By Whitney Grunder -
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Severe storms ripped through parts of East Texas Wednesday evening. Some Lufkin neighborhoods sustained extensive damage from a possible tornado.
Among them is the Lufkin VFW, which is now gone. The damage comes right after 10,000 dollars worth of recent tile work. A check for the construction was written Wednesday, before the storm hit.
One resident living near Gipson Funeral Home on Chestnut Street even reported seeing caskets in his backyard.
Jakoia Grimes and her children were happy to have made it safely out of their Lufkin apartment, before their entire roof collapsed. "I looked up and I just saw the light from outside and I had my girls come and sit by the door, and within minutes the entire roof caved in," said Grimes, who is now staying with family members.
Jennifer Mays watched the tornado touch down right outside Stephens Court Apartments. She described it as "massive." She said, "I couldn't believe it was so powerful to the point that it just opened up my door."
Next door, owners sifted through what remained of their welding business, part of Lufkin for 25 years. Max's Welding Shop on Denman Avenue was completely destroyed.
Owners said they can't blame God for the severe weather, and that fortunately another shop behind the building stands untouched by the storm.
"I think we're going to be able to salvage some of our equipment. I think we're going to be alright," said co-owner Betty Purgahn.
Cheddars employees also witnessed a tornado touch down in the middle of the Olive Garden parking lot. "I heard a bunch of commotion and they were talking about the patio chairs were nearly about to hit some cars so we ran to try to help," said Cheddars employee Brad Barrow.
According to witnesses, other than damaging a few of the vehicles parked in the Olive Garden parking lot, the tornado did not affect any of the buildings. The Department of Public Safety reported that the tornado lifted back up, and did not cause any injuries.
Utility crews were also working to remedy power outages caused by toppled power poles. Thursday morning, thousands of residents were without power. An Oncor spokesperson said approximately 2,500 customers were without power in the Lufkin area.
So far no severe injuries have been reported.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Captured escapee says prison staff helped him
by KHOU.com Staff
Posted on December 9, 2009 at 6:50 AM
CONROE, Texas—The escaped prisoner who was the focus of a week-long manhunt told a local activist that he had help from the inside. Convicted child rapist Arcade Comeaux said the weapon he used to hijack guards was in his cell for at least three weeks.
Questions still surround the prison system that allowed Comeaux to dupe authorities for years. The supposedly partially-paralyzed man managed to walk away from the guards and right into controversy.
Authorities are asking two questions; why didn’t prison officials realize Comeaux was faking his medical condition, and where did he get the gun?
Local activist Quanell X said Comeaux told him he had help from the inside.
“He named that guard and he also named someone who is involved in medical who had been giving him medical assistance,” Quanell X said.
But prison officials said Comeaux has not shared that information with investigators so there are no arrests at this time.
“This feels like the inmate is running the asylum,” said a former TDCJ staff member who remembers Comeaux clearly.
“He would sit in the food. Of course it would dry and start smelling. He refused to shower, refused to clean himself, basically saying ‘I’m immobile, I need someone to do this for me.’”
The former staff member said Comeaux orchestrated a deliberate campaign of extortion, despite medical reports that he was able to care for himself. He said Comeaux manipulated the system to get health assistance and better housing.
A grand jury on Thursday will hear the case against the convicted sex offender who was captured in northeast Houston Monday morning.
Comeaux is now facing aggravated kidnapping and felony escape charges. He was in custody in the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday, awaiting his hearing. Comeaux, who is currently serving three life sentences, was found when a salesman saw him trying to hitchhike in front of a business on East Little York.
The salesman called HPD, who came and took Comeaux into custody without incident.
Investigators said Comeaux escaped during transport from a prison unit in Huntsville to one in Beaumont.
As the prison van passed through Conroe, investigators said Comeaux pulled out a gun, held two transport guards hostage, handcuffed them in the back of the van, drove the van to Baytown, took the guards’ weapons, put on one of their uniforms and escaped.
Officials launched an extensive manhunt, but Comeaux managed to elude them for seven days before he was captured.
He had been confined to a wheelchair since 1997 when a stroke purportedly left him partially paralyzed, but when he was taken into custody, Comeaux was walking.
He has been in and out of the Texas prison system for 30 years.
Comeaux was first sent to prison in 1979 on three 10-year sentences for rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child and burglary of a building—all out of Harris County. He was paroled four years later.
His parole was revoked and he returned to prison in 1984 to serve a 20-year sentence on a new charge of indecency with a child out of Harris County. He was paroled in 1991 but was in and out of prison for parole violations until 1996.
In June 1998, he was given a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault in Brazos County.
Comeaux was given two extra life sentences after he was convicted of stabbing his wife and another person in 1999. That attack occurred in the Jester III Unit in Fort Bend County when his wife came to visit him. The other person stabbed was a man who tried to stop the attack.
Still, those at the top want to correct the miscommunication between the workers inside prison walls.
“If you are in charge of a prison, and you see there is a disputes between medical’s and correction’s, come to us and ask for laws that would eliminate the controversy, ”said John Whitmire, chairman of the senate criminal justice committee. He is calling for a full investigation of prison and medical staff.
WATCH KHOU VIDEO REPORT HERE
Sunday, December 6, 2009
News Alert: Comeaux now on most wanted list
(CNN) -- A Texas inmate in a wheelchair, who escaped on foot from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons, is now on the U.S. Marshals' list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives.
Arcade Comeaux Jr., 49, "produced a weapon and fired upon two correctional officers, took them hostage and forced them to drive to Baytown, Texas," the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement.
He then put the officers in the back of the van and took their weapons and one of their uniforms, the statement said.
Comeaux was serving three life sentences for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He escaped Monday during transport from Huntsville, Texas, to Stiles, Texas.
The 6-foot, 200-pound man was shackled and in a wheelchair, "which he had claimed was needed for mobility," Michelle Lyons, director of public information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, said in a statement.
About 45 minutes into the trip, as they were driving through Conroe, 40 minutes north of Houston, the prisoner pulled out a pistol and ordered the guards to drive south to Baytown, east of Houston.
He fired once, but hit no one during the escape about 9 a.m., officials said.
Law enforcement officers found the unharmed officers an hour later.
Comeaux was being transferred so he could be near John Sealy Hospital in Galveston for treatment of the supposed paralysis he had suffered during a reported stroke, officials said.
At least $16,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to Comeaux's rearrest and a task force of more than 100 investigators is searching for him, focusing on the Houston area, where he grew up and has family.
His escape has led the man who oversees Texas' criminal justice system to call for a shakeup of the prison system.
"I just think enough's enough," said Sen. John Whitmire, the Texas Democrat from Houston who is chairman of the state Senate's Criminal Justice Committee.
"We need a complete shakeup of the leadership of our prison system and/or an outside review by third parties," he told CNN by phone Wednesday. "We just can't have security breaches of this nature."
Whitmire said the guards had failed to pat down Comeaux while he was in his wheelchair and before they began the trip.
"Sure enough, he has a firearm," he said. "The question is, are there others (in the prison system)? I think you have to assume that there are until you find out differently."
So far this year, more than 900 cell phones have been confiscated from the 112 locations that house the state's 158,000 prisoners. "It's pretty rampant," he said.
"I want the director to come forward and tell us what it's going to take" to solve the problem, he said.
John Moriarty, inspector general of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said such lapses are highly unusual in the state's penal system. "We have no open gun investigations other than this one," he said. "The last one was several years ago."
Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Brad Livingston, who has been in the job since 2005, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Snow forecast in Houston area !
On average, once every four years even Houston gets visited by the Snow Gods. Although, this could be the second year-in-a-row for Houston snow. And if snow does indeed fall this Friday as forecasted, it would be the earliest snowfall on record.
Fred Schmud of ImpactWeather said to the Houston Chronicle, “Most of our forecasting data is caught right in the middle, meaning any subtle change in the position of the upper level disturbance will have huge consequences on how much, if any, snow falls across the Greater Houston area."
Right now NOAA is predicting a 70% chance of snow on Friday.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Man assaults sister with hot pie/ faces charges
GALVESTON — A man who smacked his sister in the face with a piece of hot pecan pie on Thanksgiving Day may end up in jail on an aggravated assault charge, a Galveston County sheriff's spokesman said Tuesday.
The hot pie caused first- and second-degree burns and required medical treatment, sheriff's spokesman Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo said. A warrant for the brother's arrest was expected to be issued today, he said.
Tuttoilmondo said he could not release the names of the siblings until the arrest warrant was issued but gave this account: The
26-year old brother from Texas City and 23-year-old sister from Alvin began arguing at their parents' home in Algoa about 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
Tuttoilmondo said he could not release the names of the siblings until the arrest warrant was issued but gave this account: The 26-year old brother from Texas City and 23-year-old sister from Alvin began arguing at their parents' home in Algoa about 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
As the dispute grew, the brother threatened to heave a piece of pecan pie that he was warming in a microwave oven, Tuttoilmondo said. An attempt by the mother to calm the argument failed and the brother carried out his threat, shoving the pie in his sister's face.
Sheriff's deputies were called and the sister sought medical treatment for burns to the left side of her face and neck, Tuttoilmondo said. She later tried to have the case dropped, but under Texas law, family violence cases must be prosecuted.
“One thing that gets lost in a story like this, beyond the humor of someone getting hit in the face with a pie, is that this is an issue of family violence,” Tuttoilmondo said.
“This is the type of thing that law enforcement takes seriously.”
Police seek suspect in driveway robbery
By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 12.01.09
Police say an armed suspect who robbed a man in the driveway of his residence may have followed his victim home from a gas station.
According to Humble Police Detective Duke Caruthers, the 31-year-old resident of the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park in the 2700 block of Wilson Road, accompanied by another male, had just turned into his driveway around 10:30 p.m. Nov. 30 when he was confronted with a “long, black shotgun” pointed at his face.
“The suspect demanded money and, fearing for his life, the [victim] complied by giving him his wallet,” Caruthers said. “The suspect then told the two men not to look at him as he left the scene.”
Caruthers said both men told police the suspect fired a warning shot as he fled the scene on foot, running east on Wilson.
“The [victim] said just prior to the robbery he saw a man who looked like the suspect at the Valero gas station at Will Clayton at Wilson,” Caruthers said.
The suspect is only described as a black male who was wearing a black hoodie. His face was covered by a black bandana.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Humble Police Department at 281-446-7127.
LINK
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Christmas in Humble begins with lights, annual parade
The city of Humble's 19th annual Christmas Parade of Lights is on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street. This year's theme is the “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Humble Observer
By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
Updated: 12.01.09
Standing on both sides of Main Street, spectators will greet participants in the 19th annual city of Humble Christmas Parade of Lights on Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. “This event is just a good way for the community to come out and it is Humble’s way to kick off the holiday season,” Sgt. Perry Burkeen, chairman of the city’s Christmas Parade Committee, said.
The parade will have more than 20 participants, either on a float or walking, that will begin marching east of the rail road tracks on Main Street towards Avenue H where it will turn left towards Higgins. Main Street near U.S. Highway 59 will be closed on Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. and will re-open at 7:30 p.m.
Each entrant will be judged by local residents and winners will be announced within 72 hours of the parade. Applications are accepted until Nov. 30. The entry fee is $35 and a new toy donation per entrant.
“The new toy will be collected the night of the parade and given to the Humble Police Department to deliver to children who are less fortunate,” Chris Green, committee member, said.
After the parade, the committee will hold its annual tree lighting ceremony at Uptown Park. Once the tree is lit, children will be able to sit on Santa Claus’ lap and tell him what they want for Christmas.
In addition to the event, community residents will be able to purchase city of Humble Christmas ornaments from 2005 to 2009 for $10 each. The 2009 ornament is of the old Humble Depot. Ornaments prior to 2005 are $5 each.
In keeping with this year’s theme, “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the committee has listed holiday activities that are taking place around the community. Along with the parade and the decoration contest, other activities include the Kingwood and Kingwood Park high schools’ FFAs’ Santa’s Farm Dec. 4, Christmas in the Park in Kingwood’s Town Center Dec. 5, Old Fashioned Christmas at Jesse Jones Park Dec. 5, Humble High School holiday choir concert Dec. 10, Jesse Jones Park’s Christmas Cheer Dec. 12, First United Methodist Church’s choir program Dec. 13 and 14, and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church of Kingwood’s Live Nativity Dec. 17-19. The committee is looking for three more events it can highlight.
Christmas Lights
The city of Humble’s Christmas Parade Committee will officially start the Christmas season this year with its first ever Humble Christmas Lights and Decoration Contest Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. People can still sign up for the decorating contest and the entry fee to participate is free.
Residential and commercial properties on Main Street, Higgins Street and Granberry Street will be judged based on the festive lights and other holiday-related displays.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Friday, November 6, 2009
Girl’s family files civil suit following sex assault at Humble daycare
An 11-year-old boy was arrested for the sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl at Delk's Happy Times daycare in Humble. The facility has now become the center of a lawsuit brought by the girl's family.
By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 11.05.09
The family of a 6-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by an 11-year-old boy at Delk’s Happy Times Learning Center on Isaacks Road in Humble has filed suit against the childcare facility and its owner, Carole Delk.
Court documents show that the lawsuit, dated Nov. 4, requests compensation in the form of actual and punitive damages, as well as medical and counseling expenses on behalf of the little girl and her mother. No dollar-amount is specified in the lawsuit. The court documents only identify the young victim as “Jane Doe” to protect her privacy.
The lawsuit was filed after an 11-year-old boy at the daycare fondled the child under a blanket while watching television in June. A report by the Department of Family and Protective Services, which launched an investigation into the incident, stated that the two children were “unsupervised by daycare staff” and that “the caregiver stepped out of the classroom and attended other children in the area.”
Matt Mussilla, the family’s attorney, said the incident should never have happened and that his young client may be left with emotional scars into adolescence and possibly adulthood.
“She had some bruises [after the assault], but aside from the physical pain, there is emotional suffering,” he said. “After this happened, the little girl had difficulty sleeping, a lot of nightmares. She’s been under the care of a therapist. There is no telling how this may affect her in terms of relationships in the future. She is old enough to remember what happened.”
A 2-year DFPS compliance check history shows that a total of five high-risk violations were found at Delk’s, including failure to conduct background checks on employees in Dec. 2008 and again in February of this year. In April 2008, DFPS found that the caregivers in two classrooms could not provide an accurate head count of the children in their care. In Nov. 2008, it was determined that the daycare director herself did not have the required FBI fingerprint check on file. Most recently, a July 21 evaluation again found a medium- to high-risk violation when two children were not strapped into their high chairs properly at feeding time. The results of an Oct. 23 evaluation are still pending.
The lawsuit claims that the sexual assault on Jane Doe is “a case involving profound neglect of a minor,” and that the young victim “was subjected to an unreasonably dangerous condition and activity due to, among other things, woefully inadequate supervision on the part of Defendants and suffered bodily and emotional injuries as a result.”
The petition further states that, “To add insult to injury, even after learning of the events, Defendants denied that they occurred and further denied any wrongdoing.”
In the days following the incident, Carole Delk, who has directed the daycare center for more than a dozen years, decried the DFPS’ official findings saying that the long-time family-operated facility had been “cleared of any wrongdoing.”
“We are not at fault,” Delk told The Observer in June. “When this happened, the teachers were sitting right there in the room, not four feet from the children. Our supervision is perfect. As far as I’m concerned, we don’t even know if this really happened until it’s proven.”
Delk could not be immediately reached for comment regarding the civil suit brought against her and her childcare facility.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Brick House Tavern and Tap brings ambiance to Humble
Brick House Tavern and Tap will open its doors to the Humble and surrounding communities on Nov. 4. The restaurant will serve American-style cuisine seven days a week.
By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
Updated: 10.27.09
Humble residents and those from surrounding communities will soon have a new place at which to eat and relax.
Opening to the public on Nov. 4, Brick House Tavern and Tap plans to provide the ideal environment for hardworking individuals.
“We designed this restaurant with the concept of making it a place that people will want to come no matter what environment or atmosphere they are in the mood for,” Modesto Alcala, chief concept officer of Brick House Tavern and Tap, said. “The restaurant is set up for customers to migrate from one experience to the next.”
Brick House Tavern has a variety of seating it feels will accommodate every type of patron. Its booths are made of leather and upholstery. It has a dining area for large groups and a recreation area with recliners and two televisions for those who want to watch a sporting event while they eat or drink.
“We are a great restaurant with a great bar. The colors and lighting along with our fireplace makes this restaurant really warm,” Alcala said. “We do not have any neon lights that you might see in some bars, but we do have televisions that are operated individually, meaning each television can show a different game.”
The restaurant has a full-service bar that features more than 70 different types of beer and offers beer bongs to be brought to the table for four or more people at a table.
The outside of the restaurant is complete with tables, a fire pit and an outside bar.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
Updated: 10.27.09
Humble residents and those from surrounding communities will soon have a new place at which to eat and relax.
Opening to the public on Nov. 4, Brick House Tavern and Tap plans to provide the ideal environment for hardworking individuals.
“We designed this restaurant with the concept of making it a place that people will want to come no matter what environment or atmosphere they are in the mood for,” Modesto Alcala, chief concept officer of Brick House Tavern and Tap, said. “The restaurant is set up for customers to migrate from one experience to the next.”
Brick House Tavern has a variety of seating it feels will accommodate every type of patron. Its booths are made of leather and upholstery. It has a dining area for large groups and a recreation area with recliners and two televisions for those who want to watch a sporting event while they eat or drink.
“We are a great restaurant with a great bar. The colors and lighting along with our fireplace makes this restaurant really warm,” Alcala said. “We do not have any neon lights that you might see in some bars, but we do have televisions that are operated individually, meaning each television can show a different game.”
The restaurant has a full-service bar that features more than 70 different types of beer and offers beer bongs to be brought to the table for four or more people at a table.
The outside of the restaurant is complete with tables, a fire pit and an outside bar.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Dump truck, SUV flip on Highway 59
By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 10.27.09
Police say a major 2-vehicle accident that left motorists stuck on the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 59 just south of FM 1960 on the morning of Oct. 27 was caused by an SUV losing the tread on one of its tires.
The accident occurred around 9:15 a.m. when the tread peeled of the right rear tire of a Ford Explorer, causing the driver to lose control of his vehicle, hit a retaining wall and careen across three lanes of traffic, according to Humble Police accident investigator Officer David Meyers.
“The Explorer hit the front end of a dump truck loaded with sand,” Meyers said. “The truck driver tried to avoid the collision but wasn’t able to. The Explorer flipped and the dump truck rolled onto its side.”
READ MORE HERE
Meyers said both Diesel tanks on the dump truck were punctured. The Humble Fire Department responded and decided to use the load of sand the truck was carrying to soak up the spill, he said.
The driver of the Ford Explorer, a 52-year-old Houston man, was transported to Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital with back and neck pain by ground ambulance. The owner of the dump truck, a 58-year-old independent contractor from New Caney, refused treatment at the scene, Meyers said.
Fault lies with the driver of the Ford Explorer who, Meyers said, will be cited for failure to maintain a single lane of traffic as well as defective equipment.
All lanes of Highway 59 had to be closed periodically to allow for first responders and cleanup crews, resulting in a major traffic snarl throughout most of the morning. Two lanes were still closed by noon, but traffic was able to navigate around the lane closures fairly smoothly by that time.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Driver hits school bus head-on
By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 10.19.09
Police say a 51-year-old Kingwood woman crashed into an Humble Independent School District bus head-on Monday morning after she veered into the oncoming lane on Wilson Road.
According to Humble PD accident investigator Officer Jack Burt, the accident occurred at 7 a.m. in the 2700 block of Wilson, in front of the Meadowbrook mobile home park.
Burt said it is unclear at this time why the woman, who was traveling southbound on Wilson in a Buick Century, crossed the center lane and subsequently clipped an oncoming Lincoln Towncar before crashing into the school bus. A citation for failure to maintain a single lane is pending, he said.
“The driver of the Buick was transported to [Memorial Hermann] Northeast Hospital by ground ambulance,” Burt said. “The driver of the Lincoln and the bus driver were uninjured.”
Humble ISD spokeswoman Karen Collier said no children were on the bus at the time of the accident.
“That’s definitely something we’re grateful for,” Collier said.
Burt said the Buick was totaled in the wreck and the bus suffered moderate damage.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
LCROSS Moon Smash Viewing Party In Humble
Administaff Observatory - Humble ISD
2505 S. Houston Ave, Humble, TX 77396
http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/observatory.htm
The Administaff Observatory will be recording and projecting the event as seen on their 20-inch Planewave CDK telescope and viewing it with our eyes on the 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope. Aaron Clevenson - aaron@clevenson.org, Observatory Director, Adminstaff Observatory
Related article: Earth’s closest neighbor is holding a secret. In 1999, hints of that secret were revealed in the form of concentrated hydrogen signatures detected in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles by NASA’s Lunar Prospector. These readings may be an indication of lunar water and could have far-reaching implications as humans expand exploration past low-Earth orbit. The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission is seeking a definitive answer.
In April 2006, NASA selected the LCROSS proposal for a low-cost, fast-track companion mission to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The main LCROSS mission objective is to confirm the presence or absence of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater near a lunar polar region.
LCROSS launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on June 18, 2009 at 2:32 p.m. PDT. The LCROSS shepherding spacecraft and the Atlas V’s Centaur upper stage rocket executed a fly-by of the moon on June 23, 2009 (LCROSS lunar swingby video stream coverage) and entered into an elongated Earth orbit to position LCROSS for impact on a lunar pole. On final approach, the shepherding spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar surface. Projected impact at the lunar South Pole is currently: Oct 9, 2009 at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Following four minutes behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar surface and creating a second debris plume.
The debris plumes are expected to be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger.
The LCROSS science payload consists of two near-infrared spectrometers, a visible light spectrometer, two mid-infrared cameras, two near-infrared cameras, a visible camera and a visible radiometer. The LCROSS instruments were selected to provide mission scientists with multiple complimentary views of the debris plume created by the Centaur impact.
As the ejecta rises above the target crater’s rim and is exposed to sunlight, any water-ice, hydrocarbons or organics will vaporize and break down into their basic components. These components primarily will be monitored by the visible and infrared spectrometers. The near-infrared and mid-infrared cameras will determine the total amount and distribution of water in the debris plume. The spacecraft’s visible camera will track the impact location and the behavior of the debris plume while the visible radiometer will measure the flash created by the Centaur impact.
NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., is overseeing the development of the LCROSS mission with its spacecraft and integration partner, Northrop Grumman, Redondo Beach, Calif. LCROSS is a fast-paced, low-cost, mission that will leverage some existing NASA systems, commercial-off-the-shelf components, the spacecraft expertise of Northrop Grumman and experience gained during the Lunar Prospector Mission in 1999. Ames is managing the mission, conducting mission operations, and developing the payload instruments, while Northrop Grumman designed and is building the spacecraft for this innovative mission. Ames mission scientists will spearhead the data analysis.
Public viewing parties:
Sci-Quest Museum
102-D Wynn Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805
www.sci-quest.org
Overnight lock-in at the Museum. Evening of Thursday, Oct. 8 with viewing opportunities Friday, Oct. 9 (Impact week is also Fall Break for our local schools). We will have LCROSS programs and activities throughout the evening and show NASA TV live coverage in the Sci-Quest auditorium. Members of the Von Braun Astronomical Society will bring out telescopes for observations. Sci-Quest can accommodate 80 children and 40 adults. LPRP is working with MSFC Academic Affairs to select the students for participation.
Tentative: live feed to MSFC auditorium for employees.
Von Braun Astronomical Society Planetarium, Monte Sano State Park
Monte Sano State Park , Huntsville, AL 35805
www.vbas.org
October 9th - LCROSS Mission's Lunar Impacts -- Early Friday morning (Gathering at around 5 - 5:30 am), October 9th, VBAS Members and news media only are invited to join us at our observatory facilities located within Monte Sano State Park to view and record the two plumes for the LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observatory and Sensing Satellite) mission's lunar impacts! Watch for additional details to be posted soon.
October 10th - Astronomy Day -- On Saturday, Oct. 10th from 3 pm to mid-night, VBAS will host our annual "Astronomy Day" which will include children activities, planetarium programs, an outdoor concert from 5 to 9 pm that the entire family will enjoy featuring the Maple Hill Band & Moondust Big Band, and a star party from 9 pm to mid-night that any one with a telescope is welcome to attend! During our event, we will be showing the video footage of the lunar impact's plume and will celebrate, share the exciting historical moment with the public. Admission is free for children and students, with a $10 donation for adults. Members wishing to help this year should contact Melissa Snider at 256.684.9036 and those with telescopes who would like to reserve a spot for the star party from 9 to mid-night should contact Eric Johnson at 256.682.2401.
California (CA)
Lewis Center for Educational Research
17500 Mana Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307
http://www.lewiscenter.org/
Doors open to the public beginning at 4am. The Lewis Center can accommodate ~320 and has a small overflow area as well. NASA Channel will all be on all TVs and computers in Mission Control area. The Lewis Center will also have 65 students in house all night. They will be tracking, from the in house mission control, the spacecraft as it impacts the Moon using a 34-m radio telescope. You can see the Mission Control from their website at: http://gsc.lewiscenter.org/gavrt/mission_control.php
Antelope Valley Astronomy Club
P.O. Box 8545, Lancaster, CA 93539
Antelope Valley - LCROSS Lunar Impact Event Page
The Antelope Valley Astronomy Club is planning a star party for the morning of the impact. The party will be at a private residence in Antelope Acres and some really cool observing equipment will be present.
Lucerne Dry Lake
Lucerne Valley, CA
LCROSS Viewing Party at Lucerne Dry Lake
There will be an 8" Celestron telescope with a low-light video camera going to a projector, so many people will be able to view the event. Camping is allowed on Lucerne Dry Lake, and portable toilets will be available. The event will occur a day before the Rocketry Organization of California (ROC) rocket launch at the lakebed. Directions and camping information can be found on ROC's website at www.ROCstock.org.
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California 94035
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2009/10.08.09.html
Ames will be hosting an all-night event that is open to the general public and free; however, no-cost tickets are required for each guest wishing to stay overnight. See site for details and schedule of events.
Chabot Space & Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd. - Oakland, CA 94619
Chabot - NASA/LCROSS Lunar Impact Event
As NASA’s LCROSS Mission to investigate the presence of water on the Moon comes to a close, get up early and join us at Chabot to view the impact of the spacecraft and the debris plume it is expected to produce through a special live NASA broadcast in our Planetarium, and through the eye of Chabot’s own 36-inch telescope, Nellie. Advanced registration required -- Members FREE / Guests $3 -- Register: (510) 336-7373
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
LCROSS event during the day Oct. 9
For those who aren't early risers, drop by the California Academy of Sciences to attend one of four debriefings during the day. At 10:00 a.m., noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., Academy educators will highlight original footage of the impact as well as up-to-the-minute results as the day progresses. Visit the "Science in Action" exhibit on the first floor for updates. Free with Academy admission.
The Fremont Peak Observatory
PO Box 1376, San Juan Bautista, California 95045
LCROSS Lunar Impact
The observatory will open to the public starting around 3:00 a.m. and continue until about 5:00 a.m. The telescope is a large 30" f/4.8 modified Newtonian style telescope. We will be attaching a sensitive video camera and recording the event. The recorder will be connected to the projector in the classroom adjacent to the observing room. This way, we can accommodate about 50 or more people with the ability to see the event live. If more interest picks up, we might move the projector screen outside to the amphitheater -- that configuration can accommodate over 100 people. Other members will have smaller telescopes set up around the observatory also. Campsites are available on first come first serve basis. State Parks requires RSVP's. See www.fpoa.netfor details.
Tierra Del Sol Remote Observation Facility
Tierra de Luna Rd, Tierra del Sol, CA 91905
http://sandiegospace.org
The San Diego Astronomy Association will host a special star party event at the Tierra Del Sol remote observation facility 90 minutes east of San Diego. Members of the public who wish to attend should call 858-877-3103 or send an email request for a ticket to publicity@sdaa.org to RSVP, as the event will be limited to a total of 300 attendees. Overnight camping is available and full details about how to reach the Tierra Del Sol site, and what to bring with you to the event will be emailed to those who RSVP in advance of the event. You must RSVP to attend.
Colorado (CO)
Fiske Planetarium
Regent Drive, University of Colorado, Boulder CO 80301
http://fiske.colorado.edu/
Fiske Planetarium and Sommers-Bausch Observatory will hold a Lunar Bagel Breakfast. The observatory has 16", 18" and a 24" telescope that will be used for the general public to view the impact.
Star Light--Star Bright Observatory
2015 Wickes Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
www.gateway2space.com
Will have a 10" Mac-Newtonian telescope and video camera system to display the impact to students, teachers, and members of the public who plan to come out early in the morning on the 9th of Oct., weather permitting.
Connecticut (CT)
Discovery Museum and Planetarium
4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604
http://www.discoverymuseum.org/
Discovery Museum and Planetarium will be hosting an LCROSS breakfast to view the impact event. Light breakfast will be served, planetarium show, short lecture and live impact downlink followed by discussion and celebratory toast.
District of Columbia (DC)
Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20001
www.newseum.org
Will present the NASA TV live coverage, will open up the museum free at 6:30 a.m. EDT.
Florida (FL)
NASA Kennedy Space Center
FL 32899-0001
www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html
KSC guest operations is considering options to open one of their theaters at the Visitor’s Complex and dedicate it for the week of impact to show various LCROSS launch videos and replays of press conferences. This would be available for viewing by the general public during their visits.
Hawaii (HI)
The State has declared that the week of October 2-9 is Hawai’ian Aerospace Week.
Mauna Kea
Great University of Hawaii-owned UH-88 telescope on Mauna Kea is going to be made available for outreach. Details in the works: Andy Chaikin will be at the telescope, amateur involvement with the gathering of the images. John Herrington and Todd May will also be there.
'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i
600 `Imiloa Place, Hilo, HI 96720
Free NASA LCROSS Mission Talk and Presentation.— Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:00 AM to Noon
Lanihuli Observatory
Windward Community College, 45-720 Keaahala Rd, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Observatory open and free to the public from 10:00 p.m. Oct 8 through 2:00 a.m. Oct 9.
Maui Astronomy Club
Institute for Astronomy, 34 Ohia Ku Street, Pukalani HI 96768
www.mauiastronomyclub.org
Open to the public from 11:30 pm to 2:30am. Astronomers are advised to arrive early to set up telescopes, video and CCD cameras. Attendees will be instructed and educated as to timing and nature of event. We will be watching the NASA TV live feed on line as well. Hot chocolate will be served.
Idaho (ID)
College of Southern Idaho’s Herrett Center for Arts and Science museum
315 Falls Ave, Twin Falls, ID 83301-3367
'Moon Bomb' breakfast at the Herrett Center
The Center is planning a public event to view the LCROSS impact. The Center has a public observatory with a 24” f/8 research-grade telescope, and a 144-seat planetarium theater with multiple video projectors. Event includes sky gazing, viewing the impact in the auditorium and a breakfast. The Herrett Telescope will be focused on the point of impact by 4:30 a.m. when the doors open.
Illinois (IL)
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/special/index.shtml#lcross
The Adler Planetarium will show the planned impact of NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) live on the morning of October 9, 2009 in the Definiti Theater. The event will begin at 6:00 a.m., alongside a live feed from the Adler's own 20-inch Doane Observatory telescope (weather permitting) as we attempt to see the impact plume through our telescope, as well. This event is FREE, but advance registration is STRONGLY encouraged. Registration is ONLINE ONLY. If space is available on October 9, seating will be first come, first served, based on the capacity of the theater, though there is no guarantee that day-of space will be offered. Doors open at 5:50 a.m.; the event ends at 7:00 a.m.
NIU Geology Department
Northern Illinois University, Davis Hall Room 308, Normal & Locust Rds., DeKalb, IL 60115
The Northern Illinois University Geology Department, hosted by Sigma Gamma Epsilon (Geologic Honor Society) will be hosting a NASA TV viewing party for the LCROSS impact on October 9th. The viewing will be from 6:00am until whenever there is nothing left to see, and the event will be catered by a local restaurant. For more information on attending the event (and having hot food!) please email niu.sge.info@gmail.com for more information.
NIU Observatory
Northern Illinois University, Normal & Locust Rds., DeKalb, IL 60115
http://www.niu.edu/physics/observatory/
The NIU Davis Observatory will be hosting an event from 5:00am—7:00am on October 9 to attempt to view the dust plume resulting from the impact. We expect this to also be an excellent time to observe other objects, including Mars and Venus. For more information or for directions to the observatory, please e-mail observatory@niu.edu, call 753-1305 or go to www.niu.edu/physics/observatory.
Kentucky (KY)
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
The WKU Physics and Astronomy Department, Hardin Planetarium and the Hilltoppers Astronomy Club will host a Star Party starting at 5:00 am Friday October 9th. There will be bagels and juice, talks by professional astronomers and more. Come and be a part of this unique event and watch NASA's video broadcast of the LCROSS spacecraft impacting the Moon live from the Hardin Planetarium. Adults and children welcome. Free. Please contact Dr Rachel Campbell if you would like more information.
Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium
University of Louisville, 108 W Brandeis Ave, Louisville, KY 40292
LCROSS Public Viewing Event
The free, public event starts at 7 a.m. EDT (the crash is scheduled for 7:30 a.m.) and will feature a live broadcast of the collision, behind the scenes videos and a question and answer session with planetarium director Rachel Connolly. Light refreshments, including “moon rocks” (donut holes), will be served. Those planning to attend the event should check to make sure details of the mission have not changed by calling the planetarium at 502-852-6664.
Morehead University Space Center
4133 Us Highway 60, Morehead, KY 40351
LCROSS Public Viewing Event
Join the Faculty and Staff of the Morehead State University Space Science Center Friday October 9th at 6:30 am CDT to witness the culmination of the LCROSS mission, part of NASA’s revived robotic exploration of the Moon. Live coverage from NASA TV will be shown on the Star Theater dome as the LCROSS satellite observes the impact of its Centaur upper stage into a crater permanently shadowed near the moon’s South Pole at approximately 7:30 a.m. CDT, followed four minutes later by the impact of the LCROSS vehicle itself.
Louisiana (LA)
Highland Road Park Observatory
13800 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
http://www.bro.lsu.edu/
Public event from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 9. For more information, contact hrpodesk@brec.org
Massachusetts (MA)
Boston Museum of Science
61 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114
"Target: Moon!"
Watch a NASA video broadcast of the experiment, and join Museum staff and guest scientists in a discussion on its implications for future human exploration of the Moon. Our guests include Nick Gross, PhD, Boston University Astronomy Department; and Tony Case, graduate student from Boston University Center for Space Physics. Starts at 9:00 a.m. EDT, with the re-broadcast of the LCROSS impacts at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Minnesota (MN)
Jackson Middle School Observatory
6000 109th Avenue North, Champlin, Minnesota 55316
www.anoka.k12.mn.us
Public event from 5:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 9. Please check the Web site to make sure the session is still on as planned (due to weather conditions) or call 763-506-5372 to listen to the recorded message.
Willmar Senior High
2701 30th St. NE, Willmar, MN 56201
www.willmar.k12.mn.us/srhigh
Willmar Senior High's Earth Space Science class will have 2 telescopes set up 1 - 8" Celestron Scmidt-Cass with digital camera and a 10" Orion Skyquest light bucket at 6:00 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. EDT impact.
Mississippi (MS)
Rainwater Observatory & Planetarium
1 Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745
www.rainwaterobservatory.org/
Talk and public observing event the night of Oct. 8. Our telescopes will be observing and imaging the event on Friday morning. We will have an open house on Saturday afternoon and another talk Saturday evening at 7pm followed by observing.
Montana (MT)
Montana State University - Northern
300 West 11th Street, Havre, MT 59501
www.msun.edu/
Montana State University - Northern is hosting an observation of the LCROSS impact ejecta plume Oct. 9th, starting at 4:30 am CDT on the campus at the Student Union Building (Sled Hill). We will be setting up several large telescopes and pray for good seeing. Contact info: Professor Trygve "Spike" Magelssen trygve.magelssen@msun.edu; 406-265-4123, and Dr. Virgil Hawkinson hawkinson@msun.edu. We'll have the hot chocolate and coffee on!
Nevada (NV)
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557-0208
www.unr.edu/home/
The University of Nevada, Reno will be offering public viewing in the parking lot south of the campus baseball field from 4:00 AM to Dawn on October 9th 2009. The University will have its 11" Meade, equipped with a CCD camera to try to get an image of the impact, and Tahoe Star Tours will have an 11" CPC for visual observation, with an additional 8" telescope for general viewing.
New York (NY)
Inwood Astronomy Project
Inwood Hill Park, W 207 Street and Seaman Ave, New York City, NY
http://www.moonbeam.net/InwoodAstronomy/events-20091009.shtml
Early morning stargazing then breakfast and watch the Impact on NASA TV.
Hirsch Observatory
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY 12180
www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/observatory/
Event starts at 6:30 a.m. EDT. We will attempt imaging the event with the Hirsch Observatory's 16" telescope and live video feeds from NASA and major observatories will be presented. Event is weather permitting. In the event of clouds the event will be canceled. You can email astro@union.rpi.edu for more information. The observatory phone number is 518-276-6090.
North Carolina (NC)
High Point, NC
Astronomy Lecture featuring LCROSS
(more info forthcoming)
Ohio (OH)
Cleveland Museum of Natural History (in partnership with NASA Glenn)
1 Wade Oval Drive University Circle Cleveland OH 44106-1767
www.cmnh.org
CMNH has a planetarium and a 10.5” refractor telescope. Because sunrise is at 7:32 a.m., they are not optimistic in being able to see much, but they are going to try. They will put a TV camera feed to a public viewing area (as well as to a video recorder) and allow visitors to walk through the observatory. Media will also be invited to the event. NASA TV will be broadcast in the planetarium and perhaps an auditorium. Glenn will provide an LPRP banner it has been in storage since the Oshkosh air show, a model of the Centaur rocket, a pop up exhibit on Centaur history, and possibly a “speaker” to answer questions from a NASA perspective.
Nielsen Observatory
12882 Diagonal Road, Elyria, Ohio 44050
www.BlackRiverAstro.org
We will open the gates at 5:30 a.m. We will have live NASA Broadcast feeds, canned video, and a camera attached to a C-14 telescope, hoping to capture the plumes as they occur. Other telescopes will be setup so our guests can view the Moon before and after the LCROSS events occur, weather permitting.
Oregon (OR)
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland
1500 E. Main St., Ashland, OR 97520
www.scienceworksmuseum.org/
The ScienceWorks preview of the impact, illustrated with NASA mission video and new lunar images, will be held October 8th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the ScienceWorks auditorium. Admission for the event is free.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
http://www.omsi.edu/events
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will offer space exploration enthusiasts the opportunity to watch the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crash-land on the Moon Friday, October 9. The LCROSS will crash into the Moon in order to gather data from the 6-mile-high impact cloud it will create. OMSI will be showing the impact in the auditorium live via satellite on NASA TV beginning at 3:30 a.m., with the impact scheduled at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Admission for the televised impact is free.
Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory
57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR 97707
www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
The Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory will be open for viewing to watch the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crash-land on the Moon Friday, October 9. The observatory will have up to 10 telescopes viewing the event. We will also be showing the impact on our big screen TV via satellite on NASA TV. Doors will open beginning at 4 a.m., with the impact scheduled at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Admission for the event is free, donations gladly accepted.
South Carolina (SC)
Copeland Auditorium
The Citadel, Charleston, SC 29409
Reveille on the Moon
Friday, October 9th: 7:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. A live view of LCROSS’s impact and resulting regolith plume will be shown using streaming data from the LCROSS spacecraft via NASA. Also a live Earth bound view will be projected from the large telescope at the MMT Observatory in Arizona.
Texas (TX)
El Paso Community College
Valle Verde Campus, 919 Hunter, El Paso, TX 79915
http://www.epcc.edu/collegeinfo/campus/vvindex.cfm
The college will open its dome at 4:30 a.m. CDT to the public to watch the LCROSS impact. The dome is in front of the North Loop entrance of the Valley Verde campus.
Administaff Observatory - Humble ISD
2505 S. Houston Ave, Humble, TX 77396
http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/observatory.htm
The Administaff Observatory will be recording and projecting the event as seen on their 20-inch Planewave CDK telescope and viewing it with our eyes on the 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope. Aaron Clevenson - aaron@clevenson.org, Observatory Director, Adminstaff Observatory
Nova Hill Observatory
San Angelo, Texas
http://www.AngeloAstronomy.com
The San Angelo Astronomy Association will have an Impact Party on Friday morning, Oct. 9. Impact is 6:30 a.m. CDT. There will be 20" and 30" Dobsonians aimed at the moon, as well as two 12' scopes.
Scobee Planetarium
1300 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, Texas
http://www.accd.edu/sac/ce/scobee/
The Scobee Planetarium will be taking live video feeds through their CCD video cameras and displaying them on various screens at the observatory.
Utah (UT)
Clark Planetarium
110 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
http://www.clarkplanetarium.org/news.php
On Saturday, October 10 from 3:30-4:30pm, the Hansen Dome Theatre at the Clark Planetarium will present its original fulldome digital mini-show “Flight to the Moon: LRO and LCROSS” followed by a live-narrated presentation by Programs Manager Mike Murray. The presentation will include images, video and other feedback about the impact of the Centaur rocket booster and LCROSS in the crater Cabeus-A near the lunar south pole.
Washington (WA)
Central Washington University Astronomy Club
400 E University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926
www.cwu.edu/~astroclb
This event will be hosted by the CWU astronomy club and physics department in Lind Hall on the southeast corner of the CWU campus. (See the campus map for details.) Doors open to the public at 3:30 am PDT. NASA channel will be showing the event in room 204. We'll be tracking the collision live with our 12-inch telescope on the roof of Lind Hall (weather permitting). There will be various smaller telescopes available for general sky observing, as well. For more information, contact Bruce Palmquist at palmquis@cwu.edu.
Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church
4102 S. Crestline, Spokane, WA 99203
www.hamblenpres.org/
We will have 4 telescopes set up for the event; two 8 inch schmidt cassigrains, a 12 inch dobsonian and a 16 inch dobsonian. One of the 8 inch scopes will be hooked to a camera and a projector. Viewing will begin approximately one hour before impact.
W.M. Keck Observatory
Pacific Lutheran University, 10th Ave S and 124th St S Tacoma, WA
LCROSS Breakfast Bash
The Tacoma Astronomical Society will be hosting an LCROSS Breakfast Bash at the PLU Observatory from 3:45 am PDT to 30 minutes post impact. We will stream NASA LCROSS footage as well as our own images from the 16" W.M. Keck Observatory.
In April 2006, NASA selected the LCROSS proposal for a low-cost, fast-track companion mission to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The main LCROSS mission objective is to confirm the presence or absence of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater near a lunar polar region.
LCROSS launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on June 18, 2009 at 2:32 p.m. PDT. The LCROSS shepherding spacecraft and the Atlas V’s Centaur upper stage rocket executed a fly-by of the moon on June 23, 2009 (LCROSS lunar swingby video stream coverage) and entered into an elongated Earth orbit to position LCROSS for impact on a lunar pole. On final approach, the shepherding spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar surface. Projected impact at the lunar South Pole is currently: Oct 9, 2009 at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Following four minutes behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar surface and creating a second debris plume.
The debris plumes are expected to be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger.
The LCROSS science payload consists of two near-infrared spectrometers, a visible light spectrometer, two mid-infrared cameras, two near-infrared cameras, a visible camera and a visible radiometer. The LCROSS instruments were selected to provide mission scientists with multiple complimentary views of the debris plume created by the Centaur impact.
As the ejecta rises above the target crater’s rim and is exposed to sunlight, any water-ice, hydrocarbons or organics will vaporize and break down into their basic components. These components primarily will be monitored by the visible and infrared spectrometers. The near-infrared and mid-infrared cameras will determine the total amount and distribution of water in the debris plume. The spacecraft’s visible camera will track the impact location and the behavior of the debris plume while the visible radiometer will measure the flash created by the Centaur impact.
NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., is overseeing the development of the LCROSS mission with its spacecraft and integration partner, Northrop Grumman, Redondo Beach, Calif. LCROSS is a fast-paced, low-cost, mission that will leverage some existing NASA systems, commercial-off-the-shelf components, the spacecraft expertise of Northrop Grumman and experience gained during the Lunar Prospector Mission in 1999. Ames is managing the mission, conducting mission operations, and developing the payload instruments, while Northrop Grumman designed and is building the spacecraft for this innovative mission. Ames mission scientists will spearhead the data analysis.
Public viewing parties:
Sci-Quest Museum
102-D Wynn Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805
www.sci-quest.org
Overnight lock-in at the Museum. Evening of Thursday, Oct. 8 with viewing opportunities Friday, Oct. 9 (Impact week is also Fall Break for our local schools). We will have LCROSS programs and activities throughout the evening and show NASA TV live coverage in the Sci-Quest auditorium. Members of the Von Braun Astronomical Society will bring out telescopes for observations. Sci-Quest can accommodate 80 children and 40 adults. LPRP is working with MSFC Academic Affairs to select the students for participation.
Tentative: live feed to MSFC auditorium for employees.
Von Braun Astronomical Society Planetarium, Monte Sano State Park
Monte Sano State Park , Huntsville, AL 35805
www.vbas.org
October 9th - LCROSS Mission's Lunar Impacts -- Early Friday morning (Gathering at around 5 - 5:30 am), October 9th, VBAS Members and news media only are invited to join us at our observatory facilities located within Monte Sano State Park to view and record the two plumes for the LCROSS (Lunar CRater Observatory and Sensing Satellite) mission's lunar impacts! Watch for additional details to be posted soon.
October 10th - Astronomy Day -- On Saturday, Oct. 10th from 3 pm to mid-night, VBAS will host our annual "Astronomy Day" which will include children activities, planetarium programs, an outdoor concert from 5 to 9 pm that the entire family will enjoy featuring the Maple Hill Band & Moondust Big Band, and a star party from 9 pm to mid-night that any one with a telescope is welcome to attend! During our event, we will be showing the video footage of the lunar impact's plume and will celebrate, share the exciting historical moment with the public. Admission is free for children and students, with a $10 donation for adults. Members wishing to help this year should contact Melissa Snider at 256.684.9036 and those with telescopes who would like to reserve a spot for the star party from 9 to mid-night should contact Eric Johnson at 256.682.2401.
California (CA)
Lewis Center for Educational Research
17500 Mana Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307
http://www.lewiscenter.org/
Doors open to the public beginning at 4am. The Lewis Center can accommodate ~320 and has a small overflow area as well. NASA Channel will all be on all TVs and computers in Mission Control area. The Lewis Center will also have 65 students in house all night. They will be tracking, from the in house mission control, the spacecraft as it impacts the Moon using a 34-m radio telescope. You can see the Mission Control from their website at: http://gsc.lewiscenter.org/gavrt/mission_control.php
Antelope Valley Astronomy Club
P.O. Box 8545, Lancaster, CA 93539
Antelope Valley - LCROSS Lunar Impact Event Page
The Antelope Valley Astronomy Club is planning a star party for the morning of the impact. The party will be at a private residence in Antelope Acres and some really cool observing equipment will be present.
Lucerne Dry Lake
Lucerne Valley, CA
LCROSS Viewing Party at Lucerne Dry Lake
There will be an 8" Celestron telescope with a low-light video camera going to a projector, so many people will be able to view the event. Camping is allowed on Lucerne Dry Lake, and portable toilets will be available. The event will occur a day before the Rocketry Organization of California (ROC) rocket launch at the lakebed. Directions and camping information can be found on ROC's website at www.ROCstock.org.
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California 94035
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2009/10.08.09.html
Ames will be hosting an all-night event that is open to the general public and free; however, no-cost tickets are required for each guest wishing to stay overnight. See site for details and schedule of events.
Chabot Space & Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd. - Oakland, CA 94619
Chabot - NASA/LCROSS Lunar Impact Event
As NASA’s LCROSS Mission to investigate the presence of water on the Moon comes to a close, get up early and join us at Chabot to view the impact of the spacecraft and the debris plume it is expected to produce through a special live NASA broadcast in our Planetarium, and through the eye of Chabot’s own 36-inch telescope, Nellie. Advanced registration required -- Members FREE / Guests $3 -- Register: (510) 336-7373
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
LCROSS event during the day Oct. 9
For those who aren't early risers, drop by the California Academy of Sciences to attend one of four debriefings during the day. At 10:00 a.m., noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., Academy educators will highlight original footage of the impact as well as up-to-the-minute results as the day progresses. Visit the "Science in Action" exhibit on the first floor for updates. Free with Academy admission.
The Fremont Peak Observatory
PO Box 1376, San Juan Bautista, California 95045
LCROSS Lunar Impact
The observatory will open to the public starting around 3:00 a.m. and continue until about 5:00 a.m. The telescope is a large 30" f/4.8 modified Newtonian style telescope. We will be attaching a sensitive video camera and recording the event. The recorder will be connected to the projector in the classroom adjacent to the observing room. This way, we can accommodate about 50 or more people with the ability to see the event live. If more interest picks up, we might move the projector screen outside to the amphitheater -- that configuration can accommodate over 100 people. Other members will have smaller telescopes set up around the observatory also. Campsites are available on first come first serve basis. State Parks requires RSVP's. See www.fpoa.netfor details.
Tierra Del Sol Remote Observation Facility
Tierra de Luna Rd, Tierra del Sol, CA 91905
http://sandiegospace.org
The San Diego Astronomy Association will host a special star party event at the Tierra Del Sol remote observation facility 90 minutes east of San Diego. Members of the public who wish to attend should call 858-877-3103 or send an email request for a ticket to publicity@sdaa.org to RSVP, as the event will be limited to a total of 300 attendees. Overnight camping is available and full details about how to reach the Tierra Del Sol site, and what to bring with you to the event will be emailed to those who RSVP in advance of the event. You must RSVP to attend.
Colorado (CO)
Fiske Planetarium
Regent Drive, University of Colorado, Boulder CO 80301
http://fiske.colorado.edu/
Fiske Planetarium and Sommers-Bausch Observatory will hold a Lunar Bagel Breakfast. The observatory has 16", 18" and a 24" telescope that will be used for the general public to view the impact.
Star Light--Star Bright Observatory
2015 Wickes Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
www.gateway2space.com
Will have a 10" Mac-Newtonian telescope and video camera system to display the impact to students, teachers, and members of the public who plan to come out early in the morning on the 9th of Oct., weather permitting.
Connecticut (CT)
Discovery Museum and Planetarium
4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604
http://www.discoverymuseum.org/
Discovery Museum and Planetarium will be hosting an LCROSS breakfast to view the impact event. Light breakfast will be served, planetarium show, short lecture and live impact downlink followed by discussion and celebratory toast.
District of Columbia (DC)
Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20001
www.newseum.org
Will present the NASA TV live coverage, will open up the museum free at 6:30 a.m. EDT.
Florida (FL)
NASA Kennedy Space Center
FL 32899-0001
www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html
KSC guest operations is considering options to open one of their theaters at the Visitor’s Complex and dedicate it for the week of impact to show various LCROSS launch videos and replays of press conferences. This would be available for viewing by the general public during their visits.
Hawaii (HI)
The State has declared that the week of October 2-9 is Hawai’ian Aerospace Week.
Mauna Kea
Great University of Hawaii-owned UH-88 telescope on Mauna Kea is going to be made available for outreach. Details in the works: Andy Chaikin will be at the telescope, amateur involvement with the gathering of the images. John Herrington and Todd May will also be there.
'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i
600 `Imiloa Place, Hilo, HI 96720
Free NASA LCROSS Mission Talk and Presentation.— Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:00 AM to Noon
Lanihuli Observatory
Windward Community College, 45-720 Keaahala Rd, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Observatory open and free to the public from 10:00 p.m. Oct 8 through 2:00 a.m. Oct 9.
Maui Astronomy Club
Institute for Astronomy, 34 Ohia Ku Street, Pukalani HI 96768
www.mauiastronomyclub.org
Open to the public from 11:30 pm to 2:30am. Astronomers are advised to arrive early to set up telescopes, video and CCD cameras. Attendees will be instructed and educated as to timing and nature of event. We will be watching the NASA TV live feed on line as well. Hot chocolate will be served.
Idaho (ID)
College of Southern Idaho’s Herrett Center for Arts and Science museum
315 Falls Ave, Twin Falls, ID 83301-3367
'Moon Bomb' breakfast at the Herrett Center
The Center is planning a public event to view the LCROSS impact. The Center has a public observatory with a 24” f/8 research-grade telescope, and a 144-seat planetarium theater with multiple video projectors. Event includes sky gazing, viewing the impact in the auditorium and a breakfast. The Herrett Telescope will be focused on the point of impact by 4:30 a.m. when the doors open.
