Katy South - Fulshear Edition | April 2025

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Katy South Fulshear Edition VOLUME 13, ISSUE 8 APRIL 12MAY 15, 2025

2025 Higher Education Guide 2025 Voter Guide

Working on workforce Senior computer engineering students take courses at University of Houston at Katy’s capstone laboratory, completing projects alongside their peers and professors. Engineering programs like these could expand if the college receives $165 million from the Texas Legislature this session for a new academic building in Katy. (Jamaal Ellis/Community Impact) Industry demands fuel Katy college’s state request for new building

University of Houston at Katy

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Also in this issue

Impacts: Learn about the inspiration behind fashion brand Consuela, which debuted in LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch (Page 6)

Election: See who’s on May’s ballot and how candidates responded to our questionnaire (Page 10)

Care you need. One convenient location. A variety of health care services for you and your family is always close by. Our Convenient Care Centers offer primary care, imaging, physical therapy and a 24/7 ER. Schedule an appointment at any of our seven locations. memorialhermann.org/ccc

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KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

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Impacts

GEORGE BUSH PARK 5 Invista The Kansas-founded company produces chemical intermediates, fiber and resin, which are used to make everyday products. The nearly 40,000-square-foot facility in Katy will employ more than 50 staff members who include engineers and data scientists. • Opened Feb. 11 • 21920 Merchants Way, Katy • www.invista.com 6 The Enrichery The business provides academic support, test preparation and counseling for college admissions for students in grades K-12. • Opened Feb. 13 • 5300 Ranch Point Drive, Katy • www.theenrichery.com 3 Jallikattu Authentic Indian Grill The menu features a variety of south Indian dishes, including samosas, tandoori chicken, various curries, fried rice, roasted crab and vegetarian options. • Opened Jan. 31 • 1165 Katy Fort Bend Road, Ste. 120, Katy • www.jallikattuindian.com 4 Game Over Escape Rooms Patrons can choose from five themed rooms where they will try to escape by finding clues and solving puzzles in under 60 minutes. • Opened Feb. 3 • 25705 Katy Freeway, Ste. 140, Katy • www.katy.escapegameover.us 7 EoS Fitness The facility is open 24/7 and features cardio equipment, free weights, group fitness classes, indoor green turf and a cardio theater where members can watch movies

PEEK RD.

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CANE ISLAND PKWY.

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MAP NOT TO SCALE

723 2 Gyro Republic The eatery offers gyros featuring halal meat, rice bowls, salads, pita sandwiches and loaded fries. • Opened in late December • 2716 W. Grand Parkway N., Katy • www.gyrorepublic.com

Fulshear

Now open

while working out. • Opened Feb. 27 • 22314 FM 529, Ste. 100, Cypress • www.eosfitness.com

O 1 Cheeky Monkeys The indoor play venue offers softplay areas based on Montessori principals for children age 8 and younger. • Opened Dec. 3 • 26440 FM 1093, Ste. C, Richmond • www.cheekymonkeys.us

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8 Alliance Fencing Academy The Houston-based fencing school offers group and

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• Opened March 28 • 2717 Commercial Center Blvd., Ste. D110, Katy • www.chewy.com 14 Jeremiah’s Italian Ice The eatery’s signature treat, the Jelati, layers any flavor of Italian ice with the brand’s creamy and soft ice cream. • Opened April 3 • 28840 FM 1093, Fulshear • www.jeremiahsice.com

private classes for children and adults as well as camps. • Opened March 3 • 11555 Gaston Road, Unit C, Katy • www.alliance-fencing-academy.com

Now open

9 Pickleball Katy and Schafer Badminton Academy

The joint facility offers a weight room and memberships for 24-hour access to pickleball and badminton courts as well as day passes. The facility will feature a bar with beer, soft drinks and snacks. • Opened March 15 • 24825 Roesner Road, Katy • www.pickleballkaty.org • www.schaferbadminton.com 10 Crust Pizza Co. The Chicago-inspired eatery offers specialty thin-crust pizzas, calzones, pastas, salads, flatbread sandwiches and desserts. • Opened March 15 • 24826 Morton Ranch Road, Ste. 800, Katy • www.crustpizzaco.com 11 Airi Ramen and Sushi The restaurant serves Japanese-style ramen, sushi, poke bowls, bao and some Chinese food.. • Opened March 15 • 24826 Morton Ranch Road, Ste. 700, Katy • www.airiramen.com 12 Steadfast Primary Care The clinic offers immunizations; annual physical exams; diagnostics for acute symptoms such as ear infections, strep throat and the flu; and treatment for chronic illnesses including diabetes, asthma, hypertension and elevated cholesterol. • Opened March 17 • 28432 FM 1093, Ste. A, Fulshear • www.steadfastprimary.com 13 Chewy Vet Care The online pet retailer’s new clinic offers services such as routine appointments, urgent care, vaccinations, dental procedures and surgery for pets.

Coming soon

15 Pastel Pizza The Katy-based eatery will sell an Americanized version of traditional Venezuelan street food, called pastelitos, which are puff pastries filled with ground beef, chicken or queso fresco. • Opening in late April • 4747 FM 1463, Ste. 800, Katy • www.pastelpizza.com 16 Culver’s The menu will feature sandwiches, chicken entrees, cheese curds and its signature butterburgers. The restaurant also offers frozen custard with a variety of

19 Consuela The fashion and lifestyle brand with headquarters in Austin and Mexico unveiled its new flagship store design at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. Consuela is known for its textural, handcrafted handbags and accessories that include bag straps, wallets, bag charms and cosmetic cases. The store features a pink tile exterior, custom iron fixtures, and handcrafted wooden displays and elements. • Opened March 27 • 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Ste. B150, Katy • www.consuelastyle.com

mix-in and topping options. • Opening in late summer • 3133 Peek Road, Katy • www.culvers.com

Jacob Robinson gain a $200,000 investment to help his business’ nationwide expansion. • 5000 Katy Mills Circle, Katy • www.digworldnation.com

17 The UPS Store The nationwide business will offer customers services such as packing, shipping, printing and faxing, shredding, mailboxes and notary. • Opening in late summer • 29907 Jordan Crossing Blvd., Ste. 800, Katy • www.theupsstore.com

Closings

20 Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant Officials cited “circumstances beyond our control” as the reason for the Tex-Mex restaurant chain’s closure. • Closed Jan. 27 • 24600 Katy Freeway, Ste. 1020, Katy • www.abuelos.com

In the news

18 Dig World The park scored a new investor through “Shark Tank.” The episode aired March 14 and shows Dig World owner

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KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

Government

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Fort Bend County to open 2nd all-abilities park in Fulshear A superhero-themed all-abilities park is com- ing to Fulshear after City Council approved an interlocal agreement March 18 to allow Fort Bend County right-of-way access to complete the park. The estimated $3.4 million Super Dave’s All Abilities Park at 4200 Katy Fulshear Road will pro- vide accessibility for all children, including those with disabilities, Darren McCarthy, county parks and recreation director, said in an email. County parks bonds will fund the 1.6-acre park, the second all-abilities park the county is spearheading. Going forward County commissioners approved the agreement at a March 25 meeting. The county will advertise the project for bid during the third quarter of this year, McCarthy said.

Fulshear terminates attorney Byron Brown Fulshear Attorney Byron Brown was fired March 4 after a vote by City Council. The decision to change legal counsel was made as the city faces challenges and oppor- tunities with rapid growth, Mayor Don McCoy said in an email. The personnel matter was decided in an executive session, so the city cannot share why the contract was ended. “Our focus remains in ensuring the city is well-positioned to meet the needs of our community while maintaining transparency, efficiency and sound legal guidance,” McCoy said in the email. Next steps Assistant City Attorney Josh Green and the city’s third-party legal firm, Olson and Olson, will oversee attorney duties until a new city attorney is hired, officials said.

Super Dave’s All Abilities Park

1463

TWO GUN WAY

Park amenities

3 play zones tailored to different age groups

A splash pad

Fully accessible pathways

A pavilion

Direct trail connection to Cross Creek Ranch

SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Construction is anticipated to begin in the second half of this year, with the park’s opening planned for mid- to late 2026.

Fulshear OKs additional cellphone tower on FM 359

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two additional carriers. In case you missed it

Fulshear City Council approved a special use permit March 18 for AMS Wireless to build another telecommunications tower at 6510 FM 359 to improve cellular connections as demand increases. Zooming in The 150-foot-tall monopole tower will have AT&T as the anchor tenant, Planning Director Josh Brothers said. The site also has the capacity to house

N. FULSHEAR DR.

Previously, City Council approved a special use permit with Vertical Bridge on Feb. 18 to construct a telecommunications tower at the Cross Creek Bend Water Plant. Verizon will serve as the anchor tenant for the tower with the capacity to house two additional carriers.

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Development

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Tesla plans $150M battery factory in Brookshire

Tesla plans to invest more than $150 million in a new Megafactory in Brookshire that will bring 1,500 manufacturing jobs to the area, Waller County officials said. The utility-scale battery factory will create Megapacks and provide energy in times of high electrical demand, per the tax abatement agreement approved at the Waller County Commissioners Court on March 5. Tesla’s facility will be a replica of the company’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, Tesla Engineering Lead Shiv Mysore said at the meeting. The California facility can provide up to 40 gigawatt-hours of storage capacity per year, according to a

“This is going to have a huge, significant impact on the Brookshire area, south Waller County and Waller County in general,” he said. What they’re saying The agreement states Tesla must hire 1,500 employees by its third year in operation and through the abatement period, which ends Dec. 31, 2035. “This gives good-paying jobs right here in Waller County, so you don’t have to drive into Houston or the surrounding area to have a good income,” Precinct 4 Com- missioner Justin Beckendorff said. The median household income in Waller County is the second lowest among six Houston-area counties, according to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. It’s also lower than the state’s median income of $76,292. Next steps Construction and opening timelines aren’t included in the agreement, but the abatement period begins Jan. 1, 2026. Brookshire City Council also approved an abatement agree- ment at a March 6 meeting.

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video on Tesla’s YouTube. What you need to know

Tesla, an automotive and clean energy company, already leases about 1 million square feet at 111 Empire Blvd. in Stream Realty Partners’ Empire West Business Park, said Vince Yokom, executive director of the Waller County Eco- nomic Development Partnership. Tesla will replace a third-party logistics company occupying the space, Yokom said.

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Agreement details Tesla’s move into Brookshire will happen in multiple phases at the business park.

EMPIRE BLVD.

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1. 111 Empire Blvd., Brookshire • Stream Realty will spend $44M to improve the existing facility. • Tesla will spend about $150M to install equipment.

2. 103 Empire Blvd., Brookshire • Stream Realty will build a $31.5M manufacturing facility. • Tesla will spend $2M-$5M to install distribution equipment and make improvements.

SOURCES: WALLER COUNTY, WALLER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

Election

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Voter Guide

2025

Dates to know

Where to vote

April 22: First day of early voting April 22: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) April 29: Last day of early voting May 3: Election day and the last day to receive ballot by mail (or May 5 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election)

Fulshear and Lamar Consolidated ISD residents can vote at any Fort Bend County polling location during early voting or on election day. Visit www.fortbendcountytx.gov for polling locations. However, Katy ISD voters can visit www.katyisd.org for polling locations.

Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.

KEY : *Incumbent

Katy ISD Board of trustees, Position 1 Victor Perez* James Cross Board of trustees, Position 2 Tammy Reed Lance Redmon*

Lamar Consolidated ISD Board of trustees, District 3 Vanessa Marsters Leslie Menchaca Garcia Board of trustees, District 6 Bisi Ngwolo

City Council, At-Large John Bastawrous

Sample ballot Fulshear City Council, District 4

Randy Connor Corey Jannise E. Brown Otu

Camron K. Miller Bonnie Tyler Buell

Brice Stanford Sunny Adeola Richard Russell

George Arroyos Anthony Warren SOURCES: KATY ISD, FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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BY VALERIA ESCOBAR

*INCUMBENT

Katy ISD board of trustees, Position 1

I have deep roots in KISD. Our three children graduated from KISD and we have four grandchildren in KISD. I ran to improve the education of all children by getting back to the basics, as well as to protect parental rights and our conservative Katy community values. Why did you choose to run for the Katy ISD board of trustees?

Funding for the needs of our diverse community. We must prioritize resources in the classroom to ensure the success of students. We have demands to build and repair schools, compensate our staff fairly, and fund the needs of special education and bilingual students. What do you think is the most pressing issue in KISD, and how would you address it?

Victor Perez* Occupation & experience: retired; former [chief financial officer] for [New York Stock Exchange] and NASDAQ energy companies; former corporate banker www.victorperezforkatyisd.com James Cross Occupation & experience: retired KISD principal; executive director, Southeast Texas Education Coalition www.crossforkatyisd.com

I am a recently retired educator who worked in KISD for 20 years. I believe my experience being the leader of a large campus is like running a business, and 30 years in education has given me a perspective that is valuable to the role of school board trustee.

Funding and teacher shortage. Attract new teachers to the profession. Once the funding is given from the state, a more accurate analysis of the budget will allow us to address this issue adequately.

Katy ISD board of trustees, Position 2

What do you think is the most pressing issue in KISD, and how would you address it? Book banning must end, and all students should have a great education.

Why did you choose to run for the Katy ISD board of trustees? Students and their education should come first.

Tammy Reed Occupation & experience: Texas teacher for 26 years, currently at Langham Creek High School Facebook: TammyReed4KatyISD

As a parent of three current Katy ISD students and as a business owner, I want to not only provide the best opportunities to my kids, but I want all our children to have the opportunities I had to learn, grow and succeed.

The most pressing issue facing Katy ISD right now is school funding. We need our legislation to increase the basic allotment so Katy can continue to focus on kids! Educating our community about what and how to communicate with our representatives is an important task.

Lance Redmon* Occupation & experience: business owner www.redmonforkaty.com

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KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

Election

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Lamar Consolidated ISD board of trustees, District 3

Vanessa Marsters Occupation & experience: director of operations; 20 years business management; [homeowners association] president; LCISD Strategic Planning Committee www.vanessa4lcisd.com

Leslie Menchaca Gracia Occupation & experience: working mom with 20-plus years of real estate and mortgage operations experience, LCISD graduate Facebook: Leslie Menchaca Gracia for Lamar CISD School Board

Teacher recruitment and retention. Ensuring LCISD attracts and keeps quality educators is essential to student success. I will advocate for competitive compensation, professional development and a strong support system to make LCISD a top choice for teachers and sta. What is your top priority if elected to represent LCISD?

Recruiting and keeping great teachers is essential. I’ll advocate for fair pay, increased state funding and collaborative leadership that values educators’ expertise. I’m here to serve our community—not any agenda—and ensure decisions reect the needs of all students, families and stakeholders.

Lamar CISD board of trustees, District 6

Bisi Ngwolo Occupation & experience: real estate consultant, educator for over 14 years, master’s in education administration-digital marketer

George Arroyos Occupation & experience: full-time speech communication community college instructor, 25-year career business nancial planning [vice president] Amegy Bank

Anthony Warren Candidate didn’t respond to questionnaire by press time.

What is your top priority if elected to represent LCISD?

My top priorities are managing the growth of LCISD, including the developing the infrastructure to handle the needs of tomorrow and beyond. Teachers’ pay needs to beat ination so nding ways to retain and develop teachers is key.

I’m committed to preserving and enhancing the high quality of education at LCISD while maintaining sound scal policy of taxpayer dollars. I look forward to providing a voice in support of the students, parents, teachers and sta during this hypergrowth environment which holds immense opportunity and hope for the future.

Candidate didn’t respond to questionnaire by press time.

Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Fulshear City Council, At-Large

John Bastawrous Candidate didn’t respond to the questionnaire before press time.

Randy Connor Occupation & experience: retired after 47 years in upstream oil and gas industry in corporate sales and management www.connorforfulshearcouncil.com

Corey Jannise Occupation & experience: 20-plus years as a firefighter/paramedic, Sugar Land Professional Fire Fighters Association board member Facebook: Corey Jannise for Fulshear City Council At-Large

What is your top priority if elected to represent the citizens of Fulshear?

Candidate didn’t respond to the questionnaire before press time.

Ensure sustainable development to align Fulshear’s growth within the capacities of its infrastructure, roads, streets, police department and other city departments.

My goal is for Fulshear to become a city where you can live, work and play—all within the city limits—thus better supporting the residents of Fulshear. I plan to partner with businesses that have a vested interest in our community to enhance our economic development.

E. Brown Otu Occupation & experience: project manager, scrum master, DJ, photographer, computer tech, Nigerian American Multicultural Council volunteer www.brownotu4fulshear.com

Camron Miller Occupation & experience: SLB principal geologist, Fort Bend Subsidence District board of directors representing the city of Fulshear www.camronmiller.com

Bonnie Tyler Buell Occupation & experience: product manager with finance background, [municipal utility district] director, two years Fulshear EDC Facebook: Bonnie Tyler Buell for Fulshear

What is your top priority if elected to represent the citizens of Fulshear?

My top priority is enhancing public and children’s safety by improving infrastructure, emergency response and community engagement. A safe environment fosters growth, attracts businesses and strengthens families. I will also advocate for responsible development that preserves Fulshear’s charm while supporting economic opportunities for residents and local businesses.

I am committed to keeping Fulshear safe and beautiful, proactively building infrastructure and parks, and using science to mitigate water-related issues. I will push our city, county and state to prioritize clean, reliable water for every household proactively. Water is our most valuable resource, and it will not be overlooked.

My top priorities are boosting Fulshear’s economic growth with diverse businesses to enhance property values and increase tax revenue, while strengthening family-friendly spaces like parks and safe, walkable areas and futureproofing with smart infrastructure and regional cooperation.

Fulshear City Council, District 4

Brice Stanford Candidate didn’t respond to the questionnaire before press time.

Sunny Adeola Occupation & experience: Microsoft high performance computing engineer, Rackspace systems administrator, Intel optimization engineer 630-667-9057

Richard Russell Occupation & experience: global supply and inventory manager, treasurer for Randle Elementary PTA, business owner Facebook: Richard Russell for Fulshear City Council

What is your top priority if elected to represent the citizens of Fulshear?

Candidate didn’t respond to the questionnaire before press time.

My top priority is optimizing infrastructure—roads, water and utilities—to support Fulshear’s rapid growth, ensuring sustainable development and quality of life for all residents.

My top priorities are improving our roads, supporting our schools, and ensuring that police and fire services keep up with our city’s growth to maintain safety.

KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

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Education

BY VALERIA ESCOBAR

Higher Education Guide

2025

UH College of Nursing nears decade of combating Texas’ nursing shortage

90% Bachelor's graduates with job placement at graduation

Master's graduates with job placement at graduation 100%

As the University of Houston’s Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing approaches its 10-year anniversary in August, the college has more than quadrupled its student enrollment and produced nearly 2,000 trained individuals to help tackle the state’s nursing shortage. Through the college’s two instructional sites in Sugar Land and Katy, students are able to receive training from faculty and gain clinical experience at hospitals across Houston, said Kathryn Tart, dean of the college of nursing.

The results The college is the only public nursing program in the Houston area that sits in a fully comprehensive university, Tart said. The college offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate nursing degrees. “If you talk to our hospitals, … they’ll say they love to hire our students, because our students stay in the community,” Tart said. Looking ahead The college has requested $15 million from the 2025 Texas Legislature to fund a

98% Graduates working in Texas

Clinical Affiliation Agreements with Houston-area health care facilities 111

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Perioperative Nursing Center of Excellence at the Sugar Land campus.

KATY SOUTH - FULSHEAR EDITION

Education

BY VALERIA ESCOBAR

University of Houston-Victoria to close Katy instructional site by fall 2026

UHV implemented the following measures to reduce operating costs since last March.

Faculty were assigned to at least three courses per semester, unless externally funded. Construction projects without contractual obligations were paused, including those with Legislature-approved funding. The college’s vice president and president had their salaries reduced 5% and 10%, respectively, until the 2024-25 school year. Consultants provided an 18-month notice for academic programs identified for elimination.

University of Houston-Victoria will no longer offer in-person courses at the Katy instructional site after summer 2026 as part of an effort to reduce its operating budget, college officials said. The details Roughly 500 UHV students take in-person classes at the Katy instructional site, Shawn Lindsey, senior associate vice chancellor for strategic commu- nications, said in an email. UHV moved into the University of Houston at Katy building in fall 2019. The ongoing spring semester will resume as planned. However, for the 2025-26 school year, UHV students will complete their degree plans through two options, Joann Olson, UHV interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in an email. Olson said students can either:

• Continue taking UHV courses, whether in-person in Katy, Victoria or 100% virtual • Work alongside an advisor to transfer in courses from either the UH at Katy or other institutions What’s happening? UHV President Bob Glenn first announced the college would reduce the budget’s operational costs to make up for multiple years of budget shortfalls in a news release last March. The transition to a central Victoria campus would cut operational costs and could increase student engagement, Glenn said. The college faced a $3.7 million shortfall in 2023-24 and a $5.7 million to $7.2 million gap in the 2024-25 budget, according to the release. Next steps Affected students should contact Katy Transition

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-VICTORIA/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Advisors, who will provide individualized support in coordination with the International Programs Office and Financial Aid Office, according to the UHV website.

Celebrating 46 years in Katy area!

Katy Youth Soccer Club! • Ages 5U through 15U

• Teams formed by neighborhood • Full uniform provided • End of season awards to all players • Standings for U9 and up • Volunteer coaches receive free training and mandatory background checks • Most games on Saturday • Games played at Katy Park • Fall online registration opens May. 1, 2025 www.katyyouthsoccer.com • Walk up registration Date TBA 10am – 1 pm at Dicks Sporting Goods 24600 Katy Fwy, 77494 • Season starts on Sept. 6, 2025 • No tryouts! All players will play at least 50%

Camp West is a Christian day camp open to children Kindergarten through 8th grade. The camp offers a variety of recreational activities, including fishing, rock climbing, indoor and outdoor games, scavenger hunts, ziplining, outdoor water activities, and much more!

$120.00 $140.00 $150.00

5U - 7U 8U - 10U 11U - 15U

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281-391-5683 l 2225 Porter Road l Katy, TX 77493

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY VALERIA ESCOBAR & KELLY SCHAFLER

UH at Katy to launch education graduate courses The University of Houston at Katy will oer graduate courses from the College of Education this fall. The courses coming to the Katy instructional site could be applied to the following programs:

TSTC opens food market for students In collaboration with the Houston Food Bank, Texas State Technical College’s campus in Fort Bend County opened the doors for its free food market on Feb. 25. The food market provides nutrition and essentials for students at the Rosenberg cam- pus. The market receives most of its foods and supplies, including meat, fruit, vegeta- bles and hygiene products, through the food bank’s Food for Change food scholarship initiative, according to a TSTC news release. The specics The initiative distributes food by part- nering with local organizations related to health and economic support, including higher education institutions and workforce development centers, according to the college’s website.

HCCKaty hosts ribbon cutting for greenhouse Houston Community College-Katy held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the campus’ new greenhouse March 19. The Nancy Dillon Itz Greenhouse will provide space for students in the college’s Agricultural Sciences Academy to get hands-on experience propagating and growing plants, according to a The new education oerings are meant to mirror the Katy area’s leading industries and employers, including neighboring school districts, said Jay Neal, associate vice president and chief operating ocer for UH at Sugar Land and Katy. The details The new courses could be applied toward one of the existing master’s degrees or accelerated certication programs oered through the college, according to a UH news release. Zooming out Katy ISD is the leading employer in the area, according to May data from the Katy Area Economic Development Council. The Katy Area EDC has several meetings a year that connect industry repre- sentatives with UH at Katy and Houston Community

Master’s degree programs • Special populations (applied behavior analysis) • Special populations (educational diagnostician certiication) • Administration and supervision Accelerated certication programs • Educational diagnostician • Principal • Superintendent

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

College-Katy to inform useful course oerings, President Angie Thomason said in an email. “HCC and the UH Katy play essential roles in meeting that demand through education, training and industry partnerships, while the Katy Area EDC ensures workforce development aligns with regional business needs,” Thomason said.

news release from HCC. The details

The structure is named after Nancy Dillon Itz, mother of David Itz, who serves as chair of the HCC Foundation board of directors and endowed $365,000 to HCC to build the greenhouse, per the release. Construction costs totaled $333,523, with the remaining funds going toward landscaping and proj- ect management fees, HCC ocials said in an email.

Agricultural sciences students began using the greenhouse at the start of the spring semester.

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Working on workforce From the cover

Zooming out

What’s happening?

focused on quality employment opportunities, has long-standing relationships with UH and HCC to ensure the Katy area has a workforce to support local business needs, President Alan Steinberg said. While engineering, oil, gas and medical jobs dominate the I-10 corridor region, he said there will be more logistics jobs focused on automating warehouse and factory production.

Demographers predict 44,239 new housing units will join KISD over the next 10 years, according to a November report from demographics rm Population and Survey Analysts. Ocials said they believe expansions at the two colleges would continue supporting the growing area’s workforce needs in the engineering, technol- ogy, logistics and health care sectors. The West Houston Association, a nonprot

University of Houston at Katy ocials are requesting $165 million from the 89th Texas Legislature for a new academic building to meet the workforce needs of the growing Katy area. The college’s legislative proposal shows the 150,000-square-foot building would provide space for engineering, architecture and design, natural sciences and math, and business programs. “We have every degree that your heart could desire [at UH],” said Jay Neal, associate vice president and chief operating ocer for UH at Katy. “If you’re going to be at the [Katy] instructional site, though, there are real jobs tied to them.” Meanwhile, Zachary Hodges, president of Houston Community College’s Northwest College, said enrollment is growing at HCC- Katy, leading to system ocials discussing how to fund a second building.

Leading employers in Katy area, May 2024

Education Oil & gas

Retail

Engineering Medical

Katy ISD 17,000

9,092

17,000

20K

15K

BP America Inc. 5,000

Shell USA 4,092

10K

Academy Sports 2,540

Wood Group 2,175

Houston Methodist 2,175

2,540

5K 0

2,175

2,160

Oil & gas

Retail

Medical Engineering

Education

SOURCE: KATY AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCILCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Spring enrollment growth

The backstory

University of Houston at Katy

117

2020 2025

fall 2019, ocially becoming a shared site for UH nursing and engineering students and the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy, per a news release. Meanwhile, HCC spent $23.6 million to open its 120,000-square-foot Katy campus in 2022, relocat- ing from 1550 Foxlake Drive, Hodges said. Now, the building’s lecture and computer labs are reaching capacity before noon from Monday to Thursday, per HCC data.

The push for more space comes less than 10 years after the colleges underwent capital improvement projects to build their campuses. The 2015 Texas Legislature allocated $46.8 million for UH to purchase land after the college identied health care and energy as needed components in higher education for the Katy community, per the UH website. The 80,000-square-foot campus opened in

500

Houston Community College-Katy

4,133

2020 2025

4,360

SOURCES: HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGEKATY, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AT KATYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY VALERIA ESCOBAR, KELLY SCHAFLER & AUBREY VOGEL

What they oer

The funding options

What’s next?

The legislative session began Jan. 14, with a bill ling deadline of March 15, according to the Texas Legislative Council’s website. The session is slated to adjourn June 2, barring extensions through special sessions. UH at Katy ocials have proposed the request, but a bill number wasn’t available as of press time. However, Neal said higher education issues typically extend onto the special sessions that are scheduled after adjournment around October. “In the past two sessions, if not three sessions, [UH requests] usually made it into the special sessions,” Neal said. “We’re prepared to go the distance.” If awarded, university ocials said they expect to receive funding in early 2026 and will begin the design phase for the building, which is anticipated to take approximately a year.

Both UH at Katy and HCCKaty already have oerings that reect the area’s workforce. The UH site houses undergraduate courses for HCC’s Engineering Academy, where students can co-enroll at both institutions for an associate and bachelor’s degree. The University of Houston-Victoria also oers a co-enrollment engineering bachelor’s program with HCC. However, with UHV at Katy transition- ing back to the Victoria main campus, all UHV at Katy students will continue coursework online or in Victoria starting in fall 2026, HCC ocials said.

