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  • Author: Esther Lum

Maui comes to Shenandoah

Maui, a 15 month old Belgian Malinois, will be Shenandoah’s first K9. He was named by Officer Duenas who is currently training with him, and who named him after a character in the movie “Moana.” They were both certified through the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association on June 23. City…

Adriatic Cafe breaks ground in Shenandoah

Adriatic cafe, a family owned restaurant which features comfort Italian food in a casual setting, will break ground in August for its newest location on the I-45 service road, adjacent to the Sam Moon shopping center. Grand opening is targeted for April 2023. This will be Adriatic’s fifth restaurant, with…

Reducing Paperwork: Cantwell, Avalon and Dulcimer

Replacing a fence or installing a gas generator? Homeowners in Cantwell Forest, Avalon Oaks and Dulcimer Woods are required to obtain permits not only from the city of Shenandoah, but also from The Woodlands Township for fences, generators and other construction activities such as pools, exterior decking and outdoor kitchens. The…

About the Sentinel

Stories with insight, depth and analysis by citizen journalists “The only security of all is in a free press.” - Thomas Jefferson The Shenandoah Sentinel launched in June 2022 with a print edition and website, ShenandoahNews.com. It's the only independent news source with an exclusive focus on Shenandoah city news. The Sentinel is…

Catalytic Converter Theft

Catalytic converter thefts are increasing everywhere, and Shenandoah is no exception. Since June of 2021, there have been about 80 thefts of these emission control devices within the city limits. The converters are easily removed by experienced thieves and contain precious metals like platinum and palladium which can be resold…

City officials sued for defamation

Several Shenandoah council members and city personnel have been sued in their individual capacities for alleged slander and violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA). Attorney Frank Powell filed the lawsuit in Harris County on March 9, 2022, seeking an unspecified amount of monetary damages and a public apology,…

No-New-Revenue Rate Explained

In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act. The  term “effective tax rate” was updated to the new term “no-new-revenue rate”. Simply stated, when a taxing entity adopts a no-new-revenue rate, it agrees it will not increase property tax (ad valorem) above what is required to…

Voter Turnout

Although the number of registered voters increases yearly corresponding to the population growth, the data do not indicate a proportional increase voter turnout. It is not depicted in this chart, but there have been a few times when elections were decided by only two or three votes.Shenandoah has an election…

Shenandoah Showcase – The Bakers

Photography by Rob Greer. Painting by Suzie Baker. (Shenandoah Outdoor Still Life 8X8 oil on linen panel 2022) The historic area of Shenandoah (often referred to as the “Valley”) is experiencing a revival. Seeing the great potential, established residents and new homeowners have begun to invest in this area, creating…