Construction on Memorial Groves at Memorial Park has begun, the Memorial Park Conservancy announced in a March 6 news release.

Zooming in: Officials broke ground on the 100-acre project, which will honor Houston's World War I history, March 5, according to the release. Designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, the grove will be an interactive landscape and include:

• Nearly 3,000 bald cypress trees
• A visitor center
• Trails
• Recreational amenities
• Play areas

The recently opened Bar Xolo brings Mexican flavors and spirit to the Montrose area in the space formerly housing Pling, a dumpling eatery.  

The overview: Founded by Mexico City natives, Bar Xolo serves coffee and pastries throughout the day until 2 p.m., and cocktails and Mexican-inspired cuisine in the evening. The founders described the restaurant in a Dec. 9 social media post as a “love letter to Houston” and “a tribute to culture and craft.”

Something to note: The establishment is closed on Tuesdays and open from 4-11 p.m. on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, as well as 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. 

• 223 Westheimer Road, Houston

The Houston Municipal Courts Department is streamlining its jury management system.

Beginning March 9, potential jurors will be directed to respond online through a juror portal and will be paid via a debit card, instead of a traditional check by mail.

What’s different: Residents will now receive a postcard-style summons via the mail. They will then be prompted to respond through an online juror portal, which allows individuals to complete their juror questionnaire and submit their requests for exemptions or disqualifications online.

Potential jurors will also have the option to enroll in text notifications.

What else: Juror compensation is $6 a day and will now be paid via a debit card that jurors will receive on the day they report for service.

The city of Houston averages about 70,000 jury summons a year for residents.

Houston Airport System officials are urging travelers to arrive early as TSA wait times may exceed two hours in some locations, HAS officials said in a March 8 news release. 

What's happening? Due to the partial federal government shutdown, TSA officers are working without pay creating staffing shortages that have led to longer than typical wait times at airports nationwide, including at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak said HAS is expecting about 2.2 million spring break travelers during the government shutdown.

"Spring break brings some of the busiest travel days of the year," Szczesniak said in a statement. "When more passengers meet fewer security lanes, wait times can grow quickly."

Keep in mind: At HOU, officials said travelers should plan to arrive four hours before their scheduled departure as TSA wait times may extend beyond two hours.

At IAH, officials said travelers should allow extra time for security screening, noting some international air carriers have recently moved from Terminal D to E.

Texas held its primary elections on March 3, with Republican and Democratic voters selecting their parties’ nominees for scores of federal, state and local seats. Yet for some candidates, a major hurdle still remains before the November election.

The overview: Dozens of primary races are headed to May runoffs after no candidate picked up more than half of the vote, triggering an overtime round between the two highest-performing candidates.

The details:  Texas’ runoff election is set for May 26, the day after Memorial Day. Early voting runs from May 18-22, per the secretary of state.

State law requires primary candidates to receive more than 50% of the vote to advance to a general election, meaning a candidate must earn a majority of the vote—not just the highest number of votes—to win their primary outright. This rule means crowded races in Texas primaries and special elections frequently result in runoffs.

In those races, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff.

Keep reading to learn about voting in the runoffs and who's on the ballot.