Mayor Whitmire Says HPD Is Not Helping ICE

Jimmy Barrett takes you through the stories that matter the most on the morning of 01/29/25.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is HUES Radio seven forty kati RH Houston Drive
Everywhere with Art now, the latest news, weather and trapping.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's more of what matters to you from the John
Morris Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, good morning, five am is our time here in
Houston's Morning News. I'm Jimmy Barrett. Among our top stories
as we get started this morning, Mayor what Meyer says,
HPD is not helping ice the cartels. They're flying drones
and shooting back and coming up at five aweight Today
begins the Year of the Snake. Details in the minutes ahead.
You're in Houston's Morning News. First, we're checking out that

(00:39):
morning drive again. Sky Mike's here.

Speaker 4 (00:41):
We've got wet freeways the first thing you'll notice. So
off goes this snooze and let's get up out of bed.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
You can do your hair when you get at work.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
Let's go to ninety Crosby Freeway inbound, right where it
comes into the bud Plant where we do all that
merging craziness.

Speaker 5 (00:56):
Gott a stall.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
He's in the interchange REMP shouldn't be a big story.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
But where he's at.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
Let's watch out on both ninety and also be careful
this morning on it east of course, the Katie Freeway.
We have that roadwork lifestyle just outside of downtown forty
five to Heightschoole Ofvard.

Speaker 5 (01:11):
It's outbound, not inbound.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Now you've got three little skitty lanes, wet roads and
the tex Dot Wall of Death. I'm Skymike and the
Generator Supercenter, dot Com Traffic Center from.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
Our KTRH top tax Defenders, twenty four hour Weather Center
Claude Skys. Periods of morning rain today with the high
temperature right about sixty seven. Tomorrow's the stormy day. We'll
get some more details about that when we talk to
Terry Smith at the Weather Channel in eight minutes. Right now,
currently it is fifty seven at your official severe weather station,
News Radio seven forty k TRH. It is time now

(01:41):
for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 6 (01:43):
Thank you, Jimmy five two on KTRH our top story.
Houston is not an official sanctuary city, but in city
council yesterday, the Mayor John Whitmeyer said HPD won't help
Ice with enforcement operations.

Speaker 7 (01:58):
HPD enforce state laws and will hold violators of state
law violent offenders accountable, regardless of your immigration status.

Speaker 6 (02:08):
The Department also has a shortage of more than fifteen
hundred officers. The ice effort continues nationwide, though, including New
York City or DHS Secretary Christy Nome Oversaw raids.

Speaker 8 (02:21):
I'll be with all of them because I think that
when I'm there, they know they have a leader that
supports them.

Speaker 9 (02:26):
No one with ktrh's Sean Hannity.

Speaker 6 (02:29):
At the border itself, the cartels, well, they're fighting efforts
to secure the border with drones and violence.

Speaker 9 (02:37):
They've gone as far as to shoot at officials.

Speaker 10 (02:39):
In Stark County Border patol Is Patroleum, an area which
is one of the most violent areas along the border region.
They were actually under gunfire by armed partel gunmen.

Speaker 11 (02:48):
DPS spokesperson Lieutenant Chris Olivar says this is something they
expected and are prepared for.

Speaker 10 (02:53):
If any cartel member or anybody engages all for some
whether it be gunfire or actively assaults them worgeting resource
that we have to go after them.

Speaker 11 (03:02):
Olivaris says. The cartel's no border security hurts their bottom line,
so they're trying to use intimidation to stop it. Ethan
Buchanan News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 6 (03:10):
And the impacts of what happened under Joe Biden in
play as. Four Republican led states are suing, claiming they
lost congressional seats to blue states like California because illegal
aliens were counted in the census.

Speaker 12 (03:23):
But the purpose of the census is twofold one, simply
to count everybody in two for apportionment. It would make
sense that you would separate out the apportionment part and
limit that just to aliens who are lawfully president in
the United States and United States.

Speaker 6 (03:39):
Art Arthur with the Center for Immigration Studies there, the
Bureau estimated that nearly three million people came here in
the last year, either legally or illegally.

Speaker 9 (03:49):
It's now five h four.

Speaker 6 (03:51):
Also in DC, the Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing
on the Panama Canal. Texas Senator and Committee Chairched CRUs as.
President Trump is right to be concerned about what's going on.

Speaker 13 (04:02):
We cannot afford to let American shippers be extorted. We
cannot turn a blind eye if Patama exploits an asset
of vital commercial and military importance. And we cannot stay
idle while China is on the march in our hemisphere.

Speaker 6 (04:16):
Trump hash talked about taking back the canal. Meantime, another
cabinet member was confirmed as Sean Duffy is now Transportation
Secretary via a vote that was seventy seven to twenty two.
Rfk Junior Senate confirmation for HHS is at for nine
o'clock today. More on that at five thirty. But the

(04:37):
resistance to Trump and his agenda continues as a federal
judge in DC temporarily puts a stop to Trump's freeze
on federal funding.

Speaker 14 (04:48):
US District Judge Lauren Ali Khan issued the block of
the White House action a matter of minutes prior to
it taking effect. In making her decision, Judge ali Khan
said the freeze could potentially bring iri reparable harm. A
lawyer for nonprofits and small businesses argued for the injunction,
saying the pause could severely limit their operations.

Speaker 6 (05:09):
That's Grnald Scott reporting the federal judge, by the way,
is a Biden appoint t and with President Trump vowing
to overhaul FEMA, many are wondering what that means for
Texas and our vulnerability to hurricanes. Ron Snuffer, who owns
National Claims negotiator, says it's actually long overdue.

Speaker 15 (05:28):
Texas will get a nice injection of money, and anything
would do a better job than the way this stuff's
been run in the past. I really don't think they're
going to dismantle it. I think they'll restructure it and
get the right one place.

Speaker 6 (05:39):
Yeah, it's that FEMA currently doesn't offer much to homeowners
other than seven hundred.

Speaker 9 (05:44):
Dollars checks five h six.

Speaker 6 (05:46):
The Federal Reserve wraps up its first meeting of the
year today. They're expected to leave interest rates alone. After
three cuts last year and this week's Wall Street meltdown
over the Chinese app Deep Seek is still being felt.

Speaker 16 (06:00):
Tech expert John Schultz says the big drop among stocks
Monday should teach us how much artificial intelligence and related
research and investment is powering our economy these days.

Speaker 17 (06:10):
I think it's going to make people more aware of
what's going on, probably educate themselves a little bit about
what AI can do and what AI can't do.

Speaker 16 (06:18):
AI is such a breakthrough, mister Schultz says, it's like
today is as nineteen ninety seven was to the Internet.
People are just starting to understand it, but AI's influence
in the future will be enormous. Michael Shiloh News Radio
seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 9 (06:34):
And there's this.

Speaker 6 (06:35):
Some users tried to ask Deep Seek about what happened
at Tieneman Square in nineteen eighty nine. It responded by saying, quote, sorry,
that's beyond my current scope. According to a new survey
done by wake Forest University, fifty three percent of Gen
Z and millennials are dissatisfied with their bosses.

Speaker 18 (06:54):
We've got to find common ground if we're really going
to work with this, because this is our labor force
for the next twenty five years. We're not getting away
from this. Got to solve the problem. We've got to
find the common ground.

Speaker 6 (07:03):
Business expert David Olcott with Samurai Success, thinks that AI
could actually be a major help with this. Five oh seven,
the Rockets win their fourth straight, beating the Hawks one
hundred to ninety six at According to reports, the Texans
will interview la Rams assistant Nick Kayley tomorrow after firing
offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick. I'm close Saunders on Houston's news,

(07:25):
weather and traffic station News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 5 (07:30):
You like free stuff. We all like free stuff.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
Guess what Our iHeart radio app is free and free
never sounded so good.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
There's no Year of the spider, but there is the
Year of the snake, and Teddy begins on the Chinese
calendar of the Year of the Snake twenty twenty five.
So let's see what other years were Years of the
Snake twenty twenty five, twenty thirteen, two thousand and one,
nineteen eighty nine, nineteen seventy seven, nineteen sixty five, nineteen
fifty three. If you're born in any of those years,

(08:03):
you were born in the Year of the snake. So
what does that mean exactly? According to the Chinese guy,
it's like astrology, right, well, it's Chinese astrology, is what
it is. So you know, it's kind of fun to
look at that stuff. Snakes are cautious, introverted observers, cool
and mysterious behavior owing to their suspicious and insecure nature.

(08:25):
Yet their armor conceals abundant sensitivity, wisdom, and passion that
will surely surprise their few confidants. So you know what,
what's the year of the snak going to be? Like,
I guess that would be the question, and I don't
really know. The snake by nature is again cautious, cool, mysterious,

(08:46):
maybe it'll be that kind of a year, kind of
a mysterious year, you know, like more of those drones stories,
those type of things. I did look up my personal sign.
I was born in the Year of the Horse. People
born in the Year of the horses be strong, independent,
and talented. Really, they're also said to be enthusiastic, cheerful,
and popular. They're often described as being outgoing and enjoying

(09:08):
me the center of attention. They're said to be leaders
in the workplace and are often admired for their good
humor and charm. Well, what's not the like about being
a horse? Five ten time for traffic and weather together. Well, yeah, I.

Speaker 4 (09:18):
Mean, if anybody sees you in person, you're of the
horse is perfect.

Speaker 3 (09:21):
I mean, well, at least the horse has ascid. I
at least got that much going for myself. Sky Mike
part of the horse. He's a big guy.

Speaker 4 (09:28):
Everybody, you know, Jimmy could pull the Budweiser wagon. Let's
get on ninety now Grand ninety Crosby Freeway on the
hard work And he said, I want you to watch
out for that stall that's right in the interchange ramp
with right by the budplant where it merges with ten
and all that business. Just watch out. He's he's over
to the side. But the lighting there is a little wonky.
Plus it's raining, and that's why obviously we've turned your

(09:51):
snooze off.

Speaker 3 (09:52):
Here.

Speaker 4 (09:53):
We got the roadwork downtown Katie Freeway out abound forty
five this due to mind. You know about that, and
you're really gonna know about that for about a year
or so. I've got rumblings of something overturned vehicle Chambers County,
montt Valeue thirty one point eighty.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
Okay, let me get some zooming on and the head
back out tour. I call them barbaras hill to this day.

Speaker 4 (10:11):
We'll check that at the twenty break and let me
yield here to Terry Smith. I'm Skymike at your Generator
Supercenter dot Com Traffic I Melokia Mike.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
I'm gonna guess you're a monkey. But that's just a
guess from from our KTRH top tax Defenders twenty four
Whether senat Terry Smith is here the cloudy day today.
We've had some rain out there this morning, Terry.

Speaker 19 (10:31):
Yeah, we've got some showers and I think we'll continue
to see somewhat weather through the warning hours. That steady
southwesterly flow has been bringing us some light to moderate
rain this morning, and that's going to continue for a
couple more hours. Eighty percent chance that our listeners will
be seeing some of that on their car wedge shields

(10:52):
this morning. By the afternoon, though, I think we're left
with just clouds. It is going to be a warmer day.
In fact, it's a slightly warmer morning. Temperatures today, load
of mid seventies. Now there's a call front on the
way tomorrow, looks like showers and thunderstorms. The bulk of
the wet weather in the afternoon. Ninety percent chance you're
going to see some more rain tomorrow.

Speaker 9 (11:14):
Load of mid seventies.

Speaker 19 (11:15):
Then the dryer air shows up, and so does the
sunshine Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and a really comfortable weekend
ahead afternoon highs upper sixties to low seventies.

Speaker 3 (11:27):
Wow, right now, fifty seven at your officials, Severe Weather Station,
News Radio seven forty k TRH. It's Houston's Morning News,
brought to you by New South Windows Solutions. Now back
to Jimmy Barrits and the Houston Morning News team.

Speaker 5 (11:41):
All the info you need to take on the day.

Speaker 3 (11:43):
So I'm gonna have a question the day coming up
that you're gonna be able to respond to on the
iHeartRadio App. That's going to be coming up after we
share some information about what Donald Trump said about eliminating
the Income SACTX. Yes, he talked about eliminating the federal
income tax. I want to see what you think about that.
But also I want to remind you that if you

(12:03):
when you download the iHeart Radio app, one of the
new features is a preset like on your radio, you
can preset the app so it goes right to kt RH.
So make us your pre set when you go there,
so it's easy to find it. You can find us
right away, and then when we ask a question you
want to talk back about it, it's very easy for
you to do. Right now five twenty time for traffic

(12:24):
and weather together.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
You listen to my eighties shows on the weekend.

Speaker 3 (12:28):
There is that. There is that as well, sky Mink.

Speaker 9 (12:30):
Around America on the free iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 4 (12:32):
All right, let's do some uh, let's do some hard
work on East Side out to Mott Bellevue, straight to
it ten our tip line. I love hearing from you
and hopefully we'll get an actual female caller this morning somewhere.
Jimmy seven one three two one two t ips I
ten Mott Bellvue.

Speaker 3 (12:48):
This is Jim from Wallaceville.

Speaker 20 (12:49):
Do pay sky Mike.

Speaker 21 (12:50):
There's an overturned vehicle on the service road in Chamberstown
near Mont BELvue at thirty one eighty going westbound.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
My ex wife had a wreck there one time. Okay,
that's inbound.

Speaker 4 (13:01):
Itim Mott Vlview just before point thirty one eighty. If
you're coming into cove, let's face super duper careful. We're
going to check your advisors at five point thirty and
the Generator Supercenter dot com traffic center.

Speaker 3 (13:12):
From r KTRH top tax defenders, twenty four hour Weather
Center Claude with periods of morning rain seventy two today
like rain, early thunderstorms for the afternoon, gusty winds, small
hail possible seventy two tomorrow and then Friday mostly Sunday
with high temperature run around seventy Currently temperature is fifty
seven at your official severe weather station, News Radio seven
forty k TRH. Time to check out some of our

(13:35):
top stories bright and early on this Wednesday morning. Here's Cliff,
Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 9 (13:39):
Headlines are sponsored by Moro Mechanical.

Speaker 6 (13:41):
According to campaign finance reports, two local county judges spend
campaign donations on criminal defense. Attorney will tell you who
they are. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is preparing emergency response
resources with heavy rain expected in parts of Texas, including
around here tomorrow and the Lotto Texas Jack, Jimmy, get
this seventy four million dollars. That's larger than Powerball and

(14:05):
larger than Mega millions. Right now, Okay, get the latest
news anytime at KTRH dot com. Our next update is at.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
Five thirty he living friends with Your forecast is at
the bottom of the hour on seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 3 (14:21):
So the taxman comes for everybody, comes for you, comes
for me. Partially, it doesn't come for the drug dealers.
They don't pay an income tax. I mean, they pay
other taxes, I guess, But the criminal element they're not
paying income taxes. So how how how much would you
enjoy life more if you had no income tax? But

(14:43):
the reality, of course, you have to have, right, you
have to have some means of making money for the government.
It doesn't need to be the income tax though President
Trump was talking about that the other day. Here he
is with his thoughts on eliminating the federal income tax.
We get a response on Fox Businesses Big Money Show.

Speaker 22 (15:00):
Do you know the United States in eighteen seventy to
nineteen thirteen all tariffs and that was the richest period
in the history of the United States. The income text
came in in nineteen thirteen. As I said in my
speech last week, instead of taxing our citizens to enrich
foreign nations, we should be tariffing and taxing foreign nations

(15:20):
to enrich our citizens.

Speaker 23 (15:22):
The President said that he plans to impose tariffs on
a list of imports steel, aluminum, copper, computer chips, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals,
all to boost domestic production. This is a very aggressive
economic agenda, but it's also really exciting. Also, let's just
keep with the tariffs for a moment, since that's where
we ended. This is a strategy, Brian, that he tried previously.

(15:45):
They weren't able to see it through in the last administration.
It's one that takes time. He is going back to
do it again.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
Well, he loves tariffs.

Speaker 24 (15:54):
Tariffs, I think is his favorite word in the dictionary.
He said, not surprising that he's talking about doing a
universal tariff.

Speaker 3 (16:00):
But I love Kevin Hassett.

Speaker 5 (16:02):
He's my favorite.

Speaker 24 (16:03):
I think he's my favorite economic guy in the administration,
the happy warrior.

Speaker 5 (16:07):
And he makes such a good point.

Speaker 24 (16:08):
He says, when these guys talk about tariffs, they ignore
all the other policies that we want to do, just
like they did in the first Trump term. And if
you think back to that term, we got some tariffs,
but we got all sorts of supply side, pro growth policies.
And that's exactly what the president is talking about now.

(16:29):
I mean, folks, he just said, let's eliminate.

Speaker 9 (16:31):
The income tax.

Speaker 20 (16:32):
Now.

Speaker 24 (16:32):
I don't know if that's going to get done, but
the fact that he's even talking that way tells me
this is a guy who does not want to punish work.
And that's the biggest thing.

Speaker 3 (16:41):
Well, it means that you don't have to worry about
him raising your taxes, certainly over the course of the
next four years, right and if anything, maybe you'll get
more tax cuts. See. I would love to see a
space out the income tax, but that's what you'd have
to do. I mean, you'd have to face it out,
maybe ten percent a year for ten years until you
phase it out. You'd have to replace it with something.

(17:03):
So or terrorists the answer, should we go back to
that model? Woodrow Wilson, a very progressive president, was the
president when the income tax came in in nineteen thirteen.
It's the progressives who gave you the income tax, and
we've been stuck with it ever since. See to me
the terriffs, Yes, Terris. Ultimately, you put tariffs on enough things,

(17:27):
and you're going to raise the price of those things.
But it's no different than the national sales tax. Right,
you're paying four things you're using. It's a consumption tax
versus punishing you for what you make. So here's my question.
Would you support eliminating the federal income tax? And if so,
what would you replace it with. Just go to the

(17:49):
iHeartRadio app KTRH, hit the talk pack button. You get
up to thirty seconds to tell us what you think.
Five twenty six, it is time to take a look
at your money here on this Wednesday morning, here's Jeff
Bellinger and.

Speaker 16 (18:01):
Jimmy Good Morning.

Speaker 25 (18:02):
Tech stocks led a Tuesday rebound on Wall Street and
ASDAK rows two percent in yesterday's trading. The Dow closed
up three tenths percent. The S and P five hundred
gained nine tenths percent. Economists have no doubts about what
the Federal Reserve Board policymakers will do today.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
Experts say it's a safe bed.

Speaker 25 (18:20):
Interest rates will be left unchanged, but they will be
paying close attention when chair Jerome Powell holds his news
conference this afternoon. There are signs that things started to
improve at Starbucks after Brian Nickel took over as CEO
and ordered a series of changes. Same store sales still
fell in the latest quarter, but not by as much
as in the prior quarter. Nichol has worked to streamline

(18:42):
menus and speed up service at Starbucks shops. He did
away with the extra charges for non dairy milk, and
he discouraged non customers who like to hang out at
coffee shops without buying anything. Microsoft, Tesla, Meta Platforms, and
T Mobile are on a long list of companies that
will be posting their quarterly results today. Stock market futures
are narrowly mixed at this early hour. I'm Jeff Beldinger,

(19:05):
Bloomberg Business on News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 26 (19:12):
No Houston's News Why there were traffic plus breaking news
twenty four to seven.

Speaker 1 (19:17):
This is News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 5 (19:20):
Five Everywhere with the IRPP.

Speaker 2 (19:23):
More of what's happening now from the Jehan Morris Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (19:27):
It's five thirty here on Houston's Morning News. I'm Jimmy Verrett.
Among our top stories this half hour, county officials using
campaign funds for criminal defense attorneys, the new press Secretary
Jeen taking any crap from anybody, and coming up at
five thirty eight. Home sales they're at a thirty year low.
Details and the minutes ahead. You're in Houston's Morning News. First,

(19:48):
we're chaining out that morning drive stet. Mike's here.

Speaker 4 (19:51):
Let's hit the east side again ninety I got Richard
from Dayton.

Speaker 27 (19:53):
He got Mike traveling down Rogge Freeway from Dayton, then
to crawl the h and.

Speaker 5 (19:59):
Further own at Lumbark. There's a lot of water sheeting
on the road. I've had played several times, so all.

Speaker 4 (20:05):
Right, Richard, that's a big banana sticker for your toolbox here.
And yeah, all of our roads wet all over the place.
I'm even hearing stuff about fog. I will check visibility
at the five forty. Also it in East mottin Bellvue
the Feeder Road right before Eagle Drive thirty one eighty
there's an overturned vehicle. I think it's closer to fourteen
oh nine. This is inbound. Just stay on the mainlines.
I'm Skywike from the Generator Supercenter dot Com Traffic Center from.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
Our KTRH Generator super Center, twenty four hour weather Center,
Claude sky Spirit's a morning rain, Hi today right about
seventy two. We'll get you the complete forecast through the weekend.
By the way, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Right now, looking great.
We'll talk to Terry Smith about all this in about
eight minutes. Right now fifty seven at your official severe
weather station, News Radio seven forty KTRH. It is time

(20:50):
down for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 9 (20:52):
Thank you, Jimmy. It's coming up on five point thirty two.

Speaker 6 (20:54):
In our top story, Aris County Judge Lena Hidalgo faces
more skirt knee as our tech television partner Channel two
reports her campaign financial filings proved she spent campaign money
donations on criminal defense attorneys.

Speaker 28 (21:11):
We spoke to our attorney Court Acres about this he
was brought in by Hidalgo after three of her senior staffers.
If you remember, we're in Dieda Bay, Harris County grandeurate
in connection to the awarding of a nearly eleven million
dollar outreach contract.

Speaker 6 (21:25):
That is reporter Mario Diaz there Now. Hidalgo has yet
to comment. Fort Ben County Judge K. P. George did
the same thing, he claims, though he did nothing illegal.
In Austin, the Texas Senate committee hearing on school choice
went well into the night. State Senator Brandon Creighton, who
wrote the bill, led the debate and said this does

(21:46):
not hurt public schools.

Speaker 29 (21:48):
Those are manufactured narratives and saying that school choice opportunities
that are reasonable and lifting up a public school system
and public school teachers and harmony them so doutaly successful.

Speaker 6 (22:01):
The bill is expected to pass the Senate. Ultimately it'll
be decided in the House, which under date Feelin didn't
do anything with this two years ago, and the State
House also officially adopted their rules package for the session.
As suspected, it favors Democrats.

Speaker 30 (22:17):
Virtually every Democrat voted for a Democrat. Obama White House
lawyer actually wrote these rules so Democrats are very very
happy with this package.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (22:27):
Brandon Waltons with Texas Scorecard says the rules banned Democrat
committee chairs, but they require vice chairs to be Democrats
and they get expanded powers now five point thirty three
on KTRH in Washington, the first press briefing for White
House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt was vastly different from the
Koreem Jean Pierre years. There were actual answers to questions,

(22:51):
no circling back. One example the drones over New Jersey.

Speaker 31 (22:55):
The drones that were flying over New Jersey and large
numbers were authorized to be flown.

Speaker 6 (23:00):
By the FAA, something Correine Jean Pierre never explained.

Speaker 9 (23:06):
Another of President Trump's cabinet picks goes in front of
the Senate today, Robert F. Kennedy Junior. Here's Fox's Alexandria Hoff.

Speaker 32 (23:13):
Kennedy's make America Healthy Again agenda has earned him the
support of most Republicans and some Democrats, but many want
to hear some clarification on commentary he has given mainly
on vaccines.

Speaker 5 (23:23):
Interestingly, on its way out, the former.

Speaker 32 (23:25):
Administration pushed forward some health stances that's in line with
what Kennedy has been preaching like the FDA banning red
dye three, proposing nutritional info on the front of food packages,
and limiting lead in some baby food.

Speaker 9 (23:35):
The hearing begins at nine o'clock this morning.

Speaker 6 (23:38):
The president's clean up of federal institutions is now literally
striking fear into federal workers. He slash dei hires, He's
frozen hiring. Matt Margolis of PJ Media says they're terrified
because now they'll have to prove their worth after being
protected for years.

Speaker 33 (23:56):
Federal workers get used this idea that they don't have
to prove themselves and that their jobs are always safe,
and that's something they've gotten used to. And I think
they've realized that there's.

Speaker 5 (24:05):
A new sheriff in town.

Speaker 33 (24:07):
I'm really surprised that they're going to fight it.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
He says.

Speaker 6 (24:09):
Trump has started a meritocracy movement. The administration is also
offering buyouts to nearly every federal employee, part of Trump's
push to get them back into the office as opposed
to remote work. They have until February sixth to opt in.
Five point thirty five ICE operations continue nationwide, but that
does not mean the man in charge is happy with

(24:31):
everything so far.

Speaker 34 (24:32):
Are you satisfied, Tom Homan with the pace of migrant deportations.

Speaker 6 (24:42):
No, we got to do more borders are Tom Homan
with Fox's Jesse Waters telling him that sanctuary cities Denver, Chicago, La,
New York City they have put up the most resistance
so far. Here in Houston, Mayor John Whitmeyer says HPD
is not helping ice raids. You'll hear his explanation at
six o'clock on Houston's Morning News. It's now five point

(25:04):
thirty six on KGRH. Checking out markets overnight, Dow futures
are down while SMP futures in Nasdaq futures are up.
The Federal Reserve makes a decision on interest rates later today.
They are expected to keep rates unchanged. Dallas has replaced
the Austin areo as the having the highest rents in Texas,

(25:26):
but rents are actually going down in the state capitol,
and a real estate research Center director Daniel One says
there's a good reason for it.

Speaker 35 (25:38):
Developers will build a new apartment building for every new
household that shows up in the community, and since COVID,
Austin's been building four apartments for every new resident.

Speaker 6 (25:48):
The average rent in Houston, according to apartments dot Com,
is between twelve and nineteen hundred dollars a month. The
taxison officially opened up this week, but a warning. The
IRSAs tax Pay lost five point five billion dollars to
scammers in twenty twenty three, and it's getting worse.

Speaker 36 (26:06):
The best thing you can do to protect yourself is
to set up a pin with the IRS, but that
anyone who wants to follow you return has to have
that pen.

Speaker 6 (26:14):
Tax expert Chris Wilbratt says the IRS will never call
or text you five point thirty seven. According to new data,
God is making a comeback with a surprising demographic, young people,
specifically gen Z.

Speaker 37 (26:29):
It's definitely co gruit with what I'm seeing around the
state and country. Young people really want to make a difference.
They want their lives to mean something.

Speaker 38 (26:37):
That's Christian Collins, founder and President the Texas Youth Summit.

Speaker 37 (26:41):
It's just really encouraging for me to see that hunger
being filled.

Speaker 3 (26:45):
By God in so many young people.

Speaker 5 (26:47):
No better way for that to happen than to find God.

Speaker 38 (26:50):
Sixty two percent of those ages eighteen to twenty four
consider themselves very spiritual Jeff Biggs News right, the seven
forty k t raids and.

Speaker 6 (27:01):
I'm Cliff Saunders on Houston's news, weather and traffic station KTRH.

Speaker 3 (27:05):
Crime is on the rise, our schools are in trouble the.

Speaker 9 (27:08):
Next four years.

Speaker 15 (27:09):
We'll have to get.

Speaker 1 (27:09):
Better telling the story of Houston every day. Quite a
story use Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 3 (27:19):
Five thirty eight is a time here in Houston's morning news. Well,
here's the bad news. We have the lowest existing home
sales rates since nineteen ninety five. That's thirty years ago.
That's according to the National Association of Real Tours YEP.
The annual pace of US existing home sales hasn't been
this soft since Microsoft launched Windows ninety five, which I

(27:42):
had on my computer. Well passed the year two thousand. Anyway,
Mortgage rates are the key piece of the puzzle. About
eighty percent of existing home loans carry rates under five
percent as of this past September eighty percent, and they
don't People don't want to give up that less than

(28:04):
five percent mortgage that they have, so the current homeowners
don't want to sell. I mean, would you want to
swap a three and a half or four percent mortgage
for a rate close to seven percent. So this is
this is the trap that we're in right down. I
got the impression from some of the things that the
President Trump has been saying that he's going to start
putting pressure on the FED to lower rates. He wants

(28:26):
to get he wants to get the home home business go,
get it going again, you know, get those interest rates lower.
But by the same token, you know, there's only so
much you can do with what's going on with inflation.
The key to all this we've got is doge. Doze
is the key to all of this, cutting government wasteful

(28:47):
government spending. If we can do that, then they can
lower interest rates. That they can lower interest rates, then
we can get mortgage rates that are nice and low
again and get everything going, get the economy humming the
way it should be. But it's not gonna be an
overnight procedure. Five forty time for traffic and weather together,
we're gonna check out the drive again with sky Mike.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
It's Grand Parkway. Let's check the big shots out. And
on the west part of Grand Parkway two ninety down
pass Morton Road to the Katie Freeway looks like you're good.
It's a wet drive all over town, so let's get
out of bed. You know, the earlier you get up,
I don't want to preach to you, but earlier you
get up, easier your morning.

Speaker 3 (29:20):
I'm really talking to myself here.

Speaker 5 (29:22):
I ten.

Speaker 4 (29:23):
You're part of Grand Parkway that goes through Sincle Ranch
and down to Pecong Grove. We're good shape here too,
nobody's bumping into each other. I'm doing a nice, fairly
reasonable speed most of you. Let's do the Southwest Freeway
and coming up from Richmond and Rosenberg problem free for now.
I don't even have the little squish around the West
Loop six ' ten ramp is okay, watch out for

(29:44):
all that merging craziness, and we look pretty darn good
into the canyon.

Speaker 3 (29:48):
I do have that overturned vehicle.

Speaker 4 (29:50):
Jim from Wallaceville gave me that on Mott Bellevue's service road.
That is it in inbound thirty one eighty, which is
also Eagle Drive before that, I think it's closer to
fourteen or nine. It's in the feeder. Main lanes are
looking good and we're all good to go both ways
out to Gator Country and a whack Texas. How y'all
doing golf Freeway northbound? Let's check meek from Chema.

Speaker 39 (30:12):
Morning Sky Mighty. It is extremely foggy out here, kind
of slipping and sliding. Folks are going a little wonky.

Speaker 4 (30:21):
A little wonky terry. So visibility is the thing. It's
not showing up in my Peel's pocket radar that I
ordered off TV. I don't know if it shows up
on your Mega doppler. I'm in the Generator Supercenter dot
Com Traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (30:33):
By the way, Mike, I looked you up. I was wrong.
You're not You're not a monkey, monkey, Yep, You're a dragon.
I'm a wagon. He's a He's a dragon. People born
in the Year of the Dragon said to be full
of energy and drive. Well, well, well, well, well I
forguess yet, I guess that Kennethy kind of just gifts
and full of caffeine and full of something else if
we can't see in the radio. But anyway, reason why

(30:55):
I mentioned all this is if you're just tuning in,
today begins the lunar Year of the Snake. Chinese have
Chinese doing here all right? From our KTRH Generator super
Center twenty four hour.

Speaker 5 (31:06):
I'm a horse. You're a horse, or at least part
of a horse.

Speaker 9 (31:09):
Yeah, horses are good.

Speaker 3 (31:12):
Horses are good, Yeah they are. We'll have to forgure
out what you are.

Speaker 9 (31:16):
I believe I'm a rabbit.

Speaker 3 (31:17):
I'll have to double check your abbit.

Speaker 9 (31:19):
I'm a wabbit.

Speaker 3 (31:21):
All right, That that makes sense to Billy Quiet.

Speaker 9 (31:23):
All right, you were gonna tell us who brought us the.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
Weather so KTRH Generator super Center, twenty four hour Weather Center. Yes,
Jerry is here, iss you can tell, and she's got
the forecast for you. Sit here somewhere.

Speaker 19 (31:36):
Yes, I've got the forecast, but it's not showing any
wonkiness on the radar. I am seeing some showers, a
little bit of light ray Northy, Houston and over toward
the west Rosenberg Sugarlan and seeing some uh, wet weather.
The showers we have this morning will taper off by
the afternoon. It's an eighty percent chance, though, you're gonna

(31:56):
see some of that wet weather this morning, cloudy later on,
warmer today, loud to mid seventies tomorrow. That's when you're
most likely to get the rain of showers and thunderstorms
for the afternoon. Ninety percent chancing any what lud to
mid seventies, it clears out the sunshines and temperatures near
seventy Friday through the weekend.

Speaker 3 (32:17):
Yep, you're right now in fifty seven here at your
official severe weather station, News Radio seven forty KTRH. What
you need to know for the day ahead.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
This is Houston's Morning News, brought to you by New
South Windows Solutions.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
Five fifty is our time here in Houston's Born News.
So we have a new Press Secretary, Caroline Levitt, who
she's awesome. She laid down the law on the legacy
media yesterday. They also welcomed Breitbart and some other alternative
news sources that had not been invited to the White
House Press Briefing room before. They have chairs there now.
And one of the things she did, she opened up

(32:53):
with a it's the only thing that I thought was
kind of lame, opening up with an explanation of the
new Jersey drones. We'll share that with you coming up next. First,
we've got traffic and weather together's we check it again
with Skyttersting too.

Speaker 4 (33:07):
Let's go to two ninety Jimmy Chip backed Jared from
Pearlands on my tip line.

Speaker 1 (33:11):
Paykuy Mike outbound two ninety On the left side, there's
a cup stop with the cars.

Speaker 35 (33:16):
Which I gets fun around near the crossroads of Windsburn.

Speaker 4 (33:19):
Okay, that looks like that's going to be right at
the beltway across.

Speaker 3 (33:22):
Is that Bowling Alley still open?

Speaker 4 (33:24):
It's right across from that Bowling Alley outbound before the
belt Let's oh key, oh, League City, what.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
Do you got, guy mind?

Speaker 27 (33:29):
Right before the upway, we've.

Speaker 21 (33:32):
Got that car accident blocking to left winge. It looks
like the fire department is there at the moment, and
they've got some tow truck.

Speaker 4 (33:38):
Ninjas well set extra points for verbiage and bananas tickers
all around. This is two ninety outbound before the beltway.
Lookout Skymike and the Generator Supercenter. Dot Com traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (33:48):
From r ktr H Generator Supercenter twenty four hour weather
center for today, cloudy skies, periods of morning rain seventy two,
light rain early than thunderstorms of the afternoon, gusty winds,
all hail possible. Tomorrow. It's going to be stormy by
the high temperature again bright about seventy two currently fifty
seven at your official severe weather station News Radio seven

(34:08):
forty KTRH. Time to get you caught up on some
of our top stories on a Wednesday morning. Here's Cliff, Thank.

Speaker 9 (34:14):
You, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (34:14):
Houston Mayor John Whitmeyer says HPD is not helping ice
operations in the city. President Trump signs an executive order
banning sex change procedures for children. And Starbucks Go Woke,
Go broke. They reported bad fourth quarter sales yesterday. Get
the latest news anytime at KTRH dot com. Our next
update is at six o'clock.

Speaker 3 (34:37):
I live in Katie, I live in Ito.

Speaker 2 (34:39):
Your reliable forecast next on the ten on seven forty KTRH. Alright,
So the new Jersey drones was that was dealt with
in the first press conference, White House press conference of
Caroline Levitch. She's the new White House Press Secretary. She's
not taking any crap from anybody, especially the legacy media.

(35:00):
But she came out with a statement and it's underwhelming.
I have to say that under Here here's what she
said about the new Jersey drones.

Speaker 31 (35:10):
And before I turned to questions, I do have news
directly from the President of the United States that was
just shared with me in the Oval Office from President
Trump directly an update on the New Jersey drones. After
research and study, the drones that were flying over New
Jersey and large numbers were authorized to be flown by
the FAA for research and various other reasons. Many of

(35:35):
these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that
enjoy flying jones.

Speaker 5 (35:42):
In meantime, in time.

Speaker 31 (35:43):
It got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy.

Speaker 3 (35:48):
Okay, so it's not China, it's not Iran, it's not
anybody that means us harm. But that whole thing about
authorized by the FAA for research. What are they researching exactly?
Could we like maybe share that information or is that

(36:10):
some sort of a deep dark government secret? See what
I mean. I mean, she's telling you a little bit,
but she's not telling you much. And maybe the reason
why she's not telling you much, and why the Biden
administration wasn't telling you anything is because of what it
is they're researching. So I would kind of like to
know the answer to that one. So with New Jersey
assembly Man Brian Bergen, he says he's dubious about this explanation.

Speaker 40 (36:35):
You know, I think somebody put in chat GBT, what
is the answer we can give. That's not a real answer,
but shut some people up, and that's what it's spit out.
I mean, look, if you watch the entire press conference,
everything was very Trump asked, except for that ridiculous little
briefing that they gave at the beginning.

Speaker 5 (36:52):
It was scripted.

Speaker 40 (36:54):
It was a bunch of words that didn't say anything.
I don't really understand what the point of it was,
quite honestly. It didn't answer anything. And by the way,
for the record, every aircraft in the sky is authorized
to be there by the FAA, so that's not news
to us.

Speaker 34 (37:09):
I still don't know why the FBI and local law
enforcement weren't in the loop.

Speaker 10 (37:14):
But I was.

Speaker 41 (37:14):
You know, FAI authorized there was research drones, which, by
the way, bags the question what are they exactly researching?

Speaker 9 (37:19):
And how come law enforcement didn't know what it was?

Speaker 40 (37:22):
Last I checked, fa wasn't running around doing a whole
bunch of research like that. They're a very conservative agency
designed to police our skies.

Speaker 3 (37:29):
There's no chance this was them doing that.

Speaker 40 (37:31):
I don't really understand why that would even be what
is being articulated right now, So what do you think
it is?

Speaker 3 (37:36):
What do you think it is?

Speaker 41 (37:37):
What do you think they're not being transparent about?

Speaker 3 (37:40):
You know, I don't know.

Speaker 40 (37:41):
The one thing that I can tell you by now
is we know that it was something within the US
government FAA research.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
I really highly doubt it. I think it had it.

Speaker 40 (37:51):
Was some other I mean, why would the FAA put
CFRs temporary flight restrictions all over New Jersey in response
to the drone issue when there was no drone issue
and it was of their own making. You know, there
was a lot there was a lot of chaos in
New Jersey over this.

Speaker 3 (38:05):
This response, honestly is it's.

Speaker 40 (38:07):
Not good enough for anybody, including me.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
There you go, he ain't buying it, how about you.
Five point fifty six is our time here on News
Radio seven forty k TRH.

Speaker 1 (38:20):
This is use Radio seven forty kt RH Houston.

Speaker 5 (38:24):
Live Everywhere with ANUE now the latest news, weather and trap.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
It's more of what matters to you from the John
Morris Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (38:34):
Six am is our time, Houston's borning News. I'm Jimmy Barrett.
Among our top stories, this f are mere What Meyer says,
HPD is not helping ice the cartels. They're flying drones
and shooting back and coming up at six o' eight.
You're talking back on the iHeartRadio app on Trump's idea
to eliminate the federal income tax details and the men

(38:55):
to say head, you're in Houston's boring news. First, we're
checking out that morning drive once again. Here's guy Mike.

Speaker 4 (38:59):
All right, let me let the rest of the media
know about this wreck on two ninety outbound. I got
Jared from Pearland, Kiyo, from League City where banana stickers
two ninety outbound before the beltwegh wind Fern.

Speaker 3 (39:11):
It's a report of welts.

Speaker 4 (39:12):
I believe them that they got two lanes blocked here
spin out accident. I'm not holding my breath for a
camera shot. I can't tell you why, but let's watch
out on the outbound inbound you're actually okay, Hoffmeister in
is eighteen minutes north sam the roadwork starting to spackle
up at Alding Westfield westbound. I'm Skymike from the Generator
Supercenter dot Com Traffic.

Speaker 3 (39:32):
Center from r KTRH stop tax defenders twenty four hour
wathers in a claude sky sperids of morning rain, high
temperature today about seventy two. We'll get Terry Smith in
here and she'll give us an update on the forecast
in about eight minutes. Right now, current temperature fifty seven
at your official severe weather station, News Radio seven forty KTRH.
It's timed out for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 9 (39:53):
Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (39:54):
We are sponsored by Isopharmic LLLC in our top story.
By definition, at least, it is not an official sanctuary city.
But HPD is also not helping ICE as they carry
out enforcement operations.

Speaker 7 (40:08):
You've got a great police department. They know what their
duties are and they're going to carry out their duties
as they have and in the federal government, we have
no control over.

Speaker 6 (40:18):
Mayor John Whickmeyer at city council yesterday. We also have
told you in the past that HPD has a shortage
of more than fifteen hundred police officers. The mass deportations continue, though,
with the targets being those that we know have committed crimes.

Speaker 8 (40:33):
We are picking up the worst of the worst in
this country that are making our streets so dangerous.

Speaker 9 (40:37):
DHS Secretary Christy Knowaim with our own Sean Hannity telling
him that one of those arrested was a ring leader
in trendyar Ragua.

Speaker 42 (40:45):
At the border.

Speaker 6 (40:46):
Itself, the cartels they're getting spooked and they've gone as
far as to shoot at border patrol agents.

Speaker 10 (40:52):
To try to get them out of a certain area
so they can smuggle people that don't want to be
caught or smuggle drugs. And we've seen that throughout the
years that the cartels use that type of tactic towards
law enforcement or even towards our military.

Speaker 6 (41:03):
DPS's Chris Olivar is telling KTRH that the cartels will
use or rather that they will use every resource available
from the state and the federal government to go after
the cartels that attack law enforcement. And there's this a
new battle brewing to keep illegals from being counted in
the US census.

Speaker 41 (41:21):
Four Red states, Kansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and West Virginia are
suing over the Census Bureau including illegal aliens in the
population counts they say cost them congressional seats in favor
of states like California. Art Arthur with the Center for
Immigration Studies says they have a point.

Speaker 12 (41:36):
States that had low levels of illegal immigration actually suffer
from this apportionment compared to other states that have larger
illegal population. So to point they're trying to make is
we should only be counting people who can vote citizens,
not just.

Speaker 3 (41:51):
All the people who are.

Speaker 33 (41:52):
Living in the states.

Speaker 41 (41:53):
President Trump issued in order to do that during his
first term, but it was later reversed by the Biden administration.
Cory Ulson, who's radio sub KRH.

Speaker 6 (42:01):
It's now six ZHO four on KTRH keeping it in Washington.
The Senate Commerce Committee shed light on the national security
threat that is developing at the Panama Canal.

Speaker 13 (42:12):
Chinese companies are right now building a bridge across the
canal at a slow pace so as to take nearly
a decade, and Chinese company's control container points ports at
either end. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability
to block the canal without warning.

Speaker 6 (42:29):
Texas Senator and committee chair Ted Cruz pointing out just
why President Trump wants the canal back. The Senate confirming
Sean Duffy is Transportation Secretary by a seventy seven to
twenty two vote. RFK Junior's first confirmation hearing is this morning.
We'll have more on that at six thirty. But the
resistance continues as a federal judge appointed by Joe Biden

(42:53):
temporarily stops the president's freeze on federal funding, a move
that sent Democrats into meltdown mode.

Speaker 17 (43:01):
It's chaos and it is unnecessary.

Speaker 6 (43:04):
Democrat Senator Amy klobachar on Fox Bunt. The Trump DOJ
has fired more than a dozen people that worked with former.

Speaker 9 (43:11):
Special counselor Jack Smith.

Speaker 6 (43:14):
Counselor to the President, Elena Hobbas says, those lawyers just
couldn't be impartial.

Speaker 43 (43:19):
They were divisiveness. They were the party of attack. They
were the party of politicization of the lawfare justice injustice.
They made Americans scared of the FBI, scared of the DOJ,
feel like they were being attacked for being a Republican
or a Democrat. And that's for both sides of the coin.
That's not America.

Speaker 6 (43:35):
Smith charged Trump in two cases but dropped them both.
And the President has made it clear he wants to
overhaul FEMA. But what would that mean for us here
in hurricane prone Texas.

Speaker 5 (43:46):
One expert says that would be a good thing.

Speaker 15 (43:49):
We all know that the federal government hasn't done a
very good job of dispersing funds.

Speaker 38 (43:54):
That's Ron Snopfer owner of the Texas based National claims negotiators.

Speaker 15 (44:00):
Boots on the ground to understand what catastrophic events look
like and understand how to disperse all the needs to
the homeowners.

Speaker 38 (44:08):
Instead of ending FEMA, Snopfer believes that Trump is going
to restructure it. Jeff Biggs News Radio seven forty k
T eight at six zero six.

Speaker 6 (44:17):
The Federal Reserve is expected to leave interest rates unchanged
when the January meeting wraps up after lunch. The Chinese
artificial intelligence platform deep Seek, it's disrupted Wall Street and
it's worried tech companies, but apparently it's just a small
part of the emerging world of data management. At least,
that's according to tech expert John shut John.

Speaker 17 (44:38):
Shulick complex environment that you know, how do we manage
all this this data and get instant access to answer
the questions that we're looking for.

Speaker 6 (44:46):
That said, though, there are questions about deep Seek's political bias,
as a writer for The Guardian tried it out and
says that the AI refuse to answer questions about Taiwan
or Tanneman's.

Speaker 9 (44:58):
Square at the office.

Speaker 6 (45:01):
Gen Z is increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs. That's according
to a new Wake Forest University survey. One of the
reasons could be what dave come to expect from their bosses.

Speaker 18 (45:11):
They're looking for security in their job complexity and their work,
can't be too hard, can't be too easy, and a
career connection between what they're doing as an employee and
the benefits themselves and the company at large.

Speaker 9 (45:21):
Business expert David Olcott.

Speaker 6 (45:22):
There By the way, that survey found that both sides,
the workers and the employees are not happy with each other.
At six seven, the Rockets beat the Hawks one hundred
to ninety six, and the Texans reportedly will interview Rams
assistant Nick Kyley to fill their offensive coordinator job. I'm
Cliff Saunters on Houston's news, weather, and traffic station News

(45:42):
Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
Now back to Jimmy Barrett and the Houston Morning News
team Houston's Morning News.

Speaker 3 (45:53):
So I'm asking this question today. You go to the
iHeartRadio aff hit your preset button because that you're to
put ktr H and your preset button so it's easy
to find, right. Yeah, of course, just like your car radio.
Hit the preset button and we'll be there. So set
KTRH and the preset button and then hit the talkback button.
You get thirty seconds to tell us what do you
think of Trump's idea of eliminating the federal income tax.

(46:16):
He would replace it with tariffs. Your thoughts on that
and if you like that idea or if you have
maybe a new wrinkle on that idea.

Speaker 44 (46:24):
I would prefer a national consumption tax or advalium sales
tax and do away with the IRS completely income tax.
That way, everybody pays, and everyone knows how we all
suffer at paying taxes, not just the poor, but then
the rich and everybody gets included and pays the same percentage.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
You would pay more based on what you purchase and consume.
I've always been in favor of that. You know, you
shouldn't punish people for what they make. If you have
to extract a tax, do it on what they consume.
National sales tack for example. But then again, it wouldn't
the tariff kind of turn out to be like a
national sales tax, because you know, foreign countries would raise

(47:08):
their prices to cover at least a portion of the tariff,
and that money would go into the coffers. Can you
raise enough money doing that? Though? All right, here's another idea.
Good ah, hang on a second, I hit the button
two herted, I have to be more gentle.

Speaker 20 (47:22):
Good morning, Jimmy. This is Joe from Florida. I think
we should get rid of the federal income tax and
replace it with sky Mike's traffic citations.

Speaker 3 (47:35):
If everybody drop like Skymike, we wouldn't need a federal
income text. What a great idea. Let's just put a
big fan target on my head in six ' ten.
Speaking of sky Mike, as long as he's here, I
want to.

Speaker 4 (47:48):
Thank all the law enforcement officers out there. You know
it's not your fault that I can't follow the law allegedly.
Thank you so much law enforcement officers for what you
do out there, and of course HFT and all our
toe truck ninjas out there. I got this wreck here,
I'm hearing DPS.

Speaker 3 (48:02):
That's some good guys.

Speaker 4 (48:03):
DPS Chambers County inbound working this wreck on iten inbound
westbound right after fourteen to nine, before you hit the
Eagle drive in the feeder road. It looks to me
like they've got the whole feeder shut down. There's no
way we can get a camera shot on this, because
you know it's out in Mont Bellevue. If you want
to send me a picture, if you could do it safely,
put it on my Facebook. Just I see a red

(48:24):
right lane is block on the westbound watch out as
you're coming in from that bridge and cove elsewhere.

Speaker 3 (48:29):
You've got Sandy Center river Bridge looking good. Outbound.

Speaker 4 (48:32):
It's a little thick around the truck stops at Magnolia
and twenty four minutes coming in east text elevated. That's
a big pack up. Now from Ien down to the
Big George. You lose a minute to two so far.
State of the course there. Let's check from New Caney. Yep,
we're in good shape here six ' ten north. We're
not loopy at the squeeze just yet, but you're going
to hit a few breaks right before forty five. Kyle

(48:54):
from Friendswood Golf Freeway.

Speaker 21 (48:55):
Dude, Hey, morning, Scott, Mike. That's from NASA one. A
lot of fog on here.

Speaker 16 (49:00):
On some spots.

Speaker 21 (49:01):
Visibilities about quarter and a half mile.

Speaker 42 (49:04):
That's pretty thick.

Speaker 5 (49:05):
All right.

Speaker 4 (49:05):
I'm hearing a lot about that, Terry. I'm hearing. Visibility
is the thing, you know. Meek from Chema too.

Speaker 39 (49:10):
A little wonky.

Speaker 4 (49:12):
So we've got fog. We've got wonky. We got to
get an extra start, to extra early start. I'm deep
in the Generator Supercenter dot Com traffic.

Speaker 3 (49:20):
Center from our kat r H top tax Defenders twenty
four hour whether center. Terry is here. We have confirmed
you are indeed a rabbit right in they and they
have a rabbit on the Chinese zodiac. Okay, here's what
here's what it says about rabbits.

Speaker 9 (49:30):
We do about rabbits.

Speaker 3 (49:32):
Quiet, kindaskally, kind, polite, polite, restrained and thoughtful.

Speaker 9 (49:42):
Well, very nice, Yes, I guess r I.

Speaker 3 (49:44):
Mean, you could be boisterous on the radio, but I
bit you're quiet when you're not on the radio.

Speaker 19 (49:49):
Well, I do enough talking, yeah the morning hours to
fulfill my daily requests.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
It's just amazing to me how many people in this
radio business, in the business in general, I can myself
among them that are extroverts on the air, but introverts
off the air.

Speaker 9 (50:04):
Well, we got to recharge somewhere, that's a fact.

Speaker 3 (50:06):
Lady. All right, I'd like to solar recharge. Can you
get my solar battery going?

Speaker 19 (50:12):
I'd like to do that, but I'm not gonna be
able to help you until Friday. But I'm telling you off,
we get through this, and the payoff is a really
nice weekend. I am super excited about the weather starting Friday,
and it's.

Speaker 9 (50:24):
Not so bad right now. Yeah, there's some fog.

Speaker 19 (50:26):
Out there, it's mainly close to the Bay and the coast,
and I'm not seeing the visibilities have dropped a little bit,
and we've got some light rain and some mist and
some showers out there as well.

Speaker 9 (50:36):
So it's kind of a sloppy morning.

Speaker 19 (50:39):
Let's see eighty percent chance of some light rain through
the morning hours. The afternoon's dry, cloudy, it's warmer, load
of mid seventies. Tomorrow that's when we're going to get
the bulk of the rain, widespread showers, some storms, possibility
of stronger storms or even severe weather. So we're going
to keep an eye on that tomorrow load of mid seventies.
It's all out of here. The sun is back and

(51:01):
the temperatures pleasant near seventy Friday, Saturday and Sunday right
down fifty seven at your official severe weather station, News
Radio seven forty ktrh.

Speaker 3 (51:12):
USE traffic and Weather.

Speaker 2 (51:14):
You're starting your day right with Houston's Morning News, brought
to you by New South Windows Solutions.

Speaker 3 (51:20):
Six point twenty is our time here in Houston's morning news.
The Deep State is in the state of paranoia right now.
I guess, for lack of a better term, they are scared.
They are terrified that they're going to lose their jobs.
And maybe that's a good thing. Matt Margolis, he's a
columnist at PJ Media, wrote a story about it. We'll
talk to him next. First, though, we've got traffic and

(51:42):
weather together. I'm going to be short as we check
on the drive with sky Mike. Let's go to bid
from a task Cassia. He's downtown.

Speaker 27 (51:47):
Shot Mike, I can westbound as Maine just before main exit.
There are three vehicles in the right hand and there's
an eighteen wheeler with his hand on the ramp.

Speaker 4 (51:59):
All right, let's put a banana sticker on your briefcase here, Ben,
and let me let the rest of the media know westbound.
I've got brakes from Lockwood. I'm at the Generator Supercenter
dot Com traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (52:09):
From our KTRH top tax Defenders twenty four hour Weather
Center Claude Today periods of morning rain looks like about
seventy two light rain early tomorrow thunderstorms in the afternoon
with some gusty winds in a high seventy two, and
then Friday mostly Sunday with a high ride around seventy
to seventy three degrees, current temperature fifty seven at your
officials severe weather station. News Radio seven forty KTRH. Let's

(52:31):
check out some of our top stories this morning. Here's Cliff,
Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (52:35):
Just what were two local county judges doing with your
campaign donations? Well, admittedly they spent them on criminal defense lawyers.
The manhunt continues for Travis Earl Bryant, the second after
he escaped Harris County custody yesterday by simply walking out
of the processing center. And a construction worker is recovering
after being injured in a downtown scaffolding collapse yesterday. Get

(52:58):
the latest news anytime a car dot com. Our next
update is at six thirty.

Speaker 5 (53:03):
Social media keeps me in the no.

Speaker 1 (53:05):
Good for you use doesn't care what KTRH keeps you informed.

Speaker 5 (53:10):
There's a lot going on at US Radio seven forty.

Speaker 3 (53:13):
K t RH. Yeah, they're a little worried in the swamp.
Six twenty two is their time here in Houston's Morning
news and that's a good thing. Right, Well, you can
see why I think President Trump was talking, maybe it
was yesterday about federal bio programs, you know where they
they they buy out some of these workers and basically
furlough them. Matt Margolis is a columnist at PG Media.

(53:37):
They're not used to having to be concerned about whether
or not their job is going to be around next
week or not. Are they met?

Speaker 45 (53:43):
No, they're not. They they don't have to think the
way a lot of us in the in the private
sector have to think. So this is this is clearly
a big culture shock for them.

Speaker 3 (53:53):
Okay, I'm guessing you talked to some of these workers.
What were they telling you?

Speaker 45 (53:58):
I didn't even talk to any personally, but you know,
according to reports, you know, there there's clearly a lot
of people who are who are very worried, who clearly
just don't feel that they are qualified for any other job,
which tells you everything you need to know about whether
or not they should be paid for with our tax dollars.
You know, this is a big thing that is sad

(54:20):
beyond belief.

Speaker 3 (54:21):
They think if they lose their federal job, they won't
be able to get another job. Because they're not qualified
to do anything exactly.

Speaker 45 (54:28):
And and you know this, this is the stuff that
we that we voted for in November, is that we
didn't want people like this to be to be getting paid,
to be, you know, getting these huge salaries and uh,
you know, wasting our money on people who are not
qualified for anything. And a lot of these people are
these DEI positions who who really aren't what can they do?

(54:52):
These are activists, They're not workers, they're not employees. Are
activists that we are paying for and we shouldn't be.
And uh, I I'm glad to know they're terrified. And
I really hope you get rid of all this waste.

Speaker 3 (55:04):
I hope so too. We'll see what happens well this
to see how quickly it happens, I have to you
have to wonder too, there's a lot of these workers
who are working quote unquote, working from home, if that's
what they're doing, but they aren't coming to the office.
I mean, the Reagan Building is virtually empty because these
people are all working from home. What sort of an

(55:24):
impact do you think this go back to the office
order has been Do you think there'll be a lot
of people quitting or are they just blowing smoke.

Speaker 45 (55:32):
It wouldn't surprise me if a lot are going to quit.
I mean, I know people in the private sector who
didn't want to go back to their office once the
COVID restrictions were over, and I'm sure that it's even
worse with these with these public employees. So you know,
I think, but this is important, Like I just you
can't be as efficient working from home as you would

(55:53):
be working in the office. And I'm sorry, but COVID
is over, there's no reason for this.

Speaker 3 (55:58):
Yeah, I agree. So well that's good. I mean, we'd
like to see that happen. When may. It'd be great
to get rid of some of the dead weight voluntarily
versus having to fire all these people.

Speaker 20 (56:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 45 (56:10):
Absolutely, And a lot of them are thinking about leaving
on their own, and that's good. I mean, granted, there
are definitely plenty of federal workers who are good workers
who should be there. I've actually, I actually have heard
from some who are like, you know, we're not all
these lazy people just you know, cashing our government checks.
But you know, we know that the biocracy is bloated,

(56:33):
and we got to get rid of all this waste,
and that's what the people vote for in November and
we need to see some action.

Speaker 3 (56:38):
Do you think, and this is what in the business world,
you would like to think that when you do let
people go, that you are letting go of the dead weight,
that you are letting go of the underperformers. You are
letting go the people who are not getting the job done,
and you're keeping the people who are. It's not just
simply based on seniority. Are we getting the right people?
Do you think in place with this administration to make

(56:59):
sure that that that's how it's handled, not based on seniority,
but based on the ability.

Speaker 45 (57:04):
You know, I think Trump has said it best that
you know, if we are we're now going to have
a meritocracy. And I think that's the philosophy that this
this administration is going to have when it comes to
assessing these workers and who needs to say and who
needs to go. You know, I don't care if you've
been there for thirty years and you're in, you don't
do anything. You know, your seniority doesn't mean anything. If

(57:25):
you're if you're if you're a dead weight, you're gone.

Speaker 3 (57:27):
Okay. I like that. Matt Margolz, thanks for joining us.
Columnist the PJ Media Matt Margolis at six twenty six,
It's time to take a look at your money as
we check in with the Bloomberg folks.

Speaker 25 (57:38):
And Jimmy, federal rules concerning vehicles fuel economy will be
getting a rewrite. New Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hit the
ground running yesterday, issuing orders that cafe standards implemented under
the Biden administration be rescinded or replaced. President Trump has
said the old regulations amounted to an electric vehicle mandate.

(57:59):
Stock market futures are mixed this hour. I'm Jeff Bellinger,
Bloomberg Business. I'm used Radio seven forty ktrh.

Speaker 3 (58:09):
A Houston's News.

Speaker 26 (58:11):
Why there were traffic plus breaking news twenty four to seven.

Speaker 1 (58:14):
This is US Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 9 (58:18):
Five Everywhere with the IRP.

Speaker 2 (58:21):
More of what's happening now from the John Moore Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (58:25):
It is six point thirty. Now you're in Houston's Bonny News.
I'm Jimmy Bairrett. Among our top stories this f hour,
county officials are using campaign funds for criminal defense attorneys.
The new Press secretary not taking any crap from the
legacy media and coming up at six thirty eight where
you are most likely to find or experience shrimp fraud

(58:46):
details in the minutes ahead. You're in Houston's boring News.

Speaker 4 (58:49):
Did you say shrimp froud srimp fraud, shrimp froud? Yeah, guy, Mike,
all right, let's go to the hard work. And he
put your hat on, your hard hat on. I've got
something smashing up the Sydney Sherman Bridge. I don't have
lanead chef, but let me find out what it is
and then we can all help the rest of the media.
I ten is a wreck literally downtown. You've got this
one in front of Saint Arnold with an eighteen wheeler.

(59:10):
Got two right lanes blocked here suddenly we're smashed from
wayside on the other side. Is this inbound or outbound?
I've got Katie Freeway. I'm showing at westbound ben What
do you got on Katie?

