HTX-COM: Impact 9/30/2025

During its Sept. 25 meeting, Conroe City Council approved awarding arts and culture grants to multiple local organizations for fiscal year 2025-26.

The details: For the third year, the funds for the grants are coming from the hotel occupancy tax fund and not the general fund, a change that was made prior to FY 2023-24, Community Impact previously reported.

Blue Willow Coffee will relocate from its current location to a tiny house on Montgomery Street, owner Melissa Jones confirmed. While the owner works to get the new shop built out, Jones said the business will operate out of its mobile coffee trailer in the back area.

The gist: The coffee shop offers gourmet lattes, customizable energy spritzers, kid-friendly options and Jones said they hope to bring more fresh-baked goods into the new space. Jones said a grand opening for the shop will be announced at a later date.

• 211 W. Montgomery St., Willis

A number of celebrations for National Night Out, an annual community campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie, will be held Oct. 7 in the Greater Houston area.

Conroe
City of Conroe police are participating in National Night Out with free food and music in the community.

• Oct. 7, 5-8 p.m.
• Free
• JCPenney parking lot, 3165 I-45 N., Conroe

• Oct. 7, 5-8 p.m.
• Free
• Katy City Park, 5850 Franz Road, Katy

Base Power, an energy company founded in 2023 and headquartered in Austin, officially launched in Houston on Sept. 24, according to a news release. 

Community Impact previously reported that the energy company originally opened in the Cy-Fair, Spring, Cinco Ranch and Mission Bend communities following its launch in Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.

What you need to know: Co-owned by Zach Dell, Base Power is the only Texas energy provider that comes with a home backup power, according to the news release. The energy company offers an all-in-one energy plan that includes an entire home backup battery. When the grid goes down, the battery automatically powers the home, according to the release. 

Quote of note: “Houston has long been the energy capital of Texas, yet it has also endured some of the nation’s most painful lessons about unreliable power,” dell Said.