Canyon Lake restaurateur Gennaro DiMeo opened Gennaro’s Ristorante Italiano in Wimberley on June 24, serving Naples‑inspired, made‑from‑scratch Italian near the town square.

A Travis County judge has allowed a challenge to the county’s 9.12% post-flood property-tax increase to proceed, saying factual questions require discovery. The ruling keeps open the possibility of refunds or limits on how the money is spent.

A $1 million Powerball ticket sold at a Circle K in northwest Austin remains unclaimed and will expire Aug. 1; in‑person claims are due July 31 by 5 p.m.

A server at a downtown Austin steakhouse was arrested after allegedly stabbing a diner who has been identified as a local pastor; the victim is hospitalized and the suspect faces charges.

State Highway 45 on‑ramps to southbound MoPac were closed in Williamson County after a crash investigators say killed at least one person. Expect delays and use alternate routes.

Ken Paxton says the deal returns nearly $34 million after alleging AstraZeneca used nurses and support programs to steer Medicaid prescriptions. The state says the settlement will repay tainted Medicaid claims.

JMI Realty has acquired the 254‑room Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Austin and says it will undertake a comprehensive renovation of the property.

Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic returns to COTA on July 4 with a star‑studded lineup and fireworks. Practical tips and ticket details for Austin fans.

An Austin youth soccer coach now has an arrest warrant after court papers allege he touched a player in August 2025; investigators are asking other possible victims to come forward.

Layne’s Chicken Fingers is opening a Temple location August 29, promising its signature fingers, a hiring push for first‑time workers and a grand‑opening giveaway.

APD released surveillance stills after a May 26 robbery outside Mala Fama on E. Sixth; detectives are asking the public for tips in case 26‑1460136.

Foxtail Coffee is heading to Leander this fall, bringing craft coffee, a gelato bar and evening beer-and-wine to Bryson Ridge Crossing.

USGS finds modest oil and gas in the Buda Limestone beneath parts of Austin; the totals are small compared with major shale plays but reshape the subsurface map.