The Texas Department of State Health Services launched a Texas Spay and Neuter Program, and Bastrop County will be among the first counties for consideration.

About the program: The 89th Texas Legislature appropriated $13 million for the two-year pilot program as part of Senate Bill 1, the state’s $338 billion budget for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.

“The focus of the Texas Spay and Neuter pilot program is to protect human health by reducing the population of cats and dogs that may carry infectious diseases,” according to open enrollment documents for the Texas Spay and Neuter Program. “Eligible activity includes the sterilization of cats and dogs.”

The outlook: May 13 is the last day to apply for the pilot program, according to DSHS documents.

If approved, Moore told commissioners Bastrop County officials plan to submit monthly for the reimbursement.

Approximately 17.6% of Bastrop County’s registered voters cast a vote for party nominees in races that will determine local leadership, as the second week of early voting for the March 3 primary election ended Feb. 27.

The details: Voter Registration Clerk Analicia Vasquez told Community Impact that as of March 2, there were 11,011 voters, including 5,415 Democrats and 5,596 Republicans.

These figures exceeded those during the early voting period for the March 1, 2022, primary election.

The 5,415 Democratic voters exceeded those in 2022 by 187%, while the 5,596 Republican voters exceeded those in 2022 by 100.4%, according to data obtained from the Texas Secretary of State.

Check out six ongoing or completed transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Ongoing projects
Kohlers Crossing road extension
Project: The project will develop a new section of Kohlers Crossing running from I-35 frontage road to Seton Parkway, with a future I-35 underpass connecting to this section. 
Update: Construction on the east-to-west connection began in late 2025. The underpass is in the design phase and is expected to enter the construction phase in late 2027.

• Timeline: 2025-29
• Cost: $66.1 million
• Funding source: 2022 bond

• Timeline: 2022-26
• Cost: $612 million
• Funding source: federal funding, sale of toll revenue bonds

Primary election day in Texas is March 3. With dozens of state, regional and local races on the ballot, voters in the Republican and Democratic primaries will determine their parties’ nominees for the November midterm election.

At the polls: Polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. March 3, according to the secretary of state.

On election day, voters in the following counties in Community Impact’s coverage areas can vote at any polling location within their county of residence: Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Collin, Comal, Fort Bend, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Tarrant and Travis. Registered voters in other counties are required to visit a polling place specific to their voting precinct.

Voters are required to bring photo identification to the polls.

On the ballot: Voters will choose their political parties’ nominees for the U.S. Senate, seven state offices, 10 state judicial seats, 38 congressional seats, nearly all state legislative seats and over half of the State Board of Education. Candidates who win their primaries will advance to the November ballot.