Hays County residents may soon see new and updated county facilities.

In a nutshell: Hays County Commissioners Court approved the publication of an intent to issue Certificates of Obligation not to exceed $100 million. The COs will fund county offices, administrative buildings and animal shelter facilities.

Breaking it down: County officials estimate that a tax rate of $0.0102 per $100 valuation will be levied to pay the debt service of the COs.

Projects funded by the CO include:

• Eastside campus
  • Will serve as a county administrative building
• Animal shelter facilities
• Hays County Government Center remodel
• Precinct 4 office building
• Precinct 5 office building

The Hays County Food Bank is raising funds to purchase a backup generator for its new facility. If the facility loses power, the food bank will lose three months of back-stocked food, according to Executive Director Lisa Young.

What’s happening? While the organization planned to purchase the generator with its own funds, the high price of the equipment and unexpected expenditures associated with the government shutdown put a strain on its budget.

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved $50,000 to help fund the generator at a Nov. 18 meeting.

How we got here: Since the federal government shutdown, which lasted 43 days, and the temporary pause on SNAP benefits, the HCFB has been distributing food at over twice the rate it was during COVID.

Young said the HCFB was able to absorb the extra cost of providing food during this time. However, this unexpected cost, combined with an estimate for the generator that was over three times what they had budgeted, left the food bank in need of some financial assistance.

Here are the top Community Impact stories in the Austin area from Nov. 17-20.

1. Officials break ground on 60,000-square-foot entertainment complex in Georgetown

2. New Chipotle planned for Georgetown

3. J. Alexander’s to open first Cedar Park location next year

4. Texans again receiving full SNAP benefits, state health department says

5. Russo’s Italian Kitchen closes in Pflugerville months after reopening

6. Bastrop ranchers launch glamping stay with ATV tours, fishing and more

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is moving forward with a set of permanent rules designed to prohibit the sale of consumable THC products to anyone under 21 years old.

The overview: The proposal is similar to emergency rules adopted Sept. 23, which are currently in effect and prohibit Texas alcohol retailers from selling intoxicating THC products to minors. The state health department adopted similar emergency rules in October.

The context: The existing and proposed THC rules are the result of a September executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, who called for age restrictions on THC sales and tighter guardrails on the multibillion-dollar industry.

Earlier this month, federal lawmakers approved a ban on most consumable THC products, which is set to take effect in November 2026. The ban is part of a federal funding package that became law Nov. 12, ending a 43-day federal government shutdown.

Next steps: Texans can weigh in on the TABC's proposed permanent rules during a Dec. 11 virtual public hearing or submit written public comments through Jan. 4.