Pflugerville - Hutto Edition | January 2025

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P ugerville Hutto Edition VOLUME 20, ISSUE 5 JAN. 11 FEB. 12, 2025

2025 Health & Wellness Edition

Pflugerville’s vision for an expanded downtown

nothing we’ve had and not like a lot of cities have,” Assistant City Manager Emily Barron said. The project will provide amenities the community would expect from the city, Barron said, such as public gathering spaces and tness programming, especially as the Pugerville population grows.

BY GRACIE WARHURST

The city of Pugerville broke ground Dec. 2 on Downtown East, a project to develop a new heart of the city. The ceremony marked the beginning of Phase 1, which will include a new city hall, multigenerational recreation center and civic plaza. “The recreation center will be incredible—like

CONTINUED ON 30

The city of Pugerville’s Downtown East project will include the construction of a three-story, multigenerational recreation center.

COURTESY CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE

Also in this issue Impacts: See the latest Hutto food truck to transition to a downtown brick-and-mortar location (Page 10)

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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. About Community Impact

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Impacts Round Rock

4 Wildower Wellness Med Spa The business oers IV therapy and vitamin injections. Owned by Christiana and Joseph Philastre, Wildower Wellness Med Spa will have several dierent oerings to help people dealing with migraines, post-night-out confusions, early pregnancy queasiness and more. • Opened Dec. 13 5 Minerva Tortas Ahogadas The new food truck is serving up traditional Mexican dishes in Round Rock, with a menu of tortas and tacos for both breakfast and lunch. Customers will also nd hamburgers and jericalla, a Mexican custard dessert. • Opened Dec. 15 • 4257 Gattis School Road, Round Rock • www.instagram.com/minervaatx • 106 S. Harris St., Round Rock • www.wildflowerwellnessiv.com KidKruz The ride service oering transportation to and from school for children of busy parents began operating in December. The Round Rock-based business oers transportation to and from school, partnering with local schools such as Harmony Science Academy, Meridian World School and BASIS Pugerville. The business’s service area extends over several North Austin suburbs, as well as Austin proper. Locally owned by Sahithya Katakam, Sudhir Vissa and Archana Mittadoddi, KidKruz oers real-time route tracking for parents of students riding in their eet of vehicles. • Opened Dec. 2 • www.kidkruz.com 6 Dutch Bros The newest location of the coee stand opened in Round Rock in December, on the border of far Northwest Austin and Round Rock. The drive-thru and walk-up coee shop serves classic and protein coee drinks, lemonade, tea, energy drinks, shakes and smoothies, as well as pastry items and seasonal drinks. • Opened Dec. 27 • 117 Deer Ridge Drive, Round Rock • www.dutchbros.com

UNIVERSITY OAKS BLVD.

1431

Round Rock

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

2 8

130 TOLL

HARRIS ST.

620

DEER RIDGE DR.

45 TOLL

MOPAC

PARKER DR.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

wine, soft drinks, snacks and barware at the business. Dana Konja said the storefront accepts special orders and requests. • Opened Dec. 13 • 2800 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Ste. 140, Round Rock • Facebook: Freedom Libations Round Rock 3 Painted Tree Boutiques The Little Rock, Ark.-based boutique opened its 55th store in the La Frontera Village shopping center in December. The boutique will stock items from local vendors and artisans, making the Round Rock location unique to the area. • Opened Dec. 7 • 2701A Parker Drive, Round Rock • www.paintedtree.com

Now open

1 Dumont Cafe & Creamery The ice cream and coee shop opened a Round Rock location Dec. 13. In addition to a variety of ice cream avors, the cafe oers dierent kinds of bubble and milk teas, slushies, smoothies, and other blended drinks as well as espresso-based coee drinks. • Opened Dec. 13 • 1400 E. Old Settlers Blvd., Ste. 104, Round Rock • www.dumont.us 2 Freedom Libations Liquor A second location of the liquor store family-owned and operated by Dana Konja and her husband, Daniel Konja, opened in December. Customers can nd liquor, beer,

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Now open

7 Crunch Fitness The second Round Rock location of the gym opened Dec. 10. The no-judgment gym oers workout equipment, classes and personal training to members. • Opened Dec. 10 • 201 University Oaks Blvd., Ste. 1100, Round Rock • www.crunch.com

9 Tim Horton’s The franchise opened its rst location in the region near the border of Round Rock and Austin in December. The Canadian coee chain also serves a variety of breakfast items, according to the company’s website. There are over 5,000 locations across the globe.

11 Odds Bar & Bistro Owned by Food Network host John Green, Odds Bar & Bistro aims to combine upscale casual dining with an industrial urban bistro concept. Per a release, the menu will feature familiar favorites with a twist. The cocktail menu will also feature Odd takes on bar standards like the French 75, Sidecar and New York Sour alongside local brews and a curated list of wines. • Opened Dec. 19 • 1401 S. I-35, Ste. 120, Round Rock • www.oddsbarbistro.com

• Opened mid-December • 16201 RM 620, Austin • www.timhortons.com

Relocations

Closing

Coming soon

10 Outback Steakhouse The restaurant opened the doors at its new location after relocating in Round Rock in December. The Australian-themed restaurant features a menu of steaks, including lets, sirloins, ribeyes, New York strips and porterhouses. Customers will also nd a variety of seafood, burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers such as the Bloomin’ Onion. • Opened Dec. 10 • 4151 N. I-35, Round Rock • www.outback.com

12 Goodstock Goodstock by Nolan Ryan’s Butcher Shop in Round Rock closed in December. The butcher shop sold custom beef cuts, including steaks, ribs, roasts and ground chuck. According to an announcement by the company, Goodstock by Nolan Ryan will focus on growing its food service and retail business segments. • Closed Dec. 31 • 3800 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Ste. 110, Round Rock • www.goodstocktx.com

8 Habana House Cigar Lounge The cigar lounge and retail shop is expanding to Round Rock in a new retail center on Palm Valley Boulevard. The lounge will oer a variety of merchandise for cigar enthusiasts. • Opening in January • 2800 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Ste. 100, Round Rock • www.habanahousecigars.com

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Impacts

Pugerville

Now open

138

137

1 Perspectives Couples and Family Therapy Maddison Thompson’s private therapy practice opened in January, with both in-person and virtual sessions available. Thompson specializes in couples therapy, but oers individual and family therapy as well. • Opened Jan. 1 • 701 FM 685, Pflugerville • www.perspectivestherapy.info Sandi’s Organizing Services Sandi Carter’s goal for her personalized organization business is to help people declutter and nd a system that works for them. She operates out of Hutto, and travels to nearby cities to help organize both homes and businesses. Services include a free phone consultation and a four-hour minimum organization session. • Opened in November • www.sandisorganizingservices.com

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

RED BUD LN.

MARTIN LN.

45 TOLL

GREENLAWN BLVD.

130 TOLL

Pugerville

WINDERMERE DR.

685

Coming soon

PATTERSON INDUSTRIAL DR.

2 Momentum Sports US Momentum Sports will be the next sports facility in the Martin Lane business park, with indoor badminton, cricket and soccer amenities. The facility has training

HOWARD LN.

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BY GRACIE WARHURST

and competing services for all ages and skill levels. • Opening in February • 21427 Martin Lane, Pflugerville

Now open

Relocations

In the news

3 Alta Pest Control Alta Pest Control is coming to Pugerville, according to a ling with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration. The ling shows an end construction date in February 2026. The pest control company helps homeowners combat infestations and has three Texas locations in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

• 2711 Kelly Lane, Pflugerville • www.altapestcontrol.com

Batches Batches, a macaron bakery coming to Pugerville, is now oering catering services for the Pugerville and Austin area. Davey and Corie Wallen-Douglas own and operate Batches, catering for events like open houses. The couple will also bring their macarons to farmers markets starting in 2025, with four-, six- and 12-pack batches available for purchase. • Catering services began in November • www.mybatches.com

