Conroe - Montgomery Edition - April 2022

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CONROE MONTGOMERY EDITION

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 APRIL 14MAY 12, 2022

ONLINE AT

2022 L O C A L V O T E R G U I D E

MONTGOMERY ISD

WILLIS ISD

INSIDE

IMPACTS

On Feb. 15, Montgomery ISD trustees called a bond election for the May 7 ballot, which includes three propositions totaling $326.9 million to accommodate anticipated enrollment growth and provide expanded opportunities for students. The district last had a bond election in 2015.

On Feb. 9, Willis ISD trustees called a bond election for the May 7 ballot, which includes three propositions totaling $225 million to accommodate enrollment growth, add facilities and update a 48-year-old football stadium. The district last held a bond election in 2020.

PROPOSITION B: $8.514M Renovations to MISD’s Athletic Complex New elementary school 900-student expansion at Lake Creek High School Upgrades to make new and old campuses comparable PROPOSITION A : $312.986M

New middle school New elementary school Fine arts addition at Lynn Lucas Middle School Elementary playground upgrades PROPOSITION A: $143.045M PROPOSITION B: $62.565M Football stadium and community center PROPOSITION C: $19.39M Aquatic center

Centralized career and technical education facility Centralized agricultural science facility

Baseball & softball elds upgrades Future land purchases

TODO LIST

Marcel Boulevard taking shape LOCAL VOTER GUIDE 2022 DEVELOPMENT

PROPOSITION C: $5.4M Technology devices

Total:

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

SOURCE: WILLIS ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

TxDOT targets trac, safetywith Hwy. 105 projects

RISE IN CRASHES

Texas Department of Transportation crash data shows an increase in crashes on Hwy. 105 in Montgomery County over the last decade.

CANDIDATE Q&A’S SAMPLE BALLOT

1,000

BY MAEGAN KIRBY

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Five projects are planned or under- way along Hwy. 105 in Montgomery County to improve trac congestion and safety along the corridor, which has seen a spike in trac and crashes since 2012, according to Texas Depart- ment of Transportation data. Four of the ve Hwy. 105 projects being constructed by TxDOT will CONTINUED ON 36

600

were fatal. 47

of these crashes

400

2012

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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THIS ISSUE

ABOUT US

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and Pugerville, Texas. We have expanded our operations to include hundreds of employees, our own printing operation and over 30 hyperlocal editions across three states. Our circulation is over 2 million residential mailboxes, and it grows each month with new residents and developments.

HIGHLIGHTS FROMTHISMONTH

FROMCHRISSY: The primary elections are behind us, but now it is time to vote in your local city and school board elections. The ballot will also include the Montgomery ISD and Willis ISD bonds and two statewide propositions. Early voting will begin April 25, and election day is May 7. You can nd more information on Pages 21-31 in our Local Voter Guide. Chrissy Leggett, GENERALMANAGER

Community Impact Newspaper teams include general managers, editors, reporters, graphic designers, sales account executives and sales support, all immersed and invested in the communities they serve. Our mission is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our core values are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

FROMANNA: In this issue, we dive into upcoming projects along the Hwy. 105 corridor to improve safety and mobility throughout Conroe and Montgomery. In Montgomery County, projects are ongoing along all three major east-west corridors, including FM 1488 to the south, and Hwy. 105 and FM 1097 to the north. The Hwy. 105 corridor specically has seen a rise in crashes over the last decade. Anna Lotz, SENIOR EDITOR

Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other.

WHATWE COVER

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MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Chrissy Leggett SENIOR EDITOR Anna Lotz REPORTERS Maegan Kirby, Jishnu Nair SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ellen Jackson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Debbie Pfeer METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Matt Stephens ART PRODUCTIONMANAGER Ethan Pham CORPORATE LEADERSHIP GROUP PUBLISHER Traci Rodriguez EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Warner CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Sullivan SALES &MARKETING DIRECTOR Tess Coverman CONTACT US 8400 N. Sam Houston Parkway W., Ste. 220 Houston, TX 77064 • 2814696181 PRESS RELEASES comnews@communityimpact.com SUBSCRIPTIONS communityimpact.com/subscriptions

BUSINESS &DINING Local business development news that aects you

TRANSPORTATION &DEVELOPMENT Regular updates on area projects to keep you in the know

SCHOOL, CITY & COUNTY We attend area meetings to keep you informed

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IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

149

1097

LEWIS CREEK RESERVOIR

1097

WILLIS

MONTGOMERY

LAKE CONROE

LONE STAR PKWY.

830

Hellcat Coee Co

PHILLIPS ST.

COURTESY HELLCAT COFFEE CO

DAVIS ST.

105

in Conroe, and it oers the same low- price household items as other locations. 346-476-1396. www.dollargeneral.com 5 Hellcat Coee Co opened at 12922 Hwy. 105, Conroe, on March 13, according to manager Candice Pena. Along with regular coee, the shop oers signature lattes, frappes, energy drinks and tea. 936-588-0108. www.hellcatcoeeco.com 6 WO Sushi Fusion opened Feb. 5 at 810 Pine Market Ave., Ste 140, Montgomery, manager Sandra Alvarez said. In addition to hot and cooked sushi rolls, the Asian fusion restaurant oers soba and udon noodles, soups and salads, and a variety of Asian appetizers and bar bites. 936-588-1904. Facebook: WO Sushi Fusion 7 Symmetry Brows opened Feb. 22 at 20165 Eva St., Montgomery, according to manager Ky Jackson. The cosmetic studio oers semipermanent lip blushing, eyebrow tattooing and eyeliner as well as eyebrow microblading, lash extensions and body contouring. The business also has training programs for microblading, semipermanent lip blushing and eyebrows, and body contouring. 346-214-2733. www.symmetrybrowstx.com 8 Scott Family Dental opened March 21 at 750 Fish Creek Thoroughfare, Ste. 260, Montgomery, according to employee Sheila Scott. The business provides dental services for the whole family, including dental implants, Invisalign and treatments for sleep apnea. 936-289-9353. www.kevinscottfamilydental.com 9 The Table at Madeley , a food truck venue, celebrated its grand opening April 6 at 316 Madeley St., Conroe, owner

149

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KEENAN CUT OFF RD.

2854

CONROE

PINE MARKET AVE.

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1314

WOODFOREST PKWY.

149

WEST FORK SAN JACINTO RIVER

1488

242

NOWOPEN 1 National retail furniture store American Furniture Warehouse opened March 26 at 12310 I-45 S., Conroe. The store sells a variety of indoor and out- door furniture, decor and sleep accesso- ries. 800-992-7997. www.afw.com 2 Galindo’s Coee Co. opened March 16 at 2330 FM 1488, Ste. 700-B, Conroe. The coee shop is a sister com- pany to Galindo’s Barbershop, which has

a location in the storefront next to the coee shop. Galindo’s Coee Co. sells a variety of coee, espresso and tea drinks as well as breakfast food items, such as gluten-free pastries, muns, breakfast tacos, protein bars and oatmeal. The coee shop oers Galindo’s Coee Co. espresso and coee beans for purchase. 936-267-3920. www.galindoscoeeco.com 3 Tacos 105 opened at 1155 E. Davis St., Conroe, on March 18, according to employee Manuel Brito. Brito’s brother

owns the food truck and said the family has over 30 years of experience between them. The truck serves tacos, burgers and wings. Brito said he hopes to also bring his breakfast cooking to the truck in the future as well, including omelets, French toast and poached eggs. Contact infor- mation was not available for the business as of press time. 4 A new Dollar General location opened at 795 Porter Road, Conroe, on March 16. This is the chain’s fth location

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MOD Pizza is conrmed for the Market at Willis Shopping Center.

COURTESY MOD PIZZA

Scott Family Dental

Bar Lago

FEATURED IMPACT COMING SOON HeBrews Coeehouse will open a Conroe location by the fall, according to owner Georey Wood. The faith- based coee company oers locally roasted and fair-trade coee, but it is also known for its coee and cinnamon roll ights from which guests can sample four dierent coees or cinnamon rolls, Wood said. With an original location in Magnolia, a new site at 3830 W. Davis St., Conroe, will begin construction in May. 832-642-0786. https://hebrewslocalcoee.com FEATURED IMPACT COMING SOON MOD Pizza will open a location at the Market at Willis Shopping Center in September, according to Marketing Director Charlotte Wayte. The Seattle- based fast-casual pizza chain is known for its nine individually sized classic pizzas as well as its build-your-own option, which patrons can customize with more than 30 toppings and eight sauce options. Wayte said the

