In August, League City City Council voted to put a question on the November ballot about whether the city should use Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras.

Now, the city has authorized a Citizen Data Privacy Committee to consider public concerns and make recommendations for city policies regarding the cameras.

What residents should know: League City City Council voted unanimously at its Sept. 22 meeting to approve the first reading of an ordinance to create a citizen-led committee which would authorize and review results of an audit on the city’s use of the cameras.

Why it matters: Long said he felt the city was currently equipped to discipline clear misuse of the cameras and collected data by the police department, but investigating potential abuses of the data outside the city’s control, such as by Flock Safety.

Quote of note: “Frankly, I don’t know if we’re equipped to figure that out, but we’re going to give it a try,” Long said.

According to a Sept. 21 filing with TDLR, Take 5 Oil Change will be opening a location in Kemah in 2027.

What we know: Owned by Houston-based real estate firm Braun Enterprises and designed by Cor3 Design, the project is estimated to cost $850,000 and span 1,642 square feet, according to the TDLR.

What they offer: Take 5 Oil Change offers car maintenance services including cabin filter inspection, full-service oil changes and state inspections, according to the company's website.

Looking ahead: Construction is expected begin February and wrap up October 2027, according to the TDLR.

📍206 Marina Blvd., Kemah

DaVita, in collaboration with Bridge of Life, the YMCA and local community partners, will host free health screenings at three Houston-area locations Sept. 24-26.

What you need to know: No appointment or insurance is required, and walk-ins are welcome. The free community event will offer preventive health services, including:

• Kidney health screenings to assess risk for kidney disease

• Blood sugar and blood pressure checks

• Flu vaccines

• Dental screenings

• Food distribution

• Free haircuts

Some Texas Republican leaders have vowed to get rid of the property taxes that homeowners pay to their local public school districts, and lawmakers are analyzing how much it would cost to do so.

The big picture: Texas school districts collect about $29 billion per year in maintenance and operations taxes, which cover schools' daily expenses.

Of that $29 billion in school tax revenue, the state comptroller's office estimates that about $8.6 billion is paid by homeowners, and the rest comes from commercial and industrial property taxes.

This means the state would need to spend at least $8.6 billion annually to zero out homeowners' school property tax bills, officials said.

Quote of note: "Broadly speaking, you have a question about how much you want to fund schools, and then separately, where does that money come from?" Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said during a Sept. 15 legislative hearing. "If you have a target of how much you want to spend, you need to make sure you have enough variable revenue sources to reach that."