During an April 13 special session, city staff and council members discussed concerns about the Bellaire Family Aquatic Center.

The conditions: The pool at the aquatic center, which was built in 1956, has several high-priority issues that need to be addressed before summer, said Parks, Recreation and Facilities Director Ryan Smith. The report also included data about operating budgets, staffing costs and average usage. For example, Smith said the annual facility cost is approximately $90,000, with summer staffing costing an additional $82,000. 

Diving deeper: In Smith’s presentation to city staff and council members, he recommended addressing all high-priority issues and listed additional repairs that would be beneficial to have done before summer. 

What they’re saying: Smith also said that even though the pool is outdated, it is still structurally safe for use. 

Livewell Animal Hospital of Bellaire is officially accepting new patients ahead of its April 16 grand opening and ribbon cutting.

What they offer: The animal hospital offers services such as personalized care plans, preventative medications, testing and diagnostics, surgical procedures and advanced care for a variety of pets, including cats and dogs, according to its website.

Customers can receive dental care, microchipping, vaccines and pet nutrition advice in the hospital, as well as blood tests, spaying and neutering services, and emergency vet care.

Meet the team: The Bellaire location is run by veterinarian Lauren Suttle and hospital manager Adriana Franco.

• 5201 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire

West University Place officials want to better define which vehicles can be used on city sidewalks and which can only be used on the street.

What happened: After a lengthy discussion April 13, West U City Council unanimously agreed that the city should tighten the language to define which types of vehicles could be used on the sidewalk. However, after hearing some confusion from the police chief on how vehicles would be defined, council members decided to delay voting on the ordinance until there is further clarification.

Some details: The proposed ordinance would have included banning e-scooters and toy vehicles, such as a Barbie Jeep, on city streets, unless crossing at a crosswalk. The update also further clarified the definition of “self-propelled devices" and sets a $2,000 fine for violation, if passed. 

Stay tuned: Officials said they will come back with a “cleaned-up version” of the proposed ordinance at the April 27 meeting, with clearer language on the types of vehicles that will be included in the ordinance and where they can be used.

Houston, in partnership with the Houston Health Department and Texas Medical Center partners, released the first four months of data from a new firearm-injury tracking dashboard, the first of its kind in the U.S.

During the city of Houston’s April public safety committee meeting, HHD officials presented the findings of the SafeWatch dashboard.

What is it: Using Level 1 trauma center clinical data and citywide emergency response systems, the SafeWatch dashboard breaks down firearm injuries by age, race, sex, intent, outcome, location and risk factors.

The dashboard, which launched in December 2025, also breaks down whether the incidents were fatal or not, and if they resulted in an emergency department visit or a Level 1 trauma center visit. It is updated quarterly, city officials said.

Next steps: Officials said they are next hoping to integrate Level 2 and 3 trauma center data, add enhancements for a deeper dive into the data, and have regular task force meetings with partners at the Texas Medical Center to discuss trends found in the data.

Harris County commissioners are set to take up more than 400 agenda items April 16, including discussion about federally funded flood mitigation and recovery projects, affordable housing developments and the first annual status report of the county’s Climate Justice Plan.

At a glance: Commissioners are scheduled to hear a presentation on the implementation of the Harris County Climate Justice Plan, a multiyear climate resilience framework the court adopted April 10, 2025, per agenda documents. Staff from the Office of County Administration’s Sustainability Division will deliver the first report to Commissioners Court reflecting on a year of progress.

Also of note: The Harris County Flood Control District is expected to provide project-level updates to commissioners regarding local flood mitigation and recovery efforts that received funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. Staff from HCFCD will share a schedule detailing construction start dates, estimated completion dates, cost escalations and other updates for each project.

Stay tuned: Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. at 1001 Preston St., Houston.