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What you need to know about flood-prone areas to avoid in Houston this week

ABC13 Houston
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What you need to know about flood-prone areas to avoid in Houston this week

Much of southeast Texas has already picked up around 1 to 2 inches of rain this week. And with more rounds of heavy rain expected through Saturday, the ABC13 Weather Team has the region on Weather Watch for street and area flooding this week.

As the ground continues to get more and more saturated with each passing round of rain, any future rain will fall as runoff instead of getting soaked into the ground. This leads to a higher risk of street and area flooding, especially street flooding as runoff can pool and linger, leading to ponding on roads and even some minor flooding at times.

Underpasses and frontage roads have the highest likelihood of flooding this week. It only takes about 10 inches of rain to stall a car, and then about a foot of rain can float most vehicles. The danger here is the car could continue to float away or take on more water while sitting in the flooding. And many roads that can be covered in standing water are deceiving, with the depth of the water usually being much deeper than it appears.

Flash flooding and other area flooding near rivers, creeks, and streams also can’t be ruled out this week when the heaviest storms are overhead and linger. On average, rainfall rates of about 2 to 3 inches an hour with slow-moving showers and storms will prompt a Flood Advisory if not a Flash Flood Warning. And remember, Flash Flood Warning means take immediate action to either avoid an area or seek higher ground.

Thankfully, the expected dry time between raindrops will allow for all this rainwater to drain through the region’s rivers, creeks, and bayou system. Prolonged or major bayou flooding is not expected this week.

Houston Seeks $4.6 Million State Grant for Pedestrian Bridge Near McReynolds Middle School

Indira Zaldivar
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Houston Seeks $4.6 Million State Grant for Pedestrian Bridge Near McReynolds Middle School

Houston is seeking a $4.6 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to help fund a $5.8 million pedestrian bridge over the Union Pacific train tracks near McReynolds Middle School.

The request is being made under TxDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program.

The project aims to address long-standing safety concerns in the Denver Harbor neighborhood—concerns that intensified following the tragic death of 15-year-old Sergio Rodriguez, who was struck and killed by a train last year while crossing the tracks on his way to Milby High School.

Council Member Mario Castillo, who represents District H, emphasized the urgent need for safer pedestrian infrastructure.

“There were instances of kids crawling under the train to get to class,” Castillo said. “The residents were absolutely convinced that if something was not done, a kid was going to get hurt or potentially killed.”

Castillo said residents first raised these safety issues during a town hall shortly after he took office. They reported that trains would often stall next to the school, blocking students from getting to and from class.

Despite widespread support, the project has encountered setbacks. The city is now applying for its second grant after a previous federal funding request was denied. On Wednesday, the Houston City Council approved an ordinance greenlighting Houston Public Works to apply for the state grant.

Although nine Union Pacific train tracks run near Houston Independent District schools across Houston, Castillo said this particular crossing has become a priority for Union Pacific, which has been “cooperative” in working toward a solution alongside the city, Harris County, and other stakeholders.

Union Pacific is funding and managing the design phase of the pedestrian bridge, helping to reduce overall project costs.

So far, funding for the project includes contributions from:

  • City of Houston: $465,364.40 (local match)
  • Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia: $698,046.60 (60% of local share)
  • Union Pacific: design phase contributions

The remaining funds—just over $4.6 million—are being requested from the state. If the grant is approved, funds are expected to be distributed in the fall.

In the meantime, the city and Union Pacific implemented a train curfew to restrict rail activity during the start and end of the school day.

“That has helped, but it’s not a total solution,” Castillo said. “Prior to the curfew, if the train stalled, it would block kids from getting to school—sometimes right before class started. They want to be on time; they don’t want to get in trouble. It creates an unsafe situation.”

If the state grant is denied, Castillo assured that the city would continue to work towards finding funding sources including, re-applying to the federal grant or requesting Union Pacific to fund more of the project.

For more on Houston City Council, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine every week.

