AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods had a disappointing ending to his opening round of the 88th Masters on Friday. The five-time green jacket winner won’t have much time to bounce back at Augusta National Golf Club.
Woods, 48, was the first golfer in the practice area Friday morning, as he prepared to play the final five holes of the first round, which was suspended Thursday night because of darkness. Woods was 1 under when he resumed the round at 7:50 a.m. ET, and he quickly made bogey on the par-4 14th and finished with another one on the par-4 18th.
Woods was tied for 36th at 1-over 73 after 18 holes, 8 strokes behind leader Bryson DeChambeau.
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was 1 shot behind DeChambeau after carding a 6-under 66 on Thursday. Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard and Max Homa were 2 back after posting 5-under 67. Homa, who was playing with Woods, had his best round in a major championship.
“It wasn’t easy,” Højgaard said. “The wind was swirling, and there was a lot of wind. Very pleased with how I played actually. And also this morning, it wasn’t that easy getting out there that early, and the conditions completely changed with different wind direction.” Woods, who is attempting to set a Masters record with his 24th consecutive made cut, will tee off in the second round at 10:18 a.m. ET. He had about 48 minutes to wait in between rounds. The 15-time major champion has never missed a cut at the Masters as a pro.
Playing in his first PGA Tour event since he withdrew after 24 holes of the Genesis Invitational in mid-February, Woods looked good walking on his surgically repaired right foot and ankle Thursday. He didn’t appear nearly as loose or fluid Friday morning, however, with temperatures in the low 50s.
On the 14th hole, Woods hit a good tee shot down the middle of the fairway, leaving him 124 yards to the pin. He didn’t flush his approach shot, and his ball settled 22 yards short of the green. Woods stretched his neck and grimaced after the shot. He made a two-putt bogey that moved him back to even par.
Woods had decent birdie looks on the par-3 16th and par-4 17th, but he left both attempts short.
On the uphill 18th hole, Woods flared his second shot to the right and his ball landed in a greenside bunker. He couldn’t get much spin on his ball on his chip shot, which nearly went in the hole before stopping 12 feet away on the fringe. He missed a par putt and made bogey to finish the round at 1 over.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A west Houston mother has been arrested on charges she allegedly left her 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter home alone so that she could go on a cruise.
Lakesha Woods Williams, 29, is charged with abandoning a child with intent to return. ABC13 was at the jail Thursday evening as she was brought in for processing.
According to court records, neighbors at Williams’ luxury high-rise apartment building in the Memorial area sounded the alarm. They said they saw the mother of two children leave with luggage and bags last Thursday, April 4, and she never returned.
On Tuesday, deputy constables with Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap’s Office responded to a welfare check at her apartment. They found the brother and sister home alone. The unit smelled of urine, records state, and was in disarray with trash and left-over food strewn about. The children told the deputies their mother left to vacation on a cruise.
“These children were left unattended for many days and put in harm’s way,” Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court, said. “For them to provide for themselves, feed themselves, take care of themselves, as well as what if somebody breaks in? What if there’s a bad neighbor? Any number of horror, nightmare scenarios that could come up.”
Deputies reported finding a web camera and cell phone that the children said their mother used to check in on them.
Firefighters determined them to be in good health. Child Protective released them to their aunt, who declined to comment to ABC13 when reached by phone.
Precinct 5 said Williams flew to Miami last week to get on the cruise to Puerto Rico. The office said she returned home Wednesday night and initially lied about her identity.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A damning report on Thursday linked a celebrated Memorial Hermann surgeon to allegations of irregularities that led to the sudden shutdown of the Texas Medical Center hospital’s liver and kidney transplant program.
The New York Times reported that hospital officials are investigating a doctor who may have secretly manipulated a government database to make some of his patients ineligible to receive new livers, potentially blocking them from lifesaving care.
The Times couldn’t report on the doctor’s alleged motivations, and when it contacted the surgeon, he referred questions to UTHealth Houston, his employer, which declined to comment.
Eyewitness News independently contacted Memorial Hermann and UTHealth Houston for confirmation of the surgeon’s name, his alleged involvement, and a comment regarding the report. ABC13 is awaiting responses.
The U.S. Health and Human Services released a statement after the Times report, acknowledging “the severity of this allegation.”
HHS said, in full:
“At the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we acknowledge the severity of this allegation. We are working across the Department to address this matter now. We are committed to protecting patient safety and equitable access to organ transplant services for all patients. We are working diligently to address this issue with the attention it deserves, including work at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – which are deployed on site to investigate. Working with our federal and state partners, HHS will pursue all appropriate enforcement and compliance actions to the fullest extent available under relevant regulations and policies to protect the safety and integrity of the organ procurement and transplantation system.”
The report came a week after Memorial Hermann first publicized last Friday about “a pattern of irregularities with donor acceptance criteria within the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant information database for patients awaiting a liver transplant at Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center.” Those irregularities led the hospital system to first halt its liver transplant program on April 4, followed by the closely associated kidney transplant program five days later.
The hospital reasoned that both programs have a shared leadership structure.
The Organ Procurement Transplantation Network showed 38 liver-transplant patients were on the list when the program halted. Another 346 patients were on the kidney list, the hospital added.
According to the Times report, officials said they were contacting those patients to assist them in finding alternative treatment plans or providers.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston, get ready to start your engines! This weekend, the world’s biggest celebration of art cars and other innovative vehicles will return downtown.
The Houston Art Car Parade, presented by Team Gillman, is one of the city’s largest free public art events, drawing more than 300,000 people each year – and you can be part of the action.
ABC13 will livestream all the sights and sounds from the parade on Saturday, April 13 from 2-3:30 p.m. CDT
The 37th annual parade will feature hundreds of art cars and other entries from 23 states, in addition to international vehicles from Canada and Mexico.
You can watch the Houston Art Car Parade for free along the parade route, or opt for a seat in the parade’s shaded VIPit area.
The parade begins promptly at 2 p.m.
ART CAR PARADE ROUTE
Begins on inbound Allen Parkway/Dallas at Bagby St.
East on Dallas
North (left) onto Smith St.
West (left) onto Walker St.
South (left) onto Bagby St.
West (right) onto Lamar/outbound Allen Parkway
Each vehicle is a moving work of art, designed by hundreds of passionate artists.
In years’ past, we’ve seen art cars sculpted into dogs, bananas, even a rising phoenix.
We’ve also seen some very Houston-centric designs, from NASA space shuttles to art cars adorned with the colors of our Astros, Texans, Rockets Dynamo and Dash teams.
While some artists opt to use temporary materials, such as paper and tape, others completely transform their vehicles with recycled materials, turning them into traveling art sculptures.
LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson, the former football great who was accused of and ultimately acquitted of the brutal 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, has died, according to his family. He was 76.
His family announced that he passed away on Wednesday after battling cancer.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” a statement from his family said.
In May 2023, Simpson posted a video on X, then known as Twitter, revealing that he had recently “caught cancer” and “had to do the whole chemo thing.” He added, “It looks like I beat it.” Simpson didn’t specify the nature of the cancer.
Then in February 2024, a Las Vegas television station reported that Simpson, then 76, was again undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer. Simpson himself posted a video on X that day, denying rumors that he was in hospice care, though he did not otherwise confirm or deny reports that he was ill. Two days later in another video update on X, Simpson thanked those people he said had reached out to him, adding “My health is good. I mean, obviously I’m dealing with some issues but I think I’m just about over it.”
Orenthal James Simpson, nicknamed “The Juice,” broke records as a college and professional football player, and extended his celebrity and fortune as a sportscaster, a movie and television actor, and as a corporate spokesman, most notably for Hertz rental cars.
All that changed on June 12, 1994, when Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were brutally stabbed to death outside of the former’s home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood. Within days, police announced their intention to arrest the former football star for the murders.
Five days after the killings, 95 million Americans watched as Simpson’s white Ford Bronco – with longtime friend Al Cowlings at the wheel and Simpson in the back seat with a handgun, threatening to kill himself – led police on a 60-mile, low-speed televised chase through Los Angeles that lasted some two hours.
