Porter Fire Department will host a grand opening celebration for the department's new station in Kingwood in mid-May.

Some context: As previously reported by Community Impact, PFD Station 125 is a three-bay station that hosts a full-time crew of four and houses a fire engine and an evacuation boat. The $6.5 million project wrapped up in mid-March and primarily serves neighborhoods including Kings Manor, Kings Mill, Oakhurst and Oakhurst Park.

Check it out: Open to the community, the grand opening celebration will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 16, and include a ribbon cutting ceremony, station tours and refreshments. Parking will be available across the street at Kings Manor Elementary School, located at 21111 Royal Crossing Drive, Kingwood.

• Grand opening May 16
• 21106 Royal Crossing Drive, Kingwood

Across the two ZIP codes that make up Community Impact's New Caney-Porter coverage area, data shows: 

• 25 fewer homes sold 
• The median price of homes sold increased 
• On average, homes spent more time on the market in New Caney and sold faster in Porter 
• Nearly 70% of homes sold were in the $200,000-$399,999 price range

Montgomery County commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution ordering the adoption of an artificial intelligence system code of ethics, during the April 23 court meeting. 

What happened: County IT Director Bobby Powell said the AI policy is required by the state of Texas, along with the appointment of an AI risk management official. Powell said currently, he’s the only person within the department who can handle the task.

The approved resolution enacts the minimum standards required by the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Another detail: High risks with AI are defined as anytime AI uses the county’s data. Though Powell said he’s unsure of the cost, the resolution is an unfunded mandate and will require a full-time position once the policy is implemented. First Assistant County Attorney Amy Davidson said that the county is trying to get ahead of the challenges with AI.

Catfish and rainbow trout are now making their way to several community lakes in the Greater Houston area and across the state.

How it works: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is stocking 18 lakes in nine cities around Texas, including Austin, Houston and Bryan-College Station.

The Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes program is aimed at encouraging family fishing at 18 locations around the state that provide parking and are close to neighborhoods.

Quote of note: “Catfish are fun and easy to catch for anglers of all ages and experience levels. If you’ve never fished before, these are the perfect places to get started,” said Marcos DeJesus, East Texas regional director for TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division, in a news release. “If you are an experienced angler, these are the perfect places to introduce fishing to a friend or family member.”

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from April 20-24.

• New DPS building coming soon to League City
• Lake Conroe Dam celebrates new state historical marker
• Neighborhood Fishin' program bringing catfish, rainbow trout to local lakes
• Picos sets official closing date as owner Arnaldo Richards continues to search for new location
• Registration opens for West U summer classes

Some Texas families began learning April 22 if they were accepted to the state’s education savings account program for the 2026-27 school year, officials said.

The big picture: Over 42,600 students will receive funding notices through April 24, the state comptroller’s office announced April 22. The first awardees include low- and middle-income students with disabilities and their eligible siblings.

Families accepted to the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program will receive state funds to send their children to private school or homeschool them.

The details: The first round of awardees is set to receive about $400 million of the $1 billion allocated for the program. Up to 100,000 students are expected to qualify for the program's first year.

The comptroller's office will run a lottery the week of April 27 to determine which low-income students will be accepted based on a prioritization system.

Stay tuned: Families that do not qualify for funding will also be notified through April 24. Additional students will receive funding awards in the coming weeks, a program spokesperson said.