Toll road planned along Highway 249 in NW Houston as part of expansion project

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you live on the northwest side, plans are in motion that could ultimately make your life a lot easier. County officials are one step closer to possibly creating a new toll way along Highway 249 from Spring Cypress all the way to FM 1488.

Along Highway 249, the signs are up, even if the project to turn this stretch of Tomball Parkway into a toll road has not yet begun.

"It's whatever the government tells us to do," said local flower shop worker Cyndi Sharp. "Do we really have a choice?"

Sharp may not be sold on the toll road idea. But Commissioner Jack Cagle is a big supporter of the 249 toll road. To get it done, Harris County commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding to lend Montgomery County up to $20 million to help study the toll project.

"Without Montgomery County, we won't be able to service our constituents who live in Harris County," Cagle said.

The toll road will eventually go through Harris and Montgomery counties, so if and when expansion occurs, both counties can continue at the same pace.

"Six or eight years ago, people didn't want to hear the word toll road," said Bruce Hillegeist with the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce.

Hillegeist says his organization knows the reality is they won't get any expanded Highway 249 if there is no toll. So the first phase of the project is set to start this fall, with two more phases planned for years ahead.

"The Texas Department of Transportation really laid it on the line for us -- no toll, no road," Hillegeist said.

A commissioner with Montgomery County tells Eyewitness News he also supports the toll road project.
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'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.

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Protest planned in response to ex-cop's not guilty verdict

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A protest is planned today in response to the not guilty verdict handed down by a jury yesterday.

Andrew Blomberg had been accused of official oppression for his role in the beating of Chad Holley. The beating took place in March of 2010 after the then 15-year-old Holley broke into a home and ran from police.

Surveillance video shows what happened when police caught up with him.

Several officers were reprimanded for the incident. Four officers were fired and charged in the case. Blomberg was the first to go to trial. Blomberg was only near Holley for four seconds and said he was trying to use his foot to keep Holley from reaching for a weapon.

Mayor Annise Parker said she disagreed with the verdict and none of the fired officers will ever return to the Houston police force.

Blomberg attended a 100 Club dinner after the decision yesterday. He denied any racial bias in his actions.

"This had nothing to do with race. It was a fleeing burglary suspect -- that's all he was," he said.

Blomberg is also a defendant in a civil suit brought by Holley.

Chaos erupted outside the courtroom yesterday after the verdict was read. Ministers and community activists were outraged by the verdict handed down by an all white jury.

"That is an abomination of justice. They just sent a message to all of us that our lives don't mean a [expletive] thing," said Quannel X.

The judge ordered the jury list sealed after jurors said they worried about their own safety. They were escorted from the courthouse in secret.

The protest is expected to be held outside the Harris County Criminal Courthouse at 4pm.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest on this story.

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Major closure planned for North Loop this weekend

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If your plans this upcoming weekend take you along the North Loop, you might want to find a different route. A major closure is planned.

On Friday night at 9pm, all westbound lanes of the North Loop will shut down at Ella, including the entrance ramp from Shepherd/Durham. It's not scheduled to re-open until 5am Monday.

Drivers will be detoured to the frontage road at the Ella exit.

Three inside main lanes on the North Loop eastbound will also be closed from T.C. Jester to Ella from Saturday at 9pm until Sunday at noon.

Law enforcement will be present to help you get around the closures.

The closures are necessary as construction crews make repairs on the bridge deck, as well as work on part of an improvement project for the 610/290 interchange.

Check real-time traffic information in our ABC13.com traffic section

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Planned Surfside beach party sparks concerns

SURFSIDE, TX (KTRK) -- The promise of a party on the beach has neighbors in Surfside scared for their safety.

It was not that long ago that this sleepy beach side village turned chaotic. There were a lot of cars leading into town, as far as the eye could see. Some residents tell horror stories from Easter weekend and now they're fearing a repeat.

Pirates Alley Cafe banks on weekend business, so losing an entire Saturday just doesn't cut it, especially since they already lost one last month.

"It was bad. It was crazy," restaurant manager Stephen Marsden said.

It was Easter weekend. Thousands flooded the island for a massive party promoted on social media, and the cafe was forced to close.

"People were in fear of their lives, honestly because they couldn't walk out of the house or say anything because of fear of something bad happening," Marsden said.

Law enforcement was overwhelmed, businesses under siege and when it was all over, 26-year-old Derrick Milam and two others had been shot, Milam fatally.

"Everybody was scared. They were totally scared," Longtime Surfside resident Donn Ebarb said.

Ebarb had never seen anything like it.

"Solid lights coming into our town," Ebarb said.

And hopes to never see it again, though now he's worried about the ads online promoting yet another big party. This one will be a biker beach bash. Surfside police are gearing up and locals are hoping they learned some lessons.

"We don't want another episode of what happened on that one Saturday," Ebarb said.

The Surfside police chief say they've canceled the reservation for the beach house that the promoter had rented for this weekend and they plan to barricade the street that it's on. He also says the city won't issue permits for entertainment and he plans to triple his police force this weekend and is meeting the with the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office on Thursday to strategize.

He says the party won't happen, although online, it looks like almost 300 people have made RSVPs so far and those ads are still acti

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Special festivities planned for Texans playoff game

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Texans play in the postseason for the first time in franchise history this Saturday, and there are special festivities in store for the fans who can be at Reliant for the game against Cincinnati.

Houston coaching legend Bum Phillips will lead the team out of the tunnel for introductions, serving as honorary team captain. Actor Dennis Quaid, a Houston native, will join the team captains for the coin toss.

Another Houston native, Grammy-award winning singer Yolanda Adams, will sing the National Anthem. And Texan Clay Walker will perform both at pregame and halftime. Before the game, the country superstar will break out a special playoff-inspired rendition of "Football Time in Houston."

There will be exclusive giveaways at every gate for all fans who make it out to the game and if your tickets are in sections 121-132, the team urges you to be in your seats by 3pm to take part in a card stunt that will spell out "Go Texans" across the East side lower level when the Texans take the field for introductions.

Some other notes about Saturday's game. Just like during the regular season, gates for all non-premium parking lots will open four hours before kickoff. With the game starting at 3:30pm, that means you'll be able to get in at 11:30am. All main stadium gates will open at 2pm. Because of security procedures at the gates, allow for an extra 15 minutes get into the stadium.

And GO TEXANS!

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