WEATHER ALERT
A deadly hurricane is the latest disruption for young athletes who already have endured a pandemic
Read full article: A deadly hurricane is the latest disruption for young athletes who already have endured a pandemicThe destruction from Hurricane Helene has disrupted the high school landscape throughout southern Appalachia.
Women with dense breasts will now be notified after routine mammograms, here’s why it should save lives
Read full article: Women with dense breasts will now be notified after routine mammograms, here’s why it should save livesStarting September 10th, women will be notified if their mammograms show dense breast tissue, which can obscure cancer detection.
COVID-stricken Noah Lyles collapses after getting bronze, one of 8 US medals at Olympic track
Read full article: COVID-stricken Noah Lyles collapses after getting bronze, one of 8 US medals at Olympic trackNoah Lyles lost the Olympic 200 meters, falling to Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, then collapsing on the track and being carted off in a wheelchair.
New York City's freewheeling era of outdoor dining has come to end
Read full article: New York City's freewheeling era of outdoor dining has come to endOutdoor tables saved thousands of New York City restaurants from ruin when they were forced to close their dining rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for COVID. Vice President Harris has tested negative
Read full article: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for COVID. Vice President Harris has tested negativeSecond Gentleman Doug Emhoff has tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms, his office announced Sunday, but his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, has tested negative and remains asymptomatic.
Norway starts stockpiling grain again, citing the pandemic, war and climate change
Read full article: Norway starts stockpiling grain again, citing the pandemic, war and climate changeThe Norwegian government has signed a deal to start stockpiling grain, saying the COVID-19 pandemic, a war in Europe and climate change have made it necessary.
Supreme Court rejects COVID-19 vaccine appeals from nonprofit founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Read full article: Supreme Court rejects COVID-19 vaccine appeals from nonprofit founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.The Supreme Court has rejected two appeals related to COVID-19 vaccines from Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine nonprofit founded by independent presidential candidate Robert F.
Houston man sent to prison for depositing another person’s COVID-19 stimulus check in his account
Read full article: Houston man sent to prison for depositing another person’s COVID-19 stimulus check in his accountProsecutors say Ndem Oduu, admitted to depositing another person’s stimulus check in his own account, defrauding them of $1,200 that was meant to help the victim weather economic difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bag of cash doesn't stop jurors from convicting 5 of 7 defendants in $40 million food fraud scheme
Read full article: Bag of cash doesn't stop jurors from convicting 5 of 7 defendants in $40 million food fraud schemeA jury has convicted five Minnesota residents and acquitted two others in a scheme to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to steal more than $40 million from a program meant to feed children.
WHO member countries approve steps to bolster health regulations to better brace for pandemics
Read full article: WHO member countries approve steps to bolster health regulations to better brace for pandemicsThe World Health Organization says member countries approved new steps to boost global preparedness for pandemics like COVID-19 and mpox and better respond to dangerous outbreaks.
How compensation compares between Texas staff and travel nurses
Read full article: How compensation compares between Texas staff and travel nursesVivian Health used its proprietary data and BLS statistics to map differences in pay between registered travel and staff nurses in Texas and across the U.S.
Houston ISD’s Mike Miles says his team saved the district from falling off a fiscal cliff with tough cuts
Read full article: Houston ISD’s Mike Miles says his team saved the district from falling off a fiscal cliff with tough cutsMiles blamed the previous administration for bad financial practices. The district’s budget gap has grown to $528M, which Miles says is the reason jobs and expenses had to be cut
TODAY: Deadline for Houston Childcare centers to apply for 100% property tax exemption ends at 5 p.m.
Read full article: TODAY: Deadline for Houston Childcare centers to apply for 100% property tax exemption ends at 5 p.m.Many childcare centers struggled to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now Harris County is hoping to give those centers some much-needed relief.
Malaria is still killing people in Kenya, but a vaccine and local drug production may help
Read full article: Malaria is still killing people in Kenya, but a vaccine and local drug production may helpMalaria is still a significant public health challenge in Kenya, but an important pilot of the world’s first malaria vaccine may help.
Viruses, allergies, and what else going around the Houston area?
Read full article: Viruses, allergies, and what else going around the Houston area?In addition to springtime seasonal allergies, people are suffering complications from that like hay fever, and skin rashes. Some are also feeling even worse with lots of upper respiratory infections across the area.
‘Yellowstone’ actor shares new details after Houston flight mask controversy
Read full article: ‘Yellowstone’ actor shares new details after Houston flight mask controversyEarlier this week, Forrie J. Smith made headlines after he said he was removed from a flight about to take off from Houston, for asking to move away from a passenger wearing a mask. Now, he’s giving a few more details about what happened.
Kenyan doctors stop providing emergency services at public hospitals as strike enters second week
Read full article: Kenyan doctors stop providing emergency services at public hospitals as strike enters second weekKenyan doctors have stopped providing emergency services at public hospitals, as they escalated a national strike that entered its second week.
COVID-19 milestone: How Houston’s response to the virus has changed in the last four years
Read full article: COVID-19 milestone: How Houston’s response to the virus has changed in the last four yearsMarch 11 marks the day four years ago when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
‘I think it’s a bit tragic:’ Cy-Fair ISD anticipates $38 million budget loss for 2024-2025 school year
Read full article: ‘I think it’s a bit tragic:’ Cy-Fair ISD anticipates $38 million budget loss for 2024-2025 school yearCy-Fair ISD’s chief financial officer announced they’re preparing to see a $38 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Karen Smith, during a board meeting, said the reason for the loss is due to end of the ‘Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund’ (ESSER) a COVID-era federal dollars and lack of additional state funding.
Texas Heart Institute employee nearly misses life-threatening condition
Read full article: Texas Heart Institute employee nearly misses life-threatening conditionKeri Sprung works at the Texas Heart Institute. She’s helped research and write papers on spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) but when she developed symptoms in herself, she never made the connection.
China's population falls for a 2nd straight year as births drop even after end of one-child policy
Read full article: China's population falls for a 2nd straight year as births drop even after end of one-child policyChina’s population fell by 2 million people in 2023 in the second straight annual decrease as births dropped and deaths jumped.
United Memorial Medical Center to pay $2M for alleged false claims violations, double-billing for COVID tests
Read full article: United Memorial Medical Center to pay $2M for alleged false claims violations, double-billing for COVID testsUnited Memorial Medical Center has agreed to pay $2 million and to make additional contingent payments to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations, the United States Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Here’s how you can check if your medical professional actually has a license in the state of Texas
Read full article: Here’s how you can check if your medical professional actually has a license in the state of TexasUnlicensed men and women in the state of Texas have been caught on numerous occasions carrying out extreme medical procedures even though they are not qualified.
Ex-UK leader Boris Johnson rejects notion he wanted to let COVID-19 'rip' through the population
Read full article: Ex-UK leader Boris Johnson rejects notion he wanted to let COVID-19 'rip' through the populationFormer Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in sometimes angry testimony to Britain’s inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic, on Thursday defended himself against suggestions that his indifference and failure to heed the advice of scientists led to thousands of unnecessary deaths.
3 indicted staffers for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo facing new charges
Read full article: 3 indicted staffers for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo facing new chargesThree staffers for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo are facing new charges in connection to an investigation into a $11 million COVID-19 outreach contract.
A new ‘highly infectious’ COVID-19 variant is spreading across the US: What to know about HV.1
Read full article: A new ‘highly infectious’ COVID-19 variant is spreading across the US: What to know about HV.1COVID-19 variant HV.1 has become the variant responsible for most COVID cases here in the United States in just a few short weeks.
Meet the local teacher inspiring students through her mini math lessons on TikTok
Read full article: Meet the local teacher inspiring students through her mini math lessons on TikTokDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, local teacher Deidre Kelly turned to TikTok to inspire her students, and she has since garnered a massive following.
“People aren’t thinking about us”: How new ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates impacts medically-vulnerable Texans
Read full article: “People aren’t thinking about us”: How new ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates impacts medically-vulnerable TexansThe ban applies to all private businesses, including health care facilities like hospitals, which can jeopardize the health of those with compromised immune systems or other underlying conditions.
Six Flags and Schlitterbahn owners to merge in theme park mega-deal
Read full article: Six Flags and Schlitterbahn owners to merge in theme park mega-dealThe Lone Star State’s iconic theme park brands Schlitterbahn and Six Flags would come under the same ownership as part of a merger announced Thursday.
State is paying fired Tennessee vaccine chief $150K in lawsuit settlement
Read full article: State is paying fired Tennessee vaccine chief $150K in lawsuit settlementThe state of Tennessee has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by its former vaccine leader over her firing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers heads to governor
Read full article: Sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers heads to governorThe legislation, which Republican lawmakers have been trying to pass since 2021, offers no exceptions for doctors’ offices, clinics or other health facilities.