5 Bodies by Design Bodies By Design will be relocating after 16 years on Vision Drive in Pugerville. The business is a training facility that has served Pugerville and surrounding communities for over 23 years. Its services include semi-private training, physical therapy and massage therapy. • Relocated Jan. 1 • 15812 Windermere Drive, Ste. 100B, Pflugerville • www.bbdforlife.com

Closings

4 Big Country Brewing Big Country Brewing closed their Pugerville taproom. The brewpub, which opened as Willard’s in 2020, will continue to use its Pugerville location for brewing and is planning to open an East Austin location this year. • Closed Dec. 20 • 2400 Patterson Industrial Drive, Pflugerville • www.enjoybigcountry.com

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Impacts

Hutto

Now open

1660

1 Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming oers pet owners a variety of gourmet pet treats, nutrient-rich foods and toys. Grooming services the business provides includes bathing, nail trimming and painting, teeth brushing, dematting and ear cleaning. The store also has a range of products designed to support pet health, such as joint care, dental hygiene and coat maintenance. • Opened Dec. 12 • 2098 Muirield Bend Drive, Hutto • www.woofgangbakery.com 2 Happy Panini Happy Panini is now open in its new downtown Hutto location. The family-run business, owned by Chris and Gina Auditore, began by operating out of a food truck in 2020. The menu features items like the Hello Sunshine, which comes with smoked ham, turkey, provolone, Asiago cheese, tomato, pickles, mixed greens and garlic-parmesan mayo. Other hot-pressed sandwiches include chicken pesto, BBQ chipotle chicken, tuscan

Hutto

Taylor

110

6 5

130 TOLL

1660

ED SCHMIDT BLVD.

MUIRFIELD BEND DR.

137

1660

beef and more. • Opened Dec. 7

138

GATTIS SCHOOL RD.

• 202 Farley St., Hutto • www.happypanini.com

MAP NOT TO SCALE

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY GRANT CRAWFORD

3 She’s My Barber The new barbershop, owned by Teshe Melcher, recently opened in downtown Hutto. Melcher oers basic haircuts, beard trims, eyebrow clean ups, straight razor shaves, skin fades, waxing and more. • Opened Nov. 16 • 107 East St., Hutto • www.shesmybarber.org

Now open

Coming soon

Expansion

4 Texan Cafe & Pie Shop The Texan Cafe & Pie Shop, located in downtown Hutto, recently expanded by opening a new location in Taylor. The shop oers daily lunch specials, including chicken fried steak, cat£sh, grilled sausage and more. The dinner menu includes burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads and seafood. The Hutto site is located at 207 East St. in the downtown area. • Opened Dec. 18 • 105 E. 3rd St., Taylor • www.thetexancafe.com

5 Oh My Tea! The store oers a variety of beverages, including milk teas, avored teas, coee, juices, smoothies and slushies. The tea shop also oers fruit bowls, desserts and snacks. • Opened Dec. 14

6 Chuy’s The Tex-Mex restaurant Chuy’s is expected to open this month after the business broke ground on its Hutto location in July 2024. Encompassing over 5,400 square feet, the restaurant will oer a menu of burritos, tacos, fajitas and enchiladas. It was announced last year that Orlando-based Darden Restaurants was set to acquire Chuy’s, which began in 1982, for approximately $605 million. • Opening in January • 250 Alliance Blvd., Hutto • www.chuys.com

• 722 Hwy. 79, Ste. 120 • www.ohmyteausa.com

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Government

WilCo residents share concerns in survey Williamson County commissioners received a presentation on a community survey from ETC Institute during a Dec. 17 meeting. The county received high scores in areas that majorly aect quality-of-life ratings, but many res- idents have concerns regarding road maintenance and new construction, an ocial said. In a nutshell Ryan Murray, director of community research at ETC Institute, presented the countywide survey’s ndings to commissioners alongside Connie Odom, director of communications and media relations for Williamson County. “Our mission is really to help you all make better decisions through statistically valid research,” Murray said. ETC Institute sent the survey to 5,000 residen- tial addresses and received 1,262 responses with

Filing period opens for Hutto council seats The city of Hutto released guidelines ahead of the ling period for the May 2025 City Council election. Overview Three open positions will be on the next Hutto City Council ballot, including mayor, place 3 council member and place 6 council member. Those running for any of the open positions must be at least 18 years old as of the date of application, registered to vote by the state of Texas within the city of Hutto, and be a resident of the city and have resided in Hutto for at least a year. Prospective candidates can le beginning Jan. 15. The deadline to le is 5 p.m., Feb. 14. Election day is May 3. A candidate guide with information and forms is available at the city’s secretary oce.

Residents' satisfaction ratings with Williamson County services

Very satised Satised Neutral

Dissatised

Very dissatised

Emergency medical services

0.5%

39.5%

42.6% 16.9%

0.5%

County land ll and Hutto Recycling Center

7.7%

15.1%

37.5%

38.8%

0.9%

New road construction and safety improvements

7.5%

20.1%

8.4%

35%

29%

Road maintenance

6.1%

19.9%

40.2%

25.8%

SOURCE: ETC INSTITUTE, WILLIAMSON COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

both demographic and geographic representation, Murray said. According to the presentation, road mainte- nance and new construction dissatisfaction exists in the northeast and northwest parts of the county. About 47% of overall respondents agree county road improvements are adequately funded.

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BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

Hutto plans for $39M public works facility Hutto City Council approved plans in late November for a $39.8 million Hutto Public Works facility. The details City sta identi ed the need for an expanded public works facility due to population growth. Consultant rm Sunland Group outlined a plan to build facilities on 31.5 acres of land at the South Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Hutto council approves permit for new data center development Hutto City Council approved a speci c-use permit during a Dec. 5 meeting to allow for a data center on Innovation Boulevard. The gist Council’s approval of the permit allows the developer, Ironwood Realty Partners, to move for- ward with plans for a roughly 180,000-square-foot data center, located near the corner of Hwy. 79 and SH 130. Amanda Brown, of HD Brown Consulting, said the project is in the early stages but expects the facility to be an approximately $500 million investment to the Ironwood property, which would generate tax bene ts to the city. It’s still unclear how many employees the new data center would sta, but Brown said it could be anywhere

108

130 TOLL

Future data center at Ironwood

from 15-30 employees. Council members shared concerns about the possible impact to residents in the area, speci cally whether the project would necessitate the construc- tion of power lines to the facility. However, Brown said multiple routes from a nearby substation are already in place and does not expect the need to build new lines over residential communities. “I think this is a great place to have a low employee count, high-value item that will be built,” Mayor Mike Snyder said. “It will look good and provide tax revenue, but it won’t have the impacts that a lot of the industrial uses tend to have.”

South Wastewater Treatment Plant

134

CEDAR FORK RD.

1660

BRUSHY CREEK

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Transportation

BY GRACIE WARHURST

Improvements planned for CR 138

P ugerville passes transportation contracts Pugerville City Council approved four trans- portation contracts at its meeting Dec. 10, helping further road improvement work. About the projects The multiphase Kelly Lane project will widen the road, and is already complete west of Falcon Pointe Boulevard. Phase 2 includes Falcon Pointe Boulevard to east of Moorlynch Avenue, and Phase 3 encompasses Moorlynch Avenue to Hodde Lane, with construc- tion planned to wrap up in 2028. The Picadilly Drive, Central Commerce Drive and Royston Lane improvement project will recon- struct and widen the roads. Once under construc- tion, the project will take under two years. The Weiss Lane project will widen the road from East Pecan Street to Pleasanton Parkway, and construction will wrap up in 2027.

Picadilly Drive, Central Commerce Drive, Royston Lane

CENTRAL COMMERCE DR.

Williamson County has plans for a CR 138 project to improve East Wilco Highway, from SH 130 to east of Derby Day Avenue. The details The proposed improvements include: • A permanent trac signal • Flexible trac sticks and street lights • Pedestrian sidewalks • A dedicated left turn • An additional westbound lane Why now? The county cited safety and mobility needs due to population growth in Puger- ville and Hutto as the motivating factor for the road project. Construction is slated for fall 2026.

