The first of a two-phase renovation at River Place Country Club is now complete, Arcis Golf announced June 29.

The overview: The Austin club’s renovations include a new two-story fitness center, dining and social spaces, and a new retail setting.

“Our vision is to create clubs that become an extension of our members’ lives,” Blake Walker, founder and CEO of Arcis Golf, said in a news release. “Today’s private club experience is about much more than exceptional golf. It’s about creating places where families gather, wellness becomes part of everyday life, friendships grow and memories are made naturally.”

The two-story wellness hub includes dedicated strength and cardio areas, a Pilates studio, yoga studio and a recovery suite. The recovery suite features NormaTec compression boots, red light therapy and a zero-gravity massage chair. Another amenity space offers members a Finnish sauna and Frost Locker cold therapy space.

A new pet grooming business is now open in Lakeway.

The gist: Lakeway Village Square Grooming opened last month, offering a variety of services.

The business provides a full grooming service that includes haircuts, a bath with premium shampoo and conditioner, blow drying, brushing, nail clipping, ear cleaning and more. Customers can also choose a mini-groom service or luxury bath.

The business offers both appointments and walk-in services.

• Opened in mid-May

A Crunch Fitness, a Bootbarn and a Dick’s Sporting Goods are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. The Westlyn ($70 million): This project involves the construction of a mixed use/adaptive re-use project.

2. TxDOT Georgetown AEM Facility Renovation & Expansion ($19 million): This project includes construction of a new 11,200 square foot area engineer office building at the existing 10.2-acre Texas Department of Transportation property.

3. Boot Barn ($16.5 million): A Boot Barn is coming to Kyle.

4. Dick's Sporting Goods ($16.5 million): Dick’s Sporting Goods is bringing a new location to Kyle Park.

5. Crunch Fitness ($4.9 million): A new Crunch Fitness location is coming to Manor, with construction set to begin in the fall.

Texas' Republican-led State Board of Education approved a sweeping rewrite of the state's social studies curriculum standards and a list of dozens of books that students will be required to read each school year, both of which are infused with biblical references. The new requirements will begin rolling out to public school classrooms in the 2030-31 school year.

The details: As many as 25 texts will be read each year in early elementary school grades, with about 10 books required in later grades. The reading list was created under a 2023 state law requiring “at least one literary work” per grade.

The new social studies curriculum standards will expand lessons about Texas and American history, deemphasizing some teachings about world cultures and people of color. The standards also expand the amount of content students will be expected to learn each year.

The debate: Proponents of the new standards and reading list said they will teach students to love their state and country, while critics said the policies do not include diverse perspectives.