🌱 Houston Patch: Everything Going On Today (Wed, Jan 25)

Hey, friends! It's Wednesday in Houston and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in our community. Today you'll learn about:

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But first, today's weather:

Cooler with sun and clouds. High: 53 Low: 38.

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Here are the top stories in Houston today:

1. 2023 James Beard Award Semifinalists for Chefs, Restaurants, and Bars in Houston, Texas (Eater Houston)
2. The fallout of last year’s budget war in Harris County forces some of its biggest agencies to make cuts to programs (Houston Public Media)
3. Where to buy king cake-flavored food, drinks in Houston for Mardi Gras (Houston Chronicle )
4. Texas storm damage: How to avoid home improvement scams from bad contractors (KTRK-TV)
5. Assessing tornado damage (Jan. 25, 2023) (Houston Public Media)
6. NWS: At least EF2 damage found after tornado tears through Houston area (KHOU.com)
7. ONEUS, Jo Koy, Nick Hakim among the 35+ concerts in Houston this week (Houston Chronicle)
8. Hot Chocolate Run and other sweet fitness events around Houston (Houston Chronicle )
9. Teachers of color less likely to leave industry, study finds (Houston Chronicle )
10. Harris County tolls to decrease 10 percent along HCTRA system (Houston Chronicle )
11. El Salvador man living in Houston sentenced for impersonating murderer (Houston Chronicle )
12. The 15 Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: January 27 to 29, 2023 (365 Things to Do in Houston)
13. Group 1 Automotive: Q4 Earnings Snapshot (Chron)
14. Deer Park, Texas: Severe weather bends, snaps trees | Tornado coverage (KHOU.com)
15. Art History in "Impractical Spaces: Houston" (KHOU.com)
16. Houston weather: Thousands Houston-area CenterPoint Energy customers without power during severe weather (KTRK-TV)
17. Judge refuses to dismiss murder charges against Gerald Goines, change of venue to be decided later (Houston Chronicle )
18. More Than Meats the Pie! Sampling a Few Mouthfuls of Some Different Kinds of Pies Including an Aussie Staple, The Meat Pie (KPRC Click2Houston)
19. Mass Shootings & Gun Violence in America: What Can Be Done? (Houston Public Media)
20. Houston-based music school signs another artist to an award-winning record label (KHOU.com)
21. Texas silent after Guard member shoots migrant on border (Chron)
22. Harris County Pct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia speaks on damage from severe weather, tornado (KHOU.com)
23. Opposition Mounts To Texas Bill Banning U.S. Real Estate Investment By People From China, Other Nations (Bisnow)
24. Tracking a tornado as it moves through the Houston area (KHOU.com)
25. Houstonians weigh in on proposed $55M Montrose Boulevard project (Community Impact Newspaper)
26. Houston Public Media | News Series Submission 2023 (Houston Public Media)
27. Houston ends 2022 with record job growth in December (The Business Journals)
28. West University Place appoints Danny Cameron as new public works director (Community Impact Newspaper)
29. Texas Lottery ticket worth $1 million, purchased near Houston in July, remains unclaimed as deadline approaches (Houston Public Media)
30. Houston restaurateur Grant Cooper draws up new coastal-inspired eatery in hot Montrose hub (CultureMap Houston)

Today in Houston:

From my notebook:

