Minneapolis – A few Houston area gymnasts will represent Team USA in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. It was an exhilarating week in Minneapolis as Texas showed up and showed off.
In total, four gymnasts from Texas are headed to Paris to represent Team USA.
The men’s team will consist of Fred Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, Asher Hong, and Stephen Nedoroscik. The two traveling alternates are Khoi Young and Shane Wiskus.
Simone Biles was an automatic inclusion on the women’s team as she placed first in the competition. Joining Simone are Conroe’s Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera. The traveling alternates are Texas’ own Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong.
The Supreme Court is set to issue a major ruling on Monday on whether former President Trump is immune from prosecution for acts committed while he was in office.
Why it matters
The court’s highly anticipated decision will determine whether Trump’s federal January 6 case will proceed and potentially head to trial before the November election. The Supreme Court has delayed its ruling until Monday, the last day of its current term.
The big picture
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in April over Trump’s assertion that ex-presidents cannot be prosecuted for crimes committed while in office. Trump’s legal team has argued that his actions before the 2020 presidential election fell within the “outer perimeter” of the president’s official duties. They contend that denying Trump blanket immunity could restrict future presidents out of fear of criminal prosecution after leaving office.
Zoom in
During the arguments, the nation’s high court appeared poised to rule that former presidents have some immunity, but not the “absolute immunity” that Trump is seeking, according to Axios’ Sam Baker. Even if the Justices rule against Trump, a trial would likely not begin before September, per NBC News. The trial had originally been scheduled for earlier this year but was postponed indefinitely.
State of play
Trump, who was convicted on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money trial in May, has repeatedly sought to delay his three other criminal cases. If he wins back the White House in November, he could order the Justice Department to drop his federal charges.
The Department of Justice is preparing to present the Boeing Company a plea deal that would again allow the aerospace giant to avoid a trial over an alleged conspiracy to defraud the United States, according to attorneys for families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes who were briefed on the department’s plans Sunday afternoon.
Under the proposed deal, Boeing would be required to enter a guilty plea to the conspiracy charge, which was first filed January 2021, for allegedly misleading the FAA during its evaluation of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The company must also agree to the appointment of an external corporate monitor, pay a fine of about $200 million and remain on probation for three years, according to lawyers for the families.
During the briefing with the DOJ, family members of the crash victims expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal, according to attorneys representing the families. The families contend that the deal contains no accountability and no admission that Boeing’s alleged conspiracy caused the deaths of 346 people who were killed in the two Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. The victims’ families have been pushing DOJ to take the company to trial and to impose fines upwards of $20 billion.
“The Justice Department is preparing to offer to Boeing another sweetheart plea deal,” wrote attorneys Robert Clifford and Paul Cassell in a statement. “The deal will not acknowledge, in any way, that Boeing’s crime killed 346 people. It also appears to rest on the idea that Boeing did not harm any victim. The families will strenuously object to this plea deal. Judge [Reed] O’Connor [of the Northern District of Texas] will have to decide whether this no-accountability-deal is in the public interest. Indeed, he will have to decide whether to approve [an agreement] that ties his hands at sentencing and prevents him from imposing any additional punishment or remedial measures. The memory of 346 innocents killed by Boeing demands more justice than this.”
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A lot of people are flying these days and TSA expects to screen 32 million of them from June 27 through July 8.
Houston Airport System officials are expecting 1.9 million passengers to travel through Houston during that stretch.
They say that’s an 8% increase from the same period in 2023, and the number includes passengers traveling through both George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William H. Hobby (HOU) airports.
Things are running smoothly at Hobby according to Houston Airport System Chief Operating Officer Kelly Woodward.
“Hobby’s business as usual,” Woodward said while adding that passengers should arrive two hours before their flight.
Passengers at IAH had mixed reviews of how things were going on Sunday.
Pritam Dhavale wasn’t impressed while preparing to head back to Florida.
“The experience was not very great,” he said.
Eboni Jones said she didn’t have issues as she prepared to return to Virginia.
“It’s pretty good for us,” Jones said.
Passengers have complained about getting around IAH in recent years due to multiple construction projects, but Woodward said they’ve paused those for the holiday.
Woodward also told ABC13 they’ve added personnel to help direct traffic around the various terminals.
One date to remember if you’re traveling through IAH is July 3.
That’s not only the day before Independence Day, but also the day before Lionel Messi and Argentina play in the Copa America soccer tournament at NRG Stadium.
“What we’re seeing is not only an increase in domestic passengers but an uptick in international passengers,” said Woodward.
The Houston Airport System said they expect 160,000 passengers to come through IAH on July 3.
They also said that one of their main hopes during this busy time is that cars don’t circle the airport.
Woodward asked that people flying into IAH wait to order a Lyft or Uber until they’re physically at their pick-up spot, as opposed to ordering one while waiting in baggage claim.
Houstonians picking up fliers at IAH are encouraged to wait for them in a cell phone lot until their passengers are outside of their terminal.
One other piece of advice from airport officials is to purchase parking in advance to guarantee a spot closest to either airport.
A new CBS poll reveals increasing concerns about President Biden’s reelection bid. Following last week’s debate, a growing number of voters believe he should not seek another term. The poll indicates that 63% of registered voters think the 81-year-old president should not run for reelection. Moreover, an even larger percentage question his cognitive health to serve another term. In contrast, only half of the electorate believes former President Trump has the cognitive fitness to be president. With just over four months until the election, at least three major media outlets have urged President Biden to step aside. In response, Biden’s campaign has pushed back, stating in a fundraising email that such a move would result in “weeks of chaos” and place Democrats on a “highway to losing.”
What it means:
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is scheduled to formally select the party’s nominee near the end of August, leaving nearly two months to develop a strategy. Although Biden has more than enough delegates to secure the nomination, DNC rules allow the party to potentially force him out of the race, though this remains highly unlikely. If Biden decides to withdraw, all 3,894 of his pledged delegates would become uncommitted, leading to a potential scramble within the party. However, Biden’s campaign has not shown any indication that he plans to drop out of the race.
Beryl continues to be a category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph and peak wind gusts of 160 mph. The eye of Beryl is 10 nautical miles wide and even has mesovorticies within in, both signs of a healthy and well-formed storm. Beryl will retain it’s category 4 strength as it makes landfall along the Windward Idlands Monday, leading to life-threatening flooding and potentially catastrophic wind damage. As for it’s future track, Beryl is expected to remain a major hurricane as it approaches Jamaica mid-week and then could weaken slightly to either a category one or two storm by the time it reaches the Yucatan Peninsula Friday. Another landfall near Cozumel is possible Friday. Beyond that, it’s difficult to place where this hurricane will be after Friday. the forecast cone from the National Hurricane Center now includes the Bay of Campeche, but there’s still too much uncertainty with the system’s potential track as it would be in the Gulf of Mexico next weekend. In other words, it’s still too early to tell if Beryl will pose a threat to the Texas coast or Houston next weekend. In the meantime, it’s best to begin thinking about an travels plans you might have around the Fourth of July and thereafter, plus what you might need to do locally in Houston if a storm was headed this way.
Behind Beryl, the other tropical wave in it’s wake still has a 70% chance of forming over the next 7 days.
Additionally, we now have Tropical Storm Chris in the Bay of Campeche. This will be another short-lived system as it’s expected to move into Mexico Monday. The main concern is the heavy rains that could lead to flooding and mudslides in Mexico. Chris poses no threat to the Texas coast of Houston.
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Brazoria County fire crews are working to extinguish a large active fire on the National Wildlife Refuge near CR 227 on Sunday.
Calls came in reporting the fire just after 3 p.m., and it’s still actively burning, the Brazoria County Fire Marshal said.
The county’s fire marshal’s office has advised people to avoid the area and use alternate routes for their safety.
No homes are currently at risk of burning and no injuries have been reported.
Multiple fire departments are assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to put out the blaze.
The most anticipated and popular superhero of all time, Superman, is back again. Starring David Corenswet as the lead, “Superman: Legacy” is currently in production.
Directed by James Gunn, the film features Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The film is set to hit theaters in July 2025.
David Corenswet, an American actor known for his roles in “The Politician” and “Hollywood,” steps into the iconic role of Superman. Corenswet’s casting marks a new chapter in the long-running Superman franchise, which began with the character’s creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. Superman quickly became a cultural icon, starring in numerous comic books, television shows, and films.
The Superman film series has a storied history, starting with Christopher Reeve’s beloved portrayal in the 1978 classic “Superman,” directed by Richard Donner. Reeve’s Superman became the definitive version for many fans, leading to three sequels. In 2006, Brandon Routh took on the mantle in “Superman Returns,” a homage to the Reeve films. Henry Cavill most recently portrayed the Man of Steel, starting with the 2013 film “Man of Steel,” directed by Zack Snyder, and continuing in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) and “Justice League” (2017).
With “Superman: Legacy,” fans eagerly await to see how Corenswet and Gunn will bring new life to the iconic superhero, continuing the legacy that has spanned over eight decades.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Police Department is investigating what led to an alleged accidental shooting of a teenager early Sunday morning in southwest Houston.
The incident happened at the St. James Apartments in the 9100 block of Fondren Road at about 2:30 a.m.
According to preliminary information, three teens were by themselves at an apartment and were playing with a gun before it went off, striking one of the teens in the stomach, police said.
Investigators said one of the teens, who lived there and had the gun, took off from the scene while the other stayed and called 911.
“The owner of that firearm or the resident at this location, a juvenile male, fled from the location with a firearm. The witness stayed behind and called the police,” Lt. Riley with HPD said.
Investigators said the victim, who is believed to be about 14 to 15 years old, died at the scene before first responders arrived.
The teenager who fled was found and arrested shortly after. ABC13 cameras at the scene caught the moment HPD officers placed handcuffs on the suspect and watched him be placed in the squad car.
The relationship between the three teenagers is unclear, police said.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The City of Houston plans to open several cooling centers across the area over the weekend to relieve residents from the incoming heat and rising temperatures.
A Heat Advisory is in effect for most of Southeast Texas until 7 p.m. Saturday due to heat index values exceeding 108.
The heat is said to be a continuation of an intense start to spring and early summer weather.
In southern counties, ABC13 has learned that intense flooding severely damaged a Matagorda road. W. Revetment Road. This road is the only access to a public boat ramp. Local law enforcement said tropical storm Alberto washed it out.
Authorities are on high alert for the Trinity River as flooding has impacted the dam, which has triggered a potential dam failure watch. Although, as of now, there is no immediate threat.
Back in Houston, officials are urging those who are attending the Pride Parade in downtown Houston to plan accordiinglut
The city announced that Houston libraries, except for the Central Library downtown, will serve as cooling centers during normal business hours on Saturday and Sunday. Select community centers are expected to open throughout the city starting at 10 a.m.
Acres Homes Neighborhood Library, 8501 W. Montgomery, 77088:12 noon – 8 p.m.
Acres Homes Multi-Service Centerm, 6719 W. Montgomery, 77091: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
City officials are urging those who are attending the Pride Parade in downtown Houston to plan accordingly and to pack essentials to protect yourself from the heat such as water, umbrellas, cooling towels. They urge all to get out of the heat quickly when it’s necessary.
