The community-based orchestra Symphony North of Houston is officially celebrating its 50th anniversary, headlined by a spring gala on March 22.

The organization: When he’s not teaching courses at Rice University, Karl Blench serves as the eighth conductor for the Symphony North of Houston orchestra. Having been a part of Symphony North for three years, Blench said in his own eyes, the biggest change the organization has seen is the immense growth.

Quote of note: “One of the biggest changes we've had is the growth of the ensemble," Blench said. “We're over 70 [musicians] now. I think we were just under 60 when I started, and in terms of the maturity of the sound of the group, it's grown immensely. That's in part because the musicians have stepped up, and mostly because I treat them like they're professionals even though they are community members. They donate their time, and I'm so appreciative of that.”

Maple Creek Bed and Breakfast will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in April. Maple Creek Bed and Breakfast is owned and operated by Mike & Becky Clark and Samuel & Katie Whisler.

The details: The bed and breakfast offers a large swimming pool, a game room with ping pong, billiards and foosball and a chicken coop with eggs.

Quote of note: “Our B&B has been a part of so many memories, such as anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, family reunions, and graduations,” Katie Whisler and Becky Clark said in an email.

• 519 E. Hufsmith Road, Tomball

Multiple candidates filed to run in the May 2 election in Tomball and Magnolia, with numerous contested races that will decide who helps guide growth, budgeting and city services heading into summer.

What’s on the ballot: Tomball voters will decide City Council Positions 1 and 5, according to the city’s election information.

Two candidates filed to run for council Position 1, which is currently held by John F. Ford. Ford did not file for re-election.

• Shelley Michna
• Benjamin Scott Sedberry

• Brandon Jacobs
• Todd Kana

A calm blue palette, big windows looking out to the trees and the steady sound of water in an outdoor healing garden—the details are deliberate the moment someone steps inside Children’s Safe Harbor’s new facility, Victoria Constance, executive director and CEO of Children’s Safe Harbor, said.

The impact: A new, expanded Children’s Safe Harbor building in Conroe is now open—an upgrade the nonprofit said will increase how many children and families it can serve, strengthen coordination with investigators and expand prevention training across the community.

Children’s Safe Harbor provides comprehensive, trauma-informed services for children and families from the moment a concern is identified through healing and recovery. Constance said those services include forensic interviewing, family advocacy, mental health counseling and sexual assault nurse medical exams—delivered in a child-focused, multidisciplinary model that prioritizes “justice, healing, and hope,” while guiding non-offending caregivers with resources and advocacy throughout the process.

The two-story, 45,000-square-foot facility was built to support both current demand and long-term growth, Constance said.

Single-family sales declined to 4,999 homes compared to a year earlier, when 5,047 homes sold in January 2025, HAR reports. The median home price decreased to $322,045, its lowest level since January 2024, when it stood at $320,000.

What else: The average single-family home price rose 2.8% to $416,722, driven largely by more activity in the luxury market, according to the report. The luxury segment was the strongest-performing sector, with transactions up 15.5% year over year, the report states. As inventory expanded, homes averaged 66 days on the market, up from 61 days in 2025.

Quote of note: “With rates expected to ease a little this year, buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines may start to feel more confident and enter the market. That should help maintain demand and create additional opportunities for sellers throughout the year,” HAR Chair Theresa Hill said.

• 2026 Tour de Houston bike ride set for April 12
• Houston to apply for $80M in federal grants to enhance security at FIFA World Cup
• $617M NRG Energy power plant moves forward at Greens Bayou site, state says
• Houston City College launches workforce connection, reconnect programs
• University of Houston-Downtown to guarantee admission for Houston ISD graduates