City of Houston working to decommission homeless encampments Downtown

ABC13 Houston
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City of Houston working to decommission homeless encampments Downtown

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The City of Houston is working to decommission homeless encampments Downtown.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s Office confirmed his administration is working with case managers from several non-profits to decommission homeless encampments Downtown. Case managers visit sites for several weeks, working to move homeless Houstonians into housing before a camp is decommissioned, according to Whitmire’s office.

Houston Housing and Community Development Department Director Mike Nichols said 46 people were connected with a “housing solution” from a Chartres site; at least 19 from Allens Landing; and 15 from Bayou Place.

“Housing Solutions means a variety of different housing options to include permanent housing, temporary shelter, family reunification, diversion or other intervention services,” Nichols explained.

ABC13 spoke with a woman who asked only to be identified by her first name, Jennifer. She said she had been homeless for more than a decade before she was approached at her encampment by non-profit case managers last year. After several weeks of visits, Jennifer said she, her boyfriend, and her dog all agreed to move into housing.

“We’re all good people. Just because we lost a roof over our head or something went bad in our life or we had something unlucky happen to us – we still have the same heart in our chest and the same brain in our head and we still have the same emotions that everybody else has,” she said.

On Wednesday, District K Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum expressed the need for greater city coordination around the effort. She said her office has received an uptick in complaints regarding “more homeless individuals in spaces that we traditionally have not seen,” including neighborhoods.

Whitmire’s office said they’re looking to open a new shelter but have yet to identify a site.

“I also want to make sure that when we’re looking at these transition facilities, we’re being equitable as well. We’ve had several already on the East End,” District I Council Member Joaquin Martinez said.

“There are more vacant buildings on this planet than there are homeless people. It’s just astonishing the way the politics are all involved in this,” Jennifer said. “Everybody needs a fair chance, OK? We’re all God’s children. We all stumble and fall.” Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

On Monday, the initiative is slated for discussion at a Houston City Council Committee meeting.

Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker announces run for Harris County Judge

Edward Saenz
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Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker announces run for Harris County Judge

Annise Parker, former Houston Mayor, is poised to re-enter Houston politics, announcing her candidacy for Harris County Judge in 2026. This sets the stage for a potential Democratic primary challenge against incumbent Lina Hidalgo, who has held the seat since 2019 and narrowly secured re-election in 2022.

Hidalgo has not yet publicly committed to her 2026 plans. Parker is the first prominent Democrat to declare a run for the position overseeing the Commissioners Court of Texas’ most populous county.

In a statement, Parker articulated her campaign’s core objectives: “I’m running for Harris County Judge to keep our county safe, affordable, and thriving. I’m running to fight the chaos that is hurting our seniors, families, and small businesses. I’m running to fight for US.”

Parker also took aim at Republican President Donald Trump, who began his second term in January, stating, “Donald Trump is throwing millions of Americans off healthcare to fund tax cuts for billionaires – and gutting FEMA, which pays for our local response to hurricanes, flooding, and major disasters.”

Historically, Parker made history in 2010 as the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor of a major American city. She served two terms as Houston’s mayor and has been out of politics since 2016. She holds the distinction of being the only individual to have served as mayor, controller, and council member in Houston.

Following her mayoral tenure, Parker served as CEO and President of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a political action committee, a position she resigned from in December 2024.

Currently, the only other candidate in the Harris County Judge race is Aliza Dutt, the Republican Mayor of Piney Point Village, who was elected in 2024.

At least 6 men detained by ICE steps outside courtroom after judge dismisses cases, lawyer says

ABC13 Houston
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At least 6 men detained by ICE steps outside courtroom after judge dismisses cases, lawyer says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A number of detentions made by ICE agents at the federal immigration courthouse on Gesner in the last two days have garnered attention as people question why the men were detained, how it was able to happen, and if their due process is being violated.

A video shot by ABC13 shows two men cuffed and surrounded by ICE agents on Tuesday. Immigration lawyer Bianca Santorini said between Monday and Tuesday that six men from Mexico and South America were detained steps outside the courtroom after their immigration cases were dismissed by a judge.

