Breaking News - Houston Stringer

Justice Department files suit to shut down Paige Tax and its owners for alleged fraudulent tax preparation practices

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Louisiana

Justice Department files suit to shut down Paige Tax and its owners for alleged fraudulent tax preparation practices

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil injunction suit today in federal court seeking to bar multiple individuals associated with Paige’s Income Tax Services (Paige Tax) from preparing federal tax returns and operating or owning any tax preparation business. The suit names Unnisha Paige, Rosetta Jones, Capriata Oatis, Keyante St. Cyr, Leah Smith, Laporscha Thompson, Deshira Horton, and India Toppins as defendants. The Justice Department also seeks a court order requiring the defendants to disgorge all fees obtained through allegedly false or fraudulent return preparation. According to the complaint, Unnisha Paige is a full or partial owner of each Paige Tax franchise and sells tax preparation software and training to individuals who want to start tax busin...

Justice Department launches civil rights investigation into UNLV over possible discrimination

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Washington D.C.

Justice Department launches civil rights investigation into UNLV over possible discrimination

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice announced today the launch of a civil rights investigation into the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) to determine whether the institution has violated federal laws by denying individuals equal treatment based on race or national origin. According to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the investigation will review whether UNLV, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices in violation of Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The focus of the investigation centers on the university’s handling of antisemitism on campus. “Publicly-funded universities are barred from discriminating based on race, national origin, or religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Harme...

Denver executives and forklift companies indicted for defrauding federal government and avoiding tariffs

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Colorado

Denver executives and forklift companies indicted for defrauding federal government and avoiding tariffs

DENVER, CO – A federal grand jury has indicted two Denver-area forklift companies and their top executives in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government and avoid import tariffs on Chinese-made forklifts. According to court documents, the indictment was returned on August 21, 2025, charging Endless Sales Inc., Octane Forklifts Inc., executives Brian Firkins and Jeffrey Blasdel, and former executive J.R. Antczak. The defendants are accused of conspiring to import forklifts from China, disguise their origin, and fraudulently market and sell them to federal agencies, including FEMA and the Department of Defense, as U.S.-made products. The indictment further alleges the companies and individuals collaborated with an unnamed Chinese national and manufacturer to falsify invoices, underval...

Photos: 18-wheeler crash shuts down multiple lanes on US-290 at Tidwell

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Photos: 18-wheeler crash shuts down multiple lanes on US-290 at Tidwell

HOUSTON, TX – A major crash involving an 18-wheeler shut down multiple westbound lanes of US-290 Northwest Freeway at Tidwell on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Only one lane remained open but the scene was cleared by 3 p.m. The cause of the crash and whether there were any injuries are unknown at this time. Houston Police Department and Houston Fire Department personnel were on scene assisting with the response.

Man fatally shot during domestic disturbance in apartment complex in north Harris County

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Harris County

Man fatally shot during domestic disturbance in apartment complex in north Harris County

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – A man was fatally shot during a domestic disturbance outside an apartment complex in the 23900 block of Birnam Wood Boulevard around 9:41 a.m. https://youtu.be/mvt1njEzm8s According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived and found a man, approximately 50 years old, unresponsive from an apparent gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased at the scene. Investigators stated the man's ex-wife or ex-girlfriend said there had been a domestic dispute between the two that escalated into a physical altercation. She told deputies that she discharged a firearm, striking the man near the parking lot area outside the apartment. Another adult female was also present during the incident but was not injured. Investigators confirmed that chil...

Lyft’s new feature may leave low-tipping riders waiting longer in Houston

30Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Lyft’s new feature may leave low-tipping riders waiting longer in Houston

HOUSTON, TX – Lyft drivers in Houston are reporting that the company has added new information to the trip request screen when they decide whether to accept or reject a ride. Previously, drivers could see the pickup and drop-off location, estimated distance and time, and an estimated hourly rate based on continuous rides. The upfront pay amount has remained accurate, while hourly estimates often vary in practice. This week, Lyft began displaying two additional items to some Houston-area drivers. The first indicates whether a rider is usually ready at pickup, based on their history of being on time. The second shows the percentage of rides in which the passenger tips through the app. In one example provided by drivers, the request screen showed the following information: $2...

Officials identify serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers in 1991 yogurt shop killings

29Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Austin

Officials identify serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers in 1991 yogurt shop killings

AUSTIN, TX – The Austin Police Department (APD) Cold Case Homicide Unit has announced a major development in the 1991 I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt murder case. Through advanced DNA testing, investigators identified Robert Eugene Brashers as the suspect. Brashers, a serial killer and rapist linked to multiple crimes across the United States, died by suicide in 1999 in Missouri. https://youtu.be/EyYLsW8j1G8 “After 34 years, the Austin Police have made a significant breakthrough in one of the most devastating cases in our city’s history,” Police Chief Lisa Davis said. “This unthinkable crime has weighed heavily on the hearts of our community, the families of the victims, and our detectives who have tirelessly pursued justice.” On December 6, 1991, firefighters discovered the bodies ...

Man killed after crashing into median on Alma Street in Palo Alto

29Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Man killed after crashing into median on Alma Street in Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA – Police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred late Saturday night on Alma Street near the University Avenue overcrossing. The crash happened on September 28, 2025, at approximately 11:57 p.m. According to the Palo Alto Police Department, officers and Palo Alto Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and found a man in his forties unconscious inside a pickup truck. He was extricated and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. Preliminary findings indicate the pickup was traveling northbound on Alma Street when it left the roadway and struck the elevated median. No other vehicles are believed to have been involved. The Specialized Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) team is investigating the cause...

Three shot by security guard after male refuses to leave bathroom at Cantina Barba

28Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Houston

Three shot by security guard after male refuses to leave bathroom at Cantina Barba

HOUSTON, TX – Houston Police are investigating a shooting that occurred outside Cantina Barba early Sunday morning, leaving three people injured. https://youtu.be/3pGsjam08Vs At approximately 3:31 a.m., officers with the Houston Police Department Central Division were dispatched to the 3700 block of North Main Street. Upon arrival, officers met with a security guard who reported that workers at the establishment told him a male was refusing to exit the bathroom. The security guard escorted the male outside, where a verbal altercation began. According to the security guard, the male was accompanied by six or seven friends who began to attack him. While on the ground during the attack, the security guard said he felt someone reaching for his weapon. He then pulled his firearm and ...

Elderly woman dies from smoke inhalation during fire at Houston nursing home

28Sep

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Houston

Elderly woman dies from smoke inhalation during fire at Houston nursing home

HOUSTON, TX – An elderly female resident of the West Janisch Health Care Center died from smoke inhalation early Sunday morning. https://youtu.be/Zcsx_pS-lo4 The fire was reported around 1:33 a.m. at the facility located at 617 Janisch in the Independence Heights area. According to the Houston Fire Department, HFD Arson investigators are looking into the cause of the fire. Other residents of the nursing home were allowed to return inside after the incident. If you have any information, you are urged to contact the Houston Fire Department or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.