A new drone first responder system, among other upgrades, at the University of St. Thomas in Houston is expected to improve student safety and campus security.

What’s changed: The new drone emergency response system can deploy remotely to areas across campus in around 85 seconds, providing “real-time information” to campus police and local law enforcement from the air. The drone system will be operated by the University of St. Thomas’s police department and is expected to help them when coordinating with the Houston Police Department.

Quote of note: “Every second matters in an emergency,” said H.E. Jenkins, Chief of Police at the University of St. Thomas. “This technology gives our officers immediate situational awareness before they arrive on scene, helping them respond more effectively. This enhances safety for our students and the campus community.”

Zooming in: Other new safety investments into the University of St. Thomas’s campus include hun detection systems at the campus’s main residence halls, automated doors so that the campus can be quickly locked down and license plate readers at entry points.

Dutch Bros Coffee is expanding inside Loop 610 after operating its first location in Houston for the past 6-7 months.

What we know: The popular drive-thru coffee chain opened its first location inside the loop in late 2025 off of University Boulevard near Rice University. Now, according to a project filing by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, a second spot is anticipated to open off of Westheimer Road in 2027.

Construction of the new freestanding facility is slated to start in January and last through June, although details are subject to change. The 986 square foot building will be used for quick-serve coffee and beverages via drive-thru and walk-up.

On the menu: Dutch Bros menu offers specialty drinks with espresso-based favorites, classic iced coffees, cold brews and lattes.

• 11920 Westheimer Road, Houston

Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing service, is partnering with Waze, the GPS navigation app, to detect and report potholes across Houston to city and state officials.

How it works: Waymo, which uses fully electric vehicles, will use its cameras and physical feedback systems to detect potholes while driving. The data will then be made available to the city of Houston and the state department of transportation through the Waze platform.

Waze users will be able to verify whether or not the pothole is still at the reported location. When verified by users, it will continue to pop up on the Waze app, alerting drivers as they approach the pothole.

Quote of note: “There are potholes that you obviously want to avoid, and there are times where you can't avoid a pothole,” said Ethan Teicher, a representative of Waymo. “When you drive over it, you want to do so in a way that is comfortable for the passenger. And so we've used this data on potholes to continue to improve the driver's behavior.”

Texas residents are increasingly facing damaging storms that drive up home insurance rates and other housing costs. Ahead of the state's 2027 legislative session, consumer advocates and insurance industry representatives are urging lawmakers to consider affordability solutions.

What's happening: The average Texas home insurance premium—the amount paid to an insurance company—was $3,291 in 2024, according to the latest Texas Department of Insurance data. In total, premiums rose about 50% between 2022-24.

Texas’ high propensity for natural disasters has been “the No. 1 driver” behind recent rate increases, said Rich Johnson, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas.

Stay tuned: While Texas can't legislate itself out of weather risks, lawmakers have considered some policy changes to increase disaster resiliency and boost regulatory oversight of the insurance industry. Proposals range from creating grants to help residents weather-proof their homes to placing limits on future rate hikes.