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These are 2024’s top trending Halloween costumes, according to Google

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An Olympic breakdancer, a Chipotle burrito and a pop star walk into a bar.

This may sound like the start to a bad joke, but it could be a scene unfolding across the U.S. on October 31, according to online search data.

Google’s annual “Frightgeist” list has unveiled 25 costume ideas the tech giant says are “trending” in the build-up to Halloween. The list, based on comparisons of year-on-year search data from September, is also something of a who’s who of pop culture in 2024.

Top of this year’s list is Bob, a shrunken-headed ghost from the recent “Beetlejuice” sequel. Viral breakdancer Raygun took second place, with Google noting a spike in searches for “green and yellow track suit” and “green track pants,” as worn during the Australian’s controversial Olympics performance. Third place went to CatNap, the cat-like monster from the popular video game series “Poppy Playtime.”

RELATED: How old is too old for trick-or-treating? Poll finds kids should stop at certain age

Also in the top 10 were Deadpool’s female counterpart Lady Deadpool and singer Sabrina Carpenter, whose cut-out heart corset has spiked in searches this year, according to Google Trends.

Elsewhere, a total of five characters from Pixar’s “Inside Out” movies – the anthropomorphized emotions Envy, Anger, Disgust, Anxiety and Joy – featured in the top 25. So, too, did Chipotle burritos (11th), Sonic’s nemesis Shadow the Hedgehog (20th), rapper Soulja Boy (24th) and three other characters from “Beetlejuice.” (Both “Beetlejuice” movies were released by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)

Google also looked at trending kids’ costumes (topped by Red from Disney’s “Descendants”), pet costumes (“Dogpool”) and costume pairs (Deadpool and Wolverine).

This year’s “Frightgeist” also featured a US-wide costume map, showing local preferences that were not always reflected in the national data. Dolly Parton, for instance, was the top trending costume in Tampa, Florida and Rapid City, South Dakota, while “Anchorman” character Ron Burgundy topped the list in Marquette, Michigan.

RELATED: The best Halloween costumes for kids, with silly and spooky choices they’ll love

Bluey, from the Australian cartoon of the same name, was trending in Duluth, Minnesota and Tucson, Arizona.

“Frightgeist” also identified the year’s top trending party theme as “Beetlejuice,” while the “spooky foods” category was topped by “mummy hot dogs.”

Here are this year’s top 25 trending costumes, according to Google Trends:

  • Shrunken Head Bob, from “Beetlejuice”
  • Raygun
  • Catnap
  • Delores, from “Beetlejuice”
  • Pomni, from “The Amazing Digital Circus”
  • Envy, from “Inside Out”
  • Red, from “Descendants”
  • Dr. Doom
  • Sabrina Carpenter
  • Lady Deadpool
  • Chipotle burrito
  • Anger, from “Inside Out”
  • Disgust, from “Inside Out”
  • Wolverine
  • Anxiety, from “Inside Out”
  • Delia Deetz, from “Beetlejuice”
  • Gambit
  • Dune
  • Minion
  • Shadow the Hedgehog
  • Joy, from “Inside Out”
  • Peely, from “Fortnite”
  • Lydia Deetz, from “Beetlejuice”
  • Soulja Boy
  • Godzilla

‘Walking pneumonia’ cases rising among children, CDC says

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A type of respiratory tract infection is on the rise in children and affecting mainly those ages 2 to even 17 years old, according to the CDC.

That infection is causing what’s called ‘Mycoplasma pneumonia’, which many actually know as “walking pneumonia.” The rate of cases at emergency rooms had been increasing over the past six months with the peak hitting in August.

Dr. Alexis Monique Javier from Memorial Hermann explained what symptoms to look out for.

“They may have fever. They may have trouble breathing, coughing, and wheezing,” Javier said. “Difficulty breathing in kids is difficult to determine, especially given their age. So if your child is breathing faster than usual, you see their ribs getting sucked in, or neck muscles sucked in, or see that nose is flaring, then those are signs to go to urgent care or emergency room.”

To put this into perspective, according to the CDC, the percentage of diagnoses among kids from late March to early October showed an increase from 1.0% to 7.2%. This was among children ages 2 to 4 years old, and for those 5 to 17 years old, cases jumped from 3.6% to 7.4%. The CDC is also pointing out that this type of bacteria, historically, has not been the leading cause of pneumonia in kids ages 2 to 4, so it’s unclear what is causing this spike.

Dr. Javier also explained how this can spread from person to person.

“Mycoplasma pneumonia is spread through respiratory droplets,” Dr. Javier said.

So the best way to try to prevent it is going back to the basics. Wash your hands for 20 seconds and tell your kids to sing the alphabet two times. Also, don’t touch your face or eyes after touching surfaces. Sneeze or cough into your elbow and wear a mask if you are sick.

Dr. Javier also added that eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies should boost your immune system. Try to get enough sleep and stay active. All of that combined should keep you and your kids healthy this season.

Mom charged with child endangerment left her kids unsupervised several times before, neighbor says

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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A 30-year-old mother of five fought back tears in court as a Harris County Judge said she isn’t allowed unsupervised contact with her children after being charged with child endangerment.

Shelbi Rossow was arrested after deputies say five of her kids were found alone in an abandoned trailer in Highlands. Court documents reveal the children were under-clothed, hungry, and thirsty.

The youngest is just 6 years old, and the oldest is 12.

“It killed us. We were all close to the kids. The kids would run through the apartment complex. They would play, they’d play with my so,” Kara Leblanc said.

Kara Leblanc used to live near Rossow at an apartment complex in Baytown. She said she was constantly worried about the children.

“She was drugged out all of the time,” Leblanc said.

Court records show Rossow pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance last year.

Authorities have not revealed how long Rossow was gone or who tipped them off about her alleged absence, but Leblanc told ABC13 it wasn’t the first time.

“That was not abnormal. She would leave the kids alone on a regular basis. They would sit on the front porch and cry because they didn’t have food,” Leblanc said.

Leblanc hopes Rossow gets the help she needs, so the kids can live a healthy and safe life.

I want everybody to turn their life around. I want her to get her kids back, but I also don’t want her on drugs when she does it.

Rossow’s next court appearance is Monday.

Court greenlights Harris County’s program that promises free money to low-income families

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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Harris County is moving forward with a program that promises free money to residents.

The Community Prosperity Program will provide select residents with a preloaded debit card for housing, medical care, groceries, and other essential needs.

This new guaranteed income program comes after the state filed a restraining order against a previous version, called “Uplift,” which sent out monthly $500 payments to low-income residents.

The state blocked Uplift, claiming it violated a law that prohibits giving away public money as gifts.

The state also attempted to stop the Community Prosperity Program, but the 165th District Court denied the request after reviewing arguments from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Harris County Attorney’s Office.

The new program will financially support select families living at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.

Although Uplift had fewer spending restrictions, the Texas Supreme Court influenced new limitations, restricting participant purchases to essential needs.

HPD asks people not to track stolen property as tens of thousands of cases remain unsolved

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Police Department is warning you not to try to retrieve your stolen items. They are experiencing staffing issues, which means not every crime will be evaluated.

Christian Briones recently had his car stolen and now wonders if he will ever get it back.

“It feels like we are on our own,” Briones said.

Briones went for an early Monday morning workout and returned to his stolen car. Thankfully, his wallet, which contained an Apple Air Tag, was inside the vehicle.

RELATED: Owner of allegedly stolen Dodge Charger follows suspect and fires deadly shots, deputies say

“I put it on my wallet just in case. I feel like people steal wallets all the time, or you might lose it somewhere,” Briones said.

He tracked the Air Tag to a home in HPD jurisdiction and called the police. He waited down the block to point the house out to officers. After ten hours, he said he finally received a call from the police asking if he still wanted help.

” It’s obvious. What do you think? I’m here carless, and of course, I need help,” Briones said.

Briones said that, as far as he knew, the police still hadn’t done anything in his case. In a recent PSA, HPD said that people tracking their stolen property is on the rise, and they want people to stop.

“Avoid confronting the suspect even if you know who it is. Stepping into a volatile situation can make things worse,” the HPD video advises.

It’s safe, smart advice people should follow, but those ABC13 talked to aren’t confident they’ll ever get their stuff back if they follow the advice.

” I feel like it’s pointless at this point. I feel like it ain’t going to happen,” Briones said.

SEE ALSO: Fed up with mail thefts, woman ships Apple AirTag to herself as bait, catches suspects

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

Former acting HPD Chief Larry Satterwhite said earlier this year, during the ongoing suspended case scandal, that they do not have the manpower to investigate all property crimes.

“We don’t have enough to do all crimes,” Satterwhite said.

According to HPD data, in 2023, 99,123 property crimes were reported, but only 5,664, or about 5.7%, were cleared. So far this year, there have been 68 671 property crime reports, but only 3,648, or about 5.3%, have been cleared.

ABC13 asked HPD about cases they couldn’t investigate, but they did not answer. They sent only a statement that said:

“The Houston Police Department takes every crime in the city seriously. While we prioritize protecting lives and reducing violent crime, we recognize the vast majority of crimes reported to HPD are property crimes. Like many law enforcement agencies, HPD faces staffing challenges in patrol and investigations, which are well-documented and directly impact clearance rates. To address these challenges, we leverage technology and actively collaborate with other agencies and our community to maximize our resources. Prevention is crucial, and we encourage citizens to report any crime.”

West Harris County resident accused of setting neighbors’ homes on fire while armed with machete

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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A West Harris County man is under arrest after allegedly setting his neighbors’ houses on fire while armed with a machete.

Phi Le Nguyen, 46, faces two arson charges and two aggravated assault charges in connection with the crime.

Surveillance video obtained exclusively by Eyewitness News shows him walking across the street to a neighbor’s house on Brighton Hollow Lane on Wednesday afternoon.

The homeowners tell ABC13 he poured gasoline on the side of the house and set it on fire, but it was easily put out. Scorch marks were visible on a portion of the brick facade and the lawn.

Moments later, Nguyen can be seen approaching another neighbor’s house. In the video, he’s smoking a cigarette and holding a can of gasoline in one hand and a machete in another.

He then pours the gasoline over the driveway before walking out of frame.

That’s when the homeowner tells Eyewitness News he doused her house in gasoline and lit a fire.

This fire appears to have only burnt a portion of the lawn.

Nguyen retreats to the foot of the driveway, where he can be seen surveying the damage before swinging the machete around.

Court documents accuse him of threatening the second homeowner with the machete as well as a responding Harris County sheriff’s deputy.

Nguyen is being held on a $150,000 bond.

Record heat possible again this weekend, rain chances increase for Halloween

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston has now recorded a record-shattering 16 days of 90 heat this October, and we are likely going to tack on two more days to that list this weekend. The old record was 10 days of 90 heat in October, last observed in 2019.

While the heat isn’t going anywhere, we do have increasing chances for rain toward the end of next week.

The record to beat today is 92 degrees, set in 2010, which is right where we have the high temperature forecast set at.

Similar weather is expected on Sunday.

When will rain chances return?

A stray shower is possible near the coast both days this weekend, but we’ll have to wait until closer to Halloween for a pattern change that should bring up moisture levels significantly and eventually bring about some rain chances. Right now we have small rain chances starting next Wednesday at 20% then peaking at 40% on Halloween. This type of pattern usually yields scattered showers rolling in from the Gulf of Mexico, so no widespread rain is anticipated at this time.

Speaking of Halloween, will the weather be a trick or a treat?

That depends on your perspective! We desperately need some rain, and rain chances are back on the final day of October. It will almost certainly be a warm, humid Halloween with a 40% chance for showers and thunderstorms. Low temperatures will start off in the low 70s, then warm into the mid 80s during the afternoon. It is too early to say with any certainty if there will be rain around at Trick-or-Treat time, so stay tuned as we gain more clarity on the timing of the rain.

What are you tracking in the tropics?

The tropics will likely stay quiet until the first week of November when a storm may try to spin up over the Caribbean. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for a complete look at what we’re covering in the tropics.

