Conroe - Montgomery Edition | February 2025

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Conroe Montgomery Edition VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 FEB. 26MARCH 25

Food assistance need rises

BY CARSON WEAVER

The Montgomery County Food Bank served an average of 85,000 people monthly in 2024, a 25% increase from just two years prior. Kristine Marlow, president and CEO of the MCFB, said clients range from seniors, people with one or more jobs to make ends meet, and families with young children. “I have found in my encounters with [clients], many of them … did not realize they were going to have to stand in a line and ask for food,” Marlow said. With the rise in demand, the food bank is undergoing a $6.5 million expansion , Marlow said. Meanwhile, the Commu- nity Assistance Center, a Conroe-based nonprot, has seen a 30% spike

Montgomery County Food Bank

FOOD FOR LIFE WAY

in service demand from 2023 to 2024, President Jennifer Hune said. As Montgomery County continues to grow and the cost of living rises, it’s led some people in the area to ques- tion if they’re able to feed themselves, Marlow said.

CONTINUED ON 20

Montgomery County Food Bank volunteer Thomas Jones has contributed over 950 volunteer hours since October 2019. The food bank is undergoing an expansion set to be completed in late spring.

COURTESY MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK

Also in this issue

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Education: Read more about the history of Montgomery ISD as the district celebrates its 100th anniversary (Page 17)

History: Get more information about the Conroe Community Cemetery, which received a Texas Historical Marker Feb. 15 (Page 19)

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About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Asia Armour Angela Bonilla Melissa Enaje Valeria Escobar Wesley Gardner Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Ryan Reynolds Nichaela Shaheen Jessica Shorten Haley Velasco Aubrey Vogel Kevin Vu Carson Weaver Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Chrissy Leggett General Manager cleggett@ communityimpact.com

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Impacts

celebrations such as graduation parties. • Opened in January • 100 Waterstone Drive, Ste. I, Montgomery • www.staysocialmoco.com 4 Silver Spoons The restaurant offers Indian cuisine with traditional recipes. • Opened Jan. 16 • 10463 Hwy. 242, Ste. 170, Conroe • www.silverspoonsusa.com 5 Crepes of Brittany The restaurant offers customers a variety of sweet and savory crepes. • Opened Dec. 11 • 19786 Hwy. 105 W., Ste. 100, Montgomery • www.crepesofbrittanytx.com 6 Buttermilk Events The event venue accommodates 50-60 guests for meetings and weddings. • Opened Jan. 1 7 333 Tattoo Studio The shop is led by owner Curtis Barker and four artists who work with clients to create their vision. • Opened Feb. 3 • 18020 Hwy. 105 W., Ste. 500, Montgomery • www.333tattoostudio.com 8 RayRays Cajun Crawfish Formerly a food truck, the restaurant opened in a permanent location with G’s Fish & Seafood. • Opened Feb. 14 • 4897 W. Davis St., Conroe • www.rayraystx.com 9 Le Creuset Le Creuset offers cookware and bakeware, including Dutch ovens and skillets. • Opened Feb. 10 • 306 N. Danville St., Willis • www.buttermilkcafe.org

Willis

Montgomery

1097

WATERSTONE DR.

LONE STAR PKWY.

N. DANVILLE ST.

LAKE CONROE

830

2432

OLD RIVER RD.

1484

149

2854

105

Conroe

KEENAN CUT OFF RD.

N. FRAZIER ST.,

336

METCALF ST.

3083

2 10

NEW DAY AVE.

FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE

1314

149

WEST FORK SAN JACINTO RIVER

1488

1 4

242

COLLEGE PARK DR.

PINECROFT DR. MEDICAL PLAZA DR.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

2 Kafe Boba Banh Mi The restaurant offers a variety of Vietnamese street food options. • Opened Jan. 3 • 870 New Day Ave., Ste. 300B, Montgomery • Facebook: Kafe Boba Banh Mi 3 The Social House by Inspired The event venue accommodates up to 35 people for

Now open

1 Next Level Urgent Care The clinic offers treatment for a range of non-life- threatening conditions. • Opened Nov. 22 • 10463 Hwy. 242, Conroe • www.nextlevelurgentcare.com

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• 14900 I-45 S., Conroe • www.lecreuset.com

• Opening in March • 900 New Day Ave., Ste. 800, Montgomery • www.woodforestwellnessspa.com 15 Kitchen Tune-Up The business will focus on kitchen transformations. • Opening in early 2025

Now open

10 Pho Saigon Oldie The restaurant serves a variety of Vietnamese cuisine. • Opened Jan. 10 • 870 New Day Ave., Ste. 300C, Montgomery • www.phosaigonoldie.com 11 Lone Star College-Montgomery The school has opened its new Maverick Care Center, which will support students by offering a variety of essential services, including a food pantry; a clothing closet; and mental health and crisis support resources. • Opened Feb. 6 • 3200 College Park Drive, Conroe • www.lonestar.edu 12 Welcome to the Oscar’s Menu items include options like coconut macadamia nut chicken strips and coffee-crusted pork chops. • Opened Jan. 21 • 107 Old River Road, Ste. I, Montgomery • www.facebook.com/welcometotheoscars Isaiah 117 House The nonprofit organization that cares for children awaiting foster placement opened a new house. • Opened Jan. 26 • Serves Montgomery and Walker counties • www.isaiah117house.com

• 1200 N. Frazier St., Conroe • www.kitchentuneup.com

Relocations

16 Montgomery Autism Center The center relocated from Hwy. 105 to Martin Road in Montgomery. • Relocated Jan. 6

20 The Daily Grind The coffeehouse is now open inside of Pacific Yard House. The Daily Grind offers customers a variety of coffee beverages that range from lattes to cold brew and has pastries like cookies and chocolate croissants for sale. Seats with tables are available with guest WiFi. • Opened in January • 101 Metcalf St., Conroe • www.pacificyardhouse.com

• 21501 Martin Road, Montgomery • www.montgomeryautism.com

In the news

17 321 SkinGlow The business is planning to open at The Market at Harper’s Preserve in Conroe, per a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 10350 Hwy. 242, Ste. 200, Conroe • www.321skinglow.com 18 Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center The medical center celebrated its 40th anniversary Jan. 15, according to a news release from the hospital. • 9250 Pinecroft Drive, The Woodlands • www.memorialhermann.org 19 The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County The museum celebrated 40 years in January. • 1506 I-45 N., Conroe • www.heritagemuseum.us

Conroe Connection Transit The bus service celebrated 10 years of transportation services. • www.conroeconnection.org

Coming soon

13 Clark Hearing The business will offer hearing evaluations, hearing loss solutions and custom hearing protection. • Opening in March • 16145 Hwy. 105 W., Ste. 300, Montgomery • www.clarkhearing.com 14 Woodforest Wellness Sanctuary & Spa The business will offer a variety of massage and body scrub services.

Closings

21 Cookie Co. The business closed its doors in Montgomery, according to a Feb. 15 Facebook post. • Closed Feb. 15 • 19792 Hwy. 105 W., Ste. 250, Montgomery • www.facebook.com/cookiecomontgomerytx

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Government

BY JESSICA SHORTEN

Montgomery County to pursue $480M road bond in May

Looking ahead

If the bond measure is approved by voters, the soonest commissioners will be able to receive bond funds is August, Robuck said. The first issuance would give each commissioner $30 million to work with through the end of 2025. County officials said public hearings will be scheduled in the near future to present projects to the public. Budget Director Amanda Carter said the county set up a question line for all public inquiries regarding the bond to prevent commissioners from violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. Questions can be sent to roadbond25@mctx.org, and they will be directed to the appropriate commissioner.

Montgomery County commissioners unanimously agreed Feb. 11 to pursue a $480 million road bond in May—the first bond initiative the county has put forth since 2015. During a special workshop on Jan. 31, commissioners received information from the county’s bond financial advisor John Robuck and bond counsel Marcus Deitz, who outlined three options for a May bond initiative. The presentation included options for no tax rate impact, a $0.005 tax rate increase and a $0.01 tax rate increase. Commissioners agreed to pursue the $480 million bond scenario officially on Feb. 11, which would have no impact on the county’s debt service tax rate if it is approved by voters May 3.

Bond scenarios considered Bond scenario 1: $450M-$480M • Tax rate impact: No increase • Amount per precinct: $120M

Bond scenario 2: $600M • Tax rate impact: $0.005 increase per $100 valuation • Amount per precinct: $130M-$160M Bond scenario 3: $750M • Tax rate impact: $0.01 increase per $100 valuation • Amount per precinct: $175M-$200M

SOURCES: MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BOK FINANCIALS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Government

BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN

Montgomery OKs feasibility study for potential Jack in the Box During its Jan. 14 meeting, Montgomery City Council approved an escrow agreement with KHR Properties and authorized the city engineer to conduct a feasibility study. After an initial 2-2 vote against the study, City Council eventually voted 3-1 to approve the study following further discussion about the city’s lia- bility regarding a no vote. Council member Cheryl Fox voted against. The details KHR Properties is proposing a Jack in the Box on a 0.76-acre parcel of land near Hwy. 105 and FM 149. The escrow agreement ensures the cost of the study will be paid by the developer and not the city, according to the agenda item. The study will

Conroe names new police chief, attorney Conroe City Council named Jon Buckholtz as the city’s new police chief during its Jan. 23 meeting. Buckholtz replaces Interim Police Chief Lee Tipton, who City Council appointed after accepting the retirement of Jeff Christy, as previously reported. Buckholtz comes from the Montgomery County District Attor- ney’s office where he served as a criminal investigator since 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile. Also on the agenda City Council also appointed Interim City Attorney Mike Garner as city attorney. Gar- ner has held the role of interim city attorney since May 2023, said Yanira Peres-Gutierrez, a staff member in Conroe’s legal department.

105

149

cost $5,000. The feasibility study, which is estimated to be completed in 47 calendar days, will survey the city’s water, wastewater and drainage systems, according to the agenda. After the study is complete, City Council will then vote to accept the results of the study, and another vote to approve the development would come later.

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Government

BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN & JESSICA SHORTEN

Montgomery PD starts new program Montgomery Police Department has launched a new program called “Take Me Home,” which aims to create a database of adults and children in the city and surround- ing area who have diculty communicating due to a developmental or cognitive disability. The database will be used to help identify individuals who are lost and return them to their caregivers, according to the city’s website. In a nutshell Individuals with Alzheimer’s, autism spectrum disorder, dementia and Down syndrome tend to be a risk for wandering, according to the city’s website. The program is the city’s way to help ensure individuals are returned home safely.

County terminates library director

“The future of the library system is vital to me and I will immediately begin a nationwide search for a new library director that shares the values of the community and respects the direction of Commissioners Court, who represents the people of this county.” MARK KEOUGH, MONTGOMERY COUNTY JUDGE

Montgomery County terminated Rhea Young, who served as executive director over the Montgomery County Memorial Library System, following concerns from the public voiced at Commissioners Court meetings regarding the availability of conservative literature. What you need to know Following a lengthy executive session Jan. 28, commissioners voted to have County Judge Mark Keough oversee the county library operations without formally terminating Young. However, in a news release to Community Impact , Keough’s oce conrmed Young was ocially terminated from her position Jan. 29. Commissioners then voted 4-1 on Feb. 11 to arm Young’s termination after she and a number of residents petitioned for her reinstatement.

How we got here In October, the county revisited its policy for reviewing library books for content inappropriate for children due to concerns the existing policy was not structured properly and allowing nonres- idents to report books to the review committee. According to previous reporting, the committee is comprised of ve citizens appointed by the county judge and commissioners for four-year terms.

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CONROE MONTGOMERY EDITION

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Models are not an indication of racial preference. Floor plans, maps and renderings are artist’s conception based on preliminary information, not to scale and subject to change. This is not an offer of real estate for sale, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. Pricing does not include options, elevation, or lot premiums, effective date of publication and subject to change without notice. All square footages and measurements are approximate and subject to change without notice. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. School enrollment and boundaries subject to change. Equal Housing Opportunity. 1/25 CM Find your dream home from the $300s-$800s

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY ANGELA BONILLA & EMILY LINCKE

Conroe ISD approves 2 new school boundaries The Conroe ISD board of trustees on Jan. 23 approved attendance zones for Eissler and Camp- bell elementary schools. Both schools will open in August. The discussion Eissler, a K-6 school, will feed into The Wood- lands High School and provide relief to Bush and Buckalew elementary schools as well as Mitchell and Deretchin intermediate schools. Campbell will provide relief to Suchma, Oak Ridge and San Jacinto elementary schools. Quote of note “Our backs are against the wall at Bush,” Assis- tant Superintendent of Operations Chris McCord said. “We’re bound on both sides by churches. We have no room for portables at all.”

Trustees approve new 2025-26 calendar On Jan. 24, Montgomery ISD’s board of trustees selected a calendar for the 2025-26 school year with an earlier start date than in the 2024-25 school year. In a nutshell State law requires 75,600 minutes of min- imum instructional time per school year, as previously reported by Community Impact . According to a Jan. 24 MISD news release, the approved calendar will include: • A start date of Aug. 14 for students • An end date of May 22, 2026 for students • 27 district-wide holidays • 15 student-only holidays where staff will work, compared to 16 on the 2024-25 calendar

Eissler Elementary School approved boundary

Eissler Elementary School

CARRIAGE HILLS BLVD.

1488

Campbell Elementary School approved boundary

1314

Campbell Elementary School

1488

242

SOURCE: CONROE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

New Homes Now Selling Nestled in Montgomery County, TX

Welcome to Clopton Farms , a new home community just off the beaten path and down scenic Rabon Chapel Road in Montgomery County, Texas. Farmhouse-chic homes and thoughtfully planned amenities go hand-in-hand in this tranquil spot. Choose from three collections of modern home designs on 50’-, 60’- and 70'-wide homesites, all with deep, oversized backyards. Check out resident-exclusive amenities like our future recreation center and sparkling pool, fitness center, playground, covered pavilion and miles of neighborhood walking paths. Then hook up your boat and grab your fishing gear — Lake Conroe is 1.5 miles away. Now Open! Tour three decorated model homes. Your new home is waiting for you. Scan the QR code to learn more about Clopton Farms or call 936-284-3620.

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The prices of our homes, included features, plans, specifications, promotions/incentives, neighborhood build-out and available locations are subject to change without notice. Stated dimensions, square footage and acreage are approximate and should not be used as a representation of any home’s or homesite’s precise or actual size, location or orientation. There is no guarantee that any particular homesite or home will be available. A Broker/Agent must register their client in person on client’s first visit at each community for a Broker/Agent to receive a commission or referral fee, if available. Not all features and options are available in all homes. Unless otherwise expressly stated, homes do not come with hardscape, landscape, or other decorator items. Any photographs or renderings used herein reflect artists’ conceptions and are for illustrative purposes only. Community maps, illustrations, plans and/or amenities reflect our current vision and are subject to change without notice. Photographs or renderings of people do not depict or indicate any preference regarding race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, familial status, or national origin. Our name and the logos contained herein are registered trademarks of Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. © 2025 Tri Pointe Homes Texas, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY EMILY LINCKE

From 19291958, the Lawson School served Black students in the area.

