OI Juicy Dumpling & Ramen officials said the new restaurant opened in November and has plans to hold a grand opening event on Jan. 10.

The details: Per the business Facebook, the grand opening will be celebrated from Jan. 10-16 with several specials. Specials will include:

• 15% off all orders
• A free drink with a ramen order
• Free drink on next visit after a Google review
• A $5 coupon

Texas Roadhouse is set to bring its menu once again to the Cypress area as construction has started on a new location on West Road.

The details: According to business officials, construction is underway on a new Texas Roadhouse location in Cypress. The restaurant chain is known for its ribs, steaks, burgers, fried chicken and homemade sides with more than 700 branches worldwide.

The project was initially delayed from its original construction start in early 2025, but is now on track to open in 2026.

FIFA World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most in-demand sporting events in the tournament's history, with over 150 million tickets requested during the Random Selection Draw ticketing phase to date. The figure represents the highest demand in FIFA World Cup history, according to a Dec. 29 news release.

Current situation: The final Random Selection Draw ticketing phase opened Dec. 11, a process that allows first-time fans to apply for single-match tickets based on who is playing whom, where and when for group stage matches.

As of Dec. 29, the draw has already garnered over 150 million ticket requests by fans from over 200 countries, bringing the FIFA World Cup 2026 oversubscribed over 30 times based on verified credit card numbers submitted with each ticket application, per the release.

Get involved: The Random Selection Draw will remain open until Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. Officials noted that the timing of a ticket request does not affect the chances of success.  

Airport passengers in the Greater Houston area who are also CLEAR members can utilize new biometric eGates aimed at expediting identity verification at both George Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.

Zooming out: While the security identity company CLEAR first announced the national airport partnership program rollout with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Aug. 19, Houston Airport officials announced in December that the biometric security gates were in use.

“With this new technology, travelers can verify their identity in under five seconds, bypassing the TSA podium and proceeding directly to physical screening,” a Dec. 9 news release states. 

The big picture: CLEAR officials said in August that the launch efforts will coincide with airports hosting international visitors flying to the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

What they're saying: “With more than 20 million international visitors expected to fly to the U.S. for the tournament — and domestic travel surging through U.S. host cities — checkpoint infrastructure will face unprecedented pressure,” the Aug. 19 news release states.

Missed any Community Impact articles from this week? Check out the top trending stories from Community Impact's coverage areas in Houston from Dec. 29-Jan. 2.

Lone Star College’s Academy for Lifelong Learning opens spring registration for adults 50-plus
Area residents ages 50 and older can explore everything from history and creative writing to hands-on hobbies through Lone Star College System’s Academy for Lifelong Learning, a low-cost program offering classes, activities and social connections across the system’s campuses, as stated in a Lone Star College Dec. 19 news release.

Read the story here.

333 Bar and Grill now open in Montgomery
The restaurant offers drinks and food to customers as well as live shows. The bar was the previous location of The Feed Store Grill and Bar, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Read the story here.