Georgetown Edition | July 2025

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Georgetown Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 11 JULY 25AUG. 25, 2025

2025 Home Edition

In water’s wake Ocials, residents left to clean up following ood

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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.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

195

Impacts

5 Playa Bowls The business offers smoothies, acai bowls and juices. • Opened June 29 • 1013 W. University Ave., Ste. 175, Georgetown • www.playabowls.com 6 Bam Party Store Owned by Samantha Hyde, the business sells balloons and backdrops, and offers party rentals. • Opened in mid-May • 1206 Williams Drive, Ste. 103, Georgetown • Instagram: bam_party_store

DEL WEBB BLVD.

149

SERENADA DR.

140

152

2338

NORTHWEST BLVD.

LAKE GEORGETOWN

18A

130 TOLL

RONALD REAGAN BLVD.

RIVERBEND DR.

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PARK LN.

8 9

Coming soon

258

18B

7 Haji Moto Ramen & Sake Bar Owned by Jerry Thompson and Yusuke Iwai, the local spot will serve up authentic ramen with housemade noodles, chicken karaage and gyoza. • Opening in the summer • 114 E. Seventh St., Ste. 116, Georgetown • www.haji-moto.com 8 Infinite Hitting The business will offer hitting lessons out of an 8,000-square-foot indoor clubhouse. • Opening Aug. 4 • 4701 FM 3405, Ste. 400, Georgetown • www.infinitehitting.com 130 TOLL 9 Intensity Gymnastics Owner Beth Dauzat said the center will offer gymnastics and tumbling classes, a warrior program, a competitive developmental program, camps, and more. • Opening Sept. 1 • 4701 FM 3405, Georgetown • Facebook: Intensity Gymnastics Texas 10 Georgetown Crossing RV Park With 140 full hookup sites, the gated RV park will offer a number of amenities for long-term residents. • Opening in August • 3201 CR 152, Georgetown • www.txcommunityrvparks.com 110 29

ESTRELLA CROSSING

E. 7TH ST.

COUNTRY RD.

1460

SCENIC LAKE DR.

5 20 17

MAP NOT TO SCALE

3 Poco Loco Supermercado The Hispanic grocery store sells meats, produce, baked goods and beverages. • Opened May 7 • 603 W. University Ave., Ste. 100, Georgetown • www.pocolocosupermercado.com 4 Barking Armadillo Brewing Officials with the brewery confirmed they opened a coffee shop inside the Georgetown location. • Opened June 24 • 507 Riverbend Drive, Georgetown • www.barkingarmadillo.com 1460 35

Now open

1 Lowe’s The home improvement store sells appliances, tools, furniture and more. • Opened June 12 • 2301 N. I-35, Georgetown • www.lowes.com 2 Willowbrae Childcare Academy The facility offers child care for young children, as well as before- and after-school care and camps. • Opened June 30 • 3010 FM 1460, Georgetown • www.willowbraechildcaregeorgetowntx.com

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11 10 Federal Storage The company provides residential, commercial and

• 4610 Williams Drive, Ste. 105, Georgetown • www.homegoods.com

• 904 W. University Ave., Ste. 110, Georgetown • www.huntingtonhelps.com

parking storage. • Opening in July • 3700 DB Wood Road, Georgetown • www.10federalstorage.com

18 10 Federal Storage The storage company purchased Storage Plus and Park Lane Storage. Officials plan to reopen both locations under the new name in July. • 18A 4401 Williams Drive, Georgetown • 18B 1507 Park Lane, Georgetown • www.10federalstorage.com 19 Neighborhood Plumbing & Drain Formerly Brittain Plumbing, the remodeling, plumbing and repair services company rebranded in March. • 104 Country Road, Georgetown • www.neighborhoodplumbinganddrain.com

Relocations

15 TrueCore Fitness Manager Hilary Nunn said the fitness studio moved from 209 E. Eighth St. • Relocated April 21 • 115 Shell Road, Ste. 200, Georgetown • www.truecoretx.com 16 Rabbit Coffee Co. The coffee and baked goods seller, which currently operates a truck outside House of Gainz, is expected to move inside the gym. • Relocating at the end of July • 610 N. Austin Ave., Georgetown • Instagram: rabbitcoffeeco

12 Extra Space Storage The facility will have 890 climate-controlled units. • Opening in mid 2026 • 2030 Airport Road, Georgetown • www.extraspace.com

What’s next

13 Tomlinson’s Feed The natural pet food and supplies store will finish building out a location at Parmer Ranch Marketplace in November 2026, according to a project registration with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation. • 10110 RM 2338, Bldg. A, Ste. 130, Georgetown • www.tomlinsons.com 14 HomeGoods Construction on the furniture and decor store is set to wrap up by December, according to TDLR.