NAACP joins immunization nonprofit in Third Ward to offer vaccines, debunk myths
Read full article: NAACP joins immunization nonprofit in Third Ward to offer vaccines, debunk mythsWhile it may not be as severe as in recent years, health officials say COVID-19 cases are increasing daily, but research shows many African Americans refused or delayed getting vaccinated.
Ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private businesses, including health care facilities, passes Texas Senate
Read full article: Ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private businesses, including health care facilities, passes Texas SenateThe bill offers no exceptions for doctors’ offices, clinics or other health facilities. Senators agreed to let those entities require unvaccinated employees to wear personal protective gear or take other “reasonable” measures to manage the spread.
Texas lawmakers again try to prohibit private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccines
Read full article: Texas lawmakers again try to prohibit private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccinesA Senate panel on Tuesday advanced such a measure. The debate centered largely around the safety of the vaccine and whether doctors’ offices and health care facilities should be exempt.
Gates Foundation funding $40 million effort to help develop mRNA vaccines in Africa in coming years
Read full article: Gates Foundation funding $40 million effort to help develop mRNA vaccines in Africa in coming yearsThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is announcing $40 million in funding to help develop messenger RNA vaccines in Africa.
It’s not just long Covid: Symptoms can linger after other illnesses, leading to ‘long colds’
Read full article: It’s not just long Covid: Symptoms can linger after other illnesses, leading to ‘long colds’Researchers in the United Kingdom found that symptoms can persist for weeks after common respiratory infections like the common cold.
Updated COVID-19 shot slowly rolls out in Texas, but access is spotty
Read full article: Updated COVID-19 shot slowly rolls out in Texas, but access is spottyDoses aren’t arriving at providers’ offices at uniform, predictable intervals. Shipments are largely dependent on individual providers’ ability to work out the logistics of ordering, stocking, training and paperwork.
Leader of $20M COVID-19 relief fraud ring sentenced to 15 years
Read full article: Leader of $20M COVID-19 relief fraud ring sentenced to 15 yearsA Houston man who was the head of a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud ring and six of his co-conspirators were sentenced for fraudulently obtaining more than $20 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans that the Small Business Administration guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the United States Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Census Bureau valiantly conducted 2020 census, but privacy method degraded quality, report says
Read full article: Census Bureau valiantly conducted 2020 census, but privacy method degraded quality, report saysA new report says the U.S. Census Bureau’s career staffers valiantly conducted the 2020 census under unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
What to know as fall vaccinations against COVID, flu and RSV get underway
Read full article: What to know as fall vaccinations against COVID, flu and RSV get underwayFall vaccination season is in full swing, with health officials urging both an updated COVID-19 shot and flu vaccine for most everyone.
London's Gatwick Airport limits flights this week due to staff illness, including COVID-19
Read full article: London's Gatwick Airport limits flights this week due to staff illness, including COVID-19Gatwick Airport, London’s second-busiest, is limiting flights this week, partly because of an outbreak of COVID-19 within air traffic control.
FDA could greenlight new COVID boosters as early as Friday
Read full article: FDA could greenlight new COVID boosters as early as FridayThe Food and Drug Administration plans to greenlight updated versions of the Covid booster as early as Friday, according to four people familiar with the agency’s plans.
More than a meal: Restaurant-based programs feed seniors' social lives
Read full article: More than a meal: Restaurant-based programs feed seniors' social livesA group of friends and neighbors meets for a weekly meal, choosing from a special menu of nutritious foods paid for by social programs meant to keep older adults eating healthy.
China won't require COVID-19 tests for incoming travelers in a milestone in its reopening
Read full article: China won't require COVID-19 tests for incoming travelers in a milestone in its reopeningChina will no longer require a negative COVID-19 test result for incoming travelers, a milestone in its reopening to the rest of the world after an isolation that began with the country's borders closing in 2020.
Justice Department announces charges against hundreds of alleged COVID-19 fraudsters
Read full article: Justice Department announces charges against hundreds of alleged COVID-19 fraudstersHundreds of people have been charged with the theft of more than $830 million in COVID-19 emergency aid following a nationwide operation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Harris Co. sees uptick in COVID cases as subvariant of Omicron strand surges
Read full article: Harris Co. sees uptick in COVID cases as subvariant of Omicron strand surgesThe CDC’s most recent data shows that the percentage of weekly hospitalizations per 100,000 people in Harris County due to COVID-19 has increased more than state and national rates.
