Houston residents' personal tennis memorabilia collection turns into new museum
Richard Cutler, a former tennis player and enthusiast, has one of the largest private collections of tennis memorabilia in the nation, with over 200 racquets signed by legendary players of the past and present, as well as signed tennis balls, shoes, towels, hats and photographs.
Now, that private collection is on display for the public at the new Richard Cutler Tenniseum.
The full story: According to an Aug. 14 news release, Cutler's collectibles have been acquired over a span of 25 years, and the museum exhibit showcases the journey of tennis from its inception in 1873 to today.
Along the walls, guests of the museum will also see collections of racquets that were personally owned by popular tennis players and used in major tournaments such as the Olympics, including big names like Pete Sampras, Andrew Agassi, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe and Serena Williams.
Something to note: The tenniseum is available to visit free of charge and is open during business hours and on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 p.m.
Honey Art Cafe to close Montrose location, moving to new spot in The Heights
A themed cafe offering coffee, pastries and art classes is closing its Montrose location on Aug. 24, with the hopes of opening a new location in The Heights, according to Honey Art Cafe's social media.
What’s special about it: Honey Art Cafe opened back in December 2016 by artist duo Lulu Fang and Amy Lin, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Fang told Community Impact back in 2021 that the cafe's goal was to make a space where people could rediscover the fun of art.
What's happening: The cafe announced on their social media that they will be closing their current location on Aug. 24 after their lease ends.
The cafe plans on opening a new location in The Heights, near the Houston Farmer's Market, with a projected opening date around Halloween 2025.
"The new Honey Art Cafe will be a little different, but at its core it will be exactly the same—a space to create for anyone, no matter your age or experience," Lin said.
Houston region receives additional $2.2 billion in state funds for major transportation projects
The Texas Transportation Commission officially approved the 2026 Unified Transportation Program on Aug. 21, outlining an additional $2.2 billion in state transportation funds for the Greater Houston area.
The big picture: The UTP is a 10-year project plan crafted and funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, and reviewed and updated on an annual basis according to feedback from communities and metropolitan planning organizations. The 2026 UTP allocated an additional $2.2 billion for projects in the Houston region through 2035.
Quote of note: "This more than $146 billion investment in our roadways will help Texas meet the critical needs of our growing state as more people and businesses move here for the freedom and opportunity they can’t find anywhere else," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news release. "We must strengthen our roadways and improve congestion and safety to keep our economy booming and keep Texans moving. By investing billions of dollars in our transportation network today, we will build the future of Texas for generations to come."
University of Houston expands behavioral health programs to meet workforce demand
In response to the growing demand for behavioral health professionals across Texas and the nation, the University of Houston is expanding its academic offerings in Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, an evidence-based therapy most commonly used to support individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
“Our goal is to train highly skilled individuals so they come out of our programs and can provide really effective treatment for our diverse community and our learners with autism and developmental disabilities,” Charlotte Carp, program director and a board-certified behavior analyst, said in an Aug. 14 news release.
Programs are available online and in person at the UH Katy campus.
Zooming out: The timing of this expansion aligns with a significant surge in demand for certified behavior analysts, per the release. In April, Community Impact reported on the rise of ABA centers in Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City,Cypress, Tomball and Magnolia, where many clinical providers cited staffing demands as many public school districts see a rise in autism diagnoses.
Houston available rentals up more than a third from last July
The number of leased listings for single-family homes and rentals available in the Greater Houston area both increased compared to last year in July, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ July 2025 Market Update released Aug. 20.
The details: Leased listings rose 6.5% compared to July 2024, with a total of 4,645 single-family rentals leased in July this year, according to the report.
