Veterans Affairs data shows that Williamson County is home to nearly 40,000 veterans. Despite a growing population, the only Austin-area VA health care clinics are located in Cedar Park and southeast Austin, limiting nearby care options for area veterans.

To help close this gap, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System is building a $44.5 million VA outpatient clinic in Round Rock. The 63,808-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2027 and provide primary and preventative care, mental health support, and other specialty services.

Current situation: The VA operates a larger hospital and clinic in Temple, which many local veterans utilize because the southeast Austin and Cedar Park clinics are smaller, community-based outpatient clinics, Palladino said.

“Veterans have to travel a long way,” he said. “Especially if they’re disabled veterans, you’re putting a burden on them. So, proximity is really important.”

According to CTVHCS, more than 28,000 veterans within a 30-minute drive of the new Round Rock site were enrolled in the VA health care system as of 2019.

Round Rock residents interested in serving on a city board or commission have an upcoming opportunity to share their interest with the city. 

What you need to know: Each year, Round Rock City Council appoints members to serve on city boards and commissions in August. These are usually community volunteers who will bring diverse viewpoints in decision-making and advisory capacities across different areas of city administration. 

What's next? Applications are due by 5 p.m. July 1, according to the city. 

Texans are on track to use more electricity this summer than ever before, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced during a board meeting this week.

The details: ERCOT, which operates the power grid for the majority of Texas, is forecasting high temperatures and moderate rainfall this summer. Coupled with the proliferation of data centers and other large projects, demand on the grid could surpass 92 gigawatts, officials estimated June 2.

This would break ERCOT’s current demand record of 85.5 gigawatts, which was set during an August 2023 heat wave.

What it means: However, ERCOT officials said a grid emergency or blackout is unlikely this summer. State officials have said this is due to:

• The addition of nearly 11 gigawatts of power capacity to the grid in the last few months
• A state law authorizing ERCOT to require large facilities to reduce their energy use in tight times