Los Angeles DA recommends resentencing for Menendez brothers in 1989 killings of their parents

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Los Angeles prosecutors are recommending that Erik and Lyle Menendez be resentenced for the 1989 killings of their parents in their Beverly Hills home, giving the brothers a possible path to freedom after 34 years in prison.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced his decision in a Thursday news conference. “We are going to recommend to the court that the life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they would be sentenced for murder,” which would be a sentence of 50 years to life, he said. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crime, they would be eligible for parole immediately. “I believe they have paid their debt to society,” Gascón added, although the final decision will rest with the judge.

The case, which began on Aug. 20, 1989, saw Lyle and Erik Menendez fatally shoot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home. The brothers, aged 21 and 18 at the time, used shotguns purchased days before. Prosecutors alleged financial gain as the motive, while the defense argued the brothers acted in self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father.

The initial trials—broadcast with cameras in the courtroom—ended in mistrials. In a 1996 retrial, in which much of the abuse evidence was excluded, the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and received consecutive life sentences without parole.

Interest in the case was reignited this fall with the release of the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and a documentary on the Menendez brothers. Gascón stated his office has been evaluating new evidence, including allegations from a former Menudo band member who claimed he was molested by Jose Menendez, and an unearthed letter from Erik to a cousin detailing alleged abuse, written eight months before the murders.

Nearly two dozen family members gathered at a news conference last week advocating for the brothers’ resentencing. “Their actions, while tragic, were the desperate response of two boys trying to survive their father’s cruelty,” said Kitty Menendez’s sister, Joan Andersen VanderMolen. Anamaria Baralt, Jose Menendez’s niece, added that their continued incarceration serves no rehabilitative purpose, expressing hope for the family’s healing.

However, not all relatives support their release. Milton Andersen, Kitty Menendez’s brother, maintains that his nephews were not abused and argues they acted out of greed.

2024 World Series schedule: Bracket, results and how to watch Yankees vs. Dodgers

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The stage is set for the 2024 World Series, and the excitement leading up to Game 1 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees is electrifying. This clash of two storied franchises promises a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat series from start to finish.

For the Dodgers, strategic offseason moves have paid off. After conquering the New York Mets, they now prepare for their 13th World Series appearance and fourth since 2017. A key offseason acquisition, Shohei Ohtani, has delivered at the plate and significantly impacted the Dodgers’ success this season.

The Yankees, fresh off their win over the Cleveland Guardians, are determined to secure their 28th championship title, their first since 2009. Leading the charge is Aaron Judge, known for stepping up in high-stakes moments, as shown by his four on-base appearances in the ALCS. With the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole on the mound for Game 1, the Yankees are primed to field their strongest lineup.

As we eagerly await the first pitch on Friday, here’s a look at the bracket for this highly anticipated showdown.

Warm weather continues, small rain chances return around Halloween

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Another warm afternoon on the way, we’ll top out in the low 90s, 10 degrees or more above our normal highs for this time of year. We could see a tiny bit of moisture move in Friday afternoon which is why we have in a 10% chance of rain. Most of SE Texas will stay completely dry.

When will rain chances return?

Rain chances look slim through the weekend, but there is a pocket of moisture sliding in south of I-10 on Friday that’s good enough to warrant a 10% chance of a shower. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait until closer to Halloween for a pattern change that should bring up moisture levels significantly and eventually bring about some rain chances. Right now we have small rain chances starting next Wednesday at 20% then peaking at 30% on Halloween. This type of pattern usually yields scattered showers rolling in from the Gulf of Mexico, so no widespread rain is anticipated at this time.

Speaking of Halloween, what is the early outlook for the weather that day?

It will almost certainly be a warm, humid Halloween with a small chance for streamer showers blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico. Low temperatures will start off in the low 70s, then arm into the mid 80s during the afternoon. A quick passing shower is possible at any time of day, including during Trick-or-Treat time.

What are you tracking in the tropics?

The tropics will likely stay quiet until the first week of November when a storm may try to spin up over the Caribbean. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for a complete look at what we’re covering in the tropics.