COURTESY SCOTT FAMILY DENTAL

COURTESY BAR LAGO

Frank Jackson said. The business features four trucks on-site, including Taste the Asian, Nacho Food Truck, Kajun Eatz and Italian District. The venue is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tue.-Thu. and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat. The Table at Madeley also oers traditional and craft beer, a premium wine selection, and frozen margaritas to go by the gallon and half gallon. 832-326-2289. www.conroetable.com 10 The sandwich chain Blimpie Subs and Salads opened a location in Willis on Feb. 25, according to location owner John Lang. Blimpie oers deli sandwiches and smoothies. The chain operates three other Houston-area locations, including one in The Woodlands. The Willis store is located at 9571 FM 1097. 936-224-0448. www.blimpie.com 11 Orthotex Smile Specialists opened a location at 11133 I-45 S., Ste. 280, Conroe, on March 30, according to owner Dr. Zane Haider. The orthodontist oers free consultations and oers braces and Invisalign for both children and adults. 281-937-2540. www.orthotexsmiles.com COMING SOON 12 Greggo’s Pizza and Subs will open in early May at 2466 FM 1488, Conroe, owner Ryan d’Avignon said. The restau- rant will feature subs, pizzas, appetiz- ers, salad and beer. D’Avignon said his parents opened Greek Tony’s Pizza in Conroe in 1982, and he hopes to bring back the same taste in his pizzas with the restaurant honoring his father’s nickname “Greggo.” www.greggospizza.com 13 Owner Washington Revelo said Bar Lago will open during the rst week of

June at 15250 Hwy. 105, Ste. 170, Mont- gomery. The Lake Conroe waterfront bar will serve craft cocktails and bar food. www.facebook.com/barlagoconroe 14 Little Caesars will open a location at 10463 Hwy. 242, Conroe, in June, according to owner Sajjid Dawood. The pizza franchise will serve its “Hot-N- Ready” pizza and crazy bread. www.littlecaesars.com 15 The Corpus Christi-based restaurant Mo Meaux’s will open its rst Houston- area location at 15444 Hwy. 105, Ste. B, Montgomery, owner Moses Ling said. The restaurant will open sometime this spring, Ling said. Ling said the restaurant will serve Cajun food such as gator bites, jambalaya and crawsh but will be “adapt- able” to local tastes. www.momeauxs.com CLOSING 16 The Conroe bakery Flour-ish announced the closure of its downtown location at 406 N. Thompson St. on March 30, according to a Facebook post from its page. Flour-ish’s post said the bakery declined to renew its lease, citing increasing costs of business and a labor shortage. Owner Melani Lindsey said through a comment from the business’s Facebook page March 31 that she will continue to oer cakes to order. Lindsey began the business with her co-owner Anthony Kober in 2017. In addition to cakes and pastries, Flour-ish also served breakfast and lunch items such as sandwiches, soups and coee. Lindsey can be reached for cakes to order at melani@our-ish.com or at 936-521-1007.

street address is 901 W. Montgomery St., although it could change as

construction continues. https://modpizza.com

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HeBrews Coeehouse will begin construction on a Conroe location in May with a fall opening planned.

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TODO LIST

April & May events

COMPILED BY MAEGAN KIRBY

23 SEE THE CONROE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Conroe Symphony Orchestra will perform its spring concert with the theme “The Earth Has Music for Those Who Listen.” Enjoy live classical music while supporting local musicians. 7:30 p.m. $10 (age 12 and younger), $15 (group rate), $20 (adults). 1855 Longmire Road, Conroe. 936-760-2144. www.facebook.com/ conroesymphonyorchestra 23 HAVE FAMILY FUN Quality of Life Chiropractic’s Spring Family Festival oers a bounce house, a face painter and a DJ as well as more than 10 vendors focused on health and wellness. The event will raise money for Creative Outreach Ministries, a faith- based nonprot in Montgomery. 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Free. 17099 Walden Road, Ste. 100, Montgomery. 936-703-2610. www.qochiropractic.com 23 CHECKOUT VINTAGE CARS The San Jacinto Elementary PTO Car Show is a community fundraising event where attendees can admire vintage cars while supporting the school. The event is open to the public, and Marco’s Pizza will be available for purchase. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free (admission), $20 (car show entry). 17601 FM 1314, Conroe. www.sanjacinto.conroeisd.net

