Houston Chronicle

6/11/2026: FRONT PAGE: Council passes $7.5B city budget

Houstonians this July will begin paying $5 a month for trash and recycling pickup under Mayor John Whitmire’s $7.5 billion budget, passed 15-1 by city council on Wednesday. The plan marks a significant shift in how the city funds one of its most...

6/11/2026: FRONT PAGE: Abbott: Don’t pass data center electricity costs to customers

Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday issued an order aimed at making sure Texas ratepayers do not take on the costs of building new infrastructure to power the hundreds of data centers seeking to join the state’s grid in the coming years. The order marks the...

6/11/2026: FRONT PAGE: Mayor’s financial adviser draws $127K pay but has gone to city offices only 13 days in 2 years

Mayor John Whitmire’s senior adviser for financial integrity, Chris Brown, has been largely absent from City Hall, rarely swiping into city offices and sending less than one email per week while collecting a six-figure salary, according to records...

6/11/2026: FRONT PAGE: HISD’s STAAR results improve

Three years into its state takeover, Houston ISD continued to improve its high school STAAR performance in almost every subject this year, mirroring statewide trends, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of results released Wednesday. Since 2023,...

6/11/2026: NEWS: Southern Baptists vote to tighten ban on female pastors

Messengers at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Orlando overwhelmingly voted in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would deem churches that employ female pastors as not being in “friendly cooperation” with the largest...

6/11/2026: NEWS: Teen who fatally stabbed athlete gets 35 years

MCKINNEY — A Texas teenager who fatally stabbed a 17-year-old track athlete from a rival team during a high school meet was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison Tuesday in a case that drew wide attention beyond the booming Dallas...

6/11/2026: NEWS: White House to install metal barriers in Big Bend park

The Trump administration confirmed on Tuesday it is planning to build 17 miles of metal barriers through Big Bend National Park to prevent off-road vehicles from driving to and from the Rio Grande. The barriers would consist of 4-foot tall metal posts...

6/11/2026: NEWS: Charges against man accused of imprisoning wife nixed

Charges have been dropped against a Houston man whose wife earlier this year accused him of holding her captive for years inside their Clear Lake home. A Harris County grand jury on May 28 returned no-bills against James Earl Johnson. Prosecutors had...

6/11/2026: NEWS: World Cup will be a 34-day test of security, staffing

Festivities tied to the FIFA World Cup kick off in Houston Thursday, beginning a 34-day stress test of the millions of dollars and years of security and logistics planning that have gone into the city’s preparations to host one of the world’s marquee...

6/11/2026: NEWS: Dynamo plan watch parties for Cup matches

The Houston Dynamo will hold official watch parties for the national team’s World Cup matches at Shell Energy Stadium. The watch parties, hosted in tandem with the the Mexican soccer federation, MexTour and the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Primaries: Platner, Clyburn cruise to wins

WASHINGTON — Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota hosted primary elections Tuesday, but much of the political world was focused on Maine’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest. The results were never in question. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: U.S. military is striking ‘multiple targets’ in Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. military said Wednesday it has begun another round of strikes against Iran after President Donald Trump said more were coming. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, with Trump warning...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Gates: Meetings with Epstein were ‘error in judgment’

WASHINGTON — Bill Gates said Wednesday that he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting with Jeffrey Epstein but denied any wrongdoing as the Microsoft cofounder faced hours of questioning from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Amnesty accuses Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing’

JERUSALEM — Amnesty International accused Israel on Wednesday of carrying out a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank with the intention to annex the Palestinian territory. The accusation came in a new, 149-page...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Trump signs ICE, Border Patrol bill for $70B boost

President Donald Trump’s immigration and deportation agenda is getting a nearly $70 billion boost through the end of his term. Trump signed a bill into law in the Oval Office on Wednesday giving $38 billion to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: 7 kids killed when minibus catches fire

A minibus carrying schoolchildren caught fire in central Zimbabwe, killing seven, according to police. The incident happened Wednesday in Gweru, with 24 children on board. Authorities suspect a jerry can of petrol in the minibus may have fueled the...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: U.N. watchdog demands Iran give nuke info

The U.N. atomic watchdog’s board has demanded Iran cooperate with the agency and provide complete information about its nuclear material. A resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board on Wednesday also highlighted the urgency...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: FBI searches facility where tank overheated

Federal authorities served a search warrant on Wednesday at a Southern California aerospace facility where a chemical tank overheated last month, forcing 50,000 residents to evacuate because authorities feared an explosion. The warrant signed by a...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Mass shooting leaves 12 dead, at least 9 injured

At least 12 people are dead and nine more were injured in a mass shooting in Johannesburg. South African police say a gang of about 10 people opened fire in an impoverished settlement in Cleveland late Tuesday night then fled in a minivan. Police say...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: High schoolers better on standardized tests this year

Students in large Houston-area districts reported higher passing rates on end-of-year exams than students statewide across subjects, continuing trends from last year, a Houston Chronicle analysis of newly released STAAR data shows. The State of Texas...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: Conroe school’s $5M bunker almost complete

Six years after announcing a project to build a $5 million hurricane-safety shelter at Covenant Christian School in Conroe, officials say the structure is expected to be completed in July. Despite the slow progress on the project and delays due to the...

6/11/2026: NATION & WORLD: ABOUT THE DATA

Data comes from the Texas Education Agency and reflects the preliminary scores for the 2026 end-of-course exams. Finalized aggregate data is scheduled to be released in July 2026. Passing rates represent the percentage of test-takers for each school,...

6/11/2026: OPINION: He bet on his team and still gets to play?

A Texas Tech quarterback who bet tens of thousands of dollars on his own team can continue to play football. Before I could process the broader implications of this news, I thought about Dan Patrick. For years, Patrick, who controls the state Senate,...

6/11/2026: OPINION: Economic woes

Regarding “Wall Street keeps rising, even as U.S. households keep getting more discouraged,” (May 22): It is not surprising that our two-tiered economic system produces drastically different results for those at the top compared to the great majority...

6/11/2026: OPINION: Keeping Texans safe

Regarding “Texas summer camps face delays despite new safety upgrades,” (May 11): There is a stench in the air as state Rep. Wes Virdell says, “We all want camps to be safe, but we as legislators must ensure that the requirements are reasonable and...

6/11/2026: OPINION: Political climate

Regarding “’Employers are shutting you down left and right’: Gen Z on the Houston,” (May 4): As a college student, I’ve noticed that a lot of people my age feel disconnected from politics or believe their voices don’t matter, even though it’s evident...

6/11/2026: OPINION: Gerrymandering

Regarding “Al Green is out in Congress thanks to more gerrymandering,” (May 31): I’ve never understood how gerrymandering could be considered constitutional, no matter the method or reason. In the modern world with AI and algorithms ad nauseam, it’s...

6/11/2026: OPINION: BIBLE VERSE

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. Proverbs 15:33

6/11/2026: HEALTH: Coming to terms with scan-related anxiety

For many patients, anxiety can start long before testing. Their stomach may twist in knots in the days leading up to the appointment, and nervousness can persist even while waiting for results. Ruminating on anxious thoughts can cause patients to...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: BIRTHDAYS

Drummer Bernard Purdie is 87. Actor Adrienne Barbeau is 81. Rock musician Frank Beard (ZZ Top) is 77. Singer Graham Russell (Air Supply) is 76. Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana is 70. Actor Hugh Laurie is 67. Actor Peter Dinklage is 57. Actor Joshua...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: What to watch

June 11, 2026 All times Central. Start times can vary based on cable/satellite provider. Confirm times on your on-screen guide. 2026 FIFA World Cup FOX & FS1, beginning at 1:45 p.m. Live The FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in the United States,...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: DAILY CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 “Shoot!” 4 Greek vowel 9 Watermelon keg need 12 Wander 14 __ butter 15 Greek vowel 16 *Wham! hit on “Make It Big” 19 Hockey gear 20 Get testy with 21 Flute part 22 Blue area on a map 25 Go the distance 26 *No Doubt hit on “Tragic...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: ACES ON BRIDGE

Plan the play as South in four hearts after West has led the club nine. If trumps are 3-2, this will be easy. Just cash the heart ace and king, ruff two diamonds in dummy and discard the other on the fourth club before dislodging the spade ace. Turn...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: WORD SLEUTH

Find the listed words in the diagram. They run in all directions — forward, backward, up, down and diagonally.

