February 24, 2026
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Good morning, Houston.
Here's what you should know to start your day:
- Need to know: A growing number of Republicans in Congress are condemning U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales for an affair with a staffer who later committed suicide, escalating pressure on the Republican days before his March 3 primary.
- Top of the chart: One of the most-read stories yesterday was about a right-wing comedy tour coming to the House of Blues.
Here's the rest of the news.
1 |
Exclusive: The Texas agency meant to protect the bereaved imploded spectacularly. This is the autopsy.
The Texas Funeral Service Commission is responsible for protecting grieving families when funeral homes fail them — like the time a video of a Houston funeral home that allegedly left bodies out without air conditioning went viral. But the "watchdog" agency is faltering under the weight of its own failures — missing files, sky-high staff turnover and complaints that take nearly a year to resolve.
The agency's problems aren't new — but this summer, they publicly erupted.
Houston Chronicle reporter Sarah Smith explains how it all happened, why the consequences are landing on the bereaved — and introduces the insiders who say they tried to save it.
2 |
Beloved Houston pastor fatally shot by relative during Memorial break-in.
A Houston man inadvertently shot and killed a family member, a pastor, as he confronted a burglar at their Memorial-area home, according to court records.
3 |
President Donald Trump to stop in Texas ahead of GOP primary election.
Details about the nature of the trip haven't been released, but Trump has been traveling the country to promote his economic policies.
4 |
Abbott boosts Texas security during violence in Mexico after cartel boss' death.
Gov. Greg Abbott heightened security along the Texas border Monday as a shelter-in-place order for United States citizens in Mexico reached a second day. Also, a Houston realtor was supposed to come home Monday, but instead he was stuck in Puerto Vallarta.
5 |
Texas Medical Board: Ken Paxton made 'inaccurate statements' while siding with Houston doctor.
The Texas Medical Board said Paxton made "inaccurate statements" in support of Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, a Houston doctor who filed a lawsuit against the agency.
6 |
Camp Mystic parents sue state health department for licensing the retreat.
The federal lawsuit accuses the state of wrongfully licensing the camp two days before the July 4 flooding disaster despite its lack of an evacuation plan. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is urging the health department to deny a license to Camp Mystic.
7 |
Texas is spending billions on Houston freeway expansions. Here's when you could see the benefits.
Check out our construction tracker and keep tabs on the biggest and most impactful Houston highway projects.
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📸 Photo of the Week
In this Elizabeth Conley photo, an attendee signals her approval with Cotton Culinary's offering on Sunday during the 2026 Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites event at NRG Center.
The sold-out tasting event brought more than 100 restaurants and culinary vendors to a crowd of more than 6,000 guests.
🏀 Sports
Photo by: Karen Warren, Associated Press
- Rockets: Houston committed 26 turnovers but still routed the Utah Jazz behind 31 points from Jabari Smith Jr.
- Cougars: Another long scoring drought doomed UH as the Cougars went winless in a rugged three-game stretch against ranked opponents.
- Astros: Observations from spring training on Christian Walker's defense, the plan for Yordan Alvarez and the bullpen.
- Texans: How will the team handle Joe Mixon's status and improve the offense around C.J. Stroud are some of the looming questions as the NFL offseason kicks off at the scouting combine. Also, Stroud recently opened up about his playoff performance.
- Longhorns: If Texas is to get back to the College Football Playoff, the Longhorns needed to improve their offensive line. Steve Sarkisian is comfortable with the changes.
🗣️ Opinion
- "Islam holds many conservative opinions, as do many Republicans, which is pointed out in the article, but no Muslim is forcing those opinions or lifestyle on any Texan," writes Christine Attar in a letter to the editor.
FEMA Flood Map Roundup
- FEMA's new maps are expected to bring sweeping changes into floodplain boundaries along nearly every bayou in Harris County. Here are the 10 most affected neighborhoods.
- About twice as many Harris County residents may soon be required to carry flood insurance, affecting neighborhoods from Greenspoint to Kashmere Gardens, according to the new flood maps released by FEMA.
- Enter your address to see which flood zone your home falls into under the draft maps.
- A Chronicle analysis found Harris County's flood zones could expand substantially due to higher rainfall, more development and better modeling technology.
Gulfton's "hidden gem" was demolished as HISD crews took down Las Americas Newcomer School's buildings.
The entire student body had been moved to adjacent Jane Long Academy.
The demolition came after campus enrollment plummeted amid a federal crackdown on immigration and a broader drop in immigrant enrollment across the district.
 | J.R. Gonzales, Senior Digital Production Editor |
Puzzle of the Day: Flipart
Complete the puzzle by finding a configuration where no pieces overlap, and no empty spaces remain.
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