The Woodlands Township board of directors voted 6-0 on Sept. 17 to transition its mounted patrol services to a law enforcement model provided by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office starting in 2027.

What you need to know: The new service will follow a long-standing contract with Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol, which marked three decades of service in 2024.

A closer look: The sheriff's office proposal features $1.37 million in annual recurring costs, compared to Alpha & Omega's proposed $1.62 million contract for fiscal year 2027. The new patrol will launch with one sergeant, six deputies and seven horses. It requires $954,876 in one-time start-up costs, which will be funded by $600,000 from delayed implementation of 2027 pay parity and $354,876 from the 2026 undesignated fund balance.

Stay tuned: Township President and CEO Monique Sharp is authorized to negotiate the final agreement.

The gist: The clothing business Varley is opening a new location at Market Street in The Woodlands. According to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing, construction inside the 2,300-square-foot space is expected to begin in November. The renovation work on the space is slated to wrap in May, though the official opening date is currently to be determined.

Varley offers everyday clothing for women, with a product selection that includes:

• Breathable knitwear
• Sweaters
• Sweatpants
• Dresses
• Accessories

The new business will be located at 9595 Six Pines Drive, Ste. 830, The Woodlands.

The Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a resolution declaring Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day to celebrate her music, philanthropy and local literacy impact. Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80, and the county selected Sept. 25 because the date can be written as 9/25, referencing her song 9 to 5. All Montgomery County library locations will offer programs commemorating Parton on that day.

Why it matters: The resolution highlights Parton's work promoting childhood literacy through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth through age 5. Locally, the program is sponsored by Children's Books on Wheels.

Zooming in: The announcement coincides with Library Card Sign-Up Month in September. Residents who sign up for a new library card, renew an existing card or check out materials during September will be entered into a gift card drawing.

At its Sept. 15 regular meeting, the Tomball ISD board approved a lower property tax rate and contracts for two bond projects.

Cost to the district: The board approved a total property tax rate of $1.0558 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2026-27, representing a $0.0071 reduction from the prior year. This total rate consists of:

• A maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.6598 per $100 valuation.
• An interest and sinking tax rate of $0.3960 per $100 valuation.

Additionally, the board approved two construction contracts:

• A contract for ICI Construction to build the new Tomball Intermediate School facility using Bond 2025 funds, with a construction cost of $49.27 million and a project budget of $59 million.
• A contract increase for Millennium Project Solutions Inc. for the Tomball High School Career and Technology facility, raising the total contract from $8.63 million to $8.73 million using Bond 2021 funds.

Several notable stories trended across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 11-18:

• The Lone Star College System student enrollment exceeded 100,000 students for the fall semester, marking a milestone for the college system.
• Texas Roadhouse filed for a new 7,926-square-foot location in Montgomery, which is projected to cost $1.5 million to construct.
• Midnight Cravingz plans to bring late-night specialty ice cream to Cypress in October.
• CenterPoint Energy representatives will share information in November about an upcoming electric grid resiliency project in Jersey Village.
• The Klein ISD board unanimously approved a Certification of Compliance on Sept. 14.
• The Flying Biscuit Cafe is anticipating a fall opening for a new Magnolia location.
• Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in The Woodlands.
• Construction is scheduled to begin in November on the first phase of a 200-acre park project in New Caney.