SATX-NBF: Impact 9/5/2025

A $2.1 million remodel for New Braunfels' Fire Station No. 5, located at 1250 W. County Line Road, is complete.

City officials celebrated the completion of the remodel with an uncoupling ceremony Aug. 29.

Why it matters: Previously, fire station gear was stored on the apparatus floor where the fire trucks were located. Each time a fire truck would start, the diesel exhaust, a carcinogen, would then accumulate on the fire gear, New Braunfels Fire Chief Ruy Lozano said.

Carcinogens are substances or agents that can lead to cancer—one of the biggest dangers to firefighters, Lozano said. Now, the storage for firefighter gear has been relocated from the apparatus bay to a dedicated room with better ventilation. There is also a separate cleaning room for gear to ensure contaminated equipment stays away from living quarters.  

After a year of going through the permitting process and building renovations, Love Story Boutique—located at 111 S. Union Ave.—has officially reopened its doors to the New Braunfels community.

The backstory: The boutique was previously located at 2305 Gruene Lake Drive, Ste. C and was expected to relocate to the S. Union Ave. building in September 2024, as previously reported by Community Impact.

What they offer: Love Story Boutique is owned by New Braunfels local Shaelynn McBee and sells women's apparel and accessories. The boutique also sells candles.

San Antonio Botanical Garden is launching a collaborative conservation initiative that is designed to restore and protect native plants and riverbed trees devastated by the July 2025 flooding across the Texas Hill Country.

In a nutshell: According to a news release, the initiative is known as Texas Recovery for Ecological and Environmental Stability Initiative, or TREES, the project seeks to rehabilitate native habitats in need of restoration while partnering with community organizations, public and private landowners and environmental experts.

San Antonio Botanical Garden will work with local partners to preserve critical ecosystems, enhance biodiversity and provide research and education opportunities to help communities connect with the natural environment.

These partner organizations provide expertise in plant habitat restoration, ecological research, native plant propagation and environmental education.

Additionally, San Antonio Botanical Garden is extending an open call to conservation organizations, academic institutions, businesses and community partners that are interested in becoming involved in restoration efforts that will start as early as this month.