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Planning Houston's Transit Future As more METRO light rail is about to go down on the ground — the city of Houston is examining how transit development should fit in to existing neighborhoods. Houston councilmembers held a hearing this week to seek input from the community. As Laurie Johnson reports, transit planning could have a longer term impact than nearly any other project councilmembers undertake. |
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Bills Will Cap Property Appraisals Legislation designed to slow the pace of rising property taxes is now the law. Texas Governor Rick Perry put his signature on two bills that will monitor property appraisal districts and provide homestead exemptions for disabled veterans. Pat Hernandez has the story. |
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First-time jobless claims fall…Retailers report sharp declines in June…Abu Dhabi’s national oil company signs deal with ConocoPhillips to extract natural gas… |
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You no longer have to go through withdrawal if you are digitally dependent and on jury duty in Harris County. Rod Rice reports the county has bridged that digital divide. |
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New Stadiums Offer More Than Just Hot dogs and Peanuts The Dallas Cowboys will play in a new expensive stadium in the upcoming football season. The New York Yankees just opened their new ball park in April. And while the Astros Minute Maid Park has been open for more than ten years it still has something in common with all the new stadiums going up. Food. As Bill Stamps reports stadium cuisine is no longer just hot dogs and nachos. |
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Racial Tension Increases at HFD After the third racially-charged incident in several weeks, some Houston councilmembers are demanding a system wide investigation into the culture and policies of the Houston Fire Department. The latest incident happened early Wednesday morning when an HFD radio frequency was used to broadcast racially offensive messages. Laurie Johnson reports. |
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Houston's Animal Control without a Leader…Again Houston's troubled Bureau of Animal Control and Regulation is without a leader after new director Ray Sim was dismissed just two months after coming over from a similar position in Florida. Pat Hernandez has more. |
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White House makes deal with hospitals to fund healthcare reform…NRG Energy turns down latest Exelon offer…G-8 conference underway in l'Aquila, Italy… |
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Kids play at Minute Maid and learn about Steroids The Taylor Hooton Foundation is named after a high school athlete who committed suicide after months of using steroids. That foundation came to Houston today to teach kids about the need to live healthy lives and stay away from performance enhancing drugs. Bill Stamps has the story from Minute Maid Park. |
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HFD: "So Distasteful, So Painful, So Despicable" The Houston Fire Department is out to find whoever is behind racist graffiti found scrawled on a door at the fire station near Bush Airport. The offensive notes were discovered by two female firefighters. Officials vow to prosecute those responsible. Pat Hernandez has more. |
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Texas joins 32 other states in a request to the Supreme Court to hear a case on the right to bear arms. The brief filed by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today calls for the court to overturn a lower court's decision that prohibited a Chicago man from owning a gun. Laurie Johnson has more. |
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Galveston County gets another 22-million dollars in FEMA grants to help the continuing Hurricane Ike recovery. Jack Williams reports. |
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A federal stimulus grant has been awarded to the University of Texas Health Science Center for Parkinson’s disease research. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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Houston's roadside signs are about to get smaller and less intrusive. The city is poised to enact a new ordinance that will limit the size and type of signs businesses can display along streets. Laurie Johnson explains. |
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Is Economy Keeping Tourists Home This Summer? In these tough economic times, many families are having to cut back on their spending. So how is that affecting tourism in the Houston area? Bill Stamps headed to one local hot spot to find out. |
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Iconic Store Reopens 4th of July 44-days after the warehouse was destroyed by an arson fire, Gallery Furniture reopened in north Houston. Owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale says all the hard work to reopen July 4th paid off with a record attendance. Pat Hernandez has more. |
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Services sector contracts less than expected…Recession affects summer jobs for teenagers…Key advertising forecaster cuts global ad spending estimates once again… |
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Shriner's Burn Patients Could Come to Houston The future of the Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston is a main topic as Shriners gather in San Antonio for their annual convention. Rod Rice reports that the Galveston decision could affect the Houston Shriners Hospital. |
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A web site's annual index ranks the "most-American vehicles" based on where the vehicles are built and percentage of parts made domestically. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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The Harris County Housing Authority has announced plans to develop a master planned community for military veterans. It will be the first development of its kind anywhere in the country, as Jim Bell reports. |
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Antigua’s financial regulator replacement steps down…AAA survey indicates falling prices…Church-related unemployment support groups proliferate… |
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No Cost to attend July 4th Celebration Downtown Houston's annual July 4th celebration tomorrow at Eleanor Tinsley Park downtown salutes local military heroes and honors the 40th anniversary of NASA's Apollo-11 lunar landing. Officials anticipate an even bigger crowd because for the first time, the event is free. But because of the hot weather, patrons are advised to dress appropriately. Pat Hernandez has the story. |
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Job cuts announced in June fell to a 15-month low, according to outplacement consultants Challenger, Gray and Christmas. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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Is the Sun Killing Your Plants? The Houston area has been experiencing drought conditions with temperatures in the triple digits. The combination of scorching sun and no rain has wreaked havoc on many plants and trees. Bill Stamps spoke with garden experts to see what you can do — if anything — to save your plants under these conditions. |
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The Backyard Grill Isn't Just for Meat The 4th of July holiday weekend will no doubt includes a lot of backyard grilling. The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center says you can have a healthier holiday diet without giving up the grill. Rod Rice reports. |
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Unemployment rate hits 26-year high of 9.5 per cent; job cuts easing…Exelon raises its offer to buy rival NRG Energy…Continental Airlines asks flight attendants to consider voluntary temporary leaves starting September 1st… |
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School Board Gets a List of Possible Superintendent Candidates With less than two months left to the start of the school year, the Houston Independent School District is in need of a new superintendent. Board members received a list of candidates last week. Now they've moved on to start whittling down that list. Laurie Johnson has more. |
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Caution Urged when Handling Fireworks As is the tradition, bright and colorful fireworks displays will mark July 4th celebrations. Some families will gather at community parks or organized events to view professional fireworks shows. Others will choose to do it themselves with festivities in their neighborhoods or backyards. Authorities say those events will keep them on alert. Pat Hernandez has the story. |
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Congressional Republicans from Texas reiterate their opposition to cap and trade legislation that passed the house last week. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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Reward Increased For Convenience Store Murders Police are asking for the public's help in solving the murder of a convenience store owner and one of his employees. Now a local business has stepped up to more than double the reward money. Bill Stamps has more. |
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Stanford' former CFO reaches plea deal…Pending home sales rise for fourth straight month…Republican Congressmen from Texas blast Cap and Trade legislation… |
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Houston VA Studies Traumatic Brain Injuries The Houston VA Hospital has received a $5 million dollar grant to study and develop treatment for traumatic brain injuries, especially in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jim Bell reports. |
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The Deadline Nears for SBA Disaster Loans Residents and businesses affected by the heavy rains and flooding the end of April have only two weeks to apply for a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration. Rod Rice has more. |
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Back to Work: Lawmakers Begin Special Session Today State lawmakers are in Austin this morning, ready for the start of the special legislative session called by Governor Rick Perry. As Jack Williams reports, it could be a brief reunion at the State Capitol, with only three issues to consider. |
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Nearly one in three financial executives say they will be taking fewer vacation days — or skipping vacations altogether — to navigate the current economic climate. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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Healthcare Townhall in Houston Three top Republican senators spent the day in Houston discussing the hot button topic of healthcare reform. A townhall meeting in the Texas Medical Center drew a couple hundred people from the medical community to weigh in on the subject. Laurie Johnson reports. |
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, working jointly with federal state and local law enforcement officers have arrested 116- street gang members and immigration violators, including some from Houston. The arrests were made as part of an ongoing initiative called operation community shield. Pat Hernandez has more. |
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Houston district judge revokes bond for R. Allen Stanford…Houston unemployment hits 6.9 per cent…New plant expansion begins generating power at Cedar Bayou… |
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A Call to Support Renewable Energy Environmental advocates use a new report to urge state leaders to support renewable fuels. The report by Environment Texas says the price for our dependence on fossil fuels will cost the dearly over the next 20-years. Rod Rice reports. |
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BP Agrees to Stop Illegal Emissions at Texas City Plant Bp North America says it will reduce illegal emissions at its Texas City Plant after agreeing to a temporary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Texas Attorney General's office. Jack Williams reports. |
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A survey finds that small businesses are not relying on the government for their success. Ed Mayberry reports. |
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Stanford Spends another Night in Jail Texas billionaire investor R. Allen Stanford should find out later today whether he is released on bond, or remains jailed before the start of his trial. He's accused of bilking thousands of investors out of seven billion dollars. Pat Hernandez has the story. |
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Slain Houston Police Officer Remembered Thousands packed a south Houston church today to say goodbye to a Houston police officer killed in the line of duty last week. Forty-two year old Henry Canales was killed while working an undercover operation. Bill Stamps has more on the emotional farewell. |
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The stimulus money will fund a number of road projects in the region. But as contracts for those projects are filled, local officials are realizing there may be extra money. The Houston-Galveston Area Council is putting out a call for new projects to be funded if it all works out. Laurie Johnson reports. |
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Houston judge delays decision on revoking bond for R. Allen Stanford…BP agrees to court order forcing end to what state calls “illegal emissions” at Texas City refinery…Justice Department opposing Continental's request for antitrust immunity to work with other carriers on international service… |
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NCAA Lawsuit Settlement May Save Lives The death of a Rice University football player has ended in a settlement that could save the lives of other young athletes. Rod Rice reports. |
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Funeral arrangements are pending for Gale Storm, a Houston actress and singer who became one of early television's biggest stars. Storm died over the weekend at age 87. Jim Bell reports. |
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Health Reform Must Include Children The debate in health reform includes some of the heaviest hitters: senior members of Congress, insurance company giants and Washington's top lobbyists. Now, add children to that mix, including one who received a lung transplant at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. She recently went to Washington to urge lawmakers to include children's health needs in health reform legislation. Pat Hernandez has more. |
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Going to School to Run a School To become a school principal in Texas a person must have a master degree, two years teaching experience, complete a state assessment and attend a principal preparation program. Rod Rice reports that one such program in Houston is available to only a select few educators. |
The Fortune Small Business top 100 fastest-growing companies include nine Texas companies. The magazine's Adriana Gardella says there are two companies from Houston.
