ATX-CPF: Impact 8/18/2025

Solis Mammography, the largest independent provider of breast exams in the United States, opened a new center in Cedar Park. 

What they offer 

The center offers mammograms and other health treatments for women, including bone density testing, breast biopsies, ultrasounds and heart screenings. The Cedar Park office is now the fifth location in the Austin metro.

• 5001 183A Frontage Road, Ste. G150, Cedar Park

Texas lawmakers convened for a second special legislative session starting Aug. 15, following a first special session that was cut short after dozens of House Democrats left the state to fight a Republican-led redraw of the state’s congressional districts.

The details: Gov. Greg Abbott called the second session Aug. 15 just after the state House and Senate both adjourned the first. Abbott forwarded a nearly identical agenda for lawmakers to consider, and criticized Democrats for abandoning their responsibility to pass "crucial legislation" this summer.

In an Aug. 14 statement, the Democrats had said they would return to the state and end their nearly two-week walkout once the Texas legislature adjourned and California lawmakers introduced a retaliatory redistricting proposal. The House Democratic Caucus had not announced an official return date as of press time.

Here are the top trending Community Impact stories in the Austin metro from Aug. 11-15.

• Billboard on Bee Caves Road receives resident complaints, city violation notice

• More than 100 homes for sale in master-planned community Parkside on the River near Georgetown

• Snarf's Sandwiches now serving sub sandwiches in far Northwest Austin

• Bastrop to get second McDonald’s location

• The Thirsty Longhorn will bring bar, stadium-style food to Georgetown

• Leander makes $347K adjustment to roadway rehabilitation project

The Texas Education Agency released public school accountability ratings for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years on Aug. 15, wrapping up a legal battle that began nearly two years prior. Texans can find the updated accountability ratings for K-12 districts and individual campuses at www.txschools.gov.

The big picture: Across the state, most school districts and campuses maintained or improved their A-F ratings between the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school years. Of 1,208 districts, 24% received a higher rating, while 64% kept the same rating and 12% received a lower rating, TEA data shows.

Thirty-one percent of Texas’ 9,084 public school campuses received a higher grade in 2025. Meanwhile, 55% received the same grade and 15% received a lower grade. The TEA said that 757 campuses improved from a B or lower in 2024 to an A in 2025.

What they're saying: “Year over year, our schools have gotten better across the state for our kids,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told reporters Aug. 14.