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Good morning, The Woodlands.

There’s something quietly reassuring about a community where libraries add makerspaces, a chief spends 30 years in one city and leaves his department stronger, and a group of volunteers gives away 80 cars a year to mothers and widows in crisis.

None of these are big news. They’re the stories that tell you who a place actually is.

Take your Sunday slow. You’re in good company out here.

Glad you’re here,

—Erika & Mike

🗞 In this issue…

📌 Magnolia Library Is Getting a STEM Makerspace This November

📌 Shenandoah's Top Cop Calls It After 30 Years

🚗 This Conroe Nonprofit Gives Away 80 Cars a Year to Women Who Need Them

Sunday, October 11

☀️ Mostly Sunny · 92°F / 68°F

Beautiful Sunday skies, but plan for the low 90s if you're heading out. It still feels more like summer than fall.

Source: Vaisala Xweather

Magnolia Library Is Getting a STEM Makerspace This November

Grand opening event flyer for Innovate at MCMLS in Magnolia

Source: Woodlands Online

Montgomery County Memorial Library System is expanding its Innovate@MCMLS initiative to Magnolia, with a grand opening at Malcolm Purvis Library on Monday, November 9, from 3 to 4 p.m., at 510 Melton St. The new Innovation Space will give residents access to 3D printers, a Cricut cutting machine, a digital embroidery machine, an interactive touch wall, and STEM kits covering robotics, coding, electronics, and engineering. It is designed for children, teens, and adults.

This is MCMLS's second Innovation Space. The first opened at Kevin Brady Library in February 2026. The Magnolia expansion was made possible through a partnership with the Magnolia Economic Development Corporation, which surveyed the community earlier this year to shape the equipment choices. Feedback showed strong interest in hands-on creative technology and STEM access. "This partnership expands access to hands-on tools and creative technologies," said Robert Franklin, the MEDC Board's chairman. "We hope to open the door for residents of all ages to explore new ideas, build new skills, and discover pathways that could grow into future careers or business ventures."

Starting November 10, residents must complete a free equipment-specific orientation before booking machine time. The Cricut and embroidery machine are free to use; 3D printing carries fees. Reservations can be made at (936) 538-8329. Why it matters: when a library gives a whole community access to tools most households will never own, the conversations that happen around those machines tend to matter just as much as what gets made.

Source/Credits: Woodlands Online

Shenandoah's Top Cop Calls It After 30 Years

Troye Dunlap has been with the city of Shenandoah since January 1997. Photo: Courtesy city of Shenandoah.

Shenandoah Police Chief Troye Dunlap will retire in December, closing out a 30-year run that began when he joined the department in January 1997. He served as officer, sergeant, lieutenant, and for the past six years, chief. In that time, he built the department's first K9 program, drone program, and Honor Guard from the ground up.

In 2002, after graduating from the Cooper Institute, Dunlap became the city's first physical fitness specialist for law enforcement and established the department's fitness standards. He also worked with city leadership to eliminate more than 360 hours per month of dedicated patrol assigned to the Town Center and redistribute those hours across Shenandoah. Over his career he earned five recognitions, including Officer of the Year awards in 1999 and 2017 and a Lifesaving Award in 2025.

"Chief Dunlap has dedicated three decades to the city of Shenandoah, and we are grateful for his service to our residents and our Police Department," Mayor John Escoto said. The city has contracted with Clear Career Professionals to search for his successor. Why it matters: three decades in one city leaves more than programs behind, and Shenandoah now has to find someone who can carry that standard forward.

Source/Credits: Community Impact

This Conroe Nonprofit Gives Away 80 Cars a Year to Women Who Need Them

God's Garage giving away vehicles in Conroe Texas

Source: The Woodlands Digest

In Conroe, a nonprofit called God's Garage gives away vehicles, free and fully repaired, to single mothers, widows, and wives of deployed military personnel. The organization is on track to hand over 80 cars in 2026, averaging about eight a month, and also handles 30 to 40 additional repair jobs each year for women who already own a car but can't afford to maintain it. More than 4,000 applications come in annually. To stay focused, the team works by a system called "The One," keeping attention on helping one person at a time rather than getting overwhelmed by the scale of the need.

Many of the vehicles that come through are in rough shape. "Because they're single mothers or widows, their vehicles, at times, are in pretty rough condition 'cause they can't afford to repair those vehicles," said Executive Director Justin Coggins. God's Garage handles everything from oil changes to suspension work to get the cars road-ready. For women who already own a vehicle, the organization also performs free repairs, covering as much as possible short of engine or transmission replacements.

On the second Saturday of each month, God's Garage hosts its Restore You seminar, an all-day event that opens with the Gospel and moves through practical life skills including finance training, interview preparation, and basic car maintenance. The organization is located at 2100 East Davis Street in Conroe. Why it matters: for a single mother without reliable transportation, everything else is harder to hold together, and God's Garage is one of the few organizations in the region working quietly on that specific problem.

Sunday, October 11

🗃️ Walkin the Line | Main Street Crossing, 111 W Main St., Tomball | 8 PM | Tickets required | mainststreetcrossing.com

Wednesday, October 14

🗃️ Gary Kyle and Daniel Holmes | Main Street Crossing, 111 W Main St., Tomball | 8 PM | Tickets required | mainststreetcrossing.com

Thursday, October 15

🗃️ Dion Pride | Main Street Crossing, 111 W Main St., Tomball | 8 PM | Tickets required | mainststreetcrossing.com

Friday, October 16

🗃️ Pigs on the Wall | Main Street Crossing, 111 W Main St., Tomball | 8 PM | Tickets required | mainststreetcrossing.com

🗃️ Joe Burlison's Uptown Jazz Band | Hughes Landing, The Woodlands | 8 PM | $25 | Community Impact

Got an event coming up? Reply to this email with the details (what, when, where) and we'll get it in front of thousands of your neighbors, 100% free.
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Note: Dates and times are as announced online. Organizers may make changes. Always confirm before heading out.

🌳 Woodlands Trivia

George Mitchell's original 1971 master plan for The Woodlands called for 15,000 acres, 150,000 residents, and 50,000 on-site jobs. At the time, critics doubted whether anyone would commute north of Houston to live in the woods. The plan largely proved them wrong.

🤠 Talkin' Texan

"A worm is the only animal that can't fall down." Translation: old comfort for somebody already having a rough go of it. Things can't get much lower.

🚿 Shower Thought

The word "bed" actually looks like a bed.

😂 Dad Joke

What do you call a fish without eyes? A fsh.

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