An iconic Liberty Hill storefront has reopened under new management. Parker’s Mercantile now offers live music, dining, drinks, groceries and a variety of Texas-made goods along Main Street.

What it offers: The newly renovated Parker’s Mercantile features several areas offering different experiences. The side of the building closest to Hwy. 1869 houses a range of goods from local vendors. Past the artisan goods is a space offering groceries, like bread, raw honey and beef from local ranches.

On the other side of the building, a stage for live music has been built with space for a dance floor. Past the stage is a bar stocked with beers, wines and sodas from around Texas. Guests can also order snacks from Milan’s Kitchen.

• 1017 Main St., Liberty Hill

A more than $10 million expansion project at Veterans Memorial Pool is set to be completed in the fall of 2027 after Cedar Park City Council approved a construction contract Sept. 10.

The project: The project is centered around a planned 8,000-square-foot wave pool and will also include a 5,000-square-foot building that will house a stage overlooking the pool, restrooms, and filtration and wave equipment, city documents state.

The expansion will also add 84 new parking spaces, covered cabanas and other shade structures, Senior Project Manager Paul Naughton said. The project will also include construction of drainage ponds, utilities, retaining walls and lighting, according to city documents.

A Kia dealership in Austin, a Walmart in Liberty Hill and an Olive Garden in Kyle are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Kia of Central Austin ($36 million): A new 206,601-square-foot Kia dealership is set to begin construction in Austin next spring.

2. Walmart ($12.2 million): A new Walmart Supercenter is coming to Liberty Hill with construction set to begin in October.

3. Hill Country Bible Georgetown ($6.2 million): This project involves the construction of new admin and student ministry buildings at the Hill Country Bible Church in Georgetown.

4. Olive Garden ($4.1 million): A new Olive Garden restaurant is coming to Kyle, with construction set to wrap up late next year.

5. 3rd Wave Climbing Gym ($2.3 million): This project involves the renovation and change of occupancy of an existing warehouse building into an indoor climbing gym facility.

Travis County Commissioners Court approved Central Health's $1.015 billion fiscal year 2026-27 budget Sept. 15, including $127.5 million for crisis and recovery mental healthcare with $54 million in new investments.

The breakdown: New funding includes $33.1 million for 22 inpatient psychiatric beds and 10 psychiatric emergency department bays, $16 million for a new Mental Health Crisis Care Center, and smaller allocations for jail-based health support, an expanded crisis care team and medication access.

The budget also carries a tax rate of $0.132863 per $100 valuation, raising the median homeowner's bill by about $36 a year.

What's next: The new psychiatric beds could open within months, while the standalone crisis center is years away. Austin City Council is expected to receive a briefing on the related No Wrong Door initiative during its Oct. 6 work session.

This November, four candidates are running to lead the Texas Comptroller's Office and serve as the state's chief financial officer.

The overview: Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican Don Huffines are running for comptroller. Huffines, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the office in July, is considered the incumbent in this race.

How it works: The comptroller oversees government spending and administers the state's $1 billion education savings account program, which launched ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.