Santorini said the men were in court for a notice to appear. A notice to appear is a hearing to plead your case before a judge on why you should be able to stay in the United States.

But these men allegedly never got that opportunity.

“Due process does not mean you entered illegally and you get to stay, but due process in the constitution means you get that one day in court, and that’s what we’re asking to be respected,” Santorini said.

According to Cesar Espinosa with the immigration rights group FIEL, they used to want cases to be dismissed so they could pursue asylum or other means of staying in the country. But now, with ICE agents waiting outside the courtroom doors, those other avenues are cut off.

Santorini said the detention of these men is possible through President Trump’s signature on an executive order.

ABC13 spoke to Sushum Modi, a former professor of immigration and current lawyer with the Modi law firm. He said expedited removal used to only be enforceable within 100 miles of the border but now spans the country, and allows someone to be removed from the country without seeing a judge if they’ve been in the US from less than two years.

“If they have proof that they’ve been here more than two years, whether it’s bank records, leasing agreements, they should carry that with them to show they are not subject to expedited removal,” Modi said.

The executive order on the White House webpage points towards targeting criminals and violent offenders, but Santorini said none of the men she’s now representing pro-bono have criminal records.

Modi said the courts know the men have no criminal records based on the process they went through to get their court appearances.

“Often they were paroled out of immigration jail, so the majority, probably the vast majority had no criminal history whatsoever, and an ICE officer found they deserved to be paroled out…and they have a fingerprinting, a biometrics that they have to go through,” Modi said.

According to a memo on the ICE government website, ICE agents are allowed to carry out enforcement near or in courthouses.

When ABC13 emailed ICE about arresting people inside courthouses, they sent us a statement saying in part if immigrants have credible claim that they will be in danger in their home countries, they will continue the immigration proceedings, otherwise they will be deported.

“We’re seeing a huge amount of fear, and in a way a lot of people feel trapped,” Modi said.

Both Modi and Santorini said they worry these actions will deter people who are trying to gain legal status from showing up to court. Santorini is encouraging migrants to still go.

“Show up, but if you have been here less than two years, do not come without an attorney,” Santorini said.

Santorini said at least three of the men detained have pending asylum cases that were filed in a timely manner.

Gov. Greg Abbott to deploy Texas National Guard in anticipation of protests

ABC13 Houston
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Gov. Greg Abbott to deploy Texas National Guard in anticipation of protests

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he was deploying the Texas National Guard to multiple locations across the state to “ensure peace and order.”

The deployment comes ahead of planned protests this week in Texas, including one in San Antonio.

A statement from Abbott’s office obtained by ABC News’ affiliate KSAT confirmed the deployment, saying Guardsmen were ready to “uphold law and order across our state.”

“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles,” Abbott’s office said in a statement. “Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly held accountable to the full extent of the law.”

Abbott’s move comes amid the escalating protests in Los Angeles, where activists have been protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

The protests in Los Angeles have at times turned violent. President Donald Trump ordered both the National Guard and the Marines to Southern California in recent days.

“Peaceful protest is legal,” Abbott said on Tuesday. “Harming a person or property is illegal and will lead to arrest.”

He said the Texas National Guard would “use every tool and strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.”

Assistant Chief of the San Antonio Police Department Jesse Salame also confirmed to KSAT that Guard members have been sent to San Antonio.

Currently, it’s unclear if any National Guard personnel will be deployed to Houston.

Harris County leaders await updates on status of flood mitigation projects

ABC13 Houston
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Harris County leaders await updates on status of flood mitigation projects

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — For nearly half a year, Harris County commissioners have asked for an update on 2018 flood bond projects, and after missing last month’s deadline, ABC13 was told a presentation is coming soon.

In 2017, the Greater Houston Partnership said Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion in damages in Harris County. A storm that sent a foot of water in David Skaggs’ northwest Harris County home.

“It ruined anything that was sitting down low,” Skaggs recalled. “Family pictures and things that you don’t even think about.”

To help mitigate with future storms, county leaders proposed a $2.5 billion bond for projects. It was passed by voters.

