Take a look at the top five trending stories across all of Community Impact Newspaper’s coverage areas as of Oct. 12.

Note: The following stories were published between Oct. 8-11.

Statewide

Gov. Abbott signs executive order banning all COVID-19 vaccine mandates


The governor also sent a letter to the Texas Legislature, which would add a ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates to the third special session agenda.


Greater Houston

Cassandra’s Louisiana Kitchen opens off FM 1960 in North Houston


Owned by Quinn and Cassandra Johnson, the restaurant serves Louisiana-style dishes, such as boudin, gator bites and po' boys, as well as southern classics, such as fried okra and fried catfish.

ROUNDUP: Willis ISD celebrates 115 years; a new Mexican restaurant is coming to Montgomery, and more business news in the Conroe and Montgomery area


The Willis ISD Education Foundation hosted a fundraiser celebrating Willis ISD’s 115th anniversary Sept. 18.

Dallas-Fort Worth

Businesses in Frisco seek to solve area workforce shortage


Grace Zhao said she struggled for months to find employees for her Chinese restaurant in west Frisco.


In the spring, the Zhao Star China Bistro restaurant co-owner brought in a robot that delivers food from the kitchen to its diners. Zhao is sometimes the only person waiting tables, and the robot helps take some tasks off her plate, she said.

Central Texas

Austin Proposition A: Where the policing measure stands weeks from Election Day


Austinites will have the opportunity to vote on two local ballot measures and eight statewide propositions Nov. 2.


The first citywide ballot measure, Proposition A, concerns public safety and made it on the ballot following a petition drive by political action committee Save Austin Now. The language of the proposition—subject to a brief legal dispute between SAN and the city—asks whether the Austin Police Department must be staffed to a level of at least two officers per 1,000 city residents.

Jishnu Nair, Emily Lincke, Chandler France, Anna Lotz, Miranda Jaimes and Ben Thompson contributed to this report.