Plans are moving forward for upgraded bleachers at the Mayfest Park Rodeo Arena in Bastrop—a project city officials believe will help improve the overall visitor experience for spectators at local rodeos and other community events.

The details: Bastrop City Council will consider a $126,600 purchase order with North Carolina Welding during a March 10 meeting.

It will be paid for with series 2025 certificates of obligation, according to city documents.

Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino told council members in a staff report that the upgraded bleachers are “a sore need,” as several spectators often have to stand due to the limited seating.

A Bastrop-based juice shop will complete a rebrand in mid-March that updates its name, visual identity and in-store experience—a new chapter for the locally owned business as it begins to offer more health-conscious options for customers in the community.

The details: Char Rebell and Stephanie Berry, who have nearly 50 years of experience in the natural health industry, are renaming Radiant Juice + Smoothie Bar to Sage Well.

Rebell told Community Impact the name change will better reflect their business model.

“We're not just going to be a juice bar anymore,” she said. “We're going to be a community here in Bastrop that's focused on learning more about health and how to increase health naturally and getting guidance in doing so.”

• Opens March 18
• 702 Main St., Ste. 103, Bastrop

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects

Old Fitzhugh Road
Project: The city of Dripping Springs is aiming to beautify Old Fitzhugh Road while improving traffic flow, pedestrian access and connectivity. 
Update: Per city officials, Old Fitzhugh Road will be restricted to one-way operations throughout construction. Driveway closures and reconstruction of private driveways will be coordinated with property owners before construction.

• Timeline: spring 2026-spring 2028
• Cost: $4.7 million
• Funding source: city of Dripping Springs, Hays County Parks and Open Space Grant, TxDOT

Texas held its primary elections on March 3, with Republican and Democratic voters selecting their parties’ nominees for scores of federal, state and local seats. Yet for some candidates, a major hurdle still remains before the November election.

The overview: Dozens of primary races are headed to May runoffs after no candidate picked up more than half of the vote, triggering an overtime round between the two highest-performing candidates.

The details:  Texas’ runoff election is set for May 26, the day after Memorial Day. Early voting runs from May 18-22, per the secretary of state.

State law requires primary candidates to receive more than 50% of the vote to advance to a general election, meaning a candidate must earn a majority of the vote—not just the highest number of votes—to win their primary outright. This rule means crowded races in Texas primaries and special elections frequently result in runoffs.

In those races, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff.

Keep reading to learn about voting in the runoffs and who's on the ballot.