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Friendswood ISD's proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget includes nearly $2.4 million in additional salary costs and about $95,000 in additional stipends compared to FY 2025-26, according to budget documents. 

The overview: For FY 2026-27, the district is projecting nearly $70.1 million in revenues and around $70 million in expenses, according to budget documents. 

What residents need to know: The district is also projecting a tax rate of $1.0124 for FY 2026-27. Based on that rate, a homeowner with a median homestead taxable value of $424,611 would have an estimated annual property tax bill of about $4,300, budget documents show.

Pearland City Council is moving forward with an $83.5 million bond sale to fund major water, sewer, and drainage projects across the city.

The sale, which was advanced by council at its June 8 meeting, also refinanced older bonds and pays off existing debt early, generating about $3 million in interest savings for the city, according to city documents.

What you need to know: In fall 2025, the city adopted an “Intent to Reimburse” that anticipated issuing $170.1 million in debt for these projects, according to city documents.

According to city documents, the nearly $86.7 million reduction in the approved bond sale is largely due to lower-than-expected project costs and adjustments to project schedules.

What else: The roughly $3 million in total savings comes from the city refunding $35.8 million in existing bonds to secure lower interest rates, generating an estimated $1.26 million in savings, as well as using cash on hand to pay off $9.25 million in older debt early, to secure an additional $1.71 million in savings.

Health science career and technical education, or CTE, clusters in Alvin, Friendswood and Pearland ISDs provide early exposure to health care careers, with programs that allow students to earn certifications for post-secondary education and entry-level healthcare roles.

The overview: Across the districts, students begin with foundational health science courses, including principles of health science and medical terminology, before advancing into more specialized coursework.

Diving in deeper: PISD provides several health science programs, including emergency medical technician and medical billing and coding. 

AISD offers a diagnostic and therapeutic services program that introduces students to clinical skills focused on patient care and treatment-related career pathways. 

FISD offers programs in both biomedical sciences and diagnostic and therapeutic services.

Officials with The Cleverley Stone Foundation, who produce the popular yearly event called Houston Restaurant Weeks, announced June 5 that last year's fundraising event generated over $1.6 million for the Houston Food Bank.

The local impact: Houston Restaurant Weeks is an annual foodie fundraising event across the Greater Houston area that hundreds of restaurants participate in every year. Restaurants that sign up serve specially priced, multi-course prix fixe menus for brunch, lunch or dinner, with a portion of proceeds going toward the Houston Food Bank.

The 2025 event, which was held from August to September, raised $1,651,698. According to the HRW website, every $1 donated equals three meals generated by the Houston Food Bank.

The next chapter: Houston Restaurant Weeks will return this year from Aug. 1 through Sept. 7. Per the release, 350 restaurants are expected to participate in 2026 across Houston, Sugar Land, Galveston and The Woodlands.

In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2127, a sweeping regulatory measure designed to prevent cities and counties from adopting local ordinances that conflict with various sections of state law. Three years later, there is confusion about what local governments can and cannot do under the law.

The background: At the time, some legislators and other proponents of the bill said it would ensure consistency among Texas cities, citing ordinances passed by “liberal blue cities” that they said made it hard to run a business. Opponents of HB 2127, including some local leaders, said the law would prevent cities from addressing residents’ needs while undermining local worker safety provisions and nondiscrimination ordinances.

What's happening: During a June 4 hearing, the law’s critics said it has had a “chilling effect” on some local actions, while those who support the law expressed concerns that cities have not removed ordinances that are preempted by the state.

Ahead of the 2027 state legislative session, lawmakers are considering whether changes are needed to clarify or better enforce the law.