Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County announced in a Nov. 25 news release that the transit company is collaborating with regional law enforcement partners to bring enhanced visibility across all rail lines and transit facilities.

Zooming in: The move is described as a systemwide safety initiative that is intended to not only enhance the visibility of police officers but also improve response times and overall safety.

The initiative was first launched Nov. 12 and started with increased officer presence along the Red Line, a frequent light rail service used to get to destinations such as the Texas Medical Center, Museum District and University of Houston. However, per the release, the initiative expanded to the Green and Purple Lines the week of Thanksgiving and is expected to be extended across the entire system in the near future, with rails serving as the starting point.

Something to note: METRO officials said riders can expect to see additional uniformed officers on trains, platforms, buses and transit centers during peak hours.

Waymo is gearing up to roll out fully autonomous driving in Houston and Dallas.

The gist: The move comes as Waymo begins driverless operations in Miami, with launches planned in four additional cities—Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Orlando—over the next several weeks, according to a Nov. 18 news release.

Waymo leaders said expanding to new markets has become increasingly streamlined thanks to its “generalizable” Waymo Driver and a consistent operational playbook.

According to the company, the shift to fully autonomous driving—once viewed as a major technological leap—has become routine as its safety systems and deployment strategy mature.

Diving in deeper: The company reports its vehicles have already shown strong safety performance, with 11 times fewer serious-injury collisions compared with human drivers in its current operating areas.

Several places are kicking off the holiday season with holiday light displays this weekend. 

Sugar Land Holiday Lights
Attendees can enjoy millions of dazzling light displays, a new 9-hole mini golf course, a carnival, a synthetic ice rink and vendors. Santa Claus will also be visiting the lights in Sugar Land through Dec. 23.

• Through Jan. 1
• $18.24 (admission)
• 1 Stadium Drive, Sugar Land

• Through Dec. 31, noon- 10 p.m.
• $24.47- $47.10 (admission)
• Marriott Marquis Houston, 1777 Walker St., Houston

• Through Jan. 4
• Free
• 2101 Riva Row, The Woodlands

On the heels of what proponents have called “historic” property tax relief, some Texas lawmakers are questioning whether the state can afford to continue increasing the tax exemptions passed in 2023 and 2025.

The big picture: Texas homeowners pay property taxes to various local entities, although lawmakers can limit how much entities increase taxes each year and provide state funding to expand tax exemptions.

Texas is spending $51 billion on property tax relief in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 alone and may be required to spend more to maintain existing tax exemptions in future bienniums, lawmakers said.

What they're saying: "We're kind of maxed out at what we can do for property tax reform, from a budget perspective," said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, during a Nov. 20 event.

"$51 billion ongoing, it's a huge amount to continue to support. To think about doing anything more seems very fiscally irresponsible," Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, said.

The other side: Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, said creating limits on local government spending would be critical to keeping Texas affordable.

• Severe storms, tornado cause damage across northern Harris County
• New Caney ISD high schools to add 15 minutes to each school day
• Major projects in Humble and Kingwood result in increased water rates
• Waymo to launch fully autonomous driving in Houston and Dallas in coming weeks
• NRG Energy to build 455-megawatt natural gas power plant in Houston