Here are things to know for Wednesday, Dec. 22:
1. 2 dead after small UPS plane, paraglider collide mid-air in Fort Bend County near Brazos River, authorities say
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Two people were killed Tuesday morning when a small plane struck a paraglider near the Brazos River, Fort Bend County Pct. 3 Constable Chat Norvell confirmed.
The crash happened near the Sportsmen Club in the 3500 block of Bowser in the Weston Lakes area.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a single engine Cessna 208 took off from George Bush Intercontinental Airport around 9:40 a.m. and was headed to Victoria Regional Airport.
During the flight, the plane collided with a paraglider also flying in the area. One person was onboard each aircraft.
2. Vicious attack on middle schoolers by adults caught on camera in Humble
Punch after punch, kick after kick, Michael Henry and his parents say surveillance video shows the moments two men being driven in a black Cadillac Escalade hopped out and jumped his 15-year-old friend and schoolmate back on May 7.
“The car pulled in front of us and then they hopped out and started beating my friend,” Michael Henry said.
Humble police confirm Michael, who was just 13 years old at the time, was attacked by the men.
“I was going to attack back, but like, there was nothing I could do. And then they had guns in the car so I was like it’s just pointless,” Michael said.
3. Texas governor’s decision: Whether to pardon George Floyd
Doling out pardons is a holiday tradition for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who around every Christmas grants them to a handful of ordinary citizens, typically for minor offenses committed years or decades ago.
But one name stands out on his desk: George Floyd.
Abbott has not said whether he will posthumously pardon Floyd this year for a 2004 drug arrest in Houston by a former officer whose police work is no longer trusted by prosecutors. Texas’ parole board — stacked with Abbott appointees — unanimously recommended a pardon for Floyd in October.
4. Houston’s mayor, other leaders encourage residents to get a vaccine booster shot as COVID cases surge
Local officials reinforced their call Tuesday for residents in southeast Texas to get a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to fight off the surge of the omicron variant, echoing similar statements made by President Biden.
“I give a lot of credit to that third dose,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who announced Dec. 17 that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Turner is fully vaccinated and said he received a booster dose in October. Despite doing so, Turner said he began to feel symptoms associated with bad allergies, thinking they were just that.
“They felt like sinus issues or allergies, slight sore throat, itchiness in the throat and then drainage, a cough,” he said.
5. Houston-area COVID-19 testing sites attract long lines ahead of Christmas holiday
Tis’ the season for long COVID-19 testing lines and short patience. It’s an image you’ll likely see at testing sites across the Houston area for both drive-up and walk-up sites this week.
“The line is this way and people are coming from the other direction. They’re trying to cut it,” said Andrea Luna, who waited in line at the drive-thru site in west Houston for a test.
Across the nation, long lines for COVID-19 tests were reported in Miami, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio as health experts and President Joe Biden urge Americans to get tested ahead of Christmas travel and gatherings.