Construction is expected to begin this summer on a new retail development in New Caney, according to a pair of permits filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation May 20. 

What to expect: Dubbed The Gateway at Harrington Trails, the projects will add a combined more than 24,000 square feet of multi-tenant retail space at the intersection of Hwy. 242 and Harrington Drive in New Caney. 

The timeline: Construction of the shell buildings for both projects is expected to begin in August and wrap up in January.

• 20819 & 20823 Hwy. 242, New Caney

Renovations have been completed at A.V. 'Bull' Sallas Park in New Caney, according to a May 15 social media post from the Montgomery County Commissioner Precinct 4 office.

Latest update: According to the post, work completed in the park includes:

• A covered awning added along the walkway from the Show Barn to the bathrooms
• New fans in the Rodeo Arena

Montgomery County commissioners on May 21 voted 5-0 to approve $79,900 to submit two grant applications for a fiscal year 2024 amended Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Mitigation Assistance grant opportunity.

The big picture: In April, FEMA announced that the FMA 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity would reopen, according to court documents. The Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management requested a proposal from Hagerty Consulting Inc. for the development and submission of up to two subapplications for the FMA 2024 amended funding.

The cost: Commissioners decided that the funding source for the $79,900 to be paid to Hagerty would be from contingency funds. That amount can be reimbursed upon award of the buyout projects, Millsaps said.

Bottom line: Millsaps said the FEMA deadline is 30 days after the state's deadline. The state’s deadline is June 23, so the county will need to work with the state now to meet the deadline.

Lone Star Family Health Center is preparing to add vision services this year, expanding access to affordable eye care for Montgomery County-area patients.

The new service is being supported by the Conroe Noon Lions Club, which contributed a $100,000 grant, plus an additional $10,000 per year for five years, to help fund the program’s development and launch, according to a May 13 news release.

What they’ll offer: The vision services will include routine vision screenings and eye exams to help assess overall eye health and detect common vision concerns, per the release.

Karen Harwell, CEO of Lone Star Family Health Center, said the new service continues the nonprofit’s work to address health care disparities.

“Our new vision services reflect Lone Star Family Health Center’s continued commitment to focus on healthcare disparities and ensuring the community has access to high-quality care, regardless of ability to pay,” Harwell said in the release.

• 605 S. Conroe Medical Drive, Conroe

Texas was home to eight of the nation’s fastest-growth municipalities in 2025 as people continue moving to smaller cities in the state’s large metropolitan areas, new U.S. Census Bureau data shows.

The details: Celina, located about an hour north of Dallas, grew faster than any other U.S. city in 2025, according to the census data released May 14. The city grew by 24.6% between July 2024 and July 2025, and 64,427 people called Celina home as of July 1.

Fulshear, a 64,630-person city west of Houston, saw the second-fastest growth in the nation last year, at 21%.

What's happening: Helen You, interim director of the Texas Demographic Center, said the trend of people moving to smaller cities in major metros “is not unique to Texas."

The suburban boom comes amid a slowdown in overall population growth, according to previous Community Impact reporting. While Texas gained more new residents last year than any other U.S. state, growth slowed significantly amid a nationwide reduction in immigration from other countries.

Catch up on Community Impact’s coverage this week with five trending Greater Houston stories from May 18-22.

1. Fort Bend County greenlights TxDOT primacy for Grand Parkway expansion

2. 8 businesses now open in Sugar Land, Missouri City

3. League City Walmart hosts grand opening following renovations

4. Conroe council reopens public comment, rolls back street closure fees after community pushback

5. Crawfish Cookoff, Sip & Shop: Check out 10 Houston-area events this weekend, May 22-24