• ABC13 Houston: "Photos collected from the Pasadena area show massive damage from a destructive tornado this afternoon." (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "👀 Pick-up time at Pasadena Memorial High became a little worrisome and dangerous for a bunch of families expecting to collect their kids safely. Here's one point-of-view from a parent who saw some wild things outside of her vehicle. Mor..." (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "Our hearts are with our neighbors who were in the paths of today’s tornadoes. Although the damage is widespread, there are no major injuries to report 🙌 As the sun sets, our crews are going to keep working around the clock to help you n..." (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "The track of the tornado and what it left behind. Plus, other areas hit by the storm. 📍Pasadena 📍Deer Park 📍Galveston 📍Baytown Amazing stories of survival, school closures and more coverage of the storm - watch KHOU 11+ through your ..." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "Here are some of the scenes from around Houston today as a tornado blazed a destructive path through several communities. More on the damage here: https://www.khou.com/article/weather/tornado-damage-houston/285-76288561-9ffc-4535-916c-3c..." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "As everyone inside a Deer Park doctor's office got to safety as a tornado passed through, one man's son was hunkering down inside a truck with nowhere to go." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "CONFIRMED large tornado🌪️ on the ground and moving very quickly. This is a particularly dangerous situation and you are urged to take immediate shelter if in the path. The tornado warning extends through 3pm central for the area outline..." (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "HOUSTON WEATHER UPDATE: Tornado Warning issued for Chambers and Liberty counties until 3:30 p.m." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• Houston Athletics: "Your 2027 season opener ... 🚨 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐬. 𝐋𝐒𝐔 – @thetexaskickoff" (Houston Athletics via Instagram)
• KHOU 11 News: "⚠ TORNADO EMERGENCY UNTIL 3 P.M. ⚠ A large 'catastrophic' tornado was spotted on the ground near Deer Park and Pasadena, heading for Baytown. Take cover immediately! LIVE COVERAGE NOW: https://www.khou.com/article/weather/houston-weather..." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "This is damage to a gym in Pasadena. Have you seen damage where you are? If you can SAFELY get a photo or video, share it with us through the Near Me feature of our app. (Twitter/duke_colton5) Live coverage: https://www.khou.com/article/..." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "Four people had just finished a class when the unthinkable happened. The gym's restroom saved their lives." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "It's been an active afternoon as severe weather has moved through southeast Texas. A radar-confirmed tornado was near Pearland earlier, according to the latest update from the National Weather Service. https://abc13.com/39346/" (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "CRAZY STORM VIDEO: Roof ripped off apartment Parker at Ellington in Southeast Houston. MORE STORM FOOTAGE: https://bit.ly/3iZYFM8" (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• Houston Chronicle: "The Crosby restaurant has been serving customers for over 20 years, and that loyalty is playing out on Crawfish Shack's busy highway intersection." (Houston Chronicle via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "Send us all of your severe weather photos and videos. https://bit.ly/3Jc5RQb" (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "Video captured an electric line explosion! Severe weather has left thousands across the Houston area without power. Here are the latest numbers from CenterPoint Energy. https://abc13.com/12731152/" (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• Houston Humane Society: "Houston Humane Society was on the scene of the Pasadena Animal Shelter emergency relief efforts this afternoon after a tornado devastated their shelter. We were able to bring back many dogs that were in the kennels affected by the storm...." (Houston Humane Society via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "Filled or not, these train cars near Highway 225 in Deer Park are typically heavy, but it was easy pickings for Tuesday's severe storm. https://abc13.com/12731700/" (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "The rain is coming down HARD. This is a video from reporter Gerald Harris who is driving along the East Freeway near Brookshire. You can barely see anything out of the front windshield so please stay indoors if you don't need to be on th..." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "Investigators said Jared Dicus, 21, used a kitchen knife to decapitate Anggy Diaz, 21, at their Waller home a few months after they got married. He sobbed throughout Tuesday's bond hearing." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• Houston Independent School District: "☔️WEATHER UPDATE!