A coalition of 59 Texas cities asked the state’s high court to review laws capping what telecoms pay to use public rights‑of‑way. The case could shift millions in local revenue.

The forecast for Austin includes varied weather: temps in the 70s, increasing clouds, a 60% chance of thunderstorms by Friday, a 90% chance of precipitation Friday night, and possible freezing rain and sleet over the weekend.

Henderson Park and Student Quarters bought The Thompson, a 528‑bed student housing community in San Marcos, and say they’ll invest in unit and amenity upgrades in 2026.

TxDMV will hold a public hearing in Austin Wednesday on proposed ID rules that county officials say could block undocumented residents from registering vehicles. Officials plan to press the agency at the hearing.

Ken Paxton led a multistate filing backing an HHS proposal to reverse a 2024 rule that touched on whether gender dysphoria could be treated as a disability under Section 504.

USPS clarified that postmarks may reflect processing date, not drop‑off day. Texas voters should mail registrations and ballots early or request a manual postmark.

After a lengthy closure following an October 2024 fire, Frankie’s NY Style Pizza & Pasta reopened in Georgetown on Jan. 19, returning pizza, pasta and subs to the neighborhood.

ICE and DHS agents were reported near FM 20 and U.S. Highway 183 in Lockhart Tuesday; local police say they were not notified and did not take part.

Austin institution Texas French Bread is aiming to reopen in April after its Rio Grande building burned in 2022. Owner Murph Willcott says the rebuild is nearly finished and will return to the original footprint.

A federal judge sentenced 23-year-old Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo to 30 years after prosecutors say he helped hold nine people hostage in an Austin apartment. Officials say victims included a pregnant woman and a child and that smugglers demanded roughly $21,000 for a family's release.

Mid‑January filings show candidates for five Austin council seats raised almost $140K and enter 2026 with about $800K on hand. Incumbents and self‑funded challengers lead the early money race.

A $225M deep‑water intake and two‑mile tunnel under Lake Travis will let Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock pump water from far below the lake to boost drought resilience.

Whataburger filed for a $2M renovation at its East Austin MLK location, with state records showing upgrades to the building, parking and landscaping. Construction is slated to start mid‑July and run about five months.