Houston will apply for over $80.5 million in grants to help fund public safety efforts while it hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June. On Feb. 18, Houston City Council approved the city’s public safety department to apply for two federal grants to enhance security and preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What this means: One grant for $15.8 million will allow the city to purchase advanced drone detection and mitigation technology, according to the agenda item.

“Sometimes at these events there will be drones up in the air, and nobody will know who they belong to or who’s controlling them,” council member Julian Ramirez said. “So this system allows them to protect the public against someone who would do harm using a drone.”

The other grant for $64.6 million will enhance security at official World Cup venues through the purchase of safety equipment, temporary security infrastructure, traffic and crowd management and communication tools, according to the Office of Public Safety.

Opera Gallery, a major international gallery known for its modern and contemporary art collection, is poised to open a new location in the River Oaks District in late March.

The new location in Houston joins cities such as New York, London, Paris, Monaco, Dubai and Singapore.

The grand opening: Opening March 20, Opera Gallery will present three to four curated exhibitions annually, predominantly showcasing modern and post-war masterworks from emerging and internationally acclaimed contemporary artists, according to a Feb. 17 news release.

Selected works that will be included in the opening presentation include:

• Claude Monet, Les Bords de l’Epte à Giverny (1887)
• Pablo Picasso, Femme de profil dans un fauteuil (III) (1956)
• Marc Chagall, The Window in the Sky (1957)

• 4444 Westheimer Road, Ste. A115, Houston

Here are six places in the  Inner Loop offering drink specials in honor of National Margarita Day on Feb. 22. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.

Bayou Heights Biergarten
The beer garden is featuring its $16 Quiet Life Rita for $14 for the day, offering customers a frozen blend of Blanco tequila, lime, mint, parsley, dry curaçao and agave.

• Feb. 22, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
• $14 margaritas
• 3905 Washington Ave., Houston

Reset Lounge
The cocktail bar is offering an all-day happy hour and a $6 classic margarita made with Espolon tequila, triple sec and fresh lime.

• Feb. 22, 3-10 p.m. 
• $6 margaritas
• 606 Dennis St., Ste. 200, Houston

Jonny Ritas Cocina Y Cantina
The newly opened restaurant is featuring a lineup of signature margaritas for National Margarita Day, including Rita’s Rocks & Frozen ($10), The Black Card ($19) and the Frozen Strawberry Basil Margarita ($14).

• Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
• $10-$19 margaritas
• 5602 Fulton St., Houston

Single-family sales declined to 4,999 homes compared to a year earlier, when 5,047 homes sold in January 2025, HAR reports. The median home price decreased to $322,045, its lowest level since January 2024, when it stood at $320,000.

What else: The average single-family home price rose 2.8% to $416,722, driven largely by more activity in the luxury market, according to the report. The luxury segment was the strongest-performing sector, with transactions up 15.5% year over year, the report states. As inventory expanded, homes averaged 66 days on the market, up from 61 days in 2025.

Quote of note: “With rates expected to ease a little this year, buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines may start to feel more confident and enter the market. That should help maintain demand and create additional opportunities for sellers throughout the year,” HAR Chair Theresa Hill said.