Fire erupts at Deer Park plant.

Plus: Four arrested in Altuve home heist. Pappas is packing up at Hobby Airport. HISD weighs $15M in central office cuts.

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View in browser Get Unlimited Digital Access for 25¢! Support local, independent journalism. Subscribe Today. 🔍 Need to Know   Photo: Raquel Natalicchio, Staff Photographer Fire erupts at Deer Park plant. A fire at Shell Chemical sent dense black smoke into the Friday afternoon sky, raising residents' concerns. But officials attempted to dampen fears.   Four arrested in Altuve home heist. Three men and a woman are being held in the theft of about $1 million in watches and jewelry as Astros star Jose Altuve attended the March 30 opening day game.   Pappas is packing up at Hobby Airport. The restaurant chain is vacating next week after a state district judge denied a request Friday to remain as its legal case against the city proceeds.   HISD weighs $15M in central office cuts. The superintendent has already walked back plans to slash individual campus budgets by roughly $40 million after an outcry from trustees.   🗳️ Politics   Photo: Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Paxton falsely casts blame in Capitol brawl. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton's flawed blame game comes as lawmakers try to crack down on local Democratic prosecutors.   Abbott accused of racial politics. New York's mayor suggests Gov. Greg Abbott is racially motivated because he's picking cities that have Black leaders to send busloads of migrants north.   Ban would limit miscarriage care. Although the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is the most common method of abortion, it also is highly effective for early pregnancy loss.   💼 Business   Photo: Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News Ranchers sue ERCOT over wind farm. Ranchers say the state's power grid operator violated a 2021 law when it failed to void an application to connect the wind farm project to the Texas grid.   Small businesses confident of survival. In a Bank of America national survey of small business owners, including 250 in Houston, a majority said they are equipped to survive a recession.   🖼️ Get Out   Photo: Courtesy Of The Galveston Historical Foundation Plan for the Galveston Historic Homes Tour. History buffs will want to check out the tour's special events, which include special chef-prepared dinners in historic home sites.    Choir's season ends in 'Holy Smoke.' Sam Beam and his band, Iron & Wine, join the Houston Chamber Choir for "Holy Smoke and the Flame," a one-time concert Saturday night.   What's up with the loquat trees? A Texas A&M gardening expert offers tips and solutions for loquats and pittosporums that suffered during the freeze.   🏀 Sports   Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Photographer Astros look for an offensive punch. After a 2-4 homestand largely devoid of offense, Alex Bregman says Houston's hitters need to talk — and ideally figure things out — as a nine-game trip begins.   Aggies coach says QB competition is open. Coach Jimbo Fisher said he feels comfortable having two quarterbacks in Conner Weigman and Max Johnson.   Longhorn QB is primed for a big 2023. After a trying 2022 season, UT quarterback Quinn Ewers sheared his mullet and shaved his face. Now he's ready to start with a clean slate.    📝 Opinion   Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff Photographer Thumbs: Looking far into the future. [Editorial] The $9.7 billion rebuild of Interstate 45 is delayed until 2042, about the time Texas gets a trans governor. Also: Tilman Fertitta's white tigers are in the lab of luxury; bees wing it on a Delta flight.   Writing about gun violence is grueling. [Opinion] One editorial writer shares the experience of covering mass shootings and other acts of gun violence almost daily.       Get Unlimited Digital Access for 25¢ Support local, independent journalism. Act Now SALE ENDS MAY 15 | Cancel Anytime Unsubscribe  |  Manage Preferences  |  Privacy Notice Houston Chronicle 4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027 © 2023 Hearst Communications