The U.S. military carried out another round of what it described as “large-scale strikes” against ISIS targets across Syria, escalating its response to a deadly attack that killed three Americans last month.
State officials have identified the two soldiers as members of the Iowa National Guard.
Strikes Conducted With Allies
According to CENTCOM, the latest airstrikes took place around 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday and involved U.S. partner forces, though those allies were not named. The strikes targeted multiple ISIS positions throughout Syria.
“These strikes targeted ISIS throughout Syria as part of our ongoing commitment to root out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent future attacks, and protect American and partner forces in the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Operation Hawkeye Strike Continues
The renewed attacks fall under Operation Hawkeye Strike, which began with an initial retaliatory operation on Dec. 19 conducted by the U.S. and Jordan. Since then, U.S. forces have continued to carry out additional raids aimed at degrading ISIS capabilities.
CENTCOM said U.S. and coalition forces remain committed to pursuing ISIS fighters who pose a threat to American personnel and regional stability.
President Donald Trump has suggested issuing $2,000 tariff rebate payments, though he has said the checks would likely be limited to individuals and families earning under $100,000 a year.
Speaking previously from the Oval Office, Trump said the U.S. has collected “hundreds of billions of dollars” in tariff revenue and plans to issue “dividends” to people with moderate and middle incomes, possibly beginning in mid-2026.
Who Would Qualify
While no formal proposal has been released, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the payments would be aimed at “working families” making less than “say, $100,000.” Trump echoed that message on Truth Social, writing that high-income earners would be excluded from the payments.
Under a $100,000 income cap, higher earners would not qualify. Trump has also said any leftover tariff revenue after payments are issued would be used to help pay down the national debt.
How Many Households Could Be Excluded
Data cited from the U.S. Census Bureau shows about 42% of U.S. households earned more than $100,000 in 2025, meaning those families would likely be ineligible. That leaves an estimated 58% of households potentially qualifying under the proposed income threshold.
If eligibility is based on individual income rather than household income, roughly 18% of U.S. adults would fall into the high-income category and be excluded, according to YouGov Profiles data.
Income Trends Complicate Eligibility
The number of households earning over $100,000 has steadily increased since 2020, a trend expected to continue. In 2024, the median family household income was $108,600, while the median income across all households was $83,730, placing many families near the proposed cutoff.
Congressional Approval Required
Before any checks could be sent, Congress would need to pass legislation authorizing the payments. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said he expects stimulus-related legislation to be introduced early this year.
Concerns Over Cost and Deficit
Tax experts at the Tax Foundation warn the proposal could significantly increase the federal deficit. They estimate that distributing $2,000 payments to tax filers and spouses alone would cost about $279.8 billion, with costs rising further if dependents and non-filers are included.
As of September, Trump’s new tariffs had generated roughly $117 billion—far short of what would be needed to fund the rebates. The Tax Foundation concluded that, under most scenarios, the payments would add to the deficit rather than reduce it, arguing that eliminating tariffs would provide more effective relief.
Court records identify the suspect as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, Michael David McKee, 39. He was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of murder, according to an incident report.
Couple Found Dead in Columbus Home
Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were discovered dead with apparent gunshot wounds on Dec. 30 inside their upscale home in the Weinland Park neighborhood. Their children, ages 4 and 1, were found inside the home and were not physically harmed, police said.
Authorities have not released details about a possible motive, and the investigation has remained tightly guarded.
Surveillance Footage Raised New Questions
Public interest intensified earlier this week when police released surveillance video showing a “person of interest” walking through an alley near the home during the timeframe investigators believe the killings occurred. Officials did not explain how the individual was connected to the case.
Suspect Arrested in Illinois
McKee is currently in custody in Winnebago County, Illinois, sheriff’s records show. Police said he was taken into custody without incident in Rockford. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday. CNN reported it is working to determine whether McKee has legal representation.
Community Mourns as Investigation Continues
In the days after the killings, mourners left roses and sunflowers outside the Tepes’ home, where the couple had once exchanged vows. The deaths occurred just days after Christmas and weeks before their fifth wedding anniversary.
