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Cedar Park seats new City Council members

Three new Cedar Park City Council members were sworn in May 14. Shweta Padmanabha, Michael Endres and Darron Jurajda took the oath office and were seated on the City Council dais. Jim Penniman-Morin also took the oath of office for his third term as mayor.

Diving in deeper: The four elected officials were winners in the May 2 election. They will serve two-year terms.

"Please continue to communicate with us. Please continue to talk with the council members you know, and the ones you don't know. ... Thank you for making this a wonderful city," Mayor-elect Jim Penniman-Morin said. 

One more thing: Penniman-Morin appointed council member Kevin Harris to serve as mayor pro tem.

 
coming soon
All-inclusive art experience Venvino Art Studios coming to Leander

Painting, pottery and craft space Venvino Art Studios is headed to Leander. Franchise owner Lindsey Gibson said she is aiming for an early September opening. The studio will be located in the Shops at Leander retail center near the Leander-Cedar Park line.

What they offer: Venvino Art Studios offers a variety of arts and crafts, including:

  • Paint your own pottery

  • Clay hand-building

  • Acrylic painting on canvas

  • Wood signs

  • Glass painting

  • String art

  • Seasonal projects and more

The studio will also offer a variety of events, including summer camps for kids, paint-and-sip events for adults, and art classes for people with intellectual disabilities. The business will also include a cafe that offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.

What they're saying: Janice Kiser, owner of the original Oregon location, said the business aims to make art accessible to everyone by breaking down barriers that can make creativity feel intimidating or exclusive.

"People are really hungry for experiences that they don't have to drive into downtown Austin for," local owner Lindsey Gibson said.

 
Worth Watching
Housing diversity, outdoor amenities drive millennial growth in Round Rock

Whether it’s from around Williamson County, the Austin area, out-of-state or from abroad, more millennials are deciding to put down roots in Round Rock, a recent study shows.

Two-minute impact: An estimated 32% of the city’s roughly 135,600 residents in Round Rock are ages 25-44, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. However, the city of Round Rock, which bases population figures on housing units, occupancy and household size, estimates the city has reached over 142,500 residents as of April.

Financial technology company SmartAsset recently ranked Round Rock 17th out of 254 cities in the U.S. in a study based on relative popularity among millennials—a byproduct, officials say, of work the city and developers have done to make Round Rock more attractive.

Residents, business leaders and city officials point to several factors driving the recent wave of newcomers, including the city’s proximity to Austin, school system, job opportunities, park amenities and affordability.

 
Metro News Monday
Restaurant news, Baylor Scott & White expands in Cedar Park: Check out most-read stories in Austin area

Check out some of the top trending stories from the Austin area May 11-14. 

1. Jewel of Texas opens in Pflugerville

2. Construction underway on site of future Georgetown Texas Roadhouse

3. Frank & Margie's to open in Odd's Bar + Bistro space

4. Espadas de Brazil to bring Brazilian steakhouse to Bastrop's former Stem & Stone

5. Baylor Scott & White to expand Cedar Park clinic, bring more specialists

6. Austin moving to consolidate technology employees, services after weeks of pushback

 
CI Texas
Q&A: Catch up with the Republicans running for Texas railroad commissioner in the May 26 runoff

On May 26, Republican voters will choose their nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission in a runoff election between former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French and incumbent Jim Wright.

The overview: The Republican railroad commission race is one of several statewide contests that advanced to May runoffs after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election.

Wright and French were the two highest-performing candidates in the five-way primary race, with Wright receiving 32.1% of the vote and French collecting 31.7%.

The winner of the May 26 overtime round will face state Rep. John Rosenthal, D-Houston, in the November midterm election. Third-party candidates may also appear on the November ballot.

Did you know? The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government. The agency has three commissioners elected to staggered six-year terms.

At the polls: Texans can vote early from May 18-22, with runoff election day May 26.

 

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General Manager

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