In April 1976, the Northeast Hospital Authority was created with the goal of bringing a hospital to the northeast Houston region, said Brooke Baugh, director of development and programs for the authority. In April, authority officials marked the 50th anniversary since the NHA’s founding.

Looking back: NHA created the Northeast Medical Center, which opened Oct. 7, 1977, Baugh said. Since then, the authority has also launched the Northeast Hospital Foundation, the nonprofit behind programs such as Project Mammogram, which provides free breast cancer prevention and treatment services to local residents.

Breaking it down: NHA and the Northeast Hospital Foundation are both governed by a seven-member board, according to the organizations’ website. The authority’s board is led by President Roy Hearnsberger.

• P.O. Box 2738, Humble

Check out what's happening in the New Caney and Porter area throughout July.

Valley Ranch 4th Fest: Head to The Hill at Valley Ranch for an evening of shopping, fireworks, food trucks, a cash bar, a hot dog eating contest and activities for kids. Live music will be performed by Joey Green and Payton Howie.

• July 4, 6-10 p.m. (fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m.)
• Free (admission)
• 21262 Valley Ranch Parkway, New Caney

• July 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Bull Sallas Park, 21675 McCleskey Road, New Caney

• July 25, 8 a.m.-noon (while supplies last)
• Free (admission)
• Randall Reed Stadium, 21360 Valley Ranch Parkway, New Caney

On June 27, a series of public meetings will be held regarding the Montgomery County Mobility Plan, according to its website.

The gist: Montgomery County and the Houston-Galveston Area Council are developing the countywide transportation plan, which is estimated to take around 18 months, per its website. The final plan will include a workbook for each precinct that will include recommendations and funding insights.

Get involved: There will be six pop-up events June 27 for residents to attend—three in the morning and three in the afternoon.

• 10-11:30 a.m.
  • C.K. Ray Recreation Center, 1203 Candy Cane Lane, Conroe
  • Kevin Brady Library and Community Center, 2250 Buckthorne Place, The Woodlands
  • AV Bull Sallas Park, 21675 McCleskey Road, New Caney
• 2-3:30 p.m.
  • Charles B. Stewart Library, 202 Bessie Price Owen Drive, Montgomery
  • The Woodlands Mall, 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive, Ste. 700, The Woodlands
  • RB Tullis Library, 21569 Hwy. 59, New Caney

More renters in the Greater Houston area signed leases in May as available listings and prices dipped slightly, according to a June 17 report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The breakdown: The number of rentable single-family homes in the Houston area fell by about 0.8% compared to May 2025, with 54 fewer new listings to choose from, according to the monthly rental market update. Additionally, the number of signed leases increased by 5.2%.

As for average lease prices, costs eased by 0.3% compared to last May, with the average price totaling $2,346 in 2026, the report shows.

Diving in: Meanwhile, townhomes and condos saw an increase of 8.2% in the number of leased listings and an increase of 0.5% in price.

What they’re saying: “In today's economy, many consumers are taking a more measured approach to major financial decisions, and renting remains an attractive option for some households,” said HAR Chair Theresa Hill.

Texas education officials gave preliminary approval June 23 to the state’s first mandatory reading list, which includes nearly 200 literary works that public school students would begin reading as soon as 2030.

The overview: The proposed list incorporates about a dozen stories from the Bible, including the tale of David and Goliath in second grade and direct biblical excerpts beginning in fourth grade. In total, students would be required to read more than two dozen texts in early elementary grades and about 10 literary works per year from sixth grade through high school.

What's happening: Members of the Republican-led State Board of Education voted 9-5 to cut several titles from the reading list June 23, following nearly eight hours of public testimony a day earlier.

More than half of those who testified June 22 asked the board to shorten the list, include more diverse authors and remove religious references. Others praised the SBOE for creating a list that they said would teach students about “American exceptionalism” and prioritize classical literature.