Indoor golf facility Texas Golf Studio is now open for golf lessons and independent practice in the Cypress community.

At a glance: Located near the corner of Mueschke and Louetta roads, Texas Golf Studio contains practice bays with simulators for members to develop their swing and perfect their shots. The studio also offers lessons ranging from beginner level to seasoned player, per the business' website.

More details: The new Cypress location celebrated its grand opening March 20 and soft opened to the community in early February, according to a social media announcement. Texas Golf Studio offers a variety of standard and premium memberships, and premium members get 24-hour access to the practice facility, per the website.

Zooming out: The business also has a second location at 1530 W. Sam Houston Parkway N., Ste. 110 in Houston.

• 14922 Mueschke Road Ste. B-9, Cypress

After months of standby, Harris County moved forward with a multimillion-dollar initiative to develop long lasting solar energy in low-income and underserved communities countywide.

What happened: Commissioners Court on March 19 authorized $88.3 million to fund projects for the Solar for All plan despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempted termination of grants associated with the program. Harris County filed a lawsuit against the EPA in October to reclaim the promised funds, and officials said a decision is expected later this year.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey voted against in the 3-1 decision.

More details: The initiative aims to ease the financial burden of rising energy costs in vulnerable communities and enhance grid resilience during extreme weather events, according to county documents. County officials said exact sites are being evaluated, with a focus on locations that would "generate the most economic benefit."

Some context: The EPA awarded Harris County $54 million for Solar for All projects in April 2024 but has since tried to cut the program entirely, triggering legal pushback from the county attorney's office.

With a partial federal government shutdown ongoing, officials with the Houston Airport System said on March 23 that passengers could continue to see growing wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), including in some cases exceeding four hours at IAH.

As a result, federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have begun supporting TSA operations at airports nationwide, including in Houston, Houston Airport System officials announced in a March 23 news release.

Some context: Due to the partial federal government shutdown, which began Feb. 14, TSA officers are working without pay, which is creating staffing shortages that have led to longer than typical wait times at airports nationwide.

Diving in deeper: Per the release, with the addition of ICE agents at Houston airports, screening procedures for passengers remain unchanged. Additionally, officials noted the number of available TSA screening lanes can vary by airport and shift, depending on staffing levels.

Houston’s single-family rental homes saw an 6.8% increase in leased properties compared to last February, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ February Rental Market Update released March 18.

By the numbers: Alongside the higher number of leased single-family homes, the average lease price declined by 0.6% compared to last year. The number of days on market for homes, however, increased, jumping to 50 days compared to 44 days last year, per the report.

What else: The townhome and condominium market saw some movement this past month as well. There were 569 properties listed, representing a 4.2% increase from the 546 units last February. The lease price also dropped by 3.6%, and the days on market increased to 56 days, up from 52 the previous February, per the report.

On March 31, Texas’ roughly 9,000 licensed consumable hemp retailers will face sweeping regulations, including a more than 3,000% increase in annual licensing fees and a ban on most smokable cannabis products.

The overview: The new rules, which also include age verification requirements, stricter packaging guidelines and more rounds of product testing, were originally proposed in December. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which regulates the state’s hemp industry, adopted the rules March 2.

The debate: Supporters of the increased regulations previously said they hoped the changes would result in more comprehensive oversight of Texas’ hemp industry and improve consumer safety. 

Some experts said they were concerned the new rules were taking effect too quickly and could lead some hemp businesses to close their doors.

"It is really tragic that these entrepreneurs are being faced with this, especially in a state like Texas that touts being pro-business ... and here we are shutting down businesses and relegating consumers to an illicit market," said Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center.