HTX-NCP: Impact 10/8/2025

Havertys Furniture officials will host a grand opening celebration Oct. 17-19 for their new location in Valley Ranch Town Center.

What they offer: Based in Atlanta, the company is known for its quality home furnishings and free in-home design services. As previously reported by Community Impact, the 41,000-square-foot showroom in New Caney will mark the company's third location in the Greater Houston area.

Check it out: During the grand opening weekend, customers can enter for a chance to win a $1,000 Havertys gift certificate, per information posted by the company via social media.

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

Check out what's happening in New Caney and Porter this weekend, Oct. 10-12.

Valley Ranch Town Center Pumpkin Patch: Valley Ranch Town Center is hosting its first pumpkin patch featuring photo opportunities, on-site pet adoptions with Paw Pact, seasonal treats and hayrides by the East Montgomery County Improvement District.

• Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• The Grove at Valley Ranch Town Center, 21572 Market Place Drive, New Caney

• Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Bull Sallas Park, 21675 McCleskey Road, New Caney

The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Oct. 2 authorized CenterPoint Energy to issue a customer rate increase—totaling approximately $1.2 billion—to cover repair and recovery costs from Hurricane Beryl and two other Greater Houston storms.

The overview: The restoration costs will add about $2 per month to the average customer’s electricity bill, with the rate change expected to take effect later this year or early next year, according to an Oct. 6 statement from CenterPoint Energy. The decision allows CenterPoint to spread the cost to residential customers across 15 years, saving more than $265 million in interest charges, per the statement. 

Looking back: According to previous Community Impact reporting, more than 2.2 million customers in the Greater Houston area lost power during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, and over 4,400 Harris County homes were damaged. The Category 1 storm led to an estimated $32 billion in losses nationwide.

Odyssey, a New York-based tech company, has been selected to manage Texas’ $1 billion education savings account program, the state comptroller’s office announced Oct. 6.

The overview: Odyssey will work with the comptroller to launch the program, deemed “Texas Education Freedom Accounts,” ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Families can begin applying for the program early next year, and those accepted will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to private school or homeschool them.

Zooming in: Odyssey will develop and manage an online platform to administer Texas’ education savings account program. State law also tasks the company with:

• Collecting applications and determining which families are accepted to the program
• Approving vendors for education-related materials and services, such as textbooks, transportation and tutoring
• Reviewing inquiries and complaints about the program
• Advertising the program and communicating with interested families