ATX-LTW: Impact 10/15/2025

A new 18,500-square-foot library building near Hill Country Indoor may be coming soon to Bee Cave, pending voter approval in the Nov. 4 special election.

The overview: Officials with the city of Bee Cave answered questions from residents and shared more details on the library at a town hall event held Oct. 9. The new $19.98 million library would replace current facilities in City Hall, expanding book collection capacity by 25%-30%, City Manager Julie Oakley said at the meeting.

The details: Features of the proposed library include:

• A new multipurpose room
• Private work/study rooms
• Outdoor reading areas
• Children, teen and adult book collections

A new billboard promoting purchasing from local businesses in Lakeway will be posted along RM 620 starting in December, following a City Council decision Oct. 6.

The overview: The city of Lakeway began an initiative called Loyal to Lakeway Buy Local Campaign in late 2024. The campaign was designed to promote purchasing from local businesses in order to support small business owners while bringing in stronger sales tax revenues for the city.

The details: In order to raise awareness for this campaign, the city’s Economic Development Committee put forward new signage along RM 620–specifically, the committee sought to use a billboard located at 509 S. RM 620, near the Bella Montagna neighborhood, owned by Lamar Advertising Company.

There will be no cost to the city of Lakeway for the sign. The cost of the board would be paid fully by donations from 8 businesses who have requested a spot on the board, with each paying $3,817.50.

Texas Ramp Project, which builds free wheelchair ramps for those in need across the state, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, according to a Sept. 15 news release. Over its 40 years, the nonprofit has built ramps for over 30,000 recipients with the help of over 3,500 volunteers.

Some context: The organization began in 1985 as the Dallas Ramp Project before being incorporated as the Texas Ramp Project in 2006, according to the news release. Texas Ramp Project provides the ramps to recipients at no cost, according to the news release. Most ramps cost between $800-$900 to build.

What else: In 2024, Texas Ramp Project built 2,727 ramps in 145 counties, according to its Sept. 1 fact sheet. To get a ramp, recipients must be referred by a health care provider or qualified organization via the nonprofit’s website.

What started out as a two-day Christmas market with 50 vendors has bloomed into one of Austin’s must-do holiday experiences. Now featuring over 200 artists, Armadillo Christmas Bazaar is celebrating its fifth decade bringing artists, musicians and community members together, all in one space.

The atmosphere: From Dec. 13-21, the bazaar will fill the Palmer Events Center from floor to ceiling with a variety of art ranging from jewelry and ceramics to woodwork and paintings accompanied by live music, seasonal cocktails and food.

In previous years the event highlighted music legends such as Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen and Count Basie.

“It’s such a creative high,” executive producer Bruce Willenzik said. “We have artists say it's the well spring of creativity. I get around all these other creators and we bounce off of each other. The energy just grows and we come out of there so inspired.”

• Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin