Fewer Houston power outages reported as winter storm approaches

Houston-area power outages declined at the end of 2025, with new Whisker Labs data showing improved reliability in CenterPoint Energy’s service area after months of high interruption levels. KPRC 2 Investigates reviewed national outage maps, CenterPoint’s response, and internal figures showing fewer outages and shorter outage times. The report details how August and October 2025 marked peak outage months, how November and December showed gains, and how weather and grid upgrades affected performance. The station will continue to track monthly outage data to monitor reliability as Houston heads into a winter storm period.

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Scam alerts for Verizon users waiting on $20 outage refund

Verizon is warning customers in Dallas and across the United States about scam text messages that reference a recent outage and falsely claim a $20 refund or credit is available through a link. The company says the legitimate $20 credit for affected wireless customers is applied automatically and does not require any action, links, or personal information. Verizon urges customers not to click on suspicious links, to report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM), and to verify account credits only through the official Verizon website or app.

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Over 50 Texas cities sue telecom providers for alleged illegal discounts

More than 50 Texas cities, including Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and El Paso, have filed a lawsuit directly with the Texas Supreme Court challenging two state laws that change how cable and telecommunications companies pay local fees. The cities allege the laws grant unlawful financial discounts to providers, threaten millions in municipal revenue and violate Texas constitutional limits on public subsidies to private entities. The petition seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and asks the court to block enforcement of the contested statutes statewide.

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K-pop sensation CORTIS joins NBA All-Star 2026 Crossover opening

BigHit Music and the NBA announced that K-pop boy group CORTIS will perform at the opening of the NBA All-Star 2026 Crossover event as newly named “Friends of the NBA.” The five-member group, composed of Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho, will appear at NBA games and events and collaborate on original content initiatives that connect basketball and music. The partnership forms part of the league’s celebrity and influencer program, with additional details on CORTIS’ schedule and the All-Star 2026 Crossover fan experience to be released by the NBA and BigHit Music.

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‘Fellowship of the Ring’ hits PH theaters again for limited time

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” extended edition will screen in cinemas across the Philippines from January 23 to 25 in a limited nationwide run, offering about 30 minutes of additional footage and a total runtime of three hours and 28 minutes as part of an anniversary presentation of Peter Jackson’s 2001 adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel.

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Abbott issues state of emergency ahead of weekend freezing rain

Governor Greg Abbott has activated Texas emergency response resources as an arctic cold front brings freezing rain, sleet, snow, and dangerous wind chills to much of the state starting Thursday. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with local officials, transportation crews, and shelters to prepare for hazardous travel and possible infrastructure impacts. Texans are urged to stay weather-aware, check road conditions through DriveTexas.org, follow local guidance, protect people and animals from the cold, and use designated warming centers if needed.

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