The city of Houston is on track to spend about $9 million less on police overtime in fiscal year 2025-26 compared to last year.

Budget explained: In fiscal year 2024-25, the city spent $39.7 million on overtime pay for the police department, according to Houston’s finance department. For FY 2025-26, the city is expected to spend approximately $30.9 million on overtime. However, city officials said that while the cost is lower than the previous year, it is still slightly over the budgeted amount, which was $30.8 million.

On the other hand, the Houston Fire Department is projected to be under budget by $3.4 million for overtime spending. The department budgeted for $82.6 million in FY 2025-26 and is projected to spend just over $79 million.

Something to note: Finance Director Melissa Dubowski said much of the overtime spending is unpredictable and event-driven. She said the final savings are still not yet calculated, as the city is still finalizing its savings and paying invoices before it can give a final offset.

Club Studio, a high-end fitness and wellness club, is coming to Houston’s River Oaks area.

The details: Club Studio is a fitness concept owned by Fitness International LLC, the parent company of LA Fitness. The club combines traditional gym amenities with boutique-style fitness experiences, offering members access to strength and cardio equipment, group fitness classes, recovery and wellness amenities and other premium services.

The project is a renovation and alteration of approximately 32,091 square feet and has an estimated construction value of $5.5 million, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The estimated construction completion date is July 2027.

More information: The River Oaks location will be the third opening in the Houston area, with one in Kingwood and another in Midtown. Club Studio describes itself as elevated fitness destinations designed to bring together exercise, wellness and social experiences under one roof.

The project will combine two suites on San Felipe Street.

• 4411 San Felipe St., Ste. 500 & 600 B, Houston

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Aug. 7 that eight higher education institutions across Texas would receive more than $5.6 million in state grants to support new and expanded projects that improve or extend nursing programs.

Of the $5.6 million, the University of Houston received $750,000 from the Nursing Innovation Grant Program to expand its expertise, learning and technology at the Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing.

The local impact: Raji Pillai, assistant professor at the nursing college, said receiving this grant from Gov. Abbott is a "significant investment" in both the students at UH and the future of healthcare in Texas.

University officials said they intend to use the $750,000 grant to advance UH Health, the campus's integrated academic health enterprise and its focus on connecting education, research, innovation and community impact.

The need: Kathryn Tart, founding dean of the UH Gessner College of Nursing, said this investment comes at a critical time as Texas works to meet the growing demand for highly skilled and educated nurses.

A permanent public mural within Houston’s Southwest District is now complete, according to an Aug. 10 news release from officials.

The mural, entitled “Painted Bridges,” was officially unveiled at 9750 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, in a formal ceremony hosted Aug. 7.

The background: Spearheaded by EpNex, the international initiative paired six emerging artists and designers from Taiwan with Houston street art pioneer Mario E. Figueroa Jr.—more popularly known as GONZO247—for the co-creation of a new public landmark.

The details: The finished mural is centered around the program’s theme, “The Space Between,” and reflects upon the meaningful moments and shared experiences that define strangers-to-collaborators relationships, officials said.

In case you missed it: At one point, the ceremony featured a proclamation reading from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who officially designated the date as “Painted Bridges Houston Mural Program Day,” according to the release.

The festivities concluded with a group photo of the artists, partners and community leaders posing in front of the newly completed wall.

The Executive Club at George Bush Intercontinental Airport has recently completed a full renovation, Houston Airport System officials announced in an Aug. 4 news release.

What's new: Operated by SSP America, the IAH Executive Club debuted a new modern look this summer featuring new furniture, fresh paint, updated decor and redesigned seating areas. Per the release, the lounge also features a central food and beverage area that includes buffet service and a dedicated bar.

Additional amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, a meeting room and televisions, snacks, beverages and reading material.

Who it's for: Located on Level 2 of Terminal D near Gate D12, IAH's Executive Club serves qualifying international passengers flying with British Airways, Emirates and EVA Airlines. Qualified passengers will note access to the IAH Executive Club on their boarding pass, per the release. 

• Renovations completed this summer 

• 2800 N. Terminal Road, Houston

Community Impact is seeking input from residents in the Greater Heights area who would like to share their thoughts on the Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan, which the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority is currently developing. We’d like to hear about priority projects for residents, current mobility issues and general thoughts. If you are interested, please reach out to [email protected]. Must be willing to speak on record.