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Q&A: Meet the candidates running for Bellaire City Council Position 3
Two candidates will run for the Bellaire City Council Position 3 seat during the Nov. 4 election. Council members, all of whom are elected at large, serve four-year terms.
The setup: Candidates running for Position 3 were asked to complete a questionnaire from Community Impact. They 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.
Something to note: Bellaire has three other city positions—council member Positions 1 and 5, and the mayor's seat—up for election this November. However, all three seats are uncontested, and Community Impact only provides Q&As for contested races.
Check out the link below to read candidate responses.
New hybrid Pilates studio Bodyrok coming to West University Place this fall
BodyRok, a Pilates-inspired workout studio, is expanding to Texas for the first time with a Houston location slated for West University's Plaza in the Park.
About the company: According to the company's website, the workout studio specializes in 45-minute, Pilates-inspired full body workouts, with classes that include core and cardio work and upper and lower body training.
Amenities include restrooms, lockers, a water station, a retail shop, Wi-Fi and grooming products.
Hilton-Americas Houston further expands strike as workers demand full transparency from Houston First
What was initially a nine-day strike turned into a 20-day strike is now a monthlong strike as Hilton-Americas Houston workers continue to demand higher pay and full transparency from the Houston First Corporation.
The overview: In a Sept. 17 letter to Houston City Council, Hilton Americas-Houston workers and Unite Here Local 23, the union group representing the workers, called on City Council to conduct a “full audit” of Houston First, the city’s local government corporation responsible for tourism and conventions, and which also owns the hotel. The union also demanded that the corporation’s board meetings be available to watch online and be recorded for the public to view later.
Houston First Chair Jay Zeidman said in a Sept. 22 statement that the corporation regularly conducts audits and ensures compliance with practices under municipal and state codes.
“As a local government corporation, Houston First is subject to significant oversight, including an annual financial audit and regular audits of procurement practices,” Zeidman said.
Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess won’t seek third term ahead of 2026 election
Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess formally announced she will not seek reelection for a third term as the district clerk of Texas’ largest county. Burgess said in a Sept. 22 news release that she also won’t pursue another political office.
The details: Burgess and her staff support the legal proceedings within more than 90 courts in Harris County. She first took office in 2019, then went on to win reelection in 2022. Her current term ends Dec. 31, 2026.
Quote of note: “I have truly loved this job and everything we have accomplished,” Burgess said. “When I leave this office on Dec. 31, 2026, it will be with my head held high, proud of our work, and grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Harris County.”
The context: The announcement comes less than a week after Burgess appeared before Harris County commissioners Sept. 18, addressing her request for a raise with the county’s salary grievance committee.
Texas to overhaul STAAR, launch 3 new exams in 2027
The Texas Education Agency will begin transitioning to a new standardized testing system after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law Sept. 17 to replace the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness with three shorter exams.
The overview: Through the 2026-27 school year, Texas public school students in third through 12th grade will continue taking the STAAR each spring. Beginning in fall 2027, students will take three tests at the beginning, middle and end of the year under House Bill 8, the new law.
Students’ results will be released within 48 hours after each new test is administered. STAAR scores are currently released about six weeks after a test ends, according to the TEA.
The debate: Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said the new system will reduce test-related anxiety; give students and teachers feedback throughout the school year; and increase legislative oversight of Texas’ assessment and accountability systems. Critics of the plan said it would increase the amount of time students spend taking exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the TEA.