Police said there were no obvious signs of forced entry and no firearm was recovered at the scene. Officials stated they will release additional information only if it does not compromise the active investigation.
Missed Work Sparked Welfare Check
Concerns first arose when Spencer Tepe failed to show up at Athens Dental Depot, where he worked as a dentist about 75 miles southeast of Columbus. Colleagues called 911 after repeated attempts to reach him and his wife failed.
About 30 minutes later, coworkers and a friend arrived at the home and reported hearing children crying inside. A friend later told dispatchers he saw a body inside the residence.
Children Now With Relatives
The couple’s two children and their dog are now in the care of relatives, according to a family member. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office has ruled the deaths apparent homicides caused by gunshot wounds. Final autopsy results are expected in the coming weeks.
Houstonians have gathered for a third consecutive day on Saturday to honor the memory of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, a death that has ignited protests across the country.
Demonstrations held over three days and three different places
The Saturday protest took place in front of Houston City Hall which follows a Thursday march in the Galleria-area and Friday’s march organized by FIEL Houston starting at Ervan Chew Park. Demonstrators called for an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in Houston, holding signs and chanting in remembrance of Good while demanding accountability.
“We are here because a white woman who was defending brown-skinned immigrants was killed by ICE,” a speaker said before the march kicked off at Ervan Chew Park. “I look out into the crowd, and there are not just brown faces but there are white faces and Asian faces. I just want to acknowledge all of the U.S. citizens that are here defending the immigrant community.”
Who Was Renee Nicole Good
Good was a U.S. citizen, a prize-winning poet, and a hobby guitarist. She was also a mother of three who had recently moved to Minneapolis. She was fatally shot shortly after dropping off her youngest child at an elementary school.
Good’s death has sparked nationwide protests and renewed debate over immigration enforcement tactics. The Trump administration has described Good as a “domestic terrorist,” a characterization cited in its defense of the ICE agent’s fatal response.
Calls for Change
Anti-ICE protesters hold signs on Jan.8 demanding justice for Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Credit: Indira Zaldivar
Houston protesters said the demonstrations have not only been about honoring Good’s life, but also about opposing ICE operations in their city and calling for broader changes to federal immigration enforcement practices.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Cooler and cloudy conditions have settled in for the weekend with seasonably cool weather lasting through next week too.
Temperatures Saturday evening have really dropped behind this cold front and are 20 to 30 degrees cold than this time yesterday. And temps will continue to fall form the low 50s to low 0s overnight with winds staying somewhat gusty, around 20 to 25 mph. These gusts should die down by sunrise Sunday just before the Chevron Houston Marathon gets going Sunday morning. Sunday will remain cool and cloudy with a northerly breeze and highs only climbing into the low 60s.
How cold will it be for the Chevron Houston Marathon?
It will be chilly, but not as bitter cold as we’ve seen in recent years. Temperatures at the start of the marathon will be in the low-to-mid 40s with a light north wind around 5-10 mph. The clouds should remain widespread, preventing temperatures from warming out of the 50s during the big race.
How long does the cold weather stick around?
For all of next week! It will remain mostly cloudy through Tuesday, then sunshine returns Wednesday. We are expecting mostly seasonal temperatures with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s most days next week.
Are any other freezes on the horizon?
We have no freezes in our 10 day forecast, but there’s still a lot winter left to get more freezing weather. In fact, signals are growing that a colder pattern will develop across Canada and the United States during the second half of January.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the Texas Department of Public Safety, arguing that a long-standing rule banning religious advertising in the state’s driver handbook violates constitutional free speech protections.
The lawsuit, filed this week in Travis County district court, challenges a DPS policy adopted in 2000 that prohibits religious, political and other “controversial” advertisements in the Texas Driver Handbook and related publications. Paxton argues the rule unlawfully discriminates against religious speech by allowing some forms of advertising while barring religious organizations outright.
“Texas cannot single out religious speech for exclusion,” Paxton said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. He contends the policy violates both the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment and the Texas Constitution.
The Texas Driver Handbook is a widely distributed publication used by millions of Texans seeking driver licenses. While DPS officials have said the agency does not currently sell advertising in the handbook, Paxton’s lawsuit focuses on the existence of the rule itself, arguing it prevents religious groups from participating if advertising were ever permitted.
The DPS policy also restricts ads related to politics, alcohol, tobacco and gambling. Paxton’s suit claims the religious advertising ban amounts to viewpoint discrimination and cites prior federal court rulings that struck down similar restrictions as unconstitutional.
In the filing, Paxton argues that continued enforcement of the rule causes ongoing harm by denying religious organizations equal access to government-created forums for speech.
DPS officials have not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
The legal challenge comes as Paxton campaigns in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, where he is seeking to unseat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the March 2026 election. Paxton has frequently made religious liberty issues a central theme of his political and legal agenda.
A judge will now decide whether the DPS policy can remain in place or must be revised or struck down. No timeline has been set for a ruling.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday threatened to place Harris County’s elections under state control, accusing local officials of repeated failures to enforce election laws after allegations surfaced involving improper voter registration addresses.
Abbott said the state could intervene after Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt alleged that more than 100 Harris County voters were registered using commercial P.O. box addresses, which are not allowed under Texas election law unless tied to a valid residential address. Abbott called Harris County a “repeat violator” of election integrity and suggested local officials were unwilling or unable to correct the issue.
Harris County officials quickly rejected the governor’s claims, calling them exaggerated and politically motivated. County leaders said there is no evidence that illegal votes were cast and emphasized that the county has already taken steps to review and verify the registrations in question.
“This is a baseless attack,” Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne said, noting that the county tax assessor-collector’s office is responsible for voter registration and has been working to resolve any technical issues identified by the state.
Abbott’s remarks revived debate over a 2023 Texas law that allows the secretary of state to place certain county election offices under administrative oversight. The law applies only to counties with populations exceeding four million — a threshold met solely by Harris County — and was passed after Republicans criticized election administration in Houston during recent election cycles.
Under the law, the secretary of state could assume control over election procedures, including approving county policies and overseeing election administration. Abbott has not formally initiated that process, but his comments signaled that such action remains under consideration.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo and other local leaders warned that the governor’s rhetoric risks undermining public confidence in elections. They argued that voter registration issues are routinely addressed through established legal processes and do not justify a state takeover.
“This is about power, not election security,” Hidalgo said.
The dispute comes as Texas gears up for high-profile elections in 2026, with Harris County remaining one of the state’s most politically influential and closely watched jurisdictions. Republican leaders have argued that stronger state oversight is needed, while Democrats say the county is being unfairly targeted because of its size and Democratic lean.
No timeline has been announced for any potential state intervention, and the secretary of state’s office has not indicated that a formal takeover is imminent.
CES 2026 doubled down on AI-infused hardware, wild display tech, and smarter home gadgets, with giants like LG, Samsung, Hisense, and Razer using the show to preview what your screens, rooms, and rigs will look like over the next few years. Across the floor, the themes were clear: brighter and more precise TVs, AI that actually does things in the background, and gaming gear that blurs the line between assistant and peripheral.
LG: Affectionate AI and Zero‑Labor Living
LG framed its entire CES presence around “Affectionate Intelligence” and a “Zero Labor Home,” pitching AI as something that quietly observes, learns routines, and then executes tasks without constant user input. The company showed how its systems sense conditions in real environments, process that data, and trigger actions—from climate tweaks to appliance behavior—rather than just tossing generic recommendations on a screen.
On the hardware side, LG’s 2026 TV and monitor lineup pushed both cinematic and creator workflows. A new wave of OLED and microRGB TVs improved brightness, color handling, and anti‑reflection performance, all tied into an updated Alpha 11 processor for better motion and upscaling on flagship sets like the G6 and C6. For gamers and pros, LG brought out a 32‑inch UltraFine Evo 6K monitor built around Thunderbolt 5 and a Nano IPS panel, plus attention‑grabbing gaming displays including a 27‑inch tandem OLED at up to 720 Hz and a 52‑inch 5K 240 Hz screen that currently stands as one of the largest high‑refresh gaming monitors on the floor.
