Have you seen 36-year-old Dionne Williams? Her family fears something horrible may have happened to her, because she hasn’t contacted anyone in months.

The area was designated as a cancer cluster in 2019 when it was found that significantly higher than normal diagnoses of the deadly disease were found among residents of the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods.

A woman has been arrested after allegedly throwing a frozen burrito at an employee’s head in the Fifth Ward earlier this week.

Investigators say a homeowner was able to get out of the home safely but the home was completely destroyed and the flames spread out to about two cars in the driveway.

A man is dead after he was struck by a train Monday morning in Houston’s Fifth Ward, according to the Houston Police Department.

Houston’s Fifth Ward, long known for its deep history and vibrant culture, is entering a new chapter of transformation with the opening of the reimagined Japhet Creek Park, a long-anticipated green space along Buffalo Bayou.

"We have heard the calls for change, and we are taking action now."

A man is reportedly in critical condition after being shot in Houston’s Fifth Ward.

Homeowners typically pay $2,300 a year for a Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policy. The rate increase would bump premiums by 10%.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is a longtime member of the Fifth Ward Church of Christ and a member of the board of a summer enrichment program

Fifth Ward native Sheletta Brundidge returned to her hometown to raise awareness about the importance of interior door locks for families who have children with special needs.

Just before the deadly summer heat, an elderly Fifth Ward couple has a central air conditioner for the first time in more than a year. We have their story, plus other groups in the Houston area that can help with A/C repair if you are in need.

Ahead of Juneteenth and World Sickle Cell Day, a Houston organization is hosting an event to bring awareness to the disease and the community it disproportionally impacts.

Crews from Union Pacific have started another round of testing in Houston’s Fifth Ward to determine whether or not the area contains dangerous chemicals for its residents.

Union Pacific has begun the process of testing soil surrounding the former Houston Wood Preserving site in Fifth Ward.

We've been discussing the Fifth Ward cancer cluster for years, but have you ever wondered what chemicals were found and what health risks they might pose? We have looked into some of the chemicals found in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden areas and listed the health effects,

KPRC 2 has been covering the cancer clusters in the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens area extensively over the past few years. We will also have the opportunity Thursday to watch crews sample the soil at Boyce Dorian Park and speak with a project manager to learn how the process works.

Officials say due to a "considerable amount of debris" caused by the deadly windstorm, testing soil samples in the Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster could be complicated and therefore have been postponed.

Attorney for cancer victims says oversight and testing are also being done by the EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency provided an update Tuesday night to people living in Houston’s Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens on the investigation into a cancer cluster.

In recent months, environmental investigators have been on the hunt for toxic chemicals with robotic rovers in the long-standing communities of the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens.

Superfund sites in the Houston area are locations that have been contaminated by hazardous waste.

Cancer Clusters: New developments continue to pop up in Fifth Ward, Kashmere Gardens despite contamination concerns. Learn more about the ongoing situation and the residents fighting for accountability. #CancerClusters #EnvironmentalJustice #StayInformed

The first test results back show elevated levels of toxic chemicals in the water and the soil

A woman is dead and three others have been transported to hospitals after a series of shootings at several different nearby locations in northeast Houston Wednesday.

The conversations surrounding the Fifth Ward ‘Cancer Cluster’ continue for dozens of residents in that Houston neighborhood.

People who live in neighborhoods known as the Fifth Ward cancer cluster voted in 21 members of the community who will be liaisons between people who live in the affected areas and the environmental protection agency.

Officials said that two people were rescued after a fire broke out at a home near Fifth Ward early Wednesday morning.

Soil samples were being collected by a private company in a community inside the Fifth Ward where residents have been claiming the earth is contaminated, resulting in illnesses including cancer.

During a city council meeting on Wednesday, newly-elected John Whitmire decided not to vote on a major agenda item this week, which involves a $2 million investment to help Fifth Ward residents being impacted by cancer clusters.

The cancer cluster in Houston’s Fifth ward affecting hundreds of families is something we discuss all the time in our newsroom.

A woman is dead after being struck by a vehicle in Houston’s Fifth Ward Sunday.

The EPA awarded four Houston neighborhoods with much-needed grant money this week.

Authorities said a burglary suspect was shot at a Fifth Ward junkyard after he tried to spray paint a security K9 and assault a security officer at the property.

