hoop-la

Celebrate Houston hosting the NCAA Men's Final Four at this jammin' hoops party

Snap photos with the NCAA Men's Championship trophy at the Fan Jam.

Photo courtesy of HLOC

This has been another banner year for college basketball in the Bayou City. The University of Houston men’s team reached the Elite Eight before a tough loss to Villanova. Meanwhile, Texas Southern University netted another tourney appearance.

Things get even hotter next year, as Houston will host the NCAA Men’s Final Four showdowns. Games run on April 1 and 3, 2023 at NRG Stadium, with UH, TSU, Houston Baptist University, and Rice University making history as the first quartet of institutions to host the Final Four. This is Houston’s fourth turn city hosting the event, having previously crowned national champions in 1971, 2011, and 2016.

To celebrate the win for the city, fans are invited to Discovery Green Park on Friday, April 15, from noon to 4 pm to catch the Fan Jam Truck, an interactive pop-up truck that’s making its way from New Orleans (home of the recent championship) to Houston.

At the free event, visitors can snap pictures with the NCAA Men’s Final Four trophy, and enjoy Pop-A-Shots, giveaways, mascot appearances, a reading nook, and more, per a press release. Mayor Sylvester Turner will welcome the crowd while UH and TSU bands trumpet tunes.

The event is hosted by the Houston Local Organizing Committee (HLOC), the group responsible for bringing the Final Four to Houston in 2023.

“Houston is an amazing sports town,” Holly Kesterson, HLOC president, tells CultureMap, “and there’s nothing better than seeing our hometown teams having success on a national stage. University of Houston has an exceptional history in men’s basketball dating back to the 1980s with Phi Slama Jama, so it’s great to see that type of excitement and energy around college basketball coverage once again.

“Texas Southern University also had an impressive run, making it all the way to the early stages of March Madness this year. We are excited to follow all of our host institutions next year including Rice University and Houston Baptist University.”

While the celebration is free, attendees are encouraged to bring books for elementary school students, which will be used in the upcoming Read to the Final Four literacy program for area third-grade students.

College hoops devotees are encouraged to show up and snap those pics with the trophy — perhaps it could be foreshadowing for a local team’s run?

“Not to get too ahead of ourselves,” says Kesterson, “but the potential of having a hometown team in the running for the Men’s Final Four in 2023 adds to the excitement in our community.”

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Catch the Fan Jam Truck at Discovery Green Park, 1500 McKinney St. from noon to 4 pm. Free.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana