Axios Houston

January 30, 2023
It's Monday.
π§ Today's weather: Another gloomy, rainy day with a high of 48.
π£ Sounds like: A mariachi grito.
Today's newsletter is 871 words β a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Sunnyside gets a new service center
The rain held off Saturday enough for the city to cut the ribbon on Houston's first combined health and multiservice center in Sunnyside. Photo: Jay R. Jordan/Axios
After years of construction and a bit of drama, southeast Houston's Sunnyside neighborhood finally has a new health and multiservice center.
Driving the news: City officials on Saturday cut the ribbon on the new facility at 4410 Reed Road, which replaces the former aging health center less than a mile away.
Why it matters: The $26 million project will connect 22,000 people in Sunnyside β an underserved community with mostly Black residents β to health, dental and community services, like meal programs for seniors and classes on financial literacy.
- Nearly 4,500 people sought services at the old health center each month.
Details: The new, 57,000-square-foot facility, which is the first of its kind in Houston, will provide a clinic, tax services and behavioral health programs.
- It also has a fitness room, walking trail and community garden.
- It will cost roughly $2.5 million to operate annually.
Context: The old health center, located near the corner of Reed Road and Cullen Boulevard, was in a crumbling state of disrepair.
- Built in 1975, it was supposed to last only 30 years, according to the city.
Flashback: Residents uproared in 2018 when initial plans for the new center placed it near the former Sunnyside landfill and incineration plant.
- The city eventually pivoted to the new location on Reed Road.
The intrigue: Sunnyside resident and community organizer Travis McGee said the new location is an acceptable alternative and "still a win."
- "Now we have to watch to see what they do with the old location," McGee said. "Is it going to be something that benefits the community, or is it just going to be financial gain for someone else?"
2. Spotlight on competitive high school mariachi
A still from "Going Varsity in Mariachi." Photo courtesy of the Sundance Institute
"Going Varsity in Mariachi," a documentary about the high stakes of high school mariachi competitions in Texas, is earning acclaim at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Details: The film follows the highs and lows of Edinburg North High School's Mariachi Oro, whose 20 members vie to win an upcoming state championship.
- Set in the U.S.-Mexico border town of Edinburg, the narrative doesn't touch on subjects like state politics or immigration.
- Instead, students are focused on relationships, college applications and mastering their "grito" β a distinct yell used in the genre to express joy and pain.
- It was directed by Mexican American filmmakers Sam Osborn and Alejandra Vasquez, who previously shot a short documentary about Mariachi Oro in 2019. Luis A. Miranda Jr. is a co-producer.
Context: The University Interscholastic League, which oversees nearly all school sports competitions in Texas, held its first annual state mariachi contest in 2019, prompting more schools to launch programs.
The bottom line: A traditional folk genre that emerged from Jalisco, Mexico, between the late 1700s and early 1800s, mariachi is "thriving" in Texas, Vasquez told Axios.
- "These competitions are growing and getting bigger and bigger, and getting more competitive," she said.
3. Bayou Buzz
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
πͺ§ Dozens of protesters gathered by Bob Casey Federal Courthouse on Saturday following the release of body camera footage showing five Memphis police officers brutally beating Tyre Nichols, who died three days later. (Chron)
π The Galveston police chief has been placed on administrative leave amid an internal investigation into a controversial home raid where there was "communication failure" regarding search and arrest warrants. (Houston Chronicle)
πͺ A former Harris County Clerkβs Office employee has been accused of buying cookies using other people's personal information. (Houston Public Media)
π Two restaurants will open on Washington Avenue in April. Benny Chows will have Cantonese food, and Canopy Social will be a rooftop bar. (Houston Business Journal)
4. Getting to know our mayoral candidates
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
As the Houston mayor's race heats up in the coming months, we want to get to know the candidates.
Driving the news: We plan to pose a series of personal questions β really personal β to each of the seven candidates who have declared they're running.
- The politics will play out in the coming months as campaigns heat up, but we wanted to get to the nitty-gritty before the chaos.
Some of the questions on our list: Do you drink tap or filtered water? What's your favorite Houston restaurant? What does your typical weekend look like? Do you have any pets?
Readers, what do you want to know about our mayoral candidates?
- π¬ Hit reply to this email.
Is a new job in your future?
πΌ Check out who's hiring around the city.
- Corporate Sales Director at Houston Rockets.
- Project Director at Technip Energies.
- Chief Accounting Officer at System One.
Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.
Hiring? Post a job.
5. Our expensive homes
108 Shasta Drive is for sale. Photo: Courtesy of HAR.com
In the market for a multimillion-dollar mansion? Well, four of the state's most expensive homes listed for sale in January are in the Houston area.
Driving the news: All four of the homes are located near the Memorial Villages and Tanglewood area.
108 Shasta Drive

- Listed for $8.5 million.
- The 14,100-square-foot mansion is nestled on a 3-acre property alongside Buffalo Bayou in Hunters Creek Village. It has seven bedrooms, an infinity pool, a cabana and a spa.
318 Timberwilde Lane

- Listed for $8.3 million.
- The 8,300-square-foot house is on a private, wooded 2.5-acre property. It has four bedrooms, a tennis court and a small pool.
4 Tokeneke Trail

- Listed for $7.5 million.
- The 10,100-square-foot home is a new 2023 construction in the prestigious Piney Point Village. It has retractable glass walls for indoor/outdoor entertainment, two staircases and an elevator.
110 Maple Valley Road

- Listed for $6.95 million.
- The 8,200-square-foot house has five bedrooms and a five-car garage. It has vaulted wood-beamed ceilings and an outdoor kitchen and shower.
Thanks to Lindsey Erdody for editing and Khalid Adad and Lisa Hornung for copy editing this newsletter.
π° Shafaq is following the coverage of Tyre Nichols' death.
π£ Jay is perfecting his salmon recipe.
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