Upgrades to the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant are on track to be completed in February, according to Gina Ellison, executive director of public works for the city of Leander.

In a presentation at the Leander City Council’s Dec. 18 meeting, Ellison said that construction is wrapping up. She said that training and testing of the upgraded facilities will be conducted in January, and the project will be finalized in February.

The details: Ellison said the improvements included expanding the plant’s sludge lagoons and upgrading its sludge management system, as well as building an additional water treatment unit.

Why it matters: Ellison said the upgrades will increase the plant’s treatment capacity from 9 million-10 million gallons per day to 12 million gallons per day.

“This is a big one,” she said. “It’s been a lot of years in the making.”

Central Texas business owner Mike Farr and his sons Bradley and Dylan Farr collaborated to open Wish Kitchen + Bar in downtown Liberty Hill last month. The new business opened on Nov. 28, selling familiar classics from the Nutty Brown Amphitheatre menu, along with drinks, burgers, salads and more.

On the menu: Popular dishes include the Nutty Brown Shrimp Wontons which were previously served at Nutty Brown Amphitheatre for 20 years. The dish includes jumbo shrimp wrapped in wonton wrapper with jalapenos, crispy bacon and mixed cheese, fried and served with chipotle ranch.

One more thing: The theme for Wish Kitchen + Bar is centered around all things that people can wish upon, including dandelions, coins, eyelashes and ladybugs. Mike Farr said the theme came to him after seeing a shooting star from his back patio in Dripping Springs. 

• Opened Nov. 24

• 1004 Main St., Liberty Hill

Based in the West Austin area, Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin has spent four years training local high school students how to care for people with dementia. With an average of 30 students a year, the nonprofit has offered services across various campuses in the Austin area and nearby cities.

The impact: Throughout the training, students are shown videos created by Wilder and her team. The videos express tips on how to be empathetic and patient with people experiencing memory loss including simplifying daily routines. After students watch the two video series, an instructor visits the class to work with the students before the class begins taking trips to nearby memory care facilities.

Get involved: The nonprofit also operates a mentoring program where individuals with experience caring for people with memory loss can guide students through resume building, figure out additional training and more.

Community members can also find volunteer opportunities at the organization’s events. Volunteer activities may include setting up, handing out supplies, cleaning and more.