Montgomery County commissioners are slowing the timeline for a justice center bond, deciding not to rush the project onto the May ballot.

During a Sept. 17 workshop, officials agreed they need a clearer picture of long-term courtroom, office, parking and security needs before asking voters for funding.

Diving in deeper: Commissioners asked architects to evaluate if the selected Conroe site can accommodate these long-term needs through 2050, requesting updated square-footage and cost estimates. Department heads and the sheriff's office also requested more involvement to address security, parking, and public access.

While a previous $350 million concept proposed 21 courtrooms, County Court at Law No. 2 Judge Claudia Laird noted the county currently needs 23 courtrooms and could require 31 by 2029. Filings are projected to increase by 2050, potentially requiring 35 to 42 courtrooms.

What’s next: BSW Architects will survey county departments, taking about three months to revise the proposal. Commissioners plan to hold another workshop around December or January.

Alex Drisaldi, co-owner of Potted Nursery, announced on social media that the business will be ceasing operations on Sept. 30.

The details: Located at 32007 Hwy. 249 in Pinehurst, the store specialized in rare plants imported from places including Thailand and Malaysia, and sourced from New York.

Following the announcement, everything in the store is 50% off effective immediately, which includes the shop fixtures.

The Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a resolution declaring Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day to celebrate her music, philanthropy and local literacy impact. Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80, and the county selected Sept. 25 because the date can be written as 9/25, referencing her song 9 to 5. All Montgomery County library locations will offer programs commemorating Parton on that day.

Why it matters: The resolution highlights Parton's work promoting childhood literacy through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth through age 5. Locally, the program is sponsored by Children's Books on Wheels.

Zooming in: The announcement coincides with Library Card Sign-Up Month in September. Residents who sign up for a new library card, renew an existing card or check out materials during September will be entered into a gift card drawing.

According to the latest report from the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), renters across the Greater Houston area are experiencing slight decreases in rent rates as the supply of units remains steady.

The breakdown: HAR officials stated in a Sept. 16 update that the continual availability of rental units has helped stabilize rent costs, with the rental market remaining well-balanced in August.

The report highlights the following key trends for August:

• The number of available rental units jumped nearly 5% year over year.

• The average cost of rent saw a small decrease.

• Townhome and condominium renters experienced the opposite trend, with average costs increasing by 2.4% year over year.

• The number of available townhome and condominium units on the market decreased as more renters filled those spaces.

Several notable stories trended across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 11-18:

• The Lone Star College System student enrollment exceeded 100,000 students for the fall semester, marking a milestone for the college system.
• Texas Roadhouse filed for a new 7,926-square-foot location in Montgomery, which is projected to cost $1.5 million to construct.
• Midnight Cravingz plans to bring late-night specialty ice cream to Cypress in October.
• CenterPoint Energy representatives will share information in November about an upcoming electric grid resiliency project in Jersey Village.
• The Klein ISD board unanimously approved a Certification of Compliance on Sept. 14.
• The Flying Biscuit Cafe is anticipating a fall opening for a new Magnolia location.
• Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in The Woodlands.
• Construction is scheduled to begin in November on the first phase of a 200-acre park project in New Caney.