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

News Alert: Comeaux now on most wanted list

(CNN) -- A Texas inmate in a wheelchair, who escaped on foot from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons, is now on the U.S. Marshals' list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives.
Arcade Comeaux Jr., 49, "produced a weapon and fired upon two correctional officers, took them hostage and forced them to drive to Baytown, Texas," the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement.
He then put the officers in the back of the van and took their weapons and one of their uniforms, the statement said.

Comeaux was serving three life sentences for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He escaped Monday during transport from Huntsville, Texas, to Stiles, Texas.
The 6-foot, 200-pound man was shackled and in a wheelchair, "which he had claimed was needed for mobility," Michelle Lyons, director of public information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, said in a statement.

About 45 minutes into the trip, as they were driving through Conroe, 40 minutes north of Houston, the prisoner pulled out a pistol and ordered the guards to drive south to Baytown, east of Houston.
He fired once, but hit no one during the escape about 9 a.m., officials said.
Law enforcement officers found the unharmed officers an hour later.

Comeaux was being transferred so he could be near John Sealy Hospital in Galveston for treatment of the supposed paralysis he had suffered during a reported stroke, officials said.

At least $16,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to Comeaux's rearrest and a task force of more than 100 investigators is searching for him, focusing on the Houston area, where he grew up and has family.
His escape has led the man who oversees Texas' criminal justice system to call for a shakeup of the prison system.
"I just think enough's enough," said Sen. John Whitmire, the Texas Democrat from Houston who is chairman of the state Senate's Criminal Justice Committee.

"We need a complete shakeup of the leadership of our prison system and/or an outside review by third parties," he told CNN by phone Wednesday. "We just can't have security breaches of this nature."
Whitmire said the guards had failed to pat down Comeaux while he was in his wheelchair and before they began the trip.
"Sure enough, he has a firearm," he said. "The question is, are there others (in the prison system)? I think you have to assume that there are until you find out differently."

So far this year, more than 900 cell phones have been confiscated from the 112 locations that house the state's 158,000 prisoners. "It's pretty rampant," he said.

"I want the director to come forward and tell us what it's going to take" to solve the problem, he said.
John Moriarty, inspector general of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said such lapses are highly unusual in the state's penal system. "We have no open gun investigations other than this one," he said. "The last one was several years ago."
Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Brad Livingston, who has been in the job since 2005, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

Snow forecast in Houston area !

On average, once every four years even Houston gets visited by the Snow Gods. Although, this could be the second year-in-a-row for Houston snow. And if snow does indeed fall this Friday as forecasted, it would be the earliest snowfall on record.

Fred Schmud of ImpactWeather said to the Houston Chronicle, “Most of our forecasting data is caught right in the middle, meaning any subtle change in the position of the upper level disturbance will have huge consequences on how much, if any, snow falls across the Greater Houston area."

Right now NOAA is predicting a 70% chance of snow on Friday.

Christmas on the Island

Moody Gardens lights up its pyramids and more for Festival of Lights which shines through Jan. 8.

By Carol Rust
Updated: 11.30.09
Galveston Island will be the host of Christmas Past and Christmas Futuristic with twin annual attractions – the 36th annual Dickens on the Strand – back in full festive force after Hurricane Ike – and the Moody Gardens Festival of Lights, transforming the Gardens’ glass pyramids into spectacular, sparkling mountains of incandescence. Both offer an array of entertainment for all ages.

Christmas carols and cockney accents alike will fill the air in Galveston’s historic district this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5-6, when the 19th-century characters from the world of Charles Dickens come alive, sauntering along a 10-block area crowded with Victorian-era costumes, entertainment, wares, choirs and boutiques and featuring artifacts from London’s Charles Dickens Museum.

New this year is the Dickens Victorian Bed Races, in which costumed contestants pull and push their mattress-topped chariots, complete with pajama-clad passengers, along a two-block route toward the finish line. Halfway through, members of each team must switch places – and costumes – with members who have been riding in the beds, Chinese Fire Drill-style.

The fun-filled festivities will represent a boisterous comeback from last year, when event sponsor and attendees valiantly kept the spirit of Dickens on the Strand alive in half the usual festival area in the wake of Hurricane Ike, aka Scrooge, which flooded many buildings in the district with 8 to 13 feet of corrosive water, shuttering numerous shops whose owners typically participate in Galveston Island’s unique Christmas holiday. Some sold their merchandise from the second floors of their businesses and others erected outdoor booths.

“There is no better place in Texas to be than on the historic streets of Galveston during the first weekend in December,” said Dwayne Jones, executive director of Galveston Historical Foundation, which has turned its annual Dickens on the Strand into one of the premier holiday festivals in the nation. “This year’s festival is very special to Galveston. Hurricane Ike forced us to scale back last year’s Dickens on the Strand. This year, we have even added to all the wonderful features that have made attending the festival a tradition for thousands of Texas families over the years.”

The Dickens Emporium, another new feature this year, highlights the famous painting “Dickens’s Dream,” never before been seen in the United States. In the painting, the beloved author dozes in his office chair as images of the characters he made famous in his novels float in the air around his head. The exhibit also includes artifacts from the Charles Dickens Museum, including the author’s chair, where festival patrons may sit to pose for Victorian Christmas portraits. Retail items depicting the “Dickens’ Dream” image will be on sale.

Advance tickets may be purchased only at www.galvestonhistory.org. for $9 for adults and $4 for children ages seven to 12. At the gate, tickets will be $12 and $6 for children ages seven to 12. Attendees dressed in period costume get in free.

Across the island, holiday visitors get a different kind of treat with the Moody Gardens’ Festival of Lights, with more than 100 sound-enhanced light displays and nightly entertainment. Even on this Gulf Coast island, visitors can don a pair of ice skates and glide around the specially made outdoor skating rink — a first this year — along the scenic Offatts Bayou.

The multiple-week event, which attracts some 85,000 visitors each year and runs through Jan. 8, also features an array of holiday-themed films at the IMAX Theater. Movie-goers can experience “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” starring Jim Carrey, in three-dimensional delight. Polar Express 4D offers special effects such as falling snow, the sensation of blowing wind and the smell of hot chocolate to appeal to all the senses.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. daily. Admission to Festival of Lights is $5.95. Tickets for additional attractions, including the Aquarium Pyramid, the holiday IMAX film, holiday Ridefilm, the Discovery Museum and the Colonel Paddle Boat, are $5 each.

Moody Gardens also offers a savory alternative to the pressures of holiday meal preparation with its Holiday Dinner Buffet at the Garden Restaurant or at the “Gift of Christmas Live” Show and Dinner, combining a fine-dining experience with a lively performance of some of the state’s tall talents. Tickets to this event are $43

Wreaths Across America

Honoring those fallen during holiday season
Wreaths Across America Houston will host ceremony honoring fallen heroes on Dec. 12 at Houston National Cemetery.
By KIMBERLY POORE
Updated: 12.01.09
The Northwest Houston community is gathering to honor fallen veterans with a ceremony of wreaths across their graves.

