Jennifer Lopez on Her New Film and the Power of Love Through Art
Jennifer Lopez says her latest musical film, Kiss of the Spider Woman, comes at a crucial time for a world facing “a lot of hate.” The film explores an unexpected bond between a transgender character and a political revolutionary, carrying a message Lopez believes is urgently needed.
“We need to remind each other that love is the answer — not hate,” Lopez told CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King.
A Story Ahead of Its Time
Directed by Bill Condon (Chicago, Dreamgirls), the movie is based on Manuel Puig’s 1970s novel. Lopez said she was “immediately floored” by the script, describing the story as ahead of its time. It follows two characters from different worlds who, through extraordinary circumstances, come to see each other’s humanity and form a deep bond.
“This is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” Lopez said.
Playing Three Versions of One Woman
Lopez plays three different iterations of the same character, Ingrid Luna, in what she called one of her most challenging roles since Selena.
“They’re the same person, but they’re three very different iterations… The essence of who they were was very different, but still the same. And I think that was the challenge,” she explained.
One standout sequence features Ingrid performing “Where You Are,” a musical number that helps another character escape the harsh reality of prison through imagination.
“That’s what art and music and movies do for people—especially in difficult times,” Lopez said.
A Message of Acceptance
Lopez emphasized that the film’s core message is about looking past differences.
“The truth is, we’re all human, we’re all the same. If we can just see that, we can allow people to be who they are and love each other anyway,” she said.
Lopez on Bad Bunny and Artistic Openness
Reflecting on her own Super Bowl halftime performance with Shakira and Bad Bunny, Lopez praised the Puerto Rican artist as he prepares to headline the upcoming Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show.
“Music and art transcend language. He’s done that probably more than anybody of any generation,” she said.
She admired a moment when Bad Bunny brought Marc Anthony, the father of her children, onstage in Puerto Rico.
“It couldn’t have been a more perfect moment,” Lopez said.
Still a “Hopeful Romantic”
Lopez told King she prefers the term “hopeful romantic” over “hopeless romantic,” a mindset that continues to guide her personal life.
“The more self-aware I become and the more complete I feel on my own, the more I become hopeful for that same type of person to come into my life,” she said. “I’m excited for everything in the future.”
For the latest stories on our Latino and Hispanic stars such as Jennifer Lopez, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
METRO to Re-Stripe Houston Pride Crosswalk After Abbott’s Directive
METRO announced it will re-stripe the rainbow Pride crosswalk at Westheimer and Taft in Montrose to comply with federal design and safety standards, following a directive from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Compliance With State and Federal Rules
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County said the decision comes after correspondence from the Texas Department of Transportation and an October 8 statement from Abbott’s office instructing local jurisdictions to align roadway markings with traffic control regulations to maintain funding agreements.
“Given the recent directive, we will comply with the order to preserve support that is essential to our mission of providing safe, clean, reliable, and accessible transit to all communities,” METRO said in a statement.
Abbott’s Warning to Cities
Governor Abbott ordered TxDOT to enforce roadway guidelines and threatened to withhold state and federal funding from cities that do not comply.
“Texans expect their taxpayer dollars to be used wisely, not advance political agendas on Texas roadways,” Abbott said. “Any city that refuses to comply with the federal road standards will face consequences including the withholding or denial of state and federal road funding.”
The order came less than a week after Houston repainted the rainbow crosswalk, originally removed during a METRO construction project and later restored with funding from Pride Houston and city approval.
What’s Next for Montrose Crosswalk
METRO said it will move forward with re-striping the intersection to maintain compliance and protect funding for transit projects across the Houston area. The Pride crosswalk had been celebrated as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community in Montrose but now must meet standard federal roadway markings.
For the Houston headlines that you must know, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
Emergency Medicaid for Undocumented Immigrants Is Less Than 1% of State Spending
Emergency Medicaid spending for undocumented immigrants made up only 0.4% of total Medicaid spending in 2022, according to a new study published in JAMA.
