Teens arrested for BB vandalism

khou.com
Posted on December 20, 2011 at 3:38 PM

KINGWOOD, Texas – Three Kingwood teens have been arrested for allegedly shooting BB guns at passing vehicles.

Houston police say at least four cars were shot at on Kingwood Drive this month. No one was hurt.

The suspects, two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old, are charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. Police say all three have confessed.
Their names are not being released because they’re juveniles.

Kingwood's "Mr. Love" - showered with love and respect after Facebook slur

Originally posted: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 2:24 pm | Updated: 2:29 am, Thu Nov 24, 2011.
By JENNIFER SUMMER

It was a shock for Doug Love as he walked out of his front door and was greeted by more than 80 students clapping, cheering and singing.

The Kingwood High School students showed the substitute love and respect at his home Nov. 20 after a couple of students made rude remarks to him last week.

“I heard what the student told Mr. Love, that ‘you’re old and you’re going to die any day’ through Facebook. Since I am the student president with the school’s Just About Kids Foundation, I called the parent sponsor and she suggested we visit Mr. Love’s house to express our respect and thanks,” Kingwood High School student Jason Dayvault said.

The students organized the event within 20 hours by setting up a Facebook page for the event and sharing their disgust with the remarks that were made on their respective Facebook pages.
Affectionately called Mr. Love by students and faculty alike, the 87-year-old has served as a substitute teacher at the school since he first decided to give it a try after being laid off in the early 1980s.

He celebrated 23 years of substitute teaching in the Humble Independent School District December 2010 and is well known for his crazy hats and elaborate ties.

“I received a call from the parent sponsor to make sure I would be home Sunday evening to drop something off. My doorbell rang, they asked me to step outside and that is when I saw all of the students; I was blown away,” Love said.

More than 50 students carried flowers, balloons and signs thanking Love for all of his years serving as a substitute and even gifted him a frame signed by the students including a picture of him in one of his crazy hats.

The students also downloaded the Beatles song “All You Need is Love,” which they played and sang for him outside of his house.

“I had no clue the students would step up to do something like this. It goes to show you they were not going to ignore what happened and this is a marvelous group of students. They really took offense to the comments and wanted to take a stand,” Love said.

The students also gathered Nov. 21 at Kingwood High School to share their stories about Love with other students and community members who were not able to attend the Sunday night event.
Videos taken from Nov. 20 went viral and spread through Facebook as current and former students who had Love as a substitute shared their opinions over the situation and funny stories.

This is not the first time the students are showing love for the sub. A group of students created a Facebook fan page for Love which currently has 3,882 fans and several pictures students have snapped of him throughout the years.

In addition to his fan page, a student of his created a drawing of him for a contest and then presented a copy to him which now hangs in his television room at home.
“I love the students and the staff. I like to think that I have some affect on their lives and make a difference; that is one thing that keeps you going from year to year,” Love said.

Storm damage in Kingwood area

HOUSTON (November 9, 2011)--Crews were working Wednesday to restore electricity to the Houston area after storms and a possible tornado that damaged some homes.

CenterPoint Energy reported nearly 1,300 customers without power Wednesday, a day after the bad weather.

The National Weather Service said trees were downed in Kingwood, where a preliminary report said a tornado was sighted early Tuesday afternoon.

Several homes suffered minor damage from down trees and winds.

Nobody was hurt.

Quake shakes South Texas ...

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.

Traffic stop nets 37K in weed.

Conroe News: A traffic stop around 3 p.m. Tuesday yielded around $37,500 in pot hidden inside a car and the arrests of four men on North Loop 336 at Texas 75 East, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

Deputies Tom Thompson and Scott Martin, working for teh MCSO Special Investigations Unit on criminal interdiction, stopped a 2008 Mercury Milan registered in Missour for a traffic violation, an MCSO release states.

Thompson's K-9 partner, Bianca, alerted on the vehicle, indicating that it could contain illicit drugs. During a search of the car, Thompson and Martin found 34 bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 75 pounds.

"Some of it was concealed in the trunk and some in the passenger area of the driver's side," MCSO Inspector Ike Fluellen said. "It was a real thorough search by the deputies. None of it was in plain sight."

Fluellen didn't know the source of the marijuana.
At around $500 per pound wholesale, the value of the marijuana is about $37,500.
Deputies arrested Oscar Rene Salinas, 18, of Baytown, Texas, Juan Raul Soliz, 28, of Mission, Texas, Antwan Deshey McKnight, 37, of Decatur, Ill., and Breon Cortez Wilson, 31, of Peoria, Ill.

Each is being held on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of marijuana greater than 50 pounds and less than 2,000 pounds, on bonds totaling $50,000 each.

Oak Ridge Boys performing in Kingwood October 9

"Giddy Up A Oom Poppa Mow Mow" your way on over to the Kingwood, Texas Cracker Barrel front porch on Sunday, October 9 to see and hear the Oak Ridge Boys. From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Joe Bonsall will be performing songs from their latest CD, It's Only Natural, meeting n' greeting folks and signing autographs. The store is located at 24400 Eastex Freeway at U.S. Hwy. 59 and North Park.

It's Only Natural recently debuted exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store(R) locations with fresh cuts of some of their biggest hits, including "Elvira." Newly inducted into the Grand Ole Opry(R), the Oak Ridge Boys began performing together in 1973. They became a top act in country music and then crossed over to pop with the monster hit "Elvira" in 1981. The song became their fourth No. 1 country hit, reached No. 5 on the pop charts, won the group a Grammy(R) award and went on to become one of only a handful of singles ever to go double platinum.

In honor of "Elvira's" thirtieth anniversary, the group rerecorded the song, along with #1 CMT video hit Louisiana Red Dirt Highway and former Top Ten Billboard hits "Lucky Moon," "No Matter How High," "Gonna Take a Lot of River," "Beyond Those Years" and "True Heart" on It's Only Natural. New songs on the CD are "What'cha Gonna Do," "Wish You Could Have Been There," "Before I Die," "The Shade" and "Sacrifice...for Me."

"We're delighted to have The Oak Ridge Boys celebrate their thirtieth anniversary rerecording of "Elvira" and help us celebrate Cracker Barrel's one-year anniversary in Kingwood," said Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager Julie Craig. "If you haven't seen and heard them in person, you are in for a real treat. They have a great time performing and everyone around them has a great time too."

Golf to help a toddler!

Danielle Smith sat in a front-row pew at Crosby’s First Baptist Church, where she and her husband, Jack, bring the children to worship and where she volunteers. Her daughters played. Her toddler son lay in the loving arms of one of the Crosby couple’s friends, Tara Beasley.
Smith, a Kingwood native, ought to be the mother of four.

The mother of three talked about an eternal darkness that fell on a burst of tragically fleeting dawn, her first-born son, Jackson.
He appeared normal and healthy before sudden infant death syndrome struck, she said.

“He had some acid reflux,” Smith recalled. “I laid him down for his afternoon nap when he was 5 months and 7 days [old] on February 17th 2004. “I went to go get him. He was floppy. His face was blue. I sat him down and started to do CPR. We called 911. He threw up in my mouth. He had a heartbeat in the ambulance.

“I don’t know what I thought, but I didn’t think SIDS. He was old; I mean 5 months. He could roll over. He was talking. He was sitting up on his own … I think of a newborn passing away from SIDS or a very young baby that gets their face covered and can’t move their head.”
Jackson? How could that happen?

“He lay on his back,” Smith recalled. “He took a pacifier. He was born at 9 pounds 1 ounce. He just didn’t fit the criteria for SIDS at all.”

Imagine how the couple felt when their son, Christian, was found limp in his bed on April 19.
“He was fine the night before,” Smith said. “We went to a softball game. Tons of people saw him — totally normal Christian. He laid down for that night. I noticed that he hadn’t gotten up. That was weird because he was 7 months old at the time, and he usually got up. I had the monitor on. I was standing outside the door, and I couldn’t hear him.

“When I walked in, he was crying. He was crying so low that, even at the door, I couldn’t hear him. He was just laying there. He looked up at me. He couldn’t move anything … I picked him up, and he was just a rag doll, just completely slack. Just nothing. Floppy. Then we went to Texas Children’s Hospital. Tons of tests. They did a spinal tap. They did an MRI.”
Christian was paralyzed. The battle with the neurological disorder transverse myelitis ensued.
Spinal cord inflammation has attacked a substance known as myelin, which insulates Christian’s nerve cell fibers. The disease can be fatal.

