Southwest
Texas community for special needs adults is a model for others: 'A joyful place'
“We all need more light today. We need more positivity. We need family and faith, hope and strength — that’s what these stories are all about.”
Those are the words of SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, co-founders of the Godwinks brands and based in Massachusetts, who shared the following story with Fox News Digital.
The couple specialize in what they call “Godwinks” stories — and believe that the Lord works in mysterious ways.
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“Godwink is the new word of the language,” Rushnell told Fox News Digital. “It means an event that seems like a coincidence — but you know it comes from a divine origin.”
Read on to see what he means.
Nurtured by prayer & persistence
The Brookwood Community for Adults with Special Needs lies on 485 idyllic acres, a half-hour west of Houston, near the village of Brookshire, Texas.
The Brookwood Community for Adults with Special Needs Educators in Texas, just west of Houston. Educators have traveled from all over the world to learn how Brookwood has become a model of success. (Brookwood)
Educators have traveled from all over the globe to learn how Brookwood has become a model of success.
From a low-altitude aircraft, one might mistake Brookwood for a small college campus. A chapel steeple rises from a gathering of charming brick buildings, connected by orderly walkways and rolling green lawns, to homes like those in gated residential areas.
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It may be difficult to imagine that the magnificent property of Brookwood Community grew from the seeds of tragedy — nurtured by the power of prayer and persistence.
The Brookwood story began with its tall and straight-speaking founder, Yvonne Streit, the mother of a severely brain-damaged daughter, Vicki.
Conventional wisdom told the mom that she’d better put her child away.
As a child, she could neither speak nor move.
Conventional wisdom told the mom that she’d better put her child away.
But “oh no, that was not for me,” said Streit.
She found experts who suggested that children with special needs could do many more things than people thought they could. And that, like everyone else, they “needed to be needed” and yearned to have a purpose.
Yvonne Streit, left, is pictured with her daughter Vicki. Streit found experts who suggested that children with special needs could do many more things than people thought they could — and that, like everyone else, they “needed to be needed” and yearned to have a purpose. (Brookwood)
Subsequently, after months and years of patient training, Streit taught her daughter how to grasp, lift and release an object in order to feed herself.
Years later, when Brookwood was started, the girl’s simple skill allowed her to grasp a potted seedling plant, lift it into a tray — and release it.
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To this day, Vicki Streit reportedly has repeated that process with over 15,000 plants in Brookwood’s horticultural enterprise.
So she’s significantly contributed to one of the largest annual crops of Christmas poinsettias in the state of Texas.
Like so many things in life that people start out to do — it often takes a good number of Godwinks to get there.
Yvonne Streit recalled that when her daughter approached the age of 18, it became clear to her that while many places were teaching special needs children, very few facilities were providing life-skills training for special needs adults.
That gave birth to Yvonne Streit’s dream of starting a place called Brookwood.
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Yet, like so many things in life that people start out to do, it often takes a good number of “Godwinks” to get there.
Carefully articulated plan
An undertaking like that needed to begin with a carefully articulated plan.
To create the blueprint for Brookwood Community, Yvonne Streit appeared before Rotary clubs, churches, and chambers of commerce — explaining to anyone standing still that she needed seed money for the necessary travel and study.
One night, her husband, Dave Streit, looked at his wife. Seeing the disappointment on her face, he asked how it went at Rotary that day.
Yvonne Streit, founder of Brookwood, with several community members. (Brookwood)
She shook her head and sighed. “One more speech with no takers.”
In her bedtime prayers, she choked back tears, she said later.
“God, I know you placed this desire on my heart. And I was sure you had given me the ‘Go’ sign. But, did I misunderstand you?” she prayed. “Because I’m ready to throw in the towel.”
A man was standing there with an envelope. He said, “Here’s $10,000 for you to study the idea of Brookwood.”
The next morning, she got up and put on the face that many put on sometimes. On the outside, it signals to the world, “I’m good” — but it’s really hiding feelings of sadness, worry or fear that exist on the inside.
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When she got to the office, a man named Frank was standing there with an envelope. He said, “Here’s $10,000 for you to study the idea of Brookwood.”
She was flabbergasted.
Then a few minutes later, her assistant said someone had just called and was “sending over a check for $7,500.”
An aerial view of Brookwood’s central campus in Texas, near Houston. Streit had been ready to throw in the towel — until a remarkable series of events took place shortly after her pleas to God. (Brookwood)
What?
