A publication of working methods
Big City AI
Problems, tools, implementations, and results — plus live feeds the desk has subscribed to.
0 first-party stories · 112 live feed items · Updated 2026-10-02 · RSS
Intelligence brief
Latest
View allAstros players criticize booing fans: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the week
The Houston Matters panel of non-experts weighs in on stories from the week’s news and decides if they’re good, bad, or ugly.
Betting that Abbott will soon restore funding, some Texas agencies accept Flock’s offer to keep cameras on
Some local officials have suggested they expect Abbott will reinstate funding for the surveillance cameras, which are politically unpopular, after the election.
How Mike Morath’s agency helped get an AI tool in Texas public school classrooms
The State Board of Education raised concerns about Alpha School's AI tool. Then the Texas Education Agency helped pilot it in public school districts.
Local AI
All in Local AILocal restaurants help Galveston Bay Foundation rebuild oyster habitat through shell recycling
Instead of throwing away empty oyster shells, local restaurants across Galveston, Clear Lake and Houston are helping Galveston Bay Foundation put the shells back in the water to serve as a new home for baby oysters. The effort comes amid a growing need for oyster restoration across the Texas Coast.
NASA, SpaceX’s Crew-13 is onboard the ISS. After swapping places, Crew-12 could return Monday
The two missions, falling under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, will switch roles onboard the ISS before Crew-12 will fly back to Earth.
The battle for the U.S. House runs through South Texas. Here’s a cheat sheet to the top 5 races.
San Antonio and South Texas are at the center of five closely watched U.S. House races, with millions of dollars pouring into the campaigns.
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1636: Of Books and Learning
Episode: 1636 Of books and learning in nineteenth-century America. Today, thoughts on books and learning.
Business of AI
All in Business of AIICE officer shoots, injures man in Austin, officials say
The shooting in Austin, which injured Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, came more than two months after an ICE officer fatally shot a man in Houston.
Federal judge pauses Texas Republicans’ bid to close primaries
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk said in his ruling that he expects Republicans to succeed in restricting primaries to voters registered with the party during the next legislative session.
Feds reimburse Texas for $7.5 billion in border spending, ending delay
The grant program was created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which became law in July 2025.
T-Squared: Erin Thornton establishes the John Thornton Founding Fund
Her $1 million gift — including a $500k match — honors Tribune Founder John Thornton's vision, and asks the next generation to see themselves as founders too.