ASP Westward, L.P. , or "Westward," was a local newspaper company, headquartered in Greenspoint , Houston . It is owned by 1013 Communications of Reno, Nevada .
100-596: In Greater Houston ASP Westward did business as Houston Community Newspapers ( HCN ), operating a chain of 28 local newspapers. This division was headquartered in Greenspoint, Houston. In 2016 the Hearst Corporation , the parent company of the Houston Chronicle , acquired HCN. HCN operated several newspapers based out of different offices. Its Southwest Office-Central had the operations of
200-503: A 13.2% increase in the national population over the same period. Between 2000 and 2007, the area added over 910,000 people. The Greater Houston Partnership projected the metropolitan area would add between 4.1 and 8.3 million new residents between 2010 and 2050. Greater Houston has the seventh-highest metropolitan-area gross domestic product in the United States, valued at $ 490 billion in 2017. A major trade center anchored by
300-599: A Castle Rock resident is $ 40.66. That is in addition to property taxes assessed by Douglas County and other entities. As the county seat , Castle Rock is the administrative center of Douglas County. The county courthouse, the Douglas County Justice Center, is north of downtown, and most departments of the county government base their operations in the town. As of 2024, Castle Rock lies within Colorado's 4th U.S. Congressional District . The town
400-457: A Castle Rock resident is about 29 minutes, longer than the U.S. average. One reason for this is that the town has not yet attracted the variety or extent of employers needed to significantly lower the number of commuters to work outside Castle Rock. The town has relatively little land zoned for industrial or light industrial use, with the vast majority of the land within town limits dedicated to residential construction only. As of 2011, 78.2% of
500-745: A few miles east of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains on the western edge of the Great Plains . Castle Rock, the butte for which the town is named, is just north of the town center. Other prominent landforms visible from Castle Rock include Dawson Butte , Devils Head , Mount Blue Sky , and Pikes Peak . East Plum Creek, a stream within the South Platte River watershed, flows generally north through Castle Rock. Hangman's Gulch, which runs northwest then west around
600-478: A household in the town was $ 85,461, and the median income for a family was $ 95,973. Males had a median income of $ 66,993 versus $ 47,087 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 34,089. About 4.0% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over. Castle Rock is the 16th most populous municipality in Colorado and
700-749: A population of 4,177,646. Another 2010 estimate determined the population increased to 5,920,487. Of the population an estimated 575,000 were undocumented immigrants according to 2014 estimates. In 2020, Greater Houston's racial makeup was 41% White ( non-Hispanic white 34%), 20% Black and African American , 8% Asian and 3% from two or more races ; additionally, 37% of the metropolitan population were Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race. Among its metropolitan population, roughly 23.4% were foreign-born. The largest foreign-born population came from Latin America , followed by Asia, Africa, Europe and other parts of North America. The metropolitan statistical area
800-559: A population of more than 73,000. As of the 2010 census , there were 48,231 people, 16,688 households, and 12,974 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,526.3 inhabitants per square mile (589.3/km ). There were 17,626 housing units at an average density of 557.8 per square mile (215.4/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 90.7% White , 1.7% Asian , 1.1% African American , 0.6% American Indian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.9% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 10.0% of
900-611: A sizable Hispanic and Latin American community. CNN/Money and Money magazine have recognized cities in the Greater Houston area the past three years as part of its "100 Best Places to Live in the United States". In 2005, Sugar Land, southwest of Houston in northeast Fort Bend County, was ranked 46th in the nation, and one of only three Texas cities among the Top 100. In 2006, the magazine recognized Sugar Land again, this time as
1000-531: A staunch Democratic stronghold, with the most active Democratic county establishment in the state. Houston's concentration of consular offices ranks third in the nation and first in the South, with 90 countries represented. The city of Houston is considered a major center of Black and African American political power, education, economic prosperity, and culture, often called the new black mecca after Atlanta , Georgia . Houston and its metropolitan area also has
1100-464: A total area of 22,235 acres (89.981 km ), all land in 2023. Lying within the Front Range urban corridor , the town is part of the greater Denver metropolitan area . Castle Rock borders three communities, all to its north; from west to east, they are Castle Pines Village , the city of Castle Pines , and The Pinery . Other nearby communities include Franktown to the east, Larkspur to
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#17327905612311200-486: Is a census-designated place ; the rest are cities. They are listed below: Other communities: Numerically, Greater Houston is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. There were a total of 7,122,240 residents within the Greater Houston metropolitan area as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau . In 2010, Greater Houston had 5,920,416 residents and in 2000, it had
