Fulshear officials are looking to adjust the city’s economic development plan to adapt to its growth and evolving market conditions.

The setup: At an Oct. 20 meeting, Fulshear City Council approved a contract with consulting firm TIP Strategies to update the city’s economic development strategic plan for the first time since 2019. 

“This update will help us evaluate where we are today, identify new opportunities and establish clear, data-driven priorities to guide our economic development efforts moving forward,” Director of Economic Development Annel Guadalupe said. 

The action taken: Through the contract, TIP Strategies will review existing policies, data and other information including: 

• The city’s existing plan

• A fiscal analysis 

• Demographics

• Population

• Employment/talent pipeline

• Housing/infrastructure

Additionally, the firm will meet with city staff and regional stakeholders as well as the public to assist in developing strategies to implement, according to agenda documents.

Next steps: TIP Strategies will begin updating the plan "immediately" following council’s approval, per agenda documents. Updating the plan is expected to take five to six months.

National chain PopUp Bagels is opening a second location in Greater Houston, officials announced in an Oct. 19 news release.

Main course: Customers can choose from several types of bagels including plain, everything and poppy seed with a variety of schmear options such as cream cheese and butter spreads, according to its website. 

Zooming out: Founded in Connecticut, PopUp Bagels has locations across the country including four in Texas and one in Houston at Town & Country Village, per its website.  

• 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy

Fort Bend County Libraries officials are seeking public input on how to move forward.

In a nutshell: Fort Bend County residents are asked to complete the “Your Vision, Your Voice, Your Library” survey which includes 16 questions to help identify growth opportunities for the 12-location library system, officials announced in an Oct. 8 news release.

The survey comes as a library planning committee is working to develop a strategic plan to shape the organization's direction over the next three to five years.

What they're saying: “Our hope for this community survey is that we get as many responses as possible from people representing a wide variety of locations, backgrounds and perspectives,” library planning committee officials said. “This survey is crucial to crafting a strategic plan that genuinely reflects the diversity of our community."

Candidates Abbie Kamin and Jacqueline Lucci Smith are set to face off in November’s election for a chance to lead Harris County’s chief civil law office.

What you need to know: The Harris County Attorney’s Office works on the county’s behalf in civil litigation, also providing legal counsel to county elected officials, employees and departments, according to its website.

Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30, according to the Texas Secretary of State's website. Election day is Nov. 3 and polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Registered voters can cast their ballot at any polling location during early voting and election day.

Texas environmental regulators have continued processing certain data center permits in the month since Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a permitting pause, according to a new report from FracTracker, an oil and gas watchdog group.

The details: Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality last month to "halt all permits sought by data centers" while the Electric Reliability Council of Texas audits proposed projects.

Yet as of Oct. 16, the TCEQ had moved at least 35 data center-related applications forward, per an analysis of TCEQ records.

Zooming in: The agency has issued public notices for three data center projects since Abbott ordered the pause Sept. 21. It also approved stormwater coverage, certified air emissions limits or assigned engineers to other projects.

"No permits have been approved," Andrew Mahaleris, the governor's press secretary, said Oct. 20. "In line with the governor’s directive, TCEQ has not taken and will not take any proactive actions related to the approval of data center permits."

"These actions do not signal an agency trying to pause," FracTracker said in the report.