Little Lotus Preschool opened its doors in the Leander community in early October.

The details: The space celebrated its grand opening on Dec. 17. The preschool is a small nature-based program where students learn through play. The school accepts enrollment for ages 0-5.

The learning environment is split into three play rooms: infants (0-18 months), toddlers (18 months-3 years) and preschoolers (3-5 years).

• 1607 High Chaparral Drive, Leander

Mini-golf company PopStroke has announced plans to open a second Austin-area location in Cedar Park.

The details: The $5.8 million venture is anticipated to open in April, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Co-owned by golf legend Tiger Woods, PopStroke recently opened its first Austin location near The Domain in North Austin in September.

Community members can expect to find two 18-hole mini-golf courses, a full-service scratch kitchen restaurant and an ice cream parlor. The venue will include indoor and outdoor restaurant seating, three bars, an outdoor beer garden, yard games and a fully enclosed soft-surface playground.

Individuals can pay a daily rate for the space’s experiences or invest in a membership fee, which provides access to all games and sports amenities. The space can also be rented out for events or retreats.

• 817 C-Bar Ranch Trail, Cedar Park

Amid enrollment growth across a majority of its programs, Austin Community College is reporting significant growth across workforce and health care programs. 

What you need to know: The community college district shared an update on enrollment Jan. 20, the start of the spring 2026 semester. 

Data updated as of Jan. 16 shows enrollment is up 7% year over year. More students are also choosing to remain with ACC semester to semester, the report shows, with returning students up 9% compared to 2025, and 23% compared to 2024. 

Javi Andrade and Kelly Hall are on the ballot for the Democratic primary election for the state House of Representatives District 19. The winner of the Democratic primary will face off with the winner of the Republican primary to determine who will be the state representative of District 19.

Early voting starts Feb. 17, and election day is March 3. For more information on voting procedures, voters can visit their respective county websites.

An electric vehicle sales center and a new residential building are among the newest projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the TDLR in the Austin metro this week.

1. Gunter Street residential building: A five-story, multifamily building with a five-story parking garage is planned near the East Seventh Street H-E-B.

• Location: 1135 Gunter St., Austin
• Estimated timeline: May 1, 2026-Aug. 1, 2028
• Estimated cost: $80 million

• Location: Kelly Lane, from Moorlynch Avenue to Weiss Lane, Pflugerville
• Estimated timeline: Oct. 1, 2026-March 31, 2030
• Estimated cost: $40 million

Texas health officials are proposing sweeping new regulations on the state’s hemp industry, including raising the fees required to sell and manufacture consumable hemp products by roughly 10,000%.

The overview: In late December, the Texas Department of State Health Services published a slate of proposed rules regulating consumable hemp products. The proposals include:

• A prohibition on sales to customers under 21 years old
• Stricter testing and labeling requirements
• Guidelines for product recalls
• Tens of thousands of dollars in annual fees