Voters in Katy’s Ward A will have the opportunity to weigh in on a special election for a new council member in January.

The open seat comes after council member Dan Smith filed to run for the Waller County Precinct 4 commissioner seat, Community Impact reported.

On the ballot: The candidate filing period for the Jan. 31 special election opened Dec. 15 and ran through Dec. 22, according to the city’s website. Only registered voters in Ward A will be eligible to vote in the election, which saw two candidates file, including:

• Paula Taylor
• Cara Bonin

Southwest Oral & Implant Surgery is opening a second location in Fulshear, near Jordan High School.

The details: Owned and operated by Dr. Jason Hullett and Dr. Anu Hullett, the practice offers services such as dental implants, wisdom teeth removal and bone grafting, according to the company’s website. 

One more thing: According to the website, both surgeons spent time practicing abroad, with Dr. Jason Hullett participating in complex surgeries while volunteering with Healing the Children in Bangladesh, and Dr. Anu Hullett attending on a dental mission with the Health and Humanitarian Aid Foundation in Ghana. 

27201 Fulshear Bend Dr., Ste. 700,  Fulshear

In the Greater Houston area in November, single-family rental leases grew 10.2% year over year, while lease prices remained statistically flat, with a 0.4% increase to $2,244, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ November 2025 Rental Market Update report released Dec. 17.

More details: This November, there were 3,459 leased homes, compared to 3,139 last November, according to the report. Active listings also increased, with 11,933 single-family homes available.

What they're saying: “As the year moves into its final stretch Houston renters are receiving a welcome gift in the form of more options and stable prices,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty said via news release. “As interest rates continue to ease, we may see more people feel confident about making the transition from renting to buying in the new year.”

Ring in the new year with various celebrations going on across the Greater Houston area.

High Noon Countdown 2026: Attendees can ring in the New Year with a balloon drop extravaganza at The Woodlands Children's Museum.

• Dec. 31, 9:30-11 a.m., 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., 2-3:30 p.m.
• $10 (adult), $25 (child)
• The Woodlands Children’s Museum, 4775 W. Panther Creek Drive, Ste. 280, The Woodlands

• Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m.-Jan. 1, 12:30 a.m.
• $30 (individual ticket), $50 (couple admission)
• Tomball VFW, 14408 Alice Road, Tomball

• Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-Jan. 1, 2 a.m.
• $99.29 (per ticket)
• 401 Franklin St., Houston

2026 is a big election year in Texas. Voters will see 18 statewide races, all congressional seats, most state legislative seats and a variety of local positions on the ballot.

The overview: The Republican and Democratic primary elections will be held March 3, and the midterm election is set for Nov. 3.

Texas holds primaries for all partisan elected positions, such as state officials; state and federal lawmakers; and county judges, commissioners and justices of the peace. Third-party candidates, including independents, Libertarian Party candidates and Green Party candidates, have separate election processes will not be listed on the primary ballots in March. Eligible candidates representing various parties will appear on the November ballot.

Looking back: All statewide offices on the ballot are currently held by Republicans, although some are not running for reelection. No Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.

Check out the full article for more details on election processes and an overview of state-level races.