Texas News Digest

Good morning! Here's a look at AP's general news and sports coverage in Texas at this hour. Questions about coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to the Dallas AP at 972-991-2100, or, in Texas, 800-442-7189. Email: [email protected]. Jill Bleed is at the desk after 5:30 a.m.

Reminder: This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories and digests will keep you up to date. All times are Central.

Some TV and radio stations will receive broadcast versions of the stories below, along with all updates.

For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org.

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TOP STORIES:

SCHOOL SHOOTING-TEXAS

HOUSTON — Prosecutors say a 16-year-old student mistakenly shot his friend in their Houston-area high school’s ROTC room before fleeing and being arrested several hours later. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said that based on evidence gathered so far, the Tuesday afternoon shooting at Bellaire High School was not intentional. She says both students were part of the school's ROTC program. The alleged shooter has been charged as a minor with manslaughter. By Juan A. Lozano and Jake Bleiberg. SENT: 360 words, photos.

HOUSTON-FATAL DRUG RAID

HOUSTON — Prosecutors say a grand jury has indicted two former Houston police officers for their roles in a deadly January 2019 drug raid that left a couple dead. The indictments follow similar charges that were filed in August. Ex-officer Gerald Goines was indicted on two counts of felony murder. Goines and his former partner, Steven Bryant, were each also indicted with tampering with a government record. The Jan. 28 raid came under scrutiny after police alleged Goines lied in order to obtain a search warrant. Killed in the shooting were 58-year-old Rhogena Nicholas and 59-year-old Dennis Tuttle. By Juan A. Lozano. SENT: 560 words, photos.

TEXAS EXECUTION

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A Texas inmate has been executed for fatally shooting his wife, who had feared she would never get out of her marriage alive. John Gardner received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. The 64-year-old Gardner was condemned for the January 2005 slaying of Tammy Gardner. Prosecutors said the couple was getting divorced when Gardner broke into his wife’s North Texas home and shot her in the head. She died two days later at a hospital. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied a petition by his attorneys to intervene in the case. His lawyers filed no other appeals. By Juan A. Lozano and Michael Graczyk. SENT: 830 words, photos.

ALSO OF NOTE:

SPACE STATION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Two spacewalking astronauts had to make do with fewer lights and camera views from one helmet outside the International Space Station. Jessica Meir and Christina Koch were just getting started on battery replacements when Koch's helmet camera and lights came off. The astronauts couldn't get it reattached so they took it off and continued with the spacewalk. Koch later assured flight controllers that she had enough good light. Last October, Meir and Koch teamed up for the world's first all-female spacewalk. By Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn. SENT: 390 words, photos.

FILM-SXSW LINEUP

NEW YORK — Judd Apatow's “The King of Staten Island," starring Pete Davidson of “Saturday Night Live," will make its premiere as the opening night film at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival. The movie, is Apatow's first fiction film as director since 2015's “Trainwreck.” And it's Davidson's highest profile project yet. Universal Pictures will release it in June. Davidson co-wrote the film, a semi-autobiographical comedy about a young man living at home with his mother on New York's Staten Island. The festival opens March 13 in Austin, Texas. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT: 220 words, photos.

FORMOSA PLASTICS-OKLAHOMA

NEW ORLEANS — Conservation and community groups have sued the Trump administration, challenging environmental permits for a Taiwan company's planned $9.4 billion plastics complex in Louisiana. “The Army Corps is fast-tracking the permits for Formosa Plastics, a company found guilty in 2019 of dumping billions of plastic pellets into Texas’ waterways and the Gulf. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Cyn Sarthou, executive director of New Orleans-based environmental group Healthy Gulf, one of the plaintiffs, said in a news release. By Janet McConnaughey. SENT: 700 words. Moved on general and financial news services.

IN BRIEF:

— VESSELS COLLIDE-TEXAS — A member of a fishing boat crew was killed and two others are missing after their 81-foot craft collided with a 600-foot chemical tanker near the entrance to Galveston Bay just off the Texas coast, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. SENT: 160 words.

— POLICE CHASE-SUSPECT KILLED — The shooting of a North Texas police officer and the theft of her patrol car has led to a chase that ended with a crash and the suspect dead. SENT: 170 words.

— DRILLING RIG EXPLOSION-OKLAHOMA — The wrongful death trial against a oilfield equipment contractor in connection with a January 2018 explosion and fire that killed five men in southeastern Oklahoma is underway. SENT: 200 words.

