Bristol Myers Squibb—a biopharmaceutical company—is considering building a roughly 600,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in McCord Development's Generation Park, according to a May 16 tax incentive application posted on the Texas Comptroller's website.

The details: The pharmaceutical company—which produces medications such as Eliquis, a blood thinner, and Opdivo, a cancer treatment, according to the company’s website—filed a tax abatement application through the Texas Comptroller’s Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation program.

The proposed project would create around 490 new jobs, per the application.

The timeline: According to the application, construction on the project would begin in 2027 and wrap up in 2029, with commercial operations beginning in 2030. The incentive period would run from 2030-39

The impact: In the application, company officials noted that total capital investment in the project is estimated to be approximately $1 billion.

Some context: In September, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company—or Lilly—announced its plans to build a $6.5 billion manufacturing facility in the community, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Humble City Council members approved the appointment of Place 3 council member Bruce Davidson to serve as mayor pro tem during their May 14 meeting.

The details: Davidson was initially appointed to serve as Place 3 council member in 2021 after Mayor Norman Funderburk vacated the position to run for mayor. Davidson was reelected in 2022, 2024 and 2026.

The appointment will mark Davidson’s third stint as mayor pro tem after having first been appointed to the position in 2024 and 2025.

“I can’t be everywhere at every event, so Bruce has been so great about willingly being available, representing the city and being there in my place,” Funderburk said during the meeting. “He’s been a really big help to me.”

What’s next: The city of Humble elects a mayor pro tem each year. Davidson is set to hold the position until May 2027.

The Harris County Flood Control District intends to work with the Texas General Land Office to extend funding deadlines for disaster recovery projects related to Hurricane Harvey, as about half are not on track to meet the timeline, HCFCD Executive Director Tina Petersen told Commissioners Court May 14.

The overview: According to a May 1 report from the flood control district, six of the 11 Hurricane Harvey recovery projects have an estimated completion date beyond the GLO’s Feb. 28, 2027, deadline.

Petersen said HCFCD will seek a nine-month extension and discuss contingency planning with the GLO. This will not be the first time Harris County asks for more flexibility, as the flood control district previously received a nine-month extension in March 2025, she said. 

Also of note: HCFCD is also working to deliver 17 flood mitigation projects, which aim to build resiliency against future extreme weather events, by a March 31, 2028, deadline. However, at least 12 projects are scheduled to run past the deadline, per the report, some of which extend well into 2029. 

Following a crowded primary election in March, two Republican candidates will be facing each other in a runoff on May 26 for the Republican nomination for Harris County judge.

Some context: Six candidates faced off in the March Republican primary election, with Orlando Sanchez and Warren A. Howell gaining the most votes out of the group to advance to a runoff.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September that she will not seek reelection for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county.

What you need to know: Early voting for the runoff election runs from May 18-22, and residents can view a sample ballot by entering information through the Harris County Clerk's Office.

Two Houston City Council alums are set to face off for the Democratic nomination for Harris County judge in the May 26 runoff election.

Some context: Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and former council member Letitia Plummer are vying for the Democratic nomination after three candidates sought the office during the March primary election.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September that she will not seek reelection for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county.

What you need to know: Early voting for the runoff election runs from May 18-22, and residents can view a sample ballot by entering information through the Harris County Clerk's Office.

The Texas Supreme Court on May 15 denied Gov. Greg Abbott’s request to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after the Houston Democrat led his colleagues in a walkout to protest congressional redistricting last summer.

The details: In the court’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock ruled that because Wu and other House Democrats “voluntarily returned” to the Capitol two weeks after their August departure, it was not necessary for the court to get involved.

The court also rejected a petition by Attorney General Ken Paxton to expel Wu and 12 other Democrats over the walkout, consolidating the two requests in one ruling.

What they're saying: Wu celebrated the ruling in a May 15 statement, saying that "the Constitution does not let a governor erase voters’ choices when their choices are inconvenient to him."

Abbott's office argued the governor's August lawsuit helped end the walkout and said the state was prepared to fight future quorum breaks: "If Democrats abandon their offices again, the governor will bring them right back to the Texas Supreme Court."