The axe falls at UTMB today as the 3,000+ layoffs begin It's all about the dogs. The fate of the fighting dogs involved in the busted gambling ring hangs in the balance this morning as authorities decide whether or not they should be returned to their owners. Street racing on Westheimer results in a fatalities this weekend and spawns public outcry from locals Southwest freeway traffic got you crying in your super deluxe grande no......

3,800 UTMB staff members are being let go as the institution struggles to survive in the wake of Hurricane Ike The Ike unemployment assistance deadline has been extended to December 12th To free WiFi or not to free WiFi? That is the question facing city officials as residents attempt to figure out if they will get the service for free or if they need to actually attend programs to use the service A driver turned......

Today is Veteran's Day - the day America says thanks to the veterans who protect our country and our freedom Debate is raging about what constitutes art thanks to Wayne Dolcefino's report. You tell us. What is art? Extending the seawall in Galveston may help better protect the area regarding future hurricanes The Texas House of Representatives hosted a hearing on hurricane planning in the wake of Ike. Opportunities for improvement included quicker access to......

Harris County voted in record numbers but the total was still lower than anticipated Election day is in the rearview but the race for Harris County DA is still up for grabs There's a new sheriff in town. Garcia says earning back trust is Job #1. Houstonians view Obama's victory as opening a door of opportunity Gun sales jump up as enthusiasts hedge against tighter control under Obama Bank robbers used deer rifles in a......

Today is election day, clowns. GO VOTE or we'll punch you in the face. We also throw a mean elbow. Using some math (carry the one...move the decimal) the Secretary of State predicts a 68% voter turn out at the polls which equates to ~9 million folks. Go get in line already. Campaign workers for McCain & Obama are amping up their efforts as the witching hour nears Pollsters and other election day officials are......

Texas is getting $70 million in emergency funding for Ike recovery thanks to "quick release" If you've been eagerly awaiting your IRS refund or stimulus check for the past forever, you may be one 7,000 Harris County residents affected by an address error. Oops. Your bad. HISD elementary school kids do alright in Math compared to the rest of the country Ashley Todd of College Station, a campaign volunteer for John McCain working in Pittsburgh,......

FEMA trailers are being deployed to house at least 2,000 Texas families who are homeless as result of Hurricane Ike Galveston officials are preparing to dredge areas of the submerged beach to reclaim sand which will then be used to rebuild the beach front "Blue roofs! Get your blue roofs here!" Today's the last day to sign-up for the temporary home covering. Chron.com's Houston Politics blog reports that politicos are buying lists of folks who......

Guess what. Hurricane Ike really stuck it to Texas (and by Texas we mean the Houston area). Damage estimates peg the figure at $11.4 billion in total damage. Clean up efforts are winding down. The City of Houston may not be reimbursed for clean-up costs that extend past October 26th. Make sure you get your debris on the curb ASAP. Check www.houstonhurricanerecovery.org for more info. Hurricane recovery is not just about debris removal. People need......

Families are scrambling as the Red Cross closes the last Ike shelter in Houston. The endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles, which had been making a comeback, are also still reeling from Ike as their nesting grounds have been destroyed A Montgomery County man bagged a nice eight point buck this morning. The man happened to be a Deputy Sheriff, and the deer happened to be in an office building. UTMB is getting attention from Governor......

Houston outpaced NYC, LA, Chicago and other metropolises in terms of overall performance in a Milken Institute study reports Houston Strategies And, the New York Times counts Houston as a "Second City" for artists and creative types who can't afford to survive in The City, Miami or LA KTRK's SkyEye crashed killing the two crew members who were en route to cover breaking news Former presidents Bush and Clinton will tour areas damaged by Hurricane......

Financial markets around the world plunged yesterday as the ripple effect of the US economy continues The drastic market changes are depressing the price of oil which is a big deal for Houston - see the mid-80s The good news is that fuel prices continue to fall around Houston and the rest of Texas. Houston's average price per gallon is $3.22. We're a month in to the recovery, but there is still a lot of......

Despite promising to find cash to save their employees' jobs, most staff members at the University of Texas Medical Branch will be losing their jobs. Mayor White's registration proposal was struck down by the City Council after they concluded that the measure would penalize legit outfits while shady operations would continue being shady Most of Houston still has piles - of debris - but the city is doing a solid job of picking it up......

Mayor Bill White wants Houston to have a million new trees. Make it happen. Environmentalists say don't cry over spilled oil. The fallout from Ike isn't beyond repair. Over half of Galveston ISD's 12 schools are back in business as of yesterday morning The SciGuy says that things aren't as bad as they could have been in Galveston Texas' official Night Out is tonight. The nationally coordinated event is designed to get neighbors to meet......

400 people are still missing due to Ike Galveston parents try to sort out an education solution for their children as the October 6th target reopening date for Galveston ISD looks aggressive Galveston is making slow progress toward recovery, but you should stay out of the water Contrary to popular belief, the Ike-related power outages have been beneficial to some - strengthening the faith of some and http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hurricane/ike/6027255.html Pioneering newsman Ray Miller died on Sunday.......

From local Houston headlines, we bring you these weekend news bits... • A 54 year old man was killed on I-10 near Baca last night after he ran across the interstate to help three stranded dogs in the median. The motorcycle driver that hit him suffered a broken arm. • Noted television news man and author, Ray Miller has passed away. He was 89. • A man was killed last night around 10pm when......

