Michael "Mac" Cummins will begin July 27 as Austin Economic Development's director, arriving from Reston with experience in planning, redevelopment and business recruitment. The hire follows a national search and draws scrutiny over recruitment costs.

Area Development named Texas the Gold Shovel winner after nearly $9 billion in announced projects and more than 9,700 projected jobs. The tally includes deals from Lilly to Wistron and MTU.

San Marcos’ City Council voted Tuesday to ban data centers across all zoning districts after months of heated meetings. The move responds to water, power and neighborhood worries.