Limbo Jewelry & Triple Z Threadz have shared their plans to close in the near future via an Instagram post.

The details: After over 20 years of business on South Congress Avenue, the two businesses are looking for a new space to relocate. The stores plan to close at the end of the year and will continue to sell merchandise online until a new location is secured.

• 1708 S. Congress Ave., Austin

Officials approved an economic development deal for a new Apple TV series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, the first local production to receive city support since Austin's media incentive program was revised this year.

The details: The $150,000 award for the duo's "Brothers" series comes under the city's updated Creative Content Incentive Program that has supported multiple media productions since 2014. The new Apple series had started filming in March before a "creative reset," according to the city, and shooting resumed in October.

The "Brothers" production will involve estimated 320 cast and crew, resulting in more than $6 million in eligible pay and an estimated $9 million spent on other expenses throughout the area.

Recently-approved changes to the city's creative content incentives mandate better pay and benefits for production crew members and other new requirements. The revised program is already drawing interest from multiple productions.

Unlock MLS market research advisor Vaike O’Grady shared an end-of-year update on the Austin-Round Rock- Metropolitan Statistical Area's housing market, including where the MSA is seeing employment growth and projected housing trends. 

Major takeaways: According to Unlock MLS' year-to-date data on single-family homes:

• Homes spent 73 days on the market on average, nine days longer than 2024 YTD
• Total sales were down 5% from 2024 with 26,455 homes sold
• Median sale prices were down 1% from 2024 at $438,532

• Between 30,000-32,000 closed sales
• Between 10,000-12,000 active listings
• Upward of 5 months of inventory 
• Median sales prices of $410,000-$425,000

Texans now have a new database to track the results of local bond propositions and tax rate elections, or TREs, in their communities and across the state.

The details: Texas’ Local Government Bond, Tax, and Project Transparency Database was unveiled after state lawmakers passed House Bill 103 this spring. The new law requires the comptroller to compile information about all bonds, tax rate elections and maintenance tax rate changes proposed by local governments in an election, including:

• Ballot language for all tax-related proposals
• How each tax measure would impact the local tax rate or debt service
• The difference between the adopted tax rate and voter-approval tax rate, if applicable
• The entity’s tax rate for the prior year and the tax rate following the election
• A list of projects funded by each tax measure
• The results of each election, including votes for and against a measure