The Hays County Commissioners Court was scheduled to meet on Monday, Aug. 17, to discuss county healthcare and the possibility of adding a November ballot item allowing residents to vote on establishing a health district.

The discussion and consideration could not take place as three members of the court were not in attendance. Without a quorum for the meeting, the topic could not be evaluated.

The overview: Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra called the special commissioners court meeting. His proposed health district, if added to the ballot and approved by voters, would have provided a “minimum basic level healthcare” for all county residents, according to a social media post.

According to another social media post made by Becerra, establishing a health district in Hays County would strengthen healthcare in the community in a multitude of ways.

What happened: On Aug. 17, Becerra and Precinct 3 Commissioner Morgan Hammer were the only two in attendance at the special meeting. The court must have at least three commissioners in attendance to establish a quorum.

Kyle's business landscape is evolving, with new additions and options coming soon to the community. From a new 40,000-square-foot gym in the works to a new take on an old Austin favorite, learn more about the latest business updates in Kyle.

Now open

A Little Shady
The new spot, inspired by the iconic Shady Grove restaurant, which closed in 2020, has opened in Kyle, offering both old and new favorites.

• 5172 S. FM 1626, Kyle
  

Coming soon

EōS Fitness
The new 40,000-square-foot gym will open a location featuring strength-training and cardio equipment available to members 24/7, along with workout recovery amenities and more.

• 301 Bebee Road, Kyle
  

Closings

PAWS Shelter of Central Texas
The no-kill animal rescue that has been saving pets in the Hays County region since 1986. In a July 17 social media post, the organization announced its intention to wind down operations and close its Kyle location, focusing its attention and resources on the Dripping Springs campus.

• 500 FM 150 East, 520 Ranch to Market Road 150, Kyle

A Logistics Park in Georgetown, a hotel in Austin and a Scooter’s Coffee in Cedar Park are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Northland Project ($60 million): This project involves the interior finish-out of an existing shell building.

2. Green Point Building 3 ($42 million): This project is part of the 231-acre GTX Logistics Park in Georgetown, and involves the construction of a 753,481 square foot concrete tiltwall warehouse shell.

3. East Austin 7th Street Hotel ($34 million): This project includes the construction of a new, 5-story commercial hotel.

4. Scooter's Coffee ($400,000): A new Scooter’s Coffee location is coming to Cedar Park, with construction set to wrap up in the spring.

5. Starbucks ($400,000): A new Starbucks location is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to wrap up in April.

Many Texas students began returning to the classroom for the 2026-27 school year in mid-August.

Here are five things Texans should know as the 2026-27 school year kicks off.

The details:

• 2026 school accountability ratings issued
• New rule impacts accountability-related school closures
• 100K students using new Texas Education Freedom Accounts
• Public school closures deepen across Texas
• Check out recent public education laws

As parents prepare to send students back to school, the Texas Department of Agriculture is focusing on how to feed them with locally grown food.

Dig deeper: The department, led by Commissioner Sid Miller, established the Farm Fresh Network in 2010 to bring ingredients from local producers to school cafeterias across the state. The network is a digital database of Texas farmers, ranchers, distributors and producers who are interested in selling to schools, child and adult care facilities and summer feeding programs.

Zooming in: From the Panhandle to the Texas coast, farms and wholesalers are selling beef, nuts, beans, berries and more. In the Austin area, local companies like Round Rock Honey Company partner with schools and other facilities statewide, the network’s interactive map.

Who it’s for: Austin ISD is one of the school systems that utilizes the Farm Fresh Network as a resource, Lindsey Bradley, marketing manager at Austin ISD Food Service, said.