HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — An investigation is underway after a man was found dead in a Spring-area neighborhood.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the man was found dead with possible trauma in the 17400 block of Colony Creek Drive.
ABC13 video from the scene shows a large law enforcement presence in the neighborhood.
The investigation into the man’s death is ongoing. Initially, authorities believed the man may have been hit by a vehicle but added that his injuries were not consistent with that.
Authorities said they are looking into whether the man suffered a medical emergency or if he was attacked.
Deputies did not release a description or say if they were looking for a suspect.
ABC13 spoke to a woman who lives in the neighborhood and believes she recognizes the victim. She said her son was walking their foster dog at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, when he saw the police activity.
“There are a few of us who, every morning and every evening and afternoon, we are running, biking, walking our dogs — he was part of that community. He would be saying ‘Hi’ to whoever says ‘Hi,'” neighbor Diana Molina-Armijo said. “So he was definitely someone in the community who was social, active, senior citizen. It’s a shocker to hear this is happening.”
She said the man she believes is the victim normally runs in the street.
“Our sidewalks recently have been worked on, but not all of them,” Molina-Armijo said. “And there’s a lot of bumps on the sidewalk, so a lot of us, including myself, sometimes are walking on the street so that we’re not hurting our feet, our ankles, and our knees.”
Gonzalez asked anyone with information to please call HCSO at 713-221-6000 or Crime Stoppers Houston at 713-222-TIPS.
CHICAGO — A woman in Illnois lost almost $1 million over several months to a scammer using the “pig butchering” technique.
Just as a farmer fattens up a pig for slaughter, in the scheme a scammer gains a victim’s trust over a long period of time, fattening them up, then goes in for the kill by stealing their life savings.
The FBI estimates the scams cost Americans nearly $4 billion in 2023 alone.
Erika DeMask had saved nearly $1 million in investment accounts; she is now in financial ruin.
“I had to tell my kids because they had no idea I had that kind of money,” she said.The video player is currently playing an ad.
In fact, she was forced to sell her Lombard, Illinois home and everything in it.
“This is my garage sale. The beginning of a mess,” DeMask said. “And it’s hard because a lot of the stuff; the glasses here belonged to my husband.”
Her husband passed away decades ago and recently DeMask met a man online.
“He said that he loved me,” she said. “Once he sent me a huge bouquet of flowers and the FBI said they were shocked that he did that.”
But the FBI said that tactic is just part of the fattening up stage.
“Fraudsters are going to fatten up the victims by putting more enticing the victims to put more money into an investment,” said James Barnacle, deputy assistant director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “And then they’re going to slaughter them by walking away and stealing their money.”
DeMask said her scammer was both charming and convincing,
“He’s working on an oil rig and something broke down. Can I send him $20,000? And I said, ‘Whoa.’ I said, ‘You know what? I need to pray about this,'” she said. “The second time I sent $35,000. Then two weeks later, another $35,000. His pastor is sending him $250,000. Can I match it? Which was a dumb thing.”
Over time that money sent reached nearly $1 million. DeMask said the scammer told her she would get double her money back in his investments. Instead, she now owes money back to her bank; cash which she took from her home equity loan. She also must pay taxes on her investment withdrawals.
“There’s $400 left. That’s it, $400,” she said.
She and her son said the money was taken out and sent via cashier’s checks or wire transfers through Fifth Third Bank.
“She was sending $100,000, $300,000, $50,000 at a time, and it was never brought up and stopped and checked,” said Ed DeMask.
They said when they filed reports with the FBI and Secret Service, agents told them that bankers should have spotted unusual patterns.
“I kept transferring money from Fifth Third from the investment accounts, they never questioned, ‘Why are you closing this whole account?'” Erika DeMask said.
But in this letter to DeMask, Fifth Third said it asks a series of questions that the customer must answer before a wire transfer is sent and that her answers provided “did not raise concern for potential fraud.”
Fifth Third told the I-Team, “The Bank meets applicable Red Flags provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA).”
The International Criminal Police Organization, or INTERPOL, said many of these crimes originate out of scam compounds in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.
The FBI said if you wire money or crypto there is little chance you will get it back, but if you report it to the FBI quickly, there is some hope.
“Our recovery asset team has had tremendous success in the last several years and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims of,” Barnacle said.
Authorities were unable to recover DeMask’s losses, but she says what hurts more is letting go of her home, furniture, and other long-time memories, like a chalkboard built in the garage.
“This was here when we moved here and my grandson, Teddy, he’s the only one that ever wrote on there. And every time I looked at it, I have a hard time. A lot of things are going to be gone and its hard,” she said.
To avoid becoming a victim of a scammer, you should never send money to anyone you meet online, ever.
Also remember that financial institutions may allow you to add trusted contacts to your account so their bank can reach out to family members if there is suspicious activity.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — We continue our ABC13 Weather Watch Thursday for the possibility of flooding rains and gusty winds in our coastal counties. By the weekend we will be dry as our first taste of “Fall-ish” air blows in behind a cool front, but next week we will have to keep an eye on the Gulf as another tropical low spins up over the Bay of Campeche.
Due to the threat of heavy rain for our coastline on top of what’s already fallen over the last week, the National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for our coastal counties through 7 a.m. Friday. These counties could pick up between 3-6″ of rain on Thursday as heavy storms train one after another around the low over the Gulf.
Most of the rain will fall south of I-10 in the morning, but in the afternoon we’ll see an uptick of scattered heavy showers norther of I-10. Any heavy rain shower could drop a quick inch of rain leading to minor street flooding.
With the extra cloud cover and rain, temperatures should only top out in the mid to upper 80s for much of SE Texas.
GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — The man accused of shooting and killing a deputy constable who was on his way to work with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office was charged with murder on Thursday.
The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office said they asked that the suspect, Athir Murady, be denied bail. He’s charged with the felony offense of evading arrest.
Video from Wednesday shows Murady being walked to the jail. He has visible facial injuries after reportedly being bitten by a police K-9 during his arrest.
ABC13 obtained new video showing Athir Murady being led to the Galveston County jail a day after he was pulled from the water in connection with a deputy’s murder.
Authorities say Murady got out of his own vehicle and ambushed Deputy Constable Maher Husseini while he sat in his SUV at a red light at Fondren Road and Richmond Avenue in southwest Houston on Tuesday afternoon.The video player is currently playing an ad.
Husseini was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Sources tell ABC13 that Husseini had a camera in his car, which captured the killing. A Harris County prosecutor was in Galveston on Wednesday night to question the suspect.
Husseini’s funeral is being held on Thursday. He’s being remembered as an amazing human — someone who was loved and respected by many.
After the shooting, officials said Murady took off. He was captured, in part, thanks to an attentive Galveston deputy city marshal who was driving home when he spotted a vehicle matching the description of the suspect and called police.
Galveston police revealed that authorities might not have gotten to the suspect if it wasn’t for an eagle-eyed deputy city marshal who was heading home from work.
“I kind of watch it, and I kind of don’t want to watch it because I know what happened earlier in the day,” Sgt. Nick Yeley said. “We’re all family. We all wear a uniform. We’re all sisters and brothers in this, and when one of my brothers goes down, it hurts my heart, and I want to say his family is in our prayers. It’s hard for us.”
After he was spotted, Murady allegedly led deputies on a chase through a neighborhood, drove straight into Galveston Bay, and treaded water for about half an hour before being taken into custody 60 miles away from the initial shooting scene.
When a law enforcement boat finally got him out, police said he kept resisting, even after a police K-9 bit him.
Only on 13, the new video shows the gunfire at a busy intersection in southwest Houston. After the tragic shooting, the suspect was found 60 miles away in Galveston Bay.
So far, it’s unclear if the suspect and Husseini knew each other. Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said that is part of the investigation.
Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman said he promoted Husseini, who has been with the agency since 2021, a week ago.
Husseini’s brother told ABC13 he was married and leaves behind children.
“It’s too much. There’s total chaos in our communities and we got to get it fixed,” Herman said. “My mentality with law enforcement, and all of you know me, is to fight, fight, fight. The only thing these criminals understand is force.”
A public visitation and funeral service will be held for Husseini on Thursday at Masjid Alsalem Mosque, located at 16700 Old Louetta Rd. in Spring, beginning at 1:45 p.m.
Drivers in the area near Old Louetta Road at that time should prepare for a lot of traffic.
A condolence gathering will be held at the Arab American Cultural and Community Center at 10555 Stancliff Road in Houston from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The 2024 presidential debate is set for September 10 and will be hosted by ABC News.
On Wednesday, ABC News released rules for the highly anticipated event.
Officials say Harris and Trump both accepted the guidelines.
Debate Rules:
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The debate will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks
The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions
A coin flip was held virtually on September 3 to determine podium placements and order of closing arguments; Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. He will offer the last closing statement, and Harris selected the right podium on screen (stage left)
Candidates will be introduced by moderators
Candidates will enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first
There will be no opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate
Candidates will stand behind the podiums for the duration of the debate
Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage
No topics or questions will be shared in advance
Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water
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Candidates will have two minutes to answer questions, two minutes for rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses
Candidates’ microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate
Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other
Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks
Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion
As the debate approaches, Harris and Trump are making their paths to the presidency clearer as their campaigns begin a two-month sprint to Election Day.
The candidates are largely focusing on swaying the undecided voters out there. Their campaigns will try to focus their messages on three familiar issues — the economy, immigration, and abortion — even in the midst of heated debates over character, culture, and democracy.
‘The ABC News Presidential Debate | Race for the White House’ will air September 10 at 9 p.m. It will air on ABC and stream on 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of 90-year-old Navy veteran Nelson Beckett outside an assisted living facility in southwest Houston.
According to investigators, 21-year-old Kyliel Denzel Arceneauz was identified as the unknown suspect who assaulted Beckett before shooting him, stealing his car, and running over him as he fled the scene on Saturday afternoon.
Four people were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Another nine victims were taken to hospitals with injuries, the GBI said.
The suspect is alive and in custody, the GBI said. The suspect is a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Four people were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Senior Sergio Caldera, 17, said he was in chemistry class when he heard gunshots.
“My teacher goes and opens the door to see what’s going on. Another teacher comes running in and tells her to close the door because there’s an active shooter,” Caldera told ABC News.
He said his teacher locked the door and the students ran to the back of the room. Caldera said they heard screams from outside as they “huddled up.”
Students are seen outside Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Sept. 4, 2024.WSB
At some point, Caldera said someone pounded on his classroom door and shouted “open up!” multiple times. When the knocking stopped, Caldera said he heard more gunshots and screams.
He said his class later evacuated to the football field.
A grandmother was relieved to hear that her three grandchildren were safe after a school shooting in Winder, Georgia.
Kyson Stancion said he was in class when he heard gunshots and “heard police scream, telling somebody, ‘There’s a shooting going on, get down, get back in the classroom.'”
“I was scared because I’ve never been in a school shooting,” he told ABC News.
“Everybody was crying. My teacher tried to keep everybody safe,” he added.
Police are seen outside Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Sept. 4, 2024.WSB
Apalachee High School was “cleared for dismissal” and all other Barrow County Schools are on a “soft lockdown,” the Barrow County School District said.
“The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office says this is for the safety of everyone right now. Please do not visit your child’s school at this time. We cannot release students during a lockdown,” the school district said in a statement. “We will let you know as soon as BCSO says it is all clear for dismissal.”
Winder is about 45 miles outside of Atlanta. The school enrolls about 1,900 students.
Authorities provide update on shooting at Apalachee High School
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the shooting, according to the White House.
“Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed,” Biden said in a statement. “Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
The president highlighted his work to combat gun violence, including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law and launching the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. But he stressed that more must be done.
Police are seen outside Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Sept. 4, 2024.WSB
“After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say ‘enough is enough’ and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation,” Biden said. “We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.”
Harris said at a campaign event in New Hampshire, “Our hearts are with all the students, the teachers and their families.”
Harris said at a campaign event in New Hampshire, “Our hearts are with all the students, the teachers and their families.”
“This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies,” she said. “We have to end this epidemic of gun violence.”
