Houston lifts boil-water order affecting more than 2 million
HOUSTON — (AP) — Houston officials lifted an order Tuesday that had called for more than 2 million people in the nation's fourth-largest city to boil their tap water before drinking or using it. The boil order had been in effect since Sunday, when a power outage at a purification plant caused pressure to drop. The order led to the closure of businesses and schools, including the Houston Independent School District, which canceled classes Monday and Tuesday. The city said water quality samples sent to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed the tap water meets regulatory standards and is safe to drink. The power system at the water plant undergoes regular maintenance, Turner said, but he did not give a timeline for how often.
wftv.comWater boil order issued for more than 2 million in Houston
The notice tells customers to boil water before it's used for cooking, bathing or drinking. The problem affected the plant's ability to treat water and pump water into the transmission system, resulting in low water pressure. Untreated groundwater can enter a water system through cracked pipes when water pressure drops. Customers are told to boil water to kill bacteria that could be harmful. The city will also review of how residents were informed of the notice to boil water, Turner said.
wftv.comWater boil order issued for more than 2 million in Houston
HOUSTON — (AP) — More than 2 million people in the Houston area were under a boil order notice Monday after a power outage caused low pressure at a water purification plant, officials said. The order — which means water must be boiled before it's used for cooking, bathing or drinking — also prompted schools in the Houston area to close Monday. It was issued Sunday after a power outage at a water purification plant, the city's public works department said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said on Twitter that the city believes the water is safe but a boil order was required because of the drop in water pressure. He said water sampling would begin Monday morning, and the boil order could be lifted 24 hours after the city is notified the water is safe.
wftv.comFans celebrate Houston Astros' World Series win with parade
HOUSTON — (AP) — Thousands of fans celebrated the Houston Astros' World Series win with a downtown parade on Monday. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner had encouraged fans coming to the victory parade to “arrive early, wear Astros' colors, be loud and celebrate safely.” The parade started at noon. Yordan Alvarez hit a towering three-run homer and the Astros clinched their second World Series title in six seasons on Saturday, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6. The city said in a news release that the downtown parade after the Astros' 2017 win brought in about 1 million people, and organizers expected about that many people to attend Monday's parade. Saturday's win gave the Astros' 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker his first title in 25 seasons as a manager, the last three in Houston.
wftv.comFans celebrating Houston Astros' win with parade
HOUSTON — (AP) — Fans were celebrating the Houston Astros' World Series win with a downtown parade on Monday. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he encouraged fans coming to the victory parade to “arrive early, wear Astros' colors, be loud and celebrate safely.” The parade started at noon. Yordan Alvarez hit a towering three-run homer and the Astros clinched their second World Series title in six seasons on Saturday, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6. The city said in a news release that the downtown parade after the Astros' 2017 win brought in about 1 million people, and organizers expected about that many people to attend Monday's parade. Saturday's win gave the Astros' 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker his first title in 25 seasons as a manager, the last three in Houston.
wftv.comFans line up in Houston for parade celebrating Astros' win
HOUSTON — (AP) — Fans were lining up in downtown Houston on Monday for a parade to celebrate the Astros' World Series win over the weekend. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he encouraged fans coming to the victory parade to “arrive early, wear Astros' colors, be loud and celebrate safely.” The parade starts at noon. Yordan Alvarez hit a towering three-run homer and the Astros clinched their second World Series title in six seasons on Saturday, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 6. The city said in a news release that the downtown parade after the Astros' 2017 win brought in about 1 million people, and organizers expect about that many people at Monday's parade. Saturday's win gave the Astros' 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker his first title in 25 seasons as a manager, the last three in Houston.
wftv.comHouston police seek witnesses to rapper Takeoff's killing
HOUSTON — (AP) — Police said they have few leads in the fatal shooting of rapper Takeoff outside a private party at a downtown Houston bowling alley. Several fans gathered across the street from the bowling alley. Isaiah Lopez, 24, said he rushed from his home in the Houston suburb of Humble after hearing Takeoff had been killed. Takeoff's killing came as Houston was in a spotlight, with the Astros baseball team mounting the most-viewed World Series run since 2019. Quavo posted links Monday on his Instagram to his and Takeoff's Halloween-themed music video, "Messy," along with a video of him and his friends driving around Houston.
wftv.comHouston cops seek shooters in Migos rapper Takeoff's slaying
HOUSTON — (AP) — The fatal shooting of the rapper Takeoff has Houston police asking for the public's help in identifying who opened fire outside a bowling alley early Tuesday, killing the 28-year-old member of the Grammy-nominated trio Migos and wounding two other people. Police Chief Troy Finner said Takeoff was “well respected" and that investigators are looking for any information that will help them identify the shooters. Several fans gathered across the street from the bowling alley. Isaiah Lopez, 24, said he rushed down from his home in the Houston suburb of Humble after hearing Takeoff had been killed. Quavo posted links Monday on his Instagram to his and Takeoff's Halloween-themed music video, "Messy," along with a video of him and his friends driving around Houston.
wftv.comHouston cops seek shooters in Migos rapper Takeoff’s slaying
The fatal shooting of the rapper Takeoff has Houston police asking for the public’s help in identifying who opened fire outside a bowling alley, killing the 28-year-old member of the Grammy-nominated trio Migos and wounding two other people.
chicagotribune.comNRA stages big gun show in Texas days after school massacre
The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston on Friday, and leaders of the powerful gun-rights lobbying group are gearing up to “reflect on” -- and deflect any blame for -- the deadly shooting earlier this week of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Police: Suspect in custody after wounding 3 Houston officers
Houston Chase Shootout Authorities investigate the scene of a shooting Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, in Houston. ( Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP) (Jon Shapley)HOUSTON — (AP) — A suspect led Houston police on a chase Thursday that ended with him wounding three officers in a shootout, stealing a car and barricading himself inside a home for hours before officers took him into custody, authorities said. Two officers were transported by another patrol officer’s vehicle while the Houston Fire Department took the third. “Officers, as they got out of vehicle, the suspect immediately fired upon officers, striking three officers. The suspect remained barricaded in the home until shortly after 7:30 p.m. Thursday, when officers took him into custody after hours of negotiations, according to Houston police.
wftv.com3 Houston police officers wounded after chase, shootout
Houston Chase Shootout Authorities investigate the scene of a shooting Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, in Houston. Authorities say a police chase in Houston ended with a shootout that wounded three officers. Two of the officers were transported by another patrol officer’s vehicle while the third was taken by the Houston Fire Department. One of the officers was shot in the arm, another was shot in the leg and the third was shot in the foot, said Doug Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers’ Union. “Officers as they got out of vehicle, the suspect immediately fired upon officers, striking three officers.
wftv.comUS climate pledge faces test in Senate with global impact
United States Climate Walking the Walk FILE - President Joe Biden speaks during the "Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment" event at the COP26 U.N. The House passed a roughly $2 trillion social policy and climate bill Friday, including $555 billion for cleaner energy, although the legislation is almost certain to be changed by the Senate. But if Biden's bill fails in Congress, the United States likely will fall shy of its emission-cutting promise by much more, by 20%, the academic modeling shows. Market forces making renewable energy ever cheaper would help carry the United States a lot of the way regardless, Hausfeather said. The United States over time is the world's biggest emitter of the coal, natural gas and oil fumes that are altering the atmosphere and heating the Earth.
wftv.comHouston mayor: 3 still in critical condition from Astroworld
Music Festival Deaths Victims This photo provided by Taylor Blount shows Ezra Blount, 9, posing outside the Astroworld music festival in Houston. (Courtesy of Taylor Blount via AP) (Uncredited)HOUSTON — (AP) — Three concertgoers remain in critical condition following a massive crowd surge during a Travis Scott performance that left eight people dead and hundreds more injured at the Astroworld music festival, Houston's mayor said Wednesday. Bernon Blount said his son and 9-year-old grandson, Ezra, attended the festival together but became separated during the crowd surge. Those being sued include Scott, Live Nation, and rapper Drake, who performed with Scott. Experts say crowd surge deaths happen because people are packed into a space so tightly that they can't get enough oxygen.
wftv.comHouston leaders seek clues for concert surge that killed 8
Mourners began building a memorial to those lost at a Texas concert as authorities said they would watch video, interview witnesses and review concert protocols to determine how eight people died when fans suddenly surged toward the stage to watch rapper Travis Scott.
Congress questions Texas officials about power grid failure
Congress is looking into the cause of the power blackouts across Texas last month. A House panel planned to hear Wednesday, March 24, 2021, from officials who oversee the state's energy industry and electric grid. (AP Photo/LM Otero File)DALLAS – Congress is looking into last month’s massive and deadly power outages across Texas and questioning officials who oversee the state’s energy industry and electric grid. After outages in February 2011, Robb’s group recommended that Texas power plants needed better protection against winter storms. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Texas grid was designed for peak summer heat, and policymakers wrongly believed that the 2011 severe winter storm was an anomaly.
Biden to visit storm-ravaged Texas Friday
President Joe Biden speaks about the 500,000 Americans that died from COVID-19, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Washington. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday on CBS' “Face the Nation” the state of Texas should bear those “exorbitant costs," rather than residents. Biden previously tweeted about Texas and the other affected states, received regular updates from his staff and declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Biden spoke to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. Biden said last week that he hoped to travel to Texas but he didn't want his presence and the accompanying presidential entourage to distract from the recovery.