1300-557: Is considered the biggest pro-wrestling event of the year, seen as the Super Bowl of pro-wrestling. Houston was also considered a candidate for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games . Five separate and distinct state universities are located within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The University of Houston is a nationally recognized Tier One research university, and is the flagship institution of
1400-745: Is home to five NCAA Division I programs, with four located within Houston proper. The University of Houston and Rice University play in Division I-A (FBS). The University of Houston plays in the Big 12 Conference , while Rice belongs to the American Athletic Conference . Both schools were once part of the Southwest Conference . Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University , which are members of
1500-932: Is in the 4th district of the Colorado Senate and the 45th district of the Colorado House of Representatives . Castle Rock is the county seat of Douglas County, a Republican stronghold in Colorado. Douglas County School District is based in Castle Rock and operates 18 public schools in the town. These include ten elementary schools, two middle schools, two charter schools, one magnet school, one alternative high school , and two high schools: Castle View High School and Douglas County High School . In addition, there are three private primary schools in Castle Rock. School board elections in Douglas County are held in odd-numbered years. In recent years
1600-725: Is or has been home to various nationally known sporting events. The most notable is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , which is the world's largest livestock exhibition and rodeo event. Other events of importance on greater Houston include the Shell Houston Open (a PGA Tour event), the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships ( ATP tour ), the Houston Marathon , and the Texas Bowl college football bowl game. From 1959 to 1987, Houston hosted
1700-601: Is still vital to the metropolitan region. Galveston Bay and the Buffalo Bayou together form one of the most important shipping hubs in the world. The Port of Houston , the Port of Texas City , and the Port of Galveston are all major seaports located in this Greater Houston area. The area is also one of the leading centers of the energy industry, particularly petroleum processing, and many companies have large operations in this region. The metropolitan area also comprises
1800-599: Is that city's primary newspaper and the oldest continuously printed newspaper in Texas. It currently serves as the newspaper of record for Galveston, as well as Galveston County. Radio station KGBC , on air since 1947, has also served as a local media outlet. Houston's freeway system includes 575.5 miles (926.2 km) of freeways and expressways in the 10-county metro area. The State of Texas plans to spend $ 65 billion on Houston area highways by 2025. Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often under construction to meet
1900-589: Is the Katy Prairie to the west, the Big Thicket to the northeast, and the Galveston Bay ecosystem to the south. Additionally, the metropolitan region is crossed by a number of creeks and bayous , which provide essential drainage during rainfall events; some of the most notable waterways include Buffalo Bayou (upon which Houston was founded), White Oak Bayou , Brays Bayou , Spring Creek , and
2000-671: Is the center of the burgeoning urbanization of the county. Because of its Front Range location between Denver and its inner suburbs and Colorado Springs, many of Castle Rock's residents commute nearly 20 miles to northern Colorado Springs or the Denver Technological Center , better known as "The Denver Tech Center" (DTC), which is an 18-mile drive north on I-25 , with Downtown Denver roughly 30 miles north, and Denver International Airport about 45 miles north. In fact, about 80% of Castle Rock residents commute out of town to work. The average one-way commute time for
2100-593: Is the only Catholic institution of higher education in Houston. Houston Christian University , located in the Sharpstown area, was founded in 1960. Rice University is one of the leading teaching and research universities of the United States and consistently ranks among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report . Three community college districts exist with campuses in and around Houston. The Houston Community College System serves most of Houston. The northwestern through northeastern parts of
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#17327905612312200-491: Is traveled by about 61,000 people daily, giving it the second-highest ridership per track mile in the nation. The Uptown Light Rail Line has been converted to a BRT Line and began construction in the late second quarter of 2016. The BRT Line will run between the former NW Mall (which is in the process of redevelopment) and the WestPark TC. METRO's various forms of public transportation still do not connect multiple suburbs to
2300-458: Is widely noted for its ethnic diversity and strong international community. In its 2010 publication "Urban Elite", A.T. Kearney added the city to their list of the 65 most important world cities and ranks Houston 35th, as "...a magnet for a diverse population and business services...". The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network ranks Houston as a Beta- World City, "an important world city instrumental to linking their region or state to
2400-744: The West U Examiner , River Oaks Examiner , Bellaire Examiner , Memorial Examiner , The Rancher of Katy , and the Sugar Land Sun . Its South Office- Clear Lake has the Bay Area Citizen , Deer Park Broadcaster , Friendswood Journal , Pasadena Citizen , and Pearland Journal . Its Northeast Office - Humble had the operations of the Atascocita Observer , the East Montgomery County Observer ,
2500-504: The 2020 census , a 51.68% increase since the 2010 census . Castle Rock is the most populous Colorado town (rather than city) and the 14th most populous Colorado municipality. Castle Rock is a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range urban corridor . The town is named for the prominent, castle-shaped butte near the center of town. The region in and around Castle Rock
2600-635: The Bluebonnet Bowl . Houston has also played host to three Super Bowls ( VIII , XXXVIII , LI ), the 1968, 1986, and 2004 MLB All-Star Games , the 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2005 World Series, and the 1989, 2006, 2013 NBA All-Star Games . Houston has also played host to various high school and college sporting events, including the Big 12 Championship Game and hosted the 2011 NCAA Men's Final Four , 2010 NCAA Men's Regional Finals , and 2010 MLS All-Star Game . Houston has held two WrestleMania events, WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania XXV , which
2700-797: The Cass County Sun , The Daingerfield Bee , The Gladewater Mirror , The Grand Saline Sun , the Lindale News & Times , the Mineola Monitor , the Panola Watchman , The Pittsburg Gazette , and the Wood County Democrat . The weekly and daily newspapers had a combined circulation of almost 300,000, with the News-Journal having an over 23,000 daily paid circulation. Colorado Community Newspapers
2800-711: The Catholic Church is the largest single Christian denomination as of a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center . Catholics in Houston are primarily served by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston . Following, the body of Evangelical Protestantism was the second largest according to this study; Baptists dominated the Evangelical Protestant demographic. Mainline Protestantism , led by Methodists ,
2900-476: The Gulf Coast . Its Port of Houston is the largest port in the United States and the 16th-largest in the world . Greater Houston has historically been among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States; it was the fastest-growing in absolute terms during the 2013–2014 census year, adding 156,371 people. The area grew 25.2%, adding over 950,000 people, between 1990 and 2000 in comparison to
3000-647: The Houston Chronicle , bought the assets of the Houston Post —its long-time rival and main competition—when Houston Post ceased operations in 1995. The Houston Post was owned by the family of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby of Houston. The only other major publication to serve the city is the Houston Press —a free alternative weekly with a weekly readership of more than 300,000. The Galveston County Daily News , founded in 1842,
3100-966: The Humble Observer , the Kingwood Observer , and the Lake Houston Observer . The North Office - The Woodlands had operations of the Spring Observer and The Woodlands Observer . The operations of The Courier were based out of the North Office- Conroe . The Northeast Office- Cleveland housed the operations of the Cleveland Advocate , the Dayton News , and the Easttex Advocate . The Northwest Office - Tomball housed
ASP Westward - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-487: The Republican and Democratic parties. Democrats are also stronger in the more liberal Neartown area, which is home to a large artist and LGBT community, and Alief , which houses a sizable Asian American population. In 2008, almost every county in the region voted for Republican John McCain ; only Harris County was won by Democratic candidate Barack Obama , by a small margin (51%–49%). Galveston has long been
3300-857: The San Jacinto River . The upper drainage basin of Buffalo Bayou is impounded by two large flood control reservoirs, Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir , which provide a combined 400,000 acre-feet (490 million cubic meters ) of storage during large rainfall events and cover a total land area of 26,100 acres (106 km ). Greater Houston's flat topography, susceptibility to high-intensity rainfall events, high level of impervious surface , and inadequately-sized natural drainage channels make it particularly susceptible to catastrophic flooding events. Underpinning Greater Houston's land surface are unconsolidated clays , clay shales , and poorly cemented sands up to several miles deep. The region's geology developed from stream deposits formed from
3400-750: The Southwestern Athletic Conference , plays in Division I-AA (FCS). Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University) currently plays in Division I (FCS), mainly in the Southland Conference . Rice and Houston Christian are widely noted for their student-athlete graduation rates, which number at 91% for Rice (tied for highest in the nation according to a 2002 Sports Illustrated issue on best college sports programs) and 80% for HBU. Houston
3500-748: The United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land , is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Coast in Southeast Texas . With a population of 7,510,253 in 2023, Greater Houston is the second-most populous metropolitan area in Texas after the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . The region of approximately 10,000 square-miles (26,000 km2) centers on Harris County ,
3600-545: The University of Houston System . The third-largest university in Texas, the University of Houston has nearly 43,000 students on its 667-acre campus in southeast Houston. The University of Houston–Clear Lake and the University of Houston–Downtown are standalone universities; they are not branch campuses of the University of Houston. The metropolitan area is home to the two largest historically black institutions in