Speaker 27 (59:21):
At Silver one and the HLV we're subble cops and
told Chuck Nidja getting a truck spent out taken care
of and the.

Speaker 5 (59:29):
Right hand lane there is westbound.

Speaker 27 (59:32):
Par trucks and another action at the exit.

Speaker 4 (59:35):
Fantastic job there. This is two separate wrecks. One of
them is an overturned eighteen wheeler Katie Freeway outbound at Silver.
I've got plenty more suconds where that came from at
six forty and the Generator Supercenter dot Com Traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (59:48):
From r KTRH Generator Supercenter, twenty four hour Wether Center Claude. Today.
Periods of morning rain with the high temperature about seventy two.
We'll get Terry Smith in here with a complete forecast
at about eight minutes right now fifty eight at your
officials Severe Weather Station News Radio seven forty k TRH.
It is time now for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 9 (01:00:07):
Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (01:00:08):
It's six thirty two. Our top story just where do
your political donations go?

Speaker 32 (01:00:12):
Well?

Speaker 6 (01:00:12):
Our TV partner Channel two reports that Democrat Harris County
Judge Lena Hadgo spent thousands of those donations on criminal
defense lawyers, and she wasn't the only Democrat to do so.
Can't P George has reported in his campaign finance report
one hundred thousand dollars That breaks down to eighty five
thousand dollars going to Rusty Harden Associates, with another fifteen

(01:00:35):
thousand dollars.

Speaker 3 (01:00:36):
Going to an attorney named Daniel Lazarine.

Speaker 28 (01:00:38):
George is facing a misdemeanor thus far tied to the
criminal misrepresentation of identity case involving his former chief of staff.

Speaker 6 (01:00:47):
Tar Al Patel Mario DIA's reporting. George claims he did
nothing illegal at Dogo has not commented the debate overschool
choice played out in Austin yesterday in a hearing at
the Senate, with Paul Betton Court, who's been through this before,
saying that hopefully this is the year it gets passed.

Speaker 46 (01:01:04):
We have debated this bill and passed this bill if
we go back as far as twenty nineteen to various
forms a dozen times. But I think this year as
iron Sharpin's ironed, that this will be a year of action,
not just a debate.

Speaker 6 (01:01:17):
Meantime, in the House, a rules package is adopted, but
it's being called out as yet another win for Democrats.

Speaker 11 (01:01:26):
Elected officials in Austin have started taking pages from Washington
DC's book.

Speaker 30 (01:01:31):
Members were given four thirty in the morning, this over
two hundred page document, and then we're never allowed to
debate or give amendments on it was rushed through.

Speaker 11 (01:01:39):
Brandon Walton's with the Texas Scorecard, says, this rushed package
gave Democrats a lot of extra power.

Speaker 30 (01:01:44):
Only Democrats can be vice chairs now, and we've expanded
the power vice chairs so they're actually able to put
bills on a schedule. They can come up the works
that way.

Speaker 11 (01:01:53):
Walton says, we know this was a win for House
Democrats because all but one of them voted for it.

Speaker 5 (01:01:57):
Ethan Buchanan News Radio seven forty.

Speaker 9 (01:02:00):
It is now six thirty four.

Speaker 31 (01:02:02):
It is imperative that the Senate continues to confirm the
remainder of the President's well qualified nominees as quickly as possible.

Speaker 6 (01:02:09):
That's White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt, earning rave reviews
from her first briefing ahead of RFK Junior's confirmation hearing
this morning. Now Kennedy has already been attacked by Democrats
who used to sing his praises. Now he's being attacked
by his own family.

Speaker 5 (01:02:27):
I've known Bobby my whole life. We grew up together.

Speaker 19 (01:02:30):
It's no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets,
because Bobby himself is a predator.

Speaker 6 (01:02:36):
Yeah, that's his cousin Caroline on X Trump the change
Agent meanwhile, is scaring that, you know what at a
federal workers.

Speaker 42 (01:02:45):
He's placed DEI hires on leave and frozen hiring. And
it's a good start.

Speaker 33 (01:02:49):
Because these are jobs that our taxpayer dollars shouldn't be
going towards anyway.

Speaker 42 (01:02:53):
Matt morgoal was PJ medius as many places will try
and fight against this, but there's a new sheriff in
town and these jobs will now have to prove their
worth come.

Speaker 33 (01:03:02):
It has made it clear that, you know, under his administration,
the government is going to be a meritocracy. I think
in the end, all jobs are going to be subject
to this meritocracy movement.

Speaker 42 (01:03:12):
He says this will finally bring federal workers back to
work as they've worked from home since the pandemic Onorey
Perard News Radio seven forty KRH.

Speaker 9 (01:03:20):
Six thirty five.

Speaker 6 (01:03:21):
Now, thousands of illegal alien criminals have already been arrested
under Donald Trump, but borders are Tom Holman says the
number should be higher.

Speaker 16 (01:03:29):
It was a great start. The first week was unprecedented.

Speaker 3 (01:03:32):
I mean the illegal crossings on the border.

Speaker 5 (01:03:34):
One day it was like five hundred and forty.

Speaker 18 (01:03:36):
I've never seen that, and I started bord till nineteen
eighty four.

Speaker 6 (01:03:39):
Meantime, here in Houston, Mayor John Wickmeyer says HPD won't
be helping Ice. His explanation is coming up at seven
o'clock six thirty six. Wall Street stock futures are mixed
overnight ahead of the Federal Reserves decision on interest rates
later today. And after years of being the hottest rental
market in Texas, things are cooling off in Austin.

Speaker 16 (01:04:02):
Now Texas A and M real Estate Center research director
Daniel on He says you can get an apartment or
a house in Austin for about the same as Dallas,
maybe cheaper. The problem in Austin is it just got
too ambitious.

Speaker 35 (01:04:14):
They've pretty dramatically overbuilt the market there. So what's happening
is landlords are giving a lot of concessions on rent
and actually having to lower the rents that they were asking.

Speaker 16 (01:04:25):
And besides, you can still get a house or apartment
cheaper here in Houston. Michael Shiloh and he was Radio
seven forty KTRA.

Speaker 6 (01:04:32):
In case you're wondering, Houston rent's average between twelve and
nineteen hundred dollars a month. A warning from the IRS
says tax season is officially underway. The scammers are stepping
their games up in the form of emails and text
messages that look official.

Speaker 36 (01:04:48):
The one thing to keep in mind is the irs
will never call you, they will never text you, and
they will not email you. They send letters.

Speaker 6 (01:04:55):
Tax expert Chris Wilbrett, and by the way, the Better
Business Bureau says that tax lost more than five billion
dollars to scams in twenty twenty three. Six thirty seven
new survey finds that God is making a comeback with
gen Z. Former Texas congressional candidate Christian Collins has seen
it firsthand.

Speaker 37 (01:05:15):
Gen Z has grown up in a world that feels
darker and they've felt more separated, and they wonder, I mean, is.

Speaker 3 (01:05:21):
There any hope?

Speaker 37 (01:05:22):
They've found that in faith and as we know, in
Jesus Christ, in God, and I think that's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 6 (01:05:28):
That said, teens and those in their early twenties are
half as likely to call themselves atheists compared to their parents.
I'm Cliff Saunters on Houston's News Whether in Traffic station KTRH.

Speaker 2 (01:05:40):
More with Jimmy Barrett and the Houston Morning News teams.
This is Houston's Morning News.

Speaker 3 (01:05:48):
That's that's actually the theme song for a minor league
baseball team called the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Minor league teams
have the best names. I'll do a few other ones
I think are really really funny here in the moment,
But first I want to get to the shrimp fraud.
We've actually done this story a little bit, but this
this story is a little bit more specific than the
one we did for you last week. You know, we're

(01:06:09):
beginning to find out just how rampid fraud is when
it comes to quote unquote Gulf Coast shrimp. Restaurants throughout
the Gulf Coast are serving imported shrimp but telling customers
that they're eating Golf Coast shrimp. No, maybe not, and

(01:06:32):
it's happening a bunch, especially in Florida. CD Consulting, a
food safety technology company, tested shrimp from randomly chosen restaurants
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Biloxi, Mississippi, Galveston, and Tampa Bay, Florida,
and found a significant number of the restaurants we're passing
off the shrimp as locally sourced, even though that they

(01:06:53):
were grown on foreign farms. Farm raised shrimp and imported
to the u U. The cities with the highest shrimp
fraud rate where Tampa Bay in Saint Petersburg, Florida ninety
six percent. According to cd Consulting, Only two of the
forty four restaurants sampled were serving authentic shrimp from the

(01:07:14):
Golf Coast, according to the study, tests in other cities
yielded similar results. In Biloxi, eighty two percent of the
restaurants were defrauding consumers about what they were buying, and Galveston,
fifty nine percent of the forty four restaurants served imported
shrimp while claiming they were Gulf Coast shrimp. In Baton Rouge,
they sampled twenty four restaurants found nearly thirty percent more

(01:07:37):
than one in four were misrepresented. So you might be asking,
what's the product is it? Because there's not enough Golf
Coast shrimp. No, there's there's playing shrimp. It's more expensive.
The farm raised foreign shrimp is cheaper, so they're serving
you cheap for shrimp and trying to pass it off
as Gulf Coast shrimp. You know. So I don't know

(01:07:58):
if you go to a particular seafood rest ron and
you want to order the quote unquote if it says
on the menu Gulf Coast shrimp, you might want to
ask him where they got it, if they know, or
if they'll tell you six forty our time. You're in
Houston's Morning News.

Speaker 4 (01:08:12):
I want my shrimp nice and warm and friendly and
southern from the Gulf of America. Amen, brother man, none
of that Chinese Franklin shrimp from a Wuhan lab.

Speaker 3 (01:08:22):
So okay, I'm exaggerated a little bit, just a ton.

Speaker 5 (01:08:26):
Let's go.

Speaker 3 (01:08:26):
We got downtown problems.

Speaker 4 (01:08:27):
First of all, we got half of our problems here
Katie Freeway. The managed lane wreck is gone, but the
overturn eighteen wheeler that's not going anywhere. This is outbound
westbound Houston TRANSTARTHO and a ton of help my way,
thanks guys. One two, three lanes blocked westbound outbound inbound
expect people. Look, I understand there's a lot going on.
And also the reck in front of Saint Arnold. This

(01:08:48):
is I ten westbound, IT ten westbound downtown.

Speaker 3 (01:08:52):
That's going to affect.

Speaker 4 (01:08:53):
Your REMP from the east text east TEXTA is going
to have a lot of suck in southbound because of
that stoppage on the ramp. I think the supersized ninjas
are already there and been from a Taska seat.

Speaker 3 (01:09:03):
A huge banana sticker for.

Speaker 4 (01:09:05):
You, Amy from Lake Jackson's got some two eighty eight
for me.

Speaker 39 (01:09:08):
Morning Sami right hand lane right before Highway six. It
looks like a work truck cram into the back of suv.

Speaker 47 (01:09:15):
They're over on the right shoulder.

Speaker 39 (01:09:17):
But there's no ninjas or flashy lights yet, so it
could get worse.

Speaker 5 (01:09:20):
It's also really foggy out here.

Speaker 3 (01:09:22):
All right.

Speaker 4 (01:09:22):
There we go with the visibility and again Terry and
banana sticker and burbage for Amy from Lake Jackson. One
more quick one. This is six ' ten east. Got
my north fallen on the Sherman Bridge sixteen A wreck
on the right inside locking.

Speaker 5 (01:09:37):
A couple of lanes.

Speaker 4 (01:09:38):
All right, that's gonna mess up the south loop, Dad coming,
I forgot to tell the rest of the media.

Speaker 3 (01:09:42):
Okay, let's do our part.

Speaker 4 (01:09:43):
I'm in the Generator Supercenter dot Com Traffic Center from a.

Speaker 3 (01:09:46):
R KTRH Generator super Center. Twenty four hour weather the Senator.
Terry Smith is here, Clouds is still here, rain is
still here. But we've got what another forty eight hours
will clear everything up.

Speaker 19 (01:09:55):
Yes, by Friday, it's all gone, and the best part
is the cloud the rain are gone, but the milder
weather isn't. We finally have a really nice looking weekend
and we can tolerate the rain we're seeing this morning.

Speaker 9 (01:10:10):
I guess the rain and the fog.

Speaker 19 (01:10:11):
Now there's dense fog advisories along the coast and for
Galveston Bay as well, So the closer you are to
that that lower the visibilities. But we are getting some
light rain that's helping to also reduce visibilities across the area.
Eighty percent chance of some showers this morning. By afternoon
we're dry, it's cloudy, temperatures low to mid seventies. Here

(01:10:32):
comes our next storm tomorrow, ninety percent chance of showers
and storms, the bulk of the rain in the afternoon.
We're going to be watching for severe storms tomorrow. Not
a widespread severe outbreak, but there is the risk of
damaging winds, heavy rain, hail, even.

Speaker 9 (01:10:47):
Even the slight risk of a tornado. We'll keep an
eye on it.

Speaker 19 (01:10:50):
All of that's gone Friday, Saturday, and Sunday break out
the sunglasses. Temperatures close to seventy through the weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:10:57):
Right now, fifty eight of your officials severe the station
news radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 2 (01:11:03):
You are commute, you are forecast, you're news. It's Houston's
Morning News, brought to you. Buying new Southway, those solutions.
It is a six fifty Hey, little reminder here we're
doing a little question today. The chance for you to
talk back in lieu of calling us. You can just
go to your iHeartRadio app, and if you don't have it,

(01:11:23):
it's a free download, simple iHeartRadio app. By the way,
put KTRH in your presets. That way, when you want
to find us, you just hit the preset button, goes
right to us, and when you get to us, you'll
find a little microphone talk back button. I'm asking about
President Trump's idea of eliminating the federal income tax. Do
you want to see the federal income tax go? I mean,
it's gonna be a tough sell, right, but if you

(01:11:45):
could see it go, would you want to see it go?
And what what would you use to replace the lost revenue?
President Trump thinks he can do it with tariffs? What
would you like to do it with?

Speaker 3 (01:11:55):
Again? Go to the iHeartRadio app and KTRH hit the
microphone button. You get thirty seconds to call back, tells
who you are, if you want, where you're calling from,
and your opinion traffic and weather. Together, we're checking out
that drive once again here sky Mai.

Speaker 4 (01:12:08):
And don't forget when you get on the app you
can listen to Jimmy anywhere in the world. We've got
Jack from Connecticut listening on the app. All right, let's
do some ship channel bridge six to ten east wildcard
di mind.

Speaker 48 (01:12:19):
This is my ed Nord going over the ship channel.

Speaker 8 (01:12:22):
Right at the top.

Speaker 20 (01:12:23):
There eight nine ten emergency vehicles.

Speaker 12 (01:12:25):
Who looks like two or three lane at Nordon.