JERUSALEM DR.

Kelly Lane & Weiss Lane

Phase 2

PFLUGERVILLE PKWY.

Phase 3

FALCON POINTE BLVD.

130 TOLL

PLEASANTON PKWY.

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Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON & BROOKE SJOBERG

Hutto ISD is set to grow by about 5,000 more students over the next decade, as the area undergoes projected population growth. Enrollment increase in Hutto ISD

Enrollment

12,000

10,605

10,046

9,698

8,960

10,000

8,421

8,000

2020-21

2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25

SOURCE: HUTTO ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Hutto ISD added more than 500 students to its total enrollment in the 2024-25 school year, a demographic update shows. What you need to know In a quarterly demographic update from district demogra- pher Bob Templeton of Zonda Education given Dec. 12, Tem- pleton said the district added 559 new students to the district— about 40 students higher than HISD student enrollment rises by over 500

originally projected by the rm. Templeton said regional economic activity—like the draw of Samsung and other active industries—are large contributors to this increased enrollment. The details While enrollment is slightly higher than originally projected, Templeton said projections for kindergarten enrollment were slightly low because of a lower birth rate. Earlier this year, the Austin area ranked lowest for birth rate among major cities in Texas, and the fth lowest in the nation. Additionally, the report shows HISD’s enrollment is projected to grow to 15,482 by 2033-34.

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Students auto enroll in new elective

Pugerville ISD is set to intro- duce a new elective, Pathways to Careers, for middle school students in 2025-26. Ocials said students will be automatically enrolled in the course, leaving two elective periods open, but will have the ability to opt-out before Feb. 26 when making their course selec- tions for the new school year.

The details The new course will explore in-demand career clusters such as articial intelligence, clean energy and digital technology, ocials said. The course also awards one high school credit, fullling a local graduation credit require- ment, ocials said.

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Development

Pugerville cell tower now operational The city of Pugerville nished building a new AT&T cell tower along SH 130 in Novem- ber, intended to improve cell phone service. What is it? The new wireless telecommunication facility is east of FM 685, on property behind the Point of Grace Lutheran Church. Original design plans show a 120-foot tower about 400 feet away from residential areas. The site is intended to strengthen coverage in Stone Hill and Falcon Pointe. AT&T ocials led the construction of the tower, and the site went live at the end of November, according to an AT&T representa- tive. Plans show that the tower will be used as a FirstNet site to support rst responder communication for emergency medical services, and police and re departments.

Construction begins on $10.7M West Arena within WilCo Expo Center On Dec. 2, ocials broke ground on the Wil- liamson County Expo Center West Arena, a project that is expected to nish construction around December. The big picture The 175-by-450-foot covered arena will be directly north of an existing recreational vehicle park beside the Expo Center in Taylor. According to a county news release, the arena will accommo- date for growth at existing events and support RV park visitors. Amenities in the new facility will include: • Restrooms and showers • Two 8-by-28-foot covered picnic pavilions • Expanded gravel parking

Future West Arena

Expo Center

Expo Center RV Park

Taylor

About the project The West Arena is expected to cost $10.7 million, and the 12-month project is funded through the 2023 voter-approved parks bond, Precinct 4 County Commissioner Russ Boles said. “We’re going to have a larger covered pavilion behind me than we have currently existing, and that makes me excited,” Boles said. The project comes after the county renovated the Expo Center in 2016 and 2022, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ANNA MANESS & GRACIE WARHURST

Commissioners discuss WilCo’s future as several facilities open soon Changes are underway for Williamson County as ocials prepare to transition into a new headquar- ters building under construction, which is expected wrap up later this year. The action taken Commissioners agreed to look into moving county Jail and Justice Center functions from downtown Georgetown to a potential new facility by 2030. At the meeting, commissioners received two presentations regarding: • Hiring a program manager to help coordinate the county’s interim facilities plan • Adding a new court with freed-up facility space Commissioners agreed to begin soliciting for the

