Flash flooding strands Houston commuters
Severe thunderstorms on Wednesday morning sparked another spate of citywide flooding, stranding commuters and causing damage to about 1,000 vehicles. Parts of central Houston experienced street flooding, forcing a delayed start to school. While most local bayous stayed in their banks, some drivers ended up in high water and several freeways had to be closed briefly due to inundation. As usual, the highways and roads crisscrossing the Houston area were strained by the downpour, which dumped between 4 to 6 inches of rain along a large swath of central Houston all the way to Sugar Land. There were no reports of death or injuries. By coincidence, the sudden storms forced the cancellation of a symposium on flooding and storm surge protection for the Houston Ship Channel scheduled for Wednesday night. City officials couldn’t help but think about the Super Bowl coming to Houston in a couple of weeks. Wednesday’s storm served as a grim reminder of what Mother Nature is capable of in the Houston area, which has been pummeled by three major storms and related flooding during the past two springs. Local officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the area’s often unpredictable weather won’t bring any surprises during Super Bowl week, when more than 100,000 visitors are expected to converge on the area. But Houston, Harris County and NFL officials say they are prepared in the event of severe weather.
Pasadena challenges voting rights ruling by federal judge
On Tuesday, the city of Pasadena argued that a federal judge’s ruling that city officials intentionally violated the voting rights of Hispanic residents was based on speculation and misleading testimony. Pasadena officials stated in court documents that they are appealing Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal’s conclusion that a redistricting scheme pushed by longtime Mayor Johnny Isbell intentionally diluted the voting power of the blue-collar city’s Latino population. Pasadena’s move Tuesday came just one day after Rosenthal ordered the city to submit to federal oversight for any changes in its electoral system until 2023 — and to base the upcoming May elections on a single-member district system used in 2013. The suit — a contentious voting rights case that has drawn national attention and which city officials fear tarnishes its reputation — threatens to throw into flux the May elections, when the entire City Council and the mayor’s seat are on the ballot.
Judge delays ouster of Planned Parenthood from state Medicaid
On Thursday, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction, blocking the state from ousting Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program for at least a month. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks’ ruling followed a three-day hearing in which lawyers for the state argued that removing the nonprofit from Texas’ Medicaid program would have little effect on health care for poor Texans because plenty of other medical providers exist. Planned Parenthood’s termination from the program was scheduled to occur Saturday, but the temporary injunction blocks that until Feb. 21. In 2013, the state cut Planned Parenthood from the Texas Women’s Health Program.
Decades-old child abduction mystery may be solved
On Monday, a 61-year-old Houston businesswoman living under the name Liana Waldberg was arrested as the missing Elaine Yates, a fugitive from Rhode Island accused of abducting her children more than 31 years ago. New England authorities had been looking for Kelly and Kimberly Yates and their mother since they vanished on Aug. 26, 1985. The initial police investigation determined that the mother left with the children because of a domestic dispute. Felony child-snatching carries a maximum penalty of two years in state prison. Yates will be extradited to Rhode Island to face charges there.