In Texas, attention turns to storm repairs, political peril
Her kitchen appeared mostly undamaged, but the plumber that cut into Espinoza’s wall found water had been pouring in underneath the floor. AdSnow and ice melted across Texas over the weekend, but plumbers are still racing from home to home to patch uncounted stretches of burst pipe. Many residents are unsure when they'll be able to make permanent repairs, what they'll have to pay out of pocket or even when they'll be able to go home. Roberto Valerio, a plumber in North Texas, said the broken pipes and other problems caused by the storm had led to “big chaos.”“We can’t find what we need easily,” he said. A rushing sound could be heard in Espinoza’s kitchen Saturday night, when Valerio turned the water back on.
Full transcript of "Face the Nation" on February 21, 2021
Plus, a revealing interview with the COVID-19 point person on former President Trump's National Security Council, Matt Pottinger. But we want to turn to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. JAKE SULLIVAN (National Security Adviser/@jakesullivan): Good morning. It's-- it's been widely reported that you went into the Oval Office alongside National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and told President Trump at the end of January that this would be the greatest national security threat that he ever faced. Matt, I mean, as a national security risk, did you ever look and say who exposed him and figure out how that happened?
cbsnews.comState of Texas should pay for enormous energy bills after power outages, Houston mayor says
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Sunday called on the state of Texas to pay for the enormous electric bills that scores of Texans reported after severe winter weather knocked out power and rose energy prices. Frigid conditions last week caused major grid failures and skyrocketing demand that left millions of people without heat and electricity. Now, as power resumes for most of Texas, some households face utility bills as high as $10,000. The high utility bills in Texas are due to the state's unregulated power grid that's nearly cut off from the rest of the country. "These systems need to be weatherized … we need to open up the Texas grid."
cnbc.comTranscript: Mayor Sylvester Turner on "Face the Nation," February 21, 2021
The following is a transcript of an interview with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner that aired Sunday, February 21, 2021, on "Face the Nation." MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to the mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner. MAYOR TURNER: You have to bear in mind that the power outages and the water system are all interconnected, so it's not one versus the other. And the power system, as you know, is- is powered by a mix of energy resources, fossil fuels and green energy. MAYOR TURNER: Ok.MARGARET BRENNAN: But for your constituents, they're going to have to pay to fix all this.
cbsnews.comRockets-Pacers game postponed because of Texas storm
Nancy Wilson sits on her porch after returning from a water distribution site Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Houston. The city remains under a boil water notice and many residents lack water at home due to frozen or broken pipes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)HOUSTON – The game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night was postponed because of continued utility shortages in the area from this week’s winter storm. The team said the decision was made after discussions with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the NBA. No makeup date for either game has been set.
Southern cities hit hard by storms face new crisis: No water
About 260,000 homes and businesses in the Tennessee county that includes Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems. And water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all incoming and outgoing Friday flights. Paul Lee Davis got to the front of the line at a water station set up by city officials only to have the water run out. Water service was restored Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials still were bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were canceled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said. AdMore than 192,000 Louisiana residents -- some still struggling to recover from last August's Hurricane Laura -- had no water service Friday, according to the state health department.
‘A complete bungle’: Texas’ energy pride goes out with cold
But hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding 4 million customers. Forcing controlled outages was the only way to avert an even more dire blackout in Texas, Magness said. The outages are the widest Texas' grid has suffered but hardly a first in winter. A decade ago, another deep February freeze created power shortages in Texas the same week the Super Bowl was played in Arlington. A federal report later flagged failures in the system, including power plants that are unable to stand up to extreme cold.
Power outages linger for millions as another icy storm looms
Nearly 3.4 million customers around the U.S. were still without electricity, and some also lost water service. More than 100 million people live in areas covered by some type of winter weather warning, watch or advisory, the weather service said. Weather-related outages have been particularly stubborn in Oregon, where some customers have been without power for almost a week. At the peak of the storm, more than 350,000 customers in the Portland area were in the dark. In Oregon, authorities confirmed Tuesday that four people died in the Portland area of carbon monoxide poisoning.
'A complete bungle': Texas' energy pride goes out with cold
AdBut hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding 4 million customers. The outages are the widest Texas' grid has suffered but hardly a first in winter. A decade ago, another deep February freeze created power shortages in Texas the same week the Super Bowl was played in Arlington. AdOn Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Texas had requested 60 generators and that hospitals and nursing homes would get priority. “There’s a serious lack of preparation on the part of the energy companies to not be ready,” Murdoch said.
The Latest: Hawaii says scarcity hinders vaccination efforts
(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)HONOLULU — Hawaii’s leaders say limited supply is the main thing constraining distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in the state. He said the sites have set the vaccine doses aside and will receive replacement doses on Tuesday and Wednesday. ___TORONTO — Canadian officials say the country won’t be getting any Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week and 50% less than expected over the next month. U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer confirmed last week it would temporarily reduce deliveries to Europe and Canada of its COVID-19 vaccine while it upgrades production capacity. ___JERUSALEM — Israel’s Cabinet on Tuesday extended an existing nationwide lockdown through the end of January as the country contends with a runaway surge in coronavirus cases.
State takes over Houston's Harvey home repair program
The state took over the program this week and Torres and other residents who have applied for assistance say they’re worried that could lead to yet more delays. A third of the funding — nearly $428 million — went to a program for home repair and reconstruction. Harvey dumped up to 50 inches (1.3 meters) of rain on the Houston area following landfall on Aug. 25, 2017. In the Houston area, Harvey flooded more than 150,000 homes, with more than 16,000 residents identified as potentially needing repair help. In its own program, the land office has fixed more than 2,000 homes and has approved nearly 2,900 reimbursements statewide.
Close call with storm renews debate over Houston barrier
Bill Merrell, a professor in the Marine Sciences Department at Texas A&M University at Galveston and a former president of the school, sits along Galveston Bay as he talks about the Ike Dike project Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Galveston, Texas. The Ike Dike is a coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Houston-Galveston region including Galveston Bay from hurricane storm surge. The project was conceived by Merrell in response to the extensive surge damage caused by Hurricane Ike in September of 2008. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Close call with storm renews debate over Houston barrier
The Ike Dike is a coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Houston-Galveston region including Galveston Bay from hurricane storm surge. Now the close call has renewed a debate about whether the Houston area should build a massive and expensive barrier to protect against storm surge. Galveston Bay is healthy, and fish and other animals thrive there because water circulates in and out of the gulf, said Bob Stokes, president of the Galveston Bay Foundation environmental group. “No hurricane storm surge barrier will ever protect us from 150 mph winds. No hurricane storm surge barrier will ever protect us from rain,” Stokes said.
Biggest unknown with Beta is how much rain it will bring
HOUSTON – As Tropical Storm Beta neared the Texas coast Monday, the biggest unknown was how much rainfall it could produce in areas that have already seen their share of damaging weather during a busy hurricane season. Rain from Beta was already coming down Monday in the Houston area. Earlier predictions of up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) in some areas were downgraded Monday to up to 15 inches (38 centimeters). Forecasters and officials reassured residents Beta was not expected to be another Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Imelda. Harvey in 2017 dumped more than 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain on Houston, causing $125 billion in damage in Texas.
Museum says displaying Confederate statue part of healing
John Guess Jr., CEO Emeritus of the Houston Museum of African American Culture, talks about the bronze statue "The Spirit of The Confederacy" on display at the museum, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Houston. The statue, which has been in storage following its removal, arrived at the Houston Museum of African American Culture on Monday. Guess said he believes the museum is the first African American institution in the country to house a Confederate monument. Museum officials say people will be able to see the statue up close from the courtyard at a later date. The statue sits facing a collection of eye sculptures by Bert Long Jr., a Black Houston artist.
The Latest: India adds over 28,000 new coronavirus cases
(AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)NEW DELHI India reported another record surge of coronavirus infections on Monday, adding 28,701 new cases over the previous 24 hours. India is third in total coronavirus caseload, behind only the United States and Brazil. A count by Johns Hopkins University has only the United States, Brazil and Britain with more confirmed deaths from the new coronavirus. Sundays rise to 35,006 confirmed deaths moved Mexico, a country with 130 million inhabitants, past Italy. Deputy Health Secretary Hugo Lpez-Gatell said the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus rose to 299,750 on Sunday.
Houston leaders call for city lockdown amid virus case surge
HOUSTON Top officials in Houston are calling for the city to lock back down as area hospitals strain to accommodate the onslaught of patients sick with the new coronavirus. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, both Democrats, said this weekend that a stay-at-home order is needed for America's fourth largest city to cope with the surge of COVID-19 cases. State health officials reported 8,196 new cases Sunday, another 80 deaths and a total of 10,410 people hospitalized due to the virus. On Friday, Abbott extended a statewide disaster order that warned Texans another shutdown might be needed if the virus spread isnt contained. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Mayor says George Floyd's body will return to Houston
HOUSTON The mayor of Houston said Saturday that the body of George Floyd, whose death after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck during an arrest has sparked protests across the U.S, will be returning to the city where he grew up. Floyd was a Houston native before moving to Minnesota. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference that Floyd's body would be coming back to Houston but provided no additional details. This is the same city that George Floyd grew up in. And his body will be returning to this city," Turner said.