1660

137

Future Williamson County Headquarters

Plant site

3349

Georgetown

Wastewater plant expansion advances Hutto City Council passed the nal work authorization for the South Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion at its Nov. 21 meeting. The project will expand the plant’s capacity to 6 million gallons per day. The current situation Council previously approved two other work authorizations. The latest contract totals $106.8 million, bringing overall con- struction costs to a little over $177 million.

program manager. According to a presentation, the county could have 16 possible facility relocations over the next ve years. Commissioners said they will take action on moving forward with adding a new Williamson County state district court in mid-January. A closer look In 2026, county departments plan on moving into two new buildings: the new headquarters and the 28-acre Lake Creek Annex building, according to the presentation. Departments also expect to move into the new Juvenile Justice Center in 2027.

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Real estate

The year-over-year median price of homes sold in P ugerville and Hutto dropped in November, according to data by Austin Board of Realtors. Residential market data

November 2023

November 2024

Homes sold

Average days on the market

+2%

-12.7%

-34.5%

+17.9%

78634

130 TOLL

78634

78660

78634

78660

Median home sales price

45 TOLL

November

2023

2024

78660

$366,615

$363,000

78634

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS AND UNLOCK MLS 5124547636 • WWW.ABOR.COM

$406,000

$384,990

78660

Homes sold by price point in November

Pugerville | Hutto

78634

78660

November

2023

2024

$900,000+

269 169

New listings

$700,000-$899,999

247

217

Closed sales

$500,000-$699,999

$300,000-$499,999

Homes under contract

251

186

<$300,000

Months of inventory

3.7

Median home price in November

Hutto $363,000

Round Rock $413,269

Travis County $515,000

Price per square foot

$201

$198

P ugerville $384,990

Austin MSA $573,400

Williamson County $423,120

786 553

Active listings

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY CLAIRE SHOOP Health & wellness Health & Wellness Edition 2025

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Health & Wellness Edition! This brand new guide features the latest updates and resources on health and wellness in your community. Health and wellness includes physical, mental and social well-being, and we have a wide range of stories included in this issue written by our team of local journalists. In our inaugural Health and Wellness Edition, learn more about sleep hygiene, types of gyms and more. Local advertisers share useful information on health and wellness services they oer, too. Be well in 2025!

Premium sponsor:

Amy Leonard Bryant General Manager abryant@ communityimpact.com

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – P ugerville BSWHealth.com/PugervilleMC 512.654.6500 The power to live better.

What's inside

Learn about rising health insurance costs in Texas (Page 25)

Check out six places serving mocktails this January (Page 26)

Read about plans to tighten food safety standards (Page 29)

For relevant news and daily updates, subscribe to our free email newsletter!

County health data Williamson County outperformed Travis County on overall health outcomes and health factors. However, both counties were above the state and national averages. Each county diered on individual metrics, with Williamson County showing a lower percent of uninsured residents under age 65, but Travis County reporting better access to exercise.

Snapshot

Health indicators

The data for all counties statewide is updated annually, but includes information from previous years.

These are some of the statistics that inuence the overall health and wellness of the county.

Health factor

Health outcome

Williamson

Travis County Williamson County

Texas

Least healthy in U.S. Most healthy in U.S.

Travis

Life expectancy Food insecurity

80.6 years

81 years

77.2 years

12% 5% 11% 23% 92% 15%

10% 9% 11% 18% 89% 13%

14% 8% 13% 18% 82% 20%

Limited access to healthy foods

Health outcomes

Adult smoking

Williamson County

Travis County

Excessive drinking

Access to exercise opportunities

Uninsured (under age 65)

State average National average

Ratio of population to primary care physicians Ratio of population to mental health providers Sleep fewer than 7 hours on average Commute alone for longer than 30 minutes Spend 50% or more of income on housing

1,190:1

1,460:1

1,660:1

Health factors

270:1 30% 37% 16%

610:1 32% 44%

640:1

Williamson County

Travis County

33% 39% 14%

National average

11%

State average

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN POPULATION HEALTH INSTITUTE 2024 COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

