HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Fall begins this weekend, but it will continue to feel more like summer for the foreseeable future. There is a front in the forecast next week that should drop the humidity, and we’ll also have to keep a watchful eye on a tropical low entering the Gulf of Mexico.
Any fog that developed early Saturday morning should lift quickly by mid-morning with a bright and sunny day to follow. Temperatures will once again soar into the mid 90s during the afternoon with a heat index that could make it feel like the triple digits. Dont forget sunscreen and to stay hydrated if you plan to be out and about on the last day of summer!
How long do you expect these summertime temperatures to continue?
High temperatures should remain at or above 90 degrees for the next 10 days, but we do see some humidity relief late next week behind a weak cool front that could approach Southeast Texas midweek next week.
How long will we have to wait for our first real taste of fall air?
At this time, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the first week of October for any chance of a meaningful cool front to visit us here in Southeast Texas, but next week’s front should at least drop the humidity and bring us some mornings in the 60s by next weekend.
What are you tracking in the tropics?
We continue to see signs that a tropical low could lift out of the Caribbean and into the Gulf next week. There are a lot of scenarios on the table for what it could do and where it could go, so our best advice right now is to simply stay weather aware until we get a better handle on where it is most likely to track. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for the latest on what’s happening in the tropics.
WASHINGTON — Iranian hackers sought to interest President Joe Biden’s campaignin information stolen from rival Donald Trump’s campaign, sending unsolicited emails to people associated with the then-Democratic candidate to interfere in the 2024 election, the FBI and other federal agencies said Wednesday.
There’s no indication that any of the recipients responded, officials said, and several media organizations approached during the summer with leaked stolen information have also said they did not respond.
Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign called the emails from Iran “unwelcome and unacceptable malicious activity” that was received by only a few people who regarded them as spam or phishing attempts.
The emails were received before the hack of the Trump campaign was publicly acknowledged, and there appears to be no evidence the recipients of the emails knew their origin.
The announcement is the latest U.S. government effort to call out what officials said is Iran’s brazen, ongoing work to interfere in the election, including a hack-and-leak campaign that the FBI and other federal agencies linked last month to Tehran.
U.S. officials in recent months have used criminal charges, sanctions and public advisories to detail actions taken by foreign adversaries to influence the election, including an indictment targeting a covert Russian effort to spread pro-Russia content to U.S. audiences.
In this case, the hackers sent emails in late June and early July to people who were associated with Biden’s campaign before he dropped out of the race under pressure from his own party. The emails “contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former President Trump’s campaign as text in the emails,” according to a statement released by the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The agencies have said the Trump campaign hack and an attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign are part of an effort to undermine voters’ faith in the election and to stoke discord.
The FBI informed Trump aides within the last 48 hours that information hacked by Iran had been sent to the Biden campaign, according to a senior campaign official granted anonymity to speak because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.
The Trump campaign disclosed on Aug. 10 that it had been hacked and said Iranian actors had stolen and distributed sensitive internal documents. At least three news outlets – Politico, The New York Times and The Washington Post – were leaked confidential material from inside the Trump campaign. So far, each has refused to reveal any details about what it received.
Politico reported that it began receiving emails on July 22 from an anonymous account. The source – an AOL email account identified only as “Robert” – passed along what appeared to be a research dossier that the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The document was dated Feb. 23, almost five months before Trump selected Vance as his running mate.
In a statement, Harris campaign spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein said the campaign has cooperated with law enforcement since learning that people associated with Biden’s team were among the recipients of the emails.
“We’re not aware of any material being sent directly to the campaign; a few individuals were targeted on their personal emails with what looked like a spam or phishing attempt,” Finkelstein said. “We condemn in the strongest terms any effort by foreign actors to interfere in U.S. elections including this unwelcome and unacceptable malicious activity.
Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the effort to dangle stolen information to the Biden campaign “further proof the Iranians are actively interfering in the election” to help Harris.
Intelligence officials have said Iran opposes Trump’s reelection, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran. Trump’s administration ended a nuclear deal with Iran, reimposed sanctions, and ordered the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to vow revenge.
Iran’s intrusion on the Trump campaign was cited as just one of the cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns identified by tech companies and national security officials at a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Executives from Meta, Google, and Microsoft briefed lawmakers on their plans for safeguarding the election, and the attacks they’d seen so far.
“The most perilous time I think will come 48 hours before the election,” Microsoft President Brad Smith told lawmakers during the hearing, which focused on American tech companies’ efforts to safeguard the election from foreign disinformation and cyberattacks.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Harris County Commissioners voted Thursday to pass the Fiscal Year 2025’s $2.67 billion budget proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This comes after months of discussion among county officials and emotional comments from the public.
Some big-ticket items include an increase in property tax rate from 3.5% to 8%. To understand the impact, take a homeowner with a $400,000 house, for example. The new tax rate increase would cost them an extra $160 in taxes a year.
The extra funding will help pay for damages sustained from storms like the derecho in May and Hurricane Beryl. It will also allow the county to have funds to prepare for the next natural disaster.
However, according to Harris County’s budget director, Daniel Ramos, the hike would only be temporary, and property taxes will revert back to the old rate in Fiscal Year 2026.
Typically, state law requires that voters approve a property tax hike that is above 3.5%. However, Harris County was allowed an exception this year to raise it to 8%, due to the governor declaring the county as a disaster area.
Another thing to note on the November ballot is it calls for voters to consider a 71% flood control tax increase, which will cost the average household an extra $60 per year. If passed, the measure would generate $113 million in revenue to support the county’s flood mitigation infrastructure.
Fiscal Year 2025 will see an additional $10 million to cover medical costs at the Harris County Jail and transfer $100 million to Harris Health to take over these services. It also sets aside $52.9 million to continue outsourcing inmates to facilities outside the county.
Residents from several community groups, such as Woori Juntos and the Texas Organizing Project, have spoken out against increasing funding for law enforcement, incarceration, and criminal prosecution services. They have advocated for more money for disaster relief, language services, and eviction protection.
Harris County Commissioners passed a $2.67 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which has generated heated and emotional comments from t…Show more
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office only received a small increase of $200,000 for next year, which outgoing DA Kim Ogg said would not be enough since six new felony district courts were added. She explained that the county told them to cut 5% from their budget, which equates to $6 million.
“To staff that, we hired 54 people with the permission of the budget office. So they gave us $5 million with the left hand and took $6 million with the right hand. That kind of math doesn’t fool anybody. It’s clearly an attack on our ability to fight violent crime,” Ogg said. “The budget will defund many positions in the DA’s office. Over 50 lawyers will likely be let go, because they are not funding their positions.”
According to Ramos, Ogg’s office failed to comply with the established budget process and submit a proposal on how to reduce spending before the required deadline. As a result, the OEM took the requisite 5%. But to provide the new incoming district attorney flexibility, $4.5 million has been budgeted to restore that funding when they take office in January.
“There is enough money for that office to operate until her (Ogg’s) term is up. Almost every other department followed the budget process correctly. Over the last six years, their budget has increased by nearly $40 million, so it makes no sense that anyone would need to be let go. We will reassess their needs when the new DA starts in January,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia wrote in a statement to ABC13.
Ogg lost the Democratic primary in March to Sean Teare, who previously worked as a prosecutor for 11 years with the DA’s office. He will face off with Republican Dan Simons in November.
“It’s tragic that either through gross incompetence or intentional neglect, one of the most critical departments in the third largest county in the country just ignored the mandated budget process,” Teare said. “If I take office, anyone let go from that office will be rehired Jan. 1. This won’t affect us at all. We will not be underfunded or defunded.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been placed on suicide watch inside the Brooklyn jail where he awaits trial for his alleged sex crimes as the 54-year-old’s mental state is unclear, according to a report.
The rapper being added to the watch is a “preventative measure” days after he was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, sources told People.
Officials ruled the 54-year-old is shocked and his mental state is unclear, the outlet reported.
The National Toy Hall of Fame is floating the idea of inducting balloons.
Praised for their versatility and universal appeal, balloons made the list Wednesday of 12 finalists being considered for the honor later this year, alongside other first-time contenders including the trampoline and the party game Apples to Apples.
Praised for their versatility and universal appeal, balloons made the list Wednesday of 12 finalists being considered for the honor later this year.
A panel of expert judges and the public will vote on which of the finalists will be inducted in November.
This year’s nominees also include the bestselling “Choose Your Own Adventure” gamebooks, which encourage readers to plot stories; Hess Toy Trucks, which have signaled the holiday season since 1964; remote-controlled vehicles and the stick horse.
Rounding out the list are the games Phase 10, Sequence and the Pokemon Trading Card Game, along with two perennial nominees, My Little Pony figures – a seven-time finalist – and Transformers action figures, both of which debuted in the 1980s.
“These 12 toys represent the wide range of play – from strategic to whimsical to physical – and present many playful matchups. The selection judges and public will have some tough decisions this year,” predicted Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections and chief curator.
Anyone can nominate a toy for the Hall of Fame. The museum received 2,400 nominations for 382 different toys over the past year, Bensch said, and then boiled down the list to 12 finalists that best meet the criteria for induction. Toys have to have longevity, be recognizable and have great “play value,” he said, meaning they encourage things like creativity and socialization.
“Not the ones that you roll your eyes at your grandparents and shove it under your bed at your birthday,” he said.
Fans can vote for their favorites from Sept. 18 to 25 at toyhalloffame.org. The three toys that receive the most public votes will make up a “Player’s Choice” ballot that will be tallied along with ballots from 22 historians and other experts.
Since 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame has recognized more than 80 toys for inspiring creative play across generations. They range from humble playthings like the stick, paper airplane and cardboard box to those that have influenced pop culture, like the Barbie doll and Dungeons & Dragons.
Bensch can’t help but wonder whether this year’s seventh trip to the finals will prove lucky for My Little Pony.
“That’s a lot of the times to be sort of a bridesmaid and never a bride,” he said.
Last year’s inductees were baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids, Fisher-Price Corn Popper and Nerf foam toys. The National Toy Hall of Fame is inside The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Several residents in the Cinco Ranch neighborhood are on high alert after the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said a man had gone door to door pretending to be security personnel.
The man seen in doorbell camera footage is who Cinco Ranch neighbors believe to be behind a strange, unusual, and bizarre encounter at their doorsteps.
“It’s shocking. Obviously, I haven’t had anything like this before,” Ben Simiskey said, referring to last Saturday when his son answered the door to a stranger knocking and claiming he was part of a security team.
“He called himself ‘DaVinci’ and said he was part of a new neighborhood security, and he was coming around to introduce himself, and that he often has to jump people’s fences, and what he said, it was mainly in the middle of the night,” Simiskey said.
According to Simiskey, the man told his son that he flies drones, and from there, it took an even more disturbing turn.
“He began to ask my son if anyone in the house walks around naked, and so, my son had no idea how to respond to that, understandably,” Simiskey said.
He said that according to other neighbors, multiple encounters have happened in the Cinco Ranch area, and the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is urging the community to be on the lookout.
“Don’t open the door, talk to this individual through the door, or call your local law enforcement agency when you first see him or you assume that you see him. I don’t want them to confront him,” Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said.
As authorities continue the search, neighbors are also coming together, taking matters into their own hands.
“It’s a good time to review when you are answering the door. Who are you talking to you? What information are you providing, making sure we have that with our family, friends and neighbors?” Simiskey suggested.
FBCSO is also on the lookout. Deputies have a description of what they believe is the truck he was driving, and patrol units are in the area searching for him.
DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) — Human remains were found inside the white SUV that was pulled from the site of the pipeline fire on the border of Deer Park and La Porte, police confirmed Thursday morning.
SkyEye was live over the scene during Eyewitness News at 7 a.m. as crews hooked up the burned SUV with a winch and dragged it away onto Spencer Highway on Thursday.
The vehicle officials believe crashed into a valve, igniting a pipeline fire near Spencer Highway in the Deer Park/La Porte area has been removed.
Investigators surrounded the vehicle and looked inside.
Harris County medical examiners recovered and removed the remains. They’ll now begin working through the identification process, which will take some time, Deer Park police say.
The fire has been burning since the crash on Monday morning, though the flames now are noticeably smaller.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The calendar might say fall begins on Sunday, but the weather has not gotten the memo. Record highs could fall Thursday and Friday as temperatures soar into the upper 90s.
