JuiceLand opened its first Pflugerville location, marking the brand’s debut in the city and expanding its footprint in the North Austin area.

Read all about it: The new shop will be serving customers next to H-E-B near SH 130 and East Pflugerville Parkway. The Austin-based company operates more than 50 locations across Texas, including a strong presence in Austin, Dallas and Houston.

JuiceLand centers its offerings around health and wellness, promoting a plant-based lifestyle through smoothies, cold-pressed juices, functional tonics and plant-based food items.

According to the company’s website, the brand emphasizes functional nutrition in a casual, community-focused setting.

The Hutto City Council has approved a new incentive program aimed at encouraging reinvestment and revitalization in the city’s historic downtown district.

Two-minute impact: Council members voted Feb. 19 to adopt the initiative, which city officials say is intended to help business owners and property owners improve aging buildings, preserve historic structures and spur additional activity in the area.

The program was crafted with input from the Downtown Hutto Business Association, whose members have advocated for policies that balance economic growth with preservation of the district’s character.

City staff worked alongside local stakeholders to design what officials described as a more accessible and streamlined process for applicants.

An Austin-based preschool is set to expand this summer, with a second location opening in downtown Round Rock.

What you need to know: Brilliant Bee Preschool Academy will open a Round Rock academy this summer, serving children 18 months to 6 years old, the school announced via social media in February. The school will serve toddlers in its early preschool program, and offer both a preschool and kindergarten bridge program.

About the business: The preschool offers play-based curriculum, with structured routines and schedules, according to its website. Children build language, motor, literacy, math and other skills in the school's educational program. Brilliant Bee Preschool Academy is locally owned and founded by MyToia Graham, who has 12 years of experience in early childhood education.

• Opening in June
• 405 W. Main St., Round Rock

During an arctic blast last month, the Texas power grid remained stable throughout the storm and the state came away largely unscathed. The Lone Star State has not seen widespread blackouts since February 2021, when millions of Texans lost power and nearly 250 people died.

The response: In Uri’s wake, state lawmakers and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas made changes to restructure ERCOT’s governing board, mandate earlier public alerts during tight grid conditions and require that energy providers “weatherize” their facilities to withstand extremely hot or cold temperatures.

Roughly 40,000 megawatts of power—enough to serve about 10 million residential customers—have been added to the grid since 2021 and the state’s energy supply has become more diverse.

Looking ahead: State leaders have expressed confidence that the grid would hold up during “a storm similar to Uri.” Yet some energy analysts caution that rapidly rising electric demand, driven by the construction of new data centers throughout Texas, means challenges may still lie ahead.