While enrollment projections have fallen compared to previously expected numbers, Conroe ISD officials said the needs that will be served by current construction remain, and the lower expected enrollment numbers districtwide do not reflect changes at the campuses where overcrowding has been an issue.

"The schools currently under construction as part of the 2023 bond program were identified based on existing overcrowding and capacity concerns documented during the 2022 planning process," CISD Executive Director of Communications Andrew Stewart said.

What's next: In response to needs based on current enrollment in the east side of the district, Kacy Arnold Elementary School, located at 5175 Woodsons Spring Drive in Spring, is scheduled to open in August and is projected to serve 950 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Grand Oaks Junior High, located at 28075 Woodson’s Grand Drive in Spring, is scheduled to open in August 2027 and is projected to serve 800 students in seventh and eighth grade.

Looking for something to do this weekend in the Conroe and Montgomery areas? Check out four events happening across the area from Sept. 4-6.

Lone Star 1st Saturday Market
Over 45 vendors are set to take part in the monthly Lone Star 1st Saturday Market, hosted on the first Saturday of each month in the city of Montgomery. Residents will also be able to enjoy food and refreshments courtesy of Slice of Amish.

• Sept. 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 14420 Liberty St., Montgomery

Wellness Expo
With 80 exhibitors and vendors signed, the annual Wellness Expo will connect a number of guests with product and service providers for mind, body and soul wellness.

• Sept. 5-6, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
• $8 (single-day admission), $10 (two-day admission)
• Lone Star Convention Center, 4005 Airport Road, Conroe

Shipley Donuts is celebrating its 90th anniversary–nearly a century after its opening in 1936–with a 10-week-long promotion running until Oct. 18, according to a news release.

The special began Aug. 10 and is set to rotate through various value deals, in addition to debuting limited-time birthday-themed donuts.

The history: Shipley’s story began nine decades ago in the oven of its original bakery located at 1417 Crockett St., Houston. The bakery’s founder, Lawrence Shipley Sr., sold his handcrafted, pillowy donuts dipped in a warm glaze wholesale for just five cents a dozen, per the release.

Flash forward to the present: the Houston-based donut parlor still serves that same hexagon-cut treat fresh every morning, now from nearly 400 locations across 13 states.

What to expect: At participating locations, customers can get a taste of the all-new Birthday Bullseye, a festive spin on Shipley’s classic Strawberry Bullseye.

The donut is available individually and as part of the limited-time 1936 Shipley Favorites Box, a nostalgic dozen consisting of other beloved flavors.

Texas senators indicated Sept. 1 that they intend to tighten regulations on data centers during next year’s legislative session, which begins in January.

What they're saying: “I think every member's district has had an impact from a data center conversation, so there will be plenty of bills trying to put things in place that are reasonable, responsible regulatory frameworks for data centers,” state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, said.

The big picture: With some Texas residents and conservation groups sounding the alarm about water-intensive technologies used by some data centers, state agencies have warned that limited information is available on how much water the industry actually uses. Officials said they have also had trouble determining exactly how many data centers are operating in the state today, as there is no “comprehensive statewide list” of existing and planned facilities.

Estimates from state agencies and the University of Texas at Austin suggest that roughly 370 data centers are currently operating in Texas, with about 100 facilities under construction and another 180 being proposed.