Minimal Cost Per Resident
Researchers from Emory University, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed 2022 Medicaid financial data from 38 states and Washington, D.C. They found emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants amounted to about $9.63 per resident.
Even in states with the largest undocumented populations, costs remained below 1% of Medicaid budgets, though these states spent roughly 15 times more per person than those with smaller undocumented communities.
What Emergency Medicaid Covers
Emergency Medicaid is a limited program that covers emergency medical treatment for people who meet Medicaid requirements except for legal immigration status. It typically covers immediate, short-term care, such as labor and delivery. Some states also include services like dialysis and cancer treatments.
Proposed Cuts Would Have Little Impact
The findings come as Republican lawmakers push the 2025 Budget Reconciliation law, which proposes $163 billion in federal spending cuts, including reductions to Medicaid. Supporters claim the cuts target groups who “should not be receiving care,” but researchers argue that undocumented immigrants already lack access to comprehensive Medicaid, Medicare, or ACA marketplace coverage.
The study’s authors warned that cutting emergency Medicaid would save little money while disproportionately harming states with large immigrant populations, as well as safety-net hospitals and clinicians serving those communities.
They noted limitations, including that 11 states did not report emergency Medicaid spending and the analysis did not include other forms of public spending on undocumented immigrants.
For more on immigration policies, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
Government Shutdown Threatens to Disrupt Houston Air Travel
The ongoing federal government shutdown is beginning to affect air travel nationwide, and both Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby Airport could soon feel the impact, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Possible Ground Stops at Both Airports
The FAA website indicated that a ground stop at IAH was “probable” after 6 p.m., while one at Hobby was “possible” until 8 p.m. Tuesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, flight boards at Bush showed no delays, and neither airport had issued a ground stop.
The Houston Airport System previously said operations—including TSA screening, air traffic control, and customs—were expected to continue without disruption despite the shutdown.
Air Traffic Staffing Under Pressure
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association stated that thousands of aviation safety professionals have been furloughed. John Bratcher, VP of the NATCA Southwest region, warned the shutdown is already slowing an understaffed system.
Early Signs of Disruption
According to FlightAware, Bush Airport recorded 58 delays and one cancellation on Tuesday. Bello expressed concern for unpaid federal workers.
For more on the aftermath of the government shutdown, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
Greg Abbott Greenlights Deployment of Texas Guard to Other States, what you need to know
Gov. Greg Abbott has authorized the deployment of 400 Texas National Guard troops to support federal officials in other states, including Illinois and Oregon, at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Abbott confirmed Monday evening on Fox News that the Guard moved out “to safeguard … federal officials” in American cities, though he did not specify precise locations. Some Texas Guard members were reportedly seen Tuesday morning in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Deployment Details & Legal Pushback
Abbott did not disclose the exact destinations or missions of the 400 troops. The Texas Military Department did not immediately return requests for comment.
On his show Monday night, Abbott defended the move, saying, “The president has the authority to call up the National Guard to assist in enforcing those laws, and that’s exactly what the president is doing … What Texas is doing, we’re assisting the president in that cause.”
According to posts from Abbott and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the weekend, deployments are bound for Illinois, Oregon, and other states. Pritzker described it as “Trump’s invasion” and urged Abbott to rescind the authorization.
Legal challenges emerged quickly. A federal judge temporarily blocked the mobilization of any state National Guard unit to Oregon Sunday night. Illinois sued Monday seeking to stop the deployment in its state, though a judge declined to immediately block it — giving the Trump administration until Wednesday night to respond.
Meanwhile, ten Democratic members of Congress from Texas demanded that Abbott withdraw the deployment, calling the sending of troops to Illinois unlawful. In a letter, they argued: “Turning them into a domestic police force … erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission.”
Context: Protests, ICE Raids & Threats
The deployment comes in the wake of protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Portland, Chicago, and elsewhere. President Trump claimed Portland was “burning to the ground,” despite state and local leaders insisting federal assistance was unnecessary. He also threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Portland, “if necessary.”
Abbott accompanied his Monday announcement with images on X (formerly Twitter): Guard members in riot gear boarding a military plane, and a meme mocking Pritzker and Democratic governors who opposed the move. Pritzker fired back, pointing to Abbott’s sharp criticism of a 2024 plan by then-President Joe Biden to shift some Air National Guard resources over the governor’s objections.
In Texas, tensions over immigration enforcement have escalated: a late-month shooting at a Dallas ICE facility killed two migrant detainees and wounded another.
Defense Department documents say the orders for the Texas Guard deployment are effective immediately for 60 days, with the possibility of extension.
Previous Guard Deployments & State Role in Immigration Enforcement
This is not Abbott’s first use of the Texas National Guard for missions beyond traditional state emergencies. Earlier this year, he authorized Guard involvement in immigration arrests under a state–federal agreement giving limited enforcement authority during regular duties. He also deployed more than 5,000 troops this summer in response to protests over immigration enforcement actions.
In addition, Abbott has deployed thousands of Guard members to the U.S.–Mexico border under his signature Operation Lone Star initiative, which began in 2021 as a border security effort. These missions have sparked debate over the limits of state power in immigration enforcement and the constitutional role of the National Guard.
Who Are the Texas National Guard & What’s Their Role?
The Texas National Guard is comprised of more than 20,000 service members and is overseen by the Texas Military Department. The Guard typically responds to natural disasters, providing rescue, relief, and logistical support. However, the Guard also exists to provide ready forces to state and federal authorities “at home and abroad,” as needed, under dual state and federal roles.
In state service, the governor is commander-in-chief. In federal service, control shifts to the president. In this case, Abbott has consented to federalization, allowing the Trump administration to order deployment.
Constitutional & Legal Questions
Under Title 10 U.S. Code § 12406, the president may federalize a state’s National Guard in cases of invasion, rebellion, or when regular forces cannot enforce federal laws. Abbott has said he “fully authorized” such a deployment.
Yet the Trump administration’s effort to federalize guard units from states that object has already triggered court challenges. Sunday’s order blocks the Oregon deployment; Illinois is pushing back via lawsuit.
In their letter, the ten Texas Democrats warned such deployments set a dangerous precedent. “If any other state deployed their National Guard to Texas without our consent, we would call that an invasion,” they wrote.
Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to use the military in civilian law enforcement under narrow conditions, such as when federal laws can’t otherwise be enforced. The last time it was invoked was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, at California’s request.
What We Know About the Illinois Mission
Texas Guard troops have been sighted in the Chicago area, though their precise role and rules of engagement remain unclear. The Pentagon declined to comment on specific assignments. In Abbott’s posted photos, guardsmen wore full gear, including riot shields.
As of now, about 200 Texas Guard members are stationed in Illinois under the command of U.S. Northern Command. Their orders run for 60 days initially and may be extended.
Since ICE’s ramped operations began in the Chicago area last month, more than 1,000 immigrants have been apprehended in sweeping raids. Some U.S. citizens and children say they were caught up in encounters with masked agents.
Abbott reiterated that the president has the “constitutional responsibility to enforce … immigration laws,” and that “Texas is assisting the president in that cause.”
Appeals Court Lifts Block on Oregon Guard Deployment, Broader Ban Stays
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily lifted a lower court order that blocked the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops to Portland.
The move does not immediately change the situation on the ground, as a separate, broader order preventing any state’s National Guard from deploying to the city remains in effect.
Temporary Stay Issued
The administrative stay applies only to U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s Saturday ruling, which prohibited Oregon’s National Guard from deploying. The appeals court did not weigh the legal arguments, instead issuing the stay to maintain stability while the case proceeds.
“In the circumstances here, granting an administrative stay will best preserve the status quo,” the court wrote. Before the restraining order was issued on Oct. 4, Oregon Guard members had been federalized but not deployed.
Broader Order Still Blocks All States
Immergut’s broader Sunday night order, which bars the federal government from deploying any state’s National Guard into Portland, remains fully in effect. The Trump administration has not formally challenged that order.
