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Chihuly glass artwork headed for permanent display in Round Rock

A custom blown-glass sculpture by internationally recognized artist Dale Chihuly will be permanently installed at Round Rock’s Arts Center in the Griffith Building following City Council approval.

The action taken: City Council approved a $360,000 contract with Chihuly Studio to design and assemble a site-specific artwork. The sculpture will be designed as a glass chandelier measuring approximately nine feet tall and six feet wide.

 
Coming Soon
Bricks & Minifigs to open Round Rock store in February

A franchise of the Lego reseller Bricks & Minifigs will open in the Mays Crossing retail center.

About the owner: Locally owned by Eric VanDyke, the shop will sell new and used Lego sets, bulk Lego bricks and third-party accessories.

  • 1201 I-35, Ste. 320, Round Rock

 
On The Transportation Beat
What to know as 9.4M Texans expected to travel this holiday season

Community Impact compiled important holiday travel-related information, including what to know about traffic and airport activity, gas price data, and driver safety tips ahead of the year-end travel season, which runs Dec. 20-Jan. 1.

The overview: Texans should give themselves extra time to reach their destinations the weekend before Christmas, with many travelers expected to hit the road Dec. 21-22. Congestion is also expected as some Texans return home Dec. 26, according to INRIX, a transportation data company.

Minimal traffic is expected Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1, although AAA warned in a Dec. 10 news release that unexpected delays could arise from severe weather or crashes.

For the first time, more than 8 million people nationwide are expected to take domestic flights during the year-end holidays.

More information: Texas drivers will likely pay less for gas this holiday season than in recent years, AAA fuel data shows. On average, one gallon of unleaded gas costs about $2.51 in Texas as of Dec. 18, down from $2.65 one year prior.

 
CI Texas
State moves forward with grants to help counties install sirens after deadly floods

Central Texas counties could begin receiving up to $1.25 million each in state funding for flood warning sirens in the coming weeks and months, officials announced Dec. 16.

The overview: The funding comes less than six months after historic flooding hit parts of Central and West Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 137 residents and visitors. During special legislative sessions this summer, state lawmakers approved requirements that 30 counties included in a July disaster declaration install flood warning systems with the help of $50 million in state grants.

Zooming in: Each county is expected to receive up to $1.25 million from the Texas Water Development Board. Counties seeking more money will need their requests approved by the three-member board.

Counties are required to submit detailed project plans to the TWDB and can use the grants to install physical infrastructure such as sirens, rain gauges, flood gauges and solar panels to power the warning systems. The money can also be used for local flood education, outreach and training programs, TWDB staff said. 

 

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