Nashville, TN – Country music sensation Morgan Wallen, 30, has been charged with three felonies in connection with an incident at Chief’s Bar on Broadway, Eric Church’s recently opened honky tonk. The altercation, which unfolded in the bustling heart of downtown Nashville, involved Wallen allegedly hurling a chair from the building’s sixth story, narrowly missing two Metro police officers.
According to an arrest report, Wallen was at Chief’s Bar on Sunday night when staff members implicated him in the chair-throwing incident. Witnesses claimed Wallen was seen “lunging and throwing an object over the roof,” followed by laughter. Video footage corroborated these accounts, leading to Wallen’s subsequent arrest.
Wallen faces three counts of reckless endangerment, stemming from the potential harm posed to both the officers and the public. Additionally, he has been charged with disorderly conduct. He was released after posting a bond of $15,250 and is scheduled to appear in court on May 3rd, coinciding with a planned concert in Nashville.
In response to the charges, Wallen’s attorney, Worrick Robinson, issued a statement affirming Wallen’s cooperation with authorities. The incident has drawn significant attention, raising concerns about public safety in Nashville’s vibrant downtown district.
A tragic incident unfolded in west Harris County as Mei Huang Wolfe, the wife of Harris County Justice of the Peace Bob Wolfe, is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting and killing her nephew during a domestic altercation.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal shooting occurred around 9:20 p.m. on Thursday in the 24300 block of Tesino River Circle, near Porter Road and Clay Road. The victim, a recent college graduate staying with his aunt and uncle, was engaged in a fight with Mei Wolfe when the altercation escalated, leading to the use of a firearm.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez revealed that Mei Wolfe’s husband, Bob Wolfe, was present in the home at the time of the incident. He reportedly attempted to intervene and called 911 as the situation unfolded. Despite efforts by paramedics to save the victim’s life, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators disclosed that Mei Wolfe may have perceived her nephew as unwelcome in their home, sparking the confrontation. Sheriff Gonzalez expressed condolences to the victim’s family and highlighted the tragic nature of the incident, emphasizing the impact on all those affected by the loss.
The case underscores a disturbing trend of domestic and family-related violence, with Sheriff Gonzalez noting recent incidents in the community. He urged awareness and intervention to prevent further tragedies, emphasizing the need for support and resources for those impacted by such violence.
As the investigation into the incident continues, authorities have not released the name of the victim. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is working diligently to gather information and ensure that justice is served in this heartbreaking case.
Houston Astros’ ace pitcher Justin Verlander is gearing up for his first rehabilitation start at Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, marking a significant step in his return from a shoulder injury that sidelined him at the start of the season.
Verlander, 41, who has been on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder, is set to undergo a bullpen session in Houston on Thursday before taking the mound for his rehab start over the weekend.
Astros’ manager Joe Espada indicated that Verlander is expected to make two minor league starts before being reinstated from the injured list. “Just based on what I’ve seen and out of his live BPs and how he’s talking about how he feels, I think two starts… should be good enough,” Espada commented.
The plan for Verlander’s rehab outings includes throwing 70-75 pitches during Sunday’s start and increasing to 85-90 pitches in the subsequent start.
This marks Verlander’s second stint with the Astros after rejoining the team in a trade with the New York Mets last July. In the previous season, he showcased his prowess on the mound, tallying a record of 13-8 with a stellar 3.22 ERA in 27 starts split between the Mets and the Astros.
As Verlander takes this crucial step towards returning to the Astros’ rotation, fans eagerly anticipate his comeback and the impact he will undoubtedly bring to the team’s pursuit of success in the upcoming season.
In a thrilling showdown, the Iowa Hawkeyes emerged victorious against the UConn Huskies, securing their spot in the national championship game against South Carolina. Despite facing formidable opposition, the Hawkeyes showcased resilience and strategic prowess, clinching a 71-69 win in a nail-biting finish.
Star player Caitlin Clark, although challenged by UConn’s defense, demonstrated her unwavering determination and clutch performance throughout the game. Even when her shots weren’t hitting the mark, Clark’s presence remained impactful, culminating in a crucial free throw miss that ultimately led to Iowa retaining possession and sealing the victory.
