FROM THE EDITOR
🏥 Good morning, Houston! We’ve got a bunch of interesting stories for you today. Let’s go!!!
In This Edition of Houstonicity:
Texas Children's Adds High-Risk Care
Two Men Shot at Houston Gathering
Barbecue Inn Nears Final Service
Pearland Weighs Smaller Utility Hike
And More…
THE WEATHER VANE
Friday: 98F / 79F | ☀️ | 2% | SSW 8 MPH
Saturday: 98F / 80F | 🌤️ | 13% | WSW 8 MPH
Sunday: 97F / 79F | 🌦️ | 55% | WNW 5 MPH
Monday: 96F / 78F | ☀️ | 10% | SSW 6 MPH
Tuesday: 99F / 79F | 🌩️ | 65% | SSW 7 MPH
⭐ Attention: Local Business Advertising Opportunity!
You may have noticed that we have been testing advertising. I’ve been using my bookkeeping business as the guinea pig and visits to its website have significantly increased.
We will be selecting a few local small business advertisers to receive a considerable amount of free advertising in multiple issues of one to four of our local newsletters (Houston, Conroe, Pearland, Sugar Land).
The free advertising will be a combination of story-style ads with a photo and internet links, and digital banner-type ads with a couple supporting sentences about your business and internet links. If you have a local small business, let’s have a conversation. You can email us at [email protected].
We are specifically looking for the following types of local small businesses:
Personal Injury Attorney
Insurance Agent / Agency
Junk Removal
HVAC
Landscaping
Auto Dealership
Banking
Real Estate Agency
Dental Group
Primary Care Group
If you are a local business owner and are interested in advertising with us, email us today!
HOUSTON’S NEWS
Texas Children's Adds High-Risk Care
Texas Children’s completed a major expansion of its Pavilion for Women. The more than $200 million project adds four Cesarean-section operating rooms, a larger Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic and a new unit for patients with complex pregnancies.
The work also includes 12 private neonatal intensive care rooms and a 16-bed mother-baby unit with rooms that let mothers and newborns receive specialized care together. Texas Children’s said the expansion will help it serve more high-risk mothers and critically ill babies while keeping maternal and newborn services under one roof.
Two Men Shot at Houston Gathering
A late-night shooting in northeast Houston left a 26-year-old man dead and a man in his 50s critically injured Wednesday. Police said people had gathered near 4902 Laura Koppe Road, reportedly to play dominoes.
Investigators said witnesses saw unknown males shooting before running away. Police do not believe the two injured men were involved. The older man was later listed in stable condition after surgery. Anyone with information can contact HPD Homicide or Crime Stoppers.
Barbecue Inn Nears Final Service
Houston’s Barbecue Inn will close after serving Independence Heights for nearly eight decades. The restaurant at Crosstimbers and Yale streets is expected to close after service Saturday.
The family business began in 1946 when Louis and Nell Skrehot opened it in a house with a storefront-style front and a barbecue pit. Their two sons started as busboys. News of the shutdown brought loyal customers to the restaurant Thursday, with a line wrapping around the building by afternoon.
AROUND THE METRO
Pearland Weighs Smaller Utility Hike
Pearland residents could pay more for water and wastewater service next year. City staff recommended a 12% rate increase, which would add about $13.70 to the monthly bill of a household using roughly 6,000 gallons.
Council members showed support for a smaller 9.9% increase, equal to about $11.31 per month, while Mayor Quentin Wiltz asked staff to study keeping rates unchanged. Staff said higher water purchases, treatment costs, inflation and debt tied to $524 million in capital projects are driving the proposal. Budget workshops will continue in August.
HOUSTON THINGS TO DO!
Friday, July 31, 2026
Houston Shakespeare Festival: Comedy of Errors at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston.
The Girl on the Train at Alley Theatre, Houston.
Tamarie’s Greatest Hits, Volume 3 at MATCH, Houston.
Laurel Harned: From Bach to Bossa Nova at MATCH, Houston.
The Fray with Dashboard Confessional at 713 Music Hall, Houston.
UniverSoul Circus at Sam Houston Race Park, Houston.
Astros vs. Rangers at Daikin Park, Houston.
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Astros vs. Rangers at Daikin Park, Houston.
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire at Toyota Center, Houston.
Houston Dash vs. Gotham FC at Shell Energy Stadium, Houston.
Tamarie’s Greatest Hits, Volume 3 at MATCH, Houston.
The Tempest at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston.
The Body at White Oak Music Hall, Houston.
Waterboyz Presents: Chris Travis Performing Live! at House of Blues Houston
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers at Daikin Park, Houston.
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire at Toyota Center, Houston.
The Girl on the Train at Alley Theatre, Houston.
Donnell Rawlings at Houston Improv
Challenging Brown at MATCH, Houston.
Grease at Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown, Houston.
UniverSoul Circus at Sam Houston Race Park, Houston.
Disclaimer: Sometimes event dates or times change, or we get things wrong. Please double check any event you are interested in with the event holder.
BUSINESS UPDATE
Missouri City Eyes Major Destination
Missouri City leaders are backing plans for a hospital-centered development on 42 acres along the Fort Bend Toll Road. The vision includes a medical campus or hospital, hotel, event center, restaurants, retail, apartments and public gathering spaces.
Officials said improved road access could make the site more attractive. Plans include moving a toll road exit ramp, adding a service road and extending Lake Olympia Parkway. A national health care provider has shown interest, according to a JLL executive. City leaders stressed that they want the full mixed-use vision protected as the project moves forward.
Houstonicity is Presented By Clearjournals Bookkeeping
If you own a service business (e.g. Cleaning company, Plumbing, HVAC, Restoration, Roofing, etc.) and need bookkeeping, check out Clearjournals at Clearjournals.com.
HOUSTON SPORTS NEWS
Astros Sweep Back to Even Record
The Astros beat the Angels 7-4 Wednesday night, completing a three-game sweep and returning to a .500 record at 55-55. Houston rallied after falling behind 3-0 in the first inning.
Yainer Diaz went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs, while Jeremy Peña also homered. Cam Smith delivered a two-run double during a three-run sixth inning that put Houston ahead. Hayden Wesneski earned the win in his return from Tommy John surgery. The Astros finished the night one game behind Texas before a three-game home series against the Rangers.
Texans Camp Tests Linebacker Depth
Texans linebacker Jake Hansen left Thursday’s practice on a cart after suffering a foot injury. Coach DeMeco Ryans said the team would evaluate him, and it was too early to know how serious the injury was.
Hansen was competing for the No. 3 linebacker role and has been a regular on special teams. The report also highlighted second-year receiver Jayden Higgins, who made early catches from C.J. Stroud and earned praise from Ryans and Stroud. Safety Reed Blankenship also drew positive comments from teammate Jalen Pitre.
THANKS!
🍽️ That’s it for today, Houston. Enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend!