Here's what's on tap.
Celebrating Tom Koch
We've been laughing and crying all week as we say goodbye to ABC13 anchor Tom Koch. After nearly 40 years, he's hanging up his studio mic and retiring from TV news. We think he'll hang on to the dad jokes, though.
To celebrate his life and career serving Houstonians, we've compiled several stories looking at everything from his personal and professional travels to how he ended up in Houston. Hint: his journey to KTRK has something to do with following his heart - his lovely wife and former reporter, Brenda.
While there wasn't a dry eye in the house as Tom said farewell on-air, there have been plenty of moments to smile about.
Make sure you watch Gina Gaston's grand entrance and the return of another Houston icon, Don Nelson.
These titles are streaming now:
- Surprise guests, laughter and tears: Tom Koch's last day at ABC13
- Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaims May 28 as Tom Koch Day
- The measure of a man: Tom Koch's love of giving back
- How Wisconsin native Tom Koch ended up in Texas
- Reporter Notebook: Tom Koch and Don Nelson
- ABC13 photojournalists share memories about Tom Koch
- Tom through the years: His biggest stories
- ABC13 viewers share their messages for Tom
- Remember that time Tom fed hyenas?!
- 5 tips we've learned from travel guru Tom Koch
Cruella de Vil.... Cruella de Vil...
Raise your hand if you're a devoted Disney fan and can finish the song. Listening to the catchy tune from the animated film "101 Dalmatians" is a great warm-up for the 2021 film that dropped on May 28.
This version, though, follows the Queen of Mean's origin story.
Emma Stone plays the title character and stars alongside the formidable Emma Thompson in what the latter has billed one of Disney's "darker" movies in a long time.
In the interview streaming exclusively in our On the Red Carpet collection, Stone explains why this Cruella, still donning her iconic black and white hair, will inspire you to be "more bold, more outrageous and more your true, authentic self."
As Cruella said, "I'm just getting starting, darling!"
To watch the movie, stream it on Disney+ with Premier Access. An additional fee is required.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Though May is winding down, we're proud to continue celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which honors our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Right here in Houston, we have culturally rich areas such as Asiatown, which is bounded by Gessner to the east, Westpark Drive to the north, Beltway 8 to the west, and Beechnut to the south.
We explored the area in our ABC13+ series last year, but now you can check out some of the premium content if you missed it in this streaming collection.
You can also now watch the full documentary, "Our America: Asian Voices." The special tells the stories of Asian and Pacific Islander groups in America: Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Polynesian, Filipino, Hmong, Japanese, Chinese, and more.
Watch the "Our America: Asian Voices" trailer.
It also explores those communities, their culture and what it means to be Asian and Pacific Islander in America.
Here are some of the additional titles to watch on-demand.
- Crawfish & Noodles known for igniting Viet-Cajun crawfish craze
- Leaving a legacy: The new faces of the Gandhi District
- This hidden gem takes you to India without leaving Texas
- Exploring art & culture through authentic Chinese dance
- ABC13+ Asiatown
- The bond of Blood Bros BBQ
- ABC13+ visits Roop Sari Palace, the ultimate sari shop
- Preserving history for those who should not be forgotten
- Friendswood musicians record music for new Disney Junior show
- Filipino American nurses disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
High school athletes come up golden
High school athletes across the Houston area recently competed in a state track meet, breaking records and earning gold.
Just like with any event, ABC13's Joe Gleason was again there for it all, talking to the students after their wins and getting some pretty sweet moments you can't catch anywhere else.
Get caught up with these stories:
- Try to watch this athlete's celebration without crying
- Track star ends decorated high school career a state champion
- Gold medal high jumper from Humble headed to Air Force Academy
- George Ranch senior makes school history in track and field
Make sure you follow Joe on Twitter for the best updates and viral videos.
Coming up...
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 (insert sarcastic "yay"), and we want to get answers to your questions as our region prepares for a potentially stormy summer.
That's why we're hosting a one-hour town hall on June 1 from 7 - 8 p.m. to urge residents to stay weather aware for possible impacts now through Nov. 30.
ABC13 chief forecaster David Tillman and meteorologist Kevin Roth will be leading the conversation with other weather experts, but it can only happen with your help.
Follow this link to submit your questions.
Unsolved with Courtney Fischer
More than 750 people are missing from Houston and our surrounding communities. Some have been found, their bodies dumped in the infamous Killing Fields.
Others have vanished and their cases have gone cold.
But when the missing go unreported, victims' faces fade from the headlines and even the best video can't identify a murderer. Do their cases go unsolved forever?
READ: 13 UNSOLVED: 'Killing Fields' victim identified 33 years later
That's what our own Courtney Fischer has been digging into for years.
And now you can join the investigation in our special series Unsolved.
It's streaming right now on Hulu. A true crime series you'll want to add to your binge list.
You can also find each episode in the 13 Unsolved show on our free ABC13 streaming apps.
More local news when you need it
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many people's schedules, meaning they are working from home or waking up later.
If you're one of those people who've had to shift a bit, we're still here for you.
We're still on the air at 4:30 a.m. for the early birds, but for those still thinking about changing out of their pajamas (or maybe getting settled into them because no one can see your whole outfit on a Zoom call!), we now have an extra hour of news starting at 7 a.m.
So grab your cup of coffee for conversation about what you need to know for your day and what you missed while you were sleeping.
Then in primetime, including on the weekends, check out another hour of updates and weather when Eyewitness News streams at 9 p.m.
You can also stream our newscasts on weekend mornings.
Bonus
- The Top 10: These are the most-watched stories and videos from the week, in case you missed anything. Look for these after 5 p.m. on Friday.
- Top News: This is where you'll find the most current stories of the day, especially about the latest on COVID-19 and crime trends, particularly when it comes to keeping you and your family safe. Scroll through here multiple times each day.
- We know many sports fans in Texas love their "Friday Night Lights" and high school football, but we've got a way for you to see even more high school sports than what's on the gridiron. ABC13 has teamed up with Texan Live for games of the week. When we have a game coming up, we'll update the date, time, schools and opponents in this story, so you'll want to bookmark that. Then head over to the streaming apps to watch the game free!
- Stream 'No Layups' live on Thursdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. The podcast with ABC13's David Nuno and Raheel Ramzanali goes there on a range of topics from sports to entertainment and pop culture. Guests change each week and have included big names like UFC fighter Michael Chandler, Astros star Lance McCullers Jr. and Reggaeton superstar Nicky Jam. Re-watch past episodes by going to ABC13 Originals and select the 'No Layups with David and Raheel' show.
Ok, I'm ready. How do I watch?
This is the easy part! We have a step-by-step guide to show you how to download the free ABC13 Houston apps for your Roku, Fire TV, Google TV or Apple TV. Follow this link to get started and get access to 24/7 live events, breaking news, weather and original programming, all free - no subscription or access codes needed.