Seven months after opening its doors in Round Rock, independent celebration shop Party Chaos is already looking to open its second store.

The big picture: Owner Larry Dugar and Manager Jossie Rodriguez said they have over a decade of combined experience in the party store industry. Both previously worked for Party City, and when the Round Rock store shuttered, they saw an opportunity.

What they offer: In addition to stocking party supplies, costumes, gift wrap, decor and other essentials, Party Chaos offers custom balloon garlands, arches and stands as well as faux floral arrangements.

• 110 N. I-35, Ste. 296, Round Rock

St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center will add two more operating rooms in the coming months, a representative confirmed.

About the project: This will bring the total number of operating rooms at the facility to 11.

Construction will occur from late November to mid-March, and cost an estimated $800,000.

Remember this? St. David’s also announced $27 million in expansions for the medical center in May. Plans include capacity for 34 additional beds for acute and post-surgical needs as well as a second unit dedicated to diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders.

Several months after CapMetro officials announced a potential phased approach to increasing fares for the first time since 2015, the board unanimously voted on an increase effective Jan. 10, 2027 with another increase planned for January 2029.

How we got here: In a July news release, CapMetro officials said the fare increases would create a "more fiscally sustainable source of revenue" for the agency.

What's changing: Fares for a single ride are set to increase by the following:

• Local service and Pickup service: $1.25 (current), $1.50 (January 2027), $2.00 (January 2029)

• Commuter (Express and Rail) service: $3.50 (current), $4.00 (January 2027), $5.00 (January 2029)

• CapMetro Access service: $1.75 (current), $2.25 (January 2027), $3.25 (January 2029)

Reduced Local service fares will increase from $0.60 to $0.75 in January 2027 and $1 in January 2029. Reduced Commuter service fares will increase from $1.75 to $2 in January 2027 and $2.50 in January 2029.

The Texas Education Agency is asking state lawmakers to spend $97.3 billion on K-12 education initiatives and staffing in the next two years, up from about $91 billion in the current state budget.

The details: During a Sept. 29 hearing on the agency's legislative appropriations request, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath noted that the TEA is "largely a pass-through vehicle to fund schools around the state of Texas." This means that while funding would be allocated to the agency under Article III of the state budget, the majority of that money would be sent to school districts, outside of funds used to pay TEA staff and cover operations for associated entities, such as the State Board of Education.

The TEA is asking for about $49.6 billion for fiscal year 2027-28 and $47.7 billion for fiscal year 2028-29, totaling $97.3 billion for the 2028-29 biennium. Morath said those amounts would "preserve 100% of all funding for public schools" through the Foundation School Program, which is the state's main funding source for K-12 schools, and other initiatives.