On Jan. 8, Raymond Flannelly was officially elected as president of the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association. A 45-year veteran of the force, Flannelly has served the county as fire chief of Montgomery County Emergency Services District No. 9 for the last 16 years. 

How did you first get involved with firefighting?
My family. I had two uncles who were both on the job up on the East Coast, and I was pretty much raised around the fire service. My father worked for Texaco and we bounced around a little bit, and that's how we ended up here in the Houston area.

What are your responsibilities as president of the Fire Chiefs Association?
Really, it's just to keep each fire department, there's 12 fire departments in Montgomery County, ... keep them informed of what we're doing, any future growth, training options, anything that better prepares us to assist the citizens that reside in Montgomery County or traveling through Montgomery County.

Jeremiah's Italian Ice is opening its Creekside area location in mid-April.

The shop will feature treats such as soft ice cream, Italian ice and Jelati, a mix of soft ice cream and Italian ice.

Quote of note: "We’re incredibly excited to bring Jeremiah’s Italian Ice to the Creekside, Tomball community. Our goal is to create a fun, welcoming space where families and friends can gather to enjoy a refreshing frozen treat," franchise owners Mansoor and Naushin Abidi said.

• 24225 Kuykendahl Road, Ste. 300, Tomball

On April 2, the Lone Star College System’s board of trustees approved unchanged tuition rates for the 2026-27 school year and discussed lowering the rates in the future.

What happened: During the LSCS trustees’ regular April 2 meeting, trustees unanimously approved the proposed tuition rates for the 2026-27 school year. The rates will remain at:

• $111 per credit hour for in-district students
• $249 per credit hour for out-of-district students
• $313 per credit hour for out-of-state/international students
• $43 per credit hour for dual credit students

Despite counties nationwide seeing a slowing growth rate, the Greater Houston area is experiencing the opposite, per recent data from the US Census Bureau.

The gist: The data examines population changes within the timeframe of July 2024 to July 2025. According to the Census Bureau, the most populous counties saw more births than deaths and more people moving out than moving in from other areas of the country.

However, the Greater Houston area is still experiencing population growth, particularly in suburban areas.

Digging deeper: From 2024 to 2025, the counties saw the following population increase:

• Harris County: 48,695
• Montgomery County: 30,011
• Fort Bend County: 24,163

Officials with the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a regional transportation organization in Texas, recently launched a new website designed to help commuters and employers plan ahead as the city prepares for a busy summer chock-full of events.

Why now: Houston is preparing to hold seven matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament in June-July, as well as a 39-day fan festival. The city will also host several Houston Astros games and a large Independence Day celebration during that time frame.

The combination of events is expected to bring more than 500,000 visitors to the area between June 14 and July 1 and could increase traffic by 20%-40%.

What you need to know: The website showcases:

• A calendar that highlights high-traffic days
• Maps showing corridors expected to see heavier congestion
• Park and ride, vanpool and public transportation information
• Tips for adjusting work schedules or teleworking
• Planning guides for busy event days