Here are things to know for Monday, June 14:
1. Judge rules in favor of Houston Methodist in lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccines
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A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Saturday from a group of Houston Methodist employees opposing the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
117 employees sued the hospital over its policy requiring staff to get the vaccine or be fired.
“This is not coercion. Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer,” said U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes.
The judge also denied a request for a restraining order to block Houston Methodist from suspending the unvaccinated employees.
The hospital’s vaccine deadline was last week, and more than 170 employees were suspended without pay for the next 14 days after not complying with the vaccine requirement.
2. Youth baseball umpire in possession of crystal meth arrested at Conroe sports complex, police say
A youth baseball umpire was arrested Sunday after being tackled by a parent at a sports complex in Conroe, officials said.
Police said Ramsey LaFont, 35, is charged with evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance.
Oak Ridge police officers said they attempted to conduct a traffic stop and LaFont refused to pull over. Officials said he pulled into the Scrap Yard Sports Complex in Conroe, where he was scheduled to umpire a youth baseball game.
Joesph Jones was at the complex watching his son play and said he could see LaFont running from police. He said he jumped into action and tackled LaFont, who was in his umpire’s uniform.
3. 5-year-old falls from third-story apartment window in Mission Bend, deputies say
A 5-year-old was flown to the hospital after Harris County deputies say she fell from a third-story window at an apartment complex in the Mission Bend area.
Authorities have not released much information about the incident.
Deputies responded to the call around 6 p.m. at City Parc II at West Oaks apartments at 3530 Green Crest Drive.
A woman at the complex told KPRC 2 the little girl is her niece and that she is doing okay.
Many residents said it’s a tragic story and they’re praying for the little girl and her family.
4. Interior Dept. gauging interest in Gulf of Mexico wind power
President Joe Biden’s administration wants to know whether offshore wind companies want to move into the Gulf of Mexico.
The agency that oversees offshore leases will publish a request for interest Friday in the Federal Register, for areas off Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, the Interior Department said Tuesday.
Those areas are largely in shallower waters where many wells have played out rather than the deep seas where the Gulf’s offshore oil and gas industry is now focused.
Biden has said he wants enough wind-generated electricity for more than 10 million homes nationwide by 2030.
Offshore wind development has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs across the nation, said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
5. Houston leads nation in dog attacks on mail carriers, new USPS report shows
Houston earned the dubious distinction of being the city where the most USPS mail carriers were attacked by dogs in 2020.
“From nips and bites to vicious attacks, aggressive dog behavior poses a serious threat to postal employees and the general public,” a release from the U.S. Postal Service reads.
Last year, 73 USPS mail carriers were attacked by dogs in Houston, according to the U.S. Post Office annual dog attack ranking.