Officials with Crunch Fitness are projecting an early 2027 opening for the company’s new location in Kingwood, according to an Oct. 26 news release.

The details: Operated by Crunch Fitness franchisee Fitness Ventures, the $5 million, 35,000-square-foot facility will become the 20th location in Texas for Fitness Ventures, which plans to open several more locations this year, per the news release.

A closer look: Officials noted the new location will debut the company’s new Crunch 3.0 design, which will combine modern aesthetics with enhanced functionality to deliver an upgraded fitness experience.

Check it out: The first 500 founding members to lock in their rate at the Kingwood location will pay $1 down on initial membership fees and receive one month free, per the release. Additionally, they will receive a free T-shirt as well as discounts on small-group and personal training.

• Opening in early 2027

• 4303 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood

Humble City Council members approved a $20,000 funding increase for the Humble Museum during the Oct. 22 council meeting.

The details: With the increase, the city of Humble will now provide $100,000 in funding to the museum for fiscal year 2026-27.

City Manager Jason Stuebe said the funding increase will help museum officials deal with rising operating costs.

What they’re saying: Humble Museum Executive Director Robert Meaux thanked the council for the increased budget.

“We appreciate all the funding y’all have given us over the years, and we hope we represent the city well in what we’re doing,” Meaux said.

Some context: The Humble Museum marked its 50th anniversary in July, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

From 2021 to 2025, the museum's annual number of visitors increased by more than 78%, peaking at over 3,500 visitors in 2024, per museum data. Admission is free, and the museum is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Houston City Council member Alejandra Salinas introduced an ordinance to combat illegal construction waste dumping.

A closer look: The new ordinance, called Keep Houston Clean, would require those managing construction, demolition and renovation projects to submit proof of lawful waste disposal after construction ends.

The ordinance would establish two requirements for covered projects, to be met before and after construction.

How it works: Before construction, those responsible for the project would be required to submit a waste management plan that identifies how and where construction debris will be lawfully disposed of. This would occur before they receive a permit.

After construction, project leaders would be responsible for providing proof of lawful disposal, such as landfill receipts or weight tickets, to receive a certificate of occupancy or final inspection approval.

Stay tuned: The ordinance is expected to be considered by City Council in November.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will offer complimentary rides to and from the polls on Election Day, Nov. 3.

How it works: To receive a free ride, riders must show their voter registration card to a METRO operator or fare inspector when boarding. Regular fares still apply during the early voting period, as the complimentary rides are only available on Election Day.

Available fare services for the offer include: METRORail, local bus routes, METROLift, curb2curb and community connector.

“Every voter deserves the opportunity to make their voice heard, and transportation should never stand in the way,” said METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock via news release.

One more thing: METRO leaders encourage riders to plan their trips using the transit authority's Trip Planner and to confirm polling locations before traveling. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

More than 4.5 million Texans cast ballots in the first seven days of early voting in the Nov. 3 election, state data shows.

The overview: From Oct. 19-25, 23.8% of Texas' 19 million registered voters had voted in-person or by mail, according to voter turnout data submitted by counties and reported by the secretary of state. This is slightly below early voting turnout at the same point in 2018 and several percentage points above turnout in 2022.

Some context: Turnout this fall follows voter enthusiasm during the March primary election, when more Texans voted early than in recent primaries. In total, about 4.5 million people—or one-fourth of voters registered at the time—cast ballots in Texas' March election, setting a primary turnout record.

At the polls: Registered voters can visit any polling place in their county through Oct. 30, the last day of early voting. Election Day is Nov. 3. Texans can read Q&As with dozens of candidates, find local polling sites and print a custom sample ballot at communityimpact.com/voter-guide.