The Woodlands Township could see a public golf course on Gosling Road, following unanimous approval by the board of directors Dec. 4 to issue a request for proposals.

The board of directors is looking to form a public-private partnership to create and operate a golf complex at the South Gosling Tract, a 208-parcel tract donated by Howard Hughes in 2023 on Spring Creek.

What you need to know: The project would be a short-course golf course consisting of nine holes and amenities such as:

• Practice and putting environments
• Food and beverage
• Shaded outdoor seating
• Events
• Golf clinics

Draper James opened a new location at Market Street in The Woodlands offering clothing, dresses, accessories, shoes and kids’ wear along with home accessories and pet items, Market Street officials confirmed on Nov. 28.

More details: The store joins several others that opened at Market Street in November, including Pink Chicken, Gorjana and David Yurman.

• Opened in November
• 6565 Six Pines Drive, The Woodlands

Lone Star College System trustees received updates on several projects associated with the college system’s $485 million bond approved by voters in 2014.

The details: LSCS Chancellor Mario Castillo said the college system is planning a Jan. 13 opening of the roughly $34 million Magnolia Center, which will serve as a satellite campus for LSC-Tomball. Once completed, Castillo said college system officials will move on to the roughly $10.5 million expansion of the LSC Victory Center.

A closer look: As previously reported by Community Impact, the Magnolia Center will offer academic transfer courses; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning programs; and emergency medical services Professions programs. As previously reported by Community Impact, the Victory Center will include more classrooms, a biology lab and a fitness center.

What’s next: While LCS officials couldn't provide a timeline for the LSC Victory Center by press time, Castillo said it was the last building that would be constructed that was funded through the 2014 bond.

On Dec. 3, Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County held a ceremony to celebrate the beginning of Marble Creek, its new neighborhood.

The gist: Homebuilding for the new neighborhood in Magnolia—which will accommodate over 200 families—will begin in the spring, Deputy Director Erik Armstrong said during the ceremony.

More details: Marble Creek joins the nonprofit’s other neighborhood, the Conroe-area Cedar Creek. Cedar Creek broke ground in 2009 and is nearly built out, Community Impact previously reported.

Quote of note: “I’m looking forward to seeing what y’all can do because I’ve seen it in Conroe, and I’m glad that we’re going to see it over here in Magnolia,” Charlie Riley, Montgomery County Precinct 2 commissioner, said during the ceremony. “This is going to be a great place, a lot of good folks are going to end up here, a lot of good folks are making it happen.”

What else: During the ceremony, Executive Director Vicki Johnson announced that an anonymous donor is donating $500,000 toward Marble Creek—$100,000 each year for five years.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from last week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Dec. 1-5.

Activities to do: There are several options to see Christmas lights around the Tomball and Magnolia area, including Magnolia Musical Christmas, Gullo House Christmas Lights and Tomball Methodist Church’s Trail of Lights. 

At a glance: In a Dec. 2 news conference, officials with Airbnb announced that Houston will receive a $1 million investment that will go toward supporting major community initiatives, expanding green infrastructure and increasing youth access to soccer. Airbnb was selected in June to serve as an official partner for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Community Impact previously reported. 

One more thing: Whataburger officials celebrated a Dec. 1 opening of their new location at 15940 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble. The eatery features a double drive-thru, dining room and digital menu boards, according to a Nov. 28 news release. 

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them.

The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4.

Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.

Zooming in: Depending on a family’s income, students with disabilities may receive priority acceptance into the ESA program. Families can submit documentation from a physician or the U.S. Social Security Administration to be prioritized, although a detailed evaluation and individualized education plan are required to receive the additional special education funding.