The game witnessed a captivating back-and-forth, with UConn initially dominating from the field and establishing an early lead. However, Iowa refused to relent, rallying behind standout performances from players like Hannah Stuelke, who led the game in scoring with an impressive 23 points.
Despite facing adversity, including a depleted rotation due to injuries, UConn relied on the talent and tenacity of stars like Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards to maintain their competitive edge. However, Iowa’s relentless offensive pressure, highlighted by Clark’s dynamic playmaking, ultimately tipped the scales in their favor.
As the game reached its climax, Iowa’s resilience shone through, with key plays and strategic maneuvers securing their hard-fought victory. Now, with their sights set on the national championship, the Hawkeyes stand poised to face South Carolina in what promises to be an electrifying showdown.
The Hawkeyes’ journey to the championship game serves as a testament to their determination and collective spirit, igniting excitement and anticipation among fans as they prepare to vie for college basketball’s ultimate prize.
A recent analysis by Noticias Telemundo has uncovered a troubling trend: one in three missing children under the age of 12 in the United States are Hispanic. This stark revelation underscores the urgency of addressing the disproportionately high number of missing Hispanic minors and the complex challenges surrounding their cases.
The heartbreaking story of Noema Alavez Perez, whose daughter Dulce María disappeared in 2019, serves as a poignant example of the anguish faced by families affected by these circumstances. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement agencies and search organizations, Dulce María’s whereabouts remain unknown, leaving her family desperate for answers.
According to John Bischoff, vice president of the missing minors division at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the issue of missing Hispanic children highlights systemic issues in data collection and reporting. Bischoff emphasized the importance of accurate record-keeping and prompt reporting in ensuring the safety of vulnerable children.
Experts like Trent Steele, director of the Anti-Predator Project, suggest that socioeconomic factors and specific challenges faced by marginalized communities contribute to the higher incidence of missing Hispanic children. Steele underscored the need for comprehensive investigation techniques, including thorough examination of electronic devices and online interactions.
Noticias Telemundo’s analysis also sheds light on disparities in data collection methods, with discrepancies between official records from agencies like the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Danielle Slakoff, a criminal justice professor, emphasized the need for improved data collection practices to accurately reflect the scope of the issue.
As families like Noema Alavez Perez’s continue to grapple with the anguish of their children’s disappearance, community awareness and collaboration are essential in facilitating swift and effective responses to missing child cases. The Noticias Telemundo analysis serves as a call to action, urging authorities and communities to prioritize the safety and well-being of all children, regardless of their ethnicity or background.
To report information about missing children or share concerns, individuals are encouraged to contact law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children hotline at 1-800-843-5678.
Excitement surrounding Monday’s total solar eclipse in Texas is met with disappointment as forecasts predict widespread cloud coverage across the state, diminishing hopes for optimal viewing conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) announced on Friday an increase in chances for high clouds, ranging from 60-90 percent coverage in most areas, including those in the path of totality.
According to the NWS, North and Central Texas are likely to experience suboptimal viewing conditions, with Central Texas facing the worst prospects. High clouds, while often thin and transparent, can obscure the Sun, affecting the eclipse experience. The likelihood of thin high clouds exceeding 90 percent by Monday morning raises concerns among meteorologists, who are closely monitoring their thickening leading up to the eclipse.
“Low clouds are most likely across Central Texas,” the NWS Fort Worth stated, adding that there’s a medium chance of low clouds encroaching toward I-20 by eclipse time. The extent to which low clouds will spread and whether they will form a dense blanket or allow some breaks remains uncertain.
Meteorologists warn that the further south eclipse chasers travel, the less likely they are to encounter ideal viewing conditions due to low cloud cover. Matt Lanza of Space City Weather reported that the Houston area faces only a 10 to 15 percent chance of clear skies for the partial eclipse, with even lower odds for Austin and San Antonio. Houston residents can expect cloudy skies, isolated to scattered showers, and the potential for afternoon thunderstorms.
