A Wells Fargo bank has reopened at its new location in Valley Ranch Town Center, according to a July 27 post from the center’s social media page.

At a glance: Wells Fargo offers personal, business, investment and wealth management; and corporate and commercial banking services, according to the company’s website. The company is a national bank with over 6,000 locations.

The context: The bank was previously located at 22420 Community Drive, New Caney, as previously reported by Community Impact. The original location closed June 26.

The new location was originally expected to open in May, and construction on the site began in October, as previously reported.

• 21728 Hwy. 59, New Caney

When Jeff Petersen left his Kingwood home to attend Texas A&M University in 2001—and then later, the entire state for a job in Colorado—he never imagined that he would one day return to open a hardware store with his parents along FM 1314.

Petersen also could not have predicted what that same store—J&R’s Ace Hardware, which opened in March 2019—would go on to mean to locals in Porter.

“When disasters happen, we’re there for each other,” Petersen said.

The full story: Short for “Jeff and Rusty’s,” J&R’s Ace Hardware follows a general store concept equipped with a Texas-based gift shop, garden center and a STIHL power equipment dealership.

Together, these entities offer customers a diverse assortment of core hardware products and in-store services, including U-Haul rentals, lock servicing, propane refills and exchanges, and more.

The co-op business’s constantly rotating inventory ensures it carries “what customers need, when they need it,” especially during unprecedented weather emergencies, Petersen said.

On Aug. 6, Lone Star College System’s board of trustees unanimously approved a balanced $577.5 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which features 2% raises for full- and part-time employees.

The gist: According to Aug. 7 meeting documents, the FY 2026-27 budget featured employee pay raises of:

• 2% increase for all full-time employees hired on or before March 31
• 2% bump for part-time hourly, non-instructional employees, except for student assistants and college work-study participants
• 2% more for adjunct faculty, who are paid per contact hour

• $18.5 million in additional funding from local taxes for FY 2026-27
• $7 million more state revenue for FY 2026-27

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out these trending stories across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Aug. 3-Aug. 7.

1. Tim Hortons to open along Barker Cypress Road in August

2. Humble ISD's rebuilt Foster Elementary School set to open in August

3. PREVIEW: Klein ISD board of trustees to call November election

4. Studio 3113 Modern Needlework opens store for crafters in The Woodlands

5. Emergency service providers adapt to keep up with growth

6. The future of downtown Tomball takes shape

7. Conroe ISD reviews preliminary budget, compensation plan at special meeting