Temperatures Thursday should climb to the upper 90s in the middle of the afternoon. Houston’s record high of 97 degrees from 1995 is in jeopardy of falling.
How long do you expect these summertime temperatures to continue?
High temperatures should remain at or above 90 degrees for the next 10 days, but we do see some humidity relief on the way next week.
How long will we have to wait for our first fall front?
At this time, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the first week of October for any chance of a meaningful cool front to visit us here in Southeast Texas, but next week’s front should at least drop the humidity and bring us some mornings in the 60s by next weekend.
What are you tracking in the tropics?
We continue to see signs that a storm could lift out of the Caribbean and into the Gulf late next week. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for the latest on what’s happening in the tropics.
DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) — Many people living near the site of Monday’s pipeline explosion were allowed to return to their homes for the first time Wednesday.
But not everyone was prepared for what they found as noticeably smaller flames continued to burn.
Steve and Diane Hutto’s home, just yards from the pipeline on East Meadow Drive, survived the fire for the most part, except for a partially melted backyard storage shed.
However, the water from the fire hoses trained on it to prevent it from igniting severely damaged their home of 14 years.
“Everything is just soaking wet: the walls, the couches, the clothes, everything. I don’t think we can save anything,” Diane Hutto said.
One thing that survived was pictures of Steve Hutto’s son, which were sealed away in a plastic container in a closet.
“We were really concerned about that because he had passed away, and that’s all he has of his son,” Diane Hutto said.
The City of Deer Park announced that people living in the evacuation zone would be allowed to return to their homes as early as 6 p.m.
However, Eyewitness News saw several returning before then.
The Huttos said they were able to return Wednesday morning to retrieve belongings, and Areanna Molero said authorities escorted her to her house to retrieve items Tuesday.
SAN DIEGO, California (KTRK) — The Houston Astros claimed victory Tuesday night in San Diego, but not before Jose Altuve did something unprecedented in baseball history: showing his barefoot.
The Astros star got into a heated argument with home plate umpire Brennan Miller during the ninth inning of the club’s 4-3 win at Petco Park. Altuve took issue with Miller’s call of a swinging groundout that the second baseman insisted was a foul ball off his left foot.
Altuve would have gotten another chance to register a hit had Miller called the foul ball. But the umpire went with the third-out grounder call that ended the Astros’ opportunity to pull ahead in a 3-3 ball game in the high-stakes matchup.
Game telecast replays showed the ball clipping off Altuve’s big toe, which was something that the former American League MVP got ready to show Miller. As Astros manager Joe Espada came out to argue with Miller, Altuve took off his left cleat and sock and touched the ballfield dirt with a barefoot. Miller took a look, paused a second, and sent Altuve to the clubhouse early. Miller also tossed Espada, becoming the latest Astros dugout coach to face ejection in three straight games.
Astros’ Jose Altuve points at his foot after taking his sock and shoe off during the ninth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego.AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Sports TV personality and ‘Stros pitcher Justin Verlander’s brother, Ben Verlander, also took issue, mainly because Miller was allowed to ask his fellow umpires for a second opinion, which he declined to do.
How did Altuve explain his act?
“Sometimes you get hit somewhere in the hand, and you take your batting glove to show you got hit. I was expecting to do the same thing,” Altuve said.
Espada stood up for Altuve.
“It’s a foul ball,” the manager said. “You have to see the ball once he hits the foot, the flight of the ball. I don’t get it. I don’t understand. That’s twice this year. I have a lot of respect for the umpires. They work hard. But there are four out there. You have to be able to see it. They missed that call.”
In a bit of irony, infielder Grae Kessinger came off the bench to replace Altuve at second base, affording him the position of the unearned runner on second to start the top of the 10th inning. Not only did he score the go-ahead run off a balk and a Kyle Tucker RBI, but Kessinger registered the game-saving final out by collecting Manny Machado’s sharply hit ball with bases loaded in time to get the out at second.
“As he started to untie his shoe, I started to grab my glove. I didn’t know if I was the one that was going to be going in, but I didn’t know what he was doing, but I was just getting ready,” Kessinger said about Altuve’s ejection.
The victory was huge for the AL West-leading Astros. Along with a Seattle loss, Houston enters Wednesday’s series finale with San Diego with a magic number of seven to clinch another division crown.
