The Rusty Buckle Craft BBQ and Texas Cuisine is set to debut a new space in New Caney on Sept. 25, according to a news release from the East Montgomery County Improvement District.

The backstory: Owned by Allen Rhoden, the restaurant originally opened in 2018 but had most of its cooking areas destroyed in a 2023 Thanksgiving Day fire. Rhoden initially served customers from a food trailer and a different part of the building before constructing a new, larger space behind the original site.

What's new: The new venue features:

• Indoor seating for up to 125 guests plus an outdoor patio

• Expanded food options, including burgers, country fried steaks, fish tacos, nachos and steaks alongside barbecue

• Live music

• Historical artifacts showcasing the history of East Montgomery County

Something to note: To assist with the transition, the East Montgomery County Improvement District board of directors approved a grant and low-interest loan to help the business rebuild, retain its employees and expand.

New Caney ISD leaders are working to secure 50 acres of land along McCleskey Road in New Caney for a potential future school site.

The gist: The district's board of trustees has authorized Superintendent Matt Calvert to negotiate the purchase of multiple plots of land, including:

• A 12.5-acre plot and a 6.25-acre plot, which trustees voted to allow negotiations for during their Sept. 21 meeting

• A 31.25-acre property, which trustees approved starting negotiations for during their July 20 meeting

Details, costs and timelines for the potential school project are not yet available as negotiations remain ongoing.

Remember this? Highlands Middle School is under construction in Porter, with an expected cost of $60.46 million and a completion date in the fall of 2027. Additionally, construction on the $44 million Elementary School No. 13 is expected to begin in November and finish in late spring or summer 2028.

Investment companies Lincoln and New York Life announced a partnership and acquisition of the former Greenspoint Mall site to redevelop the property. The 80-acre site will become CityNorth Industrial Park, a 1.2 million-square-foot development designed to serve the logistics and industrial demand in Greater Houston.

The details: Key details of the redevelopment project include:

• Demolition on the site is expected to begin in October.

• The site will house cross-dock and rear-load industrial buildings alongside retail and service uses.

• The development is estimated to accommodate 1,200 full-time jobs upon completion.

• The first phase of construction is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2028.

Three candidates are running to lead the Texas General Land Office in the Nov. 3 election.

The overview: Democrat Benjamin Flores and Libertarian Neill Snider are challenging Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham for the seat.

Buckingham ran uncontested in the March Republican primary, Community Impact reported, while Flores won the Democratic primary. Snider was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

The context: The state land commissioner manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the Texas Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as The Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.