HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A woman is spending the holidays in the Harris County Jail, accused of locking a 7-year-old girl in a dog cage underneath her Christmas tree.
Rose Anderson appeared before a Harris County Magistrate on Sunday, though the incident reportedly happened “on or around” Dec. 13.
Records show Anderson and the alleged victim are relatives.
Court documents state Anderson’s alleged motive was to “discipline” the little girl “for her behavior at school.”
In the documents, Houston police accuse Anderson of kicking the little girl while she was inside the cage.
Anderson also allegedly restrained the girl with zip ties while duct-taping her mouth.
The magistrate set Anderson’s bond at $10,000. She is charged with unlawful restraint.
Records show Anderson remained in the Harris County Jail on Sunday evening.
According to court documents, she is a single mother working three jobs.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — For a second straight season, the Houston Texans will be without Tank Dell to end the regular season and for the playoffs after the dynamic receiver suffered another major injury.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said in an update Monday afternoon that Dell dislocated his knee, tore his ACL and suffered other damage that will require surgery. He didn’t give a timeline for that procedure, just that it would be “soon.”
Dell sustained what coach Ryans called a “significant” knee injury on a 30-yard touchdown catch in Houston’s loss to Kansas City on Saturday.
Dell was hospitalized following the injury before being released and heading back to Houston.
This injury comes after Dell fractured his fibula in Week 13 against the Broncos last season and had surgery on it the following day.
“It’s tough to see guys get injured, the work that guys put in, how much they put their bodies on the line to play this game,” Ryans said Sunday. “It’s deeper than football. We are talking about real people who have real emotions and real feelings who are going through a tough time right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in that situation.”
The AFC South champion Texans will have to regroup quickly with a visit from the Ravens coming on Christmas Day. Dell’s injury is another blow to a team that was already missing Stefon Diggs after the four-time Pro Bowl receiver sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.
Dell ranks second on the team with 51 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns behind Nico Collins, who has 909 yards receiving and six scores.
Tight end Dalton Schultz has 482 yards receiving and two touchdowns and running back Joe Mixon 291 yards receiving and a touchdown grab. But with Dell and Diggs out, the Texans are thin at receiver.
John Metchie, who has just 182 yards receiving this season, could fill in for Diggs this week, but his status is uncertain after he missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury.
“There is a chance John could be back,” Ryans said. “I think he’s progressing, so we’ll see where he ends up on Wednesday.”
Other options at the position are veteran Robert Woods, who has just 143 yards receiving this season, and Xavier Hutchinson, who nine catches.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud, one of Dell’s closest friends, was distraught after Dell’s injury and remained upset after the game. He said it will be difficult for the team to bounce back after losing Dell to a serious injury again.
“It’s not easy to see your brother go down like that after dealing with a season-ending injury last year. So just gotta be there with him. I think everybody sees how hard I took it,” said Stroud, who was visibly upset and broke out in tears. “This is not the end for him. This is just another bump in the road.”
Stroud said that he has talked to Dell.
“The easy answer is to tell you something to make everybody feel nice, but it’s not the truth right now,” Stroud said after the game. “The truth is that it’s not easy seeing your brother go down like that. (Sunday) we’ll have to get recovery, get ready for Wednesday because it’s another big-time opponent. The Ravens are a great team. It’ll be a playoff atmosphere on Christmas Day.”
What’s working Stroud distributed the ball well Saturday, completing passes to six different players. Dell led the way with six receptions for 98 yards and Collins had seven receptions for 60 yards while being double-teamed often.
With teams likely to place even more emphasis on stopping Collins with Dell out, Stroud will need to continue to spread the ball around against the Ravens.
What needs help The Texans continue to struggle in the red zone and converted just 1 of 3 opportunities Saturday. This comes after they were also 1 of 3 in a win over the Jaguars in Week 13 and converted just 2 of 4 chances in a loss to the Titans in Week 12.
“We had our opportunities, and it just comes down to as simple as guys being in the right spot,” Ryans said. “We just have to make the plays. We have to finish and that’s all it comes down to
Stock up LB Christian Harris had seventh tackles and a sack against the Chiefs in his second game of the season after missing the first 13 with a calf injury. His sack was Houston’s 46th of the season, which ties a franchise record that was set last season.
Stock down K Ka’imi Fairbairn missed an extra point Saturday. He’s been excellent from long range this season, making 13 field goals longer than 50 yards. But has struggled on shorter kicks, missing two from less than 30 yards before Saturday’s PAT miss.
