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After growing up going to Special Olympics events with her uncle David, who was one of the first athletes in the state of Texas, Heather Hernandez Sedillo said it was a natural fit for her family to help people with special needs.

When she was working at Texas Tech University, Sedillo said she was ready to return home to Fort Bend County so she started talking with her parents about starting Reining Strength Therapeutic Horsemanship, which came to fruition in 2014.

What they offer: The nonprofit provides therapeutic horsemanship programs for individuals ages 2 and up with conditions like anxiety, autism, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis or post-traumatic stress disorder aimed at providing physical, psychological and social benefits. This program is also available to veterans at no cost.

Additionally, the nonprofit has an equine-assisted learning program, which primarily serves individuals with mental health needs.

• 7126 FM 359, Richmond

From Juneteenth celebrations to Fourth of July happenings, here are seven Katy area events to add to your calendar this summer. This list is not comprehensive and details are subject to change.

Juneteenth Celebration at Southland Bar & Grill: The bar and grill will host a Juneteenth event to commemorate American history through music, food and fun activities.

• June 20, 4-9 p.m.

• Free (general admission)

• 5990 Stockdick Road, Katy

Red, White & Boom: Typhoon Texas Waterpark invites Katy residents for a patriotic-filled day featuring special activities and fireworks.

• July 4, 11 a.m.

• Ticket prices vary

• 555 Katy Fort Bend Road, Katy

Frosty Fridays: The city of Katy invites residents to cool off every Friday in July by providing frozen treats and outdoor games at various venues across the city.

• Dates and locations vary

• Free (admission)

Peruvian restaurant Urban Brasa has opened its doors in Katy, co-owner Marco Rivera confirmed.

What to expect: The restaurant—which uses charcoal to slow roast its rotisserie chicken—offers chicken in a range of sizes from a ¼ chicken all the way to a whole one, according to its website. Customers can also order salchipapa, empanadas and Peruvian tequeños.

• 27252 Katy Freeway, Ste. 1000 Katy

Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Tina Petersen announced her formal resignation minutes after Harris County commissioners approved a new plan in partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas General Land Office to complete $322 million in disaster recovery and flood mitigation projects by February 2027.

The breakdown: HCFCD Assistant Director of Operations Scott Elmer said the new plan with the GLO involved getting all 11 disaster recovery projects through the current project status by the February 2027 deadline, and then rolling over the remaining phases of the projects into the flood mitigation project deadline in March 2028.

What's next: While commissioners agreed to move forward with the project plans in partnership with the GLO, they will first need to find a replacement for Petersen after her resignation. 

According to the Office of County Administration, commissioners will consider next steps for the position at the June 25 meeting while the OCA manages the department in the interim.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from June 8-12.

1. Vegetarian restaurant Simply South to open in Katy
2. EVO Entertainment is coming to Fulshear next year
3. New and upcoming stores in The Woodlands Mall
4. Doctors on inaugural year of Houston Methodist Willowbrook’s new OB-GYN residency
5. Katy ISD will use two stadiums for future graduations

As the 2026-27 school year nears, the number of people selected to participate in Texas’ education savings account program has topped 100,000.

The overview: To date, just over 102,000 students have been accepted into the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which gives families state funds to send their children to private schools or homeschool them.

However, being awarded funds does not mean a student is guaranteed to be able to use that money at a participating private school this fall.

Zooming in: Over 2,600 private schools have been approved to accept TEFA funding, per the state comptroller's office. State law does not require schools participating in the program to accept all interested families.

Next steps: Families accepted into the program have until July 15 to do one of the following:

• Confirm enrollment at a private school involved in the program
• Notify the state of their homeschooling plans
• Opt out of the program