COURTESY MONTGOMERY ISD

MISD’s courses throughout history 1895: Subjects vary with an emphasis on: • Math • Grammar • Latin (for advanced students) 1926: Course options grew to: • English • Math • Agriculture • Home economics 2025: Course options now cover multiple subjects and career paths, including: • English, math, science, social studies • Career and technical education • Fine arts • Foreign language • Advanced Placement and college credit

Montgomery High School’s original building stood along FM 149 until it was destroyed by a re in 1983.

COURTESY MONTGOMERY ISD

Montgomery ISD marks 100 years of student learning

Over the course of 100 years, Montgomery ISD has grown and evolved, beginning as one school building for the children of local pioneer settlers before becoming the 9,900-student district of modern-day, district leaders said. Marking a milestone In 1848, MISD’s rst schoolhouse was built, according to historical documents created by MISD leaders for the district’s 100th anniversary. The building served the children of the former Lake Creek Settlement and featured partitioned classrooms for boys and girls, a large replace, a blackboard and a writing desk. It wasn’t until 1925 that the Texas Legislature’s Senate Bill 441 created Montgomery ISD. The new district consolidated multiple school districts.

Looking back According to MISD documents, after the district was ocially founded, it underwent multiple signicant historical events, including: • 1920s: Mildred Price became the rst female school board member for Montgomery schools • 1925: P.S. Mangum became MISD’s rst superintendent • 1970: MISD’s segregated high schools were integrated Quote of note “Documenting and reecting on our past helps us remain true to the values and characteristics that have made MISD successful,” Superintendent Mark Run said via a Feb. 6 email statement.

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Montgomery ISD boundary

LAKE CONROE

149

1097

105

2854

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CONROE MONTGOMERY EDITION

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History

BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN

Cemetery specics

The cemetery contains 372 graves

Only 46 have been identied

Over 700 volunteers since 2019

name after 128 years of not having a sign or an ocial title,” Meredith said. Many graves were located using metal detec- tion, cadaver dogs and other methods. Meredith said a lot of what helped them identify graves was the depressions in the ground. Traditional African American burial customs were also found. What we know Several people of historical signicance are buried at the site, Meredith said. James Pitts was recognized in 1942 as a leading Black educator in Texas. Mittie J. Washington Turner Campbell, the rst Black female principal in Conroe ISD, was an advocate for education. “She was the driving force behind fundraising for the Black school,” Meredith said. The research of her from the cemetery helped name a CISD school in her honor. Diving in deeper Meredith said the reason he pursues this resto- ration project is to preserve the stories of those lost. “If we don’t preserve these stories, they disap- pear,” Meredith said. “We speak for the dead. ... If we don’t say something, they really are dead. ... So we’re trying to bring to life some people that are really forgotten out here.”

Conroe Community Cemetery

A Texas Historical Marker has been awarded to the site with a ceremony that took place Feb. 15. Descendants gathered at the event to commemorate the lives of their ancestors.

NICHAELA SHAHEENCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Conroe Community Cemetery receives a Texas Historical Marker The Conroe Community Cemetery, a Black burial site dating back to at least 1892, was long neglected and nearly forgotten. In 2011, genealogist Jon Eden discovered its overgrown grounds while cataloging graves in the nearby Oakwood Cemetery. “You did not know there was a cemetery here,” John Meredith, president of Conroe Community

Cemetery Restoration Project, said. “Young people had no idea, and even older people rarely went in.” Now, a Texas Historical Marker has been awarded to the site with a ceremony that took place Feb. 15. Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Phi Iota Zeta Chapter celebrated six of those buried by giving gravesite presentations of their lives and descendants of those buried throughout the cemetery were in attendance. The background In 2016, Eden founded the nonprot Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project to begin restoration eorts. “[Conroe Community Cemetery] nally got a

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Food assistance need rises From the cover

The overview

Percentage of Montgomery County households under the ALICE threshold in 2022

The ALICE (asset limited, income restrained and employed) threshold represents the minimum income level necessary for household survival, based on costs for everyday essentials like housing, transportation, food and child care.

