🌱 Patch AM: Did Houston police really help trigger 5,000 ICE arrests?

Hello Houston! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Did Houston police really help trigger 5,000 ICE arrests?
• Will HISD’s magnet cuts reshape Houston students’ futures?
• What Salad and Go’s Texas exit means for Houston salad lovers

Also on today's calendar: The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Houston, TX (January 2026) and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: After dinner, my parents asked if I could clear the table. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Cloudy, showers around; windy, with a high of 80 and low of 69 degrees.
• Friday: Cloudy, a shower and t-storm, temps: high: 80, low: 51.
• Saturday: Cloudy, windy and cooler, with a high of 60 and low of 46 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Houston Mayor says report linking city to over 5,000 ICE deportations untrue, says HPD involved in 74 cases (click2houston.com) — Houston’s mayor is pushing back on reports that Houston police helped trigger more than 5,000 ICE arrests, saying HPD referred just 74 people with existing warrants in 2025. He stresses there’s been no ICE “surge” in the city and that officers don’t ask about immigration status unless a criminal warrant appears, emphasizing Houston’s limited, legally required cooperation with federal authorities.
   

2. Houston ISD's proposal to shutter magnet programs sparks community outcry (houstonpublicmedia.org) — Houston ISD parents are pushing back hard against a proposal to close several on-campus magnet programs at 10 high schools and shift students to the Barbara Jordan Career Center. Families worry about lost opportunities, long bus rides in Houston traffic, and rushed decision-making before a planned Jan. 15 board vote that could reshape career training options over the next three years.
   

3. Popular salad shop to close all Texas locations, remove HQ from D-FW (dallasnews.com) — If you rely on Salad and Go in Houston, brace for closures: the chain has already shut all Houston locations and now plans to close every remaining Texas and Oklahoma store while moving its headquarters back to Phoenix. The pullback, blamed on an unsustainable expansion strategy, will cut hundreds of jobs and leave the brand operating only in Arizona and Nevada.
   

4. Man dies following Christmas Day shooting; suspects wanted by Houston Police (fox26houston.com) — Houston police are searching for two suspects after a 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the Chinatown area near West Sam Houston Parkway and Bellaire Boulevard early Christmas morning. Investigators released surveillance video showing a woman chasing his SUV and a man firing a gun, and are urging anyone with information to contact HPD Homicide or Crime Stoppers.
   

5. Security guard killed after altercation with man outside SE Houston restaurant escalates to shooting (click2houston.com) — A security guard has died after being shot during an altercation outside Connie’s seafood restaurant on South 69th Street in southeast Houston, according to police. Officers say the suspect fled north on 69th Street, and investigators are reviewing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses to identify him.
   

📸 Around Houston

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Houston

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday January 17

• The International Gem & Jewelry Show - Houston, TX (January 2026)
  1 Fannin St, Houston
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday January 8

• Drunk Shakespeare Presents: Drunk Romeo & Juliet
  The Emerald Theatre , 412 Travis St , Houston
  5:00 am

Friday January 9

• Lin's Grand Buffet - Houston Highway 6 Grand Opening Celebration
  Lin's Grand Buffet - Houston Highway 6: 5402 Hwy 6, Houston, TX 77084
  10:45 am
• Destiny's Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Houston
  The Bell Tower on 34th 901 West 34th Street Houston, Texas 77018
  8:30 pm

Saturday January 10

• Time Travel Half-Marathon (and 5k/10k) - Houston
  John Paul Landing Park , 24202 West Rd
  9:00 am
• The Supreme Good Heart of Bodhichitta
  2500 Yale St , Houston
  10:00 am
• Bingo Loco: The Ultimate Bingo Party
  NOTO Houston , 3215 McKinney St , Houston
  6:00 pm
• The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Houston, TX
  Hilton Houston Plaza , 6633 Travis St , Houston
  6:00 pm

Sunday January 11

• The Change: Unleashing the Wild Woman
  The Health Museum , 1515 Hermann Dr , Houston
  2:00 pm

Friday January 30

• Led Zeppelin 2
  House of Blues Houston , 1204 Caroline St , Houston
  7:00 pm

📣 Houston Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday January 8

• Chair Volleyball (50+)
  West University Place Community Building and Senior Center , 6104 Auden Street , West University Place
  10:00 am
• Zumba (50+) Tuesday/Thursday
  West University Place Community Building and Senior Center , 6104 Auden Street , West University Place
  11:00 am
• Hangin' with the Homies
  Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library , 22248 Aldine Westfield Rd , Humble
  11:00 am
• Great Decisions 2025 (50+)
  West University Place Community Building and Senior Center , 6104 Auden Street , West University Place
  12:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Houston PatchAM possible:

• HVAC Solutions Texas — (817) 325-7310
  Improve Your Home’s Air Quality, Houston!
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• There’s only two days left to submit your Spring Branch ISD Choice Program application! Families interested in Two-Way Dual Language, BI, or in... (X: SBISD)
• Board President Justine Durant has served Spring ISD since 2006 and has been elected by the community multiple times. Her leadership includes... (X: SpringISD)

• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Bakery Wrapper / Clean Up in Houston. Apply here.
• Aramark posted a job opening for Floor Technician in Houston. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Houston here.

Ok Houston! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I needed a running start, but I made it!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook