New art was installed at The Atrium Center in January with an event planned for March 10 to debut the works to the public.

A closer look: The art displayed at The Atrium Center was created by local artists, according to a Jan. 15 Facebook post from the East Montgomery County Improvement District. Works include paintings and photographs.

On March 10, EMCID will host its annual Artists Reception to honor the local artists.

Zooming in: The art was hung by David Hannahs, owner of Webb Gallery Inc. EMCID curator Alton Dulaney coordinated the art display.

Webb Gallery offers framing and installation for photos and art, and is located in Atascocita.

GameStop, a large retail gaming hub in the United States, disclosed in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it closed 590 stores in fiscal year 2024 and expects to shutter a "significant number of additional stores" during FY2025.

What we know: While GameStop has yet to release a standalone press release on the closures, the company's SEC filing states that officials have conducted a "comprehensive store optimization review" and are identifying for closure based on market conditions and individual store performance.

In the company's documents, GameStop notes that a significant number of customers have chosen to download games instead of buying games physically in-store.

"If consumers’ preference for downloading video game content in lieu of physical software continues to increase, our business and financial performance may be adversely impacted," the filing states.

The projections: While GameStop has yet to release a formal list of all individual stores closing by city or region, an unofficial list has been compiled of stores that closed in January.
 

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.

The big picture: County Judge Mark Keough said the effort began with obtaining federal funds back in October 2024, followed by a formal request in December 2024. He said the project was then added to the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Unified Planning Work Program—a federally required document that outlines and budgets the region’s transportation planning work—when it was approved in April 2025. Keough said the county issued a request for proposals in September 2025 and awarded the contract to Freese and Nichols in December. 

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 residents can expect: The process will include two public meetings in every precinct.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Jan. 12-16.

What you need to know: Le Labo is opening in January at Market Street in The Woodlands, officials confirmed. A mid-month opening date is anticipated at the shopping center. 

What else: The Menil Collection in Houston will temporarily close the on-campus bookstore for renovations. In a Jan. 14 news release, officials with the popular art museum announced the on-campus Menil Bookstore will undergo renovations starting in spring 2026. 

Five Republican candidates are running for a six-year term on the Texas Railroad Commission in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Katherine Culbert, Hawk Dunlap, Bo French, James "Jim" Matlock and Jim Wright are vying for the Republican nomination for a seat on the railroad commission. The winning Republican candidate will face Jon Rosenthal in November, and the winner of that election will begin serving on the commission in January 2027.

Rosenthal, a state representative and oilfield mechanical engineer, is running uncontested in the Democratic primary. Community Impact runs candidate Q&As for contested races only.

The context: The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, according to its website, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government.