Houston News

In a statement released Thursday, Gibson says he is endorsing former state Rep. Paul Sadler for the Democratic nomination. Gibson said he is a strong supporter of organized labor and did not want to run without their support. The AFL-CIO endorsed Sadler on Wednesday.

Gibson said he would continue to support Democratic candidates in the 2012 election.

The Houston Astros new owner Jim Crane sent a video message to season ticket holders Jan. 30 confirming the team will keep its name. Last week, Crane admitted that he was considering a name change to go along with a group of new team initiatives, such as lower ticket prices and different food policies.

However, his decision was met with a strong public backlash. According to a Houston Business Journal poll, more than 75 percent of more than 1,300 poll respondents as of Tuesday were not in favor of the name change.

A Houston mom has been charged with injuring her 3-month-old son because she was frustrated that the baby would not stop crying, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

The woman, Keshia Debrisha Sanchez, 26, faces one count of felony injury to a child,. Her bond has been set at $30,000, court records show.

A Houston fire captain has resigned amid charges of possession of child pornography and accusations of inappropriate online contact with an underage girl. More >

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will fly to Houston this week as part of West Virginia’s quest for a chemical plant that promises to deliver thousands of jobs, House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White told The Associated Press on Monday.

The Mingo County Democrat said his fellow delegates sought to aid that trip with Monday’s ahead-of-schedule, nearly unanimous passage of Tomblin’s tax break proposal meant to lure one or more “cracker” facilities. The House advanced the bill 93-1 to the Senate.

Monday, Jim Crane made some significant announcements that will change fan experience at Minute Maid Park. He also described some other potential changes that had vastly different reactions from the fan base. While Crane strongly hinted at a uniform change come 2013, he also hinted at a possible name change. While the former was received with cheers and applause from many fans, the latter evoked quite the opposite reaction. Many fans have been up in arms about the possibility that the Astros name could be no more in 2013. So while the Astros will be changing leagues, could they change much more then just that.

When the Houston Astros switch to the American League in 2013, they also might undergo a makeover that includes new uniforms (whatever) and a new name (gasp!). The franchise has a history of fiddlingwith both. More >

It’s a device that has caused confusion, frustration and debate throughout the city of Houston: the red light camera. The city ordered the cameras turned off and stopped issuing red light camera violations last August, but it looks like their saga is far from over. More >

A woman whom Houston police described as an activist on behalf of Iranian women’s civil rights was found shot dead at the wheel of her car after it crashed into a Houston townhouse garage. More >

The fiery housing market of a few years ago may be long gone, but home sales and prices were hotter last year than in 2010.

Single-family home sales were up 4 percent for the year while the median price inched up 0.7 percent to $155,000, the Houston Association of Realtors said today in a monthly report.