SATX-NBF: Impact 8/29/2025

Lefko USA Inc.—a Canada-based manufacturing company—is expanding into a new facility in New Braunfels at 2625 Goodwin Lane.

The new 70,000-square-foot facility will serve customers in Mexico and the Southern United States area and manufacture custom blow-molded plastic parts, components and products, as previously reported by Community Impact.

New Braunfels City Council approved two resolutions recommending its economic development corporation, or NBEDC, authorize an incentive not to exceed $950,000 for Lefko USA, Inc. and nominating the company for Enterprise Zone Project designation under the state’s Texas Enterprise Zone Program on Aug. 25.

Some details: The Texas Enterprise Zone Program is a state-level economic development tool that provides a rebate of state use and sales tax for companies that meet certain investment and employment thresholds, said Jeff Jewell, director of economic and community development. The program is designed to encourage private-sector investment that directly supports community economic development priorities. Jewell said the program makes Texas communities more competitive in site selection.

As budget discussions are underway for fiscal year 2025-26, the city of New Braunfels Public Works Department is seeking input from residents on which city roads should receive funding and maintenance.

The approach: The City Council allocated $1.8 million to fund over 45 different roadway maintenance projects last year, ranging from preventative maintenance to complete roadway rehabilitation projects, according to a news release.

Quote of note: “Over the last five years, the City has taken on approximately $9 million in street maintenance projects along with nearly $200 million in roadway and drainage repairs approved by voters during bond elections in 2013, 2019 and 2023,” said Public Works Director Greg Malatek in the news release. “Each project is selected based on the necessity of the project along with input from New Braunfels residents.”

The Texas Department of Transportation opened a new flyover ramp at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange in Northwest San Antonio at 5 p.m. Aug. 28.

Zooming in: This latest development is part of the Loop 1604 North Expansion project, a $1.4 billion project that includes the expansion of main lanes from a four-lane to a 10-lane expressway.

Drivers will be able to access the flyover ramp on Loop 1604, just past Northwest Military Highway, and connect to I-10 before the De Zavala Road exit. The new ramp will provide drivers with an easier connection when traveling from westbound Loop 1604 to eastbound I-10, according to a news release from TxDOT.

The background: In the last eight months, three flyover ramps have opened, with more planned for the future. A fourth flyover is anticipated to open later this year, with all eight being completed by the end of 2025, according to the news release.

Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.

The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.

Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.

Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.