HTX-CYF: Impact 11/7/2025

Harris County commissioners opted not to draft regulations on roadside vendors and panhandlers in unincorporated areas of the county in a split vote Oct. 30.

The overview: In May, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2012, which allows counties to curb roadside and parking lot soliciting. The bill permits restrictions on people asking for money or selling food or merchandise, including animals, along roadways.

What happened: During Harris County commissioners’ Oct. 30 meeting, a motion to pursue drafting panhandling and roadside soliciting regulations failed, with Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones voting against the measure; Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent from the meeting. 

Remember this? If the motion would have passed, the county attorney would have worked with court offices to draft an ordinance including:

• Clear prohibitions on panhandling that affects traffic lanes, medians and other areas that pose safety risks
• A focus on improving traffic flow and quality of life by creating designated safety zones away from busy traffic
• Opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness to be directed to resources

The Dumpling Zone officials confirmed the dumpling eatery opened on Oct. 22 in a soft opening.

On the menu: With a focus on dumplings, per the website, The Dumpling Zone offers soup dumplings, boiled dumplings, steamed dumplings and pan fried dumplings. The eatery also offers noodles, vegetarian dishes and chef specials including sesame chicken and walnut shrimp.

• 12361 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 900, Cypress

Community Impact interviewed Ron Papsdorf, the Chief Transportation Officer for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, about the current state of transportation in the Greater Houston area.

The gist: H-GAC is a regional organization through which local governments consider issues and cooperate in solving problems in areas such as transportation. Papsdorf, who stepped into the role of chief transportation officer in June, spoke about the biggest priorities and challenges for transportation in the Greater Houston area as well as new trends he is seeing in mobility needs across the region.

Airports in Dallas and Houston are required to begin reducing flights and other operations by 4% on Nov. 7 in response to air traffic controller shortages caused by the federal government shutdown, transportation officials announced Nov. 6.

The details: The cuts will affect 40 "high impact airports" across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration. The affected Texas airports include:

• Dallas Love Field (DAL)
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)