The details: The Conroe City Council voted unanimously Sept. 24 to move forward with purchasing water and wastewater systems from subsidiaries of Mid-South Electric Cooperative Association. The resolution authorizes Conroe to sign purchase agreements and prepare to issue water and sewer system revenue bonds to pay for the systems. The purchase has not closed, and the council will vote on the bond sale separately. City Administrator David Willard said the systems include:

• 22 water wells
• Eight wholesale contracts
• More than 8,000 customers
• 212 miles of water lines
• Three wastewater plants

Some context: Conroe has been working to increase its water capacity since a shortage led the city to halt new development in its northern area in August 2024.

What’s next: The agreements are subject to approvals from the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as the issuance of the bonds.

Check this out: Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming opened its new store in Montgomery on Sept. 24. Located at 19970 Eva St., Ste. 102B, the store offers grooming services and specializes in nutritious, all-natural and oven-baked treats and natural pet food. It caters to all dog breeds and provides food for pets with a special kibble, canned, freeze-dried or raw diet.

The store offers a wide range of grooming services, including:

• Luxury baths
• Sanitary trims
• Stylized haircuts
• Nail trimming and grinding
• Full body brushing
• Ear cleaning

Several key developments occurred across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 18-24:

• Greenspoint Mall site to redevelop to $150M CityNorth Industrial Park

• The Woodlands Township moves forward on new cell tower plans

• From Michael Kors Mens to Clarins: See Houston Premium Outlets updates

• Q&A: Meet the candidates for Harris County ESD 9

• Flour House Bakers now open in Tomball

• Encompass Health Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital of Conroe opening soon

• Kingwood officials provide updates on Lake Houston Dam, Northpark Drive at District E town hall

• New Caney ISD leaders eye 50-acre property for potential school site

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.