Houston City Council approved the extension of the use of its current Records Management System, or RMS, for the Houston Police Department, a system that some council members say needs to be upgraded.

RMS is the system that the HPD uses for any and all data that the department has, including when officers take reports on the scene, when investigators pull information, crime statistics and analyses. 

Some context: The current RMS is antiquated, council member Abbie Kamin said, and she supports the extension, but would like to know when it will switch over to a newer, updated system.

“We continue to see additional extensions put on for large sums of money,” Kamin said during the meeting. “So a projection of how much longer we think this is going to take and how much this will cost ... the cost continues to grow, so having a full picture of what we’re looking at will be very helpful.”

Mayor John Whitmire said that the extension is to get the city through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Machi Sushi recently opened on Washington Avenue, serving all-you-can-eat sushi seven days a week.

What they offer: Along with sushi rolls, the Japanese restaurant and bar also serves cocktails and sake, according to its social media. One featured roll is the Tokyo Cowboy Roll, which offers spice and bold flavors. 

Before you go: To celebrate the soft opening, an employee said Machi Sushi is offeringa 20% discount on all checks, as of Feb. 19. 

• 5820 Washington Ave., Ste. 100, Houston

Tour de Houston will take place this year on April 12.

The popular annual bike ride will be produced for the third year by the Mayor's Office and Houston First, with the Apache Corporation, a Houston-based independent energy company, as the presenting sponsor for the 13th year.

What you need to know: This year's event will be the 19th edition of the popular tour. Registration opened in early 2026, starting at $50, according to a Feb. 10 news release. However, prices will increase after March 1.

The route will feature three distances, including:

• A 10-mile family route, suited for riders of all ages and abilities
• A 20-mile intermediate route, catered to experienced riders and fitness enthusiasts
• A 45-mile training ride: ideal for riders preparing for the MS 150 in late April

Harris County Precinct 4 has partnered with the University of Houston to create an interactive dashboard of mental health providers in under-resourced ZIP codes.

The overview: Harris County commissioners unanimously approved the agreement Feb. 12. As part of the partnership, UH researchers are developing an interactive and publicly accessible online dashboard highlighting service disparities in Precinct 4. 

Why it matters: The project aims to help residents in underserved portions of Katy, Cy-Fair, Tomball and the Memorial area connect with licensed providers, which could serve as a blueprint for addressing mental health needs countywide. 

UH and Precinct 4 staff will also host community workshops to encourage open conversations about mental health and teach residents how to use the tool, which staff said will launch by June. 

Quote of note: “We’re very hopeful that having this type of information will be able to inform investments and any partnerships we have in the future so that we can support a more coordinated approach to behavioral health and justice system planning,” Precinct 4 policy advisor Larisa Barreto said.

During an arctic blast last month, the Texas power grid remained stable throughout the storm and the state came away largely unscathed. The Lone Star State has not seen widespread blackouts since February 2021, when millions of Texans lost power and nearly 250 people died.

The response: In Uri’s wake, state lawmakers and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas made changes to restructure ERCOT’s governing board, mandate earlier public alerts during tight grid conditions and require that energy providers “weatherize” their facilities to withstand extremely hot or cold temperatures.

Roughly 40,000 megawatts of power—enough to serve about 10 million residential customers—have been added to the grid since 2021 and the state’s energy supply has become more diverse.

Looking ahead: State leaders have expressed confidence that the grid would hold up during “a storm similar to Uri.” Yet some energy analysts caution that rapidly rising electric demand, driven by the construction of new data centers throughout Texas, means challenges may still lie ahead.