Owners Nykhol Phan and John Vu said Pho 77 plans to launch as a Vietnamese eatery on Memorial Day pending the permitting process.

The details: Also owner of Biff’s Banh Mi & Pho, Vu and Phan said Pho 77 will be a full service restaurant, like Biff’s and serve Vietnamese cuisine. Biff’s Banh Mi & Pho opened in June 2024, per previous Community Impact reporting.

Quote of note: “We opened our first location, Biff’s Banh Mi & Pho, nearly two years ago in northwest Houston off Jones Road. Since then, we’ve been grateful for the support of our community, which has inspired us to grow. To better serve our customers in the Katy area, we are excited to expand with a second location,” Phan said.

What else?: With Biff’s Banh Mi & Pho represented by its buffalo mascot, Pho 77 will showcase a woman in a traditional Vietnamese dress. While the buffalo at Biff’s Banh Mi & Pho represents Vu, Pho 77’s concept represents Phan.

Per a news release, early learning school Children’s Lighthouse plans to hold a groundbreaking for its new location in Hockley on April 2, with plans to open in early 2027.

The details: Operated by Jyothi Oblum, per the release, Children’s Lighthouse plans to serve families throughout the surrounding Harris county areas including Waller, Cypress and Tomball. Oblum oversees operations for four additional Children’s Lighthouse schools in the area, including Cross Creek Ranch, Spring Harmony, Clay Road and Nottingham, said the release.

What else?: Children’s Lighthouse will serve children ages six weeks through 12 years old, offering infant, toddler, preschool, pre-K and school-age programs. The school also plans to implement the brand’s mission to foster academic readiness, character development and confidence-building in every child.

Quote of note: “Breaking ground on Children’s Lighthouse of Jubilee represents a meaningful next chapter for not only our school, but for the entire community,” Oblum said. “We’ve seen firsthand how important a nurturing early learning environment is for children and peace of mind for parents.”

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.