🌱 Art Car Season Approaching + Non-Violent Police Training

Hey, friends! It's Wednesday in Houston and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Because community information is power! In today's briefing, you'll learn about these stories and more:

• A Coast Guard rescue and PSA
• Art Car show details
• The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act

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But first, today's weather: A thunderstorm in spots. High: 82 Low: 67.

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Business owners and marketers in Houston: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

1. The Coast Guard rescued six people from a sinking vessel off of the Texas coast near Freeport this past Sunday. Thankfully, the boat had a reliable way of communicating with Coast Guard members onshore. The Coast Guard first received a distress signal from the 32-foot-long vessel's captain claiming that three dewatering pumps on the ship had stopped functioning. As the boat sank, the six passengers equipped life vests and boarded a life raft. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard sent a boat crew that eventually met up with and rescued the passengers from their life raft. While all ended well this time, the Coast Guard is reminding boat owners that this story could have turned out very differently if it weren't for the boat's reliable communication equipment. Communication Unit Controller and Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Downes said, "Every second matters during an emergency on the water, and a marine radio can be a direct lifeline for you and everyone on your boat."(Chron)
2. The annual Houston Art Car show returns this year from April 6-16 with a number of events for families and friends of all ages to enjoy. Over the course of the festival, attendees can expect to experience festivals, parades, a ball, and the glory of gazing upon over 250 "mobile masterpieces." Among the 250 cars featured, 100 of them are completely new! The flagship parade event happens on April 15 at 2 p.m. as the art cars gather to move down Allen Parkway and through downtown Houston. However, art car enthusiasts can enjoy other gatherings like the wildly costumed art car ball, the main street drag mini-parades, and more. For all the details, check the link. (Houston Chronicle)
3. A press conference at City Hall yesterday saw Houston officials praise coming federally funded de-escalation training for local law enforcement. The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act will provide $124 million in federal funding over the next four years to provide local law enforcement with the tactics and training necessary to handle situations non-violently. Previously, the death of George Floyd in 2020 led to Mayor Sylvester Turner, other Houston-area leaders, and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn meeting to discuss how law enforcement might prevent a similar event from occurring in the future. Mayor Turner said, "We have to come up with best practices on how to deal with people when they're facing mental behavioral health issues. We're attempting to do that and this [funding] will help us out quite a bit." (Houston Public Media)
4. Harris County leaders voted yesterday on a multi-million-dollar apprenticeship program that will give Houston residents a leg up in learning new skills. Specifically, the program will provide funding for over 1,000 people to train in apprenticeships and learn skills that are in demand currently. County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said, "Under this proposal over the next two years, a lot of people are going to get opportunities that they would not have gotten." The program offers a total of $13.6 million in advanced training openings. Interested job seekers don't have to wait long either. Applications for the program will become available next month. (KTRK-TV)
5. Local exotic animal rescue Houston Underground Animals is being overwhelmed with animal surrenders and needs help finding new exotic animal owners. While the rescue has typically received anywhere from three to five animals a month over the past couple of years, in recent months those numbers have risen to anywhere between 30 to 40 animals. The majority of the creatures are bearded dragons, leopard geckos and guinea pigs. That being said, they've also taken in monkeys, mountain lions, peacocks, and other exotic animals that aren't venomous. Store owner Louie said that his most common exotic animals became popular to adopt during the pandemic, however, the fallout of that adoption boom is now taking place. (Houston Chronicle)

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Headlines you need to see:

• Mattress Mack launches 'voting integrity' reporting site (Chron)
• Gambling in Texas: Astros, Rockets, Texans, others want mobile wagering legal (The Business Journals)
• Houston-born rapper Riff Raff has started an OnlyFans account (Houston Chronicle)
• Guns N' Roses bringing world tour to Houston, San Antonio in September (KPRC Click2Houston)
• Boot Barn getting you Rodeo-ready with hats, boots, buckles, clothing and more | Houston Life (KPRC Click2Houston)

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Today in Houston:

• Dungeons & Dragons with Circle of Barhaven at Darkhorse Tavern (6 p.m.)
• Concert: Loopy the "Departed" Tour at Last Concert Cafe (7 p.m.)
• ROE (Presented by Stages) at the Gordy (7:30 p.m.)
• Cirque Du Solei presents Kooza Under the Big Top at Sam Houston Race Park (7:30 p.m.)
• Musical: "Moulin Rouge" at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (7:30 p.m.)

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Featured Kitty:

Ife is a 2-year-old Domestic Short Hair available for adoption at the SPCA.

He might appear intense, but this kitty is guilty as charged for being too cute.

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From my notebook:

• United Airlines has a new seat map feature that will help families with young children find seats together for no extra charge. The new family seating policy is an effort to assuage U.S. passenger concerns over seating that separates parents from children. (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
• Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez won't be swinging a bat anytime soon due to his hand injury flaring up once again. Medical experts say that the easiest and best solution to the problem is simply rest. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• An Ohio pizzeria that put out a Help Wanted sign is drawing social media attention 🍕. The sign mentioned looking for "Non-stupid workers." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!