Houston news

• Houston-area woman arrested outside Sen. John Cornyn’s office during Dream Act protest

  17-01-2018 23:41 via chron.com
  A Houston-area woman was among dozens of pro-Dream Act protestors arrested Tuesday and Wednesday outside the U.S. Capitol.
  
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• If federal government shuts down, what will that mean for Texas?

  17-01-2018 22:45 via chron.com
  AUSTIN - Texans will feel little to no immediate impact if the federal government shuts down Friday, according to several state and federal agencies.
  Funding to keep the federal government running is set to run out midnight Friday unless Congress passes a new spending bill. Republicans expressed optimism Wednesday that they have a deal on a temporary spending bill that will keep the lights on until mid February, but it was unclear whether they had the votes to passit.
  If negotiations fall throug
  
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• Houston City Council reprises concerns about home elevations

  17-01-2018 22:45 via chron.com
  City Council reiterated concerns about the cost effectiveness of home elevations Wednesday, many members agreeing that the federally-funded program to raise flood-prone houses is "badly designed."
  
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• Gov. Abbott extends Harvey disaster aid declaration

  17-01-2018 22:17 via chron.com
  For the fourth time since Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast, Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday extended the a disaster declaration for 60 Texas counties that were hard hit by the worst single storm event in state history.Abbott said all Texas counties that were declared disaster areas will continue to be eligible for assistance as they recover and rebuild after the storm.Abbott's move came as Republican lawmakers were hammering out a deal to avert a weekend government shutdown, putting off for an
  
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• Police find multiple stolen packages in apartment of Dallas model, bartender

  17-01-2018 22:12 via chron.com
  A Dallas model and bartender is in police custody and is suspected of stealing multiple packages from her area.
  
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• Houston Landmark Quiz: How well do you know your city?

  17-01-2018 21:53 via chron.com
  Many Houstonians can identify key landmarks from ground level, but are you good enough to recognize these buildings from orbit?
  
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• Time-lapse map shows how Texas helped get everyone sick

  17-01-2018 21:26 via chron.com
  Everybody in the U.S. seems to have broke down with a nasty case of the flu, and Texas may be partly to blame.
  
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• Houston ranks in Top 20 for bedbug infestations

  17-01-2018 21:22 via chron.com
  Once again, Houston ranks in the Top 20 for bed bug infestations, according to Orkin pest control.
  
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• Texas police officer arrested and charged with with misdemeanor prostitution

  17-01-2018 20:53 via chron.com
  Willy Rafael Lopez, 35, was arrested by McLennan County Sheriff's Office deputies Monday and charged with misdemeanor prostitution.
  
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• Texas police officer arrested and charged with misdemeanor prostitution

  17-01-2018 20:53 via chron.com
  Willy Rafael Lopez, 35, was arrested by McLennan County Sheriff's Office deputies Monday and charged with misdemeanor prostitution.
  
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• Fix on the way for Google Home, Chromecast bug that disconnects Wi-Fi

  17-01-2018 20:17 via chron.com
  Google Home and Chromecast users, help is on the horizon! Google says a patch for a nasty bug that caused some home Wi-Fi routers to drop connections and even crash is coming very soon.
  
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• GOP plan to head off government shutdown leaves out Harvey disaster aid

  17-01-2018 20:03 via chron.com
  Republican lawmakers were hammering out a deal Wednesday to avert a weekend government shutdown, putting off for another month a contentious debate on immigration, but also setting aside a long-sought disaster aid package for the victims of Hurricane Harvey and other natural disasters.As Texas officials feared, an $81 billion storm relief bill passed by the House in December continues to languish amid congressional brinkmanship over a wider budget agreement, with Republicans insisting on funding
  
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• Houston ISD, other districts say classes will resume Thursday after weather-related closures

  17-01-2018 19:30 via chron.com
  After about 50 greater Houston-area school districts closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to icy conditions, some have announced they will reopen with normal schedules on Thursday, Jan. 18.
  
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• Demetria Smith still campaigning as a Democratic candidate for governor

  17-01-2018 19:16 via chron.com
  Houston mortgage banker and community activist Demetria Smith, who state Democratic Party officials bumped from the primary ballot earlier this month over a bounced check for her filing fee, said Wednesday she is still running for governor as a Democrat.Smith, 44, said she is challenging the party's decision to declare her ineligible and remove her name from the March 6 primary ballot as violating state law.She said she is continuing her campaign, and plans to participate in several upcoming pol
  
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• Lone Star College offering free classes to help Houstonians rebuild after Harvey

  17-01-2018 18:36 via chron.com
  Nearly five months ago, Hurricane Harvey swept across the Houston metropolis and left destruction in its wake. The city banded together to rescue their neighbors and serve others in need.
  
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• Watch: A meteor falls in Michigan

  17-01-2018 17:47 via chron.com
  The National Weather Service says the meteorite was seen and heard in the Detroit area on Tuesday.
  
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• Big financial advantage for incumbent in Houston-area Senate race

  17-01-2018 17:43 via chron.com
  State Sen. Joan Huffman starts 2018 with a sizable financial advantage as she tries to stave off a spirited primary challenge from two-term Fort Bend ISD president Kristin Tassin, new campaign finance reports show. The committee supporting Huffman's campaign reported raising $253,368 over the last 6 months of 2017. Texans for Joan Huffman now has $545,638 to help with her re-election compared to Tassin, who has amassed just under $61,000 since she jumped into the race in August.
  
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• Jeffrey Payne: $56K in donations, loans in Dem bid for governor

  17-01-2018 17:36 via chron.com
  Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jeffrey Payne has reported collecting $56,800 in political contributions in the last five months of 2017, putting him in second place among rivals seeking to challenged well-funded incumbent Republican Greg Abbott.That total includes more than $46,800 in loans he made to his campaign, according to the filing with the Texas Ethics Commission made public on Wednesday.In the report, Payne reported $47,358 in expenses -- most of that spent from the loans to his campa
  
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• Bar Star: Edwin Hui at Roka Akor

  17-01-2018 17:31 via chron.com
  The Houston bar scene is full of personalities — bar stars, if you will. Each week in Preview, we'll feature one of these mixologists. Get to know the person behind the pour.
  
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• Tap into the island during beer festival in Galveston

  17-01-2018 17:30 via chron.com
  That you can find good craft beer on The Strand is no longer a surprise. Friend of Beer, TX Justin Strait made sure of that when he opened Brews Brothers several years ago on the Galveston tourist district's main drag. The subsequent launch of Galveston Island Brewing Co. and its popular Tiki Wheat has locals and visitors alike requesting locally made beer. But Mike Dean, an island native, a longtime bar and restaurant owner and a big promoter of his hometown, has done his share to promote Galve
  
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• Houston-area schools could lengthen school year to make up for Harvey, ice cancellations

  17-01-2018 17:10 via chron.com
  First a hurricane and now icy weather disrupt school days. After missing two or more weeks of school due to Hurricane Harvey, school districts across the greater Houston area are working to determine if they need to add extra days to their academic calendars or extra minutes to their school days to make-up two days of school missed this week due to icy weather.
  
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• Big Bend National Park reports it just had its busiest year on record

  17-01-2018 16:57 via chron.com
  The historic Texas park was a very popular place in 2017, according to park rangers.
  
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• Two years in a row, Houston experiences severe weather events during the third week of January

  17-01-2018 16:51 via chron.com
  This week Houston experienced an unusual freeze that caused the city to shut down due to ice on the roadways and this week last year, the city was shut down due to an unseasonable flood throughout the region.
  
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• Candidates spend $1.3 million running for ag commissioner

  17-01-2018 16:43 via chron.com
  Candidates in one statewide race have collectively spent $1.3 million to convince Republican voters to elect them Texas agriculture commissioner.Conservative podcaster Trey Blocker led the spending race by making $679,529 in expenditures, which included paying himself back a $500,000 loan he made to his campaign, according to state records filed with the Texas Ethics Commission.Sid Miller, who is running for reelection to agriculture commissioner , spent $640,985 dollars during the current repor
  
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• Houston man walks his dog through the cold and ice dressed as a Stormtrooper from Hoth

  17-01-2018 16:04 via chron.com
  Totally appropriate, given how freezing cold it is in Houston right now.
  
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• Jack-knifed 18-wheelers clog Houston-area highways overnight

  17-01-2018 14:58 via chron.com
  Icy conditions created a mess on highways around the Houston area overnight. Trucks jack-knifed on bridges and backed up for hours on a closed section of U.S. 59.
  
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• Suspected drunken driver crashes into police SUVs blocking icy highway

  17-01-2018 14:29 via chron.com
  A suspected drunken driver crashed into Houston police SUVs parked on the North Loop early Wednesday directing traffic off the highway onto the service road. The four officers were not injured, but DWI charges are pending for the driver.
  
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• Study confirms what every Texan already knows: Buc-ee's is no. 1 when it comes to gas stations

  17-01-2018 14:27 via chron.com
  As if we needed another reason to love Buc-ee's.
  
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• Rice students discuss virginity, decision to have sex in survey

  17-01-2018 14:07 via chron.com
  Rice University students are comfortable with their decision to – or not to – have sex, a student survey found. A student group conducting the survey analyzed nearly 700 responses to determine how Rice students understand the concept of virginity and how those understandings vary based on gender and sexual orientation.
  
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• Houston-area roads remain 'treacherous'

  17-01-2018 13:41 via chron.com
  Roads remained perilous and in some places vehicles even remained stranded for hours early Wednesday morning as conditions overnight didn't improve despite the winter storm passing.
  
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• Houston-area hospitals say most procedures will resume Wednesday

  17-01-2018 13:00 via chron.com
  Hospitals in the Texas Medical Center and around greater Houston remained operational Tuesday, but many sent home some non-essential employees and scaled back on elective procedures and clinic appointments.
  
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• Texas winter storm gives way to possible ‘high load’ of energy usage

  17-01-2018 04:41 via chron.com
  The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is bracing for a possible "high load" of electricity usage Wednesday morning as Houstonians and other Texans wake up to bitter temperatures.
  
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• Map shows how Houston drivers are struggling to navigate icy roads

  17-01-2018 04:36 via chron.com
  If you need another reason to stay home tonight and drink hot chocolate, just take a peek at a live traffic map of Houston.
  
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• Gulf Freeway shut down for fatal crash in Houston

  17-01-2018 04:15 via chron.com
  Houston police are investigating a fatal crash on the Gulf Freeway at Dixie Farm Road.
  
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• Houston's top 20 high schools

  17-01-2018 02:46 via chron.com
  Ask any teacher: strong fundamentals are the building block to a successful college student.
  
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• Fatal accident reported at Texas 105, Willis Waukegan

  17-01-2018 01:33 via chron.com
  The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating a fatal accident at the intersection of Texas 105 and Willis Waukegan Road that occurred at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.
  According to DPS Trooper Erik Burse, the accident was a head-on collision. One fatality has been reported.
  It was unclear whether the accident was due to wintry weather conditions. However, several accidents throughout the day were caused by the icy road conditions, which will continue through
  
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• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick up to $18M for re-election campaign

  17-01-2018 01:07 via chron.com
  Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he raised more than $2.5 million at the end of 2017 for his re-election campaign and now is siting on more than $18 million to defend his seat.
  
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• Flu outbreak hits two Texas prisons

  17-01-2018 00:53 via chron.com
  A flu outbreak is making its way through two Texas prisons where a few dozen sick inmates sparked extra precautions.
  
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• Firefighters aim to make state senator pay political price for union bill

  17-01-2018 00:44 via chron.com
  A Houston Republican is starting to pay a hefty price as she runs for re-election for running afoul with police and firefighter unions in Texas. For the last two regular sessions of the Legislature, State Sen. Joan Huffman has sponsored legislation to make it harder for many public worker unions to collect membership dues. Now those groups are responding by funneling big money to help Fort Bend County Republican Kristin Tassin challenge Huffman in a primary on March 6 in one of the mostly hotly
  
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• U.S. withholds $65 million from Palestinian aid programs

  17-01-2018 00:00 via chron.com
  WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Tuesday cut tens of millions of dollars in money for Palestinian refugees, demanding that the U.N. agency responsible for the programs undertake a "fundamental re-examination," the State Department said.
  In a letter, the State Department notified the U.N. Relief and Works Agency that the U.S. is withholding $65 million of a planned $125 million funding installment to the body. The letter also makes clear that additional U.S. donations will be contingent o
  
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