Murchison Spice Company is preparing for its next chapter after storm damage at its former shop on W. Main Street forced the business to relocate earlier this year, owner Cheryl Murchison said.

What they offer: The business offers organic herbs, spices, custom blends, teas, infused oils and more.

“We’re passionate about bringing people together through community events and hands-on classes that celebrate wellness, flavor, and the joy of cooking—one aromatic blend at a time,” Murchison said.

The woman-owned spice and tea company plans to expand its community offerings at the new site with classroom space, outdoor seating and future events such as clubs, markets and live music.

The background: In July, the owners purchased a new property at 1710 S. Cherry St. and began the rezoning process to convert the home into a retail space. On Oct. 20, Tomball City Council approved the rezoning, allowing the business to move forward with interior renovations, parking improvements and permitting, Murchison said.

• 1710 S. Cherry St., Tomball

Lone Star College-University Park recently celebrated the official ribbon-cutting of its on-campus courtroom Nov. 6, the college announced in a news release.

The gist: The event was hosted by Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences as a "mark a major milestone for the college’s paralegal studies and criminal justice programs," college officials said. Matthew Dempsey, Lone Star College-University Park president, officially cut the ribbon to open the courtroom following remarks from Bobby Lieb, Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce president.

Notable quote: “This new courtroom is more than a facility; it’s a hands-on learning environment that prepares students to step confidently into professional legal settings,” Dempsey said. “We’re proud to provide a space where our students can practice the skills they’ll need to thrive in the legal and justice fields.”

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on Nov. 12 announced a $2.5 billion philanthropic campaign—the largest in the center’s history—to support cancer-fighting initiatives.

Read all about it: MD Anderson already raised $1.9 billion for the campaign, called “Only Possible Here,” during a preliminary silent fundraising phase, according to a Nov. 12 news release. The Houston-based center focuses exclusively on treating, researching and preventing cancer.

The campaign’s three focus areas include expanding reach, expediting breakthroughs and elevating the patient experience, all with the goal of ending cancer, per the release. Money raised throughout the campaign will support several MD Anderson programs and initiatives, including the Cancer Neuroscience Program and Kinder Children's Cancer Center, among others. 

Quote of note: “This campaign presents an opportunity for anyone to become involved in the world's most important and impactful effort to end cancer,” campaign Chair Clarence P. Cazalot Jr. said in a Nov. 12 statement. 

Texas cannot use its newly redrawn congressional map in the 2026 election, an El Paso federal court ruled Nov. 18.

The details: The state must instead use the congressional map that Texas lawmakers drew in 2021, after the 2020 census. 

“The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown wrote in the Nov. 18 preliminary injunction. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map. But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.”

What they're saying: Texas Republican leaders said they would “swiftly appeal” the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the court takes up the case, its justices will be pressed for time ahead of the Dec. 8 deadline for candidates to apply to run in the March primary elections.

Texas Democrats celebrated the Nov. 18 ruling as "very good news for Texans."