Bayou Brief: DJ Screw, A Parking Lot Cemetery & Cowboy Bob

In our weekly Bayou Brief series, we curate some of the latest headlines, longform stories and other noteworthy pieces that help you explore the ever-changing world of Houston from our wide-ranging media landscape.

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Bayou Brief: June 25, 2024

Recent Headlines

• How Homeownership is Changing in Houston & Harris County | Urban Edge | Stephen Averill Sherman – A new Kinder Institute report examines the state of housing in the Harris County region, and the decreasing affordability for many residents.
• METRO Shelves University Line BRT Project | Houston Public Media | Adam Zuvanich – The East-West corridor was slated to connect Greater Houston communities and major destinations.
• Houston Zoo Administers First-Ever mRNA Vaccine for Elephants | Houston Public Media | Pili Saravia – Tess, the Zoo’s 40-year-old Asian elephant, received the first-ever elephant herpesvirus vaccine, developed at Baylor College of Medicine.
• Six Flags & Cedar Fair Announce Merger | Community Impact | Shaheryar Khan – The parent company of Schlitterbahn will merge with Six Flags to create an amusement park powerhouse.
• Electricity Demand in Texas Expected to Nearly Double by 2030 | Texas Tribune | Emily Foxhall, Kayla Guo – The electrification of Permian Basin companies, crypto mining and data centers powering artificial intelligence has raised expectations for future demand.
• City Report Shows 11th Street Successes | Axios | Jay R. Jordan – A City of Houston draft report shows key safety goals achieved after the transformation of 11th Street in the Heights.

Deep Dives

• The Slow Life & Fast Death of DJ Screw | Texas Monthly | Michael Hall – As DJ Screw Day approaches (June 27), this dispatch from April 2001 talks to the family and friends of the Houston legend in the weeks following his death, exploring his story and lasting legacy.
• Relive the Rockets’ 1994 Championship in Front Pages | Houston Chronicle | Greg Rajan – Peer through the front pages of the Chronicle as it documents the Rockets’ run to its first-ever championship, secured on June 22, 1994.
• A Look at 1924 in Houston | Houstonia | James Glassman – The Houstorian takes a look at the consequential year that birthed some of the Houston landmarks we know today.

In Case You Missed It

• Bob Kahla, the Cowboy Poet from Chambers County | Houston Landing | Céilí Doyle – A poet, wrangler, horse trainer and substitute teacher, “Cowboy Bob” shares his insights and history in Texas.
• 21 Years Ago, Lawrence v. Texas Decriminalized Homosexuality | Chron.com | Brittanie Shey – The 1998 case, which originated in Harris County, ruled that laws criminalizing homosexuality were unconstitutional.
• Meet the Mayor of Montrose, Dennis Beedon | Houston Press | Sam Byrd – The longtime fixture in Houston’s LGBTQ community earned the nickname, stemming from his community service work during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• New Book Details the History of Houston’s Chinatown | Houston Chronicle | Hana Ikramuddin – Zen Zheng’s new book explores the expansive history of Chinatown from its beginnings near Downtown to the sprawling area southwest of Houston.
• A Spring Branch Cemetery Inside a Parking Lot | Chron.com | Gabi De la Rosa – The historic 19-grave cemetery can be found on Long Point Road, sharing space with an auto shop.

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