HTX-KTY: Impact 11/3/2025

Looking for an elevated dining experience to celebrate the holidays? 

The Katy-Fulshear area has several fine dining options for families to celebrate any occasion. Ranging from traditional to international cuisines, here are a few nearby restaurants to consider dining at over the holidays. This list is not comprehensive.

Federal American Grill: Federal American Grill offers an elevated twist on classic American cuisine, with locations across the Houston metro. Menu favorites include the chicken-fried steak, the grilled pork chop and Janice’s meatloaf. 

• 727 W. Grand Parkway S., Katy

Gauchos Do Sul: The traditional Brazilian steakhouse features a gourmet salad bar, hot side dishes and prime cuts of meat served tableside. Guests can choose from a variety of meats, including beef ribs, filet mignon, chicken and pork.

• 910 W. Grand Parkway S., Katy

Palinuro Italian Cuisine: Inspired by the seaside town of Palinuro, the restaurant serves fresh Italian cuisine. The menu features dishes such as house-made pasta, traditional risotto and imported truffles.

• 27131 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Ste. 900, Katy

Katy ISD is nearing the completion of a financial partnership that began more than two decades ago through the establishment of a tax increment reinvestment zone, a state-authorized financing mechanism that uses the growth in property tax revenues within a defined area to fund public projects and infrastructure improvements.

The taxing partnership between city entities has generated millions of dollars in local reinvestment for the district, supporting the construction of new school facilities, road and utility upgrades around campuses, and infrastructure expansion to accommodate growth.

How it works: Chief Financial Officer Chris Smith said the primary goal of the TIRZ was to provide a mechanism to sell $25.6 million in tax-exempt bonds, which were used to construct facilities, including the Leonard Merrell Center, built in 2002.

The outcome: The arrangement generated $36.6 million in excess tax collections for the district, along with $2.2 million in interest earnings—a total of nearly $39 million reinvested back into KISD facilities.

Moving forward: The $17 million available in TIRZ funding can still be used for capital improvements, Smith said.

Fort Bend County officials are seeking public input ahead of a redesign of the county’s website.

What residents need to know: The survey, which opened Oct. 16 and will close Nov. 14, allows residents to provide input on what they would like to see revised and improved on the website, Milton Durango, Fort Bend County public information manager, said in an email.

The details: The county is performing a $136,000 redesign of its website to create a modern, user-friendly and accessible website to serve the community more effectively, Durango said.

The redesign has several key priorities, including:

• Improved navigation and search
• Increased mobile-friendly design
• Enhanced transparency to county services, public meetings and documents
• Upgraded Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and accessibility

Approximately 460,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Advocates are encouraging Texas voters to approve State Proposition 14, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend $3 billion to launch the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

The overview: Proposition 14 would allocate $3 billion in state dollars to fund the institute for the next 10 years. The institute would work with researchers and doctors to study the prevention and treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

All funding for the institute would come from existing state revenue, donations and potential federal grants, meaning no new state taxes or fees would be created.

What they're saying: "If Proposition 14 passes, it really will establish Texas as an incredible leader in our country," neurological researcher Joshua Shulman said. 

At the polls: Early voting runs through Oct. 31, and Election Day is Nov. 4. For more information about the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

TDECU—Houston’s largest credit union—and Smart Financial Credit Union—one of the city’s oldest—announced plans to merge, according to an Oct. 22 news release, combining their legacies under a shared mission to strengthen communities and expand member opportunities.

Marking a milestone: Pending regulatory approval and a member vote by Smart Financial, the merger is expected to be finalized in early 2026. The combined credit union will hold nearly $6 billion in assets and serve more than 460,000 members across Texas through a network of 48 branches, per the release.

TDECU President and CEO Isaac Johnson will lead the merged organization, while Smart Financial CEO LeAnn Kaczynski will serve as chief integration officer for one year to oversee the transition.

Also of note: TDECU’s ties with the University of Houston, Houston Texans and Buc-ee’s will join Smart Financial’s work with Smart Financial Centre and local charities through the Smart Financial Foundation.

Members of both institutions will see no immediate changes to accounts or services during the transition, according to the release.

Millions of Texans may see delays in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beginning Nov. 1, as the federal government shutdown reaches the one-month mark.

The latest: The federal food assistance program is set to run out of funding in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use federal contingency funds, which are stockpiled for emergency expenses, to fund SNAP in November, although the next steps surrounding SNAP benefits were unclear as of press time.

The local impact: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks.

“People are at risk of going hungry if the government doesn't reopen and SNAP benefits are delayed. … These are already vulnerable Texans,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an Oct. 27 interview.

Food banks across the state Texas food banks previously expanded their operations to meet increased demand as thousands of federal workers go without paychecks during the shutdown.