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Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage this week? Check out these trending stories across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Aug. 14-21.
1. Apple officially opens new manufacturing facility in north Houston
Apple opened a new 20,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in north Houston, the second largest in the country, as part of the tech giant’s $500 billion initiative to increase manufacturing in the U.S.
2. Sprouts to anchor Grand Imperial Marketplace center and 5 more businesses announced
Sprouts Farmers Market will anchor the new Grand Imperial Marketplace center on the northwest corner of the Grand Parkway and Imperial Promenade Drive. Marshalls, Five Below, Ross, Burlington and Planet Fitness were also announced for the upcoming shopping center.
Read the full story by Editor Vanessa Holt here.
3. Conroe approves data center regulations as officials cite interest in city
Conroe City Council approved new regulations on data centers during its meeting Aug. 13. Officials cited the burgeoning interest in bringing the industry into Conroe as reason to enact ordinances before any projects move forward.
Read the full story by Reporter Nichaela Shaheen here.
4. Montgomery County FY 2026-27 budget grows to $552.7M after workshops
Montgomery County commissioners added about $15.4 million in expenses over several days of budget talks. A large part of the workshop was a 5% across-the-board pay increase and pay parity for law enforcement. The Montgomery County Commissioners are set to finalize the budget on Sept. 8.
5. Willis residents push for FM 1097 relief amid current congestion, future growth
Residents of Willis are voicing their concerns about the ability of FM 1097 to keep pace with the rapid development of the area. Officials say that traffic relief projects typically take about a decade to install.
6. Conroe ISD STAAR results consistently surpass state, but show decreases within district in some subjects
STAAR test results show that students in Conroe ISD surpass state averages but show a decrease in scores for reading in third, fourth and sixth grades.
Read the full story by Editor Vanessa Holt here.
7. Conroe City Council keeps Flock cameras, firefighter collective bargaining off November ballot
Conroe City Council sent a firefighting collective bargaining election to a committee. In a separate motion, City Council rejected a referendum on license plate readers, including Flock cameras, in a 2-3 vote.