☔️All HISD after-school activities are cancelled today January, 24th due to inclement weather forecast. Please check back at HoustonISD.org for more updates." (Houston Independent School District via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "A criminal has never looked cuter." (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "Drivers are asked to avoid the area ⚠️" (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "A funnel cloud or wall cloud? Either way, not what you expect to see in our area in January. Stay weather aware as tornado warnings continue. https://abc13.com/watch/live/" (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• KHOU 11 News: "Today's storms came with strong wind. Here's what it did in the Galleria area. (🎥: Twitter/AndrewOilGas). Live storm coverage: https://www.khou.com/article/weather/houston-weather-update/285-77b04cce-757a-4336-a75d-9102226da560" (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "Tornado warnings and watches across the Houston area and Southeast Texas. LATEST UPDATES: https://bit.ly/3Jc5RQb" (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• FOX 26 Houston: "According to Ohio State Highway Patrol, the lucky cat was taken to the Toledo Humane Society and named “Trooper.”" (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
• ABC13 Houston: "Calling it "one hell of a ride," frontman Brendon Urie announced Panic! at the Disco "will be no more."" (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• Visit Houston: "Gloomy day in Hou from a bird’s eye view ☔️🌧️ 📸 @bonfirephoto" (Visit Houston via Facebook)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Charlestown Colony: "Hello, I am helping a friend regime his pit bull dog. - He is about 3 years old. Preferably a home without other dogs. I have been contacting rescues as well." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Sharpstown CC Estates: "HPD issues a GRAND TOTAL OF 8 citations for discharge of fireworks from Christmas Eve until new years. - Keep in mind this is in HPD entire jurisdiction. And on top of it, they charged me $18 to get this information and took a month!" (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Inwood Club Estates: "Looking for professional certified plumber to come out to Woodland Forest asap! - I have a gas leak that needs to be repaired. I called center point and they took my meter. I need to have hot water and heater back soon plz so plz need so..." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Bay Knoll: "YES, IT'S AVAILABLE! - Why is it that I receive numerous inquiries to my For Sale posts, "Is it still available?" My answer, "Yes". Then nothing. Nothing at all. Are peeps just interested in whether or not something was sold? And why wou..." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Ashford Park: "PLEASE IF YOU HAVE SEEN MY DOGS CALL ME NOW 346-433-7345 I’m out driving looking for them. - The wind knocked the gate open while they were outside taking a potty." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Sommerall: "Someone broke into my house around 200-215. - They broke out my front windows with a brick from my yard.My daughter was home heard the glass break and hid in closet and called911.No one on the street heard or saw anything. They pulled ou..." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Lakewood Forest: "Anyone have a recommendation for an electrician in the Lakewood Forest area? - The heavy rain knocked out electricity in parts of my garage. Thanks." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Brook Forest: "Anyone know where that big fire is? - I saw police racing past UHCL, and then I saw the actual fire from near SCH and Nasa Rd 1." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Camino South: "Hearing several sirens multiple aids any clue what's going on... - I'm off el Dorado and highway 3..i think they are heading towards space center" (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Augusta Drive South: "I just want to let the neighborhood know that I was scammed over $900 by the Exxon station at Fountainview and San Felipe. - I'll never go there again and hope you don't either. They don't deserve anyones business when they cheat their c..." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Melrose SW: "I lost my dog today at 12 at noon he left hasn’t came back if anyone has seen him please let me know las time was seen in Fulton and Crosstimbers goes by the name Muñeco and has a red stranger things collar on him.. - he’s really play ful.." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Ashford Park: "If you have seen my dogs please let me know. - I don't have a ring bell but if you can look on you ring apps please let me know if you have any information 346-433-7345 or 318-834-8282" (Nextdoor)
• Incharge - Houston Center DRSANA, Neighbor: "BASANT PANCHAMI IN DAYALBAGH In the month of maagh, January/February, the auspicious day of Panchmi (the fifth day of the lunar fortnight in the Hindu Calendar), which is popularly known as Basant Panchmi, is considered as a blessed and ..." (Patch Neighbor Posts)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around!

— Celeste "Pirate Queen" Wetzel

About me: The original Pirate Queen and QA engineer for Patch. Did you know that this week I have worked at least two fourteen hour days? This sprint has been nuts and the engineering team has been keeping me hopping non-stop. I'm exhausted and very close to needing a vacation.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Houston Patch newsletter? Contact me at celeste.wetzel@patch.com