3700-580: The third-most populous county in the U.S. , which contains the city of Houston , the economic and cultural center of the South with a population of more than 2.3 million as of 2010. Greater Houston is part of the Texas Triangle megaregion along with the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Greater Austin , and Greater San Antonio . Greater Houston also serves as a major anchor and economic hub for
3800-409: The 10 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S., Greater Houston ranked first in employment growth rate and second in nominal employment growth. In 2006, the Greater Houston metropolitan area ranked first in Texas and third in the U.S. within the category of "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes . The Houston–The Woodlands-Sugar Land area's gross metropolitan product (GMP) in 2005
3900-538: The 2020 study. Within the Eastern Christian tradition, there were 3,617 Coptic Orthodox Christians , 1,746 Eritrean Orthodox and 850 Ethiopian Orthodox , 6,209 Greek Orthodox , 2,405 Malankara Orthodox Syrians , 641 American Orthodox , and 1,058 Serbian Orthodox in the metropolis. According to the Pew Research Center's 2014 study, non-Christian religions collectively made up 7% of
4000-544: The Castle Rock Police Department building. The children were abducted by their father, in violation of the restraining order that had been obtained by their mother, within several hours of being killed. The mother had asked the Castle Rock police to enforce the restraining order by finding and apprehending the father after he removed the children from her home and before the murders. Castle Rock police officers declined to do so, refusing even to contact
4100-475: The Castle Rock Police Department was required to enforce a civil restraining order was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005. The court held, in Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales , that a municipality cannot be held liable under a federal civil-rights statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 , for failing to enforce civil restraining orders. The case had arisen from a 1999 murder of three young girls by their father outside
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4200-638: The Denver Police Department after the mother notified them that the father had taken the children to an amusement park in that city. Castle Rock is located at 39°22′20″N 104°51′22″W / 39.37222°N 104.85611°W / 39.37222; -104.85611 (39.372212, −104.856090) at an elevation of 6,224 feet (1,897 m). Castle Rock is in central Colorado at the junction of Interstate 25 and State Highway 86 , 28 mi (45 km) south of downtown Denver and 37 mi (60 km) north of Colorado Springs. The town lies
4300-687: The ETCN newspapers included: In June 2012 Texas Community Media LLC announced that it had agreed to purchase multiple newspapers from ASP Westward. These papers included the daily Longview News-Journal , the Marshall News Messenger , and twelve weekly newspapers. The weeklies included, the Atlanta Citizens Journal , The Big Sandy & Hawkins Journal , the Bowie County Citizens Tribune ,
4400-481: The Houston area from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Unlike most places, where high fuel prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston, as many are employed in the energy industry. Baytown , Pasadena , La Porte , and Texas City have some of the area's largest petroleum/petrochemical plants, though major operations can be found in Houston, Anahuac , Clute , and other communities. Galveston has
4500-581: The Houston-area's economy equates to that of a major corporation: $ 1.1 billion in new funds attracted annually to the Houston area, $ 3.13 billion in total economic benefit, and 24,000 local jobs generated. This is in addition to the 12,500 new graduates the UH System produces every year who enter the workforce in Houston and throughout Texas. These degree-holders tend to stay in Houston; after five years, 80.5% of graduates are still living and working in
4600-634: The Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolis with four micropolitan statistical areas ( Bay City , Brenham , El Campo , and Huntsville ) to form the Houston–The Woodlands, TX combined statistical area. The metropolitan area is located in the Gulf Coastal Plains biome , and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland. Much of the urbanized area was built on forested land, marshes, swamp, or prairie , remnants of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Of particular note
4700-600: The Mainland and Galveston College . Portions of Brazoria County are served by Alvin Community College and Brazosport College . Blinn College serves portions of Austin County. The Houston Community College and Lone Star College systems are within the 10 largest institutions of higher learning in the United States. Politically, the Greater Houston area has historically been divided between areas of strength of
4800-473: The Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting, located on the campus of the University of Houston. The metropolitan area is also served by ABC13 Houston (KTRK-TV) and Fox 26 Houston (KRIV-TV) , owned-and-operated stations of ABC and Fox News , and NBC and CBS -affiliates KPRC 2 Houston and KHOU 11 . The Houston area is served by the Houston Chronicle , its only major daily newspaper with wide distribution. The Hearst Corporation , which owns and operates
