Local immigration activists protest at Polk Co. Detention Center

  LIVINGSTON, TX (KTRK) -- Local immigration activists are alleging human rights abuses at the Polk County Detention Center.

They gathered Saturday to board a bus and drive to the center in Livingston for a protest.

They claim the detainees suffer from inadequate medical care, poor nutrition and a lack of access to legal services.

Protestors called for the closure of the facility, which houses hundreds of immigration detainees waiting for their cases to be resolved.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Juvenile Justice Center jailer accused of offering girl candy for sex makes court appearance

Robert Emerson Robinson, 28, appeared before a judge Friday morning.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County Juvenile Justice Center jailer accused of trading candy for sexual favors with a teenage inmate at the facility made his first court appearance.

Robert Emerson Robinson, 28, appeared before a judge Friday morning. Police say he admitted to having sex with the 15-year-old girl. Officers also say they have surveillance video of him entering the girl's cell on May 23.

Robinson has been fired and charged with sexual assault with a child under 17.

The girl reportedly told police she allowed him to have sex with her because he provided her with candy and other treats.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Claims about future culture center raising eyebrows

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A new center stressing Texas heritage and culture is now in the works downtown. Organizers claim it's going to bring a couple thousand jobs and provide a significant economic impact. But some aren't so sure.

The new center is set to be built on Capitol near Minute Maid Park.

The principles of the project have already toured other visitor centers around the country and plan to build one in Houston that could set the bar.

Along with promoting tourism, it will also feature educational components. The economic impact is also ambitious.

Its renderings depict a state-of-the-art visitors center nestled on a downtown street between Minute Maid Park and the George R. Brown Convention Center. The Center for Texas Cultural Heritage will feature 45,000 square feet of exhibits. Two historic homes will be renovated and serve as food and exhibit locations.

It's all designed to pull in what are called heritage and cultural tourists. Some say they'll will spend an extra day in the Houston area when already in town for a convention.

"They are spending will either be $90 a day more, up to close to $300 a day more," said John Nau III with the Center for Texas Cultural Heritage.

In its first 12 months opening, companies overseeing the project say there is potential to create up to $31.4 million in additional tourism revenue and support an additional 2,400 service jobs.

"Hotels, restaurants, gift shops -- those are the jobs, that these heritage tourists will begin to develop," Nau said.

"The reason people do economic impact analysis is that they are trying to justify their project," University of Houston Professor of Economics Steven Craig said.

Craig says it's ambitious to claim a visitors center can generate substantial dollars and jobs.

"Clearly, the $31 million and 2,400 jobs, those are pretty aggressive numbers for the kind of project that this is," Craig said.

One thing it will serve up is stories of the Houston region to kids and adults.

"So that they can experience the events and the people and the places that created Houston and Texas in the region," Nau said.

Of the $40 million project, Nau has already donated $8 million and they hope to raise at least 50 percent of the funds before breaking ground in 2013.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, erik barajas

View the original article here

Houston Schools' Students Get Hands-On Experience at Space Center

Car crashes into day care center for disabled kids

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A car slammed into a day care center for disabled children in west Harris County. Luckily, none of the students were there at the time.

The crash happened Friday night at Smartie Pants Academy on Highway 6. Cleanup began Saturday, but the owner is wondering how they'll get repairs finished.

A.J. Swenney, 6, loves going to Smartie Pants Academy.

"Because you get to learn a lot," he said.

A.J. and 30 other kids -- many of them with disabilities -- go to the center learn and play almost every day. None of them were there when the crash happened, but they almost were.

"It sounded like an accident, but when I went up and looked, I seen the car inside the building," witness Robert Shawn Blackwell said.

The front entrance of the day care was smashed to pieces. Witnesses called 911, got the driver's insurance information and then called Sumiko Hamilton, the owner of Smartie Pants Academy.

"I was devastated. I jumped out of the chair, got in my truck and I pulled up, not knowing what to expect," Hamilton said. "When I got here, all the front windows were busted out. The building was left wide open."

The owner says Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators left the building damaged and open without contacting her before they left. HCSO officials were unable to confirm the claim.