Injuries S Jimmie Ward injured his foot Saturday. He’ll need surgery and miss the rest of the season, Ryans confirmed Monday. G Shaq Mason injured his knee against the Chiefs and will be week to week, Ryans said.
Key number 10 – Dell’s touchdown Saturday was the 10th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Andre Johnson for most TD catches by a Texans through their first two seasons.
Next steps The Texans look for their first win over Baltimore since 2014 after five consecutive wins by the Ravens, including a 34-10 victory in the divisional round of the playoffs last season.
Este lunes 23 de diciembre, los habitantes de Houston tendrán la oportunidad de disfrutar de una noche mágica llena de música, tradición y espíritu navideño con el espectáculo Merry-Achi Christmas, presentado por el reconocido Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández. La presentación, que tendrá lugar en el Jones Hall a las 7:30 p.m., promete ser una experiencia inolvidable con interpretaciones únicas de clásicos como El Niño del Tambor, Himno de la Alegría y un popurrí especial de El Cascanueces, todo al estilo mariachi.
En una entrevista exclusiva para Que Onda Magazine, el maestro ganador del Grammy, José Hernández, habló sobre la emoción de regresar a Houston después de casi 12 años y cerrar su gira navideña en esta vibrante ciudad.
“Merry-Achi Christmas para los paisanos de Houston va a ser un gran honor. Hemos visitado Houston antes, pero la última vez fue hace 12 años. Nos sentimos como en casa cuando vamos porque sabemos que hay una comunidad hispana muy entusiasta y amante de la música mexicana,” expresó Hernández.
Con 43 años al frente de Mariachi Sol de México, Hernández ha dedicado su vida a llevar la música tradicional mexicana a escenarios de todo el mundo, incluyendo presentaciones para cinco presidentes y 13 nominaciones al Grammy Latino.
“Me da mucha alegría y siento mucho orgullo poder continuar con una tradición que ha sido parte de mi familia por más de siete generaciones. Poder representar la música mexicana en un lugar tan especial como el Jones Hall es algo muy significativo para nosotros,” agregó el maestro.
El espectáculo Merry-Achi Christmas incluye una combinación única de canciones navideñas en español e inglés, además de homenajes a grandes figuras como Vicente Fernández y Juan Gabriel, y piezas clásicas como las de Chaikovski.
“Nuestro show es un viaje musical lleno de emoción. Las canciones rancheras, las piezas clásicas y los temas navideños se entrelazan para ofrecer una experiencia única que conecta profundamente con el público,” señaló Hernández.
Finalmente, el maestro compartió un mensaje especial para el público de Houston: “Van a ver a un grupo enamorado de la música mexicana y orgulloso de representar a nuestro México lindo y querido. Queremos que esta presentación enriquezca su temporada navideña y sea un momento para celebrar juntos.”
No te pierdas esta oportunidad única de disfrutar del talento y la pasión de José Hernández y su Mariachi Sol de México. Los boletos están disponibles en la taquilla del Jones Hall y en línea.
Nota: Esta presentación no incluye la participación de la Houston Symphony.
A federal regulator sued JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America on Friday, claiming the banks failed to protect hundreds of thousands of consumers from rampant fraud on the popular payments network Zelle, in violation of consumer financial laws.
In the federal civil complaint, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau asserts that the banks rushed to get the peer-to-peer payments platform to market without effective safeguards against fraud and then, after consumers complained about being defrauded on the service, largely denied them relief.
“Shortly after Zelle’s launch, significant problems, including fraud being perpetrated on consumers using Zelle, quickly became apparent. But defendants did not take meaningful action to address these clear defects for years,” according to the complaint.
The CFPB claims that the banks violated federal consumer financial laws governing electric funds transfers, which require banks conduct “reasonable investigations” when consumers report transaction errors, and the agency’s prohibition on unfair acts or practices by failing to take steps to prevent and address fraud on Zelle. The agency seeks an unspecified amount of money to cover refunds, damages and penalties.
“Customers of the three banks named in today’s lawsuit have lost more than $870 million over the network’s seven-year existence due to these failures,” the CFPB said.
Also named as a defendant in the lawsuit is Early Warning Services, a fintech company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, that operates Zelle. EWS is owned by seven U.S. banks, including JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Those three banks are the largest financial institutions on the Zelle network, accounting for 73% of activity on Zelle last year.
Bank of America said it strongly disagreed with the lawsuit, which it said would add “huge new costs” on banks and credit unions offering the free Zelle service to clients. It said more than 99.95% of transactions across the Zelle network go through without incident.
“When a client has an issue, we work directly with them,” the bank based in Charlotte, North Carolina, said.
