Health authorities are closely watching an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19. Here are the answers to key questions about the outbreak: What is the virus? Scientists have identified the virus as a novel, or new, coronavirus. The name comes from the Latin word for crowns or halos, which coronaviruses resemble under …

A missing Houston boy may have been dead for weeks before authorities found a child’s decomposing body inside a plastic container in an East Texas motel room this week, authorities believe. Theresa Raye Balboa, 29, who was dating Samuel Olson’s father, has been arrested on a charge of tampering with a human corpse. She does not have an attorney listed …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Gallery Furniture unveiled a brand-new high-water rescue truck Thursday, designed to help Houstonians in the event of severe weather and flooding. Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture, was surprised with the completed truck, which is decorated with the furniture store’s logo and a cartoon of his face. The side of the truck also appropriately …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — While Houston drivers are getting a reprieve from a potential traffic nightmare in the southwest part of the city, motorists who use the outbound Eastex Freeway may not be as lucky heading into the weekend. TxDOT announced Friday afternoon that three left lanes of I-69 northbound at Parker are being closed due to an emergency repair of …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — If you have a kid graduating high school this year, they can get a degree for free at San Jacinto College. The school says its new “21Forward” scholarship is a gift to the class of 2021. Students’ entire tuitions are being paid by a generous private donation. It’s a three-year scholarship, so students may attend full- …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) –We’re starting this morning off mostly dry, with just a few showers across the area. As we head in to the afternoon our rain chances will increase area-wide, and while today is far from an all-day washout, any storm that happens to pass over you is capable of bringing some heavy rain. Because our ground is saturated …

Authorities are investigating after a car and a United States Postal Service truck were involved in a crash in north Harris County. The mail truck and a black Cadillac were reportedly on Central Green Boulevard at the time of the incident. Officials said a small child was in the back seat of the Cadillac. The child was transported to the …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Two sweet angels — sisters — barely starting to create a bond. Sadly, a tragic accident Wednesday tore a young family apart. Dayan Aranzola said there’s no way other way to put it, the family is broken. He said his nieces’ mother was driving north on Highway 59 at Laura Koppe Road. The girls were in …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The family of a man who is currently in critical condition after being shot on Memorial Day at Houston nightclub Clé in Midtown has filed a lawsuit against the club’s owner. Kendall Stewart is being represented by attorneys over at Sorrels Law, who are suing Club 2301, LLC. According to HPD Chief Troy Finner, at about …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — It had been weeks since Alex Rizo communicated with his ex-girlfriend Theresa Balboa and so he was not receptive when she recently contacted him. “She just called me out of nowhere and said, ‘Is the offer to come up there still open?’ I told her, ‘No,’ and that was it, and she stopped replying,” he said. …