The groundbreaking for an upcoming Staybridge Suites location was hosted Dec. 4. The hotel is expected to open in fall 2026.

The details: The hotel will feature 100 rooms with standard IHG amenities including guest laundry facilities, outdoor grilling stations, a fitness center, a pool and meeting facilities.

What else?: The new space will be managed by John Wiseman, the current general manager of Hyatt Place Lake Travis. Staybridge Suites operates over 50 locations across Texas.

• 7710 N. RM 620, Austin

Pamela Wooten opened PamCakes Bakery in November 2024 after operating the bakery out of her home for more than 10 years, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

After being open for a full year, Wooten said she has loved getting to meet everyone in the community. 

On the menu: The business offers custom cakes, cupcakes, wedding cakes, cocoa bombs, jumbo cookies, homemade poptarts and cheesecakes. 

• 13450 Research Blvd., Ste. 239B, Austin

Check out the top trending Community Impact stories in the Austin metro Dec. 1-4.

1. 11 new, coming soon traffic signals throughout Georgetown

2. Bakery and cafe Paris Baguette planned for Georgetown

3. Here's what's new and coming soon in downtown Georgetown

4. Pizza, pickleball and Port of Subs: 17 new business updates for Leander and Cedar Park

5. Round Rock officials to deliberate on potential Skybox data center Dec. 4

The Old Settler’s Music Festival, an Americana and roots music festival, will return for its 39th year in Driftwood.

The details: In recent years, the festival took place in Dale, just south of Austin. Old Settler’s is a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing American roots music, founded in 1987. On April 17-19, festivalgoers can expect:

• Recreational vehicle-friendly camping with shaded areas, toilets and access to Onion Creek
• Late-night campfire jams, family activities, and a blend of Americana, folk, bluegrass and roots music

• April 17-19
• $10-$199 (three-day admission), $49-$149 (early entry or VIP upgrades), $40-$1,199 (parking or camping upgrades)
• 18301 FM 1826, Driftwood

Texas can use its newly redrawn congressional map in the 2026 elections, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Dec. 4.

The background: State lawmakers approved the new congressional boundaries this summer, after President Donald Trump asked them to produce a new map in an attempt to help Republicans maintain a narrow majority in the U.S. House, Community Impact previously reported. Texas Republicans have said they hoped the map would help the GOP secure 30 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats, up from 25 Republican-held seats today.

What's happening: The Supreme Court's ruling overturns a Nov. 18 injunction from an El Paso federal court, which deemed Texas’ redistricting plan "racially gerrymandered” and directed officials to use a 2021 congressional map instead.

“The District Court improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections,” the Supreme Court said in the unsigned Dec. 4 order.

The order comes just four days before the Dec. 8 deadline for Texas candidates to file to run in the March primary elections.