Local spotlight: Family-owned mattress business helping you sleep better
Every year the Houston Chronicle hosts its โBest of the Bestโ competition - where Houstonians get to vote on their favorite businesses. And we weren't surprised to hear the news that this year, our friends at Texas Mattress Makers once again took the top spot in their category.
Texas lawmakers weigh changes to protect families wrongly accused of child abuse
HOUSTON โ KPRC 2โฒs Keith Garvin spoke with NBC News investigative reporter Mike Hixenbaugh about efforts to protect families wrongly accused of child abuse. The bill is one of at least 17 bills working their way through the Legislature that seek to overhaul the stateโs child welfare system with the goal of protecting innocent families. The NBC News and Chronicle reporting focused primarily on the work of child abuse pediatricians, a small but growing subspecialty of physicians who work closely with state child welfare agencies. But when the evidence is not clear, the investigation found, a mistaken or overstated diagnosis of child abuse can devastate a family. AdRead that full report from NBC News and the Houston Chronicle here.
42% of HISD students failing one or more classes amid COVID-19 pandemic
Students in the Houston Independent School District -- the stateโs largest school system -- are struggling academically and struggling far more than normal. Itโs survival mode.โIn a statement to KPRC 2, HISD confirmed that 42% of their students failed one or more classes in the first grading period of the fall, which was six weeks long. That grading period was nine weeks long and all in-person instruction. โAdditionally, to support students who are facing academic challenges, interventions are in place during the school day. Also, high school students can attend virtual online classes for credit recovery.โSen. Paul Bettencourt, a known critic of the school board, believes any solution needs to be hyper-focused on the students.
Texasโ first drive-thru strip club is in Houston
HOUSTON โ You may not be able to enter most strip clubs anytime soon, but one club in Houston is giving people a drive-thru option. According to the Houston Chronicle, black metal barricades separate the dancers from the cars and some of the dancers are wearing face masks. The club has a menu featuring pizza, nachos, burgers, chicken sandwiches, jalapeno poppers and more. โWeโre trying to get a restaurant license so we can open up as a restaurant and then weโre able to have people in here,โ DiLollo told the Chron. Weโre trying to adapt to the times and whatever cards weโre being dealt.โSo far, Vivid is the only strip club in Texas with a drive-thru.
Ex-Houston Chronicle sports reporter accused of attempted sexual assault of child, online solicitation
HOUSTON โ An ex-Houston Chronicle sports reporter was arrested Thursday and faces new charges of attempted sexual assault of a child and online solicitation, according to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constableโs Office. Officials say subsequent investigations led to new charges being filed against him and his arrest Thursday near the 100 block of Chelsea Boulevard, in the cityโs Museum District. โInvestigators say Atkins began chatting with a 15 year old girl on Instagram last December,โ officials wrote on Facebook. We believe the girl was with Atkins on at least three occasions.โHunter Atkins, 31, faces charges including with attempted sexual assault of a child and online solicitation, according to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office. Such predators will not be tolerated.โThe Houston Chronicle reports Atkins was employed at the newspaperโs sports department until February.
More than 26,000 workers in Texasโ oil and gas industry lost jobs in April
More than 26,000 employees working in the Texas oil and gas industry lost their jobs in April as the coronavirus outbreak has shuttered global oil demand, the Houston Chronicle first reported. Workers out in the field โ including drilling rig operators and equipment manufacturers โ were affected most, with the oilfield service sector accounting for more than 22,000 of the industryโs jobs lost in April, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The loss of jobs and revenues have hurt the oil and gas industry, but the losses will be felt across the state. Many local budgets, as well as the state budget, receive various sources of funding from oil and gas taxes. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen have already ordered state agencies to cut budgets by 5%.