HTX-HRM: Impact 10/24/2025

Houston Mayor John Whitmire appointed five new directors to the Houston Public Library Foundation board, and City Council confirmed the appointments Oct. 22.

At a glance: According to an Oct. 22 news release, the five new directors include:

• Leslie Bacon, senior associate at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright
• Mary Catherine Blanton Jones, senior counsel at investment firm Centaurus Capital
• Mitra Murthy, banker at J.P. Morgan
• Danny Ward, co-founder and president of special events firm Ward & Ames
• F.N. Williams Sr., senior pastor at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church

The private school is set to build a new lower school building, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The overview: In the fall of 2023, St. John’s Board of Trustees finalized a plan that includes a list of renovations to take place over the coming years, according to the school’s website.

The campaign is the largest in the school’s history, and donors will determine the scope and timing of the project. Additionally, the website states the school will not take on more long-term debt to fund the projects or use tuition dollars.

📍 2401 Claremont Lane, Houston

Harris County Public Health officials announced the launch of an online, public dashboard aimed at informing the community about human cases of mosquito-borne diseases.

Explained: As of Oct. 16, at least 192 positive mosquito samples across the county have been identified. Throughout the year, HCPH’s mosquito and vector control department officials track, test, and eliminate disease-carrying mosquitoes in the county, according to an Oct. 17 news release.

A closer look: In 2025, HCPH confirmed West Nile virus in the northern section of the county including parts of Tomball, Spring, Humble, Cypress, Katy and Kingwood.

Quote of note: Jennifer Kiger, director of the county’s office of epidemiology, surveillance and emerging diseases department, said in a news release the new dashboard is for residents to stay informed about potential mosquito-borne diseases in Harris County.

“While our current case numbers are low, it’s still important for everyone to protect themselves from mosquito bites—especially during the warmer months when mosquitoes are most active,” Kiger said.