Stay in the know with five Bastrop-Cedar Creek updates, including lower home prices, a summer reading challenge benefiting nonprofits, Bastrop ISD STAAR gains, a free caregiver support group and proposed industrial park upgrades.

1. Bastrop-Cedar Creek home sales increase, prices dip in May: May housing figures showed more homes sold year over year while prices dipped, according to Unlock MLS data.

2. Bastrop library offers summer fun, reading challenge for a cause: Bastrop Public Library’s summer reading program continues with themed activities and a chance to support local nonprofits.

3. Bastrop ISD STAAR scores notch another year of gains: Bastrop ISD students posted slight gains on math and reading state assessments in 2026.

4. Free Alzheimer’s, dementia caregiver support group launches June 25: Bastrop County caregivers are invited to attend a free local support group June 25.

5. Bastrop eyes $5M grant, $1M incentive 'clawback' for industrial park upgrades: Officials are seeking funding for water, wastewater and road improvements at the Bastrop Industrial Park.

Jersey Mike’s Subs is now serving dozens of hot and cold sandwiches to Bastrop diners at the newly opened Sendero development.

The menu: The East Coast-style sandwich shop offers hot and cold subs made with freshly baked bread and stuffed with meats, cheeses and vegetables. The subs are also drizzled with a blend of red wine vinegar and olive oil.

The background: Originally expected to debut in mid-2025, the eatery experienced several construction delays; however, officials said the team is excited to finally welcome diners.

• Opened June 24
• Sendero, 853 SH 71 W., Ste. 104, Bastrop

An apartment complex in Cedar Park and a central kitchen for the Austin State Support Living Center, or ASSLC, are among the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Cedar View ($82 million): Cedar View will include approximately 425 apartment units and approximately 12,000 square feet of indoor amenity space.

2. Austin SSLC Replacement Kitchen Building ($11.1 million): This project involves the new construction of approximately 9,600 square feet of space for a central kitchen facility at the Austin SSLC Campus.

3. Lakeline Boulevard Shared Use Path ($7.4 million): This project includes the construction of approximately 4 miles of 8- to 10-foot shared-use path from New Hope Drive to Little Elm Creek.

4. Connie's Last Stand ($3 million): This project involves the renovation of a 2,244-square-foot historic home with a 1,000-square-foot glass conservatory addition to be used as a restaurant.

5. Old Stagecoach Road from Center Street to Six Creeks Boulevard ($1.7 million): The roadway will be reconstructed to include pedestrian elements.

Texas education officials gave preliminary approval June 23 to the state’s first mandatory reading list, which includes nearly 200 literary works that public school students would begin reading as soon as 2030.

The overview: The proposed list incorporates about a dozen stories from the Bible, including the tale of David and Goliath in second grade and direct biblical excerpts beginning in fourth grade. In total, students would be required to read more than two dozen texts in early elementary grades and about 10 literary works per year from sixth grade through high school.

What's happening: Members of the Republican-led State Board of Education voted 9-5 to cut several titles from the reading list June 23, following nearly eight hours of public testimony a day earlier.

More than half of those who testified June 22 asked the board to shorten the list, include more diverse authors and remove religious references. Others praised the SBOE for creating a list that they said would teach students about “American exceptionalism” and prioritize classical literature.