Then, at 10 o’clock, St Luke’s Church phoned. The church was sending a check for $25,000 “to study Brookwood.”
And at 11 a.m., the Barrow Foundation called: “We’re sending you $30,000.”
Streit couldn’t believe it. She now felt a string of hope, all stemming from her heartfelt prayers of the night before.
It was $72,500 worth of Godwinks — and definitely giving her the “Go” sign.
Long into the future
Today, the Brookwood Community is home to more than 250 citizens.
Some individuals paint pottery in stone casting that is then displayed in the gift shop, which looks like it belongs in the pages of a home and garden magazine.
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Other citizens are servers or assistants in the kitchen at the Brookwood Café, a popular luncheon spot for the garden clubs of Houston.
Here, reservations are recommended.
After 24 years, Streit turned over the daily operations to her daughter, Vivian Shudde, herself the mother of a special needs child.
Brookwood in Texas maintains a significant horticultural enterprise. (Brookwood)
For the past 17 years, Shudde, with a degree in special education, has overseen an impressive expansion of the Brookwood campus, developed a succession plan and secured the evolution of the Brookwood Community philosophy long into the future.
“Our vision is to change the way the world thinks about adults with disabilities,” the community’s website notes.
Now, a new 20-minute docufilm produced by Crescent Moon Productions, “A Joyful Place – The Brookwood Community,” celebrates the culture of joy that springs from all those who visit the Brookwood campus.
For more details and history — including a view of the new film — anyone can check out the Brookwood Community’s website at www.brookwoodcommunity.org.
Several stories about Brookwood are included in “Godwink Christmas Stories,” a book by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, while Yvonne Streit’s book, coauthored by Jana Mullins, “Everybody’s Got A Seed to Grow,” describes Brookwood’s story.
Rushnell and DuArt are also working on a new book due out next year. Anyone can learn more about the Godwinks projects at www.godwinks.com.
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Southwest
Jasmine Crockett reveals Colbert hasn’t invited her on show since furor over Talarico interview
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, revealed Friday she’s still not been asked to appear on Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show,” days after the host claimed pressure from the Federal Communications Commission effectively censored an interview with her Senate primary political opponent, James Talarico.
Earlier this week, Colbert said CBS prevented the broadcast of Talarico’s appearance due to guidance from the FCC requiring shows to provide “equal time” to opposing candidates.
In response, the late-night host criticized the FCC and his own network. The Talarico interview was posted online, where it has garnered more than 8 million views on YouTube alone. The tumult and extra attention to the interview helped raise more than $2.5 million for Talarico’s campaign.
“No, I’ve not been invited on Colbert prior to his interview nor post his interview,” Crockett said on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe” Friday.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett speaks to members of the media following a House Oversight and Accountability Committee deposition in New Albany, Ohio, on Wednesday, Feb. 18. (Dustin Franz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Crockett explained that while she has appeared on Colbert’s show twice before, she has not been invited since she launched her candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
“The only information that I got was after this debacle took place, I did receive a phone call from the parent company,” Crockett said.
She said that CBS representatives told her they did not tell Colbert he couldn’t air the Talarico segment. Instead, they said that if he had Talarico on, he had to offer the same time to Crockett.
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Texas state Rep. James Talarico, left, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, both Democrats and U.S. Senate candidates, participate in a debate during the 2026 Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown, Texas, on Jan. 24. (Bob Daemmrich/The Texas Tribune/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“They just said, if you air it, just make sure that you offer the representative equal time. Now, obviously, I wasn’t engaged in that conversation, so I cannot confirm the veracity of any statements,” she said.
“But I can confirm that I had never been asked to go on as it relates to kind of talking about the Senate race,” Crockett added.
CBS released a statement denying it censored Colbert, insisting the show chose to share the interview on YouTube instead to avoid the equal-time requirement.
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Texas state Rep. James Talarico appears with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” in New York on Feb. 16. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
However, during Monday night’s broadcast, Colbert insisted he and his guest were being censored, telling his audience, “[Talarico] was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast.”
The media attention and Colbert’s multiple segments this week about the controversy provided a boon to Talarico’s campaign. On Tuesday, Colbert crumpled up the CBS statement denying it had forced the comedian not to air the interview and put it into a dog waste bag before throwing it away.
On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr dismissed the controversy as a “hoax,” stating that Talarico “took advantage of all of your sort of prior conceptions to run the hoax, apparently for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks. And the news media played right into it.”
