Canine Elite LLC has reopened at a new location in Porter, owner Maghan Tanner confirmed Nov. 5.

What they offer: According to the Canine Elite website, the business offers services such as:

• Service dog training

• Nail trims, baths, de-shedding and ear cleaning

• Daily dog boarding

• Individual training sessions

The backstory: Canine Elite was previously located at 23487 Millbrook Drive, New Caney. The business is also scheduled to open at a new facility in Cleveland before 2027, Tanner said.

• Relocated in August

• 19021 MacKenzie Lane, Building 3, W30, Porter

As local business owners navigate economic challenges such as increased costs of goods and rent, some say finances are only part of the battle to keep a company’s doors open.

What's happening: Ruth Ugarte-Pratt, the owner of Krafty Shack—an art studio formerly located in Porter—said she closed her business in July due to family health issues. She said she was proud to keep her prices low for her customers since she opened at her latest location four years ago, but some of her clients could no longer pay for frequent art classes.

Quote of note: “I have kids that used to come every week … but parents tell me ‘Ruth we can't do this anymore.’ … We [saw] a decline in the amount of kids,” Ugarte-Pratt said. “Big, big decline because we always were full every year.”

Meanwhile, in September, The Rusty Buckle Craft BBQ & Texas Cuisine relaunched in a new building in New Caney almost three years after a fire destroyed the restaurant’s kitchen in 2023.

Montgomery County Commissioners Court on Nov. 5 approved accepting a grant from the Texas Historical Commission to pay for the design of restoring the county's courthouse.

The overview: It's the latest step in the county's plans to refurbish the courthouse to its original 1936 luster and eventually move most courts out of the building and into a new justice center in downtown Conroe.

What they’re saying: Jason Smith, deputy chief of staff for Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, said funding from the state's courthouse preservation program requires the building to remain a working courthouse.

Smith, who spoke at Conroe's City Council meeting and at commissioners court, said the county in the next legislative session will try to get money from the state for construction.

Final takeaways: Even when a new justice center is built, Smith said the current building "will always be the Montgomery Courthouse."

The background: The Interfaith Child Development Center (ICDC) celebrated 50 years in The Woodlands with a reception on Nov. 4. The center, which serves approximately 400 students, is a program of Interfaith of The Woodlands and was one of the first programs developed after Interfaith was formed in 1973. It provides care for children from 18 months through the fourth grade.

What they offer: The center offers programs for toddlers, pre-school, pre-kindergarten, transition to kindergarten, school age and enrichment. Extracurricular activities at the facility include:

• A science lab
• Outdoor Nature Classroom
• Spanish and movement education
• Music and dance

Registration for ICDC takes place in February of each year. At the anniversary event, the Parents Club presented a $10,000 donation, which will go toward a playground being built at the facility as part of the Discovery Garden.

Want to catch up on Community Impact's coverage from this week? Here are five of the top stories across the New Caney and Porter area from Oct. 30-Nov. 6.

1. Ryan Schurdell wins race for New Caney ISD board of trustees Position 2

2. David Mullane and Ray Guzman win Roman Forest City Council elections

3. See the latest updates on 4 TxDOT projects in New Caney, Porter

4. Kiddie Academy of Highlands now under construction in Porter

5. Thanksgiving storytime, 5K beer run: 12 events to attend in New Caney, Porter this November