The Back Nine is expected to open this summer in New Caney, owners Darrin and Shawna Ballard confirmed via email June 3.

Who it's for: Set to be open 24/7, the indoor golf simulator franchise is geared toward serious golfers who want to improve their game, casual golfers who want a place to hang out and hit golf balls with friends, and businesses seeking a venue for team-building and client collaborations.

The venue will also host golf leagues, tournaments, clinics, kids' camps and parties, the Ballards said.

Check it out: Ahead of the opening, the New Caney location is offering Founders Club Memberships for the first 40 members. For a $25 deposit, founding members will receive extra benefits, such as discounts and exclusive access to club member leagues and tournaments.

• Soft opening in early July, grand opening Aug. 1
• 20470 FM 1485, Ste. E, New Caney

New Caney ISD’s Child Nutrition Department will be serving free breakfast and lunch for children four days per week from June 2-25.

At a glance: Children age 18 and younger and enrolled students with disabilities up to age 21 are eligible for cost-free meals at participating sites Monday through Thursday. Participating NCISD sites include one elementary school and one high school.

On June 4, a $25 million funding increase was approved for Lone Star College System’s textbook program in order to continue the services through fiscal year 2026-27.

In a nutshell: The maximum amount to be spent to fund LSCS’ textbook program’s was raised to $79.24 million total, according to June 4 meeting documents. The maximum amount was last increased by $34.24 million to about $54.24 million in December 2024 to cover the program through FY 2025-26.

In case you missed it: However, the new textbook program allotment total includes services that have been evolving at the college system since 2023, according to a June 4 presentation from Kristy Vienne, LSCS’ vice chancellor for finance and administration. The current iteration of the program, dubbed the STAR Bundle, officially launched in the fall of 2025 and:

• Automatically provides students with their required textbooks and class materials by the first day of class
• Costs $24 per credit hour enrolled, no matter the actual textbook costs

The inaugural Piney Woods Film Festival will spotlight 64 feature films and documentaries by local and international filmmakers June 11-13 in its first showcase.

The big picture: Hosted at Lone Star College-Montgomery, the festival spans three days, with each day presenting a full itinerary to attendees, according to a news release.

What to expect: The scheduled lineup includes multiple showings of various productions, followed by Q&As with their respective filmmakers, as well as live music and social events. A special guest panel, VIP mixer and an awards ceremony are slated to close out the festivities on Day 3, according to the official schedule.

The specifics: The address for the Lone Star College-Montgomery Recital Hall is Building H, 3200 College Park Drive, Conroe. Each day of the Piney Woods Film Festival begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 11 p.m.

Tickets officially went on sale in mid-April. Attendees can purchase tickets starting at $25 with a discounted ticket rate being offered to students with their student ID and to senior citizens.

Texas must protect residential consumers from paying for the infrastructure needed to power new data centers, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a June 10 order aimed at balancing the rapid growth of data centers with the needs of residents and communities.

The big picture: The governor directed state regulators to ensure data center companies do not pass infrastructure costs on to ratepayers, urging lawmakers to tighten regulations on data centers’ water use and repeal certain tax exemptions that benefit the industry.

Abbott’s order comes as Texas grapples with how to manage the data center boom amid climbing electric demand and looming water shortages. It is the first time the Republican governor has publicly called to restrict data center growth.

The context: As communities across Texas consider new data center projects, reporting shows that some residents are pushing back, raising concerns about the large facilities’ water usage, potential strain on the electric grid and impacts on local neighborhoods.

What they're saying: In response, state agencies called protecting consumers from rising electric costs "our top priority."