GCP Paper USA, Inc—a paper products manufacturer—will be opening a new 450,000-square-foot warehouse in the East Montgomery County Industrial Park, according to an Aug. 9 social media post from the East Montgomery County Improvement District. The warehouse will be located on a 35.73-acre plot of land.
In case you missed it: GCP Paper is also opening a 566,000-square-foot, $38.3 million facility in the industrial park, and construction began on the project in June, as previously reported. The facility will house the production and distribution of the company’s toilet paper, napkins, kitchen towels, facial napkins and special papers.
What's next: The newly-announced warehouse will be built adjacent to the facility already under construction, according to EMCID officials.
Construction to begin by 2030
East Montgomery County Industrial Park, FM 1485 W. and Gene Campbell Road, New Caney (exact address TBD)
La Michoacana Plus marks 1 year of serving treats in Porter
In July, La Michoacana Plus marked one year since opening in Porter, according to a July 17 social media post from the East Montgomery County Improvement District.
What they offer: The business sells desserts, such as popsicles and ice cream, and snacks such as elote and nachos. La Michoacana Plus was founded in California and has more than 80 stores around the world, according to the company’s website.
Lone Star College-Montgomery celebrates 30th anniversary
Lone Star College-Montgomery marked its 30th anniversary with a convocation event welcoming faculty, staff and students for the start of the fall semester, according to an Aug. 25 news release.
The details: Opened in 1995, the Montgomery campus has grown, with more than 18,000 students enrolled in fall 2024, per the release.
The anniversary celebration included a speech from Dana Pritchard, the college’s first enrolled student, who shared her journey and encouraged students to “never give up,” according to the release.
Stay tuned: Throughout the year, the college will host a series of “30 for 30” service events to highlight its community engagement. More information on anniversary events is available online.
Amid Democratic criticism, Texas lawmakers vote to overhaul STAAR and launch new tests in 2027
Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.
The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.
Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.
Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.
