Houston Style Magazine SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2026
Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989
Volume 37 | Number 39
Complimentary
H H H H Hispanic Heritage Month H H H H
Ben Jealous Troy Davis's Ghost Still Speaks After All These Years
JEFFREY CAMPBELL: Allies In Hope CEO Takes National Stage AGAINST HIV FUNDING CUTS
Burt Levine
Less Than a Month to Early Voting in Texas General Election
By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Adrian Garcia A Lifetime Of Public Service Rooted In Precinct 2
H-E-B Family Land On FORBES' Billionaire List
Countty Judge "FLIPS TOUR" Makes Houston Stop
Michelle Obama In Texas
N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T Supporting Small Owned Businesses
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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2026 Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com Graphic Design /Layout Editor Cameron C. Lee thisiscam6@gmail.com
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HOUSTON, TEXAS
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H COUNTY JUDGE Flips Tour – SIMMONS, JEFTS & MCCOY H GUESTS: FletcherHMenefeeHWUHBrionesHEllis & Garcia
H Amber Mostyn – Host H Mostyn LAW – www.MostynLaw.com H Monday, SEPT. 21, 2026 H
Political Editor Burt Levine texascampaigns@gmail.com Sports Editor Brian Barefield brian_barefield@yahoo.com Food & Wine Writer Monica Jones alexandriajack1991@gmail.com Entertainment Writer D'Nesha Bell / TotallyRandie Totallyrandie@gmail.com Career Columnist Nikki Miles ailormaderesumes2576@gmail.com NATIONAL WRITERS Ben Jealous info@benjealous.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com ADVERTISING/SALES advertising@stylemagazine.com Got community news? We want to hear from you! SEND: editorial@stylemagazine.com
MINORITY PRINT MEDIA, LLC, D.B.A. Houston Style Magazine & www.StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035 ©2026 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2021 Audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)
Photographs By Lisa Valadez
County Judge “FLIPS TOUR” MakesBy Francis Houston Stop – Eyes Three County Seats Page, Jr.
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he CJ FLIPS TOUR rolled into Houston September 21, bringing together Democratic candidates, elected officials and supporters for an evening focused on an office that can sometimes fly below the political radar: County Judge. The tour’s stated mission is supporting Democratic county-judge candidates across Texas, with events in Austin, Houston and Dallas. At the center were Heather Jefts, candidate for Williamson County Judge; Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who is running for Tarrant County Judge and Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, who is running for Fort Bend County Judge. Hosted by Amber Mostyn, the gathering drew an impressive cross-section of Democratic leaders. Special invited
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guests included U.S. Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Sylvia Garcia and Christian Menefee, State Rep. Gene Wu, and Commissioners Lesley Briones, Rodney Ellis, Adrian Garcia and Grady Prestage. Houston Style Magazine’s Lisa Valadez was among the invited guests, representing the publication at the Houston gathering and engaging with community leaders throughout the evening. Also joining the evening was April L. Jones, Democratic nominee for Fort Bend County Commissioner Precinct 4, adding another Fort Bend voice to the conversation about county leadership. Jones will appear on the November 3 ballot. Houston City Controller Chris Hollins was also on hand to support the event, bringing his perspective as a citywide
elected official and former Harris County Clerk. Hollins has served as Houston’s controller since January 2024. The evening underscored just how close to home county government operates—from roads and emergency response to public safety, elections and infrastructure. For Houston Style Magazine readers, the message was also civic: know the candidates, understand the offices and make an informed choice at the ballot box.
ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 www.StyleMagazine.com
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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COMMENTARY
Troy Davis's Ghost Still Speaks After All These Years By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator
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woke up Monday thinking about Troy Davis. Fifteen years ago, Georgia executed him. He was innocent. I was outside the prison that night. As the old song goes, that's the night the lights went out in Georgia. No physical evidence tied Troy to the killing of Officer Mark MacPhail. The case rested on eyewitnesses. Seven of the nine later recanted or changed their accounts. Several swore the police had pressured them. They pointed instead to another man at the scene, the man who first gave police Troy's name. One witness testified he saw that man fire the shots. Good people spoke up. William Sessions, who ran the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) under three presidents, wrote that the case was permeated in doubt. Bob Barr, a Republican who supports the death penalty, wrote that condemning a man on the skimpiest of evidence does not serve justice. I am grateful to them. But they did not have what I had. I worked that case for fifteen years. I read the affidavits myself. I did not come away with doubt. I came away certain. Georgia killed the wrong man. Troy saw what we could not. He kept telling us the only way to break the killing machine was to make the country watch it work. So we built our campaign around a hashtag, #TooMuchDoubt. His execution became the second most tweeted event on earth that year. Weeks later, Gallup found support for the death penalty at a 39-year low. The next spring, Connecticut abolished the death penalty with a horrific murder case still in the headlines. Troy made that possible. A year later, Maryland became the first state south of the Mason-Dixon Line to abolish. I watched that vote from the Senate balcony in Annapolis, beside Kirk Bloodsworth. Maryland had sent Kirk, a White waterman and former Marine, to death row for a murder he did
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not commit. DNA freed him. Virginia followed in 2021, the first state of the old Confederacy to abolish. Then we stopped. No state has abolished the death penalty since Washington struck it from its books in 2023. The machine kept running. Since 1973, at least 203 people have been exonerated from death row. For every eight people executed, one has been exonerated. Two years ago Missouri executed Marcellus Williams, after the very prosecutor's office that convicted him asked a court to
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
throw out the conviction. The death penalty preys on the poor. About 95 percent of the people on death row could not afford a lawyer. Lynching still haunts us. At least ten Black people have been found hanging this year. Most have been ruled suicides. Their families want independent reviews. This month Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and 59 colleagues asked the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate every one. Frederick Douglass is often called
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the father of the civil rights movement. He was the first civil rights leader to call publicly for abolishing the death penalty. He said its roots were intertwined with the roots of the lynching tree. Both had to be cut down. I learned the path thirty years ago at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. The Eighth Amendment bans cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court judges what is unusual by looking at the states. In 2005, once most states had barred executing children, the Court ended the practice. The threshold for ending the death penalty is 26 states. We have 23. We need three. Ohio is closest. Its Republican governor, Mike DeWine, has not carried out a single execution. In June he called for abolition. Pennsylvania's governor, Josh Shapiro, refuses to sign death warrants. North Carolina has not executed anyone in twenty years. Much of the country is moving the other way. States executed 47 people last year, the most since 2009. Florida alone killed 19. In January 2025 the president signed an order pressing states to seek more death sentences. These are hard times. We carry many fights. We cannot set this one down. Two weeks before he died, Troy asked me to be an uncle to his nephew, De'Jaun. I said yes. I had known him since he was three. Today he is an engineer, helping build a dental school in Savannah, his uncle's hometown. Troy should have lived to see it. Three states. Call your governor. Call your legislators. Douglass told us to cut down both trees. One is still standing. And it is time for the lights to stay on in Georgia. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
LESS THAN A MONTH TO EARLY VOTING IN TEXAS GENERAL ELECTION
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he calendar has officially shifted from “this fall” to countdown mode. Texas voters are now less than four weeks from the start of Early Voting for the November 3, 2026 General Election, when voters across Harris County, Fort Bend County and the rest of Texas will decide contests stretching from statewide offices to county courthouses and local government. The first deadline comes quickly: Monday, October 5 is the final day to register to vote in the November election. In-person Early Voting begins Monday, October 19, continues through Friday, October 30, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Applications to vote by mail from eligible voters must be received by Friday, October 23. In Harris County, Early Vote Centers will generally operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Sunday, October 25 hours from noon to 7 p.m. Election Day Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. County officials note that voting locations are still being finalized, so voters should check HarrisVotes.com before heading to the polls. Fort Bend County has also confirmed Early Voting from October 19 through October 30 and the same October 5 voter-registration deadline. Behind the scenes, election officials are preparing the equipment and procedures
By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
governor, atthat make vottorney general ing possible. and numerous Te x a s l a w congressional, requires loglegislative, ic-and-accujudicial and racy testing of local offices electronic votdepending on ing systems where they before they live. are placed That into service, makes doing part of the a little homeprocess dework before signed to verentering the ify that ballots voting booth are accurately especially recorded and valuable. tabulated. Harris And County votthere is plenty ers can visit on the ballot. HarrisVotes. Texcom to check as’ certified their registrastatewide baltion, review lot includes the U.S. Senate contest be- Teneisha Hudspeth their individual sample ballot and locate a Vote Center. The tween Republican Ken Paxton, Democrat James Talarico and Libertarian county also allows voters to bring a printed Ted Brown, while the race for governor sample ballot or handwritten notes into the includes Republican Greg Abbott, Dem- voting booth, provided those materials leave ocrat Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian Pat with the voter. Houston Style Magazine encourDixon. Texans will also vote for lieutenant
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ages every eligible voter — regardless of party, candidate or issue preference — to verify registration, study the ballot and make a voting plan. Democracy works best when citizens participate. And with Early Voting beginning October 19, the countdown is officially underway.