Some of the bond was supposed to go towards subdivision drainage projects. Skaggs’ Norchester neighborhood was one of those supposed to receive $11 million for drainage improvements.

“A few years ago, they give us a little talk about how they had allocated money and they were going to do certain things out here and they haven’t done anything, and I don’t know why,” Skaggs said.

For months, county commissioners have been asking questions about these projects too. A few years ago, the subdivision drainage program was moved from the flood control district to the engineering department.

The flood control district oversees the 2018 bond projects. Since February, commissioners have asked leaders from both departments for an update on all projects.

In March, Commissioner Rodney Ellis grew frustrated when he asked why certain projects that scored higher were passed over by others.

“I don’t go off that often, but that was just shocking to me,” Ellis said. “We could come up with a million reasons why you did it, ‘Oh, we did this. We had to do that.’ But at the end of the day, try explaining that to voters.”

During the March meeting, commissioners voted to get an update from the departments on flood projects at a future meeting.

“What I’m hearing is in May you’ll both come back with your expert recommendations, brutal honesty, radical transparency, and you will tell us where we are on all of these,” Commissioner Lesley Briones said.

However, no presentations took place in May. Commissioners meet again this Thursday.

There’s still no presentation on the agenda. The flood control district told ABC13 commissioners’ offices agreed to push it back to the June 26th meeting.

The agency plans to present recommendations that could bring big cuts to projects that were once part of the 2018 bond project. “There will impacts,” flood control district executive director Tina Petersen said back in March. “There will be tradeoffs and there will be opportunities.”

Exactly what the recommendations are, we may not find out until the end of June, nearly six months after commissioners started asking for them.

The flood control district sent ABC13 a statement regarding the delay:

Since the Harris County Commissioners Court motions earlier this year, the Flood Control District has continued to advance projects supported by the 2018 Bond Program. Teams are actively engaged in a variety of construction and design efforts throughout the county. As of the last reporting period, approximately $3.245 billion in bond funding had been spent or committed to projects currently underway, contributing meaningful progress for Harris County communities.

As a collective decision, all Commissioners Court offices and the Flood Control District agreed to pause formal presentations of 2018 Bond Program data to Court until the June 26 meeting. We are preparing a report for the June 26 Commissioners Court meeting to that end. The Flood Control District has spent the last several months evaluating the 2018 Bond Program to substantially complete the program as efficiently and effectively as possible for the residents of Harris County.

It’s also important to clarify that the Subdivision Drainage Program, overseen by Harris County Engineering Department (HCED), operates independently from the 2018 Bond Program. The Flood Control District is not involved in the funding, management, or reporting of that program and cannot speak to its internal processes or timelines.

Zelenskyy Calls for ‘Action from America’ After Russian Drone and Missile Attacks

Edward Saenz
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Zelenskyy Calls for ‘Action from America’ After Russian Drone and Missile Attacks

At least eight people were killed in Ukraine as Russian drone and missile strikes battered Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Odesa, overnight into Tuesday morning.

Russia Launches Massive Aerial Assault

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia deployed 322 air attack vehicles, consisting of 315 drones and seven missiles. The air force said it shot down or neutralized 277 drones and all seven missiles.

Kyiv’s military administration confirmed at least four people were injured in the capital. “The majority of the damage was sustained by civilian infrastructure,” the administration wrote on Telegram.

In Odesa, local officials reported two deaths and nine injuries. A maternity hospital and an emergency medical center were among the buildings struck.

Heavy Casualties Near Front Lines

In the eastern Donetsk region, three people were killed and eight injured by artillery and drone attacks, according to local authorities. In the southern city of Kherson, one person died and eight others were injured.

Zelenskyy Urges Global Action

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media that the strikes hit Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Chernihiv regions, noting that at least two North Korean-made ballistic missiles were among the munitions used.

“Residential buildings and urban infrastructure were damaged,” Zelenskyy wrote. “In Odesa, even a maternity hospital became a Russian target. Thirteen people were injured. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families.”

“It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action,” Zelenskyy added.