As if the emotional trauma of perhaps losing a second child was not enough, Jack and Danielle’s first medical bill, which trailed a month of hospitalization, was $560,000. In the first three days, the family learned that Jack’s health insurance was completely drained. One therapeutic stretch of the treatment forced the family to choose for six months between a mortgage payment on their Crosby home or giving their son hope.

They obviously chose the latter, which left the Smiths trying to catch up missed house payments in order to emerge from foreclosure.

Texas Children’s Hospital officials directed the Smiths to a grant program, which would have covered some treatment costs through Oct. 31. But the family had learned about the program after paying out of pocket for most of Christian’s therapy.

Jack’s income exceeds the Medicaid threshold. Most of the other grants are targeted at low-income families, and the Smiths do not qualify.

Strapped, traumatized, fearful and prayerful, the Smiths have seen rays of hope for Christian as they raise also their two daughters, ages 5 and 10.

One light shines from the supportive congregation of Crosby’s First Baptist Church. The other radiates jointly from Legacy Photography by Tara and the Abiding Place Retreat, which has planned a benefit in which a reader of this article may become another source of hope by helping to raise at least, if not more than, an estimated $5,000 to cover the cost of Christian’s impending occupational and physical therapy, and related medical costs, during a crucial juncture.

Proceeds from the Christian’s Influence Alliance Benefit Golf Outing will go directly toward defraying the cost treatment, without even filtering through family coffers. The CIA golf event will be held Monday, Oct. 31, at Walden on Lake Houston Golf Club in Humble. Registration is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and there will be a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

The donation is $100 per player and $400 per team. The entry cost covers four green fees, one redeemable at each of the following courses: Bear Creek, Longwood, Southwyck and Tour 18. Additionally, players will receive a member-for-a-day coupon for use at Walden.
The event will feature raffles, contests and a hole in one prize. A grab-and-go breakfast and a barbecue lunch will be provided to participants.

One may join those who have already signed up at Prayforchristiansmith.blogspot.com. An online Pay Pal account will allow one to make a donation. Donations also may be sent to Community Bank of Texas, Attention: Josh Seale / for Jack Smith, 6200 FM 2100, Crosby, Texas 77532. The Smiths request prayers as well.

Anyone who wants more information may contact Beasley, who operates Legacy Photography by Tara, at either 832-233-3222 or legacyphotographybytara@gmail.com.
“If it only pays for treatment, then it is well worth every moment of planning and executing and sponsors and volunteers and all of that because that is the goal,” Beasley said, adding that funds that exceed the therapy costs would become a credit for Christian’s additional treatment.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Tasty treats for a good cause:Senior living center hosts bake sale for children

Despite memory-impairing conditions, people with Alzheimer’s disease still have much to offer society, including a delicious assortment of baked treats.
The Silverado Service Club at the Silverado Senior Living- Kingwood will join Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale to benefit under-privileged children across America.

Residents will create a rich menu of pies, cookies, breads and other baked goods to offer to friends, family and residents of Kingwood in exchange for a donation toward the cause. The event is open to the public and will be held on Alzheimer’s Action Day from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

September is World Alzheimer’s Month to raise awareness of the disease, work to find a cure, and also to acknowledge and assist those already affected.

“This event not only will benefit a great cause, it will provide mouth-watering testament that people with Alzheimer’s disease still have a lot to contribute to society,” explains Chris Holland, Administrator at Silverado-Kingwood.

Silverado Kingwood is located at 22955 Eastex Freeway, Kingwood, TX; 281-312-2526. Contact Anne Abraham or Dean Goldman at the above emails and phone, or Chris Holland at the community.
Silverado Senior Living offers assisted living care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory impairment as well as home care, care management, and hospice care through its Silverado At Home and Silverado Hospice. Silverado is based in Irvine, Calif. and operates in 35 locations across California, Texas, Utah, Arizona and Illinois. Its website is www.Silveradosenior.com

Bastrop is burning ...

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.

Driest year on record plagues Texas ...

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.

Kingwood hiker rescued in Aspen after breaking ankle.

