For nearly three decades, Taqueria Chapala served barbacoa and breakfast tacos on East Cesar Chavez Street. The family-run taqueria closed that location Sept. 27 after the landlords declined to renew its lease, and it plans to reopen Oct. 29 at 2448 S. First St., according to a sign at the original location.

A family business: Manuel Lopez and his brother opened the restaurant at 2101 E. Cesar Chavez St. on July 1, 1997, Lopez wrote on Facebook.

"We've worked here for practically our entire lives," Mauricio Lopez said in an Instagram video.

How it happened: On May 1, the landlords stopped by for their monthly collection of rent and deferred taxes from the previous year and handed Manuel Lopez a document about the outstanding tax balance. He wrote that he never read it.

He learned what it meant June 15, when the landlords told him in person they would no longer rent him the space. The building is now listed for lease.

Austin officials approved more than $4 million in contract extensions for public health, housing, legal aid and food access programs Sept. 24.

The details: The approvals came despite some reservations about spending and oversight after compliance issues were reported across Austin's social services portfolio; city memos outlining the contracts and detailed staff evaluations weren't distributed to officials until after they voted.

Most council members still voted to extend the more than a dozen contracts this fall to avoid service gaps in the months ahead. And both elected officials and city staff are planning for a more rigorous review and funding changes for social service contractors ahead of the next fiscal year 2027-28.

COTALAND, the new theme park located at the Circuit of the Americas, celebrated its grand opening weekend on Sept. 26-27.

Learn more: COTALAND is located track-side between turns 19 and 20 on the race circuit, and offers more than 30 experiences, according to the release. There are both kid-friendly rides and first-of-its-kind roller coasters. Attractions include:

• Circuit Breaker: Texas’ first tilt roller coaster

• Palindrome: The only steel roller coaster to operate over an active roadway

• Hot Lap: An add-on experience that features a ride along the F1 track

The park was designed as a year-round entertainment destination, offering family attractions, rides, motorsports experiences, live entertainment and food. Its opening furthers COTA's mission to expand beyond a professional racetrack into a full-scale entertainment campus, according to a news release.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Austin Transit Partnership approves lease for new downtown office: The ATP board approved a $13.5 million agreement to lease office space for 48 months at 203 Colorado St.—the agency's current office—as well as space next door at 201 Colorado St. Officials said this will help as the agency anticipates growing as Project Connect plans move forward.

Blakey Lane plan advances with Jessica Place connection: Bastrop is moving ahead with a Blakey Lane extension intended to connect the Sendero and Burleson Crossing shopping areas with businesses to the east. The plan has drawn opposition from Riverside Grove residents over opening a subdivision street called Jessica Place to through traffic.

State invests approximately $1.5B in Austin-area roadway improvements: Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Transportation recently announced a 10-year transportation plan that will invest almost $140 billion in roadway improvements across the state. The funding includes $95 billion for projects across the state and $43 billion for development and routine maintenance.