In an attempt to have a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026-27, Clear Creek ISD is looking to increase revenues and reduce expenses through enrollment recovery and a new facility management system.

What you need to know: To plan ahead for FY 2026-27, CCISD officials are looking forward to increasing revenues through various strategies, including Discover CCISD, an enrollment campaign launched Dec. 1 that focuses on the district’s open enrollment program. The campaign has obtained nearly 1,100 applications for new students to enroll in just a week of launching, CCISD’s Chief Communications Officer Elaina Polson said. 

Also of note: CCISD is also looking for efficiencies in staff optimization to balance the budget for FY 2026-27.

"Really what we're looking at … is streamlining and being more efficient,” Superintendent Karen Engle said. “It's really not about reduction for the sake of that; it's about how we can be more efficient with what we have ... what can we do without sacrificing quality of program?”  

RTIC Outdoors, the cooler and drinkware brand, opened a location at Tanger Outlets in Texas City on Nov. 24, according to a social media post.

The details: RTIC Outdoors was founded in 2018 by Spring natives Jim and John Jacobsen, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. The brand sells hard and soft coolers, drinkware, bags, t-shirts and other accessories.

• 5885 Gulf Freeway, Texas City

When Harris County commissioners meet Dec. 11, they’ll review several agenda items on the docket, including updates on the county jail and discussions on renewing full property tax exemptions for child care providers and tackling countywide food insecurity.

The context: Items for discussion at the upcoming December court meeting include the reauthorization of full property tax exemptions for eligible child care providers in the county. In 2024, an estimated 327 Harris County child care providers qualified for 100% property tax exemption after Harris County commissioners authorized the exemptions at a March 26, 2024, court meeting.

Also on the agenda: Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones is requesting that Harris County Public Health develop a countywide strategy to address food insecurity, according to her agenda item pending approval. The overall food insecurity rate for Harris County is 18.2% as of 2023, according to Feeding America’s 2025 “Map the Meal Gap” report published May 14. That percentile has risen since 2019, when it was 13.9%—or 644,710 people—according to the 2023 report.

Texas voters will see 18 statewide races on the ballot in 2026.

The overview: Texas will hold Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 3 to determine who will appear on the statewide ballot in November. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, meaning registered voters can cast their ballots in either primary and do not need to register with a specific party.

What to know: The 18 statewide races on the 2026 primary ballots are:

• U.S. Senate
• Governor
• Lieutenant governor
• Attorney general
• Comptroller of public accounts
• General land commissioner
• Agriculture commissioner
• Railroad commissioner
• Texas Supreme Court, chief justice
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 2
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 7
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 8
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 3
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 4
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 9
• 15th Court of Appeals, chief justice
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 2
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 3