Closings

20 Factory Mattress All of the brand’s locations are closing after the company filed for bankruptcy June 7. • Closing date TBD • 1015 W. University Ave., Georgetown • www.factorymattresstexas.com

In the news

17 Huntington Learning Center of Georgetown The tutoring and test preparation facility marked its five-year anniversary on July 13.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

City of Georgetown terminates water supply agreement

Six months after the city of Georgetown entered into an agreement with GateHouse Water LLC to expand its raw water resources, both parties have mutually terminated the agreement due to technical and nancial issues, according to the city’s website. What we know Georgetown City Council members unanimously approved authorizing City Manager David Morgan to sign the GateHouse Water termination during a May 27 meeting, with council members Shawn Hood and Ben Stewart absent. “The city and [GateHouse] mutually agreed that [GateHouse] did not have a feasible nancial and operational plan to deliver the water under the conditions of the contract,” a city ocial said in an email to Community Impact. “The city is looking for ways to leverage our nancing and engineering resources to buy out [GateHouse’s] assets and develop the project.” Assets could include wells, groundwater leases

and production or transportation permits, the ocial said. To date, the city has not paid GateHouse Water any money, and no fees are associated with the termination, according to the city’s website. How we got here During a special-called meeting Dec. 30, council members approved a 30-year agreement with GateHouse Water to purchase 16.5 million gallons per day of groundwater from the Simsboro Aquifer in Lee County. City Council was expected to give nal approval to the GateHouse contract by this summer, Community Impact previously reported. The city has two other water agreements. One with EPCOR would bring 32-62.5 mgd of treated groundwater to Georgetown by 2030. Another with Recharge Water will assess the cost of a phased delivery of up to 31 mgd per year of groundwater from the Simsboro Aquifer.

Looking ahead The city has existing agreements with EPCOR and Recharge Water, and ocials said they will continue to pursue additional water supply. Current water Water from agreements

200M

The terminated Gatehouse Water

150M

agreement would have

allowed the city to purchase 16.5 million gallons per day from the Simsboro Aquifer in Lee County.

100M

50M

Water agreements

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWNCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

Georgetown City Council members approved ve ordinance amendments June 24, two of which will aect the unhoused community. One amendment will make it unlawful to sit, lay down or sleep on public property downtown unless authorized under the ordinance’s six exemptions, which include sitting down for a festival, medical emergencies and more. A separate parking ordinance amendment will prevent people from distributing food or goods in publicly owned parking areas throughout city limits unless otherwise authorized. For almost a decade, Helping Hands of Georgetown has parked at the Georgetown Public Library to distribute meals to unhoused individuals and low- income families. Michelle Augustine, a member of the recently formed Georgetown Coalition for the Unhoused, said she’s concerned about Helping Hands of Georgetown’s ability to continue food distribution under the ordinance. New ordinances aect unhoused community in city

Downtown overlay district An updated city ordinance prohibits individuals from sitting, laying down or sleeping in the downtown area.

VFW PARK

4THST.

5THST.

G A B R I E L

11THST.

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWNCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Going forward

Public input

The big picture

During the ordinances’ rst reading June 10, Georgetown resident Kathy Bond said community members should be fostering relationships and building trust with people experiencing homeless- ness to better understand their needs. “I love this town,” Bond said. “I’m proud of it, but I am disappointed that we’re not willing to care for those in need.” City ocials determined establishing both ordinances are in the “best interest of the public,” and the ordinance addressing occupying public property will prevent disruption to residents, businesses and customers, per city documents. With the historic district home to over 200 small businesses, shops, restaurants and service provid- ers, Downtown Georgetown Association President Tammey Stokley said the ordinances are necessary for maintaining safety and accessibility in the area. “Unfortunately, we have seen a noticeable increase in concerns tied to public safety ... directly impacting foot trac, customer comfort, employee safety and the overall perception of our downtown Georgetown,” Stokley said.

Police Chief Cory Tchida said law enforce- ment will use the ordinances as a tool to handle “recalcitrant,” or uncooperative, people downtown. An individual violating the sitting and sleeping ordinance must rst receive a warning within a 12-month period before violating the ordinance becomes unlawful. A second oense could result in a citation with penalties up to $2,000 or community service hours, Tchida said in an email.

Michelle Augustine highlights contents of Helping Hands of Georgetown’s lunches.

ANNA MANESSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

“The issue of the homeless and unhoused is a community problem that requires community

In an email to Community Impact , Augustine said Helping Hands of Georgetown will need to locate private property to continue distributing food. “For some people, this is the only meal that they’re getting once a day,” Augustine said June 24.

solutions.” CORY TCHIDA, GEORGETOWN POLICE CHIEF

GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

WilCo to use hand-marked ballots in November Starting in November, registered voters in Williamson County will fill in their ballots by hand instead of scanning them and using a machine to vote electronically. The change comes after the Trump Administra- tion issued an executive order earlier this year to eliminate barcodes on ballots. What’s happening During a June 24 meeting, commissioners approved purchasing $1.4 million of new bal- lot-on-demand voting equipment ahead of a return to hand-marked ballots this fall. Voters will fill in bubbles by hand to mark their preferences for candidates and propositions. Williamson County Elections Administrator Bridgette Escobedo said the county currently uses ballot-marking devices, or BMDs, to mark paper ballots electronically. The BMD prints a ballot

New youth therapy program gets funding Using $1.2 million in new state funding, Williamson County is launching a new youth multisystemic therapy program, which will offer personalized therapy for adolescents facing serious behavioral problems. The details The Williamson County multisystemic therapy team will serve youth already involved in the juvenile justice system or identified as high-risk for the system.

“I know that we are going to do our very best to protect the

secrecy of everyone’s ballot, and this is a way that we can do that.” BRIDGETTE ESCOBEDO, WILLIAMSON COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR

with a barcode, which a machine reads to tabulate votes, Community Impact previously reported. What else? During the meeting, commissioners approved a resolution to apply for a Help America Vote Act election security grant, which guarantees the county will receive $52,000 in funding to reim- burse the purchase of ballot-on-demand printers. Escobedo will request the entire purchase amount from the grant, but said the county’s election budget will fund anything not covered.

How it works

• Chronic truancy • Aggression • Substance use • Involvement in the justice or welfare system Multisystemic therapy is designed to serve 12-to-17-year-olds who exhibit:

SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

55+ ACTIVE SENIOR LIVING

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GEORGETOWN

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ANNA MANESS

City, county animal shelters merge Cat adoptions and services will be available at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter following its July 14 merger with the Georgetown Animal Shelter, according to a county news release. Dog adoptions and fostering will be at the former Georgetown Animal Shel- ter—renamed to the WCRAS Red Poppy Adoptique. The impact Due to severe flooding over the July 4 holiday weekend, all pets at the Georgetown Animal Shelter were transferred to the WCRAS, Community Engagement Coordina- tor April Peiffer said in an email. As of press time, the Red Poppy Adoptique is expected to open the week of July 14, officials said.

City of Georgetown outdoor pool admissions, costs in 2024

River Ridge Pool

City-run pool

2024 admissions

Net cost per admission

River Ridge Pool

2,014

$23.41

Village Pool

3,421

$22.80

Williams Drive Pool

9,421

$13.30

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

City may close River Ridge Pool amid cost cuts Budget conversations are ramping up in George- town as city staff propose new ideas to cut costs for fiscal year 2025-26, including closing River Ridge Pool. Zooming in Out of three outdoor pools run by the city, River

Ridge Pool has the highest net cost per admission and is the least utilized, City Manager David Morgan said during a June 24 meeting. The city spends about $71,000 annually to operate the pool, he said. With River Ridge Pool requiring nearly $200,000 in maintenance renova- tions over the next few years, staff recommended closing it, per the presentation. The why In May, Morgan said the city could face an $80 million negative balance in the general fund by FY 2027-28 if no action is taken.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Georgetown ISD students performed below the state in all but three subjects and grade levels on the 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, according to results released June 17. In those three categories, the district and state had the same percentage of passing students. Still, the district saw some gains in reading and math scores compared to 2024. The STAAR is administered to third through 12th grade students each spring to measure student progress and teacher performance. Students receive STAAR scores of “did not meet grade level,” “approaches grade level,” “meets grade level” or “masters grade level” for each subject. Students who approach their grade level and above have passed the test, while students who meet their grade level and above are considered procient. Local STAAR scores trail state

