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Community Corner

🌱 M16 Care Package + Shed Baby

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. Today, we'll look at:

  • New cutting-edge medical technology.
  • A surprise assault rifle delivery.
  • A crime that left a baby abandoned.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 89 Low: 66.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

  1. A property in Aldine home to vermin, crime, and dangerous meth labs is being cleared thanks to the combined work of Harris county agencies. The property in question was reported to the nuisance abatement program in 2016, but the abundant trash dumped on the lot prevented anyone without access to heavy machinery from clearing it. Precinct 2 commissioner Adrian Garcia said, "Most of these sites tend to be crime magnets. They tend to attract the most unhealthy and unsafe circumstances that a community can bear." Misery loves company, after all. (KTRK-TV)
  2. A father in Livingston abandoned his child in a stranger's shed before stealing a nearby car and driving off. Homeowner John McClain found the baby in his backyard when he let his dog out later the same morning. It would later be discovered that the 8-month-old girl had a broken leg: likely a result of her father crashing a truck in another part of town. After finding the young girl, John said of the baby, "We wrapped her in a towel, took her to the porch. She showed comfort, smiled, and we didn't know she was injured, she just fell asleep." The innocence of youth is a wonder to behold. (FOX 26)
  3. A Houston couple experienced the life of Tony Montana when a dozen fully-automatic M16s were found in a load of military surplus equipment they purchased. Not knowing what else to do with the guns, the couple reported the weapons to Houston police who had ATF and FBI agents seize the rifles within the hour. Federal officials are dumbfounded regarding how the weapons ended up in the sold surplus crates. The company that sold the crates has currently halted all sales as they conduct an internal investigation. Meanwhile, police are attempting to identify who's responsible for the federal crime of shipping military-grade weapons across the country. (KTRK-TV)
  4. Houston firefighter Jason Belin almost saw his career end overnight when his heart nearly stopped while on the job, but a revolutionary new pacemaker has allowed him to return to work as if nothing happened. The newly developed technology is called a leadless pacemaker as it has no wires. Dr. Khashayar Hematpour with Memorial Hermann explained that traditional pacemakers have extended reliability problems, saying "At some point, the sheer, just the mechanical stress on the wires will make them fracture or become defective." The new leadless pacemakers suffer no such drawback, however, they have yet to be perfected. Currently, leadless pacemakers are only usable in one chamber of the heart. Thankfully for Jason Belin, it's the chamber he needed help with. (KHOU.com)
  5. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has been investigating families seeking gender-affirming care for child abuse since February under Gov. Greg Abbott's command, however, the Supreme Court of Texas claimed the investigations were unfounded. Now, the families of those involved are awaiting a looming legal battle over providing their children with the care they desire. Eight families in total were investigated before the operation came to a close for the time being, and no incidents of abuse were found. Families of trans youth who wish to avoid the possibility of groundless child abuse investigations can find security by joining PFLAG. To learn more, visit pflag.org. (Houston Public Media)

Headlines you need to see:

  • Houston left off New York Times' 'Best Restaurants List' (Houston Chronicle)
  • Omicron Bivalent Boosters Are in Houston: What You Need to Know (Houstonia Magazine)
  • Millions being invested into project along Buffalo Bayou in east Houston (KHOU11)
  • Man accused of killing brother during fight about moving car in the Heights, HPD says (KTRK-TV)
  • Escapology escape rooms opening this fall in Cypress (Community Impact Newspaper)

Today in Houston:

  • Dungeons & Dragons at Rudyards (6 p.m.)
  • Core-focused yoga at Discovery Green (6:30 p.m.)
  • Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Minute Maid Park (7:10 p.m.)
  • My Chemical Romance at Toyota Center (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • NASA crashed one of its spacecraft into an asteroid in order to test safety measures against the threat of a big comet headed for Earth. If you've seen "Don't Look Up", you already know its a fruitless defense. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • A gunman in Russia killed 13 people, including seven children, and wounded 21 others at a school. The culprit committed suicide before police could apprehend him. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • Police are investigating a crash between a Waller ISD school bus carrying 28 students and an 18-wheeler. No major injuries were reported, and initial findings reveal that the 18-wheeler driver was at fault. (FOX 26 Houston 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 tomorrow. Peace ✌

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