VOTER INFORMATION REGISTER TO VOTE DEADLINE: Monday, October 5 EARLY VOTING: October 19–30 MAIL BALLOT APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 23 ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, November 3 HARRIS COUNTY: HarrisVotes.com FORT BEND COUNTY: FortBendCountyTX.gov STATEWIDE VOTER INFORMATION: VoteTexas.gov
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVES FY27 BUDGET By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
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arris County has put the final numbers on its next fiscal chapter. Commissioners Court approved the County’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget Thursday, establishing a $3.095 billion General Fund spending plan for the year beginning October 1, 2026. Harris County’s September 17 budget book confirms the $3.095 billion figure following the final round of budget changes. For a county serving millions of residents, balancing the books is never simply a matter of moving numbers from one column to another. Roads, courts, public safety, libraries, health programs, disaster response and thousands of county employees are attached to those numbers. This year, the balancing act became especially challenging after the County’s projected General Fund deficit grew from approximately $129 million to $181 million, driven in significant part by rising employee health-care costs. “This budget reflects the difficult financial environment facing Harris County while maintaining the services our residents rely on every day,” said Harris County Administrator Erica Lee Carter, crediting Commissioners Court, the Office of Management and Budget, county departments and employees for navigating the process. The adopted budget continues funding for core county operations while making several targeted investments. Among them is $15 million in additional funding for the Harris County Public Defender’s Office, supporting its planned expan-
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sion toward representing 50% of eligible indigent-defense cases. The Count y ’s S e p tember 17 budget documents also reflect continued criminal-justice investments, including additional funding for pretrial case managers and other justice-system initiatives. Public health receives its share of attention as well. Funding includes $2.3 million for food distribution and nutrition-benefits enrollment, $1.1 million for chronic-disease prevention, $1 million for behavioral-health and substance-use services, and $1.2 million for maternal and child health programs. Additional September 17 budget amendments support Public Health initiatives including expansion of the Holistic Assistance Response Team, community-violence interruption efforts, domestic-violence services and
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
wastewater surveillance. Harris County libraries also remain part of the equation, with approximately $1.1 million for collections and materials, along with technology funding supporting educational and library services. The final budget revisions additionally include funding intended to help maintain state library accreditation. County employees received an important piece of budget news: following Commissioners Court amendments, medical-plan premiums and deductibles are not scheduled to increase for calendar year 2027. The budget also continues funding connected to law-enforcement compensation and implementation of county pay-equity efforts. Budget Director Daniel Ramos wrote that FY27 includes the second year of law-enforcement pay parity and the first full
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year of the County’s pay-equity implementation, alongside historically higher health-care spending. “The FY27 budget reflects the financial realities facing the County while continuing to fund essential services and priority investments,” Ramos said. Despite the squeeze, county officials point to liquidity, the property-tax base, grants and disaster reimbursements as financial resources supporting continued operations. The budget process itself stretched from spring forecasting through summer hearings and the September adoption process; the County’s published budget calendar identified September 17 as the date for the public hearing and adoption of the FY27 budget and tax rates. For taxpayers who prefer spreadsheets and dashboards to political sound bites — and there are more of them than you might think — Harris County has made the numbers publicly accessible. The FY27 fiscal year runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 — twelve months in which Harris County residents will be able to measure how those billions translate from budget pages into services in their communities.
