Good morning, Houston. It's Wednesday. 🌀 FYI: It's Hurricane Preparedness Week. Here are some helpful tips for building an emergency kit and, you know, getting prepared. |
 | Cat DeLaura
Audience Engagement Producer
cat.delaura@houstonchronicle.com |
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Today we're talking about the arrest of Francisco Oropeza... |
If you read one thing: Authorities have captured Francisco Oropeza at a relative's Montgomery County home, roughly 12 miles from the site of Friday's shooting that left five dead. How was he found? A tip around 5:30 p.m. to the FBI led authorities to Oropeza at his sister's home in Cut and Shoot, where he was hiding under a pile of laundry in a closet, San Jacinto County officials said. His wife was at the home at the time of his arrest. He is being held at a facility in the San Jacinto County seat of Coldspring. What's next? Authorities are investigating whether Oropeza's relatives had been hiding him in the days since the deadly shooting. He has been charged with murder but additional and more serious charges are pending a grand jury's approval, the San Jacinto District Attorney said. Last thoughts: "Of course I'm happy, but not much because this isn't going to bring my woman back," said Jeffri Rivera, whose girlfriend, Diana Velasquez Alvarado, died protecting a group of children during the shooting.
Read the full story here.
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More from the Bayou City: |
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
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Protesters thrown out of the Texas House. |
If you read one thing: Debate over a bill to ban transition medical care for transgender youth snowballed into a dramatic scene Tuesday in the Texas House after protesters began chanting and the speaker called for troopers to clear the gallery. What happened in the House? Democrats had just made their first attempt to obstruct or at least delay the bill using a procedural tactic when protestors in the gallery started chanting in support of trans kids. House rules forbid any kind of noise from the gallery, even clapping, and most protesters, both for and against the bill, left peacefully. However, at least one activist was put in handcuffs. What happens next with the bill? While Democrats succeeded in delaying the bill with their procedural tactic, a Republican-led committee quickly convened in the afternoon to correct a technical issue. However, House leaders promised the bill would return to the floor later this week. It has the support of the majority of members in the GOP-dominated chamber, meaning it will likely sail through to the governor's desk.
Read the full story here.
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Ken Ellis / Houston Chronicle |
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Today we're talking to Houston Chronicle photographer Raquel Natalicchio again. Raquel spent much of Monday photographing vigils for the victims of Friday's mass shooting and law enforcement as they searched for the alleged killer. |
Community members hold a vigil in front of the house of the victims that were shot and killed in Friday's shooting. |
Raquel: These images were made Monday as authorities continued their search for a shooter that killed five people in a mass shooting on Friday in Cleveland. The first image shows community members and neighbors gathering to build a vigil in front of the victims home (pictured above). The second is an image of local residents assisting authorities on their search for the shooter (pictured below). Having been a freelancer for my entire career before coming to the Houston Chronicle, this was my first assignment covering a shooting that is a national news story as part of a newsroom. What I took away the most from this experience was the exemplary teamwork that led to being in the right place at the right time to make these photographs. I was able to go into this assignment prepared and supported through the efforts made by my colleagues. On Monday, the Slack channel was pouring in with helpful tips of information from where to go, where the worst potholes were, what to look out for and new information trickling in. |
Local resident Bubba Coburn speaks with authorities as they search a wooded area for the suspected shooter. |
On the editor's desk, Jon Shapley set me up for success by making both a game plan for the day and by trusting me with the freedom to make decisions on the ground. He made sure to check in on me throughout the day, which gave me the confidence and support I needed when my teammate reporter Claire Partain and I embedded ourselves with authorities as they searched a deep wooded area for the shooter. Authorities made sure to remind us that they were not liable for our safety but regardless we were able to come with them. Claire and I agreed and were guided alongside the police by local residents Bubba and Montie as we traversed 20 acres of dense woodlands that were passed down by Bubba's family. We were able to witness as authorities used drones to detect thermal patterns within the wooded area and how they worked with residents who knew their land better than anyone. All this to say that the best work is done when we work together. I continue to be inspired by our team and hope that we can continue to work with and alongside each other to report on stories in a more meaningful way. |
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If you missed strawberry picking season this year, never fear. Berry season isn't over in Texas yet. Check out where you can go blackberry picking in May here. Cat DeLaura cat.delaura@houstonchronicle.com |
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