A closer look

Zooming in

Passing scores, 2024 vs. 2025 This data shows the change in the percent of students who approached grade level—which is considered passing—year over year. Georgetown ISD Statewide

Each school year, the Texas Education Agency uses STAAR scores and other student data to rate districts and campuses from AF on student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps for certain student populations. Cooper Elementary and Wagner Middle School have received multiple consecutive F ratings following the release of 2023 scores in April. This has required GISD to create turnaround plans to improve performance at these campuses. Performance on the 2025 STAAR was lowest in fth grade science for Cooper Elementary and seventh grade math for Wagner Middle School.

-10

-8

-6 -4

-2

+8 +10

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

What they’re saying

Score snapshot

“There is much to be proud of, but we are not yet where we want to be. We must improve math performance by ensuring that student work is appropriately challenging. We must continue

5th grade

Highest GISD scores U.S. history: 93% approaching grade level Biology: 91% approaching grade level

8th grade

to ensure that every student is reading at or above grade level.” DEVIN PADAVIL, GISD SUPERINTENDENT

Lowest GISD scores Fifth grade science: 51% approaching grade level Seventh grade math: 51% approaching grade level

Algebra I Biology English I

English II U.S. History

NOTE: STAAR SPANISH SCORES NOT LISTED SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Zooming out

According to previous Community Impact reporting, experts found that the pandemic highlighted existing issues with math education, including insucient training for teachers and a lack of early intervention for struggling students.

“With [reading and language arts] scores now surpassing prepandemic levels, we are seeing meaningful signs of academic recovery and progress,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a June 17 news release. “While this year also saw some improvements in math, clearly more work is needed.” About 43% of Texas students met grade-level standards in math, compared to 50% in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas students saw growth in reading and continued to struggle in math, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Statewide, 54% of students met grade level or above in reading and language arts, according to TEA data. Elementary school students saw the largest gains in reading, while middle school performance remained relatively stable, and high schoolers saw modest declines.

GEORGETOWN EDITION

Transportation

BY ANNA MANESS

Rockride Lane closed for reconstruction Georgetown commuters can expect a portion of Rockride Lane to remain closed through early August. The details The reconstruction project will create a two-lane roadway with a continuous center left-turn lane, and add a 10-foot-wide shared-use path on the east side of Rockride Lane from SE Inner Loop to Sam Houston Avenue, according to city information.

Construction starts on Shell Road widening Crews began construction to improve a roughly 1-mile stretch of Shell Road from Williams Drive to Sycamore Street on July 19, according to ClearGov, a government budgeting software the city uses. This comes after City Council members awarded Texas Road LLC with a $15 million contract to move forward with the project on June 24. The details The existing undivided roadway with one lane in each direction will be expanded into a road with two lanes in each direction, new turn lanes at intersections, upgraded traffic signals and additional pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, among other drainage and lighting improvements. Additionally, the future four-lane arterial will have a raised median, according to ClearGov, and a new traffic signal will be installed at Rosedale Boulevard and Village Commons Boulevard.

SYCAMORE ST.

VILLAGE COMMONS BLVD.

ROSEDALE BLVD.

SHELL RD.

Funding the project The Shell Road widening will be funded through a mixture of certificate of obligation bonds, gen- eral obligation bonds and general obligation bond interest, according to ClearGov. A voter-approved May 2021 mobility bond set aside $12.5 million for Shell Road. The entire Shell Road widening project—includ- ing both design and construction—is projected to cost around $20.3 million.

Closure

Reconstruction

CARLSON COVE

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

BY ANNA MANESS

Nine active road projects totaling roughly $260.7 million are underway in Williamson County, according to a June 17 update by Senior Director of Infrastructure Bob Daigh. $261M underway on county roads

241

289

E. WILCO HWY.

404

255

3349

195

1660

137

WILLIAMS DR.

3405

WEIR RD.

183

Precinct 2

1 Hwy. 29 Bypass Project: Stretching from RM 1869 to CR 279 in Liberty Hill, the bypass is nearing completion. • Timeline: anticipated completion late 2025 • Cost: $14.4 million 2 Ronald Reagan Boulevard Project: Crews have started pouring bridge slabs for the boulevard’s widening from Hwy. 29 to FM 3405. • Timeline: anticipated completion summer 2027 • Cost: $52.5 million

SOUTHWEST BYP.

1460

1869

WESTINGHOUSE RD.

279

2243

110

SE INNER LOOP

SAM BASS RD.

130 TOLL

112

117

WYOMING SPRINGS DR.

183A TOLL

183

1431

OLD SETTLERS BLVD.

A.W. GRIMES

CREEK BEND BLVD.

Precinct 3

3 Sam Bass Road Project: Crews are repaving and widening the road from RM 1431 to Wyoming Springs Drive near Round Rock. • Timeline: anticipated completion fall 2025 • Cost: $34.5 million 4 CR 255 Project: Officials broke ground on a 3-mile expansion to CR 255 near Georgetown on Feb. 28. • Timeline: anticipated completion summer 2026 • Cost: $20.8 million 5 Wyoming Springs Project: An extension to the road from the intersection of Brightwater Boulevard and Creek Bend Boulevard to

Sam Bass Road is underway. • Timeline: anticipated completion late 2026 • Cost: $25.9 million

from FM 1460 and A.W. Grimes to CR 117. • Timeline: anticipated completion late 2026 • Cost: $13.1 million 8 CR 112 Project: A separate CR 112 widening project is underway from CR 117 to CR 110. • Timeline: anticipated completion late 2026 • Cost: $20.4 million 9 East Wilco Highway Project: Segment 2 of the East Wilco Highway from CR 137 to CR 404 broke ground in fall 2024. • Timeline: anticipated completion summer 2028 • Cost: $64.2 million

Precinct 4

6 Old Settlers Boulevard Project: Construction is underway on an eastern extension of the road. • Timeline: anticipated completion fall 2025 • Cost: $14.9 million 7 CR 112 Project: Officials are widening a segment of the road

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Development

BY ANNA MANESS

A historic Georgetown property on South Austin Avenue will get a new look. In a nutshell During a June 10 meeting, Georgetown City Council members approved an appeal request from Chris Marble with architectural rm LRK to renovate and preserve an existing single story 1920s building at 817 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. Georgetown’s Historic and Architectural Review Commission previously denied a certicate of appropriateness for the project, citing its noncom- pliance with maintaining building uniformity in the downtown overlay district. The vote After sta, applicant and community feedback, council members approved the applicant’s appeal Council OKs new building facade

Proposed

Current

ANNA MANESSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

RENDERING COURTESY LRK

“I do like what you did, it’s just in the wrong spot,” Butler said. Why it matters A redesign of the facade would expose the build- ing’s current wood trusses, or beams, and reveal the property’s original double-gable roof. “It really excites me because there’s a historic story to be told here,” District 2 council member Shawn Hood said.

in a 6-1 vote, with newly elected District 3 council member Ben Butler voting against the motion. Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Pitts said it’s “impossible” for applicants to fully comply with the city’s design guidelines, and said the project’s compli- ance with 34 out of 37 of them should be enough to move forward. Butler said the applicant’s design proposal to expose the gable roof would make the building stand out “like a sore thumb” on the square.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Development

BY ANNA MANESS

Georgetown City Council members unanimously denied the rezoning of an 8.7 acre property at 903 Riverhaven Drive during a June 10 meeting, citing the application’s noncompliance with much of the city’s unied development code criteria. If approved, the land, located near San Gabriel Park, would have been rezoned from residential single family to a planned unit development with about 4.3 acres of low- density multifamily and 1.7 acres of local commercial zoning districts. Rachel Lowder, representing the applicant, said the development, called The Garden District in the Park, would include up to 60 dwelling units, including detached condos around 1,350 square feet priced lower to help rst-time homebuyers get started. Property owner Larry Parker said he’s been approached by city sta about buying the property. He said he thinks ocials are trying to use eminent domain to incorporate the property into San Gabriel Park. Rezoning denied for land by park

The specics

Major takeaways

Shelley Bland, North Old Town Neighborhood Association secretary, said the neighborhood believes service-oriented businesses would be a more appropriate use of the space since the area has “slated enough multifamily.” Realtor Robert Fischer said the single- family detached condos proposed in the development plan are “amazing” and t the needs of people seeking smaller, more cost- eective homes. Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Pitts said while he likes the proposed housing type in the property, he’s skeptical about whether the commercial development aspects of the plan will come to fruition. He said he’s hopeful the project is revised and comes back before council. Additionally, Georgetown resident Alan Neumann said the cemetery situated within the proposed development needs protection, and asked council members to preserve the “history in this park.”

