HTX-BMW: Impact 9/15/2025

Houston ISD trustees recognized 12 principals nominated for the district’s "Principal of the Year” award during the board’s Sept. 11 meeting.

The details: HISD Chief of Schools Sandi Massey said three principals from each of the district's four geographic divisions were nominated, including:

• Bathsheba Nash, Wesley Elementary School
• Iliana Perez, Clifton Middle School
• Marie Adams, North Forest High School
• Alexis McMiller, Woodson PK-5 Leadership Academy
• Shanica Smith, Thomas Middle School
• Ruth Pena, Milby High School
• Christopher Hua, Pilgrim Academy
• Crystal Blanchard, West Briar Middle School
• Yolanda Bruce, Westbury High School
• Trealla Epps, Roberts Elementary School
• Alejandro Lopez, Navarro Middle School
• Wendy Hampton, Heights High School

The Italian-inspired gelateria known as Gelato Rossa uses only the purest and freshest ingredients in its gelato and makes fresh waffle cones and puff pastries every day, Director of Oerations Naveen Nayak said.

What’s on the menu: Created by Michael May and Greg Wheeler, Gelato Rossa typically sells 16 flavors at a time, with six to eight of those being specialty flavors, such as key lime pie and raspberry stracciatella.

Other popular flavors that are usually available are stracciatella, Belgian chocolate, Madagascan vanilla, and cookies and cream. Another favorite flavor is Sicilian pistachio, whose ingredients are also imported from Italy.

Something to note: There is also more to Gelato Rossa than just desserts, as an Italian-themed speakeasy called the Rossa Room hides behind a white sliding door within the gelato shop.

Rossa Room Speakeasy opened Aug. 1, 2024, and is known for serving high-quality cocktails in a beautiful setting.

📍4564 Bissonnet St., Bellaire

Approximately 1,052 city employees took Mayor John Whitmire’s early retirement incentive as part of the administration’s efforts to cut down on what was a $330 million budget shortfall earlier this year, according to previous Community Impact reporting. However, reports came out that hundreds of these retired employees have still not received their payments. 

In case you missed it: Sherry Mose, chair of the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, told City Council historically the system has an average of 39 retirements a month, but now the department has to process more than a thousand at one time.

Mose said there are around 270-280 retirees who have not received their payments yet but are expected to receive them by the end of September. She said the reason for this is because they either did not submit their paperwork on time, or some paperwork was completed incorrectly, while there are over 40 retirees that HMEPS staff have been unable to get ahold of.

Harris County commissioners are looking to adopt the fiscal year 2025-26 budget Sept. 18 with various approved pay parity adjustments including the re-negotiated raises for the county’s eight elected constables.

The vote: A motion to increase each elected constable’s salary to $260,000 passed Sept. 9 with a 3-1 vote. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis cast the dissenting vote and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent.

The details: The approved pay raise, county officials said, will be a budget neutral item, with funds coming out of each of the eight constable precinct’s own budget with no additional funding required from the county.

Quote of note: “After months of deep engagement through numerous town halls and hundreds of survey responses, the community told us what mattered most: public safety, public health, infrastructure and disaster readiness,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said in a statement. “I’m proud we delivered a balanced budget that protects core services, without having to ask hardworking women and men to vote on raising their taxes.”

There are several events taking place in the Greater Houston area to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. This list is not comprehensive.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration
Houston Premium Outlets is hosting a performance and dance lessons from Mixteco Ballet Folklorico and a performance from Mariachi Estrella de Mi Tierra.

• Sept. 20, 1-4 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 29300 Hempstead Road, Cypress

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Sept. 10 executive order aimed at prohibiting hemp-derived THC products from being sold to minors, which he called “safety for kids, freedom for adults.” The order comes one week after a special legislative session ended without Abbott and state lawmakers agreeing on legislation to ban or restrict THC sales.

The details: Abbott’s order directs the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to “immediately begin the rulemaking process” on new THC regulations, including:

• Limiting THC sales to people 21 years and older
• Requiring THC retailers to check all customers’ IDs
• Expanding testing and labeling requirements for THC products
• Raising manufacturer and retailer licensing fees to cover costs of enforcing the new rules
• Enhancing monitoring by state and local law enforcement