Simpson ultimately surrendered to police and stood trial for the murders. In October 1995, after 11 months from jury selection to verdict, Simpson was acquitted in a trial that was televised daily and became an international sensation.
Twelve years later, Simpson was arrested in September 2007 after he led a group of men into a Las Vegas hotel and casino to steal, at gunpoint, what he claims was his own sports memorabilia. Simpson was charged with a number of felony counts, including kidnapping and armed robbery. The following year, he was found guilty and sentenced to up to 33 years in prison. Simpson was released on parole on Oct. 1, 2017.
O.J. Simpson is survived by four children: Arnelle and Jason, from his first marriage, and Sydney and Justin, from his marriage to Nicole Brown Simpson.
HOUSTON – The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO Houston) Board of Directors today welcomed its newest members appointed by Mayor John Whitmire and approved by vote during this morning’s Houston City Council meeting.
The Board of Directors serves as the governing body of METRO. Members guide decision-making in order to deliver a public transportation system that is an attractive option for means of travel throughout the Houston region. The shared vision of the Board of Directors is to provide customers with safe, clean, reliable, and accessible mobility options.
Mayor Whitmire’s appointments now mark a historic number of women serving on the board at one time including the first Vietnamese American woman appointee and its first Hispanic female chair, with the appointment earlier this year of METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock.
The new appointees are:
Judge Kathy Han, the first Vietnamese American woman appointed to a full-time presiding judge position in Houston, TX.
Reverend T. Leon Preston II, Senior Pastor at the Greater Christian Hope Baptist Church in Houston, TX, and Law Enforcement Chaplain for the Harris County Constables Office; and
Chad McMillan, a leading community advocate for inclusivity initiatives and champion for Houston’s disabled population to live fuller, more independent lives.
Terry Morales, Vice President of Amegy Bank in the Corporate Banking Division was reappointed to the board.
Pictured from left to right: Terry Morales, Judge Kathy Han, Mayor Whitmire, Chairman Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock, Reverend T. Leon Preston II, Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum. “I am proud to make history with my METRO appointees; each one represents a diverse community. Having a METRO Board with diverse representation recognizes the value of varied experiences and the importance of accessibility for all,” said Mayor Whitmire. “Now it is time to go to work. I expect METRO to operate with transparency and maintain and create additional mobility options. The board’s collective leadership will enhance METRO’s capacity to positively impact the continued growth and success of the City of Houston and region.”
Additional photos are available here. The members were then sworn in by METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock in the Proclamation Room in City Hall. “I am excited to welcome the newest customer-centric board members and to continue collaborating with our existing leaders,” said Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “This is a robust team that is fully committed to making METRO a safe, clean, accessible and viable option that people choose to use.”
The nine-person board has five positions nominated by the mayor of Houston and approved by Houston City Council, , two appointees of Harris County Commissioners Court, and two appointed by the mayors from 14 other cities in the METRO service area (METRO Multi-Cities). Board members serve two-year terms with METRO and can serve a maximum of eight years.
For more information on METRO and its leadership team, please visit www.ridemetro.org.
In remembrance of Vanessa Guillen, members of the community, local government, U.S. Congress, and the Guillen family attended the dedication ceremony of the U.S. Post Office renamed in her honor. The ceremony took place nearly four years after 20-year-old U.S. Army Specialist and Houston native Vanessa Guillen was tragically murdered on April 22, 2020, in Fort Hood, Texas by another male soldier who had also sexually harassed her.
Que Onda Magazine spoke with Vanessa Guillen’s mother Gloria Guillen and older sister Mayra Guillen upon conclusion of the dedication ceremony.
“[Her murder] hurt so much, especially for me, my children, and my husband, but God continues to lift us up day by day, and I hope it stays that way,” Gloria Guillen told Que Onda Magazine in Spanish.
“It’s wonderful that this post office is in honor of my daughter and that there are laws, streets, and perhaps more things in her name.
“It’s something very significant and precious that they don’t forget about my daughter and continue to honor her memory,” Mrs. Gloria added. “We can’t bring my daughter back with anything we do, but her legacy and memory remain here throughout this nation.”
