The filing period for the May 2 general election ended at 5 p.m. Feb. 13, locking in the slate of candidates that will appear on Bastrop residents’ ballots.

The ballot: Ishmael Harris and Joseph Stanfield filed for mayor, while Kevin Plunkett filed for Place 3 council member, according to the Bastrop city secretary.

Both Harris and Plunkett are incumbents, with Harris being elected in 2025.

“This community is home and it is close to my heart,” Harris said in a statement posted to social media. “This past year has been a journey I’m truly grateful for, one that has taught me so much about what works, where we can improve and what our community truly needs.”

Stanfield, a first-time challenger, said he is running for mayor with three key principles in mind, including:

• Be fiscally disciplined
• Strategically plan future infrastructure improvements
• Preserve the community’s character

Crust Pizza Co. will soon dish up Chicago-style flavor at Sendero—a 75-acre mixed-use development by Preal River Companies actively building along Hwy. 71 in Bastrop.

The details: As reported by Community Impact last November, spokesperson Melanie Chin said Crust Pizza Co. will open as part of Sendero’s first retail phase. Its interior and outdoor dining options will total approximately 2,850 square feet. 

Construction, scheduled to conclude May 18, is estimated to cost $565,000, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Its interior and outdoor dining options will total approximately 2,850 square feet, according to Pearl River Companies.

What they offer: Crust Pizza Co., founded in 2011 in The Woodlands, now has dozens of locations throughout Texas and Louisiana, serving Chicago-style thin-crust pizzas alongside a wide variety of appetizers, pastas and desserts.

• Opening this summer
• Sendero, 853 Hwy. 71 W., Ste. 158, Bastrop

Check out the top 6 most-read stories from Feb. 9-12 in the Austin area. 

1. Unofficial voting results show Na’Cole Thompson wins race for Leander mayor

2. Round Rock officials weigh neighborhood compatibility for Skybox data center

3. True Texas BBQ brings brisket and more to Bastrop H-E-B

4. Twice the Ice changes ownership in Georgetown

5. Portion of Gilleland Creek Trail in Pflugerville to close

6. From tacos to trims: Check out 9 Liberty Hill business updates

Well owners and residents from South Austin to San Marcos could soon see the region’s worst drought declaration in almost 40 years as the area approaches 44 consecutive months in a drought, increasing costs and labor for well owners.

Current situation: The Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District warns that without significant rainfall, it may soon issue a Stage 4 Emergency Response Period declaration for the first time in its 39-year history, the most extreme drought stage the district can issue.

The local impact: About 50% of Texans rely on groundwater, Hlavaty said. Residents operating domestic wells in the district may be required to lower their pumps, a costly and time-consuming endeavor.

Residents receiving water from municipalities in the district’s coverage area will see increased water restrictions.

Affected municipalities will set restrictions to meet district requirements as they see fit, such as increased costs or fines for overconsumption.

Next steps: Hlavaty urged pump owners and residents to conserve water by avoiding outside watering, take shorter showers and run full loads of dishes and laundry.