Let’s talk about some weird things happening in the Houston area. 

👮 A Houston man is facing prison for threatening the governor’s office over anime (yes, that’s right—over a cartoon). 

👀 Keep your eyes peeled for this strange, bright red cat spotted wandering League City. But before you go looking for Houston’s newest celebrity, rescuers are asking residents to admire this colorful cat from afar. Here’s why.

🚿 Concerns in Houston are growing over cyberattacks—on our water supply. How city water systems are being threatened across the country. 

🚀 Ever wanted to live on Mars? Now, NASA is recruiting for it, and you don’t have to be an astronaut to qualify.

A story worth sharing with your neighbor

The tops of thousands of beer cans affixed to the house sway in the sunlight, catching the eyes of passerbys. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

The tinkling of 50,000 flattened beer cans offers an unusual and temporary reprieve from the monotonous buzz of surrounding traffic in Houston’s Rice Military neighborhood. When you step onto the property of Beer Can House, you’re greeted by a sight that could only be something born out of H-Town: An 86-year-old bungalow covered in beer cans of various sizes, shapes, and brands. 

Houston is full of quirky surprises like this—some of them free to visit—that many simply drive past each day. In such a busy city, it can be hard to stop and see all of the historic monuments and institutions that make Space City what it is, so we’ve curated a list of the ten most essential Houston traditions to add to your bucket list

Houston’s food and art news

The dessert egg rolls at Dragon Bowl C come in four flavors: chocolate creme, apple pie, cheesecake, and strawberry.  (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

🍕 This Los Angeles pizzeria is making waves in Houston as they set to open a new restaurant location in Memorial City. (Chron) 

🪇 Mariachi Festival takes centerstage in Houston with performances from the next generation of Houston’s top mariachi artists. 

What’s on my plate 

🍫 Speaking of anime, the dessert egg rolls at anime-themed Conroe restaurant Dragon Bowl C are good enough to die for (but not to go to jail over)—make sure to ask for extra chocolate drizzle.

News about work and labor across Houston.

Workers in Houston united for better conditions and came out with material wins. (Staff reports/Courier Texas) 

🪧 The Texas City workers’ strike has come to an end after 42 days—here’s what they won.  (Houston Press) 

😴 City of Houston workers were caught dozing, fishing, and skipping work on the clock—and kept their jobs. Now, KHOU 11 is investigating to see what other city employees have gotten away with. (KHOU 11) 

🚨 Even though Houston has been through almost 3,000 layoffs this year, the local economy is being bolstered. Here’s how.    

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Anna Raj and edited by Joi Louviere. 

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