LG also leaned heavily into home robotics and accessibility‑minded design. The LG CLOiD home robot embodies the brand’s Zero Labor Home idea, using AI to navigate, understand context, and offload household tasks instead of acting as a simple remote on wheels. Around it, LG’s “Comfort Kit” accessories—like vacuum easy‑handles, easy‑open refrigerator containers, and simplified controls for air purifiers and dehumidifiers—showed how the company wants AI‑connected appliances to feel more physically approachable and inclusive, not just more connected.
Samsung and Hisense: Battle of the Big Screens
Samsung used CES 2026 to sharpen its high‑end TV story, focusing on OLED and MiniLED sets aimed at both home theater fans and gamers. The lineup emphasized higher peak brightness, refined local dimming for better black levels, and more advanced AI processing to handle upscaling and motion for films, sports, and next‑gen consoles on the same panel. Samsung’s booth also leaned into futuristic TV form factors and ultra‑slim designs, signaling how much the company wants its displays to double as decor when they are not showing content.
Hisense, meanwhile, arrived with one of the most aggressive display strategies at the show, built around multi‑primary color systems that go beyond standard RGB. Its flagship RGB MiniLED sets use an added cyan primary managed by a Hi‑View AI Engine RGB chipset, driving tens of thousands of dimming zones and targeting up to 110 percent of the BT.2020 color space for ultra‑wide gamut and smoother gradients. Hisense also showcased a massive 163‑inch RGBY MicroLED display that adds yellow to the mix, hitting up to 100 percent of BT.2020 and maintaining uniform color and luminance across more than 33 million subpixels, all in a wall‑mountable panel only about 32 mm thick with a zero‑gap design.
Beyond flat panels, Hisense pushed its Laser Home Cinema range as an alternative to traditional TVs. New models like the XR10 and PX4‑PRO support screen sizes from 65 to as large as 300 inches, using multi‑camera and time‑of‑flight sensing to automatically correct geometry—even when projecting from the side—and TriChroma laser light engines to maintain high color accuracy and IMAX Enhanced credentials. For gaming, low‑latency modes and up to 3,500 ANSI lumens on ultra‑short‑throw setups aim squarely at players who want a theater‑scale image in a regular living room.
Big‑Screen Focus Highlights
Brand
Key 2026 CES Display Tech
Notable Specs/Claims
Intended Use Case
LG
OLED, microRGB TVs, 6K and high‑refresh monitors
Up to 720 Hz gaming monitor; 5K 240 Hz 52‑inch; Alpha 11 AI processing
Premium home theater, PC and console gaming, Mac‑friendly creative work
Samsung
OLED and MiniLED TVs
Higher brightness, better dimming, AI upscaling and motion enhancements
Up to 110% BT.2020 on RGB MiniLED; 163‑inch RGBY MicroLED; 65–300 inch laser projection
Large‑format installs, color‑critical viewing, projector‑based home cinema
Razer: AI Companions for Gamers
Razer’s 2026 CES lineup stepped beyond traditional keyboards, mice, and laptops into AI‑driven companions designed to live on, or around, your battlestation. The company introduced concept projects like Motoko and an evolved form of Project Ava, both aimed at turning an assistant into part of the gaming setup itself rather than just an app running on another screen.
Project Motoko takes the form of an over‑ear wireless headset loaded with cameras, mics, and a Snapdragon‑class processor, meant to behave like an AI wearable that happens to double as gaming cans. With dual 4K cameras, near‑ and far‑field microphones, and on‑device AI, Motoko is pitched as a heads‑up helper that can capture photos, translate text, and hold natural conversations, much like other AI wearables, while still delivering positional audio for play. Alongside it, Razer’s latest iteration of Project Ava evolved from a screen‑bound avatar into a compact glass‑tube holographic assistant that sits on your desk, complete with speakers and a camera so it can perceive the space and act as a persistent AI copilot for gaming tips, task organization, and general queries.
