Coffee shop Empowered Cafe, founded by Nicholas Carlin, is slated to open May 10 in Mueller, serving coffee and breakfast bites.

Learn more: Empowered Cafe employs adults with Down syndrome to foster independence and an inclusive space for all. The space is more than a coffee shop; it's a hub for community and opportunity, said Samantha Chacon with Empowered Cafe.

“We’re proud to employ individuals with Down syndrome and create a place where everyone feels welcome and valued,” Chacon said in a statement.

On the menu: Empowered Cafe will serve espresso-based drinks, including cold brew and lattes, as well as fresh pastries and breakfast tacos from local partners.

Also of note: The cafe is open daily from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. The team hopes guests visit the new coffee shop, enjoy the brews and take their time. 

• 1701 Simond Ave., Ste. 104, Austin

Austin officials asked to revise new development rules enacted under the Home Ownership for Middle-income Empowerment, or HOME, initiative, more than two years after the residential housing policy first went into effect.

HOME's two phases, approved in 2023 and 2024, generally permitted up to three units of housing on most of Austin's residential lots and reduced the amount of land needed to build a house. While construction under HOME is taking place citywide, several city officials said edits to the development code are now needed to improve its "clarity and predictability" after some projects faced challenges. City Council passed a resolution for technical HOME code updates 9-1.

The vote came soon after a new report from the Austin Board of Realtors found HOME units have been selling for significantly less than their traditional counterparts in the housing market—but still well above levels affordable to the median Austin household.

Check out some of the most read stories from the Austin area May 4-7. 

1. Road to relief: Drivers navigate construction along SH 71 as TxDOT continues $293M updates

2. Cedar Park unveils plan for major expansion of Lakeline Park

3. Thomas Ranch near Spicewood continues to progress on construction

4. Second HTeaO location opens in Georgetown

5. New playground, tennis, pickleball courts now open in Round Rock

6. Royal Blue Grocery moves closer to Mueller opening

Following pressure from summer camp operators, lawmakers and legislative leaders, Texas is suspending a requirement that all camps install “end-to-end” fiber-optic internet infrastructure before opening this summer.

The background: After catastrophic flooding in Central Texas killed more than 130 people—including 28 deaths at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp—last July, state lawmakers passed a pair of laws designed to strengthen safety and emergency preparedness requirements for all Texas summer camps. One provision of the laws requires that camps install two types of broadband internet, including a fiber-optic system.

Nineteen camp operators sued the state over the fiber-optic rule in April, citing million-dollar installation fees and limited access to fiber-optic services in rural parts of Texas.

What's happening: The Department of State Health Services, which licenses youth camps, said it reached an agreement with the camp operators May 7. Under the agreement, Texas camps that maintain “redundant” broadband internet services—such as cellular, microwave or satellite technology—will not have their license revoked or denied as long as they meet all other safety requirements.