Mandola’s Italian Kitchen is celebrating 20 years of serving Texas on March 3.

The details: The locally owned restaurant from Damian and Trina Mandola first opened in North Austin's The Triangle in 2006. Since then, it has expanded to three additional Austin-area locations including in Southwest Austin, Bee Cave and Cedar Park. Additionally, Mandola's can be found in Florida.

The counter-service restaurant offers Italian dishes alongside market items like bread, pastries, gelato and cured meats and cheeses. To celebrate 20 years March 3, each Mandola's location will be offering 20% off meals and a gift card giveaway.

Also of note: The couple also owns Trattoria Lisina, a Tuscan-inspired Italian restaurant in Driftwood.

• 4700 W. Guadalupe St., Ste. 12, Austin; 4301 W. William Cannon Drive, E-1, Austin; 12100 W. Parmer Lane, Ste. 200, Cedar Park; 12815 Shops Parkway, Ste. 400, Bee Cave

A new Petbar location is headed to Leander, projected to open in summer 2026, according to franchisees Luisa and Orlando Solis.

What they offer: Petbar offers a range of grooming services, including self-service wash, professional dog grooming, as well as a dog bath and brush service. Specialty services include flea treatment, specialty shampoos, spa facials, nail buffs and sanitary trims.

The Austin-area locals set their sights on Leander because they noticed a lack of nearby pet grooming options.

“We want to welcome everyone and bring a safe and secure environment for their pets, and make a community here in Leander,” Luisa Solis said.

Looking ahead: In addition to the Leander location, the couple hopes to open another Petbar location in the Austin area, with the possibility of expanding to additional storefronts in the future.

• Near W. Hwy 29 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Leander

Check out the top six trending stories in the Austin area Feb. 23-27. 

1. Major highway overhaul underway between Leander and Georgetown

2. Updates on a dozen businesses serving west Georgetown

3. The League Kitchen & Tavern to close in Lakeway; Cousin Louie’s location announced

4. Costco to open new store in Liberty Hill this March

5. Lane closures over Mays Street bridge in effect

6. 9-mile stretch of US 183 expansion nears finish line

Austin officials authorized continuous third-party audits of citywide operations and services, a process partly prompted by the outcome of last year's Proposition Q tax rate election.

The details: The audit will analyze Austin's overall city government organization, public programs and services, third-party contracting practices, and financial comparisons to peer cities. Public progress reports will be made at least semiannually, and all project recommendations, results and other information will be posted online.

Going forward: The audit doesn't have a set price tag, and a contractor could be approved by early fall.

What else: The new assessment program's creation coincides with a similar effort led by the Save Austin Now political action committee, a top Proposition Q opponent last fall. The PAC is now running a petition campaign for a ballot measure to mandate third-party city auditing in Austin's charter, an issue that could be decided in this November's election.

Dozens of Texans shared their feedback Feb. 25 on the current phase of a lengthy revision of the state’s social studies curriculum standards. Parents, educators and students urged the State Board of Education to slow the revision process down and give those drafting the new curriculum more time to work.

The overview: The state is currently overhauling the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for social studies, which are the standards dictating what public school students should learn at each grade level. The board is expected to adopt the new standards this summer before they are rolled out to classrooms in 2030.

“We have one opportunity to get this right for an entire generation of students,” said Meghan Dougherty, an Austin-area social studies specialist involved in the revision process.

Zooming in: Several educators involved in drafting the new curriculum plan said current proposals included "too much content" with a heavy emphasis on Texas history, while some appointed content advisers and SBOE members argued schools should teach lessons focused on "American exceptionalism [and] Texan exceptionalism."