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MEET COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA: F
or Adrian Garcia, public service is not simply a résumé line—it is the through-line. Born and raised in Houston’s Northside, Garcia still lives in the community that helped shape him. His career has moved from 23 years with the Houston Police Department to leadership of the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office, service on Houston City Council and as mayor pro tem, election as Harris County Sheriff, and now service as Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner. Official records describe a career anchored in the same part of Houston he has called home for decades. That history is the foundation for the “DELIVERS” message Garcia’s campaign is emphasizing. The useful question for residents is what the public record shows. On property taxes, Harris County has repeatedly expanded relief for homeowners age 65 and older and residents with disabilities. For tax year 2026, the county exemption for qualifying senior and disabled homeowners increased to $336,000, in addition to the county’s general homestead exemption. Garcia has publicly supported expanding that relief. At the same time, the broader tax picture is more complicated: Garcia joined the Commissioners Court majority that approved higher countywide tax rates as part of the FY2027 budget in September 2026. Housing affordability has been another focus. Garcia backed a county land-trust initiative designed to create permanently affordable homeownership opportunities, pushed changes
A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE ROOTED IN PRECINCT 2 By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Adrian Garcia - Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 2 intended to make down-payment assistance easier to use, and supported rental-assistance and housing-stability programs. Public safety remains central to his record. Precinct 2’s documented initiatives include the $2.6 million VIPER warrant taskforce program targeting people wanted on violent felony warrants, alongside investments in law
enforcement, body cameras, overtime and community violence-prevention programs. Health access became especially visible during the pandemic. Precinct 2 partnered with Baylor College of Medicine and others to deploy Access2Health SmartPods—adaptable health-care facilities placed in medically underserved communities and intended to provide
testing and longer-term access to health services. Then there is infrastructure—the decidedly unglamorous work residents notice immediately when it fails. Garcia’s current campaign materials say he helped secure more than $500 million for flood-control projects and that Precinct 2 completed more than five million feet of ditch and drainage maintenance. Commissioners Court records separately document Precinct 2 surpassing one million linear feet of drainage maintenance in individual years. Environmental monitoring also joined the portfolio. Precinct 2 funded work with the Houston Advanced Research Center to improve air-quality analysis and expand stationary, semi-stationary and handheld monitoring around the Houston Ship Channel. Taken together, Garcia’s record forms a long arc: police officer, anti-gang official, council member, sheriff and county commissioner. His campaign calls that record “DELIVERS.” The public record gives Precinct 2 residents the underlying facts to determine what that word means.
ADRIAN GARCIA:
www.AdrianGarcia.com
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HAHMP
SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ SCHOLARSHIP GALA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH 6:00 PM C. BALDWIN HOTEL
Raul Peimbert Senior News Anchor Noticias Univision 45-Houston 2026 Lifetime Achievement
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HAHMP.ORG
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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MICHELLE OBAMA HEADS TO FORT WORTH – TARRANT COUNTY FOR OPAL LEE’S 100TH BIRTHDAY — GET YOUR TICKETS FAST By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Michelle Obama exas history will have a front-row seat on Wednesday, October 7, when former First Lady Michelle Obama comes to Fort Worth, Tarrant County for a special conversation celebrating the 100th birthday of Dr. Opal Lee, affectionately known nationwide as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
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Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston Street, beginning at 6 p.m. The museum says the program will center on legacy, freedom, leadership and the future while recognizing Lee’s extraordinary century of service. As of Wednesday evening, the ticket portal lists General Seating at $300, Preferred Seating at $500 and Premium Seating at $750. All seats are reserved and assigned by section, row and seat. The packages include an inaugural one-year National Juneteenth Museum membership and a copy of Michelle Obama’s The Look, with additional museum-related benefits included at higher ticket levels. The evening belongs just as much to Opal Lee. A retired educator and longtime community advocate,
Lee drew national attention through her campaign for federal recognition of Juneteenth, including a walking campaign launched from Fort Worth in 2016. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and Lee later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024. Earlier on Wednesday, October 7, the National Juneteenth Museum will host its “Clearing the Way” ceremony at the future museum site in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside, marking another step toward construction of its permanent home. For Houston Style Magazine readers, the occasion represents something larger than a celebrity appearance. It is a Texas story about history becoming civic memory—and about one
And for those hoping to be in the room: TICKETS ARE LIVE NOW The National Juneteenth Museum’s Uniting Voices Speaker Series will present A Conversation with Former First Lady Michelle Obama at the
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
Opal Lee woman whose persistence helped move Juneteenth from community tradition to national recognition. A century of Opal Lee. A major new chapter for the National Juneteenth Museum. And Michelle Obama in Fort Worth, Tarrant County for one significant evening. If you want a seat, this is one calendar date not to leave until the last minute. GET TICKETS https://events.eventnoire.com/e/ njmunitingvoices26/tickets
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Allies in Hope CEO Jeffrey Campbell Carries Houston’s Voice to National Stage as HIV Funding Cuts Hit Home
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NAHEIM, Calif. — Houston’s voice traveled loudly and clearly to California during the 2026 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS, but for Allies in Hope CEO William “Jeffrey” Campbell, this year’s gathering carried an urgency extending far beyond speeches, workshops and celebration. The September 17–20 conference, hosted by NMAC at the Hilton Anaheim, marked the 30th anniversary of USCHA and 45 years since the beginning of the recognized U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic. Under the theme “United and Unbreakable: The HIV Movement at 45,” more than 2,000 health professionals, advocates, community leaders and people living with HIV gathered to examine the future of prevention, treatment, health equity and community-based care. Yet one subject followed Campbell through conversations across the conference: funding. Allies in Hope is among 96 community-based organizations affected by the expiration of the CDC’s Comprehensive High-Impact HIV Prevention Programs for Community-Based Organizations grant program, PS21-2102. National analyses have found that the program has supported HIV testing, prevention education, PrEP navigation, linkage to care and other frontline prevention services. For Houston, Campbell says the consequences are tangible. “Our CDC funding will end Wednesday, September 30, 2026, reducing our prevention budget by $440,000,” Campbell said. “That loss negatively impacts the number of people we can provide HIV education, testing and other relevant services to.” And Allies in Hope is not alone. Campbell said at least two other Houston-area organizations will also see funding end September 30, while another local agency faces a similar impact in
By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
For Allies in Hope, the stakes can be measured in people. The organization — founded in 1982 as AIDS Foundation Houston and recognized as Texas’ first AIDS service organization — now reports serving more than 6,000 community members. Its work includes HIV and STI testing, PrEP, rapid-start treatment, prevention education, housing assistance, food support and community outreach. Against that backdrop, Campbell’s words at USCHA carried additional weight: “Solidarity Fosters Justice.” “Authenticity Is A Healer.”
Allies in Hope CEO William “Jeffrey” Campbell Voice Traveled Loudly and Clearly during the 2026 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS in California March 2027. “This loss was one of the main conversations that floated into so many conversations at USCHA,” Campbell said. That concern reflects a larger national transition. The direct CDC funding program supported 96 organizations, while
federal HIV-prevention resources are instead being directed through state and local health departments, which can partner or subcontract with community organizations. KFF has cautioned that the new funding structure may not fully replace the resources previously reaching CBOs directly.
Those are more than conference-ready phrases. They speak to why community organizations matter. HIV prevention succeeds not simply because services exist, but because people trust the organizations delivering them. For Houston Style Magazine, a proud partner of Allies in Hope, Campbell’s presence on the national stage demonstrated both Houston’s leadership and the challenge ahead. USCHA’s message was United and Unbreakable. For Allies in Hope, that message now becomes a mission: preserve access, protect trusted community connections and continue ensuring that prevention, education and hope remain within reach for Houstonians who need them. OFFICIAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION: 2026 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS — NMAC Learn more about the Houston organization and its services at:
www.AIHHouston.org
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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TWO SAN ANTONIO H-E-B BILLIONAIRES LAND ON FORBES’ 2026 RICHEST AMERICANS LIST
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By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
hen Forbes released its 2026 ranking of America's 400 wealthiest people, two familiar Texas names were once again among them: H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt and his sister, Eleanor Butt Crook. Charles Butt, 88, ranks No. 137 with an estimated fortune of $11.3 billion, while Butt Crook, 94, ranks No. 367 at approximately $4.7 billion. Together, their estimated wealth approaches $16 billion. Forbes reports that the 400 richest Americans collectively hold a record $8 trillion, with $4.4 billion required to make the 2026 list. Those are breathtaking numbers. But here in Texas - and certainly at Houston Style Magazine - the H-E-B story has never been only about numbers. For 26 years, H-E-B has been a valued stakeholder in the Houston Style Magazine journey, including its longstanding role as a treasured back-page advertiser. That back page represents more than premium newspaper real estate. After more than a quarter-century, it feels more like a handshake printed in ink - a relationship between two Texas institutions committed to serving communities, families and generations of readers and shoppers. For that confidence, consistency and longevity, Houston Style Magazine is
most humbly appreciative. H-E-B's story began far from any billionaires list. In 1905, Florence Butt - grandmother of Charles Butt and Eleanor Butt Crook - opened a small grocery store in Kerrville, Texas, after her husband became ill and could no longer work. Charles later started in the family business as a youngster, bagging groceries, before becoming Chairman and CEO in 1971. The family enterprise grew from one small store into one of the largest privately held retailers in the United States. Today, H-E-B says it operates more than 455 stores in Texas and Mexico, employs more than 175,000 Partners and generates annual sales exceeding $50 billion. The company also says it contributes five percent of annual pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations supporting education, hunger relief, health, military families and other community needs. That community-first philosophy has repeatedly shown itself in Houston and across Texas, from disaster response and food assistance to education initiatives. Charles Butt's commitment to public education includes founding The Holdsworth Center in 2017, an organization focused on strengthening leadership in Texas public schools. H-E-B's Excellence in Education
H-E-B Chairman – Charles Butt and Houston Style Magazine Publisher – Francis Page, Jr. Awards have also invested millions of dollars in educators and schools across the state. For a publication that has spent decades encouraging informed communities and participation in civic life, that commitment matters. Healthy democracy is sustained not simply at the ballot box, but through educated citizens, strong neighborhoods, thriving local institutions and businesses willing to invest in the places they call home. H-E-B also created an employee stock-ownership program in 2015, extending company ownership to tens of thousands of eligible Partners. That decision placed a piece of the company's success into the hands of the people stocking shelves, serving customers and helping keep one of Texas' best-known brands moving forward. And that may explain why conversations about H-E-B so often sound
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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H-E-B - Co-Owner – Eleanor Butt Crook different from conversations about other corporations. Former Partners frequently speak about benefits, opportunities and assistance that happen far away from cameras and headlines. Texans have likewise watched those familiar red letters appear when communities face hurricanes, floods, hunger or other emergencies. So yes, Charles Butt and Eleanor Butt Crook are billionaires. But Houston Style Magazine celebrates this milestone through a different lens: a Texas family enterprise that began humbly, survived generations of change, grew into a powerhouse and still recognizes that a company's footprint is measured not only by stores and sales, but by the communities standing around them. After 26 years of partnership, we simply say: Thank you, H-E-B. The back page has always meant much more than the back page. www.HEB.com
FLU SEASON IN HOUSTON: STAYING INFORMED AND PROTECTED By Rachel Woods, Houston Health Department
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rotecting Houston during flu season begins with accurate information and timely vaccination. Flu comes around every year, but that does not mean we should take it lightly. It can cause serious illness, hospitalization, and missed days from work or school. The flu vaccine reduces the risk of requiring medical care by about 40% to 60%. While it cannot guarantee you will not get the flu, it can lower the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, and headache. Simple steps such as covering coughs and sneezes, washing your hands frequently, cleaning often-touched surfaces, and stay home when sick. So, what should we expect this flu season? The truth is, we do not know yet. The CDC has not issued official projections, so it would be premature to call this an early, late, mild, or severe season. Influenza returns every year, and this year’s vaccine has been updated to match circulating viruses, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Immunity from last year’s vaccine declines over time, while flu viruses continue to evolve, making annual vaccination important.
Dr. Theresa Tran Receives FLU Vaccine Every flu season brings questions and misinformation about the vaccine. Although the CDC recommends vaccination by the end of October, it is not too late once flu season begins. Vaccination later in the season can still be appropriate, particularly if you have not yet been vaccinated, and should continue as long as unexpired vaccine remains available. Another common concern is feeling sick after a flu shot. Mild fatigue, achiness, or a slight fever can occur, but the CDC
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notes these side effects are not influenza and typically resolve within a few days. If you develop respiratory symptoms shortly after vaccination, you may have been exposed before the vaccine took effect, caught another respiratory virus, or simply become sick around the same time. Full protection takes about two weeks to develop. It can be difficult to know what to believe when health information online, and even official recommendations seems to change. Conflicting messages can create
confusion. Ask questions, but look for answers from credible, science-based sources and trusted healthcare professionals. Everyone 6 months and older is recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine. Children who need two doses should receive them at least four weeks apart. Adults 65 and older should receive a high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant vaccine when available. Flu vaccination is also recommended during pregnancy, except for the nasal spray vaccine. The Houston Health Department offers vaccination services at three locations and participates in the Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) program, providing lowcost vaccines for eligible families. Residents can use the TVFC Provider Locator to find participating providers. September and October remain the preferred months for vaccination. Remember “flu before boo”—get vaccinated before Halloween. Houstonians can protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community by getting vaccinated, staying informed, and staying home when sick. Houston Health Department
www.HoustonHealth.org
September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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ELI LILLY BREAKS GROUND ON $6.5 BILLION HOUSTON CAMPUS AS IT BETS BIG ON GLP-1 WEIGHT-LOSS PILL By Lisa Valadez for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston has drilled for oil, launched astronauts, built the world’s largest medical complex and helped redefine American energy. Now the Bayou City is adding another economic engine to its résumé: manufacturing medicines that could reach patients around the world. Eli Lilly and Company officially broke ground September 21 on its massive $6.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus at Generation Park in northeast Houston, launching one of the most consequential life-sciences manufacturing projects in Texas history. The active pharmaceutical ingredient facility is expected to create approximately 4,000 construction jobs and more than 600 permanent highwage positions. And among the Houston-area leaders helping mark the milestone was Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Generation Park is located within Harris County Precinct 1, making the development especially significant to Ellis and the communities his office represents. Ellis joined Gov. Greg Abbott, Lilly Chairman and CEO Dave Ricks, Lilly Houston Site Head Diane Tennenhouse, San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer and other community leaders at the groundbreaking. Ellis’ involvement stretches back to Lilly’s original Houston announcement in September 2025, when he joined state and local officials welcoming the company to Harris County. At the time, Ellis called Lilly’s de-
cision “a powerful testament to the strength of our community,” emphasizing the potential for living-wage employment, workforce development and broader economic opportunity. He also pointed to the combination of Generation Park infrastructure, San Jacinto College workforce training and the region’s labor pool as important ingredients in Houston’s emerging life-sciences ecosystem. Now, shovels are officially in the
ground.
The 236-acre campus will manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients for medicines including Foundayo (orforglipron), Lilly’s first synthetic oral GLP-1 medication. The FDA approved Foundayo on April 1, 2026, for long-term weight reduction in qualifying adults with obesity or overweight when used with diet and physical activity. Unlike the injectable medicines
that helped ignite the GLP-1 revolution, Foundayo is taken as a daily tablet. But Lilly’s Houston ambitions go considerably beyond one medication. The company says the facility will support production of small-molecule medicines and advanced therapeutics spanning cardiometabolic health, oncology, immunology and neuroscience, while strengthening domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chains. Then comes perhaps the most Houston-style part of the story: training people for the jobs before the doors even open. Lilly announced $12.5 million for San Jacinto College to expand workforce training, facilities and equipment supporting advanced chemical synthesis manufacturing. Another $2.5 million will support scholarships through the San Jacinto College Foundation. For Houston, the Lilly groundbreaking represents more than concrete, laboratories and corporate investment. It connects the region’s historic strengths in medicine, engineering, education and advanced manufacturing. Houston will always be Space City, an Energy Capital and home to a world-renowned medical community. Now, with billions flowing into Generation Park, Houston is increasingly making another case for itself: The medicines of tomorrow can be made right here at home.
www.lilly.com
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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HOUSTON CHECKS IN WITH MICHELIN: FIVE LOCAL HOTELS EARN COVETED 2026 KEYS
H
ouston hospitality scene just received another international stamp of approval. The 2026 MICHELIN Key selection recognizes five Houston hotels, placing some of the city’s most distinctive properties among 2,832 Key hotels worldwide. Michelin’s newly released global selection includes 470 first-time Key recipients across 79 destinations, with 2,020 hotels holding One Key, 657 earning Two Keys and 155 receiving Three Keys. For travelers wondering what a Key unlocks, think of it as Michelin’s hotel counterpart to its celebrated restaurant Stars. One MICHELIN Key represents “a very special stay,” recognizing hotels with personality, character and service that rise above the ordinary. Houston’s newest addition is Hotel Daphne in the Heights. Opened in December 2025, the 49-room boutique hideaway became Houston’s only newly added Key hotel in the 2026 selection. Its design-rich personality, neighborhood sensibility and Hypsi restaurant give historic 20th Street a sophisticated new sleepover address. The city’s four returning honorees show just how many versions of luxury Houston can deliver: Hotel Saint Augustine brings intimate, art-conscious
By Reginald Dominique for www.StyleMagazine.com
hospitality to Montrose near the Menil; The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston delivers grand-scale Texas luxury in Uptown; Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District keeps things eclectic, theatrical and unmistakably Houston; and Hotel ZaZa Houston Memorial City gives West Houston its own polished, playful retreat. All five appear in Michelin’s 2026 Houston selection.
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Houston Style Magazine Hotel Order & Links Hotel Daphne — The Heights — Houston’s newest MICHELIN Key address and a fresh showcase for neighborhood-centered boutique hospitality. Explore Hotel Daphne Hotel Saint Augustine — Montrose — An understated, design-forward escape tucked into one of Houston’s great
cultural neighborhoods. Explore Hotel Saint Augustine The Post Oak Hotel — Uptown Houston — Big-city glamour, serious dining and unapologetic Texas luxury under one roof. Explore The Post Oak Hotel Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District — Art, personality and theatrical style steps from Houston’s museum corridor. Explore Hotel ZaZa Museum District Hotel ZaZa Memorial City — Contemporary boutique luxury serving Memorial, West Houston and the Energy Corridor. Explore Hotel ZaZa Memorial City For Houston Style Magazine readers, the real headline is bigger than five shiny Keys. Michelin’s recognition strengthens the city’s case as a destination where cuisine, culture, neighborhoods and hospitality increasingly belong on the same world-class itinerary. Houston isn’t merely checking guests in anymore—it is giving them another reason to stay. EDITORS NOTE: Michelin places all five Houston properties in the same One-Key distinction rather than ranking them first through fifth.