Illinois (IL)
The Adler Planetarium
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/special/index.shtml#lcross
The Adler Planetarium will show the planned impact of NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) live on the morning of October 9, 2009 in the Definiti Theater. The event will begin at 6:00 a.m., alongside a live feed from the Adler's own 20-inch Doane Observatory telescope (weather permitting) as we attempt to see the impact plume through our telescope, as well. This event is FREE, but advance registration is STRONGLY encouraged. Registration is ONLINE ONLY. If space is available on October 9, seating will be first come, first served, based on the capacity of the theater, though there is no guarantee that day-of space will be offered. Doors open at 5:50 a.m.; the event ends at 7:00 a.m.
NIU Geology Department
Northern Illinois University, Davis Hall Room 308, Normal & Locust Rds., DeKalb, IL 60115
The Northern Illinois University Geology Department, hosted by Sigma Gamma Epsilon (Geologic Honor Society) will be hosting a NASA TV viewing party for the LCROSS impact on October 9th. The viewing will be from 6:00am until whenever there is nothing left to see, and the event will be catered by a local restaurant. For more information on attending the event (and having hot food!) please email niu.sge.info@gmail.com for more information.
NIU Observatory
Northern Illinois University, Normal & Locust Rds., DeKalb, IL 60115
http://www.niu.edu/physics/observatory/
The NIU Davis Observatory will be hosting an event from 5:00am—7:00am on October 9 to attempt to view the dust plume resulting from the impact. We expect this to also be an excellent time to observe other objects, including Mars and Venus. For more information or for directions to the observatory, please e-mail observatory@niu.edu, call 753-1305 or go to www.niu.edu/physics/observatory.
Kentucky (KY)
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
The WKU Physics and Astronomy Department, Hardin Planetarium and the Hilltoppers Astronomy Club will host a Star Party starting at 5:00 am Friday October 9th. There will be bagels and juice, talks by professional astronomers and more. Come and be a part of this unique event and watch NASA's video broadcast of the LCROSS spacecraft impacting the Moon live from the Hardin Planetarium. Adults and children welcome. Free. Please contact Dr Rachel Campbell if you would like more information.
Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium
University of Louisville, 108 W Brandeis Ave, Louisville, KY 40292
LCROSS Public Viewing Event
The free, public event starts at 7 a.m. EDT (the crash is scheduled for 7:30 a.m.) and will feature a live broadcast of the collision, behind the scenes videos and a question and answer session with planetarium director Rachel Connolly. Light refreshments, including “moon rocks” (donut holes), will be served. Those planning to attend the event should check to make sure details of the mission have not changed by calling the planetarium at 502-852-6664.
Morehead University Space Center
4133 Us Highway 60, Morehead, KY 40351
LCROSS Public Viewing Event
Join the Faculty and Staff of the Morehead State University Space Science Center Friday October 9th at 6:30 am CDT to witness the culmination of the LCROSS mission, part of NASA’s revived robotic exploration of the Moon. Live coverage from NASA TV will be shown on the Star Theater dome as the LCROSS satellite observes the impact of its Centaur upper stage into a crater permanently shadowed near the moon’s South Pole at approximately 7:30 a.m. CDT, followed four minutes later by the impact of the LCROSS vehicle itself.
Louisiana (LA)
Highland Road Park Observatory
13800 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
http://www.bro.lsu.edu/
Public event from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 9. For more information, contact hrpodesk@brec.org
Massachusetts (MA)
Boston Museum of Science
61 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114
"Target: Moon!"
Watch a NASA video broadcast of the experiment, and join Museum staff and guest scientists in a discussion on its implications for future human exploration of the Moon. Our guests include Nick Gross, PhD, Boston University Astronomy Department; and Tony Case, graduate student from Boston University Center for Space Physics. Starts at 9:00 a.m. EDT, with the re-broadcast of the LCROSS impacts at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Minnesota (MN)
Jackson Middle School Observatory
6000 109th Avenue North, Champlin, Minnesota 55316
www.anoka.k12.mn.us
Public event from 5:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 9. Please check the Web site to make sure the session is still on as planned (due to weather conditions) or call 763-506-5372 to listen to the recorded message.
Willmar Senior High
2701 30th St. NE, Willmar, MN 56201
www.willmar.k12.mn.us/srhigh
Willmar Senior High's Earth Space Science class will have 2 telescopes set up 1 - 8" Celestron Scmidt-Cass with digital camera and a 10" Orion Skyquest light bucket at 6:00 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. EDT impact.
Mississippi (MS)
Rainwater Observatory & Planetarium
1 Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745
www.rainwaterobservatory.org/
Talk and public observing event the night of Oct. 8. Our telescopes will be observing and imaging the event on Friday morning. We will have an open house on Saturday afternoon and another talk Saturday evening at 7pm followed by observing.
Montana (MT)
Montana State University - Northern
300 West 11th Street, Havre, MT 59501
www.msun.edu/
Montana State University - Northern is hosting an observation of the LCROSS impact ejecta plume Oct. 9th, starting at 4:30 am CDT on the campus at the Student Union Building (Sled Hill). We will be setting up several large telescopes and pray for good seeing. Contact info: Professor Trygve "Spike" Magelssen trygve.magelssen@msun.edu; 406-265-4123, and Dr. Virgil Hawkinson hawkinson@msun.edu. We'll have the hot chocolate and coffee on!
Nevada (NV)
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557-0208
www.unr.edu/home/
The University of Nevada, Reno will be offering public viewing in the parking lot south of the campus baseball field from 4:00 AM to Dawn on October 9th 2009. The University will have its 11" Meade, equipped with a CCD camera to try to get an image of the impact, and Tahoe Star Tours will have an 11" CPC for visual observation, with an additional 8" telescope for general viewing.
New York (NY)
Inwood Astronomy Project
Inwood Hill Park, W 207 Street and Seaman Ave, New York City, NY
http://www.moonbeam.net/InwoodAstronomy/events-20091009.shtml
Early morning stargazing then breakfast and watch the Impact on NASA TV.
Hirsch Observatory
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th St, Troy, NY 12180
www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/observatory/
Event starts at 6:30 a.m. EDT. We will attempt imaging the event with the Hirsch Observatory's 16" telescope and live video feeds from NASA and major observatories will be presented. Event is weather permitting. In the event of clouds the event will be canceled. You can email astro@union.rpi.edu for more information. The observatory phone number is 518-276-6090.
North Carolina (NC)
High Point, NC
Astronomy Lecture featuring LCROSS
(more info forthcoming)
Ohio (OH)
Cleveland Museum of Natural History (in partnership with NASA Glenn)
1 Wade Oval Drive University Circle Cleveland OH 44106-1767
www.cmnh.org
CMNH has a planetarium and a 10.5” refractor telescope. Because sunrise is at 7:32 a.m., they are not optimistic in being able to see much, but they are going to try. They will put a TV camera feed to a public viewing area (as well as to a video recorder) and allow visitors to walk through the observatory. Media will also be invited to the event. NASA TV will be broadcast in the planetarium and perhaps an auditorium. Glenn will provide an LPRP banner it has been in storage since the Oshkosh air show, a model of the Centaur rocket, a pop up exhibit on Centaur history, and possibly a “speaker” to answer questions from a NASA perspective.
Nielsen Observatory
12882 Diagonal Road, Elyria, Ohio 44050
www.BlackRiverAstro.org
We will open the gates at 5:30 a.m. We will have live NASA Broadcast feeds, canned video, and a camera attached to a C-14 telescope, hoping to capture the plumes as they occur. Other telescopes will be setup so our guests can view the Moon before and after the LCROSS events occur, weather permitting.
Oregon (OR)
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland
1500 E. Main St., Ashland, OR 97520
www.scienceworksmuseum.org/
The ScienceWorks preview of the impact, illustrated with NASA mission video and new lunar images, will be held October 8th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the ScienceWorks auditorium. Admission for the event is free.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
http://www.omsi.edu/events
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will offer space exploration enthusiasts the opportunity to watch the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crash-land on the Moon Friday, October 9. The LCROSS will crash into the Moon in order to gather data from the 6-mile-high impact cloud it will create. OMSI will be showing the impact in the auditorium live via satellite on NASA TV beginning at 3:30 a.m., with the impact scheduled at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Admission for the televised impact is free.
Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory
57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR 97707
www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
The Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory will be open for viewing to watch the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crash-land on the Moon Friday, October 9. The observatory will have up to 10 telescopes viewing the event. We will also be showing the impact on our big screen TV via satellite on NASA TV. Doors will open beginning at 4 a.m., with the impact scheduled at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Admission for the event is free, donations gladly accepted.
South Carolina (SC)
Copeland Auditorium
The Citadel, Charleston, SC 29409
Reveille on the Moon
Friday, October 9th: 7:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. A live view of LCROSS’s impact and resulting regolith plume will be shown using streaming data from the LCROSS spacecraft via NASA. Also a live Earth bound view will be projected from the large telescope at the MMT Observatory in Arizona.
Texas (TX)
El Paso Community College
Valle Verde Campus, 919 Hunter, El Paso, TX 79915
http://www.epcc.edu/collegeinfo/campus/vvindex.cfm
The college will open its dome at 4:30 a.m. CDT to the public to watch the LCROSS impact. The dome is in front of the North Loop entrance of the Valley Verde campus.
Administaff Observatory - Humble ISD
2505 S. Houston Ave, Humble, TX 77396
http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/observatory.htm
The Administaff Observatory will be recording and projecting the event as seen on their 20-inch Planewave CDK telescope and viewing it with our eyes on the 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope. Aaron Clevenson - aaron@clevenson.org, Observatory Director, Adminstaff Observatory
Nova Hill Observatory
San Angelo, Texas
http://www.AngeloAstronomy.com
The San Angelo Astronomy Association will have an Impact Party on Friday morning, Oct. 9. Impact is 6:30 a.m. CDT. There will be 20" and 30" Dobsonians aimed at the moon, as well as two 12' scopes.
Scobee Planetarium
1300 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, Texas
http://www.accd.edu/sac/ce/scobee/
The Scobee Planetarium will be taking live video feeds through their CCD video cameras and displaying them on various screens at the observatory.
Utah (UT)
Clark Planetarium
110 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
http://www.clarkplanetarium.org/news.php
On Saturday, October 10 from 3:30-4:30pm, the Hansen Dome Theatre at the Clark Planetarium will present its original fulldome digital mini-show “Flight to the Moon: LRO and LCROSS” followed by a live-narrated presentation by Programs Manager Mike Murray. The presentation will include images, video and other feedback about the impact of the Centaur rocket booster and LCROSS in the crater Cabeus-A near the lunar south pole.