29 SUPPORTWILLIS ISD The Willis ISD Education Foundation will host its Bash Under the Big Top fundraiser with music, dancing, food, and live and silent auctions. Admission is open to guests age 21 and older. 6-11 p.m. $25 (WISD sta), $35 (presale), $40 ( at the door). Lone Star Convention Center Exhibit Building, 9333 Airport Road, Conroe. 936-856-1200. www.willisisd.org 30 ENJOY KIDZFEST The city of Conroe hosts KidzFest in downtown Conroe. The festival will have a variety of kid-friendly activities, including a petting zoo, face painting, train rides and crafts. There will also be food trucks and snow cones available for purchase. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (admission). Downtown Conroe near Heritage Place. 936-522-3960. www.cityofconroe.org 30 ATTEND JAZZ FEST Grand Central Park’s Jazz Fest will feature local jazz artists along with balloon artists and face painters. A second line parade will be led by Boomtown Brass Band, and there will be food trucks, beer and wine available. 1-5 p.m. Free (admission). 1039 Lake House Drive, Conroe; parking available at 925 City Central Ave., Conroe. 936-282-5135. www.grandcentralparktx.com/jazz_fest

MAY 0507

VISIT A LIBRARY BOOK SALE STEWARTWEST BRANCH LIBRARY

The Friends of the Stewart-West Branch Library Book Sale will oer books, DVDs and puzzles, with all sales going to the Friends of the Library. There will also be a silent auction of ROKR mechanical models, which are 3D wooden puzzles, beginning April 28. Members of Friends of the Library can get early access to the sale. Noon-7 p.m. (May 5), 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (May 6), 9 a.m.-noon (May 7). 202 Bessie Price Owen Drive, Montgomery. www.folstewart.org (Courtesy Beth Gault)

APRIL 23 ENJOY CRAWFISH SEASON for Merica 7 will raise money for Casualties of War-Houston, a nonprot beneting veterans, law enforcement, rst responders and their families. Compete to see whose crawsh is the Southern Star Brewery’s Crawdads

best or enjoy the live music, vendors and crawsh tasting. Noon-7 p.m. Free (children younger than age 11); $10 (veterans, law enforcement and rst responders); $20 (immediate family of veterans, law enforcement and rst responders); $30 (admission with all-you-can-eat crawsh). 3525 N. Frazier St., Conroe. www.facebook.com/southernstarbrewing

Find more or submit Conroe-Montgomery events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.

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TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES

Conroe approves over 4miles of sidewalks for downtown area

I-45 frontage road construction to start this fall

The Texas Department of Transportation confirmed a project is slated to start this fall to add a northbound frontage road in Willis. UPCOMING PROJECT

BY MAEGAN KIRBY

access pads and crosswalks. Tommy Woolley, director of capital projects and transportation, said at the meeting the city received six bids for the project March 3, and it was awarded to Larry Young Paving Inc. for $1.18 million. The project is set to be substantially complete in 160 days and fully complete in 180 days. Woolley said the project ties into the Texas Department of Transporta- tion’s Hwy. 105 widening project.

1097

BY JISHNU NAIR

Conroe City Council approved adding 21,364 linear feet, or just over 4 miles, of 5-foot-wide sidewalks on Hwy. 105, West Davis Street and East Phillips Street from Pacific to 10th streets during a March 24 meeting. According to the meeting pre- sentation, the project will repair 80 driveways and 40 pedestrian ramps as well as add concrete curbs, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps,

Construction is slated to start in September on a frontage road for I-45 between FM 830 and FM 1097 in the Willis area, according to Texas Department of Transpor- tation officials. The new road is estimated to cost $7 million. TxDOT Public Information Officer Emily Black confirmed to Community Impact Newspaper that construction bids will be decided in July before construction can begin. According to TxDOT’s Regional Project Planner, the final construc- tion timeline for the frontage road is unknown. Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough signed an advanced funding agreement for the project at a Jan. 25 Commissioners Court meeting. According to the agreement, the proj- ect is a northbound frontage road.

