Morning Roundup: September Eve edition

Good morning, Houston. Today's the last day of August, and you know what that means: Yes! Tomorrow, it'll be September! And why is that exciting, you ask? Well, as it happens, there are a few (relatively) interesting thing about the ninth month: For example, when the British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, Sept. 2 was immediately followed by Sept. 14 — which, legend has it, led to riots by people who thought the king was trying to steal 11 days of their lives (turns out that's not true). And did you know that September and December begin on the same day of the week every year? It's true. And if that wasn't enough, September is Library Card Sign-up Month — remember, Ben Roethlisberger will hunt you down and kick your ass if you don't get a library card. Yeah, better get on that.

>> Two-thirds of 'TSU Three' testify in Slade trial: Texas Southern University students Justin R. Jordan and Oliver J. Brown testified yesterday that they tried to get money for campus projects at TSU, including funding to get inoperable security cameras and police call boxes working again, but were always told there wasn't enough money available — even as former TSU President Priscilla Slade allegedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the school's money on personal expenditures. Jordan and Brown, along with student William G. Hudson, became known as the "TSU Three" for criticizing the Slade administration; they have also been credited with bringing the evidence to the Harris County DA's office that led to indictments against Slade. Prosecutors worked to contrast Jordan and Brown's testimony with evidence of Slade's spending, but Slade's attorney, Mike DeGuerin, didn't cross-examine the pair Thursday. Instead, he reserved the right to question them later without explaining the reason for the delay. DeGuerin claims Slade's expenditures — on everything from furniture for her private home to china, crystal and Christmas gifts — were necessary to attract donors to TSU.

>> Paging Dr. Pyro: Police are on the lookout for David McClellan, a Houston family doctor who they say might have deliberately set a series of fires in order to make insurance claims. The fires, five in all, occurred over the last 10 years: two of them at homes, one at a vacation house, one at a doctor's office and another involving an allegedly stolen Jaguar. "One person is not going to have this many losses throughout their life through everything they touch," Harris County arson investigator Dustin Deutsch told KPRC — unless, of course, they're spectacularly unlucky (or Charlie McGee). McClellan drew investigators' suspicion through incidents like filing an insurance claim for two Rolex watches worth $40,000 after his northeast Harris County home burned in 2004 — even though, as Channel 2 reports, his ex-wife said she had pawned the watches and McClellan knew it. When police went to arrest McClellan this week, they learned he had jest left town for New Mexico, and they're not sure of his whereabouts at this point. If he ends up being convicted of insurance fraud, he could face 20 years in prison.

>> This weekend's weather: Take a guess at what the weather will be like today. Anyone? That's right: A strong chance of storms this afternoon, with a high near 90. There'll be a slightly smaller chance of rain tonight, leading to another pretty good chance Saturday (with a high of 90 again). Sunday is potentially drier, with a 40 percent chance of rain — don't put your umbrella away just yet — and it looks like we just might have a rain-free Labor Day. Enjoy!

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