AV's H -Town Headlines

Texas Flunks Drunk-Driving Report

(Austin, TX)  —  Texas is flunking drunk-driving prevention.  According to a Thursday report from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the state received a 32-and-a-half out of 100, translating to an “F” grade.  The safety group says loopholes in Texas law still let some drunk drivers slip through the system without getting a breath test device installed.  Even with a failing grade, the ignition interlock devices stopped over 25-thousand drunk-driving attempts in Texas last year.  About half the country also received failing grades.

22-Year-Old Austin Man Sentenced In Fentanyl Death

(Austin, TX)  —  An Austin drug dealer has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for selling a lethal dose of fentanyl.  The DOJ announced the sentence Thursday for 22-year-old Keithrick Carter, who prosecutors say sold marijuana alongside fake blue oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl.  The case began in 2023 when a 24-year-old man was found dead from a fentanyl overdose inside his Leander [[ lee-AN-der ]] apartment.  Investigators traced the deadly pills back to Carter using the victim’s phone.

Escaped Giraffe Proving Difficult To Find In Texas Hill Country

A missing giraffe is proving harder to find than you may think.  An escaped giraffe named Gracie has been on the loose in the Texas Hill Country for nearly two weeks.  Online rumors circulated earlier this week that she’d been spotted, but turned out not to be true.  Gracie got away from Cedar Hollow Ranch and has made herself scarce among the area’s sparse population and huge ranches.  Searchers can’t go onto private land without permission.  Unlike most giraffes, Gracie has rounded ears as a result of a frostbite injury.  So if you see a giraffe with pointed ears, that’s not her.  The owner is offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for Gracie’s safe return.

Venezuelan Residents Of Houston Taking Up Donations For Quake Victims

Houston’s Venezuelan residents are collecting supplies to help the victims of the earthquakes that hit Caracas on Wednesday night.  The quakes caused widespread damage, killing hundreds and injuring thousands.  A half dozen donation sites in the Houston area are collecting supplies for the survivors.  The locations are accepting bottled water, clothing, medications, nonperishable food, and hygiene products through the weekend.  Financial contributions are being accepted at several nonprofits, including the I Love Venezuela Foundation, the Global Empowerment Mission, and the International Rescue Committee.

Conroe Woman Arrested After Camera Catches Her Stealing From Mausoleum

  A Conroe woman is in custody and accused of stealing valuables from a west Houston cemetery mausoleum.  Renee Fennel was arrested at her home in Conroe on Wednesday evening.  The theft was reported on June 15th at the Memorial Oaks Funeral Home on the Katy Freeway at North Eldridge Parkway.  Surveillance video reportedly caught Fennel in the act of stealing jewelry and keepsakes from several locked niche cases.  Fennel is charged with two counts of burglary and theft from a graveyard.

Man Arrested After Running Over, Killing Female Co-Worker With Box Truck

Houston police are investigating after a woman was reportedly run over and killed deliberately by a coworker driving a moving truck.  Officers responded around 3:30 p.m. Thursday to the scene on Gessner near Westheimer in southwest Houston.  Investigators say a three-person moving crew were doing a job at an apartment complex when a man and a woman on the crew, who were dating each other, had an argument.  Police say the man ran over the woman with the box truck and drove away.  The woman died at the scene.  Police later found the man and detained him.  No word yet about potential charges. 

TIME Magazine: Astrodome Is One Of Nation’s 25 Most Influential Buildings

TIME Magazine includes the Astrodome in its America 250 list of the nation’s top 25 buildings and monuments.  The world’s first domed stadium tops the list, which also includes the Lincoln Memorial and the International Space Station.  The Dome opened in 1965, and for more than 40 years it was the home of football and baseball games, concerts, and the Houston rodeo.  In 2005, it opened its doors to refugees from Hurricane Katrina.  The Dome has been closed since 2009, and local leaders are trying to figure out what to do with it.