Lowder’s presentation stated property rep- resentatives began meeting with city sta in September 2021 and resubmitted their applica- tion a total of seven dierent times, the latest of which was in March. According to city documents, the current appli- cation does not comply with nine out of 11 UDC requirements, but it received approval May 20 from the Planning and Zoning Commission in a split 4-3 vote. “How are we still sitting at an application, after all of these iterations, that really two of the criteria in our UDC comply?” District 1 council member Amanda Parr asked. Lowder said it’s not compliant with several criteria because the application does not state it will dedicate right-of-way to the city on FM 971, a road which will eventually become a six-lane major arterial from SH 130 to Gann Street, accord- ing to Georgetown’s future mobility plan. At the May 20 Planning and Zoning meeting, Georgetown Senior Planner Ryan Clark said when a development has a future mobility plan road adjacent to it or running through it, the city’s UDC requires ROW dedication, or transferring a portion of the land for public use. Lowder said they plan to reserve—or not build on but maintain ownership of—the portion of land ocials plan on expanding FM 971 to. City sta received zero comments in favor of the rezoning and 186 letters in opposition as of the time the June 10 meeting agenda was posted. During the meeting, Georgetown residents cited trac, safety and the obstructed view of San Gabriel Park as concerns for the possible development.

“This is not a park. It’s not part of the park. If the city wants it to be part of the park, then the city needs to acquire it as part

Cemetary

of the park and not keep using zoning sources to keep this property from being developed.” LARRY PARKER, PROPERTY OWNER

971

Proposed PUD site

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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Events

BY DACIA GARCIA

Cedar Park Rodeo The rodeo will feature bare-back riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, mutton busting, frisbee dogs and more. • Aug. 8-9, 7:30 p.m. • $40 and up (general admission) • H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 2100 Ave. of the Stars, Cedar Park • www.hebcenter.com/ events/detail/cedar-park-rodeo-2025

Blazin’ Beer Crawl Community members can spend a day tasting craft beer at downtown retail stores and restaurants. Attendees will receive a map of participating locations, and some will offer spicy snacks.

• Aug. 2, 1-3 p.m. (VIP access), 3-6 p.m. (general admission) • $30 (general admission), $70 (VIP admission) • Downtown Georgetown, 816 S. Main St., Georgetown • https://visit.georgetown.org

Summer Movie Series Families can enjoy the end of summer with a free sing- along screening of “Wicked.” The first 100 guests will receive a free treat from Zydeco Ice. • Aug. 8, 8 p.m. • Free • San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow St., Georgetown • www.georgetowntexas.gov Walk to End Alzheimer’s kick off party The Hacienda at Georgetown will host the local version of the event, which raises funds for Alzheimer’s support, care and research. Attendees can walk alongside the team and look forward to light fare, live entertainment and games. • Aug. 15, 2-4 p.m. • Free • The Hacienda at Georgetown, 60 Del Webb Blvd., Georgetown • www.watermarkcommunities.com Pet adoption and vaccine clinic The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is hosting a pet adoption event at Wag Heaven, where a local veterinarian will also be on-site from 1-4 p.m. offering affordable preventative care vaccines. • Aug. 16, noon-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • 3010 Williams Drive, Ste. 115, Georgetown • www.wagheaven.com

