Fort Bend County will discuss the future of the county judge position following the felony conviction of sitting County Judge KP George.

What’s happening: George was convicted March 20 on two third-degree felony money laundering charges—totalling $46,500—tied to campaign funds, said Wesley Wittig, Fort Bend County second assistant district attorney.

What it means: Wittig said George would not be removed from office immediately. He said removal language would be included in the judgment once sentencing is complete. However, if George appeals, that could pause the removal and allow the court to consider suspending him from office while the appeal is pending.

The background: George was indicted last March for money laundering, where prosecutors claim he tampered with campaign finance reports for personal financial use between January and April of 2019, according to court records.

Looking ahead: Fort Bend County officials are scheduled to meet March 26 to discuss the steps for the future leadership of the county

Some Lamar CISD students in the Fulshear area will move to new schools in 2026 and 2027.

What’s happening: At a March 17 meeting, the Lamar CISD board of trustees approved rezoning options ahead of the openings of Slawinski Elementary School in August 2026 and Cantu Elementary in August 2027 in the Fulshear area.

Zooming in: Trustees reviewed 11 options created by demographers and the district’s attendance boundary committee.

The committee recommended the board concentrate on walkability, preserving neighborhoods, safety and student-to-teacher ratios, representatives Joey Bridges and Joey Pineda said.

Fine dining restaurant Pearl & Vine celebrated its fifth anniversary of serving the Katy area in February.

What they offer: The family-owned eatery serves Americana food with a Southern flare by executive chef Ryan Hallsted. Menu items include wood-fired seafood and steaks, an oyster bar, rotisserie chicken, hand-crafted pizza, pasta and deserts, per its website.

• 26151 Nelson Way, Katy

Following an hours-long March 19 public hearing, Harris County commissioners unanimously approved the acquisition of 8.9 acres of Hermann Park for the expansion of Ben Taub Hospital, one of only two adult Level I trauma facilities in the county.

The long-awaited vote comes after months of contention about whether or not Harris Health—the county's hospital system—should acquire the land by eminent domain, which grants local governments the legal power to use land for public use.

What happened: Commissioners authorized the condemnation March 19 after Harris Health officials confirmed that no "feasible alternative" exists for the $410 million expansion of Ben Taub's campus.

Why it matters: Ben Taub Hospital consistently operates beyond its 402-bed capacity, and officials expect emergency room demand to increase over the next several years as Harris County's population grows, Community Impact previously reported. Porsa said the hospital's ER regularly suffers from hours-long wait times due to chronic backlogs.

Looking forward: Officials expect to have legal possession of the land within 6-9 months and break ground on the project in late 2027. 

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from March 16-20.

• Fleet Week Houston ship lineup announced
• Photos: Houston officials give HUD Deputy Director tour of new hub for individuals experiencing homelessness
• Houston Methodist announces $104M expansion in Cypress
• Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan to see final round of resident engagement in March
• See when these 9 Greater Houston-area water parks will open for the 2026 season

On March 31, Texas’ roughly 9,000 licensed consumable hemp retailers will face sweeping regulations, including a more than 3,000% increase in annual licensing fees and a ban on most smokable cannabis products.

The overview: The new rules, which also include age verification requirements, stricter packaging guidelines and more rounds of product testing, were originally proposed in December. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which regulates the state’s hemp industry, adopted the rules March 2.

The debate: Supporters of the increased regulations previously said they hoped the changes would result in more comprehensive oversight of Texas’ hemp industry and improve consumer safety. 

Some experts said they were concerned the new rules were taking effect too quickly and could lead some hemp businesses to close their doors.

"It is really tragic that these entrepreneurs are being faced with this, especially in a state like Texas that touts being pro-business ... and here we are shutting down businesses and relegating consumers to an illicit market," said Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center.