The details: Power Electronics broke ground on a 53-acre campus in the Houston area, according to a Sept. 24 news release. Once complete, the campus is expected to bring over 400 new jobs to the area. The global company specializes in solutions for solar energy, storage, data centers, e-mobility and drives. The campus will consist of a 150,000-square-foot building and a 700,000-square-foot building. It is intended to bring together key functions of the company, including:

• Logistics

• Production

• Electronics Manufacturing

• Research and Development

• Training

• Corporate Offices

Once fully operational, the Houston campus is expected to be the most automated inverter production site for Power Electronics so far, delivering up to 40 GW of annual production capacity.

Quote of note: "Our 40 GW Houston Campus will help shape the future of energy and AI growth globally," CEO of Power Electronics David Salvo said in a news release.

Memorial Hermann Health System President and CEO David L. Callender is retiring at the end of 2026 after seven years with the organization. His final day in the role will be Dec. 31.

What we know: Callender will be replaced by Alec H. King, who serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer. King was selected to succeed Callender following a multi-year selection process.

The two are partnering through the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition. During his time at Memorial Hermann, King has been vital to the system's strategy, growth and transformation, hospital leaders said.

Quote of note: “It is an extraordinary honor to lead Memorial Hermann, which has been an essential part of Greater Houston for more than 119 years as a healthcare provider, employer and community partner,” King said. “Under Dr. Callender’s leadership, we have built tremendous momentum and I believe our greatest opportunities lie ahead.”

King will start his new role Jan. 1.

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced a one-year extension for Harris County disaster recovery and mitigation projects totaling more than $1.1 billion. The federal grants, administered through the Texas General Land Office, were at risk of missing a February 2027 and March 2028 spending deadline due to project delays.

The extension, which is the final one approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will apply to existing infrastructure and mitigation project contracts. If the county submits a documented need, the new timeline could allow the Harris County Flood Control District more time to spend:

• $322 million allocated for 11 disaster recovery projects

• $546 million allocated for 17 flood mitigation projects

Buckingham notified county leaders of the extension while expressing concerns about the county failing to meet contract expenditure benchmarks. If the county fails to meet the new benchmarks, the GLO would reallocate the unused balance to other projects.

The Texas Education Agency is asking state lawmakers to spend $97.3 billion on K-12 education initiatives and staffing in the next two years, up from about $91 billion in the current state budget.

The details: During a Sept. 29 hearing on the agency's legislative appropriations request, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath noted that the TEA is "largely a pass-through vehicle to fund schools around the state of Texas." This means that while funding would be allocated to the agency under Article III of the state budget, the majority of that money would be sent to school districts, outside of funds used to pay TEA staff and cover operations for associated entities, such as the State Board of Education.

The TEA is asking for about $49.6 billion for fiscal year 2027-28 and $47.7 billion for fiscal year 2028-29, totaling $97.3 billion for the 2028-29 biennium. Morath said those amounts would "preserve 100% of all funding for public schools" through the Foundation School Program, which is the state's main funding source for K-12 schools, and other initiatives.