• $20 (ages 13 and under), $31 (military, seniors and students), $34 (adults) • Doug Smith Performance Center, 206 W. Second St., Georgetown • www.georgetownpalace.com Free outdoor movie nights: “The Lorax” The screening will include free popcorn, vendor food trucks, yard games, an outdoor playground and a pickleball court. • Aug. 22, 6-10 p.m. • Free • Crosspoint Church, 3800 Shell Road, Georgetown • www.crosspointgtx.com Mustang Owners Club of Austin’s 44th annual Mustang and Ford Round Up Attendees can check out Mustangs from 1964 to the present. Proceeds will support The Safe Alliance, a nonprofit organization that helps victims of abuse. • Aug. 23, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. • Free (admission), $27 (one-car entry), $47 (two-car entry), $11 (display only of Ford-powered vehicle), $27 (vendor sign up) • Georgetown Church of Christ, 1525 W. University Ave., Georgetown • www.mocatx.com Back to School Bash The free, family event will feature a splash pad, games, giveaways, activities, food trucks, and a meet and greet with Bubbles, the business’s mascot. • Aug. 23, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. • Free • The Learning Experience, 4816 Williams Drive, Georgetown • Facebook: Back-to-School Bash

August

Tribute Motorfest The weekend-long event will include live music and opportunities to get to know fellow specialty bike and van owners through a camping experience. • Aug. 1, 10 a.m.-midnight; Aug. 2, 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (spectators), $35 (show vehicle registration), $30 (swap meet or vendor spot), $40 (premium vendor spot), $20 (camping pass) • Walburg German Restaurant, 3777 FM 972, Walburg • www.tributemotorfest.com Sunday with Sinatra The event will showcase Ken Kruse of Frankly Singing, who will bring Sinatra’s tunes to life with performances of ballads and swing songs. • Aug. 3, 2-4 p.m. • $15 • Southwestern University, Alma Thomas Theater, 1001 E. University Ave., Georgetown • www.southwestern.edu CCA San Gabriel 23rd annual chapter banquet The San Gabriel Coastal Conservation Association will celebrate with dinner, drinks, auctions, raffles, discussion and more. The nonprofit promotes the restoration of coastal marine resources. • Aug. 7, 6 p.m. • $200 (individual ticket), $2,500 and up (sponsorship opportunities) • Sheraton Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center, 1101 Woodlawn Ave., Georgetown • www.ccatexas.org/find-your-chapter/san-gabriel

Jess Ross at the Doug Smith Performance Center

Ross will play singles from her upcoming Heart Scars EP, which combines jazz, blues, pop and country music styles. • Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m.

GEORGETOWN EDITION

From the cover

In water's wake

The overview

Georgetown resident Debbie Spivey went to San Gabriel Park for an early morning walk July 5. As she was making her way toward Blue Hole Park, she began documenting the San Gabriel River rise. “While I was videoing, you could see the water coming towards my feet,” Spivey said. “I took the high ground every chance I got.” Spivey witnessed the beginning of a ooding event that, in Williamson County alone, killed three people, damaged more than 100 buildings, overturned mobile homes, uprooted trees and destroyed lampposts. Over the course of about six hours on July 5—from 5:10 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.—the South Fork San Gabriel River rose from 4.01 feet to 37.36 feet, data from the U.S. Geological Survey showed. Damage across the Georgetown area oers a glimpse into the devastation seen across Central Texas as extreme rainfall resulted in the Guadalupe River also surging beyond its banks July 4. At a July 14 press conference, Gov. Greg Abbott said 131 people have died across the state, and up to 97 people are still missing. In the weeks following the ood, Central Texans are grieving as they navigate how to nd aid and how to help one another.

The river spilled out of its banks, ooded San Gabriel Park and encroached on nearby structures the morning of July 5.

5 ft. 10 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft. 25 ft. 30 ft. 35 ft. 40 ft. 0 ft.

South Fork San Gabriel River water levels in Georgetown, July 18 Between midnight and noon on July 5, the river rose about 32.5 feet.

36.59 ft.

4.11 ft.

NOTE: MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN AT 12 AM AND 12 PM WITH A MARGIN OF ERROR OF + 5 MINUTES. SOURCE: UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY COMMUNITY IMPACT

A month’s worth of rain

What happened

Zooming in

A Lake Georgetown rain gage shows the area received more than 4 inches of rain July 4-7.

