Construction on a new Hopdoddy Burger Bar is slated to begin in early January as part of the Gateway 29 development . Work is set to last until late June, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

The burger restaurant has seven locations in the Austin area. This will be its first spot in either Leander or Georgetown.

What they offer: Hopdoddy Burger Bar offers specialty burgers, fries, milkshakes, salads, fried chicken and alcoholic beverages, according to its website.

Burgers include the Cadillac Wagyu, which includes a wagyu beef patty, Swiss cheese, bacon, fried onions, steak sauce, truffle aioli, roasted tomato and arugula.

• 19389 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 100, Leander

Williamson County’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors program will soon provide practical support to individuals and families affected by a suicide. The volunteer-run program aims to intervene in the immediate aftermath of the loss.

About the program: The LOSS program will send two trained volunteers, including at least one suicide loss survivor, to the scene of a suicide, helping connect families or individuals with community resources.

County officials are finalizing program details such as logistics, volunteer training requirements and procedures in order to integrate the program into local response protocols, a county news release states.

Get involved: Those interested in volunteering can email Senior Death Inquest Investigator Rubean Leal at [email protected]. Loss survivors and other community members are encouraged to inquire, the release states.

City and airport leaders on Dec. 10 marked the completion of a new outbound baggage handling system at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, a key milestone in the multibillion-dollar expansion now underway, airport officials said. The upgraded system can process roughly 4,000 bags a day and roughly 37 million passengers a year, helping the airport keep pace with Central Texas’ rapid growth.

Some context: ABIA continues to break traffic records. October saw more than 2 million passengers, an increase of nearly 9% from last year, while the Monday after the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix set a new single-day record with more than 45,000 departing travelers screened by TSA.

Officials said the project supports hundreds of local jobs and is part of a broader effort to expand long-term capacity. The airport’s $4 billion program will add a new concourse by 2030, but staff anticipate further upgrades soon after. Current planning for Concourse B targets capacity for 32 million passengers annually as projections show Austin reaching 30 million yearly travelers sooner than previously expected.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unveiled a plan Dec. 9 to further raise property tax exemptions for Texas homeowners and lower the age at which Texans qualify for additional tax relief during the 2027 state legislative session.

The details: Deemed “Operation Double Nickel,” Patrick’s three-part plan asks state lawmakers to:

• Raise the property tax exemption on a Texas homeowner’s main residence, known as a homestead exemption, by $40,000
• Allow homeowners who are at least 55 years old to qualify for a larger exemption reserved for seniors and people with disabilities
• Pass legislation to drive down property taxes charged by local governments