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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THE CAT IS BACK! ‘THE CAT IN THE HAT’ Brings Big-Screen Mischief, Magic and Family Fun This November By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
S
omeTHING big is coming to movie theaters—and Houston families may want to hold onto their hats. The Cat in the Hat bounds onto the big screen November 6, 2026, bringing Dr. Seuss’ wonderfully mischievous character into his first animated theatrical feature. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is promising a whirlwind of imagination, comedy and colorful chaos designed to entertain children while giving parents and grandparents plenty to smile about. This time, the Cat—voiced by Em-
my-winning comedian Bill Hader—actually has a job. He works for the wonderfully ridiculous Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, or I.I.I.I., and receives what could be his toughest assignment: helping siblings Gabby and Sebastian cope with moving to a new town. Naturally, when the Cat tries to make things better, “better” tends to become bigger, louder and considerably more complicated. The newly released Main Trailer offers families a glimpse of a dazzling fantasy world
filled with outrageous inventions, fast-moving adventure and the kind of rule-bending humor that has helped make Dr. Seuss a childhood favorite across generations. Hader leads an impressive voice cast featuring Xochitl Gomez, Tiago Martinez, Quinta Brunson, Matt Berry, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang, Paula Pell and Tituss Burgess. Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni direct the adventure. And the Cat apparently plans to arrive with his own soundtrack. A new
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theme written by Tim Minchin, performed by FITZ & Minchin featuring Hader, has already been released, with composer Lorne Balfe’s full movie soundtrack scheduled for October 30. For Houston families looking for a cheerful fall movie outing, November 6 could become one very Seuss-sational Friday. The Cat In The Hat Is Back!
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September 24, 2026 – September 30, 2026
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FROM GOOGLE MAPS TO HOUSTON CLASSROOMS: DR. TRAVIS McPHAIL INSPIRES THE IMANI SCHOOL’S CONVOCATION 2026
T
he Imani School’s 2026 Convocation turned a familiar Houston gathering into a powerful reminder that the future of technology should include the children who will inherit it — and, even better, help invent it. On Tuesday, September 22, The Imani School welcomed students, parents, educators and community supporters to The Community Collective on South Post Oak Road for its annual Convocation, with Dr. Travis McPhail, Engineering Director at Google working with Google Maps & Immersive Experiences, serving as the featured guest. For a generation of students who have never known a world without smartphones, GPS directions and digital maps, McPhail brought a compelling real-world connection between classroom learning and global innovation. The technology many young people use every day suddenly had a face — a Houston native, engineer, inventor and technology leader whose career demonstrates where curiosity, preparation and persistence can lead. That representation mattered. At a school whose mission is
By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
rooted in developing self-confident, academically excellent leaders, McPhail’s presence offered students something beyond another lesson about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It gave them a chance to see possibility standing in front of them. The moment was especially timely. Artificial intelligence, immersive experiences, geospatial technology and careers that barely existed a generation ago are rapidly reshaping education and the workplace. The challenge for today’s families is no longer simply making sure children know how to use technology. It is helping them understand that they can design it, question it, improve it and lead the companies creating it.
T h a t idea fit naturally into The Imani School’s Convocation tradition. Founded in Houston in 1988, Imani has built its educational identity around faith, academic excellence, cultural awareness and leadership. Convocation remains one of the school community’s signature moments — a time to celebrate students while setting an intentional tone for the year ahead. The published program also reflected the school’s blend of faith, family and Houston culture. Rev. Alexander Johnson of Brentwood Baptist Church was selected to deliver the invocation, while Pastor Derrick Smith of The Church of St. Andrew was slated to offer the benediction. The celebration also continued Imani’s beloved connection
with Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul Marching Band, bringing HBCU pride and unmistakable Houston energy into the room. Houston-based Three Keys Coffee supported the event as a sponsor. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Convocation 2026 was not about an app, an algorithm or even a map. It was about direction. For Imani students, Dr. McPhail’s journey offered a living example that the path from a Houston classroom to the front lines of global innovation is real. For parents, the morning reinforced the importance of exposing children early to the people, professions and possibilities shaping tomorrow. And for Houston, a city built on energy, medicine, aerospace and increasingly advanced technology, it was another reminder that when education, innovation, family and community meet in the same room, the destination can be extraordinary — and the next generation can help draw the map.
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