ATX-PFH: Impact 10/29/2025

Pflugerville City Council approved the appointment of James William Richards as the city’s new police chief following a nationwide search for the position.

The search included a community meet-and-greet with the three finalists. Richards is expected to begin his new role in December.

The overview: Richards joined the Round Rock Police Department in 1995, serving multiple roles including his most recent as the assistant chief of police for Round Rock. Previously, he worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety Capitol Police and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. He is also a veteran.

Born and raised in Central Texas, Richards said he’s eager to serve a growing community close to home and apply his decades of experience to strengthen the department.

“Not to say that I've got it all, but I think together, we can put our heads together and come up with a really great process,” Richards said. “There's a great team here,”

The restaurant celebrated in October its five-year anniversary since opening a brick-and-mortar location in Pflugerville.

The gist: The eatery, owned by Kenneth Rector Jr., specializes in hushpuppies, which can be filled with macaroni and cheese, shrimp, jalapenos and bacon, and brisket on Wednesdays. The menu also includes catfish, shrimp, sandwiches and rotating specials.

• 200 E. Pecan St., Pflugerville

Texas homeowners could see larger property tax breaks on this year’s bills if voters approve two state propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The details: Proposition 13 would raise the property tax exemption on a Texas homeowner’s main residence, known as a homestead exemption, from $100,000 to $140,000. Proposition 11 would give homeowners who are over 65 years old or have a disability a $200,000 exemption.

The exemptions would apply only to taxes charged by public schools.

The impact: Sen. Paul Bettencourt, the Houston Republican who authored the legislation, estimated in June that the average Texas homeowner would see about $484 in annual savings if the tax cuts are approved by voters, with roughly $950 in savings for seniors and people with disabilities. These estimates do not account for potential tax rate increases by local governments.

If voters approve the two ballot measures, the cuts will take effect for the current tax year and appear on homeowners’ upcoming tax bills, according to the Texas House Research Organization.

Huntington Bancshares announced in October that it would acquire Cadence Bank, which has several locations throughout Austin, Dallas and Houston. 

What you need to know: Huntington Bancshares shared an Oct. 27 news release stating that it would acquire Cadence Bank, which has 390 locations throughout the southern U.S. 

The release states that with the acquisition, Huntington will not close any existing Cadence Bank branches. 

The overview: As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, has relaunched as the InCIder.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

Event details: As part of the relaunch, Community Impact will host its first-ever InCIder Hour, a new event aimed at celebrating and engaging the company’s supporters.

The event, open to InCIders only, will take place Nov. 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Community Impact Headquarters, 16225 Impact Way, Pflugerville.

Guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow InCIders, meet Community Impact staff and attend a featured conversation with legislative reporter Hannah Norton, moderated by Garrett.

“Our first event needed to start where all the hard work is put together,” Garrett said. “People are blown away when they see our operation. To be able to sit and chat with the best legislative reporter in Texas, Hannah Norton, makes it an event our InCIder friends deserve and hopefully will enjoy.”