Over the summer, Hutto ISD opened its virtual academy to all students residing in the state of Texas.

How it works: Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, HISD’s virtual academy provides a flexible and personalized education option for students with needs and academic goals that are not met by the eight-hour school day model, according to the district.

The why: Now, the district is looking to the academy as a way to receive additional state funding.

In the virtual academy model, funding from the state follows the student from school district to school district. Virtual students who transfer into HISD from other districts count toward the district’s funding calculation in the same way students who report to a physical campus do, HISD Chief of Schools C.J. Lowery said.

Looking ahead: Over the summer, the district hired Jamey Guarascio as the administrator for the virtual academy.

She is developing a distinction program, which will require students to identify a problem, create a plan to solve it and give a presentation at the end of their senior year. Plans will include a volunteering component, she said.

Looking for some activities this fall in Pflugerville and Hutto? Learn more about upcoming walks and races, Venture Pfest, National Night Out and more.

Walk Against Hunger
Backpack Friends, a nonprofit organization benefiting Pflugerville ISD, Round Rock ISD and other districts, will host a 5K hunger walk. Every $5 raised will feed an at-risk child in the community for an entire weekend.

• Sept. 19, 8 a.m.
• $25-$60
• Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Road, Pflugerville

Venture Pfest
Hosted by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation, the event offers six days of panels, workshops, and networking to help businesses grow. The week kicks off with two days of hands-on workshops built for entrepreneurs followed by additional discussions.

• Sept. 26-Oct. 1
• Free (admission)
• Various locations in Pflugerville

National Night Out
The annual community event aims to promote partnerships between the police and community to make neighborhoods safer.

• Oct. 6, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Free (registration)
• Neighborhoods throughout Pflugerville and Hutto

Shipley Donuts is celebrating its 90th anniversary–nearly a century after its opening in 1936–with a 10-week-long promotion running until Oct. 18, according to a news release.

The special began Aug. 10 and is set to rotate through various value deals, in addition to debuting limited-time birthday-themed donuts.

The history: Shipley’s story began nine decades ago in the oven of its original bakery located at 1417 Crockett St., Houston. The bakery’s founder, Lawrence Shipley Sr., sold his handcrafted, pillowy donuts dipped in a warm glaze wholesale for just five cents a dozen, per the release.

Flash forward to the present: the Houston-based donut parlor still serves that same hexagon-cut treat fresh every morning, now from nearly 400 locations across 13 states.

What to expect: At participating locations, customers can get a taste of the all-new Birthday Bullseye, a festive spin on Shipley’s classic Strawberry Bullseye.

The donut is available individually and as part of the limited-time 1936 Shipley Favorites Box, a nostalgic dozen consisting of other beloved flavors.

Travis County commissioners moved forward an estimated $2.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 on Sept. 10, boosting funding for public defense, housing and diversion programs while voting to consolidate the county's Axon Enterprise contracts under one department.

By the numbers: Indigent defense funding rose across multiple lines, including a doubled $3 million reserve earmark for outside counsel and $1.5 million added directly to the Public Defender's Office for attorney pay.

The budget also sets a new county living wage of $23.71 an hour. Commissioners also voted to consolidate the county's Axon Enterprise contracts into a single $6,832,000 technology department budget.

What officials are saying: The county's technology executive, Maurice McCreary Jr., defended the Axon contract as essential to transparency and evidence-sharing with defense attorneys. Commissioner Brigid Shea backed continued investment in body and vehicle cameras.

Advocates with the Coalition for Budget Accountability had rallied outside the markup, arguing new Axon spending should be matched with public defense funding instead.

Commissioners are scheduled to take a final budget vote Sept. 29.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Georgetown to reduce speed limit on Ronald Reagan Boulevard: Georgetown City Council gave preliminary approval Aug. 25 to adjust speed limits on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Westinghouse Road, as well as in school zones on Hwy. 195 and Woodlake Drive.

Planning continues for Hwy. 46 expansion project in New Braunfels: The Texas Department of Transportation is continuing to work on a $1.4 billion project geared toward improving traffic flows on Hwy. 46 in Comal and Guadalupe counties. For Comal County, the project looks to construct elevated main lanes over the existing Hwy. 46 roadway and two direct connecting flyover ramps between Hwy. 46 and I-35. In Guadalupe County, TxDOT officials are proposing to expand Hwy. 46 to a four-lane controlled-access highway with two-lane, one-way frontage roads.

Southwest Airlines to open lounge at Austin airport: Southwest Airlines will open a lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, set to welcome guests in late 2027. The lounges are already under construction.

Three candidates are running to lead the Texas General Land Office in the Nov. 3 election.

The overview: Democrat Benjamin Flores and Libertarian Neill Snider are challenging Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham for the seat.

Buckingham ran uncontested in the March Republican primary, Community Impact reported, while Flores won the Democratic primary. Snider was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

The context: The state land commissioner manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the Texas Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as The Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.