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West U City Council modifies procedures for written public comments
An amended rule of procedure that affects resident participation in West University Place City Council public meetings is one step closer to becoming an official ordinance, after council members approved modified changes during the Sept. 8 council meeting.
Explained: The proposed change would include all written comments submitted for City Council meetings only as an attachment to the meeting minutes, instead of being read aloud during the public comment portion of meetings, according to agenda documents.
What happened: Instead, Mayor Pro Tem John Barnes suggested an amendment to the proposed changes, which he said would allow residents to ask that their written public comments be read during related agenda items. It would also still allow written public comments to be read by the city secretary at City Council meetings, he said.
The vote: Council members Kalie Rainsberger, John Bertini and Barnes voted in favor. Mayor Susan Sample and council member Clay Brett cast the dissenting votes.
Interactive children’s museum, indoor play area opening this fall in West U
Play Street Museum is a neighborhood children’s museum for toddlers and children up to 8 years old.
The gist: Inspired by the outdoors, the play center features interactive exhibits based on fishing and camping, according to the museum’s website.
Additionally, Play Street Museum will showcase monthly themes and stay open late one night a week for special Night at the Museum activities. The website states that events will also be held at the center, including themes such as pottery, canvas painting and space exploration.
Before you go: Admission is $16 for children ages 1-8, and older or younger children may enter for free if they are accompanied by paying siblings, the website states.
The Ritz-Carlton to bring first branded residences, hotel to Houston
On the morning of Sept. 10, officials with The Ritz-Carlton announced the luxury hospitality brand will be bringing its first-ever branded residences and hotel to Houston.
Marking a milestone: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences, Houston, will be located in the Uptown district near the Galleria along Post Oak Boulevard.
Here are more details about the new development:
It will be 44 stories and over 600 feet tall
The building is anticipated to consist of 154guest rooms and 114 private residences
Resident rooms will start at 2,200 square feet and will include uninterrupted views
"This project belongs to the city," Andrew Deiso and Taylor Moss, owners of Deiso Moss, said. "It is conceived for Houston’s world-class residents, its future and the generations who will look to Houston not only as the energy capital of the world, but as a place of refinement, culture and enduring excellence."
Annual survey finds there are more than 3,000 homeless people in the Houston region
The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County's annual point-in-time survey shows homelessness in the Houston area remains steady, but there has been a jump in chronic homelessness compared to last year.
Latest update: The coalition found that there were 3,325 homeless individuals in the region the night of Jan. 27, 2025, 45 more compared to last year, according to the report. Harris County was reported to have 3,000 homeless individuals, while Montgomery and Fort Bend counties were reported to have 247 and 78, respectively.
Compared to the national level, which has been climbing annually, Houston’s homeless population remains steady, due in part to a “consistent response system” to addressing homelessness, Kelly Young, the coalition’s president and CEO, told Community Impact in an interview.
Despite the stability, the region has seen a 16% increase in unsheltered homeless individuals. Young said the rise in unsheltered homelessness compared to last year is because of reduced shelter capacity in 2024.
‘Please put justice first’: Harris County district judges warn of ‘Harvey’-level court backlog amid budget cuts
An increasing jail population, slower case processing and increasing court backlog delays are among the potential consequences Harris County judges and other judicial officials warned commissioners about Sept. 9 if several initiatives go unfunded.
The context: Harris County commissioners and department leaders are weighing how to offset at least $102 million in cuts before adopting the fiscal year 2025-26 budget on Sept. 18.
More details: Harris County Criminal Court Judge Stacy Barrow serves on the 487th district court and asked Commissioners Court to fund $2.2 million toward the associate judge program, which covers 12 staff positions and serves several court functions, judges said, including assisting with case processing, handling bond cases and covering court dockets during weekends and holiday shifts.
“Our request today is [for] Commissioners Court is to partner with us in progress to fund the felony associate judge program for an additional year in response to the shift in [the] criminal justice landscape," Barrow said.
Alpha School showcases expedited student learning through artificial intelligence alongside state, federal leaders
Austin-based private school Alpha School is aiming to expedite learning for more students using artificial intelligence at new academies opening across the country.
What happened: On Sept. 9, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Alpha School in Austin alongside Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath. Alpha School co-founder MacKenzie Price highlighted how the school is using AI to personalize and improve students’ education.
What they're saying:“It's the most exciting thing I've seen in education in a long time,” McMahon said about Alpha School. “I'm incredibly enthusiastic about this.”
How it works: Students complete their academic learning in two hours each day using an AI platform known as 2 Hour Learning. Price said the Alpha School model enables students to learn twice as fast as they would in a traditional school setting.
The update: Alpha School opened several new academies across the United States this school year, including a K-3 school in Plano and K-8 school in Fort Worth. The company is planning to open an academy in Houston this winter.
