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There are several places that offer pickleball around the Conroe and Montgomery area. Check them out below. This list is not comprehensive.

Pickleball 336
Pickleball 336 offers a range of services including court rental, open play sessions, clinics, leagues and classes.
Number of courts: 5
Membership cost: $45-$499 (monthly or yearly based on membership type)
Additional offerings: pickleball instructor lessons, children’s afterschool program, community events

• 1617 N. Loop 336 E., Conroe

• 18952 Freeport Drive, Montgomery

Main Street Market Conroe will come to an end soon, the market announced via Facebook on Jan. 29. 

Some context: The market offers local farmers and artisan products from various vendors on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in downtown Conroe.

Quote of note: "If you’ve ever loved this place, come say goodbye in person. Buy a bouquet, grab a snack and tell a vendor how they made your week better," market developer Farralyn Withrow said via Facebook. "We’re sad, but so grateful."

• 301 N. Thompson St., Conroe

The Texas Department of Transportation will host a virtual meeting Feb. 10 and a public meeting Feb. 12 regarding expansion plans for the FM 830 roadway. This project would widen the stretch of road to four lanes as well as increase pedestrian safety and drainage, according to TxDOT’s project website.

How we got here: FM 830 from Old Montgomery Road to Hwy. 75 is the stretch of road that the TxDOT is hoping to improve. This section sees a large influx of traffic daily and serves as the entrance and exit to multiple schools, the Panorama Village and multiple different subdivisions, according to TxDOT.

Mapping it out: To address the concerns of locals, TxDOT has proposed the following changes to FM 830. The projects timeline is yet to be finalized.

• Widen FM 380 from two to four lanes
• Add a 5-foot sidewalk and 10-foot shared path for bikes and pedestrians
• Add four detention ponds to help with drainage

The Coastal Texas Project, also known as the Ike Dike, received $5 million in federal funding, the largest single federal investment in the project since Congress authorized the project in 2022. 

The overview: The $34 billion project aims to protect Houston’s critical energy and shipping corridors from storm damage by building a system of gates and dune systems designed to mitigate storm surge, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. 

The background: The 87th Texas Legislature established the GCPD in 2021, and it serves as the state sponsor for the project, according to the release.

Although the project was authorized in 2022, funding has been slow to come in, and the $5 million marks the largest single federal investment to date, according to the release.

Quote of note: “Texas is home to the largest concentration of oil and gas infrastructure in the United States, and safeguarding our coast from catastrophic storms protects every American,” Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in the news release.

Community Impact is now covering BCS, from growth and schools to business and city happenings.

Live, work or hang out in Bryan or College Station? Or know someone who does? Stay connected or share with your neighbors.

Texas families can soon apply to receive state funds for private education or homeschooling under the state’s new education savings account program, known as Texas Education Freedom Accounts.

What's happening: The application opens at 9 a.m. Feb. 4 and is designed to be completed in about 15 minutes, according to the state comptroller’s office. Families can apply through 11:59 p.m. March 17.

Parents must submit information about their family's residency, household income, their children's educational history and each child's special education status, if applicable.

The details: To be eligible for the program, students must:

• Reside in Texas
• Be U.S. citizens or lawful residents
• Be eligible to attend a Texas public school, open-enrollment charter school or pre-K program