SUMMARY: Former HISD educators, including basketball coach Vincent Grayson, have been arrested in a serious scheme where applicants paid to have others take teacher certification exams on their behalf. Grayson, the alleged ringleader, reportedly profited over a million dollars, charging $2,500 per applicant for this fraudulent service. Two assistant principals, Lea Roberts and Nicholas Newton, alongside testing coordinators Daren Wilhite and Taiwana Mason, are also implicated in the scheme, with the latter accused of accepting bribes to facilitate cheating. Prosecutors are building a case based on bank records and confessions from approximately 20 involved teachers.

Three of the five defendants accused in a yearslong Houston-based cheating scandal, involving hundreds of unqualified teachers getting certified to teach at schools statewide, appeared before a district court judge for the first time Friday.

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SUMMARY: The family of three passengers who died in a helicopter crash near downtown Houston is filing a $50 million lawsuit. Julio Sayar, his ex-wife Marie Alonzo, and their 9-year-old son Dylan Lura were aboard when the helicopter struck a radio tower on October 20, killing the pilot Samantha Granb as well. The family is suing multiple parties, including the tower owner, for wrongful death. Their attorney has indicated that many questions remain unresolved. More details from the attorney will be shared on KOU1 News at 5.

Four people were killed when a helicopter crashed into a radio tower near downtown Houston last month.

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SUMMARY: In Texas, three illegal Venezuelan immigrants, confirmed members of the Tren De Aragua gang, were arrested for capital murder and aggravated kidnapping linked to the August 2024 killing of fellow gang member Nilzult Petit in Farmers Branch. They face charges after allegedly confronting Petit over withheld funds from an ATM theft ring. Two suspects were apprehended in Colorado and another in New Mexico, all awaiting extradition to Texas. A fourth suspect remains at large. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies and is part of a broader effort to combat TDA gang-related crimes amid increased illegal immigration under the Biden administration.

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