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IN SPORTS:

Baseball

BBN—ON BASEBALL-METS-BELTRÁN

NEW YORK — While the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox took decisive action in jettisoning their managers after Major League Baseball concluded they were involved in nefarious sign stealing, the New York Mets have stayed silent on Carlos Beltrán's future. Houston fired AJ Hinch one hour after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred released his findings. Boston's management took 29 1/2 hours to announce Alex Cora's departure. Beltrán remains in limbo. The Mets refuse to say whether their new manager stays or goes. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 750 words, photos.

With:

— BBA—RED SOX-CORA OUT — The Boston Red Sox need to find a new manager, and it sounds like they haven't gotten over their old one. Heaping praise on Alex Cora a day after showing him the door, Red Sox owner John Henry said the team was going to miss “just about everything” about the man who led Boston to the 2018 World Series title only to be torpedoed in a cheating scandal. By Jimmy Golen. SENT: 630 words, photos.

BBA—RANGERS-FRAZIER-CHIRINOS

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have completed their reunion with catcher Robinson Chirinos and added third baseman Todd Frazier. Both also have club options for 2021. Left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs were designated for assignment to clear roster spots. Chirinos was with the Rangers from 2013 to 2018. He played last season in Houston, where he caught AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and runner-up Gerrit Cole. Frazier spent the last two seasons with the New York Mets. He has started 1,000 games at third base in his career, and was a two-time All-Star with Cincinnati. SENT: 330 words.

With:

— BBA—RANGERS-RED SOX TRADE — The Texas Rangers acquired first baseman/outfielder Sam Travis from Boston in a trade that sent left-hander Jeffrey Springs to the Red Sox. SENT: 210 words.

Basketball

BKN—MAVERICKS-KINGS

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — SENT: 750 words, photos

BKN—TRAIL BLAZERS-ROCKETS

HOUSTON — By Kristie Rieken. SENT: 750 words, photos.

BKN—SPURS-HEAT

MIAMI — Kendrick Nunn scored 33 points, Goran Dragic added 17 and the Miami Heat held on to beat the San Antonio Spurs 106-100 and move back into the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 650 words, photos.

BKN—PELICANS-WILLIAMSON

METAIRIE, La. — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said. By Brett Martel. SENT: 350 words, photos.

Also:

— BKN—SUNS-OWENS — The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Tariq Owens, a rookie out of Texas Tech, to a two-way contract. SENT: 90 words.

BKW—T25-BAYLOR-KANSAS

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lauren Cox and Nalyssa Smith each scored 13 points and No. 2 Baylor used a 50-point first half to rout Kansas 90-47. By Cody Friesen. SENT: 600 words, photos.

BKC—T25-IOWA ST-BAYLOR

WACO, Texas — Second-ranked Baylor has won its 13th game in a row. The 14-1 Bears beat Iowa State 68-55 and are the only Big 12 team to make it through the first four conference games without a loss. By Stephen Hawkins. SENT: 750 words, photos.

BKC—TEXAS-OKLAHOMA STATE

STILLWATER, Okla. — Kamaka Hepa scored 15 points and Courtney Ramey had 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help lead Texas to a 76-64 victory over Oklahoma State. By John Tranchina. SENT: 650 words.

Also:

— BKC—SAM HOUSTON ST-LAMAR — SENT: 150 words.

— BKC—SMU-HOUSTON — SENT: 150 words.

— BKC—INCARNATE WORD-MCNEESE STATE — Sha'markus Kennedy had 12 points and 16 rebounds and McNeese State dominated the second half in a 72-56 victory over Incarnate Word. SENT: 150 words.

— BKC—NEW ORLEANS-HOUSTON BAPTIST — Bryson Robinson had 26 points as New Orleans ended its eight-game road losing streak, topping Houston Baptist 106-98. SENT: 180 words.

— BKC—TEXAS A&M-CC-SE LOUISIANA — Byron Smith posted 16 points as Southeastern Louisiana defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 62-56. SENT: 140 words.

— BKC—STEPHEN F AUSTIN-CENTRAL ARKANSAS — Kevon Harris had 19 points and 10 rebounds to carry Stephen F. Austin to a 77-76 win over Central Arkansas. SENT: 120 words.

— BKC—UTSA-UTEP — Bryson Williams hit a hook shot with 2:22 remaining in overtime to give UTEP the lead en route to an 80-77 win over UTSA. SENT: 150 words.

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