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Sitting on the southern border of Friendswood and League City is Legacy, a 700-plus-acre master planned community, slated to bring about 1,630 homes to the area.

The big picture: With homes starting in the low $400,000s and climbing to $1.5 million, city officials said Legacy is slated to bring a “huge” economic impact.

Legacy is developed by Hillwood, a Perot company behind two other Greater Houston communities, Pomona and Valencia in Manvel.

Russell Bynum, Hillwood’s senior vice president and general manager of Hillwood Communities in the Greater Houston area, said the decision to build in League City stemmed from wanting to build within Clear Creek ISD’s boundaries and its proximity to key areas for residents.

“Proximity to entertainment areas, employment centers and commercial destinations played a big role in our desire to be in League City,” Bynum said.

Why now: The development comes as League City prepares for westward expansion, where over 5,500 acres remain undeveloped, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Dutch Bros is planning to open a new drive-thru location in Webster, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 

About the project: The freestanding facility will span around 900 square feet and include a drive-thru lane and walk-up transaction area, according to the filing. Construction is expected to cost $750,000 and is scheduled to begin in January. The project is expected to be completed in June 2027. 

Read all about it: Dane and Travis Boersma started Dutch Bros Coffee as a pushcart in Oregon in 1992, as previously reported by Community Impact. The franchise serves classic coffees and teas, along with energy drinks, shakes and seasonal drinks. 

• 19677 Gulf Freeway, Webster

Roughly 76,000 fewer students were enrolled in Texas public schools this academic year than the year prior, according to May 11 report.

The overview: The 2025-26 school year marks the second recorded enrollment drop in recent history, according to Texas Education Agency data collected since the 1987-88 academic year. The first decline happened in the 2020-21 school year, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hispanic students accounted for 81% of the enrollment loss in the 2025-26 school year, the policy research group Texas 2036 found.

The local impact: School districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas are in the process of closing and consolidating campuses, citing enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. Statewide data shows that 130 campuses have been selected for closure in the past two years.

What they're saying: “This year, we are down students, and these [drops] are somewhat more accelerated than statewide demographic trends indicated,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath told lawmakers May 11. “We cannot tell you the precise cause of this. We just know that it has occurred.”

On May 26, Republican voters will choose their nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission in a runoff election between former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French and incumbent Jim Wright.

The overview: The Republican railroad commission race is one of several statewide contests that advanced to May runoffs after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election.

Wright and French were the two highest-performing candidates in the five-way primary race, with Wright receiving 32.1% of the vote and French collecting 31.7%.

The winner of the May 26 overtime round will face state Rep. John Rosenthal, D-Houston, in the November midterm election. Third-party candidates may also appear on the November ballot.

Did you know? The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government. The agency has three commissioners elected to staggered six-year terms.

At the polls: Texans can vote early from May 18-22, with runoff election day May 26.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories across the Greater Houston area from May 11-May 15.

1. NewQuest starts construction on new retail space at The Grand at 249 in Tomball

2. Parisina fabric store opens in The Woodlands area at former Joann location

3. Magnolia ISD OKs construction managers-at-risk for bond projects, land purchase for new high school

4. Houston highlights security, transit preparations for 2026 FIFA World Cup

5. Potbelly now serving toasted sandwiches in Conroe