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    Spelling Bee Winners

    Two Texas teens are headed to National Spelling Bee after big Houston win

    Clifford Pugh
    Apr 3, 2016 | 10:35 am
    Houston Public Media Spelling Bee, Connie Hill, Lisa Shumate,Nihar Janga,Shourav Dasari, Ernie Manouse, Capella Tucker
    Nihar Janga and Shourav Dasari, both holding trophies, celebrate with Connie Hill, Lisa Schumate, Ernie Manouse and Capella Tucker.
    Photo by Craig Hartley

    Two Texas teens are headed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., after being declared co-champions at the 2016 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee held Saturday.

    Shourav Dasari, a Spring resident and seventh grader at McCullough Jr. High in Conroe ISD, and Nihar Janga, an Austin resident and fifth grader at River Ridge Elementary in Leander ISD, bested the competition in the 14-round event that included 53 total spellers from 42 Texas counties.

    Dasari correctly spelled “Guaguanche” (a Caribbean-area barracuda) while Janga got “snotziekte” (a cattle disease) right in the contest, which spanned four hours and was broadcast live on Houston Public Media TV 8 and streamed online.

    Dasari tied for third place in the 2014 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee, the nation's second largest local spelling bee, and Janga came in third place in 2015.

    They will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 22-27 — known as "Bee Week" — in the nation's capital. The 89th national bee offers prizes worth more than $30,000 and will be broadcast live on ESPN.

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    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Austin restaurant chain bowls over River Oaks and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Dec 27, 2025 | 11:00 am
    Honest Mary's restaurant exterior
    Photo by Becca Wright
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, including restaurant openings and a major acquisition for MFAH. Plus, where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Houston. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit this guide to the best Christmas weekend events.

    1. Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth. On this episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

    2. Houston's only Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant now open in Bellaire. It didn’t take Sambrooks Hospitality Group long to turn Mandito’s into Candente. First announced in September, the restaurant’s second location officially opened December 22.

    3. 25 Houston restaurants celebrating New Year's Eve with caviar, bubbles, and more. Houston restaurants are ringing in the new year with indulgent menus featuring caviar, lobster, and steak, along with plenty of bubbly.

    4. Houston museum acquires historic Masonic lodge property for new greenspace. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has acquired a prime parcel to expand its campus in the Museum District.

    Holland Lodge masonic building The building at 4911 will be torn down for the new greenspace. Holland Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M./Facebook

    5. Houston's richest residents, best suburbs, and more top city news in 2025. As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the stories that defined Houston this year. These are the City Life stories that captured Houston's attention.

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