H-Town Headlines
- Texas bans candy and sugary sodas from food stamp program, affecting millions of residents.
- Federal trial underway over lack of air conditioning in Texas prisons, costing over $1 billion to fix.
- Houston Astros beat Boston Red Sox 8-1, led by strong performances from Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez.
Food Stamp Restrictions On Junk Food Start This Week
New rules start this week for the state’s food stamp program. As of Wednesday, SNAP recipients will no longer be allowed to use their Lone Star Cards to buy candy and sugary sweet sodas. About three and a half million Texas residents, including one point seven million children, receive food stamp benefits every month.
Federal Trial Over Lack Of Air Conditioning In Texas Prisons Now Underway
A federal trial over insufficient air conditioning in Texas prisons is underway. On Monday, the plaintiffs’ attorneys claimed five inmates died from the heat over the past two summers. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has never agreed that heat was a significant factor in these deaths. A federal judge ruled a year ago that the lack of A/C in prisons is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs want the entire prison system to be air-conditioned by the end of 2029. The state prison agency says that may cost more than a billion dollars.
United Airlines Flight En Route To IAH Makes Emergency Landing In Mississippi
No injuries are reported after a United Express flight headed for Houston made an emergency landing in Mississippi on Monday. CommuteAir flight 4302 was on its way from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Bush Intercontinental Airport when one of its engines shut down. A company spokesperson said the plane diverted to Jackson, Mississippi, where it landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power. The passengers deplaned, and CommuteAir arranged another flight to take them to Houston.
Child Drowns In Cloverleaf Area
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the drowning death of a five-year-old boy in the Cloverleaf area on Monday afternoon. Deputies responded around 12:30 p.m. to a report of a missing child at a home on Nancy Rose Street. The boy’s mother had called 9-1-1 to report him missing after he had been playing outside. Deputies and other searchers found him in unresponsive in a nearby backyard pool. Despite CPR efforts, the boy was pronounced dead at around 1:40 p.m. Investigators so far are calling his death an accident.
Houston Caregiver Accused Of Giving THC Gummies To Toddler
A woman is in custody and accused of giving THC gummies to a four-year-old child. Houston police arrested Denia Ramos-Velasquez on Monday for child endangerment. Officers responded to an apartment on Glenmont Drive near Renwick last week after a mother found her son sick, drowsy, and unable to stand up. The boy was hospitalized. The mother said she often leaves the boy at her neighbor’s apartment when she goes to work. Ramos-Velasquez told police the boy ate gummies in her apartment, but she didn’t know they contained THC.
Astros Defeat Red Sox
The Astros are on a three-game winning streak. Houston beat the Boston Red Sox 8-1 in the series opener at Daikin Park. Jose Altuve was 4-for-4 with two home runs, two RBIs and four runs scored. Yordan Alvarez and Brice Matthews also homered while starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. earned the win. The Astros are now 3-and-2. They host the Red Sox again tonight.
Rockets Host Knicks Tonight
The Rockets are back on their home court. Houston hosts the New York Knicks tonight at the Toyota Center. The team comes off a 134-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. The Rockets are currently sixth in the West at 45-and-29.
Fertitta’s Company Moves To Buy Connecticut Sun, Revive Houston Comets
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta plans to bring the WNBA back to town. The billionaire businessman’s company Fertitta Entertainment has entered into an agreement to buy the Connecticut Sun and move the team to Houston under the familiar name of the Comets. The Houston Comets were one of the league’s first eight teams and won four straight championships between 1997 and 2000. The team disbanded in 2008. Pending WNBA approval, the Comets will begin play next year at Toyota Center.
