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Community Corner

🌱 Holiday Pet Safety + Family Horror Story + BBQ Bash

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

Chris Stomberg, Neighbor
(Patch Media)

Wake up, Space City! It's me, Chris, your humble servant of the Houston Daily — coming right back at you with the plug on what's happening. This wonderful Friday, we'll dive into:

  • Keeping your pet safe this Halloween.
  • A horror story fit for the season.
  • An upcoming barbecue bash.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sun. High: 85 Low: 65.

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Here are the top stories in Houston today:

  1. Halloween season has all kinds of Houstonians getting into costume, including pets; the SPCA shared a number of tips to keep your costumed companion safe during the celebration. Firstly, make sure your pet's costume fits properly and doesn't block their vision. If the costume causes your pet anxiety at any time, be a good friend and take it off for them. Before hosting a party or going out, double check that your pet's collar and ID tags are securely fastened. Lastly, make sure all treats are kept out of reach, ensure your Halloween decorations won't be trampled by your buddy, and be sure to give anxious pets attention to keep them calm during events. May the best pet costume win! (KHOU.com)
  2. Twin teenagers from the Cypress area walked door-to-door Tuesday morning barefoot and handcuffed as they looked for somewhere to take shelter from their abusive caregivers. After about 30 minutes of pleading for help from a nearby neighborhood, a woman let the boys into her home. She said, "They were so skinny and so frail. They just looked like they had been through a lot. They told me that their mom kept them locked in the laundry room, naked, zip tied from the ankles and handcuffed from the wrist." Later on, the twins also told investigators that their mother and her boyfriend had forced them to drink their own urine and had been locked in a laundry room without access to a toilet. The mother and boyfriend were arrested Tuesday evening on charges of felony injury to a child, and all seven of their children, including the twins, were taken into child protective services. (Houston Chronicle)
  3. Get your barbecue ready and call your local meat provider: the 5th annual Butcher's Ball is coming in November and barbecue fanatics across the state will be there to share their finest smoked meats. The event is known for bringing together farmers, ranchers, chefs, bartenders, and other culinary experts to provide an educational and informative space that's all about barbecue. Attendees can expect a hay ride around the property, some of the best barbecue they've ever tasted paired with a selection of cocktails, and an afterparty featuring live music. On Sunday, chefs will compete once more for the prized Golden Cleaver award. It's worth noting that the three previous winners are all chefs from H-Town as well. The Butcher's Ball will take place November 12-13 at Rockin' Star Ranch, just an hour outside of our beloved city. (Houstonia Magazine)
  4. At least one of the Astroworld tragedy lawsuits filed against Travis Scott, Live Nation, and others involved in the concert has been settled. The lawsuit in question involved the family of 21-year-old Axel Acosta whose cause of death was listed as "compression asphyxia". In other words, he was trampled and crushed by the crowd of over 50,000 bodies present at the concert. Acosta's family only learned about their son's death after seeing a picture of his body circulating around the internet. Axel's family reached a settlement deal with Scott though the exact terms of the deal remain confidential. (KPRC Click2Houston)
  5. Ever wondered why Houston doesn't see the beautiful change of color that the fall season brings in many other places? The green hue that leaves normally present is caused by the production of chlorophyll: a process by which plants turn sunlight into glucose that can sustain them. As temperatures cool down and days shorten, leaves are not able to perform photosynthesis as often. The end result is that leaves lose their regular green color and turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and brown instead. At least, that's what would happen if temperatures ever cooled down enough in Texas. If the moderate weather we are known for here has one drawback, it's the absence of fall colors. (KHOU.com)

Headlines you need to see:

  • 5 Houston area school districts, including Santa Fe ISD, awarded $1.3M federal grant to improve school safety (KPRC Click2Houston)
  • Houston approves $2.5 million for Jones Hall improvements as arts entities await decision on broader funding request (Community Impact Newspaper)
  • Korean Festival Houston takes place this weekend (KHOU.com)
  • Texas has had car-related deaths everyday for 22 years. TXDOT is looking to change that. (Houston Public Media)
  • Exterior design services company Transblue opens new Friendswood location (Community Impact Newspaper)

Today in Houston:

  • Houston Farmer's Market 80th Anniversary Pumpkin Patch (8 a.m.)
  • Southern Smoke Festival at Hermann Park (7 p.m.)
  • Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center (7 p.m.)
  • Steve Martin & Martin Short at Smart Financial Centre (8 p.m.)
  • The Riot Presents Friday Night Comedy at Rudyard's (11 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Income limits on tax brackets are going up as the IRS makes changes amid inflation. Sadly, all of the edits being made will apply for the 2023 tax year, not 2022. (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)
  • NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope has captured a new, highly-detailed view of a famous celestial spot called the Pillars of Creation. The dense clouds of interstellar gas and dust almost resemble the shape of a hand reaching out to grab the stars. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • The Astros defeated the Yankees last night for a second time in a nail-biting game that ended 3-2. Houston leads 2-0 in the series as the two teams prepare to face off at Yankee stadium tomorrow. (KPRC2 / Click2Houston via Facebook)

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Now you're armed with current events and ready to throw down in H-town! I'll be back in your inbox on Monday with your weekend in review. Peace ✌

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

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