New Zealand, whose pandemic response was closely watched, removes last of COVID-19 restrictions
Read full article: New Zealand, whose pandemic response was closely watched, removes last of COVID-19 restrictionsNew Zealand has removed the last of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions, marking the end of a government response to the pandemic that was watched closely around the world.
What’s going around? Swimmer’s ear, strep throat and other illness in time to go back-to-school
Read full article: What’s going around? Swimmer’s ear, strep throat and other illness in time to go back-to-schoolFrom heat-related illness to contagious viruses, here’s what doctors across our area say is “what’s going around.”
German beer sales resume their downward trend after a post-COVID pickup
Read full article: German beer sales resume their downward trend after a post-COVID pickupOfficial figures show that German beer sales resumed a long-term downward trend in the first six months of this year after rallying in 2022 thanks to the end of most COVID-19 restrictions.
White Linen Night returns to Houston Heights this summer. Here’s what you need to know
Read full article: White Linen Night returns to Houston Heights this summer. Here’s what you need to knowWith more than 20,000 people expected to attend, White Linen Night is known as a vibrant community event that started in 2006 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina by the New Orleans community that moved to Texas and missed their original event.
Biden administration asks appeals court to block order limiting its contacts with social media
Read full article: Biden administration asks appeals court to block order limiting its contacts with social mediaThe Biden administration has asked a federal appeals court to block a lower court’s order limiting executive branch officials’ discussions with social media companies regarding alleged misinformation.
Spain calls an end to COVID-19 health crisis and obligatory use of masks in hospitals, pharmacies
Read full article: Spain calls an end to COVID-19 health crisis and obligatory use of masks in hospitals, pharmaciesThe Spanish government has declared an end to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and says people no longer have to wear masks in health and care centers as well as pharmacies.
Doctors, families say HCA hospitals press them to move loved ones into hospice care
Read full article: Doctors, families say HCA hospitals press them to move loved ones into hospice careAs Marisol Perez fought for her life in a Texas hospital in autumn 2021, her mother, Alma Salas, sat with her every day praying.
Confidence in science fell in 2022 while political divides persisted, poll shows
Read full article: Confidence in science fell in 2022 while political divides persisted, poll showsConfidence in the scientific community declined among U.S. adults in 2022, a major survey shows, driven by a a partisan divide that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As conditions for Syrians worsen, aid organizations struggle to catch the world's attention again
Read full article: As conditions for Syrians worsen, aid organizations struggle to catch the world's attention againAid agencies will struggle to draw the world’s attention back to Syria at an annual donor conference hosted by the European Union in Brussels for humanitarian aid to Syrians.
Court rules Austria can't be held liable for early COVID infection at ski resort
Read full article: Court rules Austria can't be held liable for early COVID infection at ski resortAn Austrian federal court says the state can’t be held liable for a COVID-19 infection from an outbreak at an Alpine ski resort as the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe The Supreme Court of Justice on Thursday announced its verdict in a long-running legal battle involving a German resident who traveled to Ischgl in March 2020 and visited several apres-ski venues before returning home six days later.
Now that the pandemic is ‘over,’ we want to know how it changed your life
Read full article: Now that the pandemic is ‘over,’ we want to know how it changed your lifeThe World Health organization declared earlier this month that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer an emergency, putting a three-year end to the virus that killed at least 7 million people and turned the world upside down.
Ukraine, Sudan conflicts fuel alarming surge in tuberculosis
Read full article: Ukraine, Sudan conflicts fuel alarming surge in tuberculosisTop U.N. officials and health industry leaders are demanding that the world invest more to develop new vaccines and tackle a surge in tuberculosis fueled by the impact of COVID-19 and conflicts including Ukraine and Sudan.
US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next week
Read full article: US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next weekThe Biden administration will end the last remaining federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements next week when the national public health emergency for the coronavirus ends.
Possible links between Covid shots and tinnitus emerge
Read full article: Possible links between Covid shots and tinnitus emergeThousands of people say they’ve developed tinnitus after they were vaccinated against Covid. While there is no proof yet that the vaccines caused the condition, theories for a possible link have surfaced among researchers.
Beyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation offering $10K grants to small businesses, entrepreneurs facing financial hardships
Read full article: Beyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation offering $10K grants to small businesses, entrepreneurs facing financial hardshipsBeyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation is, once again, doing its part to help support small businesses impacted by economic inequalities.