Category: Houston, Texas Local News

OMAHA, Neb. — Stunning new video shows bystanders rushing to help drivers who had just been swallowed by a sinkhole in Nebraska.

Omaha police shared the video captured by a traffic camera at 67th Street and Pacific Street.

The video shows two vehicles pulling up to a red light, and suddenly both cars fall into a sinkhole.

Some cars missed falling in by just a couple of feet.

“Thank you so much to those who pitched in! You took the initiative to assist fellow Omahans,” police said.

It was not clear if any injuries were reported.

Omaha Public Works indicates on its website that the sinkhole was the result of a water main break. Metropolitan Utilities District, which operates the city’s water system, did not immediately return phone and email messages Wednesday seeking comment.

AP News contributed to this report

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Firefighters say they’re still battling a 200-acre wildfire that’s been burning for four days now in northeast Houston.

On Wednesday, crews said they would be closely watching the wind as it has shifted, and some Houston areas are under a Wind Advisory until 6 p.m.

Houston Fire Department officials say the Caddo Fire, burning near Greens Bayou and John Ralston, started Saturday evening and is now 75% contained.

“Right now, the wildfire near Greens Bayou is still burning, but remains contained. While we will continue to see high winds for the next few days, humidity levels are rising, which helps reduce the risk of the fire spreading,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement on Tuesday.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Firefighters working with Harris Co. Flood Control to put out 200-acre wildfire in NE Houston: HFD

HFD says at this point, no properties or homes are in danger, but they are asking residents in the area to continue watching for updates.

“We have contingencies in the event that conditions change for the worse, although that seems unlikely at this point,” Hidalgo continued.

HFD says no residents or firefighters have been injured, and no deaths to animals or wildlife have been reported.

The fire department added that air quality monitoring is being conducted in the area, close to nearby schools.

It’s unclear at this time what may have caused the fire.

For more news updates, follow Courtney Carpenter on Facebook, X and Instagram.

WASHINGTON — A helicopter pilot wounded in the raid that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the Congressional Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening.

Trump said Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who appeared using a walker, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter that descended on the “heavily protected military fortress” that held Maduro during a raid that, while successful, left seven U.S. service members with gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries.

“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another,” Trump said, adding that Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.”

Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation that plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness as troops infiltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Trump’s description of Slover’s actions that night offer a new, detailed glimpse into the military action that has been largely shrouded in secrecy since it was carried out in the early hours of Jan. 3.

As Slover prepared to land his helicopter, he was confronted with “two machine gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes,” according to Trump.

“Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat,” Trump said, “saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.”

The president said “the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain.”

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Joint Special Operations Command, presented Slover with the Medal of Honor in the gallery overlooking the House chamber.

Slover was in his dress uniform and used a walker to steady himself. Trump said the soldier was still recovering from his wounds.

Trump also said 10 other service members who took part in the operation will be receiving medals at a private ceremony soon to be held at the White House.

In addition to Slover, Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to retired Capt. E. Royce Williams, a Navy pilot who shot down multiple Soviet jets during the Korean War, upgrading his existing award of a Navy Cross.

Trump called the 100-year-old former fighter pilot “one of the last living legends.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump started in sales mode, using his State of the Union address to deliver an upbeat vision of the U.S. economy.

RELATED: Fact check of President Trump’s State of the Union address

But that portrayal collides with the sentiment of Americans who remain anxious about their finances and feel they haven’t benefited from Trump’s policies. He took the high road to honor the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team and a war hero before pivoting abruptly to a darker tone as he ridiculed Democrats.

Here are takeaways from the speech.

Trump’s ‘roaring’ economy is at odds with sour public sentiment

Much of the nation is worried about the direction of the economy, but Trump says the good times are here, insisting repeatedly that rising costs are no longer a problem.

“The roaring economy is roaring like never before,” he said. He cheered the lower cost of gasoline, mortgage rates, prescription drug prices and the rising stock market: “Millions and millions of Americans are all gaining.”

Such optimism, as so many Americans are feeling economic strains, risks painting Trump as out of touch. Just 39% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy in February, according to AP-NORC polling.

Still, the president focused much of the first hour of his speech on the economy, something Republicans had urged him to do as they head into the midterm elections.

Trump wraps himself in the flag

For a president who always seems to be spoiling for a fight, Trump also tried to summon Americans’ innate patriotic impulses. In addition to the hockey team, he singled out war heroes and those who had taken brave stands in other countries, using the moment to bestow numerous presidential medals in an effort to give the address a more positive gloss.