On Dec. 12 Wreaths Across America Houston, Houston Cy-Fair Lions along with several other organizations will gather at the Houston National Cemetery located at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, at 11 a.m. to lay wreaths across veterans graves to honor those who served their country.

The Houston Cy-Fair Lions have spent the last few months collecting donations to purchase wreaths to be placed on the graves.

“We have been out selling wreaths and collecting donations to place the wreaths on the soldier’s graves,” said Houston Cy-Fair Lion Spokesperson, Theresa Casey. “Some of our group had participated last year, so this year we wanted to make sure everyone participated. We look for needs in the community and we try to help with that need. It is part of giving back to the community. We have raised more than $1500 for this cause.”

Casey said the community was more than willing to rally in support of this cause.

“The people are wonderful,” Casey said. “They are more than willing to help honor our soldiers. Several people bought several wreaths. We took names of specific soldiers buried in the cemetery and assured them that the solider receives a wreath. People even offered to help lay the wreaths and have three boy scouts troops coming out to help.”

The Wreaths Across America started fifteen years ago. The Worcester Wreath Company from Harrington, MA began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of the Nation’s fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery.

Since the beginning the Worcester Wreath Company has donated over 75,000 wreaths which have been placed by volunteers in a wreath laying ceremony each December.

Houston did not have a Wreaths Across America program until 2007.

Scott DeMasi and his son wanted to attend the Houston ceremony when they were told there wasn’t one. At this time Houston National Cemetery only received seven large wreaths, representing each of the seven branches of services and the MIA/POW’s.

Wreaths Across America Houston began its challenge to honor fallen soldiers, raise funds, recruit volunteers and place a wreath on all 53,000+ grave sites at the Houston National Cemetery last year.

They were unable to reach there goal, but did place wreaths on more than 14,000 graves.

For more information on Wreaths Across America Houston program visit www.waahouston.com.

For more information on the Houston Cy-Fair Lyons visit houstoncy-fairlions.org.

LINK

Michael Jackson's doctor returns to work in Houston

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, who is the subject of an investigation into the death of the singer, has returned to work.

The cardiologist has resumed work at his medical clinic in Houston for the first time since the late singer's death on June 25.

"He has not been able to earn a living since the death of Michael Jackson," his lawyer Ed Chernoff told the Associated Press. "His legal fees are enormous and his debts have mounted to the point where it is unclear whether he will be able to keep his house or support his family.

"His intentions are to attend to these patients who have continued to support him, despite the attention and despite the threats."

Man 18 charged with murder.

An 18-year-old man is in custody and charged with capital murder in the slaying last weekend of a 79-year-old woman as she unloaded groceries from her car at a northwest Harris County apartment complex.

Frank Anthony Benitez, 18, made his initial magistrate court appearance early this morning. He is accused of fatally shooting Muriel Kirkpatrick around 3:40 p.m. Saturday at the Landmark Apartments in the 2900 block of Barker Cypress Road.

A capital murder conviction carries the possibility of either life in prison without parole or death by lethal injection.

READ MORE AT THE CHRON

Pregnant Woman Kills Teen Breaking into Car

HPD is still investigating the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man at the Pinemont Forest Apartments in Northwest Houston. A female tenant, who is eight months pregnant, told police she killed the teen after watching him break into her car from inside her home.

But was deadly force necessary? Residents had mixed reaction.

"Her life really wasn't threatened, so she could have easily called police," said tenant Vivian Cullivan.

"She had every right to take matters into her own hands. If she would have called police, they would have already been gone. If there were more people, they would have attacked her and the baby because she's pregnant," said tenant Rosana Cherrill.

"Maybe he made a mistake, the economy is bad. But I don't think we should be killing each other," said tenant Dennis Boyett.

Neighbors say the woman lives in an upstairs apartment. When she saw the suspect allegedly breaking into her car, she took out her shotgun and shot him in the head.

Police have confiscated the weapon, which they say is actually a 20-gauge shotgun, and they say the woman fired it from her balcony.

Some neighbors, who are questioning the woman's story, told 39 News off-camera--They believe the woman is covering up for someone else. Police say they're looking into those allegations. She was questioned and released without any charges.

"It's going to be referred to a Grand Jury at this point. Unless the case reveals something out of the ordinary. For now, it's being referred to a Grand Jury," said Sgt. C. D. Howard, with HPD Homicide.
Copyright © 2009, KIAH-TV

Alleged Car Race Ends in Crash

Updated: Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 7:36 AM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 7:36 AM CDT

HOUSTON - A driver is removed from a car that is almost broken into two sections after crashing into a tree in northwest Houston.

Investigators say that at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, two drivers were racing their cars southbound on West T.C. Jester Boulevard at very high rates of speed when the Cadillac bumped a curb and crashed into a utility pole causing the driver to lose control of the car. The Cadillac slid into a grassy area and moved in circles until crashing into a tree while in reverse.

The driver was stuck in the Cadillac and had to be rescued, but was taken by ambulance to a hospital in stable condition.

Investigators say the driver of the other car involved in the race refused to stop.

READ MORE HERE

Local experimental aircraft group: Balloon boy details didn't add up

07:59 AM CDT on Monday, October 19, 2009
By Hayley Kappes / The Daily News
GALVESTON, Texas—As news spread Thursday of the 6-year-old Colorado boy who authorities believed was carried away by an uncontrollable Mylar helium balloon, George Gould thought details about the incident didn’t add up.

Gould, president of Galveston County’s Experimental Aircraft Association chapter, has operated helium balloons similar to the one involved in last week’s incident and said they can only carry 20 pounds at most.

Sheriff’s officials in Larimer County, Colo., said Sunday that last week’s incident was a hoax carried out by the boy’s parents in order to gain exposure for a television show, according to The Associated Press.

“I was pretty skeptical that anyone could be in that balloon,” Gould said. “That balloon wouldn’t have been able to pick him up off the ground.”

Gould worked in a weather observation office at Scholes International Airport in Galveston, where he would launch weather balloons 3 feet in diameter to determine wind speed and direction.

Altimeters, barometers and GPS devices can be placed in the balloons to transmit atmospheric information, Gould said. Mylar, a strong polyester film as thick as a trash bag, is reflective enough that radars can detect it, Gould said.

Mylar helium balloons also are commonly used by “amateur scientists as more or less a play balloon,” Gould said.

Houston man executed

KHOU: HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- A convicted hit man was executed Tuesday evening for a triple slaying in Houston nearly 14 years ago.

Christopher Coleman, 37, was condemned for his part in a scheme by a Colombian man who hoped to eliminate a drug debt by staging a robbery. Four people wound up getting shot in a car on a dead-end street. Three of them, including a 3-year-old boy, died.

“Ain’t no way, fo fo,” he said when asked by a warden if he had a final statement from the Texas death chamber gurney. “I love y’all.”

It was unclear what “fo fo” meant, although in urban slang it can refer to a .44-caliber pistol or distinctive car rims made in 1984 and apparently popular in Houston. No relatives of the victims chose to attend the punishment and Coleman selected no personal witnesses to watch him die.

Coleman was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. CDT, eight minutes after lethal drugs began flowing into his arms.

The lethal injection—the 18th this year in Texas, the nation’s most active death penalty state—was carried out after Coleman’s lawyers lost last-day appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles earlier rejected a clemency request for Coleman, who was one of three men convicted in the case. The other two, Enrique Andrade Mosquera, 44, and Derrick Graham, 40, received life in prison.

“All I know is the jury never heard the truth in this case,” said Coleman’s attorney, Patrick McCann. “And I don’t think anybody can say who shot whom.”

Prosecutors said Mosquera owed $80,000 for four kilos of cocaine he received from Hurtado Heinar Prado, 34, also from Colombia, but didn’t want to pay. Instead, he hired Coleman for $12,000 and Graham for $10,000 to stage a robbery during the payoff.

Hurtado Heinar Prado was in the front seat of a car driven by another Colombian, Jose Mario Garcia-Castro, 33, when they met the three men at the end of a Houston street in the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 1995. Elsie Prado, Prado’s sister and Garcia-Castro’s girlfriend, and her son, Danny Giraldo, were in the back seat.

Testimony showed that Coleman approached the passenger side of the car, said something to the two men in the front and opened fire. Only Elsie Prado survived. She identified Coleman as the gunman.

Ballistics tests showed that all 11 shots were fired from outside the passenger side of the car. Testimony showed that Mosquero was standing near the front of the driver’s side and Graham was in front of the car.

Coleman was arrested at a motel in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., a week later. He told police he was at the shooting scene but denied being the gunman. At his trial, Coleman’s lawyers argued he was not the gunman.

Coleman’s appeals attorneys argued that Elsie Prado’s testimony at his 1997 trial was not truthful, that she lied about her involvement in the drug deal and that she failed to disclose that she and Mosquera knew each other and grew up in the same neighborhood in Cali, Colombia.

Actor Patrick Swayze Dies; Houston Native Had Battled Cancer

LOS ANGELES (September 14, 2009)—“Dirty Dancing” actor Patrick Swayze, 57, has lost his yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer.

Swayze died Monday with his family at his side, his publicist Annett Wolf said.

In March 2008, it was disclosed that the Houston native had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Despite the grim prognosis, Swayze continued to work on the A&E series “The Beast,” in which he starred, although he said the cancer put him “through hell.”

Swayze became a star in 1987 with his performance in the coming-of-age classic “Dirty Dancing.”

Three years later, his role in “Ghost” made him a big screen favorite.

Patrick Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas, the eldest child of Patsy Yvonne Helen (née Karnes; b. 1927), a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer, and Jessie Wayne Swayze (1925-1982), an engineering draftsman.[6][7] He had two younger brothers, actor Don (born 1958) and Sean Kyle (born 1962), and two sisters, Vicky Lynn (1949-1994) and Bambi, who were adopted into the family.[8] His surname originated with an English immigrant ancestor named "Swasey".[7]
Until the age of 20,

Swayze lived in the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston, where he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Oak Forest Elementary School,[9] Black Middle School,[9][10] and Waltrip High School.[9] During this time, he also pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet, and acting in school plays. He studied gymnastics at nearby San Jacinto College for two years.

Patrick Swayze on Wkipedia.

Waterspout comes ashore in Galveston

By Chris Paschenko & Rhiannon Meyers / The Daily News & Kevin Reece / 11 News
GALVESTON, Texas — The National Weather Service confirmed a waterspout came ashore in Galveston on Sunday damaging buildings, knocking out power and injuring at least three people.

It happened soon after a strong line of storms moved into the county, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning. A waterspout is a tornado that forms over water.

Dolphin World, a souvenir shop in the 2900 block of Seawall Boulevard, was damaged about 9:45 p.m. Debris covered the streets.

Ironically, Dolphin World survived Hurricane Ike with very little damage. But after this storm, things were different.

“It’s very, very bad. Very difficult. Basically everything inside is gone. Brings back memory of Ike,” Schlomo Hamo of Dolphin World said.

Witnesses told The Daily News that a piece of the roof from Dolphin World struck a man who was pushing his bicycle down the seawall. They said he was taken away by ambulance.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

CNN) -- Three boaters who were stranded at sea for more than a week were being reunited with their families Sunday.

Three missing boaters were returned safely to Port Aransas, Texas, after their rescue on Saturday.

A day after the U.S. Coast Guard said it was suspending its weeklong search for the boaters, the men were found alive Saturday night.

The crew of a Good Samaritan vessel found Curtis Hall, 28, James Phillips, 30, and Tressel Hawkins, 43, sitting on top of their capsized 23-foot fishing vessel about 180 miles from Port Aransas, Texas, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

The men had been missing at sea since they failed to return from a fishing trip on August 22.

The Coast Guard had called off their search Friday after it said it had looked over more than 86,000 square miles.

Hall went to a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, but left after he waited too long in the emergency room, his mother told CNN. He returned to his home in Palacio, Texas, to rest and will see a doctor later on Sunday for what he thinks are second-degree burns on his legs from sun exposure, she said.

After the rescue, Phillips was on his way home to reunite with his family, his wife, Shane, told CNN. He did not seek medical attention, she said.

Hawkins suffered open sores on his legs after floating in the water for eight days, he told CNN from the emergency room of a Corpus Christi hospital. He plans to leave the hospital soon and head to Fort Worth, Texas, to reunite with his family, he said. E-mail to a friend | Mixx it | Share

Police: 5 suspects sought in Texas doctor's slaying

NN) -- Police are looking for five suspects in connection with the shooting death over the weekend of a Houston, Texas, doctor, authorities said Monday.

Dr. Jorge Mario Gonzales was found shot to death at his ranch in rural Texas on Saturday, police say.

Dr. Jorge Mario Gonzalez, 56, was chief of the critical care section at Houston's Methodist Hospital and "a pulmonary medicine leader," according to the hospital system's Web site.

He was found dead Saturday, when police responded to a 911 call of a burglary in progress shortly after noon, Austin County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Paul Faircloth told CNN.

The responding officer found three vehicles leaving the location, Faircloth said, and a person in one vehicle fired on the officer. Neither the officer nor his patrol car was struck, and the officer did not return fire, Faircloth said. The officer was able to provide a detailed description of all three vehicles, he said.

At the home, which Faircloth said is in a rural, wooded and isolated area, officers found Gonzalez shot to death and another person wounded. The second victim was airlifted to an Austin, Texas, hospital.

Gonzalez' wife and a small child were found unharmed inside the home, Faircloth said. KHOU identified them as Charleen Gonzalez, 29, and the couple's 2-year-old son, and reported the two hid in a closet.

Authorities do not know whether the incident was a burglary or an intended home invasion, Faircloth told CNN, and "we do not know if this is random or targeted." Several leads were being followed Monday morning, he said, and numerous agencies were involved in the investigation.

The slaying took place at Gonzalez' ranch outside Bellville, Texas, said Lisa Block, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Bellville is about 50 miles west of Houston.

Gonzalez, his wife and child arrived at the ranch about 11 a.m. Saturday, Block said, and "the suspects were at the house when they arrived." Gonzalez' wife ran inside with the child and called 911, she said.

Ranch worker Noel Galvan was the second victim, Block said. He was taken to an Austin, Texas, hospital, where he was last listed in critical condition, she said.

Faircloth said five suspects are being sought. Block said police are investigating how many suspects were involved, but believe there were at least four.


READ THE FULL STORY AT CNN.COM

Katy Cop abducted in Brookshire, Texas

Authorities have surrounded a home in a small town outside of Houston as they search for a 38-year-old man suspected of abducting his ex-girlfriend.

BROOKSHIRE, TEXAS (AP) -- Both Julio Reyes and 24-year-old Rachel Hillsman are police officers with the Katy school district, just west of Houston.

Officials say it's not yet known if Reyes was with Hillsman in the house in Brookshire, about eight miles east of Katy.

Investigators say Reyes abducted Hillsman in front of her two young children Tuesday morning in Brookshire, about 37 miles west of Houston.

Shortly after Hillsman's abduction, officials launched a statewide manhunt and established roadblocks in the Brookshire area.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Houston Hair glue bandit victim videos prankster with cell phone

HOUSTON -- Another woman has come forward saying she too, was a victim of the so-called hair glue bandit. The woman says it happened in a Marshalls in Southwest Houston. She was looking at cookbooks when she felt something in her hair.

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"There was this man standing about a foot and a half beside me. He said, ‘Excuse me,’ and I said, ‘It's ok.’ But then I felt something warm on the back of my head," said the hair glue bandit’s latest victim, who wishes to remain anonymous. "There was this white substance on my hand. It dried instantly."

The victim says she was able to pull out her cell phone and capture video of the man who poured the glue on her.

Plus, because she didn't want him to disappear into a busy parking lot, she followed him out and took down the license plate of the car he was in. She then passed the information over to the police.

Over the past few weeks, glue victims have been studying a surveillance video taken from another attack. The latest victim claims the same man poured the glue in her hair.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Feds Bust Medicare Fraud Ring In Houston Area

HOUSTON—Federal authorities arrested 27 people in Houston Wednesday in a major Medicare fraud bust that spanned across the country.

Medicare fraud raid

Investigators claim the suspects were scamming Medicare by falsely billing for medical items that were not needed or never used.

Arrests were also made in New York, Boston and Louisiana. In all, 32 people were taken into custody.

More than 200 agents worked on Wednesday’s $16 million bust, which included 12 search warrants at health care businesses and homes across the Houston area.

One of those businesses was Memorial Medical Supply on Dairy Ashford and I-10.

Shocked employees were met by federal agents when they arrived at work.

Federal agents raided several locations in Houston after a nationwide investigation into Medicare fraud.
The agents confiscated paperwork and a computer.

They were also seen removing boxes of evidence from the business.

Federal authorities say the businesses were giving patients “arthritis kits,” which were nothing more than expensive orthotics, including knee and shoulder braces. Patients told authorities they were unnecessary, and many never used them. But health care clinic owners billed $3,000 - $4,000 for each kit.

Houston’s other scam involved billing Medicare for thousands of dollars worth of liquid food for patients who can’t eat solids. Authorities said clinic owners never distributed the food to patients. In some cases, clinic owners billed patients who were dead when they allegedly received the items.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Michael Jackson's Houston Doctor Manslaughter Probe

The feds raided the Las Vegas home and clinic of Michael Jackson's doctor Tuesday as sources said he admitted giving the pop icon the powerful anesthetic propofol.
The manslaughter probe appeared to be ratcheting up as Drug Enforcement Administration agents entered Dr. Conrad Murray's posh mansion and medical office days after they raided his Houston clinic.

Law enforcement sources said Monday that they believe Jackson was killed by a dose of propofol and that Murray, 51, administered the drug.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Murray told investigators that he did give Jackson propofol to help him sleep several times, including the day he died.

The dangerous drug, which Jackson is said to have received regularly for about two years, is only supposed to be delivered by a hospital anesthesiologist. Murray is the focus of the probe into Jackson's June 25 death.
Court records said agents who searched Murray's Houston clinic last week were searching for "items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."

Read more HERE.

Gallery Furniture Fire Arson Suspect Arrested

Investigators have arrested a man in connection with a fire at Gallery Furniture’s warehouse on May 21.

The fire had since been ruled as arson.

Robert Gillham, a former Gallery Furniture employee, is being charged with first-degree felony arson, according to a joint press conference Tuesday by the Houston Fire Department Fire and Arson Division and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“All of us are breathing easier, now that an arrest has been made,” said Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, founder of Gallery Furniture.

According to the Houston Fire Department, the Gallery Furniture fire is one of the highest-dollar-loss fires it has investigated, with an estimated loss of between $18 million and $20 million.

Messina Hof moves into another generation Greater Houston Weekly Top Of The Week Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town

Messina Hof moves into another generation Greater Houston Weekly Top Of The Week Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town

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Houston Man Sought In Shooting

Houston police are looking for a man accused of shooting another man to death in the parking lot of a Blalock apartment complex early Saturday.

The victim was sitting in a parked car in front of the Springbrook Village Apartments, in northwest Houston, when police say a man approached him with a pistol around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Police say the two men argued, then struggled over the pistol, which discharged, shooting the victim.

The shooter got into a car with another man and drove down Blalock, but returned a short time later to where the victim still sat in his car, bleeding from the gunshot wound. The suspect then shot him several more times, killing him, and drove off again, police say.

They are looking for the getaway car, a black or blue Chrysler 300, and ask anyone with information about the shooting to call the Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

Houstonians gather, watch Jackson memorial

During his memorial in Los Angeles, Michael Jackson was called ‘The King,” musical and magical. Here in Houston talk of Michael Jackson lit up the radio waves.

“He’s like a family member that you don’t know, but he was always there because the music was always in the background,” said KRBE radio host Ayana Mack.

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At the University of Houston, some people felt Jackson’s star had lost its shine.

“I think the memories I have are of seeing a very talented young man hitting a peak in his life and sort of falling off a cliff,” said U of H librarian Alexandra Simons.

