Following the death of a Humble City Council member Dec. 15, the city is now accepting applications to fill the vacant position.

Read all about it: Council member Charles “Andy” Curry served on City Council for about 27 years, as previously reported by Community Impact.

City leaders are accepting applications for the vacant Place 1 seat from Jan. 23-30, Mayor Norman Funderburk said during the Jan. 22 council meeting. Following the application period, city officials will interview prospective council members before making a decision.

“We will interview the candidates and make a decision on the most qualified individual and make that appointment,” Funderburk said.

Sorting out details: City law allows the City Council to either hold a special election or appoint a replacement council member, Funderburk said.

The Place 1 term runs until 2027, according to the city's website.

Three Democratic candidates are running for Congressional District 29 in the upcoming March primaries.

The big picture: Incumbent Sylvia Garcia and challengers Jarvis D. Johnson and Robert Slater will compete for the Democratic nomination. The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will begin serving District 29 in January 2027. No candidate has filed to run in the Republican primary for Congressional District 29, according to the Texas Secretary of State's website.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are elected for a two-year term with no term limits. Following congressional redistricting, which will take effect in January 2027, District 29 will cover portions of north Harris County. Currently, the district covered portions of central and southeast Harris County.

Schools, government buildings and some polling places will remain closed on Jan. 26 as Winter Storm Fern had a late arrival to the Greater Houston area Jan. 24.

Current situation: According to the National Weather Service, the Greater Houston area can expect continued temperatures below freezing into Jan. 27. Per information on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ Grid and Market Conditions dashboard, power supply continues to outweigh demand.

Government closures: Meeting plans Jan. 26 for Roman Forest City Council and Fort Bend ISD have been postponed. Meanwhile, it is still unclear if Katy City Council's Jan. 26 meeting will take place as planned. 

Additionally, all early voting centers for the special runoff election for Congressional District 18 closed Jan. 25-26 due to inclement weather. 

Additional warming centers: More warming centers have opened across the Greater Houston area, in addition to the 13 warming centers that were announced in Harris County Jan. 22. All warming centers will be open through at least Jan. 26; however, residents are encouraged to call ahead if possible.

Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin and Harris County Civil Court Judge Audrie Lawton Evans will face each other in the March 3 Democratic primary election.

The details: Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

Important dates: Early voting runs Feb. 17-27. Election day is March 3.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Jan. 19-23.

In a nutshell: Montgomery County commissioners took a step toward a new countywide transportation roadmap Jan. 15, discussing a mobility study they said will be the first to outline a 10-year plan for the entire county. 

County Judge Mark Keough said the project will kick off in January and is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete. Once finished, he said the county plans to initiate a county thoroughfare plan update.

What else: The project to extend the Grand Parkway through League City has made progress after the city recently sold a 1.8-acre highway easement to the Texas Department of Transportation.

League City City Council voted unanimously to transfer the highway easement, also known as Parcel 315, to TxDOT for a sum of nearly $319,000, according to city documents.

One more thing: The Hallmark, a luxury senior living community, is expanding its campus in Greater Uptown by 2030. 

Four Republican candidates are running for Texas comptroller in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Michael Berlanga, Christi Craddick, Kelly Hancock and Don Huffines are seeking the Republican nomination to be Texas' next chief financial officer. The Republican nominee will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

The background: The comptroller's office is open after former state comptroller Glenn Hegar stepped down in July to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Former state Sen. Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running in the Republican primary, although he is not considered the incumbent in the race.

The comptroller is tasked with overseeing government spending, projecting Texas' biennial budget for state legislators, reporting on statewide economic issues, and managing the state treasury and unclaimed property programs. Hancock's office also recently launched the state’s new education savings account program, as mandated by the Texas Legislature.

Three Democrats are running to be Texas' next chief financial officer in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Sarah Eckhardt, Michael Lange and Savant Moore are seeking the Democratic nomination for Texas comptroller. The winning Democratic candidate will face the Republican nominee in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

The context: The comptroller's office is open after former state comptroller Glenn Hegar stepped down in July to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Former state Sen. Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running in the Republican primary, although he is not considered the incumbent in the race.

The comptroller is tasked with overseeing government spending, projecting Texas' biennial budget for state legislators, reporting on statewide economic issues, and managing the state treasury and unclaimed property programs. Hancock's office also recently launched the state’s new education savings account program, as mandated by the Texas Legislature.