The indoor playground with a Christian focus at Strong Sprouts opened Sept. 23, said David Fiori, who owns the business with his wife Stephanie.

What's new: Strong Sprouts, which is located in The Crossover near the Cedar Park-Leander line, is a place to "play, pray, gather and grow," Fiori said.

The playground, called "Big Ark Park," is centered on a large wooden play structure based on the Biblical story of Noah's Ark.

"Graceful Gatherings," Strong Sprouts' dedicated private event space for birthday parties, Bible studies and more, is also now open.

What's next: Another pillar of Strong Sprouts will be "Heartland Grove," a youth gym where kids can follow a guided curriculum to learn about not only exercise, but also public speaking, sign language, Biblical knowledge and nutrition habits, Fiori said.

Heartland Grove will host free preview classes beginning Saturday, Oct. 3 for children ages 5 and up.

Confectionery chain Kilwins is set to open a new location in Cedar Park, according to paperwork filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The details: Renovations to prepare the space will cost an estimated $350,000 and are set to be completed in May 2027, according to the filing.

Kilwins is known for its chocolates, fudge, ice cream and other sweet treats. The Michigan-based confectionery chain has nearly 200 locations across the country, including stores in Austin and Georgetown, according to the company's website.

• 901 Arrow Point Drive, Bldg. A, Ste. 102, Cedar Park

A Round Rock hospital is the first in the greater Austin area to offer a new, minimally invasive treatment for artery blockages.

The overview: St. David's Round Rock Medical Center announced Sept. 1 that it began offering the percutaneous transmural arterial bypass procedure, which creates an alternate pathway for blood to flow around a blocked artery, according to a news release.

The PTAB procedure was first performed by vascular surgeons Drs. Nicolas Zea and Kofi Quaye at St. David's Round Rock.

The treatment is generally recommended for patients with peripheral artery disease, a condition that limits blood flow to the legs, the release states.

What they're saying: “This milestone reflects our commitment to bringing advanced, innovative vascular care to the communities we serve,” JW Newman, chief executive officer of St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, said in the release. “By offering the latest medical innovations to our patients, we are expanding access to advanced treatment options and improving quality of care for those who previously had limited options.”

Several months after CapMetro officials announced a potential phased approach to increasing fares for the first time since 2015, the board unanimously voted on an increase effective Jan. 10, 2027 with another increase planned for January 2029.

How we got here: In a July news release, CapMetro officials said the fare increases would create a "more fiscally sustainable source of revenue" for the agency.

What's changing: Fares for a single ride are set to increase by the following:

• Local service and Pickup service: $1.25 (current), $1.50 (January 2027), $2.00 (January 2029)

• Commuter (Express and Rail) service: $3.50 (current), $4.00 (January 2027), $5.00 (January 2029)

• CapMetro Access service: $1.75 (current), $2.25 (January 2027), $3.25 (January 2029)

Reduced Local service fares will increase from $0.60 to $0.75 in January 2027 and $1 in January 2029. Reduced Commuter service fares will increase from $1.75 to $2 in January 2027 and $2.50 in January 2029.

Heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding will threaten large parts of Texas this week, Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters Sept. 28.

The overview: The governor pointed to severe flooding that occurred in South-Central Texas in mid-July, damaging property, sweeping cars off roadways and killing two people. This week's storms will impact "a far more vast portion of the state" than the July flooding, he warned.

The details: Abbott said heavy rains will "really dramatically affect" the majority of the state on Sept. 30, and the National Weather Service noted that "North-Central Texas is a particular concern."

"We don't have the information needed right now to advise Texans on exactly what's going to happen in our rivers," Abbott told reporters. "I can tell you this, however: Everyone should expect the rivers to rise."