Speaker 4 (01:12:28):
All right, trans wild just message me. It looks like
we've got three lanes blocked too. So this is going
to cause a massive spackle coming up from Gulf Gate
on the south Loop six ' ten double problem on
the Katie Freeway inbound westbound right past Saint Arnold. That's
an eighteen wheeler on the side. You've got an overturn
eighteen wheeler outbound at Silver Let's zoom it again at

(01:12:48):
seven o'clock on the Generator Supercenter dot Com Traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (01:12:51):
Promo r Katie rh Generator super Center twenty four hour
Wether Center clotting with periods of morning rain Today seventy
two light rain, early than thunderstorms to Tom with gusty
wins high seventy two Friday mostly Sunda nine year seventy
temperature right now currently fifty eight at your officials Severe
Weather Station News Radio seven forty k TRH. We're checking
out some of our top stories. Here's Cliff, Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (01:13:14):
It is six fifty two on KTRH. As we are
sponsored by Maril Mechanical. Houston Mayor John Whitmyer says HPD
will not help ice. Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez
is sentenced today on bribery conviction. And Dolly Parton's musical
I didn't know there was one, but apparently there is.
It'll debut in Nashville this summer before heading to Broadway.

(01:13:35):
Get the latest news anytime at KTRH dot com. Our
next update is at seven o'clock.

Speaker 5 (01:13:41):
Fifty nine.

Speaker 3 (01:13:42):
Inbound at the loop is always a.

Speaker 2 (01:13:44):
Problem KTRH time saving traffic connext on the.

Speaker 3 (01:13:47):
Ten six fifty three is that time? Is this a problem?
Houston Mayor John Whitmeyer says HPD is not or will
not help ICE. Here's more of what he had to
say at the present conference yesterday.

Speaker 7 (01:14:01):
First, I think politicizing it is the worst thing you
can do. You have full access to talking to the
police chief, as I have, and we've been very clear
HPDs has not participated in federal efforts. HPD enforces state
laws and will hold violators of state law violent offenders accountable,

(01:14:23):
regardless of your immigration status. We've been very clear about that.
It's a sad situation. I know the anxiety of our communities,
and I think the best thing to do, obviously, as
your leadership, is demonstrating, reassure them that the current rage

(01:14:44):
are for warranted criminal violent offenders. Now that doesn't mean
that that is going to make anyone feel more comfortable,
but elections matter. We've got to continue our business at

(01:15:04):
the local level. We have an outstanding police chief department
that knows what their duties are. ICE, FBI and others
were active last weekend certain warrants and.

Speaker 3 (01:15:22):
Very true.

Speaker 7 (01:15:22):
I'm sorry, thank you for reassuring the residents that in
terms of law abiding individuals, that's not who they're looking
for now. I understand the anxiety, and I understand people
attempting to politicize it. But that's not the best thing
to do.

Speaker 3 (01:15:43):
Oh, he's walking that type rope, isn't he He's really
walking that type rope. What you'd like to hear him
say is, listen, if we had enough manpower, we'd help.
That's what you'd like to hear him say. Right. But
the reality is he's in a liberal city. He's surrounded
by progressive Democrats. He's not a progress of himself. He's
a moderate, thank god. But he's just trying to, you know,

(01:16:04):
walk that type rope, just try to keep everybody happy. Here, uh,
six fifty six times for the timeline brought to you
by Velocity Business Products. We have a four pack of
tickets with pit passes to Monster Jam Sunday, February second,
Crowdhole Day. Hey NRG, that's this Sunday. Tickets are on
sale right now ticketmaster dot com. You can win tickets
from uster yourselves. What year Today's timeline's from.

Speaker 33 (01:16:25):
Anybody who ever gets I hope nobody ever gets in
this situation.

Speaker 3 (01:16:29):
I really hope that they never do.

Speaker 48 (01:16:30):
It was January Charles Van Doren was found guilty of
perjury and the TV quiz show scandal.

Speaker 5 (01:16:35):
There's only one way to live with it if you do,
and that is the teller too.

Speaker 2 (01:16:38):
I do not understand this.

Speaker 5 (01:16:39):
Your father's name is kaplan Ai.

Speaker 3 (01:16:42):
It didn't matter the.

Speaker 48 (01:16:43):
Big hit at the box office Omar Shariff and Peter
O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia.

Speaker 14 (01:16:47):
Seems to me that you have free to choose your
own names for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:16:51):
Laws a hold up.

Speaker 48 (01:16:53):
In the Brooklyn's television you were watching the first season
of Key Foo and you were doing the big dance
craze when this record hit number one Chubby Checkers, the
Twist was in the top spot.

Speaker 5 (01:17:14):
What year was it?

Speaker 3 (01:17:15):
If you know seven one three two one two fifty
eight seventy four, that is seven one three two one
two k t r H. Good luck. All right, we
have ourselves a winner, the Mark and Pledger who knew
the right year was nineteen sixty two. Well done, Mark.
Get a four pack of tickets with fit passes. Demonster
Jam this Sunday at NRG. Enjoy the show and thank
you for listening. The Houston's Morning News.

Speaker 1 (01:17:39):
This is US Radio seven forty kt RH Houston Live Everywhere.

Speaker 5 (01:17:45):
With now the latest news, weather and trapping.

Speaker 2 (01:17:49):
It's more of what matters to you from the John
Morris Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (01:17:54):
Seven am is our time here on Houston's Morning News.
I'm Jimmy Barrett. Among our top stories this f our
Mayor wit Meyer says HPD is not helping ice. They're cartels.
They're flying drones and shooting back and coming up at
seven o eight the new Press secretary since the liberal
media straight on those ice raids. Details and the minutes ahead.
You're in Houston's Morning News. First, we're checking out that

(01:18:16):
morning drive once again. Here's sky Mike here. I am.

Speaker 4 (01:18:19):
Let's go to the north side. Wild Card.

Speaker 47 (01:18:21):
This is and the belt Way on the north side,
right where that traffic gets together where there's that construction
for years and years. There's an eighteen wheelers stop in
one of the lanes, no ninches and we're all walking
around there outstanding.

Speaker 4 (01:18:34):
That's a westbound all Dean Westfield chief from pair Land.

Speaker 3 (01:18:38):
Talk to me on the southwest.

Speaker 49 (01:18:39):
Guy, Mike.

Speaker 21 (01:18:40):
We got ourselves a little inbound accident on fifty nine
run around Sugar Lake.

Speaker 27 (01:18:45):
Sent out left hand side.

Speaker 21 (01:18:47):
It's like they got some flashing lights that are starting
to show up and some tow trug ninches are.

Speaker 25 (01:18:51):
In the Vicinity.

Speaker 4 (01:18:51):
All right, lookout from university. Banana stickers all around. I'm
in the Generator Supercenter, dot Com traffic center from r
KTRH top tax to twenty four hour weather center Clotte Skies.

Speaker 3 (01:19:02):
Periods of morning rain with a height today right about
seventy two. Terry Smith with our complete forecast in eight minutes.
Right now, current temperature is still fifty eight of your
official severe weather station. News Radio seven forty KTRH. It's
time now for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 9 (01:19:18):
Thank you, Jimmy seven oh two.

Speaker 6 (01:19:19):
We're sponsored by Isopharmic LLC in our top story. Although
Houston is not an official sanctuary city, a city council
yesterday Mayor John Whitmeyer said HPD won't help ICE with
enforcement operations.

Speaker 7 (01:19:36):
HPD enforces state laws and will hold violators of state
law violent offenders accountable, regardless of your immigration status.

Speaker 6 (01:19:47):
HPD also has a shortage of more than fifteen hundred officers.
The ICE effort, though, continues nationwide, including in New York City,
overseen by DHS Secretary Christy Noam.

Speaker 8 (01:19:57):
I'll be with all of them because I think that
when I'm there, they know they have a leader. That
supports them.

Speaker 6 (01:20:02):
No one with KTRH is Sean Hannity. At the border itself,
the cartels, well, they're fighting efforts to shut the border
down with drones and violence.

Speaker 9 (01:20:13):
They've gone as far as to shoot at officials.

Speaker 10 (01:20:16):
In Star County Border Patrol is patrollum an area, which
is one of the most violent areas along the border region.
They were actually under gunfire by armed cartel gunmen.

Speaker 11 (01:20:24):
DPS spokesperson Lieutenant Chris Olivar says this is something they
expected and are prepared for.

Speaker 10 (01:20:29):
If any cartel member or anybody engages all for some
whether it be gunfire or actively assaults them, We're getting
every resource that we have to go after them.

Speaker 11 (01:20:38):
Olivaras says, the cartel's no border security hurts their bottom line,
so they're trying to use intimidation to stop it. Ethan
Buchanan News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 6 (01:20:46):
The consequences of Joe Biden's open borders for Republican states
are suing, claiming they lost congressional states to states like
California because the illegals were counted in the census.

Speaker 12 (01:20:58):
But the purpose of these census is twofold one simply
to count everybody in two for apportionment. It would make
sense that you would separate out the apportionment part and
limit that just to aliens who are lawfully president in
the United States and United States.

Speaker 6 (01:21:14):
Art Arthur at the Center for Immigration Studies, The Census
Bureau estimates that nearly three million people came to the
US in the last year, either legally or illegally. It's
now seven oh four and in Washington, the Senate Commerce
Committee holds a hearing on the Panama Canal, with Texas
Senator Ted Crue saying that President Trump is right to

(01:21:35):
be concerned.

Speaker 13 (01:21:36):
We connot afford to let American shippers be extorted. We
cannot turn a blind eye if Panama exploits an asset
of vital commercial and military importance, and we cannot stay
idle while China is on the march in our hemisphere.

Speaker 6 (01:21:50):
Trump has talked about taking back the canal. Another Cabinet
member confirmed Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary in RFK Juniors
Senate confirmation hearing you set for nine o'clock. More on
that at seven point thirty. Despite all of this, the
resistance from the left continues. As a federal judge a
Biden appointee, temporarily stops President Trump's freeze on federal funding.

Speaker 14 (01:22:14):
US District Judge Lauren Ali Khan issued the block of
the White House action a matter of minutes prior to
it taking effect. In making her decision, Judge Ali Khan
said the freeze could potentially bring irreparable harm. A lawyer
for nonprofits and small businesses argued for the injunction, saying
the pause could severely limit their operations.

Speaker 6 (01:22:35):
Sir Noel Scott reporting, with the President promising to overhaul FEMA,
you might wonder what that means for Texas, of course,
vulnerable to hurricanes. Ron Snuffer, with the National Claims negotiators
here in Texas, says the overhaul is actually long overdue.

Speaker 15 (01:22:51):
Texas will get a nice injestion of money and anything
would do a better job than the way the stuff's
been run in the past. I really don't think they're
going to dismantle it. I think they'll restructure it and
get the right people one place.

Speaker 3 (01:23:02):
He says.

Speaker 6 (01:23:03):
FEMA really doesn't offer much to homeowners other than seven
hundred dollars checks. Seven oh six, the Federal Reserve wraps
up its first meeting of the year later today and
expected to leave interest rates alone. After three cuts last
year and this week's Wall Street meltdown over the Chinese
app Deepsek, well, that's still being felt.

Speaker 16 (01:23:23):
Tech expert John Schultz says the big drop amongst stocks
Monday should teach us how much artificial intelligence and related
research and investment is powering our economy these days.

Speaker 17 (01:23:34):
I think it's going to make people more aware of
what's going on, probably educate themselves a little bit about
what AI can do and what AI can't do.

Speaker 16 (01:23:42):
AI is such a breakthrough, mister Schultz says, it's like
today is as nineteen ninety seven was to the Internet.
People are just starting to understand it. But AI's influence
in the future will be enormous. Michael Shiloh News Radio
seven forty KRH.

Speaker 6 (01:23:58):
By the way, there are some questions of about deep
Seek's political bias. Some users asked about what happened at
Tieneman's Square back in nineteen eighty nine. Deep Seek responded
by saying, quote, sorry, that's beyond my current scope. According
to a new survey, fifty three percent of gen Z
and millennials are dissatisfied with leadership at the workplace.

Speaker 18 (01:24:20):
We've got to find common ground if we're really going
to work with this, because this is our labor force
for the next twenty five years. We're not getting away
from this. We've got to solve the problem. We've got
to find the common ground.

Speaker 6 (01:24:28):
Business expert David Olcott says technology like AI could actually
help with this. At seven oh seven, the Rockets win
again the winning streak at four they beat Atlanta one
hundred to ninety six, and the Texans reportedly will interview
La Rams assistant Nick Cayley tomorrow after firing Bobby Slowick,
his offensive coordinator last week. I'm Cliff Saunders on Houston's news,

(01:24:50):
weather and traffic station News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 2 (01:24:56):
Stay in Dutch Fine your drive in with Jimmy Barrett
and the Houston Morning News team.

Speaker 3 (01:25:04):
So the first White House press conference with the Caroline
Levett yesterday, and it was it was a beautiful thing
to behold as it was the legacy media's turn to
get to get the uh, get the treatment that this
conservative you know, the Fox News folks used to get
during the Biden administration. Carolyn Caroline Levitt wasn't taking crap

(01:25:26):
from anybody, And she was very very clear in answering
her questions. And one of the questions she got asked,
and you know, this gets asked a lot. Right now,
we just heard from mayor Mayor Whitmeyer, who's dealing with
city council members are asking the same thing.

Speaker 49 (01:25:40):
Are they going after innocent people? How do we know?
This just gould to be criminals that are that that
are that are going to end up being rounded up
by these these bastards from Ice. How do we know?

Speaker 5 (01:25:55):
How do we know?

Speaker 3 (01:25:56):
You know that kind of thing? At any rate, here
she is getting asked the question and her response to
it at yesterday's price conference, and some reaction to her response.

Speaker 5 (01:26:07):
Well, nothing that the president's doing here in terms.

Speaker 41 (01:26:10):
Of the freeze in these programs raise prices on ordinary Americans.

Speaker 31 (01:26:14):
What particular actions are you referring to that one.

Speaker 28 (01:26:16):
For it's an l heap right now, that's the low
income Heating program for example. We can talk about there's
no clarity, so I could refer to a lot of them.

Speaker 5 (01:26:22):
We don't know what they are specifically.

Speaker 28 (01:26:24):
Can you tell us that heap, the light heap is
not one of those effected?

Speaker 31 (01:26:27):
So you're asking hypopthetical based on programs that you can't
even identify.

Speaker 3 (01:26:32):
Only one of two things can be true.

Speaker 50 (01:26:34):
Either the media didn't read it and doesn't know, which
is a problem, or they did and they're trying to
lie about it to the American people.

Speaker 20 (01:26:41):
Either way, it's not good.

Speaker 3 (01:26:42):
And there's a.

Speaker 50 (01:26:42):
Reason that the mainstream media's popularity sits somewhere between Congress
and COVID. It's because of instances just like that. Nothing
could be further from the truth. What Peter Alexander is
saying is absolutely false. They're clearly going to continue the
services they are required to provide.

Speaker 5 (01:27:00):
She said it.

Speaker 50 (01:27:01):
Several people inside that administration have said it.

Speaker 5 (01:27:03):
But I caarantee you this.

Speaker 50 (01:27:05):
While Donald Trump is an outstanding few days and the
American people are very excited about this, the press are
going to double down. They have not learned a lesson
from the campaign or the election, and they're going to
keep lying to the people.

Speaker 3 (01:27:16):
And it's a real shame. Yeah, that was a different
answer question and answer than I thought. Let me get
back to her answer to the you know, rounding up criminals?
How do we know they're just going to round up criminals?
And she asked them what do you mean, just round
up criminals. They're here illegally. If you're here I legally,

(01:27:36):
you committed a crime. Therefore you are a criminal. So
that should tell you all you need. At some point
in time, there will be other people other than violent
criminals that will end up probably being deported. But again,
if you are here illegally, you have committed a crime.
You know, the Left tries very hard to say that.
You make it sound like you haven't. If you have

(01:27:58):
trespassed it in the United States and you are not
here legally, you have committed a crime. You are a criminal. Sorry,
that's the pure definition. Seven eleven die for traffic and
whether together children. As we check out the drive once
again from Skymike.

Speaker 4 (01:28:11):
Nord Sam, I'm telling I'm telling you, I'm having a
time trying to help the rest of the media. Okay,
you know about it, nobody else does. I'll pass it
on Nord Sam and from the North Feld. This is
north Sam westbound at Alding Westfield. You have that road
suckage because of the construction already justin from Crosby Wade
into offline and this is a stalled eighteen wheeler right

(01:28:32):
where you don't need it right before the big smash.
Things are really going to get tough from the east
text My secret hack don't tell anybody is the Hardy
Airport connector west Loop. We're going down to uptown. It's
nothing but breaks from two ninety down to Woodway. Got
two separate iten deals the overturned eighteen wheeler.

Speaker 5 (01:28:49):
It is outbound, not inbound at Silver.

Speaker 4 (01:28:52):
Multiple lanes here, at least three or four westbound inbound.

Speaker 3 (01:28:55):
I understand the I understand the rubbernecking.

Speaker 4 (01:28:57):
Downtown I sixty nine where you come off the East
Tex ramp that goes by Saint Arnold westbound on it.
You're going that way to you of h I still
have that eighteen wheeler. A lot of the media doesn't
know about that. We've cleared the six to ten Sherman
Ship Channel Bridge northbound. Those lanes are still causing backups
from Gulf Gate and Rick from Kingwood's on the east side.

Speaker 21 (01:29:18):
By Mike East Belt southbound, right before the sup Channel Bridge,
we have a fender bender the left lane of block
and it looks like it's pretty fresh.

Speaker 3 (01:29:26):
You have to go over the Ship Channel Bridge.

Speaker 44 (01:29:28):
You're going to be in.

Speaker 4 (01:29:29):
Plmitive await all right look out southbound from wood Forest.
I've got Kyle from Friendswood giving me some golf freeway.

Speaker 21 (01:29:35):
A lot of fog down here.

Speaker 4 (01:29:37):
We're slope from Edgebrook. Meeg also got in that.

Speaker 39 (01:29:39):
It is extremely foggy out here.

Speaker 4 (01:29:42):
And you got two eighty eight northbound Highway six erect.

Speaker 15 (01:29:45):
It's also really foggy out here.

Speaker 3 (01:29:47):
Amy from Lake Jackson, Terry.

Speaker 4 (01:29:49):
I'm Skymike in the Generator Supercenter dot Com Traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (01:29:52):
Fog is trending from our kat Ira It's viral. It's
gone viral in Houston from our top tax Devenders twenty four.
Our weather center. Terry is here. We're dealing with little
fog this morning, but once we get done with that,
then we're just gonna be dealing with some more rain
acusually we're dealing with that to how about.

Speaker 9 (01:30:09):
Both at the same time. There you go, there we go.

Speaker 20 (01:30:12):
What are.

Speaker 19 (01:30:16):
So We've got some clouds and light rain and fog
across the area. I'm seeing lower visibilities a number of places.
It should improve somewhat as the rain ends a little
later on today. So it's an eighty percent chance of
showers this morning, cloudy and dry for the afternoon. A
warm day or warmer load of mid seventies today, nice

(01:30:40):
change of pace.

Speaker 9 (01:30:41):
Colfront's on the way.

Speaker 19 (01:30:42):
It's going to bring us showers and storms, possibly some
severe storms tomorrow afternoon. Load of mid seventies tomorrow. All
that clears out Friday, no fog. Now, Skymike on Friday,
no fog. We'll see sunshine Friday through the weekend. It'll
be really nice too. In fact, I bet Sky Mike
is going to be outside sunbathing, upper sixties to low

(01:31:05):
seventies Friday through the weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:31:07):
Right down fifty eight at your officials, Severe Weather Station.
News Radio seven forty k t RH.

Speaker 2 (01:31:12):
It's Houston's Morning News, brought to you byen New South
Windows Solutions. Now back to Jimmy Barrits and the Houston
Morning News team all the info you need to take
on the day.

Speaker 3 (01:31:23):
We played you a clip the other day from President
Trump talking about FEMA, how he would rather not have FEMA,
that nobody's happy with FEMA. They're a bload of bureaucracy,
they move too slow, they don't get things done. He
would rather just, you know, send the federal aid to
the states directly and let the states deal with natural disasters.
So if if we were to get rid of FEMA,

(01:31:46):
what would that mean for state like hurricane prone Texas.
Ron Snowver owner National Claims negotiators based right here in
Texas will join us to talk about that next. First,
we've got traffic and weather together and that starts with you,
sky Mowaw.

Speaker 4 (01:31:58):
This is a good time for me to be sure
East Sam southbound. I got a wreck rick from Kingwood
banana sticker on your briefcase. That is southbound the toll bridge.
It is solid breaks from wood Forest down two big
wrecks on it in one downtown westbound off of fifty nine.

Speaker 3 (01:32:13):
That's off the ramp.

Speaker 4 (01:32:14):
And then also westbound Silver that's an overturned eighteen wheeler
three right lines outbound, not inbound. Skylike on the Generator
Supercenter dot Com traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (01:32:23):
From our KTRH top tax Defenders twenty four hour weather center.
We're looking at periods of morning rain, a little fog
in some spot seventy two today, light rain, early thunderstorms
in the afternoon with some gusty winds. Could have some
severe weather tomorrow in the afternoon high seventy two. We
finally have some sunshine hi right around seventy on Friday,
currently fifty eight at your official severe weather station, news

(01:32:43):
Radio seven forty k TRH. Check out some of our
top stories this morning. Here's Cliff, Thank you, Jimmy.

Speaker 6 (01:32:49):
According to campaign finance reports, a pair of local county
judges used campaign money on criminal defense lawyers. Rfk's confirmation
hearing is at nine o'clock this morning. The Vatican is
again warning about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. Get
the latest news anytime at KTRH dot com. Our next
update at seven thirty.

Speaker 9 (01:33:09):
I live in southeast Houston.

Speaker 2 (01:33:11):
Your forecast is at the bottom of the hour by
seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 3 (01:33:18):
Yeah, not real popular, especially in North Carolina. Seven twenty
three is at time you're in Houston's morning news. Could
we do better business without FEMA? Or do we at
least need to overhaul FEMA? Ron Snuffer joins US owner
of National Claims Negotiators in Texas. Would Texas be one
of those states Ron that probably would be better off
without FEMA? In other words, were used to disasters. We're

(01:33:39):
used to dealing with disasters. All we really need is
maybe a little financial health in the FEDS, and we'll
do the rest ourselves.

Speaker 15 (01:33:47):
I think we'd been in a much better situation if
we were able to control the money, we get it
to the right people quicker, and take care of disasters faster.

Speaker 3 (01:33:57):
You know, I think there are a lot of other
states that are this to Florida comes to mind. In fact,
Florida shined when they had their big hurricane this summer,
and you know, they knew exactly what to do. They
were completely mobilized. FEMA just kind of got in the
way in Florida.

Speaker 15 (01:34:14):
You look at the fact that DeSantis, they told them
on the corp of Engineers told them to take three
years to rebuild a bridge, and he said no, and
they got it done in less than thirty days.

Speaker 3 (01:34:25):
That's pretty amazing. Where did FEMA go wrong? I mean,
I'm sure there's some point in time where FEMA was
fairly helpful. When did when did this just become untenable?

Speaker 15 (01:34:36):
I think because of the amount of money, It's become
such a bloated system, and you have all the bureaucracy
that's going on, and everybody has their hand out, and
so they're just not doing anything. I mean, you mentioned
North Carolina, there's one hundred and twenty thousand people that
are displaced and can't go back to their homes at
this point in time, and FEMA hasn't gotten to the

(01:34:59):
majority those people in North Carolina.

Speaker 3 (01:35:02):
Yeah. Well, you know there's also you know, accusations that
FEMA is political, you know, in other words, they're going
to do a better job responding to the LA wildfires
than they did to North Carolina because North Carolina to
them is like flyover country. And I don't know if
that's that's true or not, But like you said, if
we can eliminate the middleman on this, I think we
probably would all be better off. Now. The hard part,

(01:35:22):
of course, will be to convince Congress to do away
with FEMA. If we just have to overhaul it instead
of completely eliminating it, how should it be overhauled in
your estimation.

Speaker 15 (01:35:34):
Well, you need to have things streamlined and systems and
processes in place to get the money to the people
on the ground faster.

Speaker 7 (01:35:42):
You know.

Speaker 15 (01:35:43):
The other beautiful thing about our country is that when
these disasters do help happen, you have response teams from
all over the country. You know, the Cajun Navy was
made famous during Hurricane Katrina because they came in and
they helped rescue people. Well, they did the same thing
in North Carolina. They packed up everything they got in

(01:36:04):
their trucks, hooked up their boats and headed out to
North Carolina to save people and do whatever they could
as boots on the ground. You got Convoy of Hope
and all these the Red Cross, all these organizations that
are going to come to the aid. We need to
make sure those people have the resources that they need

(01:36:26):
because they're the boots on the ground. They know what's
going on. Yeah, they do SIMA out of Washington. They're
doing political things slowing the process down. No, you're right
to get it to those people on the ground.

Speaker 3 (01:36:38):
You're absolutely right. I mean, we know all about the
Cajun Navy thanks to Hurricane Harvey, that's for sure. Ron,
thank you appreciate it. Ron Snuffer, owner of National Claims Negotiators,
seven twenty six. It is time to take a look
at your money as we check em with Jeff Bellinger.

Speaker 25 (01:36:52):
And Jimmy It's decision day for the Federal Reserve, and
economists have no doubts that infrast rates will be left unchanged.
One expert says it is the most predictable no change
in recent years. There is considerable interest in what Chaired
Jerome Powell will have to say about rates, the economy,
and potential new tariffs when he meets with reporters this afternoon.

(01:37:14):
Stock market futures are mixed. I'm Jeff Bellinger, Bloomberg Business
on News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 3 (01:37:23):
You are Houston's News.

Speaker 26 (01:37:25):
Why there are traffic plus breaking news twenty four to seven.
This is News Radio seven forty ktrhol Everywhere for the IRP.

Speaker 2 (01:37:35):
More of what's happening now from the Johan Morris Services Studios.

Speaker 3 (01:37:39):
It is seven thirty now here in Houston's morning news.
I'm Jimmy Barrett. Among our top stories, as have our
county officials using campaign funds for criminal defense attorneys. The
new press secretary is not taking any crap from the
legacy media and coming up at seven thirty eight, you're
still talking back on eliminating the income text details in
the minutes ahead. You're in Houston News First. What are

(01:38:02):
you doing, sky Mike.

Speaker 4 (01:38:02):
I'm stress heating all right too. Ighty eight northbound? Thank
you Amy from late Jackson. I got a wreck in
a right lane. This is northbound. It's gonna get worse
before it gets better. East sam Ship Channel Bridge horrible.
That's a wreck. The super Helpful to Allway people are
not being very helpful. But we're backed up from wood
Forest southbound north Freeway, pure suckage. From greens Point Katie
Freeway outbound overturned eighteen wheeler at Silver. We have cleared

(01:38:25):
the eighteen wheeler downtown. It in westbound at the Saint
Arnold Plant. I'm forgetting something. I've got a stall on
the west Loop northbound at sixty nine. West Loop is
horrible from two ninety southbound, twenty minute drag trying to
get to them and down to Uptown, up to uptown,
it's ugly. From bell Air, I'm Skymike and the Generator
Supercenter dot com.

Speaker 3 (01:38:43):
The Uber uber Eats people are at the door. They're
asking for you from our KTRH Generator super Center twenty
four hour weather center for today, cloudy skyes, periods of
morning rain, seventy two for the hike today. We'll get
Terry Smith in here with the complete forecast in about
eight minutes, right now fifty eight at your official severe
bather station, News Radio seven forty k TRH. It's time
now for the news. Here's Cliff Saunders.

Speaker 9 (01:39:05):
Thank you, Jimmy. It is seven thirty two on KTRH
top story.

Speaker 6 (01:39:08):
Harris County Judge Lena Hidalgo faces more scrutiny this morning,
as our TV partner Channel two reports that her campaign
financial filings proved she spent campaign donations on criminal defense attorneys.

Speaker 3 (01:39:20):
We spoke to her attorney, Court Acres about this.

Speaker 28 (01:39:23):
He was brought in by Hidalgo after three of our
senior staffers. If you remember, we're in dotted by Harris
County Grandeurate in connection to the awarding of a nearly
eleven million dollar outreach contract.

Speaker 6 (01:39:35):
Reporter Mario Diaz. Hidalgo has yet to comment. Fort Ben's
KP George did the same thing, but says he did
nothing illegal. In Austin, Texas Senate committee hearing on school
choice went well into the night. State Senator Brandon Creighton,
who authored SB two, says school choice does not hurt
public schools.

Speaker 29 (01:39:55):
Those are manufactured narratives and saying that school choice opportunities
that are reasonable and lifting up a public school system
and public school teachers and harmony them. So it's been
incredibly successful.

Speaker 6 (01:40:08):
The bill is expected to pass in the Senate Ultimately,
it will be decided by the State House.

Speaker 9 (01:40:13):
By the way, the.

Speaker 6 (01:40:14):
House officially adopts a rules package for this session, as suspected,
it does not favor Republicans.

Speaker 30 (01:40:21):
Virtually every Democrat voted for a Democrat. Obama White House
lawyer actually wrote these rules, so Democrats are very very
happy with this package.

Speaker 6 (01:40:30):
Brandon Waltons with Texas Scorecard says the rules banned Democrat
committee chairs but requires vice chairs to be Democrats with
expanded powers seven point thirty three. In Washington, the first
press briefing for new White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt
was vastly different from the Biden years. There were answers
to questions, for example, what are those drones flying over

(01:40:53):
New Jersey?

Speaker 31 (01:40:53):
The drones that were flying over New Jersey and large
numbers were authorized to be flown.

Speaker 6 (01:40:58):
By the FAA, something the last White House Press secretary
never explained. Another of President Trump's campentate picks goes in
front of the Senate today, Robert F. Kennedy Junior with
more Here's Foxes and Alexandria Hoff.

Speaker 32 (01:41:12):
Kennedy's make America Healthy Again agenda has earned him the
support of most Republicans and some Democrats, but many want
to hear some clarification on commentary he has given, mainly
on vaccines. Interestingly, on its way out, the former administration
pushed forward some health stances that's in line with what
Kennedy has been preaching, like the FDA banning red dye three,
proposing nutritional info on the front of food packages, and

(01:41:32):
limiting lead in some baby food.

