TONIGHT
TONIGHT IN BEAUMONT. A FIRE AT AN APARTMENT SENT A MAN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE FIRE BROKE OUT
AROUND 6:30-- IN THE 11- HUNDRED
BLOCK OF GEORGIA STREET-- AT THE
"HACIENDA APARTMENTS. THAT'S
JUST BLOCKS FROM LAMAR
UNIVERSITY. FIREFIGHTERS FOUND
SMOKE FROM A SECOND-STORY
APARTMENT. THEY FORCED THEIR WAY
IN, AND FOUND THE VICTIM WITH
SEVERE BURNS. HE HAD TO BE FLOWN
TO A HOSPITAL. DISTRICT
CHIEF SCOTT WHEAT TELLS 12NEWS,
CREWS QUICKLY CONTAINED THE
FIRE. AN THE DAMAGE IS LIMITED
TO ONE APARTMENT. THEY'RE
STILL SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE.
ALSO TONIGHT WE'RE KEEPING YOU
UPDATED ON ANOTHER STORY --
THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPING ALL
EVENING. WE'RE WORKING TO
FIND OUT WHAT'S NEXT FOR A 16
YEAR-OLD WHO BEAUMONT POLICE
BLAME FOR A DEADLY CRASH. POLICE
TELL US -- HE WAS SPEEDING IN A
MAROON TRUCK WHEN HE RAN A RED
LIGHT -- AND CAREENED INTO A CAR
-- AT 11TH AND I-10. A
51-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO WAS RIDING
IN A CHEVY HHR DIED AT THE
SCENE. POLICE HAVEN'T
UPDATED US ON OTHER INJURIES --
BUT WE CAN TELL YOU, TWO OTHER
VEHICLES ALSO COLLIDED. UPDATES
AS WE GET THEM -- ON AIR AND
ONLINE.
ALL NEW AT TEN -- PEOPLE
HAVE ALREADY STEPPED UP -- TO
REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE BY
VANDALS IN PORT ARTHUR. THIS
MURAL ON THE SEAWALL WAS
RECENTLY DEFACED BY OTHERS WHO
DEEM THEMSELVES "ARTISTS."
THE ORIGINAL PAITNER WENT OUT
TO PAINT OVER IT-- BUT
RESIDENTS WORRY IT'LL HAPPEN
AGAIN.
THEY'RE CALLING FOR CAMERAS TO
HELP PROTECT IT. PORT
ARTHUR MAYOR THURMAN BARTIE HAS
SOME TOUGH WORDS FOR THOSE WHO
VANDALIZED THE MURAL TONIGHT. HE
SHARED THEM WITH OUR JORDAN
JAMES.
VANDALISM ALONG THE SEAWALL HAS
BECOME A CONSTANT PROBLEM,
FORCING SOME TO TAKE MATTERS
INTO THEIR OWN HANDS AS THE
QUEST FOR A LONG TERM SOLUTION
CONTINUES.
0:22-0:32 0:40-0:48
WHAT ONCE SERVED AS A BEACON OF
HOPE HAS TRANSFORMED INTO AN
EYESORE FOR MANY IN PORT ARTHUR
"RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE AND
RESPECT THEIR WORK AND LET'S
BEAUTIFY PORT ARTHUR." THAT WAS
THE GOAL FOR ARMANDO RUIZ, WHEN
HE SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO HAVE
THIS MURAL PAINTED ALONG THE
SEAWALL IN 2019. SINCE THEN,
IT'S BEEN A CONSTANT TARGET FOR
VANDALS
"I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. SEEING
HOW LONG IT TOOK TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER AND COMING TO SEE THAT
PEOPLE COME AND VANDALIZE IT, IT
IS VERY SADDENING." IT'S GOTTEN
TO THE POINT WHERE ARTISTS ARE
CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PAINT OVER VANDALISM, SPARKING ANGER FOR PORT ARTHUR MAYOR THURMAN BARTIE
"GET YOU A BUILDING AND TAG THE
HELL OUT OF IT WITH YOUR STUFF."
MAYOR BARTIE SAYS AFTER
WITNESSING
WITNESSING
THE
THE VANDALISM UP CLOSE, HE'S
PREPARED
PREPARED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL LOOK AT WAYS TO PROTECT THE MURAL MOVING FORWARD
"THAT'S DISRESPECTFUL AND THE
DISRESPECT THAT IS SHOWING IS
ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT IS A
DISGRACE AND IF YOU'RE CAUGHT
DOING IT YOU'RE GO BE HANDLED.
HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, A
CLEAN UP IS SCHEDULED WITH PORT
ARTHUR POLICE WHERE THEY WILL
ERASE ALL OF THE VANDALISM. ONCE
WE FIND OUT THOSE DETAILS WE
WILL LET YOU KNOW.
THAT'S
THAT'S HAIL HITTING HARD IN LEANDER THIS AFTERNOON.... AS A LINE OF SEVERE STORMS RACED OFF
TO THE EAST. THIS LOOKS LIKE
QUARTER SIZED HAIL, RAINING DOWN
INTO A FAMILY'S POOL. CHANGE
A LITTLE CLOSER TO US... MATT
IN TOMBALL -- HAD SMALLER HAIL
-- BUT TORRENTIAL RAIN WHEN THE
STORM HIT HIS HOUSE. CHANGE AND
YOU BET FOLKS ARE DEALING WITH
DAMAGE -- FROM CENTRAL
TEXAS... THROUGH THE BRAZOS
VALLEY.
CRISTIANA RAMOS JOINS US FROM
THE STORMTRACKER CENTER. AND
CRISTIANA --- ARE THERE
STILL STORMS OUT THERE TONIGHT?
RAIN CHANCES STILL HANGING
AROUND
AROUND THE AREA UNTIL SATURDAY MORNING! A DRIER AND COOLER FORECAST END OF THE WEEKEND INTO
NEXT WEEK. TONIGHT, MOST
ACTIVITY IS OFF TOWARDS CENTRAL
TEXAS AND IS GIVING US A BREAK
WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS IN
THE MORNING. LOW TEMPERATURES
WILL DIP INTO THE MIDDLE AND
LOWER 60S. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
OVER THE REGION WILL DRAG
ANOTHER DISTURBANCE THROUGH THE
AREA FRIDAY BRINGING MORE RAIN
AND ONE OR TWO STORMS. SE TEXAS
IS AT A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE
WEATHER FRIDAY. ONCE THE FRONT
CLEARS EARLY SATURDAY THE
FORECAST TURNS MUCH DRIER.
SUNDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK THE FORECAST WILL BE
DRY AND COOLER. HIGHS DROPPING
BACK INTO THE LOWER 70'S WITH
LOWS IN THE 50'S. SHORT TERM
FORECAST TRIANGLE TONIGHT:
CLOUDY WITH A 20% COVERAGE OF
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MIDDLE
60'S. WINDS: EAST 3-9 MPH.
LAKES AREA TONIGHT: CLOUDY WITH
A 40% COVERAGE OF SHOWERS. LOWS
IN THE LOWER 60'S. WINDS: EAST
5-10 MPH. TRIANGLE FRIDAY:
CLOUDY, COOLER WITH A 50%
COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND SOME
STORMS. HIGHS MIDDLE 70'S.
WINDS: EAST SHIFTING SOUTHEAST
5-15 MPH. LAKES AREA FRIDAY:
CLOUDY, COOLER WITH A 60%
COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS.
HIGHS LOWER 70'S. WINDS: EAST
5-15 MPH.
NEW INFO TONIGHT ON THE 'SCARY
NEW
NEW INFO
NEW INFO TONIGHT ON THE 'SCARY SCENE' AT THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. POLICE
SHOT AND KILLED A MAN-- WHO THEY
SAY HAD OPENED FIRE ON THE
CROWD. NO ONE ELSE WAS
SERIOUSLY HURT. BUT IT WAS
CERTAINLY TERRIFYING FOR
TRAVELERS.
THERE WAS A TSA LADY AND SHE
YELLED RUN AND SOMEBODY SAID
THERE'S A SHOOTER AND THAT JUST
KICKED IN AND MYSELF AND A
NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE GRABBED
OUR STUFF AND TOOK OFF RUNNING."
THE AIRPORT WAS LOCKED DOWN BUT
HAS SINCE REOPENED.
INVESTIGATORS SAY, THE SUSPECT
HAD A FULL BOX OF AMMUNITION
WITH HIM. NO WORD TONIGHT
-- ON HIS MOTIVE.
THE SHOOTING CAME THAT THE
TEXAS HOUSE GAVE INITIAL
APPROVAL TO A 'CONSTITUTIONAL
CARRY' BILL. IT WOULD ALLOW
TEXANS TO CARRY HANDGUNS
WITHOUT A PERMIT.
ITS A MAJOR VICTORY FOR GUN
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS-- WHO SAY
NOTHING SHOULD STAND IN THE WAY
OF PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR
FAMILY. BUT CRITICS--
INCLUDING SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT--
SAY THIS WILL BE EASIER FOR
DANGEROUS CRIMINALS TO BE ARMED.
THE HOUSE STILL NEEDS TO GIVE A
FINAL APPROVAL TO THE BILL--
BEFORE IT HEADS TO THE SENATE.
THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE
REMAINS ON "PAUSE" NATIONWIDE --
AFTER AT LEAST SIX CONFIRMED
CASES OF BLOOD CLOTS WERE FOUND
IN WOMEN BETWEEN 18 AND 48 YEARS
OLD. THE TROUBLE DEVELOPED
"6 TO 13" DAYS AFTER THEY WERE
VACCINATED.
AN FDA PANEL WANTS MORE DATA --
ON THE ADVERSE REACTIONS. THE
VACCINE IS ALREADY IN THE
BODIES OF MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS--
INCLUDING 2 PEOPLE WE'RE
HEARING FROM TONIGHT. BOTH OF
THEM RECEIVED THEIR J&J SHOT
SJUST DAYS BEFORE THE PAUSE.
12NEWS REPORTER ALMIYA WHITE HAS
THEIR CONCERNS.
JORDAN, DEJ -- I SPENT THE
AFTERNOON WITH TWO PEOPLE WHO
ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR SINGLE
DOSES. BOTH OF THEM HAVE THE
SAME SENTIMENTS TOWARDS THE
PAUSE ON THE VACCINE.
0:16-0:19 0:43-0:48
GWENSOT: I THINK I READ THE
SIX CASES OUT OF MILLIONS OF
VACCINES THAT WERE GIVEN. SO, I
WASN'T CONCERNED AT ALL. GWEN
JOHNSON GOT HER JOHNSON AND
JOHNSON VACCINE SHOT JUST DAYS
BEFORE U.S. HEALTH OFFICIALS
CALLED FOR A PAUSE. GWENSOT:I
RECEIVED THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON
SHOT ON SUNDAY AT ABOUT 3:45PM.
VINCENT GRAYSON GOT HIS A WEEK
BEFORE THE NEWS. VINCENT SOT:
I JUST SAT DOWN IN THE CHAIR
AND THEY GAVE ME THE SHOT. AND
SHE TOLD ME TO GO SIT DOWN AND
REST FOR 15 MINUTES. FOR GWEN --
HER PROCESS WAS PRETTY SIMPLE.
NO
NO SIDE
NO SIDE EFFECTS. GWEN SOT: SO I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD ANY REACTIONS. BUT IT WAS A
DIFFERENT STORY FOR VINCENT
VINCENT SOT: THE NEXT DAY, I
STARTED FEELING KIND OF WOOZY. I
WAS LIKE, MAN, WHAT'S WRONG WITH
ME, AND I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT ME
JUST TAKING A SHOT AND GETTING
SICK. EVEN THOUGH THE SHOT DID
LEAVE HIM TIRED AND DROWSY--
VICENT ISN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PAUSE. VICENT SOT: YOU KNOW I
THINK THEY'RE BEING DRAMATIC.
YOU KNOW I THINK THEY REALLY
JUST OVERREACTING, I REALLY DO,
YOU KNOW, SIX PEOPLE OUT OF
MILLION PEOPLE COME ON NOW. GWEN
IS OPTIMISTIC THAT J&J WILL DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THEM
BACK IN THE VACCINE BUSINESS.
GWEN SOT: I THINK THESE
COMPANIES THAT MODERNA PFIZER
AND JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, I THINK
THEY SPENT TONS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS ON RESEARCH AND TESTING
AND TRYING TO GET THEIR POCKETED
PRODUCT TO THE MARKET. DURING A
PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY --
DR. FAUCI SAYS IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN
J&J WILL BEGIN TO ADMINISTER
VACCINES AGAIN. GWEN SAYS SHE
HOPES IT'S SOON.... TO PROTECT
THE PERSON CLOSEST TO HER.
GWEN SOT: I WAS TRYING TO
SIGN MY HUSBAND UP FOR IT OR BUT
THEY SHUT IT DOWN. SO I'M
WAITING FOR THEM TO OPEN BACK UP
SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND GET HIM IN
THERE WITH ME.
GWEN AND VINCENT SAYS WHILE
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON IS
INVESTIGATING THESE RARE CASES
-- PEOPLE SHOULD ACTUALLY DO
THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND RESEARCH
INFORMATION THEY ARE SEEKING TO
KNOW.
THANK YOU ALMIYA. WHILE THE CDC
WEIGHS ITS OPTIONS WITH JOHNSON
AND JOHNSON-- PFIZER'S CEO IS
SAYING WE MAY HAVE TO ROLL UP
OUR SLEEVES, MORE OFTEN.
THE HEAD OF PFIZER SAYS ---
YOU'LL LIKELY NEED TO GET A
THIRD SHOT, SIX TO 12 MONTHS
AFTER YOU'VE BEEN FULLY
VACCINATED. THAT WOULD HELP
PROTECT YOU FROM THE VARIANTS.
