Rally House now selling licensed sports gear in Round Rock Premium Outlets
Rally House, a purveyor of licensed sports gear featuring teams from several major professional sports leagues, opened a retail storefront in the Round Rock Premium Outlets in September.
About the business: Rally House carries items featuring teams from several national professional sports leagues, including:
DB Liquor now open in Round Rock Crossing retail center
A third Austin-area location of DB Liquor opened in Round Rock in August.
About the business: The liquor store is located adjacent to the Desi Bros. Farmers Market in the Round Rock Crossing retail center near the intersection of SH 45 and I-35. Per the store's site, it carries a variety of beer, wine, spirits and offers tasting events.
Cellphone ban, library materials: 8 new Texas laws impacting public schools
When Texas students returned to school in August, some substantial changes awaited them.
The overview:
House Bill 2 increases state funding for public schools by $8.4 billion.
House Bill 1481 prohibits students from using cellphones and other personal communication devices throughout the school day.
Senate Bill 12 requires parental consent for students to receive "medical, psychiatric and psychological treatment" on campus.
Senate Bill 13 gives parents and school boards more oversight of library materials.
House Bill 6 gives teachers more discretion to remove repeatedly disruptive or violent students from class.
Senate Bill 10 requires most schools to display donated posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Senate Bill 11 allows districts to set aside time for students and staff to pray or read religious texts at school.
Senate Bill 965 codifies school employees' rights to "engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty."
The context: The sweeping changes come after lawmakers passed what state leaders have called “transformative” education laws during this year’s regular legislative session, which ended June 2.
Q&A: CollegePros consultant Kate Trent offers Central Texas students college application expertise
CollegePros co-owners Kate Trent and Kim Heffernan assist dozens of Central Texas high school students in determining their next steps after graduation each school year.
The overview: Trent and Heffernan, who were formerly educators in the Austin area, started CollegePros in 2023 to provide a range of supportive services for students in selecting a career path, successfully finding and applying to colleges as well as receiving financial aid.
Why it matters: The Central Texas-based business helps alleviate pressure for families who may not have the time or resources to navigate the increasingly complicated college application process, Trent said.
Learn more: Community Impact spoke with Trent about what students need to know as they prepare for graduation and beyond.
