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March primaries and May elections to know in The Woodlands area

Early voting begins Feb. 17 for March 3 primary races in Texas, including several county and state contests in The Woodlands area.

At a glance: Montgomery County Republican primaries that will see contested elections in The Woodlands area include county judge, Precinct 2 commissioner and Precinct 3 justice of the peace, according to filing information.

What else: A special election will be held May 2 to fill the state Senate District 4 seat formerly occupied by Brandon Creighton, who resigned to lead the Texas Tech University System. Filing for that race is open through March 3, according to a proclamation by Gov. Greg Abbott. The winner will fill the seat until it expires in January 2027.

 
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On The Business Beat
New McDonald's coming soon in Spring

McDonald's has plans to construct a new location along the Grand Parkway in 2027, a Dec. 19 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows.

The details: While the exact address is unknown as of press time, the 4,310-square-foot McDonald's is set to open near the intersection of Birnham Woods Drive and the Grand Parkway and will include a dual lane drive-thru, per the filing. 

Stay tuned: Construction is expected to begin Jan. 1, 2027, and wrap up in June, according to the project registration. Details submitted to TDLR are subject to change. 

  • Grand Parkway and Birnham Woods Drive
 

How the YMCA of Greater Houston helps Houstonians turn new year goals into lasting habits, community

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FOODIE FRIDAY
Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Houston area.

Yark Green Thai Restaurant opens off Mercantile Parkway

Rooted in family recipes and a passion for authentic flavors, Yark Green opened Dec. 12 in Katy.

The restaurant serves Thai rice, curry and noodle dishes, as well as desserts such as mango sweet rice, coconut pandan roll cake and fried ice cream. Additionally, the interior of the restaurant is decorated with warm wood tones, earthy colors and greenery to reflect a peaceful oasis.
  • 23227 Mercantile Parkway, Ste. A4, Katy

Read more.

 

🍻 New bar and saloon set to join Heights late-night scene in 2026
(Read more)

🍜 OI Juicy Dumpling & Ramen now open in Cypress
(Read more)

🥤 Fresh Monkee now offering protein shakes in Missouri City
(Read more)

 

Andaluz Vegan serves traditional Mexican, plant-based cuisine in Cy-Fair

What began as a small pop-up tucked inside the former Celaya Meat Market shopping center on Jones Road and FM 1960 has grown into Andaluz, a vegan Mexican restaurant where owner Alejandro Arregain transforms his family’s traditional recipes into plant-based dishes.
  • 10540 Cypress Creek Parkway, Ste. B, Houston

Read here.

Latest News
Montgomery County Commissioners Court sets 2026 meeting calendar, moves regular sessions to Thursdays

Montgomery County residents can mark their calendars for the 2026 Commissioners Court, which will hold regular meetings twice a month on Thursdays after county officials adjusted the schedule to comply with Texas House Bill 1522’s expanded public notice requirements. 

The impact: According to the county’s website, the Commissioners Court's upcoming meeting dates are: 

January:

  • Jan. 15
  • Jan. 29

February:
  • Feb. 12
  • Feb. 26

How we got here: State law now requires public meeting notices to go up three business days before a meeting, replacing the prior 72-hour posting requirement, as previously reported.

County officials said the Thursday switch gives staff a clearer runway to meet the new deadline. In the July discussion about the coming change, Precinct 2 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler said the county had already built schedules around the existing calendar, and “[they] adopted a county calendar at the beginning of the year ... [commissioners] also set [their] calendars based on that,” and that the date change ought to take effect starting in 2026.

 
What's happening at ci

The overview: As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, has relaunched as InCIder.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

Event details: As part of the new program, Community Impact is hosting InCIder Hours across the state, events designed to celebrate and engage the company’s top supporters.

Houston’s first InCIder Hour will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. Jan. 21 at Community Impact’s Houston headquarters, 16300 Northwest Freeway, Jersey Village.

Guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow InCIders, meet Community Impact staff and attend a moderated real estate-focused panel.

Become an InCIder today to get your invite! We’ll see you there.
 

Your local team

Vanessa Holt
Senior Editor

Nicole Preston
General Manager

Email [email protected] for story ideas, tips or questions.

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