With the goal to achieve owning a national franchise, co-owner Fabian Duque said the opening of Dukes Venezuelan Food was not only a business decision but also a way to share aspects of his culture.

“For me, this isn’t just a business; it’s a way to share who we are,” he said. "I want people to experience Venezuelan cuisine the way we experienced it at home.”

The backstory: The journey to founding Dukes could be traced back 50 years ago when Duque's family, who were Colombian immigrants in Venezuela, began selling arepas, which became very popular, he said.

What’s on the menu: Duque said creating the menu involved finding ways to represent Venezuelan cuisine, while adjusting certain elements to fit the expectations and pace of the Houston food market. Menu options include arepas, cachapas, PabeBowls, burgers and pepitos, according to its website.

• 1420 S. Mason Road, Ste. 110, Katy

Firehouse Subs is now open on Morton Ranch Road in Katy.

On the menu: Founded in Florida in 1994 by firefighters Chris and Robin Sorensen, the eatery serves a variety of hot and cold sub sandwiches, salads, and soups, according to its website.

• 23027 Morton Ranch Road, Katy

Fort Bend County will see a new elections administrator in 2026 following the announcement of the retirement of John Oldham.

Oldham, who served the county for over 17 years, was instrumental in modernizing Fort Bend County’s elections equipment and systems, Fort Bend County Judge KP George said in a Dec. 30 Facebook post.

The big picture: At a Dec. 18 meeting, the Fort Bend County Elections Commission appointed Chase Wilson as the new holder of the position, effective Jan. 1.

The details: Wilson has served as the assistant elections administrator since 2022, where he was responsible for six election supervisors as well as 11 additional staff members, according to a Dec. 19 news release.

He began his time at the elections office in 2018, where he served as an assistant equipment technician before moving to an election systems and software coordinator.

In their own words: “I am looking forward to continuing the work of the Elections Office to make sure elections in Fort Bend County are held with integrity and accountability,” Wilson said.

After years of being locked in a standstill, planners of the Coastal Texas Project announced the approval of two engineering design contracts.

The details: The Gulf Coast Protection District announced Dec. 2 that it had approved two contracts with global engineering firms Jacobs and HDR to design the gates, beaches and dunes portions of the initially authorized $34 billion project, respectively.

Why it matters: The gates are expected to be the world’s largest flood gate system when built and will be located along the 2-mile-wide waterway between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. The dune system will strengthen coastal barriers against storm impact along the Bolivar Peninsula and West Galveston Island, according to a news release.

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.