In light of expected increased health insurance costs for Houston ISD employees in the 2026-27 school year, a 4% pay raise for teachers will be proposed, district leaders said during HISD’s May 20 budget workshop.

Current situation: HISD leaders are projecting higher insurance costs due to national trends such as higher pharmacy costs and more out-of-network provider costs, said Chief of Staff Monica Zdrojewski during the HISD board of manager’s May 20 budget workshop.

Quote of note: “Collectively, these factors are creating structural pressure on our health insurance fund that must be addressed proactively. ... I do want to emphasize the fact that these are systemic health care market pressures that employers are experiencing nationally,” Zdrojewski said. “It's not isolated to HISD.”

The approach: Superintendent Mike Miles said district leaders will be proposing a 4% pay raise for teachers to help offset the added insurance costs. Zdrojewski said an hourly minimum pay for employees of $17 per hour will also be proposed.

Planet Fitness has opened its newest Houston-area club in Maplewood, bringing new workout space and upgraded recovery amenities to the neighborhood.

The details: The gym officially opened May 15 weekend, according to a May 21 news release. 

What they offer: The Maplewood location is Houston’s first Planet Fitness club to feature the brand’s enhanced PF Black Card Spa recovery experience, which includes a Red Light Sauna, Polar Dry Plunge, Hyperice recovery tools, compression boots, HydroMassage and massage chairs, according to the release.
The club also offers a large turf training area, power racks, deadlift platforms and new strength and cardio equipment, per the release.

Also of note: According to the release, the grand opening marked the final stop of Planet Fitness Houston’s “Miles for Change” challenge benefiting Kids’ Meals, a Houston nonprofit that provides free healthy meals to preschool-aged children facing food insecurity.

As part of the challenge, community members logged miles on treadmills, with Planet Fitness donating $1 to Kids’ Meals for every mile completed, according to the release.

• 5665 Beechnut St., Houston

Houston will receive close to $20 million in federal funding to help with security when it hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.

Long story short: Houston City Council unanimously approved three agreements for security in June and July that will go directly toward security for FIFA.

One agreement approved $16.6 million for security during the three-week period of the World Cup. Another includes a $2 million reimbursement for funding the city spent on security for Fan Fest, and the third was a $1.2 million agreement between the city and Harris County to monitor for unmanned aircraft systems—or drones— through the duration of FIFA.

Fan Fest will be an event in East Downtown where people can go watch the games in public for free, according to previous reporting.

Jose "Alex" Maldonado and Darrel Jordan Jr. will face off for the Democratic nomination for Harris County district clerk in a runoff election May 26.

The details: Eight candidates sought the Democratic nomination in the March primary election for Harris County district clerk following the announcement that Marilyn Burgess would not seek reelection to the position. Maldonado and Jordan received the most votes out of the candidates, but no candidate received over 50% of the vote.

What voters need to know: Early voting for the runoff election runs through May 22, and election day is May 26. Residents can view a sample ballot by entering information through the Harris County Clerk's Office.

Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

Texas officials released a draft of their next state water plan in April, projecting that state and local governments will need to spend $174 billion in the next 50 years to prevent a water crisis.

The details: The three-member Texas Water Development Board voted April 16 to publish an initial draft of the 2027 State Water Plan, laying out what is needed to prepare for a future “drought of record,” when water demands are highest and supplies are lowest.

The $174 billion price tag is more than twice the cost projected in Texas’ 2022 state water plan, which was $80 billion.

The context: As Texas’ population continues to grow, water restrictions and shortages are becoming more common in areas throughout the state. At the same time, major companies are moving to Texas and communities are contemplating large data center projects, with some residents expressing concerns about high water use in the already drought-prone state.

The proposed plan includes 3,000 proposed water management projects and 6,700 strategies to increase Texas' water supplies through 2080.

Catch up on Community Impact’s coverage this week with five trending Greater Houston stories from May 18-22.

1. Fort Bend County greenlights TxDOT primacy for Grand Parkway expansion

2. 8 businesses now open in Sugar Land, Missouri City

3. League City Walmart hosts grand opening following renovations

4. Conroe council reopens public comment, rolls back street closure fees after community pushback

5. Crawfish Cookoff, Sip & Shop: Check out 10 Houston-area events this weekend, May 22-24