The ooding was caused by heavy rainfall throughout parts of the Hill Country over the holiday weekend. Ocials with the Georgetown Police Depart- ment and the Williamson County Sheri’s Oce advised residents of apartment complexes and mobile home parks near the river to evacuate the morning of July 5. The city also evacuated the Georgetown Animal Shelter, relocating all the animals to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, as well as other nearby businesses, homes and buildings. Crews working in Williamson County saved 26 people during 10 rescue operations July 5, and the Hope House—a home near Liberty Hill for children with disabilities—was evacuated by helicopter with assistance from Camp Mabry and the Texas National Guard. Of the three Williamson County residents who died during the oods, two died as a result of rush- ing water sweeping cars o the road at low-water crossings, Williamson County Judge Steve Snell said. A structure from Hope House being washed

Georgetown police ocers began blocking the Austin Avenue bridges—which are cur- rently under construction for a rehabilitation project—around 8:20 a.m. July 5, and began moving pedestrians o the bridges around 8:40 a.m., a city ocial said. The north bridge reopened the morning of July 6, while the south bridge reopened July 8, per a city news release. Contractors, rms, engineers and inspectors conducted visual inspections before determining the bridge structure was safe to reopen, a city ocial said. Two Rivers Apartments resident Robert Harbour said that when he evacuated to Granger on July 5, the San Gabriel River’s water level was nearly to the top of the bridge. “I could not believe that I was actually driving on this,” Harbour said. In an email to Community Impact , a spokesperson for the city said ocials closed the bridge “well before there was threat to public safety.”

July 7: 0.41

July 6: 0.02

July 5: 2.66

3.97

July 4: 0.97

Rainfall July 4-7, 2025

Average monthly rainfall in July

SOURCE: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

away resulted in the third death, he said. “I do believe the county as a whole did a fantas- tic job,” said Bill Zito, senior director of emergency services for Williamson County, during a July 6 press conference. “We have minimal lives lost because of it.”

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ANNA MANESS & CLAIRE SHOOP

What’s being done

Local resources • Report damages to the Texas Department of Emergency Management: http://damage.tdem.texas.gov • Williamson County: www.wilcotx.gov/1758/july-5-flood-recovery • Crisis Cleanup hotline: 512-201-4814 FEMA Disaster Recovery Center At the center and online, residents can learn about and apply for disaster assistance. • www.disasterassistance.gov

President Donald Trump amended a federal disaster declaration order to include Williamson County on July 11, making residents eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individ- ual Assistance program. The IA program can help residents with home repairs, temporary housing, property damage and more, according to the agency’s website. A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open Monday-Sunday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at 3189 SE Inner Loop, Georgetown, until Aug. 10 to provide in-per- son support for homeowners, renters and business owners, according to a county news release. The Williamson Central Appraisal District will also send a postcard to properties that may have been damaged with information on how to le for temporary disaster-related property tax exemp- tions, WCAD Chief Appraiser Alvin Lankford said in an email.

As of July 16, 65 homes and 74 public structures were destroyed or damaged in Williamson County. On July 11, county commissioners approved up to $200,000 in county-funded vouchers for people with destroyed or damaged homes, Hope House and the city of Liberty Hill. With at least $34 million in uninsured losses to public infrastructure, Williamson County has surpassed the threshold to be eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance program—which helps local governments recover from major disasters. County ocials are hoping to be included in the PA program soon, said Bruce Clements, Williamson County emergency management director. All 13 of the county’s damaged roads were expected to receive temporary xes and reopen by July 18, as of press time. Permanent repairs will be ongoing through October, a county ocial said.

SOUTHWESTERN BLVD.

SOURCES: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WILLIAMSON COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Get involved

Some local organizations accepting monetary donations include All Things Wild Rehabilitation, the Central Texas Community Foundation, and Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation. As of press time, the Central Texas Community Foundation WilCo Cares ood relief fund is nearly halfway to its $1 million goal to support ood victims. Additionally, Georgetown sta are clearing debris and making repairs before reopening San Gabriel Park and Blue Hole Park. Ocials plan to organize a community cleanup day, but a date was not nalized as of press time.

Snell said people began calling the county to ask how they can help aected individuals almost immediately. Jason Hale with nonprot Street Ministries 25:40 of Rockdale was outside Shady River RV Resort the morning of July 7 providing food, water and hygiene products to people in need. “We’re really just out here trying to help and serve and do what we can,” Hale said. Clements advised residents to nd an organized eort to volunteer with.

“It can be dangerous out there, so please be part of an organized eort that’s already underway.” BRUCE CLEMENTS, WILLIAMSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR

GEORGETOWN EDITION

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