Looking for something to do in the Conroe and Montgomery area? Check out several events happening Oct. 1-20 in the area.

Lobsterfest: Join the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce for the 40th annual Lobsterfest fundraiser. The event is followed by a golf tournament on Oct. 2 and helps fund chamber events and programs.

• Oct. 1, 6-10 p.m.

• $150 (non-members)

• Lone Star Convention & Expo Center, 9055 Airport Road, Conroe

Twisted Fall Fest & Chili Cook-Off:Twisted Parrot Luxury RV Resort is hosting a chili cook-off festival with live entertainment, vendors and more.

• Oct. 3, noon-6 p.m.

• $15-$20 (chili tasting only); $55 (resort day pass and chili tasting)

• 15075 Walden Road, Montgomery

A new PetSmart location in Willis is now open following a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening on Sept. 19.

The breakdown: The new $1 million store celebrated its opening by passing out goodie bags and gift cards to local pet owners. The Willis location offers services that include:

• Full-service grooming salon

• Pet training

• Pet adoption

Additionally, PetSmart Treats Rewards members can earn 5 times the points on all in-store merchandise and services purchased at this new location through Sept. 26.

The nonprofit organization United Way of Greater Houston announced Sept. 21 that CEO Amanda McMillian will retire on May 1, 2027. The board unanimously selected Angel Harris, the current vice president and chief advancement officer, to succeed her.

Harris will assume the president and CEO role immediately, while McMillian remains in her role through a nine-month transition.

Read all about it: Harris joined the nonprofit in 2021 with 30 years of nonprofit experience. In her five years in Houston, Harris has accomplished the following:

• Led organizational efforts for the Building Possibilities Campaign, raising more than $30 million to upgrade infrastructure and technology

• Helped rebrand marketing and communications initiatives

• Developed an eight-year revenue growth plan to generate over $580 million by 2031

A search for United Way's next chief advancement officer to replace Harris is currently underway, nonprofit officials said.

Something to note: United Way of Greater Houston is a nonprofit organization that connects residents in need with basic resources, financial stability programs, healthcare and support services, according to the organization's website.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must stop issuing new permits for data centers, Gov. Greg Abbott said Sept. 21.

The overview: His order expands an existing pause on data center development in the state amid consistent public criticism of the booming industry. Abbott, who is running for a fourth term as governor, has recently moved to slow the growth of data centers after calling Texas “the epicenter of AI development" last year.

The context: Hundreds of proposed data centers are currently being audited by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state power grid.

Some developers may be able to get around the ERCOT pause by building in-house power infrastructure that is not connected to the grid, experts have said.

However, any construction project impacting at least 1 acre of land requires permits from TCEQ.

What they're saying: "As Texas faces increasing pressure on our water supplies and electric grid, we need to ensure that data centers operate efficiently and sustainably," said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas.