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Melanie D. White, founder and lead practitioner of Auxiliary Autism Programs & Services, transitioned from grant writing to autism therapy in 2020 after being inspired by a documentary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After earning a certification in Floortime autism, White spent time working at several Applied Behavioral Analysis autism centers where she said she realized there was something missing for individuals with learning differences.

About the program: With a staff of five trained therapists, Auxiliary Autism provides services for children ages 4-17 with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Down syndrome, dyslexia and other developmental and learning differences.

In addition, White said AU has plans to expand its services to young adults ages 18-24 early this year.

What else? Most recently, in August, AU added a full day program for a capacity of 10 kids in which children are able to learn with several strategies combined. With 90-day progress reports and one-on-one sessions with parents, AU tracks its students progress and evaluates the effectiveness of their tailored plan.

According to the National Weather Service, Winter Storm Fern is expected to move through the region starting Jan. 24 and bring freezing temperatures through Jan. 27. Officials with the NWS also noted wind chills will likely range from 5-15 degrees, which poses hypothermia and frostbite risks with prolonged exposure.

The update: Harris County and city of Houston officials announced 13 warming centers that will open Jan. 24, including:

• Acres Homes Multi-Service Center: 6719 W. Montgomery Road, Houston
• Bayland Community Center: 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston
• Denver Harbor MSC: 6402 Market St., Houston
• Fifth Ward MSC: 4014 Market St., Houston
• Fonde Community Center: 110 Sabine St., Houston
• Kashmere MSC: 4802 Lockwood Drive, Houston
• Magnolia MSC: 7037 Capitol St., Houston
• Metropolitan MSC: 1475 W. Gray St., Houston
• Moody Community Center: 3725 Fulton St., Houston
• Northeast MSC: 9720 Spaulding St., Houston
• Southwest MSC: 6400 High Star Drive, Houston

Three Democratic candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the March primaries.

The big picture: Harris County voters will be able to cast their ballots in the Democratic primary in March for former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, former Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer or local entrepreneur Matt Salazar.

Zooming out: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September she will not seek re-election for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county. Hidalgo has served as county judge since 2019 and was re-elected after winning the county seat during the November 2022 general election. Her current four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2026.

What residents should know: Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27. Election day is March 3.

Candidates responded to six questions including:

• Why are you running for Harris County judge?
• What are your top three priorities for constituents in Harris County, and why?
• What is your approach to collaborating with other commissioners to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions?

A far-reaching winter storm is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures, wintry precipitation and “dangerous ice” to Texas beginning Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service. As residents brace for days of potentially hazardous conditions, state leaders said Jan. 22 that the Texas power grid “has never been stronger” and will withstand the storm.

What's happening: Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 134 of Texas’ 254 counties, telling reporters that the northern two-thirds of the state—from San Antonio to the Panhandle—will be impacted by the storm.

Officials said they do not expect a repeat of the widespread power outages that occurred during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, emphasizing that changes have been made in recent years to harden the grid against extreme weather. The governor said some Texans could see “local, isolated” outages due to fallen tree branches or ice on power lines.

"The severity of it is not quite as great... as Winter Storm Uri," Abbott said. "That said, people would be making a mistake if they don't take it serious."