Local news

HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Fire Department (HFD) Honor Guard has shared new details on their Facebook page with the firefighting community about how three firefighters survived a life-threatening apartment fire on Jarmese Street. The early morning fire on January 7, 2025, left the crew of Ladder 46 severely burned and trapped behind a heavy door, prompting a mayday call. https://youtu.be/KNB2sU69ed0 According to Senior Captain Dale Jenkins, the firefighters' survival hinged on their quick application of critical techniques to protect their air masks, preventing lethal exposure to super-heated gases. Two firefighters shielded their masks with their hands, while the third pressed his mask into a corner to avoid direct flame contact. Jenkins noted that these actions, rooted in r...

TEXAS CITY, TX – The Texas City Police Department is actively searching for Jquan Lake, 24, who is wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Lake, whose bond has been set at $150,000, is considered a fugitive and remains at large. The case stems from a weapons offense reported on Sunday, January 5, 2025, in the 3200 block of Lone Trail Drive. According to police, multiple shots were fired during the disturbance. A search warrant was secured for the suspect's residence, and an arrest warrant was issued for Lake, born December 27, 2000. On January 10, 2025, police, along with the Texas Ranger's Special Operation Group, executed the search warrant. During the operation, Johnson Lake, 53, was arrested on outstanding municipal warrants. Authorities recovered eight firearms a...

BELLAIRE, TX – A Texas man has been arrested after making violent threats, including references to beheadings, against Houston Jewish Funerals. According to court documents, Saif Maurice Tajiran, 33, is accused of sending a threatening email to the funeral home on October 29, 2024, at approximately 6:07 a.m. The email, which investigators confirmed was sent from an iCloud account registered under Tajiran’s name, stated, in part, “I would like to help bury Jews so speed the process to bury more Jews. If you hire me I can work fast and I will save you Jews money. … If you want, I can behead more Jews and we can become rich together.” A phone number provided in the email led police to contact Tajiran, who allegedly reiterated similar threatening statements during a phone call before...

HOUSTON, TX – A search is underway for 44-year-old Douglas Payne Swearingen, who was last seen on January 4, 2025, near his residence in the 10700 block of Dunvegan Way. According to Texas EquuSearch, Swearingen left home to go fishing at a nearby creek but has not returned. His clothing at the time of his disappearance is unknown. If you have seen Douglas or have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the Houston Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at (832) 394-1840 or Texas EquuSearch at (281) 309-9500.

AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has announced a statewide outage impacting driver license offices, resulting in their closure for the remainder of December 30, 2024. DPS staff are actively working to assist affected customers by rescheduling their appointments promptly. https://youtu.be/YsJFXN1v8Cw Several customers were still arriving at the Texas DPS office located at 4545 Dacoma in Houston despite the announced closure. In addition to today's closure, DPS has reminded the public that all offices, including driver license offices, will remain closed on Tuesday, December 31, and Wednesday, January 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday. DPS apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the outage and encourages customers to monitor updates for furt...