Overtime payout for Houston’s fire and police departments is the biggest driver in the city’s projected expenditure increase, city officials said.

On March 31, Houston finance department officials at the monthly Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting told council members that the city is expected to increase spending by $68 million.

The cost: According to Finance Department Director Will Jones, the Houston Fire Department is expected to increase expenditures by about $51 million. Of that, about $39 million will go toward overtime costs.

For the Houston Police Department, it is expected to increase by about $16 million, with $11.8 million going toward overtime. The total overtime spending for both public safety departments is expected to be an additional $50 million from previous projections.

“What we’re now facing is a $174 million general fund deficit for fiscal year [2025-] 2026,” Hollins told council April 1. “The largest single-year drawdown in the history of the city of Houston.”

Osteria di Mercato recently opened on University Boulevard, serving modern Italian dishes that are rooted in tradition, according to the restaurant’s website.

The gist: Led by Executive Chef Mauricio Alvarado and General Manager and Sommelier Marco Thompson, the restaurant offers an intimate setting with only 25 seats. 

Additionally, Osteria di Mercato will offer fine wines, authentic Italian food and dishes such as foie gras torchon and grilled Ora King salmon, according to the restaurant’s social media.

Something to note: The osteria’s opening is an expansion of Mercato and Company, a neighborhood market that serves a variety of items, including pantry staples and grab-and-go gourmet food. 

• 3642 University Blvd., Houston

From Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches to photo opportunities with the Easter bunny, there are several events to celebrate Easter this year.

Old Town Spring Easter Event
During the Old Town Spring annual Easter Event, participating shops will be passing out candy to the kids. Children are encouraged to dress up in their best Easter outfits and bring their baskets.

• April 4, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Free
• 419 Gentry St., Ste. 203, Spring

• April 4, 11:30 a.m.
• $32.48 (admission)
• Play Street Museum Cypress, 25712 Hwy. 290, Ste. E, Cypress

• April 5, 1:30 p.m.
• Free
• 1700 Post Oak Blvd., Fifth Level, Houston

TSA PreCheck and CLEAR screenings have returned to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, according to an April 2 news release.

The details: Airport officials said standard TSA screenings, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are currently available at Terminals A, C and E at IAH, but they noted access to TSA PreCheck and CLEAR is not guaranteed and may change day to day based on staffing, per the release.

A closer look: Officials said recent federal action providing back pay to TSA officers has helped staffing levels at the airport, but they noted the federal government shutdown remains ongoing.

Also of note: Officials said passengers needing additional assistance, including those traveling with children or requiring accessibility support, should contact their airline before entering a TSA line.

The Texas power grid is undergoing “generational” growth, experts said during the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ annual summit March 31 in Round Rock. Much of that growth is due to data centers—an industry under scrutiny from state lawmakers as some Texas communities push back against proposed developments.

The big picture: Over 2,000 projects totaling 453,000 megawatts are currently looking to connect to the state grid, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said April 1. About 357,000 megawatts of those connection requests are potential data centers, ERCOT documents show.

Looking ahead: Communities should take the lead on discussions about individual data center projects, Vegas told reporters. He said that when “communities that are ready to support those investments,” ERCOT is prepared to help data centers connect to the grid.

During a March 31 discussion on data centers, panelists noted that the projects have an “increasingly high” negative reputation in communities across the state. Austin consultant Eric Goff said developers often need to make commitments to local residents to earn their support for data center proposals.