HTX-TOM: Impact 9/23/2025

Business owner Oliesmy Hernandez has opened a one-stop party shop in Pinehurst, she confirmed.

What you need to know: The Luxury Picnic offers a variety of balloons, party supplies and also rents tables and chairs, Hernandez said. 

• 32350 Hwy. 249, Ste. 40, Pinehurst

Della Casa Pasta, a fresh pasta manufacturing company, opened up a bake shop and a grab-and-go-only location at its Tomball store, owner and CEO Luisa Obando confirmed.

The details: Obando said they added the bakery onto the business in order to meet the needs of their community for fast, high-quality food. The bakery’s focus is breakfast, coffee, light lunches, lunch boxes and snacks. Along with its bakery, Della Casa Pasta’s market offers fresh pasta, ravioli, frozen entrees and imported Italian goods. Obando said the business has expanded and now offers about 1,000 hand-selected imported items.

Quote of note: “Our goal is simple: to make it easy for families and individuals to eat well, enjoy time together and bring the flavors of Italy home,” Obando said.

• 22525 Hufsmith-Kohrville Road, Tomball

Looking to take family photos or celebrate fall to the fullest? Here are eight pumpkin patches to check out in the Greater Houston area.

Pumpkin Patch at Harvest Season Farm: A ticket to the pumpkin patch at Harvest Season Farm includes access to a bouncy house, unlimited hay rides and pumpkin painting. 

• Sept. 20-Nov. 2, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 
• $15 (per ticket)
• 21110 Bauer Hockley Road, Tomball

Pumpkin Patch at P-6 Farms: Families exploring the pumpkin patch at P-6 Farms can also enjoy vintage rides, pig races, giant slides and an animal barn.

• Sept. 27-Nov. 2, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
• $27.42 (per ticket)
• 9963 Pooles Road, Montgomery

Space City Weather, a daily weather news and forecaster, is approaching its 10-year anniversary of providing weather updates to five million annual visitors in the Greater Houston area, according to its website.

Zooming in: Space City Editor and certified meteorologist Eric Berger said he started the site as a hobby in 2015. However, when Hurricane Harvey hit the city, it became much more than that.

Alongside Managing Editor Matt Lanza, Berger has transformed Space City Weather into much more, partnering with Reliant Energy as their sole sponsor in 2017, he said.

What’s next: To commemorate its anniversary, Space City Weather will host a Fall Day celebration at Midtown Park, located at 2811 Travis St., Houston, from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 25, featuring giveaways, 10th anniversary merchandise, costume contests and more, Berger said.

Texas voters will decide on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution during the Nov. 4 election.

The overview: The propositions, which were adopted by state lawmakers earlier this year, include measures aimed at reducing property taxes, funding water supply projects and creating a state dementia research institute.

“This is an opportunity to make your voice heard about the governing document of our state,” Secretary of State Jan Nelson said in a June 25 statement.

More details: Texans have until Oct. 6 to register to vote in the upcoming election. Early in-person voting runs from Oct. 20-31, and Election Day is Nov. 4.

The secretary of state’s office randomly selected the ballot order for the 17 state propositions. Keep reading to learn about the proposed constitutional amendments and how they would change Texas law.