6/11/2026: HEALTH: CRYPTOQUIP

The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: CATCH A CLASSIC

Reality Bites TCM, 9:15 p.m. Long before Stranger Things, Winona Ryder was the queen of quirky characters in the late 1980s — think Beetlejuice and Heathers — before she amped up her career with dramas and rom-coms. TCM debuts the 1994 rom-com Reality...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

6/11/2026: HEALTH: LEAD WITH THE ACES

ANSWER: Double or three no-trump? It might be your last chance to bid the former if partner has no stopper, but you would probably need eight quick tricks outside in that case, with the lead knocking out your spade king — unlikely. It is best to double...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: LOOKING BACK

1963: The University of Alabama was desegregated as Vivian Malone and James Hood became the first two Black students allowed to enroll in classes; Alabama segregationist and Gov. George Wallace initially blocked the doorway to the auditorium where...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: Dear Abby:

After the last presidential election, my daughter, “Cindy,” whom I love with all my heart, turned against me. Cindy started rebelling when she was a teenager. Our relationship was rocky for some time, but I never stopped loving her. Once she matured,...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: ROYAL STARS

Today’s Birthday (June 11). You are vigorous, focused and incisive. You can totally immerse yourself in your work without distraction. Take inventory of your life. Moon Alert: Avoid shopping (except for food and gas) and major decisions from 4 a.m. to...

6/11/2026: HEALTH: Dear Heloise:

I just read about using vintage dishes and how pretty they are. Lead poisoning from lead-based glazes is a real danger. Before using vintage dishes, buy an ultravioletlight lead-testing kit (about $30 online), since the swab kits don’t work well. I...

6/11/2026: THE EXPERTS: Prostate cancer treatment comes at a cost

Q: About six years ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I chose to have a highintensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which ultimately wasn’t successful. I was told that surgery after an HIFU was a high-risk option, so I chose to have radiation...

6/11/2026: THE EXPERTS: Use of ADHD meds for very young patients questioned

Q: When working in pediatric medicine several years ago, I remember a 3-year-old child who became psychotic because a child psychiatrist gave him methylphenidate (Ritalin). The child did not sleep for three days, and when he was brought into our...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: Title quest comes home for El Tri

Mexico’s history with the World Cup is a tale of ups and downs, and now this footballcrazed nation faces another opportunity to write a new chapter — one with a happy ending. Since the inaugural tournament in Uruguay in 1930, the Mexican national team...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: Red Raiders defend embattled Sorsby

From a lengthy statement to appearances on a national podcast and a luncheon at the Houston Touchdown Club, Texas Tech officials went on the offensive Wednesday in support of quarterback Brendan Sorsby. In his first public appearance since Sorsby was...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: Mulholland balances passions

Ryan Mulholland took a road trip last June. He packed up his Toyota 4Runner and left the University of Houston campus on a four-day, 2,300-mile drive to Eugene, Ore., site of the NCAA outdoor track and field championships. Most years, Mulholland, a...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: Shuffle shows line still in flux

Though training camp is over a month away, one question continues to surround the Houston Texans: How is the offensive line going to improve? At the second day of minicamp Wednesday, the Texans used a new firstteam combination as Houston continues to...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: Teng’s sweeper off the mark

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For Kai-Wei Teng, success starts with a sweeper. The right-hander throws a half-dozen pitches, but no other has proven more vital to his entry into the Astros’ rotation. Entering Tuesday, Teng had thrown his most-used pitch 35.4% of...

6/11/2026: SPORTS: THURSDAY’S GAMES

When/where: 2 p.m. in Mexico City. TV: Fox, Peacock, Telemundo.

