Architecture firm Barker Rinker Seacat will develop a master plan for a potential future expansion and renovation of the Cedar Park Recreation Center after City Council approved a contract June 25.

The details: The master planning process will “evaluate the existing facility, identify amenities that will best serve both current and future users, and incorporate stakeholder engagement,” city documents state.

The architecture team will look into the feasibility of adding amenities identified as priorities in the 2024 Parks Master Plan, such as an indoor pool, fitness facilities, playground areas and tennis and pickleball courts.

City staff selected Barker Rinker Seacat from a list of eight architecture firms that submitted proposals, city documents state. If city staff determine, based on the master plan, that the city should move forward with a renovation and expansion project, then staff will bring a design contract to City Council for approval.

A completion date for the recreation center expansion master plan has yet to be set.

M Gelly Luxe Boards is eyeing an expansion to a brick-and-mortar location in the Leander and Liberty Hill area after nearly a year of operations. The concept offers charcuterie catering for customers in the North Austin and suburban areas.

The background: Marginelly Montanez, founder and operator of the company, began making charcuterie boards after searching for options to bring to a friend’s gathering and realizing there were few to choose from. Instead, she opted to bring her own.

“It started like a small board that people enjoyed a lot,” Montanez said. “After that, I started to create more and more boards to bring to different events, family events.”

What else? Additionally, the business offers a charcuterie cart for indoor and outdoor events as well as a monthly charcuterie box subscription.

Blind and low vision travelers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport now have access to Aira Explorer, a free app that provides on-demand visual interpreting assistance throughout the travel process at AUS. 

How it works: The app connects travelers with a professionally trained visual interpreter and utilizes the traveler's smartphone camera and microphone to provide real-time assistance for a variety of travel-related tasks. Interpreters can: 

• Describe surroundings
• Read signs and information displays
• Help with navigation throughout the airport, including curbside drop-off locations, airline check-in counters, security checkpoints, and gates
• Locate amenities such as dining options, shops, bathrooms and pet relief areas

Last year, the Austin-area job market grew faster than any other major metro in the country—adding 27,200 jobs in 2025, which represents 2% year-over-year growth, according to an April 2026 report from Opportunity Austin.

Diving in deeper: The health care industry is among the fastest-growing, and is expected to grow 2.4% annually, adding about 6,780 workers per year, said Ashley King, director of health care partnerships at Workforce Solutions Capital Area.

As of November, the education and health services sector had added 4,100 jobs, or 2.5% growth, from the prior year, according to Opportunity Austin’s January 2026 economic indicators. Meanwhile, the information sector, which includes most of Austin’s tech workforce, declined 2.4%, or about 1,200 jobs, during the same time frame, according to the report.

What's happening: Nursing programs across the country turned away 93,176 qualified applications in 2025—a record high—primarily due to insufficient clinical placement sites, faculty shortages and limited classroom space.

Despite the hurdles, health sciences was the fastest-growing area of study at Austin Community College in fall 2025.

Check out Austin area stories trending June 29-July 2.

1. Plans filed for proposed gas station, retail center near Hutto-Georgetown-Round Rock border

2. Developer of The Domain partners with legacy family on 1,200-acres

3. Dirty soda drink shop to open in San Marcos

4. Lagoon-anchored Leander Springs development advances to Leander City Council

5. Hopdoddy Burger Bar acquired by New York-based restaurant group

6. Closer to care: Bastrop explores path to full-service hospital