SATX-BNE: Impact 10/24/2025

A new golf simulator is coming soon to the Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch area, a spot that Co-owners Brendan Bean and Chad Taylor said is unique in the industry.

What you need to know: Inside 9 Golf & Social Club is slated to open sometime “before Christmas,” Bean told Community Impact.

It’s situated at 27650 I-10 W., Ste. 207, in the Napa Oaks Plaza near Fair Oaks Ranch.

The details: Not only will Inside 9 feature three public golf simulator bays for 24/7 member access, but there will also be a private, rentable fourth bay for small events, Bean said.

Aside from golfing, the hangout spot will have a coworking space with standup desks, a lounge, liquor lockers and more.

“There really wasn't one that meshed work, play, social all in one,” Bean said.

The simulators themselves are also unique—called GOLFZON, Bean said the South Korea-based systems use moving plates that mimic real golf course slopes, angles and more.

• 27650 I-10 W., Ste. 207, Boerne

The Boerne Main Plaza was taken over by dogs of every breed, shape and size for the 5th annual Barktoberfest.

The details: Hosted by the Hill Country Animal League, the free event took place Oct. 18. Owners and their furry friends had the opportunity to participate in a silent auction, costume contest and doggy dashes.

Rebecca S. Forrest, Hill Country Animal League executive director, said the organization created Barktoberfest to bring an animal-focused event to Boerne and give adoption agencies the opportunity to interact with the community.

“The turnout from the community was astronomical,” Forrest said.

Vendors were set up along the lawn selling dog treats, animal accessories and other community services. Forrest said the Silent Auction was very successful this year, with businesses across the community donating gift cards. All the funding from the auction goes toward funding spay and neuter services at the Hill Country Animal League.

Travis County officials approved a $124,953 feasibility study Oct. 21 to explore a potential commuter rail line between Austin and San Antonio.

The big picture: Championed by Travis County Judge Andy Brown, the study will examine passenger rail options along state-managed land near highways, potentially connecting the Amtrak station in San Antonio to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Brown said the goal is to use existing corridors like SH 130 and I-10 to avoid major land acquisition and speed up development.

Why it matters: Brown said a rail line could remove up to 25% of I-35 traffic between the two cities as the corridor’s population—projected to reach 8 million by 2050—continues to grow. The study will run 175 days and include engineering, ridership and cost analyses.

Zooming out: The project complements a separate TxDOT study reviewing 11 alternatives along I-35, including commuter rail and multimodal lanes. Rail ranked as the top community preference in 2024 public feedback sessions.

Two constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot would impact the operation and oversight of Texas’ judicial system if approved by voters.

The details: State Proposition 3 seeks to require judges to deny bail for certain felony offenses, keeping more defendants in jail as they await trial. Proponents of the measure, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, said in June that it would improve public safety by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

Proposition 12 would rework the 13-member State Commission on Judicial Conduct, allowing the governor to appoint a majority of the commissioners and requiring most sanctions for judges accused of misconduct to be issued publicly. The bipartisan proposition faced pushback from some House Democrats who expressed concerns that allowing the governor to appoint a majority of commissioners would politicize the nonpartisan judicial conduct commission and give Abbott more power to remove from office judges whom he does not agree with.

Zooming out: The measures are among 17 state propositions being considered by Texas voters in the Nov. 4 election.