Plus: Everything you need to know for staying warm and safe this week
Good morning, Houston! ⛅ Enjoy this last day of warmth. High of 56; low of 44.
👇 Read on for everything you need to know ahead of the coming freeze.
Now here's Wednesday's news. |
|
|
The most expensive real estate in town |
Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: Since 2018, Houston has spent more than $15 million on right-of-way easements for more than 50 street, water line and drainage projects by buying directly from residents or through lawsuits. In the process, the purchases have created some of the most expensive real estate in the city. What are right-of-way easements? In simple terms, the right to use private land for public use. The city has had to purchase easements for a number of projects over the years, including repairing deteriorating roads, widening sidewalks and adding new drainage pipes. How much is the city spending on easements? The cost for easements can vary significantly. Over the past five years, some were less than $1 per square foot; others cost over $1,000 per square foot. The most expensive one was 153 square feet of land on West Bellfort in southwest Houston, obtained last year through a lawsuit. The price tag: $1,450 per square foot, totaling $222,000. Why do they cost so much? City officials base purchase offers on a variety of factors, including a property's location, the type of projects involved and the impact on the owner. The actual value of the land only accounts for a small percentage of the final price. The rest is meant to compensate the owner for any loss of value the sale or construction may cause. Read Yilun Cheng's full story on the city's spending here. |
After many miles and many gallons of gasoline and several days of eating kolaches, which isn't always so great on the stomach when done excessively, food writer John-Henry Perera has his definitive list of the eight best places serving kolaches and klobasniks in Houston. Get to know the judging criteria: "My flavor profile swings toward doughy bread, fluffy but with some heft; spicy and savory insides that fill up the whole pastry versus just a fraction of it; and fruity jams that aren't overly sweet," writes Perera.
Check out his list of favorite places here.
|
Gustavo Huerta / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: Temperatures are supposed to drop dramatically Thursday evening, dipping into the teens with winds of up to 30-to-40 mph. Here's what you need to know. Will the power stay on? ERCOT, the state's nonprofit grid operator, has advised generators to prepare for the cold and are saying they "expect adequate supply with reserves for the approaching cold weather conditions." We shouldn't get a repeat of 2021's power outages. Is it safe to travel? Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she doesn't expect the freeze to bring any major road interruptions or dangerous travel to the region. No precipitation is expected so roads should remain passable. Protect your pipes: Make sure outdoor pipes are protected with some type of insulation and leave your cabinet doors open to help keep indoor pipes warm. Residents inside the city of Houston are asked not to drip their faucets because this could strain the city's system and risk another water boil notice, officials said. Protect your pets: Bring your pets inside or somewhere else safe and warm. Not only is it humane, it's also illegal for pet owners to leave their animals outside in extreme weather conditions, including in temperatures below 32 degrees. Protect each other: Houston will have four warming centers open ahead of the freeze: Moody Community Center at 3725 Fulton, the Fondé Community Center at 110 Sabine, the Acres Home Multi-Service Center at 6719 West Montgomery Rd. or the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown. The HPD will also have a warming center open at 150 North Chenevert. You can find more info on warming centers here.
Wanna know how this freeze will compare to February 2021? Clare Fonstein sat down with Houston weather expert Matt Lanza to ask him about how abnormal a freeze like this is and what he expects from the coming Arctic blast. Read the full interview here.
|
Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
|
|
What did Houston Google this year? |
Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: Chronicle reporters turned to Google trends to find out what questions Houstonians had for the internet this year. Here are some of the key findings. 1. Houstonians struggled with pronouncing things. The top trending "how to pronounce" search was "how to pronounce Nguyen." Qatar, charcuterie, pho, and salmon also made it in the top five. 2. New restaurants piqued Houston's interest. When it came to eating out, new restaurants led Houston's trending searches. The top five included Flora, Juliet, Hamsa and Marmo. 3. Rap dominated Houston's music-related searches. That's unsurprising given the fact that, as a city, we listened to rap more than any other genre on Spotify this year. And, in our Google searches, we searched for rap nearly twice as much as any other genre in 2022. 4. Houstonians searched for libraries more than any other place in the country. Other trending "near me" searches included "early voting near me" (thanks election season!), "gas prices near me," "PNC bank near me," and "sex offenders near me."
Check out graphics reporter Anastasia Goodwin's full analysis of Houston Google trends here.
|
|
|
Need some meal inspiration for the cold days ahead? May I suggest you try your hand at making some of these soups? Cat DeLaura Cat.delaura@chron.com |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment