Talks of a new joint pilot program being created between the City of West University Place and CenterPoint Energy officially began July 27 at a City Council meeting.

The local impact: If greenlit, the partnership would aim to reduce the frequency of power outages in the town’s residential areas through a task force specially designed to identify problematic vegetation in the community, according to agenda documents.

What happened: Mayor Pro Tem John Barnes and council member John Bertini led the discussion about how the idea for a new joint venture came to be and its rationale.

Barnes said that after attending a CenterPoint presentation for city staff in May, he found that the current methods residents use to report problems related to trees and vegetation in their neighborhoods have become fairly ineffective.

The specifics: Agenda documents from the July 27 meeting suggest that the joint pilot program could consist of a resident-led task force supported by the Public Works Department, CenterPoint representatives and other city officials as needed.

A new laundry pickup and delivery service is now serving customers across the Greater Houston area. LaundryGrab opened in early 2026 and is aimed at helping busy residents who would rather spend time with their families than do laundry.

How it works: The delivery-only service allows customers to place orders online or via the company's app. According to a July 27 emailed statement, workers then collect the laundry from the residents' doorstep, wash and fold or dry clean the items and then deliver them back within a 24- to 48- hour timeframe. Pickup and delivery are free. Services include:

• Washing and folding

• Dry cleaning

• Cleaning household and event linens such as comforters, bedding, sheets, towels and tablecloths

• Same-day service for urgent orders

Starting rates for a wash and fold service are set at approximately $3.95 per pound. Dry cleaning is priced per garment, starting at $2.95 per item.

• Locations vary, delivery only (no storefront)

Art galleries, local shops and restaurants throughout the Houston Heights will welcome thousands of visitors during White Linen Night, the neighborhood's annual celebration of art and community.

White Linen Night will kick off Aug. 1 from 6-10 p.m. along the historic West 19th Street.

The event: The annual event is described as a massive street fair patterned after a New Orleans festival hosted in the French Quarter, where visitors and residents wear upscale white attire to enjoy the summer and support local businesses, per the event's website.

The Feel Good Group, an event planning company, is partnering with the district's 19th Street Merchants Association, which represents the Heights' historic 19th Street shopping district, to host White Linen Night for the fourth year in a row. This year, the event is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

What you need to know: Tickets to the event are $20 and available online or at the event. Kids 12 and under are free. Guests can bring dogs, coolers and reusable cups. However, no glass is allowed.

Woodforest National Bank announced the appointment of Julie V. Mayrant as president and CEO as of July 15, via a news release.

Headquartered in The Woodlands, Woodforest has locations throughout the Greater Houston area and in the eastern and southern United States as well as several areas in the Midwest.

The backstory: Mayrant previously served as president and chief community banking officer, a role that oversees the bank's retail division. According to the news release, she has strengthened the bank's relationship-based approach to banking as well as worked to expand access to financial services.

Her start with the bank began with its first in-store branch in Conroe, according to the release.

Woodforest now has more than 740 branches in 17 states.

Across Texas, public school districts have approved at least 150 campus closures in the last three years as they grapple with declining enrollment, state accountability issues and hefty budget shortfalls.

What's happening: Among the closures are 56 schools in Community Impact’s coverage areas. Some districts have said that additional closures are not off the table.

Roughly 76,000 fewer students were enrolled in Texas public schools during the 2025-26 school year than the year prior. This marks the first non-pandemic enrollment drop in recorded history, according to Texas Education Agency data collected annually since 1987.

Analysts warn that this year’s enrollment decline is not a one-off, with demographics expert Bob Templeton predicting that enrollment could “drop over 100,000 kids” next year.

What they're saying: “This was a decision that I made, even knowing some of the challenges our students are going to face, because I think the alternative is untenable,” Fort Bend ISD board President Kristin Tassin said as the district voted to close seven elementary schools ahead of the 2026-27 school year.