Let's Get It On

The Cutest Animal in the World is leaving Houston Zoo: Red panda moves toCincinnati for love

Stop the presses (and the Twitters, while we're at it). We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Houston, the Cutest Animal in the World is now leaving the building.

It's hard to believe that less than three short years ago, Toby — a woolly, cuddly, grape-noshing red panda — ambled his way into our lives. And now he's hightailing it out of town for a girl.

But such is true love for you.

"He’s received a breeding recommendation from the Red Panda Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)," Brian Hill, the Houston Zoo's director of public relations, wrote in an email. "He is going to the place of his birth — his hometown, if you will — the Cincinnati Zoo, to meet his mate."

The Houston Zoo's other red pandas — Take and Keti — are staying in town to make little red pandas? We're totally cool with that.

Yes, Toby's skipping town for a lady friend. We s'pose Toby was lookin' for love in all the wrong places in the Bayou City. But his new girl must be some panda to get him to leave our cozy metropolis.

Actually, there's a little more to it than that.

"AZA helps manage breeding programs across the country, so all AZA zoos work together to make sure that all animals that are needed in breeding programs are placed in situations that will promote breeding," Hannah Bailey, curator of birds and natural encounters at the Houston Zoo, wrote in an email. "While all three of our red pandas have a very comfortable and enriched life at Houston, four pandas (or two breeding pairs) would be too much."

Well, we don't necessarily think there's such a thing as too many red panda babies, but we'll have to take your word for it.

"Toby will be introduced to a female in Cincinnati," Bailey wrote. "Like with many animals, not everyone wants to raise a family with others in your house — so moving Toby will give Keti and Take some privacy to grow a red panda family at the zoo."

Oh, now we get it.

Hey, wait a second. The Houston Zoo's other red pandas — Take and Keti — are staying in town to make little red pandas? We're totally cool with that.

But we will certainly miss our city's original bushy bamboo biter quite a bit.

Toby is officially heading northeast on Nov. 9, but you can bid him adieu on Sunday at his doubleheader bon voyage parties. After all, it's not every day that the Cutest Animal in the World graces your city with his cuteness. Send him off with a big, burly Texas farewell.

See what Houston can look forward to when Take and Keti make babies in the video player at the top of this story.

always be prepared

Texas tax-free weekend lets shoppers stock up on emergency supplies

Community Service Bag packing

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Emergency supplies like first aid kits that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

tax free weekend emergency supplies texas

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