🌱 Houston Coast Guard Rescue Effort + New Bandista Speakeasy Bar

Happy Tuesday, Houston! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and delightful. High: 70 Low: 43.

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Here are the top five stories today in Houston:

1. Spring native Akrum Ali was vacationing in Kyiv for almost a week and said everything was fine until Thursday morning when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Ali then started a 16-hour effort to leave Ukraine and is now in Warsaw m. He is planning to head home to Houston. The United States warned its citizens to leave Ukraine prior to the attack. Ali said he "genuinely feared he would not survive the trip but doesn't regret being in Ukraine for several reasons.” (Click2Houston)

2. Houston Coast Guard members saved multiple lives after a fire, two explosions, and chaos broke out at a Sabine Pass shipyard Thursday. Nine workers in Sabine Pass were trapped on a burning oil rig after a fire broke out and were saved by helicopter. (KHOU 11)

3. Two men were shot Sunday night at around 8 p.m. in north Harris County at an apartment complex in the 990 block of Cypress Station Drive. Harris County sheriff's deputies said one of the brothers involved in the incident wanted to fight outside, but that's when one of the men grabbed a gun. (ABC 13)

4. Bandista is a new cocktail bar at Four Seasons Houston offering a speakeasy-style environment with an ambitious cocktail program. The speakeasy is hidden behind a bookshelf and requires a code to enter. Bar Manager Jonathan Jones, with a background at Anvil and MAD, curated the cocktail menu. (CultureMap Houston)

5. The Health and Human Performance Institute (HHPI) at University of Houston-Clear Lake is launching the Center for Neurologic Injury and Recovery, which is a new initiative that aims to identify and help rehabilitate those who have suffered severe neurologic injuries and concussions or other mild traumatic brain injuries due to intimate partner violence (IPV), a sports injury, or an occupational injury. Anyone with a diagnosis of concussion or mild TBI is eligible for free services at the institute. (University of Houston)
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Today in Houston:

• The Vividness of Sogetsu Contemporary Floral Art at Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion. (10:00 AM)
• Fat Tuesday Mardi Craw at The Rustic Houston. (11:00 AM)
• HAIS Debate at Houston Academy for International Studies. (3:30 PM)
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2022 at City of Houston. (6:45 PM)
• Houston Rockets Vs. Los Angeles Clippers at Toyota Center. (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• 3 students are suing the University of Houston System, claiming they are being unlawfully stifled by a harassment policy that prohibits behavior such as slurs, negative stereotyping and denigrating jokes. (Houston Chronicle)
• The Shriner's Children's Hospital College Classic is this weekend. Tickets are available now. (Twitter)
• Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on the status of injured guard Marcus Sasser's foot, said "There's zero chance he's coming back (this season)." (Twitter)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.