A debarred Houston contractor is tied to a bribery probe, but a city agenda still lists an $8.3M final payment — officials are racing to sort law from politics.

Verde Garden, the Kirby Group’s Harlow District Tex‑Mex spot in Montrose, is closing after under three years. The closure leaves a large Montrose space available.

County engineers say a shift in how signal dollars flow to precincts could slow fixes to aging traffic lights. Officials plan to revisit policy at an upcoming commissioners meeting.

Precinct 4 deputies set a perimeter in the 400 block of Thorne Wilde Park Lane after reports of gunfire; deputies searched with K‑9s and DPS air support but did not locate the wounded man.

A man was taken into custody after deputies say he fired a gun in the 11800 block of Harmony Estates Lane. The constable's office says he was found with marijuana and detained without incident.

Seven people face charges for smuggling guns to North Korea, with Shenghua Wen identified as the ringleader in a Houston-based operation. They allegedly trafficked 170 firearms and ammunition, facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

HPD closed an unapproved after-hours club in west Houston after neighbors filed complaints. Inspectors say the building hadn’t been approved for occupancy since October.

Two 18-year-olds died after a pickup burst into flames on the South Loop near Mykawa. Houston police say investigators are probing whether substances were involved.

Houston is experiencing a cold spell with gusty winds, affecting weekend activities such as a marathon, with forecasts of gradual warming into the following week.

Tommy Tune donates over 50,000 items of his Broadway memorabilia to the University of Houston, including costumes, scripts, and letters, expected to benefit students and researchers.

A man was arrested after causing a disturbance and climbing onto a Chick-fil-A roof on Katy Freeway, leading to an evacuation; his motives are unclear.

Video shows someone ripping rainbow flags from the Montrose Center’s fence; the center says staff are safe, a police report was filed and security will be increased before a Feb. 7–8 summit.

Federal prosecutors say seven people were indicted in Houston after allegedly obtaining about 170 firearms and thousands of rounds in a scheme tied to North Korea.