Man uses a bat to take back his cat Police are looking for a man who took his gray and blue short-haired cat from the Dallas Animal Shelter while fending off employees with a baseball bat, authorities said.

Missing Victoria man with Alzheimer's traveled to Mexico A man who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease wandered into Mexico twice before he was found about 400 miles from the Texas border on Sunday, officials said.

Two more cell phones found during searches on death row Two more cell phones were found during regular death row inmate checks and a search for cell phones on Tuesday, officials said.

Condemned Houston killer gets execution reprieve The Court of Criminal Appeals remanded Eric Cathey's appeal to a lower court for a hearing on his claim that he is mentally retarded.

Governor wants to ensure criminals here illegally don't avoid deportation After a series of Houston Chronicle reports, Rick Perry says he was outraged to learn that many illegal immigrant inmates were released after completing sentences.

Mayor White forms task force to bolster electrical grid With a year left in office, Mayor Bill White is turning his attention to the electrical grid.

Goodfellows: Son's illness keeps pressure on family Christian Reynoso recovered, but doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of infant epilepsy, called Dravet's Syndrome.

Women killed in high-speed crash identified The two women killed in a high-speed car wreck on Westheimer early Sunday morning have been identified by the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office.

$700,000 worth of opium found at Bush airport U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered $700,000 worth of opium hidden in two pieces of luggage at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, authorities said.

Tax rate increases on ballots in three school districts Voters in three area school districts — Alief, Humble and North Forest — are going to the polls this week to decide whether they are willing to pay higher property taxes.

Workers' anxieties grow as UTMB begins layoffs (w/video) Six hundred UTMB employes will be laid off every day for five days, reducing the 12,000 work force by 3,000 jobs.

Driver who died after she hit parked truck ID'd The woman who died Tuesday morning after crashing into a parked construction truck on the East Freeway has been identified by police as 47-year-old Jeanie A. Barfield.

Emmett wants more authority to lobby in Austin Fresh from a decisive re-election victory, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett is wasting no time trying to build his office's influence as he fights for more authority over the county's lobbying effort in Austin.

Metro seeks Congress aid with deals linked to AIG The move is the latest attempt by agencies nationwide to avoid millions in default payments triggered by the collapse of the insurance giant.

Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales indicted in S. Texas A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on state charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers.

Officers disciplined in Carnaby shooting (w/video) The Houston police officers involved in the shooting death of man who claimed to have ties to federal law enforcement were disciplined for not trying to talk to the man before approaching his vehicle after a high-speed chase, according to the department's investigation of the case.

Owner to close Houston apartments where boy drowned The owner is pledging to help scores of residents relocate, city officials say.

Four shot, 1 dead in attack at south Houston home Houston police are trying to determine the motive for an attack in which several men burst into a southside home and shot four occupants, killing one.

Sisters hurt after SUV rams into home (w/video) Two young sisters are being treated at a hospital this morning after a sport-utility vehicle that was being pursued by police crashed into their grandmother's home in north Houston.

Some defendants eligible to be deported avoid prison After getting probation, some of the illegal immigrants were later accused of more serious crimes, a Houston Chronicle investigation finds. Last of a three-part series .

Some residents getting a shock from their electric bills Some Houston-area residents are getting a jolt from their latest electric bills.

Abbott: State should take action on human trafficking Attorney General Greg Abbott said Monday his office is ready, if the Legislature agrees, to take a more active role in fighting human trafficking, a fast-growing crime heavily practiced in Texas.

Houston agrees to repay $15.5 million to HUD The city of Houston has agreed to repay $15.5 million to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to settle findings that it misspent grants from three federal housing programs prior to December 2004.

Street race suspected in wreck that killed 2 in W. Houston Police said the car in which the women and two men were traveling may have been involved in a street race in the 7900 block of Westheimer early Sunday morning when its driver lost control of the vehicle.

Most Texas profs back unlimited teaching of evolution The verdict from Texas scientists is nearly unanimous: 98 percent favor the unadulterated teaching of evolution in public school classrooms, according to a report released Monday.

Singer McCready regrets relationship with Clemens Country singer Mindy McCready claims she broke off her relationship with Roger Clemens when the former baseball star wouldn't marry her, according to an interview broadcast Monday by the syndicated show Inside Edition.

Hearing planned on rules for building around airports The City Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday to take comments on proposed building restrictions around Houston's three airports.

Goodfellows: Painful condition limits work for mother LaSandra Oliver's children's dreams of holiday tidings might not be possible without Goodfellows. The Oliver family will be one of dozens that will receive assistance from the Houston Chronicle's program this year.

In Houston, Scalia criticizes courts citing foreign trends Judges who use foreign laws to interpret the U.S. Constitution are rewriting it rather than respecting its founders, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told a roomful of judges and top lawyers in Houston on Monday night.

Clergy weigh in on immigration policy at TMO summit Church and social activists Monday took aim at the nation's immigration policies — laws they contended split families, criminalize undocumented workers and undercut America's reverential self-image as a land of opportunity.

Judge dismisses DWI charge against retiring lawmaker A retiring Republican lawmaker was cleared Monday of a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge, a visiting judge said.

Senate runoff for Janek's seat set for Dec. 16 Gov. Rick Perry has set the runoff election for the District 17 state Senate seat for Dec. 16.

Protesters rally in E. Texas dragging death Protesters galvanized by a dragging death that stirred memories of the notorious James Byrd case rallied outside an East Texas courthouse Monday to speak out against a justice system they consider racist.

Newcomers like Olson urged to be bipartisan in D.C. More than four dozen newly elected members of Congress are being urged to forge personal, bipartisan relationships at the outset of their congressional service, Rep.-elect Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, said Monday.

GOP legislators seek 'unlimited' corporate donations They may have lost ground in the last election, but state House Republicans are playing up their two-seat majority for all it's worth: They're asking for "unlimited" corporate and personal contributions to raise money and finance strategy sessions.

Possible solutions for probation problem Harris County probation officials suggested that ICE officials increase screening at the jails and identify illegal immigrants before they are sentenced to probation.

Elderly La Marque man still reported missing Police are searching for a 93-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease who wandered away from his home in La Marque.

Police ask for help ID'ing man found at South Freeway Police are still trying to determine the identity and cause of death of a man whose body was discovered lying on the shoulder of the South Freeway on Friday night, authorities said.

Dad pleads guilty in Wunsche High School stabbing The father of a teenage girl who lied about being raped pleaded guilty Monday to stabbing a high school student implicated in the alleged sexual assault.

County seeks aid to get generators to public utilities Harris County wants to help small public utilities apply for federal grants to buy backup generators to keep their water and sewer systems running during power outages.