Both concept devices are model‑agnostic, designed to work with different AI systems rather than tying users to a single provider. During CES demos, Motoko ran on OpenAI’s ChatGPT while the Ava holographic assistant tapped into xAI’s Grok, showcasing how Razer envisions a future where players pick their preferred AI like they pick a GPU brand, then plug that intelligence into Razer hardware. Razer expects these prototypes to evolve into commercial products later in 2026, signaling a likely wave of peripherals that blend presence, personality, and practical assistance.
Other Standout Future‑Facing Tech
Outside the big brand booths, CES 2026 was packed with experimental gear that hints at how immersive computing will evolve over the next few years. Extended‑reality glasses like the Asus ROG XReal R1, featuring 240 Hz 1080p micro‑OLED lenses and a dock for HDMI/DisplayPort input, promised a personal IMAX‑style screen you can plug into a PC or console, effectively turning your portable display into a giant virtual monitor for games and media. Elsewhere, smaller companies leaned into sensors, robotics, and AI‑powered home devices—everything from highly specialized smart doorbells to context‑aware refrigerators—illustrating both the creative experimentation and occasional overreach that has become a CES hallmark.
Across categories, a few threads connected these announcements: more granular control over light and color on displays, AI that runs closer to the edge on devices like headsets and robots, and a push to make interfaces feel more ambient and less screen‑bound. For anyone building a gaming setup, content studio, or AI‑enhanced workspace, CES 2026 effectively previewed a near future where your display, your headset, and even your home robot are all part of the same intelligent, responsive environment
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officially unveiled its 2026 entertainer lineup Thursday night, ending weeks of anticipation from fans ahead of the annual celebration at NRG Stadium.
Star-Studded Performers Head to NRG Stadium
This year’s lineup features a diverse mix of country, pop, Latin and Americana artists performing from March 2–22. Headliners include Chris Stapleton, J Balvin, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Parker McCollum and Riley Green. Fan favorites such as Dwight Yoakam, Rascal Flatts, Koe Wetzel and The Red Clay Strays are also scheduled to take the stage.
Texas native Cody Johnson will headline a rare, full-length, concert-only performance on the final night, Sunday, March 22. Jon Pardi and Randy Houser will join him as special guests for the rodeo’s closing celebration.
Rodeo Dates and Schedule
The 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo opens Monday, March 2, and runs through Saturday, March 21, featuring traditional rodeo competitions before Johnson’s standalone finale.
Ticket Information
Tickets for Cody Johnson’s March 22 concert are already on sale. Tickets for the remaining 2026 performances will be released in two waves beginning Jan. 15.
For the latest on Houston and Texas culture and entertainment, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
U.S. hiring slowed more than anticipated in December, closing out one of the weakest years of job growth in decades. The economy added an estimated 50,000 jobs last month, down from a downwardly revised 56,000 in November, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Unemployment Rate Ticks Down
Despite slower hiring, the unemployment rate edged slightly lower to 4.4% in December, compared with a revised 4.5% the month before. Economists had forecast a gain of 55,000 jobs and an unemployment rate holding steady at 4.5%.
Weakest Job Growth Outside Recessions
With December’s figures, the U.S. added about 584,000 jobs in 2025. Outside of recession years, that marks the weakest annual job growth since 2003, BLS data shows. Economists say the slowdown reflects mounting uncertainty, including shifts in trade and immigration policy, persistent inflation, and high interest rates.
A Broad-Based Hiring Slowdown
Hiring cooled across most industries, a trend some economists have described as a “hiring recession.” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, has noted that nearly every sector has been affected by the pullback.
Health Care and Hospitality Buck the Trend
The main exceptions in December were health care and leisure and hospitality. Leisure and hospitality added 47,000 jobs, while health care and social assistance grew by 38,500 positions, driven in part by an aging population and continued consumer spending in select areas.
Losses in Manufacturing and Retail
Job losses were concentrated in goods-producing industries, particularly manufacturing. Retail trade also shed jobs, as seasonal hiring was weaker than in past years, underscoring the uneven nature of the labor market slowdown.
