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

Community Corner

🌱 Uvalde Police Chief Fired + Sneaker Startup + Project Artemis

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:

  • Uvalde Police Chief terminated.
  • Sneaker startup goes gold.
  • NASA launches project Artemis.

First, today's weather:

Humid with a thunderstorm. Then again, who really knows this week. High: 89 Low: 76.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Houston who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our Houston Daily readers to local businesses they need to know about. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top stories today in Houston:

  1. Uvalde Chief of Police Pete Arredondo was terminated by a unanimous vote from the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District's board of trustees. It is three months to the day from when the shooting occurred and 19 children, as well as two teachers. were killed. Arredondo has been facing extensive public backlash for refusing to allow police to enter the school grounds while an active shooter roamed rampant. Arredondo failed to attend the meeting despite his career being on the line. However, his lawyer did make an appearance, reading a 4,500 word-letter in which Arredondo's actions were defended and he was painted as a hero whose realistic decision-making saved lives. Nearly 400 officers were on the scene during the Uvalde shooting. Arredondo is one of two officers who were placed on leave for the incident and the first to lose his job in the aftermath. (ABC13)
  2. Houston company Amplify Energy has reached an agreement with businesses and residents of Southern California who were affected by a 13-mile oil spill for which they were responsible in late 2021. The amount or terms of the settlement is unknown, but Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher disclosed that all parties had reached a "reasonable and fair solution." Investigators involved in the case previously found that the pipeline that ruptured had been compromised as early as January 2021 after a cargo ship's anchor impacted it. Amplify Energy is currently engaged in lawsuits with two shipping companies for their roles in the spill. The energy company is also battling a misdemeanor count of illegally dumping oil after it was found that they failed to respond to eight leak detection alarms over a 13-hour period during the spill. (Houston Chronicle)
  3. Houston startup Tradeblock raised $8.9 million to build a better way for shoe fanatics to trade sneakers online. The company originally launched in 2020 with only 300 users and 5,000 listed shoes. However, over 1 million shoes have been listed on the website this year alone and it has helped along trades between at least 250,000 users. In an effort to reflect the diversity of the company's users, over 80 percent of Tradeblock's staff is made up of people of color. Company CEO Mbiyimoh Ghogomu said, "Black and brown communities have always been the backbone of the sneaker industry and sneaker culture. Showing those folks that they can be the owners and operators of this industry as opposed to just consumers is both a point of pride and a deeply rooted responsibility for everybody at Tradeblock." (The Business Journals)
  4. NASA's Project Artemis will launch a rocket in an effort to put humans on the moon once again this coming Monday, Aug. 29. A NASA news release stated, "The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The mission will demonstrate the performance of the SLS rocket and test Orion's capabilities over the course of about six weeks as it travels about 40,000 miles beyond the Moon and back to Earth." While the rocket launch is the main event, proceedings will also feature celebrity appearances from Jack Black, Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, and more. (CultureMap Houston)
  5. Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke defamed Gov. Greg Abbott after Texas' "trigger law," which effectively bans nearly all kinds of abortion across the state, went into effect today. O'Rourke said, "Reproductive health care is under attack in this state more than anywhere else in the country, probably more than anywhere else in the developed world, and there is one person responsible for that: Gov. Greg Abbott. There is one way to overcome this, and that is by beating him in this election on Nov. 8." A Houston family physician attending the event at which O'Rourke spoke said, "I can't believe that after everything we've gone through, we're now being told how to practice medicine. That's not the 'hero's welcome' that I was given in 2020 (during the pandemic)." (Houston Chronicle)

Headlines you need to see:

  • Houston ranks No. 2 in mail carriers being attacked by dogs (Laredo Morning Times)
  • More computer-controlled trucks coming to Interstate 45 (Houston Chronicle)
  • METRO's HOV Lanes to remain open permanently 7 days of week following 'successful' summer pilot program (KPRC Click2Houston)
  • Toddler reportedly shot himself in the hand at park in north Houston, police say (KPRC Click2Houston)
  • Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirms first case of monkeypox in Harris County Jail (KTRK-TV)

Today in Houston:

  • Friday Night Fever Salsa Dancing at M-K-T. (6 p.m.)
  • Houston Astros vs. Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park. (7:10 p.m.)
  • Jack Johnson and Ziggy Marley in Concert at the Woodlands Pavilion. (7:15 p.m.)
  • Film Screening: "Octopus' Garden" at The Menil Collection. (8:30 p.m.)
  • Singles Night Escape Room at Terror Isle. (8:45 p.m.)

This weekend in Houston:

  • Dungeons & Dragons with Circle of Barhaven at Darwin's Pub. (Sat. 6 p.m.)
  • Houston Astros vs. Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park. (Sat. 6:10 p.m.)
  • Comedy Show: Rachel Wolfson & Matt Edgar at Rudyard's Bar. (Sat. 7 p.m.)
  • Swedish House Mafia at Toyota Center. (Sat. 8 p.m.)
  • Houston Astros vs. Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park. (Sun. 1:10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • A Florida activist is trying to teach Texas legislators by taking advantage of recent legislation they passed that says schools are required to display signs with the national motto "In God We Trust" if they're donated or paid for by private donations. He is raising money to send a minimum of 300 signs to Texas schools which bear the phrase in Arabic. (Houston Chronicle via Facebook)
  • The Railroad Museum in Galveston is offering a new holiday tradition in the form of the Polar Express train ride. Tickets go on sale Nov. 11. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • A 1-year-old girl was found safe and sound after an AMBER alert was issued for her disappearance. Her biological mother was identified as a suspect in the disappearance and has since been taken into custody. (ABC13 Houston via Facebook)

Featured Kitty:

Bella is a 1-year-old domestic short hair available for adoption at the SPCA.

For whatever reason, I'm convinced she lives a double life as a secret agent.

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

Events:

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?

More from Houston