Fort Bend ISD will close seven elementary schools ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

What’s happening: The closures—located in the district’s northwest/central and southeast/central areas—were approved by the Fort Bend ISD board in multiple split votes at a March 9 board meeting.

Affected schools include:

• Austin Parkway Elementary
• Dulles Elementary
• Arizona Fleming Elementary
• Edgar Glover Jr. Elementary
• Mission West Elementary
• Ridgegate Elementary
• Sugar Mill Elementary

Specialty wholesale center The Halal Basket is coming to Sugar Land.

What they offer: The member-based, Halal focused marketplace, sources authentic hand-cut halal meats and grocery products that can be purchased for retail or in bulk, Vice President of Marketing Amna Haq said. The store sells fresh and frozen poultry and meats, along with deli items, dairy and dry groceries.

In their own words: "Our mission is to make high-quality halal food more accessible to our members and business partners by bringing trusted halal essentials together under one roof," Haq said. "We’re proud to offer authentic and verified halal products, including hand-cut options, so customers can shop with confidence."

• 10555 Synott Road, Unit C, Sugar Land

Houston Airport System officials are urging travelers to arrive early as TSA wait times may exceed two hours in some locations, HAS officials said in a March 8 news release. 

What's happening? Due to the partial federal government shutdown, TSA officers are working without pay creating staffing shortages that have led to longer than typical wait times at airports nationwide, including at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak said HAS is expecting about 2.2 million spring break travelers during the government shutdown.

"Spring break brings some of the busiest travel days of the year," Szczesniak said in a statement. "When more passengers meet fewer security lanes, wait times can grow quickly."

Keep in mind: At HOU, officials said travelers should plan to arrive four hours before their scheduled departure as TSA wait times may extend beyond two hours.

At IAH, officials said travelers should allow extra time for security screening, noting some international air carriers have recently moved from Terminal D to E.

Texas attracts dozens of company headquarters to the state annually, with at least 314 businesses moving their main office to Texas from other states between 2015-2024, data from the governor’s office shows.

Zooming in: At least 24 companies moved their headquarters to Texas in 2024, with more than half landing in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Two companies relocated from other countries, with data center developer Hive Digital Technologies bringing its home base from Canada to San Antonio and pharmaceutical company IntraBio Inc. moving its headquarters from the United Kingdom to Austin.

How we got here: State officials and experts said Texas’ economic incentives and light regulatory environment are key reasons why companies brought their operations to the state in recent years.

“Texas wants companies to move here, and [company leaders] know that,” Megan Mauro, interim president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, told Community Impact. “Our legislative policy is really impacted by the voices of employers here.”