UH receives its capital improvement budget from allocations in the Legislature, but HCC depends on taxpayers to fund buildings, Hodges said. However, when HCC launched its rst four-year degree program in late 2023, the college’s accreditation changed to where HCC could gain state funding, Hodges said.

Community college state funding factors

Number of high school students who earned at least 15 credit hours through dual credit programs Students with 15 credit hours who transferred to or co-enrolled in a Texas public university Number of credentials or degrees awarded, with a return on investment 10 years post-grad

“As Victoria is going to diminish, we’re pushing really hard to oer more programs.” JAY NEAL, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT UH

SOURCE: TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD COMMUNITY IMPACT

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KATY SOUTH FULSHEAR EDITION

Transportation

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Fort Bend County pioneers crosswalk technology by schools

Fort Bend County will be the first U.S. agency to deploy new crosswalk technology in school zones that aim to keep pedestrians safe and drivers alert. The gist The Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything, or C-V2X, school zone safety beacons and pedestrian technology are designed to warn drivers on their smartphones or through vehicle technology through voice alert to slow down as they approach schools, county and C-V2X officials announced in a March 4 news release. A closer look Brian Fields, traffic operations superintendent for the county’s road and bridge department, said the technology will be installed in all school zone signs with flashing lights that are maintained by the county in Katy, Fort Bend and Lamar Consolidated ISDs. The technology will also be installed in traffic signals.

Pedestrian-involved accidents in Houston area, 2014-23

+29.27%

1,200 1,000

0 200 400 600 800

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020 2021

2022 2023

SOURCE: TEXAS OPEN DATA PORTAL/COMMUNITY IMPACT

play a pivotal role in implementing technology that could keep pedestrians safe as pedestrian-involved accidents continue to grow in the Houston area. Installation began March 13 and is slated for completion in August, Fields said. Specific loca- tions of where the technology is being installed were not available by press time.

The $3.03 million project is being funded by the county’s 2024 capital improvement project funds, earmarked for school zone safety and public safety awareness, Fields said in an email. Going forward Fields said the county has the opportunity to

Events

BY ASIA ARMOUR

shop plants, talk to local vendors, and enjoy wine, beer and snacks.

April

• April 26, 5-7 p.m. • Free (admission)

Easter at The Ranch Smith Ranch in Katy will host families for Easter egg hunts and spring activities, such as photos with the Easter Bunny, bounce houses, paddle boats and a petting zoo. • April 19, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. • $20 • 25640 Beckendorff Road, Katy • www.smithranchkaty.com Bloom: Earth Day This spring event series at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch concludes with this multi-activity Earth Day celebration. Attendees will be able to make their own bouquets, decorate a bath bomb, view a showcase of eco-friendly hair care products, take home one of 150 different tree saplings and watch a screening of “The Lorax” at Alamo Drafthouse. • April 22, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. • Free (admission)

• 1502 Katy Fort Bend Road, Katy • www.nelsonwatergardens.com

Culinary Crawl Home Tour This culinary adventure at the Cross Creek West master-planned community will provide the opportunity to tour model homes while sampling foods from local restaurants. • April 26, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. • Free • 4803 Garden Crest Lane, Fulshear • www.crosscreekwesttx.com

The Katy Exchange This new marketplace series at the Katy Historic Town Square will span from March to December and celebrate local artisans, vendors and makers while supporting area nonprofits. • April 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • 904 Ave. C., Katy • Facebook: City of Katy Historic Town Square

May

Street Dance on the Square This event will happen in the middle of Katy’s Historic Town Square and feature live music, country and line dancing, face painting, a cake walk, a pie-eating contest, food trucks and drinks.

• 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy • www.lacenterra.com/bloom

Sip & Stroll at Nelson Nursery Nelson Nursery, a retail water garden center, will host customers for its third annual event, where attendees can

• May 10, 7-10 p.m. • Free (admission) • 904 Ave. C, Katy • www.cityofkaty.com

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