Houston City Council will provide $5 million to help residents who want to voluntarily move out of the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens cancer cluster.

Councilmember Letitia Plummer is sharing the reason why she delayed a vote on creating the ‘Fifth Ward Voluntary Relocation Fund.’

Last year, the Houston Health Department said it found cancer-causing chemicals in the soil around the Union Pacific Railroad yard. The soil contained dioxin, a highly toxic chemical compound associated with cancer and other severe health risks.

Police said the body was found in the 1800 block of Saint Elmo Street at around 9 a.m. Sunday.

Mayor Sylvester Turner will be joined by the Houston Health Department to announce new developments related to the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) contaminated site.

Four hundred students in Houston’s Historic Fifth Ward got new shoes Wednesday evening.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with shooting a teen Saturday, the Houston Police Department said.

A 9-year-old is hospitalized after officers with the Houston Police Department said he was shot by a neighbor late Thursday in the Fifth Ward.

A suspect was injured in an officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon in northeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

Khambrel Marshall spoke to officials about the cancer cluster in Firth Ward reportedly caused by creosote and about a summit held to obtain answers for the community.

A man was killed and two others were injured in a shooting at a home in the Fifth Ward Thursday, the Houston Police Department said.

Throughout the past several years, the Fifth Ward community has seen a high incidence of cancer cases, and Monday’s summit looked at factors that might be contributing to this trend.

Parents and students of the Houston Independent School District decried the state’s decision to take control of the school system. Despite the news, many questions remain about how it would affect them.

Union Pacific Railroad has announced a collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and community partners in an agreement to move forward with additional environmental assessment and testing at the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site in Fifth Ward.

New Year celebrations were dampened for a Fifth Ward homeowner, starting 2023 off hoping for justice. This after he says two people burglarized his brand new house, just about eight hours after appliances were delivered.

This brand-new outdoor destination just opened in the Fifth Ward, and the entire family will enjoy it.

Many Fifth Ward residents are seeking some sort of relief, complaining that stalled trains in the area have become a major nuisance, sparking safety concerns. Federal officials were touring the area with city leaders on Wednesday in an effort to stop the proposed merger of two rail lines which, they said, could worsen the problem.

A proposed plan could offer some Fifth Ward residents some relief, as stalled trains have become a major nuisance and sparked safety concerns.

Houston police released surveillance video of a man wanted for allegedly killing a woman in Houston’s Fifth Ward on Sept. 10.

Neighbors in a Fifth Ward neighborhood said they want the rodent and fly infestation coming from a community garden to go.

The Texas Health and Environmental Alliance (THEA) held a press conference Thursday to call on the state to conduct in-depth studies on the health of residents living in Kashmere Gardens and the Fifth Ward.

Houston police have released photos of a possible suspect wanted in connection to a shooting that left one man dead and another injured outside a convenience store in Houston’s Fifth Ward area Saturday evening.

Two people are dead and one other hurt after a series of shootings took place within a three-block radius in Houston’s Fifth Ward area Saturday night, police said.

The City of Houston, Harris County, and nonprofit Bayou City Initiative have started negotiations with Union Pacific related to its remediation plan for the creosote contamination at the Houston Wood Preserving Works Site (HWPW) impacting the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens neighborhoods.

A man has reportedly died after the motorcycle he was on reportedly went off an interstate near Fifth Ward on Friday.

Houston and Harris County will be joined by environmental experts and Kashmere Gardens - Fifth Ward residents to announce the next step in seeking justice for families living in near the cancer cluster.

Tuesday’s announcement that both Harris County and the city of Houston each plan to pursue legal action against Union Pacific Railroad over long-standing contamination in Houston’s Fifth Ward was welcome news among residents who have long fought for accountability.

A family is asking for the public’s help in locating a man who’s been missing since Saturday after leaving a residence in the Fifth Ward area, according to the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Division. The family says he has been diagnosed with Autism.

A Fifth Ward native is driving to Uvalde with over a thousand children’s books in her RV.

Family, friends, and loyal customers attended the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of Sunshine’s Vegan restaurant. Sunshine’s Health Food Store & Vegetarian Deli has served the Houston community for over 30 years and opened its second location, located at 1202 Lockwood, on Saturday.

Houston police have released surveillance video of two men wanted in the aggravated robbery of a cell phone store in the Fifth Ward area in early May.

Ever since the first Fifth Ward cancer cluster was confirmed by the state department of health in 2019, numerous city and state elected officials have shown up to meetings declaring support for residents and promising to hold Union Pacific accountable for the decades-long contamination at its nearby rail yard.

Three teenagers were hospitalized following a shooting that stemmed from an argument Saturday afternoon near Fifth Ward Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

The residents want Union Pacific to take responsibility for the health problems they say have plagued their community for years.

The owner of a used cat lot in Houston’s Fifth Ward got into a shootout with a customer over an ongoing disagreement on Friday, according to the Houston Police Department.

Residents and business owners in Houston’s East End and Fifth Ward communities vented their frustration Thursday over stopped trains blocking major intersections, creating traffic jams as drivers wait – sometimes over an hour – for a train to clear the crossing.

Pleasant Hill Village Retirement Community was built in 1998, but decades before, the land was occupied by an auto repair shop, washateria and a dry cleaner. Three businesses that left behind toxic chemicals that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed have contaminated the soil and groundwater.

The death of a man who was shot and killed by bounty hunters Wednesday night is raising questions on the rules that apply when it comes to what those - who are not the typical law enforcement officers - can and can’t do while trying to apprehend a suspect.

The Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday announced sweeping measures meant to improve the environmental health of communities throughout the south, including parts of Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens, overwhelmed by a long-known cancer cluster.

During a Friday visit, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said his agency is “prepared to act” to force accelerated cleanups in historically polluted Houston neighborhoods.

Residents of the Fifth Ward neighborhood that is designated as a “cancer cluster” said their fight for justice was galvanized Friday with a visit from a top administrator from the federal government.

A Houston woman filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Union Pacific Railroad and the City of Houston over her nephew’s death from leukemia.

A $30-billion, five-year nationwide plan to bring more economic opportunity to diverse communities will help Houstonians has taken shape in Fifth Ward and at two area universities.

A Spring couple is trying to figure out who stole their car from Hobby Airport.

The Environmental Protection Agency has given United Pacific Railroad until the end of the month to respond to a request for an action plan regarding the cleanup of a contaminated site in Houston’s Fifth Ward, which is believed to be the source of a cancer cluster.

Musical legends Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin often performed at the hottest nightclub in Houston’s 5th Ward. Club Matinee was known as “the Cotton Club of the South” by musical legends and area residents alike.

Houston police are investigating after a 13-year-old was shot in Houston’s Fifth Ward area.

Daniel Brundidge, a then 4-year-old Houston non-verbal child with autism, became viral in 2019 after his mom caught him humming to the Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ hit song “Old Town Road.”

A giant tree fell onto a family’s home in Fifth Ward Thursday afternoon, according to the Houston Fire Department.

HOUSTON – Daisy Stiner has spent her career trying to bring support and relief to underserved communities. Established in 1943, the Hester House is one of the oldest community outreach centers in Houston. “It started out as a hub, a meeting place for community residents,” Stiner said. Ad“To family members who are unemployed, we have our referral services where they can get the services they need to provide stability to their families,” Stiner said. “We are proud to be a part of that and to be a beacon to the community,” Stiner said.

HOUSTON – If it takes a village to raise a child, the Center for Urban Transformation in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward is part of the new “village” headquarters. We are teammates, and we enjoy the work we’re doing,” said Henry Clemons, pastor at the nearly century-old Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in the Fifth Ward and one of the “village” leaders. Pleasant Hill Ministries, the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, Houston Habitat for Humanity, Legacy Community Health and the Berg and Androphy law firm founded and sit on the Board of Directors for CUT. ”It’s not enough to deal with them in the courtroom and get them out of a particular legal system,” Clemons said. Those partners include: Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, Houston Food Bank, Houston Furniture Bank and Salvation Army; Houston Public Library, Camp Cardiac, Workforce Solutions, Harris County Dispute Resolution Center; The Harris County DA’s Office, Legacy Community Health, Big Brothers Big Sisters, several churches and many others.

In 2020, a state health and human services report found higher rates of lung, esophagus and throat cancer among adults in the area. Now, a new report released earlier in January shows children sickened with Leukemia at nearly five times the expected rate. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling on Union Pacific and state agencies to get involved and care for these families. Both cancer clusters are near legacy creosote contamination at a facility now owned by Union Pacific. “I am requesting that Union Pacific help to relocate affected residents and create a buffer between contaminated areas and homes in the neighborhood.

Lucille’s 1913, a non-profit run by Lucille’s chef-owner Chris Williams, will donate thousands of meals at food drives in Fort Bend County and Houston’s Fifth Ward on Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, according to a release. At 11 a.m., Lucille’s 1913 will host two Food Distribution Drives in partnership with Fort Bend County. At 2 p.m., Lucille’s 1913 will distribute an additional 1,000 meals at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1510 Pannell St. in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Those who wish to pick up a meal at the Fifth Ward food drive must register and reserve their meal in advance on Eventbrite. Williams founded Lucille’s 1913 last year in response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic.

Kroger pharmacists conducting COVID-19 tests at a testing site in the Fifth Ward in Houston on June 27, 2020. Here are a few of my columns from the long, long months of COVID-19, from the government responses to the human toll. But more are issuing advisories as the new coronavirus pandemic spreads in Texas. Muted holidays in Texas, as pandemic threatens and vaccines raise hopesVaccines and antibody therapies raise hopes of combatting the coronavirus. COVID-19 vaccines are coming to Texas, along with a ranking of who’s most essentialGreat news: The COVID-19 vaccines are coming.

HOUSTON – A young mother from Houston’s Fifth Ward is angry and concerned for her children and others after she says she witnessed a teacher at Jefferson Elementary School physically abusing her 5-year-old autistic son just as she arrived to pick him up for school. Worst of all, she said it appeared her son was having trouble breathing. “It was as if he was gasping for air, it was as if he was having trouble breathing,” Renee said. Houston Independent School District released the following written statement:“Allegations of improper handling of a student have been made against a staff member at Jefferson Elementary School. Please know that HISD places great value on our students, and their safety and well-being are of the utmost importance.”

To help achieve a transformation of the Buffalo Bayou Park’s east sector, local nonprofit Houston Endowment has granted $10 million to Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) for the project to take place over the next 20 years. The grant dedicated towards the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan will fund the addition of new bayou parks and trails, dynamic recreational and cultural destinations, as well as bikeways and “green fingers” into surrounding neighborhoods, according to a news release. In addition to extending the western network of Buffalo Bayou parks, trails and open space, the master plan will also create a connection between the Fifth Ward and Greater East End neighborhoods to the bayou and to each other, the release said. “The grant from Houston Endowment is another exciting step forward in the creation of a more equitable city for all Houstonians,” Turner said. “We are grateful to both Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Houston Endowment not only for their inclusive vision of a better Houston, but their commitment to making it a reality.”

HOUSTON – Several members of the Fifth Ward community gathered to seek the public’s help finding the killer of a well-liked store clerk. It’s not safe for you in Fifth Ward. The image was captured by cameras at the A-to-Z Food Mart. The image was captured by cameras at the A-to-Z Food Mart. (KPRC)A shrine was set-up in front of the A-to-Z Food Mart to keep Lawrence’s memory alive and serve as a reminder a killer is on the loose.

HOUSTON – More than 500,000 Houstonians are living in “food deserts”-- parts of town where fresh, nutritious food are not immediately accessible. Thursday afternoon, Mattie Sterling took a virtual gardening class on Zoom, hosted by the Julia C. Hester House. The Hester House provided participants with fertilizer, soil and vegetable plants. A spokesperson for the Hester House said they’re trying to help neighbors be self-sufficient in areas that don’t have grocery stores. “You can just walk outdoors, pick it, clean it up and put it on.”The Hester House plans to have more of these classes.

HOUSTON – The Urban Movie Channel’s “5th Ward: The Series” is a show based on fictional characters living in Houston’s Fifth Ward -- which is one of the city’s 6 historic wards. Mya as Mina in 5th Ward: The Series (Urban Movie Channel)Carter, who is a native Houstonian is proud of showcase the city to the rest of the country and work with local talent. Most of those people are from Houston or maybe even from the Fifth Ward neighborhood. You can stream Season 1 and 2 of “5th Ward: The Series'” here. And to see the trailer for “5th Ward: The Series,” watch the video below.

Get the 411 about ‘5th Ward: The Series,’ a drama set and filmed in Houston | HOUSTON LIFE | KPRC 2Published: September 30, 2020, 3:51 pmThe Urban Movie Channel's "5th Ward: The Series" is a show based on fictional characters living in Houston’s Fifth Ward -- which is one of the city's 6 historic wards. Greg Carter -- who created, wrote and produced the show -- and veteran actor Reginald T. Dorsey, shared details about this production that just wrapped its second season and was filmed in Houston.

HOUSTON – The Third and Fifth wards of Houston have been designated cultural districts by the state. “I am so excited to see the State recognize the Fifth Ward community for its rich history and heritage while also acknowledging its continued commitment to arts and culture,” Harrison Guy, Director of Arts & Culture at the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, said in a written statement. “These neighborhoods have created, nurtured and celebrated arts and culture over generations,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a written statement. The other five are the Arts District Houston, the East End Cultural District, the Midtown Cultural Arts and Entertainment District, the Museum District and the Theater District. For more information about Houston’s cultural program, go to houstontx.gov/culturalaffairs.

HOUSTON – The president of Prairie View A&M University, Dr. Ruth Simmons, has gifted the Fifth Ward community with a major boost in an effort to help a non-profit founded 77 years ago. Simmons presented the Julia C. Hester House, a long-standing community center in the Fifth Ward area, a donation in the amount of $100,000 on Saturday. Simmons said the gift will help the organization continue to serve residents with a variety of programs, including child development, education, community swim classes, senior services and meal distributions. “My siblings and I owe a great deal to Julia C. Hester House," Simmons said. “We were both surprised and elated with gratitude when we received the news of this thoughtful donation.

HOUSTON – A would-be thief is injured after police said a homeowner opened fire when he caught the man trying to break into his home in northeast Houston. The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. Thursday at a home on Capron Street and Rawley Street in the Fifth Ward, authorities said. Police said the homeowner heard a noise, and when he went to investigate, he saw a hand reaching in near where the AC unit is. At that time the suspect runs around, confronts him and shots were fired.”Detectives said the would-be thief was shot once in the back. I have an 11-year-old.”Buzby has this message for the would-be thief she says that violated her neighborhood: “Go to work, go to school get your own, you can’t take other people’s things and not expect to receive some kind of consequences for it."

Sunday on Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) talks about the challenge of finding answers for the community. Jackson Lee said that while she is back in her district, she is still connected to the House effort in Washington. Baylor St. Luke’s trains to identify human trafficking victimsKimberly Williams, Baylor St. Luke's Project Coordinator, Human Trafficking Initiative (KPRC)A recent study estimated that tens of thousands of victims of human trafficking are in Southeast Texas. Kimberly Williams is the project coordinator for the Human Trafficking Initiative at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and said they are often on the front lines of the human trafficking battle. Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m.More informationU.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, (D) 18th Congressional DistrictKimberly Williams, Human Trafficking Project Coordinator, Baylor, St. Luke’s Medical Center

Why the Survey Matters“We know that the contaminants in the groundwater plume are carcinogenic and we know that this community has a cancer cluster—that means elevated cancer cases—and the TCEQ actually requested the cancer cluster analysis,” Dr. Lauren Hopkins, the Houston Health Department’s Chief Environmental Science Officer, said. Hopkins said they know that there is a carcinogenic chemical plume contaminating underground water underneath approximately 110 homes in Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens. A Community in ActionThe study sparked a fiery response from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, as well as Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, the Houston Health Department and community groups. IMPACT Greater Houston and the Houston Health Department informed residents about the community meetings on January 13 and February 10, when the Houston Health Department plans to release the results of Saturday’s survey. Jackson-Lee is also working with the state and federal officials and planning a large-scale stakeholder meeting on January 21 in the Fifth Ward at 7 p.m.

HOUSTON – A section of Interstate 10 East Freeway that was closed Tuesday morning after an 18-wheeler hit a bridge in Houston’s Fifth Ward has reopened. The crash was reported about 3:30 a.m. on the westbound side of the freeway near Waco Street. By 7:40 a.m., all westbound lanes had reopened to traffic. Posted by KPRC2 / Click2Houston on Tuesday, December 17, 2019Houston police said the big rig hit the bridge causing concrete and debris from the damage to fall onto the freeway. Officials from the Texas Department of Transportation conducted an inspection of the bridge before reopening the area to traffic.