The Vanessa Guillen Post Office Building is located at 5302 Galveston Road, Houston, Texas 7701, just a few blocks away from César Chávez High School – where Vanessa graduated from high school before enlisting in the U.S. Army.
The U.S. Post Office was renamed by an act of Congress in January 2023 signed into law by President Joe Biden. This marks the first post office to be named after a Latina in the Houston-area.
“Today, we dedicate this moment to the life and legacy of SPC. Vanessa Guillen, as we immortalize her courage through the renaming of this post office. SPC. Vanessa Guillén transforms from a local hero into an eternal presence in our daily lives,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “Vanessa was a strong and ambitious young woman who was taken from her family and Houston much too soon. However, because of her, countless veterans and service members can live without fear. I hope this post office renaming brings some comfort to Vanessa’s family and loved ones.”
Vanessa Guillen was the middle child of parents Rogelio and Gloria. Her older sister Mayra and younger sister Lupe have been Vanessa’s fierce advocates alongside the matriarch of the Guillen family, Gloria.
The Guillen family’s relentless search and efforts, in honor of their beloved Vanessa, caused a national uproar and led to significant military reform. During the four-year legacy of Vanessa Guillen, Congress enacted the I Am Vanessa Guillen Act, criminalizing sexual harassment and assigning an independent party to investigate sexual assault cases in the military under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Multiple markers, including highways and streets, have been named in honor of the Mexican American soldier.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” said Mayra Guillen, community activist. “I’m happy, but at the same time,..it hurts, but I know she’s happy to see everything we’ve been able to do. It continues to bring her remembrance, her honor, her name after so many years.”
Son dichosos los que llegan a cumplir cien años y entre los Houstonianos tenemos el honor de celebrar la vida larga del centenario José Pérez.
Nacido hace un siglo el 15 de marzo de 1924 en Huanímaro, Guanajuato, México, Que Onda Magazine tuvo el placer de entrevistarlo días antes de su fiesta de 100 años. Platicamos con su cálida familia desde su hogar que ha permanecido en la familia por más de 60 años, que formó junto al amor de su vida, María de la Luz.
José y María de la Luz se conocen desde temprana edad en su natal México. Pero la conquistó cuando Maria era profesora de escuela y él había regresado a México después de trabajar en los Estados Unidos.
Por ser el único que vestía con un traje elegante, Jose llamó la atención de Maria de la luz, así relataron sus hijas Rose Cordaway y Dr. Norma Pérez.
Luego los enamorados se establecieron en Houston, Texas y tuvieron el privilegio de gozar de 50 años casados hasta que María de la Luz falleció en 1998. Su amor dio a fruto 9 hijos, 16 nietos, 41 bisnietos, y 14 tataranietos
Para un matrimonio, Jose nos confesó que la comprensión es clave.
“Quieranse y sepan comprenderse,” resumió el centenario.
Delante de sus tres hijos Rose Cordaway, Robert y Norma Perez, Jose recalcó la importancia del esfuerzo y la educación. Desde su llegada a los Estados Unidos, él no se detuvo de trabajar para sacar adelante a su familia trabajando por varias décadas en la industria del ferrocarril hasta su fecha de retiro en 1987.
“Criar a mis hijos, ese fue mi mejor logro y tratar de llevarlos a estar todo el tiempo pegados a las escuelas,” dijo Jose. “Que estudiaran y que aprovecharán las oportunidades.”
“Trabajar y esmerarse. No importa el trabajo que sea.”
El no ha pasado desapercibido ya que Jose ha recibido proclamaciones por el alcalde de Houston. Y aun después de su retiro, él continúa manteniéndose activo.
Manejaba de aquí para allá con su licencia de conducir válida hasta la fecha ya que Jose se asegura de renovarla, salía a caminar a diario al Selena Quintanilla Park y trabajaba años atrás con su hijo mayor.
Debido a una caída, ahora usa un andador. Pero eso no le impide aprovechar todos sus derechos como ciudadano americano. Pues, Jose es un votante comprometido que participa en todas las elecciones.
