🌱 Masks Dropped At Airports/Transit + The Woodlands Home Prices Soar

Happy Thursday, people of Houston! Let's get this day started off right. Here's what's going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Low clouds, then some sun. High: 85 Low: 71.

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Here are the top five stories today in Houston:

1. Median home prices increased as much as 39% in The Woodlands area ZIP codes from March 2021 to March 2022, according to Corcoran Ferester Realty. The highest number of homes sold in February were in the $200,000-$399,999 price range in the 77386 ZIP code, similar to previous months. (Community Impact News)

2. The inaugural Houston Art Bike Parade is set for Saturday, May 21, according to a news release from the Houston Parks Board. Born out of the spirit of the Art Car Parade, the free day-long celebration will feature a parade of art bikes created by more than 3,000 students from more than 100 Houston ISD schools, according to the news release. (The Leader)

3. Judge Natalia Cornelio of the 351st Criminal Court filed her recusal on Tuesday from the criminal case involving three of Judge Lina Hidalgo's senior staffers, who are accused of steering a nearly $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a small Houston-based firm. Each of the staffers has been indicted on one count of misuse of official information and one count of tampering with a government record. (ABC 13)

4. An arrest has been made by police in connection with a shooting at the Galleria over the weekend that was caught on video that went viral. In a press conference Wednesday with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Police Chief Troy Finner, it was announced the suspect was arrested earlier that morning. (KHOU 11)

5. Houston airports and public transportation are no longer requiring travelers and employees to wear masks after a federal lawsuit said the government overstepped its authority to enforce masks. George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport made separate announcements Monday night, and METRO Houston announced its policy change midday Tuesday. (Houston Patch)

Today in Houston:

• Protect Your Privacy With Document Shredding at Frost. (9:00 AM)
• HAIS Theater Collective at Houston Academy for International Studies. (3:30 PM)
• Pilates at Discovery Green. (6:30 PM)
• The Riot Comedy Show Presents "Off the Dome." (7:30 PM)
• Billy Strings in Concert at City of Houston. (8:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Honoring the memory of legend Jackie Robinson, 3 Houston locals met at Minute Maid Park. Chief Troy Finner, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker and former Colt 45 player JC Hartman. (Facebook)
• Join the Astros and Chick-fil-A Houston for Faith & Family Night with Micah Tyler on Saturday, April 23. (Facebook)
• 🚂 The Hermann Park Conservancy train is a must for kids 12 and under looking for a fun day in Houston. The train runs Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Facebook)
• Gov. Abbott’s Task Force on Concert Safety found permitting and lack of risk assessment, among other themes, contributed to the loss of 10 lives in November at Astroworld. (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!

— 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.