The SouthSide Signal

Week ending 6/4/26

Houston is experiencing a restaurant renaissance, with new hotspots drawing major attention from food lovers across the city.

Sushi Horiuchi in Montrose offers an exclusive omakase experience, led by chef Rio Horiuchi, that’s quickly becoming a coveted reservation for sushi aficionados.

Kirkwood is making Houston’s Energy Corridor a true dining destination, blending contemporary American cuisine with sleek, social surroundings for business and leisure.

Loves Dumpling House delights diners with daily hand-rolled dumplings along Katy Freeway, making it a beloved spot for authentic Asian comfort food.

Credence, under Texas chef Levi Goode, spotlights live-fire cooking and local flavors, earning accolades and a spot on Michelin’s radar.

Downtown, Hull & Oak redefines Southern comfort food, offering brunch and modern twists on classics right near Houston’s entertainment district.

Collectively, these eateries reflect Houston’s ongoing evolution as a top national food city — where diversity, authenticity, and bold new ideas are always on the menu.

A decades-old Dallas cold case has finally seen progress after cutting-edge DNA technology identified a new suspect.

Police revealed that Marvin Lee Holloway, already serving a life sentence for a different murder, has now been charged with the 1986 killing of Ruby Battee.

Battee’s tragic death had haunted her family and the city since she was found sexually assaulted and murdered in her Dallas home on May 27, 1986.

For years, the case grew cold due to limited forensic technology.

In January 2025, detectives reopened the investigation, sending preserved evidence to the University of North Texas for modern DNA analysis.

The resulting DNA profile led to Holloway’s identification and a fresh arrest warrant.

For Battee’s loved ones, this long-awaited breakthrough brings the hope of long-overdue justice and closure.

Modern forensic science continues to reshape justice in Dallas and across Texas.

Harris County authorities have arrested 28-year-old David T. Brown for allegedly selling fraudulent Texas disabled parking placards through social media.

Detectives uncovered that Brown advertised and sold altered permits for $150 each, although legitimate disabled parking placards are issued free of charge by the state.

The placards reportedly featured fake driver’s license numbers, leading buyers to believe they were state-issued, granting illegal access to reserved spaces and meter exemptions.

Constable Alan Rosen stressed the harm this causes to individuals who genuinely need accessible parking, calling the act not just illegal but ethically wrong.

Brown faces second-degree felony charges for Tampering with a Governmental Record and could receive up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with information to contact Harris County Precinct One to help safeguard disabled parking access.

Peabo Bryson, the celebrated two-time Grammy-winning singer known for his unforgettable voice, has died at 75.

He passed away peacefully on June 2, surrounded by loved ones, after complications from a recent stroke.

Bryson’s legendary duets, "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion and "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle, became enduring Disney classics and earned major acclaim.

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, he rose to fame in the 1970s and recorded over 20 albums across a five-decade career.

Bryson’s hits, such as "Feel the Fire" and "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," touched countless listeners and cemented his status as one of R&B’s most respected balladeers.

Tributes from Celine Dion, Regina Belle, and fans worldwide highlight his lasting influence and generous spirit.

Bryson’s music and legacy will live on in hearts everywhere.

HOUSTON, Texas — An intense standoff in southeast Houston ended Tuesday night with a suspect found dead following hours of negotiations with multiple law enforcement agencies.

The situation began around 5 p.m. when the U.S. Marshals attempted to arrest a man wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon at an apartment on Redford Street.

The suspect barricaded himself inside, prompting a major response from Houston Police SWAT, K-9 units, local deputies, and federal officers.

Authorities were especially concerned because the suspect’s girlfriend and children were inside the apartment.

Family members were safely evacuated during the standoff.

Negotiators made repeated attempts to communicate, but entry was forced when talks failed.

Officers then discovered the suspect deceased, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

No officers or civilians were injured, and the investigation remains ongoing as the community reflects on the night’s tense events.

HOUSTON, Texas — Houston drivers are on high alert after multiple reports of contaminated gasoline left vehicles disabled within minutes of refueling.

Engine failures, often just blocks from gas stations, are leaving some with repair bills exceeding $1,000.

Hahleemah Wright saw her BMW stall soon after a fill-up, with mechanics later discovering water mixed into her gas tank.

Similar stories and photos of tainted fuel are circulating on neighborhood social media, pinpointing specific local stations.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has the authority to investigate these incidents and can impose fines or even suspend a station’s license.

Officials urge drivers to save fuel receipts, document the pump number and grade, and report suspected cases immediately.

Quick action is key: evidence can quickly disappear, and even a single receipt may prove vital for repairs and compensation.

Six former law enforcement officers from Mississippi, known as the “Goon Squad,” have been sentenced to a combined 132 years in federal prison for a harrowing civil rights abuse case.

The officers—Christian Dedmon, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield, and Hunter Elward—admitted to a warrantless raid in Rankin County, during which they brutally attacked Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, two Black men.

Federal investigators exposed a pattern of racial violence and a cover-up by the officers, who pleaded guilty to multiple offenses after subjecting the victims to hours of assault and racial intimidation.

One officer’s gunfire caused permanent injury to Jenkins, deepening the trauma.

Jenkins and Parker received a $2.5 million settlement as national outrage fueled renewed calls for police accountability in Mississippi and beyond.

The sentences mark a significant step toward justice for the victims and signal a broader push for civil rights protections.