Christus Health has plans to expand on the northwest side of New Braunfels.

What we know: The healthcare system has acquired a parcel of land in Veramendi, according to a news release. The property acquisition is intended to support the healthcare needs of local residents through the construction of a future facility.

Plans for the site are in early stages; however, Christus Health officials say that the future facility will focus on meeting patients where they are through various services. A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation indicates that the project will be a 35,000-square-foot micro-hospital at 2332 Loop 337 consisting of:

• 3 triage/intake rooms

• 3 modality imaging suites

• 4 inpatient beds

• 4 operating rooms 

Headwaters at the Comal unveiled three outdoor archaeology exhibits highlighting more than 8,000 years of human history at the site on Sept. 30.

Check it out

The new exhibits help expand the nonprofit's educational resources that focus on conservation and cultural history. Visitors can learn about early inhabitants of Comal Springs and the surrounding area by:

• Examining replica stone tools uncovered at the site

• Reviewing information about how early inhabitants used earthen ovens to prepare food

• Reading a timeline that traces the generations of people who have gathered around the springs for thousands of years

Notable quote: Nancy Pappas, managing director of Headwaters at the Comal, said the exhibits bring thousands of years of history to life, allowing people to easily explore and understand that history.

“We want visitors to walk away knowing a little more about the people who came before us and recognizing that the springs and natural resources we care for today have been important to this community for generations," Pappas said in a news release.

Family-owned downtown Buda restaurant, Brooklyn’s Down South, will celebrate 10 years of business in October.

On the menu: Specializing in from-scratch cooking, the restaurant serves Southern comfort food. The menu includes snacks like boudin balls and fried green tomatoes, with main courses including Southern alfredo pasta and the Texas Ribeye.

The history: The building that houses Brooklyn’s Down South boasts a rich heritage of local businesses in Buda. Originally serving as a general store in 1913, the location was converted to a grocery store in 1940. In 2013, it became a restaurant before Brooklyn’s Down South formally launched in 2017.

The celebration: To celebrate a decade in business, Brooklyn’s Down South will host an anniversary block party on Oct. 17 from 5-9 p.m. The party includes a vendor market, live music, barbecue and restaurant specials.

• 100 N. Main St., Buda

Texas school districts using the state-developed Bluebonnet Learning curriculum saw slightly better year-over-year achievement last school year than other districts, according to Texas Education Agency data released Sept. 30.

What's happening: During the 2025-26 school year, 619 of Texas' roughly 1,200 public school districts opted in to implement at least one of the three Bluebonnet curriculum programs—elementary math, secondary math and elementary language arts.

On this spring's State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam, districts using the state-developed math materials saw student improvement that was 0.6 percentage points higher than students in other districts, while districts that implemented the reading materials performed 0.2 percentage points higher on the STAAR than other schools.

What they're saying: The TEA said the gains in student achievement an "encouraging sign of early progress."

Zeph Capo, president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, a statewide educator union, disagreed, calling the results "rather paltry."

"It may take a few more years to determine if this is a valid trend or simply an anomaly," Capo said in a statement.