Construction will begin at Lawrence Park in late September as Houston launches the first phase of a $60 million effort to revitalize 25 neighborhood parks across the city.

What is it: City officials, community leaders, project partners and donors will gather at Lawrence Park in late September to celebrate the start of construction, as part of the Let's Play Houston initiative.

Planned improvements for Lawrence Park include new playground equipment and surfacing, better access into the park and connections to the MKT Trail, a fitness area, a paved plaza with seating and water detention, according to Let’s Play Houston’s website.

Mayor John Whitmire will discuss the impact of the investments and the importance of expanding access to quality neighborhood parks for Houston families at the Lawrence Park groundbreaking.

Something to note: The groundbreaking for Lawrence Park will take place Sept. 24, and construction is expected to continue through early 2027.

Shipley Donuts is celebrating its 90th anniversary–nearly a century after its opening in 1936–with a 10-week-long promotion running until Oct. 18, according to a news release.

The special began Aug. 10 and is set to rotate through various value deals, in addition to debuting limited-time birthday-themed donuts.

The history: Shipley’s story began nine decades ago in the oven of its original bakery located at 1417 Crockett St., Houston. The bakery’s founder, Lawrence Shipley Sr., sold his handcrafted, pillowy donuts dipped in a warm glaze wholesale for just five cents a dozen, per the release.

Flash forward to the present: the Houston-based donut parlor still serves that same hexagon-cut treat fresh every morning, now from nearly 400 locations across 13 states.

What to expect: At participating locations, customers can get a taste of the all-new Birthday Bullseye, a festive spin on Shipley’s classic Strawberry Bullseye.

The donut is available individually and as part of the limited-time 1936 Shipley Favorites Box, a nostalgic dozen consisting of other beloved flavors.

U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee is seeking his first full term representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District.

Some background: Menefee, a former Harris County attorney, won a January 2026 special election to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner and went on to defeat longtime U.S. Rep. Al Green in the Democratic primary runoff.

He will face Republican Ronald Dwayne Whitfield, a landscaping contractor, in the Nov. 3 general election.

Mapping it out: Texas’ 18th Congressional District encompasses a large portion of Houston, stretching from central Houston neighborhoods including Downtown, Midtown, Third Ward and Fifth Ward south and southwest to areas including the Texas Medical Center, Sunnyside and Brays Oaks.

The newly redrawn district also extends into Fort Bend County, including portions of Missouri City, Stafford and Fresno.

The community will have the opportunity to hear lectures from college professors this fall through San Jacinto College’s free evening lecture series running from September through December, according to an Aug. 26 news release from the college.

What you need to know: Each event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with time for conversation followed by a lecture from 7-8 p.m, according to the release.

The details: The fall 2026 schedule includes:
•Sept. 22, “From Akokisa Homeland to Frontier Community: The Early History of the Sheldon, Crosby, Channelview and North Shore Communities,” presented by Cody Pogue, government professor
•Oct. 27, “Echoes in the Night: Tracking Bats in a Major Metropolitan Landscape,” presented by Tyler Olivier, STEM and behavioral sciences department chair
•Nov. 17, “A Behind-the-Scenes View of How a Crime Scene Is Investigated,” presented by Corey Rice, criminal justice professor
•Dec. 8, “Inside the Jazz Combo: Reimagining a Classic Christmas Carol,” presented by Travis Maslen, music professor

Three candidates are running to lead the Texas Department of Agriculture in the Nov. 3 election.

The details: Libertarian Austin R. Kelly, Republican Nate Sheets and Democrat Clayton Tucker are vying to become Texas' next commissioner of agriculture. The commissioner's duties include regulating agriculture, administering nutrition programs and providing rural economic development assistance.

How we got here: There is no incumbent in this race after Sheets beat sitting Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in the March Republican primary. Tucker ran uncontested in the March Democratic primary, while Kelly was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

The winner of the November midterm will be sworn in to succeed Miller in January.

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