Con 100 años de vida, Jose ha asegurado un legado fundado por amor y esfuerzo y una valiosa lección de vida para todos los que aprendan su historia que ha superado adversidades de idioma, barreras geográficas y dolorosos momentos como la pérdida de seres amados.
“Así es la vida a veces hay malos ratos pero…la vida hay que llevarla como el que está arriba manda,” aseguró el centenario sabio y tenaz.
Those who reach one hundred years old are fortunate, and among Houstonians, we have the honor of celebrating the long life of centenarian José Pérez.
Born a century ago on March 15, 1924, in Huanimaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, Que Onda Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing him days before his 100th birthday celebration. We talked with his warm family from their home that has been in the family for over 60 years, a home he formed alongside the love of his life, María de la Luz.
Jose and Maria de la Luz knew each other from a young age in their native Mexico. But he won her over when Maria was a school teacher and he had returned to Mexico after working in the United States.
Being the only one dressed in an elegant suit, Jose caught the attention of Maria de la Luz, as recounted by their daughters Rose Cordaway and Dr. Norma Perez.
The lovers then settled in Houston, Texas, and had the privilege of enjoying 50 years of marriage until María de la Luz passed away in 1998. Their love bore 9 children, 16 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
For a marriage, Jose confessed that understanding is key.
“Love each other and understand each other,” summarized the centenarian in Spanish.
In front of his three children Rose Cordaway, Robert, and Norma Perez, Jose emphasized the importance of effort and education. Since his arrival in the United States, he never stopped working to support his family, working for several decades in the railroad industry until his retirement in 1987.
“Raising my children, that was my greatest achievement, and trying to keep them attached to school all the time,” said Jose. “So that they would study and take advantage of opportunities.”
“Work hard and strive. No matter what the job is.”
He has not gone unnoticed, as Jose has received proclamations from the Mayor of Houston. And even after his retirement, he continues to stay active.
He drove around with his valid driver’s license as Jose made sure to renew it, went for daily walks at Selena Quintanilla Park, and worked years ago with his eldest son.
Due to a fall, he now uses a walker. But that doesn’t stop him from exercising all his rights as an American citizen. Jose is a committed voter who participates in all elections.
With 100 years of life, Jose has secured a legacy founded on love and effort and a valuable life lesson for all who learn his story, which has overcome language and geographical barriers, and painful moments such as the loss of loved ones.
“That’s life, sometimes there are tough times but… life must be lived as the one above commands,” assured the wise and resilient centenarian.
KATY, Texas (KTRK) — Several businesses are picking up the pieces after severe storms ripped through a shopping plaza in the Katy area, causing extreme damage overnight.
The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday morning the damage was caused by an EF-1 tornado that had 90-mile-per-hour winds.
ABC13 spotted the damage at a shopping plaza on South Mason Road, just past Kingsland Boulevard.
A Firestone Complete Auto Care in the plaza collapsed, leaving the business nearly unrecognizable.
Debris, including tires, was scattered all across the parking lot. The business’s sign was shredded and leaning all the way over to one side. Several cars in the parking lot were damaged in the chaos.
You can see footage of the storm damage in the video player above.
ABC13 spoke to the employees of Bourbon Street Sports Bar, another business in the plaza.
The front of the sports bar was torn away and the windows were smashed. An A.C. unit that was once inside was ripped out into the parking lot by the wind.
“It was like a rumble. You could hear it. It was picking up and it just kept increasing. That’s what really scared us was you could start hearing, basically the building shake. At that point, we were all like, ‘Get in the back,'” employee Kevin Davis said.
Davis said they were wrapping up, about to close, when they started to hear the high winds around 2:15 or 2:20 a.m. He said the high winds only lasted about 20 seconds, but that was more than enough time to cause some serious damage.
“Thankfully, all of us made it to the back in time. And there wasn’t anybody out front,” Davis said. “We actually had some patrons in a vehicle out front. They said they could not even see Firestone collapse until it had moved past.”
ABC13 video captured a smashed taco truck on its side in the plaza parking lot. It was reportedly parked at the end of the road, and the high winds carried it to the lot.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and taped the area off. CenterPoint Energy turned the electricity off in the area out of precaution.
