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Round Rock ISD is asking voters to approve Proposition A (VATRE) to raise the M&O tax rate from $0.7101 to $0.7654, which the district says would generate about $30 million a year while adding about $199 a year to the median homeowner's bill.

RRISD plans to use the funds for at least 2% teacher raises and to raise hourly starting pay from $15.25 to $17, though about $15 million would go back to the state through recapture.

Round Rock City Council approved an economic development deal on Oct.

22 for PulseForge to invest $20 million at its Parker Drive facility and add 60 jobs with $100,000+ annual salaries. The agreement requires performance-based investments by Dec. 31, 2029 and Dec. 31, 2031 to boost local semiconductor manufacturing.

Tecovas and COTA unveiled the World's Largest Cowboy Hat, a fiberglass + foam structure measuring 43 by 47 feet and certified by Guinness on Oct.

19. The landmark, which features a bar underneath, offers a gathering spot for fans as the US Grand Prix begins on Oct. 22.

Zipline has launched its autonomous drone delivery service in Round Rock and will expand to Austin later this year.

The drones (which deliver food and other retail items safely via a tether) offer a new way for local orders.

Four candidates are vying for Round Rock ISD School Board Place 3 as they discuss plans to address a $6M budget deficit and a VATRE ballot that may raise median home taxes by $200.

The race brings fresh ideas to tackle cuts and support teachers (each candidate offers unique plans).

A voter-approved expansion of Red Bud Lane is set to ease traffic in Williamson County, though one local homeowner (concerned about safety, property damage, and displacement) said the project raises worries about neighborhood impacts.

The Round Rock Public Library is hosting a Family Book Character Pumpkin Decorating Contest that begins October 23 at 9:00 a.m. with entries collected through October 31 and winners announced November 5 — families can decorate a pumpkin or gourd based on a book character while following contest rules.

Round Rock is hosting Halloween events this week: a 3v3 soccer tournament (Oct.

23-25) at the Multipurpose Complex, a trunk-or-treat at Ascension Seton Williamson on Oct. 24, a fall festival on Oct. 28, downtown trick-or-treating on Oct. 30, and library programs featuring a pumpkin contest.