Good morning, Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi parks will gain new playgrounds, picnic tables, sports courts and an amphitheater this fall, with upgrades at four Northside parks due by September and the first phase at Commodore Park on North Padre Island in November, as announced on Aug.

25 (featuring a new North Beach trailhead).

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help a 15-year-old boy who lost his mother in a house fire on Aug.

19 in Corpus Christi, with funds to cover immediate needs and replace lost belongings. Donations are nearing its target as local community members continue to show support.

Hut8 presented plans for its Beacon Point data center to the Calallen ISD board on Monday (signing two leases totaling $19.6 billion) and addressed public concerns about noise, water, and electricity as community members shared feedback.

Firefighters responded Monday night to flames at Sonny's Barbacoa on South Port Ave (the restaurant is closed until further notice as an investigator looks into the cause), and no injuries were reported.

A 7-foot bronze statue of Farrah Fawcett skateboarding down the seawall was approved by City Council yesterday.

Donated by Friends of Farrah, it will soon be installed near the Art Center on downtown’s popular path.

Corpus Christi teacher Denise Caldera, ISD's 2026 Teacher of the Year from Galvan Elementary (part of CCISD), is a finalist for the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year award.

She will be interviewed with other finalists in October and the state winner will be announced Oct. 16.

Corpus Christi ISD leader Roland Hernandez was named a state finalist for Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards after committee interviews, and the final winner will be announced Oct.

10. The honor recognizes his strong advocacy for public education.

Corpus Christi ISD set the tax rate at $0.9583 per $100 on Aug.

24, keeping the rate unchanged while rising home values push the estimated median tax bill from $822 to $861 for 2026-27; the board made the decision as the district works to reduce a $2.7 million deficit.

After Corpus Christi ISD closed Martin Middle School for receiving D ratings — a record that now follows Cunningham Middle School at South Park — most of its students were reassigned and the new school must implement a TEA-approved turnaround plan.

An emergency order signed by TCEQ paused environmental water releases from Lake Corpus Christi (to Nueces Bay estuaries) on Aug.

25 to help build water supply during the drought. The order, requested by Corpus Christi and other local entities, will remain in effect for up to six months pending TCEQ review in September.

Corpus Christi moves to Stage 1 water restrictions as improved rain boosted reservoir levels.

City manager Peter Zanoni mentioned the change at Tuesday’s city council meeting and will officially announce it on Thursday, with residents and businesses encouraged to limit water for irrigation voluntarily.