Austin metro grows to 25th most populous in U.S. with more than 2.5M residents
The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro area became the 25th largest in the country last year after continuing to rise in national rankings, boosted by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of new residents since the start of the decade.
Entering the 2020s, the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area ranked as the 28th most populated in the U.S. with 2.3 million residents. Following years of steady population increases, the region ranked 25th with an estimated 2.55 million residents as of July 2024, a nearly 11% increase, according to new census estimates released in March.
Learn more from Reporter Ben Thompson.
Chick-fil-A to open at Bar W Marketplace near Leander, Georgetown border
A new Chick-fil-a restaurant is slated to open near the border of Leander and Georgetown, a representative of Chick-fil-A confirmed with Community Impact.
The 5,030-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru will be located off Kauffman Loop at the Bar W Marketplace shopping center, which features a H-E-B grocery store, project information listed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows.
Read the full story by Reporter Chloe Young.
42-home Bastrop pocket community sparks debate
The Bastrop community voiced concerns over a proposed 42-home, 4-acre development called North End Prairie during a City Council meeting March 11.
A town hall is scheduled for March 31, where council members will offer the public a chance to discuss their concerns in-depth.
Representing herself and a dozen neighbors, resident Heather Green said they are worried about the project’s impact on the area’s parking, drainage and traffic.
Read the full story from Reporter Amanda Cutshall.
City officials break ground on high-end shopping destination on Bell Blvd.
Officials from both Cedar Park and Leander came out March 19 to break ground on a new upscale shopping center, which will feature Cedar Park’s first rooftop dining experience.
Council members, business representatives and other community leaders came out to celebrate the groundbreaking of The Shoppes at Bell Blvd., a mixed-use development at 1804 N. Bell Blvd. The facility is zoned for restaurant, retail and office space, and is located along the Bell District in Cedar Park.
Read the full story from Editor Steve Guntli.
Check out 6 businesses now open in New Braunfels
From a rooftop bar to new coffee shops, learn more about several New Braunfels Businesses that have recently opened in the community.
Cowboys & Cadillacs
The three-story, 15,000-square-foot rooftop bar and live music venue offers a wide range of classic and signature cocktails.
- Opened Feb. 11
- 125 N. Castell Ave., New Braunfels
The coffee shop—locally operated by Jerry & Meredith Purtle—serves specialty coffee, espresso and teas.
- Opened Jan. 24
- 2164 Oak Run Parkway, New Braunfels
Cibolo City Council terminates city attorney, appoints interim firm
Cibolo City Council voted to terminate its city attorney, George Hyde with Hyde Kelley LLP, during a March 11 City Council meeting.
During a Feb. 11 City Council meeting a motion to remove and terminate Hyde failed in a split vote. Mayor Mark Allen and council members Randy Roberts, Jeff McGlothin and Robert Mahoney were the four dissenting votes.
Council members Joel Hicks, Katie Cunningham and Norma Sanchez-Stephens argued that the mayor could not vote per the city's charter, but the mayor said he could vote on all matters subject to the city attorney. Following the motion, the dais directed its city manager to hire a third-party attorney to review and interpret the city charter to see if the mayor was able to vote on matters related to the city attorney, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
Read the full story by Editor Amira Van Leeuwen.