Speaker 6 (01:41:34):
The hearing begins at nine o'clock. President Trump's cleanup of
the federal government is now striking fear into federal employees
as he has slashed DEI hires and frozen hiring. Matt
Markgolis with PJ Media says they're terrified because now they'll
have to prove their worth after being protected for years,
Federal workers get.

Speaker 33 (01:41:54):
Use this idea that they don't have to prove themselves
and their jobs are always safe, and that's something they've
gotten used too. And I think they've realized that they're
a new sheriff in town. I'm retally surprised that they're
going to fight it.

Speaker 6 (01:42:06):
The administration, by the way, is offering buyouts now to
nearly all federal employees. Seven thirty five ICE operations continue nationwide.
That does not know mean that the man in charge
of this is happy with everything.

Speaker 34 (01:42:20):
Are you satisfied Tom Homan with the pace of migrant deportations?

Speaker 6 (01:42:29):
No, we got to do more, Tom Homan with Fox's
Jesse Waters. Houston Mayor John Whitbyer says HPD is not
helping ice in raids that are taking place here. You'll
hear that explanation coming up at eight o'clock seven thirty
five and looking at your money. Stock futures are down
overnight ahead of the opening bell. The Federal Reserve makes

(01:42:50):
an decision on interest rates today, They're expected to leave
them unchanged. Dallas Fort Worth replaces Austin as the Texas
city with the highest rent, but rents are actually going
down in the Capitol and Texas. A and M Real
Estate Center research director Daniel Only says there's good reason.

Speaker 35 (01:43:08):
You know, developers will build a new apartment building for
every new household that shows up in the community, and
since COVID, Austin's been building four apartments for every new resident.

Speaker 6 (01:43:19):
Apartments dot Com says the average rent in Houston is
between twelve and nineteen hundred dollars a month. Tax season
officially opened up this week, but a warning. The IRS
says taxpayers lost five point five billion dollars to scammers.

Speaker 36 (01:43:33):
The best thing you can do to protect yourself is
to set up a pin with the IRS so that
anyone who wants to follow your return has to have
that pen.

Speaker 6 (01:43:42):
Tax expert Chris Wilbrett says the IRS will never call
or text you.

Speaker 9 (01:43:46):
Seven thirty six And according to new data.

Speaker 6 (01:43:49):
God is making a young comeback with a surprising demographic
young people, specifically gen Z.

Speaker 37 (01:43:57):
It's definitely coagruit with what I'm seeing around the state
and country.

Speaker 5 (01:44:01):
Young people really want to make a difference.

Speaker 3 (01:44:03):
They want their lives to mean something.

Speaker 38 (01:44:05):
That's Christian Collins, founder and President of the Texas Youth Summit.

Speaker 37 (01:44:10):
It's just really encouraging for me to see that hunger
being filled by God in so many young people.

Speaker 3 (01:44:15):
No better way for that to happen than to find God.

Speaker 38 (01:44:19):
Sixty two percent of those ages eighteen to twenty four
consider themselves very spiritual. Jeff Biggs News Radio seven forty
k T eight.

Speaker 6 (01:44:29):
And I'm Cliff Saunders on Houston's news Weather in Traffic station.

Speaker 9 (01:44:32):
News Radio seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 2 (01:44:36):
Houston's morning News continues with Jimmy Barrett.

Speaker 3 (01:44:41):
So President Trump got our attention by basically saying he
would like to eliminate the end of texts, the entire
income texts, pointing out that prior to progressive Woodrow Wilson
in nineteen thirteen, the country made all of its money
the tariffs. That's that's the only income and head and

(01:45:02):
it did very, very well. So he thinks we could
survive just fine without the income tax. And of course
it would get rid of that entire cottage industry and
all the bureaucrats involved with it, the irs, and all
that other stuff, which would be kind of nice. So
I decided, hey, let's use our little talkback feature. You
go to the iHeartRadio app KTRH. Put us on your preset. Yeah,

(01:45:25):
you can set you can set a preset like a
radio station on your radio. Yep, yep. So automatically we'll
go to KTRH. Or you just hit a button to
go straight there. You don't have to search for anything.
So do that. Put us on the preset, Go to KTRH.
There's a microphone there. You click on the microphone. You
get thirty seconds to talk back into sheer ideas. And
today we're talking about eliminating the income tax.

Speaker 20 (01:45:47):
Hey, Jimmy, youreber, Mike, Yeah, taxation stuff.

Speaker 6 (01:45:52):
I'm out plain and simple tariffs and uh yeah, I think.

Speaker 5 (01:45:58):
That's the way to go.

Speaker 20 (01:46:01):
Y'all have a great day here, Mike out.

Speaker 29 (01:46:04):
I am definitely in favor of getting rid of income tax.

Speaker 5 (01:46:08):
Let's go with the tariffs.

Speaker 3 (01:46:11):
Yeah, I my proposal would, because you're not going to
get rid of it overnight. There's just no way that's
going to work. How about if we just phase it
out thick a year. You want to start not ten
percent off the income tax every year for ten years
until it's gone. And in the meantime, yeah, you get
your other revenue sources, your tariffs, you know you can.
If that's not enough, maybe you can potentially look at

(01:46:32):
some sort of a consumption tax for consumers. But we
should we should definitely tax people on consumption, not tax
them on their income. This, however, this one, I want
to make sure I get the right one. This one
I think is the one that is my favorite idea.

Speaker 20 (01:46:51):
Morning, Jimmy. This is Joe from Florida.

Speaker 4 (01:46:53):
I think we should get rid of the federal income
tax and replace it with.

Speaker 20 (01:46:57):
Sky Mike's traffic citations.

Speaker 3 (01:47:00):
Imagine how rich we would be. We could run the
entire country off of sky Mike's citation seven forty time
for traffic and weathers together. Well, you're infamous, sky Mike.
That's as good as being famous. Let's go down in famous.
Let's do the Katie Freeway first. I've got this overturned
eighteen wheeler. Man, I hope everybody's okay. I'm looking from Silver.

(01:47:21):
I keep calling it silver. It's really antwine either way,
Tomato Tomato. Three right lanes outbound, not inbound, but you
have your own inbound suckage on the Katie Freeway that
starts well before Grand Parkway. Now Katie Mills, you're losing
twenty four minutes on the inbound. I think some of
that rever neckings a deal to ninety from Pump My Star.

Speaker 4 (01:47:40):
Yeah, into Eldridge Parkway. Some breaks now make that Jones Road.
We did clear the outbound spackle at the Beltway.

Speaker 3 (01:47:46):
That's out of the way.

Speaker 4 (01:47:47):
More breaks right at thirty fourth and the direct connector
rough stuff westlith going down to uptown makes good sense.
We're slow from two ninety down to all the way
to Uptown to Galleria and then up to uptown.

Speaker 3 (01:48:00):
We're slow. From bell Air.

Speaker 4 (01:48:01):
You lose twelve minutes going this way Nord Freeway. We
have not had our wreck at the Shepherd Curve yet.
It's backed up now from the Beltway. And speaking of
we also have the North sam that's not only roadwork
at Alding Westfield, it's a stalled eighteen wheeler golf freeway.
We did have our wreck northbound at the South Loop.
There's the reason.

Speaker 39 (01:48:18):
Me foth kicking a little wonky.

Speaker 4 (01:48:21):
And we're backed up from Edgebrook and right from Conroe's
on the free iHeartRadio app in the Metroplexace.

Speaker 36 (01:48:27):
Guy Mike, We've got rain and fog.

Speaker 3 (01:48:30):
That will be forty five for you guys, Dennis Houston.

Speaker 4 (01:48:33):
I was born the year of the rat Hi, So
Ray from Conroe is a rat Terry Smith is both
a scientist and a rabbit. And I'm in the generator
of Supercenter dot Com traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (01:48:42):
I'm a dragon and the Year of the Snake is
coming in more like a lamb, but except there's no
year of the lamb. There should be a year of
those No Year of the lamb up. Now, have you
got rat ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog,
and pig. And that's all you got. So how would you.

Speaker 9 (01:49:00):
Assign which one's the most fun?

Speaker 3 (01:49:02):
Umragon, the dragon? The dragon, because he is a dragon,
you would think the monkey would be the most fun.
But I guess what I was thinking too, That would
require well, we'll just assume that the monkey's more fun.
We'll say it's not coming in like a snake, it's
coming in like a monkey.

Speaker 19 (01:49:18):
Oh well, hopefully one of these animals has an umbrella,
because we're dealing with some rain, and not just today,
today and tomorrow.

Speaker 9 (01:49:26):
Some showers.

Speaker 19 (01:49:27):
This morning, it's an eighty percent chance that you might
get wet on your morning drive. The afternoon drive should
be a lot quiet, still cloudy, though, load of mid
seventies today. Tomorrow here comes that next cold front and
ninety percent chance of showers and storms. Now it looks
like the bulk of the rains in the afternoon. There
is that risk a slight one of strong, too severe weather.

Speaker 9 (01:49:50):
So we'll update you tomorrow. Load of mid seventies.

Speaker 19 (01:49:53):
It's all gone nice and quiet, sunny and comfortable temperatures Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:49:58):
Right now, fifty eight A officials Severe Weather Station News
Radio seven forty k TRH.

Speaker 5 (01:50:04):
What you need to know for the day ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:50:07):
This is Houston's Morning News, brought to you by New
South Windows Solutions.

Speaker 3 (01:50:12):
So yesterday, Governor Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public
Safety to deploy tactical strike teams to support the Trump
Administration's homeland security operations to locate and arrest criminal illegal
aliens here in Texas. We'll talk to Lieutenant Chris Oliveris
from the Texas DPS about that. Next.

Speaker 5 (01:50:29):
First though, traffic and weather together. Eat a quick one.

Speaker 4 (01:50:31):
Sky Mike got a wreck on the toll Bridge southbound
jump on six ten instead, nord Sam roadwork at aldein Westfield,
and an eighteen wheeler jump on the Hearty. Don't tell anybody,
Katie Freeway outbound sober overturn eighteen wheeler three right lights
outbound not inbound. I'm in the Generator Supercenter dot Com
Traffic Center.

Speaker 3 (01:50:47):
From our KTRH Generator super Center twenty four our Weather Center.
Claude Periry's of morning rain seventy two. Today Tomorrow's gonna
be stormy, could see some severe weather. Current temperature is
fifty eight at your official Severe weatherston News Radio seven
forty KTRH. We're checking out some of our top stories.
Here's Cliff, Thank you, Jimmy seven fifty two.

Speaker 6 (01:51:08):
Houston Mayor John Wickmeyer says HPD is not helping ice
operations in the city and breaking now. DHS Secretary Christy
Neilum just ended temporary protection status for Venezuelan illegal aliens
and the Federal Reserve announces its interest rate decision at
lunchtime at the latest news anytime at KTRH dot com.

Speaker 9 (01:51:26):
Our next update at eight o'clock.

Speaker 3 (01:51:29):
I live in Pasadena, Sharptown Southwest.

Speaker 2 (01:51:32):
Next on the ten time saving traffic on seven forty KTRH.

Speaker 5 (01:51:38):
So, our special.

Speaker 3 (01:51:39):
Guest is Lieutenant Chris Oliveris's with the Texas Department of
Public Safety. Welcome back to the show, Lieutenant Oliveris. Governor
Abbott yesterday put out an ieding to deploy tactical strike
teams with the Texas Department of Public Safety to support
homeland security operations to locate and arrest criminal illegals here
in Texas. Has that begun and how widespread across the state?

(01:52:01):
Is this going to be?

Speaker 42 (01:52:03):
Good morning?

Speaker 51 (01:52:04):
So, yes, that that already has begun and actually As
a matter of fact, last week and on Friday in Houston, Texas,
our DPS Special Agents is part of the Specialized Tactical
Strike Team, actually arrested two criminal legal aliens that were
wanted for sex crimes of children in the Houston, Texas area. So,
you know, we're trying to crack down and look for
these fugitives. Anybody that's a fugitive, it's in the country illegally,

(01:52:26):
that's been that's been convicted of a crime, we want
to attrack down those individuals because those are the bad actors,
those are the worst of the worst. Those are the
public safety threats that we want to focus on and
remove from the state of Texas.

Speaker 3 (01:52:38):
So those those have.

Speaker 49 (01:52:39):
Begun you can look.

Speaker 51 (01:52:41):
You know, we're we're working in areas in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Austin,
the bigger, the bigger metropolitan areas because for the most part,
when any time anybody crosses the border illegally, they're not
going to stay in the southern part of the border.
They're going to go to these larger metropolitan areas, especially
sanctuary cities. Of course we don't have that in the
state of Texas, but nonetheless there is some cities that
are soft on crime and they will not cooperate with

(01:53:04):
federal agencies.

Speaker 3 (01:53:05):
That's why we step in.

Speaker 51 (01:53:06):
We work with our federal partners, but we can also
locate our own type of individuals that are wanted for
crimes that have committee crimes in Texas and that's.

Speaker 47 (01:53:13):
What we're doing right now.

Speaker 3 (01:53:14):
Well, you just answered what I was going to ask
you next, which is the level of cooperation you're getting.
You mentioned Houston and Dallas, and in Austin. I'm sure
it's the same way San Antonio, where you've got Democrat
run cities that may not be very eager to have
either DPS or Homeland Security or ICE involved in their city.
Have you run into any resistance so far?

Speaker 10 (01:53:35):
You know, we have not.

Speaker 51 (01:53:36):
I think the governor government has made it very clear
that if any you know, any city tries to interfere
impede what we're doing at the state level, we have
the federal level, that there would be consequences. The Governor's
made it very clear we have a zero tolerance. We
are in long older states and we're going to make
sure that we continue to do that. And that's why
you know he launched these specialized teams from DPS and

(01:53:57):
the National Guard to work with our federal part So
as of right now, we haven't been met with any
type of resistance. We have a great working relationship with
all federal partners across the spectrum, so we can expect
to see more rest and go after more fugitives. But
also what really helps us too is the public. You know,
the audience out there, the listeners. I mean, we need
your help as well to locate anybody that you believe

(01:54:19):
is here, either illegally that's committed a crime or it's
involved in some type of criminal activity. There isn't a
reward that we offer from through our Texas Crime Stoppers
for anybody that can lead and give us information that
will lead to an arrest of a criminal legal alien
that has committed a crime or been convicted of a crime.
So we need their help as well.

Speaker 3 (01:54:35):
Okay, awesome. I wish we had more time to talk
to you. Maybe I can get you on my afternoon
show today to elaborate a little more, because I do
want to ask you about the cartel activity seems to
be picking up around the border. There's talk about explosive
devices by the roads around Brownsville, and all sorts of
other issues, so hopefully we can get you back up.
Thank you, sir, Lieutenant Chris Oliver's Texas Department of Public Safety.

(01:54:56):
All have a great day. See you tomorrow morning, Bartner, early five.
I'll see the same from four on Aingham nine fifty
k PRC.