Longtime Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin announced Dec. 5 that she would be vacating her seat to run for Harris County attorney.

Kamin represents District C, a geographic area that includes portions of the Heights, Washington Avenue, Montrose, Rice Village and Meyerland. Her decision has sparked a special election in April to fill her seat on the council.

Why it matters: Candidate applications officially opened Dec. 17, with the last day to file and write-in deadline set for Feb. 2 by 5 p.m. Interested applicants will need to file with the Mayor's Office, 901 Bagby St., or email [email protected].

A drawing for the ballot order will be held Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. in the City Hall Annex council chamber.

The special election will be held April 4, and the winner of the race will fill the role until January 2028.

Stay tuned: To stay up-to-date with candidate information or fill out an application, residents can visit the city of Houston election page.

Paris Baguette is planning to open another location in Houston, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The details: According to the filing, the pastry franchise’s new location in the Heights will be located near the intersection of 19th Street and Shepherd Drive. The $500,000 renovation is expected to begin in January and be completed in October. 

On the menu: With storefronts located across the state, Paris Baguette offers sweet and savory treats as well as craft beverages. The franchise serves staple coffees and frappuccinos along with more bold flavors such as the Iced Cinnamon Sugar Churro Latte.  

• 1835 N. Shepherd Drive, Ste. B, Houston

Texans now have a new database to track the results of local bond propositions and tax rate elections, or TREs, in their communities and across the state.

The details: Texas’ Local Government Bond, Tax, and Project Transparency Database was unveiled after state lawmakers passed House Bill 103 this spring. The new law requires the comptroller to compile information about all bonds, tax rate elections and maintenance tax rate changes proposed by local governments in an election, including:

• Ballot language for all tax-related proposals
• How each tax measure would impact the local tax rate or debt service
• The difference between the adopted tax rate and voter-approval tax rate, if applicable
• The entity’s tax rate for the prior year and the tax rate following the election
• A list of projects funded by each tax measure
• The results of each election, including votes for and against a measure