This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱 Free March Madness Music Festival + ShotSpotter Squabbles

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Houston.

Chris Stomberg, Neighbor
|
(Patch Media)

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Chris, your host of the Houston Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Including updates on:

  • Free concerts coming to Discovery Green
  • The growing popularity of hybrid work
  • ShotSpotter auditory gun sensor controversies

But first, today's weather: Breezy with a shower; humid. High: 80 Low: 56.

🏘️ Looking to differentiate yourself from other real estate agents in Houston? Partner with the Houston Patch and gain access to a targeted, engaged audience through our premium newsletter sponsorships. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top stories in Houston today:

  1. The March Madness Music Festival will bring a handful of big names to Houston to perform free concerts at Discovery Green the weekend of March 31. Artists performing include Lil Nas X, Maggie Rogers, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, and Mickey Guyton. However, the concerts are only free with prior registration on the NCAA website. The registration link has yet to be posted but interested parties should watch closely to make sure they can catch a ticket. Furthermore, there's currently a link on the website that will notify you via text and email when registration goes live. Sign up to save yourself a spot! (KHOU.com)
  2. Statistics show that hybrid work looks to be the new normal for many businesses. An overwhelming 72 percent of employees surveyed by IWG (International Workplace Group) said they would prefer hybrid work even if a comparable office gig paid more. Additionally, 88 percent of those surveyed said that hybrid work was a leading benefit when applying for new work. However, it's not just employees who should be interested in the hybrid work model. Businesses can save tons too by reducing overhead costs from expensive office housing. In fact, recent data from IWG shows businesses can save up to $11,000 annually for every employee using the hybrid work model. (Houston Business Journal)
  3. Houstonians living near the Jones Superfund site told EPA representatives that they are fed up with the area being contaminated. More than two decades ago, the site was home to a dry cleaner that improperly disposed of hazardous materials. Consequently, soil and groundwater in the area became dangerous. While the EPA has used a soil vapor extraction system in the area to help remove contaminants and installed indoor exhaust systems in the shopping center where the dry cleaner used to do business, a recent study revealed that the area still poses potential dangers. City Commissioner Ramsey called for concrete dates moving forward, but EPA reps said providing dates is impossible due to their lack of knowledge on how much contamination the area has seen. (Houston Public Media)
  4. Gunshot detection systems provided by ShotSpotter Technology Inc. continue to be a subject of controversy as civil rights advocates argue the tool is both ineffective and used to target Black, Latino, and poor communities. ShotSpotter makes auditory sensors that monitor and detect gunfire in neighborhoods where the technology is installed. Recent statistics concerning the effectiveness of ShotSpotter led to the City of Houston approving a $3.5 million contract last month to continue business with the company. However, some say the statistics that led to this approval are evidence of ShotSpotter's ineffectiveness rather than their value. While the system led to an additional 1,043 offense reports being filed since 2020, only 20 percent of ShotSpotter alerts actually resulted in reports. As opposed to spending this money on ShotSpotter tech, civil rights advocates say the city could have used it for housing, infrastructure, public transportation, and other needs. Meanwhile, proponents of ShotSpotter say that anything we can do to reduce gun violence in Houston communities is worth the cost. (Chron)
  5. A man who shot up his ex-girlfriend's home twice yesterday was ultimately tased and caught by police at a gas station. Police first received a distress call from the ex-girlfriend around 4 p.m. after she reported a drive-by shooting. However, responding police who searched the area came up empty. Later that night, the perpetrator visited his ex-girlfriend's home again. However, this time he kicked in the front door and fired a weapon multiple times into her home. Investigators into the crime found where the suspect lived and waited for him to leave his home. Police eventually tracked him to a gas station and apprehended him while he filled up his truck with gas. A taser was used when the suspect began to resist arrest. Police found multiple guns inside the suspect's truck. Thankfully, no one was hurt during either of the shootings. (KTRK-TV)

Headlines you need to see:

  • Houston facing severe thunderstorms, possible tornadoes Thursday (Chron)
  • Report: Houston is the No. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. (Chron)
  • Houston delays vote on Hobby contract that would leave out Pappas (Houston Chronicle)
  • Stolen plants: Tree stealing suspect caught on video in Houston's Woodshire neighborhood on Stella Link (KTRK-TV)
  • TEA could take over Houston ISD next week, Mayor Sylvester Turner says (KHOU.com)

Today in Houston:

  • Concert: Muse w/ Evanescence & One Ok Rock at Toyota Center (6:30 p.m.)
  • Texas Independence Day Dinner at Goode Company Armadillo Palace (6:30 p.m.)
  • Theater: "Cullud Wattah" at Stages (7 p.m.)
  • Theater: "Drunk Shakespeare" at The Emerald Theater (7:30 p.m.)
  • Concert: Lauren Daigle at the Houston Rodeo (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Volkswagen is receiving criticism for refusing to track a vehicle stolen from one of their customers until she made another car payment. The customer in question had just been run over by the carjacker and her 2-year-old son was still inside the vehicle. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • LA County settled with Vanessa Bryant and her children for just over $28 million. Bryant's lawsuit against the county involved the release of untoward photos of her husband and daughter after the tragic helicopter accident that killed them. (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)
  • A Chinese college student created a silicone lip device so that long distance lovers might kiss. The device can be plugged into your phone and used alongside an app in order to send a kiss through the silicone lips. It currently runs for about $40. (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

Featured events:

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with another update. Friday cometh!

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Houston