Court records stated that officers took Harden into custody after they allegedly found a handgun in his vehicle that was “in plain view” and not stored in a holster.

The report said Harden allegedly “unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly” possessed the firearm inside the vehicle. It also said he had been at a local hookah lounge with friends before the arrest.

Harden previously played for the Houston Rockets from 2012 to 2021.

The arrest came two weeks after the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs. The team acquired Harden in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers before the season.

The Cavaliers said in a statement that they were aware of the arrest and had begun gathering information.

“We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment,” the team said.

Harden averaged 20.5 points per game after joining Cleveland, according to team statistics, after previously averaging 25.4 points per game with the Clippers.

The report said Harden is scheduled to appear in court on June 22 for an arraignment.

Harden played for the Brooklyn Nets after his tenure in Houston and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award for the 2017–18 season. He also led the league in scoring for multiple seasons during that period.

The Houston Airport System released the projection in a Monday press statement, citing increased travel demand during the tournament period.

AAA corporate spokesperson Daniel Armbruster advised travelers to prepare for limited flight availability and longer processing times at airports.

“If you’re trying to plan a last-minute trip, that’s going to be really tough,” Armbruster said. “A lot of flights are full and sold out. So, it’s really important if you have a vacation coming up within the next month or two that you go ahead and lock down all of your plans.”

Armbruster recommended that passengers arrive at airports two to three hours before departure, avoid checking luggage when possible, and keep travel documents accessible. He said travelers should also expect longer wait times at security checkpoints.

“It’s so important that you plan ahead, and of course whether or not you’re traveling to a host city or you’re going to be in a host city, it’s very important to just make sure that safety comes first,” he said.

The Houston Airport System said passengers can use TSA PreCheck, Touchless ID, CLEAR, and CLEAR+ e-gates to reduce screening time.

Houston Airport System Director Jim Szczesniak said in a pre-recorded statement that airport operations will continue standard security procedures during the World Cup period.

“We’ve been working with CBP and TSA leading up to this to make sure that we can give the traveler the normal kind of experience that we’d expect,” Szczesniak said. “It’s still going to be normal summer busyness, and again, we’re not changing our standards. We want people to get through the lines as quickly as they normally do.”

The Houston Office of Emergency Management announced the activation as part of preparations for managing events across the city’s 640 square miles during the international soccer tournament.

City officials said the JIC will serve as a centralized communication hub for emergency information involving local, state, and federal agencies working on tournament-related operations.

Brian Mason, executive director of the Houston Office of Emergency Management and Houston TranStar, said agencies will coordinate planning for World Cup venues while maintaining regular city services.

Officials said the coordination effort includes first responders who will expand operations during the tournament to handle increased population and event activity.

The city also established two text-based alert systems for emergency communication. Residents can receive general emergency and weather alerts by texting “ALERTHOUSTON” to 888777. Visitors attending World Cup events can receive tournament-specific alerts by texting “HOUWC26” to 888777.

Officials said the systems are intended to provide targeted messaging during severe weather and event-related emergencies.

City officials also said they are preparing for health and safety risks related to extreme heat and humidity during the tournament period.

Mason said officials expect many international visitors who are not acclimated to local summer conditions and urged attendees to monitor their physical condition during outdoor activities.

The party’s Legislative Priorities Committee placed AI regulation as the 15th and final item on its list of priorities. The list also includes reforms to the Legislature, border security and infrastructure improvements, and opposition to the spread of Islamic religious law in Texas.

Committee member Patrick Von Dohlen, who is also the Republican candidate for Bexar County judge, said during committee discussions that testimony from convention participants included concerns about AI data centers.

Von Dohlen said the committee considered input from more than 160 witnesses during its review.

The committee prepared draft language that outlines proposed regulations for AI and large-scale data centers. The proposal calls for independent power generation and non-potable water sourcing for major data centers, local government authority over zoning and project approval, impact fees on developers, and a ban on tax incentives or public subsidies for data center projects.

The draft overlaps in part with a proposal announced by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, although Abbott’s proposal does not include provisions granting local governments final approval authority over projects.

Von Dohlen said local governments, particularly in rural areas, have raised concerns about data center development and resource use.

County officials testified during the convention that they sought greater authority over zoning and development decisions. Von Dohlen said some local officials reported limited influence over permitting decisions involving the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Rolando Garcia, a West Harris County delegate and member of the Legislative Priorities Committee, said delegates supported expanding local input on data center siting and operations. Garcia said data centers place demands on water and electrical infrastructure and referenced concerns about the state power grid.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who chairs the Senate Local Government Committee, said in a statement to Houston Public Media that counties do not have authority to ban data center construction under current interpretations of state law.

Bettencourt said he supports consideration of increased local input but said regulatory fragmentation across Texas counties could affect economic development and infrastructure planning.

Von Dohlen responded that lawmakers should consider testimony from local officials and said local control remains a core value of the Republican Party of Texas.

Some Republican lawmakers in Texas have supported limiting local government authority in recent years. A 2023 state law restricts cities and counties from adopting ordinances that exceed state law in several areas.

Whitmire presented the budget as a step toward stabilizing the city’s finances and said he would be held accountable for its implementation.

“I’m just as confident today as I was a month ago when we rolled it out,” Whitmire told council members ahead of the vote. “I want you to hold me, and I know you will, to the commitments that have been made.”

The budget introduces a $5 monthly administrative fee per residential unit to fund solid waste services. The fee will take effect July 1 and will appear on residents’ water bills. It is the only new revenue source included in the plan.

A proposed amendment to offset the fee for low-income residents, seniors and veterans was referred to a committee and was not immediately adopted. Whitmire said the proposal, as introduced, represented an illegal use of public funds, though he said he supported exploring a revised version.

Council Member Amy Peck said she supported the budget but raised concerns about the new fee, saying residents should receive improved service in return. She said she would consider introducing an ordinance to repeal the fee if service levels do not improve.

Council Member Alejandra Salinas introduced an amendment allocating $3 million for illegal dumping enforcement, including funding for surveillance cameras to identify offenders.

More than a dozen residents attended the meeting and protested the budget decision, including members of the Northeast Action Collective. Some demonstrators held signs and raised red cards in opposition before being removed from the council chamber by police.

The budget received the only opposing vote from Council Member Edward Pollard, who said the plan continued deficit spending and was not fiscally sustainable.

Houston Controller Chris Hollins also criticized the budget after its approval, saying it lacked transparency and accountability and relied on delayed financial adjustments.

Council members said the city faced ongoing fiscal pressure from prior deficits, while supporters of the budget said it maintained essential services without increasing property taxes.

Meta said it opened registration for America’s Workforce Academy, which will operate in Houston, Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio. The program will train participants in skilled trades, including electrical, mechanical, and fiber installation work, and will prepare them for certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

The company said the program will be free for participants and will include a job guarantee for graduates. Meta described the initiative as a $115 million first-year investment and said it represents a major private-sector effort to expand workforce training in the skilled trades.

Meta vice president of data centers Rachel Peterson said the program responds to demand for workers needed to build artificial intelligence infrastructure. She said the industry requires electricians, mechanics, and fiber technicians to support data center development.

The National Urban League and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are among the organizations partnering with Meta on the initiative, along with Associated Builders and Contractors and Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

National Urban League president Marc H. Morial said the program provides industry credentials and removes cost barriers for participants. Mike Rowe, an advocate for skilled trades training, said the initiative allows participants to earn pay while learning and receive job placement after certification.

Meta said it cannot yet specify how many jobs the Houston program will create. The company said the academy expands on its LevelUp initiative, which focuses on training fiber installation workers and received 35,000 applications within its first week.

The new cases involve:

• A calf in La Salle County
• A dog in Andrews County that had recently been in Mexico
• A goat in Gillespie County

Officials noted that the dog’s infestation may have occurred before it entered Texas, and there is no evidence yet that screwworm flies have established themselves in Andrews County.

New World screwworm is a flesh-eating parasite eradicated from the United States in the 1960s. Female flies lay eggs in wounds or body openings of warm-blooded animals. The larvae feed on living tissue, causing severe injuries that can become fatal if untreated.

While cattle are especially vulnerable, the parasite can also affect wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans.

Authorities are concerned not only about the infected animals but also about the possibility of the pest becoming established and spreading. Texas has the largest cattle industry in the United States, making the economic stakes particularly high.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Animal Health Commission have deployed approximately 75 personnel for surveillance, diagnostics, logistics, outreach, and response efforts. Quarantine zones have been established around confirmed cases.

USDA officials announced that sterile fly release operations will begin from Moore Air Base in Edinburg. Releasing sterile male flies is considered the primary method for eliminating screwworm populations because it prevents reproduction.

Ranchers in South Texas are urging a rapid expansion of sterile fly deployment and additional funding to contain the outbreak.

The United States currently relies on sterile flies produced in Panama and Mexico, while a new production facility under construction in South Texas is expected to become operational next year.

During a briefing in Kerrville, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described the situation as an emergency but emphasized that screwworm does not threaten the nation’s food supply.

Officials are urging livestock owners and pet owners to watch for:

• Draining wounds
• Maggots
• Unusual lesions
• Signs of discomfort or irritation

Suspected cases should be reported immediately to veterinarians or animal health authorities.

Pride Houston Parade 2026 had been set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Houston City Hall and continue through downtown before ending at 10 p.m.

Organizers said the decision was made out of concern for public safety as severe weather and localized flooding affected parts of the city. They added that they are exploring possible rescheduling dates between July 19 and October 31.

The Pride Festival, which began earlier in the day in front of City Hall, remained open until the evening. Several related events—including block parties in Montrose and scheduled nightlife celebrations—were still planned to continue.

Pride Houston events are typically held in late June but were moved up this year to avoid conflicts with FIFA World Cup-related activity in the city. This is the first time the parade itself has been cancelled due to weather, though Pride events were previously cancelled in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizers noted that Houston’s Pride parade has evolved over time, moving from Montrose to downtown in 2015 to accommodate larger crowds and event space, a shift that sparked debate within the LGBTQ+ community about preserving its historic roots.

The USDA said in a social media post that officials found the second case in a one-month-old calf located 5.6 miles from the site of the first confirmed case earlier in the week. The agency said it deployed mobile response teams and increased surveillance in the area following the detection.

Abbott signed the expanded disaster declaration during a news conference in Austin. The order authorizes the use of all state resources to respond to the outbreak and directs agencies to reassign personnel, including staff from university systems, to support response efforts such as sterile fly shipments and construction of a production facility in South Texas.

The governor said the state is prioritizing Zavala County and nearby Uvalde County and is coordinating with federal officials on containment and response measures.

The USDA established a 20-kilometer infested zone around the affected area, restricting the movement of animals without inspection, and created a wider surveillance zone that includes surrounding counties.

Abbott said state agencies will support the response without requiring additional funding, while federal authorities continue financing key infrastructure projects, including sterile fly production facilities.

He said officials are accelerating efforts to complete a Texas-based sterile fly facility, which is intended to help control the pest by disrupting its reproduction cycle.

USDA officials said the federal response includes deployment of sterile flies, increased field operations, and ongoing collaboration with local partners. The agency said it has already released more than 130 million sterile flies in Texas since January.

The screwworm, a parasitic fly that can infest wounds in livestock and wildlife, is expected by federal officials to continue spreading in warmer months. The USDA estimated that a wider outbreak could cause up to $1.8 billion in economic losses to Texas’ livestock industry.

State and federal officials have said the infested calf identified in Zavala County showed no additional cases within its herd following inspection.

Local officials in South Texas have raised concerns about communication from federal authorities, saying they lack detailed information about confirmed cases and surveillance zones.

Some ranchers also expressed concern about potential impacts on livestock and wildlife, including deer populations that support hunting industries in the state.

The USDA said its strategy relies on the release of sterile male flies, which mate with wild females and prevent reproduction. Federal officials said they plan to expand dispersal operations in affected regions while additional production facilities are completed in Texas and Mexico.

The Harris County Public Health department and the Houston Health Department launched an Ebola dashboard that tracks information about the disease, including symptoms, transmission, prevention, and travel advisories, and reports monitoring data for the region.

The dashboard shows that 17 travelers, likely arriving from Ebola-affected countries in Africa, are currently under monitoring. No confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in the Houston area.

The Associated Press reported that health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said there have been more than 360 confirmed Ebola cases, including 62 deaths, in the ongoing outbreak.

Dr. Theresa Tran, director of the Houston Health Department, said the dashboard reflects coordination between city and county health agencies.

“This joint dashboard is part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration and transparency in public health,” Tran said in a Thursday news release. “Its purpose is to provide timely, shared access to information and situational awareness for our community and partners, but it does not indicate that Ebola is a public health threat.”

Tran said public health agencies remain prepared to respond to any potential disease threats.

Public health officials also said the likelihood of an Ebola outbreak in Houston remains low during upcoming events, including the FIFA World Cup matches scheduled in the city.

Houston will host seven World Cup matches beginning June 14. The city expects the national football team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to use Houston as its base and to play its first match in the city on June 17.

Tran said Congolese players and staff do not pose an increased public health risk because they have been outside affected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before traveling, following clearance procedures by FIFA and U.S. authorities.

“They are not any more of a public health threat than you or I at this time,” Tran said at a Tuesday news conference.

In a briefing to the Houston City Council last month, Tran said any Congolese fans attending matches at NRG Stadium would only enter the United States after federal approval.

The health departments said they will continue to update the Ebola dashboard weekly and will maintain a separate internal monitoring system during the World Cup to track general health incidents.