ISSUE 35 · SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2026 · LIFE BY DESIGN, NOT DEFAULT
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK This Week |
Photo: Alexander Hatley / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Food Town on Center Street is closing. Lewis Food Town, Inc. won’t renew the lease at 3322 Center St., and the store will close Dec. 24, the city’s November business newsletter reports. The manager gave two reasons: sales that have underperformed since COVID, and rising rent. The property owner has already signed a new tenant, a U.S.-based fitness brand with more than 500 locations, and the newsletter says employees plan to move to other Food Town stores in the area.
This week: what the city now says is planned for 4811 Red Bluff Road, why the Nov. 3 council results aren’t out yet, where the parks half-cent went last year, a veteran-owned hydraulics shop, a burger joint on Center Street and a Pointer named Ollie.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Liberty Watch |
Photo: Alexander Hatley / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
26,000 sq ft warehouse planned at 4811 Red Bluff | 22.9 acres three more warehouses nearby | 2027 when both projects are slated to start | Nov 3 council results not posted yet |
Red Bluff Road, answered. Last week we told you the request letter for rezoning 4811 Red Bluff was a scanned image we couldn’t read. The city’s November economic development newsletter now spells out the plan: the 8.78-acre site is slated for a 26,000-square-foot light industrial warehouse and a detention pond. A second project, on an undeveloped 22.9-acre site in the 5100 to 5400 blocks of Red Bluff, would bring three light industrial warehouses of 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, also with a detention pond. Both are being built by RD DevCo, LLC, which the newsletter says is partners with former resident Ryan Taylor, and both are slated to get underway in 2027.
What council decided Nov. 3: not posted yet. The 4811 Red Bluff rezoning, the vote on calling a Dec. 1 data-center hearing, the new commercial trash fees and the rest of the Nov. 3 agenda all went before council, but as of Saturday evening the city’s meeting system shows no minutes and no recorded action on any item. The same goes for the Nov. 2 Planning & Zoning discussion of the data-center draft and the Board of Adjustment’s carport variance. We report results only from the posted record, so they’ll run here when the city posts them — usually as draft minutes attached to the next council agenda. The next council agenda isn’t posted yet either.
Election night. Harris County’s unofficial cumulative report for Nov. 3 is posted here (PDF). It lists no City of Deer Park or Deer Park ISD measure, so there is no local result to print.
| Your move: if you live near Red Bluff Road, now is the time to ask about truck traffic and drainage. Comments from Audience opens every council meeting; register in the chambers at least five minutes before the start. |
Sources: City economic development newsletter, November 2026 · Council agenda, Nov 3 · P&Z agenda, Nov 2 · BOA agenda, Nov 2 · Legistar meeting calendar
✦ Rooms This Week |
| Deer Park Chamber of Commerce · Thankful for Membership - Membership Luncheon Tuesday, 11:30 AM · Dow Active Complex, 610 E. San Augustine, Deer Park, TX 77536 · Ask before you go | ||
| Rotary Club of Deer Park (Deer Park Rotary) Wednesday, 12:00 PM · Republic Grill at Battleground Golf Course, 1600 Georgia Avenue, Deer Park, TX 77536-6711 · Guests by invitation How to get in: the room’s site |
Who sits in these rooms and the public money that goes in: the record.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Mapping Our Community: Where the Parks Half-Cent Went |
Source: Deer Park Community Development Corporation quarterly report, Nov. 3, 2026 council agenda (preliminary, unaudited).
Every purchase taxed in Deer Park carries a half-cent sales tax that voters approved in 2015 and continued in 2021, dedicated to parks, sports and recreation through the Deer Park Community Development Corporation. Its year-end report, on the Nov. 3 council agenda for acceptance, shows that half-cent brought in $4,344,593 in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. The report doesn’t explain why the first quarter is so much smaller than the other three.
$4.34M sales tax collected | $3.92M spent or transferred | $819,395 improvements other than buildings | $213,657 parking lots |
On the spending side, the fund reports $3,916,886 for the year, all figures preliminary and unaudited. The biggest line is $2,597,604 in operating transfers; then $819,395 for improvements other than buildings, $213,657 for parking lots, $179,340 in engineering fees and $101,315 for buildings. The staff log for July through September is mostly meetings on the Dow Park improvements, restrooms for the pickleball courts and a design for renovating the adult sports complex. The same tax backs $36.6 million in certificates of obligation issued in 2021 and 2022 for the community and recreation centers.
The lens worth keeping: this is the one city tax you can trace from the register to a specific park. A fair question for the board: which of this year’s projects will residents see finished in 2027?
| GO DEEPER The Deer Park record: budgets, tax rates, votes and who governs, every figure sourced — councilonlocalrelations.org/tx/deer-park/ Start here — the Primers: 01 The Long Flat Line (how the family changed) · 02 The Documents We Live Under (the written rules that limit power) · 03 The Household (what a household buys, priced in years of work) · all primers → From the Council: This week: I Hold the Map While You Run the Terrain (The Chief of Staff). Get them by email → |
| KNOW YOUR TOWN THIS WEEK One question about Deer Park every day, and every answer links to the public record it comes from. Play today’s question → |
Sources: CDC quarterly report, Jul–Sep 2026 · Council agenda, Nov 3
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Around the Block |
Photo: Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
| Art in the Park — 5–7 p.m., under the large pavilion at Dow Park, 610 E. San Augustine. Painting on recycled materials. Free; registration recommended. | ||
| CreativiTeen: Wood Slice Painting — 4:30–6 p.m., Deer Park Public Library, 3009 Center St. Free; no registration, supplies may be limited. | ||
| Toddler and Preschool Storytime — 10:15 a.m. (toddlers) and 11 a.m. (preschool), Deer Park Public Library, 3009 Center St. | ||
| Turkey Shoot — 5–9 p.m., Jimmy Burke Activity Center, 500 W. 13th St. Indoor archery and riflery for a chance to take home a turkey. $5 residents / $10 non-residents; sign up by age group. | ||
| School’s Out Day Camp — 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Dow Active Complex, with a field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Lunch included. $50 residents / $60 non-residents. | ||
| Creative Childplay — 10–11 a.m., Avon Recreation & Fitness Center, 601 W. 8th St. For infants and toddlers with an adult. $5 residents / $10 non-residents. | ||
| Faithfully Her Christmas Market — 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Jimmy Burke Activity Center. More than 30 local vendors and food trucks; bring a toy for the holiday drive and admission is free. Proceeds benefit the Birdwell Foundation and the fire department’s toy drive. | ||
| Rec For All: Sensory Adventure Trail — 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Dow Park. Free. | ||
| Color and Chat — adults 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., all ages 3–5 p.m., Deer Park Public Library. Free, with light refreshments. |
Your move: the day camp and the Turkey Shoot both take registration — sign up early. Run a Deer Park event? Send it by Thursday.
Sources: Art in the Park · CreativiTeen · Toddler Storytime · Preschool Storytime · Turkey Shoot · Day Camp · Creative Childplay · Christmas Market (city newsletter) · Sensory Trail · Color and Chat · All Ages Color and Chat
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Prosperity Spotlight |
Coastal Hydraulics
For Veterans Day, a veteran-owned shop. Coastal Hydraulics on West Pasadena Boulevard repairs and builds hydraulic cylinders, motors, pumps, valves, hoses and breakers, and says every component it rebuilds is tested before it leaves the shop. Its site says it makes the parts it needs in-house rather than waiting months on backorder, and that it has served more than 1,000 Houston-area companies.
Owner Wayne Rodick learned hydraulics in the U.S. Navy, keeping F-18 fighter jets in the air, his company says. The city’s November business newsletter marks 20 years since he started the business “with a truck and a toolbox.” The shop lists itself as SDVOSB certified — a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.
This is industrial work — plant equipment, heavy machines, job sites — the kind of business that keeps Deer Park’s economy running. Its site lists a 24/7 emergency line but no office hours, so call ahead.
| Coastal Hydraulics · 1002 W. Pasadena Blvd., Deer Park · 281-478-0989 Office hours aren’t posted; call ahead · coastalhydraulicstx.com |
Sources: Coastal Hydraulics · City economic development newsletter, November 2026
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Food Scene |
Photo: Stomp’s Burger Joint
Stomp’s Burger Joint
Stomp’s newest kitchen is at 3811 Center Street, Suite F, next door to Deer Park Sushi. It calls itself family-owned: the city’s August business newsletter traces it to a Bacliff burger joint that cousins A.J. Jaser and Eddie Taye bought in 2012, and says the Deer Park store belongs to Taye’s brother-in-law, Joel Sanchez. Stomp’s lists five locations: Pearland, Missouri City, Webster, Bacliff and Deer Park.
Its site says every patty is hand-formed from 100% beef and every plate is built to order on the flat-top grill. The newsletter says the Big State Burger — an Angus beef patty with Philly steak — draws the most customers. For the truly hungry, the city’s July newsletter describes the Stomperado Challenge: four patties, sausages, bacon, a Philly patty and cheese, plus chili cheese fries. Finish it and you get a T-shirt and a spot on the Wall of Fame.
What do you order there? Reply and tell us.
| Stomp’s Burger Joint · 3811 Center St., Suite F, Deer Park · (832) 429-3065 Open daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m. (per its website) · stompsburgerjoint.com/locations/stomps-deer-park |
Sources: Stomp’s Burger Joint · City economic development newsletter, August 2026 · July 2026
✦ Trivia Question |
Before it was Food Town, before Food Fair and before Gerland’s, the grocery at 3322 Center Street opened in 1970 under another Houston name. Which one? (Answer at the bottom.)
✦ Quote of the Day |
“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” — Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address, Nov. 19, 1863 (Project Gutenberg)
✦ Secret Little Hack |
Want Deer Park business news before it’s news? The city’s monthly Economic Development Newsletter carries openings, moves and closings — this week’s Food Town and Red Bluff items both came from it. Back issues are in the city’s Archive Center (November’s is here), and the last page says how to subscribe by email.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Real Estate Pulse |
Source: Redfin, Deer Park housing market page, read Nov. 7, 2026.
60 / 100 Compete Score (was 56) | ~2% below typical sale vs. list | 37 days typical time to pending | $302,856 September median sale |
Redfin’s monthly figures are still September’s (median sale price $302,856, up 8.2% from a year ago; 90 homes sold, up from 86), but its three-month read moved again: the Compete Score is 60 out of 100, up from 56 last week, still “somewhat competitive.” The typical home now sells for about 2% below list and goes pending in about 37 days, down from 44; hot homes sell around list in about 11. Nearby, Pearland scores 62 and Houston 46. Your move: if you’re buying, a well-priced Deer Park home may not last six weeks anymore — have your financing lined up first.
Sources: Redfin — Deer Park housing market
Photo: HAR.com listing
For rent, listed by Nina Bright. 4713 E Meadow Dr, Deer Park 77536: $2,550 a month. Four bedrooms, two baths, 1,928 square feet on one story, built in 2010. Two-car attached garage, covered patio, wood floors, granite counters, a fireplace and fresh paint. Available now; pets case by case ($500 deposit per pet). See the listing on HAR.
| Looking to buy or sell? Nina Bright, Realtor — call or text 832-689-3170. Full disclosure: Nina is David’s wife. |
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Service Opportunities |
Photo: City of Deer Park
The fire department needs volunteers. The Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department is entirely volunteer-run and is recruiting men and women ages 19–55 who live in the city limits and can pass a physical, an agility test and a background check (city notice; apply). Crossing guards: the police department is hiring part-time school crossing guards at $16 an hour, with immediate openings (apply on the city jobs page; city newsletter).
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Adopt a Friend |
 | Meet Ollie 1 year · Male · Pointer Ollie is a black-and-white Pointer, about 45 pounds, at La Porte’s city shelter. His listing doesn’t have his story yet — go meet him. Adoption is $85, which covers a vet check, first vaccines, a microchip and vouchers toward spaying or neutering and a rabies shot. See Ollie’s listing → |
| City of La Porte Adoption Center & Animal Shelter · 10901 Spencer Highway, La Porte · (281) 842-3700 Tue–Fri noon–6 p.m. · Sat–Sun 11 a.m.–4 p.m. · Closed Monday (as posted on the listing) |
Ollie is at La Porte’s city shelter, a short drive down Spencer Highway. The Deer Park shelter’s own Adoptapet page listed no adoptable pets when we checked Saturday, for the fourth week running; call 281-478-7274 to ask what’s there this week.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Growth & Learning |
Illustration
Kitchen-table math for this week: Deer Park’s parks get a half-cent of every taxed dollar spent in town. Ask your kids how much of a $20 purchase that is. (Ten cents.) Then the harder one: last year that half-cent added up to about $4.3 million — how many $20 purchases is that? (More than 43 million.) Small amounts, added up across a whole town, build pavilions and ballfields. The figures are in the city’s report.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Local Theory & Remnant Radio |
 | Now playing: Beef — Local Theory (April 2, 2026 · 11 tracks). Listen. Remnant Radio streams the whole catalog 24/7 at radio.thinkandactlocally.com · Spotify. Thirteen releases. Sovereignty through sound. In the Studio now: Babel. Vote on the mixes. |
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Weather Forecast |
Sun  72° 60° | Mon  71° 59° | Tue  76° 63° | Wed  77° 62° | Thu  76° 54° | Fri  72° 52° |
A cooler, grayer start: mostly cloudy today with a high near 72 and a 30% chance of showers after 8 a.m. Monday stays mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers after noon. Veterans Day, Wednesday, brings a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high near 77. Thursday and Friday clear out, with lows in the low to mid-50s.
Sources: National Weather Service (HGX), retrieved Nov 7, 5:45 p.m. CT
✦ CrowdHealth |
 | David and his family left traditional health insurance for CrowdHealth — a community that funds each other’s medical bills. Bills get negotiated down first. See how it works. We earn a referral if you join. CrowdHealth is not insurance. David is a paying member. |
✦ Unrivaled Travels |
 | Planning a trip worth taking? Our own travel service books the expedition, cruise, or getaway you’ll remember. info@unrivaledtravels.com · 281-241-1994 · unrivaledtravels.com One of our own businesses. |
✦ Unrivaled Candles |
 | Hand-poured jewelry candles — every one hides a piece of jewelry inside, valued from $10 to $10,000. Burn it down and find out what’s yours. Shop Unrivaled Candles. Full disclosure: one of our own businesses. |
✦ Unrivaled Marketing Solutions |
 | You built the business — now make sure your Deer Park neighbors can find it. Book a free 15-minute call with David: we’ll look at how your business shows up online and where customers may be slipping past. If you want us to fix it, that’s paid work, and David will go over the price on the call. Book a free 15-minute call. One of our own businesses. |
✦ Sponsor Spot |
This spot is open. Sponsor this spot — reach Deer Park neighbors every Sunday, in the one inbox they actually read. Reply to book it.
✦ They Told Him He Was Crazy |
David sold his metals. Not trimmed — sold. He kept the receipts, every decision sourced, so you can decide for yourself: conviction, or crazy? Read the filing →
David’s own site.
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Community Voices |
Food Town at 3322 Center Street closes Dec. 24. What will you miss — a person, an aisle, a habit? Hit reply — one or two sentences — and we’ll run the best next Sunday.
✦ Take Action |
- Wednesday, Nov 11 — Veterans Day. Art in the Park runs 5–7 p.m. at the Dow Park pavilions; free, registration recommended.
- Thursday, Nov 12, 9–10:30 a.m. — “Mission Entrepreneurship,” a free seminar for veterans starting or growing a business. Register through the city’s economic development office, (281) 478-2042.
- Saturday, Nov 14, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. — Faithfully Her Christmas Market at the Jimmy Burke Activity Center, 500 W. 13th St.
- Any day — apply to the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department (ages 19–55, living in city limits) at deerparktx.gov.
- Thursday, Nov 19, 5:30–9 p.m. — the Tree Lighting Spectacular at Patrick’s Cabin, 1302 Center St. Free admission (details).
✦ Submit Your Content |
Events, business features, volunteer calls, letters from Deer Park: david@thinkandactlocally.com. Deadline: Thursday 5 PM for Sunday.
✦ Answer to Trivia |
Weingarten’s. The store at 3322 Center Street opened as a Weingarten’s grocery in 1970, was later sold to Gerland’s, ran as Food Fair from 1984, became a Food Town franchise in 2004 and was bought by its current owner in 2015 (city economic development newsletter, November 2026).
THE HERALD ✦ DEER PARK Keep the Herald Free |
No advertiser sets our coverage — readers keep it alive. The best thing you can do costs nothing: forward this to one neighbor who shops at Food Town and hasn’t heard yet.
| SUBSCRIBE TO THE DEER PARK HERALD → |
Follow the Deer Park Herald on Facebook · Deer Park on the record (CLR) · CLR Primers · Think and Act Locally · Unrivaled Marketing Solutions · All Deer Park Herald issues
The Herald is published by Think and Act Locally. Its facts come from the public record kept by the Council on Local Relations, which shares a founder with Think and Act Locally. Portions drafted with AI assistance and reviewed before publication. Reply anytime: david@thinkandactlocally.com.
