A new indoor gym and playground for children is headed to The Crossover later this year, according to co-owner David Fiori. Strong Sprouts will bring together four key principles: play, pray, gather and grow, the company's website states. 

The context: Strong Sprouts is a family-owned and operated business led by husband-and-wife duo David and Stephanie Fiori, as well as their children Rosie, Mabel and Thoren. 

What they offer: The gym and indoor playground will feature an event space for birthday parties, rooms for homeschooling, age-based gym classes, organized and free play. For the playground, children ages 6 months can use the space and kids ages 4 years and older can utilize the gym area. 

Quote of note: “It’s going to be a lot of balance, stability, coordination, helping with their strength, concentration, control, agility, dexterity, teamwork [and] kindness,” Davis Fiori said. 

• 1717 Scottsdale Drive, Leander

Liberty Hill City Council unanimously approved plans Jan. 28 to sell $25.9 million in bonds to fund construction of an Advanced Water Purification Facility—a wastewater treatment system—pilot.

In a nutshell: The bonds will be sold to a bidder selected by the city and repaid over time using revenue from the city's wastewater system. The city is scheduled to receive the funds from the bond sale in February, according to city documents.
Construction of the pilot facility is currently scheduled to be completed by October. The next step is to test different water purification methods, which will take about eight months. A full-scale wastewater treatment facility is anticipated to be operational by early 2031.

The why: Liberty Hill’s water needs are projected to increase by 12% per year for the next 10 years and then by 16% per year through 2050, according to Community Impact's previous reporting. The development of a full-size purification facility is expected to provide 4 million gallons of clean drinking water per day once completed.

Construction is officially underway on a $132 million road project expected to improve west-to-east mobility from Leander to Georgetown. Williamson County officials broke ground on the first phase of the reconstruction and widening of Hero Way and RM 2243 on Jan. 29.

The overview: The proposed project will transform Hero Way and RM 2243, a state road, into a divided, controlled-access highway from 183A Toll to Southwest Bypass. The existing rural two-lane roadway will be expanded into two main lanes running in each direction alongside two three-lane frontage roads.

For Phase 1A, the county will build the first frontage road from 183A Toll in Leander to Garey Park in Georgetown with one lane in each direction and a center turn lane. The ​​3.5-mile roadway will also include shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians.

The first phase of the project is anticipated to be complete by early 2028, according to county information.

The impact: The expansion of the roadway is expected to improve safety, increase traffic and regional mobility for residents, officials said.

Check out some of the top trending news stories from the Austin area Jan. 26-29. 

1. PopStroke eyes spring opening for new Cedar Park venture

2. Layne's Chicken Fingers now open in Leander

3. Juan & Lupe's Kitchen closes in Georgetown

4. Tejas Meat Supply to expand to Round Rock

5. New lakeshore landscape unfolding south of downtown Austin

6. Tumble 22 opens new Pflugerville location  

Voters in the March 3 Republican primary will see nine candidates on the ballot for U.S. House District 31.

The details: Texas' 31st Congressional District covers part of Williamson County, including Round Rock, Georgetown, Liberty Hill, Leander and Cedar Park. Created in 2003, the district has been represented by Republican John Carter since its inception.

The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November.

Digging deeper: Community Impact reached out to all candidates who filed to run in the U.S. House District 31 race. Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents.

Voters in the March 3 Democratic primary will see two candidates in the race for U.S. House District 31.

The overview: Texas’ 31st Congressional District encompasses parts of Williamson County, including Round Rock, Georgetown, Liberty Hill, Leander and Cedar Park. Created in 2003, the district has been represented by Republican John Carter since its inception.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican primary in November.

Digging deeper: Community Impact reached out to all candidates who filed to run in the U.S. House District 31 race. Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents.