Taxis in Houston can now charge up to 65-66 cents more per mile, depending on the time of day, after Houston City Council opted to approve the new maximum rates Dec. 17.

The big picture: Vehicles for hire operating in Houston can charge a maximum of $2.96 per mile during the day and a maximum of $2.97 at night, after the first one-eleventh of a mile. Vehicles for hire have the option to charge lower rates to compete with transportation networks such as Uber and Lyft, according to meeting documents.

The catalyst: Officials with the city’s Administration & Regulatory Affairs Department met with industry stakeholders earlier this year about raising the rate maximums due to increased operating costs for taxicabs. Houston’s last meter rate adjustment was in 2018.

The overall changes to taxi fare rates represent a 28% increase to meter rates, according to meeting documents.

Renowned baker and pastry chef Jean-Francois Feuillette has set his sights on the River Oaks District for the first U.S. opening of his brand—Café Feuillette.

“I’m thrilled to bring the Café Feuillette concept to the United States and especially to Houston," Feuillette said. "This city truly won me over. Its energy, cultural richness and culinary scene made it the ideal place to introduce our French coffee shop concept abroad."

What they offer: Café Feuillette will bring a taste of French art de vivre to Houston, featuring high-quality, sweet and savory homemade dishes and signature gourmet drinks.

The menu will offer breakfast, lunch and afternoon treats, as well as pastry drinks inspired by classic French desserts, such as vanilla flan and Paris-Brest. Pastries that will also be available include French favorites such as filled madeleines, canelés, brioches and chocolate fondant.

Looking ahead: The Houston location will mark the fifth store opening overall, but will be the first to open outside of France. The cafe is expected to open in summer 2026.

• 4444 Westheimer Road, Houston

Houston Public Library has partnered with the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy and the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to create and distribute Lifesaver Literacy Kits, according to a Dec. 12 news release from the city. 

How it works: Each literacy center participating in the program receives one Teacher Kit, five Student Kits and digital licenses for online learning. The kits include Brainchild Study Buddy devices, Challenger books, dictionaries and calculators, as well as additional materials that can be reused across multiple classes, according to the release. 

More details: The program will use assessments and monthly reports to track progress and ensure transparency. Feedback surveys will also be introduced to “help scale the model to additional literacy centers in the future.”

“These kits reflect [Houston Public Library’s] commitment to meeting learners where they are and removing barriers to education,” said Sandy Gaw, Director of the Houston Public Library. “By combining hands-on tools with digital resources, we’re helping adult students access the support they need to succeed at every stage of their learning journey.”

Houston City College officials announced a $2 million investment from Google to expand its artificial intelligence and robotics programs. The grant funding is expected to support new AI faculty and technicians and reach thousands of local high school and college students.

The impact: With the grant, HCC officials said they will establish a variety of initiatives, including:

• Hire at least 10+ full-time faculty and technicians specializing in AI
• Develop a new curriculum
• Enhance lab facilities
• Train 40 college and 40 high school instructors who could reach an estimated 3,200 high school and 4,800 HCC students
• Establish a regional coalition of 20 institutions and partners to meet the needs of the local economy

At the Houston campus, Conroe ISD high school junior Ezra Dakatubia and HCC classmate Ahad Maredia presented their robotics and software program project. The robot was programmed to recognize hand pattern movements that propel the robot's direction—a capability that could be utilized as safety products within the industrial industry, they said.