The Manufacturing Institute, or MI, and Texas State Technical College, or TSTC, have partnered on a new program that will help educate students on ways artificial intelligence can be integrated into manufacturing.

TSTC and MI officials formalized the partnership to bring the Manufacturing Institute's AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite to Texas at a ceremony on Oct. 22.

About the program: The program will provide manufacturing students at TSTC with instructional materials that show how AI can be integrated within their field to prepare them for the future of the industry when they enter the workforce.

Surveys show that over 50% of manufacturers are using AI in their operations, but less than 20% have AI training in place, which is where the AI Skills for Manufacturing program comes in, said Carolyn Lee, president and executive director of the MI.

A 50,000-square-foot senior living community is making its way to New Braunfels.

What you need to know: Herbelin Road Assisted Living, located at 432 Herbelin Road, will offer 70 studio units centered on social living, owner and developer James Mamary, Jr. said. Each unit will be about 400 square feet and come fully furnished.

The community will also have a dining room, living room, library, bistro and lobby area.

The project is being designed by Austin-based Pi Architects. Mamary, Jr. said the community will have a mid-century modern design with limestone and natural wood on the building's interior and exterior.

Stay tuned: Mamary Jr. said they are expecting to break ground in Q1 of 2027 and are targeting a late 2027 completion.

On Oct. 20, the Kyle City Council heard the results of an investigation into whether former mayor Travis Mitchell’s relationship with civil engineering firm American Structurepoint, or ASP, violated any laws or ethics codes.

What happened: ASP holds multiple contracts with the city of Kyle to design roundabouts and serve as a subcontractor for road projects. The investigation—conducted by PNT Law Firm—examined whether Mitchell, now an ASP employee, influenced the contract awards for personal gain.

The investigation found no violations of the Texas Local Government Code or the Texas Penal Code and found no indication that the contract awards were improperly influenced by Mitchell.

It was discovered that Mitchell did violate two City Charter and Ethics Code provisions regarding disclosure, according to agenda documents.

Diving deeper: The PNT Law Firm investigation found no evidence of long-term ethical violations by Mitchell, according to agenda documents. No witness could provide specific evidence regarding Mitchell's ethics with ASP beyond his current employment.

Texas State University launched its first satellite, PROVES-Maia, into space on Oct. 13. The satellite is owned and operated by the university and was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 as part of NASA’s CRS-35 mission to the International Space Station.

The overview: Texas State University’s Space Lab has spent years helping other universities prepare satellites for orbit, according to a news release. Students and researchers in the lab built and tested the satellite and will operate it once it has reached orbit.

The Maia satellite carries MOSAIC, a Texas State University-developed system that allows for the testing of different scientific instruments and spacecraft components, according to the release.

The next steps: Once the satellite has reached the International Space Station, it will remain there until it is sent into solo orbit around Earth, according to the release. The mission will then begin.

The satellite’s successful launch creates opportunities for future university research, including the testing of new technologies and the conducting of experiments in space.