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Bastrop families looking for a pet can help Bastrop County Animal Services clear the shelter July 5-26, when adoptions for dogs and cats will be $40.

Zooming in: Those interested can browse available pets online and call the shelter at 512-549-5160 to arrange a time to visit.

The shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

What else? Officials said every adopted pet will be:

• Spayed or neutered
• Microchipped
• Vaccinated, as appropriate by age
• Dewormed
• Started on flea prevention
• Started on heartworm prevention
• Heartworm tested, if ages 6 months or older

Construction is progressing on The Learning Experience’s first Bastrop County location.

The gist: The hands-on education and child care center will be located on a 1.1-acre lot near The Grove subdivision, as reported by Community Impact in July 2025.

The 10,470-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in January, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

What they offer: With locations throughout Central Texas, The Learning Experience offers child care and early education programs for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Curriculum varies by age and includes logic, math, phonics, reading and writing.

Learn more: According to previous Community Impact reporting, The Learning Experience chooses its new locations in areas with an influx of young families and a growing need for child care and early education.

• 199 SH 304, Bastrop

Stay in the know with seven Independence Day events in Bastrop County, including fireworks, parades, live music, history programs and family-friendly activities from June 28-July 4.

Looking for ways to celebrate Independence Day? Check out these July events dedicated to ringing in America’s 250th birthday, including parades, pickleball and pool parties. 

This list is not comprehensive. All events are subject to change. 

Austin Symphony Fourth of July Concert and Fireworks
Locals can visit Auditorium Shores for food trucks, activities, market vendors, live entertainment and fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July.

• July 4, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

• Free (admission)

• 900 W. Riverside Drive, Austin

Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic
Live music lovers can celebrate America’s Independence Day with live performances from Willie Nelson and Family, Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price and more.

• July 4; 2:30 p.m. (doors open), 3:30 p.m. (show starts)

• Starting at $35 (general admission lawn)

• 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Del Valle

Red, White & Buda
The city’s annual Fourth of July event will include a morning bike parade, bounce houses, live music, food trucks and more. The celebration will end with a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m.

• July 4 (events throughout the day)

• Free (admission)

• 204 San Antonio St., Buda

Dr. Akshay Yadhati, a surgeon with Austin Regional Clinic, performed two different high-tech spine surgeries this year that were both Austin-area firsts, according to a spokesperson for the medical group.

Yadhati spoke to Community Impact about the procedures and what they mean for spine care in Central Texas.

The overview: Yadhati performed a robotic navigated spinal interbody fusion on an adult patient and an endoscopic spine surgery.

Both techniques are significant steps forward in spinal care, he said, because they improve the safety and accuracy of the surgeries and minimize invasiveness and recovery time.

Why it matters: “If I were dealing with [these problems], these are the techniques I would want done on my back,” Yadhati said. “That’s the main theme that I try to anchor a lot of my decisions in. If I’m the patient, or my mom, dad, brother or wife is the patient, how do I want them to be going through a surgery?”

Last year, the Austin-area job market grew faster than any other major metro in the country—adding 27,200 jobs in 2025, which represents 2% year-over-year growth, according to an April 2026 report from Opportunity Austin.

Diving in deeper: The health care industry is among the fastest-growing, and is expected to grow 2.4% annually, adding about 6,780 workers per year, said Ashley King, director of health care partnerships at Workforce Solutions Capital Area.

As of November, the education and health services sector had added 4,100 jobs, or 2.5% growth, from the prior year, according to Opportunity Austin’s January 2026 economic indicators. Meanwhile, the information sector, which includes most of Austin’s tech workforce, declined 2.4%, or about 1,200 jobs, during the same time frame, according to the report.

What's happening: Nursing programs across the country turned away 93,176 qualified applications in 2025—a record high—primarily due to insufficient clinical placement sites, faculty shortages and limited classroom space.

Despite the hurdles, health sciences was the fastest-growing area of study at Austin Community College in fall 2025.