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Texas State Technical College is set to launch two construction programs in Rosenberg, following the opening of its new $35 million Transportation Technology Center.

What’s happening: The building construction program, which already has a strong presence on TSTC’s Harlingen, Marshall, Sweetwater and Waco campuses, will launch with a craftsman certification focusing on foundational construction skills, officials announced in a January news release.

Meanwhile, the electrical construction program will introduce students to residential, commercial and industrial wiring—initially launched as a certification—with plans to expand to a full associate degree.

Going forward: Both programs are slated to launch at the Rosenberg campus in the fall of 2026, per the release.

Missouri City will enforce tighter solicitation rules as officials said enforcement challenges, public safety concerns and administrative inefficiencies have triggered a need for a new approach.

Zooming in: City Council unanimously approved an ordinance regulating solicitation-related activities at a Feb. 16 meeting.

The ordinance—which would apply to any person going door-to-door for commercial purposes—could tighten solicitation rules, including prohibiting solicitation between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m., according to agenda documents.

Other key changes in the ordinance include:

• Reducing applicant registration from 180 days to 90 days
• Introducing a $1,000 surety bond to protect residents from fraud, nonperformance or misrepresentation
• Allowing permit denial or revocation based on criminal history, deceptive trade practices or determinations related to public health, safety or welfare
• Creating a nonrefundable registration fee
• Setting escalating minimum fines for violations
• Eliminating the appeal process

More Houston-area residents were able to attain a home at the end of 2025 as mortgage rates and home prices eased, according to a report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The gist: According to HAR’s housing attainability report, 44% of households in the Greater Houston area could afford a median-priced home in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to 40% in 2024.

The median home price declined to $337,200, with a monthly mortgage payment being $2,280, compared to $2,490 in 2024. To afford a median-priced home in Houston, households needed to earn at least $91,200 annually, states the report.

Thousands of students who apply for Texas’ education savings accounts will likely not be accepted into the first year of the program, application data from the state comptroller’s office shows.

What's happening: Over 101,000 students had applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts as of Feb. 15. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. March 17.

Program funding is capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, meaning between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted. With demand expected to outpace available funding, applications will be prioritized through a need- and income-based lottery system.

Zooming in: Over 70% of program applicants were from low- or middle-income households, according to data from the comptroller’s office. Under Senate Bill 2, the 2025 law that created the program:

• “Low-income” is defined as families with annual household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, or about $66,000 for a family of four.
• “Middle-income” is defined as families with incomes at or below 500% of the federal poverty line, or about $165,000 for a family of four.