HTX-SLM: Impact 10/13/2025

Missouri City’s Quail Valley Golf Club, which houses the La Quinta and El Dorado golf courses, is underway with over $15 million in course and City Centre renovations.

What's happening?: The golf course renovations aim to enhance playability and improve the aesthetics of the course, which was originally constructed in 1970 and had no major renovations since.

The project will regrade and reshape all 18 holes of the La Quinta course, including the installation of new greens, fairways and bunkers, Community Impact reported. The project will also:

• Add drainage improvements
• Remove and replant trees
• Replace irrigation

Following concerns from Sheriff Eric Fagan, Fort Bend County commissioners unanimously voted to approve the creation of a committee to review police salaries at an Oct. 9 meeting.

Zooming in: According to agenda documents, the seven-person committee, dubbed the Blue Ribbon Committee, will consist of one person nominated by several departments.

Why it matters: The request is part of a trend in police departments citywide requesting pay raises following an $832 million agreement by Houston City Council to raise police pay by 36.5% over the next five years.

What’s next? Commissioners asked County Judge KP George to add nominations to the agenda for the next regular session of Commissioners Court, scheduled for Oct. 23.

Newly appointed Chief Operations Officer Thomas Lawing said more than 50 campuses saw upgrades during the 11-week summer break, including renovated athletic facilities, new classroom furniture and complete interior overhauls as part of the $1.26 billion 2023 bond program.

The details: Officials highlighted several completed projects, including the modernization of martial arts spaces at ten campuses, known as Kickstart spaces, with new flooring, shelving, murals, LED lighting and rooftop cooling units to support after-school use.

Another thing: Six campuses also received upgrades to their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which Lawing said is "vital" to academic success. 

Moving forward: Following the approval of the Madden Elementary slab repairs and a transportation center for special education students in July, the bond contingency from previous bond funds is now totaling $44.1 million. Several projects—including $6.2 million needed to complete the aquatic practice facility—are expected to be presented to the board this coming school year.

An opening date has been set for the new Target opening at The Grid in Stafford. 

The new store, set to open Oct. 19, will span approximately 125,000 square feet and employ around 130 team members, according to an Oct. 9 news release. 

The details: The store will include 16,000 square feet of fresh produce, meat and dairy, as well as everyday essentials and pantry staples, per the release.

Additionally, the store will feature a CVS Pharmacy, Target Optical and Starbucks Café. 

• 12565 Arc Lane, Stafford

Texas’ power grid is unlikely to have issues this December, according to an Oct. 3 report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

The details: During the winter, demand for electricity spikes when people get up in the morning and return home in the evening. This December, the tightest period is expected to be from 7-8 a.m. each day, when little to no solar power is being produced. ERCOT found that there will be a 1.81% chance of a grid emergency during that time.

“Under typical grid conditions, the deterministic scenario indicates that there should be sufficient generating capacity available," the report reads.

The background: Texas' grid withstood three cold snaps early this year. ERCOT last asked residents to voluntarily reduce their energy use in January 2024.

Legislative approach: State lawmakers approved legislation this spring that is designed to make the grid more reliable by tightening regulations on large electric consumers, such as data centers. In extreme grid conditions, those customers will be required to switch to backup power to reduce strain on the grid.