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Empty spaces, broken hearts in a Texas town gutted by loss

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Empty spaces, broken hearts in a Texas town gutted by loss


UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Josie Albrecht drove frantically from home to deal with, retracing the varsity bus route she drives twice a day, delivering Uvalde’s youngsters safely to and from college.

When she’d picked them up, hours earlier, they wore giddy grins, excited for summer time break simply days away: soccer, softball, freedom. She’d deliberate a pizza celebration to rejoice that afternoon. However earlier than she may choose them up and drive them residence, a gunman walked into their college and began capturing.

Now, days later, she was drawn to the city sq. and the 21 white crosses erected there, one for every of the 19 youngsters and two academics whose deaths left gaping holes within the marrow of a small city.

“It’s my job to take them residence. I didn’t take my infants residence,” Albrecht wailed, again and again.

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In a city this small, 15,000 folks, even those that didn’t lose their very own baby misplaced somebody — their finest good friend, the little boy down the highway who dribbled his basketball within the driveway, the child who stood on the curb, backpack in hand, ready for the bus. They see the empty areas they left behind in all places. The bus seats they gained’t sit in. A baseball glove they gained’t put on. Entrance doorways they gained’t skip from to affix the neighborhood sport of tag. Rivers they gained’t fish in.

The city’s rhythms have at all times centered round their youngsters. Earlier than the capturing shattered their world, “what’s your son as much as?” or “your daughter performed an amazing sport” have been the most typical exchanges after they run into folks they knew, which was on a regular basis as a result of everybody is aware of everybody. If one among Albrecht’s riders misbehaved, she’d remind them that she knew their dad and mom and grandparents and aunts and uncles.

Some say now that closeness is each their blessing and their curse: They will lean on one another to grieve. However each single one among them is grieving.

Albrecht calls her little riders “my youngsters,” and within the chaotic hours after the rampage, she was determined to know in the event that they’d made it residence secure. She drove home to deal with. She reached the one the place 10-year-old Rojelio Torres each morning waited on the curb along with his little brother and sister. As he’d climb on, he’d at all times requested to take a seat within the again as a result of that’s the place the “visiting” occurs and he favored to go to. He was “like a bull,” she mentioned — charismatic, humorous. He cherished sizzling Takis. However he wasn’t residence. His household stood shocked and weeping on the garden. She knew.

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A couple of days later, she introduced a toy college bus to position at his cross on the memorial. “I like you and can miss you,” she wrote on it, and drew a damaged coronary heart on the place the place he used to take a seat, within the again.

She wept, agonizing that she couldn’t save him, and a neighborhood physician hugged her. “There was nothing you can do,” mentioned John Preddy, a household practitioner, who delivered two of those lifeless youngsters and cared for all of them their brief lives, their scraped knees and runny noses.

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“You spend your life attempting to maintain them wholesome and to observe these youngsters develop,” he mentioned. “He took away in a matter of second what their moms and their fathers and their grandparents and I and everybody has finished to attempt to make their lives good and make them wholesome and transfer them forward and make them profitable on the planet. That actually obtained snuffed out in a matter of seconds.”

He appeared across the sq., which was a sleepy park, ringed by vintage outlets, the city’s theater, a barber. And now it’s the center of their mourning: The mounds of flowers and items on the foot of the crosses are 2 ft tall.

“This destroys lives,” mentioned Preddy, who’s been a health care provider right here for 30 years. “It’s our lives, these youngsters are our lives.”

He tried to do the mathematics: 19 youngsters, every with dad and mom, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles.

“While you begin including that up and also you unfold it out, there’s hundreds of connections that these youngsters have: academics, bus drivers, those who minimize their hair. All of that’s interconnected,” he mentioned. “So that they contact hundreds of individuals’s lives, these youngsters, just about all people on the town.”

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The mourners left issues these youngsters had cherished and can by no means contact once more: a flower constituted of pipe cleaners, a wreath of crayons, Scorching Wheels, a princess crown, a baseball on which somebody had written “good sport,” a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels.

The white crosses are coated in messages written in Sharpie.

“Mommy loves you.”

“I’ll eat a smore only for you.”

“I’ll handle your grandma.”

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As folks arrived on the sq., they hugged and pleaded: “Why? Why? Why? Why?”

They want solutions, Preddy mentioned. The police have modified the account of their response many instances, lastly admitting days after the capturing that officers gathered within the hallway of the varsity waited greater than an hour to storm the lecture rooms the place the gunman was holed up, as youngsters inside referred to as 911 again and again, whispering pleas to avoid wasting them.

The political questions are additionally thundering by means of city: How may a troubled younger man stroll out of a gun store with a weapon made for conflict days after his 18th birthday, requested Preddy and plenty of others.

Preddy, a gun-owning conservative, additionally questioned: How may this nation have finished nothing for a decade after 20 college students and 6 adults have been killed at Sandy Hook Elementary College in Newtown, Connecticut?

“Our youngsters can’t stay like this, they’ll’t. We will’t let my youngsters, my grandkids stay like this for the remainder of their lives and for his or her youngsters’ lives,” he mentioned. “We simply can’t have that.”

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Texas

Tiger Woods Is Building Second Texas Golf Course For Bluejack Brand

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Tiger Woods Is Building Second Texas Golf Course For Bluejack Brand


Tiger Woods is building a second golf course in Texas, with the Bluejack brand expanding to include a private, family-focused residential community near Fort Worth called Bluejack Ranch.

A 914-acre property that blends luxury and recreation, Bluejack Ranch is located just under four hours northwest of Bluejack National outside Houston, the site of the first Woods-designed course in the U.S.

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In a letter to Bluejack members, Woods said he finds it hard to believe it’s been just over a decade since that course opened, and that he’s excited to again team with Bluejack founders Andy and Kristin Mitchell for an “encore opportunity” at a new club that will include a more than 600 home lots. The Mitchells attended Texas Christian University, which is located in Fort Worth.

“We’re bringing that same Bluejack spirit and passion to Fort Worth – a city celebrated not only as Cowtown but also as a golf town,” said Woods. “With legends like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the love for the game here is genuine.

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“Bluejack National’s success has paved the way for this next chapter at Bluejack Ranch,” he added. “Our shared vision of creating a space where families can enjoy the game and have fun inspires us all once again at The Ranch. It’s extremely motivating for me to contribute to the golfing legacy of Fort Worth, and I’m excited to see what we’ll build together.”

The Woods-designed course will be the centerpiece of a club that’s also a working dude ranch with horses, a herd of longhorns, and mini-donkeys. Golf is among a diverse range of amenities that includes a wellness spa, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, gourmet dining, and a family-friendly social hub called The Fort.

The National Golf Foundation recently noted that approximately 3,200 golf facilities in the U.S. have a real estate component, among them residential resort properties like Bluejack. While this total represents almost 23% of overall U.S. golf supply, golf real estate has an even greater presence when it comes to the recent, post-pandemic uptick in golf development.

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Over 40% of current new golf projects have a real estate tie, with communities like Bluejack Ranch located outside, but not far from, major metro areas proving extremely popular.



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Clear skies Thursday, rain chances return to SE Texas this weekend

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Clear skies Thursday, rain chances return to SE Texas this weekend


HOUSTON – Enjoy these clear skies now, because it won’t last much the rest of this week in some parts of southeast Texas.

Thursday’s Forecast:

Thursday will bring more heat and a summer feel with highs in the mid-90s.

Thursday’s Forecast (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Rainfall Forecast:

Rain chances return Friday (20%) and ramp up Saturday (40%). The rain chances are mainly for locations along and south of I-10. If you are north of I-10 you likely will remain dry.

Most rainfall will be south of I-10. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Where is Fall?

Unfortunately, a good chunk of the United States is still experiencing way above average temperatures for the rest of this week and honestly, most of next week as well! We’re still seeing 90s here across Texas and 80s for areas that usually don’t see temps this warm this late into summer/early fall.

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Warm US Temps (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Tracking the tropics:

The Caribbean and The Gulf of Mexico are quiet for now, but there is a 40% chance a tropical system develops in the Gulf over the next seven days.

possible development in the Gulf (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

By this weekend, the tropical cluster will be entering the Gulf of Mexico and may get better organized. We’ll keep you updated daily on how this system is coming along. Regardless, we’ll likely see some showers and thunderstorms from some of the tropical moisture moving across the area this weekend.

Tropical Moisture (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
10-day Forecast:

Our next small chance of rain is Friday, lasting through the weekend. A cold front moves through on Monday that will drop our highs to the 80s and lows into the lower-60s. No major cold front coming anytime soon, but we’re always watching out for it!

10 Day Forecast (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.



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The Evidence Room, Episode 37- The Texas Killing Fields, ‘Who killed our girls?’