In a statement, New York-based JPMorgan said the CPFB was “overreaching its authority by making banks accountable for criminals.”
San Francisco-based Wells Fargo declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Early Warning called the lawsuit “legally and factually flawed.”
“Zelle leads the fight against scams and fraud and has industry-leading reimbursement policies that go above and beyond the law,” the company said.
Since its launch in 2017, Zelle has become one of the most widely used peer-to-peer payment networks in the U.S., with more than 143 million users. In the first half of 2024, Zelle users transferred $481 billion across more than 1.7 billion transactions, according to the CFPB.
MAGDEBURG, Germany — At least five people, including a 9-year-old, are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, German officials said Saturday. The four other victims killed in the attack were adults, according to police.
At least 200 more people were injured when a car plowed into festive market-goers in the eastern German city, around 75 miles west of the capital Berlin, according to Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff.
The Magdeburg Christmas market will be closed for the remainder of the season, police told reporters Saturday.
At least 41 of those injured in the attack are in serious condition, according to police. Their lives are still thought to be in danger, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
A suspect — a doctor from Saudi Arabia aged around 50 — was arrested, Haselhoff said. The man has lived in Germany since 2006. A rental car was used in the attack, the minister said.
He will be charged with 5 counts of murder and grievous bodily harm, according to police.
The first emergency call came in at 7:02 p.m. local time and the driver was stopped within three minutes of the attack, according to a police official. Police believe the suspect entered via the space left open for emergency vehicles to access the area.
Police believe the suspect acted alone.
The prosecutor said they are still clarifying the motive behind the attack, but said that it’s possibly linked to “dissatisfaction with the treatment of refugees from Saudi Arabia and how they’ve been treated in Germany,” but they will “need more time” to determine this.
Police said the suspect has undergone physical and psychological exams but police do not yet have the results.
At Magdeburg Cathedral, a huge crowd gathered on Saturday inside and outside for a memorial service to the victims. Attendees included the mayor, Sholz and first responders.
Elsewhere in the city, a smaller crowd held an anti-immigrant protest with a sign that said “Remigration” and waved German flags, as well as flags of Imperial Germany and ones reading “Homeland.”
U.S. law enforcement sources told ABC News that German authorities are treating the attack as a terrorist incident.
“We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured and to all those affected by this terrible incident,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Germany in grieving the loss of life. The United States is ready to provide assistance as recovery efforts continue and authorities investigate this horrible incident,” Miller’s statement continued.
Scholz offered his condolences to those affected. “My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Scholz said in a statement. “We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.”
Friday’s ramming incident came almost exactly eight years after a similar terror attack at a Christmas market in the German capital. On Dec. 19, 2016, a man drove a truck into a crowd at a market in Berlin, killing 13 and injuring dozens.
U.S. law enforcement officials have warned of similar vehicle-ramming attacks on American soil, particularly over the festive season.
A joint threat assessment about New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square, for example, noted the use of vehicle-ramming alone or in conjunction with other tactics “has become a recurring tactic employed by threat actors in the West.”
The NYPD, out of an abundance of caution, will surge resources to similar areas around the city, including Christmas markets, according to NYPD deputy commissioner for counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner.
“We know this is a very festive time, it is a busy time in the city, and we are going to make sure that all of our holiday markets, all of our holiday activities are protected by our counter weapons teams, by officers on patrol, all our counter-terrorism officers, our critical response command,” Weiner told ABC New York station WABC.
AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — Very few things capture the sights and sounds of the Lone Star State on a December weekend than a good old match on the gridiron.
“If you’re from Texas, football, besides faith and family, football is everything,” Randal Hess, from Katy, said.
For the longhorn faithful, their prayers are being answered on the football field.
“You know what our record’s been in the last five years, that’s what makes it special,” Hess said.
After taking down the Clemson Tigers, they’ve now advanced in the college football playoffs in what was expected to be a challenging year.
“I think it’s great. First year being in the SEC, one of the toughest conferences out there.,” Tony Garner, from San Antonio, said.
But this weekend, there was more to cheer for than just touchdowns and a victory. It was a chance for fans to see their favorite mascot, Bevo, in person.
You could say, he has helped with recruiting.
“I think we started coming in 2017 when I just barely moved here, and Jane invited me to one game, I saw Bevo, fell in love, and the next game I came, it was over. I was hooked,” Connie Archuleta, from Colorado, said.
Before players took the field, some fans even got a front-row seat to meet some of their favorites who’ve made this season so memorable.
We had Deandre Moore come over and shake her hand and say hello. He’s a good kid, comes every time and says hello.” Jane Trainor said.
