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Houston passes $7 billion FY 2026 Budget amid mixed reactions By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
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After months of deliberation, the Houston City Council on June 4 approved Mayor John Whitmire’s $7 billion Fiscal Year 2026 budget by a 14–3 vote. The plan, which takes effect July 1, emphasizes strategic spending cuts, expanded public-
safety investments and major infrastructure funding to set the city on “stronger financial footing,” Whitmire said. “This budget marks a turning point for our city—and a new chapter in building a stronger, more accountable, and more resilient Houston,” Whitmire said in a city news release. He highlighted $122 million in “strategic cuts
with no reduction in city services,” pay raises for police, fire and municipal employees, a record $184 million for streets and drainage, and a $12 million boost to the Budget Stabilization Fund. Guided by an Ernst & Young efficiency study, he added, the administration “realigned See BUDGET P. 2
Photo courtesy of City of Houston Mayor’s Office
City Council overwhelmingly passed Mayor Whitmire’s FY 2026 Budget
Justice: HISTORIC GEM REBORN Quick Constable
Rosen’s team cracks weekend burglary case By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
Chef Brendan Holmes shares marinade, gribiche recipes
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Tune those guitars and violins: Houston gears up for Make Music Day on June 21
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Photo by Stephanie Shirley
Multi-use development has begun on the historic Swift & Co. property located on the southwest intersection of Waverly and the hike and bike trail in The Heights.
Swift building redevelopment kicks off By STEPHANIE SHIRLEY The Leader News Contributor
No kid goes hungry: HISD launches summer meals program
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Pet of the Week: Meet T-Rex, the tiny dog with a BIG name
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After more than a year of planning—and surviving a derecho and Hurricane Beryl—the long-vacant Swift & Company meat-packing plant at 621 Waverly Street has officially broken ground. Triten Real Estate Partners and Radom Capital, the two developers behind the project, are transforming the imposing early-1900s structure into a vibrant mixed-use destination just south of the Heights hike-and-bike trail. Over the past year, there has been little visible activity. When asked if the damage caused by the unforgiving weather had altered their plans to retain architectural integrity, Lisa Reyerse at Triten said, “The idea of weathering and aging is included in the initial planning of the redevelopment, so nothing has changed.” That continuity underscores the
Within 48 hours of a weekend burglary at a mid-rise Heights condominium, Harris County Precinct 1 deputies arrested two suspects and recovered more than $10,000 in stolen property, Constable Alan Rosen announced. Surveillance cameras captured the break-ins in the 1700 block of Ashland early Saturday after thieves forced entry into the gated parking garage and storage units, making off with high-end binoculars, a range finder, mountain bikes and other equipment. By Monday morning, deputies had tracked down and charged Kenneth R. Woolaver, 49, and Christopher Eric Kyle, 41, with felony burglary. All recovered items were returned to their owners. The area where the thefts occurred is patrolled by Rosen’s office as part of a neighborhood security contact, according to Rosen’s office. “Our deputies know the community, know the hard-working residents, their cars and their pets, and at times, also recognize the criminals who target the area,” Rosen said. “This was great work by our deputies and great work by the building owners, who were wise enough to have surveillance cameras.” Both men show criminal records for previous crimes in the Heights area: Woodaver was sentenced in 2023 to four years of probation after pleading guilty to a felony theft charge for stealing a bicycle worth $6,600 from a home in the 500 block of Heights Boulevard, in a case also handled by Constable Precinct 1 deputies, officials said. See BURGLARY P. 2
Rendering by Michael Hsu, Office of Architecture
The Swift BLDG project is now under construction and scheduled for completion the second quarter of 2026.
partners’ commitment to preserving gem,” he said. “Our vision for the Swift the building’s character, graffiti-scarred Building is rooted in adaptive reuse— breathing new life into an iconic strucbrick and all. ture while modernizing it for today’s restaurants, offices, and retailers.” Adaptive Reuse Meets The 10,578-square-foot site will “Modern Needs Eric Gustafson, construction man- house approximately 30,000 square ager at Radom Capital, described the feet of specialty retail—only three guiding principle behind the overhaul: spaces remain available—and more “The Swift Building is a historic See SWIFT P. 3
Photos released by Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office
ARRESTED AND CHARGED: Kenneth R. Woolaver (left) and Christopher Eric Kyle
Happy Father’s Day from Rainbow Lodge: Executive Chef Brandon Holmes shares his secrets to legendary grilling By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com A year after joining Rainbow Lodge, Chef Brandon Holmes has stepped into the spotlight as the landmark restaurant’s new executive chef—and just in time to share his Father’s Day grilling wisdom. Holmes, who cut his teeth under Felix Flores at Black Hill Meats before leading Ritual’s acclaimed meat program, brings a deep passion for whole-animal butchery and
bold, outdoors-inspired flavors to the Heights icon. “Brandon’s exceptional food focus and leadership style includes showcasing our garden harvest daily, working closely with ranchers to expand our wild game and beef selections, and spending time in the dining room with guests to answer questions and listen to their feedback,” owner Donnette Hansen said upon his promotion. Holmes’s journey from Las Vegas to Houston has been
marked by rapid ascents: within a year at Black Hill Meats he became Head Butcher/Plant Manager, then Master Butcher and Executive Chef at Ritual, where he helped the restaurant earn “20 best in Houston” acclaim. At Rainbow Lodge since April 2024, Holmes reunited with former colleague Peter Clifton—now Beverage Director—to form a “dynamic duo,” Hansen enthused, “and I absolutely love what the two See HOLMES P. 3
Photo by Paula Murphy
Dad and Executive Chef Brandon Holmes and his son, 7-year-old King, preparing the new Rabbit Boudin Blanc Sausage Dog in the Rainbow Lodge kitchen.
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