Leander ISD officials are considering implementing cost-saving measures such as closing and repurposing campuses and updating staffing guidelines.
Some context: District officials presented three pathways to the board of trustees in May that could net the district millions of dollars in savings, including closing and repurposing Cypress, Faubion and Steiner Ranch Elementary schools. The pathways were determined due to LISD's shifting enrollment patterns, uneven facility utilization aper-pupil spending variances.
What they're saying: District officials organized three town hall-style community conversations in August with the impacted campuses. Cypress Elementary parents expressed concerns with how district officials have calculated operating capacities, enrollment projections and proposed campus repurposing, citing issues with the transparency of the process.
A sneak peak: During the Sept. 9 board workshop meeting, officials will:
Provide updates on the long-range plan
Walk through the budget development process
Look at how functional capacities are derived
Synthesize community feedback
Looking ahead: The board is slated to review feedback from the community conversations Sept. 18 and vote on the optimization actions Oct. 9.
Pepita’s offers Mexican-American dining in Rollingwood
Following success selling her recipes at Austin’s Marigold Market and Cafe, Nelia Cruz opened Pepita’s Cafe and Bar in Rollingwood Plaza in July 2024 to “create memories” by sharing her cooking and drinks with Austin locals.
The overview: Cruz was born in Mexico, but grew up in Austin. Having worked in the restaurant business for 25 years, and having sampled a variety of dining experiences in Austin, she decided to start her own cafe inspired by her favorite local foods.
“Everything you see there is honestly things that I crave throughout my life in Austin,” Cruz said.
The details: Cruz’ favorite items on the Pepita’s menu include the chicken flautas, which come with fried chicken on a bed of lettuce and are topped with creamy green sauce and crema. Additionally, she enjoys the restaurant’s French toast, which is made with an orange zest vanilla batter.
Cruz hopes to continue updating Pepita’s menu to accommodate requests from the local community, including adding new items like chilaquiles and offering seasonal dishes.
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Austin area.
A new restaurant bringing a homestyle menu based on recipes from owner Scott Roberts’ grandmother, Roxanna, is opening soon in Buda, according to a news release.
Roxie’s, from the family that established The Salt Lick BBQ, will be opening in the fall.
Roberts said he plans for Roxie’s to be open daily for lunch and dinner.
The menu will offer pimento cheese, deviled eggs topped with fried chicken bites, chicken-fried steak, char-grilled steak and a selection of pies.
😋 AnTeNa Kitchen and Bar coming soon to Leander (Read more)
🍫 Kesshō Craft Chocolate expands with new Burnet Road location in Austin (Read more)
🍝 Numero 28 heads to Bastrop with Southern Italian food (Read more)
🍣 Sushi Warriors now serving sushi, sashimi in North Austin (Read more)
Koko’s Bavarian has revealed it will be opening a brick-and-mortar location on South Lamar in October.
The location will feature 7,000 square feet of Bavarian tradition and Texas hospitality with an expanded food and beverage menu including wings, mozzarella sticks, whitefish dip, Bavarian pretzel, Belgian-style fries and more.
For diners looking for a more filling treat, the menu also features sausages, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches and cheeseburgers.
Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David's Round Rock using new vascular stent treatment
The Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David's Round Rock is the first in the nation to use a new vascular stent treatment for carotid artery disease, with a surgeon at the hospital being the first to use this treatment outside of clinical trials in July.
What you need to know: Per a news release shared by the hospital system in August, Dr. Bradley Boone, M.D., chief of surgery at Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David’s Round Rock and vascular surgeon with Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, performed the first surgery in the country to use a carotid stent in the transcarotid artery revascularization technique since receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
Second special session ends without new laws on THC, property taxes
Around 1 a.m. Sept. 4, the Texas Legislature gaveled out of its second special session of the year. On the heels of a two-week Democratic walkout that stymied bills during a previous legislative overtime, lawmakers moved quickly to pass 16 of Gov. Greg Abbott’s 24 priorities in under three weeks.
The details: A long-debated plan to ban or restrict sales of hemp-derived THC and a measure aimed at reining in local property tax growth were among the proposals that did not make the cut. Those proposals fell apart in the final days of the special session, after House and Senate lawmakers were unable to reach agreements.
Also of note: Lawmakers also did not pass bills intended to improve emergency preparedness and communications in the wake of the deadly July 4-5 floods; shield certain law enforcement files from public disclosure; and bar local governments from hiring outside lobbyists.
The governor can call a special session at any time; however, legislative leaders indicated they did not expect to return to Austin to tackle the remaining agenda items.
