Missouri City has selected former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner to serve as the city’s next chief of police, citing his reputation for professionalism, leadership and a steadfast commitment to public service, city officials announced in an April 14 news release.

What you need to know: Finner brings more than three decades of experience serving the city of Houston. He resigned in May 2024 following the reveal that the Houston Police Department dismissed 260,000 investigations department-wide, pointing to a “lack of personnel," according to previous reporting.

Missouri City officials said they are aware of the circumstances following Finner’s departure from the city of Houston, and the appointment was based on his “extensive experience and ability to lead the department forward.”

Looking back: The appointment comes after Police Chief Brandon Harris agreed to continue his role in December 2024 after announcing his retirement in September 2024, Community Impact reported.

Going forward: Finner will begin his role as chief of police April 20, per the release.

Fort Bend County officials are seeking community input for the future of Duhacsek Park.

The 50-acre park, located at 17034 Old Richmond Road, Sugar Land, was gifted to the city of Sugar Land by Virginia and Walter Duhacsek in 2001, Community Impact previously reported. The park is home to a pavilion and a historic house surrounded by pecan trees.

What’s happening: At a Dec. 2 meeting, Sugar Land City Council unanimously agreed to transfer operations and development responsibilities of the park to the county through 2075. County commissioners followed suit at a Dec. 4 Commissioners Court meeting.

Community Impact previously reported Fort Bend County’s voter-approved bond program allocates $9.2 million for improvements at the park.

Get involved: County residents are invited to a community feedback session April 15 at the park from 6-7 p.m. to gather input on potential park features, amenities and programming, officials announced in an April 14 Facebook post. Residents unable to attend can also share their input via an online survey through April 19.

ParkerJoe is set to open a First Colony Mall location in the former Lululemon location.

The boutique, which will celebrate its grand opening May 2, was founded by a mother-daughter duo who saw a gap in stylish, high-quality boys’ clothing available in one place, owners Lisa and Chelsea Hostler said.

What they offer: The boutique offers thoughtfully curated boys’ clothing including underwear, playwear, dressier pieces and formal wear from newborn to size 18, Lisa and Chelsea Hostler said. The store also offers “Daddy and Me” matching styles.

Additionally, the shop offers children’s books, toys, blankets and tableware.

What they’re saying: “Sugar Land felt like a natural fit for expansion with its strong sense of community and families looking for an elevated retail experience,” Lisa and Chelsea Hostler said. “We're excited to bring something fresh and specialized to the area.”

• 16535 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 2004, Sugar Land

St. Luke’s Health has awarded $1.01 million in philanthropic grants to 19 nonprofits in the Greater Houston area, according to an April 6 news release. The grants are intended to address health disparities and enhance the well-being of underserved populations, according to the news release.

What we know: The grants are a part of the CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program.
According to a news release, the program will:

• Improve community health

• Advance health equity

• Enhance local services through charitable contributions

The impact: Participating nonprofits applied to receive grant funding to cover issues found within St. Luke’s community health needs assessments.
Needs include:

• Improving access to care

• Behavioral health

• Chronic disease

• Food security

• Preventative practices

• Social determinants of health

What they're saying: The local initiative by St. Luke’s is a part of a larger effort by CommonSpirit Health, which has awarded $15 million to 329 organizations nationwide, according to the release.

Texas retailers can resume selling smokable hemp products after a Travis County judge temporarily blocked some of the state’s sweeping new regulations on the hemp industry.

The background: On March 31, the state health department enacted rules changing how THC content is measured in consumable hemp, which industry experts said effectively outlawed most smokable hemp products.

The Texas Hemp Business Council, a federal hemp industry group, and several local hemp companies sued the state April 8, arguing that the state health department does not have the authority to reclassify legal THC levels. State officials have defended the rules, saying they are in line with a September executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, who at the time called for stricter oversight of the multibillion-dollar hemp industry.

The latest: Travis County District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble sided with the hemp industry in an April 10 ruling, directing the state not to enforce the new THC testing requirement and a restriction on the transportation of hemp products between states. An additional hearing is scheduled for April 23.