Washington (WA)
Central Washington University Astronomy Club
400 E University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926
www.cwu.edu/~astroclb
This event will be hosted by the CWU astronomy club and physics department in Lind Hall on the southeast corner of the CWU campus. (See the campus map for details.) Doors open to the public at 3:30 am PDT. NASA channel will be showing the event in room 204. We'll be tracking the collision live with our 12-inch telescope on the roof of Lind Hall (weather permitting). There will be various smaller telescopes available for general sky observing, as well. For more information, contact Bruce Palmquist at palmquis@cwu.edu.
Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church
4102 S. Crestline, Spokane, WA 99203
www.hamblenpres.org/
We will have 4 telescopes set up for the event; two 8 inch schmidt cassigrains, a 12 inch dobsonian and a 16 inch dobsonian. One of the 8 inch scopes will be hooked to a camera and a projector. Viewing will begin approximately one hour before impact.
W.M. Keck Observatory
Pacific Lutheran University, 10th Ave S and 124th St S Tacoma, WA
LCROSS Breakfast Bash
The Tacoma Astronomical Society will be hosting an LCROSS Breakfast Bash at the PLU Observatory from 3:45 am PDT to 30 minutes post impact. We will stream NASA LCROSS footage as well as our own images from the 16" W.M. Keck Observatory.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thunder Over Houston Area May Be Jets!
The U.S. military has issued advanced warning that jet fighters could be scrambled in the Houston area on Oct. 6 as part of military exercises.
North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct the flights in the skies over Southeast Texas. The pre-planned flights will take place in the late morning and early afternoon and residents should expect to hear and see NORAD fighter jets as they practice intercept and identification procedures.
Although exact flight plans were not divulged, a NORAD spokesman at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado said Houston airspace “could be included” in the exercises.
NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the United States and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Actor Patrick Swayze Dies; Houston Native Had Battled Cancer
LOS ANGELES (September 14, 2009)—“Dirty Dancing” actor Patrick Swayze, 57, has lost his yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer.
Swayze died Monday with his family at his side, his publicist Annett Wolf said.
In March 2008, it was disclosed that the Houston native had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Despite the grim prognosis, Swayze continued to work on the A&E series “The Beast,” in which he starred, although he said the cancer put him “through hell.”
Swayze became a star in 1987 with his performance in the coming-of-age classic “Dirty Dancing.”
Three years later, his role in “Ghost” made him a big screen favorite.
Patrick Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas, the eldest child of Patsy Yvonne Helen (née Karnes; b. 1927), a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer, and Jessie Wayne Swayze (1925-1982), an engineering draftsman.[6][7] He had two younger brothers, actor Don (born 1958) and Sean Kyle (born 1962), and two sisters, Vicky Lynn (1949-1994) and Bambi, who were adopted into the family.[8] His surname originated with an English immigrant ancestor named "Swasey".[7]
Until the age of 20,
Swayze lived in the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston, where he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Oak Forest Elementary School,[9] Black Middle School,[9][10] and Waltrip High School.[9] During this time, he also pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet, and acting in school plays. He studied gymnastics at nearby San Jacinto College for two years.
Patrick Swayze on Wkipedia.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Investigators seek leads in July Kroger robbery
By From Community Reports
Updated: 09.09.09
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects in a robber of Kroger in Atascocita July 27. Crime Stoppers now offers a reward in the identification and apprehension of suspects in this case.
At around 1:20 a.m. that Monday morning, two suspects entered the Kroger store at the intersection of West Lake Houston Parkway at FM 1960 East and shoved the store manager in an attempt to take possession of a money bag.
The suspects, one white and one black male, managed to grab the money bag and fled the area in an older model gold Buick or Oldsmobile sedan.
“The surveillance pictures in this case are pretty good and someone in the area must know who this suspect is,” said Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Karen Miller. “We encourage people to step forward and help the sheriff’s office apprehend this person before he strikes again.”
The white male had short hair (balding) and wore a blue shirt. He had numerous tattoos, including a black Swastika on his right wrist.
The black male had short hair (balding) and wore a white T-shirt and checkered shorts.
Crime Stoppers offers an award up to $5,000 for tips that lead to the apprehension and charging of the suspects in this case. Tips can be submitted at 713-222-TIPS. All callers remain anonymous.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9-9-09 - Does it mean anything?
And though the date lacks the pizzazz of the lucky sevens (07/07/07), that isn't stopping marketers, mathematicians and the marriage-minded from dressing it to the nines.
Hotels are offering discounts, couples are wedding in droves and "9/9/09" was among the top 100 search terms on the search engine Google on Tuesday.
Lottery users will undoubtedly try their luck by playing 999 Wednesday, and a lucky mother might see herself profiled on the news should she give birth at just the right time: 9:09.
So why not get in on the act?
After all, you're unlikely to experience another single-digit date in your lifetime. The next one won't roll around for 92 years -- until 1/1/2101.
Going to the chapel, gonna get married
In China, more than 10,000 couples were expected to register their marriages in Beijing on Wednesday and 6,000 more couples were set to tie the knot in Shanghai -- even though it's a weekday, said the Xinhua news agency.
In Malaysia, more than 500 ethnic Chinese couples married at a Buddhist temple in Kuala Lumpur.
That's because Chinese culture considers the number nine auspicious. In major Chinese dialects, the word for "nine" sounds similar to "longlasting."
Marriage also will be on the mind of many around the world who hope the date will translate to a life on cloud nine.
The Registry of Marriages in Singapore had more than 364 couples signed up to marry Wednesday, says The Straits Times newspaper. The average is 64.
Ditto for Australia. The state of Queensland has reported a threefold increase in the number of couples tying the knot.
"It's as simple as having a wedding anniversary that you can never forget," the registrar-general Helen Lucas told the broadcaster ABC.
Needless to say, the so-called marriage capital of the world -- Las Vegas, Nevada -- isn't about to let such an opportunity pass it by.
The Stratosphere is among several hotels and casinos offering quickie weddings. It is angling to marry off 99 couples at 9:09 p.m. for -- what else -- $99.09.
Hotels hope you book it!
Several hotels are offering special deals, tied to the date. The truth is that September is a slow time for the travel industry and any gimmick will do.
Hotels.com has been running a nine-day sale leading up to Wednesday, for rooms priced $99 or less.
Mathemagic
Those who like to play with numbers will have a field day on 09/09/09.
The date falls on a Wednesday in September, both of which have 9 letters.
September 9 also is the 252nd day of the year. 2+5+2
In addition, if you multiply a single-digit number by 9, the resulting two digits add up to 9. Consider: 8x9
Take me out to the ballgame
More than most, baseball is a game steeped in nines: nine players on the field at one time, nine innings, 90 feet between bases and nine strikes per inning.
You can celebrate by going to one of 15 games that Major League Baseball has on tap on Wednesday. Or you can commemorate along with MLB.com, which is inviting fans to vote for each team's best players, by season and position, in the All-Time 9s.
Tweet away ...
Republicans are asking Twitter users to log on at 9 p.m. ET for what is being billed as the "largest Twitter tea party ever."
... or take in a movie
The Tim Burton-produced sci-fi flick "9" comes out Wednesday, the 9th. It's a story about hand-stitched robots that battle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. How many robots? Nine.
Nine lives? Not today
The humor Web site URLesque has declared a one-day ban on all cat-related videos and stories on 09/09/09. The site doesn't specifically say so, but we suspect it has to do with feline luck running out after nine lives.
"Why only one day?" the Web site asks. "Well let's be honest, that's probably only as long as we'll last before a hilarious video comes crashing into our inbox."
A day in the life
An Internet project led by 25-year-old student Matthias Kluckert in Germany is soliciting stories from around the world Wednesday -- to capture an ordinary day on Earth experienced by people across cultures.
The project, "A Day on the Planet," hopes to collect the best stories and eventually publish them in eight languages.
Why 09/09/09?
"Because it is a date that is so easy to remember," the organizers said.
Speaking of the Beatles ...
It is a big day for the Beatles.
The group's entire music collection comes out digitally mastered.
Monday, September 7, 2009
12 year old hurt in hit & run
HOUSTON –Police are searching for a driver they said ran over a 12-year-old boy in South Houston on Sunday.
Police said around 2 a.m., the boy was riding on the hood of gray Ford Taurus in the 4100 block of Grassmere.
Witnesses said the boy fell off the car when it sped up, then the driver ran over the child and fled the scene.
The child was rushed to Memorial Hermann in critical conditon.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Waterspout comes ashore in Galveston
By Chris Paschenko & Rhiannon Meyers / The Daily News & Kevin Reece / 11 News
GALVESTON, Texas — The National Weather Service confirmed a waterspout came ashore in Galveston on Sunday damaging buildings, knocking out power and injuring at least three people.
It happened soon after a strong line of storms moved into the county, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning. A waterspout is a tornado that forms over water.
Dolphin World, a souvenir shop in the 2900 block of Seawall Boulevard, was damaged about 9:45 p.m. Debris covered the streets.
Ironically, Dolphin World survived Hurricane Ike with very little damage. But after this storm, things were different.
“It’s very, very bad. Very difficult. Basically everything inside is gone. Brings back memory of Ike,” Schlomo Hamo of Dolphin World said.
Witnesses told The Daily News that a piece of the roof from Dolphin World struck a man who was pushing his bicycle down the seawall. They said he was taken away by ambulance.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Sunday, August 30, 2009
CNN) -- Three boaters who were stranded at sea for more than a week were being reunited with their families Sunday.
Three missing boaters were returned safely to Port Aransas, Texas, after their rescue on Saturday.
A day after the U.S. Coast Guard said it was suspending its weeklong search for the boaters, the men were found alive Saturday night.
The crew of a Good Samaritan vessel found Curtis Hall, 28, James Phillips, 30, and Tressel Hawkins, 43, sitting on top of their capsized 23-foot fishing vessel about 180 miles from Port Aransas, Texas, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
The men had been missing at sea since they failed to return from a fishing trip on August 22.
The Coast Guard had called off their search Friday after it said it had looked over more than 86,000 square miles.
Hall went to a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, but left after he waited too long in the emergency room, his mother told CNN. He returned to his home in Palacio, Texas, to rest and will see a doctor later on Sunday for what he thinks are second-degree burns on his legs from sun exposure, she said.
After the rescue, Phillips was on his way home to reunite with his family, his wife, Shane, told CNN. He did not seek medical attention, she said.
Hawkins suffered open sores on his legs after floating in the water for eight days, he told CNN from the emergency room of a Corpus Christi hospital. He plans to leave the hospital soon and head to Fort Worth, Texas, to reunite with his family, he said. E-mail to a friend | Mixx it | Share
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Freak shooting claims boy
HOUSTON – KHOU A tragic accident has claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy in Southwest Houston.
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It happened on Wednesday evening.
