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Axios Houston
Harris County wins federal solar grants
Harris County and Texas Southern University programs will receive more than $400 million in federal funding for residential solar projects.The big picture: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Earth Day that 60 applicants had been selected for its $7 billion Solar for All program.The program is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to support low-income and disadvantaged communities by providing rooftop solar systems and access to community solar farms.State of play: The Harris County-led Texas Solar for All Coalition received $249.7 million to make home solar projects more affordable and create programs for residents to find good-paying...
Houston officer back on duty after 4th deadly shooting incident
A Houston police officer is back on active duty after being involved in a fatal shooting last month, the fourth time in his six-year career that he's been investigated for using deadly force.Why it matters: Even as officer Devin Inocencio, 27, faces criminal and internal affairs investigations into the latest deadly shooting, Houston Police Department officials have allowed him back on the streets, a police spokesperson confirmed to Axios.Inocencio is also facing a civil rights lawsuit over a separate shooting.Driving the news: On March 11 in Oak Ridge North in Montgomery County, Inocencio and five other law enforcement officers opened...
What's on Harris County's May 4 ballot
Early voting begins Monday for the May 4 election.Why it matters: It's expected to be a low-turnout election, although the results could have an outsized impact on property taxes and Houston's representation in Austin.Driving the news: In Harris County, voters for the first time will elect three board positions for the Harris Central Appraisal District, which determines annual property valuations based on market values, for tax purposes.The change comes after lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2 last year, approved by voters in the fall, creating three elected board seats in counties with populations over 75,000, to increase accountability.What they're saying: Bill...
How social media is changing Houston's real estate landscape
Most people scroll Zillow Gone Wild for entertainment, but more real estate agents in Houston are leveraging social media buzz to attract serious home shoppers to their listings.Why it matters: "Screen appeal is the new curb appeal," Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy tells Axios.Follow the money: Zillow Gone Wild creator Samir Mezrahi parlayed his popularity into a new HGTV show that cashes in on viewers' nosiness about other people's houses."When I'm bored on my phone, I like to look at houses everywhere. And I think other people do that, but there wasn't a space for people to talk about that,"...
Rooftop pool party and more things to do this week in Houston
๐ Laugh it up at an open mic comedy night at Near Northside's Bad Astronaut Brewing Co. on Monday.Free. Sign-up begins at 8:30pm, and the show starts at 9pm.๐ Enjoy the full Moon from downtown's beautiful Marriott Marquis Houston rooftop pool on Tuesday.Day passes start at $25. 5:30pm-9:30pm.๐ต Listen to music from singer-songwriter Lola Kirke and country artist Dale Hollow at Midtown's Continental Club on Tuesday.Tickets start at $18. Show is at 7pm.๐๏ธ Shop from business-minded kids at the Children's Entrepreneur Market in River Oaks on Wednesday.4pm-8pm.๐ผ๏ธ Hear from art historians about abstract expressionism and Janet Sobel at the Menil on Wednesday.Free. 6pm-7pm.Sign up for Axios Houston for free.
Judge denies attempt to pause Harris Countyโs guaranteed income program
A district judge upheld Harris County's new guaranteed income program Thursday, denying Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to pause it.The big picture: Paxton's office sued Harris County over Uplift Harris, which promises $500 monthly cash payments to more than 1,900 low-income households over 18 months.The lawsuit, filed this month, called the program a "socialist experiment" and argued the assistance was unconstitutional and violated a Texas statute prohibiting gifts of public funds.Last summer, the county allocated $20.5 million of federal COVID funds to fund it.Uplift Harris received more than 82,500 applications. The nearly 2,000 families were randomly selected and notified...
All eyes on Mayor Whitmire as Houston hosts Vision Zero summit
The Bayou City will soon host a week of forums on ending traffic deaths in Texas. But for some advocates, the forums are happening just as Houston's new mayor, John Whitmire, seems to be deemphasizing street safety priorities.Why it matters: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent data, Texas led the nation in traffic deaths in 2021. And according to the Texas Department of Transportation, that same year Houston saw the most traffic fatalities of any Texas city, with 330.Catch up fast: Houston has a Vision Zero commitment to end roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2030,...
All eyes on Mayor Whitmire as Houston hosts Vision Zero summit
The Bayou City will soon host a week of forums on ending traffic deaths in Texas. But for some advocates, the forums are happening just as Houston's new mayor, John Whitmire, seems to be deemphasizing street safety priorities.Why it matters: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent data, Texas led the nation in traffic deaths in 2021. And according to the Texas Department of Transportation, that same year Houston saw the most traffic fatalities of any Texas city, with 330.Catch up fast: Houston has a Vision Zero commitment to end roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2030,...
Next phase of Rothko Chapel $42M campus expansion breaks ground
The Rothko Chapel broke ground on Phase 2 of its $42 million Opening Spaces project yesterday.Why it matters: The art and meditative chapel is expanding its footprint to create a "campus" that will align with its mission of community engagement and providing central, "spiritual, sacred spaces," the chapel's executive director, David Leslie, tells Axios.Driving the news: Today, the bungalow owned by the Rothko Chapel near its welcome space will be moved to begin the construction of a new Administration and Archives Building.Phase 2 will also include the construction of a program center for events and workshops, a guest house, and...
Houston advocates pressure city for sewage overflow funding
Local organizations are demanding the city create a $20 million private sewer pipe repair fund to help fix sewage overflows into homes and yards.Why it matters: The proposed fund aims to alleviate the burdens on low-income Black and brown communities, where research has shown sewage overflows disproportionately persist, leading to health and lifestyle issues.Catch up quick: Sewage pollution has long been an invisible problem across flood-prone Houston.As part of a negotiated settlement in 2021, the City of Houston agreed to invest $2 billion in local sanitary sewer upgrades over 15 years after a Bayou City Waterkeeper investigation highlighted the issue.Three...
Houston advocates pressure city for sewage overflow funding
Local organizations are demanding the city create a $20 million private sewer pipe repair fund to help fix sewage overflows into homes and yards.Why it matters: The proposed fund aims to alleviate the burdens on low-income Black and brown communities, where research has shown sewage overflows disproportionately persist, leading to health and lifestyle issues.Catch up quick: Sewage pollution has long been an invisible problem across flood-prone Houston.As part of a negotiated settlement in 2021, the City of Houston agreed to invest $2 billion in local sanitary sewer upgrades over 15 years after a Bayou City Waterkeeper investigation highlighted the issue.Three...
Fort Bend teen joins U.S. cricket team
A Fort Bend ISD high schooler won a coveted spot on the women's national cricket team for the upcoming World Cup qualifier tournament.The big picture: Dulles High School student Pooja Shah, 18, is a rising star in the professional cricket world, having made her international debut in 2023 with the inaugural women's under-19 team in a tournament in South Africa.Now, she's one of 15 women on the senior team representing the U.S. in the 2024 International Cricket Council Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier, which kicks off Friday in Abu Dhabi.Shah earned the spot during a four-day training and selection...
Texas asks public how it should spend $1 billion water fund
Texans have two more weeks to tell the state how they want it to spend the $1 billion water infrastructure fund approved by voters in November.Why it matters: The Texas Water Development Board is tasked with determining how to best distribute the money to address the state's water supply issues as climate change and a growing population increase pressure on our water resources.Catch up quick: Proposition 6 earmarked $1 billion to create the Texas Water Fund for water loss and conservation projects, with a focus on rural communities.As part of the proposition, at least $250 million must be allocated to...
Houston murders, violent crime decline so far in 2024
Data: AH Datalytics; Chart: Axios VisualsViolent crime, including murder, has dropped in Houston so far this year compared with 2023.Why it matters: Most large U.S. cities are starting to see decreases in violence after sharp spikes during the pandemic.The number of homicides in 204 cities dropped 20% in the first three months this year compared with the same time last year, per an AH Datalytics report reviewed by Axios.By the numbers: Houston saw a 24.7% drop in murders in the first three months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety's...
Minute Maid Park's walk score is MLB's best in Texas
The Astros' weekend series win over the Texas Rangers isn't the only W that Houston has over our Arlington-based foes.The intrigue: Downtown's Minute Maid Park ranked 11th out of 30 MLB stadiums for walkability, a recent analysis shows.Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers' brand-new stadium ranked fourth from last.How it works: Walk Score analyzes hundreds of walking routes and nearby amenities to calculate pedestrian friendliness and walkability on a scale of 0-100. Population density and road metrics are also considered.A good Walk Score (above 69) does not require a car and reflects how easy it is to walk to a location or...
In Photos: The 2024 Art Car Parade
Downtown Houston and Allen Parkway turned into a rolling art gallery this weekend, with the Art Car Parade filling the streets with a wild assortment of funky, fun and eccentric vehicles. There were slabs to epic 3D creatures, painted cars, karaoke buses, bikes, and even some with whimsical contraptions like a rat mobile, toy car and a jet ski. Instead of honks, this vehicle lets out farts. Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Thousands gathered on Saturday for the parade. Photo: Jay R. Jordan The toy car contraption made it to the finish line! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Cowabunga! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Jay R. Jordan/AxiosSign up for Axios Houston for free.
In Photos: The 2024 Art Car Parade
Downtown Houston and Allen Parkway turned into a rolling art gallery this weekend, with the Art Car Parade filling the streets with a wild assortment of funky, fun and eccentric vehicles. There were slabs to epic 3D creatures, painted cars, karaoke buses, bikes, and even some with whimsical contraptions like a rat mobile, toy car and a jet ski. Instead of honks, this vehicle lets out farts. Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Thousands gathered on Saturday for the parade. Photo: Jay R. Jordan The toy car contraption made it to the finish line! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Cowabunga! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Jay R. Jordan/AxiosSign up for Axios Houston for free.
In Photos: The 2024 Art Car Parade
Downtown Houston and Allen Parkway turned into a rolling art gallery this weekend, with the Art Car Parade filling the streets with a wild assortment of funky, fun and eccentric vehicles. There were slabs to epic 3D creatures, painted cars, karaoke buses, bikes, and even some with whimsical contraptions like a rat mobile, toy car and a jet ski. Instead of honks, this vehicle lets out farts. Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Thousands gathered on Saturday for the parade. Photo: Jay R. Jordan The toy car contraption made it to the finish line! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Cowabunga! Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Shafaq Patel/Axios Photo: Jay R. Jordan/AxiosSign up for Axios Houston for free.
Honk! Honk! It's Art Car Parade time
Gear up for a day of eccentricity and zaniness: the 37th annual Art Car Parade is Saturday.Why it matters: The parade is the largest annual free public art event in the city, attracting more than 200,000 spectators every year.Driving the news: About 280 decked-out vehicles will ride through downtown and along Allen Parkway.Flashback: One of the first official art cars in Houston was created by local artist Jackie Harris, who transformed a 1967 Ford station wagon donated to the Orange Show Foundation and decorated it with paint and plastic fruit in 1984.The parade grew from a handful of cars in...
Texas pets are feeling allergy season
More pets in Texas, particularly dogs, are being treated for itchy skin and allergies.Why it matters: Seasonal allergies can be terribly uncomfortable for our furry friends and can snowball into secondary issues, including skin infections.By the numbers: Pet insurance company Trupanion reports a 60% increase in allergy claims for insured pets in Texas in 2023 compared with 2019, with the data growth adjusted and measured on a per-1,000-pet basis.And insurer Nationwide says allergies top the list of health conditions that prompt vet visits.What they're saying: It's hard to say whether allergies are indeed more prevalent or whether we're just "better...
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