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New trail connections and park amenities are rolling out across Harris County Precinct 3, including in the Cypress-Fairbanks area, more than two years after the Parks and Trails Master Plan was initially outlined.

The big picture: Officials with Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s office said several projects have been completed since 2023, with additional trail links and park enhancements scheduled to continue through 2026 and beyond.

• Elizabeth Kaiser Meyer Park: Half a mile of the Gourley Nature Trail was reconstructed. New pickleball courts were added.
• Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve: A new playground, boardwalk and south trail connections were added. A new parking lot was completed.
• Russ Poppe Family Park: New pickleball courts were added.
• Dennis Johnston Park: Butterfly Garden received erosion improvements, while fresh gravel and pollinator-friendly flowers were added.
• Judge Ted Poe Community Center: The 8,500-square-foot center was remodeled and renamed.
• I.T. May Park: New pickleball courts were added.

The Cy-Fair ISD board may soon seek voter approval of a bond to fund nearly $1.75 billion in district upgrades, according to a Jan. 15 presentation to trustees.

The overview: CFISD's Long Range Planning Committee identified approximately $1.4 billion in Priority 1 needs for the district, including vehicle replacements, facility renovations and security enhancements, per the presentation. Additionally, an estimated $281 million is needed for Priority 2 upgrades and $24 million for other improvements.

Composed of parents and community members, the committee has been evaluating district infrastructure and programs since late September to identify areas needing investment over the next six years. The district last passed a bond in 2019. 

Another detail: CFISD officials said the district does not expect its property tax rate to increase if a bond is approved. However, it’s possible the tax rate—currently $1.0669 per $100 home valuation—could decrease if a bond does not pass.

What's next? The committee will make its final recommendation regarding a potential bond election to the board Feb. 5, per the presentation.  

On March 3, voters in the primary election will decide who will be the Republican candidate in the State Board of Education District 6 in November. Tiffany Nelson and Barbara Denson have filed for the Republican primary. 

The details: Republican incumbent Will Hickman is not seeking re-election.

The context: Michelle Palmer is running unopposed in the Democratic primary to be a candidate in the November elections.

GameStop, a large retail gaming hub in the United States, disclosed in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it closed 590 stores in fiscal year 2024 and expects to shutter a "significant number of additional stores" during FY2025.

What we know: While GameStop has yet to release a standalone press release on the closures, the company's SEC filing states that officials have conducted a "comprehensive store optimization review" and are identifying for closure based on market conditions and individual store performance.

In the company's documents, GameStop notes that a significant number of customers have chosen to download games instead of buying games physically in-store.

"If consumers’ preference for downloading video game content in lieu of physical software continues to increase, our business and financial performance may be adversely impacted," the filing states.

The projections: While GameStop has yet to release a formal list of all individual stores closing by city or region, an unofficial list has been compiled of stores that closed in January.  

Three Democratic candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Jasmine Crockett, Ahmad R. Hassan and James Talarico are competing for the Democratic nomination for a six-year term in the U.S. Senate.

The details: Each state has two U.S. senators, with Ted Cruz and John Cornyn currently representing Texas. Cornyn, whose seat is up for election, is running for reelection in an eight-way Republican primary.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.

Eight Republican candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Republican incumbent John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term as Texas' senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.

Seven Republican candidates are challenging Cornyn for the Republican nomination: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady, Wesley Hunt, Gulrez “Gus” Khan and Ken Paxton.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters on May 26.

Looking ahead: The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.