Friendswood ISD is moving ahead with several projects funded through its 2026 bond program, including the purchase of new school buses, renovations to the district’s agricultural science facilities, new science labs and a roof replacement at Westwood Elementary.

The projects were among updates presented to the board of trustees at its Sept. 14 meeting.

What’s new: At the meeting, the board approved nearly $1.7 million for the purchase of nine 77-passenger buses and two 53-passenger buses, funded through the 2026 bond, district documents show. Over the summer, the district found increased moisture in parts of the roof at Westwood Elementary, prompting a delay to the start of school and nearly $200,000 in roof replacement and related work, district documents show.

Looking ahead: The board is scheduled to review the science lab designs in October and the career and agricultural science center designs in November as the district continues implementing projects included in the 2026 bond program.

Pearland City Council approved its five-year capital improvement program, spanning fiscal years 2026-27 through 2030-31, which includes funding for major drainage, street and facility improvements, at its Sept. 14 meeting.

What residents need to know: The FY 2026-27 capital improvement program, or CIP, remains largely unchanged from FY 2025-26, with the exception of minor schedule changes made to several water and wastewater projects, city documents show.

Zooming in: Six project categories are incorporated in the CIP, including drainage, facilities, parks, streets, wastewater and water, and were developed using several Pearland master plans, departmental needs and City Council priorities, documents show.

The details: The nonprofit Bayou Land Conservancy, which focuses on preserving streams that lead into Lake Houston, has named Dr. Anna Weiss as its new executive director. Weiss succeeds Jill Boullion, who retired after ten years of service. In her new role, Weiss will oversee daily operations and implement initiatives directed by the board. She has a decade of experience in the environmental sector, most recently serving as the Director of Green Galveston Initiatives at Vision Galveston. Weiss earned her Ph.D. in Geosciences from The University of Texas at Austin and previously managed community-led restoration and research projects for the Billion Oyster Project in New York.

Quote of note: "It is an honor to lead the Bayou Land Conservancy. I am grateful to my predecessor, Jill, for her legacy of leadership and I am excited to build on the organization's amazing 30 years of conservation," said Dr. Weiss.

Three candidates are running to lead the Texas General Land Office in the Nov. 3 election.

The overview: Democrat Benjamin Flores and Libertarian Neill Snider are challenging Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham for the seat.

Buckingham ran uncontested in the March Republican primary, Community Impact reported, while Flores won the Democratic primary. Snider was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

The context: The state land commissioner manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the Texas Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as The Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs.

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