Jef Rouner, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

Houston's iconic Rothko Chapel receives new grant to restore Beryl damage

2 days ago | houston.culturemap.com | Jef Rouner

Houston's beloved Rothko Chapel is one step closer to recovery after Hurricane Beryl in 2024. A substantial new grant from Bank of America will fund the restoration of Mark Rothko pieces damaged by the storm. “This grant comes at a pivotal moment – not only for the Rothko Chapel, but in the broader context of our changing climate and growing vulnerability to extreme weather events,” said David Leslie, executive director of the Chapel.
A.D. Players helps PTSD veterans learn the power of storytelling and theater

2 days ago | houstonchronicle.com | Jef Rouner

Until Feb. 12, the only theater that Courtney Ivy had ever been in was the theater of war.
Doctor Who: "The Story and The Engine" Drives Hard

2 days ago | houstonpress.com | Jef Rouner |Houston Press

Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who: "The Story and the Engine"This season of Doctor Who continues to be one of bold ideas, wild swings, and a lot of heart(s). This week's episode, "The Story and the Engine," features an incredible premise and very weird turns. Deep diving its themes is going to involve spoilers, so here is a bit of Who trivia for visitors who didn't want any as a thanks for the click before they leave.
Judge rules Texas Renaissance Festival owner must sell his kingdom

5 days ago | houston.culturemap.com | Jef Rouner

A Grimes County judge ruled on Wednesday, May 7 that Texas Renaissance Festival owner George Coulam must honor an agreement he made in 2023 to sell the fair. The judgement and sale, if upheld, are not expected to affect the fair's operations in the fall. "Our commitment remains unchanged: to deliver a safe, vibrant, and memorable experience for the hundreds of thousands of guests who visit each year," spokesperson Tyler Moyer tells CultureMap in a written statement.
Far north San Antonio welcomes new authentic Sichuan restaurant

1 week ago | sanantonio.culturemap.com | Jef Rouner

San Antonians, prepare your taste buds for a fight. The fiery flavors of authentic Sichuan cuisine will soon be available in Encino Park with the May 10 opening of Ping's Sichuan Kitchen at 2339 E. Evans Rd #103. The new Chinese restaurant will serve a variety of regional classics like hui guo rou (twice-cooked pork) and dong po pork alongside Chinese-American favorites like cream cheese rangoon and orange chicken.
Texas 'DoorDash for laundry' startup tumbles into Houston market

1 week ago | houston.innovationmap.com | Jef Rouner

Laundry may seem like an endless task that piles up, but a new service offers a solution to overwhelmed Houston families. NoScrubs, an Austin-based home laundry pickup service has just expanded to Houston. Described by the company as "DoorDash — but for laundry," they wash customer's clothes at local laundromats and return them the same day, folded and ready to be put away. The service took off like gangbusters in Austin, making an expansion to the state's largest city an obvious choice.
Doctor Who: "Lucky Day Starts the Reality War a Little Early

1 week ago | houstonpress.com | Jef Rouner |Houston Press

Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who: "Lucky Day."This season of Doctor Who has been an extremely bumpy ride so far, and today we're going to alien autopsy one of the most interesting episodes the show has done in the Disney era. It's going to involve a lot of spoilers, so if you want to avoid that, here's your weekly bit of Who trivia so you didn't waste the click. A Texas writer was once interrogated by the FBI for potentially selling government secrets to the Daleks.
Author Lindy Ryan And The Vampiric Hold Of Beaumont

1 week ago | texassignal.com | Jef Rouner

When the Columbine mass shooting happened, author Lindy Ryan was a teenager attending the same high school her mom had in Beaumont, Texas. Like a lot of goth and goth-adjacent kids, she and her friends found themselves subjected to death threats by people convinced they would be the next school shooters. Point of order: shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were just regular Nazis, and the idea that they were satanists targeting Christians is propaganda.
NoScrubs laundry delivery service now available in Houston

1 week ago | houston.culturemap.com | Jef Rouner

Laundry may seem like an endless task that piles up, but a new service offers a solution to overwhelmed Houston families. Enter NoScrubs, an Austin-based home laundry pickup service that has just expanded to Houston. Described by the company as "DoorDash — but for laundry," they wash customer's clothes at local laundromats and return them the same day folded and ready to be put away. The service took off like gangbusters in Austin, making an expansion to the state's largest city an obvious choice.
New family-friendly futsal court kicks into San Antonio park

1 week ago | sanantonio.culturemap.com | Jef Rouner

As Cam Ward’s national profile grows, remember San Antonio recognized his talents first. On April 24, the former University of the Incarnate Word quarterback was the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he was nabbed by the Tennessee Titans. Born in the small town of West Columbia, about 55 miles southwest of downtown Houston, Ward committed to Incarnate Word after receiving a scholarship.