ATX-PFH: Impact 11/6/2025

Lucky Claw Mania is now open in Stone Hill Town Center in Pflugerville.

The overview: The business specializes in claw machines, which are filled with a variety of plush toys, such as Labubus, Pokémon and other prizes.

Customers can purchase tokens to pay the claw machines, and prizes won from the machines can be exchanged for points to go toward a different prize.

Travis County Commissioners approved $500,000 on Nov. 5 to support families facing sharply rising food needs as SNAP benefits lapse during the ongoing federal government shutdown. More than 87,000 people in about 45,000 households are expected to be affected, with benefits totaling over $16 million monthly. County staff warned that even if the government reopens, delays will prevent immediate benefit distribution, and federal contingency funding would only cover about half of monthly allotments.

Local action taken: The funding will go to Central Texas Food Bank, which partners with more than 107 local agencies and now distributes roughly $2 million in food weekly. The nonprofit has expanded distributions for families and federal workers, using reserves to meet demand. CEO Sari Vatske said participation has roughly doubled and shows no signs of slowing.

Looking ahead: Residents in need can locate nearby mobile pantries or partner agencies using the food bank’s interactive map at www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/find-food or by calling 211. Those who want to help can make monetary donations or volunteer their time.

The Ascension Seton Health Alliance, a network of doctors and hospitals in the Austin metro area, will invest $800 million in its Williamson County facilities through a nonprofit bond.

The breakdown: ASHA has plans to improve some of its existing facilities throughout the state, amounting to more than $1 billion, Jerry Kyle, a partner at public finance firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, said at a Commissioners Court meeting Oct. 28.

Upgrades to Williamson County facilities include:

• $480 million for the Ascension Seton Cedar Park Hospital
• $25 million for the Ascension Seton Wound Care Center in Cedar Park
• $20 million for the Ascension Seton Emergency Center in Leander
• $275 million for the Seton Williamson Hospital in Round Rock

Round Rock Area Serving Center is expected to relocate its current thrift store to a new building in January.

The gist: The new store, Treasures Charity Resale Shop & Boutique, will be a 16,000-square-foot store on East Main Street in Round Rock. The store will sell clothes, furniture and home goods.

Relocating current retail operations to the new location will allow the food pantry at the existing building to double in size.