Choose your location
Axios Houston
Meet the Houstonians headed to the Olympics
The Paris Summer Olympics are swiftly coming up, and there are plenty of hometown stars to keep an eye on.Why it matters: The Houston area is well repped in the 2024 Olympics, with 18 athletes competing in a dozen different sports, making up about half of the Olympians from Texas (42) and having more Olympians than over 30 states.Plus: A few more Houstonians have made the Paralympian team. The full 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team will be announced Aug. 19.The big picture: The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the 592-member Olympic team last week.Zoom in: Simone Biles (Spring) famously qualified...
Astros well-positioned for second half
The Astros are within one game of leading the American League West heading into this week's All-Star break, inching closer to a division lead after a 10-game deficit earlier this season.Why it matters: The team — minus outfielder Yordan Álvarez, who will play in the All Star Game — will be able to rest up as the National and American leagues duke it out Tuesday in Arlington.Second baseman José Altuve and outfielder Kyle Tucker were voted All Stars but will not play due to injuries.The intrigue: After a humbling start this year, the team sits at 50-46 (.521) going into...
Remembering Shelley Duvall, a Houston icon
Shelley Duvall, who grew up in Houston and graced the silver screen for decades, died of complications from diabetes Thursday in her Hill Country home. She was 75.Duvall was a community college student in Houston when she was discovered by Robert Altman, of "M*A*S*H" fame, who cast her as a hot-rod-driving Astrodome tour guide in 1970's "Brewster McCloud," her first starring role.From there, she went on to work with Altman on several more films, including "Nashville" and "3 Women," before landing her arguably most iconic role as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining."In the 1980s, she created and starred in "Faerie Tale Theatre," in which she reintroduced fairy tales in live action.Duvall stepped away from acting in the early 2000s and soon after settled in Blanco.She was remembered as kind-hearted and hardworking by her fans and movie critics.
Frustrations rise amid continued power outages in Houston after Beryl
It's been miserably hot and unbearable in Houston, especially for the more than 1 million CenterPoint Energy customers still without power three days after Beryl hit.Why it matters: Houston is no stranger to storms, yet Beryl — a damaging hurricane, though not the worst we've seen by far — revealed the nation's fourth-largest city's lack of preparedness to respond to mass power outages.The big picture: As CenterPoint Energy works to restore power, those in the dark are still waiting with no clear idea when their lights — and AC — will come back on.Meanwhile, the city is under a heat...
Whitmire criticizes Astros for continuing play
Houston Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday criticized the Astros' decision to play at Minute Maid Park while millions remained without power.Catch up quick: The Astros returned to Houston to face the Miami Marlins on Tuesday following a 10-game road trip.The team reduced some ticket prices to $5 to allow more fans the chance to watch the game from inside the park, where power remained on.Ahead of the game, some people criticized the team for playing.What they're saying: Whitmire joined the fray Wednesday."George Brown [Convention Center didn't] have energy yesterday," Whitmire said during Wednesday's City Council meeting. "We have 1,500 students in the Marriott and the Hilton, but we've got a ballgame going on down the street two blocks [away]. We've got to get our priorities right."The other side: Axios asked who decided to continue with the games, whether the stadium might be opened as a cooling center, and if the franchise had a response to the mayor's comments.An Astros spokesperson declined to comment.What's next: The Astros host the Marlins again Wednesday and Thursday night before starting a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, also at Minute Maid, ahead of the All-Star break.
Where to find cooling centers in Houston
For those seeking relief from the heat, city officials and nonprofits have opened cooling centers around town.What they're saying: "If you think you need to go to a cooling center, please go," Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) said at a press conference Tuesday.The following city centers are open Wednesday:West Gray Multi-Purpose Center, 1475 W Gray St., 2pm to 6pmMoody Community Center, 3725 Fulton St., 2pm to 8pm.American Red Cross has opened two shelters:BakerRipley Gulfton Sharpstown Campus, 6500 Rookin, 24 hoursBakerRipley Ripley House, 4410 Navigation, 24 hoursAnd YMCA has seven locations open:Duncan, 10655 Clay Road, 5am to 9pmPerry, 1700 W League City...
Over 1 million still without power in Houston
Local and state leaders in the Houston area are pushing to get all power restored as sweltering temperatures continue.The big picture: More than 1.3 million CenterPoint Energy customers were still without electricity early Wednesday morning.Driving the news: Officials said Tuesday that 1 million affected customers should have power restored by the end of Wednesday.The Houston area is under a heat advisory until 8pm, and heat index values will reach as high as 105 degrees Wednesday, per National Weather Service forecasters."The widespread loss of power and A/C will make for dangerous conditions," NWS Houston forecasters wrote on X.Threat level: The combination...
Tropical Storm Beryl resources and how to help
Residents in 121 counties, including Harris, remain under a disaster declaration after Beryl made landfall in Texas early Monday morning.Why it matters: Disaster declarations free up emergency resources and first responders to support affected communities.Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said more than 2,500 responders have been dispatched from various departments, including the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety.Here's what to know if you're facing storm damage and how to help:Report losses and damages from flooding to your insurance as soon as you can, FEMA officials say.If you need help finding your insurance agent or carrier, call the...
Live updates: Tropical Storm Beryl strikes Houston
Beryl made landfall south of Houston on Monday morning.Threat level: Power outages are widespread in the Houston metro area and may spread inland as the slowly weakening storm moves northward.Beryl made landfall around 4am Monday as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda.The storm is producing "Life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall" along with damaging winds along the coast that are moving inland, according to the National Hurricane Center.The NHC reported Monday morning that weather stations in Freeport and San Bernard recorded wind gusts up to 92 mph and 91 mph, respectively.The latest: More than 2.2 million CenterPoint Energy customers are...
