The Backyard at The Peached Tortilla is now open in Cedar Park, featuring a new playscape and outdoor dining area as well as a separate menu from the indoor dining room that includes familiar favorites. The family-oriented expansion debuted Feb. 17 and will serve as a more "laid back" extension of Austin's The Peached Tortilla, according to a news release.

Main course: The new menu includes dinner dishes like the banh mi taco, which features Vietnamese braised pork belly, pickled daikon carrot, sriracha mayo and cilantro.

During lunch hours, The Peached Tortilla lunch menu will also be available to order from in The Backyard. The restaurant also offers a kids' menu.

The background: The concept opened its Cedar Park restaurant in March 2024, bringing a mix of Asian and Southern-inspired dishes. The new location was a significant milestone for the brand, according to founder Eric Silverstein.

• 1915 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 105, Cedar Park

Leander ISD board trustees discussed the possibility of a 2026 bond Feb. 19 that could fund the next phase of modernization projects at Leander High School. The discussion provided context for LISD's Citizens' Facility Advisory Committee, which would develop the bond proposal.

Diving in deeper: Officials say some facilities such as LHS cannot be fixed through a standard modernization cycle. The campus has already gone through one phase of upgrades, funded by the 2023 bond and slated to be complete this summer. Funding for Phase 2 projects is contingent upon a 2026 bond, if called for and approved by voters.

The plan: The new site plan for the campus includes:

• New floor plan with classroom neighborhoods
• Updated fine arts spaces and a Career and Technical Education addition
• New library and a social staircase
• Expanded courtyard spaces
• Relocated bus loop and band marching pad
• Updated parking

Check out the top six most-read stories from Feb. 16-19.

1. New LCRA reservoir could add 13B gallons to Central Texas water supply

2. Scheels targets an August opening for new Cedar Park location

3. Midway files suit against Hutto officials, seeks $300M in damages

4. San Pedro Limon opens additional location in Georgetown

5. Bastrop OKs $525K land buy for downtown parking

6. Bastrop park closures to begin Feb. 23

Willie Nelson’s 14th annual Luck Reunion will be held March 19, featuring over 45 musical performances on his Spicewood-area ranch Luck, Texas.

The details: Organizer Luck Presents announced the lineup Feb. 18, including a range of country, folk, indie rock artists and more.

“Fourteen years in, Luck Reunion continues to be about bringing people together in meaningful ways,” Luck Presents CEO and Founder Matt Bizer said in a news release. “This year’s lineup beautifully represents that spirit, with legendary artists who’ve been part of our story from the beginning, new voices we’re excited to introduce to our community, and more than a few surprise guests that we can’t wait to reveal.”

What else? To kick off the Luck Reunion, an 11th annual potluck event will be held March 17, benefiting Luck Family Foundation and organizations such as Farm Aid. The event includes a family-style dinner at communal tables, followed by a live performance from Willie Nelson & Family.

Attendees can visit the Luck Presents website for more information on tickets. 

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.