Dripping Springs residents can play games, visit food booths, shop local vendors and listen to live music this weekend at the 21st annual Christmas on Mercer.

Fun for the family: The city of Dripping Springs and the Dripping Springs Lions Club are hosting this year’s holiday celebration, which will take place in downtown Dripping Springs on Mercer Street.

Attractions will include:

• Pony rides
• Train rides
• A giant snow globe
• A Santa Claus meet and greet

Austin’s light rail project, known as Project Connect, has hit a major federal milestone that positions the multibillion-dollar initiative for on-time construction. The Federal Transit Administration awarded the project a “Medium-High” rating in its FY 2026-27 funding recommendations—the highest given in this year’s large-project review. ATP CEO Greg Canally said the rating is a “key step,” signaling strong viability as the project seeks $4.1 billion in federal funding, or roughly half its total cost.

A closer look: The federal ranking criteria include an assessment of the project’s plans for land use and economic development. ATP has partnered with the city to advance land use policies that support transit-oriented development. Recent local changes, including eliminating parking minimums and creating new TOD zoning overlays, are helping shape mixed-use, walkable districts along the future line.

Of note: ATP and the city are also overhauling the permitting process to reduce delays, aiming to cut review times from years to months. Utility agreements, risk planning and preconstruction work are underway as ATP targets a 2027 construction start and 2033 opening.

Green Pastures, a historic South Austin estate in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood, has expanded its offerings with the debut of The Inn at Green Pastures, a 63-room boutique hotel built to preserve the site’s iconic live oaks.

The details: The lodging is situated on a seven-acre wooded property, which was originally part of a 50-acre farm anchored by an 1895 Victorian home.

The Inn features nine suites named for the tree-lined surroundings; adjoining room options are also available. The property also boasts its long-established Mattie’s restaurant and the grounds’ well-known peacocks as well as its new cafe and bar,

Henry’s, which offers an all day menu—morning coffee, mid-day snacks and dinner, alongside a cocktail program that includes breakfast drinks, frozen spritzes and signature house cocktails.

Food highlights include hot smoked salmon on an everything bagel, a double-smash burger, grilled redfish and poolside small plates.

• 811 W. Live Oak Street, Austin

Nine new medical cannabis dispensaries could soon open in Texas, the Department of Public Safety announced Dec. 1.

The overview: The nine companies were preliminarily approved to join three existing dispensaries that provide medical-grade, low-THC products to eligible patients through the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The program's expansion comes after state lawmakers passed House Bill 46 this spring.

Lawmakers also allowed dispensaries to store products in multiple locations, which advocates said would cut costs, and added more qualifying conditions to the program.

Zooming in: The nine providers given conditional licenses Dec. 1 are:

• Verano Texas LLC in West Texas
• Trulieve TX Inc. in the Panhandle
• Texas Patient Access LLC in North Texas
• Lonestar Compassionate Care Group LLC in North Texas
• Lone Star Bioscience Inc. in South Central Texas
• PC TX OPCO LLC, dba PharmaCann, in Southeast Texas
• Texa OP, dba TexaRx, in the Rio Grande Valley
• Story of Texas LLC in Southeast Texas
• Dilatso LLC in North Texas