Number of households

Percent below threshold

The Montgomery County area grew24.3% between 2018-2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Marlow said she believes that growth has played a large part in the increase in food assistance demand in the area. In November, the MCFB served a record-high 97,000 clients , Marlow said. The CAC has served 4.2 million pounds of food to more than 42,000 county residents since 2021, Huffine said. Another area nonprofit, Meals on Wheels of Montgomery County, currently has over 1,000 clients and has had nearly 4,000 total clients since 2015. “Rising costs for housing and essential needs have forced families to make increasingly difficult decisions,” Huffine said. According to 2022 data from United for Alice, in all eight ZIP codes that make up Community Impact’s Conroe and Mongomery coverage area, more than a quarter of households earn below the minimum income needed for household survival. ZIP codes 77301 and 77306 account for over 16,000 households in the county and have at least 50% of households below the ALICE—asset limited, income restrained and employed— threshold.

77356

77318

77303

44%

35%

36%

13,179

8,003

7,235

77316

77304

77301

105

55%

27%

46%

16,525

11,240

10,469

249

77302

77306

42%

51%

6,458

5,017

SOURCE: UNITED FOR ALICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The action taken

Also of note

To address the need for food assistance, the MCFB’s $6.5 million expansion will help provide over 1 million more meals a year, Marlow said. The food bank has large amounts of fresh produce available but hasn’t been able to take it all in due to space constraints. The expansion, however, will increase the size of the produce rescue center by four times, Mar- low said, keeping more food waste out of landfills and providing healthy foods that are otherwise expensive to get. “We were at a point where we were not able to accept the abundance of fresh produce that was available to us,” Marlow said. “We were actually leaving donated food on the table.” The expansion is set for a late spring opening, Marlow said.

The CAC, Huffine said, also addresses long-term stability by connecting clients to case managers through its Hand Up Initia- tive and has introduced pop-up produce markets to ensure families have access to nutritious food options. “The need in our community will always be greater than the resources available,” Huffine said. “But that won’t stop us from doing everything we can to serve those who turn to us for help.” Carrie Watkins, president of Meals on Wheels Montgomery County, said the average time a client stays on its service is five to 10 years. Beyond its meal delivery service, Meals on Wheels Montgomery County also runs free, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant buses to transport senior citizens in the county, Watkins said.

The food bank expansion will:

Add 18,100 more square feet to the nonprofit’s facility

Add 3,000 square feet to the produce rescue center

Increase freezer and refrigerator storage space by 43%

Add over 5,000 square feet of food sorting workspace and storage

Double as an event space which allows for 80+ people

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY CARSON WEAVER

Zooming out

How to help

Food insecurity in Texas as of 2022

Over 4.9 million Texans were food insecure in 2022, according to Feeding America, a nation- wide network of food banks and local meal programs. In 2022, Texas had a food budget shortfall of $3.18 billion, which is the amount needed to purchase just enough food to meet food insecurity needs in the state. Texas had a 16.2% food insecurity rate in 2022, above the national average of 13.5% , according to Feeding America. Watkins, who is also a Meals on Wheels Texas board member, said educating politicians and decision-makers about the issues affecting the state plays a big role in getting local organiza- tions funded. “Those dollars that come from the top are critical for all Meals on Wheels,” Watkins said. “We all use those funds to be able to keep our services in place.”

Texas population

Child population

Those interested in volunteering, giving financially or donating food can visit the following websites to find more information.

Food insecurity population

Montgomery County Food Bank 1 Food For Life Way, Conroe www.mcfoodbank.org Community Assistance Center Montgomery County 1022 McCall Ave., Conroe www.cac-mctx.org

4.9M

1.7M

Food insecurity rates

22.8%

16.4%

Meals On Wheels Montgomery County 111 S. 2nd St., Conroe www.mowmc.org How to receive help: Visit www.mcfoodbank.org to find a map of food pantries, fresh produce markets or mobile markets in the area.

