The Highlands community has plans to expand with private pickleball courts, according to July 13 TDLR filing. 

Some context: Founded in 2021, The Highlands is a master-planned community that features over 200 acres of preserved nature and miles of scenic trails along the San Jacinto River, per previous Community Impact reporting.

The details: Per the TDLR listing, the pickleball project is set to begin in August with plans to be completed by March 2027. The 3,536-square-foot project will include an open-air pavilion with private pickleball courts.

• 21889 Zion Drive, Porter

Multiple businesses and projects—from a new grocery store to an Italian-style cafe—are coming soon to or have recently opened in the Valley Ranch development in New Caney. 

Kutz 4 Kingz is now open in Rogers Premier Salon Suites in Valley Ranch Town Center. The business is owned by Joseph Luis Martin and offers haircuts for kids and adults, beard trims, hair designs, shampoo services and fades.

• Opened July 9
• 22186 Market Place Drive, Ste. 123, New Caney

• Opening in fall 2027
• 11940 N. Grand Parkway E., New Caney

• Opening this fall
• 22276 Market Place Drive, New Caney

According to officials with the National Weather Service, a tropical depression is working on gaining strength and organization in the Gulf, and Houston area officials are monitoring the storm for potential local impacts. 

What we know: Officials with the Houston-Galveston office of the NWS released advisories for Tropical Depression Two, a weather disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that has the potential to turn into a tropical storm by July 21. Based on current models from the NWS, the storm could bring tropical storm-level winds and rain to the Greater Houston area over the weekend.

Stay tuned: Officials are urging residents to check all hurricane preparations regardless of additional storm development in the coming days. If the storm continues to gain strength, it will become Tropical Storm Bertha, per the NWS.

Compassion United celebrated the opening of two new transitional homes July 13 at its Miracle City campus in Conroe, more than doubling the nonprofit’s residential capacity for people working toward long-term independence.

The details: The nonprofit’s previous transitional homes had space for 10 men and four women. With the new additions, Compassion United will increase its capacity from 14 to 32 residents once the homes are occupied, Director of Communications Jessica Clark said. 

One home will serve up to 16 men, while the other will serve up to 16 women. Each roughly 3,000-square-foot home will also have a live-in house manager who will provide support to residents.

The organization was awaiting its final certificate of occupancy as of July 13, with residents expected to begin moving in the following week. Six applicants are prepared to move in, and Compassion United officials said additional beds may still be available.