Three candidates are running for Conroe municipal judge in the May 2 election. Incumbent William Waggoner did not seek reelection and ran for Precinct 1 justice of the peace.

What you need to know: Early voting begins April 20 and runs through April 28, according to the Texas Secretary of State's website. Election day is May 2. In Montgomery County, voters can cast their ballot at any polling location during early voting. However, on election day, voters must vote at their designated voting precincts.

More details: Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, visit communityimpact.com/election.

Owner and pit master Cooper Abercombie has confirmed that Bar-A-BBQ will be opening up a new brick-and-mortar location in Montgomery.

The gist: Abercrombie is a Montgomery local who originally started his restaurant out of a trailer, and traveled to local fairs, pop-ups and events according to its website. The restaurant was named the 2025 Texas Monthly Top 50 barbecue joints.
The menu offers a variety of items and original recipes, including but not limited to:

• Turkey

• Brisket

• Pulled pork

• Dino beef ribs

• Brisket smashburgers

One more thing: Many of the meats Abercombie uses are locally sourced, he said, and he showcases the day-to-day life of a restaurant owner on his personal YouTube channel.

• 21641 FM 2854, Montgomery

Conroe City Council approved a package of light-duty vehicle purchases March 26 tied to the city’s Vehicle Equipment Replacement Fund, or VERF, after staff said rebidding and a second review helped trim the overall cost. 

What we know: Agenda records show the purchases were split between the fiscal year 2024-25 and FY 2025-26 budgets and included vehicles for multiple departments across the city.

During council discussion, Nancy Mikeska, deputy city administrator and director of community development, said the item had previously been deferred so staff could take another look at the bid package. She said the review found duplicate items and removed a roughly $58,000 truck tied to an unfunded position, bringing the package down from about $2.4 million to roughly $1.02 million.

Also of note: Council also approved an exception to the city’s employee handbook related to unused sick leave payouts. Staff said the change only applies to future hires and would not affect current employees.

Despite counties nationwide seeing a slowing growth rate, the Greater Houston area is experiencing the opposite, per recent data from the US Census Bureau.

The gist: The data examines population changes within the timeframe of July 2024 to July 2025. According to the Census Bureau, the most populous counties saw more births than deaths and more people moving out than moving in from other areas of the country.

However, the Greater Houston area is still experiencing population growth, particularly in suburban areas.

Digging deeper: From 2024 to 2025, the counties saw the following population increase:

• Harris County: 48,695
• Montgomery County: 30,011
• Fort Bend County: 24,163

Missed any Community Impact articles from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from March 30-April 2.

• Harris County Precinct 3 pilots new approach to street repair with recycled tires
• Buttermilk Cafe opening in Willis
• Big Air slated to open Missouri City location this summer
• Booked and busy: 31 stores to visit during the Houston Independent Bookstore Crawl
• New modern, retail, dining space coming to League City