A new Black Rock Coffee Bar location is now open on Hero Way in Leander, according to a social media post from the company.

What's on the menu: Black Rock Coffee Bar serves a wide variety of coffee, tea, energy drinks, smoothies and other drinks. It also serves pastries and other breakfast foods all day.

One more thing: The Hero Way location is the company's 11th in Central Texas, according to its website.

Williamson County commissioners approved an almost $500,000 contract with engineering firm Freese and Nichols on Oct. 20 to create a countywide water infrastructure plan.

"It's a long time coming," Judge Steve Snell said at the meeting.

What happened: The water study will look at current and future sources of water in the county, as well as treatment and distribution options, to provide project suggestions that water providers can consider implementing, according to a county news release.

In order to reduce the tax burden for county residents, the study can also help secure state and federal funding for water projects, officials said. The contract with Freese and Nichols costs $498,700 and is anticipated to be completed in a year.

The history: County officials first established the a regional water coalition—an advisory committee with representatives from cities and water providers—in November 2025. The coalition has been meeting since then for the purpose of hiring a consultant to begin the study, according to county documents.

Texas environmental regulators have continued processing certain data center permits in the month since Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a permitting pause, according to a new report from FracTracker, an oil and gas watchdog group.

The details: Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality last month to "halt all permits sought by data centers" while the Electric Reliability Council of Texas audits proposed projects.

Yet as of Oct. 16, the TCEQ had moved at least 35 data center-related applications forward, per an analysis of TCEQ records.

Zooming in: The agency has issued public notices for three data center projects since Abbott ordered the pause Sept. 21. It also approved stormwater coverage, certified air emissions limits or assigned engineers to other projects.

"No permits have been approved," Andrew Mahaleris, the governor's press secretary, said Oct. 20. "In line with the governor’s directive, TCEQ has not taken and will not take any proactive actions related to the approval of data center permits."

"These actions do not signal an agency trying to pause," FracTracker said in the report.