Bastrop City Council authorized Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino to award contracts to businesses for future street paving and maintenance services during a Jan. 27 meeting.

Specific street paving and maintenance projects were not discussed, as the contracts will be used on an as-needed basis to allow the city to perform repairs more efficiently, according to city documents.

Long story short: There are four businesses the city can reach out to for street paving and maintenance services, including:

• Leander-based Bennett Paving
• Austin-based Lone Star Paving Company
• Round Rock-based Alpha Paving Industries
• Cedar Park-based Texas Materials Group

The Toasted Yolk Cafe will fire up its stovetops in Bastrop in mid-2026, as the Houston-based chain is bringing its scratch-made breakfast plates and craft cocktails to the growing community.

About the project: As reported by Community Impact last November, the location will be built within Sendero, a 75-acre mixed-use development under construction along Hwy. 71, and will open as part of the project's first retail phase.

The restaurant will span approximately 5,000 square feet—1,500 square feet of which will be patio space, according to Sendero developers Pearl River Companies.

Construction, scheduled to conclude May 18, is estimated to cost $865,000, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

• Sendero, 853 Hwy. 71 W., Ste. 150, Bastrop

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Bell District to 183A Toll shared-use path
Construction is underway on a shared-use path that will connect 183A Toll to Bell Park in Cedar Park. It will be a 10-foot-wide concrete path following along Brushy Creek Road.
Update: According to city officials, crews have begun building the path itself, as well as working on utility relocations and drainage infrastructure.

• Timeline: expected completion fall 2026
• Cost: $3.3 million
• Funding source: 2022 transportation bond

• Timeline: 2026-27
• Cost: $23 million
• Funding source: Type B sales tax revenue

St. David's HealthCare acquired ownership of six Austin Emergency Center locations Feb. 1.

Zooming out: The following Austin Emergency Centers across Austin and Pflugerville are now St. David's Emergency Centers:

• Anderson Mill: 13435 Hwy. 183 N., Ste. 311, Austin
• Arboretum: 10407 Jollyville Road, Austin
• Wells Branch: 15100 FM 1825, Pflugerville
• East Riverside: 2020 E. Riverside Drive, Austin
• South Lamar: 4015 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin
• Mueller: 1801 E. 51st St., Bldg. H, Austin

Early in-person voting in Texas’ primary elections begins Feb. 17 and lasts until Feb. 27.

How it works: Texas has an open primary system, where voters decide at the polling place whether to cast ballots in the Democratic or Republican primary. Voters may not participate in both primaries.

What to expect: Voters will be given a ballot with a slate of statewide seats and other races determined by the voting precinct they live in. During early voting, registered voters can visit any polling location in their county.

Candidates who win their primaries will advance to the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Why it matters: Early voting gives registered voters the opportunity to cast their ballots before primary election day March 3.

Voter advocacy groups and experts told Community Impact that a vote in the March primaries is “the most impactful vote” Texans can cast, due to consistently low voter turnout and competition in certain races. Over 18 million Texans are registered to vote, although about one-fifth of registered voters participated in recent primary elections.