4900-418: The Mexico–US border, go through the Greater Houston area, and continue on to Michigan at the Canada–US border. All of I-69 has been completed in the Greater Houston area and is co-signed with U.S. Highway 59. Interstate 45, which starts at State Highway 75 in Dallas provides transport from Houston to Dallas. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas , or METRO, provides public transportation in
5000-434: The Port of Houston, Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land has the highest trade export value of all metropolitan areas, at over $ 120 billion in 2018, accounting for 42% of the total exports of Texas. As of 2021, Greater Houston is home to the headquarters of 24 Fortune 500 companies, ranking third among all metropolitan statistical areas. The Greater Houston metropolitan area was ranked the fourth-most diverse metropolitan area in
5100-463: The Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Association , American Baptist Churches USA , Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship , National Baptist Convention USA and National Baptist Convention of America , and the National Missionary Baptist Convention numbered 926,554. Non-denominational Protestants, the Disciples of Christ , Christian Churches and Churches of Christ , and the Churches of Christ numbered 723,603 altogether according to
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#17327905612315200-413: The US 90 Commuter line which will service the Fort Bend County and southwest Harris County suburban region. Prior to the 2004 opening of METRORail, Houston was the largest major city in the United States without a rail transit system. Following a successful referendum held locally in 2004, METRO is currently in the beginning design phases of a 10-year expansion plan to add five more sections to connect to
5300-490: The United States in 2012. According to the United States Census Bureau , the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area has a total area of 10,062 square miles (26,060 km ), of which 8,929 sq mi (23,130 km ) are land and 1,133 sq mi (2,930 km ) are covered by water. The region is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Massachusetts and slightly larger than New Jersey . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget combines
5400-525: The area include Gambel oak (scrub oak or oak brush) and pinyon pine . Local wildlife includes the American badger , American black bear , bobcat , coyote , Colorado chipmunk , crow , garter snakes , gray fox , mountain cottontail rabbit , mountain lion , mule deer , pocket gopher , porcupine , skunk , and tadpoles . Birds found in the area include the golden eagle , peregrine falcon , sharp-shinned hawk , black-billed magpie , red-tailed hawk , pinyon jay , and western tanager . The town had
5500-470: The center of the state, it is expected that Castle Rock will experience continuing warming and higher average temperatures through the 21st century as the effects of climate change continue to be felt. Daily minimum temperatures are also expected to continue rising, as they have for the past 30 years. Castle Rock's ZIP codes include many neighborhoods: North of Downtown / West of I-25 Castle Rock encompasses about 35 square miles (91 km ), with
5600-417: The clay below the surface precludes the buildup of friction that produces ground-shaking in earthquakes. These faults generally move at a smooth rate in what is termed "fault creep". Greater Houston has a humid subtropical climate typical of the Southern United States . It is rainy most of the year. Prevailing winds come from the south and southeast during most of the year, which bring heat and moisture from
5700-492: The community has experienced a spirited debate between supporters of significant change in the management of local schools and those who oppose such changes or believe they should advance at a slower pace. The Douglas County Libraries public library system is based in Castle Rock, co-located with the local branch library, the Philip S. Miller Library, south of downtown. The Miller Library includes Archives and Local History and offers several educational and recreational programs to
5800-404: The current rail system. An 8.3-mile (13.4-km) expansion has been approved to run the service from Uptown through Texas Southern University, ending at the University of Houston campus. Castle Rock, Colorado Castle Rock is a home rule town that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Douglas County , Colorado , United States. The town’s population was 73,158 at
5900-412: The demands of continuing growth. The Greater Houston area has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 610 , forming a roughly 42-mile (70 km)-circumference loop around downtown. The nearly square Loop 610 is quartered into "North Loop", "South Loop", "West Loop", and "East Loop". The roads of Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Tollway, are
6000-542: The early 1980s. In 1984, the town's voters approved a charter amendment that authorized the creation of a home-rule charter commission. The home-rule charter was finalized in 1987. The original Douglas County courthouse was one of seven buildings in Castle Rock that have been added to the National Register of Historic Places . The other buildings include Castle Rock Depot , Castle Rock Elementary School, First National Bank of Douglas County, Samuel Dyer House, Benjamin Hammer House, and Keystone Hotel. A dispute about whether
6100-444: The erosion of the Rocky Mountains . These sediments consist of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic matter that, over time, transformed into oil and natural gas. Beneath these tiers is a water-deposited layer of halite , a rock salt. The porous layers were compressed over time and forced upward. As it pushed upward, the salt dragged surrounding sediments into dome shapes, often trapping oil and gas that seeped from