ASPEN — Aspen rescuers were summoned to the West Maroon Trail last Thursday afternoon to aid a Texas hiker who broke his ankle while crossing a stream.

William Sprague, 61, of Kingwood, Texas, was about two miles above Crater Lake, climbing an an embankment after crossing a stream when he fell backward and was injured. He was able to call to nearby hikers for assistance; one of them ran down the trail to Maroon Lake to inform a ranger of the incident, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities were notified at about 2:20 p.m. Eighteen members of Mountain Rescue Aspen responded, reaching the hiker at about 5:30 p.m. He was carried down the trail on a litter, reaching the Maroon Lake parking lot at about 9:30 p.m. Sprague was taken by Aspen Ambulance to Aspen Valley Hospital, where he was recuperating, the Sheriff's Office said.

Kingwood Bank calls it quits ...

By ROBIN SIDEL WSJ

Main Street Bank lends most of its money to small businesses and is earning decent profits. But the Kingwood, Texas, bank is about to get out of the banking business.

In an extreme example of the frustration felt by many bankers as regulators toughen their oversight of the nation's financial institutions, Main Street's chairman, Thomas Depping, is expected to announce Wednesday that the 27-year-old bank will surrender its banking charter and sell its four branches to a nearby bank.

Mr. Depping plans to set up a new lender that will operate beyond the reach of banking regulators—and the deposit-insurance safety net. Backed by the private investment firm of Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen, the company won't be able to call itself a bank, but it will be able to do business the way Mr. Depping wants.

"The regulatory environment makes it very difficult to do what we do," says Mr. Depping, who last summer saw his bank hit with an enforcement order from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

A spokesman for the FDIC declined to comment on Main Street, a unit of closely held MS Financial Inc. Dan Frasier, director of corporate activities for the Texas Department of Banking, confirmed that Main Street is "working on the process of moving out of the state banking system," but declined to provide details.

Bankers have long complained about their overseers, but it is rare for a bank to basically close its doors aside from an acquisition or failure. Mr. Depping blames the move on a tightening regulatory noose.

Regulators came under fire in the financial crisis for lax oversight that allowed financial institutions to dole out too much credit to unworthy borrowers. Some bank executives now complain that federal and state agencies have swung to the other extreme, poring over minute details of virtually every loan, including those to small businesses.

"The No. 1 complaint that we hear from community bankers is that they feel that regulators have gone one step too far and are choking off lending," says Paul Merski, chief economist at the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents small banks.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Kingwood resident wins "Set For Life" lotto game

A ticket in the Texas Lottery's "Set for Life" scratch-off game is a big win for a customer at a Randalls store in Kingwood.

The Texas Lottery Commission announced Tuesday that Jay V. Knighton II, a lawyer for the Stone and Associates firm in The Woodlands, has claimed the winning ticket on behalf of a client, a Texas resident whose name the firm declined to release. The ticket came from the Randalls at 600 Kingwood Drive.

"We've very excited that one of our shoppers had a winning lotto ticket," says Dawn Proffitt, a Randalls spokesperson.

Proffitt says the store hasn't yet heard from the lucky customer.

The ticket has won that person $250,000 per year, with a total prize not to exceed $5 million.

Knighton could not be reached at his office Thursday, but he said in a Texas Lottery Commission press release that his client has been a long-time lottery player.

According to the Lottery Commission, the Kingwood Randalls store is eligible for a $10,000 retailer bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Ewww! Kingwood woman finds blood on her fries.

Susan Mosher, of Kingwood, TX, was halfway through the BLT she'd ordered for dinner with her husband at a local Cracker Barrel when she noticed something red on her fries. It wasn't ketchup. She called the waitress over to complain. The waitress went into the kitchen to investigate. The waitress had bad news for Mosher: the red splotches were human blood.

Apparently, the chef in charge of preparing Mosher's meal had cut himself. Cracker Barrel procedure calls for cooks to remove themselves from the food prep area in the case of a cut. Maybe it was a busy night, maybe the chef hadn't noticed he'd cut himself until too late—but he did not follow procedure.