It underscored the president’s media savvy and understanding that even if a moment isn’t appreciated completely in real time, it can have an afterlife in the days following speech, especially on social media.

Yet in one revealing moment, Trump lamented why he couldn’t give a congressional medal to himself.

Taking aim at Democrats

Tributes to the Olympic hockey team and a World War II veteran didn’t unify the room for long.

The Republican president soon took aim at Democrats and blamed them for many of the nation’s ills.

Trump said rising health care premiums are “caused by you,” suggested Democrats “are not protecting” Social Security and blamed them for the nation’s affordability crunch. “You caused that problem. You caused that problem,” Trump said as he glared at the Democratic side of the room.

He seemed to get angrier as the speech progressed.

“These people are crazy, I’m telling you, they’re crazy,” he said. “Democrats are destroying this country.”

Trump’s MAGA base loves such aggression. It’s unclear, however, if the rest of the country feels the same.

The Supreme Court’s ‘unfortunate’ decision

By Trump’s standards, he held his tongue when it came to the Supreme Court.

After the court struck down his tariff policy last week, Trump said the justices who voted against one of his signature issues were an “embarrassment to their families.” By Tuesday, he simply called the ruling “unfortunate.”

Trump sought to treat the ruling with indifference, insisting that tariff revenues were “saving” the U.S., ignoring the fact that the levies haven’t made a significant dent in government debt. He said the tariffs were paid by foreign countries even as virtually every study concludes that costs have been paid by U.S. firms and consumers.

At one point, he seemed to take the long view that history would ultimately vindicate him even if the Supreme Court would not.

“As time goes by, I believe the tariffs paid by foreign countries will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern day system of income tax, taking a great burden off the people that I love,” he said.

That is unlikely. The federal income tax is authorized by the 16th Amendment to the Constitution and the power to collect revenue is ultimately defined by Congress, not the president.

Trump vows action on election ‘cheating’

The president also used the speech to reprise his attack on the integrity of U.S. elections.

“Cheating is rampant in our elections,” Trump said.

Trump has made such claims for years, focused on his 2020 election loss, claims rejectedby dozens of courts and his own attorney general at the time.

But the timing of Tuesday’s primetime claims, less than nine months before voters across America are scheduled to decide control of Congress, was noteworthy. So, too, was Trump’s suggestion that he would take action to address a problem that doesn’t appear to exist.

“They want to cheat. They have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat,” Trump said of Democrats. “And we’re going to stop it. We have to stop it.”

Trump is calling on Congress to pass a bill requiring voters to show a photo ID before casting ballots. But he also recently vowed to enact an executive order to address the issue, although the White House has not clarified what it might entail.

No mention of Minneapolis

Sometimes what’s not said is as notable as what is.

Trump has highlighted immigration since the very first speech in which he announced his 2016 presidential campaign. And on Tuesday night, he revived much of the same language he’s used throughout the past decade, blasting “criminal aliens” and warning of “drug lords, murderers all over our country.”

What he didn’t mention: the most aggressive immigration enforcement tactics that threatened to bring the U.S. to the brink earlier this year. He didn’t mention the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month at the hands of federal agents.

Indeed, it was Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who shouted that “Alex wasn’t a criminal,” referring to Alex Pretti, one of the U.S. citizens killed in Minneapolis.

During her Democratic rebuttal, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said law enforcement must work to build trust in communities and said Trump “every minute spent sowing fear is a minute not investigating murders.”

Trump said nothing of his administration’s shift in tactics, including a drawdown of agents in the Twin Cities. And he made no acknowledgement of the broad concerns in the U.S. about Trump’s approach on immigration, as demonstrated by the 60% of U.S. adults who disapproved of his handling of the issue in February, according to AP-NORC polling.

Drumbeat for war gets louder

Trump has already built up the largest U.S. military presence in the Middle East in decades. And in his speech, he outlined a rationale for using those forces to launch a major military strike against Iran.

The president said that Iran and its proxies have “spread nothing but terrorism, death and hate,” adding that its leaders have killed at least 32,000 protesters in recent weeks. He also warned that the nation has developed missiles that can threaten Europe and is working on missiles “that will soon reach” the U.S.

“My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are, by far to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.”

On brand, the speech was the longest SOTU ever

The president, ever mindful of records that allow him to say he was the first, the best or had done the most, succeeded clearly on one thing: he beat his own record for the longest, clocking in at just under 1 hour, 48 minutes.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A Montgomery County man is behind bars, accused of secretly drugging a woman in an alleged attempt to end her pregnancy. Now, his mother says there is more to the story.

Jon Rueben Gabriel Demeter, 25, is charged with aggravated assault in the unusual case. His mother says he turned himself in. He is being held in jail with no bond.

On Saturday, deputies were called to a hospital in The Woodlands for what officials described as a miscarriage under “suspicious circumstances.” The woman reported that the father of her baby secretly drugged her to end the pregnancy. By Monday, Demeter was formally charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the alleged victim told investigators she intended to keep the baby, but Demeter wanted her to have an abortion, she said, and even offered to pay for her to travel out of state.

Investigators allege Demeter gave the woman mifepristone without her knowledge or consent. Mifepristone is a hormone-blocking drug that is illegal in Texas under the state’s abortion ban.

Demeter’s mother declined to address the specific allegation but maintained that her son’s side of the story has not been fully told.

“You don’t know the other side of the story,” Cookie Demeter told Eyewitness News. “Only God knows,” adding that the details will come out in court.

The sheriff’s office says the baby was stillborn and identified her as Presley Mae.

Demeter’s mother said her son already has two young children, ages 3 and 15 months, and that she only recently learned of the pregnancy. She said her son is “at peace.”

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office says the investigation is ongoing and the charge could potentially be upgraded.

Demeter is scheduled for a bail review hearing on Wednesday morning.

For more on this story, follow Jessica Willey on Facebook, X and Instagram.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The controversial homeless “super hub” approved by the Houston City Council is still moving forward, though it’s now a few months behind schedule.

The City of Houston confirmed it has officially closed on the purchase of the facility at 419 Emancipation. The city is now in the process of selecting a nonprofit organization to operate the site.

SEE ALSO: Houston City Council votes to approve purchase of $16 million homeless ‘superhub’

An operator is expected to be announced in March. The building is currently undergoing inspection.

When the facility was first proposed last fall, it sparked significant backlash from residents in the East Downtown area. Neighbors packed multiple town hall meetings, voicing concerns about potential increases in crime, traffic congestion, and overall neighborhood impact.

Supporters, including Mayor John Whitmire, argued that consolidating services into one central location would ultimately improve safety for everyone and better serve people experiencing homelessness.

City Council ultimately approved the purchase of the building for $16 million, which is about $9 million above its appraised value.

The facility was originally slated to open in the first quarter of this year. However, the Houston Housing Authority said it is now expected to open around June.

The City’s Department of Housing and Urban Development sent the following statement to ABC13:

“The City of Houston has completed the purchase and agreement process for 419 Emancipation and is moving into the next phase of implementation. We have completed the (Notice of Funding Availability) NOFA solicitation process and are currently in the structured evaluation phase to select a highly qualified nonprofit operator.

We remain on track to open the facility and begin operations in the second quarter of 2026, and funding efforts to support ongoing operations and maintenance continue to progress positively.”

City leaders previously estimated the project would require $60 million in private funding over the next three years. It is unclear whether any of that funding has been secured or where it would come from.

More details, including the selected operator and funding updates, are expected in the coming months.

For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, X and Instagram.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The City of Houston said its illegal dumping program is out of money, and the timing couldn’t be worse for some neighbors.

Rick Sorola can’t help but feel frustrated when he walks around the Tidwell Road and Hardy Toll Road underpass near his north Houston home.

“This looks like a third-world dumping site,” Sorola said. “I mean, there’s tires, there’s mattresses, broken bottles everywhere.”

An issue the city focused on nearly three years ago when it launched a One Clean Houston program. An initiative officials say was aimed at cleaning debris, prevention, and increased enforcement.

In fact, with more inspectors and cameras, the mayor’s office said it went from about 240 illegal dumping inspections a year to 550.

However, when Eyewitness News went to the One Clean Houston website on Tuesday, the ABC13 team noticed parts of it weren’t working, including a dumping tracker.

ABC13 asked the mayor’s office why, learning that the program used federal dollars that dried up this month.

A spokesperson said combating illegal dumping is a high priority of his and added it takes the cooperation of residents and businesses.

It also helps with more inspectors and technology. The mayor’s office said $1.64 million of the program went to six inspectors and 120 cameras.

The inspectors started two years ago, but the cameras, they said, weren’t installed until last summer due to supply chain and procurement delays.

The city used the cameras for about eight months, but now needs about $700,000 a year for the increased enforcement. The mayor’s office said it’s trying to find grants for funding this.

“I understand Houston is a big city,” Sorola said. “Like I said, if it was a month or two months, maybe I’d understand, but we’re going on a year now.”

Sorola said he doesn’t need cameras to show officials the trash. He’s contacted 311 himself.

A spokesperson said an inspector visited nearly a month ago, took photos, and the case remains open.

“I have no doubt that if this were River Oaks, or Garden Oaks, or the Heights, this would be cleaned up in two days, six days,” Sorola said. “This has been over six months, and it’s just accumulating.”

Sorola isn’t the only one contacting 311 about illegal dumping. 311 data shows that over the last 12 months, more than 8,200 illegal dumping service calls were made.

For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Actress Hilary Duff is remembering her TV dad, Robert Carradine, with whom she starred on the Disney Channel show “Lizzie McGuire.”

Carradine died Monday at the age of 71 after a decades-long mental health battle, a representative for his brother, actor Keith Carradine, confirmed to ABC News.

“This one hurts,” Duff wrote on Instagram along with two photos of her with Robert Carradine, who on “Lizzie McGuire” played the goofy dad to Duff’s title character, Lizzie.

“There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that,” Duff continued. “I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”

Actor Jake Thomas, who played Duff’s on-screen brother, Matt McGuire, also paid tribute to his TV dad, writing on Instagram about Robert Carradine’s death, “My heart hurts today.”

“I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric,” Thomas wrote, later adding, “He was a talented actor, musician, and director. But more than anything, he was family.”

Robert Carradine, who also starred in movies including “Revenge of the Nerds” and “Coming Home,” died after a nearly 20-year battle with bipolar disorder, according to his family.

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that “causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration” that are more severe than the usual ups and downs that people experience, according to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

Robert Carradine was born into the famous Carradine acting family on March 24, 1954, in Hollywood, California. His father was actor John Carradine, who starred in films including the “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Stagecoach,” and his mother was actress Sonia Sorel.

Robert Carradine is survived by his children, Marica Reed Carradine and Ian Carradine, whom he shared with his ex-wife, Edie Mani, and Ever Carradine, whom he shared with actress Susan Snyder.

Ever Carradine shared a loving tribute to her dad on Instagram, writing, “I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back.”

“My dad was a lover, not a fighter. He was all heart, and in a world so full of conflict and division, I think we can all take a page out of his book today, open our hearts and feel and share the love,” she continued, in part. “I have a thousand stories and I’m being flooded with memories – so if you see me, please ask me about my dad, Bobby Carradine, who made me who I am. Rest easy, dad. I love you the most.”

If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text the new three-digit code at 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News.

NEW YORK — Are you average? Well, it’s time to find out. A new game show hosted by Nate Bargatze is nixing impossible trivia questions and intense challenges. Instead, the winner just has to prove they’re the “Greatest Average American.”

Some game shows test our trivia skills. Some fire up the heat in the kitchen, push the boundaries of survival, or simply put our luck to the test.

There is just about every type of game show you can imagine, and now, there’s a new one, with one simple premise: celebrating being perfectly average.

This is “The Greatest Average American.”

Joelle Garguilo: I will just say, I love this set. I love it.

Nate Bargatze: It’s a great set.

And that’s host Nate Bargatze.

Joelle Garguilo: Did you watch game shows growing up?

Nate Bargatze: I did. I watched Press Your Luck, Price Is Right, all that kind of stuff. I was a big gameshow fan, but nothing so crazy that I imagined I’d be hosting a game.

Joelle Garguilo: This wasn’t in the cards.

Nate Bargatze: I don’t know if it would’ve even been on the bingo card that I thought I would be doing.

Here’s how the game works: contestants compete in trivia and challenges designed to test how well they understand the habits, opinions and lifestyles of everyday Americans.

Nate Bargatze: So we come out, we have three contestants, and the first round is questions from America. They get four questions, and they guess what they think the average American would say.

Joelle Garguilo: So it’s not their answers.

Nate Bargatze: It’s not their answers. They’re guessing what they think. The idea is you want to get in the mind of your fellow average American.

Joelle Garguilo: This is awesome.