Some players from the Longhorn’s past even made an appearance. “I’m actually going to say hi to Colt McCoy because he’s here,” Jonathan Casper said.
Even though Clemson fans wear a different shade of orange, they say none was thrown.
“Everyone’s been nice, you know, like welcoming us to Austin,” Patrick Bentancur, who is a Clemson fan, said.
The hospitality is here to stay, and so are these fans.
The Longhorns will take on the ASU Sun Devils on the road on New Year’s Day.
Houston billionaire and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has been nominated to serve as the United States ambassador to Italy, according to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
On Saturday, Trump sent the following statement via Truth Social Post:
“I am pleased to announce that Tilman J. Fertitta has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to Italy. Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our Country’s premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans. Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children’s charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community. Additionally, Tilman is the longest serving Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University of Houston. He also owns the Houston Rockets Basketball Team. Congratulations to Tilman, and his remarkable family!”
Fertitta, 67, also is the chairman, CEO, and president of Landry’s Inc. and the chairman of the University of Houston’s board of regents.
“It is an honor to be nominated to serve my country as ambassador to Italy and I look forward to the process ahead. Italy is such an extraordinary country with its wonderful people, culture, and history and its strategic importance to The United States of America,” Fertitta said.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Rachel Rucker said she went from working at a restaurant to working in the classroom.
Although Rucker is no longer a teacher, as executive director of impact and analytics at the Houston Independent School District, she said the nationwide teacher shortage means they’re welcoming educators from different backgrounds.
The district currently has nearly 2,000 uncertified teachers, which means about one in every five teachers does not have a certification.
“I went from Texas Roadhouse into the classroom, and I was a good teacher,” Rucker said. “I do believe that we should welcome people who want to become teachers. We shouldn’t gatekeep who can become a teacher. If you want to become a teacher and you realize after you graduated college that the thing that you’re doing is not what you want to pursue, please consider teaching.”
As 13 Investigates first reported at the start of the school year, the number of uncertified teachers at HISD has more than doubled over the last year.
Our investigation found that 7% of HISD’s teachers were not certified last school year, but that number is up to 20% this year.
Two months after asking HISD for a list of every uncertified teacher, the district finally sent us the names and job titles of its 1,961 uncertified teachers as of Dec. 4.
A 13 Investigates analysis of uncertified teachers’ data shows about half of the uncertified teachers are at the elementary school level.
Michael Ruiz, a senior executive director of Strategic Initiatives at Houston ISD, said there could be some logistical reasons for more uncertified teachers at elementary campuses.
“Most of the campuses, of our 273 campuses, are elementary schools. They tend to be smaller campuses,” Ruiz said. “To give an example, Lamar High School has almost 3,000 students. Our largest elementary school is pushing about 1,000. You also have classroom size caps for kindergarten through fourth grade, where you can only allow 22 students per teacher. You need to get a waiver if you want to go over that, so the staffing ratios are slightly different in elementary school, which means elementary schools typically need more teachers per student than a secondary campus would.”
Our investigation also found 82 uncertified teachers instructing the Art of Thinking class Superintendent Mike Miles brought to HISD as part of his NES model.
Another 153 uncertified teachers are teaching AP or Pre-AP classes, including algebra, biology, chemistry, geometry, and physics.
HISD’s Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center High School has the most uncertified teachers, with 39.
Milby, Sharpstown, and Wisdom high schools are next, with 32 uncertified teachers each.
Ruiz said 11% of the district’s uncertified teachers came to the district with classroom experience.
However, that also means that 89% of them don’t have classroom experience, and state data shows that certification does matter.
According to research from Texas Tech University, uncertified teachers leave the job at a higher rate.
The research also shows that students with uncertified teachers who have no classroom experience lose the equivalent of four months’ worth of learning in reading and three months’ worth of learning in math.
“In my research, I use data statewide, so I have access to every single person and their certification or lack thereof, and I can see where they go or if they leave the teaching profession entirely, and so that research is not only just an anecdote of what’s happening in one district or another, that research is what is happening across Texas,” Jacob Kirksey, an assistant professor in the College of Education at Texas Tech University, said earlier this month.
Ruiz said a teacher’s passion and willingness to become a better teacher is more important than their background. He also said all uncertified teachers are required to get a certification within two years or they can no longer teach at the district.
“I can tell you that if I was running a high school and you showed up to interview for the journalism teaching position, Kevin, I would feel confident in my ability to make you a great teacher because you have that almost like — there’s a smart guy who knows what he is doing, clearly has passion,” Ruiz said. “So yeah, absolutely. I can teach him to be a teacher. Sometimes, it’s harder to teach passion and competence and energy.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Speaker Mike Johnson faces a race against time to prevent a midnight government shutdown as he attempts to navigate demands from President-elect Donald Trump and his own party’s divisions. Johnson proposed a temporary funding measure that would keep the government running through March, allocating $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion for agricultural aid. However, it excludes Trump’s demand for a five-year debt ceiling increase, which he insists is a dealbreaker.
“We will not have a government shutdown,” Johnson vowed Friday, though skepticism remains high.
Trump, who has not yet taken office, has been vocal in his opposition, urging Republicans to “let the closures start now” if his conditions aren’t met. Known for prioritizing budget cuts and smaller government, Trump has doubled down on his demand to extend the federal debt limit to 2029, warning Congress against leaving it unresolved.
Meanwhile, bipartisan efforts to strike a deal have faltered. A 1,500-page compromise crafted by Johnson and House Democrats earlier this week collapsed after opposition from hardline Republicans and Trump’s intervention. A subsequent 116-page GOP alternative—endorsed by Trump—also failed to garner sufficient support.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and members of the Freedom Caucus were seen at the Capitol Friday, further underscoring the divisions within the Republican Party. Simultaneously, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries maintained communication with Johnson to explore solutions.
Impact of a Shutdown Federal workers, including military personnel, face the possibility of entering the holiday season without paychecks. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a return to the bipartisan deal, labeling it “the quickest, simplest, and easiest way” to keep the government open.
Outgoing President Joe Biden, who has taken a quieter role in the negotiations, criticized the GOP’s inability to coalesce around a plan. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre placed the onus squarely on Republicans, saying, “They blew up this deal. They need to fix it.”
As the clock ticks, the pressure on Speaker Johnson continues to mount—not only to prevent a government shutdown but also to maintain support from his razor-thin GOP majority ahead of the speaker’s vote on Jan. 3.
What’s Next
With talks ongoing, the possibility of a shutdown remains high. A government closure would affect millions of Americans and deliver a significant blow to the economy. As Trump and his allies push for their vision of fiscal policy, the question remains: can Johnson unite Congress in time to avoid disaster?
New York — Party City is closing down all of its stores, ending nearly 40 years in business, CNN has learned.
CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees Friday in a meeting viewed by CNN that Party City is “winding down” operations immediately and that today will be their last day of employment.
“That is without question the most difficult message that I’ve ever had to deliver,” Litwin said at the meeting, which was held on a video conference call. Party City’s “very best efforts have not been enough to overcome” its financial challenges, he added, resulting in the company’s collapse.
FILE – People shop in a Party City store on January 18, 2023 in Miami, Florida.Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“It’s really important for you to know that we’ve done everything possible that we could to try to avoid this outcome,” Litwin said. “Unfortunately, it’s necessary to commence a winddown process immediately.”
Party City didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Bankruptcy and collapse
The chain is the largest party supply store in the United States and recently exited bankruptcy in September 2023. That plan included the canceling of nearly $1 billion in debt, the dissolution of its stock and a majority of its 800 US stores staying open.
Though in the short term Party City managed to avoid the same fate as Bed Bath & Beyond and 99 Cents Only Stores, it still had more than $800 million in debt to overcome, which strained earnings this year.
The company had closed more than 80 stores from the end of 2022 to August 2024, according to its most recent financial documents.
Party City said in a previous statement that it had renegotiated many of its leases and exited “less productive locations,” which resulted in many of chain’s workers remaining employed. The company had approximately 6,400 full-time and 10,100 part-time workers as of 2021.
Party City filed for bankruptcy in January 2023 after struggling to pay off its $1.7 billion debt load. As a result, it was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
The New Jersey-based company announced Litwin as its new CEO just four months ago. In a LinkedIn post, he said the company’s “main priority is to strengthen our financial health, and there is work ahead of us.”
Net sales for Party City decreased to $407 million for the three months ending in September 2023, compared to $502 million in the same period in 2022, according to the company’s latest financial disclosures.
The company, which sells balloons, Halloween costumes and other party goods, has stumbled in the face of growing competition from e-commerce sites and pop-up concepts like Spirit Halloween. Competition from big-box retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Costco and others also crushed smaller chains.
It also had to contend with rising costs during the pandemic and a helium shortage, which hurt its crucial balloon business.
The chain joins a growing list of retailer bankruptcies this year as customers cut back on discretionary spending amid the rising cost of living. Notably, Big Lots announced Thursday it was starting “going out of business” sales at all of its locations after a plan for a private equity firm to rescue the bankruptcy retailer failed.
