Area bird lovers will flock to Bastrop May 1-2 when the city celebrates its Bird City designation with free activities.

In a nutshell: Bird Lovers Weekend will feature group birdwatching, educational programs, live demonstrations and themed activities, including a bird hat contest, Beer and Bird Songs, and a tour of Bastrop Bird City Junction.

Created by the Bastrop Cultural Arts Commission, Bird City Junction features multiple large sculptures along Chestnut Street, near downtown Bastrop, highlighting some of the birds that fly through the area.

Why it matters: A Texas-certified Bird City, Bastrop is home to 366 bird species, according to Discover Bastrop officials. The city also sits along a migratory route used by millions of birds during their biannual migration.

The designation honors communities that support bird habitat, conservation and education.

Also of note: A separate bird-themed event called Nest Fest will fill downtown Bastrop with bird lovers again May 8 from 5-8 p.m.

• May 1-2, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• Various locations in Bastrop

A specialty automotive shop is delivering services for European luxury and performance vehicles to Bastrop.

Meet the owner: Building on more than 25 years of experience, Christopher Flynn offers diagnostic, maintenance and repair services at Highline Auto Repair & Maintenance for high-end brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and McLaren.

Zooming in: In addition to his experience working in dealerships, Flynn said he pulls from his background with AMG racing teams, which gives him hands-on knowledge of service benchmarks.

“I have always had a love for anything with four wheels,” he said. “After working with Mercedes-Benz race teams on and off the track, I found my passion in sports cars and performance vehicles.”

One more thing: Prior to opening Highline, Flynn said Bastrop vehicle owners would have to drive more than an hour to find similar services, noting that his shop also offers a peaceful, wooded Lost Pines setting.

“I even have customers [from] Austin that now come to Bastrop," he said. "There is no greater compliment."

• Opened Feb. 2

• 402 Pine Tree Loop, Bastrop

From road construction in Georgetown to a skatepark in Kyle, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Ronald Regan Boulevard Widening ($29.7 million): This project includes the construction of new lanes and intersection improvements on Ronald Reagan Boulevard, including drainage structures, bridges, retaining walls, lighting, signals and more.

2. Expo Center Park and Ride ($17.3 million): This project involves construction of a new park-and-ride. It will include bus bays and electric vehicle charging stations.

3. Round Rock ISD Hartfield PAC Renovation ($6 million): Construction will begin next year on a total roof replacement, mechanical equipment replacement, public address system upgrade, and interior other work, including replacement of flooring and wall finishes in the lobby and green room.

4. Gregg-Clarke Skatepark ($3.1 million): The Kyle skatepark will include approximately 34,000 square feet of concrete skatepark and pump track.

5. Creekview Vet Clinic ($2 million): Construction will begin in June on a vet clinic in New Braunfels.

In the early hours of July 4, 2025, an intense rainstorm pummeled communities in the Texas Hill Country, submerging low-water crossings as segments of the Guadalupe River rose more than 30 feet in 90 minutes. Twenty-seven young campers and counselors died at Camp Mystic, a private Christian girls summer camp located along the river in Hunt.

Those deaths could have been prevented if camp leadership took action sooner or had a written evacuation plan in place, investigators told a panel of state lawmakers tasked with studying the flood response during an April 27 hearing.

Quote of note: “Questions about what should happen next are many, but for me, one thing is clear: This tragedy could have been prevented,” Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, said.

Zooming in: Camp Mystic staff had more than two hours to evacuate 386 campers from their cabins, investigator Casey Garrett said.

In violation of state law, the camp did not have a written evacuation plan and counselors were not trained on what to do in an emergency, she said.