The Artemis 2 astronauts safely returned to Earth on April 10, splashing down off the coast of San Diego at 7:07 CDT, according to NASA’s website.

The successful landing concluded the nearly 10-day mission that marked NASA’s first crewed journey to the moon in over 50 years.

In case you missed it: The mission sent NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a lunar flyby, making them the first humans since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 to go beyond low-Earth orbit, as previously reported by Community Impact.

The crew included Friendswood residents Wiseman and Hansen, along with Pilot Glover, who is a parent within Clear Creek ISD.

Founded in 2021 by Hamzah Nasser, Haraz Coffee House blends Yemeni coffee culture and heritage with modern tastes, according to the brand’s website. 

About the project: Haraz Coffee House is set to open a new location in Webster, according to a recent filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The new 2,193-square-foot storefront will be located at the Baybrook Passage shopping center with an estimated renovation cost of $100,000, per the filing. Construction is expected to begin in late April and be completed by late July.

What they offer: Founded in Dearborn, Michigan, Haraz has grown to 31 locations across the Detroit metro and other cities, with “185 in the pipeline,” according to the website. The menu includes traditional drinks such as the harazi mufawar with coffee, cardamom and cream, and the saffron adeni, with black tea, haraz spice, cream and saffron. 

• 19403 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 100, Webster

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority announced April 8 that the home of the Houston Rockets will receive $180 million in upgrades through fall 2027.

Mapping it out: During a presentation to the HCHSA board of directors, Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations with the Rockets, announced significant interior and exterior changes coming to the Toyota Center, which opened in 2003.

“When you look at what has happened in those 23 years, and you think about what will happen in the next 23 years, we’re really excited about it,” Sheirr said.

Those upgrades include:

• 3,100 square feet extended main entrance with a glass facade
• New atrium upon entering the main entrance, with space for gathering
• Members lounge over the new entrance
• Expanded team store with an additional set of doors
• Standing room and general admission space for events
• Heightened suites that will raise ceilings about 18 inches for more space

Texas education officials are currently overhauling the state’s social studies curriculum standards, with policymakers, teachers, parents and historians clashing over how students should be taught about the history of Texas, the U.S. and the world.

The overview: The State Board of Education reviews standards for all curriculum areas every 15-20 years, dictating what Texas' 5.5 million public school students should learn at each grade level.

As written, the plan would reduce how much time students spend learning about world history and cultures in favor of more Texas-focused subjects. Critics of the proposal have pushed to include a more diverse set of perspectives to ensure all students feel represented in the curriculum, while those who support it said students’ education should be centered around American exceptionalism, state history and Christianity.

Next steps: The SBOE, which has the final say on the curriculum changes, was taking an initial vote on the plan as of press time and is scheduled to adopt the final standards in June. The new requirements would be rolled out to classrooms in 2030.