HTX-LHK: Impact 10/8/2025

Kiddie Academy of Humble opened in early October.

What they offer: As previously reported by Community Impact, the new early education and child care center spans 10,900 square feet and has 12 classrooms with the capacity to serve 200 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.

What to expect: Per the website, the Humble center features a soccer field, a splash pad, a state-of-the-art playground with sensory equipment, webcams and Zono Disinfection cabinets.

• Opened Oct. 6
• 9829 N. Sam Houston Parkway E., Humble

Check out what's happening in the Lake Houston area this weekend, Oct. 10-12.

Good Oil Days Festival: Enjoy live music at the annual Good Oil Days Festival as well as a beer garden, kids zone and food trucks. This event was rescheduled from April 5 due to inclement weather.

• Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Main Street, Humble

• Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (fall festival); through Oct. 31 (pumpkin patch)
• Free (admission)
• 2929 Woodland Hills Drive, Kingwood

The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Oct. 2 authorized CenterPoint Energy to issue a customer rate increase—totaling approximately $1.2 billion—to cover repair and recovery costs from Hurricane Beryl and two other Greater Houston storms.

The overview: The restoration costs will add about $2 per month to the average customer’s electricity bill, with the rate change expected to take effect later this year or early next year, according to an Oct. 6 statement from CenterPoint Energy. The decision allows CenterPoint to spread the cost to residential customers across 15 years, saving more than $265 million in interest charges, per the statement. 

Looking back: According to previous Community Impact reporting, more than 2.2 million customers in the Greater Houston area lost power during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, and over 4,400 Harris County homes were damaged. The Category 1 storm led to an estimated $32 billion in losses nationwide.

Odyssey, a New York-based tech company, has been selected to manage Texas’ $1 billion education savings account program, the state comptroller’s office announced Oct. 6.

The overview: Odyssey will work with the comptroller to launch the program, deemed “Texas Education Freedom Accounts,” ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Families can begin applying for the program early next year, and those accepted will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to private school or homeschool them.

Zooming in: Odyssey will develop and manage an online platform to administer Texas’ education savings account program. State law also tasks the company with:

• Collecting applications and determining which families are accepted to the program
• Approving vendors for education-related materials and services, such as textbooks, transportation and tutoring
• Reviewing inquiries and complaints about the program
• Advertising the program and communicating with interested families