Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced May 5 that the city will implement three new measures to help close a projected $209 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026-27.

The overview: The three new measures include:

• Declaring the Solid Waste Department a municipal utility under Texas state law

• Implementing a $5 administration fee for all homeowners

• Creating a right-of-way water fee

Together, these measures are projected to provide approximately $200 million in general fund relief, effectively closing the projected FY2026-27 budget gap, city officials said.

Something to note: The upcoming changes do not include raising taxes.

Final takeaways: These changes do not address the city’s FY 2025-26 budget deficit, which ends in June and currently sits around $174 million, largely due to overtime costs for public safety departments.

Houston will start its new budget season May 5 with a five-year forecast. Budget workshops will follow throughout the month, with FY 2026-27 set to begin July 1.

Bar Daphne opened inside its namesake hotel May 4, and includes its own dedicated entrance in the Heights.

The details: The new bar is inspired by the secret drinking clubs that thrived during the neighborhood's dry days and is designed to feel like a neighborhood staple and its own destination, according to a May 5 news release.

Cocktails on the menu are named after original paintings displayed throughout the bar and hotel. For example, the Life on a Merry-Go-Round, inspired by John Alexander's work of the same name featured above the new bar, includes aperitivo, lychee, tart cherry, lime and boba.

The art-driven cocktail program will coincide with a selection of natural, organic and biodynamic wines, beer, zero-proof offerings and bar bites. Light bites will include shrimp stuffed street corn, salt and vinegar chips and lamb sausage.

More information: Bar Daphne will be open nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends.

• 347 W. 20th St., Houston

Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County unveiled METRONow in early 2025. The new regional mobility plan was launched with a focus on improving the everyday transit experience by investing in safety, cleanliness, reliability and accessibility.

Now, a year later, METRO officials have released a report highlighting the plan's progress since its inception.

The full story: To date, METRO has invested approximately $65.44 million in roadway repairs and upgrades, according to a report released by the transit authority in April. Projects completed in the first year include:

• Installing or rehabilitating nearly 2,000 bus shelters systemwide with added shade, lighting and seating
• Upgrading 5,600 bus stops citywide to be more accessible
• Completing 320,000 square feet of sidewalk improvements

From Mother's Day brunch to markets, there are several events to celebrate Mother's Day in the Greater Houston area.

Mother's Day Downtown Conroe Sip & Stroll
This event is designed to pamper mothers with a shopping experience featuring local vendors with handcrafted gifts, jewelry and seasonal finds. The first to arrive will be given a free, limited edition Mother's Day tote bag.

• May 9, 10 a.m.

• Free

• 213 North Thompson St., Conroe

Mother's Day Once Upon a Tea
The Tomball Methodist Church is holding a Mother's Day event with refreshments, games, a flower bar and kids' activities.

• May 9, 10 a.m.-noon

• $20 (per person over 18 years old)

• Tomball Methodist Church, 1603 Baker Drive, Tomball

Mother’s Day Edition screening
Rooftop Cinema Club is celebrating Mother's Day with several screenings including "Mamma Mia!" and "Gilmore Girls."

• May 10, 5 p.m. ("Mamma Mia!’", May 12, 7 p.m. ("Gilmore Girls")

• $19.75-$27

• Uptown Houston, 1700 Post Oak Blvd., Houston

More than 53,000 students will be invited to join Texas’ education savings account program this week, the state comptroller’s office said May 4.

The details: Families will be notified by email between May 4-6 if they were awarded funds in the second round of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, per a news release from the comptroller’s office.

To date, nearly 96,000 students have been selected to participate, with these students set to receive about $820 million of the $1 billion state lawmakers allocated for the program, an agency spokesperson said. Of the 53,000 second-round awardees, over 51,000 are from low-income families. The other 2,000 students accepted this week were found to qualify for disability-related funding, the agency said.

The background: Families accepted to the TEFA program will receive state funds to send their children to private schools or homeschool them for the 2026-27 school year.

Proponents of the new program have said it will expand educational opportunities, while critics have expressed concerns that the program will unfairly benefit students already enrolled in private schools.