Firework stands around College Station are gearing up for the annual New Year’s Eve rush, when patience is tested and pyrotechnic ambition runs high. Family-run spots like R&M Fireworks and TopDog Fireworks expect long lines as customers hunt for the perfect show - preferably with expert advice and minimal misfires. Owners say personal service keeps people coming back, even if it means waiting behind 30 others debating fountains versus finales. In short, the countdown to midnight has begun - and in Texas, it starts at the fireworks stand

A new projection from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that if sea levels rise by 10 feet, large chunks of coastal Texas would trade beachfront property for permanent waterfront - underwater. Cities from Galveston to Corpus Christi, along with wildlife refuges, hospitals and critical infrastructure, could be flooded, turning everyday tides into a public-health nightmare. Experts warn that even a much smaller rise of 2-5 feet could still overwhelm roads, homes and drinking water supplies, long before any sci-fi scenarios kick in. The takeaway: this isn’t a forecast for tomorrow, but a reminder that climate planning delayed is coastline lost - slowly, then all at once.

When checkout computers crashed at an H-E-B store in Burleson just before Christmas, the retailer solved the problem the old-fashioned way: by giving everything away for free. After customers waited up to two hours, a manager announced that full carts would be bagged and sent home at no charge, turning a tech failure into an instant holiday miracle. Shoppers cheered, cried, and declared their undying loyalty - because nothing builds brand trust like groceries you don’t have to pay for. In short, while the registers were down, H-E-B’s reputation rang up a perfect total.

Forget the January ritual of punishing workouts and joyless diets - this guide argues that real health has nothing to do with losing weight and everything to do with not hating yourself into burnout. Life coach Meg Ellis says resolutions built on shame predictably collapse by mid-January, while habits rooted in self-love actually stick. Her advice: move in ways you enjoy, add supportive habits instead of banning pizza, treat sleep and rest like essentials (not rewards), and redefine “consistency” as something flexible and human. In other words, wellness isn’t about fixing yourself - it’s about finally stopping the annual war with your own body.

After spending 40 days in the Chihuahuan Desert near Marfa, Belgian artist Honoré d’O turned isolation, dust, and time itself into Quarantaine-Quarantine, now filling the main hall of MACS. The immersive installation draws on his desert retreat-part spiritual detox, part observational experiment-to reflect on solitude, resistance, and humanity’s habit of turning even emptiness into a product. Videos, light, and air replace traditional objects, because apparently the desert doesn’t believe in white walls or neat conclusions. The result is an exhibition that invites visitors to slow down, get slightly lost, and briefly experience quarantine as something other than a Wi-Fi problem.

Texas’ new eviction law, SB 38, kicks in on January 1 after being signed by Greg Abbott, promising to “protect property rights” by making evictions faster and, critics say, renters’ lives harder. The law lets landlords seek court rulings without a full trial and forces tenants to swear under penalty of perjury that appeals aren’t just a stalling tactic-because paperwork now comes with extra stress. Supporters like Paul Bettencourt argue it targets squatters and chronic non-payers, while tenant advocates warn it could quietly boost homelessness across Texas. In short, evictions were already fast in Texas-now they come with express delivery, electronic notices, and even less room for mistakes.

Homeownership may still headline the American Dream, but in Texas, it now comes with fine print - and a calculator. New data from Redfin shows that while soaring prices have pushed many buyers out, a surprising number of Texas cities still let residents spend around 30% (or less) of their income on housing - the gold standard of “affordable.” Suburbs like Atascocita, Spring and League City top the list, where solid incomes quietly keep the dream alive. In other words, the Texas housing market isn’t broken everywhere - you just need the right ZIP code and a decent paycheck.

The city of Sherman is adding a seventh trash truck from January 5, proving that rapid growth eventually reaches even the garbage department. The extra truck will cut daily pickup loads from about 700 homes to a more humane 400-500, nudging Sherman closer to industry standards - and fewer missed bins. The upgrade comes with a reshuffled trash schedule affecting around 700 residents, so some people may wake up to discover their bins now have a new social calendar. City officials say the aim is faster, more efficient service - because nothing says progress like smoother rubbish collection.

Parents in the Texoma region are being spared the annual New Year’s Eve headache, thanks to a menu of family-friendly celebrations that don’t all require surviving until midnight. In Denison, the HeyDay is hosting an all-ages party with bowling, mini-golf and cocktails for adults who insist it still counts as parenting. For families with younger children, the Sherman Public Library offers a “New Year at Noon” celebration-confetti, balloon drops and zero bedtime negotiations. Elsewhere across Texoma, churches, skating rinks and community halls are filling the gap, proving that ringing in the new year doesn’t have to come with yawning kids or exhausted parents.

The Laredo Haynes Recreation Center turned community spirit into practice by hosting an inclusive activity fair that put adaptive sports and togetherness front and center. Families tried everything from boccia-yes, the Paralympic one-to arts, crafts and obstacle courses, with high school volunteers keeping things moving. Organizer Jenny Sanchez said the goal was simple: remind families with special needs that the city is finally showing up, not leaving parents to improvise support on their own. In other words, Laredo’s Parks and Recreation made the radical move of listening-and then actually doing something about it.

This March, NAWA Coffee House will open in Friendswood, fusing Middle Eastern coffee traditions with a sleek, modern interior. The name "NAWA," derived from the Arabic word for "seed," hints at roots, culture, and-presumably-a very serious approach to coffee. The cafe will open at 2210 S. Friendswood Drive, offering locals a fresh alternative to the traditional latte. In short, Friendswood will get a caffeine upgrade with a touch of tradition.

Wildlife Rescue of Central Texas is steadily building its first permanent facility in Bastrop, finally moving wildlife rehab out of spare bedrooms and into a space designed for the job. The nonprofit, Wildlife Rescue of Central Texas, is constructing care buildings and outdoor enclosures where animals can recover and relearn survival skills before release. Located at Bastrop, the site is expected to open by late March, easing pressure on a growing regional rescue network. In other words, Central Texas wildlife is about to get a proper rehab center - not just good intentions and borrowed garages.

Unique Kids Pediatric Dentistry is celebrating five years in Valley Ranch Town Center, quietly proving that gentle dentistry and anxious children can, in fact, coexist. The New Caney clinic opened in January 2021 and has spent half a decade making checkups less dramatic for kids - and parents - in the area. Backed by developer The Signorelli Co., the practice has become a steady fixture at Valley Ranch Town Center. In a world where businesses come and go, five years of calm cleanings is a milestone worth smiling about.

Houston’s airports are getting a biometric glow-up just in time for World Cup crowds, with George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport rolling out CLEAR eGates for members who enjoy skipping lines. The tech, developed by CLEAR in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration, promises identity checks in under five seconds - because patience is no longer a travel requirement. Officials say the timing is deliberate, with Houston set to host multiple matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and millions of extra passengers expected. In short, if airport security is about to get chaotic, Houston is betting that biometrics will keep things moving - at least for those who paid the membership fee.

Texoma rang in 2026 with alarms, smiles, and perfectly timed arrivals at two local hospitals. Texoma Medical Center welcomed baby Luis Angel just after dawn, while Mercy Hospital Ada followed up with Lakelynn Hobson early that afternoon. Both newborns arrived healthy, well-sized, and clearly unimpressed by calendars or time zones. Proof, once again, that New Year’s resolutions can wait - some people start the year by making headlines instead.

Texas is set to receive $281 million in the first year of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, giving it the largest single share of the new $50 billion fund - even as Medicaid funding was cut elsewhere by roughly $1 trillion. The money, allocated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under the Trump administration, is meant to stabilize rural hospitals that are quietly edging toward closure. While Texas gets more cash than any other state, it still ends up with the lowest per-resident rural payout in the country, thanks to its sheer size. Governor Greg Abbott called the funding “historic,” which is fair - though for many rural hospitals, it may be less a windfall and more a well-timed life raft.

The Brazos County Farmer’s Market rang in 2026 by reopening in Bryan, with vendors swapping small talk for New Year’s resolutions. Longtime seller Renee Britten of Castiron Apothecary said her goals include decluttering, hitting the road, and taking her dogs to shows - productivity, but make it wholesome. As a member of the Bulldog Club of America, she’s also aiming to network more, presumably between market stalls and dog rings. In short: fresh produce, fresh starts, and proof that even January optimism pairs nicely with a farmers market.

After years of pandemic-induced bedtime, Jim’s Restaurants is slowly remembering that San Antonio never really sleeps. The chain has brought back 24-hour service at its Broadway and Loop 410 location, and late-night crowds of bar-hoppers and airport travelers have quickly reminded management why all-night coffee and burgers once worked so well. CEO Jimmy Hasslocher says more locations could follow in 2026, with brand-new restaurants penciled in for 2027 - assuming the post-holiday buzz survives real life. In short: the grills are hot, the doors are open past midnight again, and Jim’s is betting that nostalgia, insomnia, and chicken-fried steak are still a winning combination.

The Hudson Volunteer Fire Department has finally ditched its museum-grade hoses for modern, high-pressure gear - and fires are noticing the difference. After years of pushing just 90 gallons a minute, the department is now meeting the 150 GPM standard, meaning faster knockdowns, quicker searches, and fewer “why isn’t this working?” moments. The upgrade comes just in time for an unusually dry winter in Hudson, where grass fires don’t wait for budget cycles. Best of all, the fix was paid for entirely by community donations - proof that sometimes the fastest response comes from neighbors, not bureaucracy.

In Longview, the owners of So Good Fireworks want customers to know that fireworks don’t magically disappear once the celebrations end - they’re stored with care worthy of ammunition. Owners Vonda and Kevin Moyers say unsold stock is fully inventoried, boxed, and locked away in dry, climate-controlled containers, because gunpowder ages better than most New Year’s resolutions. Properly stored fireworks, they insist, don’t even have an expiration date and can perform just fine years later. The reminder comes with a reality check: they may look fun and flashy, but handled carelessly, these crowd-pleasers can turn dangerous faster than a sparkler in small hands.

The Laredo Health Department is proving that fitness doesn’t have to involve sweat-drenched gyms or intimidating burpees by launching Chair One Fitness, a seated dance workout for all ability levels. Aimed especially at seniors and beginners, the low-intensity class keeps participants safely in their chairs while moving to music with simple routines. Sessions run every Tuesday in January from 10 to 11 a.m. at the health department auditorium in Laredo. In short, it’s exercise with no floor work, no pressure - and no excuses.