Hamilton put up $500 dollars to board up the windows right away, and she plans to re-open on Monday despite the estimated $7,000 in damage that remains.

"It would be hard for me to close the business and allow my parents to miss out on work and my children to miss out on school because of an accident by a person that was irresponsible," she said.

Even as she worries about repairs and insurance claims, Hamilton tells us she feels lucky.

"Actually, yesterday night was supposed to be a parents night out where we stayed open until midnight," she said. "I canceled it at 5pm yesterday. Thank God I canceled that yesterday because my babies would have been in the building."

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Single-parent housing center of fight between church, neighboring community

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A housing fight is underway between a church in Meyerland and its neighbors. The church wants to help some single mothers, but some nearby residents don't think that's a good idea.

They say the plan could hurt the value of their homes and want the plan to build single-parent housing stopped. But there may not be much they can do about it.

A set of duplexes is being planned along west Bellfort near Balmforth. The program would allow carefully screened single parents to live in transitional housing for nine to 12 months before getting out on their own.

Nearby residents say it's a great a idea, but just not in their neighborhood.

The grassy, unassuming lot in Meyerland, sandwiched in between two churches, has neighbors at odds with the 56-year-old St. John's Presbyterian Church.

"There are a lot of single mothers who fit the criteria," Pastor Jon Burnham said.

"It's a good idea and I agree with that, it's a perfect idea, but we are concerned about our property," homeowner Pedro Navarro said.

St. John's is partnering with the Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services. They plan to construct four duplexes that will become transitional housing for the Houston Single Parent Family Program. It aims to help single parents get back on their feet, into full-time jobs and a home of their own.

A master's level social worker would be on-site full time overseeing the pre-screened mothers.

"There are a lot of single mothers who fit the criteria and who want to improve their lives, the lives of their children, but they just need a little help," Burnham said.

Though they understand the good intentions, homeowners directly behind the project are concerned about its long-term effects.

"See, everything when it's new looks good. But through the years, you never know what kind of people they are going to bring, so property might depreciate," Navarro said.

St. John's Presbyterian Church says they have already lined up a builder and just want to help single parents in need get to a new level in life.

"On out into their own apartment and with a job and with better parenting skills and a more stable family life and hope for a future," Burnham said.

The church says it already owns the lot and plans to move forward with a groundbreaking in mid 2013.

You can read more on this story in the Bellaire Examiner, one of our Houston Community Newspaper partners online.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, erik barajas

View the original article here

Shuttle replica arrives at Space Center Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The space shuttle replica 'Explorer' finally arrived at its new home Sunday after a week-long trek from the Kennedy Space Center and a slow ride from Clear Lake to Space Center Houston.

NASA's mock shuttle arrived in one piece, but the road was paved with obstacles.

The shuttle took nearly six hours to get to its destination -- twice as long as expected.

SkyEye13 HD was overhead as the shuttle left the NASA dock at 6:30am Sunday, which was already a little behind schedule.

People started lining up at 3am to watch.

"It looks awesome. A perfect replica," Nomar Lebron said. "It looks exactly the same [as a real shuttle]."

Workers struggled to maneuver the 122-foot, 130,000-pound wooden replica. Space Center Houston Operations Manager Anson Brantley says workers knew it would be difficult to get something so large down the street. That's why they brought along construction workers and tree trimmers.

"Everything's been measured by the centimeter, basically, as we planned for this event," Brantley said.

But he says no one expected it would take so long to get rid of the obstructions along the way. Removing a traffic light pole took nearly an hour, and then they had to push back dozens of palm trees one by one.

"Just making sure we don't hurt the wings or hurt the shuttle," Brantley said.

Once the shuttle stopped moving and all eyes were on it, the people we spoke to had mixed emotions.

There was a bit of sadness. On everyone's minds was the fact that it's a replica and not a real shuttle that went into space.

"It just kind of reminds you of the good times and the bad times. We've had some triumphs and some sadness here," said Ange Martens, daughter of a NASA contractor. "We didn't get the real one and people are upset about that, but I said I want to see it anyway."

But there was also a sense of pride.

"It's something we are proud of," said Sally Landis, a NASA contractor. "We work on this at NASA. It's pride more than anything else."

"It's something we need down here," NASA contractor Justin Medellin said. "I'm really glad we got something to show for it after all those years of supporting it."

The shuttle's arrival was followed by a "Shuttlebration" at Space Center Houston. The free, family-oriented public celebration offered viewing opportunities of the replica, NASA space exploration exhibits and other fun activities for the entire family.

And the journey isn't over yet. NASA workers still have some work to do.

Once 'Explorer' is fully installed and prepared for visitors, the public will be able to go inside the full-size replica as part of a behind-the-scenes look at life inside a space shuttle. It's an experience that will only be available at Space Center Houston.

The exhibit is currently under construction and is anticipated to open this fall.

The long-term vision calls for a world-class education center to be built that provides historical context and a hands-on educational experience.

The board of Space Center Houston has launched a $3 million capital campaign to fund the transportation costs and underwrite the necessary facilities improvements for the new exhibits, including a dedicated plaza and ramp.

Although the exhibit is not open yet, you can visit Space Center Houston to see the shuttle from the outside if you missed it during its journey. Discount admission is available online.

We received video and photos from many of you who were there to witness the historic trip. Check out the photo gallery and iWitness.abc13.com to view those images.

If you saw 'Explorer,' email your photos and videos to news@abc13.com and we'll post them online!

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

nasa, johnson space center, local

View the original article here

Police department statues center of lawsuit

SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- It's a tribute to police officers - a statue outside Sugar Land's police department. But, the sculptor is claiming that a company copied his idea - and now he's suing.

He claims a second likeness of his statue is standing in Pearland and he says the way he found out about it was surprising.

If you've been by the Sugar Land and Pearland police departments, you might have seen the statues out in front of both buildings. Well now the artist who made the Sugar Land statue is suing the man who made the Pearland statue saying it was copied without permission.

When Sugar Land artist bob Pack made this statue, called "The Guardian" back in the 1990s, he was paid $124,000 for his work.

"I wanted to emphasis the fact it's a great place for family and it's a great place to raise children," he said.

Pack says "The Guardian" is copyrighted, a one-of-a-kind made only for the people of Sugar Land -- one of a kind, that is, until 2010.

"It's ridiculous," he said.

Then one day, Pack's son, who was the model for the little boy in The Guardian, was in Pearland and saw this:

"They took the book out and they put it on his back in the way of a backpack. Other than that, it's substantially similar," Pack said.

Another similar statue is now in front of the Pearland Police Department, commissioned by the city of Pearland and made by a man named Matt Glenn in Utah.

Wednesday, Pack's attorney filed a federal lawsuit against Glenn, alleging copyright infringement.

And the proof that this is not an accidental copy, says Pack, is in these emails between a Pearland city worker and Glenn. In one, Glenn asks if he should draw a new statue or " if you are happy with the officer in the other statue." And in another email dated February 3, 2010, Glenn asks "Should we make some changes so it is not a copy of the other statues?"

"They came over and took photographs of the piece, copious photographs and used that to send to the foundry in Utah," Pack said.

A Pearland police spokesman told me over the phone that no one from the city would talk on camera.

Glenn received $29,000 for the Pearland statue, according to the emails. But Pack says Pearland should pay him.

"Did they ever contact you?" we asked Pack.

"No, no. Had they contacted me I would have told them no. This is for Sugar Land," he said.

Late Friday, Glenn sent Eyewitness News a statement that only said, "I deny all of the allegations being made against me in the pending litigation."

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, adela uchida

View the original article here

'Shuttlebration' planned for arrival of shuttle replica at Space Center Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Space Center Houston is getting ready for the arrival of a full-size replica of a space shuttle this weekend.

The barge carrying the shuttle replica is about 150 miles or so off of Galveston. It's expected to arrive to Clear Lake on Friday, and the museum and its neighbors are getting ready for what they are calling a "Shuttlebration."

In a bare field next to Space Center Houston, workers are putting the last touches on a series of concrete pillars. This is where the full-size replica of the space shuttle will rest, once it gets here.

Richard Allen with Space Center Houston said, "It's about 130 feet long. From the ground to the tip of the tail is about 57 feet and the wingspan is 78 feet."

The replica is coming by water, on a barge from Florida. The new addition is something visitors both very young and those old enough to have followed the space program are looking forward to.

Alex Thomas, age 4, said, "The rocket shuttle is some kind of place like they start the rocket and blast off."

"We're in our 60s now, it started in our youth, our early adulthood," said visitor Lesley Petherick.

But getting the replica to the museum is tricky. That effectively locks in the people who live in the neighborhood behind the Hilton, but they don't seem to mind.

"We realize somebody has to put up with the traffic and the noise, but we're more than glad to do that," said neighbor Frank Muffeneny.

In fact, plenty of parties are planned in this quiet neighborhood and the only criticism here isn't about the weekend traffic.

"I really think we should have gotten one of the other vehicles," Muffeneny said.

Shuttlebration schedule of events:

Friday, June 1:

* 2:00 PM - Event Area Open to Public
Transportation to and from Johnson Space Center will begin. Street party area will include NASA space exploration exhibits, music and entertainment from 2pm - 9pm.
* 3-5:00 PM Shuttle Replica Arrives at NASA Dock with Fire Boat Water Arch
* 4:30 PM Welcome Ceremony & T-38 Flyover
* 6:30 - 8:30 Music by Max Q, the all Astronaut Band
9:00 PM Fireworks Display on Clear Lake
10:00 PM Final Tram Returns to Parking Area
* Schedule subject to change

Saturday, June 2:
The space shuttle replica will be loaded onto a mobile transfer vehicle for transport to SCH. The lakeside load-out will take a full day to complete. There are no public events planned for this day.

Sunday, June 3:
5:00 - 8:00 AM - Replica transported along NASA Parkway from JSC dock to Space Center Houston. NASA Parkway and NASA 1 Bypass will be closed from 5 AM - 9 AM
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Following the arrival, there will be a free, family-oriented public celebration in the Space Center Houston parking lot, offering viewing opportunities of the replica, NASA space exploration exhibits, fun activities for the entire family and much more. Discount admission to Space Center Houston is available online.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

nasa, johnson space center, shuttle, local, adela uchida

View the original article here

FBI holds job fair at HCC Conference Center

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The FBI is on a nationwide hunt for people who speak foreign languages, anything from Spanish to Somali to Pashto.

In America's most diverse city, a job fair asking for people who speak foreign languages brings out more job applicants than anywhere else in the country.

"Houston is a very populated city, a very diverse city," said John Tolarski with the FBI.

The FBI Friday held a job fair at Houston Community College, a search for people fluent in other languages to help crack crime. In the first hour and a half, more than 200 people had come through the doors. About 500 total showed up to a similar job fair in New York City recently.

"After I read the requirements in the Internet, it sounded emotional, interesting," said Patty Herrera, who speaks Spanish.

The requirements: fluency in another language, U.S. citizenship, and a clean background check.

"We're responsible for protecting the United States whether from terrorist organizations, large-scale criminal enterprises, the Mexican cartels," said Tolarski.

Many people heard about the job fair through foreign language media.

"The information I got was from this Chinese newspaper, talk about FBI recruiting," said David Shieh, who speaks Chinese.

For some, like Shieh, it's an opportunity to serve the country where he's lived for decades, using the three Chinese dialects he speaks.

And for others, like Azar Usman, it's also part of a job hunt. The Urdu-speaking engineer lost his job five months ago.

"I was looking for a job and it looked like a good opportunity for me," Usman said.

They won't find out for months if they got the job, but if they do it's a chance to help the FBI adapt to change and keep America safe.

"I have to serve the country. That's how I feel," said Usman.

The FBI is looking for US citizens who speak another language fluently, who have lived in the US for the past few years and who can pass a strict background check. Friday's job fair ended at 5pm. There is another job fair in Dallas on June 16, and you can apply online, at www.fbijobs.gov.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Get more Local »

local, adela uchida
// perform JavaScript after the document is scriptable.OTV.common.modules.promoCarousel.promoCarouselInit("/ktrk/xml?id=5758258&ptnr=promoCarousel");

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

View the original article here

New anti-gang operations center created

  By Crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- There are some 15,000 gang members in the Houston area, but law enforcement is hoping a new approach and a new center will help them better fight violent criminal gangs.

Dozens of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies make up this team, now working together to take down criminals specifically involved in gang-related activity. It's a problem law enforcement says is widespread.

"It's really all over, they have no boundaries," explained Houston Police Department Assistant Chief John Trevino. "That's why this is so important."

Gang-related activity is no new problem on the streets of Harris County, but it is one that law enforcement says they will continue to fight aggressively -- even more so now with the formation of the Texas Anti-Gang Operations Center.

FBI Special Agent Carlos Barron said, "Our goal with the FBI is to bring every resource the FBI has to bear and help this community effort, because really at the end of the day this is a law enforcement community effort that will help the community."

Headquartered in an undisclosed location, the team making up this task force, otherwise known as TAG, consists of 100 of the region's top investigators. All of them for the first time are centralized in one location.

"They'll be under one roof," said Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos. "I will station two prosecutors there, for the warrants, legal guidance and so forth, and with the intel they will then develop their intel and tactics."

With two major ports, airports, interstates, railroads and trucking, Harris County is a hub for gangs and there's no safe place.

"What we're finding is no place in the city is immune to any type of gang activity," Trevino said.

With at least 200 known gangs, and thousands of identified gang members, all you have to do is look around. You'll see the tagging of graffiti. One man we spoke to fears for his family's safety.

Resident Demontrion Young said, "The stuff is serious, it is really serious. There are kids out there. I have kids and I don't let them go outside."

Young, who has worked security at apartment complexes in the southwest part of the city, says the violence gets worse at night.

"They're going to come out at night," he said. "You hear the gunshots at night all the time."

This operations center was made possible through a $1.7 million grant from Governor Rick Perry's office.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Get more Local »

local
// perform JavaScript after the document is scriptable.OTV.common.modules.promoCarousel.promoCarouselInit("/ktrk/xml?id=5758258&ptnr=promoCarousel");

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

View the original article here

'Sobering center' approved by Houston City Council

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston City Council today approved a plan to create a center where people can sober up.

The Houston Sobering Center will be an alternative for those arrested for public intoxication. Instead of jail, they'll be taken to the sobering center, which will be near downtown in what's now a warehouse on Ruiz Street.

Star of Hope will run the center, and the city would pay the $4 million price tag out of a police construction fund.

"There will be services for those who need them, whether in the short term or the long term, and hopefully we'll see real change for them," said Houston Mayor Annise Parker in a press release issued today.

The city says the center would ease jail overcrowding and save millions in prosecution costs.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

HPD radios center of some officers' concerns

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Communication is critical for Houston police officers while they are on the job. But some say they're having a tough time staying in contact because of aging police radios. In some cases, they've had to resort to their own cell phones to stay in touch.

Members of the command staff at HPD headquarters say they are on top of it. This is all happening in the Clear Lake area of southeast Houston. Officers working the streets there say it's become a matter of safety.

In law enforcement, communication is critical and patrol officers will be the first to tell you having equipment that works is essential.

But Eyewitness News got to listen to police radio transmission from officers working the beat in the Clear Lake area of southeast Houston, and it was barely audible. A source who works patrol in that police district texted us that problems with the department's aging handheld radios are so bad, officers are using their personal cell phones.

"It's bad! There's no new radios and no parts for the old Motorolas we have. The city can't even buy parts if they wanted to! There's dead areas all over the city where handheld radios don't work," the text sent to Eyewitness News read.

"I pray to God that we don't have an officer hurt because of radios," said Ray Hunt with the Houston Police Officers' Union.

But a fix is right around the corner. New radios will slowly be phased in. The city is in Year 3 of a five-year plan to replace the outdated fire and police radio system with a state-of-the-art brand new one at a cost of more than $100 million.

"If we did not have this new system coming online soon, it would be a very, very serious situation," Houston City Council Member Mike Sullivan said.

Sullivan, whose district includes the Clear Lake area, says the first radios will be ready for use next year, starting with the fire department. While HPD admitted there are dead zones, a department spokesperson told us "the level of communication is not compromising officer safety. There are multiple avenues for officers to communicate."

"We need these radios as quickly as possible, and the lack of communication is a safety hazard for police officers on the streets, no doubt about it," Hunt said.

The current radio system is more than 30 years old. Hunt says he's heard similar concerns from officers before who work in other districts.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

clear lake, houston police department, houston fire department, local, andy cerota

View the original article here

Rockets host 10th annual Rockets Run at Toyota Center

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Rockets may be a basketball team, but they were focused on a different sport Saturday.

The team put down the ball and put on their running shoes Saturday morning at the 10th annual Rockets Run at Toyota Center.

Houstonians of all ages got in shape with the Rockets themselves as the team hosted a 5K run, 2-mile walk and kids' 1K.

Rockets legend Clyde Drexler greeted runners before the race.

All runners finished on the Rockets home court inside Toyota Center.

The event benefits the Autism Speaks organization, which is dedicated to raising awareness and funding autism research.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Houston Boat Show returns to Reliant Center

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Fans of the great outdoors are headed to Reliant Center to see the latest-model boats.

The 56th Annual Houston International Boat, Sport and Travel Show is back with all kinds of watercraft, from luxury cruisers to fishing boats.

Visitors can also browse through travel trailers and camping equipment and watch demonstrations on expert fishing.

The boat show will be at Reliant through next Sunday.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Electrical problem may be to blame for shopping center fire

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A shopping center was damaged by an overnight fire in Houston's northwest side.

It happened at a shopping center off Mangum and Dacoma. Fire crews found fire and smoke coming from the back of two stores in the shopping center; one was a restaurant, the other a boutique shop.

Crews quickly put out the flames. They say it appears to be an electrical problem that started the fire.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Two accused of illegally charging people to park at Med Center parking garage

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two men are accused of charging healthcare professionals to park at a Medical Center parking garage for nearly two years despite not having the authorization to do so.

Jose Guadalupe Luna, 30, and Ramon Valdes are charged with aggregate theft. According to court documents, the two men illegally collected money on a monthly basis from UT Health employees to park in the Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing parking garage next door to the UT Health parking garage at 6436 Fannin.

Police say Luna admitted to using his position in the UT Health parking office to activate parking cards to the Prairie View garage, but not enter them into the billing system. They say Luna would then give the cards to Valdes to give them to the employees that would pay $100 a month to park in the other garage -- about $50 cheaper a month than the UT Health garage. Valdes would collect the monthly fee from employees, police say.

Both men told police that they started the scheme after coming upon rough financial times and that they stopped the scheme when some people became suspicious.

Luna told police that he profited about $2,000 per month and would split the profits with Valdes.

UT Health alleges it lost nearly $30,000 in revenue.

Bond has been set at $58,839.96 for each defendant.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

texas medical center, local

View the original article here

The Houston Zoo and Houston Space Center - Two Houston Attractions the Kids Will Love

Neighborhood fights to keep its community center open

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- With city of Houston budget deadlines fast approaching, one neighborhood continues its fight to keep its community center open.

Cherryhurst Community Center is one of seven on the chopping block because of budget constraints. In a special meeting on Tuesday night, dozen residents discussed ways to pressure City Hall. The neighborhood is also being proactive, exploring ways to privately fund the center through partnerships and non-profit status. They believe the after school programs here are very important for both the children and park safety. "This is an inner city area we have drug dealers in the park, we have people having sex in the park, we have people sleeping in the park," said Carol Rensink with Cherryhurst Civic Association. Closing the seven community centers will save the city almost a million dollars a year. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Community center for townhome complex destroyed by fire

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A community center is cinders after an early morning fire in southwest Houston.

Flames ripped through a community center for a townhome complex on Beechnut near Leawood. Firefighters extinguished the flames within 15 minutes by poking holes in the roof.

No one was hurt, but that community center is now full of smoke damage.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here