HTX-NCP: Impact 11/3/2025

Bringing fresh, handmade food to the bustling corridor of FM 1314 in Porter was the goal behind Uncle Tony’s Cafe, which opened June 1, owner Tony Marron said.

The big picture: Within the last year, at least 14 new businesses have opened along FM 1314 between the Grand Parkway and Hwy. 59. At least six more are expected to open by next fall.

What they're saying: The growth along FM 1314 in Porter is beneficial for residents, said Mark Linabury, president and CEO of the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber.

“It just ... creates more options and more convenience,” Linabury said.

However, locals said with the growth comes challenges such as increased traffic.

The New Caney ISD board of trustees kicked off a $21.4 million project to build a new operations and transportation facility for the district Oct. 20.

Latest update: During the NCISD trustees’ regular Oct. 20 meeting, the board unanimously agreed to allow district leaders to finalize a construction contract for project upgrades for the operations and transportation buildings. The cost of the project was initially estimated to be $40 million combined, but the price has been reduced by combining the facilities into one.

Diving deeper: Construction on the new facilities is slated to begin in November and wrap by February 2027. The new facility will be located at 21026 Loop 494, New Caney, which is the current site for NCISD’s Transportation Department.

Montgomery County Food Bank celebrated the completion of an 18,000-square-foot expansion to its facility in Conroe on Oct. 28, marking a milestone in its mission to fight hunger across the county, according to an Oct. 28 news release

Marking the milestone: Through the “Build Today, Feed Tomorrow” capital campaign, the food bank added new areas to boost efficiency, storage and volunteer capacity. 

The expansion includes the Howard Hughes Produce Rescue Center—expected to recover about 110,000 more pounds of produce each month—as well as a new Woodforest National Bank Volunteer Center and expanded cold storage, increasing refrigerated space by 43%.

The additional space will allow the organization to distribute 1 million more meals each year, building on the nearly 9 million meals provided to Montgomery County residents in 2024, per the release.

Millions of Texans may see delays in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beginning Nov. 1, as the federal government shutdown reaches the one-month mark.

The latest: The federal food assistance program is set to run out of funding in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use federal contingency funds, which are stockpiled for emergency expenses, to fund SNAP in November, although the next steps surrounding SNAP benefits were unclear as of press time.

The local impact: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks.

“People are at risk of going hungry if the government doesn't reopen and SNAP benefits are delayed. … These are already vulnerable Texans,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an Oct. 27 interview.

Food banks across the state Texas food banks previously expanded their operations to meet increased demand as thousands of federal workers go without paychecks during the shutdown.