Hello Whatsapp readers 👋🏽 Thank you for continuing to support our work here at the Houston Chronicle! We hope that our weather updates have been a helpful and handy way for you to keep up with the daily and seasonal whims of Houston’s weather. Going forward, we are making a shift to the content we post in this channel. *Along with major weather updates, we will begin sending an evening roundup of the top stories of the day*. You can also expect to hear from us throughout the day whenever major breaking news happens. We hope this will continue to inform you and keep you up to date on all the happenings in this city and its surrounding suburbs. Please stay tuned for more!

Good evening and welcome to our first round-up! Every night around this time you can expect a list of must-read stories so you don't miss out on top news in Houston. Here's the latest: 🚙 If you happen to see a car driving next to you and don't see a person driving it, do not fret. Waymo self-driving cars just debuted for select riders in Houston and two other Texas cities: bit.ly/40pqP5k 🍎: Apple is doubling its Houston manufacturing footprint, where it will begin producing Mac minis in the United States for the first time. The tech giant also plans to expand its existing AI server manufacturing operations here: bit.ly/4rByCsU 🗺️ FEMA recently released new flood maps that overhaul Harris County's floodplain boundaries. You can see which Houston neighborhoods will be most affected, and search by address to check on specific flood zones: bit.ly/4kPaK28

Hello everyone! A Missouri City resident is now $2 million richer after getting the top prize on a Texas Lottery scratch ticket game: bit.ly/4uwEyVL Here's more for your reading this evening: 🚫 Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas will stop observing Cesar Chavez Day after abuse allegations surfaced against Chavez. Houston’s annual Cesar Chavez march is also canceled this year: bit.ly/4bnC3fC 💵 Chronicle investigative reporters Neena Satija and Eric Dexheimer identified the companies and entities in Texas that are financially benefiting from the Trump administration’s immigration policies: bit.ly/3NH9bY5 🤠: And as we wind down on the Houston rodeo this week, here's a list of the priciest purchases made, from from $100K belt buckles to $4K hats: bit.ly/3PkCksw

Happy Friday everyone! It's Pi Day tomorrow, and some Houston restaurants are offering deals: bit.ly/4utjS0W Here are more stories to check out tonight: 🥩 The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is an intense competition that kicks off RodeoHouston. This year, food reporter Aviva Bechky went behind the scenes with Brett's BBQ Shop, diving into a story about one family's tradition and legacy: bit.ly/3NEelUF 🗳️ This 23-year-old UH student is headed to a runoff election for Harris County District Clerk. A teacher, musician and graduate student, Alex Maldonado said he can modernize the district clerk's office. Read more about him here: bit.ly/3NdzxRj 🏢 Katy’s $400M Texas Heritage Marketplace is bringing some major brands to its shopping center. Here's what's coming: bit.ly/4sdq4bU

Happy Friday! Drop a 🐴 if you got to see the trail riders come into town today (or if you had to deal with traffic because of them). Before you start your weekend, check out these stories: 🚓 Houston Mayor John Whitmire has defended his police department’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying his hands are tied by state and federal law. But some Texas police agencies disagree: bit.ly/4rCRqrv 💉 Empower Pharmacy is facing renewed scrutiny in California after state officials learned of multiple patients who became sick after taking drugs made by the Houston-based compounding pharmacy in 2022 and 2023, records show: bit.ly/4tUlL6t 🏢 Take a look at what a $1,200 one-bedroom apartment looks like in Houston, from the Inner Loop to the suburbs: bit.ly/4aVbMVI

Hello! Hope everyone enjoyed the warm sunshine today in Houston ☀️. As you settle in for the evening, here are some must-read stories: 🏫 Texas will correct more than 4,200 errors in the controversial, state-written Bluebonnet curriculum, which was rolled out in public schools this year. Bluebonnet is viewed by some critics as part of a national effort to return Christianity and prayer into public schools: bit.ly/46vtAWm 🛠️ From sprawling strip malls in Katy to bikeable adaptive reuse projects in the Heights, major retail developments are reshaping where Houstonians will shop and dine. Here are 11 of the most exciting ones (with renderings!): bit.ly/46ogM46 💬 HISD's Board of Managers will be voting Thursday on the proposal to close 12 schools. Families expressed concerns about their students' transportation, academics and special education as they pled for more community input before the vote: bit.ly/4rGeGVN

Good evening Whatsapp readers! If you're interested in seeing how your neighbor voted in the Texas Senate primary, you can search that here: bit.ly/40dGyV7. In other news tonight: 🗳️ Christian Menefee and Al Green are advancing to a May runoff in the Democratic primary for Texas' redrawn 18th Congressional District. This will be the fourth election for the same seat in seven months, leaving many voters weary: bit.ly/4b492W9 🏢 Harris County landlords dodged $119M in property taxes last year. Rice University’s Baker Institute tallied the property taxes being avoided through public facility corporations and other tax-break deals: bit.ly/47bShHu 🌆 Developers plan to break ground this summer on a 45-story Ritz-Carlton hotel and condominium tower along Post Oak Boulevard, where condo prices could soar to over $30M. This project would rank among the tallest and most ambitious additions to Houston’s Uptown skyline in years: bit.ly/3MVSpEj

Happy Monday everyone! If you are traveling this week from the Hobby Airport, be sure to arrive early. Travelers were standing for at least three hours in TSA lines this morning for the second straight day: bit.ly/4lfxDfm. Here's more: ⛽ Houston gas prices Monday were around 50 cents higher than a week ago. A Houston expert predicts how high they could get: bit.ly/46NJhZ3 🍽️ Find the best Houston restaurants near you using our new searchable map, based on top restaurants guides from the Chronicle's food team: bit.ly/4beE7Xv 💧 Officials in Corpus Christi say they will face a “water emergency” within months and could run out of water entirely next year, which could trigger potential shock waves through energy markets in Texas and beyond: bit.ly/3OZAY6r

Hello everyone, it looks like parts of Houston and Southeast Texas are going to be facing severe storms this weekend: bit.ly/3OJoEqT. Here are some more stories from today: 👮 Houston police officers in at least two instances have arrested drivers and personally transported them to immigration agents — a new level of cooperation with federal officials that could risk violating the U.S. Constitution and internal policies, according to legal experts: bit.ly/4sjZSvG 🍬 SNAP recipients in Texas won't be able to buy sweetened soft drinks and candies using their benefits beginning April 1, as part of a state effort to promote healthier food options: bit.ly/4uuSHD9 🍔 A few of our reporters ventured out to the Houston Rodeo to see how much food they could buy for $50. Here's what they were able to get (you may be surprised!): bit.ly/4rSHqdQ

Good evening, y'all! Houston officially has soft serve margaritas. Get you one: bit.ly/4lAzr2H 🐴 The Houston rodeo just dropped a new dress code after provocative rodeo outfits drew online backlash this year. Attendees can now be denied entry or kicked out for wearing anything deemed ‘inappropriate’: bit.ly/4bujuXb 🗑️ City Columnist Joy Sewing writes about how Houston is drowning in trash. After months of waiting on the city’s heavy trash pick up, she finally had to take matters into her own hands. An experience many of y’all may be quite familiar with: bit.ly/3NwTlz3 🌡️ Finally, meteorologist Justin Ballard breaks down what a rare ‘Super El Niño' could mean for the Atlantic hurricane season and Texas winter weather: bit.ly/41af4zY