Community Impact covered an array of news stories affecting The Woodlands Township and its residents in 2025.

From store closings to road bonds, take a look at five of the most-read Community Impact news stories in The Woodlands area for the year.

Kroger to close Sterling Ridge location in The Woodlands: Kroger announced Feb. 28 it would close its store in the Village of Sterling Ridge in The Woodlands. Kroger had operated in Sterling Ridge for 25 years, according to a news release from the company.

The Woodlands' Development Standards Committee rejects applications from Goodwill for Cochran's Crossing store: The Woodlands Township’s Development Standards Committee on Nov. 5 turned down applications presented for a Goodwill store at Cochran’s Crossing Village Center after determining the site, as proposed, would be a warehouse use, which is prohibited at the center.

Pluckers Wing Bar has announced Jan. 26 as its official grand opening date for its Shenandoah location, officials said. 

What's on the menu: The sports bar specializes in a variety of seasoned wings and large desserts in a bar atmosphere. There are currently seven locations in the Houston area, as previously reported by Community Impact. 

• 223 David Vetter Blvd., Shenandoah

In 2025, Community Impact has covered Harris County government, development, education and health care news.

Read on to learn more about some of the top stories this year. The following stories are not listed in any particular order.

1. Proposed hospital expansion could impact parkland
Read the full story about Ben Taub Hospital here and read the full story about LBJ Hospital here.

2. Harris County commissioners approve $2.7B FY 2025-26 budget prioritizing pay parity, public safety
Read the full story here.

3. Harris County Flood Control District advances $3.5B in approved projects stemming from 2018 flood bond
Read the full story here.

4. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo won't seek third term ahead of 2026 election
Read the full story here.

6. Harris County commissioners negotiate $81K pay raise for county's 8 elected constables
Read the full story here.

7. School district enrollment trends, closures
Read the story about Cy-Fair ISD by Reporter Sarah Brager here.

Airport passengers in the Greater Houston area who are also CLEAR members can utilize new biometric eGates aimed at expediting identity verification at both George Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.

Zooming out: While the security identity company CLEAR first announced the national airport partnership program rollout with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Aug. 19, Houston Airport officials announced in December that the biometric security gates were in use.

“With this new technology, travelers can verify their identity in under five seconds, bypassing the TSA podium and proceeding directly to physical screening,” a Dec. 9 news release states. 

The big picture: CLEAR officials said in August that the launch efforts will coincide with airports hosting international visitors flying to the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

What they're saying: “With more than 20 million international visitors expected to fly to the U.S. for the tournament — and domestic travel surging through U.S. host cities — checkpoint infrastructure will face unprecedented pressure,” the Aug. 19 news release states.

Missed any Community Impact articles from this week? Check out the top trending stories from Community Impact's coverage areas in Houston from Dec. 29-Jan. 2.

Lone Star College’s Academy for Lifelong Learning opens spring registration for adults 50-plus
Area residents ages 50 and older can explore everything from history and creative writing to hands-on hobbies through Lone Star College System’s Academy for Lifelong Learning, a low-cost program offering classes, activities and social connections across the system’s campuses, as stated in a Lone Star College Dec. 19 news release.

Read the story here.

333 Bar and Grill now open in Montgomery
The restaurant offers drinks and food to customers as well as live shows. The bar was the previous location of The Feed Store Grill and Bar, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Read the story here.