Mosher was understandably upset. She talked to the manager, who tried to reassure her and offered to comp the meal. This was not enough; Mosher and her husband left the restaurant in anger. They complained to Cracker Barrel corporate. Mosher explained that she is a 20-year cancer survivor, and is now worried that she could contract a blood-born illness. She asked Cracker Barrel to test the offending chef for communicable diseases, but company representatives told her they could not legally compel him to undergo such testing. They sent her two $50 gift cards to try and assuage her. This only added insult to injury.

Mosher has talked with a lawyer about potential future action.

Houston Area 4th of July Celebrations ...

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/

Trio arrested after driving into Kingwood La Quinta

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on June 28, 2011 at 4:05 PM

KINGWOOD, Texas – A trio of drug suspects was arrested Monday after crashing their pickup truck into a La Quinta in Kingwood.
It happened at the hotel in the 22700 block of U.S. 59

Montgomery County Precinct 4 deputy constables said they were conducting a narcotics investigation when the three suspects showed up at the hotel in a stolen pickup truck for a drug transaction.

Marked patrol units converged on them as they pulled up, and one of the suspects exited the truck.

But investigators said the driver of the truck, 30-year-old Randy Lee Wilkerson, decided not to go quietly.
They said Wilkerson turned into a parking space, accelerated rapidly and smashed the truck into the outside wall of the hotel. The truck hit the wall with such force that it cracked the interior wall of an occupied room.
Wilkerson’s door was stuck, so he hopped over his passenger, 25-year-old Jason Michael Beyer, and took off on foot.

Officers chased him for about five blocks before they caught up with him. After a brief struggle, investigators said they were able to arrest Wilkerson.
Beyer and the third suspect, Paula Jaunette Pifer, 36, did not resist arrest.
Deputy constables said they searched the pickup and found a bag of methamphetamine inside. Another baggie of meth was found on the sidewalk, just outside the passenger-side door.

Wilkerson is charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, engaging in organized criminal activity, evading arrest with a vehicle, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest.

Pifer, who was out on bond for an unrelated charge when she was arrested Monday, and Beyer are both charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and engaging in organized criminal activity.
No one inside the hotel was injured.

Alvin woman jumps on hood of beer thieves ...

Alleged drunk off-duty cop draws ire!

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- An off-duty Houston police officer is the subject of an internal investigation after a family claims he broke into their home while chasing down a teenager. The family says it happened Friday in a neighborhood in Kingwood.

Witnesses on Quiet Glade Court tell us they watched a barefoot off-duty officer chase a boy down the street. Now the teen's parents are demanding some answers, and action.

The glass on the front door is broken, and the people living here say you can still see an off-duty officer's trail of blood around their home.

"He put his face to the window and then he punched a hole in the window so he can see through it and then he just opened the door," said Matthew Pifer.

Pifer, 16, says it was last Friday when an off-duty Houston police officer who lives nearby chased him and his friend for allegedly no reason.

"He was intoxicated," said Pifer. "I smelled a ton of alcohol off of him. He was drunk."

The teen says that officer was barefoot and only wearing a bathing suit as the man barged through and broke his family's front door. Pifer says the officer assaulted him and threatened his sister until a neighbor stepped in to help.

"He was a bit out of control," recalled neighbor Beth Redmond. "He just kept saying that he was a police officer and he had the right."

Redmond says he asked the officer what triggered the chase as she bandaged his bleeding hand.

"He said he smelled cigarette smoke," she explained.

Pifer claims neither he nor his friends were smoking, just hanging out near a stop sign between his and the accused officer's home.

"He thought that we were going to, like, vandalism his house, but we weren't," Pifer insisted. "We were going to someone else's house and he thought we were going to his and he started chasing us."


READ MORE HERE

Wild fires plaguing Texas

Firefighters from Cut and Shoot, Caney Creek, Splendora, Montgomery County and Bear Creek fire departments were still at work by deadline Monday trying to put out a nearly 200-acre wildfire about 10 miles northwest of Cleveland.
No structures were harmed.
Four bulldozers, including one from the Texas Forest Service, worked to set up a fire perimeter to keep the fire contained.
Helicopters made 38 drops of water to squelch the flames. The cause was undetermined Monday night.

Texas Local Web Site Blooms into a Flower for the Community

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!

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Kingwood family says cops broke into home ...

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- An off-duty Houston police officer is the subject of an internal investigation after a family claims he broke into their home while chasing down a teenager. The family says it happened Friday in a neighborhood in Kingwood.


Witnesses on Quiet Glade Court tell us they watched that barefoot off-duty officer chase the boy down the street. Now the teen's parents are demanding some answers, and action.

The glass on the front door is broken, and the people living here say you can still see an off-duty officer's trail of blood around their home.

"He put his face to the window and then he punched a hole in the window so he can see through it and then he just opened the door," said Matthew Pifer.

Pifer, 16, says it was last Friday when an off-duty Houston police officer who lives nearby chased him and his friend for allegedly no reason.

"He was intoxicated," said Pifer. "I smelled a ton of alcohol off of him. He was drunk."

The teen says that officer was barefoot and only wearing a bathing suit as the man barged through and broke his family's front door. Pifer says the officer assaulted him and threatened his sister until a neighbor stepped in to help.

"He was a bit out of control," recalled neighbor Beth Redmond. "He just kept saying that he was a police officer and he had the right."

Redmond says he asked the officer what triggered the chase as she bandaged his bleeding hand.

"He said he smelled cigarette smoke," she explained.

Pifer claims neither he nor his friends were smoking, just hanging out near a stop sign between his and the accused officer's home.

"He thought that we were going to, like, vandalism his house, but we weren't," Pifer insisted. "We were going to someone else's house and he thought we were going to his and he started chasing us."

We've chosen not to identify the officer. But a spokesman from the Houston Police Department confirms internal affairs has launched an investigation.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Learning to live a struggle for Kingwood quad amputee

KINGWOOD, Texas - Learning to live without limbs has been a struggle for Katy Hayes, but the 43-year-old mother has made it work.

Hayes is the Texas mother of three who had her arms and legs amputated at Parkland Hospital in February last year after developing a rare flesh-eating strep infection. She had just given birth for the third time.
The Hayes put great effort into being an ordinary family. They go camping, and Mrs. Hayes even sings backup for husband Al's band, Soulshine. But, for most things, she relies on her husband and her two older children.
It's been tough on 8-year-old Jake.

"This is not easy for me," Mrs. Hayes said through tears. "I said, 'You have to watch your sister for me,' and he says, 'Mom, I don't want to; I'm tired of watching her and I just want to do my own thing.' And I said, 'I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. This is the way it is and you've just got to buck up and do what I need you to do because I can't do it.'"

"I tried to explain that this is really hard for me because I'm a hands-on mom and I can't be," she continued. "So, I need him to come around to that and own it, and this is really hard for him because he's a kid."
She's convinced, though, she could be doing much more.

Because her condition qualifies her for disability, she is not eligible for Medicaid, which would cover her huge medical bills and rehabilitation.
"The government disability assistance qualifies you to a financial level where you don't qualify for government assistance," Mr. Hayes said. "That's what doesn't make any sense to me."

"It's tragedy heaped on tragedy," he said.
The Hayes have actually been advised to divorce, then Mrs. Hayes could qualify for government insurance. Repulsed by the idea, Mrs. Hayes is rehabbing herself at home. She's also training, with daily workouts that include core crunches for something even bigger.

"These arms are really wonderful, but they're really limited," she said. "That's why we're reaching out to doctors to get arm transplants because if I could have a hand, "a hand." One hand would change my life. I could brush my hair, brush my own teeth."
"What better reason to give someone hands than to hold their baby?" her husband said. "What better reason?"

If she can't hold her baby Arielle, for now, Mrs. Hayes said she is happy sharing a few steps with her.

"She runs," she said with a laugh. "She's showing me up."
Mrs. Hayes said it's not the lack of legs and arms that's holding her back, but the system. But, like most moms, she's doing what she has to, marching ahead one baby step at a time.

Texan heads Bin Laden raiders

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.

Kingwood man tells of World War II internment

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- We've shown you the internment camps in Texas where Jhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifapanese, German and Italian Americans were imprisoned during World War II.

Now we have the story of a man who spent five years imprisoned in a camp in Crystal City, Texas, near the Mexico border. He's sharing his experience to make sure America never forgets what happened.

For many of the kids at Kingwood High School, what happened during World War II is the stuff of textbooks, not real life. Eighty-six-year-old Eberhard Fuhr aims to change that.

"At the age of 17, what most of you are right now, I was actually arrested and interned for five years of my life," Fuhr told students.

Arrested and imprisoned for being a German national, but Fuhr and his parents left Germany when he was just three years old and moved to Cincinnati.

"There was never any internee charged with doing anything wrong," Fuhr said.

The internment camp is in Crystal City, Texas, located just 35 miles from the Mexican border. It's where Fuhr and his family spent years during World War II.

Fuhr and his family were among thousands of German, Japanese and Italian Americans and nationals to be imprisoned here.

The camp closed in 1948.

Eyewitness News visited the remains of the camp earlier this year with William McWhorter of the Texas Historical Commission. He showed us what used to be the German elementary school during World War II. It's now a Crystal City ISD campus, and one of the buildings used during the camp years is still in use today.

Fuhr was just 17, a high school student, when he was interned and that's what drove his story home to the kids at Kingwood High School.

"For me to think that if I were to be sitting in history one day and just be called out of class and know that I would never see any of those people again, or if I did, it would be several years until that were to happen, that's a scary thought to me," Kingwood High School student Jason Dayvault said.

Fuhr's visit brought a dark chapter of American and Texas History alive for students. History teacher Gini Foreman spent four months arranging the visit.

"I think that today was so invaluable to give them an insight of what they've never experienced," Foreman said.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
It was a lesson plan that may have really resonated with these juniors.

"He's not just here to tell us like what happened in those internment camps but he's also here to help prevent what could possibly happen in the future," student Jacqueline Courchene said.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Limbless-coping with motherhood.

KINGWOOD, KHOU Texas—A Kingwood mother who lost her limbs after giving birth has reached one of her goals.

Katy Hayes wanted to walk at the same time as her daughter. Now, they are taking baby steps together.

After giving birth to her third child in February of 2010, the 42-year-old mother’s body was invaded by a rare strep infection.
While she was in a coma, her husband Al had to make the incredibly difficult decision to amputate her limbs.

"It’s not an issue," said Al. "I don’t think that she holds it against me but it may be something that I still hold against myself."
Al promised to take care of Katy and has been there to catch her if she falls on her prosthetic legs.　

When KHOU 11 News visited the Hayes’ house last year, Katy said she wanted to walk by the time her daughter, Arielle, took her first steps.
"She’s already mastered it and moved on," said Katy. "She’s such a good baby."
Reaching one goal at a time is how Katy copes. She does have her moments, though.
"I have to surrender to the ‘I am alive’ and this is the new life I have," Katy said through tears. "Someday I’ll have legs with knees and toes that I can paint again because I miss that too."

The slow process is made easier by the fact that Arielle understands her mother needs special care.

"She had looked at me and noticed that I didn’t have hands and she stuck her hand in my fried okra and she started putting them in my mouth because she realized I couldn’t feed myself," Katy said.

Katy Hayes’ story is featured in the latest edition of People magazine. The article is called "A Life Worth Living."

If you would like to help the Hayes family with expenses or learn more about their fundraisers, visit katyhayesfund.com

4-year-old witnesses mom's shooting

By Allison Triarsi/ KHOU 11 News
khou.com
Posted on March 29, 2011 at 7:05 AM
Updated today at 8:59 AM

HOUSTON—A 4-year-old was found wandering alone in a south Houston apartment complex Monday evening after witnessing a deadly shooting, according to Houston police.
It happened in the Belfort Pines apartments on Canyon at Shelby Circle.

Police said a female neighbor saw the young boy walking around the complex crying around 6:30 p.m. She knew where he lived and took him home to find the door ajar.
The neighbor looked inside the home and saw a man lying on the floor with what appeared to be an injury to the head.

She then entered the home to find the mother lying in the hallway. She was also wounded, but was still alive.

Police said the mother and her boyfriend were arguing over another man when the boyfriend pulled out a gun and shot the woman, then turned the gun on himself.
The boyfriend died at the scene.

READ MORE AT HOUSTON 11

"Poop" not funny to TxDot.

by Tiffany Craig / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 4:54 PM

HOUSTON—A detour sign downtown has been getting a lot of attention over the past few days, but it’s sending the wrong message.

A prankster managed to hack into the electronic sign and change the message.
Britnie McFadden works in a building at Louisiana and Prairie.

