Bellaire city officials announced that Davis Farquhar will fill the vacant position as fire chief after former chief Deacon Tittel retired in late October to take over for the Harris County Emergency Services District No. 48.

Two-minute impact: According to a Nov. 12 news release, Farquhar joined the Bellaire Fire Department in 2005 and has served as both a firefighter and a paramedic. Over the years, he has served in key leadership roles, including lieutenant, captain, commander, assistant fire chief and fire marshal.

Quote of note: “I’m honored to serve as fire chief in the city where I began my career,” Farquhar said. “Bellaire is a special community, and I look forward to working with our dedicated team to continue providing excellent service and enhancing public safety for all.”

At least 10 Greater Houston area Shoe Carnival locations are poised for a name change by back-to-school season in 2026.

The national retailer offers both name brand and private label merchandise including footwear and accessories, according to its website.

The big picture: Board members with the family footwear retailer Shoe Carnival announced Nov. 13 they unanimously voted to change the company name to Shoe Station, subject to approval from company shareholders ahead of its annual meeting in June 2026.

The following shoe stores are in the Greater Houston area, the list is not comprehensive:

• Northline Commons, 4436 Hwy. 290, Houston
• Gulfgate Shopping Center, 512 Gulfgate Center Mall, Houston
• Northwest Marketplace, 13784 Hwy. 290, Houston
• Southway Shopping Center, 8032 S. Gessner Road, Houston
• Almeda Crossing Shopping Center, 10011 Almeda Genoa Road, Houston
• Deerbrook Marketplace, 20506 Hwy. 59 N., Humble
• Price Plaza, 20280 Katy Freeway, Ste. A, Katy
• Victory Lakes Town Center, 2544 Gulf Freeway S., League City
• Conroe Marketplace Shopping Center, 2812 I-45 N., Conroe

As Thanksgiving week is expected to be one of the busiest U.S. travel periods for Texans, according to projections from AAA, Houston travelers flying on Frontier Airlines from George Bush Intercontinental Airport will have four new nonstop services starting Nov. 20.

What they're saying: “With our launch of new service to Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, we are thrilled to offer Houston-area consumers affordable travel to even more exciting destinations just in time for the busy holiday travel season,” said Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, in a Nov. 20 news release.

Digging deeper: A record 5.8 million Texans are projected to travel within and outside the state from Nov. 25-Dec.1, according to AAA, which is up from approximately 5.7 million travelers in 2024. The airline announcement comes just days after the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration lifted a flight reduction emergency order for 40 airports across the country, including IAH, on Nov. 17.

With Christmas quickly approaching, here are eight organizations hosting toy drives for children that anyone can participate in. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.

Pearland Neighborhood Center Toy Drive: The Pearland Neighborhood Center is partnering with the Pearland Police Department for a holiday toy drive. Local businesses can contact officer Ryden Cohen to sign up to host a donation box where residents can drop off new toys for families in need.  

• Donations needed by the week of Dec. 12
• 2335 N. Texas Ave., Pearland
• Suggested donations: new, unused and unwrapped toys

Holiday Toy Store: Ronald McDonald House is collecting toy donations for babies and teens. Gifts must be new, in original packaging and unwrapped, and will be delivered to residents’ doors on Christmas morning. 

• Donations needed by Dec. 5
• 1907 Holcombe Blvd., Houston
• Suggested donations: video game systems, video game controllers, headphones, jewelry, diaper bags, teething toys, play mats

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is moving forward with a set of permanent rules designed to prohibit the sale of consumable THC products to anyone under 21 years old.

The overview: The proposal is similar to emergency rules adopted Sept. 23, which are currently in effect and prohibit Texas alcohol retailers from selling intoxicating THC products to minors. The state health department adopted similar emergency rules in October.

The context: The existing and proposed THC rules are the result of a September executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, who called for age restrictions on THC sales and tighter guardrails on the multibillion-dollar industry.

Earlier this month, federal lawmakers approved a ban on most consumable THC products, which is set to take effect in November 2026. The ban is part of a federal funding package that became law Nov. 12, ending a 43-day federal government shutdown.

Next steps: Texans can weigh in on the TABC's proposed permanent rules during a Dec. 11 virtual public hearing or submit written public comments through Jan. 4.