Now that fall has begun, families have started to trade their swimsuits and iced tea for sweaters and hot cider. 

From mid-September to the weekend before Thanksgiving, Blessington Farms is ushering in the changing of the leaves with its “Fall on the Farm” celebration. The event runs every Saturday and Sunday in October and November as well as select weekdays.  

What they offer: General Manager Jen Kadas said “Fall on the Farm” features a variety of family-friendly activities such as a jump pad, hayrides, gemstone mining, a maze and fishing. The event also includes farm animals, fall photo opportunities and a pumpkin patch. 

Mark your calendar: The fun at Blessington Farms is expanding beyond fall, Kadas said. A new Christmas at the Farm event will launch Black Friday weekend into the first two weekends in December. 

• 510 Chisolm Trail, Simonton

Race Rock, a nationwide manufacturer and distributor of steel infrastructure products for the utility, highway and energy markets, is expanding its presence in Waller County.

In a nutshell: The new manufacturing facility—which will be constructed adjacent to the company's existing location at 7007 FM 362 in Brookshire—will expand the production of transmission and substation structures to help meet the country's infrastructure needs, officials announced in an Oct. 14 news release.

Once the expansion is completed, the company's campus will span more than 100 acres and provide jobs for more than 500 highly skilled employees.

Notable quote: “Economic development is not just about industrial expansion," Waller County Judge Carbett "Trey" J. Duhon III said. "It’s about bringing good-paying jobs to our community and giving residents the opportunity to build careers and lives here at home, and that’s exactly what we’re celebrating today. Race Rock is helping to build opportunity for generations to come.”

Stay tuned: Completion of the expansion is expected in early 2027, officials said.

Voters will choose between Lawrence Brandyburg and Dennis "Goose" Geesaman for Texas House, District 85 in the Nov. 3 election. 

The details: Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been minimally edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

Here's what we asked them:

• Why are you running for this position?

• What would your top priorities be if elected?

• What are the biggest challenges facing this district?

• What are your priorities for the future of Texas education?

• How will you ensure your constituents can access affordable housing?

A new online marketplace called Shef launched in Houston this month, connecting residents with local chefs who prepare and deliver fresh, homemade meals.

The specifics: Houston is the 10th market to join the platform. The service offers 1,351 diverse dishes from 60 different cuisines, allowing customers to choose meals by cuisine or preference, such as high-protein, vegetarian, gluten-free, GLP-1 friendly and kid-approved.

How it works: To use the service, customers select their zip code, household size, weekly meal count, diet preferences, proteins and favorite cuisines. Shef then recommends meals made by nearby chefs for delivery during the week.

One more thing: Weekly meal subscriptions start at 4 meals per week and cost $35 for the first week.

Shef is available for residents across the Greater Houston area, including Houston proper and cities such as Bellaire, Pasadena, Clear Lake, Cypress, Katy and Spring/Klein. Service also extends into Fort Bend County, including Sugar Land, Missouri City, Pearland and Friendswood.

Federal, state and local leaders met Oct. 16 to discuss future collaboration on regional flood mitigation projects for Greater Houston.

At a glance: The meeting, closed to the public but open to the media, was the third cross-jurisdictional meeting held to address the region's infrastructure needs. Attendees included FEMA officials and elected leaders from the state House, state Senate, the City of Houston, Harris County and Montgomery County.

The details: Key points from the discussion included:

• Houston city council member Twila Carter emphasized mitigating flood risk before disasters occur.

• Montgomery County Commissioners Ritch Wheeler and Matt Gray noted funding challenges, as the county relies on property taxes and lacks access to sales taxes.

• FEMA deputy division director John Garvin said that predictable projects are most competitive for FEMA grants.

• State Rep. Steve Toth said the group will meet again to begin drilling down on projects.