Cedar Park drivers can expect to see five new stoplights at intersections around the city after Cedar Park City Council approved a $1.7 million construction contract Aug. 27.

The details: The traffic signals will be located at:

• Brushy Creek Road and Wilson Ranch Place

• Brushy Creek Road and Ranch Trails

• New Hope Drive and Arrow Point Drive

• Cottonwood Creek Trail and Medical Parkway

• Cypress Creek Road and Cluck Creek Trail

What’s next: Construction on all five signals is set to begin soon and will take about nine months, with completion expected in late spring to early summer 2027, Assistant Director of Public Works Stephen Hanuscin said.

The Hotworx location on Whitestone Boulevard in Cedar Park is under new ownership.

The details: New owners Tina and Cory Folts of Liberty Hill took over ownership of the studio in May and plan to host a "grand reopening" party Nov. 7. The reopening party, which will run from 10 a.m. to noon, will feature prizes, giveaways, samples and tours of the studio, Tina Folts said.

Hotworx is a fitness studio that offers yoga, pilates, cycling and other workouts, all in an infrared sauna, according to the company's website. Its studios are open 24/7 with classes led by instructional videos.

Across Texas, the taxes that homeowners pay to their local school districts went down by about 13.6% in 2025, one state senator found.

The overview: Across the board, many Texas counties mailed out reduced property tax bills for the 2025 tax year, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, reported. During a Sept. 1 hearing of the Senate Local Government Committee, he said the average homeowner's property tax bill went down by about $140 last year, falling from $1,037 per year in 2024 to $896 per year in 2025.

Texas' 2026-27 budget includes $51 billion in property tax relief, previous Community Impact reporting shows. Unless the legislature rolls back existing tax exemptions, the state will be required to spend that much or more on tax relief in future bienniums.

How it works: The state does not charge property taxes, meaning homeowners are taxed by local entities such as school districts, cities, counties and municipal utility districts. The Texas Legislature, however, can place limits on how much local governments raise taxes annually and require tax exemptions for certain groups.

This November, four candidates are running to lead the Texas Comptroller's Office and serve as the state's chief financial officer.

The overview: Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican Don Huffines are running for comptroller. Huffines, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the office in July, is considered the incumbent in this race.

How it works: The comptroller oversees government spending and administers the state's $1 billion education savings account program, which launched ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

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