, could it have been a mixup? Maybe the two were shopping together and got their cards confused? Maybe they were having a visit, and the purses were on a table, and the credit cards were all spread out, and the daughter picked the wrong one up?
Nope. At the time of the purchase in July, the accused was visiting her sick mother in the hospital. And allegedly found the time to take her card and go shopping at Kohl's. Nice.

Don't see much of a future for these two

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/09/27/5-year-old-helps-mom-steal-credit-cards/#ixzz1ZH5tf7NY

Cypress woman steals mom's credit- up on charges.

2011-09-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

CYPRESS, Texas KHOU – A 32-year-old Cypress woman is facing charges after deputies say she stole her mother’s Kohl’s credit card and rang up fraudulent charges.

The victim, 70, told Harris County investigators that she was in the hospital in July of 2011 when her daughter came to visit her.

After she was released, she found a bill from Kohl’s with charges she said she didn’t make.
When she looked for her card, she realized it was missing from her purse.
Deputies obtained surveillance video from the fraudulent purchases.

They sent stills of the person making the charges to the victim, who identified the suspect as her daughter.

The victim said she never gave Garza permission to use her card.
Garza is charged with credit/debit card abuse.

Dog kills newborn in Cypress

2011-09-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

KENS: CYPRESS, Texas – A newborn baby was killed after it was attacked by a dog in Cypress.
It happened at a home just before 8 p.m. Saturday.

Deputies said the mother placed the 13-day-old boy in a carrier inside one of the rooms in the house.

She went outside and was watching the child through a window when a dog inside the house sniffed the infant before mauling it.

The newborn was airlifted to the hospital, where the boy died Sunday morning.
Neighbor Terri Ayala was stunned by the news.

“We just saw the baby and the mama outside and then later we saw the commotion out there,” Ayala said. “The last thing we thought was the baby.”

The dog, described as a lab mix weighing more than 100 pounds, was taken by Harris County Animal Control and put in quarantine.

The case will be referred to a grand jury, which will decide if charges should be filed.

Bastrop is burning ...

2011-09-06T10:03:00.001-07:00

BASTROP

- The most destructive wildfire on record in Texas showed no signs of slowing down Monday, destroying 25,000 acres in Bastrop County and 476 homes, more houses than any single wildfire before and more than all other fires this year combined, according to the Texas Forest Service.

With more than 60 new wildfires raging across the state, Gov. Rick Perry left the campaign trail Monday in South Carolina to address the public and organize requests for more federal aid.

Closer to Houston, a fire in Magnolia burned 20 homes and more than 1,600 acres, and was threatening subdivisions in Montgomery and Grimes counties late Monday. It had moved southwest into Waller County last Monday.

It was one of several fires to hit the area, straining state and local resources as officials focused on the most dangerous blazes. One firefighter was injured and one fire engine burned in blazes in the Magnolia area, said Lt. Dan Norris, spokesman for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities did not yet know how much of the most dangerous fire had been contained Monday, but planned to continue fighting it "as long as necessary," Norris said.

Strong winds and dry conditions fanned the flames and aided the blaze's rapid growth, forcing the evacuation of more than 150 homes. Montgomery County officials were encouraging evacuations from the intersection of FM 1774 and FM 1488, about 42 miles northwest of Houston, up to the Grimes County line, an official said.

Magnolia fire

The Magnolia fire, located off FM 1774 and FM 1488, jumped FM 1488 late Monday and forced further evacuations, although some families were being allowed back to their homes. The Magnolia Independent School District canceled classes today because of the fires. Evacuation shelters were being set up throughout the area, including at Magnolia High School.

Another fire in the area had burned 100 acres and was 80 percent contained, Norris said. It had destroyed one structure and caused no injuries after 50 homes were evacuated.

A fire covering about 100 acres was burning in Oak Ridge North late Monday.

A fire near Nacogdoches that started Sunday night raged to 300 acres Monday and forced 60 families to evacuate their homes, said Ralph Cullom, a spokesman for the Texas Forrest Service. That fires grew with strong gusts of winds and fed off of dry conditions on the ground.

"This drought we're having is just unprecedented," Cullom said.

No injuries have been reported in Bastrop, but two people were reported killed in a North Texas fire Monday. A woman and her 18-month-old child died when a fast-moving fire near Gladewater, east of Dallas, set their mobile home on fire and they were unable to escape.

The Bastrop County Complex Fire, pushed by strong winds and fed by plenty of dry grasses, shrubs and trees, steadily moved south Monday and expanded throughout the day. It jumped the Colorado River twice.

"We will be working days on end," said Mike Fisher, the Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator. "The fire is so dynamic we really have no idea where it is."

'Lives at stake'

Perry said the wildfire burning in the central part of the state is "as mean looking" as he's ever seen.

Cypress soldier killed in Afghanistan honored ...

2011-09-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson, Colo., gave a final salute on Thursday to 14 soldiers killed in a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan including one from Cypress.

About 500 members of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, part of the 4th Infantry Division, and about three dozen friends and relatives attended the ceremony at the post.

The brigade's commander, Col. Jeffrey Martindale, and command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Kinloch placed a wreath before photos of the 14 soldiers.

"I am truly sorry that I could not bring all of this brigade home," Martindale told the mourners.

Later, a comrade of each of the 14 walked slowly to the wreath, paused, and gave a slow, graceful salute before walking away as a bagpiper played "Going Home." Spc. Joshuwa Clare was picked to salute his former boss, Chaplain Dale A. Goetz Jr., a 43-year-old captain from White, S.D.

"Rendering that final salute is an honor and brings a little bit of peace, but there's still some pain," Clare said after the service.

Goetz is believed to be the first chaplain killed in the line of duty since the Vietnam War. He and four others were killed on Aug. 30, 2010, when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle.

Other members of the 1st Brigade killed alongside Goetz were Staff Sgt. Jesse Infante, 30, Cypress, Texas; Staff Sgt. Kevin James Kessler, 32, Canton, Ohio; and Pfc. Chad D. Clements, 26, Huntington, Ind.

The fifth person killed that day was Staff Sgt. Matthew J. West, 36, Conover, Wis. He was a member of Fort Carson's 71st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, which is not part of the 1st Brigade.

The other 1st Brigade soldiers honored Thursday: 1st Lt. Mark A. Noziska, 24, Papillion, Neb.; Staff Sgt. Casey J. Grochowiak, 34, Lompoc, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Carlos A. Benitez, 24, Carrollton, Texas; Spc. Rafael Martinez Jr., 36, Spring Valley, Calif.; Pfc. Tramaine J. Billingsley, 20, Portsmouth, Va.; Sgt. Robert C. Sisson Jr., 29, Aliquippa, Pa.; Sgt. Ken K. Hermogino, 30, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Spc. Timothy L. Johnson, 24, Randolph, N.Y.; Spc. Pedro A. Millet Meletiche, 20, Elizabeth, N.J.; and Pfc. Eric Soufrine, 20, Woodbridge, Conn.

Fort Carson officials said 325 soldiers from the post have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Driest year on record plagues Texas ...

2011-08-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

VOA: Weather forecasters and agriculture experts in the southwestern U.S. state of Texas say there is no relief in sight for what already is the worst drought year on record. The searing heat and dry conditions have caused devastating wildfires in the western part of the large state and led to crop losses, cattle deaths and water rationing in areas of east Texas that are normally wet at this time of year.

Driving through the countryside northwest of Houston, one sees dried up fields, dying trees and livestock ponds that are not much more than a puddles of fetid, algae-covered water. In some towns, farmers' markets have been cancelled because local growers have little to offer. Those with wells for irrigation are struggling with the high cost of fuel to run their pumps.

Debbie Cross, who operates a farmers' market near Cypress, Texas, says people are becoming discouraged by the lack of rain and the high temperatures, which are around 40 degrees most days.

“The drought is hurting everything. It is hurting all the crops, the cattle, the hay. There is no grass. The chickens are miserable. I mean everybody is just miserable. We need water,” Cross said.

Cross says local farmers are unable to supply much fruit and vegetables and that she is getting by with produce trucked in from other states where conditions are better.

“We are getting it from the local southern states and southwestern states are kicking in -- Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma. Everybody knows that the Texas market is a great consumer market, so they are helping out a lot here,” Cross said.
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One of the hardest hit agricultural sectors is livestock. Texas is the biggest cattle producer in the United States and ships beef to many foreign markets. Earlier this year, ranchers endured one of the worst winters on record, with several days of subzero temperatures in a region where freezes are rare. The drought has made it even harder, driving up the cost of hay and leaving some areas so dry that cattle have died of thirst in their pastures.

One rancher who has managed to get through this crisis with most of her stock in fairly good condition is Dorie Damuth, owner of the Flying D ranch near Magnolia, Texas.

Damuth raises prize-winning Texas Longhorns for breeding and she has managed to find hay and enough water to keep them alive. She says she has seen dry spells before, but nothing that compares to this year.

“The drought is something I, as a cattle woman, and all of my fellow cattlemen and cattlewomen have never experienced before. This is probably the 100-year drought, just like you can have a 100-year flood. It is very devastating for all of us ranchers who work so hard to provide beef for our country as well as for around the world,” Damuth said.

In a dried up lake on her property, there is a Longhorn skull sitting on top of cracked earth that is muddy and soft underneath.

“We have had lakes and stock ponds on the ranch that have dried up because of no rain, no rainfall. They will dry down to a little mucky place in the middle that is still wet and the cattle will sometimes go down and try to get water and they can't. And they step into that mucky mud and it is kind of like quicksand, and they can't get out.”

Lately, there have been beautiful fluffy clouds floating over the area. But ranch hand Chris Quinters is not encouraged by them.

“Those are some nice clouds, but it don't look like they are going to bring any rain,” Quinters said.

Howl O Ween set for Cypress

2011-08-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

CYPRESS, TX –Tails are already wagging as Bridgeland embarks on a Fido favorite event — Howl-O-Ween Fest, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, in Bridgeland’s Oak Meadow Park.

The annual pup party, which drew more than 3,000 dog lovers last year, offers plenty of fun for two- and four-legged family members. Top dog on this year’s stage schedule is Johnny Peers and the Muttville Comix, which performs at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. With appearances on David Letterman, Primetime Live and the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, the comedy act stars mostly rescue dogs. Returning this year after successful shows in 2010 are Guennadi and his world-famous dog act, who performs at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and the gravity-defying canine antics of the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, which performs at noon. And especially for young audiences is a magic show by Houston’s Lanny Kibbey, who performs at 2 p.m.

As in previous years, Howl-O-Ween Fest is a pit stop for the “Splash Dogs” dock-diving competition, which takes place both Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30. High-ranking dogs for 2011 have leaped more than 25 feet into the water. Learn more and register at www.splashdogs.com or at the event. There will be a registration fee, with a portion going toward Howl-O-Ween fundraising efforts.

Other Howl-O-Ween Fest treats include a 1 p.m. pooch fashion show and costume contest, with prizes going to the top three winners, a farmers’ market with pumpkin patch, several rounds of bingo with prizes awarded, pet vendors and street performers. As in years past, Foundry Church will hold its annual fall event during Howl-O-Ween Fest, with carnival games, bounce houses, a miniature train, laser tag and more.

Most activities will be free; however a few will fetch a small donation, which will go to participating animal rescue groups, including Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas — Houston, Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue, Great Dane Rescue of Southeast Texas and Weimaraner Rescue of Texas. Other rescue groups will be added as the event date nears.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

The forecast?

2011-08-03T06:15:00.001-07:00

Fundraisers held for injured children orphaned in crash

2011-07-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

CYPRESS, TX (KTRK) -- Three children who lost their parents in a car crash are receiving an outpouring of support from friends and complete strangers.

Friends of Robin and Joshua Berry organized a lemonade and bake sale in Cypress on Saturday to help pay for the children's medical expenses.
There was also a dog wash held Saturday in West University with proceeds benefiting the children.

The Berrys died over the Fourth of July weekend while driving home from a family vacation in Colorado.

Their nine- and eight-year-old sons and six-year-old daughter were seriously injured.

Both boys are being transferred to a hospital in Chicago that specializes in spinal injuries.

The Berry children are being cared for by their aunt and uncle.

To donate to the Joshua and Robin Berry Children's Trust, visit www.theberrychildren.org or send to the trust in care of the Bank of Texas, 510 Bering Drive, 5th floor; Houston 77057.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Houston Area 4th of July Celebrations ...

2011-06-27T10:16:00.001-07:00

by Stacy Morrow / khou.com staff
khou.com

The Houston area is buzzing with activities for the celebration of our nation's independence. You can find events from fireworks displays to parades, in just about every city and community. Here's a list we've compiled of the things we have heard about so far. If you see we have missed anything, or if you want to add something, let us know in the comments below!

HOUSTON
Freedom Over Texas
Houston will set the stage for an extraordinary patriotic celebration at Mayor Annise Parker’s official Fourth of July event, Freedom Over Texas. The annual event is held at Eleanor Tinsley Park from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and culminates with a fireworks extravaganza set to a perfectly timed bed of patriot and current musical selections. Free with a can of food benefiting the Houston Food Bank or $8 per person (children under 2 free) Information from: http://www.freedomovertexas.org

ExxonMobil Star-Spangled Salute, Miller Outdoor Theatre
Enjoy an evening with Michael Krajewski and the Houston Symphony. Astronaut and vocalist Chris Hadfield will also sing Big Smoke, a song inspired by his first shuttle mission.

Make sure to stay until the end for the 1812 Overture—complete with booming cannons! This celebration concludes with a magnificent display of fireworks provided by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board. Hours: 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030, Phone: 281-FREE-FUN or 281-373-3386 Information from: http://milleroutdoortheatre.com/events/133/

Bayou Bend Family Days Independence Day Celebration
Start your Fourth of July at Bayou Bend, where America's Colonial era is celebrated in patriotic style. Ring in the holiday with an extravaganza of Americana—performers, crafts, activities, refreshments, and more—and don't forget to sign the Texas-sized Declaration of Independence before you leave! With its unique blend of the arts and American history, Bayou Bend is the perfect place to spend Independence Day. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. FREE! Information from:
http://www.mfah.org/visit/bayou-bend-family-days/

Kidpendence Celebration | Children's Museum of Houston
Friday, Jul 1 2011 6:00 AM to Monday, Jul 4 2011 10:00 PM CDT
We’re seeing stars and stripes at this special Independence Day celebration! Join us for a patriotic 21-soda geyser burst salute on the 4th of July and plenty of fun-filled activities that will cover you in red, white and blue! Claim Your Independence Discount: We know rising gas prices are making you see stars and stripes, so it is time to claim your independence from them! Receive up to $12 off/ 6 people on July 1 - 4. Special Activity - 21 - Soda Geyser Burst Salute: Celebrate America with a CMH tradition - 21 patriotic bursts of soda that will help you get excited for the rest of the day's activities. 1500 Binz, Houston TX 77004. Phone: (713) 522-1138 Informaton from: http://www.cmhouston.org/en/cev/2570

BELLAIRE
July 4th Parade and Festival
The parade begins at 9:30 am and the festival runs from 10 am to 1 pm. The parade route begins at the Bellaire Triangle and travels down Bellaire Blvd. and S. Rice Ave. A children's parade leads the big parade. Kids are encouraged to decorate trikes, bikes and wagons and meet by Community National Bank at Bellaire Blvd. & Fifth Street. No need to enter the children's parade ahead of time, just show up at 9 a.m. in the CNB parking lot. The festival begins in Bellaire Town Square immediately after the parade. Enjoy live entertainment, carnival games, food, a mini ferris wheel, petting zoo, moon jumps, dunk tank and much, much more! Admission into the festival is free, but games take tickets and the food is an additional cost. Join us for some home town fun! Information from: http://www.ci.bellaire.tx.us/index.aspx?nid=879.

CITY OF EL LAGO
July 4th Picnic
For this year’s July 4th Picnic, we are going to take it down home with a parade and then bar-b-que at the pool. Join us at 10:00 a.m. at McNair Park for the annual non-motorized parade around the park. Prizes will be awarded in the following three categories: Most Sparkling, Most Creative and Most Patriotic. After the parade, we will retire to the El Lago Swim and Racquet Club to visit with friends, listen to some music and enjoy a burger together. The City will provide the drinks, burger, bun and burger fixings; we are asking residents to bring a side dish and/or desert. You will also want to bring your lawn chair or blanket for relaxing around the pool and spray ground in the afternoon. Information from: http://www.ellago-tx.com/events.html#july4

CONROE
July 4th Walden and Bentwater Fireworks Show
Fireworks will be shot off at Dusk from the Marina near the Walden Yacht Club, 13101 Melville Dr, Montgomery. Parking at the Yacht club is reserved for dinner guests. There is limited parking on the streets. Suggested viewing is from the water. Information from: http://www.conroetoday.com/evps/evitem.cfm?evid=4548

FORT BEND
Freedom Rings Concert featuring the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra
Program includes Star Spangled Banner Finale with soloist, Armed Forces Salute, America the Beautiful – Dragon, God Bless the USA, Liberty Fanfare -Williams/Aguero, Joplin Rag, You're a Grand Old Flag, Variations on a Shaker Melody – Copland, Strike Up the Band, Sousa Marches, Gems of Stephen Foster and 1812 Overture. Event will be at the Stafford Centre from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. and a fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. Location:10505 Cash Road, Stafford, TX 77477. Information from: http://www.fbso.org/
KATY
Annual Freedom Celebration at Katy Mills Mall
The 22nd Annual Katy Freedom Celebration fireworks display will be held at Katy Mills Mall on Monday, July 4. The fireworks are launched between the east side of the mall and Katy Fort Bend Road. The display begins at dark (approximately 9:00 p.m.) and can be viewed from several miles around the mall area. Information from: cityofkaty.com/katy-freedom-celebration-july-4/
KEMAH
Kemah’s Independence Day Parade
Kicking off the Independence Day Celebration activities is the Kemah 4th of July Parade, Monday, at 11:00 a.m. with the Children’s Parade starting at 10:30 a.m. The parade line up is behind the Kemah Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. with the parade route travelling along the Kemah Lighthouse District. The theme for the patriotic parade this year is “The Spirit of Volunteerism.” The parade is open to all and easy to enter with no registration fee. Monday evening is the July 4th Kemah Boardwalk Fireworks, “Star Spangled Skies” extravaganza. From the Kemah Boardwalk and surrounding areas all will be able to see the fantastic light show over Galveston Bay. The annual fireworks display scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. For more information on these activities or lodging needs contact the Kemah Visitor Center at 281-334-3181. Information from: http://www.kemah.net/July_4_2011_Kemah_press_release.pdf