Nate Bargatze: So you’re doing that, and then the second round is on me. They’ve got to get into my mind. I do a challenge, like one was naming state capitals. How many state capitals can I name in 60 seconds? Then they bet the over/under, and someone picks a number to see who wins. I do free throws and other challenges, so they’re betting on me. And the last one is betting on the audience.

The prize? $67,920 – the average annual salary in the U.S.

Joelle Garguilo: I love your comedy because I can watch it and listen to it in front of my kids. And it feels like you’re bringing a little bit of that to this.

Nate Bargatze: That’s what I want. You’ve got to be at least 12 to come, that’s the youngest we could do. But I want kids to be able to come here. It’s not like you’re making a show for kids, but you want them to have a safe adult experience. They feel like they’re going to do something.

Joelle Garguilo: Also, they’re learning too, right?

Nate Bargatze: Yeah.

Joelle Garguilo: Move over, Jeopardy.

Nate Bargatze: We’re like the gateway to Jeopardy.

Joelle Garguilo: If we asked your family what the most average thing about you is, what would they say?

Nate Bargatze: It’s gonna be food. It’s gonna be McDonald’s. My fast food… I love fast food.

Joelle Garguilo: Do you cook?

Nate Bargatze: No. That might be it. I don’t know how to cook at all.

Joelle Garguilo: We’re used to laughing at your jokes, but what is one thing that will always be funny to you?

Nate Bargatze: I think a trip. A nice trip. I don’t want to make it hurt, but it’s there.

Joelle Garguilo: Up the stairs is almost worse too.

Nate Bargatze: It’s a trip. It’s nice. A long trip that ends in a fall. I’m not against it.

Joelle Garguilo: Let’s end with one thing you want everyone to know about this show.

Nate Bargatze: It’s a very fun playalong game, and I hope everybody sits together and has a night as a family watching this.

Joelle Garguilo: I do not think you are average. I don’t think you’re the average.

Nate Bargatze: Well, I’m the greatest.

Joelle Garguilo: I say you’re the greatest.

Nate Bargatze: I’m the greatest.

“The Greatest Average American,” hosted by Nate Bargatze, premieres Wednesday, February 25 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Dickinson police officers responding to a two-vehicle crash on the Gulf Freeway said they found one of the drivers with a gunshot wound to the head.

The crash has blocked two southbound lanes near FM 517 and has backed up traffic up to FM 646. Traffic is delayed up to 45 minutes.

The Dickinson Police Department says it is unclear whether the driver’s gunshot wound was self-inflicted or caused by someone else, but that is under investigation. The other driver was not injured, police said.

One southbound lane is still open, but only for the traffic stuck behind the crash.

Drivers will have to get off the Gulf Freeway before FM 517, or use Highway 3 as an alternate.

This is a developing story. Eyewitness News is continuing to gather facts.

Watch live breaking news coverage from ABC13 on our 24/7 streaming news channel.

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“

“Watching You” is the story of Lina, played by Aisha Dee, a paramedic in Australia who is happily engaged but sometimes makes some questionable choices.

At a party thrown by her friends, she has an encounter with a man named Dan, which turns into a one-night stand. Here’s the twist, someone secretly recorded the encounter and sent the footage to Lina. And as she tries to find out who’s responsible for all of it, she, her friends and her fiancé find themselves in lots of danger.

“Basically this encounter she has with a stranger starts a domino effect in her life and things start to fall apart and… lots of chaos. Sexy chaos,” Dee told On The Red Carpet. “The first three episodes versus the second three episodes, it definitely takes a turn and it goes even deeper and it kind of affects you in a way that’s really unexpected.”

Just what did she see in Dan, this newcomer in her life?

“I think that the thing between them that’s really interesting is like the power struggle. It’s two people kind of fighting to be top dog,” Dee explained. “And I think Dan represents someone who’s the first person that has really kind of challenged her in this new way and yeah, I think they just mirror each other’s trauma.”

The idea of her character being watched and filmed was intriguing to Dee, but also a little unnerving!

“I think the themes of the show are so universal for people, even though it’s this kind of heightened world where someone is literally being videotaped and blackmailed with the video tape,” she said. “We’re kind of so deeply accessible at all times and that’s kind of unsettling.”

Dee said the script kept her guessing until the end and believes the audiences will be on the edge of their seats as well.

All six episodes of “Watching You” are streaming now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. women’s hockey gold medal-winning team has politely declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” the U.S. women’s team said in a statement released Monday. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”

Trump also invited the U.S. men’s gold medal-winning team.

