Conroe Council Blocks Land Access for Pipeline Survey

🛑 Good morning, Conroe. Today we’re looking at a city decision on pipeline survey access, the uncertain future of the Conroe Christmas Parade, and a few big stories from around the Houston Rodeo.  Monday is a great day to get assertive and hit the beginning of the week hard!

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In today’s Conroe Echo: 

Today: 54F / 33F |☁️| 1% Precipitation | NNW 18 MPH
Tuesday: 63F / 41F |☀️| 1% Precipitation | SE 10 MPH
Wednesday: 76F / 49F |☀️| 4% Precipitation | S 10 MPH
Thursday: 82F / 55F |☀️| 8% Precipitation | SSW 8 MPH
Friday: 87F / 59F |☀️| 8% Precipitation | SSW 9 MPH

Lake Level: 200.15 ft (Conservation pool level is 201 ft).
Air Temp: 65F
Water Temp: 67F
Wind: NW 29 MPH

MONDAY, 3/16/2026

TUESDAY, 3/17/2026

WEDNESDAY, 3/18/2026

🔧 Conroe City Council voted March 12 to deny Mustang Express Pipeline access to city-owned land at the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant. City staff said they did not have enough details to support the request, including missing design layouts and broad language that allowed for many types of pipeline infrastructure.

The decision shows how much the city’s approach has changed since the Blackfin controversy. After that backlash, Conroe passed a stricter pipeline ordinance in October 2025 to give the city more oversight. Mustang Express says it only wanted to survey a temporary work area, but council members made clear they want more answers before moving forward.

What is the Mustang Express Pipeline? See The Short Video.

🎄 The future of Conroe’s Christmas parade is now unclear after the Conroe Noon Kiwanis Club said it will disband. The group, which has hosted the parade, said membership dropped to just eight people and it could no longer keep up with the fundraising and work needed to continue.

City leaders say they do not want to lose the parade and are now looking at other options. Council members asked city staff to reach out to local nonprofits about taking it over, and the city may also consider stepping in so the long-running holiday tradition can continue.

Thank you to the Conroe Noon Lions for your contributions to the community!

🔥 A chaotic fight in the carnival area ended part of Saturday night early at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Guests started running from the area, and officials decided to close the event early to keep people safe. RodeoHouston said there were no known injuries.

Videos showed police detaining a few males on the carnival grounds. Some people in the crowd heard rumors of a shooting or stabbing, but officials said there was no evidence that either happened. Organizers thanked law enforcement for their help.

Watch KHOU 11’s Video On The Fights.

🏆 Houston Rodeo art made big news this year as Pasadena ISD student Joshua Washington sold his grand champion piece for a record $525,000. His painting, Between Boots and Moccasins, showed two people from different backgrounds and set a new high mark at the student art auction.

The event featured 90 student works, and the top two pieces brought in $825,000. Students receive a premium from the sale, and the rest supports scholarships and art programs. It was a huge moment for young artists and a reminder of how far student talent can go.

See The Rodeo Art Auction Video From Houston Chronicle.

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💰 A Florida investment firm has bought Montgomery Plaza, a major shopping center at Interstate 45 and Loop 336 in Conroe. The center is more than 94% occupied, brings in over 2.2 million visits a year, and includes well-known stores like Academy Sports + Outdoors, Petco, Crunch Fitness and Spec’s.

The new owner said Conroe’s fast growth helped drive the deal. With more people moving into the area and retail demand staying strong, Montgomery Plaza stood out as a busy center in one of Texas’ fastest-growing markets.

🏀 Texas A&M is headed to the NCAA Tournament again. The Aggies earned a No. 10 seed in the South Region and will face No. 7 seed St. Mary’s on Thursday, March 19 at 6:35 p.m. in Oklahoma City. The game will be played at Paycom Center and broadcast on TruTV.

Texas A&M finished the season 21-11 and placed fourth in the SEC with an 11-7 record. This marks the Aggies’ fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the 18th in program history. The winner will move on to play the winner of the Houston and Idaho matchup on Saturday.

🥎 Texas A&M softball made history Sunday night with a 3-2 win over LSU, giving the Aggies their first series victory in Baton Rouge. Mya Perez led the way with a home run and three RBI, while Kennedy Powell scored twice and kept the pressure on all night.

The Aggies also got a strong effort in the circle from Sidne Peters and Sydney Lessentine, who shut the door late. Now Texas A&M heads into Monday’s series finale with momentum and another big chance to keep rolling in SEC play.

🚧 That’s it for today’s Conroe Echo. Please forward this newsletter to a friend that loves Conroe and MOCO! – O.B.

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