Dr. Conrad Murray to surrender today.

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

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.

Community builds home for injured soldier

Volunteers who are a part of the Homes For Our Troops build brigade raise a wall in the home being built for Anthony Thompson who was injured on his second tour of Iraq.


By JENNIFER SUMMER
Updated: 01.19.10
It took less than four days for volunteer and construction crews to put up the walls and seal the home in the Waters Edge subdivision for former Humble resident PO 2nd Class Anthony Thompson.

As a part of the Homes for Our Troops program, crews which included Kingwood resident John Lavezzari worked from Jan. 7 through Jan. 9 to assemble the home for the injured veteran.

Thompson was injured during his second deployment to Iraq in 2007 when a dump truck detonated improvised explosive devices at the post he was watching.

Due to the incident, he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, a punctured right lung along with other scrapes and bruises. Thompson’s wife, Ivonne, was put in touch with Homes for Our Troops and was immediately approved for a home after she submitted the application.

Established in 2004, Homes for Our Troops is an organization that receives donated materials and labor to build homes for veterans who have severe multiple injuries.

“When I called the organization for an application, I was told that they heard of Anthony and were waiting for me to call,” Ivonne said in an interview with the Observer in August. “This program is so wonderful because it helps wounded veterans like Anthony get a home, which takes the burden off of the family.”

The Build Brigade descended upon the plot of land where the Thompsons’ new home was scheduled to be built and were hard at work to build the family’s dream home.

Lavezzari first become involved with Homes for Our Troops in 2006 when he responded to an advertisement and offered his services. The first home build he was assigned to was in the Canyon Lake area outside of San Antonio and he was asked to evaluate the site.

“Soon after I helped evaluate the site, I was offered the position as the director of the San Antonio Homes for Our Troops,” Lavezzari said. “When this job in Waters Edge came up, I was ecstatic because this is the community I live and work in. My son, Brian Lavezzari, and I jumped on the opportunity to help the Thompsons.”

Lavezzari’s son is now the overseer of the Homes for Our Troops in San Antonio.

The event started with a ceremony where almost 125 people from the community showed up in support along with the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group and officers from U.S. Customs who are now the Thompsons’ neighbors.

Ivonne was escorted to the special event by both groups to the ceremony after she flew in to the Humble area since Anthony currently resides in New Jersey.

The Build Brigade consisted of several community members including Doug Stanley and Rick Alspaugh, who donated paint among other things to the build as well as representatives from Pulte Homes and other sponsors.

“The home will be completely finish and available for the Thompsons to move into near the beginning of March,” Lavezzari said. “It truly is amazing to see the community step forward to help build this home and honor Anthony and his family; it is very motivational.”

Upon completion, there is a key ceremony where the home will be dedicated to the family.

For more information about Homes for Our Troops, log on to www.homesfortroops.com.

Longtime East Texas pastor dies

By JIMMY ISAAC
Sunday, January 10, 2010

A HiWay 80 Rescue Mission former chaplain who was pastor of at least five East Texas Baptist churches has died.

The Rev. James Allen Kirkland died Tuesday at a hospice in Humble. He was 77.

During his 50 years in ministry, he was pastor at Greggton Missionary Baptist Church, Overton Missionary Baptist Church, White Oak Baptist Church, Parkway Missionary Baptist Church in Longview, Grapeland Missionary Baptist Church and Galena Park Missionary Baptist Church near Houston.

He also served as librarian at Texas Baptist Institute in Henderson for several years, and taught seminaries in Romania and Russia for a dozen years.

His daughter, Kelli Hines, said Kirkland spent three years at Greggton before working with Longview Missionary Baptist Church to establish a mission that became Parkway Missionary Baptist Church in 1977. He was pastor there for three years before beginning an 18-year stint as pastor in White Oak, she said.

Hines said it didn't matter what a person's circumstances were, but that if you were in need, her father would help. He was rescue mission chaplain for more than six years until 2007.

"He loved people because he loved God, and he knew that God had created each one of us for a special purpose here on this earth," Hines said. "His passion for people."

Kirkland is survived by his wife, Joanne Lewis Kirkland, who he met in a chemistry class at Kilgore College in 1951. He is also survived by their daughters and sons-in-law Jamie and Kurt Streck of Rockdale, Jena Crim of Austin, Ann and Kent Jerden of Humble, and Kelli and Todd Hines of Spring.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Kingwood Funeral Home in Kingwood. For information about the services, to leave a note for the family or to make a donation to charities (in lieu of flowers) visit http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/Kirkland

Harris County Residents Should Prepare for Freezing Temperatures - Kingwood

By: Harris County Homeland Security & Emergency Management

The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (OHSEM) reminds area residents to take precautions to protect life and property during the winter weather, including checking on elderly, taking care of pets and livestock, protecting plants and exposed plumbing.

Here are some tips for dealing with freezing temperatures (remember the four "P's"):

PROTECT PEOPLE
. Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
. If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
. Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.
. Observe heater safety:
o Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
o Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
o Never leave children unattended near a space heater.

PROTECT PETS
. Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
. Keep adequate food and water available.

PROTECT PIPES
. Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
. Wrap exposed faucets and pipes - including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.

PROTECT PLANTS
. Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
. For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.

Protect yourself from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by installing a battery-operated CO detector and never using generators, grills, camp stoves, or similar devices indoors.

It is also recommended that you prepare your car for winter. Have your car serviced and add antifreeze as needed.

Lufkin hit by tornado.

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

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