Conroe’s animal shelter is now operating as a no-kill shelter after euthanasia numbers dropped sharply under city management, Conroe Police Chief Jon Buckholtz told City Council during a May 28 update.

The city took over direct operations of the shelter Sept. 20, 2024, after what officials described as mismanagement by a third-party organization. Since then, the shelter’s live release rate has increased from 76.8% in 2024 to 92.5% in 2025, according to the presentation. Buchholz said the latest monthly live release rate was even higher, at 95.8%.

The big picture: Shelter euthanasia dropped from 805 animals in 2024 to 168 in 2025, according to the presentation.

Monthly euthanasia numbers also fell after the city took over operations, with several months in 2025 remaining in the teens or low 20s.

What’s next: The city is planning several shelter improvements, including renovations to the lobby office, a new adoption visiting room, a new outdoor play area, an additional bathroom, more storage and an X-ray machine.

Chuy’s is now serving Tex-Mex in Willis.

The details: A representative with the company confirmed the restaurant opened May 25 at 12160 I-45, Willis The new location is near the intersection of I-45 and FM 1097.

What they offer: The Austin-based restaurant is known for its Tex-Mex menu, including burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, quesadillas and its creamy jalapeno dip. Chuy’s also serves margaritas and offers catering.

The Willis restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., according to the company’s website.

• 12160 I-45, Willis

As extreme weather events become more frequent, CenterPoint Energy announced June 1 that it is expanding its storm preparedness efforts through a partnership with Technosylva, a provider of weather, wildfire and flood modeling software.

Quote of note: “Preparing for extreme weather today requires earlier insight and better coordination than ever before,” said Jason Wells, chair, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. “Our goal is to build the most resilient coastal grid in the nation to benefit our customers and communities.”

The overview: Technosylva's platform combines outage forecasting, storm modeling, flood risk analysis and wildfire monitoring into a single system. According to a news release from CenterPoint, the platform helps teams track weather conditions several days in advance, position crews and equipment before storms arrive and improve restoration planning. The National Weather Service forecasts eight to 14 named storms in the Atlantic basin this season, including three to six hurricanes, according to CenterPoint.

Nearly $8.4 billion in new state funding was not enough to save Texas public school districts from budget shortfalls and campus closures, school administrators said June 1.

What happened: During a 10-hour public hearing at the state Capitol, school district leaders spoke of efforts to stretch their budgets amid high inflationary costs as teachers explained their decisions to leave the classroom due to pay cuts and large class sizes.

The big picture: Last year, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2, a $8.4 billion school finance bill designed to increase educator salaries, create a new pot of money for fixed costs, provide more training for teachers and boost special education resources.

Roughly one year later, districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas are cutting staff and closing campuses, citing enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. 

Quote of note: "This funding deficit is the final straw for me, and it will be for countless other educators across the state who must leave or who lose their jobs," Austin ISD French teacher Rachel Preston told lawmakers June 1.