"This morning when I came into work, I saw the LOL and smiley face and I thought it was hilarious," said McFadden. "I took a picture and posted it on Facebook."
The Monday morning message attracted plenty of attention, but it was the four-letter word a few days ago that really had people laughing out loud.

"Friday night it said ‘POOP,’" said Mustafa Guner. "I was coming back from a workout and I was shocked. Make a left turn if you need to poop!"
A similar prank happened in Austin two years ago. Somebody rigged a warning sign to say "Caution: Zombies Ahead," "Run for Cold Climates" and "The End is Near."
The sign is owned by a TxDOT contractor. They told us somebody broke into the guts of the trailer and hacked the system.

A man who goes by the name "John" believes it was all in good fun.
"You can’t get any better than that, you know what I mean," he said.
By Monday afternoon, the intended message was back, along with a new lock.
McFadden was a little upset to see the fun was over.

"I just think that somebody actually took the time to do it has given everybody a good laugh," said McFadden. "I mean, it’s all in good fun—not very legal -- but good fun nonetheless."

If caught, the hacker could be fined $500.
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NORAD exercise tomorrow over Houston

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.

(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.

More arrests made in alleged gang rape of 11-year-old Cleveland girl

More arrests made in alleged gang rape of 11-year-old Cleveland girl

Jamarcus Norris Napper (top left); Jared Glenn McPherson (top center); Kelvin Rashad King (top right); Marcus Anthony Porchia (bottom left); Xavier King (bottom center); Devo Shaun Green (bottom right)

by Alex Sanz / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 3:21 PM
Updated today at 5:04 PM


CLEVELAND, Texas – More arrests have been made in connection with the alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old Cleveland Middle School student, according to the Cleveland Police Department.
Six more suspects are in custody bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 11.

The suspects named Wednesday are: Jared Glenn McPherson, 18, of Cleveland; Kelvin Rashad King, 21, of Cleveland; Marcus Anthony Porchia, 26, of Cleveland; Devo Shaun Green, 20, of Cleveland; Xavier King, 17, of Cleveland, and Eric Bernard McGowan, 19 of Cleveland.

McGowan was in custody prior to the indictment in the Liberty County Jail for other non related charges. There have been 10 suspects arrested thus far in the investigation.

Cleveland Police have arrest warrants and are still searching two other suspects in the case, 22-year-old Carlos Bernard Ligons and 27-year-old Cedric De Ray Scott.

Only 11 News was in Cleveland on Wednesday when angry family members gathered outside the police department to complain about the arrests.

One woman, who said her nephew was among those arrested, said the community has been torn apart by the case.
"It's upsetting everybody," said the woman, who didn't want her name used. "It ain't nobody in this community not upset behind this. It's pitiful."
"They have no proof of anything," said another man who said his cousin was in custody.

Last week, the Cleveland Independent School District said the girl reported the alleged assaults to her principal’s office in early December.
Court records obtained by 11 News suggest other assaults took place between mid-September and December 1.
The girl told school officials she was raped by as many as 20 men in an abandoned mobile home in the 1700 block of Ross Street.

The men arrested earlier this month were identified as Jared Len Cruse, 18; Rayford Tyrone Ellis, Jr., 19; Timothy Daray Ellis, 19 and Isaiah Rashad Ross, 21.

All four are from Cleveland and live within a few blocks of the trailer, police said.

Cruse is a graduate of the Douglass Academy and his graduation photo is still posted on the Cleveland ISD website.

Cruse was also accused of a being a part of a home invasion where a Sheppard woman was shot in January.

Kingwood woman caught bringing grass into LA prison

RICHWOOD, La. — Richwood police have arrested a Texas woman on charges of intent to bring contraband into Richwood Correctional Center.

The News-Star reports that 20-year-old Kyera Elizbeth Rowe, of Kingwood, Texas, was arrested Saturday after jail officials found a bag of suspected marijuana in her coat pocket. Officials said she was visiting an inmate at the correction center.
Rowe was booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center and released on a $2,500 bond.

It was not immediately known whether Rowe has an attorney.

Breaking: Explosions rock Belvieu plant!

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

(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."

READ THE FULL STORY ON CNN

Bay City Substitute Teacher Arrested For Making Death Threats

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.