The Harris County Commissioners Court approved a $3.095 billion budget, and one of the highest property tax rates in the county’s history with a 3-2 vote during its Sept. 17 meeting.

What you need to know: Taxpayers will see a 7.6% property tax rate increase in comparison with last year after the court approved a rate of $0.67 per $100 of home value. The court also adopted the 2026-27 budget amid a projected shortfall of about $181 million.

The details: Some of the major drivers of cost were healthcare, pay equity and the justice system. Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said the county’s cost to provide healthcare increased $89 million this year compared with last.

The court also approved pay raises for law enforcement and some elected officials in August, with the constables, district attorney, county attorney, district clerk and tax assessor-collector set to make $305,000 annually.

Casa Nueva Mexican Grill and Bar officials announced that the eatery soft opened a new location in Spring on Sept. 16. The new restaurant is located at 8921 Louetta Road, Spring. As of press time, plans for a grand opening have not been released.

The details: Casa Nueva Mexican Grill and Bar has an additional location on FM 1960 , per the website. The eatery offers a variety of Mexican dishes, including:

• Nacho plates

• Fajita plates

• Enchiladas

• Seafood dishes

Two candidates are running for Harris County Clerk in the upcoming election. The candidates are Mike Wolfe and incumbent Teneshia Hudspeth.

Key details for voters include:

• Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30.
• Election day is Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Registered voters are permitted to cast their ballot at any polling location during both early voting and on election day.

Several notable stories trended across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 11-18:

• The Lone Star College System student enrollment exceeded 100,000 students for the fall semester, marking a milestone for the college system.

• Texas Roadhouse filed for a new 7,926-square-foot location in Montgomery, which is projected to cost $1.5 million to construct.

• Midnight Cravingz plans to bring late-night specialty ice cream to Cypress in October.

• CenterPoint Energy representatives will share information in November about an upcoming electric grid resiliency project in Jersey Village.

• The Klein ISD board unanimously approved a Certification of Compliance on Sept. 14.

• Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in The Woodlands.