HTX-PLF: Impact 10/20/2025

Students at Robert Turner College and Career High School studying health science could have an opportunity for hands-on learning after Pearland ISD’s board of trustees approved a partnership with HCA Houston-Pearland.

The board approved the partnership at its Oct. 14 meeting.

The overview: The partnership allows students to complete clinical rotations at the HCA facility for the district’s health science course and patient care technician program, according to board agenda documents.

The details: The clinical rotations will be supervised and provide a “hands-on experience in a real-world healthcare environment,” board agenda documents note.

Friendswood ISD’s board of trustees approved a ratification at its Oct. 13 meeting for chiller repairs at Friendswood Junior High School.

What happened: The chiller condenser coils at Friendswood Junior High began experiencing “significant leaks with several coils damaged beyond repair” in spring 2024, according to board agenda documents.

The board approved the ratification of replacement coils in May 2024, but because of extended lead times, the installation of the new coils was delayed until March 2025, which caused additional repair work on the chillers, board agenda documents note.

The approval made by the board at its Oct. 13 meeting will repair two of the school’s chillers until the coil replacement is completed. 

The cost: The chiller repairs will cost over $86,500 and will be paid through the district’s capital projects fund, according to board agenda documents.  

Harris County commissioners implemented a burn ban beginning Oct. 16 for unincorporated Harris County due to what county officials are calling "ongoing dry weather and heightened fire danger."

Quote of note: "In these dry conditions, a small spark could cause a big problem for our community," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement.

The big picture: More than 150 counties across Texas are also under burn bans to reduce wildfire threats, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, including Montgomery, Fort Bend, Waller, Chambers and Liberty counties.

What you need to know: The ban will last for 90 days or until the Texas Forest Service determines drought conditions no longer exist in Harris County. The TFS measures drought conditions based on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index scale, which finds conditions between 600-800 with the potential to lead to intense, prolonged wildfires. County officials found Harris County averaging 671, according to a news release.

Early voting in the Nov. 4 election begins Oct. 20 and runs through Oct. 31. During early voting, registered voters can cast ballots at any polling place within their county of residence, according to the secretary of state’s office.

What to bring: Voters must bring one of seven forms of identification to the polls:

• A Texas driver license (issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety)
• A Texas personal ID card (issued by the DPS)
• A Texas handgun license (issued by the DPS)
• A Texas election ID certificate (issued by the DPS)
• A U.S. military ID card with the voter’s photograph
• A U.S. citizenship certificate with the voter’s photograph
• A U.S. passport

As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, is relaunching as the InCIder this month.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

The InCIder program currently gives donors access to a special Saturday email edition across each metro: Austin, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio.

Memberships are currently $10 per month or $110 annually. A membership will include the previously mentioned perks, as well as:

• Quarterly discounts at local businesses 
• Invites to in-person events
• Optional naming and “thank you” in our newspaper
• Community Impact swag
• InCIder anniversary gift