Home / 2024 / March / 15 (page 6)

Daily Archives: March 15, 2024

Dallas artist celebrates ‘womanhood’ with sculptures


March 15, 2024

In the sculpture titled ‘The Song of I’ by Dallas sculptor Kat Warwick, the age-old question of whether life imitates art or art imitates life is vividly portrayed. In her outdoor studio in West Dallas, Warwick meticulously works on sculpting a bust of a woman’s figure, which has been a project in progress for some time. Seeking inspiration and community …

Read More »

Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s announcement of an independent panel to scrutinize the police department’s handling of over 261,000 cases left unresolved due to staffing shortages has shed light on the severity of the situation. Obtaining copies of sexual assault and other incident reports marked with an “SL” code by the Houston Police Department (HPD), which signifies cases suspended due to personnel shortages, ABC13 has brought forth troubling details. In one report, a 35-year-old woman alleges an intrusion into her apartment, awakening to find someone “kissing her buttocks,” as noted in an HPD report from 2018, a case that wasn’t pursued due to manpower constraints. Despite Chief Troy Finner instructing officers to cease using the “SL” code in November 2021 upon discovering its prevalence, investigations reveal its continued application over 114,200 times since. Another report outlines a 33-year-old’s complaint of being “sexually assaulted by the (suspect) who is a friend of a friend,” suggesting a potential lead for investigation, yet it too was affected by the personnel shortage code. Mayor Whitmire’s initiative to form an independent panel aims to address the alarming number of unresolved cases, especially those involving serious offenses like “Injury to a child – Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.” Furthermore, instances like a man reporting power steering failure while driving, suspecting tampering with the steering rod, only to have his case sidelined under the “lack of personnel” code, underscore the gravity of the situation.


March 15, 2024

In an unexpected turn of events, Rice secured their fourth NCAA Tournament berth by clinching an improbable victory over East Carolina with a 61-41 win in the America Athletic Conference championship game. Led by Sussy Ngulefac’s 15 points and 11 rebounds, along with Emily Klaczek’s 14 points, the 10th-seeded Owls defied the odds by winning four consecutive games to claim …

Read More »

Woman allegedly assaulted while sleeping among HPD cases suspended due to staff


March 15, 2024

Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s announcement of an independent panel to scrutinize the police department’s handling of over 261,000 cases left unresolved due to staffing shortages has shed light on the severity of the situation. Obtaining copies of sexual assault and other incident reports marked with an “SL” code by the Houston Police Department (HPD), which signifies cases suspended due to …

Read More »

2 people rescued after becoming trapped in 10-foot trench in southwest Houston, HFD says


March 15, 2024

Emergency responders successfully rescued two individuals who became trapped in a trench in southwest Houston on Thursday afternoon. The Houston Fire Department swiftly reacted to the emergency, arriving at the 7100 block of Buffalo Speedway near Maroneal within six minutes of receiving the call. The individuals were extricated from the 10-foot trench, located between two apartment buildings at the Camden …

Read More »

City of Houston reaches $650 million deal with fire union to help resolve outstanding pay issues


March 15, 2024

Houston firefighters are poised to secure their first contract with the city in eight years, marking the end of a lengthy political saga. Mayor John Whitmire, endorsed by the union during his campaign, has fulfilled his promise by reaching an agreement worth over $650 million. This deal aims to prevent costly legal battles and address longstanding issues of low morale …

Read More »

Campus ‘spiritual leader’ used ‘nudity is unity’ to normalize offenses, victim’s attorney claims


March 15, 2024

A man widely regarded as a spiritual leader in Texas now faces accusations of exploiting religion to groom and manipulate boys and young men, with allegations of sexual assault and abuse spanning decades. Daniel Savala, a registered sex offender since 2013, is the subject of a lawsuit filed in Harris County. The suit claims that despite his status, college campus …

Read More »

‘It can all be fixed’: Sean Teare discusses plans as potential Harris County DA


March 15, 2024

Sean Teare, newly elected as the Democrat for Harris County, believes he has a plan to address the county’s longstanding criminal justice challenges. With issues ranging from court backlogs to an overcrowded jail and stretched prosecutors, Teare aims to enact significant reforms. In an interview with Eyewitness News following his victory over two-time incumbent DA Kim Ogg, Teare outlined his …

Read More »

Texas Ranger on independent panel reviewing HPD puts impartiality into question, expert says


March 15, 2024

In Houston, Texas, city leaders have pledged transparency regarding the Houston Police Department’s handling of over a quarter-million suspended incident reports, a promise reiterated by Chief Troy Finner and Mayor John Whitmire at a March 7 press conference. To uphold accuracy and transparency for victims and the public, Mayor Whitmire announced the formation of an independent panel comprising five members. …

Read More »

Fraud, bomb threats, arson among suspended HPD cases: ‘Who are we supposed to call for help?’


March 15, 2024

In response to Mayor John Whitmire’s announcement of an independent panel to examine the Houston Police Department’s handling of over 261,000 uninvestigated cases due to staffing shortages, 13 Investigates has obtained insight into these alleged crimes. Numerous incident reports marked with an “SL” code, indicating suspension due to insufficient personnel, were obtained by. Business owner Javier Cedra, among many affected …

Read More »