The Blinn College board of trustees approved multiple furniture and specialty training equipment purchases for the new Waller Workforce and Technical Education Complex.

Sorting out the details: According to a Jan. 20 news release, the Waller Workforce and Technical Education Complex is a new facility set to be completed by May. The facility’s features include:

• Three lecture classrooms
• Computer learning lab
• Medical learning lab
• Mechatronics/advanced manufacturing lab,
• Skilled trades lab

The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year after being created by the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001.

How it works: LSGCD manages the groundwater in Montgomery County by preserving, conserving, and protecting the groundwater supplies, its website states. The district also oversees the Groundwater Management Area 14, created in 2005 during the 79th Texas Legislative Session. GMA 14 has five groundwater conservation districts, which represent 12 of the 20 counties, per officials.

Schools, government buildings and some polling places will remain closed on Jan. 26 as Winter Storm Fern had a late arrival to the Greater Houston area Jan. 24.

Current situation: According to the National Weather Service, the Greater Houston area can expect continued temperatures below freezing into Jan. 27. Per information on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ Grid and Market Conditions dashboard, power supply continues to outweigh demand.

Government closures: Meeting plans Jan. 26 for Roman Forest City Council and Fort Bend ISD have been postponed. Meanwhile, it is still unclear if Katy City Council's Jan. 26 meeting will take place as planned. 

Additionally, all early voting centers for the special runoff election for Congressional District 18 closed Jan. 25-26 due to inclement weather. 

Additional warming centers: More warming centers have opened across the Greater Houston area, in addition to the 13 warming centers that were announced in Harris County Jan. 22. All warming centers will be open through at least Jan. 26; however, residents are encouraged to call ahead if possible.

Six Republican candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge.

The six candidates filed to run for a seat that had been occupied by a Republican until Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo defeated incumbent Republican Ed Emmett in 2018.

The setup: The candidates are Patrick “Marty” Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association; former Houston City Council member Orlando Sanchez; Air Force veteran Warren Howell; Piney Point Village Mayor Aliza Dutt; retired member of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Oscar Gonzalez; and Spring Branch business owner and resident George Harry Zoes.

Zooming out: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September that she will not seek reelection for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county.

Candidates responded to six questions, including:

• Why are you running for Harris County judge?
• What are your top three priorities for constituents in Harris County, and why?
• What is your approach to collaborating with other commissioners to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions?

Three Democratic candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the March primaries.

The big picture: Harris County voters will be able to cast their ballots in the Democratic primary in March for former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, former Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer or local entrepreneur Matt Salazar.

Zooming out: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo formally announced in September she will not seek re-election for a third term as judge of Texas’ largest county. Hidalgo has served as county judge since 2019 and was re-elected after winning the county seat during the November 2022 general election. Her current four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2026.

What residents should know: Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27. Election day is March 3.

Candidates responded to six questions including:

• Why are you running for Harris County judge?
• What are your top three priorities for constituents in Harris County, and why?
• What is your approach to collaborating with other commissioners to reach consensus on policy and budget decisions?

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Jan. 19-23.

In a nutshell: Montgomery County commissioners took a step toward a new countywide transportation roadmap Jan. 15, discussing a mobility study they said will be the first to outline a 10-year plan for the entire county. 

County Judge Mark Keough said the project will kick off in January and is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete. Once finished, he said the county plans to initiate a county thoroughfare plan update.

What else: The project to extend the Grand Parkway through League City has made progress after the city recently sold a 1.8-acre highway easement to the Texas Department of Transportation.

League City City Council voted unanimously to transfer the highway easement, also known as Parcel 315, to TxDOT for a sum of nearly $319,000, according to city documents.

One more thing: The Hallmark, a luxury senior living community, is expanding its campus in Greater Uptown by 2030. 

Three Republicans are running for Texas attorney general in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: After three terms as Texas' top lawyer, incumbent Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving his office open. Joan Huffman, Mayes Middleton, Aaron Reitz and Chip Roy are seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general.

Stay tuned: The winner of the Republican primary will face the winning Democratic candidate in November. The winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

Three Democrats are running for Texas attorney general in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: After three terms as Texas' top lawyer, incumbent Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving his office open. Anthony “Tony” Box, Joe Jaworski and Nathan Johnson are vying for the Democratic nomination to succeed Paxton as attorney general.

Looking ahead: The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.