Convenience Big Store: Katy ISD bans 14 more books, including Dr. Seuss title

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Avatar the police horse is retiring in the most heart-warming way possible

Here's a feel-good story to kick off your week:

Beloved police horse Avatar is retiring after years of service to the community, my colleague Hana Ikramuddin reports.

The equine cop dutifully served the Houston Police Department for nearly half a decade before medical issues forced him to retire early, but don't fret. Avatar is retiring in what honestly sounds like horse heaven.

Avatar will live out the rest of his days at Henry's Home Horse and Human Sanctuary. "The sanctuary will work to offer him a place where he can roam around freely in the pasture and spend time with other horses," Hana writes.

Among the other horses is Admiral, a fellow former cop who retired in 2019.

I don't know about you guys, but the mental image of two retired horse cops clomping around an animal sanctuary together warms my heart. Maybe they'll swap stories of their time on the beat? I like to think so.

I'd like to issue a personal thank you to Avatar for all his hard work keeping the community safe, and I truly hope he has a wonderful and well-earned retirement.

Claire Goodman, Katy reporter

claire.goodman@houstonchronicle.com

Education

Katy ISD Board of Trustees President Victor Perez, left, and superintendent Ken Gregorski listen to comments during a board of trustees meeting on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 in Katy. The Katy ISD board of trustees took public comments on how to address gender fluidity among students. Katy ISD school board meeting on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 in Katy. The Katy ISD board of trustees took public comments on how to address gender fluidity among students.

Photo by: Elizabeth Conley, Staff Photographer

Katy ISD bans 14 more books, including a Dr. Seuss title, as $93K in books disappear.

Since the enactment of Katy ISD's new book removal policy, 14 titles—including a Dr. Seuss book—have been removed from shelves.

Need to Know

This rendering shows the design of the in-store shopping experience for Kendra Scott at Target in Katy.

Photo by: Courtesy/ Kendra Scott

Kendra Scott has chosen Katy for it's new Target collaboration.

Kendra Scott has announced that it will be collaborating with Target for a new jewelry line, and a Katy Target has been chosen as one of three stores in the nation to carry the products.

Capt. Nasir Abbasi was relieved of duty from the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office because of an investigation with the Houston Police Department.

Photo by: Fortbendcountytx.gov

A Fort Bend County captain has been relieved of duty, officials say.

Nasir Abbasi was relieved of duty on Aug. 15, pending the outcome of an investigation with the special investigations unit of the Houston Police Department.

Drive-thru salad chain Salad and Go is set to expand its presence in the Houston market by opening multiple new locations in Fort Bend County within the next six months.

Photo by: Salad And Go

Salad and Go is expanding through the Katy area.

Drive-thru salad chain Salad and Go is set to expand its presence in the Houston market by opening multiple new locations in Fort Bend County within the next six months.

Openings and Closings

Luxury apartment complex SkyView Flats is now open.

Special thanks to the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce for the tip.

Shout out

Don't forget to submit your vote for Student of the Month from Katy!

If your student is selected, they will be featured in a monthly vote for Katy, and the winner will be highlighted in a Katy Insider newsletter.

One last thing ...

If you were to just ask me, off the cuff, to name the city with the worst weather in Texas, I'd guess Houston.

We're in the direct path of hurricanes, we flood like a chapter from the Book of Genesis, and our humidity levels make it feel like we live in a bowl of soup.

But despite all that, our newsroom meteorologist Anthony Franze reports, we're not the worst.

That dubious honor goes to Fort Worth.

What fascinates me the most about Anthony's coverage is that it shows that pretty much every part of Texas is fraught with weather-related perils.

No matter where you live in the Lone Star State, your city could easily be the setting of a Hollywood disaster flick.