JVM Bullion began taking appointments in Cedar Park on Oct. 1, said owner Vinay Pattni. At the new brick-and-mortar, Pattni buys and sells a range of gold and silver. 

The context: The business is supported by over 20 years of experience and Pattni’s heritage, as his family has been in the jewelry trade for generations in the U.K., according to its website.

What they offer: At JVM Bullion, Pattni purchases a range of precious metals from customers for cash, including scrap metal, old jewelry, collectable coins, bullion, watches and estate pieces. 

The appointment-only business also carries gold and silver products for purchase, including bullion bars, investment coins and rare precious metals. 

Dig deeper: Customers looking to sell are required to bring a government-issued ID. After testing and weighing the metals, the price is determined based on quality and the current market price. 

• 2301 S. Bagdad Road, Ste. 402, Cedar Park

The city and Austin Firefighters Association reached a tentative four-year labor agreement this month, weeks after approval of a previous version was temporarily put on hold due to concerns over a separate union-backed ballot measure.

What's happening: Two days of bargaining Dec. 4-5 resulted in a new deal between both sides that now heads to final approval by AFA's membership and City Council. Firefighters are expected to complete a membership vote Dec. 15-17, while the city didn't confirm a timeline for potential adoption as of press time.

The background: While an initial contract framework was reached back in September and scheduled for council approval this fall, it was never ratified due to city officials' concerns over potential budget impacts of a May ballot measure petition launched by the AFA after the deal was announced.

Williamson County voters in the March Republican primary will see three candidates for Williamson County Precinct 2 commissioner on the ballot: Rupal Chaudhari, Jeff Mayes and David McDonald.

Diving in deeper: No candidates will appear on the Democratic ballot for the Precinct 2 seat. This means the winner of the Republican contest in March will run unopposed in November.

What else?: Precinct 4 commissioner Russ Boles will run uncontested in the Republican primary for his seat, and Harmon Rhea will run uncontested in the Democratic primary for Precinct 4.

County Judge Steve Snell will run uncontested in the Republican primary. Snell was appointed in March after former County Judge Bill Gravel resigned to accept a position in President Donald Trump’s administration.

Heather Jefts is the only candidate for county judge in the Democratic primary. She served on Cedar Park City Council until October, when she resigned to run for Commissioners Court. Jefts is a small-business owner, according to her campaign website.

Early voting will run Feb. 17-27, and election day is March 3.

Texas voters will see 18 statewide races on the ballot in 2026.

The overview: Texas will hold Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 3 to determine who will appear on the statewide ballot in November. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, meaning registered voters can cast their ballots in either primary and do not need to register with a specific party.

What to know: The 18 statewide races on the 2026 primary ballots are:

• U.S. Senate
• Governor
• Lieutenant governor
• Attorney general
• Comptroller of public accounts
• General land commissioner
• Agriculture commissioner
• Railroad commissioner
• Texas Supreme Court, chief justice
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 2
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 7
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 8
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 3
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 4
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 9
• 15th Court of Appeals, chief justice
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 2
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 3