Darcy Sprague

Voters are deciding on a tax rate increase for the North Hays County Emergency Services District No. 1—serving the Dripping Springs, Driftwood and Henley areas, which would raise the tax bill for voters by about 63%.

The proposed $70 million project includes a 130-room hotel on 3.88 acres at 429 and 403 N. Guadalupe Street, just south of Tower Hall and across from Target.

Home prices in western Round Rock’s 78717 ZIP code rose year over year in October, even as other market indicators showed mixed signals, according to data from Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors.

Community Impact’s 2025 dining features highlight 11 Cedar Park area restaurants, sharing the stories behind locally owned eateries and the people who brought them to the community.

Community Impact’s 2025 dining features spotlight six restaurants and bars in Leander and Liberty Hill, highlighting the owners, origins and concepts shaping the area’s local food and drink scene.

In 2025, developers, government entities and Leander ISD filed more than 100 projects with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with the six most costly developments expected to begin or finish construction in the Leander area in 2026.

Voter-approved Hays CISD bond projects include a future fourth high school in Buda and major renovations at Lehman High School in Kyle. Private development is also ramping up, with a $65 million expansion at US Foods in Buda and two large multifamily projects planned in Kyle and San Marcos.

From an expansion at Bastrop High School to a $20 million parking garage tied to SpaceX and the Boring Company, several large developments are shaping the city’s future.

SpaceX plans to invest $855 million to expand production of next-generation Starlink user terminal kits at its Bastrop County facility, said Damien Barrera, SpaceX's senior tax manager. He said the company plans to produce more than 10 million kits by the end of 2026. 

The Bastrop Main Street Program received a 2026 Accredited Main Street America designation in recognition of the city's work to strengthen the program and its historic preservation efforts.