GOOD MORNING H-TOWN! It’s getting ridiculously hot outside—but let’s be real, nothing will be hotter than you in your cowboy fit at Queen B’s concert this weekend. In the meantime, we’ve got everything you need to start your week informed and inspired—so let’s dive in and make this Monday a great one!

H-TOWN HEADLINES

• 🔫 Tragic Family Shooting Rampage: A man is believed to have killed his mother in Harris County before traveling to Leon County, where he fatally shot his father, wounded a deputy, and killed a dog before taking his own life. The violent rampage across two counties has left both communities in shock and mourning the loss of multiple lives.

• 🦟 First Human Case of West Nile Virus Reported: Harris County Public Health has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in the county for 2025. An adult male from eastern Harris County tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness and has since recovered. This news comes as health officials mark National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves.

• 🚨 Three Houston Men Arrested for Posing as Service Workers: Three men from Houston have been arrested in the College Station area for allegedly posing as daytime service workers to commit burglaries. The men are accused of targeting homes while residents were away, using their disguises to avoid suspicion.

NATIONAL HEADLINES

• 📖 Louisiana Mandates Ten Commandments in Public Schools: Louisiana's governor signed a controversial bill into law, making it the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, from kindergarten to the university level. The law immediately drew criticism from civil liberties groups, who argue it is a clear violation of the First Amendment's establishment clause separating church and state. Legal challenges are expected, setting up a major court battle over the role of religion in public education.

• 🥵 U.S. Experiences Widespread, Record-Breaking Heatwave: A massive and oppressive heat dome settled over the central and eastern United States this week, bringing record-shattering temperatures to millions of Americans. Major cities from Chicago to Boston experienced prolonged periods of extreme heat and humidity, with heat indexes soaring well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The dangerous conditions prompted widespread heat advisories and emergencies, strained power grids, and were linked to several deaths, highlighting the growing and immediate dangers of climate change.

MARKET REPORT

• 🛢️ Oil Prices Rise on Geopolitical Tensions and Inventory Data: Crude oil prices climbed this week, hitting their highest levels since late April. The increase was driven by a combination of factors, including escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a larger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude oil inventories. The rising price of oil could pose a challenge to efforts to bring down inflation.

• 💼 U.S. Jobless Claims Remain Elevated: Weekly initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, remained near a 10-month high. While not alarmingly high, the data suggests a potential softening in what has been a remarkably strong labor market. This trend, combined with the weak retail sales, adds to the narrative of a gradually cooling economy that could support a Fed rate cut later in the year.

• 🏠 Housing Starts Fall to Four-Year Low: The U.S. housing market showed significant signs of weakness as housing starts plunged in May to their slowest pace in four years. High mortgage rates, which remain around 7%, are severely impacting affordability and discouraging new construction. This slump in the housing sector is a major headwind for the broader economy and indicates that high interest rates are having a strong restrictive effect.

46th Houston Pride Celebration Festival & Parade (Saturday June 28th)
The premier event of Houston's Pride Month, this all-day festival and evening parade draws hundreds of thousands of attendees. The festival at City Hall features vendors and live performances by artists including K. Michelle, David Archuleta, Kayla G, and Brooke Eden. The parade is free to attend and winds through downtown.

AXELRAD Feels Like Summer: Pride 2025 (Thursday June 26th)
They have 3 DJ's Amarji, Kayillah, & Hollaway. Drag contest hosted by the lovely Queen Persephone with a $150 cash prize for the winner! This event is free to the public.

Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter Tour (Saturday - Sunday June 28th & 29th)
No description needs its mfin Queen B

Weird Al Yankovic (Tuesday July 1st)
Weird Al is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist in history who has lampooned pop hits by Madonna, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and more. His biggest was 2006's "White & Nerdy," a parody of "Ridin'" by HTOWN rapper Chamillionaire.

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