Voters have their last opportunity to cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 general election this Election Day.

What you need to know: More than 40 polling locations across Brazoria County will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, and voters can cast a ballot at any of them. These include the 10 early voting locations. To vote, Brazoria County residents must be registered. Voters must provide some form of photo identification at the polls, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s office.

What’s on the ballot : Brazoria County has several races on the ballot, including:

• County judge: Rob Giesecke, Eugene Howard and Lucinda Henry

• District clerk: Cassandra Tigner, Grandison Porter

• County clerk: Joyce Hudman, Adrienne Bell

Alvin ISD is advancing construction and renovation projects funded through its $380 million voter-approved 2024 bond program.

What you need to know: Nearly $225 million is allocated for new campus construction, including two elementary schools, a new junior high and a replacement campus for Walt Disney Elementary. Another $144 million is dedicated to aging facilities and campus capacity, including projects at Alvin High School and Manvel High School, district documents show.

Also of note: Manvel High School’s preliminary expansion design includes a dance gym, culinary lab, robotics shop and expanded career and technical education space. Construction on Emmit Miller Elementary, also known as Elementary School No. 23, began in fall 2025 and is expected to open for the 2027-28 school year, documents show.

The Texas A&M University Space Institute will be celebrating its grand opening in mid-November, officials said.

What you need to know: The new facility serves as a hub for collaboration among researchers, industry leaders and government agencies working to solve challenges in space exploration while developing the workforce and technologies needed for future missions, officials said.

The cost: The project cost $200 million, which was paid for through the state’s Texas Space Commission, which was passed in the 88th Texas Legislature and allotted $350 million for space programs in Texas, including $200 million for the institute, according to documents from the university.

📍17475 Saturn Lane, Houston

Harris County Public Health launched a new localized dashboard Oct. 28 to identify health inequities and disparities.

How it works: The tool compiles national, state and local data into zip code-specific information for Harris County. The dashboard maps a variety of data, including air pollution, walkability, life expectancy and colorectal cancer screenings.

The dashboard features more than 60 health indicators across five domains:

• Chronic and behavioral health

• Housing and economic conditions

• Neighborhood environment and conditions

• Population health and prevention

• Social and community conditions

The local impact: The data reaffirmed a known pattern of less healthy neighborhoods known as the Houston arrow, which consists of connected zip codes around downtown Houston stretching into north and south Harris County. Harris County Public Health plans to incorporate these findings into future strategic plans and initiatives. Additionally, the department is recruiting members to policy work groups to help develop actionable policy recommendations based on the data.

Educators, public officials and graduates from across the state gathered in Austin on Oct. 27 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Western Governors University in Texas. The online university offers certificates, bachelor's and master's degrees, which students can complete at their own pace.

About the organization: WGU was founded in 1997 by a bipartisan group of 19 governors in Western states to provide a more affordable and flexible option for higher education. In 2011, then-Gov. Rick Perry signed an executive order making Texas an official WGU affiliate.

Since 2011, WGU in Texas has reached the following milestones:

• 38,691 total graduates

• 45,545 degrees earned

• 24,087 students currently enrolled

Quote of note: "It was definitely one of those options that was super flexible, so that kind of fit my current schedule, especially since I work full-time," 2026 WGU graduate Jacob Gomez said. "It was super convenient for me."