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Behind the scenes: The future of AI in health care is rising in Houston

Artificial intelligence in health care may sound futuristic, but doctors at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center are already using it behind the scenes to help improve performance during minimally invasive surgeries.

How it works: GE Healthcare’s Allia Moveo acts as a high-tech imaging machine that doctors use during surgery, which helps them see blood vessels and other structures more clearly, according to a news release from GE Healthcare. The machine uses AI to help improve image quality by reducing visual distortions caused by things like breathing or blood flow.

Those improvements use AI, not as a replacement for doctors, but as practical technology to help them work more confidently and efficiently, said Kat Davis, vice president and general manager for GE Healthcare’s interventional solutions business.

“This is not ChatGPT for surgeons,” Davis said. “This is about allowing the physician to make the best possible clinical choices at the point of care.”

Also of note: AI still has governance that is ruled by a committee, which ensures there is always a clinician present with a patient.

 
In Your Area
Homeplace residential community to include 17 miles of bike lanes

Homeplace, a 2,100-acre residential community in Montgomery, will feature 17 miles of bike lanes alongside mountain bike trails, according to a June 16 news release. The master-planned community is expected to break ground this summer, with presales targeted for summer 2027.

More details: The bike lanes will be designed as seven interconnected loops with over 100 route combinations, per the news release. The trails will connect to the community’s 43-acre amenity center, The Hub, which is part of Phase 2. The mountain bike trails, meanwhile, will be designed in partnership with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, per the news release.

Some context: The land that Homeplace sits on is owned by the Randall family, which is developing the community, as previously reported. The master-planned community is expected to include 330 homes in its first phase, with lot sizes ranging from 40 to 80 feet wide, per the news release.

 
Metro News
New HAR report shows slight increase in Greater Houston area leased rentals in May

More renters in the Greater Houston area signed leases in May as available listings and prices dipped slightly, according to a June 17 report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The breakdown: The number of rentable single-family homes in the Houston area fell by about 0.8% compared to May 2025, with 54 fewer new listings to choose from, according to the monthly rental market update. Additionally, the number of signed leases increased by 5.2%.

As for average lease prices, costs eased by 0.3% compared to last May, with the average price totaling $2,346 in 2026, the report shows.

Diving in: Meanwhile, townhomes and condos saw an increase of 8.2% in the number of leased listings and an increase of 0.5% in price.

What they’re saying: “In today's economy, many consumers are taking a more measured approach to major financial decisions, and renting remains an attractive option for some households,” said HAR Chair Theresa Hill.

 

FOODIE FRIDAY
Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Houston area.

Crispy Cones now open in Conroe

The ice cream parlor opened May 1 at 2200 N. Frazier St. in Conroe. First seen on Season 14 of "Shark Tank" in 2022, Crispy Cones whips up several variations of dessert cones for customers, including its featured waffle cone baked rotisserie-style and topped with gourmet soft serve ice cream.


Read now.

 

🍗 Food truck Tings and Wacos opens brick-and-mortar location in Missouri City
(Read more)

🍔 Burgers, beer, bourbon: Bohemian Bull now open in Spring
(Read more)

🍪 Montgomery home-based pop-up Grace + Goodness Cookie Co. now open
(Read more)

🥗 Holistic restaurant Flower Child coming soon to Cypress
(Read more)

 

Wise Street Eats now serving halal burgers, loaded fries in the Heights

Wise Street Eats opened on Heights Boulevard on June 14, offering both burger and sandwich combinations alongside popular menu items like its loaded fries, mac and cheese, sliders and fresh chicken tenders. Its addition to the Greater Heights area marks its second location in Houston, where everything is made to order and is 100% halal.


Read more.

Neighboring News
Naskila Casino Resort breaks ground in Leggett

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and Naskila Casino held a groundbreaking ceremony June 18 for the upcoming Naskila Casino Resort in Leggett, officials announced in a June 18 news release.

What to expect: The roughly 685,000-square-foot Naskila Casino Resort will be located on 95 acres of Alabama-Coushatta Tribal land and will include a large gaming floor, a 366-room hotel, entertainment amenities, various dining options, a resort-style pool complex, and event and conference space, according to the release.

On the horizon: The first phase of Naskila Casino Resort is expected to be completed by the end of 2028, per the release. However, officials said the development schedule for the hotel and resort-style pool complex is still being determined and more information will be shared for future phases as plans are finalized and construction progresses.

In the meantime, the Naskila Casino Leggett—a temporary, 24-hour gaming experience located on the future site of the resort—is set to open late this summer 2026, per the release.

 
Affecting All Texans
Texas lawmakers consider data center water use and resource impacts

State lawmakers are considering water use impacts tied to the spread of new data center developments across Texas, and recently heard input from industry representatives and residents as they plan for next year's legislative session.

The initial review may preview proposed state laws regarding data centers and their local impacts. Ahead of the hearing, Gov. Greg Abbott also stated his "bottom line" expectations for data centers going forward: providing their own power, reusing water and reducing electricity costs for their neighbors.

Testimony from regulators revealed that Texas lacks accurate information about the water use of most data centers now operating statewide, despite mandates to submit those details. Representatives suggested data centers' self-reporting on utility use could be one topic to address next year. Many impacted residents and elected officials also raised concerns with public notice and local regulatory authority in relation to the high-profile developments.

 

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Lizzy Spangler
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Chrissy Leggett
General Manager

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