Husband and wife duo Tracey and Nick Janowitz collaborated with couple Sara Odom and Sergio Abbud to open Hippo Social Club in October 2023. The four of them launched the wellness center to carve out a spot for all locals to access healthy living practices.

“The vision of Hippo Social Club was really about creating wellness and making it more accessible and making it integrated in day-to-day [life],” Tracey Janowitz said. “Hippo Social Club is a campus and a hub that gives you the framework based around our pillars of fuel, movement, and connection.”

What they offer: Hippo Social Club focuses on branches of wellness that include nourishment through food and experiences, social connection, exercise and movement.

The community center offers sauna and cold plunge therapy, a remote workspace, wellness support for men and women, onsite events and nature trails. The space is something that needs to be experienced, Janowitz said, and engaging in the communal aspect of Hippo Social Club is what nourishes people at the campus.

Proposed changes to traffic and parking in Old Town are moving forward, as the city prepares to convert several downtown streets to one-way traffic in phases to expand parking and improve pedestrian safety.

Explained: City officials said the changes could increase parking in the Old Town area from about 141 existing spaces to more than 400 by reconfiguring streets and adjusting traffic flow between Hwy. 79 and Live Oak Street and along portions of FM 1660.

“I think we’re going from 141 to 401. That’s going to drastically impact downtown and create a lot of opportunity for business down there with parking,” said city engineer Matt Rector during a council work shop.

Austin-based private school Alpha School is expanding with the opening of several new Texas Sports Academy locations across the state.

How it works: The sports-centric academies will allow students to receive athletic training while completing their academic coursework through an artificial intelligence platform known as 2 Hour Learning.

The overview: The following Texas Sports Academy campuses opened in Community Impact's coverage area in mid-October:

AIE Elite Prep

• Address: 2001 N. Kenney Fort Blvd., Round Rock
• Specialty area: basketball
• Grades served: 6-8

• Address: 2626 W. Sam Houston Parkway N., Houston
• Specialty area: baseball
• Grades served: 6-12

• Opening: January
• 14242 Cross Canyon, San Antonio
• Specialty area: gymnastics
• Grades served: 5-8

• Opening date: fall 2026
• Address: Lago Vista (location coming soon)
• Specialty: competitive cheer
• Grades served: 5-8