Health & wellness Types of gyms

BY ELLE BENT & ELISABETH JIMENEZ

Mixed martial arts gyms Mixed martial arts, or MMA, involves techniques from combat sports that include striking and grappling. People often train by sparring, using ghting styles such as boxing, Brazilian jiujitsu, muay Thai and kickboxing. • Good for: This sport helps improve endurance, functional strength, flexibility and reflexes, according to itness company Ronin Training Center. • Examples: BlackWidow MMA, Gracie Barra Round Rock, Premier Martial Arts Round Rock Powerlifting gyms Powerlifting consists of threelifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift, according to USA Powerlifting. Powerlifting gyms provide equipment and sometimes training needed to powerlift. • Good for: Powerlifting is good for building strength. • Examples: FeV Iron Forge Gym, Home Barbell Club, Gold’s Gym Pflugerville, Metroflex Austin Yoga studios Yoga studios often oer classes geared toward the practice of dierent yoga styles. • Good for: Yoga is good for flexibility, balance and strength in addition to its beneits for heart health, according to health system John Hopkins Medicine. • Examples: Black Swan Yoga Round Rock, Soul Strong

Boot camp gyms Boot camp gyms oer “boot camp” sessions of an intense workout in a short amount of time, focusing on cardio and strength training in one session. • Good for: This form of high-impact, full-body workout engages major muscle groups and focuses on strength training, which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures by maintaining bone density, according to itness company Peloton and health care center Mayo Clinic. • Examples: Bodies by Design, Cowboys Fit, Orangetheory Fitness Boxing gyms Boxing gyms can oer traditional boxing classes to teach sparring or tness boxing—a form of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. Fitness boxing can include drills such as footwork drills and punching rounds. • Good for: Boxing exercises can improve endurance, balance and coordination, as well as provide full-body strength training. It can also improve heart health, according to Cleveland Clinic. • Examples: ArchetypeBoxing Club, AOA Boxing, Austin

Women’s Boxing Club, Crunch Fitness Climbing gyms

Looking for a new workout to try in 2025? Here is a noncomprehensive guide of dierent types of gyms to join around the Austin area. This list is in alphabetical order. Aquatic gyms Aquatic gyms often feature swimming pools, diving and oer swimming classes. • Good for: Swimming can improve health for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. • Examples: ClayMadsen Recreation Center, Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy, Hutto Family YMCA Barre gyms A Barre gym oers barre classes, a low-impact exercise routine that combines elements of ballet, Pilates, yoga, and strength training. • Good for: Barre focuses on body strength and flexibility, according to gym franchise Pure Barre’s website. • Examples: barre3,Pure Barre Round Rock

Climbing gyms often oer dierent climbing styles like bouldering, top roping and lead climbing in an indoor facility outtted with textured walls designed to mimic rock surfaces. • Good for: Climbing is a full-body workout good for building strength, according to the CDC. • Examples: Austin Bouldering Project, Crux Climbing Center, Jungle Movement Academy Cycling gyms Cycling gyms oer indoor cycling classes, often referred to as spinning, for a low-impact, high-intensity workout. • Good for: Cycling focuses on various muscle groups, such as quads, calves, glutes and core, according to cycling studio VERVE and Harvard Medical School. This form of exercise puts less stress on joints, which may be ideal for those with orthopedic injuries, according to Harvard Medical School. • Examples: CYCLEBAR,SoulCycle, Cowboys Fit, Crunch Fitness

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) studios

Pilates studios Pilates studios oer classes focusing on strengthening core muscles, with an emphasis on proper technique. • Good for: This low-impact workout can improve core strength, balance and flexibility, as well as help with back pain, though research is limited, according to studies in the Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal and the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. • Examples: Reform You Pilates, HOTWORX Pflugerville, Pilates 512, Finding Flow Pilates

These studios oer sessions that involve short, high-intensity reps with active recovery periods in between. • Good for: HIIT sessions are often below an hour but provide beneits such as improved heart health, burning calories and increased strength and endurance, according to the Cleveland Clinic and an article from Harvard School of Public Health. • Examples: F45 Training, Orangetheory Fitness, HIT Athletic, Pvolve Austin

Yoga, HOTWORX Pflugerville This list is not comprehensive.

