April 3, 2026
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Good morning, Houston.
Here's what you should know to start your day:
- Need to know: Did you know there are more than 200 miles of community pathways in The Woodlands Township? A problem has emerged on those pathways and community leaders are looking to take action.
- Top of the chart: One of the most-read stories on our site yesterday was our map showing where data centers are in the works or operating near you.
Here's the rest of the news.
1 |
Humble ISD students visited an Islamic center. Right-wing outrage followed.
On Feb. 17, a group of 30 Humble ISD high school students visited Centro Islámico, a Spanish-speaking religious center, as part of a day-long field trip.
Centro Islámico, located in Alief, serves Houston's fast-growing Latino Muslim population by producing bilingual content in Spanish and English that aims to educate people about Islam and the contributions of Muslims in Spain. The center is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the country.
That didn't sit well with one right-wing media group.
On Monday, Rise Align Ignite Reclaim Foundation USA called the field trip a "taxpayer-funded recruitment drive" and "Islamic propaganda." According to Ashley Soebroto's reporting, it wasn't the only organization to come out against the trip.
Humble ISD says it's complying with federal laws that require equal treatment of all student clubs, including religious ones, without discrimination. The trip was optional and only involved students who were all voluntary members of student-initiated religious clubs on their campuses.
2 |
Nine more HISD schools may opt into Mike Miles' NES model.
An HISD spokesperson said that at least nine principals had "voluntarily expressed interest" in opting into Miles' reform model. The official did not name the schools or say when they could become NES campuses.
3 |
Houston water bills are going up again. Here's how much.
Houston increased water and sewer rates this week, raising the average monthly bill by 7.87%. The monthly bill for a typical homeowner using 4,000 gallons per month has risen 66% since 2021.
4 |
A loophole in Texas' $1B voucher program has opened the door for a Florida virtual school.
The virtual school could receive Texas taxpayer funds through the state's new $1 billion private school voucher program, despite provisions in the law meant to block out-of-state schools from joining the program.
5 |
A proposed park along Jensen Drive signals a long-awaited investment for residents.
Houston officials want to transform 1.2 acres of land along the road into a park, a proposal community leaders say represents a shift toward overdue investment in a historically overlooked area.
6 |
Texas Take podcast: Monsters, Snubs and Japanese anime.
State Sen. Nathan Johnson discusses his campaign for attorney general, his double life writing music for Dragon Ball Z and his concern over the calcification of power in the governor's office.
7 |
'Jesus Jesus Jesus' gathering and drone show takes over Manvel.
Thousands of drones are lighting up Manvel nightly this week as a worship event called "Jesus Jesus Jesus" runs until April 5.
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🚀 Artemis II Tracker
Follow Orion in real time as it heads back to the moon
NASA's Artemis II mission is sending four astronauts into deep space, where they'll be farther from Earth than humans have ever traveled. Find out where it is through our tracker.
Thursday night, NASA's Orion spacecraft ignited its main engine for five minutes and 49 seconds, officially sending the Artemis II astronauts on their figure-eight trajectory around the moon and back home.
🏈 Sports
Photo by: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle
- Texans: In a conversation with owner Cal McNair and his wife, Hannah McNair, the two addressed several key topics for the franchise in the coming year.
- Rockets: Houston is officially in the NBA playoffs for a second consecutive season. When Phoenix lost to Charlotte on Thursday, the Rockets clinched a spot in the top six in the Western Conference.
- Longhorns: The team slowed Lauren Betts earlier this season to beat UCLA and will have to do it again in the NCAA Final Four.
- Tennis: It took three sets but Argentina's Roman Andres Burruchaga got past Brandon Nakashima to reach the quarterfinals of U.S. Clay Court Championship.
🗣️ Opinion
- President Donald Trump's war of choice in Iran is breaking the global economy, and everyone else will pay for it, writes the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board.
🍽️ Dining Out
Photo by: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle
- Discover our critic's top picks for Houston's best restaurants this spring, from exciting new openings to beloved favorites.
- Hankering for a pizza? Houston's leading pizzerias and restaurants serve up a diverse roster of pies worth seeking out. Here are the city's top spots.
- At Toga, chefs break chickens into at least 12 different parts before grilling them above glowing charcoal. It plans to open to the public in the Arrive River Oaks shopping center on April 21.
- Lori Muñoz is a server at Nobie's. She's also an emerging pottery artist who's created the plates served at a growing number of local restaurants.
We end today's newsletter with the story of Brandon Smith.
The Astros fan went to all three home games against the Red Sox recently and came home with a souvenir baseball from each game.
I've been to a few games in my time, but I've never made off with a game ball. That's what I get for sitting in the nosebleeds, I guess.
You might think Smith got incredibly lucky during those three games, and you'd be right. But that's not the whole story. Matt Young has the details.
 | J.R. Gonzales, Senior Digital Production Editor |
Puzzle of the Day: Typeshift
Slide the columns of letters up and down to form words in the highlighted row. Score points for each solid letter.
Play now
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