Officials with Axe-Mania, a family-friendly ax-throwing venue, celebrated the business' one-year anniversary in Kingwood on Jan. 13.

The details: Owned by Todd and Christi Byers, the venue is geared toward participants of all skill levels age 8 and older, and features nine state-of-the-art projected throwing lanes with interactive games. The space also features arcade games and a lounge area that serves soft drinks, beer and wine as well as a variety of snacks.

According to previous reporting, Byers said Axe-Mania is an ideal venue for hosting birthday parties, team-building activities, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and other special occasions. He noted the venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays, however private parties can be arranged upon request.

• 23840 Hwy. 59 N., Kingwood

Check out what's happening in the Lake Houston area this weekend, April 2-5. 

Spring Concert Series: Head to Kings Harbor for an evening of live music performed by Party On!

• April 2, 6-8 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 4501 Magnolia Cove Drive, Kingwood

• April 4, 2-5 p.m.
• $39.19 (admission)
• 1700 Lake Kingwood Trail, Houston

• April 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 250 Assay St., Houston

On March 19, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced the opening of its new Colorectal Center located on the second floor of its Duncan Building, per a news release.

More details: The 24,565-square-foot center blends art and technology, aiming to create a calm, healing environment focused on patient experience, per the news release. This center includes 32 exam rooms, along with a lobby featuring three focus rooms. Patients will have access to supportive services such as nutrition counseling, pain management, genetic counseling and risk assessment.

Quote of note: “When we treat young patients, we are addressing more than just the cancer,” Dr. Y. Nancy You, professor of colon and rectal surgery and director of the young-onset colorectal cancer program, said via news release. “We also recognize the significant psychological impact that a diagnosis can have on their lives. This new center provides a dedicated space where we can deliver personalized, whole-person care and walk that journey with every patient, so they know they are not alone."

 The Houston Independent Bookstore Crawl is back in 2026 with 31 independent bookstores participating from April 1-30.

The setup: For those interested, participants will need to pick up a bookstore crawl card from one of the participating bookstores and get a stamp. For each store visited, the participant will get a stamp or a signature from the bookseller.

What else: As part of the crawl, a raffle will be held in which participants enter for a chance to win special gifts when they visit 15 bookstores. After the 15th visit, an additional entry will be added to the drawing.

Cards must be dropped off at one of the participating bookstores by April 30 by the time the store closes.

At least 257,000 students have applied for Texas’ inaugural education savings account program, according to the state comptroller’s office. Less than half of those applicants are likely to be accepted.

The overview: Applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts close at 11:59 p.m. March 31. Students enrolling in private schools will receive $10,474 to spend on tuition and related expenses, while homeschool students can get up to $2,000 each, and students with disabilities may qualify for up to $30,000 each.

Through March 29, about 23% of applicants had indicated they would be homeschooled while 77% of applicants said they wanted to attend a private school, state data shows.

Program funding is capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, meaning between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted.

By the numbers: About 34,000 students indicated in their application that they have a disability, per the comptroller's office. Students who have a disability and are considered low- or middle-income will receive priority acceptance into the program under state law.