Court Hearing Ahead
The Ninth Circuit will hear oral arguments on Thursday regarding whether to extend the stay pending appeal. Immergut previously said she was “troubled” by the administration’s attempts to bypass her earlier ruling, adding that conditions in Portland were “not significantly violent or disruptive” and the president’s claims were “simply untethered to the facts.”
For more on Trump’s controversial deployment of National Guard troops, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
Weak front arriving Thursday brings huge humidity drop Friday
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A “not as humid” front arrives Thursday to crash the humidity down for the weekend, and that will lead to a few crisp mornings and comfortably warm afternoons.
We still have one more sticky night in the 70s to get through before the drier air blows in. Once the sun comes up, temperatures will blast off toward the low 90s. A dry northeasterly wind will lower the humidity through the day, then a bigger humidity drop arrives Thursday night and Friday.
What is the coolest it will get behind the front?
Our coolest weather will occur around sunrise on Saturday when temperatures bottom out in the upper 50s and low 60s, so if you hit the pumpkin patch early enough it might feel like something that resembles fall. But if you wait until the afternoon, it will be pretty warm again with highs in the upper 80s.
Will the low humidity stick around for the whole weekend?
It sure will! The weather will be great for outdoor activities, but all this sunny, dry weather will continue to dry out the ground and increase drought and fire danger conditions.
What is happening in the tropics?
We are continuing to monitor what is now Tropical Storm Jerry. Jerry could intensify into a Category 2 hurricane as it makes it way towards Bermuda. There is another wave we are watching in the Bay of Campeche that more than likely stay weak and head west into Mexico Thursday. For a thorough update and in-depth video on what’s happening in the tropics, head to our tropical update page.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
For more Houston headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine!
Trump Announces Israel-Hamas Peace Deal
Former President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to begin implementing the first phase of a White House-brokered peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza. As part of the deal, Israeli hostages are set to be released “very soon.”
Trump said Israel would withdraw troops from Gaza “to an agreed upon line,” calling the agreement “a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America.” He thanked mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for helping reach the deal.
First Phase: Hostage Exchange
The initial stage calls for the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. Once all hostages are freed, Hamas members who surrender their weapons will receive amnesty under the plan.
War Background
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
There are currently 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.
Netanyahu Welcomes Deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for his role in the negotiations and expressed hope for broader peace with neighboring countries. “A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home,” he said.
Negotiations
Hamas has indicated a willingness to hand over governance of Gaza to a coalition of Palestinian technocrats but has not fully committed to disarming. Negotiations were held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff representing the U.S.
Trump said he considered a last-minute trip to the Middle East to finalize the agreement.
“Our final negotiation is with Hamas, and it seems to be going well,” he said. “This deal only works if Hamas follows through. We don’t trust terrorists, we trust results.”
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.
Dolly Parton Reassures Fans: ‘I Ain’t Dead Yet!’
Dolly Parton posted a lighthearted video to Instagram on Wednesday, addressing growing concerns about her health and assuring fans she’s “okay.”
“I ain’t dead yet!” she captioned the clip, in which she spoke directly to the camera. “I know lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you?”
Sister’s Prayer Request Sparks Concern
The buzz began after Dolly’s sister, Freida Parton, posted on Facebook Tuesday asking fans to pray for the country legend. She later clarified that Dolly was simply “a little under the weather” and not seriously ill.
Health Update: “Nothing Major”
In the video, Dolly explained she’s been receiving treatment at Vanderbilt for minor health issues, including kidney stones.
“I’m not dying,” she said. “I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working.”
She added that during her late husband Carl Dean’s illness, she neglected some of her own health needs, which doctors are now addressing.
Las Vegas Shows Postponed
Concerns about Parton’s health first intensified on September 28, when she postponed her upcoming Las Vegas residency. “It must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up,” she joked in a statement at the time.
A Message Straight From Dolly
Closing her video, Parton thanked fans for their love and prayers: “I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay.”
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.