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#17327905612316200-436: The fifth-wealthiest community, West University Place , and the sixth-wealthiest community, Piney Point Village . Greater Houston's religious community is predominantly Christian and the second-largest metropolitan area that identifies with the religion in Texas after Dallas–Fort Worth (73%). In 2012, the city of Houston proper ranked the ninth most religious city in the U.S. Within the Greater Houston metropolitan area,
6300-406: The form of buses, trolleys, and lift vans. METRO began running light rail service ( METRORail ) on January 1, 2004. Currently, the track is rather short — about 22.7 miles (20.6 km) from Northline Transit Center Station through downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park , and lines from downtown to the East End and the University of Houston/Lower 3rd Ward. Still, the system
6400-418: The inner city (defined by the 610 loop), causing Houstonians to rely on the automobile as a primary source of transportation. The problem is one due to the lack of a central metropolitan area transportation authority, primarily due to a few suburban counties refusing to cooperate with METRO. For example, there are multiple coach bus services that run into downtown Houston. METRO is in the late planning stages of
6500-491: The largest petrochemical manufacturing area in the world, including for synthetic rubber , insecticides , and fertilizers . The area is also the world's leading center for building oilfield equipment. Greater Houston is also a major center of biomedical research, aeronautics, and high technology. Much of the metro area's success as a petrochemical complex is enabled by its busy man-made Houston Ship Channel . Because of these economic trades, many residents have moved to
6600-419: The largest cruise-ship terminal in Texas (and the 12th-largest in the world). The island, as well the Clear Lake area , are major recreation and tourism areas in the region. Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center —the largest medical center in the world. Galveston is home to one of only two national biocontainment laboratories in the United States. The University of Houston System 's annual impact on
6700-417: The largest proportion of the working civilian labor force were educational services, health care, and social assistance (15.5%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (13.2%); and finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (12.6%). Castle Rock's cost of living is above average. Compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for
6800-457: The late 1800s and early 1900s, Castle Rock had a very active rhyolite quarrying industry. Many immigrants arrived in the area to work in the quarries. In 1936, the town received a donation of land that included its namesake geographical feature. Men employed by the Works Progress Administration constructed a star atop the butte shortly after Castle Rock received that donation. The star was lit every year from 1936 to 1941. After World War II began,
6900-439: The mayor and mayor pro-tem. Each councilmember is elected to represent an election district, and the mayor is elected to represent the Town at large. One member, appointed by the council, serves as the mayor pro-tem. Castle Rock voters approved a change to the town charter that authorized an at-large mayor in 2017. The mayor presides over council meetings and casts one vote, like other councilmembers. The council sets policy for
7000-416: The metropolitan area are served by various campuses of the Lone Star College System , while the southeastern portion of the city and some surrounding areas are served by San Jacinto College . Eastern portions of the area and small sections of the city are served by Lee College . Portions of Fort Bend County are served by Wharton County Junior College . Portions of Galveston County are served by College of
7100-435: The nearby Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay area . A number of tropical storms and hurricanes have hit the metropolitan area, including: As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget , the metropolitan area of Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land encompasses nine counties in Southeast Texas. They are listed below: Eight principal communities are designated within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. The Woodlands
7200-469: The new town, which was also now home to the Douglas County government. Six streets named Elbert, Jerry, Wilcox, Perry, Castle, and Front were laid out to build the actual town of Castle Rock. The courthouse square was defined and about 77 lots, each 50 by 112 feet (34 m), were auctioned off for a total profit of US$ 3,400. A new train depot brought the Denver and Rio Grande Railway to the area. During
7300-597: The next loop, at a diameter around 83 miles (134 km). A planned highway project, State Highway 99 (the Grand Parkway), will form the third loop outside of Houston. Currently, a completed portion of State Highway 99 runs clockwise from I-69 / US 59 in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston to State Highway 146 in Baytown, east of Houston and was completed in 2022. When completed in the future, I-69 will start at
7400-552: The north side of the town center, drains into East Plum Creek, as do multiple unnamed gulches in the southern and western areas of town. McMurdo Gulch and Mitchell Gulch run north then northeast through eastern Castle Rock and drain into Cherry Creek east of town. Castle Rock is in the Colorado Foothills Life Zone. The hillsides are covered with meadows of grass, small plants, scattered juniper trees and open ponderosa pine woodlands. Other trees common in
7500-763: The operations of the Cypress Creek Mirror , the Magnolia Potpourri , and the Tomball Potpourri . The Mirror had Cypress / Cy-Fair and Champions/ Klein divisions. In April 2006, prior to the purchase of the Examiner Newspaper Group , another local newspaper company, HCN had 31 newspapers. In 2006 George Boehme sold the Examiner Newspaper Group to ASP Westward, for $ 2.1 million. At the time,
7600-674: The parent company of the Houston Chronicle , acquired HCN. As part of the deal the Examiner papers became a part of the Hearst Corporation. Ray Biggerstaff was the publisher of The Woodlands Villager and The Courier from 2011 to 2013. In portions of East Texas ASP Westward did business as East Texas Community Newspapers (ETCN). This division was headquartered in Longview , and before that, in Carthage . As of 2014,
7700-479: The population over the age of 16 was in the labor force, 0.4% was in the armed forces, and 77.7% were in the civilian labor force, with 72.6% employed and 5.1% unemployed. The employed civilian labor force was 48.0% in management, business, science, and arts; 25.8% in sales and office occupations; 14.7% in service occupations; 6.4% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance; and 5.2% in production, transportation, and material moving. The three industries employing
7800-443: The population. There were 16,688 households, out of which 48.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
7900-436: The public. Also, it includes Little Free Library places scattered throughout, such as in festival park. Interstate 25 and U.S. Route 87 run concurrently north-south through Castle Rock. U.S. Route 85 , also a north-south route, enters the town from the northwest, meeting I-25 at Exit 184; south of the exit, it runs concurrently with I-25 and U.S. 87. Colorado State Highway 86 , an east-west route, enters Castle Rock from
8000-591: The purchase agreement. In 2006 the Houston Press ranked the Fort Bend/Southwest Sun the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2006". In 2010 the Houston Press ranked the Examiner Newspaper Group division of the HCN the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2010". 1013 Communications, a Reno, Nevada company, acquired the company including the HCN group in 2012. In 2016 the Hearst Corporation ,
8100-448: The purchase price was not disclosed. HCN hired Boehme as a regional publisher and he held this job for one year. In May 2007, Boehme stopped working for the company. He started InstantNewsNetwork.com Inc. weeks after he left HCN. Boehme announced on January 7, 2008, that it would purchase FortBendNow.com Inc. from Bob Dunn. Later that month HCN announced that it was suing Boehme for violating non-soliciation and non-competition provisions of
8200-508: The rapid growth of other sectors—such as engineering services, health services, retail, and manufacturing . The area's economic activity is centered in the city of Houston , the county seat of Harris County . Houston is second to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters. The city has attempted to build a banking industry , but the companies originally started in Houston have since merged with other companies nationwide. Banking, however,
8300-539: The region. Sugar Land is home to the second-largest economic activities and fifth-largest city in the metropolitan area. It has the most important economic center in Fort Bend County. The city holds the Imperial Sugar (its namesake), Nalco Champion, and Western Airways headquarters. Engineering firms and other related industries have managed to take the place as an economic engine. Greater Houston
8400-406: The region. According to the 2019 American Community Survey , the median household income was $ 69,193 and the per capita income was $ 35,190. Roughly 13% of the metropolis lived at or below the poverty line. As of 2011, Greater Houston has four of Texas's 10 wealthiest communities, which include the wealthiest community, Hunters Creek Village , the fourth-wealthiest community, Bunker Hill Village ,
8500-471: The religious metropolitan population. The largest non-Christian religion was Judaism . According to the study, 20% of Greater Houston was irreligious and 2% were atheist . The Association of Religion Data Archives 2020 study determined there were 7,061 Conservative Jews and 3,050 Orthodox Jews ; there were 11,481 Reform Jews throughout the area. There were an estimated 123,256 Muslims, 51,567 Hindus and Yoga practitioners, and 20,281 Buddhists . Among
8600-440: The south, Perry Park to the southwest, and Sedalia to the northwest. Castle Rock has a semiarid climate ( Köppen BSk ) with cold, dry, snowy winters, and hot, wetter summers. January is the coldest month, July the hottest, and August the month with the most precipitation. Statewide, Colorado has experienced an average temperature increase of about 2.5 °F (1.4 °C) over the past half-century. Given its location in
8700-506: The star was left unlit as a symbol of sacrifice in support of the war effort. On August 14, 1945, shortly after V-J Day , the star was modified into a V-for-victory symbol. On December 7, 1945, the star was lit for the holiday season. It has been lit every year since around the same time. The town's historic county courthouse, which was built in 1889–1890, burned down on March 11, 1978, the result of arson. Castle Rock's municipal government experienced significant financial difficulties during
8800-506: The state: Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University . The University of Texas Medical Branch and Texas A&M University at Galveston , a branch campus of Texas A&M University , are located in Galveston. Several private institutions of higher learning—ranging from liberal arts colleges to a nationally recognized Tier One research university—are located within the metropolitan area. The University of St. Thomas
8900-503: The surrounding porous sands. This thick, rich soil also provides a good environment for rice farming in suburban outskirts into which the city of Houston continues to grow near Katy . Evidence of past rice farming is even still evident in developed areas as an abundance of rich, dark, loamy topsoil exists. The Greater Houston region is generally earthquake-free. While the city of Houston contains over 150 to 300 active surface faults with an aggregate length of up to 310 miles (500 km),
9000-420: The third-best city on its list. Also making the 2006 list were League City (65th) in northern Galveston County and The Woodlands (73rd) in southern Montgomery County . In 2007, another Houston suburb, Friendswood , made the list ranked 51st in the nation. The 2006 list only includes cities with at least 50,000 residents, and the 2007 list contains only cities with less than 50,000 residents. Greater Houston
9100-490: The town is 137.2. As of mid-2019, the median home value in the town was $ 427,537. The median gross monthly rent for an apartment was about $ 1,461. The town's housing base continues to grow. About 1,400 permits to build new homes were issued in 2018. Castle Rock is a home rule municipality with a council–manager form of government. The Town's governing body is the Town Council, made up of seven members including
9200-779: The town, adopts ordinances, approves the town budget, makes major land-use decisions, and appoints key town government staff including the town manager , town attorney , municipal judge, and members of town boards and commissions. The town manager supervises all departments, prepares and implements the town budget, and works with the council to develop policies and propose new plans. Tax revenues are used to provide general government, fire, police, parks maintenance and programs, street maintenance and operations, support for recreation, and planning and code enforcement services. The town also provides development services, golf, water, and sewer services to residents through self-supporting enterprise funds. The average annual municipal property tax bill of
9300-479: The world economy." Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area is served by a public television station and one public radio station. KUHT (HoustonPBS) is a PBS member station and is the first public television station in the United States. Houston Public Radio is listener-funded radio and comprises one NPR member station, KUHF (KUHF News). The University of Houston System owns and holds broadcasting licenses to KUHT and KUHF. The stations broadcast from
9400-584: Was $ 308.7 billion, up 5.4% from 2004 in constant dollars—slightly larger than Austria's gross domestic product. By 2012, the GMP had risen to $ 449 billion, the fourth-largest of any metropolitan area in the United States. Only 26 countries other than the United States had a GDP exceeding Greater Houston's GAP. Mining, which in the area is almost entirely oil and gas exploration and production, accounted for 11% of Greater Houston's GAP—down from 21% as recently as 1985. The reduced role of oil and gas in Houston's GAP reflects
9500-410: Was 2.86, and the average family size was 3.27. In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males age 18 and over. The median income for
9600-440: Was classified as one of the largest regions where the three largest minority groups were highly represented. In 2018, its racial makeup had an estimated 35.5% Anglo American , 20% Black and African American, 7.6% Asian American and 2.1% other races; approximately 37.6% were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. Nearly one in four Greater Houstonians were foreign-born in 2018 and a quarter of all refugees settled in Texas lived in
9700-503: Was headquartered in Castle Rock and included: Castle Rock News-Press , Centennial Citizen , Douglas County News-Press , Elbert County News , Gleneagle/Black Forest , Highlands Ranch Herald , Littleton Independent , Lone Tree Voice , Parker Chronicle , Pikes Peak Courier View , Teller County Extra , The Tribune/Monument , and Tri-Lakes Tribune/Tri-Lakes . Greater Houston Greater Houston , designated by
9800-594: Was originally home to the Arapaho and Cheyenne peoples. They occupied the land between the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers. White settlers were drawn to the area by rumors of gold and by land opened through the Homestead Act of 1862 . However, the discovery of rhyolite stone, not gold, ultimately led to the settlement of Castle Rock. Castle Rock was founded in 1874 when the eastern Douglas County border
9900-432: Was redrawn to its present location. Castle Rock was chosen as the county seat because of its central location. One of the first homesteaders in the area near today's Castle Rock was Jeremiah Gould. He owned about 160 acres (0.65 km ) to the south of "the (Castle) Rock." At that time, the settlement consisted of just a few buildings for prospectors, workers, and cowboys. In 1874, Gould donated 120 acres (0.49 km ) to
10000-551: Was the third largest Christian group. In a separate study by the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the Catholic Church numbered 1,299,901 for the metropolitan area; by 2020, the second-largest single Christian denomination ( Southern Baptists ) numbered 800,688; following, non-denominational Protestant churches represented the third-largest Christian cohort at 666,548. Altogether, however, Baptists of
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