The city of Pflugerville is looking for small businesses interested in opening, expanding in or relocating to downtown, according to a Sept. 30 news release.

The details: There is no deadline to submit information, but early participation is encouraged as the city builds a list of contacts who can be notified when relevant opportunities arise for downtown commercial spaces.

Upcoming available city-owned spaces range from 2,000-5,700 square feet, with the potential for colocation, coworking and shared retail space.

The call extends to retailers and restaurants as well as office-based, food and beverage, entertainment and creative services companies.

Zooming out: This comes as several city departments prepare to move out of facilities downtown and into the new City Hall, which is slated to open to the public Jan. 4.

Several restaurants are coming soon to Pflugerville, including Ramen Ramen Tatsu-ya and Snooze. The community also welcomed two indoor golf simulator businesses over the summer.

Ramen Tatsu-ya

CEO Todd Coerver said the new location is under construction and will be just south of Tumble 22 and Kura Revolving Sushi Bar. The restaurant's menu includes a number of pork-, chicken- and vegan-based ramen dishes as well as flavor bombs and extra toppings that can be added in.

• Opening in the summer

• 18725 FM 685, Pflugerville

Snooze

The eatery, which serves a variety of breakfast and brunch classics as well as seasonal menu items, is coming to a new development off SH 130. The announcement marks the Denver-based restaurant's second attempt to come to the area. In early 2025, the business scrapped a plan to come to the same retail center.

• Opening in May or June

• 18725 FM 685, Pflugerville

Several months after CapMetro officials announced a potential phased approach to increasing fares for the first time since 2015, the board unanimously voted on an increase effective Jan. 10, 2027 with another increase planned for January 2029.

How we got here: In a July news release, CapMetro officials said the fare increases would create a "more fiscally sustainable source of revenue" for the agency.

What's changing: Fares for a single ride are set to increase by the following:

• Local service and Pickup service: $1.25 (current), $1.50 (January 2027), $2.00 (January 2029)

• Commuter (Express and Rail) service: $3.50 (current), $4.00 (January 2027), $5.00 (January 2029)

• CapMetro Access service: $1.75 (current), $2.25 (January 2027), $3.25 (January 2029)

Reduced Local service fares will increase from $0.60 to $0.75 in January 2027 and $1 in January 2029. Reduced Commuter service fares will increase from $1.75 to $2 in January 2027 and $2.50 in January 2029.

The Texas Education Agency is asking state lawmakers to spend $97.3 billion on K-12 education initiatives and staffing in the next two years, up from about $91 billion in the current state budget.

The details: During a Sept. 29 hearing on the agency's legislative appropriations request, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath noted that the TEA is "largely a pass-through vehicle to fund schools around the state of Texas." This means that while funding would be allocated to the agency under Article III of the state budget, the majority of that money would be sent to school districts, outside of funds used to pay TEA staff and cover operations for associated entities, such as the State Board of Education.

The TEA is asking for about $49.6 billion for fiscal year 2027-28 and $47.7 billion for fiscal year 2028-29, totaling $97.3 billion for the 2028-29 biennium. Morath said those amounts would "preserve 100% of all funding for public schools" through the Foundation School Program, which is the state's main funding source for K-12 schools, and other initiatives.