Public Notice: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service Schedules and Health Advisories

Official City Holiday Observance and Office Closures

In observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, the City of Houston has announced that all municipal administrative offices, including the Municipal Courts, Houston Public Library locations, and city-operated health centers, will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026. Essential emergency services, including the Houston Police Department and Houston Fire Department, will maintain full staffing and normal operations. Residents are encouraged to utilize the 311 Help and Info line for non-emergency city service requests, though wait times may be longer due to the holiday schedule.

Solid Waste Management and Facility Updates

The Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) has confirmed that there will be no interruption in curbside collection services on Monday, January 19. Residents scheduled for garbage, yard waste, or recycling pickup on this day should place their bins at the curb as usual. However, all SWMD facilities will be closed to the public for the duration of the holiday. This closure includes:

• Neighborhood Depositories and Recycling Centers
• The Westpark Consumer Recycling Center
• The Environmental Service Center (North and South)
• The Reuse Warehouse

Normal operations for all drop-off facilities and administrative offices will resume on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Residents are also reminded of the new facility hours implemented earlier this month, which shifted depository operations to a Tuesday through Saturday schedule.

Public Health Advisories: West Nile Virus and Food Safety

The Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health have issued a joint advisory following the detection of the first West Nile Virus-positive mosquito samples of 2026. Samples were identified in ZIP codes 77041 and 77032. Residents are urged to eliminate standing water on their property and use insect repellent containing DEET when outdoors. Additionally, the Health Department is maintaining a high-priority recall notice for all ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula due to a potential link to an infant botulism outbreak. Parents are advised to immediately discontinue use of all lot numbers and sizes of this product.

City Council and Public Session Rescheduling

Due to the holiday observance, there will be no City Council session or public comment period on Monday, January 19, or Tuesday, January 20. A consolidated City Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. The agenda for this meeting includes critical votes on stormwater funding and property tax exemptions for qualifying childcare providers.

Special Event Notice: MLK Unity Parade

The City of Houston will host the inaugural MLK Unity Parade today, Monday, January 19, in downtown Houston. For the first time, the Black Heritage Society and the MLK Grande Parade have joined forces for a singular event. Motorists should expect significant road closures along the parade route through the central business district from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 2:00 p.m. Public transit users are encouraged to check METRO schedules for holiday reroutes.