HTX-SLM: Impact 9/26/2025

Sugar Land officials cut the ribbon Sept. 25 on the city’s new Public Safety Training Complex, unveiling a one-stop training campus for police, fire and emergency medical services personnel to better prepare for emergencies without leaving the city.

Zooming in: The new $10 million facility, which began construction in January 2024, includes an area to simulate in-home scenarios for both police and fire departments, with options to bring in smoke, loud music, live shooters with plastic bullets and more, Sugar Land Chief of Police Pete Lara said.

What else? Along with the new training complex, the police department received designation as a certified Texas Commission on Law Enforcement training provider this summer, according to the release.

What’s next: Phase 3, which was approved through the $350 million bond approved by voters last November, will include the construction of an indoor shooting range as well as fire training structures.

Akadia Event Center is bringing a wedding chapel and grand ballroom to Missouri City.

The overview: The 12,951-square-foot venue is nestled off Beltway 8 and Hillcroft Avenue and can provide seating for up to 300 guests, according to the center’s website. The center will also offer guests scenic grounds to walk alongside a lake as well as private bride and groom suites.

One more thing: The property has three access points as well as gated entrances for security and on-site parking for guests, per the website. Additionally, the website states Akadia will provide complimentary cleaning services to provide peace of mind.

• 14808 Hillcroft Ave., Missouri City

Many Texas retailers can no longer sell consumable THC products to customers under 21 years old after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved two emergency rules Sept. 23.

The overview: The new rules, which were drafted after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Sept. 10 executive order requesting tighter THC regulations, apply only to retailers that sell alcohol. The rules state that businesses may not sell, serve or deliver consumable hemp products to minors and must check all customers' IDs before selling them THC products.

Zooming in: About 60,000 Texas businesses hold TABC licenses and will be prohibited from selling THC products to minors. Those businesses include bars, restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores and some convenience stores.

However, the rule does not apply to THC retailers that do not sell alcohol or have a TABC license, such as smoke shops, gas stations or online sellers. The TABC and the Texas Department of State Health Services are working to determine how to best enforce age restrictions for THC retailers that do not sell alcohol, agency spokespeople said.