Others like Loretta Wallace were not thrilled by the media attention Jackson’s death and memorial received.

“Our president’s in Russia and what he’s trying to negotiate now we should be paying more attention to than that (Jackson memorial),” said U of H librarian Loretta Wallace.

At the Breakfast Klub, the focus shifted from the food to the TV screens.

“Everyone in the world has been moved by Michael Jackson’s music,” said Kenneth Singleton.

“I think he’s the best,” said Winter Valery. “...the best singer in the world.”

And it was a world that gathered around their TV screens and radios to say goodbye together.

The University of Houston-University Park is holding a celebration of Michael Jackson’s life from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Lynn Eusan Park which is on campus.

Updated: Houston Area 4th of July Fireworks Events

HOUSTON—The 4th of July means fireworks across the U.S. and Houston is no exception.

There are dozens of celebrations in our area, but the largest is the Freedom over Texas festival this weekend. It is presented by Shell.

The free event is at Eleanor Tinsley Park. This year, organizers are honoring Houston’s military heroes and the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Country singer, Texas native Clay Walker will be the main act. He will take the stage at 8 p.m. Right after that at 9:30, fireworks will light the sky.

If you’re thinking about heading there you should know about some road that will be closed.

On Thursday, a couple of lanes along Allen Parkway were closed. They include roads between Taft Street and downtown.

Also, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Allen Parkway will be completely closed to traffic.

If you’re in The Woodlands, there are several events where you can celebrate.

First there is the Star-Spangled Salute which is being held Friday night at the Cynthia Wood Mitchell Pavilion.

You’ll hear patriotic music presented by the Houston Symphony.

Friday at 9 a.m. you can see the South Montgomery Parade which runs through The Woodlands Town Center and Market Street.

Finally, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. you can head to the Red, Hot and Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza at Town Green Park and Waterway Square.

There’s also a lot to celebrate in Fort Bend County Saturday, July 4 th.

In Sugar Land, the festivities include The Red White and Blue Fest at Oyster Creek Park. Those events begin Saturday and run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The city of Stafford and the Fort Bend Symphony will celebrate by treating the public to a free patriotic concert.

Freedom Rings 2009 will be held at the Stafford Centre and starts at 5 p.m.

In Missouri City, the public is being treated to a July 4 celebration at Buffalo Run Park.

The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. and the fireworks blare into the night sky at 9.

Chevy Freedom Over Texas Fireworks
Location: Eleanor Tinsley Park
website: www.chevysfreedomovertexas.com
This is by far the largest celebration in the city of Houston, and the fireworks display is one of the biggest in the state. Montgomery Gentry will headline. The festival starts at 4 p.m. with performances by local acts. If you don't feel like braving the crowds, you don't have to miss our on the fun; just tune in to ABC13 from the solitude of your couch.

The Houston Symphony 4th of July Celebration
Location: Miller Outdoor Theatre, Herman Park
Led by principal pops conductor Michael Krajewski. Enjoy an All-American salute to commemorate Independence Day, and end the evening with fireworks presented by the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.

Sam Houston Race Park
website: www.shrp.com
The park celebrates Independence Day with special family-friendly activities and a spectacular fireworks display.

Firecracker Hotbox
Location: Gulf Greyhound Park
website: www.gulfgreyhound.com
Come see some of the nation's hottest greyhounds compete.

Kemah Boardwalk
website: www.kemahboardwalk.com
The 4th of July fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m.

SplashTown Fireworks Spectacular
website: www.splashtownpark.com
The park sends up the explosives after dusk.

Michael Jackson's Doctor Has NW Houston Ties

Houston police knocked on the door of the sister of Dr. Conrad Robert Murray Thursday in Southwest Houston.

Dr. Murray is a cardiologist from Houston with ties to Michael Jackson's death investigation. Murray runs the Home Heart and Vascular Institute in Northwest Houston as well as a clinic in Las Vegas.

Recently, Dr. Murray is said to have been a personal physician to Michael Jackson. The Cardiologist is believed to have been at Jackson's side when 9-1-1 was called to his Los Angeles area home.

Wednesday night, investigators in Los Angeles retrieved a car with Texas plates from Jackson's home.

The plates are registered to a Houston woman, Dr. Murray's sister.

The woman did not appear to be at home when Houston Police arrived.

Police are not considering Dr. Murray a suspect in Jackson's death. They are interested in speaking with the Cardiologist about Jackson's final hours.

LCS to hold open house on new facility on June 25th

The foyer of one of the buildings at the new LSCS facility is decorated.

Lone Star College System officials are inviting the community to an open house on June 25 at its new facility on State Highway 249 at Louetta Road.

The site, once home to Hewlett Packard's north campus and the former Compaq Computer headquarters, has been a mystery to most northwest Houston residents - a massive, beautiful complex with mirrored buildings, that could be seen tucked away neatly on SH 249 behind security gates at every entrance.

But now, since the purchase by Lone Star College System, college officials want to open the facility to the public by having perhaps a first-ever community open house.

The open-house event is set for Thursday, June 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. and all residents are invited to come by and visit the facility.

"This will be a family type event," said Ray Laughter, vice chancellor for external affairs. Hot dogs and other light refreshments will be served at the campus as part of the open-house celebration.

The open house will include tours of the facility and information booths will be featured about various aspects of the college system, like Lone Star Corporate College and its workforce programs, along with the Lone Star College-University Center.

"There may be those who even live nearby this facility who have never had the opportunity to see what it looks like past those security gates," Laughter said. "The tours on June 25 by our staff members will actually guide you through the buildings for a look."

The facility changed hands on May 7 when LSCS announced that it had purchased the core of the Hewlett Packard north campus on SH 249 at Louetta Road - 45 acres for a purchase price of $42.15 million.


READ THE FULL STORY HERE

North Houston Gallery Furniture Fire Video

4-alarm blaze strikes Gallery Furniture warehouse
No injuries as fire threatens Houston retail icon
By MIKE GLENN, DANE SCHILLER and DAVID KAPLAN
May 22, 2009, 7:22AM

As flames ripped through one of Houston’s most notable retail icons Thursday night, Gallery Furniture founder Jim McIngvale vowed to rebuild.

But McIngvale, who earned fame with his colorful commercials and self-imposed moniker of Mattress Mack, acknowledged “millions and millions” in dollars of merchandise had been damaged in his flagship store’s warehouse.
To his employees he promised, “We won’t quit.”
This morning he was at his other location at 2411 Post Oak Blvd., which opened earlier this year, preparing to start selling furniture again. True to form, shortly after dawn he was filming a commercial to remind customers of the new Galleria-area location.

McIngvale said it wasn't clear when he could get back into the original location, much less reopen it. In the meantime, he said the store is scouting locations for warehouse space to house several truckloads of furniture on its way.
A few firefighters remained this morning in case of flare-ups. They planned to continue pouring water until heavy equipment could be brought in to pull away the remains of the hulking warehouse and expose any leftover hot spots.
Gallery Furniture — one of Houston’s brightest success stories, known as the store where Mattress Mack will “save you money” — faced serious damage as the four-alarm fire ripped through its warehouse in the 6000 block of the North Freeway near Parker.
But fire crews successfully kept the blaze from spreading to the store’s 100,000-square-foot showroom — the area visited by the public — during a two and a half hour battle. Morning commuters on the freeway slowed to look at the warehouse wreckage.
McIngvale said it was premature to speculate about the fate of the main store’s contents.

“Realistically, we could have a lot of smoke damage,” he said, noting thousands of pieces of furniture must be assessed.
The store was still open to customers when the fire started at 8:40 p.m., but no one was injured.
McIngvale was at the store when the blaze ignited. After an employee alerted him of a possible fire, McIngvale looked at surveillance cameras monitoring the property. “I saw 10-foot flames and realized how serious it was,” he said.
Flames towered over the warehouse’s storage area when fire crews arrived and started dousing it with elevated water cannons.

But the contents of the furniture storage warehouse only increased the flames. “It’s good fuel – it’s basically a big wood fire,” said Houston Fire Department District Chief Tommy Dowdy.
As 150 firefighters worked to contain the blaze, Mayor Bill White showed up to lend his support.

What caused the blaze was not immediately known. One employee said the fire may have started near a generator in the warehouse, but that report has not been officially confirmed, Dowdy sai

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Northwest Houston community fights against installation of park fence

HOUSTON -- A local park is in the middle of a tug of war between neighbors in Northwest Houston and a school. Under a county program, neighbors raised thousands of dollars to make a park better, but Garden Oaks Elementary school wants to keep neighbors out during the day.

Like 200 other parks in Harris County, Garden Oaks is a SPARK park. The SPARK School Park Program is a non-profit organization that was developed in 1983 as a way to increase park space in Houston.

Most SPARK parks are fenced, but not this one. Neighbors, who put up $40,000 to pay for new playground equipment, say they've been able to use it whenever they wanted.

But now the principal of Garden Oaks Elementary wants to put up a fence. She says it's for security reasons and for the safety of the children. In fact, she says a fence was in the original plans.

"It's just disappointing. It's a fun park. It has lots of stuff for big kids and little kids, and it's a good place," said Abi Hoffman who lives in the area.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Ike Baby Boom?

Doctors who work in Houston’s busiest maternity ward say they’re expecting an especially bustling June, leading some to conclude that Hurricane Ike was the perfect storm for making babies.
It’s been eight months since Ike knocked out the region’s electricity, leaving many with no television, Internet access or other distractions for days, if not weeks. Now there’s a curious bump in the number of women who are rounding out their third trimesters of pregnancy.

Several obstetrical practices associated with The Woman’s Hospital of Texas are extra-busy these days with prenatal care.
“I looked, somewhat in shock, at my little book of deliveries for June, and it’s 26,” said Dr. John Irwin, president of Obstetrical and Gynecological Associates.
He routinely delivers 15 to 20 babies a month and called the Ike boomlet “a real phenomenon.” His colleagues in the 35-physician practice have seen a similar increase in patients who probably conceived during the powerless days after Ike.
“There’s about a 25 percent increase in the number of deliveries coming up in mid-June to mid-July,” said Irwin, also chief of surgery service at Woman’s Hospital.

At a hospital that ranks in the top five for births statewide, that means at least 100 more bundles of joy this summer. “We are well-prepared for it,” said hospital CEO Linda Russell. “We have just opened up a new wing with 92 additional beds.”
The hospital usually delivers around 8,000 babies annually. In 2008, the facility clocked more than 9,000 births and expects to break that record this year. And because August, September and October traditionally have the most deliveries, the hospital will require additional staff for five months this year, Russell said.
Storms and blackouts are routinely remembered with baby bounties. But this time, with the recession creeping in, folks had multiple reasons to stop going out and start snuggling in.


READ THE FULL STORY HERE AT THE CHRON

Houston car wash waxes religious

By JEMIMAH NOONOO Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 7, 2009, 6:37PM

Mayra Beltran Chronicle
SHARING FAITH: The Rev. Charles Cooper, second from right, of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, leads Dr. Gleem Car Wash employees in prayer at the end of Bible study at the car wash on May 1 .

The Rev. Charles Cooper is pacing deliberately.
“I’m in dialysis, I go three times a week,” he preaches, his cadenced voice rising gradually. “But that doesn’t stop me from serving God!”

Here, in the lobby of Dr. Gleem Car Wash and Lube Center, there are no pews, no choir, no ushers.
There are, however, about 20 folding chairs arranged in a circle. Listeners — mostly staff — hold coffee mugs in one hand and search for Bible verses with the other. And everyone seats themselves.

“We’re having church here,” Cooper continues, dressed in jeans and a red T-shirt emblazoned with the Gleem logo. “The Spirit is where the Lord is.”
For the past four years, employees have held Bible study at its northwest location on Friday mornings. There are four locations throughout Houston.

The idea was born after weekly staff meetings began ending in fights and finger-pointing, said manager Herb Alcarez. Some of the staff members would leave mid-meeting, slamming doors behind them.
Alcarez and fellow manager Kevin Jenkins — whose father founded the business in 1967 — decided to offer Bible study at the meetings. The managers approached Cooper, a regular customer and pastor at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, to help. Pastor Alex Morrison, of Houston Christway Ministries, also helps lead the Bible study.
“I used to think ‘I got these car washes. God, I’ll call you when I need you,’ ” Jenkins said, about the decision to express faith more openly. “Now it is ‘God, this is your car wash, show me what to do.’ ”
Though the Bible study is open to everyone, mostly employees attend. Members of the group of about 20 attend different churches.

On a recent Friday, prayers are requested for family members: Pastor Cooper says his daughter is like “the prodigal son”; another participant asks for prayer about participating in a funeral.
The subjects are as varied as the recession (no one’s job is in jeopardy, thanks to God), the swine flu (God will protect employees) and the kinds of customers the group sees (you can’t take your Rolex watch to heaven).
“I’m grateful for my job, to be able to put food on the table for my family,” says Christino Jose Aguilar. “That’s the best feeling in the world.”

The 7 a.m. Bible study is not the only clue that this is a faith-based business.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

First reported US swine-flu death occurs in Houston

The first reported death in the United States from the swine flu outbreak was that of a 23-month-old Mexican toddler who fell ill in Brownsville and was transported for treatment in Houston, where the child died Monday, city officials said.
Kathy Barton, spokeswoman for the Houston Department of Health and Human Services, did not say which hospital treated the child or give any other details about the toddler.

There still have been no reported Houston-area cases of the disease, which is thought to have begun in Mexico but is being detected around the world. However, Barton said Houston should expect to see cases originate here.
She added that hospitals that handle any flu cases, swine or otherwise, take precautions to prevent its spread, such as masks, frequent handwashing and other sanitation measures.

"Even though we've been expecting this, it is very, very sad," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who made the initial announcement of a Texas death on several nationally televised morning shows today. "As a pediatrician and a parent, my heart goes out to the family."

Germany today reported its first three cases of swine flu. The number of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States before today rose to 66 in six states, with 45 in New York, 11 in California, six in Texas, two in Kansas and one each in Indiana and Ohio, but cities and states suspected more. In New York, the city's health commissioner said "many hundreds" of schoolchildren were ill at a school where some students had confirmed cases.

The world has no vaccine to prevent infection but U.S. health officials aim to have a key ingredient for one ready in early May, the big step that vaccine manufacturers are awaiting. But even if the World Health Organization ordered up emergency vaccine supplies — and that decision hasn't been made yet — it would take at least two more months to produce the initial shots needed for human safety testing.
"We're working together at 100 miles an hour to get material that will be useful," Dr. Jesse Goodman, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration's swine flu work, told The Associated Press.
The U.S. is shipping to states not only enough anti-flu medication for 11 million people, but also masks, hospital supplies and flu test kits. President Barack Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to help build more drug stockpiles and monitor future cases, as well as help international efforts to avoid a full-fledged pandemic.

"It's a very serious possibility, but it is still too early to say that this is inevitable," the WHO's flu chief, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, told a telephone news conference.
Cuba and Argentina banned flights to Mexico, where swine flu is suspected of killing more than 150 people and sickening well over 2,000. In a bit of good news, Mexico's health secretary, Jose Cordova, late Tuesday called the death toll there "more or less stable."

Mexico City, one of the world's largest cities, has taken drastic steps to curb the virus' spread, starting with shutting down schools and on Tuesday expanding closures to gyms and swimming pools and even telling restaurants to limit service to takeout. People who venture out tend to wear masks in hopes of protection.
New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Britain, Canada and now Germany have also reported cases. But the only deaths so far have been Mexican citizens, baffling experts.
The WHO argues against closing borders to stem the spread, and the U.S. — although checking arriving travelers for the ill who may need care — agrees it's too late for that tactic.

"Sealing a border as an approach to containment is something that has been discussed and it was our planning assumption should an outbreak of a new strain of influenza occur overseas. We had plans for trying to swoop in and knockout or quench an outbreak if it were occurring far from our borders. That's not the case here," Besser told a telephone briefing of Nevada-based health providers and reporters. "The idea of trying to limit the spread to Mexico is not realistic or at all possible."
"Border controls do not work. Travel restrictions do not work," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said in Geneva, recalling the SARS epidemic earlier in the decade that killed 774 people, mostly in Asia, and slowed the global economy.

Authorities sought to keep the crisis in context: Flu deaths are common around the world. In the U.S. alone, the CDC says about 36,000 people a year die of flu-related causes. Still, the CDC calls the new strain a combination of pig, bird and human.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Houston Police Shoot Machete Wielding Man

HOUSTON (AP) -- A police officer is on desk duty pending investigation of the fatal shooting of a machete-wielding man at an apartment complex in southwestern Houston.

Houston police say the events began when two officers were sent to the Ridgestone Apartments in response to a 7 p.m. domestic violence report Monday. Police spokeswoman Jodi Silva says a woman had called to report her husband had been drinking and was beating his two children with a belt.

Silva says the officers found the man in the parking lot wielding two knives, including a machete.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY

Houston police run over suspect and kill him

HOUSTON (AP) - A male suspect being chased on foot by Houston police is dead after a patrol car ran over him in Wednesday.

The incident happened about 12:30 a.m. in a northwest Houston residential area just off T.C. Jester Boulevard and just north of West Little York Road.

Police Sgt. Rick Moreno says the man appeared to be under the influence of a drug and fled when he saw a police officer, who then chased him on foot.

Moreno says the officer in the patrol car meant to head the man off, but the man made an unexpected move and was run over and pinned. A tow truck had to be brought in to free his body.

Moreno says police don't know why the man fled.

Breaking News: Houston firefighters have discovered a body in the rubble of a collapsed hotel

By Michelle Homer / KHOU.com
HOUSTON -- Houston firefighters have discovered a body in the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Southeast Houston. Two injured victims were pulled out by rescue crews. Two other injured victims were pulled out by rescue workers.

The two-story complex near I-45 and Griggs was in the process of being refurbished into low income housing when it collapsed Tuesday afternoon.

"One of the buildings has pancaked and fallen," said Asst. Fire Chief Tommy Dowdy.

He said they spotted the victim's body just after 5 p.m.

Rescue crews are now working to confirm there is no one else still trapped in the rubble.

Fire crews used cameras to search through the piles of wood.
Initial reports said as many as seven people could be buried in the piles of debris. Dowdy later said they believe everyone else has been accounted for. They conducted a search and found no other people.

"We have conducted the search and marked the areas that were searched with paint," Dowdy said.

There was some confusion at the scene because some members of the construction crew spoke only Spanish.

Dowdy said HFD rescue crews underwent additional training for building collapses and bought special equipment after 9/11 including cameras, which helped in the search.

Both of the injured victims were taken to area hospitals.

Their conditions are unknown.

Dowdy said it's too early to speculate about the cause of the collapse.

LINK FOR UPDATES HERE

MS ride in its 25th roll

By Sharon Spoonemore
Updated: 04.13.09
More than 13,000 cyclists are expected to ride in the 25th anniversary BP MS 150 Houston-to-Austin Bike Ride April 18-19.

It’s the largest nonprofit sporting event in Texas and the largest multiple sclerosis (MS) event of its kind in the U.S.

In past years, the event has raised more than $98 million for MS research, programs and services. Hopes are high for a record-setting $17 million to be raised for the 2009 ride. Funds will help more than 400,000 individuals battling MS throughout the U.S. MS is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young people around the world.

Award-winning singer Clay Walker, Grand Marshal of the 2009 BP MS 150, will be singing and speaking before the official start of the ride.

Clay Walker’s MS story


Walker was diagnosed with relaxing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) 13 years ago after he fell during a basketball game with his band before a concert in Canada. Badly shaken by the sporadic loss of muscle control in his right leg or at times tingling in his hand or double vision, his doctor’s prognosis was devastating.

“That night at the basketball game my right hand had no feeling. I couldn’t even hold a guitar pick. If you’d asked me on the day I was diagnosed if I would still be alive,” said Walker, “I would have said ‘no’ — because that’s what the doctor told me. It’s been 13 years, and I’m probably healthier than I’ve ever been.”

For a year, Walker suffered not only the symptoms of the illness, but coped with inevitable hopelessness.

“That year I would have given everything I had for the guarantee of good health. The worst day of my life was when I wondered if I would be able to walk my two daughters down the aisle – or if I could, whether they would want me to because of how I might look. That was a cryin’ day,” he said.

Walker’s story changed when he saw another physician a year later who told him of some new treatments available.

Walker IN MS remission


“When I heard ‘you’re in remission’ there was incredible relief. I’ve been in remission for 11 years,” Walker said. “Finding the Copaxone treatments let me begin a new life. It takes courage to try, but my family was so happy that my daughters wanted to help with the injections. Now I just want to get the word out. I don’t want others to go through the kind of hopelessness I did during that year.”

Walker, full of energy and optimism, filmed a web cast earlier this month with the National MS Society (NMSS) titled “Living Well with MS” about how he manages his MS physically and emotionally.

It will be streamed via the NMSS website as a “MS Learn Online” feature on the first World MS Day May 27. Walker will receive the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s highest honor, the MS Hope Award, for outstanding civic and community service on April 28 in Nashville.

Walker is committed to raising awareness of MS and the treatments now available. In 2003, he established Band Against MS (BAMS) to provide educational information for those living with MS.

“There’s a huge psychological component to MS,” Walker said. “You have to force yourself to look past the symptoms and take advantage of the opportunities for treatment. I just want to help people get past that mental block that says ‘there’s no hope.’ Becoming informed and hearing other people’s stories plants hope. When the family sees you trying, they become a part of your treatment too. I would never want to live with the guilt of not trying to get better. Find courage, and you’ll find joy.”

Walker offers wisdom to those who struggle with MS about attitude, body, and spirit..

“Attitude is the only thing you can control in this situation, but it’s also the most important,” he said. “Do as much as you can with your body – therapy, exercise and good nutrition. I’ve learned to be thankful for the MS. It tested my faith, but I made it. Life has been better than I thought possible since the diagnosis. You can’t give up – you have to try.”

A Houstonian’s MS battle


Houstonian Dana Koval agrees. She was planning to run in a marathon when she went in to her doctor for a check up. She mentioned experiencing “fuzzy feet” – a tingling in the bottom of her feet – when she stood. Thanks to his quick thinking, she was sent for an MRI and later a spinal tap which diagnosed her with MS.

“The most important part of battling MS is that you can’t have a ‘defeatist’ attitude,” said Koval. “You have to be willing to try things. I found myself becoming very stiff and losing strength on my left side which made me keep falling. I found a Pilates group which has worked wonders for me by strengthening the core and giving me better balance. By stretching the muscles, the spasms decrease. I take injections three times a week, watch my diet, and have a marketing job that I can do at home. You just have to work on each issue as it comes up and stay positive.”

THE BUBBLE BISTRO


Thanks to Ann Roland, those with MS who want to attend the MS 150 and welcome bikers across the finish line in Austin can do so at the Bubble Bistro.

“My friend, Nancy Garner, would always sit at the finish line blowing bubbles so her family could find her when they finished the race,” Rowland said. “When I saw her get overheated, I knew we needed a better plan for those with MS to support the race. This year, thanks to the Kickin’ Asphalt bike team and the MS Society, we’ll have a Bubble Bistro tent with great bubble machines and fans to accommodate those who need it.”

The Bubble Bistro will also have one of 25 Art Bike entries for the Ride. It’ll be easily recognized with its wild flowers and bistro chairs.

Houston Northwest Chamber announces Festival

Click to enlarge:


Houston Northwest Chamber announces Festival - Come Have Fun with us! April 25th

Happy Spring All!

Lakewood Towne Square, a member of Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce would like to announce it’s Annual Spring Festival.

Located at the corner of Grant Rd and Malcomson Rd, we provide a great shopping, dining and entertainment experience.

Attached is a flyer with more information!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Edward Rizk,
Lakewood Towne Square

Conficker worm might hold April Fools' surprises

By DWIGHT SILVERMAN
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
March 30, 2009, 11:37PM

There’s no question that Conficker, aka Downadup, is a nasty piece of work. As a computer worm, it’s insidiously crafted to take control of an infected Windows PC, disable anti-malware protection and potentially communicate with more than 50,000 automatically created Internet domains.
But what’s unknown is what Conficker is designed to do. Wednesday — April Fools’ Day — this powerful, sophisticated and possibly dangerous program is expected to reach out to hundreds of Internet domains to receive new instructions. No one quite knows what, if anything, will happen once it does.

There are three variants of Conficker. Each is more advanced than the next, and the latest one, Conficker.C, is the one that worries security researchers most. It is designed to evade the tactics they’d been employing to prevent the earlier versions from becoming a threat.
Worm widespread

Estimates of the numbers of computers infected with Conficker varies greatly, from a few million to nearly 10 million. As a group, the infected PCs can work cooperatively in what’s known as a botnet.
Botnets are how the cyberscum who develop viruses, Trojans and worms make money, renting their armies of infected systems to spammers and scammers. Most botnets — and there are some that are bigger than Conficker — are used to steal private information or blast spam e-mail and more malware across the Internet. They also can be used to flood Web sites with data, making them inaccessible, in what’s called a Denial of Service attack.

Conficker’s PCs could be told to do any of that and more … or, nothing at all.
Conficker takes advantage of a flaw in all modern versions of Windows that Microsoft fixed with an emergency patch in October. If you have Windows set to automatically download and install updates — and if you are running effective, up-to-date anti-malware software — then you should be protected and don’t have much to worry about. If, however, you’re one of those obstinate folks who mistakenly think Microsoft’s updates do more harm than good, you may be about to find out otherwise.
Also at risk are businesses that take their sweet time testing patches before applying them across networks and who may not yet have installed the October fix.
Conficker can spread in a variety of ways, including infected USB flash drives and across Windows shared drives and folders. Using strong passwords and not sharing whole drives on a network can help prevent infections.

What to look for
How do you know if your PC is infected with Conficker? You may not see any outward signs, because the worm tries to keep a low profile. But here are some basics to watch for:
• Windows’ account lockout policies are tripped, which might make it difficult to log into your PC.
• Some key parts of Windows are disabled, such as Automatic Updates; the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, or BITS; Windows Defender; and Error Reporting.
• Domain controllers take a long time to respond, which results in slow network access and Internet surfing.
• Your home or business network is congested with a lot more traffic than usual.
• You’re unable to access certain Web sites related to computer security.

All the top anti-malware programs will recognize and can remove Conficker. However, if you’re not protected and you think you are infected, visit the SANS Internet Storm Center at http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5860, which has a detailed and frequently updated list of removal tools and instructions, updates about eradication efforts and general information about the worm.

Again, if you’re patched and practice safe computing, you should be fine. If you’re not and you don’t ... well, it’s time to get your house in order.
You don’t want to be the brunt of Conficker’s April Fools’ joke, whatever it might be