KPRC 2 INVESTIGATES

The bombshell impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton by the state’s House of Representatives on Saturday remains the talk of the Capitol with many wondering about not only the next set of steps to be taken in the Senate but.... when?

Cyber thieves have created a brand new scheme that targets public WIFI users and it’s called WIFI Jacking.

A bill filed by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt would help bring consistency to how truancy is handled by school districts across the state. After passing the Senate 30-1, Senate Bill 1630 was recently voted out of a House committee and is now headed to a vote in the House.

The images of the officer at a standstill in the hallways of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde are still haunting one year later.

The Harris County Jail inmate banking system has serious problems, according to a county audit, which was reviewed by KPRC 2 Investigates.

A defense motion to have Judge Jeth Jones disqualified from handling the Santa Fe mass shooting case was granted Monday afternoon, according to court documents.

After over three years, the COVID-19 pandemic is officially over.

It’s another story in the pile of crimes that have popped up since bond reform in Harris County has allowed non-violent offenders to be released without a cash bond.

In Austin, State Senator Phil King is making his case for passage of a brand new bill that would make it mandatory for a copy of the Ten Commandments to be prominently displayed in every classroom, in every public school in Texas.

Austin is seeing a legislative fight this session that not only involves both chambers but also both sides of the aisle.

Texas representatives in Austin will vote on a bill that, if passed, would eliminate temporary paper tags in Texas.

As Christopher Katthage was riding his motorcycle, he suddenly lost control and hit the guard wall on an exit ramp above Highway 288. He was sent flying over the overpass into oncoming traffic, and in the process, his right leg was torn off.

Mayoral candidates view crime as Primary Issue in the race for City Hall

KPRC 2 Investigates continues to look into your water bills that are draining so many customers.

It was on Feb. 17 that KPRC 2 Investigates was at the Kingwood Central Water Treatment Plant as investigators from the Houston Police Department were on scene executing a search warrant tied to plant operations and falsifying of records tied to testing.

The third time proved not to be the charm for former Director of City Council Relations for the City of Houston William-Paul Thomas. Federal legal records obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates show the federal sentencing date for Thomas has been pushed back from next week to June.

Fentanyl, one of the most lethal drugs on the streets, has the ability for a vast quantity to be transported in little spaces.

The city of Houston awarded a lucrative Hobby Airport concessions contract to a new company, pushing out Pappas restaurant amid much debate. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and 10 other council members voted “yes” in favor of awarding the contract, with six voting “no.”

At least four different fire departments, including the Houston Fire Department, have fallen victim to theft, and tens of thousands of dollars of equipment, purchased with public funds have disappeared, KPRC 2 Investigates has learned.

The highly publicized fight over a lucrative concessions contract at Hobby Airport was tagged by multiple council members who indicated they want more time to come to a decision.

The Houston Police Department showed up on the grounds of the Kingwood Central Wastewater Treatment Plant Friday morning with a search warrant and area residents were excited.

Are you in a dangerous relationship and need help? Do you know someone who needs help? In part of our effort to help people in the community, our team put together a list of groups in our area that can help victims of domestic violence.

In the months following the deadly massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde last May, Montgomery County saw an opportunity in a place where others saw a closed-down school.

It’s a dangerous problem that’s often hidden from public view until it becomes deadly. Domestic violence caused by an intimate partner can leave victims feeling vulnerable and trapped. But help exists. Next week, KPRC 2 presents “Breaking Free”. We are partnering with law enforcement and agencies across our area to bring you a weeklong series focused on stopping partner violence. The goal is to provide support, resources, and solutions that can save lives.

The federal investigation into Harding Street led to additional charges, and while Bryant pleaded guilty to falsifying government records, Goines has yet to face a jury with the feds or Harris County.

The deadly botched raid on Harding Street that happened nearly four years ago was front and center inside of Judge Frank Aguilar’s courtroom in Harris County’s 228th District Court on Thursday morning.

The controversy and anger surrounding girls on the Splendora High School softball teams being given jerseys that say “I achieved failure” continues.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has arrested and jailed a man accused of installing a camera in his neighbor’s bathroom.

“This teacher was out of control. In fact his behavior reminds you of teacher’s gone wild.”

President Joe Biden’s first visit to El Paso on Sunday afternoon since taking office was spent with local officials and personnel from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The total number of homicides in the City of Houston for 2023 is down 8% from this point last year.

Bright and early Tuesday morning, the Public Utility Commission of Texas delivered a measure of good news concerning the Texas Power Grid.

Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Friday the decision by her chief of staff, Alex Triantaphyllis, to depart from his current role in early 2023 “to pursue a new opportunity.” Hidalgo’s office said Triantaphyllis, who was one of three staffers indicted in March in an $11 million COVID-19 outreach contract investigation, will continue his public service in a new role in the Harris County Office of County Administration.

This week marks two years since Jason Landry mysteriously vanished on his way home to Missouri City for Christmas Break.

As the investigation being conducted by the Houston Police Department continues into the Astroworld tragedy, KPRC 2 Investigates has confirmed members of HPD’s leadership have been moved or simply moved on following the deadly concert.

Rental car giant Hertz Global Holdings announced Monday it would pay $168 million to settle 364 claims that it erroneously filed criminal reports against customers who did not return vehicles on time.

Vicki Carr looks back to what took place earlier this month and has a chuckle, but that was not the case on Nov. 11.

As investigators combed through the life of the Robb Elementary school shooter, they discovered he was absent from school for hundreds of days before being “involuntarily withdrawn” from the district.

Dozens of you are telling us about your experience with the Houston Water Department. We’ve heard about phone calls, emails unanswered, and little to no communication to explain huge bills that threaten you and your family’s well-being. Now, KPRC 2 Investigates explains a customer’s last chance at getting help and how often it is working.

Take a look at some of the biggest stories KPRC 2 Investigates shared in 2022.

After 38 on-camera interviews, and months of research, KPRC 2 Investigates will air “Astroworld: Countdown to Tragedy” this Thursday on KPRC 2+ at 6:30 p.m.

In the peaceful, family neighborhood of Highland Creek Estates, near FM529, big anger and frustration is growing amongst homeowners over big rig trucks parking all over this subdivision at all hours of the day and night.

“So going into this everybody knew it was going to be a problem, the department ramped up like it was a Super Bowl or a Hurricane,” said Mark Lentini, a now-retired Houston police officer who says the festival ended his career.“Long before the disaster struck any crowd expert or person involved in crowds responsible for crowds knew there were storm clouds over that festival,” said Paul Wertheimer, a crowd safety expert with decades of experience studying crowd surge and other safety issues.On Wednesday, Nov. 2, KPRC 2 Investigates examines the safety and prevention measures that could prevent mass casualty disasters, including crowd design, emergency medicine planning, and the need for a unified command.

You may have heard about this story before, but you’ve never seen it quite like this.

It is that time of the year again. Halloween decorations are back out on the front lawn, but keep in mind this is one of those years when the other lawn decorations are also prominently displayed.

Sixty-five-year-old Irene Sanchez has had the same problem for seven months.

Houston City Controller Chris Brown is calling for the Office of Inspector General to open an investigation into the manner in which Houston Airports System Director Mario Diaz settled liquidated damages with a concessionaire and their partner, who has ties to former Director City Council Relations William Paul Thomas, who was convicted in federal court back in July for conspiracy tied to bribes.

An elderly Cypress couple paid a lot of money to stay safe and mobile in their home, but when the device they purchased became more of a hazard than a help, they called investigator Amy Davis.

After eight students and two teachers were murdered at Santa Fe high school in 2018, state legislators passed more than a dozen laws. None of those laws prevented Uvalde and pressure is mounting for lawmakers to address lingering gaps in school security.

An Emergency Services District that covers 600 square miles in both Harris and Waller County is substantially understaffed and unable to man four of its fire departments with paid firefighters.

For Mallory Olson, a seemingly normal night of sleep was disrupted by a knock on her front door.

A months-old Harris County Audit memo obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates reveals a series of problems with the administration of public funds in a Harris County Rental Assistance Program.

A months-old Harris County Audit memo obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates reveals a series of problems with the administration of public funds in a Harris County Rental Assistance Program.

This is a follow-up to Humble's red light cameras report from 2021.

The Department of Justice announced the arrests of eight people in a $2.3 million human smuggling operation across four states, including Texas.

KPRC 2 Investigates has uncovered another example of convicted Houston City Council Relations Director William-Paul Thomas working outside of his scope at city hall last spring.

The latest chapter into KPRC 2's continuing series of reports into the federally convicted former City Council Relations Director for the City of Houston.

A disabled veteran who served in both the Army and Navy and was injured in a 2007 training exercise, has filed lawsuits against the City of Pearland and the Port of Houston.

Texas is now the second biggest state in the country when it comes to people buying solar panels for their homes. KPRC Investigates tells you how to protect yourself from being ripped off by shady sales people trying to capitalize on this buying boom.

Chris Bourque and his wife Zury wash dishes inside their home in Cypress, but what they’d really like to do is wash their hands of a huge problem with their brand new solar panel system.

City of Houston leaders are calling for an outside investigation into the actions of a now former city director, William Paul Thomas, after KPRC 2 Investigates uncovered emails showing negotiations in favor of a private businessman.

With increasing pressure coming from local municipalities, including outright bans of short-term rental properties, Airbnb is motivated to find a solution to the problem of some of their rental houses being bad neighbors.

Earlier this week, Governor Greg Abbott claimed in a widely circulated news release that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and others in the county administration were engaging in what amounted to illegally defunding Harris County’s various policing agencies.

The liaison officer between Mayor Sylvester Turner’s office and City Council, who pled guilty to a federal conspiracy charge involving cash bribes from a bar owner, appears to have previously worked to help other private businesses on deals against the best interest of the City of Houston, according to emails obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates.