“This is one of the many issues that’s at stake in this election,” Harris said.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “I’m devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy. The Justice Department stands ready to provide any resources or support.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “I’m devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy. The Justice Department stands ready to provide any resources or support.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he is “heartbroken.”
“This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event,” he said in a statement. “We continue to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come.”
In Atlanta, authorities will “bolster patrols” around schools on Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement.
“My prayers are with the high school students, staff and families affected by the senseless act of violence in Winder,” Dickens said.
Hours since the latest mass shooting in the country, House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer pushes back on whether mass shootings will be front and center in Congress.
So far in 2024 there have been 385 mass shootings as of September 4, including this latest one in Georgia, according to the ABC News data team.
This is Georgia’s 16th mass shooting so far this year.
This time last year there were 485 mass shootings.
The Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one with four or more people injured or killed – not including the perpetrator – counted 656 Mass Shootings in 2023, 646 in 2022, 689 in 2021 and 610 in 2020.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Transgender Texans can no longer update the sex listed on their birth certificates, according to a policy change quietly rolled out on Friday.
Texans who have secured a court order to update the sex listed on their birth certificates can no longer do so at this time, a spokesperson for the Department of State Health Services confirmed to The Texas Newsroom.
Birth certificates can be changed for children due to hospital errors or omissions.
The policy change comes as conservative states across the country move to make it more difficult for transgender Americans to update their documents with the sex that matches their gender identity. Five other states already ban changes to birth certificates, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an advocacy organization that tracks anti-LGBTQ policies.
Chris Van Deusen, the spokesperson for the Department of State Health Services, pointed to these same questions to explain the agency’s birth certificate policy change.
“Recent public reports have highlighted concerns about the validity of court orders purporting to amend sex for purposes of state-issued documents. DSHS is seeking assistance from the Office of Attorney General to determine the applicability of these concerns to amendments to vital records,” Van Deusen told The Texas Newsroom in a statement.
A Republican, Paxton has vocally opposed expanding rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people both at the federal and state level.
Before Friday, the state health agency’s website included information about how to “correct” a child’s birth certificate using a “certified copy of a court order,” according to an archived version of the webpage. This information has been removed; the site now only includes instructions for changing the sex listed “due to proven incompletion or inaccuracy.
The Transgender Education Network of Texas, or TENT, posted on social media about the change last weekend.
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues.
The celebrities busting a move this season include “Real Housewives” star Phaedra Parks, “Beverly Hills, 90210” alum Tori Spelling, notorious scam artist Anna Delvey and more.
Also in the cast are former “Bachelor” Joey Graziadei and former “Bachelorette” Jenn Tran of Bachelor Nation; actors Eric Roberts, Reginald VelJohnson and Chandler Kinney; athletes Danny Amendola and Dwight Howard; Olympians Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik; and model Brooks Nader.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are returning as co-hosts alongside judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough when the new season premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 17 on ABC.
Check out the full list of celebrities competing on “DWTS” season 33 and see which pro they will be dancing with below.
Phaedra Parks
Phaedra Parks will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Val Chmerkovskiy
Phaedra Parks is a lawyer and businesswoman who starred on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for seven seasons between 2010 and 2017. After a meme-filled turn on “The Traitors” earlier this year, the Georgia native announced her return to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for the forthcoming 16th season in July.
“Everybody knows I’m sassy, classy and some of my friends are a wee bit trashy, but if you come for this Mirrorball, it will get nasty,” Parks teased to “GMA.”
Danny Amendola
Danny Amendola will compete on “Dancing with the Stars” season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Witney Carson
Danny Amendola is a former NFL player who won two Super Bowls in his career as a wide receiver for the New England Patriots. After 13 seasons in the NFL, Amendola retired in 2022. Since his retirement, Amendola competed on the reality series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” and served as a coach for the Las Vegas Raiders for one season.
To get in the “Dancing with the Stars” spirit, Amendola stood up and showed off a touchdown dance for “Good Morning America.” He slid across the floor with a skip and spiked a football on the floor as his co-stars cheered.
Amendola’s former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski also sent him a video message of encouragement. “You bring that ‘Dola playoff energy to the dance floor, you will [for] sure dominate, kid,” said Gronkowski.
Joey Graziadei
Joey Graziadei will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Jenna Johnson
Joey Graziadei, a tennis coach, first joined Bachelor Nation as the runner-up of Charity Lawson’s season of “The Bachelorette.” He then led season 28 of “The Bachelor,” which ended with him engaged to Kelsey Anderson.
Graziadei conceded he feels the pressure to live up to the success of former Bachelors and Bachelorettes who competed on the show previously, but told “GMA” he was focused on making it to the finale.
“That’s what we’re going to build towards,” he said.
Ilona Maher
Ilona Maher will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Alan Bersten
Ilona Maher is a professional rugby player who helped the U.S. women’s rugby team to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maher is the digital cover star for the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and has used her platform to advocate for body positivity and bring attention to women’s sports.
Maher called the Olympics her “life goal,” but said she’s bracing herself for the ballroom.
“I know it’s going to be really tough and stressful,” she told “GMA.”
Chandler Kinney
Chandler Kinney will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Brandon Armstrong
Actress Chandler Kinney has played Willa in the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise “Zombies” franchise since 2020’s “Zombies 2.” Kinney also starred as Tabitha “Tabby” Haworthe on “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” and “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School,” continuations of the popular “Pretty Little Liars” franchise.
Kinney, who revealed she danced as a child, told “GMA” she was “nervous” and “excited” and complimented the talented cast and pros.
“I love the show because it requires showmanship and attention to detail,” she said. “Everyone on the stage has proven they’re more than capable of that.”
Anna Delvey
Anna Delvey will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Ezra Sosa
Anna “Delvey” Sorokin is known as the notorious so-called “fake heiress” whose financial crimes and lavish lifestyle inspired the Emmy-nominated Netflix show “Inventing Anna” and was detailed in the book “My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress.” In 2019, Delvey was convicted on eight counts, including grand larceny and theft of services. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison, fined $24,000, and ordered to pay nearly $200,000 in restitution. She was released on good behavior in February 2021.
When asked what she wanted viewers to know about her, Delvey told “GMA,” “How good I am at cha-cha.”
Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Britt Stewart
Eric Roberts is an actor best known for “King of the Gypsies” (1978), “Star 80” (1983) and “Runaway Train” (1985), all of which earned him Golden Globe nominations and the latter earning him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. He is the older brother of Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts and the father of actress Emma Roberts.
Roberts told “GMA” that taking on this role was “like a mile and a half” outside of his comfort zone. He also revealed that his family found out about his “Dancing with the Stars” inclusion in real time.
Brooks Nader
Brooks Nader will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Gleb Savchencko
Brooks Nader is a model who has appeared in the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue numerous times since winning the Swim Search open casting call in 2019. In 2023, she was featured in a “Baywatch”-inspired photo shoot on the cover of the magazine, alongside fellow cover models Megan Fox, Kim Petras and Martha Stewart.
Nader told “GMA” that, while she had some dance experience in high school, this would be “a new challenge,” adding, “I’m so excited for it.”
Reginald VelJohnson
Reginald VelJohnson will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Emma Slater
Reginald VelJohnson is one of TV’s most beloved dads, having played Carl Winslow on “Family Matters” for nine seasons between 1989 and 1997. He is known for playing police officer characters, famously playing Al Powell in “Die Hard” (1988) and “Die Hard 2” (1990).
“America is going to be shocked,” VelJohnson told “GMA” when asked if he is ready for his new role.
Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Pasha Pashkov
Actress Tori Spelling is best known for playing Donna Martin on “Beverly Hills, 90210” for all 10 seasons of the teen drama, which aired from 1990 to 2000. Spelling, who has appeared in the films “Troop Beverly Hills” (1989), “Scream 2″ (1997)” and “Scary Movie 2” (2001) as well as the final “Sharknado” TV movie (2018), is also a New York Times bestselling author for her 2009 memoir “Stori Telling.”
