Grand Parkway expansion, local schools closing: 5 trending stories in the Greater Houston area

The expansion project, titled “Section B-1,” is slated to start construction in 2027.

Read the full story by Editor Haley Velasco.

Round1 establishes grand opening at the Willowbrook Mall

Round1 officials announced the new arcade located at the Willowbrook Mall plans to hold its grand opening event with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. Dec. 20.

Located at the former Sears, per previous Community Impact reporting, Round1 is an arcade with over 100 crane machines, arcade games, professional-grade billiards, karaoke and bowling.

See what the buzz is about with Reporter Jovanna Aguilar.

Smashed burgers, birria tacos: 6 new restaurants to try across the Greater Houston area

From a new burger spot to a new taco truck, read six dining updates across the Greater Houston area, including restaurants that recently opened or are celebrating anniversaries, as reported by Community Impact.

This is not a comprehensive list.

See more details from Reporter Wesley Gardner.

Spring ISD to close 2 schools starting in the 2026-27 school year

Two Spring ISD schools will be closing starting next school year as the district faces falling enrollment and a $13 million fiscal year 2025-26 budget shortfall, according to a Dec. 10 SISD news release.

During its Dec. 9 regular board meeting, the SISD board of trustees made the decision to close Link Elementary School and Dueitt Middle School starting in the 2026-27 school year. According to the release, SISD campuses have been operating at 60% capacity.

“With campuses operating at nearly 60% capacity and reductions in federal funding, we are facing realities that require hard choices,” said board President Justine Durant via the news release. “We will not be fiscally responsible if we do not address these challenges now, even when the decisions are difficult.”

Take a closer look with Reporter Emily Lincke.

4 transportation updates around the Tomball, Magnolia area

There are several transportation updates for projects around the Tomball and Magnolia area, according to a list compiled by Community Impact.

New and ongoing projects include:

• Gosling Road at West Rayford Road traffic signal
• Hufsmith Road intersection improvements
• Spring Stuebner Road expansion
• Spur 149 improvements