For Texans seeking better viewing prospects, Lanza recommends heading toward Texarkana or Dallas, where there’s a 30 to 40 percent chance of favorable skies. However, North Texas is highlighted for potential severe thunderstorms on Monday, adding another layer of uncertainty to eclipse viewing plans.
Despite the cloudy forecast dampening hopes for ideal viewing conditions, eclipse enthusiasts across Texas remain hopeful for breaks in the clouds that may allow glimpses of this celestial spectacle.
Amidst mounting discontent, dozens of Houston Independent School District (HISD) teachers staged a sickout on Thursday to protest against Superintendent Mike Miles and what they perceive as detrimental reforms under his administration, citing concerns about a toxic work environment and culture of fear.
Approximately 100 teachers from 35 campuses participated in the protest, organized independently of the district’s teacher unions. The demonstrators voiced grievances regarding what they described as a pervasive atmosphere of intimidation and reprisal across HISD campuses.
“Teachers and students alike have experienced a culture of fear regarding punishment and reprisal throughout the district’s campuses,” stated the protest organizers. “Today’s action by teachers highlights the ongoing concern about hostile learning and teaching environments created by Houston ISD’s takeover superintendent, Mike Miles.”
Despite potential repercussions, organizers asserted that teachers went ahead with the sickout, scheduling doctor’s appointments or calling in sick, in defiance of perceived threats of disciplinary action for using their allocated sick leave. Miles has previously stressed the importance of teacher attendance, linking it to fostering a “high-performance culture” in classrooms.
The protesting cohort, though relatively small in the context of HISD’s 11,000-strong teaching workforce, presented a list of demands, which included calls for the removal of Mike Miles, restoration of the elected Houston ISD Board of Trustees, provision of comprehensive student support services, and respect for teachers’ professional qualifications and input.
Thursday’s demonstration marks the latest in a series of protests among district teachers since Miles assumed the superintendent position in June, following his appointment by Texas education officials. His tenure has been marked by the implementation of reforms, including the “New Education System,” which has drawn both praise and criticism from the community.
One teacher participating in the protest, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, denounced Miles’s leadership tactics, characterizing them as fostering a climate of fear. They expressed hope that the sickout would draw attention to the challenges faced by teachers in HISD.
“Everybody thinks that public schools are terrible and our kids deserve this, and it’s not true,” the anonymous teacher emphasized. “If anyone went into just about any HISD school, they would see a functioning school with good kids, good teachers.”
Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced details of his Water Bill Improvement Plan during a press conference on April 4 to help address Houstonians’ frustrations with inaccurate water bills.
Houston water customers have been grappling with inaccurate water bills and overcharges for several years. Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, along with City Council members, passed nine ordinances in December aimed at bringing relief to residents. Whitmire, who has been in office for 94 days, said he has no intentions of reversing the ordinances, but his version of water bill relief will accelerate solutions to the ongoing problem.
Starting in January, Houston Public Works will begin replacing 125,000 broken remote read devices. Single-family residential customers will have set usage calculated starting April 1, which will be reflected in their May bill. As part of the improvements, customers can now schedule in-person or virtual appointments. Houston Public Works Director Carol Haddock said the plan cost the city approximately $35 million in direct costs.
Houston Public Works has outlined more details through the Improvement Plan Dashboard, which includes details on how set usage will be handled and new customer service enhancements.
For set usage:
Accounts older than 1 year will be calculated using the average water consumption available on the account, up to 36 months.
Accounts less than 1 year old will be calculated with 3,000 gallons per month, which is based on the average consumption for new Houston water accounts.
Customers will return to actual water usage billing once their remote read device has been verified and is proven to be transmitting accurate water usage.
Whitmire said Houstonians who receive an “outrageous” water bill for the month of April are told to ignore it and call public works or the mayor’s office.
For customer service enhancements:
In-person customer service availability will be expanded.
New quality control measures to alert possible inaccurate bills will be implemented.
Relief requests will be streamlined into one centralized form.
Utility bills are being redesigned to make it easier for customers to understand.
“I ran for office to fix things,” Whitmire said. “If this plan is not a huge improvement and gets water billing off the news, then there’s going to be a lot of people looking for work. That’s how dead serious I am, but I’m confident.”
Haddock said after the initial 125,000 broken readers are replaced, a system will be put in place to fix any following failing readers within a 90-day window.
Israel committed to opening additional aid routes to allow for increased assistance to flow into Gaza after a call with President Joe Biden warning of a potential shift in U.S. policy after a strike this week killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.
White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said after Thursday’s call that Israel had committed to opening the Ashdod port to allow assistance to be directly delivered into Gaza, opening the Erez crossing to let aid flow into north Gaza and significantly boosting deliveries from Jordan.
“As the President said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” Watson said in a statement Thursday night.
A spokesman for the Israeli government said in a statement to NBC News that the “increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war.”
No timetable was spelled out. Watson said in her statement that the steps announced by Israel “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”
In a readout of Biden’s Thursday call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said that Biden “made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”
Summarizing his call with Netanyahu in a post to X Thursday, Biden said, “Israel must implement steps to address civilian harm and the safety of workers — and work toward a ceasefire to bring hostages home.” According to two U.S. officials, Biden strongly implied to Netanyahu that the U.S. could condition military aid to Israel on what it does to address humanitarian concerns in Gaza and get to a ceasefire as soon as possible.
“That was the message,” one of the officials said.
After issuing his warning to Netanyahu, Biden told the prime minister that his position doesn’t negate his love for Israel, according to the two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the call.
The person familiar with the call said Biden told Netanyahu that there’s no other leader outside of Israel who takes Israel’s security more seriously than he does, and reiterated that he’s been a strong supporter of Israel for decades.
Asked to elaborate on potential policy changes the White House hinted at in the readout, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the daily White House press briefing that he wouldn’t preview specific steps that the U.S. might take.
“What we are looking to see and hope to see here in the coming hours and days is a dramatic increase in the humanitarian assistance getting [into Gaza], additional crossings opened up and a reduction in the violence against civilians and certainly aid workers,” Kirby said, adding that they want to see Israel “take practical immediate steps to protect aid workers on the ground and to demonstrate that they have that civilian harm mitigation in place.”
Kirby was pressed repeatedly about whether the U.S. could withhold military aid to Israel and said he wouldn’t get ahead of any decisions.
“There are too many civilians being killed,” Kirby said. “The risk to aid workers is unacceptable. Now we have certain aid organizations that are reconsidering whether they’re even going to be able to continue operations in Gaza, while famine looms, so there has to be tangible steps. Let’s see what they announce, let’s see what they direct, let’s see what they do.”
The two U.S. officials said Biden told Netanyahu to begin letting more trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately and to be less stringent about what materials are on them.
Biden also shifted his stance on a ceasefire in Gaza during his call with Netanyahu, telling the prime minister he must agree to one, and that the easiest way to achieve that is a deal that would implement a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages by Hamas, the two U.S. officials said. If Netanyahu does not agree to a ceasefire, the president made clear that U.S. relations with Israel would significantly change, the officials said.
The White House readout said the president told Netanyahu that “an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians.” Biden told Netanyahu to “empower” his negotiators to reach a deal that would include a return of the hostages being held in Gaza.
“The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people,” the White House added. “President Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.”
This moment, after Israel’s killing of seven aid workers for World Central Kitchen, one of the U.S. officials said, “is an inflection point in this war.”
During the call, which a senior Biden administration official said lasted for about 30 minutes, Netanyahu reiterated his statement that Israel didn’t deliberately kill the aid workers on Monday, Kirby said.
Netanyahu also spent Thursday meeting with a Republican congressional delegation in Jerusalem, which was organized by the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, and discussed threats from Iran at an Israeli security cabinet meeting.
Republicans signaled opposition to the possibility of conditioning aid to Israel, with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., writing on X on Thursday night that Biden “should not undercut our ally amidst an existential threat by conditioning our support.”
“The president’s ultimatums should be going to Hamas, not Israel,” he added.
The call between the leaders was arranged after the strike on the aid workers occurred, a U.S. official said, describing Biden as being “very angry” about the incident.
The president’s anger is “indicative of the broader problem of how the Israelis are conducting their operations,” for “either not passing on to their military the deconfliction details from World Central Kitchen, or they’re being received and ignored,” the official said.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who was traveling to North Carolina on Thursday, also listened to the call.
The seven workers killed on Monday included a dual U.S.-Canada citizen, according to chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. Biden called Andrés “to express that he’s heartbroken” over their deaths, the White House said on Tuesday.
Israel said it didn’t intend to target and kill the humanitarian aid workers, but the charity said that its team had coordinated its movements with the Israel Defense Forces and that they were traveling in a “deconflicted zone” in vehicles that included two armored cars branded with the World Central Kitchen logo.
After the attack, the nonprofit organization said it was immediately pausing operations in the region.
Top U.S. and Israeli officials held a virtual meeting Monday to discuss Israel’s plans for a possible ground invasion of the city, which grew contentious after the Americans pushed back on Israel’s proposal to evacuate Palestinian civilians sheltering there, two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official familiar with the meeting said.
Israel proposed moving 1.4 million civilians from Rafah into tents north of the city, but the plan didn’t include addressing sanitation, food and water needs or sourcing for most of the tents, the officials said.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a close Biden ally, came out for the first time Thursday in support of putting conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel if it decides to go into Rafah without making provisions to protect civilians or provide humanitarian aid. “I think we’re at that point,” he said in an interview on CNN.
In a statement Thursday, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said the U.S. should stop funding Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
The Biden administration “has a responsibility to stop financing the Netanyahu government’s strategy, which has so disproportionately killed civilians, aid workers, and medical personnel, used food as a weapon, and that has no vision to establish a viable, independent Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Biden met with members of the Muslim community at the White House on Tuesday. One of the participants, Salima Suswell, the founder of the Black Muslim Leadership Council, told NBC News that the president told the group that first lady Jill Biden has been privately urging him to end the war between Israel and Hamas.
Biden made the remark after a doctor who had been treating injured people in Gaza told the president that his wife didn’t want him to join the meeting. Biden shared that he could relate and that the first lady had told him, “Stop it, stop it now,” Suswell said. The New York Times first reported the comments.
In a pivotal moment during the NCAA Tournament, the Houston Cougars, led by top-seeded Kelvin Sampson, showcased their unwavering dominance against the Longwood Lancers. This particular instance underscored Sampson’s coaching philosophy, which has been instrumental in the team’s remarkable success.
Late in the game, with Houston comfortably ahead, Longwood’s DA Houston managed to sink a three-pointer despite the defensive efforts of Mylik Wilson. Longwood’s coach, Griff Aldrich, recounted the play, highlighting Sampson’s insistence on excellence even in moments of apparent victory.
Sampson’s coaching style, characterized by relentless demand for excellence, has propelled the Houston Cougars to remarkable achievements. The team clinched the Big 12 regular-season title in their inaugural year in the league and secured a coveted No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Their consistent performance has seen them advance through the tournament’s opening weekend for five consecutive years.
Despite a setback in the Sweet 16 against Duke, where All-American guard Jamal Shead sustained an injury, Sampson’s coaching prowess was recognized with his second Associated Press Coach of the Year award, announced recently.
Shead commended Sampson’s coaching approach, emphasizing the coach’s unwavering commitment to pushing the team to their limits. Sampson’s recognition by the national panel, receiving 23 out of 62 votes from the AP Top 25, solidifies his standing as one of college basketball’s premier coaches.
Sampson’s coaching philosophy is deeply rooted in his upbringing in North Carolina, where principles of hard work and accountability were instilled by his parents. He has imparted these values to his players, evident in their rigorous training regimen focused on discipline and teamwork.
Under Sampson’s guidance, the Houston Cougars have undergone a remarkable transformation from a struggling team to perennial contenders for championships. Their journey reflects Sampson’s unwavering dedication and his ability to inspire his team to greatness.
As Houston continues to pursue success in the NCAA Tournament, Sampson’s coaching legacy serves as a testament to the power of dedication, accountability, and hard work in achieving excellence both on and off the court.
