Community Impact Newspaper | Local. Useful. Everyone gets it.

Circuit of The Americas to fuel county’s economy

SAN MARCOS/BUDA/KYLE – The first race at the new Circuit of The Americas racetrack in Elroy is still months away, but Hays County is already feeling the economic boost.
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Managed lanes proposal approved for Hwy. 290

NORTHWEST HOUSTON – One of the first steps involving a proposed $1.3 billion project to install managed lanes on Hwy. 290 from Loop 610 to the Grand Parkway is complete.
- 1
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Urban living in Town Center

THE WOODLANDS – As The Woodlands builds out its final village in Creekside Park, the focus of residential growth and development is beginning to shift from the traditional village center concept to more of an urban living design.
- 1
- 2
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Officials: Signs point to economic recovery

GEORGETOWN – Prior to the economic downturn that began in 2008, Georgetown’s economy was growing by about 8 percent annually.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Primary Election Williamson County District Attorney

ROUND ROCK/PFLUGERVILLE/HUTTO – John Bradley and Jana Duty, candidates for Williamson County District Attorney, speak out about the job, the issues and the controversies.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Groups work to promote environmental initiatives

TOMBALL/MAGNOLIA – Beautification and cleanup initiatives have Tomball and Magnolia seeking ways to promote recycling and reduce litter.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 7
- 8
- 9
MoPac lane expansion may get $130M infusion

NORTHWEST AUSTIN – Policymakers are in negotiations with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to bankroll more than half of a $200 million two-lane expansion on MoPac between Parmer Lane and Cesar Chavez Street.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 8
- 9
As South Lamar grows, locals express concern

CENTRAL AUSTIN – With at least four new developments targeted for South Lamar Boulevard, residents are expressing concern over whether the corridor’s infrastructure can handle the new development.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 9
Programs help grow small businesses

SOUTHWEST AUSTIN – The City of Austin is home to more than 38,000 small businesses that employ roughly 40 percent of the total workforce. City of Austin data predicts that this year, more than 7,000 small businesses will be created—a large number for the city’s size.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8

Monarch Utilities reaches agreement with customers on water and sewer rates

Monarch Utilities has reached an agreement with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and a number of its subscribers on its water and sewer rate increase request originally filed in May 2011.
Grapevine welcomes new home of Convention & Visitors Bureau, animatronic gunfighters (Slideshow)

Main Street Days kicked off on May 18 with the grand opening of Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau headquarters and museum complex and its glockenspiel clock tower.
Round Rock ISD board meeting briefs

RRISD names new district administrators, rejects pulling hazardous routes and increases employee pay 3 percent
Two new wings slated for construction at Round Rock High School

The Round Rock ISD board approved $49.4 million in construction projects, including adding two new wings at Round Rock High School to accommodate an additional 1,200 students and alleviate projected overcrowding.
Hutto holds first reading for annexation of 58 acres

The City of Hutto held the first reading for the annexation of about 58 acres near CR 108 and Toll 130 on May 17.
Leander City Council grants 30-day extension to Ethics Commission
Rollingwood City Council adopts new water rate structure

Rollingwood citizens will be seeing changes to their July water bills as the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a new rate structure that emphasizes water conservation.
City Council elects new mayor pro tem

Georgetown City Council hosted a special meeting May 16 to swear in two council members and elect a mayor pro tem.
Hutto approves franchise agreement for private ambulance service

Hutto granted a franchise to Capital EMS on May 17 for ambulance service in the city for nonemergency calls.
Leander ISD board elects new officers

The Leander ISD school board chose new officers at its May 17 meeting, naming Pamela Waggoner as new school board president, Russell Bundy as vice president and Grace S. Barber-Jordan as secretary.

Features

Woodlands Parkway - New Lane Designation

Oak Ridge North looks to delay I-45 lane changes

Current plan could force drivers to bypass city businesses.

May 15, 2012 by Brian Walzel in The Woodlands

County expects growth spurt to continue

More than 75 percent of the growth in Harris County took place in unincorporated areas between 2000 and 2010, according to a 2011 Harris County population study.

May 18, 2012 by Marie Leonard in Northwest Houston

Photo Courtesy DFW Airport

Terminal transformations to save energy, money

Visitors to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport later this year will notice changes from new flooring to improved wall surfaces when they get their first look at major terminal renovations underway.

May 18, 2012 by Diane S. W. Lee in Grapevine | Colleyville | Southlake | Westlake

Leander welcomes geographic growth

In the largest land annexation in the city’s history and the first since 2010, the Leander City Council agreed May 3 to add 1,831 acres of land to its tax roll.

May 18, 2012 by Emilie Boenig in Cedar Park | Leander

Rendering courtesy Austin Transportation Department

City recommends first phase of proposed urban rail network

The initial path—identified as Phase 1—would be about 5.5 miles long and would connect to the Capital Metro Red Line at Fourth Street, provide north-south service on Guadalupe and Lavaca streets and end at the Mueller development in Northeast Austin.

May 17, 2012 by Sara Behunek in Northwest Austin

Improvement district begins work on Research Forest extension

Residents of The Woodlands who live in the Village of Alden Bridge will soon have quicker access to the various retail outlets in the Egypt Lane area off of FM 1488.

May 11, 2012 by Emily Roberts | Marie Leonard in The Woodlands

Health care company Grifols expands operations in San Marcos

The 72,000-square-foot facility will employ 90 technicians to analyze up to 5 million human plasma samples annually.

May 9, 2012 by Aleyda Londono in San Marcos | Buda | Kyle

West Lake Hills City Council approves permits for Lupe Tortilla

On April 25, West Lake Hills City Council approved the permits for Lupe Tortilla to work at 701 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. K, in the space previously occupied by Macaroni Grill.

May 2, 2012 by Gene Davis in Lake Travis | Westlake

Photo by Samantha Bryant

Georgetown bookstore slated to move, get new name

Preston and Sarah Stone plan to close Hill Country Bookstore on May 12 at 719 S. Main St. and reopen the bookstore in the fall across the Square at 718 Austin Ave. as Square Books.

May 9, 2012 by Samantha Bryant in Georgetown

Joe Lanane

Gov. Perry tours Cedar Park company

Gov. Rick Perry toured Cedar Park-based Corvalent on May 9.

May 9, 2012 by Joe Lanane in Cedar Park | Leander

City of Austin

City of Austin reimagines Airport Blvd. corridor, invites community to open house

The City of Austin has embarked on a program that is taking input from area residents, business owners and other stakeholders to imagine a new, ambitious vision for the redevelopment of the corridor up to 30 years from now.

May 9, 2012 by Macy Hurwitz in Central Austin

UT regents join push for medical school

The University of Texas Board of Regents voted May 3 to commit up to $30 million annually toward a new medical school in Austin—contingent on a match of $35 million per year from other sources or partners.

May 3, 2012 by Mitzie Stelte in Central Austin (1 Comments)

Commission sets hearing for input on new Central Texas area code

The Public Utilities Commission of Texas is asking for the public's input on a planned 737 area code overlay for the 512 area code.

May 2, 2012 by Macy Hurwitz in Central Austin (2 Comments)

Seton Williamson launches new pediatric program

Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock has launched a new pediatric program that offers care for patients that do not require a specialist or surgery.

May 1, 2012 by Kelly Lindner in Round Rock | Pflugerville | Hutto

Leander annexes largest property in city's history

The city acquired 1,831 acres—roughly 2.86 square miles—of largely undeveloped land near near FM 1431 and Nameless Road on the southwest edge of Leander.

May 3, 2012 by Joe Lanane in Cedar Park | Leander

Courtesy Hutto ISD

Hutto ISD cuts budget more than $1.2 million

Hutto ISD is preparing for the second year in a row of reduced funding from the state after the 2011 legislative session resulted in a $5.4 billion cut to education financing.

May 4, 2012 by Samantha Bryant in Round Rock | Pflugerville | Hutto (1 Comments)

Round Rock council races uncontested for third election in a row

When Round Rock business owner Debbie Bruce-Juhlke considered running for the City Council seat Rufus Honeycutt vacated last year, one simple idea kept her from contesting the race eventually claimed by Craig Morgan.

May 4, 2012 by Blake Rasmussen in Round Rock | Pflugerville | Hutto (1 Comments)

Revenue and job growth point to healthy Tomball economy

With sales tax revenue increasing and many of the city’s top employers hiring and adding new jobs, Tomball’s economy is the strongest it has been since the recession hit in 2008.

May 4, 2012 by Emily Roberts in Tomball | Magnolia

Photo by Joe Olivieri

Federal agency green-lights rapid-transit bus routes

With federal funds in place, Capital Metro is set to complete design work on MetroRapid, the two-route rapid-bus system that will run along North Lamar Boulevard to South Congress Avenue and Burnet Road to South Lamar.

Apr 27, 2012 by Amy Denney in Southwest Austin (1 Comments)