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PROJECT DETAILS

The new road will serve Moran Ranch, a 500-acre mixed-use development on the east side of I-45 that will include the Market at Willis Shopping Center, which is anchored by an H-E-B under construction. Community Impact Newspaper previously reported about 900 homes will begin con- struction in late summer or early fall in Moran Ranch.

City of Conroe project involves repairing

80 40

driveways & pedestrian ramps

Cost: $1.18M Timeline: March-TBD

SOURCE: CITY OF CONROE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION • APRIL 2022

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DEVELOPMENT Marcel Boulevard taking shape

BY MAEGAN KIRBY

“Slowly businesses are starting, but it hasn’t really boomed quite yet. But I know, probably in the future, [Marcel Boulevard] is going to be a pretty good location,” Tran said in an interview. Kaplan said Grand Central Park is 63% complete with residential devel- opment with about 960 homes and 1,800 residents. There are three parks planned as well with the rst opening this spring as well as townhomes by Lennar, which add variety to the residen- tial oerings. “The townhome

Marcel Boulevard, a shopping and dining center within the mas- ter-planned community Grand Central Park at I-45 South and Grand Central Parkway in Conroe, is begin- ning to take shape with 10 tenants conrmed and more leasing space still available, according to Bernard Kaplan of Kaplan Public Relations. The shopping and oce center features 68,160 square feet of restau-

rant and retail space, 32,400 square feet of executive oce space, and special event and entertainment areas. Kaplan said restau- rants will include family-friendly sports bar Perfect Round as well as Mezze#1 Mediterranean Eatery and Bar, Camilla’s

Tenants are anticipated to begin opening in April within Marcel Boulevard, a shopping and dining center within Grand Central Park. (Maegan Kirby/Community Impact Newspaper)

“HAVING THE WALKABILITY AVAILABLE, ... THAT IS ALL GOING TOHELP SPURADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA.”

TENANTS CONF IRMED Marcel Boulevard, a shopping and dining center in Conroe, is beginning to ll out with 10 tenants conrmed as of March 28.

product has done very well, both among buy- ers who are rst-time homeowners as well as active empty nesters that are downsizing and want a smaller footprint of a home but want all of the luxury and amenities and

OPENING IN APRIL 1 Apex Suites OPENING IN SPRING 2 Edward Jones OPENING IN MAY 3 Perfect Round 4 Voodoo Grille

5 Mezze#1 Mediterranean Eatery and Bar 6 Malibu Nails and Spa 7 Strategic Mind Games

DANIELLE SCHEINER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONROE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

OPENING IN SUMMER 8 Atelier Salon Suites 9 F45 Fitness 10 Camilla’s Mexican Restaurant

Mexican Restaurant and Voodoo Grille, which oers Cajun and Creole-inspired cuisine. Other tenants include oce ten- ants Apex Suites and Edward Jones as well as salon suites and F45 Fitness. Owner Kris Bilbrey said Strategic Mind Games will open May 15, oer- ing the experience of both buying and playing tabletop and board games in store. Julie Tran, owner of Malibu Nails and Spa, which is anticipated to open in May, said she believes Marcel Boulevard being in a fast-growing area near lots of homes will bring customers to new businesses at Marcel Boulevard.

features that they had in their larger family home,” Kaplan said in an interview. Danielle Scheiner, executive director of the Conroe Economic Development Council, said CEDC ocials are excited about Marcel Boulevard bringing in more busi- nesses and being walking distance from residences, which she expects will spur developer interest. “Having the walkability available [at Grand Central Park] with Marcel [Boulevard] to have oces ... and restaurants and entertainment, ... that is all going to help spur addi- tional development in that area,” Scheiner said in an interview.

O Y

7 5

GRAND CENTRAL PKWY.

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NEWS BRIEFS

Data: 42%of county faces rent burden

R E N T B U R D E N E D IN 2020: Census data show nearly half of county residents spend 30% of their income on rent, which is considered a burden.

Early Registration April 18-22

28.9%

of households in

Montgomery County made UNDER $50,000.

BY JISHNU NAIR

42% 30%

of Montgomery County

Data from the 2020 American Com- munity Survey 5-year estimates released March 17 shows 42% of Montgomery County renters, or 23,493, are paying 30% or more of their income in gross rent. According to the federal Housing and Urban Development department, 30% or more of income going toward gross rent is considered a burden on renters. The county ranks below Texas overall, which reported 48% of renters paying 30% or more of income to rent. Ben Martin, a researcher with the nonprofit Texas Housers, said rent burden affects different income classes differently. Those who have a higher income are usually able to pay a greater percentage of it toward rent without a burden compared to low-income renters, Martin said. “If you’ve got ... a pretty significant amount of the population who’s low or middle income, and then you also

households paid at least

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48% of income towards rent. of renters

This compares to statewide in Texas.

SOURCE: AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 5-YEAR 2020 ESTIMATES/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

have ... a higher amount of population that’s rent burdened, you know that the overlap of those two categories is causing serious harm to those people,” Martin said. “They’re then either falling behind on rent or unable to buy other life necessities like food.” According to 2020 ACS 5-year estimates, 28.9% of households in Montgomery County made under $50,000 in 2020. Martin noted the federal government’s 2020 median income is $67,521, meaning a portion of the 16% of residents making between $50,000-$75,000 would qualify as low to middle income.

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Lone Star Groundwater ConservationDistrict hires lobbying consultants for representation

BY JISHNU NAIR

LSGCD President Harry Hardman cited changes in representation due to redistricting in Montgomery County

Lone Star Groundwater Con- servation District directors voted unanimously to hire two Austin-based lobbying firms for “legislative repre- sentation” at a March 8 meeting ahead of the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023. Directors voted

as a reason for hiring the firms. “We need a strong presence

educating lawmakers and advocating for our issues daily at the capitol in Austin, especially in light of our

for the firms Phenix & Saenz and Sabrina T. Brown Consult- ing. According to a LSGCD news release, both firms have a “proven track record of guiding public entities in achieving their goals.” The LSGCD sent a

“I’MHAPPY TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS BECAUSEWE NEED IT; WE NEED IT RIGHT NOW." JON PAUL BOUCHE, LONE STAR GROUNDWATERCONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARDMEMBER

Documents Needed for Registration

district’s changes in representation,” Hardman said. “Our recommendation is solely to amplify the voices of our residents.” Board Member Jon Paul Bouche said he had previ- ously advocated

1-Original Birth Certificate 2- Two Proofs of Residency in MISD Current Utility Bill with Parent or Guardian Name and Address Lease Agreement, Mortgage or HUD Statement, Rental Agreement or Closing Documents 3-Child's Social Security Card 4-Current Immunization Records 5-Parent/Guardian Government Issued ID Pre-K: Must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2022 Kindergarten: Must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2022

request for proposals Feb. 8. Accord- ing to responses, the district would begin paying for services in April before the Legislature returns in 2023.

against hiring a consultant but now believes it necessary as “other inter- ested parties” had lobbyists working against county residents.

CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION • APRIL 2022

CITY& COUNTY

News from Conroe & Montgomery County

$3.2million in rental assistance returned toU.S. Treasury

Montgomery County’s remaining federal rental assistance funds are split between four nonprofits.

OUTSTANDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Montgomery County Community Assistance Center

$2.6 MILLION

Society of Samaritans

$2.4 MILLION

Easter Seals

$2 MILLION

BY JISHNU NAIR

Interfaith of The Woodlands $550,000

MONTGOMERY COUNTY Commissioners approved a deobligation of $3.2 million in emer- gency rental assistance funds to the U.S. Treasury Department at a March 8 Montgomery County Commissioners Court session. The money was approved via the meeting’s consent agenda, meaning there was no discussion at court. The Treasury Department had set a March 31 deadline to recapture unused assistance funds. In 2020, the county received $18.1 million in federal emergency rental assistance funds through December; the county returned $7.1 million of that in November 2021, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. Following that release, the county created a new assistance portal for residents to apply for aid. County Judge Mark Keough cited a lack of applicants in November but anticipated more residents would seek the emergency funding in 2022, when other federal grants expire.

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

said the program has invited counties to send unused funds to it. Ansley told Community Impact Newspaper the county requested its first $7.1 million disbursement to go to Texas Rent Relief, but the March 8 dis- bursement was requested directly by the Treasury, and the funds were required “as soon as possible”. The majority of the county's remaining $7.7 million in rental assistance is split into con- tracts with four nonprofits. “Sometimes we are their last hope,” said Tamara Young, the Community Assistance Center’s director of programs and client services, in an interview. “‘Strengthening Montgomery County one neighbor at a time’ is our motto, and we are thankful for the opportunity to partner with Montgomery County to utilize ERA funding to be able to do just this.”

Community Development Director Rebecca Ansley told Community Impact Newspaper in a March 9 email that the county had spent $929,444.03 in aid as of December. Ansley said 1,162 applicants had filed for Mont- gomery County rental assistance before the portal closed Jan. 14. The nonprofit Texas Housers, using data from Texas’ Office of Court Administration and Montgomery County courts, found 2,456 eviction cases were filed in 2021. Texas Housers researcher Ben Martin said it was important that counties, including Montgomery County, keep unused rental funds in Texas by send- ing them to the Texas Rent Relief program, which is run by the Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Although Texas Rent Relief’s direct portal is closed as of January, spokesperson Kristina Tirloni

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CITY HIGHLIGHTS CONROE On March 24, City Council approved new restroom units for Carl Barton Jr. Park, located at 2500 S. Loop 336 E. The project would be funded by the capital improvements budget. Council also approved purchasing four vans for the city’s Americans with Disabilities Act complimentary transit services. Transit Program Manager Shawn Johnson said ADA services are the city’s most popular on-demand service with over 500 riders a month. MEETINGSWE COVER Montgomery County Commissioners Court Will meet 9:30 a.m. April 26 and May 10 501 N. Thompson St., Ste. 402, Conroe • 936-756-0571 www.mctx.org Conroe City Council Will meet 9:30 a.m. April 28 and 6 p.m. May 12 300 W. Davis St., Conroe 936-522-3010 www.cityofconroe.org Montgomery City Council Will meet 6 p.m. April 26 and May 10 101 Old Plantersville Road, Montgomery • 936-597-6434 www.montgomerytexas.gov

Survey shows residents concernedwith traffic, infrastructure CONROE The first citizen satisfaction survey results for the city of Conroe were presented at a March 23 City Council workshop by Ryan Murray, assistant director of community BY MAEGAN KIRBY for improvement that are kind of big-ticket items, they’re common for high-performing organizations.”

The data shows more than 75% of respondents rated the city as “excellent” or “good” as a place residents are proud to call home, a place to retire and a place to work, accord- ing to the presentation. However, 60% of respondents rated the city “excellent” or “good” for visiting. Also, 48% of responses were “excellent” or “good” for how the city approaches development and 52% for value received for city taxes and fees. Murray said service satisfaction was high for fire, EMS, and garbage and recycling services but had lower ratings in traffic and congestion management; quality of drainage systems in rainfall events; and maintenance of streets, sidewalks and infrastructure. An analysis determined the northwest part of the city as the area that needs the most improvement, according to the presentation.

research at ETC Institute, which does market research for local governmental organizations. Results from 502 surveys completed by a random sample of households in the city showed top priorities to improve include traffic and congestion management, maintenance of infrastructure and quality of drainage systems, according to the presentation. Conroe scored above the national average in 41 of the 57 areas assessed, including 92% of respondents rating the city as an “excellent” or “good” place to live and 84% of respondents rating the city as an “excellent” or “good” place to raise children, according to the presentation. “Residents are really satisfied with the delivery of city ser- vices,” Murray said. “While we did have some top priorities

Flow of traffic and congestion management

Maintenance of streets, sidewalks and infrastructure

Quality of drainage system in rainfall events

LOWEST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Results from 502 citizen satisfaction surveys presented March 23 indicated city services respondents were most dissatisfied with:

20%

21%

29%

SOURCE: CITY OF CONROE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

dissatisfied

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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION • APRIL 2022

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

INSIDE INFORMATION

BY WESLEY GARDNER

BRINGING IN BLOOD

The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, an area nonprofit that provides blood to Houston and its surrounding communities, is nearing a shortage of blood supplies for the roughly 170 hospitals it serves across 26 Texas counties. Here is a look at how blood donations are used and how residents can help.

DONOR DILEMMA

BLOOD TYPE BREAKDOWN

TRACKING TRANSFUSIONS

According to the GCRBC, the percentage of Americans who will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives greatly outweighs the percentage of Americans who donate blood.

There are four major blood groups determined by the presence or absence of two antigens, A and B, on the surface of red blood cells. Additionally, the presence or absence of a protein called the Rh factor determines whether the blood type is positive or negative.

Rh-negative blood can only be given to Rh-negative patients, while Rh-positive or Rh-negative blood types can be given to Rh-positive patients, meaning O-negative blood types can be given to all four blood groups, and patients with an AB-negative blood type can receive blood from all four groups.

1 in 20 people will donate blood at some point in their life. 1 in 7 people will need a blood transfusion at some point in their life.

BLOOD TYPES by percent of U.S. population

Donor

37.4% 6.6%

44%

Recipient

35.7% 6.3%

The GCRBC has 17 permanent donor centers across Southeast Texas in addition to mobile blood drives hosted across the area on a daily basis. WHERE TO DONATE?

Anyone who is age 17 or older may be eligible to donate blood. Individuals who are 16 years old may be eligible to donate with parental consent. WHO CAN DONATE? Donors who are age 19 and older must weigh at least 110 pounds. Whole-blood donors who are age 16 must weigh at least 120 pounds. Whole-blood and automated donors who are ages 17-18 and male must weigh at least 115 pounds; female donors must weigh at least 120 pounds. Donors must be in general good health without any cold or flu symptoms. Donors who have COVID-19 or a positive test for COVID-19 must wait 10 days and be

42%

8.5% 1.5%

Champions Donor Center 6935 FM 1960 W., Ste. A, Houston 281-440-5900 Conroe Neighborhood Donor Center 2125 N. Loop 336 W., Conroe 936-760-3345 Cy-Fair Donor Center 11811 FM 1960 W., Ste. 120, Houston 281-469-1964 For a complete list of donation sites, visit www.commitforlife.org .

Cypress Neighborhood Donor Center 15050 Fairfield Village Square Drive, Ste. 105, Cypress 832-334-4880 Humble/Kingwood Donor Center 9616 FM 1960 W., Humble 281-446-5955 The Woodlands Donor Center 3091 College Park Drive, Ste. 130,

10%

3.4% 0.6%

RH+ 85%

RH- 15%

asymptomatic prior to donating. Donors must bring a valid photo ID.

The Woodlands 936-321-8440

SOURCES: AMERICAN RED CROSS, GULF COAST REGIONAL BLOOD CENTER, STANFORD MEDICINE BLOOD CENTER/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION • APRIL 2022

City of Conroe General Election

May 7, 2022 Early Voting begins Monday, April 25 MAYOR JODY CZAJKOSKI ENCOURAGES YOU TO GET OUT AND VOTE!

Election day polling places will be open from 7:00am to 7:00pm on May 7, 2022 to elect City Council Members for Places 3, 4, 5, and a Municipal Judge. YOUR VOTE MATTERS

Early Voting Polling Locations • Central Library, 104 I-45 N., Conroe • West Montgomery County Community Development Center, 31355 Friendship Drive, Magnolia • Magnolia Event Center, 11659 FM 1488, Magnolia • South County Community Center, 2235 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands • Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center, 1300 Riley Fuzzel Road, Spring • North Montgomery County Community Center, 600 Gerald St., Willis • East Montgomery County Fair Association Building, 21675A McCleskey Road,New Caney • Lone Star Community Center, 2500 Lone Star Parkway, Montgomery • Election Central (limited ballots, special forms of early voting, and ballot by mail only), 9159 Airport Road, Conroe

Early Voting Polling Times April 25-30 Monday - Saturday 8:00am-5:00pm May 2-3 Monday - Tuesday 7:00am-7:00pm

CONROE CONNECTION TRANSIT (CCT) WILL OFFER FREE FARES MONDAY, APRIL 25-FRIDAY, APRIL 29 AND MONDAY, MAY 2-TUESDAY, MAY 3.

*THE WEST ROUTE SERVES THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY LIBRARY BUS STOP. (844)-299-6242 WWW.CONROECONNECTION.ORG

For more information, visit www.cityofconroe.org

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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