Plus: A love story that continued after death and DNA testing kits for students.
Happy Monday, Houston! ☔ Fall is finally coming back. Expect some rain and for temperatures to cool off into the upper 70s. Let's get this week started. |
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.Michael Wyke / contributor |
If you read one thing: Kalera's 4.5-acre indoor farm in North Houston is providing local Trader Joe's and H-E-B grocery stores with lettuce as part of a burgeoning growth in vertical farming in Texas and around the world. How do vertical farms work? At a vertical farm like Kalera, over a dozen levels of vertically stacked trays filled with lettuce thrive in a steady supply of nutrient-rich water. Unlike greenhouses, the indoor farms rely on lights, not the sun, along with an elaborate system of sensors and artificial intelligence to cultivate the perfect environment. There are also no pests, weeds, or exposure to animal pathogens, such as salmonella or E.coli. What are the benefits of vertical farming? Vertical farms require about 97 percent less space than a standard farm and because there are no seasons can produce more crops year-round. The farming technique also allows communities, like Houston, to access more locally grown, sustainable produce. Houston gets most of its lettuce from out of state, which produces more greenhouse gasses and means Houstonians are eating older greens. What are the challenges of vertical farming? Most vertical farms aren't yet profitable, although Kalera's Houston facility is almost there, according to the companies chief marketing officer. The upfront cost to set up a high-tech farm like Kalera's is about $10 million. Electricity costs also eat into profits.
A lack of crop diversity is another hurdle, as many vegetables with longer growing times make profitability a challenge.
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A real life Nicolas Sparks story |
During the two decades of their marriage, "I love you more" was a watch word for Pam and Carl Lundberg, a term of endearment repeated countless times. After Carl passed away in April, Pam began finding notes from him scattered about the house. Then a furniture store called about delivering a new bedroom suite. Pam thought it was a mistake until the man on the phone read her the note her husband had dictated when he made the purchase: "Sleep well. Love you more." |
Kits to help identify students |
William Luther / San Antonio Express-News |
If you read one thing: Texas public school systems will distribute DNA and fingerprint identification kits for K-8 students to parents who wish to participate. Why are these being handed out? The state Legislature passed a law in spring 2021 requiring the Texas Education Agency to give inkless in-home fingerprint and DNA identification cards to each public school system in Texas. The cards are intended to be kept by guardians who can give them to law enforcement in order to potentially help find missing or trafficked children. What do people think of the program? Some families have found the program chilling, considering that police in Uvalde asked parents waiting to find out if their children had survived the May shooting to provide DNA samples to help identify the dead. "When you put it in light of Uvalde, it's one of the most macabre things you could think about," said Bob Sanborn, president of the nonprofit Children at Risk.
Last thoughts: "On one hand, I see the value in saying, 'Here's a tool you can have in case of potential threats,'" said Kenneth S. Trump, a national school security consultant. "But I think we need to be very cautious about crossing the line of do no harm to the point where we are creating more anxiety."
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
⛪ Church & politics: U.S. Senator Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, was the guest speaker at a Second Baptist Church Sunday service, during which Rev. Ed Young hailed Scott as the best candidate for president. (Houston Chronicle) 📉 Hiring shortages: The Texas child welfare agency is seeing the worst employment turnover since 2017. Employees say the agency's leaders are making it worse by failing to address the low salaries, dangerous working conditions and lack of managerial support that cause good employees to leave. (Houston Chronicle) 💲 Tax: The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court have agreed to attend a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate, potentially ending a monthlong impasse that has held up budgetary decisions for the county. (Houston Chronicle) ⚡ Energy: Interest in hydrogen energy projects has increased dramatically after Congress passed billions of dollars worth of hydrogen tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, clean projects that appeared too expensive to be commercially viable potentially make sense. (Houston Chronicle)
🌳 Cooling off: Areas like Gulfton that have a lot of concrete and little greenspace can get significantly hotter than other neighborhoods across Harris County. A new plan aims to help change that with a series of nature-based projects designed to reduce heat, mitigate flood and increase access to nature. (Houston Public Media)
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
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This weekend I discovered Houston Lake Park, which is an fantastic natural oasis only 30 minutes outside of town. If you haven't ever been, I highly recommend. Cat DeLaura cat.delaura@chron.com |
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