A new space for dog owners to socialize, work or relax is now open in Northwest Austin.

The gist: Brews and Paws, which opened on Lane Creek Parkway in July, is a 1.6-acre dog park that offers food, drinks and co-working cabanas with air conditioning.

The park has a full-service bar, kitchen and shade, as well as a splash pad, ice baths and water stations for dogs to cool off. Brews and Paws plans to host regular events, such as dog meet ups, happy hours and a monthly market with local vendors.

All dogs must be vaccinated and spayed or neutered. The business offers day passes as well as monthly or annual memberships.

• Opened July 25

Austin will pay more than $5 million for a multiyear independent audit of all city departments, advancing the recurring citywide assessment program created by City Council this year.

The details: The ongoing audit review will cover Austin's government, the programs and services it supports and its third-party contracting. It'll include comparisons to peer cities, regular public reporting, and recommendations for improvements to city officials and department leaders. The new efficiency audit will likely take several years, and repeat into the future.

While citywide assessments are now established in Austin's code, a local political group is campaigning for a similar but separate auditing requirement. Save Austin Now successfully added its "Independent Affordability and Efficiency Initiative" measure to the November ballot as an amendment to the city charter, which can only be changed in an election. Its version of a citywide audit has several differences from the council-approved version moving forward.

Austin ISD is closing one of its middle schools and splitting the students between two others just weeks before the new school year.

What happened: Austin ISD trustees voted 7-2 on July 30 to close Paredes Middle School and move its 635 students to Bailey and Mendez middle schools for the 2026-27 school year, acting on a modified turnaround plan weeks before classes start Aug. 18.

The district points to years of failing state academic ratings at Paredes, most recently its third consecutive F in 2025.

What's next: Families will be reassigned by home address—students east of Bluff Springs Road and north of Slaughter Lane go to Mendez, the rest to Bailey—with a district virtual option also available.

No Paredes staff will lose their jobs, according to the district, and key dates for families run Aug. 3 through the first day of school.

Check out six stories trending in the Austin area July 27-30. 

1. 8 new and coming soon businesses to west Georgetown

2. Urban Egg to open its first Austin location this fall

3. Hao Hao Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant planned for Pflugerville

4. Two Tim Hortons locations coming to Leander’s Hero Way, Ronald Reagan

5. A Little Shady announces opening date of Kyle location

6. Road work projects around CedarView development to be completed before Scheels opening