📌 Conroe ISD Spells Out What It Wants From Austin This January

📌 Eat This Serves Chef-Prepared Meals on Sawdust Road

☁️ Mostly Cloudy with Patchy Fog · 84°F / 67°F

Patchy fog is possible, so give yourself a little extra time on the road.

Source: Vaisala Xweather

At its Oct. 20 meeting, the Conroe ISD board of trustees formalized the priorities the district will take to the Texas Legislature when the 90th session begins Jan. 12. The list builds on a July draft: employee pay and retention, school funding “buckets,” student discipline, accountability subgroups and local school facilities impact fees.

Hedith Sauceda-Upshaw, the district’s assistant superintendent of governance and leadership programs, said Conroe ISD wants to be targeted about the gaps it needs help closing rather than only asking for more basic allotment funding. Two examples: assessing a special education student costs the district $3,000 while the state provides a $1,000 stipend, a gap of nearly $7.5 million. And each campus receives $34,000 from the state for security and safety upgrades, which does not cover on-site officers.

The district’s timeline has it developing policy language and partnering with other school districts this fall, then prefiling in November.

Why it matters: Those dollar figures turn a general ask for more school funding into specific line items that residents can compare with what the state does in January.

Source/Credits: Community Impact

Eat This Fast & Fresh, at 442 Sawdust Road, is a grab-and-go spot where every dish is made from scratch in a kitchen behind the counter and served in compostable containers. Husband and wife Chris and Nezi Whiteman opened it May 24, 2024. Nezi Whiteman says the kitchen is completely gluten- and seed-oil-free.

The menu runs from Southwest Sizzle Steak ($16.99) and Loaded Meatloaf to Grilled Chicken Curry and Sweet Potato, with Better Caesar and Better Cobb salads and meatless options like Street Corn Mac & Cheese ($13.99). The first recipes came from chef Jesse Cavazos, whom Nezi met 14 years ago when she was his personal trainer. Juice comes from ZoZo Fresh in Tomball and gluten-free baked goods from Navarro Bakery near Lake Conroe.

Customers can pre-order for pickup or delivery, book catering or use vending machines in offices, apartments and gyms. Eat This was also named a finalist in the meal prep service category of the Houston’s Best awards.

Why it matters: For a busy weeknight, a counter that serves from-scratch meals at grab-and-go speed is a handy option to know about.

Source/Credits: Community Impact

🗓️ Rock the Row | Hughes Landing | 7:00-9:00 PM | Free | More info

🗓️ Family Bingo Night | Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park | 6:30-8:30 PM | $5 per person | More info

🗓️ Live on the Lawn | Central Park at Market Street | 6:30-8:30 PM | More info

🗓️ Grand Trolley Reveal | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Southside Trolley Stop | 10:00-11:00 AM | More info

🗓️ Pavilion Palooza: World Tour | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | Sat 10 AM-5 PM, Sun 12-5 PM | More info

🗓️ Pix on the Plaza: La La Land | City Place Plaza | 8:00 PM | More info

🗓️ Veterans Day Tribute | The Woodlands Central Fire Station | 4:00-5:00 PM | Free | More info

🗓️ Painting in the Trees (ages 18+) | Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park | 5:00-7:00 PM | More info

🗓️ Art After Dark: A Holiday Craft Night for Grown-Ups (ages 18+) | The Woodlands Children’s Museum | 7:00-9:00 PM | $50 | More info

🗓️ Fall Pickleball Tournament: Hats Off to Heroes | Falconwing Pickleball Courts | 9:00 AM | $20 residents, $25 non-residents | More info

🗓️ Boni’s & WDC Nutcracker Tea Party | The Woodlands Waterway Marriott | 10:30 AM-2:00 PM | More info

🗓️ Family Promise Fish Fry and Toys for Cops | North Montgomery County Community Center, Willis | 12:00-3:00 PM | $15 per plate | More info

🗓️ Cars in the Park | The Lake House, Conroe | 2:00-5:00 PM | Free | More info

🗓️ CineSpace on the Plaza | City Place Plaza | 8:00 PM | More info

Note: Dates and times are as announced online. Organizers may make changes. Always confirm before heading out.

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The elevator’s “close door” button may have never once worked, and you would never know the difference.

What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? “Supplies!”

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