ATX-NNW: Impact 9/16/2025

Owned by Greg Koury and Jennifer McNevin, Manuel’s has contributed to the city’s culture since the opening of its first location in downtown Austin in 1984. Today, the duo focuses all their efforts on the restaurant’s sole location in the Arboretum neighborhood which opened in 1998.

The backstory: Born into a family with generational entrepreneurs, Koury has always had the drive to be a business owner in his bones. Throughout the bloodline, Koury’s family opened a vast range of businesses including a candy shop, a delicatessen, a diner, a steakhouse and more.

Koury worked in the restaurant business throughout his time at University of Texas at Austin studying Latin American Studies but took a short break between graduation and starting medical school in Kansas City. However, he soon grew to miss the industry and decided to move back to Austin and put all his energy into opening what the community now knows as Manuel’s.

The local restaurant has options for vegetarians, meat-lovers and seafood lovers alike.

• 10201 Jollyville Road, Austin

Catch up on news about enrollment projections and bond project progress in Round Rock ISD. 

What you need to know: Find out how the district's enrollment is tied to the housing market, and what's going on with projects funded by the 2024 bond. 

CollegePros co-owners Kate Trent and Kim Heffernan assist dozens of Central Texas high school students in determining their next steps after graduation each school year.

The overview: Trent and Heffernan, who were formerly educators in the Austin area, started CollegePros in 2023 to provide a range of supportive services for students in selecting a career path, successfully finding and applying to colleges as well as receiving financial aid.

Why it matters: The Central Texas-based business helps alleviate pressure for families who may not have the time or resources to navigate the increasingly complicated college application process, Trent said.

Learn more: Community Impact spoke with Trent about what students need to know as they prepare for graduation and beyond.

Cities, counties and school district boards across Texas are required to provide more notice for public meetings under a new state law aimed at increasing public participation in government affairs.

The details: Local government agencies must post meeting notices at least three business days in advance of the meeting, meaning weekends and holidays do not count toward the minimum posting period.

House Bill 1522, which became law Sept. 1, increases the notice requirement from 72 hours.

The law change is part of “an effort to promote government transparency and citizen participation,” Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said during a May 13 legislative hearing.

The local impact: Some city and county governments across Community Impact’s coverage areas are changing their meeting schedules to comply with the new law, including:

• Bastrop City Council
• Conroe City Council
• Fort Bend County Commissioners Court
• Montgomery County Commissioners Court
• The Woodlands Township