New Braunfels City Council approved a $1.37 million construction contract with Rucoba & Maya Construction for Phase 1 of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or AAMPO, Citywide Pedestrian Improvement Project on Aug. 24.

About the project: The project will improve pedestrian connectivity by completing sidewalk gaps and addressing Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, compliance at:

• Alves Lane and Brooke Avenue

• Hinman Island Drive

• County Line Road & FM 725

• Oak Run Parkway

The project will also improve pedestrian connectivity in the Christus Santa Rosa Area, according to agenda documents.

The cost: The first phase of the AAMPO Citywide Pedestrian Improvement Project is being funded through an Advanced Funding Agreement—between the Texas Department of Transportation and the city—with a 20% funding match from the New Braunfels Economic Development Corp., NBEDC.

AAMPO will pay $1,101,325 and the NBEDC will pay $275,331 as the 20% funding match. The NBEDC will also pay $137,665 for the construction contingency and $168,724 for construction administration services, according to agenda documents.

​​​​​​Lucky Buck's Formal + Wedding has added a year-round German market to its storefront, Owner Amy Buck told Community Impact.

What's changed: ​​​Lucky Buck's Formal + Wedding previously operated as a formal and wedding-attire consignment shop that offered a seasonal German market. After increased customer demand for German clothing, Buck and her daughter, Peyton Carley, decided to convert half of the space into a dedicated year-round German market.

What they offer: Lucky Buck's German Market, housed under the same roof as Lucky Buck's Formal + Wedding, carries dirndls, lederhosen, dirndl blouses, button-up shirts, German hats, hat pins, feathers and other accessories. The store carries sizes ranging from 3 months old through adult plus sizes.

• 242 S. Business I-35, New Braunfels

The Texas Department of Insurance must take action to promote competition and “prohibit excessive or unfairly discriminatory rate setting" in the state's homeowners insurance market, Gov. Greg Abbott said Aug. 24.

The background: Texans are paying the fourth-highest home insurance premiums in the nation, Community Impact previously reported. State data shows that the average Texas home insurance premium nearly doubled from $1,791 in 2016 to $3,506 in 2025.

The details: Abbott asked the TDI to prohibit insurers from using the age of a home and homeowners' personal data when setting rates; create a task force targeting insurance fraud; study the impact of inflated insurance claims; and require insurers to consider a homeowner's participation in a roof fortification program when writing policies.

Another perspective: "Under Greg Abbott, Texas has been one of the most expensive states in the country to own and maintain a home," Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic candidate for Texas governor, said in a statement. "If Abbott really wanted to lower costs, he would have done it in the last 12 years."

This November, Libertarian Ted Brown, Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico are running to be Texas' next U.S. senator.

The overview: Each state has two U.S. senators serving staggered terms, with Ted Cruz and John Cornyn currently representing Texas. Cornyn ran for reelection but lost his primary race, and the winner of the November election will replace him in January.

Paxton advanced to the general election after beating Cornyn in a primary runoff, while Talarico beat two other contenders in the Democratic primary, Community Impact reported. Brown was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

At the polls: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 for dozens of statewide and local races. Election Day is Nov. 3.