Houston-based pizza restaurant A2Z Pizza announced the grand opening of its second location, which will serve the Cypress area.

The details: A2Z Pizza specializes in classic and loaded pizzas such as pepperoni, Philly cheesesteak and chicken bacon ranch pizzas. 

In their words: "We’ve been working behind the scenes to bring something fresh, flavorful, and a little bit different to the neighborhood–and the doors are finally open," store officials announced on social media Nov. 14. "Whether you’re craving comfort, bold flavors, or a classic slice, our menu has a little something for everyone."

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is hosting public meetings for its Safety Action Plans, a measure to improve transportation safety and reduce serious roadway injuries and fatalities, officials announced in a Dec. 1 news release.

With nearly 20% of traffic deaths in Texas—760 people a year, or two people a day—and another 3,725 people annually experiencing life-altering injuries on roads in the Houston-Galveston region, H-GAC created the SAP projects to generate plans to reduce the number of fatal or serious accidents.

Get involved: Community members can provide feedback on roadway safety online or attend a first-round public meeting for the local SAPs, per the release.

Meetings include:

• La Marque: Dec. 1 from 5-7 p.m. at La Marque City Hall
• League City: Dec. 3 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center
• Sugar Land: Dec. 6 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the T.E. Harman Center
• Pearland: Dec. 10 from 5-7 p.m. at the Pearland Chamber of Commerce
• Regional Joint Meeting (H-GAC/METRO/Gulf Coast Rail District): Feb. 12, 2026, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Houston-Galveston Area Council

Travelers will be able to fly directly to Rome from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, or IAH, beginning May 1, 2026, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced Dec. 2.

In a nutshell: Italian airline ITA Airways will offer the flights to Rome Fiumicino Airport, Whitmire said during a press conference. The new Houston connection marks the ninth U.S. destination for the airline, officials said.

Joerg Eberhart, CEO and general manager of ITA Airways, said the airline will start with three nonstop flights per week in May and ramp up to five flights per week by June. The flights are already available for purchase through the airline, he said.

Quote of note: “If we look at what’s going on in the Italian economy and the Houston economy, this gives us now the opportunity to go to Italian companies and try to track more of them and locate their U.S. headquarters here in Houston because we’ve got this great service now,” Houston Airports Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak said.

In a Dec. 2 news conference, officials with Airbnb announced that Houston will receive a $1 million investment that will go toward supporting major community initiatives, expanding green infrastructure and increasing youth access to soccer.

Airbnb's sponsorship will specifically help support two major initiatives—The Green Corridor and Grow the Game.

The Green Corridor: The Green Corridor will be a 14-mile sustainable transit loop that connects key FIFA World Cup 26 venues, including the FIFA Fan Festival site in East Downtown and NRG Stadium.

Grow the Game: Part of Airbnb's $1 million sponsorship will go toward the Grow the Game program to renovate soccer fields in underserved communities, launch free or low-cost youth clinics and tournaments, and create certification pathways for coaches and referees.

One more thing: The 2026 World Cup draw is set for Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C., at noon Eastern Standard Time. The draw will determine the groups and matchups for next summer's tournament.