Plus: Biden's immigration policies and more delays in city waste services.
Good morning, Houston! ☀️ It will stay sunny today with highs in the mid-80s.
⚾ Happy first day of the Astros' playoffs to those who celebrate! They'll be going head-to-head with the Seattle Mariners this afternoon. Here's what to know about how to watch.
It's Tuesday. And it's the last day you can register to vote before the November election! |
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A tattoo that doesn't last |
Jon Shapley / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: For those scared of the lifetime commitment associated with tattoos, the new-to-Houston parlor Ephemeral Tattoo offers "made to fade" tattoos that look like permanent ones, but fade in 9 to 15 months. What is Ephemeral Tattoo? The business began in Brooklyn but has since expanded to four other locations — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and now Houston. The business's founders all come from immigrant households where tattoos were considered "taboo." How does the "made to fade" tattoo work? The ink Ephemeral Tattoo uses is made of bio-absorbable polymer that shrinks over time until it's small enough for your body to break down and get rid of. The development for the ink began in 2014, when Ephemeral's founders were studying and teaching engineering at New York University and took seven years to complete. Who is getting Ephemeral tattoos? Most of the people the shop tattoos are first-timers, and the tattoos are usually small and simple, like words, motivational phrases or animals. The tattoo process is similar in pain to a normal tattoo but usually takes longer than a tattoo that uses traditional tattoo ink. But don't expect a discount just because the tattoo won't last. Prices range from $195 to $550, depending on the size and amount of detail. |
ELECTION QUESTIONS, ANSWERED |
Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
Today is the last day to register to vote. Find an application here if you still need to register. The next deadline is for those looking to vote by mail. Make sure your local election official has your application by Oct. 28. How do you request a mail-in ballot? Print and fill out an application here. Then either drop it off in person before the start of early voting or mail it according to instructions on the application. What should you do to avoid problems with your ID on your mail ballot application? If you have them, put both your drivers' license number and the last four of your Social Security number on your application to ensure the county has at least one file that matches. |
What are Biden's border policies? |
Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News |
If you read one thing: Texas Republicans keep blaming President Joe Biden for the current issues at the border and a record surge in migration, but what has Biden actually changed in his nearly two years in office? Here's a look at where immigration policy stands. Dismantling former President Donald Trump's policies: The Migration Policy Institute estimates Biden has undone about 100 of Trump's immigration actions. The most significant is perhaps the ending of the so-called "remain in Mexico" program that sent asylum seekers back to Mexico to await court decisions on their applications for protection. COVID expulsions continue: Despite Biden's attempt to roll back the program, a COVID-era public health order that has been used to turn away migrants at the border remains in place. The Biden administration has used it to turn away tens of thousands of migrants at the border each month, including more than 73,000 times in August. Speeding up asylum, slowly: Under a new policy, asylum officers can now adjudicate cases on the border in a matter of months, rather than having asylum seekers wait years for their claims to be heard in courts. But it's off to a slow start. Just 99 people have completed interviews with asylum officers, while only 24 of those were granted asylum. The rest had their cases sent back to the courts. Away from the border: Immigration experts say much of Biden's immigration accomplishments have happened away from the border. For example, the administration is processing green cards at a much faster rate than under Trump and recently announced it was doubling the amount of time to 24 months that expiring green cards will remain valid if their holders file to renew them.
The administration is also modernizing the immigration court system by allowing applications and other documents to be submitted online.
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
⛪ Housing: The Church of the Redeemer in the East End has been revived as an affordable rental housing project. It opened in March, but you can see it on the 2022 Eastwood Historic Home Tour this weekend. (Houston Chronicle) 🏫 School: After being the subject of a district investigation for several months, Bellaire High School's popular principal Michael McDonough plans to resign, according to the Houston ISD school board agenda. (Houston Chronicle) ⛽ Oil & Gas: Gasoline prices surged past $3 a gallon in Houston for the first time in weeks after OPEC last week moved to cut oil production. Meanwhile, gasoline inventories in the U.S. had fallen by nearly 5 million barrels as of Wednesday. (Houston Chronicle) 🌎 Environment: Christian Menefee is Harris County's youngest and first Black elected county attorney. He's also become one of the most visible and vocal local officials fighting pollution in the Houston area. (Texas Observer) 🚧 Construction: Expect more traffic headaches at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport in October and November as more lane closures are expected to allow electrical work to be done underground in anticipation of expanding the airport's international terminal. (Houston Public Media) |
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Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: The city of Houston has said yard waste collection will be interrupted this week, while recycling services will likely see delays as the Solid Waste Management Department continues to see staffing shortages. What services won't be available? Yard waste services won't be available through Oct. 17 and possibly beyond. Instead, residents should dispose of their yard waste at one of the six Neighborhood Depositories. In addition, residents should leave their recycling bins at the curb for more than one day, as recycling services experience further delays this week. Why are these delays and disruptions happening? The number of employees at Solid Waste has dropped to its lowest level in decades. In the first half of 2022, the department only had about 390 full-time staff members, compared to 439 in 2016. At least another 10 new vacancies occurred in the past one and half months. Why does the city have a staffing shortage? Competition from private companies is hampering the city's ability to retain employees.
For example, city drivers make an average base salary of $41,550, while those driving for Walmart make up to $110,000 in their first year with the company.
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Did you know there's a Houston teenager who's vying for a seat in Formula 1? To be fair, he's still only racing in Formula 3, so he may have a while to go before he appears on any Drive to Survive episodes, but in the current grid line up, he'd be the only American driver. As a Texan and an F1 fan, it would be pretty great to cheer for someone from the Lone Star State. Cat DeLaura cat.delaura@chron.com |
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