College Station City Council approved issuing certificates of obligation for $37 million for new water well systems throughout the city during the July 23 meeting.

The overview: The new water wells also account for the creation of distribution and transmission lines. As previously reported by Community Impact, the city had approved the project parameters in March, with the original set price being $28.6 million, to increase College Station’s water infrastructure and production.

Michael DeHaven, the city’s assistant finance director, was asked by council member Bob Yancy why the certificates of obligation were issued instead of being associated with taxes. DeHaven said the certificates are associated with the city’s utility funds, and the certificates help the city obtain a favorable interest rate.

“We could go out and issue utility revenue bonds, but then we would not have as favorable a rate on them,” DeHaven said.

What’s next: The council unanimously approved passing the item. Mayor John Nicolas said he looks forward to DeHaven coming back with news about the project during future council meetings.

Texas A&M University’s official sesquicentennial celebration is set to kick off in October; the university is planning many events to honor the legacy of the institution and 150 years of educating people from all over the world.

The overview: Austin Fannin, the director of strategic program development at the university, said at a presentation to the Brazos County Commissioners Court that the university is prioritizing different pillars of celebration for the anniversary, including:

• Living out Aggie Core Values: Excellence, Integrity and Leadership, alongside Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service
• Honoring tradition
• Celebrating academic excellence
• Driving discovery
• Cultivating leaders, including celebrating past and present leaders

Spirit Halloween, the popular seasonal retailer for costumes and decor for the spooky season, is opening two new pop-up locations in Bryan-College Station soon.

The gist: Following multiple recent closures in Post Oak Mall, Spirit Halloween will be taking over the former Forever 21 near the food court. The Bryan location will be in the Tejas Center, next to an H-E-B and the Lions Den Gym.

The New Jersey-based retailer sells costumes of all different types, including licensed and classic staples. Along with outdoor decorations, the store also carries accessories, masks and novelty items.

What’s next: Spirit Halloween’s website lists both locations as opening in August. Previous Community Impact reporting indicates that most of its locations open in mid-to-late August and early September.

• Opening in August
• 1500 Harvey Road, Suite 7012, College Station; 725 East Villa Maria Road, Bryan

Across Texas, public school districts have approved at least 150 campus closures in the last three years as they grapple with declining enrollment, state accountability issues and hefty budget shortfalls.

What's happening: Among the closures are 56 schools in Community Impact’s coverage areas. Some districts have said that additional closures are not off the table.

Roughly 76,000 fewer students were enrolled in Texas public schools during the 2025-26 school year than the year prior. This marks the first non-pandemic enrollment drop in recorded history, according to Texas Education Agency data collected annually since 1987.

Analysts warn that this year’s enrollment decline is not a one-off, with demographics expert Bob Templeton predicting that enrollment could “drop over 100,000 kids” next year.

What they're saying: “This was a decision that I made, even knowing some of the challenges our students are going to face, because I think the alternative is untenable,” Fort Bend ISD board President Kristin Tassin said as the district voted to close seven elementary schools ahead of the 2026-27 school year.