On the April 22 episode, guest J.J. Hollie, president and CEO of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce weighs in on how inflation has affected the Houston area, and Community Impact Newspaper's Katy editor Laura Aebi discusses the redevelopment of one of Katy's historic rice dryers.

Houston and The Woodlands feel the effects of inflation

In the United States, prices of energy, transportation, food, housing and education have risen over the past year. Locally, the Greater Houston region has seen the greatest increase in food and energy costs over a one-year period since 1982, per data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to guest J.J. Hollie, even more affluent areas like The Woodlands are feeling strain from rising costs.

Katy’s historic J.V. Cardiff & Sons Rice Dryer begins next chapter with new owner

The city of Katy is anticipating the development of a new source of entertainment and tourism revenue as one of the city’s historic rice dryers is set to get a second life. A developer purchased the J.V. Cardiff & Sons Rice Dryer on Highway 290 in late 2020 and has plans to transform the site into a museum, food hall, beer garden and co-working space while preserving the property’s historic roots. Editor Laura Aebi discusses the developer's vision.

Also on this episode...

A NASA space shuttle simulator joins the Lone Star Flight Museum's permanent collection; Texas State Technical College partners with the Tesla START program; a local brewery throws a shindig celebrating the local beer industry's resilience during the pandemic; and more.