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Community Corner

🌱 Women And Child Safety Act + Rodeo Food Musts

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

Chris Stomberg, Neighbor
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(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. Including news about:

  • A fraud guilty contracting company that has done millions in business with the city
  • A potential ban on abortion-related information
  • What to eat at the Houston Rodeo

But first, today's weather: Patchy morning fog. High: 85 Low: 69.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

  1. Sugar Land business owner Sudhakar Kalaga, 56, of KIT Professionals pleaded guilty to committing fraud against a private company yesterday. Kalaga came clean about submitting fake bids under fake company names to make his own company's bids more appealing. Kalaga immediately stepped down from his position as president of the company when he was charged with the crime. However, KIT Professionals has also won over $55 million in contracts from the Houston government since 2008. In addition, Kalaga has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Houston officials since 2007. City Attorney Arturo Michel said that the city of Houston is working to identify its KIT contracts in order to remove them from ongoing work. Kalaga now owes $250,000 in fines and will face a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison. (Houston Chronicle)
  2. Rep. Steve Toth of Conroe filed a bill called the "Women and Child Safety Act" which seeks to make internet service providers (ISPs) ban all abortion-related information across Texas. Mincing no words, the bill reads that ISPs must "make every reasonable and technologically feasible effort to block Internet access to information or material intended to assist or facilitate efforts to obtain an elective abortion or an abortion-inducing drug." Furthermore, the bill would allow for lawsuits to be filed against those who maintain websites that provide this information. Seth Chandler, a professor with the University of Houston Law Center, believes the bill will see heavy pushback. However, he also claims that the bill takes "maximum advantage of recent Supreme Court decisions" and will require its opponents to be well versed in legal matters in order to stop it. (KPRC Click2Houston)
  3. Don't know what to eat at the Houston Rodeo? Take a look at the 2023 Gold Buckle Foodie Award winners to make your decision as easy as pie. The Rodeo has named Gold Buckle winners for the past 15 years in order to honor present food vendors and highlight the best dishes available that year. That being said, the award comes with six categories, so we hope you come hungry. In 1st place for fried food was The Original Mineapple Pie's Deep Fried Cookie Dough, 1st place for food on a stick was Pickle Pizza on a Stick from Swain's Pizza on a Stick, and 1st place for classic fair food was the OG Trill Burger from Trill Burgers. In addition, the Deep Fried BLT from Texas Sized Pizza/Burger & Chili Shack won Most Creative Food, Brad's BBQ Sundae from Saltgrass Steakhouse won best new flavor, and the Deep Fried Bread Pudding from Cajun Cowboy won best dessert. Good luck eating it all in one sitting! (KHOU.com)
  4. Business owners in the Heights off of 11th Street are complaining that new pedestrian and biker friendly road construction is losing them customers. Dany Ou of Bakery Donut Fresh Bake Daily said that she's noticed less customers since about a month ago. She's sold doughnuts and kolaches from her bakery for 26 years, but the new construction makes driving to her shop a pain. Ou said, "I lose business everyday cause of the left-hand lane for the customer that doesn't know us. At least 20-25 percent every day." The left-hand lane she refers to is the inability of drivers heading eastbound down 11th to turn left into her parking lot. This new development is a direct result of a median constructed at the intersection. However, Houston Transportation Planner representatives claim that the intersection was a hotspot for crashes. They also say that the city is monitoring traffic data and sales tax revenue changes to determine if anything else need be done. (KPRC Click2Houston)
  5. Flamin' Hot Cheetos are absolutely everywhere at the Houston Rodeo this year, but Rodeo organizers say the Flamin' Hot craze has been a growing trend for some time. Dominic Palmieri of Ray Cammack Shows (RCS), the company RodeoHouston contracts to produce the carnival, said that the snack was such a popular addon to rodeo food items in previous years that he was buying every bag he could find at grocery stores. Nowadays, his company receives industrial-sized bags from Frito-Lay to ensure they've got enough Cheetos to glaze every food item they can imagine. Some of the Hot Cheetos items present this year include a Hot Cheetos float, Hot Cheeto Cheese Pickles, the Big Daddy Cheeto Cheese Corn Dog, and the Flamin' Hot Cheeto Corn on the Cob that started the whole trend. Just remember, they're dangerously cheesy. (Chron)

Headlines you need to see:

  • Texas leads nation for best gas prices after 2022 oil surge (Chron)
  • Ron DeSantis proclaims Texas, Florida partners against "woke" left in Houston speech (Victoria Advocate)
  • Man calls his mother instead of 911 for help after being shot twice on Watonga Boulevard in northwest Houston (KTRK-TV)
  • One of two executions scheduled in Texas this week involves man convicted for four Harris County murders (Houston Public Media)
  • 'American Idol' judge Lionel Richie to stop in Houston with Earth, Wind and Fire at Toyota Center (KTRK-TV)

Today in Houston:

  • Dungeons & Dragons with Circle of Barhaven at Rudyards (6:30 p.m.)
  • Movie: Steven Spielberg's "The Last Days" at the Holocaust Museum of Houston (6:30 p.m.)
  • Houston Rockets vs. Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center (7 p.m.)
  • Concert: Silversun Pickups at the House of Blues (8 p.m.)
  • Concert: New Kids on the Block at the Houston Rodeo (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Houston is inheriting a brand-new public library with a larger-than-life mascot. Rexy, a 22-foot tall, 42-foot-long T-Rex model will welcome guests to the new knowledge center. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • Chris Rock performed his first stand-up special since the electric Oscars smackdown last year. Rock commented on newly woke culture, the ease with which people take offense nowadays, and how he took Will Smith's punch like Manny Pacquiao. (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)
  • A woman who was volunteering at a reptile farm in New Braunfels stole an alligator egg and raised the hatchling until it was nearly as big as her. Texas Parks & Wildlife picked up the gator from her backyard earlier this week, issued her a citation, and reminded everyone that "Alligators don't make good pets." (KHOU 11 News via Facebook)

Featured Kitty:

Dot is a 2-year-old Domestic Short Hair available for adoption at the SPCA.

I can't imagine how she got that name.

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday. Catch you tomorrow.

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

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