Entergy Texas is increasing electric reliability in Montgomery County with the addition of several major projects in Southeast Texas, including a recently completed substation that will help distribute additional power across the New Caney and Porter areas.

How it works: A subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, Entergy Texas generates, transmits and distributes electricity to more than 524,000 customers across 27 counties in Southeast Texas, said Brian Garcia, Entergy’s regional manager of customer service.

Unlike retail electric providers such as Reliant Energy and TXU Energy, which offer a variety of plans and home services, Garcia said Entergy acts primarily as a regulated utility company responsible for delivering power, maintaining infrastructure and providing service in specific regulated areas.

The impact: Garcia said the Millbend Substation—a roughly $63 million project consisting of several electrical towers and around 6 miles of transmission lines—began operating in January, and was built to help support areas of Montgomery County experiencing growth.

Additionally, Entergy has three new power plants in the region that will further strengthen reliability and energy production throughout the state.

Check out what's happening in New Caney and Porter this weekend, March 6-10. 

Tournament: Spring Break Showdown: The Pickleball Zone is holding a pickleball tournament for players rated 2.5 through 4.999 across nearly every category. Events are split by skill levels.

• March 6-8, 7 a.m.
• $35-$45
• 22056 W. Ford Road, Porter

• March 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• A.V. ‘Bull’ Sallas Park, 21675 McCleskey Road, New Caney

• March 7, noon-4 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Final Gravity Brewpub, 23435 FM 1314 B-6, Porter

Families making up to $100,000 are now eligible for Sam Houston State University’s Bearkat Promise program, after the university announced Feb. 24 that it was raising the family income eligibility threshold from $40,000.

In a nutshell: The Bearkat Promise program provides eligible students with the mandatory tuition and fees they need for up to 15 credit hours per semester, according to its website. The increased income threshold starts in fall 2026.

More details: According to the news release, to qualify for the program, students must:

• Be an entering freshman or transfer student
• Be a Texas resident with demonstrated financial need
• Be eligible for a federal Pell Grant
• Submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid by the priority deadline of March 1
• Enroll in at least 12 credit hours per semester

Over 2.3 million Democrats and nearly 2.2 million Republicans voted in the March 3 election, according to unofficial election results from the secretary of state. Totaling nearly 4.5 million voters, this is “the highest voter turnout for a primary in Texas history,” the secretary of state’s office said.

By the numbers: Nearly one-fourth of Texas’ 18.7 million registered voters participated in the primaries, shattering turnout rates from recent years. Less than one-fifth of registered voters cast ballots in the 2024 presidential and 2022 midterm primaries, state election records show.

Texas’ previous primary turnout record was set in 2008, when 4.2 million voters cast ballots in high-profile presidential primaries.

Zooming in: Election data shows the most people cast votes in the high-profile U.S. Senate races that topped the ticket, with the total numbers of votes steadily decreasing down the ballot in both primaries.

There is “some certainty” that voter enthusiasm will extend to the November midterm election, Republican data analyst Ross Hunt told Community Impact during early voting.