Scheduling will be a challenge as the NHL regular season resumes with five games on Wednesday and the PWHL resumes on Thursday.

Logistics played a role in the decision, as many of the women players were not scheduled to arrive in North America until Monday evening. The men’s team flew by charter to Miami earlier Monday. The women took a commercial flight and were scheduled to land in Atlanta.

A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the women’s players didn’t learn of the invite until late Sunday night, making it difficult to change their travel plans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the team’s travel plans.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of both teams.

When extending the invitation to the men’s team on Sunday night, Trump said, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.” Trump joked that if he did not also invite the women’s team, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”

The Olympic tournament featured two thrilling medal finals, both ending in overtime, with the American women beating Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Thursday. The U.S. men beat Canada on Sunday.

“It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been amazing. It’s a dream of ours, it was such an amazing way to unite the country,” Matthew Tkachuk of the U.S. men’s team said after arriving in Miami.

“We felt the support being across the Atlantic and now being back on home soil we could feel it the second the wheels hit the ground. So excited to be back in the greatest country in the world and so excited to celebrate.”

Tkachuk said it was an honor to hear from Trump after the win. “And so we are definitely honored to represent him and the millions and millions across the country.”

Vice President JD Vance attended two of the U.S. women’s preliminary round wins with his family over the first week of the Games.

___

AP writers Stephen Whyno, Charles Odum in Atlanta, and Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed to this report.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Jerralee King said she never expected to be looking for a job at nearly 85 years old. But after the state says it made an error and overpaid her nearly $9,000 in food stamps over several years, she said may not have a choice.

“Hopefully they’ll be hiring old ladies at that point,” King told 13 Investigates.

King said when she applied for food stamps in 2021, she had no idea she could be responsible for paying back the money.

For three and a half years, King received between $112 and $348 a month, according to her SNAP monthly accounting statement.

As a widow living alone on her Social Security check, she says the extra funds were a huge help.

“It made a big difference. It sure did. I didn’t have to worry. I knew that I had enough to sustain me,” King said.

Last March, King stopped receiving SNAP benefits, which are administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, but she said she wasn’t sure why.

Then, a few months later, she received a letter from the state saying she never qualified in the first place. The letter said she now must pay the state back the full $8,927 that she received due to an error the agency made.

“The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has determined your household was overpaid SNAP benefits. The overpayment occurred as a result of AGENCY Error,” according to the Notice of SNAP Overpayment Claim that King received on July 21, 2025. “The Agency failed to input the correct resource amount causing the household to receive SNAP benefits they were not eligible for.”

King said she didn’t initially believe the letter asking her to pay nearly $9,000 was actually from the state.

“I began to tell other people about it. Have you ever heard of such a thing? And they just looked at me like I’d lost my mind,” King said. “Then I realized, no, they really want their money back. Good luck.”

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13 Investigates found King is not the only one being overpaid SNAP benefits.

Nationwide, the overpayment rate for SNAP benefits was 9.26 percent in fiscal year 2024, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Texas, the overpayment rate in fiscal year 2024 was 5.77 percent.

We asked the state for its overpayment rate for 2025, but they said it is not available yet.

Federal law requires states to claw back overpayments, even when the state is the one that messed up.

It’s a “fine print” reality most applicants won’t see.

Marty Orozco, litigation director for public benefits and outreach for Lone Star Legal Aid, works to help residents who have received SNAP overpayments to ensure the state is recouping the correct amount.

“There’s not really anything in the application that will warn them that there’s the potential for the agency to make an error that would result in the overpayment like that,” Orozco said.

Underpayment rates for states are also reported to the federal government, although data shows states are less likely to underpay a SNAP recipient than they are to overpay them.

Overall, Texas’ error rate for both underpayments and overpayments is about 8 percent, and although that’s better than the nation’s overall error rate, which is almost 11 percent, it’s not low enough for the federal government.

Under President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed last year, states must drop their overall error rate to 6 percent or less or be responsible for funding a portion of their SNAP benefit costs starting in fiscal year 2028.

For example, if Texas’ overall error rate remains unchanged at 8.32 percent, the state will be required to contribute 10 percent of SNAP benefit costs, according to the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

States with an error rate higher than 10 percent will be required to pay for 15 percent of their SNAP benefit costs.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission told 13 Investigates in a statement that it is working to improve its SNAP payment accuracy.

“HHSC has implemented targeted case reviews, enhanced staff training, technology-based quality checks and clearer policy guidance to reduce errors and ensure families receive the correct benefit amount. These efforts help prevent mistakes before benefits are issued,” the state agency said in a statement.

Texas HHSC also offered tips on how to avoid overpayments, including making sure all of your household and pay information is correct when applying.

Still, Texas HHSC admits that even though what happened in King’s case is “rare,” she is still required to pay the state back $8,927.

“When you make a mistake, you have to rectify it in some way. You know, you don’t just bomb it off on somebody else and say, ‘Oh, I made a mistake here. You fix it,’” King said.

King hasn’t paid it back yet and now says she has little choice.

Last month, King received a letter from the U.S. Department of the Treasury notifying her the department will soon begin garnishing up to 15 percent of her Social Security benefits every month until the debt is paid off. For King, she said that’s about $200 less every month.

Orozco said if SNAP recipients see their benefits fluctuate drastically, they should call the agency to double-check what’s going on.

“If people are keeping track of their benefits on a regular basis and most people do because they want to know what they have when they go to the store to spend, and they see anything unusual, that should be a clue for them to take a closer look at their account and maybe reach out to us,” Orozco said. “They should also reach out to HHSC if there’s anything askew and immediately freeze their card and report anything unusual about their card.”

In King’s case, the overpayment went on for three and a half years before the state caught the error.

Now, as she approaches her 85th birthday in a few weeks, King said there’s uncertainty about how she will afford to pay off this debt.

“I wouldn’t take a quarter from the government if they begged me to at this point or for any reason for any kind of help,” King said.

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A somber procession lit up the night sky as law enforcement agencies from across the Houston area honored Fort Bend County Deputy Kenneth Lewis.

The veteran deputy died Monday, two days after police say he was struck by a driver who fled the scene while Lewis was helping a stranded motorist.

On Monday night, Deputy Lewis’ body was transported from Memorial Hermann Hospital to the medical examiner’s office, escorted by officers from multiple departments paying tribute to one of their own.

According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office (FBCSO), Lewis was in uniform when he pulled over in his personal car to help the driver. He was then hit by a passing vehicle that sped off.

It happened at about 3:40 a.m. on Saturday on I-10 near Eldridge Parkway. Lewis was heading home from an extra duty, said FBCSO Chief Deputy Mattie Provost.

“That’s who he was, always wanting to help people,” Provost said and described Lewis as having a “heart of gold.”

“He was a talker. Every time I saw him at the office, he’d stop and talk to you for a while,” she added. “Everybody in the community where he worked loved him because he was just a great guy.”

Lewis’ three teenage children, 17-year-old twin boys and a 15-year-old daughter, were with him when he died, in addition to other family and friends, Provost said.

“As you can imagine, the shock they’re in right now. So, they’re just taking it day by day, and so we’ve assured them we’re here for them, and we will help them get through this as they will help us get through it as well,” she said.

Houston police are now searching for the suspect vehicle, described only as a black or dark-colored Honda sedan.

“I can assure you that we will solve it,” Provost said. “It will be solved, and we will bring the person to justice for Deputy Lewis.”

Lewis had served with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office since 2015 and previously worked for the Missouri City Police Department.

Officials say that while he was performing a police function at the time of the crash, his death has not yet been officially classified as a line-of-duty death.

Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is urged to contact Houston police or Crime Stoppers.

For more on this story, follow Jessica Willey on Facebook, X and Instagram.

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — The families of nine girls killed in the fourth of July foods in the Hill Country have filed a new lawsuit.

The families are accusing the Texas Department of State Health Services of issuing a license to Camp Mystic without making sure the camp had an evacuation plan.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick wrote a letter to the health department, urging them not to issue a camping license for this upcoming year.

“It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known,” Patrick wrote to Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer Shuford. “Camp Mystic should have decided on their own to suspend operations this coming summer, but it appears they are planning for camp in 2026 and will likely be seeking your approval to operate with a renewed license.”

The lawsuit alleges the camp’s emergency instructions told kids to stay in their cabins during floods. 27 campers and counselors died when flood waters roared down the Guadalupe. The lawsuit alleges officials inspected the camp just two days before the floods.

On Monday, the Texas Department of State Health Services ABC13 told that they do not comment on pending litigation. Camp Mystic is not named in this lawsuit.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

The Texas Tribune have contributed to this report.