Construction is planned for a new retail center—to be called Trails Market—near The Trails community in New Caney, according to a Sept. 17 news release from The Trails’ developer Castle Hill Partners.

The gist: Trails Market will be built on 11.6 acres and is being developed by Fidelis Realty Partners. Work on Trails Market is expected to begin in 2027 and finish in 2028.

The shopping plaza will be home to retail, dining and service options.

Some context: In early September, work kicked off on another shopping center near The Trails—Trails at the Parkway—as previously reported by Community Impact. Trails at the Parkway is expected to open in early 2028.

• Opening in 2028

• Northwest corner of the intersection of Plum Grove Road and the Grand Parkway in New Caney (exact address TBD)

Job seekers interested in a custodial position at New Caney ISD will have a chance to learn more at the district’s Custodial Job Fair on Oct. 13.

In a nutshell: Career fair attendees may receive an interview at the event, according to NCISD’s website. To qualify for an interview, job seekers must complete an online job application prior to the event.

What else? The Custodial Job Fair will be held from 8-10 a.m. Oct. 13 at the district’s technology building, which is located at 21480 Valley Ranch Bend Drive, Porter.

Montgomery County Commissioners Court on Oct. 8 approved selling $35 million in bonds that will pay for roadway projects through next summer.

The background: Voters in May 2025 authorized a $480 million road bond expected to fund 76 transportation projects. It was the first road bond in a decade to handle the population growth the county has seen and will continue to see.

Some context: County finance officials said this round of bond sales is the smallest the county will make since interest rates have climbed higher than were projected.

John Robuck, who consults the county on investments, said this round is expected to give the county enough money for road projects through June with the hope that interest rates will settle down by then. The county currently has $57 million in the bank for road bond projects.

“National debt, the Iran conflict and inflationary fears have pushed interest rates up a lot higher than we projected,” Robuck said.

Thirty-two Houston-area restaurants have been named to the 2026 Michelin Guide, according to an Oct. 8 press release.

The history: The guide, which originated in 1889, uses anonymous inspectors to evaluate dining establishments based on food quality, consistency, flavor harmony, technical mastery and the chef's personality.

Latest update: Six Houston-area restaurants retained their one-star ratings for 2026:

• BCN Taste & Tradition

• CorkScrew BBQ

• Le Jardinier Houston

• March

• Musaafer

• Tatemó

Additionally, 26 area restaurants earned the Bib Gourmand recognition for good quality and value. This includes five new locations: Bar Buena, Khói Barbecue, Kitchen Rumors, Murray's Pizza & Wine and Xolo. Xolo owner Angel Bautista also received the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award.

Community Impact reported on several developments across the North Houston area from Oct. 2-9:

• Arms manufacturer Watchtower Defense opens facility in Tomball

• Property owners in Cypress, Cy-Fair, Jersey Village to see tax rate increases

• $8M Plum Grove Road expansion project wraps up in New Caney

• The Container Store closes Spring-Klein area location

• PREVIEW: Montgomery County commissioners to consider support for legislation granting ordinance powers

• The White Canvas Event Venue now hosting events in Cypress

• Whataburger opening new location in Conroe

• Dutch Bros Coffee to open Kingwood location in late 2026

• Bari Ristorante now open in The Woodlands

The Texas comptroller's office is reviewing the finances and spending decisions of four public school districts: Austin, El Paso, Prosper and Barbers Hill ISDs.

The overview: The review was requested by Gov. Greg Abbott in August and will identify whether schools are directing taxpayer dollars toward students, teachers and classrooms over administrative costs, according to information from the two state agencies.

Zooming in: For the 2024-25 school year, the Texas Education Agency gave the selected districts the following financial ratings:

• Austin ISD: B rating; score of 88 (about 69,000 students)

• El Paso ISD: A rating; score of 92 (about 46,000 students)

• Prosper ISD: A rating; score of 94 (about 33,000 students)

• Barbers Hill ISD: A rating; score of 100 (about 8,000 students)

More details: Austin and Prosper ISDs are in Community Impact's coverage areas. According to previous reporting, Austin ISD passed an $887 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2026-27 after making $205 million in gross cuts this summer. Prosper ISD adopted a budget with an expected $42.2 million shortfall.