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Kathleen Adams used to call her home her “forever.” The Conroe-area property had room for reunions, a pool and a 1,400-square-foot porch. Now, much of her life is boxed upstairs. After repeated floods, she said she watches the weather, tracks river levels—and waits for a buyout process that can take years.

The gist: Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, insurance rules and federal grant programs can shape what happens after the water leaves. County data shows 144 homes have been bought out through six mitigation programs to date.

Why it matters: The full process typically takes between 2 1/2 and three years, depending on the federal funding source. Once funding reaches the county and homeowners stay engaged, she said, closings can move in 60-90 days.

Before you go: For homeowners in flood-prone areas, documentation matters. Residents should save photos, repair receipts, insurance claims, FEMA documents, Small Business Administration Disaster loan information and anything tied to storm damage. 

The family-owned bakery The Evolving Baker officially opened its doors to its storefront location in Hockley. 

Meet the chef: The Evolving Baker owner and founder Morgan Sanford said she first started The Evolving Baker as a home-based custom cake company in her hometown of Hockley. 

Quote of note: “Our family has been part of the Houston area for as long as I can remember, and I personally grew up in Hockley, just down the road from where the bakery is now located, making this location especially meaningful to us,” Sanford said.

• 23933 Nichols Sawmill Road, Ste. C, Hockley

At Tomball ISD trustees' June 1 workshop meeting, TISD Director of Special Education Keri Williams presented a report of the district's special education department, highlighting the growth since 2021.

Breaking it down: Between the 2021-22 and 2025-26 school years, Williams said the district's special education population had grown by 68%, or from 1,901 special education students to 3,200. Additionally, the percentage of students using special education services has grown to 13.75% in the 2025-26 school year compared to 9.38% in 2021-22.

More details: Williams also said that TISD’s special education graduates have achieved high rates for the college, career, and military readiness framework. The framework was created by the Texas Education Agency to evaluate how successfully high schools prepare graduating students for their post-education lives. Williams said out of the 109 special education students who qualified, 60 of them met the CCMR standard for the 2024-25 school year.

Magnolia-area residents may see CenterPoint Energy crews in their neighborhoods beginning in June as the company rolls out a series of power grid upgrades meant to improve reliability before and during future storms.

The work is part of CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, according to a May 28 notice from the city of Magnolia.

What this means: The planned upgrades could include installing stronger, storm-resilient poles; adding automation devices to help reduce the impact of outages; clearing high-risk trees and vegetation near power lines; undergrounding power lines in key areas; relocating circuit sections to improve restoration times; and conducting inspections on power lines.

Crews are expected to work Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., according to the notice.

What residents should know: The work could come with some short-term impacts. CenterPoint said traffic control signs and potential road closures may be needed while crews complete the improvements.