On Feb. 4, the San Antonio Zoo announced the hatching of two Congo peafowl chicks.

The details: The San Antonio Zoo revitalized its Congo peafowl breeding program in 2024. Since its relaunch after nearly a decade-long hiatus, the zoo hatched six chicks in 2024 and eight chicks in 2025, while only five chicks were hatched across all other zoos in the U.S., a news release states.

The newest chicks join several other recently hatched Congo peafowl that are being hand-reared by the Zoo’s Aviculture team in The Nest, which is a specialized facility dedicated to raising young birds, the news release states. Visitors can view the parents in Bird Alley, and guests may be able to view some of the older chicks in the F.C. Hixon Birdhouse.

The background: One of the world’s rarest birds, Congo peafowl are smaller than the well-known peacock, weigh approximately 3 pounds, and are about the size of a chicken, the news release states. Males exhibit a rich violet-blue coloration, while females' coloration is more of a brownish-green.

San Antonio District 9 council member Misty Spears was appointed to the National League of Cities, or NLC, 2026 Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, or EENR, Federal Advocacy Committee. The committee is composed of local officials who develop policy and lobby Congress on issues, such as community resilience, water infrastructure, solid waste management and energy reliability.

At a glance: According to a news release, Spears will serve for a one-year term and will play a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions, while advocating on behalf of local governments across the nation.

The 2026 EENR committee will be led by Chair Jan Kulmann, mayor of Thornton, Colorado; Vice Chair Abbie Kamin, council member from Houston; and Vice Chair Elise Partin, mayor of Cayce, South Carolina, the release states.

This animal rescue organization has changed its name but continues to help those in need across the entire Hill Country.

Latest update: As of Jan. 1, the Hill Country SPCA changed its name to Hill Country Animal Rescue. The no-kill, private intake rescue is headquartered in Fredericksburg at 2981 S. Hwy. 16 and serves people and animals throughout the Hill Country.

Director Andrew Davis said the change was part of an effort to communicate more effectively who the group is to the public.

The framework: Hill Country Animal Rescue was chartered as a nonprofit in 1997 and established its permanent headquarters and sanctuary in 2006, according to its website.

“We are a private, local nonprofit with no affiliation to any national organization, and we are funded entirely through private donations and grants,” Davis said.

• 2981 S. Hwy. 16, Fredericksburg; serving the entire Hill Country

The Texas Tri-County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in Universal City on Jan. 22.

The Texas Tri-County Chamber of Commerce serves as a resource for business owners, corporations, elected officials, non-profits and government entities to promote their respective organizations. The chamber serves the following counties:

• Bexar
• Comal
• Guadalupe

• 220 Pat Booker Road, Universal City

In the upcoming March 3 primary elections, Texas voters will have the opportunity to nominate their chosen candidates for the November midterm election. From top state officials to county commissioners, primary elections shape who is ultimately elected to dozens of seats, driving the future direction of the Lone Star State.

Yet less than one-fifth of registered Texas voters participated in recent primary elections, data from the secretary of state’s office shows.

The big picture: March Matters, a group that works to get more Texans to the primary polls, found that 146 of Texas’ 150 state House races were effectively decided during the 2022 primaries, with just four competitive seats during that year’s midterm election.

Data also shows that primary voters tend to be older and represent the more extreme wings of their political parties.

What they're saying: "When primary voter turnout is so small, when only a fraction of voters are voting, your vote counts more,” said Mark Strama, who leads the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas.