Texas News

Houston City Council will vote on whether to pay $403,000 to Nerie Construction, whose owner admitted paying bribes in a Houston waterline contract scandal. The payment involves work tied to federal HUD funds, and nonpayment could prompt a federal demand for up to $9 million from the city. The case stems from a broader “DRAINED” investigation into Houston Public Works, which exposed billing errors, contract mismanagement, and led to multiple indictments, including a 10-year prison sentence for former manager Patrece Lee.

A University of Houston report finds Houston ISD lost more than 13,000 students in the two years after the 2023 state takeover, with the steepest enrollment declines in kindergarten, first grade and ninth grade. The study also reports higher teacher turnover, a sharp increase in first-year teachers and a rise in uncertified educators to nearly one in five. Researchers say the district now serves fewer students and employs a less experienced workforce, offering data that may inform other Texas districts facing potential state intervention.

A new Compare the Market study ranks Houston as the fourth most anxious city in the U.S., based on Google searches for “anxiety symptoms.” Researchers analyzed one year of search data across major cities and found Houston recorded about 23,000 anxiety-related searches, placing it ahead of Atlanta, Dallas, San Antonio, and Las Vegas. The study identifies multiple Texas cities among the top locations for anxiety-related queries and uses search activity as an indicator of public concern, not formal clinical diagnoses.

Houston will host its first MLK Unity Parade in downtown Houston as two long-running Martin Luther King Jr. parades merge into one event. The Black Heritage Society and MLK Grande Parade partnered with the City of Houston to create a unified celebration featuring more than 300 parade units and an estimated crowd of up to 400,000 people. Mayor John Whitmire, Charles White, and radio personality Madd Hatta serve as grand marshals. Organizers plan to make the Unity Parade an annual tradition.

Texas families will be able to apply for Education Freedom Accounts, the state’s new voucher-style program, starting February 4, 2026. The article explains eligibility rules, income-based priority groups, disability considerations, and funding caps. It details how private school enrollment, contract terms, and deposit deadlines interact with state award timelines. It also reports rising private school interest in the Houston area and outlines steps families can take to research schools, verify accreditation, and plan for tuition costs if funding is not guaranteed.