The Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 board of commissioners is set to review the Cy-Fair Fire Department’s average response times and potential changes to the fire chief's salary during its upcoming regular meeting, agenda documents show.

What you need to know: Commissioner Jaime Martinez added several items to the April 16 agenda, including a discussion about CFFD’s response times over the past several years and the department’s plans to reduce its average.

According to the agenda, Martinez also requested items to discuss potential changes to Ramon’s salary and a $45,325 payment from ESD 9 to the International Association of Firefighters, a union representing more than 360,000 full-time firefighters and EMS responders.

Also of note: Commissioners are expected to select an architect to lead a remodel of the district’s dispatch center. Two firms were interviewed for the project during the board’s March 26 meeting—Martinez Architects and TSK—both of which have experience designing emergency response facilities.

Stay tuned: The April 16 meeting begins at 6 p.m. at 10710 Telge Road, Houston. 

The Cy-Fair area saw a number of new dining venues expanding with new locations or setting up shop for the first time over the month of March. Here are some of the new businesses now serving the community. 

This list is not comprehensive.

Now open
Artisan Bread Gallery opens second location in Cy-Fair 
Founded in Cy-Fair on Windfern, Artisan Bread Gallery offers handcrafted European sourdough breads made from scratch with no preservatives.

• Opened March 2
• 10602 FM 1960, Houston

• Opening May 25
• 1922 Greenhouse Road, Ste. 500, Houston

Smoothie and juice bar JuiceLand is now serving the Vintage park area according to business officials.

The details: JuiceLand provides a variety of beverages and smoothie bowls made with fruits, vegetables and inclusions such as yerba mate and guayusa. Some of the business's signature smoothies include:

• Honey beary: Made with almond milk, bananas, blueberries, peanut butter and Texas wildflower honey

• Rehydrator: Includes watermelon, raspberry, mango, peach, beet, coconut oil, mint, lime and sea salt

• Double choco coco nuts: Made with banana, almond milk, whey protein, cacao, cacao nibs, hemp protein, coconut flakes and whipped coconut

The new shop will offer JuiceLand's full smoothie and juice menu, according to the business website.

Nearly eight months after a Democratic walkout over congressional redistricting, a GOP-led Texas House committee moved to charge 52 of their Democratic colleagues up to $8,354.25 each in fines.

What happened: After six hours behind closed doors, the House Administration Committee approved the fines in a brief public session April 10. The panel's six Republicans voted to impose the fines, while the five Democrats voted against them.

The background: Over 50 House Democrats left the state in early August to fight a plan to redraw Texas’ congressional boundaries. They remained out of Texas for two weeks, impeding the progress of legislation during two special legislative sessions, although the congressional map and more than a dozen other bills ultimately passed after the Democrats returned to Austin.

Something to note: The fines were reduced by $1,000 per person to reflect two days when the House was not in session, lawmakers said. Some Democrats were also charged lower amounts because they did not participate in the full two-week walkout or their absences were partially excused.