Yvette Orozco

Houston

Suburban Reporter at Houston Chronicle

Suburban Reporter at Pearland Journal

Suburban reporter for the Houston Chronicle.

Articles

Parvo outbreak at Harris County Pets prompts quarantine

1 day ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Harris County Public Health has quarantined portions of the Harris County Pets facility following a parvovirus outbreak at the facility. The county animal shelter will not be taking in any owner surrenders through May 18 and is restricting the public’s access to dogs housed in the facility. Article continues below this adThe county has also temporarily put a hold on volunteers walking the dogs and tightened protocols on sanitary and safety practices for the protection of the animals.
Nutella to launch first new flavor in history in North American market

1 day ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Nutella will release a new flavor for U.S. consumers, marking the first product change in the company's 60-year history. Parent company Ferrero announced the launch of Nutella Peanut on May 9. Ferrero describes the new flavor as a combination of the traditional Nutella cocoa hazelnut with the taste of roasted peanuts. Article continues below this adThe new product will be available in the U.S. by spring 2026, according to the announcement.
Bolivar businesses brace for Jeep Weekend, compare it to a hurricane

5 days ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Business owners are bracing once again for the thousands of revelers expected to take over Crystal Beach and Bolivar Peninsula for Jeep Weekend next week. Kurt Ploeger owns A Shore Venture, which specializes in beach concierge services. He kept his business open in previous years but said he plans to close this time. Ploeger likens his pre-event nerves about the event to the anticipation he feels waiting for a hurricane — and he said that’s only partly an exaggeration.
Lowe's rolls out AI service to answer customers' questions in stores

6 days ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Employees at Lowe's stores can now use AI to help answer customers' questions about products and give home improvement advice. The home improvement company this week launched its Mylow Companion app, an AI-generated customer service tool meant to make it faster for sales associates to provide information to people shopping for items. The company launched the technology across its more than 1,700 stores, a news release details.
5 Houston guitar shops for musicians who want something unique

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Musicians have a variety of needs and wants, and often that requires a search outside the box. Music instrument chains like Guitar Center have their vast inventories and experts, but for many specialized music shops, variety and experience are bread and butter. Most of the major guitar makers have dropped the mom-and-pop stores, which creates demand for used and vintage finds among musicians, said Matthew Hartman, a manager at Rockin' Robin Guitars and Music.
Space themed playground part of $5.3M upgrade to Challenger 7 Memorial Park

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Challenger 7 Memorial Park in Webster will be getting a new space-themed playground and other additions in a major renovation project. The playground will close May 12 for renovations that will incorporate space themes into the structure and add new benches and equipment, Harris County Precinct 2 announced in a May 2 social media post. The playground improvements are part of a $5.3 million project that broke ground in February.
Three Texas rest stops among the best in the US, survey finds

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

More than 3,000 drivers and truckers have left Buc-ee's off the list of the best public restrooms in the nation and the best in Texas. The survey of 3,017 travelers — including long-haul truckers and road trippers — named Hill County Safety Rest Area the 37th best public rest stop area in the U.S., according to American River Wellness, an addiction treatment center based in Sacramento, California, which conducted the survey.
With Skype gone, here's what Microsoft encourages people to use instead

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

Microsoft has officially shut down Skype, the video-call service that helped launch a new era for online communication. The tech company said it will shift its video-conference services to Microsoft Teams, its flagship communication platform, according to a report in CNET, the tech media outlet. As we say goodbye to Skype, we want to thank our incredible community. Over the years, you’ve connected with family, friends, and colleagues across the world. This isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning.
Islamic Arts Society names its first executive director to lead group efforts

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

The Islamic Arts Society has named its first full-time executive director. Sara Rehman will head the group’s efforts promoting the Islamic arts to a cross-cultural audience, the group announced in a post on its social media over the weekend.
Jasmine Crockett responds to Donald Trump's 'low IQ person' comment

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Yvette Orozco

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett has responded to President Donald Trump after he called her a “low IQ person” during a Sunday interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press. During his appearance on the show, Trump said the Democratic Party was in “disarray” and singled out Crockett, a Texas Democrat who has been a critic of the administration and its policies. “They have a new person named Crockett. I watched her speak the other day. She’s definitely a low IQ person,” the president said.