Cedar Park will get a mountain of new pizza options when a planned Mountain Mike’s Pizza opens.

The details: The California-based pizza franchise filed a permit with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for a new Cedar Park location. The $320,000 construction is slated to begin in February and complete in May. No official opening date has been announced.

What they offer: The pizza chain sells a variety of pies named for famous mountains, including the Pike’s Peak, the Everest and the McKinley, in addition to wings, salads, sandwiches and desserts.

• 100 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 130, Cedar Park

Ross Black, a retired Georgetown firefighter, launched First Responding Home Inspections to offer comprehensive home inspections, elevation measurements, sewer scope inspections and irrigation/sprinkler evaluations, according to a news release. Black worked at the Georgetown Fire Department for 12 years and has lived in Central Texas for most of his life.

Dig deeper: First Responding Home Inspections is based in Round Rock and serves cities in both Travis and Williamson counties, including Austin, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Cedar Park and more, according to the website. 

The first official inspection was completed Sept. 27, according to Cheryl Black, business operations manager. 

Learn more: Types of inspections include the Buyer’s Home Inspection, which is the most popular service, according to the website. The inspection includes checking foundation, roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation and interior spaces with a starting price of $395.

• Started operations in September

Central Texas residents can support their favorite local nonprofits on Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2.

How it works: Giving Tuesday is celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is focused on showing radical generosity. People are encouraged to engage with, volunteer or donate to a local cause they care about. 

Get involved: For the ninth consecutive year, I Live Here I Give Here will accept donations on Giving Tuesday for various nonprofits in the Central Texas area through its Amplify ATX website. The online platform allows Central Texans to explore giving opportunities, learn about their impact and donate to organizations where they live.

Funds may be directed to a specific nonprofit or donated to the Amplify Fund, which helps support all participating nonprofits in Austin and Central Texas, according to I Live Here I Give Here.

The background: Giving Tuesday was started by a New York-area nonprofit in 2012 and has since spread to over 150 countries, with 34 million people participating globally last year.

On the heels of what proponents have called “historic” property tax relief, some Texas lawmakers are questioning whether the state can afford to continue increasing the tax exemptions passed in 2023 and 2025.

The big picture: Texas homeowners pay property taxes to various local entities, although lawmakers can limit how much entities increase taxes each year and provide state funding to expand tax exemptions.

Texas is spending $51 billion on property tax relief in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 alone and may be required to spend more to maintain existing tax exemptions in future bienniums, lawmakers said.

What they're saying: "We're kind of maxed out at what we can do for property tax reform, from a budget perspective," said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, during a Nov. 20 event.

"$51 billion ongoing, it's a huge amount to continue to support. To think about doing anything more seems very fiscally irresponsible," Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, said.

The other side: Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, said creating limits on local government spending would be critical to keeping Texas affordable.