Centerpoint Energy to customers: Don't worry. We're bringing an army of repair people to your hood. The City and Centerpoint played a week-long game of Not My Job over a fallen tree tangled in powerlines in Montrose. Power was restored four days after the tree was finally removed. Houstonians beware! Identity thieves are using post-Ike conditions to dupe folks. A couple have been caught, but you can bet there are more out on the loose.......

Hurricane Ike: Brazoria County officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for parts of their county. Hurricane Ike: The Chron's Sci Guy says we are still in watch and wait mode. Drugs: Harris County is set to give away 108,000 prescription discount cards at all 16 Harris County Tax Office branches. Get 'em while you can! Strip Clubs: A Harris County judge has ordered The Penthouse Club in southwest Houston to shut down. This is the......

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! David Bowie's 1972 manifesto could be the theme music for the last few weeks on Houston's restaurant scene. It's been busy to say the least, as demonstrated by several resignations, hirings and announcements. Houstonist is here to round up the highs and the lows. The newly-opened Americas in The Woodlands has lost both their head chef, Jonathan Jones, and their pastry chef, Plinio Sandalio. Jones was the original chef at Max's Wine Dive and......

Soon, there will be one more reason to be jealous of your friends who live in Midtown (aside from easy light rail access and The Big Top): Crave Sushi. Word from HAIF is that a new sushi restaurant is being built on Travis at Tuam, to fill the void in the underserved sushi market in Midtown. Crave Sushi is scheduled to open in December of this year, just in time for the weather to be......

From local Houston headlines, we bring you these weekend news bits... • A Houston couple went on a two month robbery spree, "to pay the rent." The couple were caught when one of their victims reported their license plate to police. • George Jeffrey Carlson, 52, of Spring, killed himself at the Canadian border near Maine after refusing to stop at a Canadian customs facility. Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that the victim shot......

Houston's first Hispanic female police officer has died at 78 due to injuries sustained in a drive-by shooting Super Unleaded for $2/gallon at Houstonist HQ! Kidding. But someone has a few extra gallons after stealing 7,000 gallons of fuel from a Galveston filling station. Sharon Brown may take the stand today to make her case against Victoria Osteen The back-to-school tax break happens this weekend A Katy cheerleading squad has to put their herkies on......

Forget Judge Judy. The jury is seated in the lawsuit against Victoria Osteen alleging assault of flight attendant Sharon Brown. Open arguments start today. Let the side show begin. Damage from Edouard was minimal the blood bank's supply is running low A pair of dolphins survived being beached in Galveston by Edouard. Now they're back in the sea and worrying about other things like tuna nets. Heliberto Oli may become the second foreign national to......

Tropical Storm Edouard is on his way to Houston. We've seen worse (amember Tropical Storm Allison), but you should still be prepared. Tropical storms bring wind and rain and stuff. But, what's Edouard packing? The Sci Guy knows. Rejoice, ninos! School's closed! Woo hoo! The Greater Houston Area Red Cross opened two shelters last night. Bring your own supplies (bedding, drugs, diapers, etc.) and leave Fido at tu casa. Our boy, Edouard, may cause some......

The sentence is in for the cell phone using driver who struck and killed a deputy sheriff. Some folks think it is too light. What do you think? "How should we 'fix' illegal immigration?" "Huh. Let's get them to deport themselves." "Yeah...that's the ticket." Another crane accident has occured, another worker is dead Video from the Governor's Mansion yields a glimpse of a suspect in the arson case Folks say there aren't enough trees in......

Dolly came to Texas, tore the roofs off of homes and knocked out power in the area; but surfers love Dolly for her waves Houston gets a taste of Dolly today as remnants roll through the area. 70% chance of thunderstorms. High: 88. Low 76. The Air Force decorated a pilot from Kingwood with the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for saving the lives of German soldiers How much did you spend on gas last......

Huge digital signs along our commute warned us that it's Hurricane Season. Really? That makes sense since Tropical Storm Dolly may be hydrating our coastal region this weekend. The "Houston is a boomtown" theory is all a matter of perspective. What do you think? An investigation of the captain of ill-fated Texas A&M sailing vessel Cynthia Woods has brought to light prior accidents in the same vessel that may have contributed to the tragic accident......

Tragedy struck at a Houston apartment complex where two children were crushed to death by a stairway collapse Reliant plans to http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/consumer&id=6269001" target=new>increase charges (tee hee) for electricity in August The FBI is tracking a Houston bank robber who has held up three banks in a month Your credit card numbers may not be safe even if you don't lose them A Katy teacher couldn't keep it in her pants and has resigned after allegations......

Houston Grand Juries have been busy this summer. They just indicted Carolyn Sue Krizan-Wilson on murder charges from 1985. Three years of construction on Katy Freeway have finally yielded to "completion" and drivers are enjoying some different scenery Adios, Kirby Trees. We'll miss you. This just in. Kids playing with lighters may start fires. Huh. Obama's heading to Houston in a couple of weeks. You can eat dinner with him if you write a fat......

The widow of a man murdered in 1985 was arrested for the crime No passengers? No problem. You may soon be able to pay your way into the HOV lane Moody Gardens' animal keepers found their snake Three men are wanted in connection with the robbery of a Family Dollar Store. If you're risking your freedom for crime, shouldn't you target the Family 100 Dollar Store? Sugarland authorities are seeking a suspect with gold teeth......

Yesterday fallen Marine was laid to rest at the Houston National Cemetery An 86 year-old veteran and Houstonian was decorated on Monday for his service in WWII A gallon is a gallon except for when it is not.Make sure the filling station you're visiting is on the up and up by reading this NASA announced the dates of the final ten launches of the space shuttle The shuttle may go the way of the Dodo,......