ATX-NNW: Impact 10/10/2025

Indie Bol opened its food truck this summer in Northwest Austin.

The details: The Mexican-Indian fusion food truck serves Mexican dishes with an Indian twist such as the samosa bowl with spiced potatoes and peas, black beans, cheese, pico and chutney; or the naan tacos with lime cilantro rice, proteins such as chicken, paneer or lamb, and topped with spinach curry, tikka curry or chickpea masala and a creamy cilantro, tamarind or spicy garlic sauce.

Also on the menu are Indian rice cracker chips served with mango salsa or pineapple guacamole.

• 13752 Research Blvd., Austin

Learn more about the future of enrollment in Round Rock ISD, changes in membership of the board of trustees and an update on a bond-funded LED light upgrade at stadiums in the district.

The gist: RRISD is making bond-funded improvements to its facilities, including lighting at its stadiums. Trustees will consider contracts for such upgrades Oct. 9. 

What else?: Learn more about enrollment projections for the district and changes at the board level.

Travis County commissioners approved an additional $21 million in contracts Oct. 7 to expand child care under the newly rebranded Raising Travis County initiative, bringing total funding to $55 million less than a year after voters approved a countywide tax increase for affordable child care.

The big picture: The program aims to increase early childhood, after-school, and nontraditional-hours child care, while covering gaps in state subsidy programs, supporting thousands of local children. The funding is distributed through Workforce Solutions Capital Area, which will manage child care scholarships for families and gap funding for providers. These partnerships are intended to expand capacity quickly and reduce long wait times.

Of note: The initiative represents one of the fastest child care expansions in the nation, according to county staff. Funding is expected to roll out this fall for providers and early next year for families, increasing access to affordable child care across Travis County.

The funding will supports around 4,099 children in various programs across the county.

International childcare franchise The Learning Experience is set to open a new Austin-area location in Tech Ridge.

The details: Owned by Dheeraj Duvvuru, the upcoming location is anticipated to open in 2027. The center offers childcare, early education and enrichment programs for ages six weeks to six years. Children will have the opportunity to learn the alphabet, numbers, science, coding and sign language.

With nearly 450 centers across the U.S. and the U.K., the company plans to open an estimated 20 locations by the end of 2025, according to its website.

• 214 W. Parmer Lane, Austin

Texas’ power grid is unlikely to have issues this December, according to an Oct. 3 report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

The details: During the winter, demand for electricity spikes when people get up in the morning and return home in the evening. This December, the tightest period is expected to be from 7-8 a.m. each day, when little to no solar power is being produced. ERCOT found that there will be a 1.81% chance of a grid emergency during that time.

“Under typical grid conditions, the deterministic scenario indicates that there should be sufficient generating capacity available," the report reads.

The background: Texas' grid withstood three cold snaps early this year. ERCOT last asked residents to voluntarily reduce their energy use in January 2024.

Legislative approach: State lawmakers approved legislation this spring that is designed to make the grid more reliable by tightening regulations on large electric consumers, such as data centers. In extreme grid conditions, those customers will be required to switch to backup power to reduce strain on the grid.