Here are some news items to keep in mind this week if you live in the Richmond area. 

Rare solar eclipse set for Monday

1. The last solar eclipse to occur in the U.S. until 2024 will take place Monday starting at around 11:45 a.m. Here are ten things to know about the rare eclipse and places to view the event in Houston.  

City of Richmond Commissioner meeting

2. City commissioners will hold a regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the City Hall Annex. Items on the agenda including voting on the proposed 2017 tax rate and conducting a budget workshop on proposed revenues for fiscal year 2017-18.

Second Street Gate Outfall to be installed at Wessendorff Park

3. City Commissioners recently approved a Second Street gate outfall to provide protection to Wessendorff Park after the Brazos River flooding events in 2015 and 2016. Public works director Howard Christian said the gate outfall is imperative to protecting the park and the new trails system from flooding in the future.

“Any time the river rises and the city doesn’t experience localized flooding, we’re going to close that gate to keep the river out," he said. "If the river rises and we get a bunch of rain, we’ll wait until the levels equalize and we’ll open the gate.”

2017 Congressional update 

4. The Central Fort Bend Chamber will host Congressman Pete Olson for the 2017 Congressional Update from 7-9 a.m. Tuesday at Texas Safari Ranch. The House recently passed his bill, HR 806, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act, which will help states to better meet new ozone and air quality standards.

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting

5. The Fort Bend County commissioners will hold a regular meeting 1 p.m. Tuesday at the courthouse off Jackson Street. Items on the agenda include voting on the proposed 2017 tax rate for the county, which is set at .453 as well as setting a public hearing to increase the proposed rate on Sept. 13.

Steve Murdock talks at the Chamber of Commerce

6. The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will host Rice University sociology professor Steve Murdock for his presentation, Socioeconomic Trends in the Greater Houston Region at 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Registration is required.

Chamber closing

7. The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce will be closed Friday for remodeling and will reopen Monday, Aug. 28.