As a cold front grips Houston, inflicting freezing temperatures, a slew of local businesses and government entities announced service suspensions, with several closures slated for Monday extending into Tuesday, Click2Houston reported. The Harris County Clerk's Office and all Harris County Tax Office locations stand among the numerous facilities shuttering their doors due to the inclement weather.
In a bid to navigate the historic winter conditions, major retail players like Kroger have implemented a patchwork of operational hours, while some locations will remain closed Monday, those that were open will roll their shutters back up starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, and, METRO has pulled the brakes on all transit services, including METRO HOV/HOT lanes as well as the METRO RideStore and canceling all scheduled METROLift trips for Tuesday, Feb. 16, according to an update from ABC13.
Other key closures include The Houston Zoo, which opted for an early closure today and will not resume activity until possibly Thursday, Feb. 18; Space Center Houston also echoed a similar stance, confirming a shutdown on Tuesday, Feb. 16 with eyes on a Wednesday reopening, depending on weather improvements. H-E-B stores, another grocery chain giant, has decided to shrink their business hours, opening from noon until 5 p.m., with the exception of the Meyerland location.
The Municipal Courts of Houston have also taken the cue to cease operations tomorrow, anticipating a green light on Wednesday morning, whereas the renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center will be closed for appointments tomorrow, with plans to reschedule and notify patients about the new arrangement and Houston Health-affiliated Curative COVID-19 testing sites will also not be operational tomorrow, these announcements come as part of a broader shutdown aimed at safeguarding residents from the harsh weather conditions, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Ann Harris Bennett remarked on the closure of Harris County Tax Office locations but encouraged the public to turn to online and phone services for necessary tax office business.
This sweeping wave of shutdowns is the region's collective response to ensure public safety and mitigate the impact of the winter storm wreaking havoc across the area, officials urging residents to stay informed on operational statuses through official channels and brace for potential further disruptions as the freeze maintains its hold.
