The Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area, Inc., or HSNBA, has almost always experienced some level of overcrowding. But recently, the overcrowding has escalated, and HSNBA is asking the community for help, HSNBA Executive Director Sarah Hammond said. 

The current situation: The city of New Braunfels and Comal County have both increased funding this year for HSNBA, to help reduce overcrowding at the shelter.

Although both municipalities have added support for the shelter, overcrowding remains an issue, HSNBA Executive Director Sarah Hammond said.

From 2024-25, the shelter had about a 6.5% increase in intakes. This year, based on the first nine months of 2026, intakes are expected to increase by about 13%.

Several factors are driving the increase, including limited access to low-cost neuter and spay services, expensive veterinary care, a growing county population, irresponsible pet purchasing and a steady rise in stray animals in the area, Hammond said.

Hammond said the shelter expects to take in more than 5,000 animals for the first time and needs a more permanent solution to sustain it.

Faythe in Needles, a locally owned piercing shop in New Braunfels, is expanding its business with a new independent tattoo studio, Owner Faythe Vincent told Community Impact in an email.

What you need to know: The tattoo artists who were originally housed at Faythe in Needles will have their own studio, Bespoke Body Arts, which will be located at 382 I-35 S., Ste. B.

Vincent said she anticipates opening the new location in mid-December.

Bespoke Body Arts will feature artists Alexandria Miller and Emma Brothers.

Brothers specializes in painterly realism, color, neotraditional, fine line and illustrative black-and-white tattoos, according to her social media. Miller specializes in black-and-gray neotraditional, ornamental and blackwork.

• 382 I-35 S., Ste. B, New Braunfels

Kyle officially opened its all-wheels skatepark on Nov. 7, designed for riders of all ages and abilities. The park accommodates all non-motorized modes of transport, including skateboards, bikes, scooters, roller skates and wheelchairs.

The overview: At over 34,000 square feet, the city’s all-wheel skatepark is the fifth largest in the state of Texas. The park is big enough to accommodate the community’s continued growth and visitors from the region, said Mayor pro tem Michael Tobias.

The park’s development was funded through a 2020 Kyle bond and a $500,000 contribution from Hays County, totaling $3.4 million in project costs.

Many park features are designed to help community members in wheelchairs move around the space more easily and do more tricks, said Yann Curtis, co-owner of design‑builder SPA Skateparks.

The details: The skatepark has a skate zone, pool bowl, mini bowl and two-lane pump track. The pump track features an outer lane tailored to bike riders and a smaller inner lane, but all riders can use both lanes

Texas' first female lieutenant governor, Austin state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, held her first news conference since the election on Nov. 10 in Austin.

What happened: Goodwin, a Democrat, also announced her political transition team, which is led by lobbyist Angela Hale and outgoing state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie.

The team, which includes four former state senators—two Democrats and two Republicans—will help prepare Goodwin to take over as lieutenant governor in January and work with state senators.

"My focus right now is sitting down with each senator, many of whom I worked with while in the House, to talk about their individual priorities and how we can work together so they can represent their districts," Goodwin told reporters Nov. 10.

More context: Goodwin will preside over the Republican-majority Texas Senate. How much power she will have over the chamber is largely up to senators, who will approve new Senate rules when the legislature convenes Jan. 12.