Police say a telephone was ringing inside of his family’s home on Blanchard Hill Lane and the boy was trying to find it.
He tossed his mom's backpack to the floor and a pistol that was inside the backpack went off.
The boy was shot in the head and died.
Police say at this time it does not appear any laws were broken. The gun was in the home legally
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Houston hair glue bandit victim videos prankster with cell phone
HOUSTON -- Another woman has come forward saying she too, was a victim of the so-called hair glue bandit. The woman says it happened in a Marshalls in Southwest Houston. She was looking at cookbooks when she felt something in her hair.
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"There was this man standing about a foot and a half beside me. He said, ‘Excuse me,’ and I said, ‘It's ok.’ But then I felt something warm on the back of my head," said the hair glue bandit’s latest victim, who wishes to remain anonymous. "There was this white substance on my hand. It dried instantly."
The victim says she was able to pull out her cell phone and capture video of the man who poured the glue on her.
Plus, because she didn't want him to disappear into a busy parking lot, she followed him out and took down the license plate of the car he was in. She then passed the information over to the police.
Over the past few weeks, glue victims have been studying a surveillance video taken from another attack. The latest victim claims the same man poured the glue in her hair.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Pearland man helps passengers on Continental flight 128
By Kevin Reece and Jeremy Desel / 11 News
HOUSTON – Passengers aboard Continental flight 128 arrived in Houston Monday with a terrifying tale to share.
As emergency vehicles rushed to the plane on the Miami tarmac, catering truck elevators were used to rescue injured passengers.
Diego Saavedra was on the plane. He said passengers and flight attendants were flying inside the cabin.
“All of a sudden, the plane like takes a dip and rises up and you see people going off their seats, people screaming,” said Saavedra. “One lady, she just came out of her seat and flew over the middle row, hit her head on the wall and landed on her back.”
Passengers took pictures inside the plane that show items falling out of the ceiling and cracked plastic.
The damage was caused by flight attendants and passengers hitting the ceiling, said John Norwood who was also on the flight.
“People who weren’t belted in flew up and hit the ceiling, so their faces and heads hit the plastics and broke the plastics all at the top,” said Norwood.
Celi Defaria hit the roof too. She has a scar that runs the length of the right side of her face.
“All of a sudden it came down. Everybody bumped heads twice because it came down again," she said. "It was terrifying. It happened in one faction of a second."
The incident occurred at 3:30 a.m. while most passengers were sleeping.
“I’ve never seen turbulence like that. I really thought we wouldn’t make it,” said Giovani Loss.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Monday, August 3, 2009
Aircraft bound for Houston hits turbulence/28 injured.
CNN) -- Severe turbulence shook a Continental Airlines flight Monday, injuring dozens of passengers and forcing the aircraft to divert to Miami, Florida, according to the airline and a fire official.
The diverted airliner sits on the tarmac at Miami International Airport.
There were 168 passengers and 11 crew members on Flight 128, which was heading from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Houston, Texas, according to a statement from Continental Airlines.
Ambulances and other vehicles were lined up on the runway to treat and transport the injured passengers when the plane landed at Miami International Airport at 5:35 a.m.
Continental said nine passengers were transported to nearby hospitals, and 28 other passengers were treated at the scene. Lt. Elkin Sierra of the Miami-Dade Fire Department said 26 passengers were injured, including four seriously.
The Boeing 767 hit turbulence about 50 miles north of the Dominican Republic at about 38,000 feet, according to an official with the Federal Aviation Administration. It landed in Miami an hour later with its seat belt signs illuminated, the airline said.
Those injured suffered from a variety of injuries, including bumps, bruises, neck pain and back pain, Sierra said.
The flight is scheduled to depart Miami for Houston later in the morning, according to Continental's Web site.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Feds Bust Medicare Fraud Ring In Houston Area
HOUSTON—Federal authorities arrested 27 people in Houston Wednesday in a major Medicare fraud bust that spanned across the country.
Medicare fraud raid
Investigators claim the suspects were scamming Medicare by falsely billing for medical items that were not needed or never used.
Arrests were also made in New York, Boston and Louisiana. In all, 32 people were taken into custody.
More than 200 agents worked on Wednesday’s $16 million bust, which included 12 search warrants at health care businesses and homes across the Houston area.
One of those businesses was Memorial Medical Supply on Dairy Ashford and I-10.
Shocked employees were met by federal agents when they arrived at work.
Federal agents raided several locations in Houston after a nationwide investigation into Medicare fraud.
The agents confiscated paperwork and a computer.
They were also seen removing boxes of evidence from the business.
Federal authorities say the businesses were giving patients “arthritis kits,” which were nothing more than expensive orthotics, including knee and shoulder braces. Patients told authorities they were unnecessary, and many never used them. But health care clinic owners billed $3,000 - $4,000 for each kit.
Houston’s other scam involved billing Medicare for thousands of dollars worth of liquid food for patients who can’t eat solids. Authorities said clinic owners never distributed the food to patients. In some cases, clinic owners billed patients who were dead when they allegedly received the items.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Awareness, support drives Kingwood family after son diagnosed with disease
By JENNIFER SUMMER
Updated: 07.08.09
Melanie McTaggart first noticed something was not right with her son, Grant, when his stomach became bloated and hard.
She mentioned her concerns to her husband, David, and it was not until they were in Waco visiting his parents that they decided to take him in to the hospital to get checked out.
“In my mind, I knew there was something wrong. We were thinking it could be gas or appendicitis, we were not very sure,” Melanie said.
The nurses at the hospital in Waco took Grant’s blood and they began to notice irregularities. Grant was anemic and his blood platelet levels were extremely low.
They did several x-rays and noticed his spleen was enlarged so they recommended the McTaggarts go to Cook Children’s Center for an official diagnosis.
“Since we live in Kingwood, we talked with the doctors about transferring him to Texas Children’s Hospital,” Melanie said. “They agreed and transported Grant and I to Texas Children’s Hospital from Waco in an ambulance.”
Grant was officially diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia May 24.
“When they told us Grant had the Philadelphia chromosome, that was the worst news we could receive,” Melanie said. “After we were released that Friday, Grant’s doctor, Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, called us and shared a report they released a medicine to treat Grant’s specific disease and the survival rate was close to 85 percent.”
Doctors placed Grant on several different medications including a steroid which has affected the way some of Grant’s muscles have developed and he begins chemotherapy treatment starting on his third birthday July 10.
The community, friends and family have stepped forward to help the McTaggarts by organizing blood drives in honor of Grant and others who are need of blood.
The first blood drive will be held July 10 at the Humble Civic Center and the second one will be July 17 at Texas Contract Carpet in Houston.
“The support we have received from the community is amazing. Since I graduated from Kingwood High School in 1995, we have been contacted by former classmates and teachers, former college classmates and other moms throughout the area who have read my blog and have been through what we are going through,” Melanie said. “Kingwood is big in some ways and small in others. Words cannot express how thankful we are for the support we have received.”
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Local artist brings trees back to life
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Humble Observer
By MEGAN KEYHO
Updated: 07.08.09
David Chambers, of Humble, began making works of art out of storm-ravaged trees a few years ago. Chambers is an artist who has done custom tiles, mosaics, emblems and other custom works.
“I plan on moving forward with this,” Chambers said. “I am making my mark on the world. This is a passion of mine; the trees are calling.”
He said every time he drives around he is constantly looking for new trees that he can hand carve into a work of art, but he also takes personal requests for people and businesses.
“Just recently I saw a tree down the road that looks like a giraffe,” he said. “It’s a half and half thing. I always look for trees but sometimes they will come to me.”
Chambers began carving when he went to work for a friend in Kingwood and started carving tiki poles. He said he has always been into nature, starting out when he was a Boy Scout as a child.
Chambers uses a chainsaw and two grinders to carve his trees and stands on a ladder for five or six hours at a time hand carving every detail of his piece.
He said it usually takes him 72 hours to finish carving a tree, which is spread out over two weeks.
He is currently working on getting a website put up where he can be contacted for requests and more information.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Houston Area 4th of July Fireworks Events
HOUSTON—The 4th of July means fireworks across the U.S. and Houston is no exception.
There are dozens of celebrations in our area, but the largest is the Freedom over Texas festival this weekend. It is presented by Shell.
The free event is at Eleanor Tinsley Park. This year, organizers are honoring Houston’s military heroes and the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Country singer, Texas native Clay Walker will be the main act. He will take the stage at 8 p.m. Right after that at 9:30, fireworks will light the sky.
If you’re thinking about heading there you should know about some road that will be closed.
On Thursday, a couple of lanes along Allen Parkway were closed. They include roads between Taft Street and downtown.
Also, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Allen Parkway will be completely closed to traffic.
If you’re in The Woodlands, there are several events where you can celebrate.
First there is the Star-Spangled Salute which is being held Friday night at the Cynthia Wood Mitchell Pavilion.
You’ll hear patriotic music presented by the Houston Symphony.
Friday at 9 a.m. you can see the South Montgomery Parade which runs through The Woodlands Town Center and Market Street.
Finally, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. you can head to the Red, Hot and Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza at Town Green Park and Waterway Square.
There’s also a lot to celebrate in Fort Bend County Saturday, July 4 th.
In Sugar Land, the festivities include The Red White and Blue Fest at Oyster Creek Park. Those events begin Saturday and run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The city of Stafford and the Fort Bend Symphony will celebrate by treating the public to a free patriotic concert.
Freedom Rings 2009 will be held at the Stafford Centre and starts at 5 p.m.
In Missouri City, the public is being treated to a July 4 celebration at Buffalo Run Park.
The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. and the fireworks blare into the night sky at 9.
Chevy Freedom Over Texas Fireworks
Location: Eleanor Tinsley Park
website: www.chevysfreedomovertexas.com
This is by far the largest celebration in the city of Houston, and the fireworks display is one of the biggest in the state. Montgomery Gentry will headline. The festival starts at 4 p.m. with performances by local acts. If you don't feel like braving the crowds, you don't have to miss our on the fun; just tune in to ABC13 from the solitude of your couch.
The Houston Symphony 4th of July Celebration
Location: Miller Outdoor Theatre, Herman Park
Led by principal pops conductor Michael Krajewski. Enjoy an All-American salute to commemorate Independence Day, and end the evening with fireworks presented by the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.
Sam Houston Race Park
website: www.shrp.com
The park celebrates Independence Day with special family-friendly activities and a spectacular fireworks display.
Firecracker Hotbox
Location: Gulf Greyhound Park
website: www.gulfgreyhound.com
Come see some of the nation's hottest greyhounds compete.
Kemah Boardwalk
website: www.kemahboardwalk.com
The 4th of July fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m.
SplashTown Fireworks Spectacular
website: www.splashtownpark.com
The park sends up the explosives after dusk.
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