🌱 Wild Oats Now Open + Give Roaches This Valentine's Day + Unity National Bank

Hey, Houston! Let's get this day started right. Here's everything you need to know to get this Saturday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Cooler with a few showers. High: 57 Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories today in Houston:

1. Harris County invested $5 million last month in Unity National Bank, the only Black-owned bank in the entire state of Texas. It is the first time a Texas county has partnered with a minority-owned bank for services in the history of the Lone Star state. The county's investment largely was spearheaded by Commissioner Rodney Ellis. (Click2Houston)

2. Houston Museum of Natural Science is letting guests give the gift of roaches this Valentine's Day. For $10, you get to name a Madagascar hissing roach, see him added to "the Heartbreak Motel," and a certificate and a little pin to take home. (KHOU 11)

3. Clark's Seafood and Oyster Bar is coming to Montrose in the fourth quarter of 2022 from Austin’s MML Hospitality group, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle. The menu includes burgers, caviar, shrimp cocktail, and lobster tail. (Eater Houston)

4. Wild Oats is now open at the Houston Farmers Market. It is the latest project from Chris Shepherd and the Underbelly Hospitality team. It is being led by chef-partner Nick Fine. On the menu you'll find steak tartare, vegetables, shrimp corn dogs, peach cobbler, and more. (CultureMap Houston)

5. Many shelter animals are still looking for their forever home around Houston. Shelters have experienced a surge in animals needing adoption in the pandemic. Consider looking around at a local adoption center such as City Of Houston Barc Animal Shelter and Adoptions or Camo Rescue, where Remington the dog is waiting for an owner. (Houston Patch)

Today in Houston:

• Free COVID-19 Vaccinations For Kids & Teens at Word Academy. (8:30 AM)
• Sesame Street Live at City of Houston. (10:30 AM)
• Valentine's Town Market at Old Town Harrisburg. (12:00 PM)
• Creative Kids With The Orange Show at Discovery Green. (1:00 PM)
• The 9th Annual Valentine's Day Battle Of The Sexes Comedy Show at Studio Movie Grill. (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Join The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill in supporting Westbrook Intermediate School. The Friendswood restaurant, located at 700 Baybrook Mall - suite F162 - will host a fundraiser on Friday, February 18th from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in which 25% of net sales for the day will be donated to the school to fund its vital programs. (Patch)
• A teacher's aide at an elementary school in Pasadena ISD was honored Thursday by the American Red Cross for helping a third-grade student at Burnett Elementary School when the student started choking during lunch. (ABC 13)
• Harris County attorneys are fighting a provision in the Republican-backed voting law passed last year that they say silences officials who want to provide information to the public about voting by mail without fear of criminal prosecution. A hearing took place on Friday. (Houston Chronicle)

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• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (February 15)
• FREE WEBINAR | “Building St. Peter’s” (February 18)
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That's it for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another 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.