Humble ISD is continuing to push back on a new policy that would bar high schools from holding graduation ceremonies at Reliant Stadium.

What’s happening: Humble ISD is seeking help from the Harris County Commissioners Court to continue holding high school graduation ceremonies at Reliant Stadium, formerly known as NRG Stadium. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, which oversees Reliant Park, has opted to not hold graduations at its stadium and will instead offer the Reliant Arena, a smaller venue, HCHSA Director Martye Kendrick said.

The decision could double or triple the amount of revenue the stadium earns during the typical 20-day graduation period in May, Kendrick said, by holding one successful concert instead.

The other side: In a statement, Humble ISD Communications Director Jamie Mount said the district has held more than 70 high school graduation ceremonies at the stadium since 2005.

Mount said the arena has been offered for the district’s May 2027 graduations, but its capacity would limit attendees. Graduation ceremonies for the district’s largest high school, Summer Creek High School, usually attract 12,700 people, Mount said. Without using the stadium, graduates would likely be limited to about six guests, she said.

Humble ISD board of trustees member Chris Parker said the district is willing to be “very flexible with the date” for graduation ceremonies.

Check out what's happening in the Lake Houston area this weekend, Sept. 25-27.

• A Night Beyond the Mask: The Village Centers will host its 2026 Gala at Hochzeit Hall in Spring on Sept. 25 from 6:30-10:30 p.m. The masquerade event benefits the nonprofit's mission to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with tickets starting at $225.

• Main Street Pub Crawl: This free-admission event takes place on Main Street in Humble on Sept. 25 from 6-9 p.m. Attendees can get a Pub Crawl Passport stamped at four participating local bars.

• Movies in the Park: Town Center Park in Kingwood will host a free outdoor screening of "A Minecraft Movie" on Sept. 25 from 8-9:45 p.m.

• Brass Tap Cornhole League: The Brass Tap in Kingwood will host a weekly cornhole league on Sept. 26 from 3-6 p.m. featuring prizes and drink specials for a $20 entry fee.

Two candidates are running for Harris County Clerk in the upcoming election. The candidates are Mike Wolfe and incumbent Teneshia Hudspeth.

Key details for voters include:

• Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30.

• Election day is Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

• Registered voters are permitted to cast their ballot at any polling location during both early voting and on Election Day.

The nonprofit organization United Way of Greater Houston announced Sept. 21 that CEO Amanda McMillian will retire on May 1, 2027. The board unanimously selected Angel Harris, the current vice president and chief advancement officer, to succeed her.

Harris will assume the president and CEO role immediately, while McMillian remains in her role through a nine-month transition.

Read all about it: Harris joined the nonprofit in 2021 with 30 years of nonprofit experience. In her five years in Houston, Harris has accomplished the following:

• Led organizational efforts for the Building Possibilities Campaign, raising more than $30 million to upgrade infrastructure and technology

• Helped rebrand marketing and communications initiatives

• Developed an eight-year revenue growth plan to generate over $580 million by 2031

A search for United Way's next chief advancement officer to replace Harris is currently underway, nonprofit officials said.

Something to note: United Way of Greater Houston is a nonprofit organization that connects residents in need with basic resources, financial stability programs, healthcare and support services, according to the organization's website.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must stop issuing new permits for data centers, Gov. Greg Abbott said Sept. 21.

The overview: His order expands an existing pause on data center development in the state amid consistent public criticism of the booming industry. Abbott, who is running for a fourth term as governor, has recently moved to slow the growth of data centers after calling Texas “the epicenter of AI development" last year.

The context: Hundreds of proposed data centers are currently being audited by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state power grid.

Some developers may be able to get around the ERCOT pause by building in-house power infrastructure that is not connected to the grid, experts have said.

However, any construction project impacting at least 1 acre of land requires permits from TCEQ.

What they're saying: "As Texas faces increasing pressure on our water supplies and electric grid, we need to ensure that data centers operate efficiently and sustainably," said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas.