Magnolia City Council approves agreement for mixed-use project bringing Home Depot
Magnolia City Council approved a Chapter 380 economic development agreement Sept. 9 with BCS Magnolia Place for the development of a 28-acre mixed-use project near the intersection of FM 1488 and Spur 149.
The details: According to city documents, the project will include retail, multifamily and commercial space. A key component of the agreement requires BCS Magnolia to provide at least 100,000 square feet for a Home Depot retail store.
Diving deeper: Under the agreement, the city will reimburse BCS Magnolia through sales tax revenue generated on the site once the store receives a certificate of occupancy. Payments are capped at $3.2 million or until a 10-year term, whichever comes first. The sales tax split will give BCS Magnolia 75% of eligible sales tax revenue during the first five years, and 50% during years six through 10.
North Houston Association shares strategic mobility priorities with Montgomery County
The North Houston Association presented its 2025 Strategic Mobility Priorities to Montgomery County commissioners during the Sept. 9 court meeting, highlighting 22 transportation projects aimed at improving regional mobility.
The details: The association, founded in 1982, updates its mobility priorities every three years to identify projects most in need of political support or funding, North Houston Association President Marlisa Briggs said.
The process began with subcommittee meetings and consultations with more than 25 agencies, cities and economic development groups across Montgomery, Harris and Waller counties, Hunter Brennan, strategic mobility plan co-chair for the North Houston Association, said.
From an initial list of more than 90 projects, the association narrowed its focus to 22 using a scoring system based on regional needs. Kim Sachtleben, board chair for the North Houston Association, said the final list reflects a geographic spread across the region.
Sachtleben said there are four Montgomery County projects included in the priority list:
Harris County commissioners negotiate $81K pay raise for county's 8 elected constables
Harris County commissioners are looking to adopt the fiscal year 2025-26 budget Sept. 18 with various approved pay parity adjustments including the re-negotiated raises for the county’s eight elected constables.
The vote: A motion to increase each elected constable’s salary to $260,000 passed Sept. 9 with a 3-1 vote. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis cast the dissenting vote and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent.
The details: The approved pay raise, county officials said, will be a budget neutral item, with funds coming out of each of the eight constable precinct’s own budget with no additional funding required from the county.
Quote of note: “After months of deep engagement through numerous town halls and hundreds of survey responses, the community told us what mattered most: public safety, public health, infrastructure and disaster readiness,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said in a statement. “I’m proud we delivered a balanced budget that protects core services, without having to ask hardworking women and men to vote on raising their taxes.”
4 Houston-area events celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
There are several events taking place in the Greater Houston area to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. This list is not comprehensive.
Hispanic Heritage Celebration Houston Premium Outlets is hosting a performance and dance lessons from Mixteco Ballet Folklorico and a performance from Mariachi Estrella de Mi Tierra.
8 new mobile STEM labs to visit 270 Texas school districts this school year
Education in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, may become more accessible for Texas public school students this school year.
What happened: Officials from national education nonprofit Learning Undefeated and the Texas Education Agency celebrated the opening of eight new mobile STEM labs at a Sept. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony in Austin. The TEA-funded labs are expected to visit 270 school districts across the state in the 2025-26 school year.
Notable quote: “In an ever-changing world, access to STEM education remains critical to help prepare our students for career pathways and lifelong success,” said Alejando Delgado, TEA deputy commissioner of operations.
The overview: Learning Undefeated built eight new mobile STEM labs after receiving a $3.5 million grant from the TEA, according to Learning Defeated information. The organization opened its first mobile STEM lab in Texas in 2020.
The nine regionally-based labs will now visit elementary and middle school campuses across the state’s 20 educational service center regions. Kindergarten through eighth grade students may participate in a variety of STEM activities to learn engineering design.
