We are the storytellers of Houston
Houston stories. Local voices.
The latest people, places and conversations from Houston City Beat.
-
Before the Astrodome: Houston Honors Colt Stadium and the People Who Started It All
At Colt Stadium’s historical marker unveiling, Houston baseball pioneers and their families remembered the ballpark where the city’s Major League story began.
-
Estate Planning Starts With a Conversation: Texas Law Solutions on HCB Live
Fosca Piomelli-Barrios and Danelle Gulley of Texas Law Solutions join HCB Live to open National Estate Planning Awareness Week with a question every family should consider.
-
Meet Your Houston: HCB Business Mixer Returns November 17
Meet Houston-area business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders at HCB’s free November 17 Business Mixer at West Loop Rental Studio.
-
When the Lowest Bid Costs More: Alexander Barrios on Choosing Construction Value
The family expected a finished project. Instead, Thanksgiving arrived while they were still living in a construction zone. Alexander Barrios of Alexsca LLC shared their experience during a conversation with Houston City…
-
Esmeralda De Leon: Finding the Strength to Begin Again
For Houston entrepreneur Esmeralda De Leon, surviving life’s most difficult seasons has meant learning that strength isn’t always about what you can handle alone. Sometimes, it’s about having the courage to ask…
Fresh stories from across Greater Houston.
Explore all storiesFor Houston businesses
Build your presence.
Make a connection.
Explore ways to work with Houston City Beat.
Membership & media
Discover Community Connector membership and media opportunities. Ask about current options, inclusions and pricing.
Explore Community ConnectorsSupport local stories
Help bring Houston’s nonprofit work to a wider audience through Community Kites underwriting.
Ask about underwriting
Featured Series
Did HOU Know?
Houston history in three minutes or less.
Explore the people, places, breakthroughs and defining moments that shaped our city, influenced the nation and changed the world.
Start exploring Houston historyView the complete series →
Why Are Water Towers Everywhere Around Houston?
Have you ever wondered why suburbs around Houston have so many water towers? Discover how these towering structures provide water pressure, emergency storage,…
Read the storyThe Hidden 118-Year-Old Clock Most Houstonians Walk Right Past
The Remarkable Story of Houston's Historic Sweeney Clock
Read the storyRained-in at the Dome
When the Astrodome opened in 1965 rain-outs became a thing of the past for Houston baseball. As a result, the rain check basically…
Read the story01
Houston, In Depth
Flagship reporting that follows the questions, people and consequences shaping Greater Houston.
Inside Gilley’s: Leon Beck Reflects on the Honky Tonk That Changed Texas Forever
Leon Beck joins Mike Acosta to revisit Gilley’s, the Urban Cowboy era and the Pasadena venue’s lasting influence on Texas music.
Read the storyHow the Rodeo’s Multi-Million Dollar Shift Signals a Turning Point for NRG Park and (possibly) the Astrodome
NRG Park's Future: How the Rodeo's $300 Million Expansion Could Reshape Houston
Read the story40 Years Later: Remembering the Challenger Disaster – A Houston Kid’s Memory of January 28, 1986
The Day the Sky Fell in Houston Forty years ago, on January 28, 1986, the world stood still as the Space Shuttle Challenger…
Read the story02
Houston, In Their Words
First-person stories, memories and conversations that reveal Houston through the people who live it.
From Rare Diagnosis to Relentless Purpose: Anthony Mitchell Turns Adversity Into Advocacy
Anthony Mitchell shares how his experience living with anhidrosis informs his writing, advocacy and efforts to connect people facing rare conditions.
Read the storyHow Power Passion Purpose Is Helping Women Rebuild Their Lives
Healing rarely happens all at once. More often, it begins with a safe place, a listening ear, and someone willing to walk alongside…
Read the story1,372 Bonus Days: How a Viral Cold Led to a New Heart for Adam Greer
After seventeen years of waiting on "someday," Adam Greer received a life-saving call on the Fourth of July that granted him a second…
Read the story03
The City Explained
The history, infrastructure and civic systems behind the Houston we experience every day.
Why Is Houston Called the Bayou City? The Story Behind Houston’s Endless Bayous
Houston is known around the world as the Bayou City, but have you ever wondered why? Long before freeways, skyscrapers, and the Port…
Read the storyThirty-Eight Years of Houston’s Quiet Giant: The George R. Brown Convention Center
On September 26, 1987 the George R. Brown Convention Center flung open its massive glass doors, a gleaming behemoth promising to put Houston…
Read the storyAstrodome Opening Night: The Glitz, the Game, and Houston’s Big Moment (1965)
On April 9, 1965, Houston didn’t just open a stadium—it launched a revolution. The Astrodome, dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, swung…
Read the story04
People Building Houston
Community Connectors, nonprofits, organizers and neighbors turning local commitment into meaningful change.
Building Visibility: How Dignora Casanova Is Making Her Mark on Houston
Through Casanova Signs, Dignora Casanova helps Houston entrepreneurs turn business names into a visible presence.
Read the storyFrom a Side Gig to a Growing Franchise: How Brenda Sarconi Built Ride N Go by Solving a Community Need
Brenda Sarconi explains how listening to riders helped turn a side job into Ride N Go, a transportation business built around lasting relationships.
Read the storyJonathan Clay | The Kalos Project
The Kalos Project strengthens Houston's local food economy by growing organic produce while providing workforce training, mentorship, and paid apprenticeships for young adults…
Read the story05
Culture of HOU
The distinct cultures, communities and traditions that shape Houston—from global roots to Tex-Mex and Texan heritage.
Peru in Houston
Meet Houston’s Peruvian community through local voices, cultural features, restaurants, consular resources, photography, and upcoming interviews.
Read the storyThe Queen of Houston Tex-Mex
Long before fajitas became a restaurant favorite around the world, one Houston widow turned a small East End restaurant into a culinary legend.…
Read the storyFrom Nicaragua to Downtown Houston: Julio Cisneros’ Path to Executive Chef
Houston’s downtown dining scene is brighter thanks to Executive Chef Julio Cisneros, the culinary force behind The Downtown Club at The Met.
Read the storyThe Houston City Beat Network
Stories begin with connection.
Meet the people who help us listen more closely to Houston, or find a trusted local business, nonprofit or community resource.
Help shape the next story
Bring your Houston connection.
Nominate a nonprofit
Help Community Kites discover the organizations serving Greater Houston.
Become an underwriter
Help bring Greater Houston’s nonprofit work to a wider audience.