Lake Houston - Humble - Kingwood Edition | March 2025

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Lake Houston Humble Kingwood Edition VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11 APRIL 129, 2025

2025 Voter Guide

Lake Houston-area re departments hope to improve emergency response with new stations Ready for action

INSIDE

Fireghters with the Atascocita Fire Department work to put out a house re in the Lake Houston area. AFD is one of three local re departments that recently completed a station rebuild. (Courtesy Atascocita Fire Department)

Also in this issue

Impacts: See where in Kingwood Sprouts is planning to open a new grocery store (Page 7)

Election: Get to know the candidates running for Humble ISD board of trustees (Page 12)

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION

Impacts

99 TOLL

Chicago-style thin-crust pizzas, as well as calzones, pasta, salads and sandwiches. • Opened March 1 • 14433 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Houston • www.crustpizzaco.com 4 Kentucky Fried Chicken The fried chicken fast food chain offers fried chicken menu items such as tenders, nuggets and sandwiches, as well as family meal options. • Opened Feb. 18 • 6829 Atascocita Road, Humble • www.kfc.com 5 Baskin-Robbins The ice cream shop boasts 42 ice cream flavors, beverages, decorative and customizable cakes and pies, and bakery items, such as brownies and cinnamon rolls. • Opened March 8 • 8790 FM 1960 Bypass Road W., Ste. B300, Humble • www.baskinrobbins.com 6 Round1 Arcade The new arcade-only Deerbrook Mall location features more than 200 arcade games and a victory zone where players can redeem points for prizes. Deerbrook Mall officials said the venue is located in a suite previously occupied by Palais Royal. • Opened Feb. 15 7 Crunch Fitness Open 24/7, the new Humble gym features an infrared sauna, a hot studio offering hot yoga and hot pilates, and a boxing ring. Membership options range from $9.99 to $29.99 per month. • Opened March 8 • 20514 Hwy. 59, Humble • www.crunch.com 8 Planet Fitness The fitness facility features state-of-the-art strength and cardio equipment, a PF Black Card Spa and locker rooms. Memberships start at $15 per month. • 20131 Hwy. 59 N., Ste. 1240, Humble • www.round1usa.com/deerbrook-mall

LAKE HOUSTON WILDERNESS PARK

FORD RD.

WOODLAND HILLS DR.

494

N O R T H P A R

SORTERS MCCLELLAN RD.

Kingwood

TOWNSEN BLVD.

LAKE HOUSTON

UPPER LAKE DR.

Humble

1960

HOUSTON AVE.

1960

W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY.

TIMBER FOREST DR.

FM 1960 BUSINESS

WILL CLAYTON PKWY.

Atascocita

13 12

GREENS RD.

MADERA RUN PKWY.

ALDINE BENDER RD.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

2 Buffetopia Starting at $7.99 for children ages 3-6 and $20.99 for adults, the all-you-can-eat buffet serves seafood, sushi, hibachi grilled items and hot pot. • Opened Feb. 16 • 9930 FM 1960 Bypass Road W., Humble • www.buffetopiatx.com 3 Crust Pizza Co. Owned by husband-and-wife team Shashin and Ashwini Shah, this Summerwood pizzeria offers

Now open

1 Graze Craze The new Kingwood location offers handcrafted charcuterie boards and boxes with premium meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables, as well as house-made sauces such as dips and jams. • Opened March 3 • 22704 Loop 494, Kingwood • www.grazecraze.com/kingwood-tx

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

13 Whataburger Construction on a new Humble location of this Texas- based burger joint is set to begin in June and wrap up in December, according to a Feb. 5 TDLR filing. • 15940 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble • www.whataburger.com 14 Bath & Body Works Construction on a new fragrance store in the Atascocita Commons shopping center is projected to begin in April and wrap up in June, according to Feb. 17 TDLR filing. • 6721 FM 1960 Road E., Stes. 10-11, Humble • www.bathandbodyworks.com 15 O’Reilly Auto Parts Construction on a new Kingwood location for this auto parts retailer is expected to begin in February 2026 and wrap up in June 2026, according to a Feb. 12 TDLR filing. • 1055 Northpark Drive, Kingwood • www.oreillyauto.com 16 Kroger Renovations at a Kroger location in Kingwood began the week of Feb. 24. The store will remain open during the remodel, and enhancements will include new decor, a new floral kiosk, line-up upgrades for the bakery department, a new enclosed service case for the seafood department, and relocating Murray’s Cheese to the deli. • 3410 Northpark Drive, Kingwood • www.kroger.com 17 Fur Babies Boutique & Nutrition The pet supply store celebrated its 20th anniversary in Kingwood on March 8. The business offers natural pet foods and supplies as well as a self-serve dog wash and grooming services.