When it comes to school safety there’s a lot of blame and opinions. Politicians point the finger and parents want to be heard. But what about what students think needs to be done?

When William-Paul Thomas, a former city employee in the Mayor’s Office, took money in exchange for breaking the rules, he necessarily involved at least two other City of Houston departments.

KPRC 2 Investigates has previously looked into the city of Houston director who pleaded guilty in a federal criminal conspiracy investigation.

Graystone Life Care Assisted Living is a for-profit business entity that advertises on the internet that it is a “licensed facility.” But, KPRC 2 Investigates found out that the business is not licensed.

On May 6, an estimated 100 smuggled migrants were m discovered inside a broken-down trailer in the tiny Jackson County town of Ganado.

A Houston woman is out $12,500 after falling victim to cryptocurrency theft.

The US Chamber of Commerce is demanding that Congress take action to address the rise of organized retail theft

The only thing falling out of the sky of late in Ganado, Texas is corn.

When it comes to potential cyber-attacks for the Houston area, do you know where we stand?

Beginning September 1, anyone who applies for a car dealer license in Texas must be fingerprinted and go through a thorough background check.

The US Supreme Court just handed a major victory to the Alabama-Coushatta and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribes of Texas. In a split 5-4 decision, the Justices ruled Texas does not have authority to regulate gaming on these reservations.

Homeowners in one Katy neighborhood have hit a wall trying to work with their homeowner’s association. We are talking about a literal concrete wall that surrounds their subdivision. At issue: who is responsible for it. KPRC 2 Investigates has a story that could impact anyone with an HOA.

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Gut issues, headaches and even just feeling tired could all be signs you are eating something that doesn’t agree with you. Do you have a food sensitivity that is impacting your health?

KPRC 2 Investigates has learned more information about the teenage gunman who went on a devastating rampage in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas Tuesday afternoon killing 19 students and two teachers.

A new search warrant has emerged in the criminal investigation focused on how an $11-million dollar vaccine outreach contract was awarded by Harris County to Elevate Strategies.

Federal lawmakers are urging the federal government to investigate Hertz’s business practices after customers were wrongfully accused of driving rental cars that were reported as stolen.

The Texas Rangers executed a search warrant Friday at the office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Sources told KPRC 2 that the warrant was related to a contract for COVID-19 vaccine outreach, but no official word has been released.

Amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, KPRC 2 Investigates asked questions and got answers about the safety of American nuclear facilities

What are you paying for when you fill up your gas tank?

It was last November that KPRC 2 Investigates first examined how Pretrial Services operations were being conducted in Bexar County, which also includes San Antonio.

Another case involving an HPD officer tied to the investigation in the aftermath of the deadly Harding Street raid has been dismissed.

Some travel experts are comparing this coming spring break to a prison break. It makes sense when you consider that millions of Americans have been cooped-up in their homes because of COVID-19 restrictions for far too long and many are just now ready to break free and take a real vacation.

Hundreds of former customers across the country claim they were unfairly targeted, accused, and sometimes arrested at gunpoint after Hertz falsely claimed they had stolen rental cars.

Texas CLEAR Alert system established to help locate people between the ages of 18-64 who are reported missing.

KPRC 2 Investigates has been tracking developments connected to Hertz. The rental car company is battling hundreds of customers who say they were falsely accused of auto theft after renting cars.

Caballero is now facing three state counts of attempted capital murder of HPD officers, and he is also federally charged with possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm.

New COVID concerns are causing the cancellation of many events and concerts. Now, ticket holders are wondering what to do and some are worried about buying tickets to future events, like the Houston rodeo shows. We have what you need to know about buying tickets right now.

About 1 in every 8 people in the U.S. has student loan debt. Payments for about 80% of those borrowers have been deferred or postponed until May 1, 2022; but one man says his loan servicer reported his account delinquent, causing a big drop in his credit score.

Former Fort Bend County Sheriff, U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls (R) Tx-Dist. 22 was on his third day in Congress when hundreds of people who refused to believe President Donald Trump lost the election stormed the Capitol building. in Washington D.C.

If you are returning something you got over the holidays - it might not be as easy as in the past specially if it's a larger item. A record number of people shopped online this holiday season. That combined with the pandemic and shipping supply issues means the holiday returns season is shaping up to be a challenge. KPRC 2 Investigates is looking into third party shipping issues.

After learning two of his neighbor’s homes were burglarized on New Year’s Eve, Sienna resident Samson Bouri had a message for anyone looking to do the same to him.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has charged a Houston man with bigamy, the crime of being married to more than one person, which is outlawed in all 50 states.

In August, U.S. Representative Troy Nehls told KPRC 2 Investigates he had questions over how the Mickey Leland International Terminal Program at Bush Intercontinental Airport was being managed by the Houston Airports System and its director Mario Diaz.