Montgomery ISD Eyes 3% Raises

🏫 Montgomery ISD leaders are weighing a balanced draft budget for 2026-27 that includes 3% raises for all employees. CFO Ben Davidson presented the plan June 9, with $108.9 million in projected revenue and the same amount in spending.

The draft sets aside $2.25 million for raises, plus funding for pay adjustments, stipends and new staff. New positions include assistant principals, special education staff, a K-12 science coordinator and a speech-language pathologist. Trustees are expected to consider the final tax rate in August.

Woodlands Opens Chalk Art Contest

🎨 The Woodlands Township is inviting residents to join Let Freedom Chalk, a patriotic pathway chalk art contest tied to America 250. The idea is simple: turn neighborhood pathways into red, white and blue displays of community spirit.

Free chalk packs will be available at Township Town Hall from June 22 through July 2, while supplies last. Residents can submit photos from June 29 through July 2. One winner from each village will be selected, with winners announced July 6.

AROUND THE METRO

Waymo Adds World Cup Rides

🚗 Waymo is expanding service in Houston as World Cup crowds arrive, with self-driving cars becoming part of the fan transportation mix for the tournament. The service includes dedicated pickup and drop-off zones near Houston Stadium.

The company also plans themed in-car experiences and multilingual app support for visitors heading to matches, watch parties and Fan Fest activities. Click2Houston reported that Waymo’s expanded Houston area includes the Heights, Downtown, EaDo, Montrose and the Texas Medical Center.

Fan Festival Reopens After Capacity Pause

⚽ FIFA Fan Festival Houston temporarily paused entry on opening day after crowds reached capacity during the Mexico-South Africa match, according to ABC13’s live updates. Fans were encouraged to find other watch locations while the gates were closed.

The pause lasted just over four hours, and ABC13 reported the gates reopened at 5:45 p.m. The update shows how busy Houston’s World Cup events may get, especially around EaDo, where daily Fan Festival programming is expected throughout the tournament.

The Conroe Echo is Presented By Clearjournals Bookkeeping

If you own a service business (e.g. Cleaning company, Plumbing, HVAC, Restoration, Roofing, etc.) and need bookkeeping, check out Clearjournals at Clearjournals.com.

www.clearjournals.com

BUSINESS UPDATE

Buttermilk Cafe Opens in Willis

☕ Buttermilk Cafe has officially opened in Willis, giving Montgomery County another breakfast, brunch and pastry stop with a community mission behind it. The new brick-and-mortar location is at 302 N. Danville St.

Community Impact reported that Buttermilk Cafe is a registered nonprofit cafe serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and pastries. The cafe also plans to host traditional afternoon tea services later this summer. Through its nonprofit work, it supports the Buttermilk Gives Foundation, which partners with volunteers and charities serving the community.

Restaurants Brace for World Cup Crowds

🍽️ Houston restaurants near the Fan Festival are preparing for a World Cup summer that could bring heavy crowds, especially downtown and in EaDo. Huynh, near St. Emanuel, is expecting more traffic even though it is not a sports bar.

La Calle Tacos and La Diabla Retro-Bar have hired about 20 extra employees and added menu support. Barbacana has staff on standby and added specials inspired by countries playing in Houston. Owners sound excited, but they also said the exact crowd impact is still hard to predict.

THE SPORTS REPORT

Dynamo Draws 12,226 Opening Fans

🏟️ Houston Dynamo FC welcomed 12,226 fans to Shell Energy Stadium for opening day of its Soccer Celebration, presented by Kroger. The crowd watched Mexico supporters celebrate a 2-0 win over South Africa in the first World Cup match.

The event also included a meet-and-greet with Mexican soccer legend Francisco “Maza” Rodriguez and a photo stop with the Gold Cup trophy. The venue opens again Friday night as the United States starts its World Cup run against Paraguay, with gates at 6 p.m. and kickoff at 8 p.m.

Aggies Advance Three to Finals

🏃 Texas A&M track and field picked up team points and finals spots on the second day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene. Morgan Davis placed seventh in the long jump with a 6.52-meter leap, earning First Team All-America honors.

The women’s 4x100 relay team advanced to Saturday’s final with a season-best 42.52. Jaiya Covington also made the 100-meter hurdles final, and Camryn Dickson won her 200-meter heat in 22.22. The Aggies return to Hayward Field for the next day of competition.

THANKS!

🌤️ Thanks for starting your morning with The Conroe Echo. Have a safe weekend, and keep an eye on traffic if your plans take you toward Houston.

Don’t Forget!

Don’t forget to check out our new Service Request feature. If you need a local service pro, and we know someone, we’ll try to connect you (it’s free for you).

Click Here to Check It Out!

Montgomery ISD Eyes 3% Raises

FROM THE EDITOR

Need a local service pro?

THE WEATHER AND THE WATER

The Weather

The Water (Lake Conroe)

CONROE AND MOCO UPCOMING EVENTS

CONROE AREA NEWS