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BARC Marks 10 Years of ‘Empty the Shelters’ with Discounted Adoptions

Indira Zaldivar
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BARC Marks 10 Years of ‘Empty the Shelters’ with Discounted Adoptions

HOUSTON – BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions is joining the BISSELL Pet Foundation to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its nationwide “Empty the Shelters” event, offering reduced adoption fees from May 1–17, 2026.

The initiative spans more than 335 shelters across 39 states, aiming to connect pets with families while easing overcrowding in shelters.

Lower Fees, More Opportunities

During the event, adoption costs at BARC will drop significantly:

  • $55 for puppies four months or younger
  • $30 for dogs five months and older
  • $10 for all cats and kittens

All adopted pets come spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped, along with additional services like flea prevention and city registration.

Extended Hours for Adopters

To increase access, BARC will open daily from noon to 5 p.m., including Mondays — a day the shelter is typically closed. Officials say the expanded hours and lower fees are designed to remove barriers for families considering adoption.

A Nationwide Impact

Since launching in 2016, “Empty the Shelters” has helped nearly 400,000 pets find homes across the U.S. and Canada. Organizers say the milestone highlights the growing need for adoption as shelters continue to face high intake numbers.

Local leaders emphasize that every adoption not only gives an animal a second chance but also frees up space and resources to help more pets in need.

Residents interested in adopting are encouraged to visit BARC in person or check available pets online during the event.

For more animal welfare efforts, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Utz Recalls Zapp’s and Dirty Chips Over Salmonella Risk

Edward Saenz
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Utz Recalls Zapp’s and Dirty Chips Over Salmonella Risk

Nationwide Recall Announced

Utz Quality Foods has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of select Zapp’s and Dirty potato chip products due to potential salmonella contamination. The company said the issue is linked to a seasoning containing dry milk powder supplied by a third-party vendor.

Although the seasoning batches previously tested negative, Utz initiated the recall “out of an abundance of caution.”

Affected Products

Nine varieties across different flavors and bag sizes are impacted, including popular options like Bayou Blackened Ranch, Salt and Vinegar, Maui Onion, Big Cheezy, and Sour Cream and Onion. The products were sold at retail stores across the United States.

Utz clarified that no other products are included in the recall.

Health Risk and Symptoms

So far, no illnesses have been reported. However, salmonella infection can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms typically appear within six hours to six days after exposure and usually resolve within a week.

Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness.

What Consumers Should Do

Customers are advised not to eat the recalled chips and to discard them immediately. Retailers have been instructed to remove affected items from shelves.

Consumers seeking refunds or more information can contact Utz customer service directly.

For more health recommendations, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Homeowner detained after masked burglary suspect shot, killed in north Harris Co., Pct. 4 says

ABC13 Houston
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Homeowner detained after masked burglary suspect shot, killed in north Harris Co., Pct. 4 says

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — An investigation is underway after a burglary suspect was reportedly shot when attempting to break into a home on Wednesday morning, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.

Deputies arrived at the 16900 block of Spring Creek Oaks Court after officials said there was a call that shots had been fired.

Pct. 4 learned that a suspect wearing a ski mask gained entry into a home on the block through a back door and was confronted by the homeowner just before 6 a.m.

Officials said the masked suspect was shot and fled the scene, prompting deputies to search the area.

A short time later, Pct. 4 said the suspect was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead.

The homeowner was detained and is being questioned, according to Pct. 4.

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

Suspected Hantavirus Cluster on Cruise Ship Prompts Evacuations

Indira Zaldivar
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Suspected Hantavirus Cluster on Cruise Ship Prompts Evacuations

Cases and Deaths Reported

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that three passengers have been medically evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius amid a suspected hantavirus cluster.

Health officials report eight total cases — three confirmed and five suspected — including three deaths linked to the outbreak.

Evacuations and Medical Response

The evacuated passengers were transferred from the ship near Cape Verde and flown to the Netherlands for treatment. Two are in serious condition, while a third is being monitored as a close contact of a deceased passenger.

Additional medical teams, including infectious disease specialists, have been deployed to assist onboard as authorities monitor remaining passengers and crew.

Spread and Ongoing Investigation

Officials identified the virus as Andes hantavirus, a rare strain that can spread between people. A confirmed case has also been reported in Switzerland involving a passenger who had already left the ship.

The WHO says the overall public health risk remains low but continues to coordinate international tracking and follow-up.

Travel Disruptions and Next Steps

The ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, is expected to head toward Spain’s Canary Islands, where further screenings and possible repatriation of passengers are planned. However, local officials have raised concerns about allowing the vessel to dock.

Health authorities are continuing investigations as efforts focus on containing the outbreak and safely returning passengers home.

For more health updates on the Hantavirus, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Man accused of attacking 2 boys over ‘bad language’ during Wiffle ball game, authorities say

ABC13 Houston
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Man accused of attacking 2 boys over ‘bad language’ during Wiffle ball game, authorities say

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A Katy-area man is facing charges after he attacked two boys during a Wiffle ball game, the Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office said.

According to court documents, Robert Brajenovich told investigators he was frustrated by the teens’ use of “bad language” during the April 30 game.

Tymothe Duret, 14, said he was playing with his 10-year-old brother and 14-year-old friend, Noah Barrios, on Birchwood Meadow Court when the suspect emerged from his home and confronted them about their language use.

“He was like, ‘Who said shut the eff up? Who said shut the eff up?'” Duret said.

“We were like, ‘Sir, nobody was cursing out here,’ and then he was like, ‘Really?’ And, ‘We’re gonna fix this right now,'” Barrios said.

After that initial exchange, the victims say things quickly escalated.

“Then he comes up to me and he, like, pushed me and he took the bat,” said Duret, who added that the shove caused his ankle to roll.

According to court documents, Brajenovich then pushed Barrios’ e-bike, causing $500 in damage.

“I was about to go call my mom, and then he slapped the phone out of my hand,” Barrios said.

Barrios said he was still able to make it home to alert his parents, while Duret says a quick-thinking neighbor intervened.

Duret’s mother was filming as she and Barrios’ parents confronted the man they identified as Brajenovich.

“Dealing with children,” one woman can be heard saying. “What’s wrong with you? Why don’t you come to the parents?”

Brajenovich, who had no adult criminal history in Texas, is charged with two counts of injury to a child and one count of criminal mischief.

He was released from jail on a $31,000 bond but didn’t answer his door on Tuesday or return a text message from Eyewitness News.

According to the criminal complaint, Brajenovich corroborated both victims’ accounts.

“My question to him was why?” Barrios’ father, Robert, said. “Why would you put – why would you think it’s okay to put your hands on a child?”

Duret’s mother, Gaelle, said Brajenovich’s alleged conduct isn’t completely out of character.

“Everybody has a story to share about this person,” she said. “Everybody’s scared of him. This is why nobody has been pressing charges until now.”

As part of Brajenovich’s bond conditions, he’s been ordered not to “strike a child or adult for any reason.”

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

Arrest made in cold case 40 years after teen girl’s murder in Montgomery County, authorities say

ABC13 Houston
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Arrest made in cold case 40 years after teen girl’s murder in Montgomery County, authorities say

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Authorities have arrested a man in connection with the 1986 rape and murder of a teenage girl, a case that has haunted investigators for decades.

Bobby Charles Taylor, 65, is in custody at the Montgomery County Jail, charged with capital murder in the death of 16-year-old Deanna Ogg, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

This is not the first arrest tied to the case. In 1990, Roy Criner was convicted of sexual assault and spent 10 years in prison before DNA evidence cleared him in 2000.

Investigators now say advances in DNA technology led them to Taylor, and they believe they finally have the right man.

In September 1986, Ogg, a student at New Caney High School, left her home near Porter and walked about two miles to a convenience store at FM 1314 and Sorters Road, according to the sheriff’s office. It was the last place she was seen alive.

Just two hours later, children discovered her body in a wooded area about seven miles away, off Old Houston Road. Authorities say she had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and stabbed. DNA evidence was collected at the scene.

The investigation initially focused on Criner after statements he made to friends. While there was not enough evidence for murder, a judge said, he was convicted of sexual assault in 1990. A decade later, DNA testing proved he was not responsible, and he was exonerated.

Ogg’s case remained unsolved for decades, listed among the sheriff’s office’s cold cases.

Monday, the sheriff’s office announced Taylor’s arrest and said it was based on advances in DNA technology. He has prior convictions for burglary, DWI, and assault, according to online records. Taylor was four days shy of his 21st birthday when Deanna was murdered.

The sheriff’s office says more details in the case will be released during a scheduled news conference on Wednesday.

A relative of Ogg described the suspect as a “monster” and said the arrest brings a sense of peace to the victim’s family. Deanna’s mother, now 82, is expected to attend the news conference and plans to focus her remarks on her daughter’s life rather than the man accused of killing her, says the relative.

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

Front blows into Houston Wednesday night, rain chances climb higher Friday and Saturday

ABC13 Houston
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Front blows into Houston Wednesday night, rain chances climb higher Friday and Saturday

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Another cool front is coming to Houston, and like the one we had last week, the highest rain chances will occur a couple of days after the front arrives.

It will stay cloudy and muggy Wednesday morning with temperatures starting in the mid 70s. That’s about 10 degrees above normal.

We expect limited cloud breaks during the day, pushing high temps back into the mid 80s. A few showers are possible during the day. Your chance of getting rain is 30%. The front should blow into Houston sometime after sunset, with a modest cool down coming our way Thursday under a mainly cloudy sky.

Is severe weather still possible late Wednesday when the front arrives?

Yes, it is possible, but it increasingly looks unlikely. A “cap” of warm, stable air aloft is expected to stay strong enough to prevent thunderstorms over most of Southeast Texas. That said, if the “cap” doesn’t hold and thunderstorms develop, then all modes of severe weather are possible including severe wind gusts, large hail, and even a brief tornado. The chance of being near a severe thunderstorm in Houston is about 5%, and it increases to 15% once you get to Conroe and locations northward.

