Owner Melissa Perez launched Cedar Park’s newest women’s boutique at Lakeline Mall in late April. The boutique offers a selection of clothing, accessories, jewelry and shoes in-store and online. 

What they offer: Bronceada stocks a range of dresses, matching sets, necklaces, lounge pants and more. The store’s online catalog showcases inventory and new arrivals. 

The celebration: Perez opened the boutique on April 25 with a grand opening event featuring gift bags for the first 30 people, according to the store’s Instagram.

• 11200 Lakeline Mall Drive, Cedar Park

Round Rock ISD administrators shared an update on financial planning for the upcoming budget year in May, highlighting a potential small surplus of a couple hundred thousand dollars. 

However, if trustees choose to implement a compensation plan that includes a pay raise for employees not included under last year's school funding bill, they may have to ask voters for a 5-cent increase to the district's tax rate. 

What you need to know: Chief Financial Officer Dennis Covington presented a budget projection for the 2026-27 financial year in a May 19 board meeting showing a planned $485.9 million in expenses against $486.2 million in revenue, resulting in a surplus of $291,000. 

What else? Alongside the budget update, Human Resources Chief Eddie Curran presented a compensation plan showing that the district cannot provide raises to teachers not included under House Bill 2 in the 2026-27 financial year without significant additional funds.

Peter Sandford, owner of Smarter Homes, brings decades of experience in Austin to the home technology industry. The West Lake Hills business was established in 2006, offering expertise on home automation systems to locals. 

In a nutshell: Sandford specializes in designing systems for lighting, motorized shades, security and more, with a focus on reliability, longevity and easy-usage, he said.

Zooming in: One of his areas of interest is smart irrigation systems, which use connected controllers, sensors and live data to automate watering schedules. The system takes into account environmental factors, including weather, soil moisture and temperature to adjust watering needs. 

“When integrated into a smart home, irrigation becomes dynamic, improving efficiency and reducing water waste,” Sandford said.

Sandford connected with Community Impact to talk about the home automation process and further details for implementing smart irrigation systems. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

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

Upcoming projects
MoPac South expansion
Project: The project features a number of express lanes along the 8.7-mile stretch from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane in Austin, alongside shared-use paths and pedestrian crossings, according to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.
Update: Public comment on the proposed project closed May 3. West Lake Hills and Rollingwood officials issued a conditional letter of support for the project in April.

• Timeline: TBD
• Cost: $825 million
• Funding source: TBD

• Timeline: 2025-27
• Cost: $7 million
• Funding source: city of Leander certificates of obligation bonds