HTX-NCP: Impact 10/24/2025

Havertys Furniture officials celebrated the grand opening of the company's new showroom in Valley Ranch Town Center in mid-October. 

What they offer: Based in Atlanta, the company is known for its quality home furnishings and free in-home design services.

Some context: As previously reported by Community Impact, the 41,500-square-foot showroom in New Caney will mark the company's third location in the Greater Houston area. The new showroom was first announced by Valley Ranch developer The Signorelli Co. in May. 

• Opened Oct. 17 
• 22296 Market Place Drive, New Caney 

Several businesses recently opened, are coming soon or have other updates to share in the New Caney and Porter area. This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.

Now open
Veteran- and woman-owned business Patriot Paws Mobile Imaging is now serving Montgomery County and parts of Harris County. The business is owned by Porter residents Katie and Jason Blanco, who are members of the VFW and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

• Opened in May, expanded in August
• Service area includes Montgomery County and parts of Harris County

• Grand opening held on Sept. 6
• 22186 Market Place Drive, Ste. 207, New Caney

A partnership now underway between the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office and the international Human Trafficking Institute will bring additional training and resources to local law enforcement agencies, officials said.

What you need to know: The expected change in leadership in the Montgomery County DA's office, as Brett Ligon announced he will step down from the position, will not affect the partnership, according to a statement from the DA's office.

What they're saying: The institute will bring experts from all over the country to help local law enforcement agents recognize more signs and indicators of human trafficking, said Capt. Adam Acosta with Montgomery County Constable Precinct 3’s office.

“Anybody who is under the submission of control to another human being and they are being forced to do something or coerced to do something sexually that they don't really want to do, but they're doing it because they're being controlled. That's human trafficking,” Acosta said.

Two constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot would impact the operation and oversight of Texas’ judicial system if approved by voters.

The details: State Proposition 3 seeks to require judges to deny bail for certain felony offenses, keeping more defendants in jail as they await trial. Proponents of the measure, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, said in June that it would improve public safety by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

Proposition 12 would rework the 13-member State Commission on Judicial Conduct, allowing the governor to appoint a majority of the commissioners and requiring most sanctions for judges accused of misconduct to be issued publicly. The bipartisan proposition faced pushback from some House Democrats who expressed concerns that allowing the governor to appoint a majority of commissioners would politicize the nonpartisan judicial conduct commission and give Abbott more power to remove from office judges whom he does not agree with.

Zooming out: The measures are among 17 state propositions being considered by Texas voters in the Nov. 4 election.