Houstonians feel pressure at the pump

by Lisa Chavarria / KHOU 11 News
khou.com
Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:48 AM

HOUSTON NEWS 11 -- The price at the pump appears to be forcing drivers around Houston to figure out ways to save cash.

Gas prices were averaging $3.49 on Tuesday morning, and that is forcing some drivers to find ways to other means of transportation.


Several commuters at one of Metro's Park and Ride said although they usually choose the bus over their vehicles, now it's saving them more than ever.
"It makes me want to ride the bus more. It's cheaper for me to take the bus than it is for me to drive to work now," said John Young.

Gloria Chen, recently decided she couldn't take her car on her usual commute anymore. She added, "I used to drive all the way to the Medical Center from Katy, but because of increasing gas prices, I've decided to use the park and ride."

Rodeo Exhibit at Alvin Historical Museum

As Houston presented its annual Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Alvin Historical Museum displayed a temporary exhibit featuring the art of rodeo with a local flair.

The display features the six Alvin/Manvel residents who have been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, as well as others from this area who have competed successfully in all types of rodeo events.

Some families are blessed to have several generations of rodeo participants.

The six area men honored by the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame include: Clinton Booth, Ed Cole, Allen Crainer, Tony Crainer, C. L. “Bubba” Goudeau and Skipper Voss. One of the exhibit panels highlights the rodeo careers of these men.

The exhibit is filled with action-packed photos of all rodeo events. Also on display are saddles trophies and plaques.

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Alvin man could get death penalty ...

GALVESTON, Texas — Prosecutors are expected to ask a jury today to sentence to death a man convicted of fatally stomping Alijah, his 3-month-old son.

Travis James Mullis, 24, of Alvin, was convicted Friday of capital murder by the same jury, which deliberated his fate for less than an hour.

Mullis confessed on videotape to Philadelphia police to the Jan. 29, 2008, stomping death of his son to stop his crying.

Sightseers found Alijah’s body on an isolated berm near Galveston’s East Beach. Mullis then fled to the East Coast before surrendering Feb. 1.

Jurors must reach a unanimous decision on two questions related to future dangerousness and mitigating evidence before a death sentence could be imposed.

Mullis’ defense team of Robert K. Loper and Gerald Bourque presented no witnesses during five days of trial testimony.

The team did list 10 expert witnesses, including psychologists, a prison expert, a neonatologist, a forensic DNA expert and a psychiatrist.

In a Dec. 30 jailhouse interview with The Daily News, Mullis said he moved to Texas when he was 18 and he was sexually abused as a child.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE AT KHOU

NORAD exercise tomorrow over Houston

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will conduct exercise flights tomorrow morning as they practice intercept and identification procedures. Exercise flights will take place over Southeastern Texas. Although they are scheduled for mid-morning, the exercise flights could be delayed due to weather concerns.

Those living southeast of Houston, specifically near Ellington Airport, may hear and/or see NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to a military or military contracted aircraft, which will be taking on the role of a Track of Interest (TOI).

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout Canada and the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.

18 charged in rape of 11 year old girl.

(CNN) -- Thirteen adults and five juveniles have been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged rape of a Texas girl, police said.

Darrell Broussard, assistant police chief for the Cleveland, Texas, police department, said Monday that the investigation into the incident "is continuous," with more significant developments possible. Cleveland is about 50 miles northeast of Houston.

"There have been leads during our investigation that have alerted us to other possible persons of interest," Broussard told CNN. "The investigation is ongoing."
The 18 individuals charged thus far are between 14 and 27 years old, he said.

On Friday, the Cleveland police department announced that four students in the Cleveland independent school district had been arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14.

They appeared Monday in a Liberty County court, in the town of Liberty, to face the charges.
Police noted that some but not all suspects are students at Cleveland High School, though all those named thus far are from the town.

Mike Little, the district attorney in Liberty County, said police would likely decide whether more people would be charged. He offered few other details, saying, "We are very careful about pretrial publicity."

The incident allegedly happened late last year in Cleveland. The case has sharply divided the community, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.

"It just seems like a dream," said Sherry Fletcher, whose 20-year-old son Devo Shaun Green is among those charged according to Cleveland police. "I just hope everything comes out well, because some of these kids are innocent."

Those adults arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony in Texas, could face 25 year to life in prison if convicted, according to the police department.