Leander ISD officials are continuing to map out a potential November 2026 bond and voter-approval tax rate election. Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Trimble provided the board of trustees with the latest update July 23. 

The big picture: A potential VATRE is tied to operational challenges while the potential bond is tied to capital challenges. LISD is facing pressure on both its maintenance and operations and interest and sinking tax rates, Trimble said. The district also has 10 campuses that will reach its 25-year lifecycle milestone between 2026 and 2030, and 13 campuses reaching that 25-year mark between 2031-35. 

On the other hand: Several board members expressed concern that the district would not be ready to go to bond or pass a VATRE by November.

Looking ahead: The Citizens Facility Advisory Committee is slated to present project recommendations at the July 30 board meeting, followed by further board discussion Aug. 6 to address any questions and next steps. The last day to call for a November bond or VATRE is Aug. 17. 

Sangam Chettinad Indian Cuisine & Bar will open a restaurant in the Cedar Park-Leander area, marking the third location in the Austin metro, according to a representative of the concept.

What’s on the menu: Sangam Chettinad serves authentic Indian food, more specifically, cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, according to the restaurant’s website.

The expansive menu includes an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups, Biryani, indo-chinese and tiffin combinations. Additionally, Sangam’s authentic entrees include meals like Chettinad egg masala and Karaikudi nattu kozhi varuval.

Of note: Following the 2018 opening of its first location on Parmer Lane, a second spot was established in Round Rock in 2025.

• 14300 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Bldg. 1, Suite 104-106, Leander

A surgeon at Orthopaedic Specialists of Austin is now performing an ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release procedure, making Dr. Harrison Kay the first physician in the Austin area to offer the technology, according to a July 7 release from the practice.

The details: The procedure uses real-time ultrasound imaging to guide a device through a small incision below the wrist, releasing the ligament compressing the median nerve. It is performed under local anesthesia in an office setting for eligible patients.

The practice said patients typically return to normal activities within three to five days, compared with two to four weeks after traditional open surgery.

What's next: Individuals experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms, such as numbness, tingling or hand weakness, can schedule a consultation to determine whether the procedure is right for them.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects

Austin Light Rail vehicle design to advance under $39M contract with Stadler: Switzerland-based Stadler has been selected to deliver the train cars for Austin Light Rail, the third and final major vendor brought on for the project's first stages this year. Officials with the Austin Transit Partnership advanced a $39 million contract with Stadler to design the fully electric vehicles July 15.

Ongoing projects

North-south route coming to Round Rock’s west side: Residents on Round Rock’s west side will soon have a true alternative to I-35 once the city and county complete the full extension of Wyoming Springs Drive, officials said in June. Ongoing and future road projects are set to help drivers and pedestrians reach their destinations faster and with less traffic.

Completed projects

New bridge over Onion Creek opens in Buda, increasing city access: The bridge will provide community members and first responders a faster route to travel in the city, connecting Cole Springs Road with FM 2770.

Texas’ power grid operator and regulator have laid out their plans to regulate data centers that connect to the state grid and ensure data center companies, not residents, pay for the industry’s growth.

What's happening: To shield Texans from the negative impacts of data center growth, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are:

• Prohibiting data centers from taking existing power resources off the grid
• Launching a new process to evaluate large projects looking to connect to the grid
• Creating standards that large consumers must meet before joining the grid
• Developing incentives for large consumers to reduce their energy use ahead of a grid emergency
• Requiring large companies to pay for the grid infrastructure needed to serve them
• Improving ERCOT’s process for projecting future demand