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Here is Harris County's only remaining early voting drop-off location

This is the sole drop-off location for the third-largest county in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of NRG Arena

Harris County — the third-largest county in the U.S. with a population of nearly 4,800,000 — now has a single early voting clerk’s office location, thanks to a proclamation issued October 1 by Gov. Greg Abbott.

The governor’s order, which is effective Friday, October 2, is meant to enhance ballot security protocols for the in-person delivery of marked mail ballots for the November 3 presidential election. That means closing 11 other early voting drop-off locations in the county.

Now, the sole Harris County drop-off location will be at NRG Arena. Ballots will be accepted in person beginning October 2 through Gate 8 from 8 am through 4:30 pm. Voters must present ID and signature. Early voting is set to begin on October 13.

“As we work to preserve Texans’ ability to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must take extra care to strengthen ballot security protocols throughout the state,” Abbott said in a written statement. “These enhanced security protocols will ensure greater transparency and will help stop attempts at illegal voting.”

The proclamation also requires early voting clerks to allow poll watchers to observe any activity conducted at the early voting clerk’s office location related to the in-person delivery of a marked mail ballot, notes CultureMap news partner, ABC13.

Houston-area elected officials are already crying foul. Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said in a statement that the move “will result in widespread confusion and voter suppression. Many mail ballots have already been dropped off by voters across Harris County, and multiple drop-off locations have been advertised for weeks. Our office is more than willing to accommodate poll watchers at mail ballot drop-off locations. But to force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location in a county that stretches over nearly 2,000 square miles is prejudicial and dangerous.”

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo added: “Our county is the size of Rhode Island in land mass. It’s the size of Colorado almost in population, and having just one mail-in ballot drop off location is just ridiculous.”

Meanwhile, Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt defended the action. “This isn't voter suppression. This is how the law actually works,” Bettencourt told ABC13. “And that’s how the elections have been done in Texas. And quite frankly, I’m arguing for a law that's elected democrats so I don’t see how that's suppression.”

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Classic car dealer rolls into Houston with massive Katy facility

Courtesy of Streetside Classics

Streetside's Katy location will be similar to its store in Fort Worth.

Classic car enthusiasts will soon have a new place to shop for vintage rides. Streetside Classics, a vintage car dealer with six locations nationwide, will open its seventh in Katy later this year.

Located at at 500 Commerce Pkwy, the 56,000-square-foot showroom will have enough space for more than 250 cars. The facility will house classic muscle cars such as Mustangs, Cudas, and Corvettes as well as classic trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles from the early 1900’s to contemporary exotics.

"When we started Streetside, we committed to a customer-first philosophy in an industry that desperately needed it," said Donna Mueller, co-founder and chairwoman of Streetside Classics, in a statement. "We’re excited to expand to a seventh location in a vibrant and fast-growing market like Houston. We hope to be a hub for the growing enthusiast community by hosting car shows, welcoming car clubs, and always being a place where you can come see that car your dad had.”

One way Streetside caters to buyers is with in-house lifts that allow shoppers to inspect a vehicle more thoroughly than simply opening the hood. In addition, the dealer offers financing, shipping, warranties, and a “low-pressure environment” to make buying and owning a classic car as easy as possible.

Ahead of the opening, Streetside is already accepting applications for consignment cars. Interested parties will find more information at the company’s website.

Mueller founded Streetside Classics in Charlotte, NC in 2008. Since then, the company has grown to six locations, including an outpost in Fort Worth. It sells more than 3,000 cars per year with revenues of over $1 billion annually, according to press materials.