The following stories are in order of most page views.
1. Houston’s Backstreet Cafe to relocate to new River Oaks Space
In January, owners of Houston’s Backstreet Cafe announced that they would close the 40-year-old business to prepare to relocate to a new location in River Oaks. The company’s original location on Shepherd Drive was housed inside a 1930s home in the neighborhood.
While the original story noted that the space was anticipated to reopen in fall 2025, the owners posted an update on the cafe’s website with the summer of 2026 as its new reopening date. The new location is expected to be larger than the original location and include a second floor.
See the original story.
2. Gov. Abbott launches reelection bid, vows to end school property taxes
On Nov. 9, Gov. Greg Abbott announced his bid for a fourth gubernatorial term and laid out an ambitious six-pronged plan to make “out of control property taxes finished in Texas.” HIs goals include eliminating property taxes charged by public school districts, which make up the majority of an average homeowner’s property tax bill.
“It’s time to drive a stake through the heart of local property tax hikes for good,” Abbott told supporters during the Nov. 9 campaign at East River 9 golf course in Houston.
Read the full story.
3. A tale of two districts: Houston ISD state takeover still divisive despite student gains
In August, Reporter Wesley Gardner wrote an in-depth lead on the Texas Education Agency extending the state takeover of Houston ISD by two years and analyzed the areas where the district improved or declined since the initial takeover in 2023.
The story discusses significant changes in the district, including the implementation of the New Education System, or NES model, at 130 lower-performing campuses, recent STAAR results, A-F accountability ratings and teacher turnover rates.
Revisit the story.
4. Ballot set for Houston City Council At-Large Position 4
Fifteen candidates participated in a race to fill the vacant seat on Houston City Council in the November election. Candidates were asked to complete a questionnaire in September from Community Impact to gauge each candidate's experience, priorities and thoughts.
Since the original story ran Sept. 22, a winner has been claimed. Alejandra Salinas came out victorious against Dwight Boykins in a December runoff race. Salinas received 58.56% of the vote, which translated to 25,796 votes cast in her favor across Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.
Houston City Council canvassed the election on Dec. 23, declaring the official results of the special election. Her term will end Jan. 1, 2028.
To see election results, read here.
5. Kirby Ice House to open new Heights location in fall 2025
The owners of Kirby Ice House announced in late 2024 that the fourth location of the popular bar would open in the Heights in 2025 and consist of the longest bar in Texas at 146 feet. The location officially opened in August and now sits on a 3.5-acre lot located off Loop 610 near Ella Boulevard.
Kirby Ice House is known for its drink selection, including signature cocktails, over 50 beers on tap and wine options. The bar also includes indoor and outdoor seating, a rotating selection of food trucks and a handful of TVs for game days.
Click to see the latest update.
6. See all candidates running for Texas’ 18th Congressional District
Sixteen candidates participated in a race in November to fill the vacant Texas 18th Congressional District seat after incumbent Sylvester Turner died in March. Candidates were asked to complete a questionnaire in September from Community Impact to gauge each candidate's experience, priorities and thoughts.
During the November election, two democratic candidates emerged, triggering a runoff election in January. Voters will decide between Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards on Jan. 31, 2026. The winner will serve out the remainder of Turner’s term.
Check out the final election results.
7. The Ritz-Carlton to bring first branded residences, hotel to Houston
In September, officials with The Ritz-Carlton announced the luxury hospitality brand will be bringing its first-ever branded residences and hotel to Houston.
The luxury brand first broke into the Texas market in 2024 with the standalone Ritz-Carlton condominiums in The Woodlands. However, the Houston development will include the addition of the first hotel, along with private residences. The development will be located in the Uptown district.
See more details.
8. Texas homeowners could see larger tax breaks after Nov. 4 election
In October, State Reporter Hannah Norton wrote a story on state propositions 11 and 13 that were placed on the Nov. 4 ballot. Proposition 13 would raise the property tax exemption on a Texas homeowner’s main residence from $100,000 to $140,000, while Proposition 11 would raise the additional homestead exemptions for homeowners who are over 65 years old from $10,000 to $60,000.
During the Nov. 4 election, Texas voters approved all 17 of the constitutional amendments on the ballot, including propositions 11 and 13.
View the final voter results.
9. District Clerk Office launches Harris County’s only walk-in passport office
In May, a new walk-in passport office opened for Harris County residents on the first floor at 5900 Canal St., Houston. The building replaces the existing walk-in passport services offered at the county’s downtown civil courthouse.
Read the story here.
10. White Oak Bayou elevation project begins first steps on I-10 Katy Freeway
In January, the White Oak Bayou Elevation project kicked off on the I-10 Katy Freeway with lane closures. The $347 million Texas Department of Transportation project is intended to make improvements along the nearly two-mile stretch of I-10 from Heights Boulevard to I-45, elevating the highway to mitigate future flooding in the area.
The project scope includes elevating the five 12-foot-wide lanes in each direction, and creating a 10-foot-wide inside lane, outside shoulders and a 14-foot-wide high-occupancy vehicle lane in each direction. Additionally, the project will include constructing a 26-acre detention pond beneath the elevated I-10 main lanes and a 10-foot-wide shared-use path connecting to the existing trail system.
Read the full story.