• Opened Feb. 26 • 600 Kingwood Drive, Ste. A, Kingwood • www.planetfitness.com/gyms/houston-kingwood-tx 9 Woodforest National Bank Located inside H-E-B, the new branch offers full- service banking, a staffed lobby and ATM services. • Opened Feb. 27 • 19529 Northpark Drive, Kingwood • www.woodforest.com

Coming soon

10 Cheeky Monkeys Franchise owner Nisar Maknojia said the indoor playground facility will feature soft play areas geared for children ages 10 months to 8 years. Amenities geared toward parents will include free wifi, and a cafe serving hot and cold beverages as well as treats. • Opening by this fall • 4902 Atascocita Road, Ste. 600, Humble • www.cheekymonkeys.us

19 Sprouts Farmers Market The national grocery chain is set to open next year in the former location of H-E-B in King’s Crossing, officials with Houston-based developer SDI Realty Advisors confirmed March 7. Offering a wide selection of natural and organic foods, the company has opened over 54 locations in Texas including six across the Greater Houston area. • Opening in early 2026 • 4311 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood • www.sprouts.com

Relocations

11 Javaman Coffee The coffee shop will be moving from 8071 FM 1960 Road E., Humble to a new location down the road, owner Mark Norelli confirmed via email Jan. 30. The business’s last day of operation at the former location was Feb. 23; however, an exact opening date for the new location had not been announced as of press time. • 7042 FM 1960 Road E., Humble • www.javamancoffee.net

calling 281-359-2887. • 1850 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 180, Kingwood • www.vagaro.com/us04/arturoshairdesigns

Closings

In the news

20 Don’t Axe The ax-throwing venue has closed in Kings Harbor, according to a statement from owners Nicole White and Lauren Williams posted on the business’s Facebook page Jan. 20. • Closed Jan. 20 • 1660 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 105, Kingwood • Facebook: Don’t Axe

• 1303 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood • www.furbabieskingwood.com

12 Chipotle Construction on a new Humble location of this California-based burrito chain is set to begin in April and wrap up in June, according to a March 6 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 15906 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble • www.chipotle.com

18 Arturo’s Hair Designs The salon celebrated its 20th anniversary in Kingwood on March 22. Owned by husband and wife John and Julie Arthur, the salon has over 20 professionally trained service providers, and appointments can be made by

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Government

BY EMILY LINCKE

Violent crime drops 26% in Humble over 5 years From 2020-24, violent crime in Humble dropped by 26% and property crimes decreased by 11%, Humble Police Department Chief Ken Theis said during a Feb. 13 Humble City Council meeting. Quote of note Violent crime incidents in Humble Aggravated assault Auto theft Burglary of a motor vehicle Burglary Homicide Robbery Sexual assault

Humble tightens rules against businesses On Feb. 27, Humble City Council unan- imously passed an ordinance, which amended four sections of city code. What’s changing? According to Feb. 27 meeting documents, the ordinance: • Adds definitions for commercial proper- ties and home occupations • Adds provisions for home occupations regarding vehicular traffic generation, property signage and selling goods directly from the home • Bans home-operated businesses focusing on auto repair/sales, and homeschools for people outside of the occupant’s family • Imposes a maximum daily fine of $500 for people in violation of the new ordinances

“That’s a testament to our police officers, the men and women that are out here patrolling day and night, pushing the criminal element outside of our area,” Theis said. Diving deeper In 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, recruiting new police officers became more difficult for HPD, Theis said. From 2020-24, HPD reduced the crime rate through: • Improvements to its lateral transfer program to recruit more officers • Increases in officer pay • Putting more officers on the streets

250 500 750 1,000

796

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

661 657

765

686

Overall change: -26%

SOURCES: CITY OF HUMBLE, HUMBLE POLICE DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

• Crime-reducing initiatives such as license plate reader programs and the real-time crime center

LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

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Education

BY WESLEY GARDNER

Humble ISD trustees received a breakdown of the roughly $1.8 million the district has spent in legal fees related to former Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen’s firing and the Title IX investigation into her husband, former HISD Athletic Director Troy Kite. Some context Trustees received the breakdown during the board’s Feb. 18 meeting—about one week after Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath denied Fagen’s final appeal of her firing. Among the chief arguments presented by board members for Fagen’s firing was the notion that the district was forced to hire an outside legal firm to investigate the original Title IX complaint filed Humble ISD’s outside legal fees surpass $1.8M

against Kite due to his relationship with Fagen. In his Feb. 4 decision, Morath sided with the dis- trict in its claim that obtaining outside legal coun- sel was necessary to conduct the investigation. What trustees are saying Trustee Robert Scarfo, who was cleared of any wrongdoing alleged in a Title IX complaint filed against him by Kite, defended the spending. “[We] had two administrative law judges and the independent decision maker telling us the actual reason why we incurred over $1.8 million in expenses that we should not have had to [spend],” Scarfo said. However, trustee Robert Sitton claimed the district was already aware of details revealed from Kite’s Title IX investigation before the district opted to hire an outside legal firm. “Someone is going to have to really convince me that we needed to spend $1.9 million to find out what we already knew,” Sitton said. Scarfo disagreed, noting the investigation revealed details pertaining to Fagen’s treatment of Kite that had previously gone unnoticed.

Humble ISD’s outside legal fees Legal fees related to investigations and Fagen’s appeals have risen to more than $1.83 million.

$2M

$266,209.42 General legal fees $1,030,138.77 Title IX-related fees $260,540.16 Appeal-related fees $179,466.26 Public information requests related to investigations $55,146.90 Costs associated with TEA complaints Employment Opportunity Commission matters $10,212.50 Costs associated with U.S. Office for Civil Rights complaints $30,659.83 U.S. Equal

$1.5M

$1M

$500K

SOURCE: HUMBLE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Election

Voter Guide

2025

Dates to know

Where to vote

April 22: First day of early voting and 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 on election day)

Harris County residents can cast their ballot at any polling location during early voting or on election day. Visit www.harrisvotes.com for polling locations.

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

KEY: *Incumbent

Humble ISD board of trustees, Position 1

Humble ISD board of trustees, Position 3

Oscar Silva Occupation & experience: bank learning and development

Gracie de Leon Occupation & experience: parent; small-business owner; director, GO Imaging; CTE

Natalie Carter Occupation & experience: mother of three students, nurse practitioner, Humble ISD Zoning Committee

Chris Parker* Occupation & experience: insurance trainer and agent, longtime community volunteer, HISD graduate and mom, current board president www.parker4 trustee.com

professional, volunteer at WatchDOGS, Title I site-based committee, builder of HISD Parents www.oscarfor humble.com

board, Humble ISD; US Military Selection Board www.votefor gracie.com

www.carterfor humbleisd.com

What’s the biggest challenge the district is currently facing, and how do you plan to address it?

The district needs to continue to build renewed trust and unity. I’ll prioritize open communication, listening sessions and collaborative decision- making led by our expert teachers and staff. By focusing on student and teacher needs, we can mend relationships, rebuild confidence and establish a more inclusive, supportive environment for everyone.

Excellence. Our school district needs a stronger focus on academic excellence for all students. This requires providing necessary resources and opportunities, alongside supporting teachers with the tools, training and time they need. Investing in educators and setting clear academic expectations is key to fostering an environment where students can thrive.

Our district faces a critical accountability gap, starting with the board and affecting every level. Lack of transparency, irresponsible spending and weak oversight have eroded trust, harmed students and disenfranchised staff. Strong governance—through oversight and ethical leadership—can restore integrity and ensure decisions prioritize students and educators over political agendas.

Safety is paramount. We must ensure that we are right 100% of the time, as a breach of security only requires a single misstep. We are dedicated to enhancing security, have police presence at each school and are continually working to develop innovative measures to keep kids safe.

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 HANNAH BROL, WESLEY GARDNER & EMILY LINCKE

Humble ISD board of trustees, Position 4

Brittnai Brown Occupation & experience: Digital Navigator, supporting digital literacy and technology integration, mom, an educator www.linktr.ee/brittnai4humbleisd

Ken Kirchhofer* Occupation & experience: vice president, HISD board of trustees; chair, audit & finance Committees; Atascocita Golf Club Director www.facebook.com/ kenkirchhofer2021

Tracy Shannon Occupation & experience : stay-at-home mom; education: BS, business admin, Texas A&M University; technical writer; oil & gas accounting www.shannon4humbleisd.com

What’s the biggest challenge the district is currently facing, and how do you plan to address it?

Our district has challenges with transparency, decision-making, and financial spending. Too often, choices are made behind closed doors. I believe in open communication and making decisions based on community feedback to promote accountability and trust.

Moving student learning forward in the face of the somewhat lingering effects of the pandemic and more so, the turmoil caused by certain, so-called leaders of the district that caused great distraction to district operations over the last 20 months. These are being addressed by Dr. Brown and his cabinet …

Academic decline: clearly define goals for the superintendent; fill teaching positions with certified teachers and using less substitutes; remove ineffective faddish curriculum/initiatives with no metric for evaluating success; rewarding schools and teachers that show improvement; refocusing the district on its core mission to educate.

Humble ISD board of trustees, Position 5

Judy Castillo Occupation & experience: 14-year educator, current professor at Lone Star [College], entrepreneur, community advocate 346-675-6566 www.judyforhumbleisd.com

Elizabeth Shaw Occupation & experience: Bioengineering BS from Texas A&M; started career at Andersen Consulting/Accenture; 15+ years in strategic global consulting ... www.electelizabethshaw.com

Scott Ford Occupation & experience: IT certification teacher at Atascocita High School, adjunct professor [at] Lone Star College, published educational author www.ford4theboard.com

What’s the biggest challenge the district is currently facing, and how do you plan to address it?

The biggest challenge our district faces is ensuring equitable access to quality education and mental health resources for all students. I plan to address this by advocating for increased funding, expanding support services and fostering community partnerships to create inclusive, well-resourced schools where every student can thrive.

Facing a decline in student achievement, HISD confronts significant challenges as a large and growing district. Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach falls short, we must commit to tailored solutions that address the unique needs of each school, ensuring every student has the opportunity to excel.

Being a teacher in the district, I am seeing firsthand just how bad things have gotten. There are several big challenges, but I would say the two largest are the lack of transparency among the board and district administration, and lack of accountability.

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LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

VOTE FOR TRACY SHANNON Humble ISD Trustee Postion 4

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PRIORITIZING STUDENTS. INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE. Shannon is committed to ensuring every student in Humble ISD has the opportunity to thrive. With a focus on: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Supporting teachers and providing resources for student success. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Building strong partnerships between schools, parents, and the community. RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP: Making sound financial decisions to maximize resources for students.

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Development

BY EMILY LINCKE

Harris County Precinct 3 to open $2.5M community center in Atascocita

A $2.5 million, 8,500-square foot community center is expected to open in Atascocita Park by the fourth quarter of this year, county leaders said. How we got here On Feb. 6, Harris County Commissioners Court approved a $1.95 million building purchase for the community center, according to Feb. 6 Com- missioners Court meeting documents. Interior renovations—slated to cost $550,000—will begin after the purchase is finalized. A new community center in the Atasocita area was requested by community members during the development of Harris County Precinct 3’s parks and trails master plan, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said via a Feb. 21 news release. The master plan was released in August 2023 and called for $758 million in improvements to be

made to local parks over the next two decades, as previously reported by Community Impact . “We want all of our residents to know that we are working to bring more amenities to them, because that is our duty as local government—to enhance communities through facilities and infrastructure,” Ramsey said in a statement. About the project According to Precinct 3’s news release and county meeting documents, the community center will feature: • Classrooms and large community rooms • A kitchen and a coffee bar • A possible generator so the center can be used as a cooling/warming center The center will be connected to Atascocita Park’s

MADERA RUN PKWY.

17280 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Humble www.pct3.com/community-centers

$1.95M was approved by Harris County Commissioners Court to purchase the building $550,000 will be spent on interior renovations 8,500 square feet will be the size of the community center $758M in park improvements are included in Harris County Precinct 3’s parks and trails master plan

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 3/COMMUNITY IMPACT

trail network, per the release. It could also be used as a supply distribution center in emergencies, according to court meeting documents.

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LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

Ready for action From the cover

The big picture

1 Houston Station 101 renovation

1314 Humble Fire Department Atascocita Fire Department

Houston Fire District 102

Cost: $445,790 Size: 5,310 sq. ft. Sta : 6 Vehicles: 1 retruck, 1 ambulance, 1 high-water vehicle, 1 evacuation boat

The three re departments that serve the majority of the Lake Houston area each recently debuted a new or revamped station, which department lead- ers said are lowering response times for the com- munity or improving working conditions for sta. Atascocita Fire Department leaders celebrated the reopening of Station 29 on Feb. 15, following a $6.9 million rebuild of the facility that Chief of Department Mike Mulligan said was needed to address health and safety issues at the station. The improvements included the addition of a new storage area that helps remove carcinogenic contaminants from re suits and gear, 13 dorms, a weight room, a community room and upgraded living quarters. Meanwhile, Humble Fire Department ocials opened a $6.1 million replacement of Station 2 in January. The 12,000-square-foot facility expand- ed capacity of the original two-person station to house ve to six reghters and/or medics, one ambulance, one re truck and two reserve vehi- cles, Chief David Langenberg said. In December, Houston Fire Department ocials completed a roughly $445,000 renovation of Station 101 in Kingwood. Communications Di- rector Brent Taylor said the improvements have provided safer living conditions for employees.

SORTERS MCCLELLAN RD.

FORD RD.

494

LAKE HOUSTON WILDERNESS PARK

R T H

D R

WOODLAND HILLS DR.

2 Humble Station 2 rebuild

TOWNSEN BLVD.

Cost: $6.1M Size: 12,000 sq. ft. Sta : 5-6 Vehicles: 1 retruck, 1 ambulance, 2 reserve vehicles

KINGWOOD DR.

1960

R S

W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY.

3 Atascocita Station 29 rebuild Cost: $6.9M

LAKE HOUSTON

WILL CLAYTON PKWY.

Size: 10,000 sq. ft. Sta : 8-10 per shift Vehicles: 1 retruck, 1 ambulance, 1 high- water rescue vehicle, 2 rescue boats, 1 utility pickup truck, 1 battalion chief SUV

SOURCES: ATASCOCITA, HOUSTON, HUMBLE FIRE DEPARTMENTSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Assessing the need

Funding the projects

in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. “New facilities and proper training enable reghters to deliver excellent service and be good stewards of community resources,” Riddle said. Humble Fire Department’s replacement station is located farther south than the original station to accommodate population growth in the southern part of the city, Langenberg said.

Multiple re department facilities popping up in an area during a short period of time is not unusual for areas with fast-growing populations, said John Riddle, president of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, an advocacy group that serves 19,000 reghters in 200 communities across the state. The Lake Houston area’s population grew by roughly 9.2% over ve years, rising from more than 282,400 residents in 2018 to nearly 308,500

Two out of the three station projects experienced delays from conception to opening, department leaders said. Humble’s new station was funded in part by a $4.5 million federal grant, and the city provided about $1.5 million-$2 million, Langenberg said. Typically, a re station takes 12-18 months to build, but the Humble project encountered several setbacks, including supply chain issues from the coronavirus pandemic, Langenberg said. Ultimately, the slowdowns raised the cost of the re house from the 2018 estimate, which was closer to $4.5 million. “By the time we received the funding approval and got the building designed, both COVID and the subsequent era of hyperination happened,” Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe said via a Feb. 27 email. While Mulligan said the AFD was able to secure a locked-in price for the roughly $6.9 million rebuild of Station 29, he noted the project suered from several delays due to supply chain issues. Houston Fire Department leaders said their project did not see cost changes or timeline delays.

Atascocita Fire Department

Houston Fire Department (District 102)

Humble Fire Department/EMS

Total calls for service

Average response times

11:05

10 12

10K

8,687

8,301 8,622

10:29 10:45 10:32

8,085

8K 6K 4K 2K 0

6,932

9:56

8,221 7,836

7,748

7:07 7:01

7:01

6:45

7,019

6 4 2 0

7:04

6:51

6:55

4,895

5:54 6:19

4,094 4,159 4,376

3,387

2020* 2021 2022 2023 2024

2024

2020* 2021

2022 2023

*ATASCOCITA FIRE DEPARTMENT DATA FOR 2020 WAS UNAVAILABLE SOURCES: ATASCOCITA, HOUSTON, HUMBLE FIRE DEPARTMENTSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY WESLEY GARDNER & EMILY LINCKE

What’s next

Oering input

In Atascocita, Mulligan said the department is in the planning phase for a new training facility consisting of modular units that could be rearranged to suit particular training needs. “If we wanted to change the conguration, it can be done simply,” Mulligan said. “It allows for a lot more exibility.” Additionally, Mulligan said he hopes to move forward on planned renovations to AFD Station 39 and upgrades at the department’s administrative building within the next three years. Mulligan said the planned renovations to Station 39 wouldn’t be as extensive as the work recently completed on Station 29, noting the department is looking into reworking the station’s oor plan to better utilize the second oor of the facility. Mulligan noted exact timelines and cost estimates have not yet been determined.

While Humble Fire Department ocials are not looking to build additional facilities anytime soon, Langenberg said the department has capacity to add two more sta positions and additional apparatuses to the new station, if needed. In February, Houston City Council members voted to initiate the process of acquiring 4.5 acres of land in Kingwood for a planned project that would consolidate stations 101 and 104 into a single, four-bay re station. City ocials said neither of the current stations met the re department’s standards, noting issues with Station 101’s roof and Station 104’s proximity to the San Jacinto River, planning documents show. Taylor said it was still too early in the planning process to establish a timeline for when the project would move forward. “This is the rst on-paper step in a very long path,” Taylor said.

“Well-run communities are constantly monitoring growth and

re/EMS coverage and extending coverage with new re stations and more personnel.” JOHN RIDDLE, PRESIDENT, TEXAS STATE ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS

“The importance of the project and the benet it now provides far exceed the additional local dollars that [were] required.”

JASON STUEBE, CITY MANAGER, HUMBLE

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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION

Transportation

BY HANNAH BROL

Upcoming projects

TOWNSEN BLVD.

MANNING RD.

TOWNSEN BLVD.

1 South Houston Avenue widening, reconstruction Project: This project will widen South Houston Avenue between Will Clayton Parkway and Atascocita Road from the existing two-lane asphalt roadway to a three-lane concrete roadway with curb and gutter. The project will also include a new trac signal system and drainage improvements, including the installation of underground storm sewers, inlets and ditch regrading. Update: Surveying is complete and engineering for the project was 10% complete as of the January 2025 monthly report from the city of Humble’s Public Works Department. • Timeline: January 2026-January 2028 • Cost: $1,132,360 • Funding source: City of Humble 2 Meek and Manning roads paving, drainage improvements Project: This project will repave existing asphalt streets including Meek Road and Manning Road between North Houston Avenue and Townsen Boulevard. The project will also include the installation of roadside drainage culverts, new water lines and re hydrants along Meek Road. Update: Surveying is complete and engineering for the project was 10% complete as of the January 2025 report.

UPPER LAKE DR.

MEEK RD.

N. HOUSTON AVE.

1960

Humble

N. HOUSTON AVE.

F I RSTST.

1960

TIMBER FOREST DR.

WILL CLAYTON PKWY.

CAROLYN CT.

S. HOUSTON AVE.

• Timeline: August 2025-January 2026 • Cost: $241,750 • Funding source: City of Humble 3 McDugald Road, Sharon Drive and Carolyn Court reconstruction Project: This project will replace existing asphalt streets with concrete curb and gutter including

McDugald Road, Sharon Drive and Carolyn Court. The project will also replace water lines and re hydrants along McDugald Road. Update: Surveying is complete and engineering for the project was 30% complete as of the January 2025 report. • Timeline: August 2025-May 2026 • Cost: $369,500 • Funding source: City of Humble

Events

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR & HANNAH BROL

Kingwood Anime Festival Enjoy a day filled with Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese foods, and shop from over 70 vendors with anime merchandise. • April 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (admission) • Town Center Park, 8 N. Main St., Kingwood • www.facebook.com/kingwoodanimefestival

April

Good Oil Days Festival Celebrate Humble’s oil roots at a festival featuring food trucks, vendors, live music, a kids zone, a plant sale, a car show and a beer garden. • April 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (admission) • Main Street, Humble • www.goodoildays.com Creativity Rocks Creativity Shell will host its 10th annual fashion show to showcase the work of the nonprofit’s young designers. • April 5, 6-9 p.m. • $35 (students), $50-$100 (general admission) • Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble • www.creativityshell.org World Famous Elvis Tribute Charles Bender Performing Arts Center is presenting an Elvis Tribute featuring Travis Powell. • April 6, 3 p.m. • $40 (admission) • 611 Higgins St., Humble • www.charlesbendertheater.com

The Silver Premiere Casino Night Celebration

The Village Centers will kickoff it’s 25th anniversary with a casino night featuring dinner, drinks, prizes and a live performance by jazz artist Danette McMahon. • April 26, 7 p.m. • $200 (individual entry) • The Clubs of Kingwood, 1700 Kingwood Trail, Kingwood • www.thevillagecenters.org Chorale Landscapes This concert by the Kingwood Chorale and Houston Saengerbund will include German and American sounds under the direction of Juan Garza. • April 26, 7:30 p.m. • $30 (general admission), $20 (seniors), $5 (students) • Strawbridge United Methodist Church, 5629 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood • www.lhmas.org

Boots & Bling The Humble ISD Education Foundation is celebrating 25 years of making an impact with an event featuring food, karaoke, live music and activities with a Texas flair. Proceeds support innovative classroom projects across Humble ISD. • April 4, 6 p.m. • $75 (HISD employee admission), $100 (regular admission) • Stampede Houston, 11925 Hwy. 59, Houston • www.humbleisdfoundation.org

PORTER 23611 Hwy 59 (281) 354-0733 HUMBLE 19322 US-59 (281) 540-7202

KINGWOOD 1420 Kingwood Dr (281) 359-7115 ATASCOCITA 7034 FM 1960 E (281) 812-3100

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BUZZIER THAN USUAL!

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

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

DETOURS: An El Paso Refuge CRITTER: American Bumblebee OUT THERE: Meanwhile, in Texas

MADE IN TEXAS: A Leathermaking Legacy FEATURE PREVIEW: Where to Eat Now

Above: The Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

DETOURS

A Tribal Sanctuary On a Sacred Trail

Location: eleven miles southeast of downtown El Paso. BY JOSH ALVAREZ

CRITTER

American Bumblebee

The bumblebee does something most bees don't: buzz pollination, which involves gripping the plant with its legs and vibrating its whole body. If you eat blueberries, potatoes, or tomatoes— all of which rely on buzz pollination— you’ve got a bumblebee to thank. WHY IS IT SO BIG? The better to collect all that sweet pollen to feed its young. That fuzz is actually densely packed hairs, or setae, that trap pollen as the bumblebee floats from flower to flower. Its large body likely evolved to provide even more surface area.

DOES IT STING? Only if you mess with its nest.

HOW MANY SPECIES ARE THERE? Texas has between seven and eleven types. The most common is the American bumblebee, found statewide. North Texans might spot the brown-belted bumblebee, while those in the west are likely to see the Sonoran variant. The gentle giant is in trouble, though: Since 1974, popula- tions across North America have fallen by 46 percent. SCIENTISTS KEEP TABS, RIGHT? Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is one of several Texas orga- nizations partnering with Jacqueline Staab, the owner of Darwin’s Bee Dogs. Her German shorthaired pointers are trained to sniff out bumblebee nests for population surveys. “If we lose bees,” says Staab, “we lose Texas ecosystems.” —Rose Cahalan

INSIDE THE ADOBE walls of the Ysleta Mis- sion are clues to a deep history of acculturation that characterizes El Paso to this day. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe, more commonly known as the Tigua, established the mission in 1682, making it one of the oldest in Texas (much of the current structure was built in 1851). The Tigua arrivedherefromNewMexico,whichtheyfled after the Pueblo Indians there overthrew the

Spanish colonial system, in 1680, forcing Span- iards and Christianized Pueblos to seek safety elsewhere. The Tigua dedicated the mission to Anthony of Padua, patron saint of things that have been lost, whose figure stands atop the entrance; inside are blankets dyed in brilliant blues and reds and a statue of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Catholic Church’s first Native American saint. The structure, part of the El Paso Mission Trail, holds a mass every day. If you can, plan your visit for June 13, when the Tigua celebrate Saint Anthony with traditional dancing.

The church interior at the Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

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MADE IN TEXAS

He Goes With the Grain Clint Wilkinson carries on his grandfather’s leatherworking legacy out of the same downtown Denton storefront. BY PAUL L. UNDERWOOD

OUT THERE

Meanwhile, In Texas

After the San Antonio Zoo announced the birth of Tupi, the first capybara born there since 2000, it had to clarify to X users that it was “not associated with or benefiting from” a crypto- currency named after the baby animal. The number one item on the TSA’s top ten list of the most unusual airport confiscations in 2024 was a gun tucked into the back of a baby stroller at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport. The Texas State Aquarium, in Corpus Christi, released into the Gulf of Mex- ico some 270 green sea turtles it had rescued when they became hypother- mic during a recent cold snap. A Temple woman was sentenced to felony probation for theft after with- drawing money from a GoFundMe account created for her after she lied about a cancer diagnosis so that her friends “would like her more.” A Bexar County jail officer was arrest- ed and fired after allegedly giving an inmate food from Whataburger . After the Houston Police Department announced plans to clean up its prop- erty warehouse, authorities revealed that rats had possibly compromised ongoing cases by eating mushrooms and other drugs stored as evidence. A man stole a pickup truck and led police on a chase to the Midland airport, where he drove through the perimeter fence and onto the runways before abandoning the vehicle. —Meher Yeda

George W. Bush and Fort Worth soul star Leon Bridges, as well as Stetson and 7-Eleven. Wilkinson works out of the downtown cor- ner storefront once owned by his grandfather Weldon Burgoon, who opened Weldon’s Sad- dle Shop & Western Wear in 1957. Burgoon, who helped cover the cost of Clint’s birth, in 1982, by giving a saddle to the obstetrician, taught his grandson the craft. Wilkinson started an e-commerce site for the shop and, with his grandfather’s encour- agement, began branding his own handsewn leather goods with his name. In 2019, a year after Burgoon died, Wilkin- son reopened the shop, which he renamed Wilkinson’s Fine Goods. He’s known for his leather tote bags, belts, and wallets, and he sells wares from other brands, like Nocona- based Fenoglio Boot Company. He’s also de- veloping a line of leather-crafting supplies. The intention, he says, is to create “a way that I can still be in the leather community when I’m seventy-five years old and can’t make anything anymore.”

LAST SUMMER, WILKINSON’S FineGoods, in Denton, received its biggest online order to date. Owner Clint Wilkinson was intrigued by his new client, who purchased a massive array of custom desk mats, bootjacks, and cherrywood boxes with hand-tooled leather accents. “I was just like, ‘Holy crap,’�” Wilkin- son recalls. “He must be a politician or lawyer or something.” Not quite. Wilkinson looked up the buyer, a Utah resident named Austin Post, and re- alized that he was doing business with Post Malone, the rapper who was raised in nearby Grapevine. Wilkinson emailed him to explain that fulfillment would take some time be- cause every item would be handmade. The two now exchange texts about everything from the order’s progress to the woes of their be- loved Dallas Cowboys. Eventually Wilkinson’s client list would include former President

Clint Wilkinson and Charlie Talkington in the Wilkinson’s Fine Goods workshop, in Denton.

LAKE HOUSTON - HUMBLE - KINGWOOD EDITION

2025

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Japanese hand rolls, sashimi, and sushi and en- joy the restaurant’s excellent vinyl collection. What does all this say about dining in Texas as weapproachtheendofthefirstquarterofthe twenty-firstcentury?Maybejustthis:Weneed to make room for more fun. The hospitality industry knows hard times all too well, with the ever-rising costs of raw ingredients and labor and the hollowing out of once vibrant restaurant-centric neighborhoods. Given all that, who wouldn’t opt for a break from the real world? It was in the same spirit that we selected the ten best new restaurants in Texas, along with a handful of honorable mentions. So get out there. Ask some friends to dinner; try some wild and crazy dishes; visit a place not on your radar. Life is serious enough—live a little. And eat a lot. To read the list of the best new restaurants in Texas, please subscribe to Texas Monthly .

IS IT OUR imagination, or are Texas restau- rants more, well, imaginative than ever? On our visit to an idiosyncratic spot in the Gulf Coast town of Kemah, we were treated to bil- lowing dry ice, a blowtorch, and a pasta cre- ation that was a dead ringer for a coral snake. In Dallas, we settled into a long, narrow dining room that looked as if it had been uncoupled from the Orient Express. In Fort Worth, we were sure that characters in The Crown would have felt right at home in a convincing replica of a posh London townhouse. Of course, not everything we loved this past year was stagy. One of our favorite venues was a comfy lit- tle place in Houston where guests can order

FEATURE PREVIEW

Where to Eat Now Dining in Texas has been one big experiment this year. Dry ice. Pasta snakes. Whey foam. Corn bubbles. (That’s right: corn bubbles.) Our best new restaurants want you to have a meal you’ll never forget.

BY COURTNEY BOND AND PATRICIA SHARPE

A scallop dish from Ishtia, in Kemah; smoked king salmon crudo at the Chumley House, in Fort Worth; sabering a bottle of wine at Isidore, in San Antonio.

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