Free flu vaccines for children and adults are being offered throughout Harris County Precinct 4 community centers from Nov. 25 through December.

The details: Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones is partnering with Harris County Public Health and Harris Health to offer the flu vaccines.
“With a new flu variant circulating and the holiday travel season approaching, it is especially important that residents get vaccinated,” a Nov. 19 announcement reads.

What residents should know: No insurance is required to receive the vaccine, according to the county event listing website, only vaccination records. Walk-ins are welcome, and residents are encouraged to call 832-927-7350.

Bayland Community Center
6400 Bissonnet St., Houston

• Nov. 25; Dec. 23,10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Dec. 9, 1-3 p.m.

Steve Radack Community Center
18650 Clay Road, Houston

• Nov. 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Dec. 16, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Burnett Bayland Community Center
6026 Chimney Rock Road, Houston

• Nov. 26; Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-noon
• Dec. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Tracey Gee Community Center
3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston

• Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Following a line of severe thunderstorms that moved across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area Nov. 24, emergency crews are working to assess and clear damage in affected areas.

What we know: According to the National Weather Service, several tornado watches and warnings were issued across the region due to at least one confirmed tornado, which impacted the Jersey Village, Spring and Klein areas. Herman said via Facebook that over 100 homes were damaged due to the weather, and the constable’s office is deploying drones to conduct aerial assessments and locate injured residents.

Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey has also deployed trucks to clear debris and roadways following the storm and suspected tornado damage.

What’s next?: For fallen trees and debris along roadways, residents are asked to report it to Harris County Precinct 3 at 713-274-3100, or by submitting a report at www.pct3.com/service-request. 

Despite the heat and humidity in Texas, Houstonians can go ice skating in the Greater Houston area this holiday season. This is not a comprehensive list.

Ice at Discovery Green
Green Mountain Energy presents Ice at Discovery Green, where park-goers can enjoy skating in the heart of Houston. There will be multiple theme nights, such as DJ Skate Night Saturdays, Skating with Santa and Inclusive Skaters Night.

• Open through Feb. 2; operating hours vary
• $20.99; includes skates
• 1500 McKinney St., Houston

• Open through Jan. 19; operating hours vary
• $7 (age 5 and under); $15 (ages 6 and older); includes skates
• 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands

Home affordability in the Houston region has remained steady, according to the October housing affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The big picture: HAR reports single-family home sales rose 3.2% year-over-year compared to October 2024.

The average home price has remained flat at $423,955, while the median price of $330,000 has declined for the seventh month in a row.

HAR states the trend indicates that the market is gradually shifting toward a more balanced level after years of rapid price growth.

This year, voters in communities across Texas were skeptical of local property tax hikes and supportive of larger tax breaks for homeowners and businesses, results from the Nov. 4 election show.

The overview: Voters in Community Impact’s coverage areas approved just over half of the local bond propositions and tax rate elections on the November ballot, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Statewide, 40% of tax rate elections and 45.9% of bond propositions passed, according to Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican and property tax policy writer.

Zooming in: Cities, counties, school districts and other local government entities use funding from tax hikes to build new schools and facilities; hire educators and first responders; and maintain local infrastructure. However, amid high inflation nationwide, more Texas residents are tightening their belts and asking local officials to do the same, fiscal policy experts told Community Impact.

Local governments whose tax hikes were shot down are now grappling with how to make cuts while maintaining essential services, Community Impact reporting shows.