Devon Energy relocating, taking jobs with it

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A major company is moving away from Houston and taking 500 jobs with it.

Devon Energy tells us that in order to increase efficiency and enhance collaboration, it is moving all of it employees into its brand new building in Oklahoma City.

Right now, its Houston offices have high-skilled workers like engineers, geoscientists and oil and gas technicians. The employees will be offered positions in Oklahoma City or a severance package.

Devon plans to completely move out of Houston by the end of March.

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

local

View the original article here

Dance studios taking Houston by storm

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's a new boom in the ballroom dancing business, thanks in part to ABC's hit show "Dancing with the Stars," so we hit the studios to find out why dancing is hip with Houstonians of all ages.

Whether you're in your 70's or your 20's, dancing has never been more popular in Houston.

"It's just fun," ballroom dance student Ann Sanders said.

"It's sort of I think maybe a little bit trendy these days for younger people to get involved in that," ballroom dance student Courtney Mayo said.

And the proof is in the numbers.

"Seven, eight years ago there was just one and now there's 11 across Texas," Fred Astaire Studio director Philip Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez says the huge surge in the ballroom dance business is due to shows, like "Dancing with the Stars." On TV, viewers may be connecting with the stars. But in real life, couples are connecting with each other.

One thing instructors say is also interesting is that more couples who may be having problems in their marriages are starting to learn how to dance, because it sometimes improves those relationships.

"Rekindling a spark in your marriage, doing different things to learn something together. So that helps as far as awareness," Gutierrez said.

And then there's what dancing does to your body.

Nightclub Cardio has taken Houston by storm. It's a party that fuses exercise with dance moves.

"It's fun, easy moves to follow, repetitive moves so that everybody of all ages, all fitness levels can do it," Nightclub Cardio instructor Kendra Southern said.

Southern has been teaching Nightclub Cardio for three years now.

"Because of the whole dance reality phenomenon that's been going on, I've seen my members numbers increase," she said.

Southern says dancers can burn up to 800 calories in one hour.

"I love it. Getting my heart rate up," Nightclub Cardio participant Stephanie Ulbricht said.

"I like the choreography, I like the music," Nightclub Cardio participant Lynette Drake said.

So whether you're older, wanting to improve or a novice, willing to give it a try the dance boom may be here to stay.

"Posture, confidence and balance," Sanders said. If you're looking to get into the swing of things, several places in Houston are offering dance lessons.

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

entertainment, sharron melton

View the original article here

Is your county watchdog taking action?

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There are new allegations of whitewashing, outright cover up. Is the county attorney protecting you or someone else?

The county attorney claims he's your lawyer, but we have been exposing his secrets. Is he really your watchdog?

Jack Abercia was nabbed by the FBI for alleged bribes. He says he didn't do it, but the county attorney's office already knew the veteran lawmen had been pocketing money, about $1,500 a month in cash.

When landlords wanted a tenant served with a notice to get out, Abercia would order a deputy to make it happen. The constable got half the cash. All of this while deputies were being laid off.

Oh, you didn't get a penny of it.

In a January email, the county attorney's office reports a Precinct 1 clerk now admits "more than 50 percent" of her county workday was spent this way. So you were paying her to make cash money for the constable.

It's not like they didn't know there was a problem. Eight months ago, we told them.

Constable Victor Trevino used county employees in patrol cars to serve his vacate notices and he didn't even give them a cut.

Records show $7,000 in cash was collected just last year.

"In vacate money?" Trevino asked us.

"Yes sir. That's twenty bucks a head; you get there pretty quick," we replied.

"I have not seen that," he said.

Trevino claimed some of the cash was donated to the charity he founded.

"Do you have records of donating it to the charity?" we asked Trevino.

"There may be some. There may be some records. I know that we ... there's none?" he said.

This county attorney's office email in February about vacate notices may make you wonder what else the office knows that they are not telling you: "The revelations could be the source of high embarrassment and black eyes for the justice system."

"Is the county attorney the public's lawyer or the constable's lawyer?" we asked Vince Ryan.

"The people of Harris County's attorney," he replied.

It's been nearly 10 months since Ryan's office knew that some constables may be misusing employees' and county equipment. They saw the records before we did.

So why hasn't the office finished their review or let you see what they've found so far?

"I'm sorry, the investigation into Kennedy assassination took place at quicker pace that this is. What's going on?" Texas Watchdog Editor Trent Siebert said.

Sounds hard to believe, but we checked. He's right.

So we wanted to talk to Vince Ryan about the constables.

"We would like you to sit down and talk with us Mr. Ryan," we told Ryan.

"Well, I will consult my staff," he said.

Emails help explain why it's taking so long. Assistant County Attorney Doug Ray is the guy in charge of the constable review. This was his status report as of December, five months after the allegations came to light: He'd only talked to two people at Precinct 6, the constable and his chief deputy.

"Anyone that's watched Colombo knows. I'm sorry, the first person that you interview in your investigation is the guy at the top, the guy accused of wrongdoing? That never happens. That's the wrong way to conduct an investigation," Siebert said.

Ray hadn't even bothered to interview one of the early whistleblowers, former Pct. 6 Media Officer Anna Nunez.

"It makes me sick in the stomach," Nunez said.

And emails suggest Ray doesn't care if you ever see what they did and didn't do: "This is not a reality show," he wrote, "and we are not performing for 13 Undercover. I insist that further review in this case be done confidentially and that no information be released."

It was last year the county attorney's office promised action.

"Where's the, 'Hey you can't do this?'" we asked Terry O'Rourke on September 11, 2011.

"Coming soon on Channel 13 Eyewitness News will be an answer to that question," he replied.

But now the watchdog wants to keep you from seeing what they've found so far. This is an affidavit from Chief of Staff Robert Soard: "It was never intended that any of these documents would be released to the public"

And they say they are your lawyer?

"Everyone is frustrated. There's a lot of fear out there because they feel that Constable Trevino is being protected by other county employees, especially county attorney's office," Nunez said.

"The bottom line is you have an obligation to the citizens of Harris County to do your job properly," KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy said.

Our investigation of the constables is clearly making us new friends. Check out this email to Terry O'Rourke from former Constable Bill Bailey: "Tell Wayne and Channel 13 to k--- your ---!!!! This guy has really become a cockroach the last couple of years."

On 13 Undercover interactive, you can see the smiling faces, the constables, the county attorney and you could also click and see some of the emails the way they talked to us.

But taxpayers, rest easy because the county attorney says they will let you see the results of their long review on the constables when they decide it's done.

The DA's office, they're investigating, too, but don't expect any action until after the primaries.

And Thursday, why did they change time sheets after we asked to see them.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more 13 Undercover »

13 undercover, wayne dolcefino

View the original article here

Youths caught on camera taking donated toys from Pearland church

  PEARLAND, TX (KTRK) -- The Pearland Police Department seeks the public's help in identifying a group of thieves who are targeting Christmas toy donations.

St. Helen Catholic Church in the 2200 block of Old Alvin had been collecting new, unwrapped toys to give away at Christmas. Parishioners had been leaving the toys at the designated collection site inside the narthex of the church and had collected two large bags of toys with a total estimated value of $600.

Police say on Sunday, just before 11am, three suspects, all of whom appeared to be juveniles, were captured on video picking up the bags of toys and walking out of the church. The suspects had also been seen panhandling outside the church. After taking the toys, the suspects got into a gold Chrysler minivan and left the scene.

Pearland police say a similar theft had reportedly occurred at Mary Queen Catholic Church in Friendswood.

The first subject is described as a juvenile white female wearing black pants and a black shirt. According to police, she appeared to be approximately 5'4" to 5'6" and was walking and talking with a white male juvenile who was wearing blue jeans and a white polo shirt with tan and blue horizontal stripes.

A second juvenile female, who appeared to be approximately 8 to 10 years old and wearing white pants and a pink shirt, was observed to remove a second bag filled with toys. The Chrysler minivan had tinted windows, aluminum wheels and no front license plate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pearland Police Department at 281-997-4100.

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

pearland, local

View the original article here

Houston SPCA taking in animals from Mississippi R. flooding

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's not just humans being evacuated because of the Mississippi River flooding. The Houston SPCA is helping animal evacuees.

Thirteen dogs and 11 cats that were evacuated from shelters along the Mississippi River are on their way to the Houston SPCA right now. The animals will immediately be put up for adoption.

If you're interested in giving an animal a home, you can find out more on the Houston SPCA website.

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

local

View the original article here

Babysitter charged after taking child on high-speed police chase

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman who led Houston police on a chase through southwest Houston Sunday afternoon with a baby in the car has been charged.

It started when police conducted a traffic stop. The woman gave a fake name, then took off with the toddler in the back seat, officials said. Officers chased the woman from downtown through the University of Houston campus, down to the south side around the 610 South Loops, then to the Southwest Freeway at Beechnut where she voluntarily stopped in a convenience store parking lot. The 18-month-old girl was checked by emergency medical personnel and appeared to be fine. Police said she was in a car seat the entire time. Jeanique Monet Johnson-Honore, 22, is charged with endangering a child and felony evading in the 338th State District Court. Houston police said she was the child's babysitter. According to officials, Johnson-Honore fled because she had outstanding warrants. Child Protective Services custody took care of the toddler until her mother picked her up Sunday night. Johnson-Honore is due in court on Tuesday. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Get more Local »

local

View the original article here