The city of New Braunfels officially has a new mayor.

Michael French was sworn in as the city's new mayor following the canvassing of the June runoff election during a June 22 meeting.

Approximately 9,899 votes were cast in the New Braunfels mayoral runoff election. French received 6,176 votes, or 62.39% of votes. Incumbent Neal Linnartz received 3,723 votes, or 37.6% votes, City Secretary Gayle Wilkinson said.

What they're saying: French said he was honored.

"I know that this is a big responsibility and I'm gonna do it the best that I can," French said.

Former New Braunfels Mayor Neal Linnartz said he believes in leaving something in a better place than where you found out.

"Over the last three years, our tax rate is down 14%, our sales tax collections are up 9%, our median income is up 11%, new construction permits are down almost 70% and crime is down 6%," Linnartz said. "So I'm glad to walk away leaving New Braunfels a little better than I found it."

A new 4,000-square-foot escape room experience called Escapology has plans to open its doors in the Solms Landing development in summer 2028.

Solms Landing is a multimillion-dollar mixed-use development on FM 306 between I-35 and FM 1101, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

The details: Escapology is a family-friendly escape room experience where patrons work together to solve puzzles, uncover clues and complete immersive adventures before time runs out.

The escape room is owned by Thomas and Whitney Hughes, who opened their first Escapology in San Antonio’s Park North Shopping Center. The duo decided to open a new location in New Braunfels because of the city’s fast growth and mix of local families, business and tourism.

“We saw an opportunity to bring a high-quality entertainment option that complements the city's unique character and growing demand for family-friendly activities,” the Hugheses said in a statement to Community Impact.

State lawmakers are considering water use impacts tied to the spread of new data center developments across Texas, and recently heard input from industry representatives and residents as they plan for next year's legislative session.

The initial review may preview proposed state laws regarding data centers and their local impacts. Ahead of the hearing, Gov. Greg Abbott also stated his "bottom line" expectations for data centers going forward: providing their own power, reusing water and reducing electricity costs for their neighbors.

Testimony from regulators revealed that Texas lacks accurate information about the water use of most data centers now operating statewide, despite mandates to submit those details. Representatives suggested data centers' self-reporting on utility use could be one topic to address next year. Many impacted residents and elected officials also raised concerns with public notice and local regulatory authority in relation to the high-profile developments.