When do the rain chances peak this week?

It’s honestly a tricky forecast when it comes to rain chances this week, but we do want to lower your rain expectations for Wednesday and Thursday and bring them up for Friday and Saturday. With the cap of stable air looking stronger on Wednesday and Thursday, we have lowered rain chances down to 30%. An upper level low will blow in from the west on Friday and Saturday, activating storms along and north of the stalled front. We have increased rain chances to 40% both days, and there is room for those odds to go up.

How does it look for Mother’s Day?

Mother’s Day should be warm and humid with lows near 70 and highs in the upper 80s, but we are tracking another front that will blow in sometime that day. This front will come with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

What’s the latest on drought conditions with all this rain?

We’ve already seen the drought end over parts of Houston, and last week’s round of rain likely ended it over more of Houston and Harris County. We’ll get official word on Thursday when the new Drought Monitor report is released. Expect drought improvement just about everywhere in Southeast Texas.

SEE ALSO: ABC13 Weather Watch: Widespread storms could bring street flooding, severe weather Friday

This story comes from our news partner ABC1d3 Houston.

Trump-Backed Candidates Win Indiana GOP Primaries

Indira Zaldivar
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Trump-Backed Candidates Win Indiana GOP Primaries

Candidates supported by Donald Trump defeated at least five of seven Indiana Republican state senators who had opposed him on redistricting, according to projections by the Associated Press.

Redistricting Dispute

The targeted incumbents were among Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats last year to block a redistricting plan that would have favored the GOP. Trump had warned he would back primary challengers against those who voted against the proposal.

Mixed Results in Key Races

While most incumbents lost, State Sen. Greg Goode secured reelection. Another race involving State Sen. Spencer Deery remained too close to call. In a separate contest, a Trump-backed candidate also won a seat previously held by a senator who did not seek reelection.

Millions Spent on Campaigns

The races saw an unusual surge in spending, with more than $13 million poured into primary ads—far exceeding previous cycles. Groups aligned with Trump, including Turning Point USA and Club for Growth, invested heavily to support challengers.

Test of Political Influence

The primaries were widely viewed as a test of Trump’s influence over Republican voters. In one notable race, a Trump-endorsed candidate defeated a contender backed by former Vice President Mike Pence, highlighting divisions within the party.

For more on the primaries, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

FDA Withdraws Vaccine Studies Publication

Indira Zaldivar
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FDA Withdraws Vaccine Studies Publication

The Food and Drug Administration has withdrawn the publication of studies examining the safety of COVID-19 and shingles vaccines, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Reason for Withdrawal

An HHS spokesperson said the studies were pulled because their conclusions were not fully supported by the underlying data. The agency emphasized the decision was made to maintain scientific integrity and uphold research standards.

Ongoing Vaccine Debate

The move comes during the tenure of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has faced criticism for his views on vaccines. Despite ongoing debates, health officials stress that COVID-19 vaccines remain among the most studied and have proven to be safe and effective.

Health Experts Raise Concerns

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to support the safety of vaccines, including the shingles shot, which is not linked to serious adverse effects. Some experts warn that withdrawing such studies could impact public trust in science and future vaccination policies.

Keep up with the changes in health recommendations and guidelines under the Trump administration with Que Onda Magazine.

Harris County criminal court judge sanctioned over handling of child sex crime cases

ABC13 Houston
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Harris County criminal court judge sanctioned over handling of child sex crime cases

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A Harris County judge has been publicly warned by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct over her handling of four child sex crime cases and other conduct the commission said violated judicial ethics rules.

The commission issued the sanction against Judge Melissa Morris, calling her actions “willful and persistent” and saying they cast “public discredit on the judiciary or on the administration of justice.”

According to the commission’s findings, Morris improperly ended probation early for four sex offenders who pleaded guilty to crimes involving children and were required to register as sex offenders.

The commission also found Morris failed to be “patient, dignified, and courteous” toward a prosecutor who requested hearings to reconsider her rulings and breached grand jury secrecy by forwarding confidential information to a defense attorney.

In its three-page public warning, the commission concluded Morris violated judicial ethics rules and damaged public confidence in the judiciary.

The complaints stemmed from cases in 2024.

The public warning is one of the more serious sanctions issued by the commission, though it does not remove Morris from the bench. She will continue presiding over the 263rd District Court and can appeal the sanction.

This is not the first controversy involving Morris. Last year, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office sought to remove her from a possible retrial in a domestic violence shooting case, arguing her comments and facial expressions showed bias against victims. Another judge denied that request.

In response to the latest allegations, Morris told the commission her mistakes were not intentional or made in bad faith. She acknowledged the grand jury breach was a single mistake made as a “novice jurist,” the records state.

A spokesperson for the courts did not respond to a late request for comment.

Morris is running for reelection in November.

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

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