The results are in: The participants of the 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon are 100% faster than those of us who hung out on the couch this weekend.

All jokes aside, congrats to Zouhair Talbi for winning and setting a record in the men’s category in 2:05:45, and Calli Hauger-Thackery for winning the women’s category in 2:24:17.

Other things you can do in two hours:

🧺 Wash and dry a load of laundry

🎬 Watch a movie in theaters

🐔 Roast a whole chicken

🚗 Take a road trip to Galveston

🗳 Stand in line to vote (our personal favorite!)

Last week, I mentioned how it’s important to find hope in times of tragedy.

While voting and protesting are easy ways to make your voice heard and feel like you’re making a difference, I want to know what else is helping you keep your head up right now.

What’s giving you hope in 2026?

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We love sharing what Houston has to offer, and we want to show our appreciation. That’s why we’ve partnered with Good On Paper, an independent Houston bookstore, to give one lucky subscriber a $50 gift card.

Subscribers can enter by signing up here and can review the official giveaway rules at the link.

🤠 Saddle up: Rodeo season is almost here. Start narrowing down your must-see artists now and mark your calendar for Jan. 15, when tickets go on sale. Watch me break down the lineup.

😋 Celebrate Korean American Day on Tuesday by chowing down at one of these Korean restaurants in Houston. (Houston Eater)

📦 According to a new report from moving company U-Haul, Houston was the second-most-popular destination for people moving in 2025. (CultureMap Houston)

💰 Around 450 private schools have been approved to participate in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, a state fund that allocates $1 billion for families to spend on private education. Check out which Houston-area schools are on the list. (Houston Chronicle)

🗣 Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is speaking out after the fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota, calling for transparency, accountability, and answers as national outrage grows.

By Joey Held

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Born out of the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act of 2000, the month got its official designation in 2010, when President Barack Obama declared January to be “National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.” Since then, the federal government has continued to make presidential proclamations and issue executive orders against human trafficking.

According to Texas Health and Human Services, Texas has the second-highest number of reported sex trafficking cases across all US states. Dallas and Houston are among the top ten cities across the nation in sex trafficking case calls, with their large populations and proximity to the I-35 corridor making them easily accessible targets for bad actors dealing in trafficking. There are also an estimated 313,000 victims across Texas as a whole.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen with reporting by Joey Held. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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