HTX-TOM: Impact 10/24/2025

Former hairdresser Shondra Johnson opened her own restaurant, Pivot Cajun Kitchen, in October 2024 to bring a taste of New Orleans and Cajun culture to the area, with family recipes created by her late mother, Dorothy Johnson.

The backstory: Prior to COVID-19, Shondra Johnson said she was a hairdresser for 25 years before she fell ill. Once she fully recovered, Johnson said she felt a calling to change her career path and became an event planner. Her inspiration to join the culinary field came soon after she became a professional event planner.

While planning an event for a client, Johnson said the caterer she hired canceled on her the day of the event. Instead of canceling the event, Johnson catered the event herself. Mesmerized by her cooking under the circumstances, her client encouraged her to continue cooking.

On the menu: At Pivot Cajun Kitchen, customers can enjoy menu items from dirty rice to catfish, Cajun wings and burgers made with Cajun spices.

Magnolia’s newest steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, is set to open Oct. 27, according to an Oct. 22 news release.

What you need to know: The restaurant will host a ribbon-cutting with the chamber of commerce on Oct. 27 at noon. The Texas Roadhouse in Magnolia will serve steaks, ribs, chicken, rolls and more.   

Magnolia’s new Texas Roadhouse hired more than 230 new employees, according to the release.

• 14365 FM 1488, Magnolia

New laws restricting or banning panhandling and vendors along roadways may be coming to unincorporated Harris County in light of a state bill that went into effect Sept. 1.

The overview: In May, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2012, which allows counties to curb roadside and parking lot soliciting. The bill permits restrictions on people asking for money or selling food or merchandise, including animals, along roadways.

The details: During Harris County Commissioner Court's Oct. 16 meeting, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey asked the county attorney to work with court offices to draft an ordinance, which could include the following:

• Clear prohibitions on panhandling that affects traffic lanes, medians and other areas that pose safety risks
• Improves traffic flow and quality of life by creating designated safety zones away from busy traffic
• Minimizes disruption to daily commutes
• Enhances the overall community environment in unincorporated areas
• Fosters a more orderly public space without impeding individual rights

Harris County Public Health officials announced the launch of an online, public dashboard aimed at informing the community about human cases of mosquito-borne diseases.

Explained: As of Oct. 16, at least 192 positive mosquito samples across the county have been identified. Throughout the year, HCPH’s mosquito and vector control department officials track, test, and eliminate disease-carrying mosquitoes in the county, according to an Oct. 17 news release.

A closer look: In 2025, HCPH confirmed West Nile virus in the northern section of the county including parts of Tomball, Spring, Humble, Cypress, Katy and Kingwood.

Quote of note: Jennifer Kiger, director of the county’s office of epidemiology, surveillance and emerging diseases department, said in a news release the new dashboard is for residents to stay informed about potential mosquito-borne diseases in Harris County.

“While our current case numbers are low, it’s still important for everyone to protect themselves from mosquito bites—especially during the warmer months when mosquitoes are most active,” Kiger said.

Two constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot would impact the operation and oversight of Texas’ judicial system if approved by voters.

The details: State Proposition 3 seeks to require judges to deny bail for certain felony offenses, keeping more defendants in jail as they await trial. Proponents of the measure, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, said in June that it would improve public safety by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

Proposition 12 would rework the 13-member State Commission on Judicial Conduct, allowing the governor to appoint a majority of the commissioners and requiring most sanctions for judges accused of misconduct to be issued publicly. The bipartisan proposition faced pushback from some House Democrats who expressed concerns that allowing the governor to appoint a majority of commissioners would politicize the nonpartisan judicial conduct commission and give Abbott more power to remove from office judges whom he does not agree with.

Zooming out: The measures are among 17 state propositions being considered by Texas voters in the Nov. 4 election.