6/11/2026: SPORTS: SOUTH KOREA VS. CZECHIA

When/where: 9 p.m. in Guadalajara, Mexico. TV: FS1, Peacock, Telemundo.

6/11/2026: WORLD CUP: U.S. fans swarm to team’s base camp

IRVINE, Calif. — I found it! World Cup Fever! Our sprawling country, where soccer is popular but not the oxygen we breathe, hasn’t exactly jumped onto the World Cup bandwagon. Most host cities, including the Bay Area, are reporting little buzz or...

6/11/2026: WORLD CUP: U.S. defender Richards set to return from injury

IRVINE, Calif. — U.S. defender Chris Richards will be available to play at the World Cup less than four weeks after a significant left ankle injury. Richards pronounced himself ready and eager to play Wednesday while the Americans continued their...

6/11/2026: WORLD CUP: UIL weighing addition of flag football

Girls flag football took one step closer to becoming sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League as advocacy from the Texans, Dallas Cowboys and school district leaders across the state continued Wednesday during the UIL’s legislative council...

6/11/2026: MLB: Deal for Delgado adds infield depth

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Astros acquired minor-league infielder Raynel Delgado from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations Wednesday, the team announced. Delgado will report to Triple-A Sugar Land. Delgado, 26, is a lefthanded hitter who...

6/11/2026: MLB: Former Aggie hits walkoff homer in debut:

Braden Montgomery got a standing ovation when he stepped to the plate for his first big-league at-bat Tuesday, and then he ended his first Major League Baseball game with as wild a standing ovation as one can get. The former Texas A&M star hit a...

6/11/2026: MLB: Odds and ends:

The Pirates placed center fielder Oneil Cruz on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a broken left hand . ... Drew Rasmussen struck out a career-high 13, leading Tampa Bay to a 7-5 victory Wednesday . ... Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in three runs and...

6/11/2026: MLB: Spurs veterans value journey over rings

NEW YORK — De’Aaron Fox has known Harrison Barnes for eight years, first as a teammate in Sacramento and now as a teammate in San Antonio. In all that time, Fox has never laid eyes on one of Barnes’ most prized possession. “I’ve actually never seen...

6/11/2026: MLB: Ex-Klein Cain star Blue ‘dialed in’ for second year

FRISCO — Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has seen a nightand-day difference in running back Jaydon Blue. He said there’s a different look to Blue: in his eyes, in his approach to practice and, yes, in his choice of cleats. Out with the...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: Carolina seeks edge at home

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have reclaimed home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final. Not that it’s mattered much in this series. The Hurricanes split two road games with the Vegas Golden Knights to return home for Thursday’s Game 5...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: Pollock named UH women’s golf coach

Rachel Pollock has been hired as the new women’s golf coach at the University of Houston, the school announced Wednesday. Pollock spent the last five years at Louisiana Monroe, winning two Sun Belt Conference titles and making the first two NCAA...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: Chiefs rework Mahomes’ deal

The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have agreed to a restructured contract that adds two years to his deal and pushes the total compensation past a half-billion dollars, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: Serena’s doubles partner injured

Serena Williams’ doubles campaign at Queen’s Club could be over after one match. Victoria Mboko, the American star’s 19-yearold doubles partner, retired from her singles match against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday after sustaining a knee injury in...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: Texas assistants exit program

Assistant coaches Karen Zaleski and Ehren Earleywine are leaving the Texas softball team for jobs at other programs, according to D1Softball. Earleywine will become the associate head coach at Tennessee, which means he will serve as the top assistant...

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: U.S. tops Brazil in contentious game

A deflected own goal in the second half gave the U.S. women’s national team a 1-0 victory over Brazil on Tuesday night in Fortaleza, Brazil, in chaotic match that saw eight red cards handed to the Brazilians in their second matchup this week.

6/11/2026: FOR THE RECORD: RESULTS/ SCHEDULE

Vegas 2, Carolina 2 Game 1: Vegas 5, Carolina 4 Game 2: Carolina 4, Vegas 3 (OT) Game 3: Vegas 5, Carolina 4 (2OT) Game 4: Carolina 5, Vegas 3 Game 5: at Carolina, 7 p.m. Thursday Game 6: at Vegas, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 7*: at Carolina, 7 p.m. June...

6/11/2026: BUSINESS: Solar power tops coal

Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power. Data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar...

6/11/2026: BUSINESS: The Ferm Meadery tasting room in Conroe to close

After five years on the downtown Conroe courthouse square, the owners of The Ferm Meadery tasting room have announced its closing. The tasting room across from the Montgomery County Courthouse will close June 27 at 225 Simonton St. “We want to...

6/11/2026: BUSINESS: High energy costs drive up inflation

WASHINGTON — Rising gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years last month, a headache for the Federal Reserve and a potential political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near. Consumer prices rose 4.2% in...

6/11/2026: BUSINESS: Houston Airbnb stays still affordable

Houston is shaping up to be one of the most affordable cities in the U.S. for short-term rental stays during the World Cup, even as Airbnb and VRBO hosts see prices surge by up to 39% on some tournament nights. So far, the average short-term rental...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: BLANCHE Q FLORES

Blanche Quiroz Flores, a woman who spent eightyeight years perfecting the art of the graceful exit, finally took her final bow on June 3, 2026, at Ascension Seton Hospital in Kyle, Texas. She died just a stone’s throw from her home in Buda, likely...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: WILLIAM CARLISLE WELCH

Bill was born on June 22nd 1939 in Houston, Texas. He passed away on June 8th, 2026 at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in College Station, Texas. Bill was predeceased in death by his parents Herman Welch and Annie Lee Finch, the mother of his child Diane...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: SANDRA CHAMBERS

“Well done good and faithful servant...”Matthew 25:21 We will honor and celebrate the life of our mother, Mrs. Sandra Gale Chambers, in the Rose Chapel of Mabrie Mortuary on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM. A visitation will begin one hour...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: EUGENE C. BROOKS

Mr. Eugene C. Brooks entered eternal rest on May 30, 2026. He has joined his beloved wife, Mrs. Pauline Fowler Brooks, and together they are rejoicing in the presence of God. His life & legacy will be celebrated Thursday, June 11, 2026, 11:00 AM at...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: MR ALPHONSE ALPAN

Though our hearts are heavy, we find comfort knowing GOD has him in HIS care. Mr. Alphonse Alpan entered into eternal rest on April 18, 2026. His life will be saluted on Friday, June 12, 2026, 1:45PM, Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: SpaceX wants regular investors to help stock launch

NEW YORK — When SpaceX makes its debut on the U.S. stock market, it wants smaller-pocketed, mom-and-pop investors to play a big role in what may be the biggest IPO ever. Elon Musk’s rocket company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: Visa now lets agents pay through OpenAI

SAN FRANCISCO — Betting that people will soon grow more comfortable having artificial intelligence agents shop for groceries, plane tickets or diapers on their behalf, payments giant Visa said Wednesday that it has embedded its payment network inside...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: BRUCE IRWIN HENDRICKSON

Bruce Irwin Hendrickson, the patriarch of our family, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 5, 2026, at the age of 89. Bruce was born on December 8, 1936, in Port Arthur, Texas. From an early age, he demonstrated the qualities that would define his...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: Former CEO of Exxon a skeptic of climate change

Former Exxon CEO Lee Raymond, an executive who led one of the country’s biggest oil and gas corporations for more than a decade, died Saturday at age 87, the Wall Street Journal reported. Raymond’s family confirmed he died in Dallas, according to the...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: Another sell-off for AI stocks drags market down

NEW YORK — Another sell-off for artificial-intelligence stocks helped drag the U.S. market sharply lower Wednesday, as Wall Street’s former superstars continue to face heavy scrutiny for their success. The S&P 500 dropped 1.6% for its first...

6/11/2026: LIFE TRIBUTES: China’s car exports jump 73% as EV interest grows

HONG KONG — China’s passenger car exports jumped 73% yearon-year in May to around 809,000 vehicles, an industry group reported Wednesday, as higher gasoline and diesel prices due to the war in Iran raised interest in electric vehicles. That’s up from...