After Mayor John Whitmire announced an executive order to change the city’s policy on contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a few council members introduced a new ordinance to comply with the order.

What this means: Council members Alejandra Salinas, Edward Pollard and Tiffany Thomas introduced a bill that would reduce the Houston Police Department’s cooperation with ICE by no longer requiring officers to contact ICE solely for a civil administrative warrant unless there is a jailable criminal offense.

The ordinance would also require additional details in HPD’s quarterly ICE transparency reports, including the reasons for jail bookings and whether the city contacted ICE about a victim or suspect.

What they're saying: In a joint statement, council members Salinas, Pollard and Thomas said: “For more than a year, Houston families, workers and advocates have demanded that City Hall limit HPD’s cooperation with ICE. Our new Prop A immigration ordinance builds on the measure we successfully fought to pass earlier this year.”

Looking ahead: The proposed ordinance will be discussed in mid-November or early December.

Co-owners Nick Wong and Lisa Lee opened Agnes and Sherman in April 2025.

Meet the owners: Named after Wong's parents, the modern Asian-American diner is located in the Heights and creatively blends Asian and American food. Wong has worked in the restaurant industry for over 20 years as a chef, while Lee has a background in corporate leadership and community advocacy.

What's special about it: The menu features unique dishes like wok-fried macaroni, cheeseburger fried rice and a scallion waffle.

Agnes and Sherman has been recognized in the Michelin Guide and named a James Beard Award finalist.

• 250 W. 19th St., Ste. A, Houston

The Texas A&M University Space Institute will be celebrating its grand opening in mid-November, officials said.

What you need to know: The new facility serves as a hub for collaboration among researchers, industry leaders and government agencies working to solve challenges in space exploration while developing the workforce and technologies needed for future missions, officials said.

The cost: The project cost $200 million, which was paid for through the state’s Texas Space Commission, which was passed in the 88th Texas Legislature and allotted $350 million for space programs in Texas, including $200 million for the institute, according to documents from the university.

📍17475 Saturn Lane, Houston

The Harris County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss several key initiatives during its Nov. 12 regular meeting, including disaster recovery, artificial intelligence and violence prevention.

Latest update: Commissioners are expected to discuss a one-year spending deadline extension granted by the Texas General Land Office for federally funded Hurricane Harvey recovery and flood mitigation projects. The new deadlines are February 2028 and March 2029.

Another detail: Additionally, the court will consider a new county AI policy developed by the Universal Services department, which recommends implementation in May 2027 to allow for department training.

One more thing: The court will also consider adding 24 jobs to expand two violence prevention and interruption programs, HART and RISE.

Democrats saw decisive wins up and down the ballot in Texas and across the nation in the Nov. 3 election, flipping the Lone Star State to Democratic control for the first time in a generation.

The big picture: Texas has had a Republican governor, state Senate and state House since 2003. Next year, the state will be led by a Democratic governor, with a Democratic lieutenant governor presiding over the Senate and House lawmakers likely electing a Democrat to lead the chamber—however, the senators themselves will remain majority-Republican.

More details: How much power Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin will have over the Texas Senate is largely up to senators, who will approve the chamber's new rules when the legislature convenes in January.

Sam Hooper, a legislative attorney and consultant, said he was "hopeful" that the election results would lead to "a more collegial Senate" and cooperation among lawmakers of both political parties.

The majority-Republican Senate and majority-Democrat House will have to find a balance, as bills cannot become law without approval from both chambers.