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Attorney O'Quinn dies in car wreck

Prominent lawyer and philanthropist John O'Quinn and his assistant died in a car accident Thursday morning. Driving west on Allen Parkway, the black Suburban O'Quinn was driving lost control, skidding over the median and across oncoming traffic into a tree.

O'Quinn rose from humble origins as the son of a car garage owner to become one of the city's most successful and controversial attorneys, winning multi-billion dollar settlements against the tobacco industry and against Wyeth Pharmaceutical over its diet drug fen-phen. O'Quinn was a prolific car collector, reported to own 618 vehicles worth over $100 million, including a car once owned by Pope John Paul II, seven Duesenbergs, a 1937 Bugatti and a 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost featured in the film Titanic.

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this week's hot headlines

Retro diner's debut and Spring Branch shutter lead week's top stories

Photo by Brian Kennedy

Find Carvel soft serve at Buttermilk Baby.

Editor's note: It's time to recap the top stories on CultureMap from this past week.

1. Ben Berg’s retro Heights diner opens with burgers, biscuits, and Carvel. The restaurant serves pancakes and biscuits in the morning, burgers and chicken sandwiches for lunch and dinner, and a full selection of New York’s celebrated Carvel ice cream for children of all ages..

2. Embattled Houston hospitality group shutters Texas comfort food eatery. It's the company's third restaurant closure this year.

3. Hermann Park moves full steam ahead with new electric trains. The biggest differences riders will notice is smoother travel and a lack of fumes blowing back.

4. Favorite Heights pizzeria opens new location in Bellaire. Having found success in the Heights, the restaurant is already expanding.

5. Buzzy Houston wine bar shakes things up with first-ever cocktail menu. Now you can pair an espresso martini or prickly pear mezcal margarita with your bruschetta board.

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