Fresh Out Of The Hospital, The Bushes Will Toss The Coin At The Super Bowl In Houston

Five stories that have North Texas talking: George H.W. and Barbara Bush will be at the Super Bowl; bad cookie dough caused Blue Bell’s recent recall; Beyoncé’s having twins; and more.

President George H.W. Bush was just discharged from a two-week stint at Houston Methodist Hospital battling a bout of pneumonia, and this weekend he’s calling heads or tails at the Super Bowl. Former first lady Barbara Bush will join him for the coin toss at the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium in Houston Sunday, The Houston Chronicle reports. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell invited the couple to do the honors, Bush spokesman Jim McGrath said.

Bush was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 14 for shortness of breath. During his treatment, which included a stay in intensive care, doctors inserted a breathing tube and connected him to a ventilator. Barbara Bush, 91, was admitted to the hospital four days after her husband checked in. She had been experiencing fatigue and coughing. She left the hospital on Jan. 23 after undergoing treatment for bronchitis. McGrath says they’re looking forward to the game. [The Houston Chronicle, KERA News]

• A South Texas mosque destroyed in a fire has transformed into a symbol of unity. The Muslim community in Victoria, Texas has received an outpouring of support after flames consumed the 16-year-old structure Saturday morning, hours after President Trump signed his executive order barring refugees from entering the country and restricting travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Since then, almost 23,000 people donated to an online campaign raising more than $1 million to rebuild the Islamic Center. And at least five architecture firms have offered to design a new mosque for free. [The Texas Tribune]

• A Fort Worth officer vowed to the Hispanic community that police would protect them. In a nearly six-minute-long video, officer Daniel Segura addressed concerns from the Hispanic community and said in Spanish that the police would protect them if they were victims of any crimes regardless of their immigration status. “If you are a victim of a crime, we don’t care about your immigration status — you have the same rights as anyone else who lives in Fort Worth,” Segura said. Segura told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that officers can protect all residents without making it appear that Fort Worth is a "sanctuary city." [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

• It’s been confirmed: Third-party cookie dough containing listeria led Blue Bell to recall its ice cream. The Houston Chronicle reports that the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter last month to Iowa-based Aspen Hills about the company's failures in preventing contamination. A recall in October was traced to chocolate chip cookie dough produced by Aspen Hills. Blue Bell had been regaining some of its market share following a debilitating recall in 2015 resulting from 10 listeria cases in four states, including three deaths in Kansas. Aspen Hills ceased production in December. [The Houston Chronicle]

• You’ve likely heard by now, but Texas icon Beyoncé is having twins. The Houston native announced the news Wednesday in a portrait on Instagram. In the photo, she’s wearing a veil and holding her noticeable baby bump while surrounded by a wreath of fresh flowers. The caption reads: “We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. - The Carters.” It is the most “liked” photo in Instagram’s history, according to the NPR. Beyoncé and husband Jay Z have one daughter, Blue Ivy, born in 2012. [NPR]