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The Evidence Room, Episode 37- The Texas Killing Fields, ‘Who killed our girls?’


HOUSTON – A few mysteries are as chilling and unresolved as the Texas Killing Fields. A desolate field off Calder Road in League City, Texas, became the burial ground for four women between 1984 and 1991. Audrey Cook, Donna Prudhomme, Laura Miller, and Hiede Villareal Fye were all found in an abandoned oil field off Calder Road in League City, Tx.

In part-two of four, KPRC 2 Investigates nationally recognized show ‘The Evidence Room,’ takes you into ‘The Texas Killing Fields.’ Forty years later, the pain and fight for answers live on in the voices of the victims’ families.

“September 10, 1984,” Laura’s father Tim Miller begins, his voice heavy from dealing with decades of grief. “I’ll never, ever forget that day.”

KPRC 2 docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ – The Texas Killing Fields. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

“I did everything I knew how to do to keep her alive, but somebody else was determined to take her life,” Miller shares.

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For years Miller returned to the cross marking Laura’s final resting place.

A cross marks the spot where Tim Miller visits his daughter. The KPRC docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ dives into The Texas Killing Fields murders near Houston. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

“I used to walk up to this cross, and I’d look at Laura’s picture and say, ‘Laura, please don’t’ hate your daddy, I can’t come out here anymore. I have to put my life back together.’ But every time, I’d hear a little voice say, ‘Dad, don’t quit.’ It was like, ‘Damn you, Laura, what are you talking about?”

Miller’s agony didn’t end with the discovery of Laura’s body. Instead, it deepened, when Laura’s remains were finally recovered on February 2, 1986. The family was told they couldn’t bury her right away. The medical examiner needed more time to determine the cause of death.

“60 days came and went. Six months. One year. Two Years. Three years and nine months later, we finally got to get Laura’s remains. Three years and nine months,” Miller bitterly recounted.

A search for answers, and lost faith in the system

KPRC 2 docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ – The Texas Killing Fields. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

The pain of the delay was compounded by the shocking discoveries about how Laura’s remains had been treated.

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“I lost faith in the police department,” Miller while anger began to build inside him. “I thought at that time, that if they were to listen to me. If they would have came out here and searched, they would have found her body. She would have been dead, but there may have been some damn evidence.”

In March of 1992, there was another grim discovery. Laura’s remains were sent in a FedEx box to a college for research, even though she was buried in 1989.

“Remember, there 212 bones in a human body. Guess how many there were, 28 bones.” Miller said.

Once Laura’s remains were returned, Miller learned some of Audrey Cook’s remains had been mixed in with his daughter’s remains.

Audrey Cooke photos (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

Audrey was found the same day that they found Laura. They weren’t found in the same spot. They were found 60-ft away from each other.

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“The fingernails were clipped. They’re not to be found. That’s frustrating because of the DNA that we can have now,” said Audrey Lee Cooke’s sister in law Shirley Love.

KPRC 2 docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ – The Texas Killing Fields. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

The Suspects

Robert Abel, a former NASA engineer, owned property near ‘The Texas Killing Fields,’ and was one of the primary suspects. A League City police warrant, based in part on an FBI profile, named Abel as a suspect. However, after extensive searches of his property and years of questions, Abel was never charged with a single crime. Miller, fueled by anger and grief, confronted Abel.

“I put a gun to that man’s head,” Miller admits.

Despite this, Miller later asked for Abel’s forgiveness when he said he realized he was not responsible for the murders.

In July of 2005, Robert Abel drove his golf cart on to a set of railroad tracks in Bellville, Texas, and was hit by a train. According to Justice of the Peace, Richard Yancey, Abel’s death was ruled accidental. Miller believes Abel committed suicide.

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Another suspect in Laura’s case is Clyde Edwin Hedrick.

KPRC 2 Investigates Robert Arnold interviews Clyde Hendrick for ‘The Evidence Room: The Texas Killing Fields.’ (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

“I just got to call, to let you know, Galveston County comes SWAT into my house this morning, and I’m over here in Galveston County Jail for that Calder Road stuff and all of them dead girls,” Hedrick was recorded telling someone on his phone after he was brought in for questioning in the death of Ellen Rae Beason.

KPRC 2 docu-series ‘The Evidence Room’ – The Texas Killing Fields. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

Don’t miss Part 2 of KPRC 2′s Investigation into the Texas Killing Fields, airing Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on KPRC 2+.

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.



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