1. Construction began on the property of the new Living Spaces store, to be located at 19024 Heatherwilde, Blvd., Pflugerville. The new location will be the first Living Spaces in Texas and will provide a $40 million investment to the area. The project will generate 100 full-time jobs. Construction is expected to take 18 months and be completed in 2019.

2. California took aim at Texas by banning state-sponsored travel to the Lone Star State last Thursday because of a bill the Texas legislature passed that allows faith-based adoption organizations to refuse services to parents or children on religious grounds. California's maneuver simply adds fuel to the fire of an ongoing contentious relationship between the two states, which has already been exacerbated by a number of comments from Gov. Greg Abbott. Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, has said he desires to file legislation for reciprocal action in the special session.

3. Round Rock City Council approved a number of sponsorship agreements for new installations at Play for All Abilities Park Thursday night. The new installations include a race track sponsored by Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships, a treehouse by Dell Children's Medical Center and a train-themed play structure by the Nolan Ryan Foundation.

4. The right turn lane on eastbound RM 620 from Cornerwood to Deep Wood drives closed Thursday for approximately four to six weeks. This closure comes as the next step in a RM 620 widening project that is taking place from Wyoming Springs to Deep Wood. Williamson County said the contractor, Cox Commercial, intends for the turn lane to be reopened to traffic prior to the start of the school year.

5. The Round Rock ISD board of trustees voted to appoint a replacement for Paul Tisch's vacant board seat, left open since May, when Tisch announced he would be moving to College Station for a new job. The trustees plan to hold open forums for interested candidates before appointing a replacement to the board. In addition, the trustees approved the 2017-18 school year budget, which includes lower amounts of state funding and higher amounts of property tax revenue.

6. A Georgetown favorite, 600 Degrees, plans to open a new pizzeria location in downtown Round Rock, in the old location of Svante's Ranch Direct. The new restaurant will be called Slap Box Pizzicheria, and will likely open in two-and-a-half to three months. The menu will be the same as the one at 600 Degrees with the addition of a few more specialty pizzas.