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Axios Houston
Houston approves White Oak Bayou sale for I-45 expansion
A majority of Houston City Council members approved selling a key portion of White Oak Bayou to make room for the Texas Department of Transportation's $9.7 billion expansion of Interstate 45.Why it matters: The 3-acre piece of bayou greenway has been a battleground for community members and advocates who want to modify TxDOT's plans or derail them altogether.Catch up quick: The North Houston Highway Improvement Project will widen and reshape 17 miles of I-45 from Beltway 8 North to south of downtown in hope of enhancing driver safety and expanding the freeway's capacity, according to TxDOT.The new size and shape...
Charges contradict why students were arrested at UH protest
When police broke up a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Houston this month, they said they arrested a student for assaulting an officer. Two weeks later, there's no evidence that anyone at the protest was charged with such a crime.Why it matters: The reason given for the arrest contradicted the organizers' contention that the protest was peaceful.Protesters and state Republican leaders have been promoting dueling narratives of recent protests at multiple universities: peaceful and educational, versus hate-filled and disruptive.Catch up quick: Pro-Palestinian organizers set up an encampment at UH's Butler Plaza on the morning of May 8 urging the...
Ike Dike finally gets some federal funding
Texas' storm coastal barrier project, dubbed the Ike Dike, has received its first installment of federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Why it matters: The Ike Dike, nicknamed after the 2008 hurricane that left more than 70 dead in Texas and caused more than $30 billion in damage in the U.S., has had slow progress despite receiving congressional approval in 2022.The long-awaited Ike Dike aims to protect the Houston-Galveston region from hurricane storm surge.Driving the news: The Corps of Engineers announced last week that it had allocated $500,000 to begin the design process and engineering to "prepare the...
How new Realtor rules could affect Houston homebuying
With Houston's spring homebuying season in full swing, we thought we'd take a look at what the recent major lawsuit involving Realtors means for the sale or purchase of your house.Why it matters: The seemingly small change, which a court preliminarily approved in April, is causing major confusion.By the numbers: April was a month of growth for those in the Houston home-purchasing market, according to the Houston Association of Realtors.Realtors sold more than 7,900 single-family homes in April, a 9.2% increase from April 2023.Overall property sales topped $4 billion in the Houston area last month, with an average single-family home...
Houstonians are still troubled over affordable housing and crime, per Kinder survey
Houston-area residents continue to express concerns about the economy, affordable housing, and crime and safety, according to Rice University's 43rd annual Kinder Houston Area Survey.The intrigue: An overwhelming number of the Harris County residents surveyed are excited about their futures: 72% of participants said they are enthused about new opportunities that will be available to them in the coming years.The survey, which provides an annual snapshot of the region, was given to 7,610 people living in Harris County in January, with a 70.6% response rate.What they found: Crime and safety were cited as the biggest concern by more than a...
Power still out for thousands after Houston storm
Hundreds of thousands of Houston residents are still without power following Thursday's deadly storm.The big picture: The sweeping, short-lived storm has left a lasting impact on the Houston area, including at least seven deaths across the region and damage already predicted to be in the billions of dollars.The latest: CenterPoint Energy reported 281,000 customers were without power as of 6:45pm Sunday.The utility says power will be "substantially" restored by the end of Wednesday, leaving many uncertain as to when their lights — and their air conditioning — will be back on.Several Houston-area schools remained closed Monday, including Spring Branch ISD,...
Houston's segregation has increased after Brown v. Board of Education
Data: Stanford Education Data Archive; Note: Index ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 implies no segregation (all schools have identical proportions of Black and white students), while 1 implies complete segregation (no Black student attends a school with any white students, and vice versa); Map: Axios VisualsRacial segregation in schools across the country has increased dramatically over the last three decades, according to two new reports and an Axios review of federal data.Why it matters: As the U.S. marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling Friday, American public schools are growing more separate and...
Houston leads Texas in guns stolen from cars
Houston leads the state in the number of gun thefts from cars, according to a new report by gun safety group Everytown.Why it matters: Stolen guns are difficult to trace and are often later used in other crimes, the report notes.By the numbers: In Houston, more than 3,300 firearms were stolen from vehicles in 2022, the most in the state.The city's rate of vehicle gun thefts was 145.9 per 100,000 people in 2022, behind only San Antonio's leading rate in Texas of 209.5 thefts per 100,000 people and Lubbock's rate of 179.7.Zoom in: In Texas, San Antonio ranked second in...
Why UH students' Israel divestment demands are likely to fail
Pro-Palestinian protesters across universities in Texas have made a specific request of school officials that's unlikely to be entertained: divest from weapons manufacturing companies selling arms to the Israeli military.Why it matters: Apart from whether divestment makes sense as a fiduciary or moral matter, the universities' unwillingness to bend on their portfolios is overdetermined by state politics.The University of Houston and the University of Texas are public institutions overseen by boards of regents appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, a staunch Israel supporter, and confirmed by state senators.Driving the news: University of Houston students plan to mobilize and speak at the...
How MLB umpires treat the Astros this season
Despite what you may have heard — or think you've seen with your own two eyes — Major League Baseball's umpires are actually doing pretty well this season, at least when it comes to calling balls and strikes.By the numbers: League-wide, umps have a nearly 94% accuracy rating so far in 2024, per unofficial metric-keeper UmpScorecards.That's down a bit from 2023 (94.09%) but up from a relatively miserable 90% or so in 2015.Zoom in: Umpires have correctly called 94.1% of balls and strikes when Houston's been on either side of the plate this season.The lowest accuracy rating during an Astros...
Houston's millionaires, by the numbers
Houston's millionaire population is growing.By the numbers: An estimated 90,900 millionaires called the Bayou City home by the end of 2023, up 70% from 10 years earlier, according to a new analysis from New World Wealth published by Henley & Partners.That figure includes 258 centi-millionaires — those with a net worth of at least $100 million — and 18 billionaires.The intrigue: Houston ranked fifth among U.S. cities for the number of billionaires.California's Bay Area took the cake with 68 billionaires. New York City ranked second with 60, Los Angeles was third with 43, and Chicago was fourth with 24.Worth noting: Drake, a new resident of Greater Houston, has a net worth close to $250 million.His friend Tilman Fertitta, who owns the Rockets, Landry's and several other properties, has a net worth around $9.3 billion. Sign up for Axios Houston for free.
Houston's millionaires, by the numbers
Houston's millionaire population is growing.By the numbers: An estimated 90,900 millionaires called the Bayou City home by the end of 2023, up 70% from 10 years earlier, according to a new analysis from New World Wealth published by Henley & Partners.That figure includes 258 centi-millionaires — those with a net worth of at least $100 million — and 18 billionaires.The intrigue: Houston ranked fifth among U.S. cities for the number of billionaires.California's Bay Area took the cake with 68 billionaires. New York City ranked second with 60, Los Angeles was third with 43, and Chicago was fourth with 24.Worth noting: Drake, a new resident of Greater Houston, has a net worth close to $250 million.His friend Tilman Fertitta, who owns the Rockets, Landry's and several other properties, has a net worth around $9.3 billion. Sign up for Axios Houston for free.
Houston leads the country in road rage
Data: The Trace via Gun Violence Archive; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosHouston led the nation in road rage shootings and incidents by a significant margin from 2014 to 2023, according to an analysis of Gun Violence Archive (GVA) data by gun violence newsroom The Trace.The big picture: Road rage shooting incidents skyrocketed over the past decade, increasing from 83 nationally in 2014 to 456 in 2023 — a nearly 450% jump. And one in four road rage victims, or 777 individuals over the decade, were killed.The road rage incidents mirror a broader increase in gun-related violence.By the numbers: Houston had 215 recorded...
Houston leads the country in road rage
Data: The Trace via Gun Violence Archive; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosHouston led the nation in road rage shootings and incidents by a significant margin from 2014 to 2023, according to an analysis of Gun Violence Archive (GVA) data by gun violence newsroom The Trace.The big picture: Road rage shooting incidents skyrocketed over the past decade, increasing from 83 nationally in 2014 to 456 in 2023 — a nearly 450% jump. And one in four road rage victims, or 777 individuals over the decade, were killed.The road rage incidents mirror a broader increase in gun-related violence.By the numbers: Houston had 215 recorded...
Houston loses luster as job destination for college grads
Data: Handshake; Chart: Axios VisualsThe class of 2024 is not too interested in moving to Houston, apparently.Why it matters: More of this year's graduating college seniors are seeking the security of a government job, and fewer are applying to risky-seeming tech jobs, per campus recruitment website Handshake.The class of 2024 — which Axios has dubbed "the bummer generation" because of how COVID-19 warped the seminal events of their young lives — just wants stability and a comfortable income, thank you.Driving the news: Houston was among the cities that experienced the largest declines in the share of job applications from 2023 to...
Houston Art Bike Parade rolls Saturday
Hundreds of artful bicycles will be ridden through Houston's historic MacGregor Park tomorrow in the third annual Art Bike Parade.Why it matters: The parade will highlight not only Houstonians' love of mobile art (particularly the pedal-powered variety) but also the park itself, which soon will be transformed through a $54 million renovation.Plus, local rapper Bun B will be there to hand out awards for the most creative bikes.Driving the news: The Orange Show for Visionary Arts joined forces with the Houston Parks Board to put on the parade and festival 10am-1pm Saturday.The event features Mother's Day activities, including a photo...
Houston Art Bike Parade rolls Saturday
Hundreds of artful bicycles will be ridden through Houston's historic MacGregor Park tomorrow in the third annual Art Bike Parade.Why it matters: The parade will highlight not only Houstonians' love of mobile art (particularly the pedal-powered variety) but also the park itself, which soon will be transformed through a $54 million renovation.Plus, local rapper Bun B will be there to hand out awards for the most creative bikes.Driving the news: The Orange Show for Visionary Arts joined forces with the Houston Parks Board to put on the parade and festival 10am-1pm Saturday.The event features Mother's Day activities, including a photo...
New $1.6B hospital breaks ground in Northeast Harris County
Harris Health System broke ground Thursday on a new, $1.6 billion, Level 1 trauma-capable hospital at the Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital campus after voters approved the bond last fall.Why it matters: The new hospital, expected to open in late 2028, is slated to be Houston's first Level 1 trauma center outside the Texas Medical Center.The new, unnamed hospital in northeast Harris County aims to provide quality and urgent health care to the underserved and under-resourced communities of northeast Harris County, including Kashmere Gardens, Fifth Ward, Trinity Gardens and Eastex-Jensen.Flashback: In November, 72% of Harris County voters approved a...
Houston's approach to homelessness is featured as solution in new documentary
The new documentary "Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness" shines a spotlight on Houston's housing-first strategy to reduce homelessness.Why it matters: The film highlights how Houston has housed more than 30,000 unhoused people since it implemented the model in 2012.In the past few years, Houston has been lauded for its approach and viewed as an example nationally.Driving the news: "Beyond the Bridge" was screened at Asia Society Texas on Tuesday night. The filmmakers traveled across the country to explore how cities are tackling chronic homelessness and why it remains a pressing issue.Houston and Milwaukee were portrayed as cities with...
Houston's search for a new police chief
Amid a widening scandal at the Houston Police Department, Mayor John Whitmire is now looking for a new permanent chief.Why it matters: After the abrupt resignation of police chief Troy Finner, Whitmire faces his biggest test yet as mayor to restore the community's trust in the department.An ongoing investigation this year showed the department had closed thousands of incident reports in recent years using the code "Suspended — Lack of Personnel," including sexual assault cases with viable leads.Driving the news: Whitmire named Larry Satterwhite, a longtime Houston cop and one of the department's top brass, as the city's acting police...
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