The Shenandoah City Council approved Magnolia-based Roma Construction on Feb. 11 as the company to work on the David Memorial Drive and Tamina Road Intersection Improvements project for $224,494. 

What to know: Interim Public Works Director Rual Porras told the council at the Feb. 11 meeting that four bids were received Jan. 27 for the capital project, with the lowest being from Roma Construction.

What's happening: The project will be to add a westbound right turn lane from David Memorial Drive onto westbound Tamina Road to create three lanes, Porras stated at the meeting.

Rilion Gracie Jiu-Jitsu The Woodlands is now open to the public, owner Marcelo Lopes said.

What you need to know: The business offers Jiu-Jitsu training, including classes for women’s self-defense, seniors, adults, kids and kids with special needs.

• Opened Jan. 5
• 24527 Gosling Road, Ste. D110, Spring

At its Feb. 10 meeting, Tomball ISD trustees officially approved the calendar for the upcoming 2027-28 school year.

The gist: Due to families’ requests to plan for summer vacation and spring break earlier in the year, the TISD board began to approve the academic calendar two years in advance, board Vice President John E. McStravick said.

The instructional calendar was presented at the Feb. 9 meeting by Director of Administrative Services Karen Graves. Graves said that the big question she and the calendar committee ask before planning the yearly calendar is, “Is this going to be the best thing for our students with instruction?”

According to the approved 2027-28 calendar, the instructional period will run from Aug. 17, 2027, to May 25, 2028. Instructional dates include:

• First day of school: Aug. 17, 2027
• Thanksgiving break: Nov. 22-26, 2027
• Winter break: Dec. 20-31, 2027
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Jan. 17, 2028
• Spring break: March 13-17, 2028
• Last day of school: May 25, 2028

The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual Economic Outlook Conference on Feb. 6 to update residents and business owners on economic development and challenges across Montgomery County.

At a glance: Daniel Potter, director of the Houston Population Research Center at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, presented data on Montgomery County survey responses at the EOC.

Though surveys showed an increase in opportunities drawing people to the area, many people surveyed reported they still face traffic challenges amid growth, according to the data.

A closer look: Data showed that an evolving workforce has moved to the area for economic opportunities in Montgomery County, Potter said.

A total of 90% of surveyed workers in Montgomery County reported being "moderately very, or extremely satisfied" with their job, although 40% of workers age 18-29 said they want to change their careers in the next five years, he said. Reports also found that these responses varied with age.

Texans will see candidates for 18 statewide positions on the March primary ballot, including one state railroad commissioner, the state land commissioner and the state agriculture commissioner.

The overview: Despite its name, the Railroad Commission of Texas does not govern the state’s railroads. So what do railroad commissioners and the leaders of other Texas agencies do?

Community Impact compiled information about various state agencies to help inform Texans before they head to the polls for the March primary elections.

At the polls: Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27, and primary election day is March 3.