Hurricane Beryl makes landfall
Hurricane Beryl made landfall south of Houston on Monday morning and will continue to wreak havoc in the area throughout the day.The latest: More than 530,000 CenterPoint Energy customers are without power as the storm moves inland, with more outages possible as winds damage infrastructure. TranStar is reporting minimal road flooding, although parts of Harris and other counties are under a flash flood warning. The Houston Fire Department has responded to at least nine water rescues since 5:30am.The storm's maximum sustained winds were 80 mph as of 6am.Communities in Matagorda County have seen close to 5 inches of rain since...
Where to watch fireworks in Houston
It's not the Fourth of July without fireworks. Here are some places around greater Houston where you can catch the spectacle on Thursday.Freedom Over TexasFestivities begin at 4pm at Eleanor Tinsley Park. The event will feature live performances by Russell Dickerson, Jo Dee Messina, and Chapel Hart, culminating in a fireworks display.$10 for adults. Proceeds will go to the Houston Food Bank.Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor TheatreMiller Outdoor Theatre and the Houston Symphony will host their free annual Star Spangled Salute at 8:30pm followed by fireworks at 10pm.Kemah Boardwalk fireworks on the waterCelebrate the holiday all day at Kemah. There...
Houston Airports anticipates record-shattering July travel
If you're headed to the airport this week, brace yourself for heavy crowds.State of play: This holiday period is expected to see an 8% increase in passengers flying through Houston compared with the extended Fourth of July holiday last year, per Houston Airport Systems.More than 1.9 million people are expected to fly through George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport combined from June 27 to July 8.Why it matters: 2024 is on pace to be a record-setting travel year, with unprecedented numbers during spring break and Memorial Day travels and now an anticipated record-shattering July, Houston Airports said...
Metro removes safety stripes from trains
The Metropolitan Transit Authority is removing from its trains high-visibility striping originally intended to improve pedestrian safety around the tracks. Why it matters: While Metro chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock says the change is part of a broader initiative to increase public safety on the system, it revokes a 2017 decision aimed at the same goal.
Charges dropped against pro-Palestinian UH protesters
Prosecutors quietly dropped criminal charges against two University of Houston students who were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on campus last month, court records show.Catch up quick: Pro-Palestinian organizers set up an encampment at UH's Butler Plaza on May 8 protesting the university's investments in companies that sell arms to the Israeli military.Police dismantled the encampment and arrested two students in the process.The intrigue: The university's police department tried to charge one student with assaulting a police officer, but prosecutors didn't find enough probable cause.Instead, an assistant district attorney signed off on a criminal complaint of misdemeanor evading arrest.The other...
Charted: Texas' rise in same-sex marriages
The number of same-sex households in Texas has increased dramatically since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nine years ago Wednesday. Why it matters: Same-sex marriage has become a fact of life in Texas, even as the state Republican Party continues to push back against gay marriage and parenting.
Houston-area residents drive more than 30 miles per day
Data: Replica; Note: Includes cabs and rideshares; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosHouston-area drivers average 30.4 miles behind the wheel each day, a new analysis finds.Why it matters: With the closure of Houston BCycle, the cancellation of Metro's bus rapid transit system, and the scaling back of multimodal priorities under Mayor John Whitmire, Houston's car centricity doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon.Zoom out: Drivers in the San Antonio metro traveled 31.5 miles on average.Those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area traveled 30.1 miles, and Austin drivers traveled 29.3 miles.The big picture: Among cities, there's a wide range in how much people typically drive...
Texas improves 988 hotline answer rate but still lags behind
Data: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosA year after Texas left nearly a quarter of mental health crisis calls unanswered, the state is showing signs of improvement.The big picture: The revamped national suicide hotline, launched in 2022 as 988, promised a quicker, more seamless crisis response in Texas and across the country but remains a work in progress two years later.By the numbers: 84% of the 18,800 people who called Texas' 988 hotline in May connected with a counselor, according to data from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.The average Texas caller waited 34 seconds to be connected...
Duo hikes Emancipation Trail to remember Juneteenth
A dayslong hike from Galveston County to Houston's Freedmen's Town this week seeks to trace the path forged by the last of America's formerly enslaved people freed on Juneteenth.Why it matters: The trek, undertaken by walking artist Ken Johnston and his friend Frank Thompson, encapsulates the holiday's legacy as the federal government considers formally recognizing the route as a historic trail.Catch up quick: Johnston, whose self-described mission is to "put movement back into the Civil Rights Movement," started leading walks honoring civil rights in 2018 when he walked 400 miles across the South commemorating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther...
Houston rainfall could strengthen to named storm
The Bayou City is bracing for days of heavy rainfall as a disturbance brews in the Gulf of Mexico.The big picture: The National Hurricane Center said the system is likely to strengthen into a tropical depression or storm this week, which will be the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season if it forms.Mexico and Texas are expected to get the brunt of the storm, forecasters say. Parts of the Houston metro area could get up to 8 inches of rain through Thursday.Threat level: National Weather Service meteorologists give Houston and the rest of Harris County a moderate...
City of Houston draft report touts 11th Street's success
A Houston Public Works draft report obtained by Axios states that measures to slow traffic along 11th Street in the Heights have achieved key safety goals.Why it matters: The project — a polarizing rebuild completed under former Mayor Sylvester Turner — has drawn skepticism from Mayor John Whitmire, who questioned its effectiveness after assuming office and ordered a formal review. The review is one of several Whitmire requested for street safety projects initiated during Turner's tenure that reduced the width or number of vehicle lanes.Whitmire has reversed the city's course on other street safety projects installed on Turner's watch, calling...
Axios Houston
889+
Posts
2M+
Views
Axios Houston is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.