The city of Bellaire is moving forward with Phase 1 of the Regional Drainage Improvement Program, according to a Feb. 16 City Council meeting. The drainage program, also known as the Cypress Ditch project, is a mitigation project to reduce flooding in Bellaire during heavy rain events.

Latest update: During the City Council meeting, officials with Quiddity Engineering, the program managers contracted by the city, presented an update on the current status of the Cypress Ditch project and future action items.

How we got here: After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Bellaire officials estimated 30% of homes had structural flooding. A few months later, the city formed the Flood Hazard Mitigation Task Force to identify and assess flood hazards and recommend solutions.

Looking ahead: While interlocal agreements are still being finalized, design and demolition plans for the two basins are underway, according to Quiddity Engineering’s presentation. Construction for the south basin is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, and by the third quarter of 2028 for the north basin.

West University Place will soon have a new public works facility that will be nearly three times the size of its current facility.

The overview: During West U’s State of the City address Feb. 16, Mayor Susan Sample shared that the $12.4 million facility is expected to open at the end of April and will house the entire public works operational division and the parks maintenance division, which will free up space in the Recreation Center. 

The details: The new facility will be at Westpark Drive and Dincans Street, and will be over 17,000 square feet and two stories tall. The current facility is located on Amherst Street.

The space will also include three vehicle bays, an upgrade from the two at the current facility. Austin Bishop, assistant to the city manager, said this means a full fire engine will be able to fit in the facility for maintenance.

All graduating Houston ISD high school students will have guaranteed admission to the University of Houston-Downtown thanks to a new program announced by the school's leaders Feb. 17.

In a nutshell: If an HISD student graduates with at least a 2.5 grade point average, they will be accepted to UHD. The application fee will also be waived for students participating in this program.

“This agreement creates an opportunity by removing barriers for increasing numbers of HISD students to attend UHD and earn a bachelor's degree,” said Long Huynh, UHD’s vice president of enrollment management.

By the numbers: In HISD’s 2026 graduating class, about 7,700 students will be eligible for automatic admission under the new program. About one-third of UHD’s incoming freshman class is already made up of HISD students.

Effective March 9, former U.S. Rep. Erica Lee Carter will serve as the new Harris County administrator after commissioners unanimously approved her appointment Feb. 12.

In a nutshell: Lee Carter will lead the Office of County Administration, or OCA, which oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and coordinates across its departments. She will be the first African American woman to hold the position, which was created in 2021.

Did you know: Lee Carter served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2024-2025 in a special election to Texas’ 18th Congressional District after her mother, late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, died in 2024. 

She has also overseen policy initiatives within Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ office for several years with a focus on economic opportunity, voting access and budget management, per a news release from the OCA.

Quote of note: “It is my commitment to work each day to make progress towards your 2050 vision and ensure the county is safe and fair, thriving, resilient, connected, healthy and secure,” Lee Carter said Feb. 12. 

Thousands of students who apply for Texas’ education savings accounts will likely not be accepted into the first year of the program, application data from the state comptroller’s office shows.

What's happening: Over 101,000 students had applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts as of Feb. 15. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. March 17.

Program funding is capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, meaning between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted. With demand expected to outpace available funding, applications will be prioritized through a need- and income-based lottery system.

Zooming in: Over 70% of program applicants were from low- or middle-income households, according to data from the comptroller’s office. Under Senate Bill 2, the 2025 law that created the program:

• “Low-income” is defined as families with annual household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, or about $66,000 for a family of four.
• “Middle-income” is defined as families with incomes at or below 500% of the federal poverty line, or about $165,000 for a family of four.