LEAGUE CITY
July 4th Citizen Appreciation Day
Mayor, City Council, Parks Board and staff will be serving free refreshments in appreciation of the citizens of the City of League City at League Park from 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. There will be live music and other entertainment. FREE. Information from: http://www.leaguecity.com/calendar.aspx?EID=1348

NASSAU BAY
July 4th Parade and Fireworks Show
Decorate your bikes, floats, baby strollers, cars, or just yourself! Various prizes will be awarded. Join your friends and neighbors for a fun-filled evening. Bring a picnic dinner and a blanket for the fireworks show. Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. from Gloria Dei and ends at Lake Park Nassau. Activities at the park including bounce houses, food vendors, face painting, and live music. Fireworks Display begins at 9 p.m. Information from: http://www.nassaubay.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=48

PASADENA
Pasadena's Annual 4th Fest Event will take place Monday, July 4th, 2011
from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center.
There will be a 20-minute long fireworks show, live music by “The Slags,” a car show, kidzone, USMC Toys for Tots BBQ Cook-off, games, prizes, vendors, water balloon war zone, sports and other entertainment. Information from: http://www.ci.pasadena.tx.us/default.aspx?name=prk.event-4thfest

PEARLAND
Celebration of Freedom
This year's program will begin with an explosion of patriotic excitement! A full-size carnival will be on site at noon on Monday. Stadium and Field seating will be available at no charge beginning at 6 PM on Monday. A VFW military salute will begin the evening's entertainment, followed by the National Anthem. The stadium will be filled with the tunes of Texas country recording artist, Hamilton Loomis. At sundown, enjoy a spectacular 20-minute fireworks display from your seat inside the stadium.. For more information, call 281-412-8900. Information from: http://www.pearlandparks.com/celebration_of_freedom.html
SUGAR LAND
Celebration of Freedom
The City of Sugar Land’s 26th annual Red White and Bluefest will set the skies ablaze over Oyster Creek Park. Celebrate America’s 235th birthday with family, friends and fellow residents while enjoying new main stage performances, delicious county fair-type goodies and numerous children’s activities. A free shuttle service will be provided from Mercer Stadium, 16403 Lexington Blvd., to Oyster Creek Park, 4033 State Highway 6 South, from 4:30-11 p.m. Information from: www.sugarlandtx.gov
THE WOODLANDS
South County Fourth of July Parade “Celebrating the American Dream”
On Sunday, July 3, stroll through Market Street - The Woodlands for its Fourth of July parade, “Celebrating the American Dream” starting at 9 a.m. The festivities continue later that evening when the Houston Symphony performs its Star Spangled Salute, a free concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion starting at 8 pm. Information from: http://www.4thofjuly.org/

Houston Symphony presents Star-Spangled Salute
The Pavilion dons red, white and blue July 3 for the return of the Star-Spangled Salute. This free Independence Eve spectacular features the Houston Symphony in a selection of patriotic favorites under the direction of Michael Krajewski. Don’t miss commemorating the birth of our nation by joining the Symphony in this grandiose celebration. It’s an evening of good, old-fashioned family fun complete with cannons blasting from the top of the hill during Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." Pre-concert activities begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Fidelity Investments Plaza.FREE event. Information from: http://www.woodlandscenter.org/tourarchive.html?n_id=346

Red, Hot & Blue Festival
The Woodlands will celebrate July 4 weekend with one of the largest firework displays in the greater Houston area, hot dog and watermelon eating contests, live entertainment, and more! Now in its 14th year, the annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival will be held Monday, July 4, 2011 from 6 - 10 pm at Town Green Park and Waterway Square, both located along The Woodlands Waterway. Admission to the event is free and tickets for food concessions and games may be purchased on-site. Information from: http://www.thewoodlandscvb.com/redhotblue/

Alvin woman jumps on hood of beer thieves ...

2011-06-23T07:37:00.001-07:00

Child disappears down manhole ...

2011-06-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

CYPRESS, Texas - Police are trying to find a child who went down a manhole but never came back out Monday afternoon.

Stafford Police and more than 2 dozen Houston Fire Department personnel are searching in the Newport by the Lakes neighborhood in the 18900 block of Barker Cypress Road.
An officer saw the child, presumed to be 12-14 years of age, go down that manhole a little before 3 p.m. Monday, according to HFD.

It’s not known why he went down the manhole.
At around 4:26 p.m., the scene was clear.

READ MORE AT KHOU

Texas Local Web Site Blooms into a Flower for the Community

2011-06-15T05:45:00.001-07:00

New exciting things are developing in the Summer of 2011 for ExploreHouston.com

Best Publications wants to welcome the public to this new web business directory and informational mecca for ExploreHouston.com that will continue to be filled with. . . Community Links and Events, Guide Pages for Restaurants, Weddings, Florist, Services, Auto Sales, Entertainment, Real Estate, Eye Care, Dental, Medical, Employment, Shopping! Read a variety of Articles | Forums Topics | Daily Deals | Coupons | Directory Hot Links | Interact Page to Join the Community Fun!

Register with ExploreHouston.com site so you can gain the benefits. User can post Social and Public Events.

Take the opportunity for High School and University Students to announce Sports and School Events, Professional Sports Links and Ticket Information | Post a photo or comment on other people’s Photos, Comment of Articles or Forum Topics | Post a Scan of your Child’s Artwork | Free Classified Postings & Add Your Own

The staff of ExploreHouston wants the community to benefit from the information we can share... as well as encourage you to participate. Send us a comment.

Post your event or Your Organization Benefit in ExploreHouston.com Event section. We want our information to accurate, so we depend on our community to help us stay in touch.

Are you a writer that wants to be published? Got an article? Send it in a word document to info@ExploreHouston.com

Engage! Enjoy! Grow with us!

~ ExploreHouston.com Staff

Cypress woman sues over sexual harassment ...

2011-06-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

A former Life Time Fitness trainer is suing the Chanhassen, MN-based company on the grounds of sexual harassment and retaliation.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lisa Ryan Flores of Cypress, TX, on May 19 in Harris County (TX) District Court against Life Time and Todd Buckland, a Life Time employee who was Flores’s team leader. Flores accuses Buckland of inappropriate and unwanted sexual behavior.

In July 2009, Flores was transferred from Life Time’s Cinco Ranch location to its Houston City Centre location, where the alleged behavior took place, according to the complaint. Among other accusations, Flores claims Buckland put his hand down her pants and would send her unwanted text messages outside of work late at night.

After reporting the alleged sexual advances around Sept. 1, 2009, Flores claims Life Time led a campaign of retaliation against her, and that led to her wrongful termination. The tactics, Flores claims, included demoting her, which reduced her income. She claims Life Time’s corporate human resources department scolded her because she asked club managers about Buckland’s status at the club.

On Oct. 21, 2009, Flores filed claims of harassment and subsequent retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Rights Division of the Texas Workforce Commission. During mediation, Flores was fired by Leslie Simoneau, general counsel for Life Time Fitness, according to the complaint.

In addition to sexual harassment and retaliation, Flores is suing on the grounds of assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking damages that include back pay, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.

Life Time says it does not comment on legal matters.

Cy-fair tragedy spurs anti-bullying legislation ..

2011-05-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Eight months after Cy-Fair middle school student Asher Brown's suicide, the Texas Senate unanimously approved "anti-bullying" legislation aimed at giving school administrators authority to prevent ongoing harassment of students.

The bill returns to the House, which is expected to concur with Senate amendments and send it to Gov. Rick Perry for his signature.

Amy and David Truong, Asher's mother and stepfather, watched from the Senate gallery as the legislation was adopted unanimously.

The Truongs say they complained to school officials for months before 13-year-old Asher's suicide that he was being bullied, but received no help from Hamilton Middle School administrators. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at home last September.

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, said the legislation will allow school officials to reassign bullies or their victims to other campuses or classes.
Added Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, "The real goal is prevention. We've got to hold public school officials accountable when they know about these acts."
'More proactive stance'

Van de Putte, who tearfully hugged the Truongs after the bill's passage, thanked "the courage of many families" who advocated for the legislation.

"This bill … represents the consensus statement by the Legislature we will no longer tolerate doing nothing," about bullying in Texas public schools, she said.

READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CHRON

Shell plant back on line today ...

2011-05-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Royal Dutch Shell Plc planned to restart an olefins unit today at its Deer Park, Texas, facility.

Olefins Plant 2 was to resume operations at 5 a.m. local time today, The Hague-based company said in a filing to state regulators. The unit had been shut because of an equipment malfunction, Shell said. Olefins are used to make synthetic fibers.

Missing Cypress man's body found ...

2011-05-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

The body of a Cypress, Texas man, missing since he disappeared while on an outing Sunday at Lake Somerville, has been found.

The body of Walter Castillo, 38, was discovered about 10:20 a.m. Wednesday by a searcher near Yegua Creek Park.

Castillo was missing since he fell from a jet ski near Rock Island Sunday. Rock Island is located between Yegua Creek Park and Overlook Park.

Both of those parks are on the Washington County side of Lake Somerville.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the missing person call about 5:45 p.m. Sunday.

Searchers included personnel from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Emergency Medical Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens, a Texas Department of Public Safety aircraft from Houston and a DPS dive team from Austin.

This is the second lake drowning in just over two weeks.

Maria Guadalupe Hernandez, 49, of Tomball, drowned April 23 while on an outing at Welch Park.

READ MORE HERE

Texan heads Bin Laden raiders

2011-05-04T05:34:00.001-07:00

The commander of the U.S. military unit responsible for killing elusive al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden — Vice Adm. William H. McRaven — is a San Antonio native and graduate of the University of Texas in Austin.

McRaven, 55, earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1977, although a campus dean said a computer listing didn't indicate whether the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps member had an interest in the print side of news coverage, broadcast or public relations.
A fellow ROTC member recalled McRaven as eager for military service.

"He was extremely focused on preparing for special forces details," said Curtis Raetz, of McKinney, who majored in engineering at UT, served in the Marine Corps and now works in private business.
'He had drive.'

Raetz, who graduated a year before McRaven, said the ROTC program included required courses such as naval science.

James Gruetzner, who served in the same Navy ROTC batallion as McRaven, told Cox Newspapers, "He had drive. He went on extraordinarily long runs to stay in shape. He was very dedicated."
McRaven's Navy biography states he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and was its first graduate in Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict. In 1995, he wrote a book called Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare Theory and Practice.

McRaven became commander of the U.S. military's Joint Special Operations Command in 2008.
In that role, he reportedly led the planning and execution of bin Laden's death Sunday at the hand of Navy SEALs, an acronym that stands for Sea, Air and Land.

UFO sighted of Cypress?

2011-04-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

A Cypress, TX, witness reports a white or silver "thin object" hovering 1,000 feet over US 290 that quickly disappeared from view on April 5, 2011, according to April 9, 2011, testimony from the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) witness reporting database.

This is the second cigar-shaped report from Texas in a two-day period. We recently covered a similar shape UFO in the story: Illuminated cigar UFO reported over Texas - a sighting that occurred one day later, on April 6, 2011. In the first case, the witness was able to provide an image of the object, although no town name was mentioned in the public portion of the MUFON report.

"It seemed to be moving to moving parallel to the highway, and as I turned left onto Spring Cypress Road," the witness stated. "The object stopped, then hovered over the freeway, sort of in the upper horizon behind it."

The witness lost sight of the object while driving under the freeway.

"It was gone and nowhere to be found."

Cypress is an unincorporated area in Harris County, located inside the city of Houston, along US 290.The area ranks 50th in the top 100-income areas in the U.S. No images or videos were included with the MUFON report

Cypress ISD looking for new superintendent

2011-04-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Texas' third-largest school system, could name its new superintendent as early as May 23.

Dozens of community members met with consultants leading the search Thursday to detail the qualities they'd like to see in the next leader of the 106,000-student northwest Harris County district.

Some said they want a career educator with success in an increasingly diverse and fast-growing district.

"This district wants, needs and deserves someone who has that proven track record," said Mike Moses, former Texas education commissioner and former Dallas ISD superintendent.

Moses and attorney David Thompson's firm, School Executive Consulting, are leading the search for Cy-Fair's next superintendent.
The new leader will be faced with the daunting task of balancing the district's budget in the face of state funding cuts while keeping pace with exploding enrollment, Thompson said.

School Executive Consulting is the same group that plucked current Cy-Fair Superintendent David Anthony from a Dallas-area district in 2004.
After seven years on the job, Anthony announced earlier this year that he will leave the district in June to become chief executive officer of Raise Your Hand Texas, an education nonprofit.

Thompson and Moses have conducted about 40 superintendent searches in the past decade. Cy-Fair hired the firm for about $22,000 — one-fifth of what the Houston ISD paid a different consulting firm in 2009 to hire Terry Grier from San Diego.
According to a tentative timeline, applications for the post are due April 21. The firm is expecting 25 or 30 candidates.

Five to seven applicants will be interviewed the first week of May, and two or three finalists could be interviewed the second week of May.
"This is not etched in stone," Moses said.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY AT THE CHRON

Alleged Chicago murderer arrested in Conroe

2011-03-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

TUCUMCARI, N.M. — A 33-year-old Chicago man has been arrested in the killings of two men at a Tucumcari, N.M., hotel.

New Mexico state police spokesman Eric Garcia said Monday that Muziwokuthula "Muzie" Madonda was arrested without incident in Conroe, Texas outside of Houston on two counts of murder and tampering with evidence.

It's unclear whether he has a lawyer.
Madonda is awaiting extradition back to New Mexico to face the charges, which stem from the deaths of 37-year-old Gabriel Baca and 57-year-old Bobby Gonzales, both of Tucumcari.

A family member who looked through a window at the Tucumcari Inn found the men's bodies Thursday.

READ MORE AT THE CHRO N

Got veggies?

2011-03-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District is accepting bids until April 14 for a steady supply of frozen and canned fruits, vegetables and legumes.

The one-year contract begins July 1. Regular deliveries are expected at the Cy-Fair ISD Food Production Center, 11355 Perry Road.

All items must have zero trans fat content and abide by the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy, available for review at squaremeals.org. By law governing district funding, Cy-Fair ISD must buy items that are at least 51 percent U.S.-made.

For more information, contact buyer Trisha Jensen at 281-517-6552.

Cypress boy killed in wreck in Florida

2011-03-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

A 13-year-old boy was killed and three other people injured when their vehicle overturned on I-10 less than a mile east of the Sneads exit on Saturday afternoon.

The Florida Highway Patrol said all four people in the 2001 GMC Yukon were from Cypress, Texas, but did not release the names.

The driver, a 15-year-old boy, was seriously injured and two 45-year-olds, a man and a woman, were critically injured. All three were taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The boy who was killed was taken to Jackson Hospital in Marianna where he was pronounced dead.

The accident report said the vehicle was traveling westbound on I-10 in the left lane about 1:45 p.m. when it drifted onto the grass shoulder of the median. The vehicle was steered back to the right but overcorrected, causing the vehicle to go out of control and overturn several times. Three of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle.

No charges have been filed but the investigation is ongoing, the report said.

NORAD exercise tomorrow over Houston

2011-03-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will conduct exercise flights tomorrow morning as they practice intercept and identification procedures. Exercise flights will take place over Southeastern Texas. Although they are scheduled for mid-morning, the exercise flights could be delayed due to weather concerns.

Those living southeast of Houston, specifically near Ellington Airport, may hear and/or see NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to a military or military contracted aircraft, which will be taking on the role of a Track of Interest (TOI).

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout Canada and the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.

18 charged in rape of 11 year old girl.

2011-03-07T19:26:00.001-08:00

(CNN) -- Thirteen adults and five juveniles have been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged rape of a Texas girl, police said.

Darrell Broussard, assistant police chief for the Cleveland, Texas, police department, said Monday that the investigation into the incident "is continuous," with more significant developments possible. Cleveland is about 50 miles northeast of Houston.

"There have been leads during our investigation that have alerted us to other possible persons of interest," Broussard told CNN. "The investigation is ongoing."
The 18 individuals charged thus far are between 14 and 27 years old, he said.

On Friday, the Cleveland police department announced that four students in the Cleveland independent school district had been arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14.

They appeared Monday in a Liberty County court, in the town of Liberty, to face the charges.
Police noted that some but not all suspects are students at Cleveland High School, though all those named thus far are from the town.

Mike Little, the district attorney in Liberty County, said police would likely decide whether more people would be charged. He offered few other details, saying, "We are very careful about pretrial publicity."

The incident allegedly happened late last year in Cleveland. The case has sharply divided the community, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.

"It just seems like a dream," said Sherry Fletcher, whose 20-year-old son Devo Shaun Green is among those charged according to Cleveland police. "I just hope everything comes out well, because some of these kids are innocent."

Those adults arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony in Texas, could face 25 year to life in prison if convicted, according to the police department.

Off duty cop kills man in Harris County

2011-02-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

Harris County sheriff's deputies said the shooting happened in the 13000 block of Rosetta Drive in Cypress at about 12:40 a.m.

A family asked the officer, who is their next-door neighbor, for help with a family disturbance, detectives said.

The officer, identified as Raul Abdala, went to the family's home and found 30-year-old Chad Nash armed with a knife in the front yard, investigators said.
Deputies said Nash started to walk toward the officer, and Abdala told him to drop the knife. Nash did not drop the knife and continued to move toward the officer, causing the officer to shoot out of fear for his safety, investigators said.

Nash was taken to Northwest Cypress Hospital, where he died.
"We would like to make it clear that there was no home invasion," Nash's family wrote in a statement. "There was a family altercation that ended tragically for everyone involved. It is a difficult time for both families, and we ask that you allow us to grieve privately and in the company of our loved ones."

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Horses die in fire

2011-02-16T07:53:00.000-08:00

CYPRESS, Texas - Six horses died Sunday morning in a fire at a northwest Harris County subdivision stables.

Flames broke out before daybreak at the Ravensway stables.

Cypress Creek firefighters managed to rescue two of the trapped horses but heat and flames kept them from saving the others.

One of the horse owners, Brandon Warren, 17, says he worked at the stables to earn money to buy the animal six years ago.

6 Horses Killed in Stables Fire: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

Breaking: Explosions rock Belvieu plant!

2011-02-08T11:57:00.001-08:00

Multiple explosions, fire at Mont Belvieu plant

Credit: AIR 11
A fire at Enterprise Products in Mont Belvieu was burning out of control more than an hour after witnesses heard multiple explosions.

by Michelle Homer / khou.com
khou.com
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Updated today at 1:39 PM

MONT BELVIEU, Texas – Several explosions at a Mont Belvieu plant were followed by flames that could be seen from miles around.
The explosions happened at Enterprise Products at 135 Sun Oil Road around 12:25 p.m.

Witnesses reported seeing workers fleeing from the Chambers County plant. Other workers were being told to stay inside.
The company hasn't released any details about injuries. An employee, who didn't want to be identified, said at least one contractor has not been accounted for.

The employee said the explosion happened in a subsection of the plant.
Chambers County officials say there's no known threat to the public at this time.

They have not called for evacuations.
State Highway 146 is closed near the plant.

The fire was still burning out of control nearly an hour after it began. The flames could be seen 25 miles away in Houston.

A Houston caller named Pat said she was talking by phone to a relative inside the plant when the first set of explosions happened. There were three more explosions while they were still on the phone. "Anywhere from eight to 11 explosions," according to Pat.

READ MORE AT KHOU

Controversy surrounds teen beating by Houston police

2011-02-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

(CNN) -- Houston's mayor and police department were on the defensive Friday, two days after graphic video came out showing several police repeatedly kicking and beating a 15-year-old burglary suspect as he lay on the ground.
An internal police investigation of the incident last March led to the firing of seven police officers, said spokesman John Cannon of the Houston police department.

Two successfully appealed and returned to their jobs, said Houston NAACP President D.Z. Cofield.

Five other officers were disciplined in other ways, Cannon said. And a Harris County grand jury indicted four of the officers this summer, based in part on the video.
Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos opposed the video becoming public and felt doing so might prejudice potential jurors and force the indicted officers' trials to be moved out of the county.

Quanell X, a local activist, got hold of the surveillance tape showing the scene outside a storage facility and gave it to the media.
He said he had every right to obtain the footage and make it public.

"I will show my people what they deserve to see, and let the public see what you don't want them to see," Quanell X said.
Mayor Annise Parker said the police leadership and city acted properly.

"I resent any implication that we were trying to hide the tape," she said.
After viewing the footage, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland Jr. fired the seven officers and a grand jury called for misdemeanor charges against four of them in June.

Lykos told reporters Thursday there was not sufficient evidence to pursue more serious charges, such as aggravated assault.
"Without revealing what was presented to the grand jury, in order to have aggravated assault you have to have serious bodily injury or impairment or use of a deadly weapon," she said. "None of that was apparent in this case."

The tape, first shown Wednesday on CNN affiliate WTRK, shows the 15-year-old boy -- being chased by police and falling to the ground after being upended by a moving police car. He then falls face first and places his hands on the ground.

A disciplinary letter from McClelland, dated June 23 and posted online less than two weeks later by CNN affiliate HTRK, says that the boy had his hands behind his head and neck area, in an obvious position of surrender.

Then, the letter adds and the tape shows, Officer Raad Hassan "then ran toward (the boy) and kicked him a total of 15 times," then later kicked him more times in the groin area even after he "was handcuffed and no longer a threat."

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Substitute teacher arrested in connection with Bay City ISD death threats

2011-01-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

Credit: Matagorda County Sheriff's Office
Paul Nolen May

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on January 27, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Updated today at 11:23 AM

BAY CITY, Texas – A substitute teacher has been arrested and charged in connection with death threats made to students in Bay City ISD, the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Paul Nolen May, 41, was arrested on Wednesday.
He’s charged with 12 counts of making a terroristic threat – all of which are third-degree felonies.

The threats began on December 28 when the district received a hand-written, profanity-laced letter, purportedly from the parent of a student.

In the letter, the sender expressed anger over their child being disciplined at school. The letter detailed new "rules" for the school to follow regarding discipline and threatened to "kill a random student" if the demands were not met.
About a week later, a second threat was sent via text message.

The message, sent from an anonymous source and forwarded among Bay City ISD students, said this: "Hey! Forward this to everyone…1 rule broken, two girls dies at the jr. high and 2 from high school, dnt go! The school will be on lockdown."

It was not clear if May was suspected in both threats. Investigators declined to release any additional information Thursday.

May was being held in the Matagorda County Jail on bonds totaling $240,000.

Tomball man gets 10 years for fatal DWI

2011-01-26T10:00:00.001-08:00

A Tomball man who said he’s turned his life around after a drunk-driving wreck that has left one man in a vegetative state will spend 10 years in prison.
Judge K. Michael Mayes, of the 410th state District Court, sentenced Stephen Burks, 39, to 10 years in prison Friday for one count of intoxication assault. The accident injured Carlo Lujan, 21, also of Conroe.

Burks also received 10 years’ probation for injuring Aurelio Iglesias, 47, of Conroe, during an August 2009 accident at the intersection of Texas 105 East and Millmac Road.
Burks will have to serve at least five years in prison before being eligible for parole.

“I am happy (about the sentence),” Assistant District Attorney Tyler Dunman said. “This has been a case that has really impacted me because sometimes it may be easy if someone is killed by a drunk driver (because) the family can move on. But in this case, the good Lord left Carlo Lujan to really show the impact of drunk driving in our county.”
Lujan, a 2007 graduate of Caney Creek High School, played football for the Panthers.
DPS troopers who responded to the Aug. 15, 2009, accident testified during Burks’ sentencing hearing.

Burks was driving a pickup truck that ran into the back of Lujan’s passenger vehicle, which rear-ended a second vehicle that Iglesias was driving.

Lujan was airlifted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston, where doctors determined his head had dislocated from its spine during the accident, leaving him in a minimally-responsive state.

Iglesias, a preschool teacher with the Conroe Independent School District, testified how he was trapped inside his car for at least 30 minutes and suffered injuries to his knee, groin and ribs.

“At first, I was really scared ... I thought my car would explode,” Iglesias said. “Now, I’m like an old man; I’m still scared when I’m driving.”
Armida Lujan, the mother of Carlo Lujan, told Mayes about her son’s life before the crash.

“Carlo loved to be in church. ... He was a youth minister,” Armida Lujan said. “He had preached that night (of the accident) about faith.”
Carlo Lujan’s caretakers wheeled him into the courtroom on a stretcher during the hearing to let Mayes see his vegetative state.
“The doctors never gave us any hope,” Armida Lujan said. “I thought he just had injuries like broken ribs and he’d recover. But time passed, and he didn’t look good.

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Body found inside burned-out home in Tomball

2011-01-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

11 News REPORT

TOMBALL , Texas – Investigators in Tomball found a body inside a burned out home Tuesday and are searching for a second victim.

A husband and wife have been missing since the Sunday night blaze on Orchard Grove Drive in the Spring Creek Estates subdivision.

Emergency crews responded to reports of several explosions and found the home and a separate guesthouse fully engulfed in flames. The body found Tuesday was in the guesthouse.

The home is owned by Darren and Shirley Hockenberry.
Tomball Police say they believe both were inside the home at the time of the fires.
Investigators believe the fires are suspicious. They tell 11 News reporter Kevin

Reece there are several points of origin for the blazes and gas cans are strewn throughout the property.
The explosions may have been caused by numerous rounds of ammunition found inside the main home.

Tomball Police would not comment on a potential motive for arson.

Michael Jackson's Doctor Clueless

2011-01-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The pretrial hearing for Dr. Conrad Murray continues Wednesday as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge decides whether there is "probable cause" to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the death of pop star Michael Jackson.

The hearing, which began Tuesday, is expected to last two or three weeks, with 20 to 30 witnesses testifying.
On Tuesday, Jackson's former security chief testified that Murray seemed not to know how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation as he waited for paramedics to arrive at the singer's house.
Faheem Muhammed said he and and guard Alberto Alvarez saw Murray crouched next to Jackson's bed "in a panicked state asking, 'Does anyone know CPR?' "

"I looked at Alberto because we knew Dr. Murray was a heart surgeon, so we were shocked," Muhammed said.

Jackson's doctor heads to court Murray faces court hearing Events surrounding Jackson's death

When defense attorney Ed Chernoff asked if perhaps Murray was asking for help because he was tired, Muhammed said, "The way that he asked it is as if he didn't know CPR."

Jackson appeared to be dead at that time, with his "eyes open and his mouth open, just laying there," Muhammed said.

Prosecutor David Walgren earlier said that Murray used "ineffectual CPR with one hand while the patient was prone on a soft bed." Two hands with the patient prone on a hard surface is the proper method, he said.
Muhammed, the third witness on the opening day of the hearing, said he never saw

Murray performing CPR on Jackson before paramedics arrived and carried him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Jackson's mother, Katherine, sister La Toya and brothers Randy and Jackie sat in the second row of the courtroom during Tuesday's opening session.
Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, were at their father's bedroom door as the drama unfolded just after noon on June 25, 2009, Muhammed said.

"Paris was on the floor on her hands and knees and she was just crying," he said.
The children would learn two hours later that their father had died when Murray and Jackson manager Frank Dileo talked to them in a hospital room.
"Frank blurted out and said, 'Your daddy had a heart attack and died,' " Jackson personal assistant Michael Williams testified.

At the start of the hearing Tuesday, the prosecutor said that Murray waited at least 21 minutes after he found Jackson unresponsive before calling for an ambulance.

"By all accounts, Michael Jackson was dead in the bedroom at 100 North Carolwood prior to the paramedics' arrival," Walgren said.
The coroner concluded Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with "the contributory effects of the benzodiazepines," Walgren said.
Propofol is a powerful anesthetic used to "put people under for surgery," and the benzodiazepines were sedatives Murray later acknowledged giving Jackson in the morning before his death, he said.

"Michael Jackson was preparing for one of the most important tours of his life" in the months before his death, Walgren said.
Murray's defense team has hinted it would argue that Jackson was under pressure from the concert promoter, which led him to demand treatments to help him sleep.
Kenny Ortega, who was directing what would have been Jackson's comeback concerts, was the first of about 30 witnesses the prosecution is calling.
Ortega described Jackson as "involved, active, participating" at his last rehearsal, which ended 12 or 14 hours before his death.
"He was in a delightful mood, and we had an absolutely fantastic day," Ortega testified.

But Ortega described a different, "scary" Jackson at the Staples Center rehearsal on June 19, six nights before his death.
"I just felt that he appeared, you know, really lost," Ortega said. "It was scary. I didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it."

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Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T07:29:00.001-08:00

The old give way to the young. New thoughts sprout from fertile ground.

While the New Year beckons us with many promises, don't forget to give the old year its due.

Learn from past mistakes and carry the lessons of time with you.

This year resolve to laugh more, love more, forgive more, friend more and learn more.

May 2011 be your best year yet!

Katy residents are suing a car wash after having their motorcycle detailed.

2010-12-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

Jong Yi and Rebecca Yi, of 23107 Hazel Field Court in Katy, filed a lawsuit on Dec. 2 in the Harris County District Court against Texas Car Wash Co., alleging negligence.

The Yis say that on Jan. 13, 2010, they had their motorcycle detailed at Texas Car Wash Co., located 6016 N. Eldridge Pkwy. According to the brief, the car wash used excessive amounts of tire cleaner while cleaning the motorcycle, which made the tires on the motorcycle so slick that they wrecked.

The Yis are seeking compensatory and exemplary damages, as well as court costs.
They are being represented in the case by Woodlands attorney Nathan Beedle.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2010-78820.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.

5 teens charged with car burglaries ...

2010-12-05T11:50:00.001-08:00

TEXAS CITY, Texas — Five teenagers have been charged with stealing property from about 10 vehicles early Saturday on 15th Avenue North.

Around 4:23 a.m. Saturday, officers responding to a burglary call saw a young man running to a house near the 1500 block of 15th Avenue North, according to a police report.

Officers checked all the cars parked near the street and found about 10 cars that had been burglarized.

All the cars had been left unlocked by their owners, police said.

Three young men were arrested after officers searched an apartment at Tradewinds Apartment Complex and recovered stolen property.

A fourth teenager arrived at the apartment riding a bicycle, which had been reported stolen, and was taken into custody, police said.

At 7 a.m., another officer responded to a call of an intoxicated man at Burger King on 2500 Palmer Highway.

The young man was charged in the car burglaries, police said.

All five are younger than 17 and have been taken to the Juvenile Justice Center. They are facing charges of organized criminal activity.
This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com’s partnership with the Galveston County Daily News.

What's that smell?

2010-11-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

TEXAS CITY, Texas — A smell similar to rotten eggs enveloped Texas City about 5 p.m. Monday afternoon after a leak from a subunit at BP’s Texas City refinery.

Workers were doing maintenance work on a sour water compressor on the refinery’s Power 2 unit when workers noticed a smell after a piece of equipment failed, company spokesman Michael Marr said. The odor, which forced some businesses on Palmer Highway about 13 blocks from the refinery to shutter their doors and close windows, lasted more than an hour.

The smell is believed to come from liquid in the subunit that contained hydrogen sulfide, which is a hazardous chemical that has a strong smell of rotten eggs, Texas City Homeland Security Director Bruce Clawson said. The Texas City Fire Department and BP industrial hygienists conducted ground-level air monitoring and did not find any readings of hazardous chemicals in the air, Clawson said.

Between one and two barrels of sour water — which is waste water that contains hydrocarbons and is pumped to an enclosed sewer system for disposal — spilled, causing the offensive odor, officials said.

There was not a shelter in place order for the city, but Clawson issued a phone and e-mail alert to residents notifying them of the situation.

There was a brief shelter in place order within the refinery for areas downwind of the leak, Marr said. BP set up an incident command center and the leak was contained at about 9 p.m.

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Human trafficking topic of lecture

2010-11-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

CYPRESS, TX - Former Lone Star College System summa cum laude international student, Diana Velardo, will be the keynote speaker Nov. 16 during LSC-CyFair’s joint International Education and Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration.
Velardo, a multi-lingual attorney specializing in immigration law, serves as the Executive Director of Artemis Justice Center, a nonprofit organization she founded to help victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and victims of crimes. (For information, go to www.artemisjusticecenter.org.)

“I have always spoken up wherever there was injustice,” said Velardo, who was appointed to the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee by the Texas Supreme Court.

“My mother said that I was a born attorney from the day I could babble. I felt that the path to justice would be easier if I had a law degree.”
After graduating high school with honors in Germany, Velardo came to the United States in 1994 to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney. She began with an associate degree at LSC-North Harris (formerly a North Harris Montgomery Community College District campus.) She went on to earn a bachelor’s in psychology and minor in sociology at the University of Houston with honors and her Juris Doctor at the University of Houston Law Center.

Velardo, a co-founder and past chair of the Houston Coalition Against Human Trafficking, returns to LSC for her keynote presentation “Have you met a slave today?” in which she will address human trafficking, an international problem with local implications.

“I want the audience to understand that ‘you are the future’ means that it comes with the responsibility for building a better life, not just for themselves, but for all those who are not as fortunate,” said Velardo. “I want them to realize that slavery is alive and well and it is not a problem of the past. I want them to know that they have the power to make a difference and change the world, one small deed at a time.”

Velardo is making a difference as a legal expert on issues of human trafficking, domestic violence and victims of crimes who mentors to attorneys in her field of expertise, presents at conferences, conducts trainings and serves on boards of several nonprofit organizations. Her dedication to such issues comes from her mother’s example. Volunteering alongside her mother at demonstrations, safe houses, abused women’s houses, refugee camps and more, she saw a part of the world that most people shield from their children.

“Seeing the plight and devastation that trafficking, wars and domestic abuse have on our fellow humans instilled in me the need to do something about it when I grew up,” said Velardo, who’s setting an example now for her own daughters, Artemis and Aphrodite. “Seeing my mother spend her days searching for the next homeless family she could put in our home, the next orphan she could help, left an everlasting impression in my soul.”

Don’t miss Velardo’s keynote presentation set 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Conference Center, rooms 151-152 on the campus at 9191 Barker Cypress. For a full schedule of LSC-CyFair’s International Education and Global Entrepreneurship events Nov. 15 through Nov. 18, go to LoneStar.edu/cyfair.

Houston murders may be work of a serial killer

2010-11-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

by Michelle Homer / khou.com
khou.com
Posted on November 1, 2010 at 1:38 PM
Updated today at 1:42 PM

HOUSTON – Police are looking into a possible link between the strangulation murders of at least three women since June.
The most recent cases involved homeless women. The body of Carol Flood, 62, was found on Oct. 10 in a stairwell behind the old YMCA building. She was partially nude. On Sept. 30, Retia LaFaye Long, 52, was found dead behind the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart at 1700 San Jacinto.

Now police believe the same killer may have strangled Raquel Mundy last June 17, then dumped her body in a field in the 300 block of St. Charles.
Mundy, 24, was murdered after accepting a ride from a stranger when she was stranded downtown.

She had dropped her mom and two kids off at the Greyhound bus station downtown around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. She then discovered her car had been towed from a McDonald’s parking lot across the street.
Mundy tried to call friends and relatives, but couldn’t find anyone to give her a ride to the tow lot. Witnesses saw her get into a grey car with an unknown man, according to police.

Mundy later sent a text message to her mother saying she thought she was in danger and feared the man was going to hurt her.
Angela Collins was still on the bus to California with her two grandchildren when she got the disturbing message.

She tried frantically to reach Mundy. Collins then called several relatives and asked them to try to find Mundy.
By the time the bus arrived in California, there was still no sign of her daughter.
"Next call we got, they had found the body. It was my baby, Collins said as she choked back tears. "This man took away my baby."
An autopsy revealed Mundy had been strangled.

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Breaking: 3 Alarm Fire in NW Houston

2010-10-13T15:58:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON – A three-alarm fire displaced at least 37 families Wednesday in northwest Houston.

The fire broke out at about 2:30 p.m. at the Driscoll Place Apartments in the 1300 block of Gears Road at Greensmark Drive.

Air 11 video showed thick black smoke stretched across the sky as firefighters battled the large flames that burned through the units.

At least one person was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, fire officials said.

At least 37 units were affected by the fire, according to a preliminary damage assessment by the Red Cross. Red Cross volunteers were assisting families with emergency-disaster relief.

There was no word on what started the fire. Arson investigators were on scene.

9-11 call - backfires because of open laptop.

2010-10-13T08:49:00.001-07:00

by Courtney Zubowski / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on October 12, 2010 at 11:37 PM
Updated today at 9:54 AM

HOUSTON -- A woman who called 911 to anonymously report a crime says she’s in fear for her life after the man she turned in called her just minutes after she placed the call.

According to the woman, who does not want to be identified, on Oct. 1, she was driving near Beltway 8 and Veterans Memorial Drive when she witnessed a man in the car next to her beating his passenger. She did not know either one of them.

“I saw him hitting her and he was taking his fist and he was just hitting her, aside her, just hitting her and I’m like this is crazy,” said the woman.

She placed the 911 call at 1:28 p.m. and thought that would be the end of her involvement, but 30 minutes later she learned it was just the beginning.

“About 1:54 p.m. my phone rang back and it was the suspect,” she said. “He was asking me ‘Who was this, who is this’ and I am like, ‘Who is this, you called my number,’ and then he hung up."

After that call came another, and this time it was a woman’s voice, she said.

“She called me just as he hung up and it was like, ‘Ma’am, are you the concerned lady that called about my welfare,’ and I am like,

‘Excuse me,’ and she said, ‘Well I’m OK,’ and I said, ‘Excuse me,’” said the woman.

She received another call the next morning from the Harris County Jail where the suspect was in custody. He was arrested for outstanding warrants, but never charged with assault.

“My phone rings again and it says, ‘You have a call from Harris County processing jail,’ and I immediately hung up,” she said.
“I will never, ever get involved with anything else again, not when it comes to me being fearful of the surroundings in my life.”

A spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office says as far as she knows, this is the first time something like this has happened in their department.

HCSO spokesperson Christina Garza said the suspect was put in the back of a Harris County patrol car while the deputy talked to the woman he was accused of hitting. It was then he was able to read the woman’s phone number off of a laptop computer the deputy had left open in the front seat.

“It’s a very unique situation,” Garza said. “It’s never happened and we certainly don’t want this to discourage her, or anybody, from reporting crime to authorities.”

Garza said it’s common practice to keep laptops closed, but it’s not policy. In some situations, deputies are forced to rush out of cars quickly.

”If anyone is to blame in this situation, it’s the suspect who violated such important information and took it upon himself to do this,” said Garza.

Garza said the department is sending out e-mails to all deputies to remind them to keep their laptops closed.

The suspect is not facing charges for memorizing the information, or calling the woman. Garza said there is no proof that he ever threatened the woman.

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The 911 caller disagrees.

“I was threatened,” she said. “I was threatened when he received my information. My information should have been protected. I was threatened at that point, so what point of threat do they not understand?

13 Houston schools receive powder letters

2010-10-12T05:59:00.001-07:00

by khou.com staff
Posted on October 8, 2010 at 8:09 PM

HOUSTON – At least 13 HISD schools received envelopes Friday containing a white powdery substance, according to an HISD spokesperson.
A Houston Fire Department Hazmat team was sent to each school to collect the envelopes.
Preliminary testing showed the substance appeared to be non-hazardous. The powder was tested for radiation, explosives and volatile chemicals. Further tests are being conducted.

The schools were Alcott Elementary, Almeda Elementary, Anderson Elementary, Ashford Elementary, Attucks Middle School, Barrick Elementary, Bastian Elementary, Black Middle School, Blackshear Elementary and Browning Elementary.
Fonville Middle School, Briar Meadow Elementary School and Bellaire High School were added to the list Friday evening.
HISD said its top priority is making sure all schools are safe before students return on Monday.

"All of our school administrators are going through their mail and are trying to identify any envelopes that may look suspicious," said HISD Police Chief Jimmie Dotson.
The typewritten envelopes were addressed to the schools, not individuals, and contained no notes. Each contained about a teaspoon of white powder.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Service, HPD and HFD are assisting HISD with the investigation.

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No bullies!

2010-10-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Cy-Fair ISD will seek help on stopping bullying
by Ericka Mellon / Houston Chronicle
khou.com
Posted on October 8, 2010 at 11:21 AM

Administrators from Cypress-Fairbanks ISD said Thursday that they will form a committee to study school safety issues and seek advice from bullying experts following the recent suicide of an eighth-grader whose family contends he repeatedly was harassed on campus.
Superintendent David Anthony, in his first public comments since the suicide of Hamilton Middle School student Asher Brown, said the district needs to work with the community to try to prevent bullying.

"As far as bullying activities, if you want to get an idea of that, you can go to the theater or to the mall or to the churches … because it’s not limited to schools," Anthony said Thursday at the first school board meeting since Asher shot himself in the head at home last month.
To curb bullying, Anthony said, the 106,000-student district must "work with everyone because it’s going to have to happen at home, at school, after school, in church. That’s where we cure it."
‘This is a tragedy’

Board member Larry Youngblood countered that the district needs to focus on what it can do for students at school.
"We get to train them on these kind of things — what to do and what not to do," he said. "I don’t worry about the malls. There’s nothing I can do about that. That’s their parents. We have to control as best we can, support the teachers as best we can, when they’re in and under our control."
Anthony responded, "And we do. I think we’ve found that true. I mean, this is a tragedy we’ve had to go through."
Anthony said that Hamilton probably had as many or more student behavior and support programs than any of the district’s 80 campuses.
"I don’t think there is one fail-safe (program)," he said. "If there were, every campus in America would have it right now."
Cy-Fair Independent School District officials did not discuss who would serve on the school safety committee or what it would do, other than to say it would review best practices and talk to experts.

Associate Superintendent Teresa Hull gave a slide presentation that listed various anti-bullying and behavior programs already in place.
Last spring, for example, the district issued a series of 10 curriculum lessons addressing bullying and drug awareness that were to be taught monthly at all grade levels, Hull said.

She also said the district was implementing a tip line that students could call or text with concerns.
School denies contact

Asher’s mom and stepfather, Amy and David Truong, said they called Hamilton school officials and visited the campus several times over the last 18 months to complain that their son was being bullied. They said some students would perform mock gay sexual acts on him in physical education class.
David Troung said Asher told him he was gay on the morning of his death, and said the family didn’t condemn the disclosure.

According to a written statement from Cy-Fair ISD, the district’s initial investigation concluded that Asher’s parents made no contact with the school regarding bullying. The district said his mother contacted his school counselor about two weeks before his death asking Hamilton’s staff to monitor his behavior "due to a significant emotional struggle within the family."
The investigation was ongoing as of last week, but the district has not released an update.

This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com's partnership with the Houston Chronicle.

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No waiting: Houston ship channel back in business

2010-10-07T07:34:00.001-07:00

UPDATE 1-Coast Guard says no wait to exit Houston Channel

HOUSTON Oct 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard said no ships were waiting Thursday morning to leave the Houston Ship Channel, and 33 ships were lined up to enter the waterway to the busiest U.S petrochemical port after a three-day outage, which ended on Wednesday.

As many as 67 ships were waiting to enter or exit the waterway by the time early on Wednesday that workers had removed a leaning electrical highline tower that threatened to tumble into the waterway after being struck by a barge on Sunday morning.

Four Houston refineries were unable to receive crude oil by ship during the closure, but none said prodcution was cut during the wait that ended Wednesday when the first ships up the channel were crude tankers.

About 44 ships were waiting to enter the channel when it reopened on Wednesday morning and it might appear only 11 have moved up the channel, but the Coast Guard said several ships were added to the line waiting in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

"It's a consant flow," said a Coast Guard spokesman.

There are about 12 ships more than on a average day waiting to move into the channel, the spokesman said. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by John Picinich)

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Drug deal goes bad - two shot - one dead.

2010-10-07T07:27:00.001-07:00

khou.com
Posted on October 7, 2010 at 7:26 AM
Updated today at 8:45 AM

HOUSTON—A 24-year-old man was killed and his brother injured after the two were shot in what appears to be a drug deal gone bad Wednesday evening, according to HPD Homicide detectives.
Police officers responded to a home on Winter Briar at Winter Seasons in southwest Houston for reports of a drive-by shooting.

They arrived around 9 p.m. to find two brothers had been shot. They said the actual shooting took place at another location about a half-mile away, but the brothers somehow made it back home.
Police believe the brothers drove their Cadillac a few blocks from their home to meet a group of men and purchase drugs. Some sort of altercation occurred and one of the men opened fire on the brothers.

"The exact circumstances are unclear as to what transpired a t the two locations, but we have one dead," said Sgt. Thomas Biggs, HPD Homicide Division. "We believe we have all of the players in custody.

The bullet traveled completely through one of the brothers. Police said he was shot in the chest or the back, but it is unclear which point is the entry and exit.
The other brother was shot in the foot. He was taken to Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was treated and released. He returned to the scene to talk to police.
Several suspects were taken in for questioning and police said they definitely know one of them is the shooter.

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Breaking: Houston Ship Channel Closed!

2010-10-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON, Texas

—A four-mile stretch of the Houston Ship Channel remained closed to marine traffic Monday after a barge slammed into a tower supporting a high-voltage electric transmission line, threatening to topple it into the channel.

Coast Guard officials said a towing vessel named Safety Quest was pushing three barges loaded with scrap metal about 6 a.m. Sunday when it smashed into a Baytown power line, which remained upright only with the support of one of the barges.
No injuries were reported, but the six-member boat crew moved to another vessel and to safety.
Officials said the section from Crystal Bay to the Blackwell Peninsula would remain closed until at least Tuesday night.

"The situation is a little bit unstable right now," said Capt. Marcus Woodring. "The lines are sagging and we cannot allow any vessels to pass underneath with the unstable situation and chance of those lines falling in the water."
Centerpoint Energy officials said the power had been shut off to the line because crews had previously been working on a nearby tower. They said no customers had lost electricity following the crash.
Eighteen inbound vessels attempted to get into the port early Tuesday afternoon, and many remained anchored off the coast of Galveston. Twelve outbound commercial ships were also stuck.
The 25-mile waterway is lined by the nation’s biggest complex of petrochemical plants. The Port of Houston ranks first in the nation in foreign waterborne tonnage and imports and second in U.S. export tonnage and total tonnage.

"Anytime you see something like this, you hate it, because it’s affecting people and how they make their money," said Richard Zeno, a tugboat captain who was not involved in the crash but watched the teetering tower as he was fishing with his family Sunday.

Coast Guard officials said the ship channel handles more than $320 million in cargo and crude daily, meaning the Port of Houston would lose about $1 billion if the waterway stayed closed until Tuesday night.

"Commerce, of course, is very, very important," said Chief Warrant Officer Lionel Bryant. "But we don’t want to put lives in jeopardy doing so."

"This is actually very difficult because the tower is actually sitting on the barge," Bryant said.
The Coast Guard said the boat’s owner is St. Louis-based AEP River Operations.

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Tomball police on the hunt for suspect in Compass Bank heist

2010-09-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

by khou.com staff

TOMBALL, Texas—Tomball police were on the hunt for a bank robbery suspect after a holdup at a BBVA Compass Bank Tuesday afternoon.

It happened around 1:20 p.m. at a bank in the 1100 block of West Main Street.

According to police, the suspect walked into the bank, approached a teller window and handed over a note demanding cash.

Bank employees complied, giving him an undisclosed amount of money, and the suspect left the bank on foot.

Tomball police are working with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force to identify and arrest the suspect.

Police said a similar robbery was reported in Montgomery County about an hour prior to the Compass Bank heist.

Investigators said the suspect is between 40 and 50 years old and stands about 5 feet, 6 inches tall. He was wearing what appeared to be prescription glasses at the time of the holdup.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Investigator Albert Chambers at 281-290-1390 or submit their tip online through the "silent hotline" at tomballpd.com.

Ike-damaged schools want insurance help

2010-09-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

School districts affected by extensive property damage caused by Hurricane Ike in 2008 have seen their insurance premiums skyrocket and want the state to help pay for it.
District officials in Galveston County have had discussions with state Reps. Craig Eiland of Galveston and Larry Taylor of Friendswood, according to the Galveston County Daily News.
"There are a lot of us in the same boat south of Interstate 10," Paul McLarty, Clear Creek's chief financial officer, said. "We've got concerns here in Galveston County that districts in Montgomery County, for example, don't have to worry about when you look at our premiums."

Clear Creek in 2009 spent $3.6 million on property casualty insurance, which is driven up by windstorm coverage, McLarty said. The district receives a maximum of $50 million for windstorm coverage, but the district's assets are valued at about $1 billion.

Legislators who convene in January face a budget shortfall estimated at $18 billion.
The state should incorporate higher insurance premiums for school districts along the Gulf Coast when calculating school funding, said Eiland.
"We recognize and allocate funds in West Texas to rural districts for their excess transportation costs because they have to run buses over large stretches of the county to bring kids to school," he said.

Galveston ISD will spend $1.8 million on insurance this year. After Ike, which hit on Sept. 13, 2008, premiums increased by 40 percent, said finance director David Dworsky. Adjusters classified the damage at each Galveston campus as flood-related.
The district has spent about $42 million on Ike recovery, said Dworsky.
"You have to weigh the high cost of excess coverage versus when you think the next event will happen," he said.

Clear Creek's premiums increased by 230 percent in 2006, the year after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The state didn't provide additional funding that year for insurance spike, so the district began reserving funds to offset premium spikes.
Insurance premiums for Texas City Independent School District have increased by 825 percent in the past nine years, said district spokeswoman Melissa Tortorici. The district will pay $1.2 million on insurance this year.

"It would be nice for the state to at least take our location into account for funding issues knowing how high our insurance costs have gone," said Tortorici. "Every dollar we pay on insurance is $1 less we have to use for kids."

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Plane crashes in NW Harris County

2010-09-20T15:19:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON—A small plane crashed Monday in a parking lot near Hwy. 290 at Telge Road in northwest Harris County, according to the Cy-Fair EMS.
Four people onboard the plane survived. They were treated at the scene and released.
The plane, however, was a total loss.

It went down around 1 p.m. in the parking lot of a business that sells used buses. The crash scene isn’t far from Weiser Air Park.

Officials said the plane apparently overshot the runway and crashed through a fence before coming to a rest in the parking lot.

The identities of the pilot and passengers were not known.

Breaking: Fire destroys Houston complex

2010-09-15T12:43:00.001-07:00

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on September 15, 2010 at 11:20 AM

HOUSTON—Eight units were completely destroyed and several families were displaced after a two-alarm fire damaged part of a southwest Houston apartment complex Wednesday morning.
Fire officials rushed to the burning apartments on Wilcrest at South Drive around 6:45 a.m.
HFD said they had a slight water pressure issue in the beginning, but managed to quickly get the fire under control. No firefighters were injured and all of the families got out safely.
One child standing outside was checked for smoke inhalation at the scene. He was determined to be OK.

Arson investigators do not know how the fire started at this time.

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Hawaii beats Pearland for Little League World Series title shot.

2010-08-28T16:44:00.001-07:00

South Williamsport, PA (Sports Network) - Noah Shackles went 2-for-2 with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored to back Ezra Heleski's two-hitter, and the Waipahu, Hawaii little league team beat Pearland, Texas, 10-0, in the United States championship game of the Little League World Series.

In the international title game, Ryota Norimatsu tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth, and Ryo Motegi's run-scoring single in the seventh won it, leading Japan to a 3-2 victory over Chinese Taipei.

In addition to striking out six over five shutout innings, Heleski went 2- for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Kahoea Akau added three hits in the resounding win, helping Waipahu win its second U.S. title in three years. In 2008, this same Little League squad beat Matamoros, Mexico to win the championship.

Mason Van Noort had one of the two hits for Pearland, which came back against Georgia to reach this U.S. title game.

With two runners on and one out in the opening inning, Kaimana Bartolome opened the scoring with a two-run double. Shackles homered later in the inning to plate Bartolome for a 4-0 advantage.

Shackles scored in the third on a wild pitch, and Heleski's RBI single later in the same at-bat made it a 6-0 game. Akau's run-scoring double provided a seven-run cushion.

Three more runs from Hawaii ended the game in the fifth due to the 10-run rule. Shackles walked and scored on Cody Maltezo's triple, and Heleski followed with another RBI single. A wild pitch later scored Heleski to end the game.

Japan trailed, 2-1, heading to the bottom of the sixth, but Koutaro Kamikura singled to left to lead off the inning. Following a strikeout, Kamikura advanced to second on an error by the catcher before Norimatsu's hit tied the game.

Kamikura stayed on to pitch a scoreless seventh -- striking out two -- before Masaya Ishii singled with one down in the home half to start the winning rally. A wild pitch sent Ishii to second, and Motegi's two-out single to center won the game.

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Houston man charged in cold case murders.

2010-08-25T14:01:00.001-07:00

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on August 25, 2010 at 10:22 AM
Updated today at 10:54 AM
HOUSTON – A man long-suspected of killing a Houston woman and an infant in 1984 was finally arrested and charged this week.

Charles Leon Smith, 56, is charged with capital murder in the slayings of 23-year-old Pamela Clarence and 1-month-old Tashona Clarence.

Twenty-six years have passed since the young mother and her baby were killed in their home in the 4300 block of Rogers, but even after the case went cold, investigators never gave up.

The murders occurred on August 2, 1984. Police said Smith and Clarence were in a relationship at the time and had recently had a child together.
But that night, when Smith went to visit his girlfriend, investigators believe Pamela Clarence confronted Smith about another relationship.
Police said Clarence had discovered Smith had another girlfriend, who’d just given birth to Smith’s son.

When Clarence told Smith they should end their relationship, police believe he snapped.
Investigators said Smith strangled Pamela Clarence with an electrical cord and then smothered Tashona with a pillow.

The bodies were later found by concerned family members.
From the beginning of the investigation, police said they thought Clarence knew her killer, and they originally identified Smith as one of two suspects in the murders.
But investigators were unable to collect enough evidence to charge either suspect, and case went cold, lost among more than 700 other killings in Houston that year.

Then, when HPD cold case investigators reviewed the murders this year and again identified Smith as a suspect, things changed.
Police said Smith was taken into custody on August 23 and confessed to his role in the crimes.
He was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning, and was behind held in the Harris County Jail without bond.

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Houston stripmall destroyed in blaze.

2010-08-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

by Lisa Chavarria / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on August 25, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Updated today at 9:21 AM

HOUSTON—A three-alarm fire swept through parts of a southwest Houston strip mall, destroying several businesses in its path early Wednesday.
Houston Fire Department officials said the fire began inside the M. Trading Wholesale Shop on Fondren at Harwin just before 5 a.m.

The business houses wholesale supplies sold to dollar stores. HFD said there may have been hair products or chemicals on the racks that helped fuel the flames.
Two more businesses next door to the wholesale shop, Jessie’s Nail Salon and Sloreria Lee’s flower shop, were also destroyed.

The owner of Star Korean Karaoke Bar said he was inside his business when a man riding a bicycle knocked on his door and alerted him to the fire. He was able to get out safely and call 911. His business was not damaged by the flames, but may have smoke damage.

One firefighter was injured battling the blaze. He was treated at the scene for a laceration on his hand.

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Students, faculty and staff give back year round.

2010-08-20T17:01:00.001-07:00

CYPRESS, TX -- The start of a new academic year brings another year of community outreach at Lone Star College-CyFair and LSC-Fairbanks Center benefitting residents and organizations throughout Cy-Fair.

“Right around the corner is Cy-Fest, the college’s annual gift to the community, a labor of love that brings our staff, faculty, students and community members together,” said Michelle Tran, college relations director.

This day of free food, festivities and family fun will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 on the campus at 9191 Barker Cypress. Cy-Fest 6 features activities for all ages with a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, face painting, Radio Disney, moonwalks, duck races, a train ride and laser tag. New this year will be the 1st Airborne Adventure and the Adrenaline Rush Obstacle Course. In addition, there will be refreshments as well as information available on college offerings and area non-profit organizations.

“But Cy-Fest is only one of LSC-CyFair’s many outreach efforts positively impacting our community,” said Tran.
LSC-CyFair partners with area non-profit organizations, such as Reach Unlimited, Habitat for Humanity and area assisted-living centers. With more than 10,000 community services hours, students in courses with Service Learning designations helped earn the college national recognition with a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

A partnership between Mission of Yahweh and LSC-Fairbanks Center, a satellite campus at 14955 Northwest Freeway, began when shelter residents were given one-on-one guidance and the chance to earn their GED or an occupational certification. More recently, LSC-Fairbanks Center employees donated their community garden harvest of 20 pounds of carrots, onions, radishes and strawberries to the shelter’s food pantry.

“Many of our student organizations hold various food, clothing, toy and supply drives benefiting community groups in need,” Tran said. “For example, the Technology Society’s Electronics Recycle Drive collected more than 2,300 lbs in televisions, computers, cell phones and more for Goodwill of Houston.”
T
he college's Counseling, Career and Disability Services Department teamed up with Dress For Success® Houston for a community-wide drive collecting interview-appropriate suits for disadvantaged women seeking employment. Dresses for teens in need are also collected for the college library’s annual Prom Dress Give-Away, which provides free dresses and accessories for prom and other events for teens in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District and five other school districts.

The Student Ambassadors and the Tennis Team partnered with Adopt A US Soldier (AAUSS) last fall to honor the brave men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces.
“Their project reached across the world with involvement from students, faculty, staff and campus visitors in writing letters to the soldiers and donating items for care packages,” said Tran. “This year, our ambassadors have adopted Lieder Elementary School. They recently held a back-to-school supply drive and volunteered as Bus Buddies.”
College employees also participate in CFISD’s annual Bus Buddies program, as well as chamber events, are involved in middle school and high school student visits to the college campus and mentor students at area schools.
Players on the Women’s Soccer Team and the Tennis Team have also mentored young athletes on the soccer field and the tennis courts. Tennis players were trained as Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) Certified Tennis Coaches, volunteered at SOTX events and hosted a basic skills tennis clinic for Special Olympics athletes ages 16 and older.
“From its inception, LSC-CyFair has built a foundation of helping others in our area through fund-raising efforts and countless volunteer hours,” said LSC-CyFair President Dr. Audre Levy who launched a new campus initiative last spring called Community 10.
Bins were made available to collect donations of shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant and lotion and deliver to Cypress Assistance Ministries.
“LSC-CyFair and LSC-Fairbanks Center students, faculty and staff are making a difference in Cy-Fair throughout the year,” Tran said. “We are honored to give back in so many different ways to a community so supportive of our college.”
For information on college programs, events, registration and more, go to LoneStar.edu.

NW Houston toddler found in hot car dead

2010-08-20T16:38:00.001-07:00

by Courtney Zubowski / 11 News
Posted on August 19, 2010 at 7:32 PM
HOUSTON – A 2-year-old boy has died after being found locked in a hot car in northwest Houston, according to authorities.

The incident happened Thursday around 2:30 p.m. at 13813 Dentwood.
According to police, parents were arriving home from the grocery store when their 7-year-old child, who is autistic, began having seizures. While the parents went inside their home to tend to the 7-year-old, the 2-year-old boy was left locked inside the vehicle.

After going inside to help the 7-year-old , the parents realized their younger child was missing and eventually found him in the back seat of their SUV. Police said the boy was trapped inside the vehicle for about two hours.

One of the parents called 911 when they saw the toddler was not breathing. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators said the temperature inside the vehicle was 122 degrees when the toddler was found.
Neighbors of the victim’s family said it was an unfortunate incident that happened to good people.

"This is a good family, their children comes first with them," said Michael Carey. "I know for a fact that it was not intentional."

Investigators said the parents will probably not face charges, but the case will go to a grand jury.

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Houston Area Forecast: 100% Chance of Meteors

2010-08-12T06:58:00.001-07:00

After a week-ling lead-up, tonight, August 12/13, 2010, is finally the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower. Wit this event, meteor season 2010 will kick off in a big way.

Every August, Earth passes through the stretch of space junk shed by comet Swift-Tuttle, reaching the deepest concentration of debris tonight. According to some estimates, under ideal conditions (dark country skies), one can expect to see 60 meteors per hour. The reason the meteors are called Perseids is because the meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus. The best time to view the shower is in the pre-dawn hours, with 3-5am being best.

Don't want to stay up that late? Don't worry, Perseus rises in the Northeast around midnight and will climb higher as the night progresses. However, unless one lives out in the country, the early post-midnight hours will probably involve Perseus being low in a light pollution dome. To improve odds of seeing meteors, travel out of light-polluted Cleveland and to the suburbs or, even better, the country if you can. In the suburbs, just going from the front to back yard can make a dramatic difference as this will eliminate glare from those pesky street/house lights to a large extent.

Two things can ruin the meteor shower: clouds and the Moon. The clouds? Well, that's a regional thing. Check your local Clear Sky Clock to see what the clouds have in store for your location tonight. For us Northeast Ohioans, tonight is looking good. As for the Moon, that's an Earth-wide issue. The good news is that, this year, the Moon is just a few days past new, which means that there will be no Moon up during the time of the meteor shower. There will be a slight lunar glow in the South (opposite Perseus), but this will disappear about midnight, which is about the time Perseus clears the Northeast horizon.

So how about viewing tips?

First, plan to stay out awhile, as it takes the human eye about 15 minutes to get optimal night vision capability. The bad news is that, even one bright flash of white light will wipe out night vision, requiring you to start the process all over again. Next, grab a lawn chair or, even better, a lounge-type chair. Trying to lean back with a straight-back lawn chair can be a pain in the neck, literally! Eyes ready for dark and with something to sit/lay on, settle in for a night of hopeful meteor watching (or at the very least, stargazing), just try not to fall asleep and don't forget the bug spray!

Besides meteors, tonight can be a great time for binocular viewing, owing to your use of a chair. Under suburban (maybe) or rural skies (definitely), a pair of medium power (10x50) binoculars can yield some stunning wide-angle sights. For someone truly dedicated, why not try and keep a tally of how many meteors you see for every complete hour? Really ambitious? Why not try photographing the meteors?

Whatever you plan to do tonight, good luck and clear skies!

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NatureFest set for September 25th

2010-08-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

CYPRESS, TX -- Waterskiing squirrels, frisbee-catching canines and circus-performing birds are just some of the highlights of Bridgeland’s annual Nature Fest, slated for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, in Bridgeland’s Oak Meadow Park.

Thousands attend the yearly event, packed with nature-themed activities and entertainment. Twiggy, known across the globe as the famous waterskiing squirrel, will make her debut appearance at Nature Fest, performing three times during the day. Life jacket always buckled tight to educate children about water safety, the pint-sized phenomenon has appeared in numerous books, magazines, newspapers and television shows and is sure to be a big draw at this year’s festivities.

Joining Twiggy during Nature Fest are Birds of Prey and the Cocteau Circus, each performing twice. Also on tap is a performance from the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club and guided hayride tours of the Cypress Creek Nature Trail by volunteers of the Katy Prairie Conservancy who will discuss the flora and fauna of the area and initiatives of the conservancy.

Children will enjoy rides on ponies and a baby camel, as well as a chance to pet a wallaby, ring-tailed lemur, coatimundi and other animals. Train rides, face painting, outdoor laser tag and the always entrancing release of native Texas butterflies also will keep young visitors engaged.

Adding to the fun will be a caricature artist, a live band, street performers, food concessions, a farmer’s market and more than 30 vendors.

Admission to Nature Fest is free; however, visitors can bring a $10 donation to the Katy Prairie Conservancy and receive a reusable grocery bag packed with an event T-shirt and other Nature Fest goodies. The Katy Prairie Conservancy is a land trust committed to protecting a sustainable portion of the Katy Prairie for the benefit of its wildlife and all Texans forever, and Bridgeland supports that initiative by helping to raise funds for the KPC, sponsoring their events and spreading the word about the activities and tours the organization hosts throughout the year.

The KPC already has conserved nearly 18,000 acres and offers monthly public tours, classes, children’s camps and other programs on its preserves. The Katy Prairie is considered an oasis for migratory birds, with millions of birds, especially waterfowl, arriving there each fall. Visit www.katyprairie.org or e-mail info@katyprairie.org for more information.

Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County (NWHC) will run the “Create a Bug House” arts and crafts area where families can make a $5 donation and children can make a bug house to take home.

Other craft projects also will be available. Proceeds will help raise funds for its mission of building affordable housing and promoting home ownership. Since 1989, Habitat NWHC has built more than 150 homes for needy families in suburban northwest Harris County. The organization is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, the corporate charity of choice for General Growth Properties, Inc., developer of Bridgeland. For more information about Habitat NWHC, contact Rachael Wright, 281.820.2307, ext 306 or rwright@habitatnwhc.org.

For more information about Twiggy, the waterskiing squirrel, visit http://www.skiingsquirrel.com/index.htm.
For details on Nature Fest, call 281.304.5588 or visit www.bridgeland.com. Also, keep up-to-date on Nature Fest and other Bridgeland events on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/Bridgelandcommunity and Twitter, http://twitter.com/BridgelandTX.

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Test your hurricane IQ.

2010-08-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

By GREG AINSWORTH

This year's hurricane season in the waters adjacent to the Southeastern United States is drawing more attention than usual, thanks to the oil spill in the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center expects a busier than average year, so it's time to energize our hurricane IQ.
Whether you call them hurricanes, typhoons or cyclones, they are the scourge of tropical locales worldwide. Ocean water temperatures of at least 80 degrees seem to be one of the key ingredients in their formation. Think hot and muggy -- and lots of evaporation. If other conditions are favorable in the atmosphere, winds near the surface may begin to converge, and a low-pressure system may form.

In the Northern Hemisphere, those cyclonic winds spiral in a counter-clockwise direction. All of that water vapor in the atmosphere rises and condenses inside thunderstorm complexes, releasing a great amount of energy in the process. Bands of thunderstorms stretching from the system's outer margins to the center of circulation help feed the massive heat engine with warm, moisture-laden air.

As the system matures, the characteristic cloud-free and relatively calm eye may form at the center of circulation. But surrounding the eye is the eyewall, where the most intense convection and highest wind speeds occur.

Hurricanes pose a major threat to life and property because of their ability to wreak havoc in so many different ways. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is wind damage -- not surprising since a storm isn't called a hurricane until it has sustained winds of at least 74 mph. In August 1969, Hurricane Camille made landfall along the Mississippi coast with sustained winds estimated at 200 mph.

An important, but often overlooked hurricane impact is the storm surge. This refers to the ocean water pushed onshore into low-lying areas by hurricane-force winds. Depending on the status of the local tides during landfall, storm surges of 15 to 20 feet are not out of the question. If you happen to live in a near-shore area at say, 10 feet above sea level, the surge can be bad news indeed. Hurricane Opal caused a 24-foot storm surge near Pensacola, Fla., in September 1995.

Even days after landfall, hurricanes, or their remnants, are still capable of producing tornadoes and flooding rains. After slamming into the coast of south Texas in September 1967, Hurricane Beulah spawned more than 100 tornadoes. Tropical Storm Claudette, whose winds didn't reach hurricane strength, nevertheless dropped 45 inches of rain on Alvin, Texas, in 1979.

For further information about these storms, check out the website for NOAA's National Hurricane Center.

Greg Ainsworth keeps an eye on local weather and climate issues. Contact him at ainsworth@theglobal.net.

Hundreds honor fallen firefighter

2010-07-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

by Gabe Gutierrez / 11 News
khou.com

WHARTON, Texas – Hundreds of mourners packed a funeral Sunday for a fire captain killed in the line of duty.

Capt. Thomas Araguz’s body was discovered July 4 after he became trapped in a massive fire at a Boling egg farm.

He was just 30 years old and is survived by his wife and two young sons.
"Firefighting is always a brotherhood," Cy-Fair District Chief Doyle Venerella said.

More than 100 fire vehicles – including dozens of engines – parked near the Wharton Civic Center. A black ribbon was placed on one of them and dedicated to Capt Araguz.
Firefighters from several counties marched past the ribbon into the civic center for the service that lasted roughly 90 minutes.

"He loved what he did,” said E.J. Gutierrez, a lifelong friend. “He loved being with the fire department. You could tell this was his life."
After the funeral, the procession drove Araguz’s casket by the Wharton Volunteer Fire Department one last time.

Graveside services followed at Evergreen Memorial Park.
An account has been established for Capt. Araguz’s family at The First State Bank of Louise, 505 E. Boling Hwy, Wharton. The bank may be contacted at 979-532-0404.
Donors are asked to make checks payable to The Thomas Araguz III Memorial Fund.

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Tar balls found on Texas beach

2010-07-06T06:39:00.001-07:00

(CNN) -- Texas authorities have traced a small number of tar balls found near Galveston to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Coast Guard and state officials said Monday.
The tar balls collected from beaches in Galveston County over the weekend could fit in a five-gallon bucket, but have been confirmed to have originated from the ruptured BP well off Louisiana, said Jim Suydan of the Texas General Land Office.

Galveston is about 400 miles west of the site of the worst oil spill in U.S. history, which began in late April with the sinking of the offshore drill rig Deepwater Horizon. Coast Guard Capt. Marcus Woodring said authorities weren't sure how the tar balls made it that far, but tests confirmed that at least the first batch collected Saturday came from the Deepwater Horizon spill off Louisiana, he said.
None were found Monday, and the area's beaches and waterways remained open.
"Until we see a greater sum of oil, I can be cautiously optimistic that maybe this is something that will pass," Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski told reporters.

Tar balls occasionally strike the Texas coast, in part because of seepage from undersea oil deposits or from sunken vessels, Woodring said. "Seventeen or 18" cases of tar balls unrelated to the

Deepwater Horizon disaster have been reported to Woodring's Houston-Galveston Coast Guard sector since the spill erupted in April he said.

And though the ones found Saturday and Sunday were confirmed to have come from the ruptured well off Louisiana, they were less weathered than officials would have expected -- leading the Coast

Guard to suspect the oil was either stuck to the side of a ship's hull or mixed in with ballast water from a passing vessel, he said.

Ships passing through the spill are are supposed to be decontaminated before they head into port, he said.

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Freedom Over Texas Fireworks Show!

2010-07-01T08:46:00.001-07:00

Houston will set the stage for an extraordinary patriotic celebration at Mayor Annise Parker’s official Fourth of July event, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell. Texas singer-songwriter Pat Green will headline the annual event held from 4 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 4, with his performance culminating in the nation’s largest land-based fireworks show, presented by Shell Oil Company. Admission to the event is FREE with the donation of one canned item per person to the Houston Food Bank.

"As Americans, I believe it is our civic duty to celebrate the birth of our nation and reflect upon those brave men and women who have made great sacrifices for us to live in a free country," said Mayor Annise Parker. "I invite fellow Texans to join us in honoring our country, respecting the values of the founding fathers and instilling pride in our diverse community.”

Headlining the evening’s celebration on the Freedom Stage is Pat Green (with Cowboy Mouth and Little Big Town), an artist who has blazed his own trail and recorded a total of 10 studio albums. Fifteen of his singles have charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which the highest-peaking is the #3 "Wave on Wave" from his gold-certified album. Green has toured with many popular country music artists including Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Chesney, and many more. At this year’s event, Green will be presented by the Texas Music Charts with an award recognizing him as the “Most Played Texas Artist” of the last decade.

When the concert comes to a close at 9:30 p.m., eyes will turn skyward for an extraordinary fireworks spectacular perfectly set to a selection of America’s favorite tunes, from patriotic songs to rock ‘n’ roll hits to classic bestsellers. Shell Oil Company is the underwriter of the 2010 fireworks show for the fifth consecutive year, and with their contribution, the city’s official fireworks show will enliven Houston’s skyline. Producing the show will be world-renowned fireworks artists from Pyro Spectaculars North by Souza.

"For more than 80 years, Shell has been a strong supporter of the Houston community and our nation. As a country, we have much to celebrate, and we at Shell are thrilled to participate in the festivities this year,” said Ben Dillon, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Shell Oil Company.

In addition to this year’s entertainment headliner, the festival will also spotlight a top-notch selection of local and regional music. Throughout the day, four stages will keep toes tapping with music ranging from country western and rock 'n' roll to Latin, R&B, and oldies.

Booth exhibits and family friendly patriotic activities will encompass Buffalo Bayou and Eleanor Tinsley Park:

KBR Liberty Park

Encompassing more than three football fields in length, KBR Liberty Park will showcase military artifacts and vehicles including representation from all five military branches and more. The branches and the Houston Police Department will offer recruiting on site.
The U.S. Army will showcase an Apache Helicopter flight simulator and a 55-ton M-60 Battle Tank.
The Museum of Printing History and the Military Museum of Houston will exhibit historical items that have helped shape our nation’s history in this area.
Bud Light Zone

Cool off with a cold one at the Budweiser Beer Garden, and enjoy a prime view of the sixth annual Bud Light Texas Volleyball Championship Series Finals.
Make a rest stop at the Bud Light Build-A-Bar, which will offer a shaded sitting area equipped with plasma TV screens. Also, don’t miss a sneak peak of an event performer during their official Bud Light Sound Check.

Be sure to stop by the Budweiser Good Sport’s Booth and learn how you can save lives by being a designated driver.

Walmart All American Kids Zone

More than 30,000 square feet of free educational programming and entertainment await children.
Houston Public Library’s HPL Mobile Express computer lab, will teach child how to use a computer.
Houston Fire Department’s Smokehouse will teach kids the importance of fire safety.
Historical costumed characters will talk with children about the documents that defined our government.

Juno Baby will have sing-a-long activities for children and little aspiring stars are invited to perform in the Rising Stars Search contest for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to San Francisco and be featured in the next Juno Baby production.
Free games, rides, face painting and interactive activities will be open to children of all ages.
Additional activities:

Gexa Energy will be giving US Flag hand fans to the first 30,000 people who enter the gates. Booths will be setup for families to take fun photos with Shrek The Musical characters, enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii or Cancun, and also for a chance to win a Home Theater System, which includes a Sony Bravia 40’ LCD TV.
Visit KBR’s five primary beneficiaries on site: Career and Recovery Resources, Goodwill Industries, Houston Community College, Soldier’s Angels and Wreaths Across America-Houston.
The 2010 Land Rover models will be on display including the all new 2010 Land Rover LR4 and award winning Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will be simulcast on ABC-13/KTRK-TV from 7-10 p.m. on Sunday, July 4, and will be syndicated statewide from 8-10 p.m. In addition, KILT 100.3 FM will simulcast the music medley specially choreographed for the fireworks spectacular.

With the donation of one canned item per person to the Houston Food Bank, admission for the event is FREE. Without the donation, tickets will be $8 per person. Children two years and under will be admitted free. In keeping with last year’s theme, Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell will expand its offering of recycling receptacles, encouraging all patrons to recycle.

Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell sponsors include: Fireworks sponsor: Shell; Anchor Sponsors: Gexa Energy, Bud Light/Silver Eagle Distributors, KBR, Houston Area Land Rover Centres, and Walmart; Co-producers: City of Houston/Mayor’s Office of Special Events; Additional sponsors include Doubletree Hotel Houston Downtown; Houston Chronicle; 100.3 KILT; HOT 95-7; Mix 96-5; SportsRadio 610 and Mega 101 FM; Texas Lottery; Juno Baby; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Texas Southern University and LifeGift. In-kind sponsors include Houston Dynamo, Houston Rockets, Houston Astros, Houston Aero and Metro. The event benefits Houston Central Improvement, Inc.

For more information, call 832.393.0868 or visit the Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks Presented by Shell Web site at www.freedomovertexas.org or www.houstonspecialevents.org.

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Teachers prevail in grading law suit

2010-06-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

AUSTIN — Texas school districts no longer can force teachers to give students higher grades than they earned on class assignments or on their report cards, a Travis County judge ruled Monday.
Eleven districts — mostly in the Houston area — had sued Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott over his interpretation of the so-called truth-in-grading law that was passed last year. They argued it applied only to assignments and exams and were fighting to keep their policies that ban cumulative report card grades lower than a certain number, typically a 50.

The school districts suing were Aldine, Alief, Clear Creek, Deer Park, Dickinson, Fort Bend, Humble, Klein, Anahuac, Eanes and Livingston.

The superintendents say their minimum-grade policies help discourage students from dropping out by giving them a mathematical chance at passing a class, even if they blow one grading period. But teacher groups and the bill’s author, Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, counter that such policies are dishonest and don’t prepare students for college or the work force.
State District Judge Gisela Triana-Doyal ruled against the districts’ reading of the law, which effectively means that schools across Texas must abolish minimum-grading policies unless the decision is appealed and overturned. The state does not track how many districts have such policies.

May appeal
Richard Morris, the attorney for the school districts that filed the lawsuit, said he would consult with the superintendents about pursuing an appeal or trying to lobby the Legislature for a change.
The judge said the statute was “not ambiguous,” even though it didn’t specifically mention that it applied to cumulative six- or nine-week grades that appear on report cards. But Triana-Doyal emphasized she wasn’t opining whether the law was good or bad education policy, noting that both sides made valid points.

“People have different opinions about what’s in the best interest of kids,” she said.
Nelson, a former teacher, said the ruling was “a victory for Texas teachers, students and parents because now all grades — on class assignments and report cards — will accurately reflect how well students have mastered their course work.”

She said she doubted her colleagues would retreat from the law next session after unanimously passing her bill last year.
Dropout strategy

Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Greg Smith, the only school chief to testify, said the district’s minimum-grading policy has been an effective dropout strategy over the last 13 years. At one high school last year, he said, more than 30 students benefited from the policy and were able to pass.

Without the policy, he said, “I think you close the light at the end of the tunnel for some students.”
For example, if a student earned a 20 grade during one six weeks, he still would fail the semester if he earned a 90 the next two grading periods.

The Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, which intervened in the case on the side of the Texas Education Agency, argued that minimum-grading policies take important authority away from teachers and are “not in the best interest of students in the long run.”
“I feel like it’s unethical,” Mary Roberts, a teacher in Humble ISD, testified about her district’s policy, which bans report card graders lower than a 50.
ericka.mellon@chron.com

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Recovery Effort in Gulf Expected to Continue Despite Storm

2010-06-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

By JOSEPH BERGER

A tropical storm moving across the western Gulf of Mexico that is likely to strengthen into a hurricane is not expected to seriously disrupt efforts to capture oil gushing from the stricken BP well, officials of the Coast Guard and BP said Monday.

Adm. Thad W. Allen, of the Coast Guard, who is commanding the federal response to the disaster, said at an afternoon press conference that high seas produced by Tropical Storm Alex should not force the evacuation of rigs and other equipment from the blowout site, which is 50 miles off the Louisiana coast. Should an evacuation take place, he said, it could halt the work of collecting oil and drill relief wells for about 14 days.

“As it stands right now, absent the intervention of a hurricane, we’re still looking at mid-August," to have relief wells shut off the gusher entirely, Admiral Allen said.

However, BP officials said that what could be delayed, even by current wave heights, is an effort to prepare what is known as a “floating riser system” that will help raise the daily total of collected oil from, about 25,000 barrels to as much as 50,000 barrels. At a briefing Monday morning, Kent Wells, a senior vice president of BP who is overseeing BP’s efforts, said the storm is expected to follow a track that will take it well west of the blowout site, but it may produce waves of 10 to 12 feet, which Mr. Wells said was too high for the “very precise work” on the surface needed to prepare the floating riser system.

Mr. Wells said the containment cap and a second system that are collecting 25,000 barrels of oil a day would not need to be disconnected and the drilling of two relief wells should continue on schedule. The first relief well is supposed to pump in heavy mud and shut off the gusher sometime in August.

Tropical Storm Alex is on a course heading for northeastern Mexico and a stretch of Texas. Meteorologists at Accuweather.com said they are anticipating a landfall between Tampico, Mexico and Brownsville, Tex. Wednesday night or early Thursday.

Meanwhile Associated Press reported that BP had filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission that indicate the cost of capping and cleaning the spill have reached $2.65 billion. BP has lost more than $100 billion in market value since the drilling platform the company was operating blew up April 20. The costs include spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs, but not a $20 billion fund for damages the company created this month.

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Recovery Effort in Gulf Expected to Continue Despite Storm

2010-06-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Alex may effect Gulf oil production ..

2010-06-28T14:22:00.001-07:00

HOUSTON (Dow Jones)--Tropical Storm Alex, expected to become a hurricane Tuesday, seems to be headed on a path away from the bulk of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico's oil and gas production and refining infrastructure. But some production impact will be felt as one of the largest energy producers in the Gulf said Monday it was shutting down several platforms as a precaution.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) said it had pulled 700 workers from its Gulf operations, and some 835 workers remained offshore. The company is shutting in production from its Western and Central Gulf of Mexico assets to prepare for the potential full evacuation of personnel Tuesday. The company started pulling workers from the Gulf over the weekend. The company didn't specify how much production would be shut or how many platforms were being evacuated.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Alex was located about 85 miles west-northwest of Campeche, Mexico, in the western Gulf of Mexico, and was heading towards southern Texas and northern Mexico. Most U.S. offshore oil and gas platforms are located in the eastern part of the Gulf, far from Alex's forecast path.

Alex "is not likely to have a major impact on production or refining in the U.S.," Doug MacIntyre, senior analyst at the Energy Information Administration, told Dow Jones Newswires Monday. "Alex's current path appears to avoid most of the oil and gas production platforms and any of the major refining centers."

Energy markets Monday seemed to take the storm in stride. Light, sweet crude for August delivery ended 61 cents lower at $78.25 a barrel a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Natural gas for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled 2.96% lower at $4.717 million British thermal units.

Gulf producers Apache Corp. (APA), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) also said Monday they have started evacuating non-essential workers from the offshore facilities expected to be in the path of the storm but none have so far reported any impact to their production.

BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) said Monday it pulled non-essential personnel from three offshore facilities in the the Gulf, and that production was not affected. The company evacuated workers from Atlantis, Mad Dog and Holstein platforms.

Alex may delay BP PLC's plans to increase the amount of oil collected from a leaking well in the Gulf by a week, a company official said Monday.

While the storm's winds are expected to stay far to the west of the Deepwater Horizon spill, high seas are likely to become an issue this week, said Kent Wells, a senior vice president with BP, in a press briefing. Waves up to between 10 feet and 12 feet would prevent BP from hooking a third rig up to an underwater containment system, a process that needs three days of good weather, Wells said.

Two rigs, the Discoverer Enterprise and Q4000, are already collecting between 20,000 and 25,000 barrels of oil a day from the well, which has gushed ever since a rig working at the site caught fire and sank in April.

Chevron Corp. (CVX) and ConocoPhillips (COP) said that they have not evacuated workers, but that they are closely monitoring the forecast for Alex.

A hurricane watch was issued for parts of the south Texas Gulf coastline area and parts of northern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center reported Monday on its website.

The NHC, in its advisory, also said Alex likely will become a hurricane Tuesday and has increased in strength, now with winds of 60 miles per hour.

The watch area for the U.S. extends from south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande in Texas, with Mexico issuing a hurricane watch from the Rio Grande to La Cruz.

-By Isabel Ordonez, Dow Jones Newswires; 713-547-9207; isabel.ordonez@dowjones.com

(Brian Baskin and Angel Gonzalez contributed to this article

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New movie-plexes open!

2010-06-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

LANO, Texas, May 27, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (CNK 15.41, -0.09, -0.57%) , a leading motion picture exhibitor, announces the opening of two new Cinemark XD auditoriums, Cinemark's Extreme Digital Cinema experience, in Lakewood, CO and Cypress, TX. The Lakewood, CO Cinemark XD auditorium opened May 21st at Century 16 Bel Mar, and the Cypress, TX Cinemark XD auditorium opened on Friday, May 28th at Cinemark 12 Cypress.

Cinemark has transformed one auditorium at each location to showcase the state-of-the-art elements of this premium movie-viewing experience. From the plush new seats, to the large wall-to-wall & ceiling-to-floor screens, Cinemark XD auditoriums provide a complete entertainment environment. Crisp, clear digital sound is delivered through custom JBL sound systems and digital images are delivered by Barco digital projectors and Doremi servers.

"Cinemark is thrilled to bring the excitement of these new XD auditoriums to our valued customers in Denver & Houston," states Alan Stock, Cinemark's Chief Executive Officer. "We have opened 26 XD auditoriums across the country and exhibit the newest summer blockbusters every week, including 2D and Real D-3D movies, in these incredible viewing environments."

Reckless Robber who robbed Cypress bank killed.

2010-06-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

The Texas “Reckless Robber,” wanted by San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas police and the FBI, has finally met his fate.
Mouafak Kazzaz, regarded as an “armed and dangerous” man for his escalating number of Central Texas bank robberies, was killed on May 22, 2010 in a shootout with sheriff’s deputy in Fort Bend County.

Deputies pulled over the 24-year-old Kazzaz in a van that matched a description of one involved in a robbery that day at a Bank of America near Grand Parkway and U.S. 59, in Houston.
Tagged “Reckless Robber” by law enforcement officials because of his aggressive use of a handgun, say the robber had been robbing banks since December 2008, primarily in the Houston area.

Kazzaz brought his escalating and violent style to San Antonio Saturday, January 9, 2010 at a Wells Fargo Bank on the 18000 block of Blanco Road near Loop 1604. FBI officials think he is responsible for at least 20 robberies.

His mode of operation was to take command with a black, semi-automatic handgun and point directly at tellers and people in the banks.

At a Cypress, Texas Bank of America late last year, he started pointing his gun at other employees of the bank after receiving the money. He demanded more cash and fled on foot.

The FBI, who announced the shootout and killing on Friday, May 28, 2010, said Kazzaz was from Katy, Texas, just west of Houston.

Kazzaz was known for using several disguises in his aggressive robberies.

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FBI officials indicate that when Kazzaz was pulled over by deputies, he flew open the van door and used an automatic rifle to fire at Deputy Charlie Scott.

After a 20 minute gun battle, Deputy Scott was shot twice in the wrist and an abrasion on his head.

Another deputy fatally shot Kazzaz after his van crashed a fence on West Bellfort.

Texas Gulf Waits & Worries

2010-05-28T06:18:00.001-07:00

LAPORTE -- Richard Arnhart spends much of his days monitoring wind trajectories, scientific bulletins and TV newscasts.

Parts of an oily blob three times the size of Rhode Island -- and growing -- are believed by many experts to be lumbering closer to the Texas Gulf, and Arnhart is part of the first line of defense.
As a regional director for the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Program in the Texas General Land Office, Arnhart is paid by the state to fight oil spills, and he's heavily involved in state and federal contingency planning for any possible impact on Texas from the massive oil spill lurking in the Gulf of Mexico.

Communities all along the Texas coast are making similar preparations as they join the rest of the world in tracking daily developments in one of the worst oil spill disasters in history.
No one knows for sure if remnants of the spill, which was about 160 miles east of the Lone Star State late last week, will reach Texas waters. The consensus seems to be that if there is an impact it will be in the form of tar balls or a frothy substance resembling chocolate mousse. Experts don't expect any residue to hit this far west for several weeks.

Beyond that, just what threat the spill poses for a region of the state whose economy and culture is tied to the gulf is difficult to gauge. Environmentalists warn of possibly irreversible damage to the state's fragile ecosystems and endangered wildlife. Others worry about potential losses to fishing and tourism, though local officials say they have yet to see any signs of an economic backlash.
"It's going to have an impact one way or another," said state Rep. Aaron Pena, D-Edinburg, chairman of the state House Select Committee on Emergency Preparedness, which has scheduled a Monday hearing in McAllen to examine Texas preparations for the spill. "We swim in that ocean. We eat the food that comes out of that ocean. It's part of our [committee's] charge to be prepared for emergencies, and this is certainly an emergency that Texas should be prepared for."
'No news is good news'

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, whose office would be in charge of fighting residue from the spill and enforcing the cleanup, took steps late last week to calm fears about the oil slick.

"We're watching and waiting, but it's just not time to go to general quarters," said Patterson, who is scheduled to testify at Monday's hearing. "No news is good news."

Patterson sought to dispel TV reports that tar balls from the spill are already showing up on Texas beaches. Although tar balls occasionally wash ashore along the Texas Gulf, they may be decades old and could come from natural seepage or earlier spills, the land office said. An analysis on tar balls collected from Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island last week proved conclusively that the substance did not come from the oil slick in the gulf, said Cmdr. David Berliner of the Coast Guard.
Nevertheless, an out-of-control underwater gusher dumping more than thousands of barrels of oil into the gulf each day is impossible for Texans to ignore. Houston area residents watching TV last week, for example, might have seen ads aired by attorney Jim Adler offering his service to victims of the spill.

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Cypress man, 71, charged after pursuit involving 4 La. police agencies

2010-05-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

A 71-year-old Texas man reportedly involved in a disturbance in Allen Parish led law enforcement officers on a pursuit from Allen Parish to west of DeRidder.

Joe Darrold Hinton, 71, of Cypress, Texas, was arrested Monday night and charged with reckless operation, speeding, resisting an officer and aggravated flight from an officer.

According to the Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office, Hinton was involved in a disturbance at a home in Elton and then led officers from Allen Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police, DeRidder Police and eventually Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office down La. Highway 26 to U.S. Highway 171 through DeRidder until he was eventually stopped on La. Highway 190 West near the Boise mill.

Hinton was booked into the Beauregard Parish Jail. No bond was set as he will be transported back to Allen Parish.

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Oil spill threatens already weakened wetlands

2010-05-17T20:02:00.001-07:00

by Brad Woodard / 11 News
khou.com

Crews depart with giant box to help Gulf oil leak
With millions of gallons of oil already in the gulf and massive underwater plumes that could poison and suffocate sea life across the food chain, experts say the damage from the spill could endure for a decade or more. For Galveston, however, the picture isn't quite as bleak.

"There may be some kind of effect coming this way, some little tarballs, but we'd be talking about almost three weeks into the future, which gives it more time to break up. More time to sink," said Peter Davis, chief of the Island's Beach Patrol.

If Davis doesn't seem overly concerned, it's because he's seen it all before.

"I've worked here for almost 30 years, and before that I was on the beach all the time," says Davis. "I remember in the 80s when there was less regulation; there was tar around a lot more."

Long before the Deepwater Horizon explosion, in fact, long before offshore drilling, tarballs were washing up on Texas beaches. The state estimates as much as a million barrels of crude oil leaked into the gulf through natural seepage in just the last year.

Although the coast is clear in Galveston, at least for the moment, some business owners along the seawall worry all the news surrounding the spill with scare off tourists.

"They don't know if there is oil or no oil," says Izzy Wolraich, the owner of four businesses on the Island. "And we know there's no oil.

There're afraid about poisoned fish and dirty water, but there's not a panic yet."

And that's what he fears the most.

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Area Baseball Going Strong!

2010-05-06T07:34:00.001-07:00

By SAM KHAN JR.
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

On the home side of Andy Wells Field in Kingwood, there's a small wooden sign that hangs with two words on it: Round Rock. They're short and simple but they speak volumes of the expectations.
“Every time you get a helmet or a bat, it's a constant reminder that that's why we're here,” Kingwood coach Kelly Mead said. “We're practicing for the ultimate goal. Every day you touch ‘Round Rock' but only if you can believe we can do it.”

Kingwood, the area's top-ranked Class 5A team, enters this postseason with the same goal that just about every other big school has — to get to Dell Diamond in Round Rock, home of the Class 5A and 4A state tournament.

While the Greater Houston area is virtually guaranteed at least one representative (from Region III-5A), the area is experiencing a brief drought in what has been over two decades of dominance in Texas Class 5A baseball. The last 5A champion from Greater Houston came in 2007, when Cy-Fair hoisted the state championship trophy.

The last time the area went three straight years without a champion in the University Interscholastic League's highest classification was 1972-1976 when Lubbock Monterey, Midland and Duncanville combined for five Class 4A titles in that span. The Houston area produced the next four 4A champs and since Class 5A baseball began in 1981, the area has produced 16 of the 29 state champions.

From 1998-2007, the Houston area was home to eight of 10 champions in that span.
And while two or three years without a championship is nothing to get worked up about, there is a bit of local pride at stake coming into the postseason.

“We want to do it for us No. 1 and for Houston No. 2,” Mead said. “I feel that in the Houston area, the talent we breed is unbelievable. I believe it's the best in the state of Texas.”
Mead's no stranger to the state tournament. He was an assistant at Kingwood when the Mustangs earned state tournament berths in 2004 and 2005, which included a state championship in 2005.

In this year's playoff bracket, many of the Houston-area's usual suspects are lurking. In addition to Kingwood, Bellaire, Brazoswood, Memorial and Pearland are among the Region III-5A favorites and Klein, Cy-Fair, Cypress Falls, College Park, The Woodlands and Tomball are among the teams to watch in Region II-5A.

Seven of those teams have won a state championship since 1980. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll emerge from the pack - the last two Region III-5A champions have been teams that did not win their district - Bellaire in 2008 and Pearland in 2009.
“
The thing about the playoffs is that you just want to get in,” Bellaire coach Rocky Manuel said. “Nobody cares how you got in. Look at Butler in (NCAA) basketball. It's a giant tournament, the biggest tournament in the state of Texas and hopefully you win your round.”
Even if his team doesn't make it, Mead said he's hopeful that the 5A trophy returns to the area.
“When you have those Houston teams in there it makes you feel so much better,” he said. “When you go on a run and the team to that beats you wins it all, you know that you got beat by the best.”
sam.khan@chron.com

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Oil spill threatens Gulf Coast

2010-04-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

(CNN) -- A huge oil spill oozing toward the Gulf Coast on Thursday threatens hundreds of species of wildlife, some in their prime breeding season, environmental organizations said.
The Coast Guard said Wednesday that the amount of oil spilling from an underwater well after an oil rig explosion last week has increased to as many as 5,000 barrels of oil a day, or 210,000 gallons, five times more than what was originally believed.

Although efforts to minimize the damage are under way and options under consideration include asking the U.S. military for assistance, wildlife conservation groups say the oil could pose a "growing environmental disaster."

"The terrible loss of 11 workers (unaccounted for after the rig explosion) may be just the beginning of this tragedy as the oil slick spreads toward sensitive coastal areas vital to birds and marine life and to all the communities that depend on them," said Melanie Driscoll, director of bird conservation for the Louisiana Coastal Initiative, in a statement.
Coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida could be at risk, the organization said.

"For birds, the timing could not be worse; they are breeding, nesting and especially vulnerable in many of the places where the oil could come ashore," she said. "The efforts to stop the oil before it reaches shore are heroic, but may not be enough. We have to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, including a true catastrophe for birds."

"The best case is, the wind shifts and the oil doesn't hit," said Tom MacKenzie of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "I'm not real confident about that. ... We're doing everything we can to prevent it, but it could be a bad one."

It's not just birds that could be affected, although they are usually the first to feel the effects, said Gregory Bossart, chief veterinary officer for the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The birds are right at the surface, get covered in the oil and swallow it, causing liver and kidney problems.

"They need to be rescued and cleaned," he said.
But the coastline of Louisiana, with its barrier islands and estuaries, "is a very unique ecosystem. It's very complex," Bossart said.
Plankton found in the estuaries nourish organisms all the way up the food chain. Crabs, mussels, oysters and shrimp feed on the plankton, he said. Oil smothers the plankton, meaning they cannot eat.

Also, "the estuaries here are a nursery ground, literally a nursery ground, for the entire fish population in this area," Bossart said.

River otters in the region eat mussels and other animals. And "we know, in this area right now, that there are sperm whales. There are dolphins right in the oil slick," he said.
If an oil spill is small enough, animals can leave the area.
"Some of them can get away," Bossart said. "It's totally dependent on the size of the slick, and this is huge."

Exposure to the oil for a prolonged period of time can result in a toxic effect on the skin, and mammals can suffer lung damage or death after breathing it in, Bossart said.
"When the oil starts to settle, it'll smother the oyster beds. It'll kill the oysters," he said.

The Audubon Society, which is affiliated with the Louisiana Coastal Initiative, is recruiting volunteers in Florida and making its Center for Birds of Prey available for bird cleansing and rehabilitation. Elsewhere, Audubon said it was gearing up to mobilize volunteers and provide assistance as the oil reaches land.

The spill also threatens the Louisiana and Mississippi fishing industry, as crab, oysters and shrimp along the coast could be affected, along with numerous species of fish. Gulf shrimp are in their spawning season.

More than 400 species are threatened by the spill, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Thursday, citing the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
"When you stop and begin considering everything that this could impact, it really is stunning," Karen Foote, biologist administrator with the department, told the newspaper.

A handful of "Important Bird Areas" -- designated because of their value to bird species -- face immediate threat from the oil, the initiative said. They include the Chandeleur Islands and Gulf Islands National Seashore areas in Louisiana and Mississippi, along with the Active Delta area in Louisiana, which includes Delta Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Pass-a-Loutre Wildlife Management Area.

Several species of birds are cause for special concern, the Louisiana Coastal Initiative said. They include the brown pelican, the state bird of Louisiana, which nests on barrier islands and feeds near shore. The brown pelican's breeding season just began, according to the Initiative, and "many pairs are already incubating eggs."

The species was taken off the federal endangered species list last year, but "their relatively low reproductive rate means any disruption to their breeding cycle could have serious effects on the population."

More than 800 brown pelicans died when a smaller oil spill hit Louisiana's Breton Island National Wildlife Refuge a few years ago, MacKenzie said.

Species of beach-nesting terns and gulls, beach-nesting shorebirds, large wading birds, marsh birds and ocean-dwelling birds are also at risk, along with migratory shorebirds and songbirds, the Initiative said.

The migratory songbirds move across the Gulf during a two-week period from late April to early May, for instance.

"The journey across 500 miles of open water strains their endurance to its limits," the Initiative said. "They depend on clear skies and healthy habitats on both sides of the Gulf in order to survive the journey."

According to a 1998 study by Louisiana State University, more than 500 million birds fly over the Gulf and enter the United States along coastal areas in Louisiana and Texas each spring.
The barrier islands east of Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain have still not recovered from the blow dealt by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Bossart said, and a spill such as this one could seriously threaten their recovery.

"I think at this point it would be wrong to say it's catastrophic, because it really hasn't hit any area except out in the Gulf proper," he said. But "it's certainly a very serious thing" that could pose a long-term environmental challenge.

Plans have been under way to protect wildlife since the spill was discovered, MacKenzie said. "We know what we're doing to try to protect those key assets. ... A lot of people are leaning forward in the foxhole to address this."

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Cy-Fair ISD players take next step

2010-04-27T08:09:00.001-07:00

Cy-Creek's Brandi Virgil during a recent game. Photo by Tony Bullard

By TODD HVEEM
CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT

Cy Creek High School softball standout Brandi Virgil is headed to Michigan to play college softball.

Virgil has helped guide the Lady Cougars to three straight playoff appearances and a pair of co-district titles.

She is batting .475 with six home runs as Cy Creek prepares for the playoffs.

Cy-Fair Bobcat senior guard Aarika Reyna has signed a basketball scholarship with Southeastern Louisiana.

Reyna helped lead the Bobcats to the Class 5A state title.

Jersey Village’s Tory Salazar also signed with McMurry University, and Jersey Village golfer Austin Sarabia inked with Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas.

Langham Creek’s Diana Ramirez also will play college soccer at Huston-Tillotson in Austin, and Cy Creek wide receiver Trent O’Connor will play football at Kansas Wesleyan.

Three Cy-Fair ISD soccer players to play in Showcase Game

A trio of Cy-Fair ISD soccer players were selected to play in the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches Senior Showcase game on May 1 in Georgetown.

Bryan Vasquez of Cy Falls, Walter Kromholz of Cy Woods and Miguel Mendoza of Langham Creek were selected to the 20-member team. This is the eighth straight year Cy-Fair ISD has had a player chosen to play in the event.

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RIPPLES FROM PANAMA CANAL EXPANSION WILL EXTEND TO HOUSTON PORT AND SURROUNDING REGION

2010-04-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

Published 04/15/2010 - 5:36 a.m. CST
"The impacts of the Panama Canal widening will filter to the Houston region," said DougSethness, vice president of the Houston firm CH2M Hill and a principal project manager/program manager for the Panama Canal expansion project.
“We think the Panama Canal expansion is a game changer, but we are not sure yet how it is going to change,” Sethness told

Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee members at an April 1 meeting.
The expansion project, which will be completed in 2014, will allow larger ships to travel through the canal. Larger ships can carry more containers, which could equate to greater loads coming into the Gulf Coast area and more truck and rail traffic handling those containers.

However, Sethness said, the Port of Houston is not a deepwater port – that requires a 53-foot depth – but Brazosport is getting there. Gulf Coast ports are making changes to accommodate the larger ships that would be able to travel through the Panama Canal after 2014.

But there is more to be done, he said.
“We need intermodal improvements in Texas,” he said. “We need to improve our infrastructure to the heartland and other Gulf Coast states. We need focused logistics education programs in schools.”

The Panama Canal expansion project is creating a set of three new “locks,” which lift ships up to the main elevation of the Panama Canal, and widening different portions of the canal to allow for two-way traffic in some areas.
The current two-lock system opened in 1914 is about 900 feet wide and accommodates ships with a 40-foot draft. The new three-lock system will be about 1,200 wide and will allow ships with a 50-foot draft.
“The ships going through it today take up every inch of space,” Sethness said. “Often they scrape their way through.”

There are three primary load center ports in the U.S. – Seattle/Tacoma, Los Angeles/Long Beach and New York/New Jersey. He said the U.S. is importing less and exporting more.
The Gulf ports, which include all ports along the Texas and Lousiana coast, are further down on the list. The trade there is primarily for the petrochemical industry.

After World War II, many consumer products were made in Japan and ships carrying those items could travel to Los Angeles/Long Beach or through the Panama Canal to New York/New Jersey.

“As costs got higher we started buying things out of Korea, and they travelled the same way,” Sethness said. “In the China decade we followed the same route.”
“Now we are looking for a cheaper place to buy goods, and manufacturing plants are opening in Singapore and Malaysia,” he said. “They can travel through the Suez or Panama canals.”

As the manufacturing hubs move west to India, and eventually Africa, the Suez Canal could become the dominant route, Sethness said.

“For first time we are seeing price wars between the Suez and Panama,” he said.
Currently it costs about $150,000 – 200,000 for ships to travel through the Panama Canal, and they are lined up waiting.

“All major (U.S.) ports are putting money into increasing the size of the ports,” Sethness said. “We could possibly go into an overcapacity situation.”

“The biggest potential risk is we face is over-building in our current economy,” he said.

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Taking their shots at the next level

2010-04-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

Brittney Griner’s star is rising, but she’s just one example of Houston’s girls hoops prowess
By JENNY DIAL
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle
April 3, 2010, 10:44PM

Every time a television announcer is shocked by one of Brittney Griner's highlight-worthy moves, Nimitz coach Debbie Jackson can't help but laugh a little.
Jackson watched the 6-8 Baylor star dominate on the court for four years, and she's glad to see that the rest of the world is starting to see something she has known all along.
“I think that any time someone who hasn't seen Brittney play yet sees her, that person becomes a fan,” Jackson said. “She is not disappointing.”

So while Jackson is sitting in the stands at the Alamodome today when Baylor takes on Connecticut in the second game of the NCAA Women's Final Four, she will be ready to hear more about her former player, who has become one of the most recognizable women's basketball players in the country.
And Jackson will see more familiar faces. Along with Griner, the Houston area boasts three other starters on Final Four teams: Bellaire's Jasmine Hartman at Oklahoma, Clear Brook's Kelli Griffin at Baylor and Cy-Fair's Nneka Ogwumike at Stanford.

“To have four starters out of the 20 that are still playing says a lot about Houston basketball,” Jackson said. “We have some really high-quality players in this area.”
Houston has become a hotbed for girls basketball. The area has produced the No. 1 player in the country the last two seasons

— Griner was the top recruit in 2009 and Chiney Ogwumike is this season. Kelsey Bone won several national awards and was a McDonald's All-American in 2009. Nneka Ogwumike was a McDonald's All-American and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2008. USC's Stefanie and Briana Gilbreath were both McDonald's All-Americans and dotted several other All-America lists in 2007 and 2008.

Glenn Nelson, publisher of hoopgurlz.com, said that over the last five years the Houston area has become the place to go for a post player.

“I can't think of any other city in the country that has an identity in the recruiting world the way Houston does,” he said. “But the last few great post players have come from there, and that's where coaches will go now and compete for those girls.”
Diverse talent
While the last handful of big names — the Ogwumike sisters, Bone and Griner — have been post players, guards are starting to become prominent in the area, diversifying Houston's basketball scene.
North Shore's Courtney Williams, Elkins' Donielle Breaux and Worthing's Jenzel Nash are among guards in the spotlight now.

Cy-Fair's Cassie Peoples is a two-time All-State selection with a state championship already on her résumé.
That doesn't mean there will be a shortage of excellent post players. Hightower sophomore twin posts Taylor and Tyler Gilbert are already on the national radar.

“We have had all these great post players, but there are some amazing guards, and the coaches coming here to see the post players are taking notice of the guards,” Cy-Fair Shock Elite Nike AAU coach Rob Amboree said. “You can come to Houston and just get quality players. I think right now this is the best city in the country to recruit for basketball.”
Every year for the past five years, an average of 16 girls have signed to play at Division I basketball programs. Cy-Fair junior Peoples has already committed to Texas.

Recruiting hotbed

Nelson said that the quantity and quality of talent has made Houston one of the top areas to recruit in the country.
“It will only get better if history of this sport tells us anything,” Nelson said. “This is a sport that will get more and more popular in the area because it feeds off of the success that Houston is already having.”

As the sport continues to grow in the area, young players continue to latch on to it. Peoples said the interest in girls basketball will keep growing as long as the talent level stays high. She played in San Antonio before moving to Cy-Fair and said that the level of competition here makes the game better.

“Every game is hard, every game is a game you have to work,” Peoples said. “It's entertaining, and it builds better basketball players when you have to be on your game 100 percent of the time.”
Peoples said every year the Final Four becomes more exciting for her.

“I used to love watching anyway, but now that I know some of the players, it's even better,” she said. “It shows me that I could do that, too. It's a goal that becomes really reachable when you see your friends get there. I could be playing in the Final Four in the next few years, too,

FIND ANYTHING IN CYPRESS

The West team in the McDonald's All-American girls' game wasn't just super- sized. It was Texas-sized.

2010-04-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio -

Five Texas players combined for 62 percent of the West's scoring in an 84-75 victory Wednesday at Value City Arena.
According to several Texans, it was a fitting performance.
"Everything is bigger in Texas," said Stanford-bound forward Chiney Ogwumike of Cypress, Texas, who scored 14 points.
"But the concern and support of girls athletics in Texas is unsurmountable. Southern hospitality - people care.

"They're not into using you; they're into developing you."

Texas A&M signee Karla Gilbert of College Station said, "This shows progress, what we can do in Texas."
Flashy guard Meighan Simmons of Cibolo, Texas, earned the West team's MVP honors, scoring 21 points with three rebounds, and Florida State signee Natasha Howard earned the East MVP award - and screams from friends and family traveling from her nearby hometown of Toledo - with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Friendly rivals

As a Stanford commit, Ogwumika not only had to contend this week with two future rivals at California - guard Afure Jemerigbe and forward Lindsay Sherbert - but also the fact that she's leaving Big 12 country to play in the Pac-10.
Three of the McDonald's girls players from Texas are attending Big 12 schools, and Simmons is bound for Tennessee.
"It's light humor," Ogwumika said. "Of course we talk to each other about, you're going here or there, Pac-10 or whatever. It was funny.

"Traditionally, people would say, 'Why don't you go to UT?' But I did what was best for me athletically and academically. We tease each other, but the decisions were made for the best of us."
Old hat
East boys guard Josh Selby went to a "dunk off" with the West's Ray McCallum to win Monday's Jam Fest, but he never doubted the result.
"It was not a surprise because every dunk contest I won," Selby said.

"I was very confident. All the dunks I did, I did before."
McCallum's dunks, meanwhile, surprised some observers because he does not dunk often in games. Slam magazine said McCallum's moves "shocked" most experts, before McCallum lost the competition when he fumbled some between-the-legs dunks.
Rim shots

• For the 10th year in a row, Oak Hill Academy was represented at the McDonald's game, this time by guard Doron Lamb, a UA target.

Last year, Oak Hill placed Oklahoma big man Tiny Gallon and two years ago, it was guard Brandon Jennings, then signed to a letter of intent for Arizona before he opted to play professionally in Italy.
• Lamb was quoted in the official McDonald's game media guide saying he favors math at Oak Hill "because I like putting up numbers."
Among hobbies listed by the players, Memphis-bound Jelan Kendrick plays chess, Villanova-bound Jayvaugh Pinkston boxes, North Carolina signee Harrison Barnes sings bass in a school choir, and Texas' Tristan Thompson enjoys Shakespeare.

FIND ANYTHING IN CYPRESS HERE!

Suspected rapist caught ...

2010-03-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Harris County Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit, in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force and the Houston Police Department, arrested a suspect Wednesday wanted in the sexual assault of a teenager in northwest Harris County.

On Saturday, February 27, Harris County Sheriff's deputies responded to an aggravated sexual assault call in the Longwood subdivision in northwest Harris County. The victim, a 15-year-old female, reported that around 4am a male forced his way into her house and sexually assaulted her at knife point. The suspect's image was captured a short time later on a surveillance camera at the WalMart, located at 22605 Tomball Parkway, using a credit card reportedly stolen from the victim's residence.
With the use of the surveillance video, Crime Stoppers tips, and a suspect sketch created with the assistance of the victim, the suspect was identified as 23-year-old Michael Alexander Chenault of Cypress, Texas. He is currently in the Harris County Jail with no bond and facing charges of burglary with intent to commit sexual assault and burglary of a habitation.
(Copyright ©2010 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Police need your help finding rapist.

2010-03-02T07:33:00.001-08:00

CYPRESS, TX (KTRK) -- Authorities are looking for a suspect who broke into a home and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl.

Around 4am Saturday, a white or Hispanic male forced his way into a house in the Longwood Subdivision in Cypress. He entered the bedroom of a 15-year-old girl and produced a large knife. After the sexual assault but before he left the house, he stole some personal property including a credit card. The man was captured a short time later on a surveillance camera at the Wal-Mart located at 22605 Tomball Parkway using the stolen credit card.

The suspect is described as an 18 to 25 year old white or Hispanic male. He is around 5'8" to 5'10" tall and weighs between 150 to 175 pounds. He has a slender but muscular build. At the time he was wearing a gray Texas A&M hooded sweatshirt with blue jeans. He also had on a maroon Texas A&M baseball hat. He is possibly driving a dark colored small to midsized four door car.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for any information called in to the 713-222-8477 (TIPS) hotline or submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org that leads to the identification, arrest and/or charging of the suspect in this case. Tips can also be sent by text message -- Text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.

Man throws puppies off of Port Arthur sea wall.

2010-02-23T08:00:00.001-08:00

PORT ARTHUR, Texas (AP) - Three rescued puppies are recovering after being thrown over a seawall and on to some rocks in Port Arthur.

Firefighters rescued the crying pups and placed the creatures with animal control.

KFDM-TV reports the man who tossed the animals on Sunday was heard saying he was "turning them into soldiers." A bystander noticed the abandoned puppies and summoned help.

Pat Lavergne with Port Arthur Animal Control says the puppies, with health problems such as mange, were at the shelter Tuesday and available for adoption. She described them as a retriever mix.

The owner of the dogs, who was not immediately located, could face animal cruelty charges.

Sarah Palin's 'hillbilly' palm prompts draw howls of ridicule

2010-02-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with a message written on her left hand, at a campaign rally for Texas Gov. Rick Perry in Cypress, Texas.

US Republican superstar Sarah Palin has become the subject of widespread scorn in the US after being seen referring to notes scribbled on her hand during a major speech.

Video footage showed Mrs Palin — who frequently criticises President Obama’s use of the teleprompter — glancing down at the palm of her left hand on which the words “energy”, “budget cuts”, “tax” and “lift American spirits” had been written in ink .

The former governor of Alaska was pictured during a Q & A session at the grassroots Tea Party. Mrs Palin was ex-Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008 and has maintained a high profile ever since.

Mrs Palin's detractors have ridiculed the crib notes -- already being called the "Hillbilly Palm Pilot" -- noting that basic conservative principles are something she should surely know like the back of her hand.

Minutes before she used the notes she had castigated President Obama in a prepared speech as a "charismatic guy with a teleprompter". As John McCain's running-mate in 2008, Mrs Palin struggled in interviews when asked about current events and world affairs -- a lack of knowledge that hurt the Republican ticket.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/sarah-palins-hillbilly--palm-prompts-draw-howls-of-ridicule-14674947.html#ixzz0f9ITv2Ss

Atascocita growing by leaps and bounds!

2010-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

Business Week:

Tired of reading about how rotten the real estate market is? Here's some good news that shows that even during the worst of the recession plenty of American cities, towns, and suburbs continue to grow.

One such place is Atascocita, Tex. A mostly residential community 20 miles from Houston, it gained more than 1,800 households in 2009, an 8% year-over-year increase, according to new data from Little Rock-based data firm Gadberry Group. Over the decade, amenities that have helped attract residents to this wooded locale include Lake Houston, just east of the city; the school district; and proximity to the city of Houston. With new roads in the area under construction, "we're starting to see major industry start to take a look at the area," says Mike Byers, president of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce.

Migration levels nationwide stayed low last year as homeowners saddled with pricey mortgages stayed put—but there are some positive trends. Research by the Gadberry Group shows that some areas, resisting the effects of the recession, continue to attract both domestic and foreign migrants and, as an effect, bring in new businesses to provide services. While other cities across the U.S. have contracted, these have continued to grow.

Some states are better off than others, though. As thousands of people left places such as New Orleans and Flint, Mich. (the country's two fastest-shrinking cities), in the last decade, communities with the best mix of economic activity, proximity to job centers, and a good environment for families continued to grow. While not entirely spared by the economic downturn (some homes in these areas are now in foreclosure), people continued to move in during 2009.
Texas Grew the Most

Texas came out on top of Gadberry's survey, with four high-growth cities: Atascocita, Katy, Mansfield, and Wylie. The report only included areas larger than 10,000 occupied households that met requirements for growth rate, household income, length of residence, and other factors.

Larry Martin, principal of the Gadberry Group, says many of the places with the biggest housing growth at the beginning of the last decade, such as Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, also saw the biggest drop-off since the economy sank. Texas, however, enjoyed relatively strong housing and job markets over the last 10 years, thanks in large part to the presence of major employers in the robust energy business. As of December, the state unemployment rate was 8.3% (lower than the national rate of 10%), according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also had the largest state population growth between July 2008 and July 2009, according to a December release by the Census Bureau. "New homes are still being built and people are still moving into these homes" in Texas, says Martin.

Part of the state's strength, says Mark Mather, a demographer at the Population Reference Bureau in Washington, D.C., is its diversified economy. Main industries include petroleum refining, chemical production, aerospace, and information technology.

Meanwhile, areas that depended on the housing boom are now dealing with high foreclosure rates. Places such as Summerlin South, Nev., which appear in Bloomberg BusinessWeek's slide show of fast-growing cities, gained population but, like the rest of the state, may be dealing with high mortgage default rates.

"If you live by migration, you also die by migration," says Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute. "It doesn't guarantee continued growth."
New Business Opportunities

Migration is typically highest among people in their 20s seeking jobs near large urban cores, but employment opportunities are not the only draw. "Amenities are also important in migrational decisions," says Johnson. Many families consider factors such as schools and recreational amenities like scenic areas and parks.

This is a consideration now in Spring Hill, Tenn., which gained 7,645 households since 2000 as many young families moved to the town for affordable housing and work at the General Motors plant, which is now idle. Dustin Dunbar, chairman of the Spring Hill Economic Development Commission, says this has created demand and opportunity for businesses that provide youth activities and entertainment. "We hope to recruit some businesses to cater to our largest demographics," he says.

While migration in 2010 may remain sluggish, "we'll see a continuation of urban sprawl once the economy bounces back," says Mather.

Dr. Conrad Murray to surrender today.

2010-02-03T06:31:00.001-08:00

Dr. Conrad Murray is expected to surrender to authorities in Los Angeles this week on charges related to Michael Jackson's death, according to The Associated Press and CNN. Murray arrived in Los Angeles recently from Houston in anticipation of a decision from the district attorney's office, spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik told the AP..

"Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose — on family business and to be available for law enforcement," Sevcik told the AP. "We're trying to be as cooperative as we can."

"Dr. Murray is more than ready to surrender and answer to any charges," Ed Chernoff, one of Murray's lawers, told CNN, adding that prosecutors have not announced any charges, and Murray has not been told how or where he should surrender.

No official comment has been made about when charges might, come; David Walgren, the deputy district attorney handling the case, declined to comment to the AP on Tuesday (February 2).

Law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the AP that Murray is likely to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's June 25 death from an anesthetic overdose. Murray has denied criminal wrongdoing.

"We continue to maintain that Dr. Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson," Sevcik said.

Earlier this year, TMZ reported that the Los Angeles Police Department had completed its investigation into Jackson's death and was preparing to send the case to the DA's office within weeks.

Murray has told investigators that he administered the surgical anesthetic propofol, as well as other tranquilizers, to Jackson several times in the hours leading up to his death, and the coroner has ruled the singer died of lethal levels of the drug. Involuntary manslaughter charges would require prosecutors to show that Murray engaged in gross negligence in his actions but did not intend to cause harm or death to Jackson.

Cleanup under way in 462,000-gallon oil spill off Port Arthur

2010-01-25T06:08:00.001-08:00

CNN) -- Crews removed about 46,000 gallons of oil from waters near Port Arthur, Texas, on Sunday, roughly 10 percent of the oil spilled a day earlier when a tanker collided with two barges, a U.S. Coast Guard officer said.

An estimated 462,000 gallons of crude oil leaked from barrels aboard the tanker, forcing the closure of the port in southern Texas, Petty Officer Larry Chambers told CNN. The Sabine Neches Waterway near Port Arthur also was closed. It was unclear Sunday when the port, about 100 miles east of Houston, Texas, will reopen or when crews will finish the cleanup, he said.

"We certainly want it to be done as soon as possible, but with that said, safety is the main issue," Chambers said. "We're not going to open the port until it's determined that vessels can pass through cleanly, safely and not cause any further damage."

No injuries were reported when the Exxon Mobile-chartered tanker -- the 807-foot Eagle Otome -- collided Saturday with two barges being towed by a tug boat. The tanker was carrying about 570,000 gallons of crude oil to Exxon's Beaumont refinery when it crashed, Exxon Mobile spokesman Kevin Allexon told CNN. The cause of the crash was unknown, but is under investigation, he said.

"We are very concerned about how this could have happened," Allexon said. "We are very concerned about the impact to the environment, to the community. No one wants to see this happen."

The port is primarily for industrial use, but it is not far from wetlands. None of the nearby marshes or sensitive wildlife were adversely affected, Chambers said, but one heron was "oiled." The bird was alive and undergoing treatment, he said.

An evacuation order that was imposed in a 50-block area around the port after the collision was lifted. That area was evacuated Saturday out of caution, as the tanker was carrying a type of oil containing sulfide.

Fifteen skimming vessels sailed the area recovering the oil and workers dropped more than 45,000 feet of boom -- fencing-like material -- to keep the oil from spreading, Chambers said. More than 500 people were involved in containing and cleaning the spill, said Darrell Wilson, spokesman for Malaysia-based AET Tanker Holdings, the owner of the tanker.

The biggest oil spill in U.S. history occurred in 1989 when the Exxon Valdez ran aground on a reef in the Gulf of Alaska, resulting in the spill of 11 million gallons of crude.

CY-FAIR HOSPITAL ACHIEVES RECOGNITION AS A PRIMARY STROKE FACILITY FROM THE DSHS

2010-01-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

Houston, Texas – Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital has been recognized as a Level II Primary Stroke Facility from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The hospital was recognized at an event hosted by the Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)/Trauma Systems Coordination and awarded the prestigious designation.

When someone is having a stroke, they need prompt emergency medical care. During a stroke blood supply to the brain is cut off or disrupted, causing part of the brain to go without the oxygen-rich blood it needs. The longer the brain goes without blood, the greater the chance a disability will occur. According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the number one cause of disability in adults and the third leading cause of death in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds.

“The purpose of our new stroke facility designation program is to establish a framework for developing a voluntary, statewide emergency treatment system for stroke victims,” said Jane Guerrero, Director of the Office of EMS/Trauma Systems Coordination. “Patterned after our well-established trauma system, stroke designation will allow stroke victims to be rapidly transported to and treated in appropriate stroke-treatment facilities.”
Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital’s comprehensive cardiovascular and stroke program has a protocol driven and systematic approach to patient management allowing physicians to reduce the time to treatment during the early stages of a heart attack or stoke, when treatments are most effective.

“Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital has demonstrated that our program follows national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients,” said Cindy Hudgens, RN, BSN, CNRN, Cardiovascular and Stroke Coordinator of the hospital. “Our team is committed to clinical excellence, and the Level II Primary Stroke Facility designation is proof of their tremendous efforts.”

The Stroke Team at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital, a team of specially trained physicians, nurses and staff, is called to action when a patient is exhibiting symptoms of a stroke. The team consults with highly trained neurologists, called Specialists on Call, via an advanced telecommunications system, referred to as telemedicine, to review each stroke patient’s condition and to quickly establish a course of treatment with the qualified specialists.

Specialists on Call provides consultation support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to hospitals and on-site physicians nationwide, with access to experts in emergency neurology and stroke care. Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital is the only hospital in northwest Houston working with Specialists on Call for stroke treatment, an important factor in being able to offer quality stroke care to the community.

In addition to designation as a Level II Primary Stroke Facility, Cy-Fair Hospital is also certified by The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center.

One killed 2-wounded in domestic dispute.

2010-01-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

Stabbings Leave 1 Person Dead, 2 People Hurt

CYPRESS, Texas - One person is killed and two others are hurt after an alleged domestic disturbance ends with all three people stabbed in northwest Harris County.

Deputies arrived after 10 a.m. Monday to a house at the intersection of Tall Forest Drive and Park Forest Drive in Cypress and found the victims with stab wounds.

For more updates on this developing news, visit MyFoxHouston.com.

Lufkin hit by tornado.

2009-12-24T07:38:00.001-08:00

By Whitney Grunder -
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Severe storms ripped through parts of East Texas Wednesday evening. Some Lufkin neighborhoods sustained extensive damage from a possible tornado.

Among them is the Lufkin VFW, which is now gone. The damage comes right after 10,000 dollars worth of recent tile work. A check for the construction was written Wednesday, before the storm hit.

One resident living near Gipson Funeral Home on Chestnut Street even reported seeing caskets in his backyard.
Jakoia Grimes and her children were happy to have made it safely out of their Lufkin apartment, before their entire roof collapsed. "I looked up and I just saw the light from outside and I had my girls come and sit by the door, and within minutes the entire roof caved in," said Grimes, who is now staying with family members.
Jennifer Mays watched the tornado touch down right outside Stephens Court Apartments. She described it as "massive." She said, "I couldn't believe it was so powerful to the point that it just opened up my door."
Next door, owners sifted through what remained of their welding business, part of Lufkin for 25 years. Max's Welding Shop on Denman Avenue was completely destroyed.
Owners said they can't blame God for the severe weather, and that fortunately another shop behind the building stands untouched by the storm.

"I think we're going to be able to salvage some of our equipment. I think we're going to be alright," said co-owner Betty Purgahn.
Cheddars employees also witnessed a tornado touch down in the middle of the Olive Garden parking lot. "I heard a bunch of commotion and they were talking about the patio chairs were nearly about to hit some cars so we ran to try to help," said Cheddars employee Brad Barrow.

According to witnesses, other than damaging a few of the vehicles parked in the Olive Garden parking lot, the tornado did not affect any of the buildings. The Department of Public Safety reported that the tornado lifted back up, and did not cause any injuries.
Utility crews were also working to remedy power outages caused by toppled power poles. Thursday morning, thousands of residents were without power. An Oncor spokesperson said approximately 2,500 customers were without power in the Lufkin area.

So far no severe injuries have been reported.

Captured escapee says prison staff helped him

2009-12-09T06:43:00.001-08:00

by KHOU.com Staff

Posted on December 9, 2009 at 6:50 AM

CONROE, Texas—The escaped prisoner who was the focus of a week-long manhunt told a local activist that he had help from the inside. Convicted child rapist Arcade Comeaux said the weapon he used to hijack guards was in his cell for at least three weeks.

Questions still surround the prison system that allowed Comeaux to dupe authorities for years. The supposedly partially-paralyzed man managed to walk away from the guards and right into controversy.
Authorities are asking two questions; why didn’t prison officials realize Comeaux was faking his medical condition, and where did he get the gun?
Local activist Quanell X said Comeaux told him he had help from the inside.

“He named that guard and he also named someone who is involved in medical who had been giving him medical assistance,” Quanell X said.

But prison officials said Comeaux has not shared that information with investigators so there are no arrests at this time.
“This feels like the inmate is running the asylum,” said a former TDCJ staff member who remembers Comeaux clearly.
“He would sit in the food. Of course it would dry and start smelling. He refused to shower, refused to clean himself, basically saying ‘I’m immobile, I need someone to do this for me.’”

The former staff member said Comeaux orchestrated a deliberate campaign of extortion, despite medical reports that he was able to care for himself. He said Comeaux manipulated the system to get health assistance and better housing.
A grand jury on Thursday will hear the case against the convicted sex offender who was captured in northeast Houston Monday morning.
Comeaux is now facing aggravated kidnapping and felony escape charges. He was in custody in the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday, awaiting his hearing. Comeaux, who is currently serving three life sentences, was found when a salesman saw him trying to hitchhike in front of a business on East Little York.

The salesman called HPD, who came and took Comeaux into custody without incident.
Investigators said Comeaux escaped during transport from a prison unit in Huntsville to one in Beaumont.
As the prison van passed through Conroe, investigators said Comeaux pulled out a gun, held two transport guards hostage, handcuffed them in the back of the van, drove the van to Baytown, took the guards’ weapons, put on one of their uniforms and escaped.

Officials launched an extensive manhunt, but Comeaux managed to elude them for seven days before he was captured.
He had been confined to a wheelchair since 1997 when a stroke purportedly left him partially paralyzed, but when he was taken into custody, Comeaux was walking.

He has been in and out of the Texas prison system for 30 years.
Comeaux was first sent to prison in 1979 on three 10-year sentences for rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child and burglary of a building—all out of Harris County. He was paroled four years later.

His parole was revoked and he returned to prison in 1984 to serve a 20-year sentence on a new charge of indecency with a child out of Harris County. He was paroled in 1991 but was in and out of prison for parole violations until 1996.
In June 1998, he was given a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault in Brazos County.
Comeaux was given two extra life sentences after he was convicted of stabbing his wife and another person in 1999. That attack occurred in the Jester III Unit in Fort Bend County when his wife came to visit him. The other person stabbed was a man who tried to stop the attack.

Still, those at the top want to correct the miscommunication between the workers inside prison walls.

“If you are in charge of a prison, and you see there is a disputes between medical’s and correction’s, come to us and ask for laws that would eliminate the controversy, ”said John Whitmire, chairman of the senate criminal justice committee. He is calling for a full investigation of prison and medical staff.

WATCH KHOU VIDEO REPORT HERE

News Alert: Comeaux now on most wanted list

2009-12-06T06:32:00.001-08:00

(CNN) -- A Texas inmate in a wheelchair, who escaped on foot from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons, is now on the U.S. Marshals' list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives.
Arcade Comeaux Jr., 49, "produced a weapon and fired upon two correctional officers, took them hostage and forced them to drive to Baytown, Texas," the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement.
He then put the officers in the back of the van and took their weapons and one of their uniforms, the statement said.

Comeaux was serving three life sentences for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He escaped Monday during transport from Huntsville, Texas, to Stiles, Texas.
The 6-foot, 200-pound man was shackled and in a wheelchair, "which he had claimed was needed for mobility," Michelle Lyons, director of public information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, said in a statement.

About 45 minutes into the trip, as they were driving through Conroe, 40 minutes north of Houston, the prisoner pulled out a pistol and ordered the guards to drive south to Baytown, east of Houston.
He fired once, but hit no one during the escape about 9 a.m., officials said.
Law enforcement officers found the unharmed officers an hour later.

Comeaux was being transferred so he could be near John Sealy Hospital in Galveston for treatment of the supposed paralysis he had suffered during a reported stroke, officials said.

At least $16,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to Comeaux's rearrest and a task force of more than 100 investigators is searching for him, focusing on the Houston area, where he grew up and has family.
His escape has led the man who oversees Texas' criminal justice system to call for a shakeup of the prison system.
"I just think enough's enough," said Sen. John Whitmire, the Texas Democrat from Houston who is chairman of the state Senate's Criminal Justice Committee.

"We need a complete shakeup of the leadership of our prison system and/or an outside review by third parties," he told CNN by phone Wednesday. "We just can't have security breaches of this nature."
Whitmire said the guards had failed to pat down Comeaux while he was in his wheelchair and before they began the trip.
"Sure enough, he has a firearm," he said. "The question is, are there others (in the prison system)? I think you have to assume that there are until you find out differently."

So far this year, more than 900 cell phones have been confiscated from the 112 locations that house the state's 158,000 prisoners. "It's pretty rampant," he said.

"I want the director to come forward and tell us what it's going to take" to solve the problem, he said.
John Moriarty, inspector general of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said such lapses are highly unusual in the state's penal system. "We have no open gun investigations other than this one," he said. "The last one was several years ago."
Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Brad Livingston, who has been in the job since 2005, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.