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A spokesperson for Colbert’s show didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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A progressive House Democrat claims that attacks from her left were racially motivated in what’s become an explosive Texas Senate race.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told supporters that she’s used to attacks from Republicans and the right, but racially tinged shots from her left flank weren’t something she expected.
“The thing that is not normal is for me to be attacked from the left,” Crockett said. “That is the new wild card in this scenario. But it’s just interesting.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett speaks to members of the media following a House Oversight and Accountability Committee deposition in New Albany, Ohio, Feb. 18. (Dustin Franz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“And you know, I’ve been asked a couple of times about it,” she continued. “And you know, I look at this specifically as a civil rights lawyer, and I see when they’re sending out ads and they’re darkening my skin. And I’m just like, I know what this is, right?”
Crockett did not get into specifics about which ads she was referencing or who was behind them.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Crockett’s Senate campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
It’s another instance in the Democratic primary for Texas’ Senate seat between Crockett and Texas state Rep. James Talarico in which race has again been jolted into the conversation.
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Rep. James Talarico appears with Stephen Colbert on the CBS series “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” in New York Feb. 16, 2026. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
Before the latest drama over Talarico’s appearance on Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” which Crockett said she has not received an invitation to since launching her Senate campaign, the state lawmaker was embroiled in another back-and-forth with his former opponent.
Before Crockett entered the contest, Talarico was running against former Rep. Collin Allred, D-Texas, who was again vying for the Senate after losing to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024.
Allred exited the race in December 2025 but earlier in February alleged that Talarico had referred to him as a “mediocre Black man” in reference to his campaign against the former lawmaker.
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Talarico pushed back against the allegation in a statement to the Texas Tribune at the time and said that he would “never attack him on the basis of race.”
“As a Black man in America, Congressman Allred has had to work twice as hard to get where he is,” Talarico said. “I understand how my critique of the congressman’s campaign could be interpreted given this country’s painful legacy of racism, and I care deeply about the impact my words have on others. Despite our disagreements, I deeply respect Congressman Allred. We’re all on the same team.”
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Early voting already is underway in Texas, with primary election day right around the corner on March 3.
Who either Crockett or Talarico will face in November remains in the air, given the three-way Republican primary battle among Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.
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Southwest
Jury convicts former NFL player Keith J Gray in $328 million Medicare fraud scheme involving kickbacks
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Former UConn football standout and Texas laboratory owner Keith J. Gray was convicted Thursday for his role in a wide-ranging genetic testing fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced Friday.
According to investigators, the cardiovascular testing scheme generated up to $328 million in fraudulent claims. Gray, who never appeared in a regular season NFL game, owns Axis Professional Labs and Kingdom Health Laboratory.
He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, five counts of violating the anti-kickback statute. Gray also faces three counts of money laundering, a news release from the DOJ confirmed.
Texas lab owner and former NFL player Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Gray faces five counts of violating the anti-kickback statute and three counts of money laundering. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Prosecutors said Gray knowingly billed Medicare for “medically unnecessary genetic tests designed to evaluate the risk of various cardiovascular diseases and conditions.” According to officials, Gray provided kickbacks in return for referrals of DNA samples and executed test orders authorizing the procedures.
Marketers would seek out Medicare beneficiaries and “doctor chase” to uncover the identity of the beneficiaries’ primary care physicians. Prosecutors said that once an individual’s identity was obtained, a doctor was believed to have been pressured into approving the tests.
Fabricated documents and invoices were used to try and conceal payments that listed charges for “marketing” hours. Another aspect of the operation involved Gray allegedly mischaracterizing the payments as “software” expenses or labeling them as non-existent loans.
Keith Gray of the Carolina Panthers poses for his 2009 NFL headshot at photo day in Charlotte, North Carolina. (NFL Photos )
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including text messages between Gray and a co-conspirator. The messages appeared to be enthusiastic exchanges between the two over the anticipation of the money they were gaining from Medicare.
“$ent, you should have it any minute if you don’t already. Get it?” Gray then replied by saying, “Sorry I was filling my bathtub with ones. Yes lol.”
Texas lab owner and former NFL player Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Gray faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Axis and Kingdom billed Medicare an estimated $328 million for false claims, while Medicare paid claims totaling approximately $54 million. A sentencing date for Gray was not immediately announced. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Gray was a key contributor to the Huskies, starting every game in 2007. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent after college.
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