Stay Warm in Houston

Houston will be struck by some extreme cold temperatures going into New Years day. Temperatures expected at 18 degrees with a wind chill of ten degrees. Please be careful and stay safe.

Local Lingerie Store Donates Lingerie for Victims of Hurricane Harvey

During the Harvey crisis, a local lingerie shop named Top Drawer donated free lingerie to Harvey victims. The store donated $200,000 worth of lingerie to 5,000 people. Top Drawer has been in Houston since 1983. Top Drawer’s donation is greatly appreciated by the community. 😉

Houston in 2017

It was quite a year for Houston! From the Super Bowl, to the largest natural disaster in American history, to the World Series!

It was an incredible year for Houston, including many ups and downs. Here are some highlights from over the year of 2017.

First of all, a Houston pension reform bill passed the Texas Legislature. Super Bowl LI was held here in Houston, creating $2.2 Billion in advertising media value, with 340,000 mentions. Including, over 1.7 Million views, of a Houston tour video. It generated 10,000 articles from top news sources, including the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Money and The New York Times. Houston was visited by 130 foreign delegations from 33 countries, including The United Kingdom, Australia, China, Mexico, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan and Ukraine. Upskill Houston was launched, which was a program to help those with a High School diploma but not a college diploma, find good jobs. $54 Billion was spent on flood mitigation projects.

Finally, and unfortunately, the city of Houston was struck by perhaps the greatest natural disaster in US history when tropical depression Harvey was stuck over Houston for several days, dumping 50 inches of water on the city. The year has been filled with ups and downs but it has been one of the most defining years in the city’s history.

Houston Photo Series #23

Free Parking Downtown for the Holidays!

On December 22^nd, 24^th, 25^th, 31^st & January 1^st parking will be free downtown. The policy helps get Houstonians in the Christmas spirit. The Downtown District is the organization which came up with this policy. The concept is a Christmas gift to Houstonians planning to explore downtown during the holidays. It’s things like this that put Houstonians in the Christmas spirit!

Houston Number One City for New Graduates

Houston has been ranked the number one city in the country for new graduates according to onlinedegrees.com.

Houston is at the top of yet another city ranking. Although Houston is number one, Austin and San Antonio are tied for second place. 59 metropolitan areas with a population of 75,000 or more were studied. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner had this to say about the report. "I am pleased to see that the city of Houston has been recognized as the No. 1 Best Big City For New Graduates," Turner says. "Houston is a place of opportunity for everyone and continues to draw people from all over the world. Houston is also a city of innovation and one that invests in the startup community. I am hopeful that we will continue to meet the needs and interests of our millennials"

One factor that contributed to Houston ranking so well was that Houston is home to 20 Fortune 500 companies. The rankings were determined by looking at the average rent, cost of living, percentage of young people, night life, the job market, and median earnings. Houston is at the top of yet another city ranking, more are surely to follow.

http://www.houstonnewcomerguides.com/news/houston-ranked-no1-city-for-new-graduates

Mistletoe on the go in Houston's Market Square park.

During the Christmas season, there will be a giant mistletoe on display in Market Square Park in Downtown Houston.

The piece of art will help Houston get in the Christmas spirit. Named Mistletoe on the go, this mistletoe is the largest in Texas. Spanning 150 inches. The art display will only be on display in December. The mistletoe hangs from a giant candy cane. Mistletoe on the go is a great art piece for Downtown Houston.

Congratulations, Houston Rockets

Three days ago, I congratulated the Houston Rockets, for winning twelve straight games. Today, I can congratulate the Rockets, for winning fourteen straight games. The Houston Rockets are having an awesome season. The Houston Rockets are well on their way to breaking the record 22 straight wins they held in the 2007-2008 season. It looks like the Houston Rockets have a playoff to look forward to.

Hello Trees at Discovery Green

Discovery Green is home to yet another beautiful art piece with “Hello Trees”. Hello Trees is a cool interactive art exhibit at Discovery Green and is perhaps the best one yet! You may have noticed some lit arches across the Brown Promenade in Discovery Green. Well, this is Hello Trees, Discovery Green's newest interactive art display. When you speak, the sound is recorded through microphones at the bottom of the arch. The sound is then carried through the other arches by light and sound, creating music that flows down the arches and down the promenade. Hello Trees is a great addition to Discovery Green and we are happy to have it.

Plan Downtown

Over the past thirteen years, the Downtown District, has completely changed downtown Houston and over the next nineteen years, they plan to do it again.

The Downtown District’s “Plan Downtown” has been released and it will completely change Downtown Houston. The most significant change, will be done in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and it will completely rejuvenate the Downtown Loop. I-45 and the Pierce Elevated, which currently run across the west and south side of Downtown, will be re-routed to combine with I-10 & I-69 on the North and East sides of Downtown. Also, the East side of the Downtown Loop, which will then be a combination of I-45 & I-69, will be buried underground, with a park above it. In fact, the west & south sides of the downtown loop, will also be replaced with parks, instead of I-45 and the Pierce Elevated. This rerouting of the Downtown Loop will also include flood improvements. Which was added to the plan before Harvey hit Houston.

Since it has been founded, the Downtown District has doubled Downtown’s population from 3,800 to 7,500 and Downtown hotel rooms from 1,200 to 8,300. By 2036, officials plan to increase Downtown’s population to 30,000.

The Downtown district also plans to bring in Public Elementary & High Schools, along with student housing for students of University of Houston, Rice University & Texas Southern University, all of which have access downtown via light rail. Plan Downtown is exciting news from an organization which has been very successful, the Downtown District.

52nd Anniversary of Houston Astrodome's First Concert

Today in 1965, the first concert was held at the Houston Astrodome. The event was a landmark moment for a landmark Houston building. The first concert was performed by Judy Garland and the Supremes. Today, Houston is one of the premier cities to go and see a concert but this concert was a big step in making that happen.

Congratulations to the Houston Rockets!

The Houston Rockets have won their twelfth straight game. HoustonBlog would like to congratulate the team on their wins.

Although this is impressive, it is not the best they have ever done. During the 2007-2008 season, the Houston Rockets won 22 straight games. Here is to the Rockets breaking that record.

Houston Photo Series #22

Today in 1968, Alley Theatre Opens

Today in 1968, the Alley Theatre opened on Texas Ave. The great piece of architecture was one of the first projects that would eventually lead to the Downtown Houston Theater District. The building was a Tony Award Winner and today it is one of the three oldest resident theatres in the United States. It is a great example of architecture and we are happy to be celebrating its anniversary.

Los Angeles reporter writes moving article about Houston handling Harvey.

After a week of showing what Houston is made of, this Los Angeles reporter wrote a moving article about his experience of seeing our community cope with this devastating tragedy. He is very positive about Houston and speaks of how he was fascinated by our ability to come together.

http://abc13.com/society/to-houston---a-los-angeles-reporter-forever-changed-by-your-strength-/2375882/

HoustonStrong

After the horrible events that have struck our city last month. Jimmy Fallon has aired a segment honoring all the Houstonians that put their own hardships aside to help others.

Houston Photo Series #21

God Bless Houston and Stay Safe Under Hurricane Harvey

HoustonBlog would like to tell everyone to stay safe during Hurricane Harvey. God bless Texas and God bless our neighbors as we weather this storm.

Downtown Houston Hosts Hollywood Movies in the Middle of the Street.

Downtown Houston has begun a program where guests can watch movies, live, in the middle of Main Street Square. The program brings a new form of entertainment downtown. Downtown Houston literally closes down a block of a downtown street, sets up a movie screen and lays chairs out in the middle of the street, so movie patrons can watch the movie, in the middle of the street. On August 19^th, Downtown Houston played Ghostbusters. The new program is yet another awesome new idea from Downtown Houston.

Art piece named Arcade opens at Discovery Green.

On August 17^th, 2017, Discovery Green opened a new art installation in Discovery Green and Aveneda Houston.

The beautiful piece of art is a great addition to Discovery Green and Aveneda Houston.

The art piece is by the color condition and is named Arcade. Arcade, is three installations hanging overhead in Discovery Green and Aveneda. They are colorful and made of strips of tablecloth, shower curtains and painters drop cloth. As the sunlight changes and the wind blows, the cloths change color. This is a beautiful temporary addition to Discovery Green.

Houston Photo Series #20

Texas first Medical Marijuana Lawyer opened her practice in Houston.

The state of Texas first lawyer to specialize in medical marijuana laws has opened her practice in Houston. This is a groundbreaking step in the transformation of Texas medical marijuana policy. Texas legalized medical marijuana in 2015. Lisa L. Pittman opened her practice in Houston on April 20^th, 2016.  Although she received a law degree in 2001, Lisa went through many years not working as a lawyer until she was forced to by financial reasons. The medical marijuana policy in Texas continues to shape itself.

Three of the Top 10 Schools in Houston are inside Houston's inner loop.

A recent ranking found that three of the top ten schools in Houston are in the Inner 610 loop. This is good news for parents looking to live inside Houston’s inner loop.

The list was put together by “Children at Risk” a statewide education advocacy group. It was also published by LearnCentralHouston.org; an inner loop education information website. This is good news for parents of inner looper kids and good news for Houston’s inner loop, which continues to rapidly improve.

LearnCentralHouston.org

LearnCentralHouston.org is a website which will help parents find the best schools for inner looper kids who live inside the Inner 610 Loop.

LearnCentralHouston.org is a great website. You can search by school, search by neighborhood, or find your selection on a map. There are also filters you can provide when making your search, which includes, public, private, elementary, middle, high, dual language, fine arts magnate, health sciences magnet, etc. Check out LearnCentralHouston.org. It is a great asset for parents looking to live in the inner loop.

UpSkill Houston

In 2014, the Greater Houston Partnership created an organization named UpSkill Houston. The purpose of the organization is to help individuals who have a high school diploma but not a college diploma, find jobs in the Houston area.

UpSkill Houston is a great organization which helps improve Houston’s economy.

The organization tries to encourage jobs which fall into the category of requiring a high school diploma but not a college diploma come to Houston. It helps train these individuals and helps them find these jobs. A board of 32 members runs the organization. The Greater Houston Partnership launched a great program with this organization, which will greatly benefit Houstonians.

Heights Theater Reopens as Theater after Spending Many Years as an Art Gallery.

After a number of years of being an art gallery, The Heights Theater was restored to being a theater again.

The renovation brings a new concert venue to Houston.

The Heights theater opened in the 1920s however for many years was used as an art gallery. The owner, Edwin Cabannis, has also renovated and reopened the Kessler Theater, in the Dallas area. He bought The Heights Theater in 2015.

The Heights Theater brings another high-quality concert venue to Houston.

Casino Ship Finds Loophole to State Gambling Laws

A local entrepreneur has introduced a creative way to overcome the states gambling laws. He has formed a Casino Boat, which travels out to federal waters, where gambling is legal. The company is a creative way to give Houstonians access to hours of gambling.

The ship is called Jacks or Better and the ships first sail began April 8^th, 2017. The ship can hold up to 60 passengers and costs $15 a ticket. Each trip lasts seven hours. It takes an hour and a half to reach federal waters and back, while the passengers are given five hours to gamble.

Jacks or Better is a great addition to the City of Houston’s list of things to do.

Houston Photo Series #19

Houston Mayor Visits London, Promoting Trade and Businesses Investments between London and Houston

From July 7^th-July 15^th Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Greater Houston Partnership will visit London, England in order to market Houston, as a business and trade destination, including enhancing relationships between the City of Houston, the City of London and London based businesses considering investing in Houston. The Mayors efforts portray a cheap and innovative way to bring businesses to Houston. The Mayor has made similar visits in Mexico and Cuba. A pattern not followed by previous Mayors. During the trip, the Mayor gave this statement. “As key investors in the region, both the United Kingdom and Germany are important markets in our efforts to expand Houston’s economic and cultural reach around the world.”

After the trip, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Bob Harvey of the Greater Houston Partnership, will visit Istanbul, Turkey in order to accept the nomination  for Houston to host the World Petroleum Congress in 2020.

The Mayors plan to market Houston to other countries, highlights a way Houston can cheaply bring foreign business investments into Houston.

Houston's Holocaust Museum to Expand in Size.

Since 1996, Houston’s Holocaust Museum has been open to the public, and starting in October of 2017, construction will begin on an expansion of the museum. The museum’s expansion will make it the fourth largest Holocaust Museum in the country. The project will cost $33.8 Million and will double the size of the museum. The project will open a new wing of the museum, named the Lester and Sue Smith Campus, which will be 57,000 square feet in size. Some of the current exhibits will be temporarily relocated to 9220 Kirby Dr. in July. The new museum exhibit will open in early 2019. The expanded museum will include a new 200 seat theater and will also be LEED certified.

Houston’s cultural offerings continue to grow and expand.

Emancipation Park Opens After $33.6 Million Renovation

Emancipation Park is a park in the third ward, founded by freed slaves, in 1872. It has now opened after a $33.6 Million renovation. The park's renovation is designed by Phil Freelon, who has also designed the National Museum for African American History and Culture in Washington DC.



The 10 acre park has a LEED certified recreation center with classrooms, a health center, a basketball court, a new pool and a canopied plaza.



On June 17th and 18th, the park will host Juneteenth fest, in a grand reopening celebration. It will feature live music, family friendly activities and a parade.

Metallica Drummer Lars Ulrich says Houston is one of his Favorite Cities.

On June 11th, 2017 Metallica held a concert at NRG Stadium. In an interview taken before the concert, Lars Ulrich said Houston is one of his favorite cities between the two coasts.

"Houston is one of my favorite cities. There's a great thriving art scene here. All the things that I'm into are here in Houston,". Ulrich mentioned The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel as some of his favorite places to visit in Houston.

Here is a link to the video of the interview.

http://abc13.com/entertainment/lars-ulrich-houston-is-one-of-my-favorite-cities/2087209/

Houston Makes Wallethubs 10 Best Summer Destination List

Wallethub has released a list of the best summer destinations in America. Houston has made the top 10. The list factored in travel costs & hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, activities and safety. Out of 80 metro areas on the list, Houston made the top 10, coming in at number 7.

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-summer-travel-destinations/3792/

Mayor Sylvester Turner's State of Mobility Address.

Mayor Sylvester Turner gave his State of Mobility address yesterday. Among other things, he promoted Transit Oriented Developments and districts, inside and connecting to, Houston's multiple economic centers. He praised improvements along Lower Westheimer and praised the HOV lanes. He also addressed freight traffic. He addressed how he planned to fund this and ended his speech by saying that Houston needed to work with other cities in the metro in order to accomplish these goals.

Here is a link to the full speech

http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/stateofmobility2016.html

Happy Birthday Barbara Bush!

Happy Birthday Barbara Bush. Here is a picture of George H.W. Bush & Barbara Bush with our Mayor, Sylvester Turner!

Houston Photo Series #18

The Woodlands Waterway in The Woodlands, TX

Texas Salsa Congress to host Latin Beats at the Downtown Aquarium.

Texas Salsa Congress, an organization which hosts salsa concerts across Texas, will host a Latin Beats concert at the Downtown Aquarium every Friday throughout the summer of 2017. The concert is an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy salsa dancing and will help bring people Downtown and to the Downtown Aquarium.

HISD Proposition 1

On May 6^th, 2017, HISD Voters will vote to bail HISD out of required obligations to the state of Texas’s “Robin Hood” Policy. The choice is between allowing HISD to purchase attendance credits from the state or to allow for teacher layoffs, school closures and higher taxes. The choice is clear and while school finance needs reform, the least we can do on the local level is pass this proposition.

Downtown Houston Art Block Addition.

Houston’s Downtown Development District has been showcasing works of public art on Main Street Square. They now have a new art presentation coming in June but it is not what you expect.

The Downtown Development District will soon showcase something called “Sidewalk Cinema” designed by the Aurora Picture Show. The presentation consists of two vertical screens inside the windows of the Sakowitz garage on Main Street Square. The screens will play and repeat a video show called “Color Play”. The Downtown Development Districts art displayed on Main Street Square has been very entertaining and this is a welcome addition.

Houston's Pension Problem

Many big cities, like Chicago and Dallas, are currently being confronted with the issue of a large amount of pension debt. Houston is also a big city facing a large amount of pension debt. However, I am here to commend the city for doing something to solve the pension problem.

I am proud of Houston that it has taken on the challenge and now has a plan to pay off the pension debt.

Mayor Sylvester Turner has put forward a plan to resolve Houston’s pension debt problem.

Dallas has not been able to put forward a pension debt problem as there is so much disagreement in Dallas about how to handle it.

Houston has approved a pension plan with a 16-1 City Council vote.

The plan would not take any money away from those currently living on Social Security who formerly worked for the city. However, for those who are currently working for the city, there is a cap, at which point their pension payoffs stop. The current pension debt the city has will slowly be paid off over the next 30 years.

I understand that this is not a perfect plan but it is an attempt to solve the problem and I am proud that Houston is willing to tackle a big problem.

Houston Builds Temporary Wi-Fi Cell Installations during Super Bowl Weekend.

During the Super Bowl weekend, the City of Houston will deploy temporary cell installations which will improve Wi-Fi access for people in the area. The move is a smart preparation to make us an efficient Super Bowl host city. Mobilite; the largest privately held wireless infrastructure provider in the United States, will implement the installations. The installations improve wireless carriers, for example, they can carry a 4G connection into a 5G connection. The move is a smart precaution as we prepare for hosting many visitors during the Super Bowl weekend.