Bayou Brief: Ice Cream Boats, Olympic Breakdancing & Willie Nelson’s Texas

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: May 14, 2024

Recent Headlines

• HISD Students to Question Mike Miles at Public Event | Houston Landing – Just as the district announces controversial firings of principals, teachers, custodians and support staff, Superintendent Mike Miles will sit down with HISD seniors for a public conversation at a Houston Landing event on Monday, May 20, 2024.
• Houston Searches for a New Police Chief | Axios | Jay R. Jordan – HPD and Mayor Whitmire begin a search for a permanent police chief following Troy Finner’s abrupt resignation in the midst of an incident report scandal.
• Houston & Metro Break Ground on Westheimer | Houston Public Media | Patricia Ortiz – The six-mile stretch of Westheimer will see various improvements, beginning with summer construction through Montrose.
• Pride Houston 365 Announces Parade Grand Marshals | OutSmart – Seven Grand Marshals have been selected to lead Houston’s 46th Pride Parade on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
• Zoo Awaits New Elephant Additions | Chron.com | Ariana Garcia – A new baby elephant is on the way in 2024, plus Chuck arrives from the Denver Zoo in an exchange for 13-year-old Baylor.
• Pier 6 Team Reopening Fish Company Taco in Galveston | Houston Chronicle | Sonia Garcia – Pier 6 owner Raz Halili revives a popular Galveston spot just in time for summer.

Deep Dives

• River Oaks Theatre Return & Houston’s Arthouse Cinema | Chron.com | Craig Lindsey – As the River Oaks landmark gears up for a reopening, explore the community keeping Houston’s arthouse cinema alive.
• Mapping Willie Nelson’s Legacy in Texas | Houston Chronicle | Andrew Dansby – Fresh off the Red-Headed Stranger’s 91st birthday, the Chronicle examines his lasting legacy across his adopted home state of Texas.
• Houston Gardening Checklist: May | Houston Press | Lorretta Ruggiero – If you missed the early spring planting season, there’s still plenty more you can do to get your garden right before the summer truly arrives.

In Case You Missed It

• Houston Break Dancer Jeffro Seeks Olympics Spot | Houston Chronicle | Danielle Lerner – With breaking debuting as an Olympic event this summer, Houstonian Jeffrey “Jeffro” Davis will vie for the final spot on the US team at this weekend’s qualifiers.
• Texas Ice Cream Boat Sets Sail on Lake Conroe | Texas Highways | Layne Van Vranken – A husband-and-wife team hit the waters of Lake Conroe this summer as the first ice cream boat in Texas.
• Q&A: Houston Artist Tierney Malone on Celebrating Jazz Legacies | Defender | Aswad Walker – The artist, radio producer and storyteller puts a spotlight on jazz history and the contributions of ancestors to the art form.
• Middle Class Incomes in the Houston Area | CultureMap | Amber Heckler – An annual report lays out the income levels in cities across the Houston area that classify as “middle class.”

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