A Walmart is expected to be built in Liberty Hill’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Design and engineering firm Kimley-Horn submitted an application for a site development permit for 20991 Ronald Reagan Blvd. Aug. 5, a copy of the application shows.
Liberty Hill Locksmith, which will serve lock related needs, expects to open Sept. 2 in Liberty Hill.
Locally owned by Heath and Danielle Gallon, the hybrid service will provide key reprogramming and duplication for regular keys and keyless entry keys, lock repair, unlocks, safe opening and combination resets and more. People can visit the store in person or call for help.
The family-run business can make a wide range of keys, including for airplanes, cars, motorcycles and farm equipment.
Local restaurants to fight food insecurity during Austin Restaurant Weeks
Dozens of Austin restaurants are teaming up from Aug. 29 to Sept. 14 to help combat food insecurity.
The details: Austin Restaurant Weeks is a two-week dining event that features specially-priced meals and cocktails at a variety of participating eateries. A portion of the proceeds from each meal will be donated to the Central Texas Food Bank.
Pricing options include a $25 lunch and brunch package, a $50 dinner package and a $75 dinner package. The resulting donations are $4, $7 and $10, respectively.
The new concept will be led by chefs Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury, of the Austin-based Berg & Sons Hospitality. The company opened its first restaurant, Bill’s Oyster, in 2023 and opened Teddy’s Restaurant & Bar in 2024.
The menu blends fine dining with casual fare, featuring Pat LaFrieda steaks—sourced from the renowned East Coast butcher—alongside burgers, cocktails and wines at a range of price points, according to a news release.
🌮 Horror-themed food truck Fright Bite opens in South Austin (Read more)
🆕 Injera & Beyond brings Ethiopian eatery to Cedar Park (Read more)
🦪 Austin Oyster Co. to open brick and mortar in East Austin (Read more)
😋 Big Daddy Jay's Creole Kitchen serves fresh gumbo in Buda (Read more)
Asian-barbecue fusion food truck Si Baby-Q relocated to Pink Flamingo Food Court in July. The menu features barbecue dishes with an Asian twist, such as brisket and ribs with an Indonesian pepper and spice rub.
Sides include smoked kimchi; queso noodles made with long peppers from India; street corn; roti, or an Indian bread; and a banana pudding dessert.
The food truck also sells smoked meats by the pound and features weekend specials such as smashburgers.
Amid Democratic criticism, Texas lawmakers vote to overhaul STAAR and launch new tests in 2027
Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.
The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.
Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.
Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.
