How a railroad changed everything: Exploring the history of Houston’s Asiatown
| February 13, 2026
asian American | asiatown | chinatown | Community | CULTURE | food & drink | food and drink | HARDGATE | HOUSTON LEAD STORY | HTX | IMMIGRATION | LIFESTYLE
In Houston’s Asiatown community, a sign outside of grocery store Welcome Food Center encourages patrons to “shop small, eat happy.” The front doors sport signs that spell out “shop well, live well” in Chinese and English letters. Many know this community as Chinatown—but what it’s called depends on the generation of the person speaking about […]
NASA’s Artemis II mission plans to take astronauts further than they’ve ever been
| February 12, 2026
It’s been over 50 years since astronauts have experienced the Moon’s gravitational pull. Apollo 17 accomplished the feat in December 1972, and now, a new group is set to follow in their footsteps this March. NASA’s Artemis Program—named after the Greek goddess Artemis, who is often depicted as representing the Moon—was designed to help create a permanent lunar presence.
It’s crawfish season! Here’s where to find the best crawfish in Houston
| February 12, 2026
crawfish | crawfish boil | FAMILY | food & drink | food and drink | HTX | HTX-hardgate | LIFESTYLE | THINGS TO DO
It’s the perfect time of year to discover the top spots for crawfish in Houston: Here’s our guide to the tastiest mudbugs in the city.
7 ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in DFW
| February 11, 2026
Affordability | Arlington | CULTURE | DALLAS | DFW | DFW Lead Story | DFW-hardgate | ENTERTAINMENT | FAMILY | fat tuesday | food & drink | food and drink | HOLIDAYS | king cake | LIFESTYLE | mardi gras | plano
From bar crawls and parades to authentic New Orleans’ Cajun food, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Mardi Gras in DFW.
“I have been here too long”: Read letters from the children detained at ICE’s Dilley facility
| February 11, 2026
2025 southern smoke festival | arts | child detainees | children | CIVIL RIGHTS | Community | deportation | DHS | Dilley Immigration Processing Center | FAMILY | HARDGATE | ICE | IMMIGRATION | LIFESTYLE | Local news | locals | mental health | mental health issues | national politics | News | south texas | teens | TEXAS | TEXAS POLITICS | The Department of Homeland Security
Hundreds of children are currently being held with their parents at an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas. In letters and drawings, eight kids convey the pain of feeling trapped with no end in sight.