“Action from America, which has the power to force Russia into peace,” he said. “Action from Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong. Action from others around the world who called for diplomacy and an end to the war — and whom Russia has ignored. There must be strong pressure for the sake of peace.”

Russia Responds to Ukrainian Drones

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces downed 103 Ukrainian drones Monday night and Tuesday morning. The attack came 24 hours after Russia targeted Ukraine with more than 470 drones — one of the largest aerial strikes of the conflict, according to Ukraine’s air force.

Prisoner Swap Offers Glimpse of Diplomacy

Earlier Monday, Russia and Ukraine conducted the first stage of a prisoner swap after reaching an agreement during peace talks in Istanbul.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

University of Houston-Downtown workers find body in White Oak Bayou, HPD says

ABC13 Houston
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University of Houston-Downtown workers find body in White Oak Bayou, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — An investigation is underway after authorities say University of Houston-Downtown workers found a body in White Oak Bayou on Monday night.

According to the Houston Police Department Lt. Larry Crowson, officers responded to the scene in White Oak Bayou along N. San Jacinto Street near Steam Mill Street just after 8 p.m.

Police received a report of the body face down in the water.

Crowson said the body is believed to be of a man. The medical examiner’s office will determine the manner and cause of death.

For more on this story stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine and our news partner ABC13 Houston.

Ohio Teen Faces Deportation After Graduation

Que Onda Editorial
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Ohio Teen Faces Deportation After Graduation

An Ohio high school graduate, Emerson Colindres, 19, is facing deportation to Honduras just weeks after earning his diploma.

Colindres, who arrived in the United States at age eight in 2014, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a routine check-in at an ICE facility in Blue Ash, Ohio.

A Long Asylum Fight

The Colindres family sought asylum after fleeing extortion threats from Honduran gangs. However, their case was rejected, and a final removal order was issued in 2023. Despite participating in ICE’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP), which allows parole-like monitoring instead of detention, the family had never been explicitly ordered to leave—until now.

“Emerson’s One of the Best Kids I’ve Ever Met”

Bryan Williams, Colindres’s soccer coach at Cincy Galaxy, said ICE agents appeared to be waiting for him at his check-in.

“They informed us that they were detaining and deporting Emerson only,” Williams told a local ABC affiliate. “No explanation was given.”

Williams added: “Emerson’s one of the best kids I’ve ever met. We don’t know what we can do, but we’re doing whatever we can.”

DHS Defends Deportation

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement said, “Those arrested had executable final orders of removal by an immigration judge and had not complied with that order,” adding that “If you are in the country illegally and a judge has ordered you to be removed, that is precisely what will happen.”

DHS also noted that ISAP “exists to ensure compliance with release conditions.”

Teammates Rally for Emerson

On Sunday, Colindres’s teammates gathered outside Butler County Jail, wearing “Free Emerson” T-shirts, and spoke to him by phone. “I was just… living life, minding my own business,” Colindres said. “And now I’m here.”

Describing the conditions, he said, “It’s just awful. We only go out once a day—sometimes twice. [It’s] not a life someone who didn’t do anything should be living.”

Community Cries for Justice

Teammate Joshua Williams said, “He didn’t do anything wrong. And they just took him away.” He added, “I wish I hugged him longer. Because I didn’t know that would be the last time I was going to see him.”

Another teammate, Preston Robinson, echoed that sentiment: “It’s not like he had a say in whether he could or couldn’t come. I just wanted to be here to show that I support him.”

Family’s Plea to the President

Colindres’s mother, Ada Bell Baquedano-Amador, directly appealed to then-President Donald Trump during the protest: “Please, Mr Trump—because I’m talking directly to you—have pity on us. Have compassion.”

She told The Cincinnati Enquirer she now has 30 days to self-deport to Honduras. “You can’t imagine what I’m feeling,” she said. “How is my son going to make it over there? He doesn’t know anything and the country where we come from is very insecure… It’s not just.”

Stay tuned to developments from this tragic story with us on Que Onda Magazine.

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