Another milestone is approaching for the East Montgomery County Improvement District’s convention center as the building’s parking garage nears completion.

In a nutshell: Construction on the 210,000-square-foot convention center kicked off in March and is expected to wrap up late this year. The project will be the seventh-largest convention center in Texas and will be able to host corporate meetings, trade shows, youth sporting events, expos and galas.

The next steps for the project include installing:

• Power infrastructure
• Windows and glass

• A 55,000-square-foot ballroom/exhibit hall
• Nearly 20,000 square feet of meeting space
• 35,000-40,000 square feet of prefunction and lobby areas with outdoor courtyards

Until Jan. 31, live Christmas trees are being accepted at A.V. 'Bull' Sallas Park to be reused as fish habitats in Lake Conroe.

At a glance: The San Jacinto River Authority is partnering with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department to turn undecorated live Christmas trees into fish habitats, according to a Jan. 5 social media post from Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray's office. No artificial trees will be accepted.

What you need to know: Trees can be dropped off from dawn to dusk, according to the post. A.V. 'Bull' Sallas Park is located at 21675 McCleskey Road, New Caney.

As the state prepares for a wave of winter weather, Greater Houston area officials are also urging caution and preparedness ahead of potential weather impacts.

The details: According to the National Weather Service, the Greater Houston area will be under a winter storm watch Jan. 24-25. However, an extreme cold watch will run from Jan. 24-26, and the NWS said residents can expect the following conditions over the weekend:

• Potential freezing rain
• A tenth of an inch of ice or greater
• Localized power outages
• Wind chills ranging from 5-15 degrees

A set of permanent regulations for thousands of Texas businesses selling consumable hemp products took effect Jan. 21, after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission adopted them one day earlier.

The overview: The latest hemp rules do not bring significant changes to the roughly 60,000 businesses under TABC oversight. They replace similar emergency rules adopted Sept. 23, prohibiting Texas alcohol retailers from selling hemp-derived THC products to customers under 21 years old.

“The key you heard today… is the effect of THC on younger folks' development—much like alcohol, the same reasons we regulate alcohol for those 21 years old [and up],” TABC chair Robert Eckels said.

Zooming in: The TABC has limited jurisdiction over the consumable hemp industry and can only require age limits and ID checks, agency leaders said. State health officials are considering more comprehensive regulations on the industry.

“The Department of State Health Services’ rules are going to be much more robust,” TABC general counsel James Person said Jan. 20. “They actually cover the products themselves: the [THC] content, the testing and whatnot."