By: Amanda Hart Photo courtesy of Librotraficante In March, FPH covered an important fight that was brewing on the steps of the State Capitol. Our favorite Houston Senator, The Great Dan Patrick, had introduced Senate Bill 1128 which would have redefined what Texas universities could classify as history.  That same day, Texas Republican House of Representative Giovanni Capriglione introduced House Bill 1938  which outlined the same goal as SB 1128. According to the bill(s), “A college or university receiving state support or state aid from public funds may not grant a baccalaureate degree or a lesser degree or academic certificate ... Read More »

  The Weekly Music Round Up: May 17th-23rd The Free Press Pick of the Week: Do something right by going to see the Wrong Ones, here is our album review for their new record which they will be releasing tonight! http://www.freepresshouston.com/music/nothing-wrong-about-em-review-of-the-wrong-ones-infinite-hallucinations/  This Week in Music- Friday, May 17: The Wrong Ones, Poor Dumb Bastards, Hell City Kings, Talk Sick Brats, The Swamps- Fitzgerald’s B.E. Godfrey, IDYL, Austin Smith, Eli- Fitzgerald’s Saturday, May 18: Born Liars (Record Release Party)- Fitzgerald’s Yngwie Malmsteen- The Concert Pub North Sunday, May 19: Gladys Knight- Arena Theater Barry Manilow- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilio Monday, May ... Read More »

National Ride Your Bike to Work Day: The League of American Bicyclists got together and decided to designate May as the National Bike Month, way back in 1956. Now, 57 years later, we are here to remind you that tomorrow, the third Friday in May, is Bike to Work Day! That means you, the responsible, Earth loving consumers that you are, get the chance to utilize all that empty bike rack space at your office, and forget about fighting your coworkers for a parking spot in your garage! Aside from all the added health benefits of riding a bicycle, some ... Read More »

The Wrong Ones’ reverence for all the good proto-metal, punk, garage, classic, and psychedelic rock has insured that the band would go on to create an album that did as great a job paying tribute to their heroes as it did of taking their work to the next level. The organ riff pulsating through the Hammond B2 that kicks off this record assures the listener they are in for a trip. The driving beat and muted guitar chug that brings the rest of the band in assures me that this is a punk album, but the following guitar solo is ... Read More »

Houstonians are outraged that a judge has tossed the case against animal fetish torturer Ashley Nicole Richards. Comments on the article include: - these sick sick piece of garbage scum bags have no place in this world - I sure hope when they get to hell they suffer long and hard I would love to meet up with these little cowards - This bitch needs to star in a snuff video and - THIS BITCH NEEDS TO DIE! So, people are kinda mad, but what about exactly? The torture of animals in general, or the fact this the act of ... Read More »

  This Week In Music, May 10th-15th:   Free Press Pick of the Week! Little Ozzy (Ozzy Osbourne tribute) – Live at The Concert Pub Galleria, Friday, May 11th Everyone needs a little Ozzy in their lives, but now you can literally have a little Ozzy in your life. If you ever thought to yourself, “Gee, I wish Ozzy were shorter, so I could experience his music on an entirely different level” then you should get yourself over to the Concert Pub. Either way, the band is solid, and Little Ozzy will certainly be winning the crowd with his charm. ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photo courtesy of Barrio Dogs, Inc. Houston has a notorious homeless animal population and, over the years, this problem has only become worse. Although homeless animals seem to wander all over the city, the problem appears to be of particular concern in Houston’s East End. Barrio Dogs, a grassroots nonprofit, was started by the concerned citizens of the neighborhood. The organization is not only feeding and housing these helpless animals but also reaching out to the community through education about proper animal care and the importance of spaying and neutering our pets. FPH caught up with Gloria Medina ... Read More »

By Nick Cooper Photo courtesy of SHAPE In February, it was announced that the all three properties of Third Ward’s prominent black cultural institution, The S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, valued at over $1 million, had been sold for $81,000, in order to pay fees on some copy machines that had been leased and repossessed years ago. When members of the community started to panic, director Deloyd Parker responded with a calmness informed by a lifetime of adversity and struggle, saying, “We aren’t going nowhere.” Longtime board member and SHAPE supporter Ed Banks wasn’t so sure.  “Deloyd had a lot more faith ... Read More »

By Amanda Hart Photos by Richard Ramirez II  In 1965, the world’s first doomed multipurpose building was born right here in Houston. Sorry, did I say doomed? I meant domed. The dooming part came decades later when the “eighth wonder of the world” sat unused and unmaintained for countless years. The Astrodome in its heyday was proof that Houston was ahead of its time. Houston is a city of growth but in order to continue that we need to learn how to incorporate our past. In the early ‘60s our former mayor, Roy Hofheinz, was granted a major league baseball ... Read More »

 By Alex Wukman Illustration by Shelby Hohl The rumors and speculation started almost as soon as the last ballot was filed in November 2012. This wasn’t the normal political tongue wagging of who was in or out or starting to look good for the next race. These rumors were more electric and promised something that many could only dream of: a blue Texas. Texas as a swing state has been the dream of many Democrats and progressives since Republicans took the keys to the Governor’s Mansion in 1995. It’s the goal of the well-funded and well-connected group Battleground Texas and ... Read More »