Spelling spoke about her former “90210” castmates Brian Austin Green and the late Shannen Doherty, who both competed on the show in previous seasons. Spelling said Green offered words of encouragement and that she knew Doherty would be “watching.”
“I know Shannen will be watching over, and she always said you got to turn your power on. So, I’m doing it now,” she told “GMA.”
Jenn Tran
Jenn Tran in a promo image for “The Bachelorette.”Disney
Pro Partner: Sasha Farber
Jenn Tran is fresh off “The Bachelorette” and is trading roses for sequins. Having first joined Bachelor Nation on Joey Graziadei’s season of “The Bachelor,” she was named the lead of “The Bachelorette” season 21 and became the first Asian American lead in the franchise. Tran’s journey came to a dramatic end in a heartbreaking finale where she proposed to contestant Devin Strader, only for it to be revealed in the “After the Final Rose” special they had split.
Tran told “GMA” her experience on “The Bachelorette” will motivate her to succeed on “Dancing with the Stars.”
“I think heartbreak is the best motivator for success,” said Tran. “I’m out for blood. I’m ready.”
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Daniella Karagach
Dwight Howard is a professional basketball player who has played 18 seasons in the NBA, including eight with the Orlando Magic. Howard won an NBA championship in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Howard has played professional basketball in Taiwan since 2022, following his departure from the Lakers.
Howard told “GMA” he’s “been dancing my whole life, but not ballroom dancing.”
On pro partner Daniella Karagach, Howard called her “amazing” and said, “I’m definitely going to trust her, follow her lead and have a lot of fun.”
Stephen Nedoroscik
Stephen Nedoroscik will compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 33.Andrew Eccles/Disney
Pro Partner: Rylee Arnold
Stephen Nedoroscik, who was previously announced on “GMA” as a contestant last month, rose to national prominence at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he notched two bronze medals as a pommel horse specialist on the U.S. men’s gymnastics team. According to USA Gymnastics, Nedoroscik has won four U.S. pommel horse titles, tying the record for most pommel horse championships in U.S. history.
Despite being used to high-stakes competition, Nedoroscik said he’s “really nervous.”
“The Olympics was so stressful. It’s very difficult. But I’ve also never danced, so I’m really nervous about what’s going to happen,” he told “GMA,” comparing the Olympics stage to the dance floor. “I guess I’m going to find out when I step out onto the ballroom floor.”
“Dancing with the Stars” season 33 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the next day.
Federal safety regulators are calling for an investigation into popular Chinese e-commerce websites Shein and Temu over concerns shoppers can easily purchase baby and toddler products that do not meet U.S. safety regulations.
In a joint letter Monday, Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioners Peter A. Feldman and Douglas Dziak cited “recent media reports that deadly baby and toddler products are easy to find on these platforms.”
The letter did not single out specific products, but one report from business technology publication The Information, cited in the CPSC letter, found that padded crib bumpers, which were banned by Congress in 2022, are still available on the retailer websites.
Temu said in a statement to ABC News that it requires all sellers “to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those related to product safety.”
“Our interests are aligned with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in ensuring consumer protection and product safety, and we will cooperate fully with any investigation,” a Temu spokesperson said.
A Shein spokesperson also told ABC News that the company prioritizes customer safety.
“At SHEIN, customer safety is our top priority and we are investing millions of dollars to strengthen our compliance programs,” Shein said in a statement. “In the last year SHEIN has spent over $10 million building a strong global compliance function and developing partnerships with internationally renowned testing agencies such as Intertek, SGS, BV, and TUV, to further enhance our safety practices. Earlier this year it was also announced that an additional $50 million dollars will be dedicated to fortifying our Global Compliance Center and initiatives to ensure strict adherence to our rigorous product safety standards and full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.”
The spokesperson added, “Our global team, including more than 1,000 U.S. employees, remains steadfast in its commitment to quality and safety for our customers, and we resolutely support the Commission’s mandate.”
Both Temu and Shein have exploded in popularity in the U.S., in part because their sites offer cheap prices on a variety of products from clothes to home goods.
The CPSC commissioners said e-commerce platforms can offer great deals to consumers, but it’s critical they comply with U.S. safety standards to avoid any risk of injury.
