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300-acre Smithville site to support wildfire crews, forest research

Bastrop County will soon be home to a new regional office for the Texas A&M Forest Service on a 300-acre property in Smithville—about 13 miles south of the current office.

The gist: Officials broke ground April 29 on the $2.5 million project to support growing wildfire response and forest management demands in the area.

“Bastrop County remains one of the most wildfire-prone areas in Texas,” officials said in a statement. “This new facility will place personnel and equipment closer to where they're needed, helping improve response times and strengthen support for communities across the region."

Why it matters: Brian Hurtuk, Texas A&M Forest Service regional operations chief, said the site will house the agency’s local task force and give first responders a place to train with local fire departments and emergency services districts before wildfire events occur.

Hurtuk said the new facility will also support research on growing, restoring and protecting loblolly pines and other trees in the Lost Pines ecosystem, and landowners will be able to seek guidance on land management practices.

 
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Third Marriott-branded hotel project planned in Bastrop

Bastrop visitors will have another Marriott-branded hotel option by late 2027.

What we know: Registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on May 5, the $10 million project will span more than 75,000 square feet. Work is scheduled to begin July 15 and wrap up by November 2027.

A closer look: Residence Inn by Marriott is an extended-stay brand that typically offers spacious suites with separate areas for living, working and sleeping, according to a Marriott Bonvoy news release.
Other amenities often include:

  • Full kitchens
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Grab-and-go markets
  • Pet-friendly rooms
  • Outdoor spaces, such as pools and fire pit areas

Something to note: As previously reported by Community Impact, work is underway on two other Marriott-branded hotel projects planned in Bastrop, including a dual-branded Fairfield and TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Sendero and a Courtyard by Marriott on Jasper Street.

 

YOUR WEEKEND TO-DO LIST

Check out these weekend events across the metro area.

ATX Fashion Week

Austin Psych Fest 2026

May 7-9, times vary
Austin

May 8-10, times vary
Austin

More info

More info

 

8th Annual Round Rock Donut Dash

Migratory Bird Day Festival

May 9, 6:45 a.m.
Round Rock

May 9, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
San Marcos

More info

More info

 
To submit your own event, click here.

Statewide News
‘It’s not sustainable’: Texas House lawmakers study causes of rising health care costs

As health care costs continue rising in Texas and across the nation, state lawmakers are working to understand the factors that make health care unaffordable and what can be done to rein in prices.

The big picture: About 5.2 million Texans, or 16.7% of the state’s population, did not have health insurance in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

For years, advocates have called on Texas lawmakers to pass laws to drive down health care costs and improve access to health insurance. During a two-day hearing April 30 and May 1, a Texas House committee examined why health care costs are rising. Lawmakers will discuss potential policy solutions later this year, committee chair Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, said.

What's happening: Yale University professor Zack Cooper said that since 2000, U.S. health care spending has grown three times faster than inflation. The average health insurance premium for a family of four is $27,000 per year, he said.

“Every family is basically buying a new Toyota Corolla worth of health insurance," Cooper told lawmakers.

 
CI Texas
Q&A: John Cornyn and Ken Paxton face off in May Republican runoff for US Senate

On May 26, Texas Republican voters will choose their nominee for the U.S. Senate in a runoff election between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The big picture: The Republican race for U.S. Senate is one of several statewide contests that advanced to May runoffs after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election.

Cornyn and Paxton were the two highest-performing candidates in the eight-way primary race, with Cornyn securing 42% of the vote to Paxton's 41%.

At the polls: Early voting in Texas' runoff elections runs from May 18-22, and runoff election day is May 26.

Looking ahead: The winner of the May 26 overtime round will face the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate—state Rep. James Talarico of Austin—in the November midterm election. Third-party and independent candidates may also appear on the November ballot, and the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.

 

Your local team

Amanda Cutshall
Editor

Leslie Bradshaw
General Manager

Email [email protected] for story ideas, tips or questions.

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