FROM THERE -- IT'S LOOKING LIKE
ANNUAL COVID VACCINES -- SIMILAR
TO FLU SHOTS -- COULD BE NEEDED.
THE VARIANTS WILL PLAY A
CRITICAL ROLE. IT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT TO SUPPRESS THE POOL
OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VIRUS."
WE KNOW THAT PFIZER'S VACCINE
IS 91-PERCENT EFFECTIVE AT LEAST
SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT SECOND
DOSE. MODERNA HASN'T SAID WHAT
IT WILL RECOMMEND.
BY THE NUMBERS--- GOOD NEWS AS
WE BEGIN TO ROUND THE CORNER TO
END THE WEEK. THE STATS ARE
DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD.
LET'S START WITH CASES. ON
THURSDAY, THE REGION LOGGED 51
NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES. THAT'S
DOWN ABOUT 30 FROM THE DAY
BEFORE. 14 FROM JEFFERSON,
15 FROM LIBERTY, AND ANOTHER 20
FROM CHAMBERS COUNTY. 8
SOUTHEAST TEXANS LOST THEIR
BATTLE WITH COVID 19.
AND WHEN WE STEP BACK TO LOOK
AT THE BIG PICTURE, THE 14 DAY
AVERAGE FOR WHERE WE STAND IN
THE HOSPITALS IS HEADING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION TOO.
HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF THE
REGION. 17 PERCENT OF THOSE
IN THE ICU-- HAVE COVID-19.
NEARLY 9 PERCENT IN GENERAL BEDS
ARE BATTLING THE VIRUS. THAT
SETS THE REGIONAL
HOSPITALIZATION RATE AT 9
PERCENT.
QUICK PAUSE
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT-- FINAL
PREPS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE
NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL PARADE.
IT'LL WIND ITS WAY THROUGH
DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT TOMORROW NIGHT
-- STARTING AT 7.
ORGANIZERS SAY THEY HAVE
'BACKUP PLANS' FOR THE BLOCK
PARTY IF THERE'S RAIN.
BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO MORE EVENTS --
BRINGING BACK CUSTOMERS.
"THESE EVENTS DOWNTOWN DO HELP
YOU KNOW WHEN WE KNOW ABOUT THEM
AND THEN THEY'RE COMING AND WE
CAN ALL PLAN AND WE'LL SAY AS A
GROUP DOWNTOWN WE REALLY SHOULD
GET TOGETHER ON THAT STUFF AND
REALLY PLAN THAT OUT, AND UH, SO
WE CAN ALL BENEFIT FROM IT."
NOW THE PARADE WILL HAPPEN RAIN
OR SHINE. THE COORNIATION
AND CORONATION BALL ARE STILL A
GO ON STAURDAY. FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON THE EVENTS-- HEAD
ON OVER TO OUR WEBSITE--
12NEWS-NOW- DOT-COM.
A MAN FROM ORANGE FACES SEVERAL
CHARGES-- AFTER INVESTIGATORS
SAY HE THREATENED TO SHOOT A
WOMAN. POLICE SAY
CHRISTOPHER
CHARGOIS REMAINS BEHIND BARS--
AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED FOR THAT
DISTURBANCE ON KNOX STREET. A
JUDGE HASN'T SET HIS BOND.
GET READY TO START SEEING ADS
... PUSHING FOR CASINOS HERE IN
TEXAS. EXPECT TO HEAR ABOUT
THE BILLIONS OF TOURISM AND
GAMBLING DOLLARS -- THAT LEAVE
THE STATE EVERY YEAR -- FOR
PLACES LIKE OKLAHOMA AND
LOUISIANA. A BI-PARTISAN BILL TO
LEGALIZE GAMBLING -- IS GAINING
GROUND IN THE LEGISLATURE. A
TWO-THIRDS VOTE IS REQUIRED TO
OVERTURN THE STATE'S CURRENT BAN
ON GAMBLING. BUT ULTIMATELY THE
GOAL IS TO GET THIS ON THE
BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER -- FOR
YOU TO VOTE ON.
DIVE TEAMS HAVE JOINED THE
SEARCH FOR 12 WORKERS -- MISSING
FROM THAT CAPSIZED "LIFT BOAT"
OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST. THE
COAST GUARD WANTS THE DIVERS TO
GO DOWN TO THE SUBMERGED BOAT,
TO SEE IF ANY OF THE MISSING ARE
TRAPPED INSIDE. THE 129-FOOT
COMMERCIAL VESSELL -- OWNED BY A
HOUSTON COMPANY -- OVERTURNED IN
HIGH
HIGH SEAS
HIGH SEAS AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS TUESDAY. ONE WORKER WAS FOUND DEAD. 6 VICTIMS
WERE SAFELY RESCUED.
AFTER THE