Ineligibility for federal nutrition programs

35%

55%

Annual food insecurity budget shortfall: $3.18 billion

SOURCES: MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK, COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER, MEALS ON WHEELS MONTGOMERY COUNTY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: FEEDING AMERICA/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

Hwy. 242 median concept design approved The Woodlands Township board of directors approved a concept design Jan. 16 for the Hwy. 242 median being constructed by the Texas Depart- ment of Transportation for $700,000 as part of a traffic flow enhancement project. The context The median design is part of a number of lane improvements along the 4.36-mile stretch of Hwy. 242 from I-45 to FM 1488 by TxDOT such as widening and restriping. John McGowan, the township’s director of parks and recreation, said the new medians would include foliage shared across all township entry signs and medians. TxDOT will fund the landscaping and median construction as part of the agreement made with the township in 2022, which only required the township to cover the cost of a conceptual design. According to contract documents between the

IAH Terminal B lobby to close until 2026 The Terminal B lobby at George Bush Intercontinental Airport temporarily closed beginning Jan. 21 due to progress in the $2.5 billion expansion of the terminal, per a news release from United Airlines. The terminal, where passengers currently check in for flights, pass through Trans- portation Security Administration security and claim baggage, is expected to reopen in 2026, per the release. The background The terminal’s expansion broke ground in November 2023, Community Impact previously reported, and is expected to be completed by 2028. The project is set to include 40 new gates, new United Club Early bag storage facility and two concession hubs.

County looks to widen Kuykendahl Road Montgomery County Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley on Jan. 22 presented a potential plan to widen Kuykendahl Road to members of The Woodlands Township board of directors which he said could be funded through future county bond elections. At the meeting, Riley said the road would be expanded between FM 1488 to Research Forest Drive and include: • An increase from two to four lanes • Additional traffic signals to Kendall Green Drive • Turn lane improvements The conditions Riley said if the May bond election called by county commissioners receives voter support, it will be several years before construction can begin after engineering and design work is completed.

Officials approve $61M IAH upgrades The George Bush Intercontinental Airport is set to start construction this year on two taxiway improvements after Houston City Council approved the $61 million project during a Feb. 5 City Council meeting. About the project The project will have New York-based Posillico Civil working on the improvements for taxiways SA and SB. Taxiways SA and SB run east to west just south of Terminal E, according to the airport diagram. The Houston Airport System public information office said in a Feb. 6 email that the projects are necessary to maintain the airfield safety standards and address existing deterioration.

Hwy. 242 construction area

1488

Traffic signal

1488

242

KENDALL GREEN DR.

242

However, Riley said he has budgeted $8 million toward designing the project as part of the current bond planning process. The full cost of the project was not discussed at the meeting, and construc- tion would be funded by future bonds, he said. Township board member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs said her main concern was managing speeding along the roadway and ensuring there would still be natural barriers to block out noise pollution.

township and TxDOT, construction on the median improvements is set to begin in late 2025. Quote of note “We believe that [Hwy.] 242 should look like the rest of our main thoroughfares, and whatever we’ve got to do to make that happen ... [we’ve got to] make sure that we’re on top of that,” said Brad Bailey, chair of The Woodlands Township board of directors.

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FIRST EDITION!

A TOUR OF THE STATE, MADE ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT FEBRUARY 2025

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

EXCURSIONS: A Port Aransas Quest CRITTER: Black-Tailed Prairie Dog OUT THERE: Meanwhile, in Texas MADE IN TEXAS: A Western Wear Pair FEATURE PREVIEW: Panhandle Fires, One Year Later

Above: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, in Port Aransas.

CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION

TEXAS MONTHLY FEBRUARY 2025

Dear Fellow Texan, WELCOME

I couldn’t be prouder and more excited to bring you this special edition of Texas Monthly ’s February issue within the pages of Community Impact . One great Texas institution meets another. Community Impact and Texas Monthly have shared goals: to equip you with the news and perspectives that help you understand your state and your neighborhood and inspire you to engage with the people and places that surround you. Each month, we’ll provide you a kind of sampler of what Texas Monthly has to offer. Food, drink, travel, critters, and a taste of some of the award-winning storytelling Texas Monthly is known for. Enjoy the next few pages, thank you for welcoming us into your home, and please consider subscribing to Texas Monthly. —ROSS McCAMMON

EXCURSIONS Among the Craniacs North America’s tallest bird stalks Port Aransas once again. Its fans are back too. BY ROSE CAHALAN

I'M LEANING ON the rail of the Scat Cat, a red-and-white charter fishing boat in Aran- sas Bay, when two bottlenose dolphins leap majestically out of the water alongside our wake. The midday February sun gleams on their fins as the pair chases us. “Look!” I shout. A few of my sixty or so fellow passengers turn to watch, but this is only a warm-up for the real stars of the show: the whooping cranes. Today’s tour is part of the Whooping Crane Festival, an annual four-day winter celebra- tion of one of the continent’s rarest avian

species—and its tallest. About two thousand birders have descended on Port Aransas, a Gulf Coast town of around 2,900 residents on Mustang Island, for the twenty-seventh iteration, which is packed with more than fifty events, including birding tours and lectures by scientists. (This year’s festival happens February 20–23.) Before the arrival of European settlers, more than ten thousand of these birds soared across the continent, but habitat destruction and overhunting drove them to the brink. By

EDITOR IN CHIEF, TEXAS MONTHLY

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Its Reputation As a Ranch Pest Is Changing. The most common of the five species of prairie dogs in North America, these charismatic creatures today inhabit only about 2 percent of their native range, which once covered roughly 100 million acres of the Great Plains. Agriculture and urban development have consumed much of that habitat, and some ranch- ers, worried that these prairie dogs were competing with cattle for grass, exter- minated them. It turns out, though, that they are beneficial for grasslands. SO HOW DO THEY HELP? Prairie dogs nibble down the woody shrubs that could hide their predators and that often take over grasslands. This preserves habitat for birds and animals such as pronghorn. Plus, the rodents’ digging mixes and aerates the soil, and their scat provides nutrients. HOW DO WE KNOW FOR SURE? Scientists collected data from a group of GPS collar–wearing cattle that grazed on three pastures within a pre- serve. In warm seasons, the herd spent more time on the prairie dog colony than in areas outside it. I HEARD THEY CARRY PLAGUE. IS THAT TRUE? Prairie dogs are susceptible to the syl- vatic plague, caused by the same bac- terium as the bubonic plague. But it’s primarily fleas, not rodents, that spread it. At a respectful distance, you can en- joy them without fear. —Robyn Ross CRITTER BLACK�TAILED PRAIRIE DOG

early efforts to revive whooping cranes with captive breeding. During several breeding seasons in the late seventies and early eight- ies, he even lived in a shed with a female crane named Tex, who had imprinted on humans after hatching at the San Antonio Zoo. “Cranes require a great deal of space,” Ar- chibald said. “Each species selects a different type of wetland or grassland.” Unfortunately, those are some of the most easily destroyed habitats: With no trees to cut down, develop- ers can simply pave them over. Captive breed- ing has played a crucial role in the comeback of the species. In the past decade, the Dallas Zoo has picked up the baton, as one of seven organizations in the U.S. and Canada to carry on Archibald’s legacy of breeding baby whoop- ing cranes to release in the wild.

1941 only 21 whooping cranes were left in the wild. Today, after decades of extensive conservation work, there are about 700 wild whoopers left. Wherever there are cranes, there are crani- acs. The birders who visit Port Aransas—“We estimate the economic impact to be near $1 million,” says Brett Stawar, president and CEO of the town’s tourism bureau—bring with them an intense enthusiasm. The undisputed king of the craniacs is George Archibald, the 78-year-old cofounder of the International Crane Foundation. Archibald was a leader in

A birder at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, in Port Aransas, on December 14, 2024; birders in Port Aransas; a sign at the preserve.

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