Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton to headline 2026 Two Step Inn festival in Georgetown
Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton and the Goo Goo Dolls are among the top-billed artists for the 2026 Two Step Inn festival slated to take place in Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park from April 18-19.
The details: The Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation organization alongside festival promoter C3 Presents released the full event lineup Sept. 24.
What you need to know: This comes days after early-access tickets went on sale for Georgetown residents Sept. 22.
One-day and two-day ticket options are available. Non-Georgetown residents can sign up online for a one-hour presale at noon Sept. 26.
General admission pricing starts at $169 for one day and $299 for two days.
What else: Earlier this week, the festival announced a handful of changes coming for the 2026 festival, including:
Georgetown begins process to sell water territory outside city limits
Georgetown city staff will release a request for proposals, or RFP, Oct. 1 to begin the process of selling areas of its water territory outside of city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Explained: By selling the water territory outside of city limits and the ETJ, the city can reduce risk from outside development, decrease the burden on Georgetown taxpayers, and better account for growing water demand, Georgetown strategic project manager Caroline Stewart said at an Aug. 26 meeting.
The update: During the RFP process, interested parties are able to submit an initial bid to take on ownership of parts of the CCN. City officials said they will give priority to neighboring cities that have shown interest in territories within their jurisdictions.
Since the city introduced the plan to sell part of its CCN at an Aug. 26 City Council work session, five neighboring cities have expressed interest in purchasing some of the water territory.
What's next: City officials anticipate the CCN transfer to close by late 2027 to 2029.
Frank Roland Gonzales opened Custom Cuts Barber Shop in the Hill Country Salon Suites in Georgetown this summer. The shop offers haircuts and styling services, and is taking new clients.
The backstory: Gonzales previously worked at Dave's Barber Shop, and has been in the industry for almost 10 years.
Both his father and daughter have worked in barbershops and hair salons.
Quote of note: "It's a family of barbers and hair salons that I grew up in, so I've been around it my whole life," Gonzales said. "I just enjoy talking with the customers and getting to know everybody."
Texas Baptist Children’s Home celebrates 75 years of service in Round Rock
Texas Baptist Children’s Home offers four core programs to help support children, young adults, mothers and Williamson County residents.
TBCH is a Christian organization that provides all community members in need of assistance with counseling, housing support and more, regardless of religion.
The background: In 2025, the nonprofit is celebrating 75 years of service, which began in 1950 when Louis and Billie Sue Henna donated 112 acres of land and five buildings to establish TBCH in Round Rock.
“The vision they had back in the late 40s [was] to do something where children would just feel so safe and protected,” Debbie Rippstein, president of TBCH, said.
TBCH has since grown to four key programs and last year they served 58 moms, 93 children and 27 young adults. Throughout the years of growth, Rippstein said that TBCH keeps children at the heart of what they do.
Texas to overhaul STAAR, launch 3 new exams in 2027
The Texas Education Agency will begin transitioning to a new standardized testing system after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law Sept. 17 to replace the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness with three shorter exams.
The overview: Through the 2026-27 school year, Texas public school students in third through 12th grade will continue taking the STAAR each spring. Beginning in fall 2027, students will take three tests at the beginning, middle and end of the year under House Bill 8, the new law.
Students’ results will be released within 48 hours after each new test is administered. STAAR scores are currently released about six weeks after a test ends, according to the TEA.
The debate: Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said the new system will reduce test-related anxiety; give students and teachers feedback throughout the school year; and increase legislative oversight of Texas’ assessment and accountability systems. Critics of the plan said it would increase the amount of time students spend taking exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the TEA.
