Montgomery County is moving forward with architectural work for a proposed new justice center as officials weigh whether to place a funding measure before voters in November.

Commissioners unanimously approved selecting Dallas-based Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, also known as BSW Architects, for the project during a July 9 meeting. A contract outlining the scope, cost and payment schedule will come back to the court for approval.

What you need to know: The selection allows the county to begin refining plans and developing a more reliable cost estimate for the proposed courthouse. BSW architect Charlie Goodman said the firm would build from an earlier facility study rather than start from scratch, but the existing plans would need to be reviewed and updated.

Commissioners have not approved a bond election or finalized how the justice center would be funded. However, officials discussed the possibility of taking a bond proposal to voters in November.

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion has announced its lineup for the remainder of 2026, including several free events as part of its Performing Arts Series. Musical styles including classic rock, blues, country and R&B are among those showcased at the outdoor venue this year. 

What to expect: Several more shows may be announced before the end of the season, which is currently scheduled to run through Dec. 3, ending with the free "Holly Jolly Jingle" concert featuring Conroe ISD student musicians.

• July 15, 7:30 p.m.: Woodlands Symphony, Game On! A Symphony of Sport, free event
• July 18, 7:30 p.m.: Flatland Cavalry with Randy Rogers Band and Zack Telander
• July 21, 8 p.m.: Houston Symphony, The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John, free event
• July 24, 7:30 p.m.: Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band
• July 25, 6:30 p.m.: Motionless in White with Lorna Shore, Fit For a King and Static Dress

Black Walnut Cafe in The Woodlands is closed for renovations until late July, according to its website.

The gist: The restaurant sells breakfast, lunch and dinner with menu items such as its new sweet potato breakfast hash, Korean breakfast protein bowl and Texas-sized chicken fried steak.

• 9000 New Trails Drive, The Woodlands

Per a July 9 Hamra Enterprises release, several locations have plans to reopen across the North Houston area after going dark since August 2025. Stores reopening per the release include seven locations in Katy, Cy-Fair, Spring and Conroe and will begin with the Spring location at 3548 Rayford Road and a Katy location in July, CEO Mike Hamra told Fast Company in a statement.

The details: After abruptly shutting down several locations in the wake of a high-profile dispute last summer, per the release, new owners with Hamra Enterprises confirmed several Houston area re-openings.

Quote of note: “The Houston-area restaurants have been dark since August 2025, when their previous owner—ordered by a judge to stop using the Panera name—closed them down and sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection,” read the release.

Also of note: The Panera Bread restaurants are Hamra’s first in Texas and will mark the company’s expansion into its 12th state. It has been a Panera Bread franchisee since 1997, according to the release and includes 88 Panera cafés across eight states.

Harris County commissioners shot down an effort to change the role of county administrator during the July 9 meeting after an item re-examining the duties of the office was added as an emergency item to the county agenda.

What we know: Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia added an item to the agenda on June 9 to consider returning the duties of the Office of County Administration back to commissioners. Garcia also requested a closed session discussion for an “evaluation” of County Administrator Erica Lee Carter.

“When I'm elected, it is important for me to have oversight of operations and be involved in decisions,” Garcia said. “it has nothing to do with the person there, I just never really cared for the office, but I was willing to experiment with it and better understand it.”

The action taken: While Garcia’s proposal was not considered further by commissioners, Ramsey said he would like to see additional progress on how the OCA could work with commissioners and other departments to improve efficiency.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from last week? Check out five trending stories from the North Houston area from July 6-10.

1. Wing drone delivery service expands to 8 additional Greater Houston-area Walmarts

2. Texas Litter Control provides affordable veterinary services in The Woodlands area since 2012

3. Bombers Volleyball now offering volleyball training in Cypress

4. United Airlines launches new nonstop service between IAH, Cartagena

5. Montgomery County Food Bank announces 5 new additions to board of directors

In Texas, 246 of the state’s 254 counties are designated by the federal government as “mental health professional shortage areas,” meaning local law enforcement are often tasked with responding to mental health crisis calls.

The situation: All Texas peace officers are required to complete crisis intervention and deescalation trainings, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

What's happening: Across Community Impact’s coverage areas, some city and county law enforcement agencies are partnering with local mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls. However, law enforcement and criminal justice leaders from smaller communities told state legislators July 7 that they have “limited tools” to effectively respond to mental health calls and help people in crisis.

“We do not have any inpatient mental health facilities in my county—we've never had that, and we've needed them for decades,” Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said July 7. “We originally started out sending individuals to the San Antonio area, and right now we are transporting individuals for inpatient treatment to North Austin.”