Waller County officials are looking to bring more development at its Waller County Industrial Corridor along I-10 between the cities of Katy and Brookshire.

In a nutshell: The area has emerged as an industrial supercenter blending manufacturing and logistics. Businesses in the area include longstanding tenants such as Igloo Coolers and new developments like Tesla’s battery megafactory, said Vince Yokum, executive director for the Waller County Economic Development Partnership.

The “Waller County Forward” campaign—which is intended to bring jobs and diversify the area’s economic base—is centered around the 20-year effort to include an inland port, which is a large-scale shipping and trade center located a distance from the coast.

Stay tuned: Yokum said the partnership has created a coalition featuring the cities of Katy and Brookshire, local land owners, the Houston Executive Airport, Twinwood and IDV to help with coordinating the new strategy.

The partnership is also revamping its strategic plan—last updated in 2017—which will include this central marketing method for the industrial corridor area, Yokum said.

Lamar CISD students looking to continue their education beyond the standard classroom model will now have more opportunities with the district’s new career and technical education center this fall.

What to expect: District officials said the CTE center, located at 1155 Hartledge Road in Rosenberg, will give students access to specialized programs and industry-standard equipment aimed at furthering learning innovation and career preparation.

The 236,211-square-foot center—which will be used by 1,100 high school students districtwide in the first year—will offer hands-on learning experiences that meet workforce needs and educate students with career-ready skills, certifications and real-world experiences.

Some programs of study include:

• Architecture and construction
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Transportation, distribution and logistics
• Arts, audio-video technology and communications

Hamra Enterprises held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 5 to reopen the Panera Bread in Katy, officials confirmed.

How we got here: After several North Houston-based Panera Breads closed in August 2025, Hamra Enterprises announced in July they would be reopening seven locations including the one in Katy. The family-owned franchise already owns dozens of Panera Bread locations across the Southeast.

What to expect: Panera Bread has been serving customers soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods since its opening in 1987, according to its website.

• 25546 Kingsland Blvd., Katy

Harris County commissioners took no action Aug. 6 on the county’s minority- and women-owned business contract program following a ruling from a federal judge deeming the city of Houston’s program unconstitutional.

The big picture: Run by the Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity, the program was established in November 2020 by commissioners to provide equity among women- and minority-owned businesses for county contracts. 

The discussion: A number of business owners and community leaders said the program was vital to help small businesses gain access to larger contract opportunities when competing with more established companies. Business owners also emphasized the program did not guarantee every business owner would receive county contracts, as they were still subject to the bidding process and proving the ability to do the work needed.

Quote of note: “The program provides us opportunity,” said Steve Fraga, Tejas Office Products owner.
”We still have to be financially sound. We still need to run our companies like a majority-owned company.”

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from last week? Check out six trending stories from the South Houston area from Aug. 3-7.

1. League City seeks to acquire Walter Hall Park from Galveston County

2. Pearland taco spot to close in August

3. What you need to know for back to school in Fort Bend ISD

4. Bakeries, breads, brand new tastes: Arôme’s traditional French galettes coming to Houston

5. Houston ISD students to begin 2026-27 school year Aug. 10

6. Tacodeli opens 3rd Greater Houston location in Katy