League City officials approved a combined $1 million for water infrastructure improvements, including water plants on the city’s central and east sides.

What happened: League City City Council voted unanimously at its Aug. 25 meeting to award an $860,000 contract to Houston-based McDonald Municipal & Industrial for upgrades to Meadowbend, Walker Street and 3rd Street water plants. 

About the project: Water plant upgrades involve installing new controls and replacing booster pumps, disinfection systems, conduit and wiring, according to city documents.

Why it matters: The city’s master plans show League City is facing significant water supply and infrastructure challenges to meet future demands, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

League City is expecting to unveil six new pickleball courts in Lobit Park in September as part of a series of ongoing improvements the city is making.

The details: The new pickleball courts are part of the first of two phases to make $2.3 million in upgrades to Lobit Park.

What else: The first phases's upgrades, which began September 2025, also include baseball field upgrades, pedestrian bridge repairs, drainage improvements and new security lighting installation. 

📍1901 FM Road 646 E., League City

Missed something from Community Impact’s coverage last week? Check out six trending stories from the South Houston area from Aug. 24-28.

1. TxDOT proposes 3 reasonable alternatives for southern portion of Hwy. 36A
2. City of Katy enters stage 1 of drought contingency plan
3. New work club set to open third location in Bellaire
4. Houston delays vote on ending annexation option with The Woodlands
5. New virtual reality arcade opens in La Porte
6. New Latin American cuisine opens in Pearland

The Houston Audubon Society, founded in 1969, has renamed itself Birds Houston as part of a broader effort to clarify its mission and modernize its identity, according to a release from the organization. The organization also unveiled a new logo featuring the Yellow-throated Warbler, a longtime symbol tied to its conservation history.

What you need to know: The name change is intended to make the organization’s work more immediately clear, including protecting birds and their habitats, conserving critical land, providing education and nature experiences and advocating for conservation policies, the release states.

Also of note: The new name comes ahead of the eighth annual Houston Bird Week, scheduled for Sept. 19-26, with registration opening Sept. 1 for events across the Greater Houston area.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa, an Austin state representative, and Libertarian Pat Dixon, a professional engineer, are challenging Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in the Nov. 3 election. Abbott is seeking a fourth term in the governor's mansion.

The big picture: As Texas’ top elected official, the governor signs and vetoes legislation, serves as commander-in-chief of the state military and appoints members of state agencies or advisory boards. Community Impact asked the three gubernatorial candidates for their perspectives on data centers, education, the cost of living and other topics.

The background: Abbott beat 10 Republican challengers in the March primary election, while Hinojosa beat eight other Democratic candidates to advance to the November election. Dixon was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.