In mid-February, a remodel of the Tractor Supply Co. location in Porter is expected to begin, a company spokesperson confirmed via email Jan. 20.

What's happening: The renovation is scheduled to:

• Expand the store’s sales floor for more products and space between departments
• Be completed before April and largely overnight

• Pet supplies and pharmacy services
• Car and truck parts and equipment
• Power and hand tools
• Yard care equipment, such as leaf blowers and power washers
• Clothing and shoes for men, women and children

• 23741 Hwy. 59, Porter

Two candidates for Texas House of Representatives District 3 will appear on the ballot for both the Democratic and Republican primaries on election day.

The details: District 3 covers portions of Magnolia and Montgomery County. The seat is currently held by Rep. Cecil Bell Jr., R-Magnolia, who was elected to the position in 2013.

Primary early voting begins Feb. 17, and election day is March 3. The winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will face off in the general election in November.

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

Montgomery County Food Bank’s annual Holiday Helpings drive brought in enough food and funds to provide more than 440,000 meals after a two-month campaign that ran Nov. 1-Dec. 31, according to a Jan. 14 news release.

The impact: The drive, presented by Waste Connections, came as demand for food assistance climbed across the county, the release states. After residents turned to the food bank more than 93,000 times in September 2025, that number rose to 111,000 in November 2025, highlighting the importance of holiday-season support.

“The generosity we witnessed during Holiday Helpings was truly inspiring,” President and CEO Kristine Marlow said in the release, adding that the community response helped the organization “ensure neighbors across Montgomery County had access to nourishing food when they needed it most.”

Diving in deeper: More than 170 organizations participated through sponsorships, fundraising and food drives, the release states.

Waste Connections served as the presenting sponsor, with Spirit of Giving sponsors including Enterprise Mobility, Kroger, Ovintiv, Scott Law Firm and US Anesthesia Partners, according to the release.

Three Democratic candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Jasmine Crockett, Ahmad R. Hassan and James Talarico are competing for the Democratic nomination for a six-year term in the U.S. Senate.

The details: Each state has two U.S. senators, with Ted Cruz and John Cornyn currently representing Texas. Cornyn, whose seat is up for election, is running for reelection in an eight-way Republican primary.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.

Eight Republican candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Republican incumbent John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term as Texas' senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.

Seven Republican candidates are challenging Cornyn for the Republican nomination: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady, Wesley Hunt, Gulrez “Gus” Khan and Ken Paxton.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters on May 26.

Looking ahead: The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.