🌱 NASA Lights Up Before Launch+ Food Truck Burglar

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:

• Lightning strikes the launch pad of Project Artemis.
• The gubernatorial race is nearly neck and neck.
• A food truck thief in North Houston.

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First, today's weather:

Humid with a thunderstorm. High: 85 Low: 77.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

1. Lightning struck the area of NASA's Project Artemis launch pad five times this weekend, but Monday's launch is still a go. The lightning connected with 600 ft. tall lightning-protection towers surrounding the rocket. NASA's senior test director said, "Clearly, the system worked as designed." Project Artemis has been delayed by setback after setback due to fuel leaks and other faulty equipment. Despite NASA's best attempts to address these issues over the past months, engineers apparently won't be certain everything's up to snuff until hours before launch. Here's to hoping we see a rocket fly today. (KHOU11)
2. The gubernatorial race is picking up steam as we continue to approach election day, and poll experts say this year will be closer than ever. Though incumbent Greg Abbott held a double-digit lead at the beginning of the year, that gap has since closed to single digits. Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said, "Beto O'Rourke and his campaign have put the fear of God into Abbott that he could lose this if he doesn't do everything right." Abbot spent this last Saturday going door-to-door to visit neighbors in the Richmond area. Meanwhile, O'Rourke continues to focus his campaign around the hot topics of gun regulations and abortion. (ABC13)
3. The HPD held their first hiring exhibition at Discovery Green this past Saturday. Hundreds of applicants showed up to learn more about open opportunities within the 45 divisions that make up the HPD. Many of these divisions were on display at the event including SWAT, Bomb Squad, a K-9 officer, mounted patrol men, Special Operations, and more. Police Chief Troy Finner claimed, "It's truly one of the greatest agencies in the nation and definitely the greatest city in the nation." It's hard to say for sure how Houston's finest might compare to police from other cities, but I wholeheartedly agree that H-town can't be beat. The HPD is seeking to fill hundreds of positions as an older generation of officers retires. (KPRC Click2Houston)
4. A CDC reports shows that the life expectancy of Texans dropped by 2 years in 2020. The largest cause for the sudden drop is due to the COVID-19 pandemic which is the third leading cause of death in the Lone Star State. A number of other states saw life expectancy rates drop a similar amount including Louisiana, Arizona, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey. Notably, New York was the only state to see a life expectancy drop of over 3 years. On the whole, the metric is a good indicator of which states were most heavily effected by the pandemic. (CW39)
5. A man is wanted for the robbing of at least 12 food trucks in North Houston as yet another truck was mugged this past weekend. Video surveillance by taco truck El De La Barbacoa caught the man's full face on camera as he pointed a sawed-off shotgun. Taco truck owner Jose Sanchez posted the video online to comments from other food truck owners that they had been robbed by the same individual. Sanchez said, "We called the cops, and the cops told us if we see him, take him down. It'll be easier. So if he comes back, we will pop him." The suspect in question is a young Hispanic man likely between 18 to 24 years old. (KTRK-TV)

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Headlines you need to see:

• Jamil Early Syrie Jr. charged in the murder of 17-year-olds Cameron Allen, Dillon Denman during pool party in north Harris County (KTRK-TV)
• Thousands of Houston high school students flock to NRG for HBCU STEM recruiting fair (Houston Chronicle)
• Deputy finds goats munching on paperwork after leaving car door open (FOX 26)
• Couple gifted with honeymoon to Italy by Olive Garden following viral engagement photo shoot (FOX 26)
• Moderna sues Pfizer, BioNTech over COVID-19 vaccine patents (CW39)

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Today in Houston:

• Italian for Beginners at The Italian Cultural and Community Center (9 a.m.)
• Family Story Time at the West University Scout House (10 a.m.)
• Dungeons & Dragons with Circle of Barhaven at Richmond Arms (6 p.m.)
• Suicideboys Grey Day Tour at 713 Music Hall (7 p.m.)
• Comedy Bath House at The Secret Group (8 p.m.)

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From my notebook:

• The newly minted "National Cinema Day" will offer theater ticket prices of $3 at cinemas across the nation. September 3 will be your chance to catch a movie at the lowest price you've ever paid for a ticket. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• A Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million, setting a new record for the most expensive sports memorabilia. The previous record was set just months ago by a soccer jersey that was purchased for $9.3 million. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
• A Houston man who was evicted from his home shot and killed three others while setting fire to nearby homes. Responding officers ended up killing the man at the site of the crimes. (FOX 26 Houston via Facebook)

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Featured Pupper:

Lady is a five-month-old border collie up for adoption at the SPCA.

Aren't those heterochromatic eyes beautiful?

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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 ✌