ROUND ROCK 201 University Oaks Blvd (512) 341-9066 ARBORETUM 10515 N Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893

GEORGETOWN 1013 W University Ave (512) 868-6696 PFLUGERVILLE 19000 Limestone

Commercial Dr (512) 953-4070

Be a h ER o

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2600 E. Pflugerville Parkway | Pflugerville, TX 78660

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Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2024 Baylor Scott & White Health. 09-PF-1196862 DT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Health & wellness

BY HANNAH NORTON

Lawmakers seek ‘innovative’ health options as 5 million Texans uninsured

High health care costs

68%

Nearly half of Texans have employer- sponsored health insurance.

About 68% of Texas’ 3.2 million small businesses do not oer health coverage for their employees.

Services Committee. Sen. Charles Perry, RLubbock, said giving people the true costs of medical ser- vices—“the needle, the doctor, the electricity and the bed”—could help lower insurance premiums. “It’s really frustrating to talk about health insurance costs when the cost is made up of some- thing that reects no sense of reality,” Perry said. “There’s no incentive for insurance companies to pay less, and the system of health care delivery we have today demands the lack of transparency for it to work.” In a Dec. 10 report, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee said lawmakers should look into ways to increase “innovative, alternative” coverage options and consider requir- ing insurance providers to publicly list their prices. One more thing Texas is one of 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid, a state- and federally funded program that provides health coverage to certain low-in- come people. Texans can qualify for Medicaid based on a combination of factors, including income, household size, pregnancy or disability status and age. In states with expanded Medicaid, residents can qualify based on income alone, according to the federal government. About 750,000 Texans are in the “coverage gap,” according to policy nonprot Texas 2036, meaning they make too much money to qualify for Medic- aid and too little to receive subsidized coverage through the federal health insurance marketplace. It would cost the state about $700 million per year to expand Medicaid, said Eva DeLuna Castro,

About 5 million Texans, or 16.4% of the state population, did not have health insurance in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Texas’ uninsured rate was higher than any other state and more than twice the national rate of 7.9%. “Texas leads the nation in a lot of good ways, but this is one of those things we don’t want to be leading the nation in,” said Annie Spilman, execu- tive director of Texans for Aordable Healthcare. The big picture For three years in a row, Texas health insurance premiums have increased by over 5% annually, according to the Texas Association of Health Plans, a trade association representing insurers. “The last several years, we’ve had the Legisla- ture adding a lot more requirements—what we call mandates—to health insurance that go above … the federal requirements,” said Blake Hutson, director of public aairs for the Texas Association of Health Plans. “Employers, who do provide the bulk of coverage in the state, are just increasingly facing higher and higher costs.” Texas has the third most health care mandates in the nation, according to Texans for Aordable Healthcare. Recent state mandates have limited the types of health coverage small businesses can oer, barred certain insurance providers from directing patients to mail-order pharmacies and more. Zooming in A lack of transparency is driving high health insurance costs, senators said during a May 14 hearing of the Texas Senate Health and Human

On average, Texas families pay $7,500 in annual employer-sponsored insurance premiums, while employers pay $15,000 per employee.

SOURCES: TEXICARE, TEXAS 2036 COMMUNITY IMPACT

Where to get help Uninsured Texans can visit 75 federally qualied health centers across 127 counties, which oer medical care regardless of insurance coverage or a patient’s ability to pay. Other options for people without health insurance include: Texas’ Primary Health Care Program Provides primary care services at clinics across the state Healthy Texas Women Oers free women’s health and family planning services The Texas HIV Medication Program Helps low-income Texans access medications to treat HIV and related complications

SOURCE: TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION COMMUNITY IMPACT

a budget analyst in the o¡ce of Rep. Donna Howard, DAustin. Texas would also receive about $7 billion in federal Medicaid funding, DeLuna Castro estimated.

Brenda R. Gentry DDS • PA

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Preschool for ages 6 weeks - 4 year olds After school care for K-5th grades

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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION

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