Howdy, Georgetown. 👋
Round two. Last week's first issue went out, and you're still here ..and I'll take it. This week we've got some genuinely good news out of the county, a summer music series wrapping up at Garey Park, and a movie on the lawn at San Gabriel.
Also: it's late July in Texas, which means the only two acceptable outdoor time slots are "before 9 a.m." and "after 8 p.m." Plan accordingly.
The Big Thing: $800,000 just went to four local nonprofits
Williamson County commissioners held their first meeting in the county's brand-new Administration Building on July 14 — and marked the occasion by handing out $800,000 to four local nonprofits, $200,000 apiece, from the Community Recreation Fund.
Here's the part that makes it distinctly Williamson County → that fund is filled by fees collected at the county landfill.
Our garbage paid for somebody's rec program. Not a bad trade if you ask me!
The building itself is worth knowing about too, because it changes where you go for county business. The new Administration Building at 1848 Texas Trail is 120,000 square feet and now houses customer-facing services like the tax assessor and county clerk's offices, plus Commissioners Court going forward. So if your mental map still says "South Main" for tax business, update it. County Judge Steven Snell noted at the opening that the facility was built with room for Williamson County to keep being the third-fastest-growing county in the country, which, if you've tried to turn left onto Williams Drive lately, tracks.
The Week Ahead
Wed 7/22 · Science in the Park — San Gabriel Park area, 9:30–11:30 a.m. Free hands-on science projects for kids 12 and under, while supplies last. (That's today, if you're reading over coffee.)
Thu 7/23 · Lunch, Learn & Lead — Georgetown Chamber. Speaker series for local business owners; registration through the Chamber.
Fri 7/24 · Dive-In Night at Williams Drive Pool — 7:30–9:30 p.m. Swimming, karaoke, and food trucks. New to the city's summer lineup this year.
Fri 7/24 · "42nd Street" opens at the Palace — Doug Smith Performance Center. The Broadway classic, running through August 30. Show times vary.
Tue 7/28 · Chrome & Classics Car Show — Touchmark at Georgetown, 11 a.m.
Wed 7/29 · Live on the Lawn finale — Garey Park, 7–9 p.m. Vinyl Countdown ATX closes out the summer music series with rock, soul, pop and country. Tejano Cookers BBQ and Mimi's Party Palace handling food and drinks. Preregistration required.
Fri 7/31 · Sunset Movie Series: "Zootopia 2" — San Gabriel Park event lawn, 8 p.m. Bring a blanket and chairs, free popcorn, Frios pops on site.
Something we missed? Hit reply. Our tip line is always open.
Eat & Drink: Sweet Lemon Kitchen is opening a third spot
Rachel Cummins is bringing a third Sweet Lemon Kitchen concept to The Junction entertainment complex in southeast Georgetown, with an August debut planned.
If you know Sweet Lemon from the Square, you know what you're getting. What's actually interesting here is the location — this one lands in a very different part of town, which is real news for anyone on the southeast side who's been driving all the way in for brunch. (Preview - I’m going to be posting about Sweet Lemon Kitchen soon in my Georgetown local food spots category on our website!)
Local Spotlight: ROCK's story just went national
Georgetown's own Ride On Center for Kids — ROCK — is the subject of a documentary called Where the Horses Heal the Soul, and it's now streaming across North America on video-on-demand platforms including Apple TV and Prime Video.
If you're not familiar with them: ROCK provides equine-assisted therapy right here in Georgetown, working with kids and adults facing physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges. It's the kind of place a lot of people drive past without ever knowing what happens inside and now there's a full documentary making the case to anyone in the country with a streaming subscription. A very good week for a very good local nonprofit.
Know someone quietly doing great things in Georgetown? Hit reply and nominate them PS: this section exists for exactly that.
The Roundup
Heads up on your utility bill: council approved first readings for water and wastewater rate increases on July 14. If they clear the second reading, new rates take effect October 1. "First reading" means it isn't final yet — so there's still a public window if you have opinions.
GHS leadership change: Georgetown ISD announced that Georgetown High School principal Brian Johnson is moving into a district role as Executive Director of Campus Leadership and Operations, effective immediately.
Zoning pushback on Williams Drive: residents turned out July 14 to oppose C3 commercial zoning for roughly 11.5 acres near Highland Village. Worth watching if you live out that way.
Wastewater build continues: the city is constructing a 1-million-gallon-per-day package plant at Pecan Branch to handle peak flows, targeted for completion in November.
Reminder: the annual chlorine rinse runs August 3–September 3. Fish tank owners, this is your heads-up.
A Little Good News
Kittens in the Library is coming back. On August 10, kittens from the Georgetown Animal Shelter take over the Georgetown Public Library at 402 W. Eighth St. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to play, snuggle, and generally charm their way into somebody's home. Adoption fees are $35. Great opportunity for a new Georgetown, Texas family member.
Your Turn - reply to us!
Last week I asked for your favorite spot on the Square, and the replies were a great read. Keep them coming.
This week: what's the one thing you'd fix in Georgetown if you had a magic wand? Traffic on Williams? Parking on the Square? Something smaller and weirder? Hit reply as I read every single one.
The Sign-off
That's the local Buzz for this week. If this was useful, forward it to one neighbor as that's genuinely how this thing grows. And if someone sent it to you, you can subscribe free at gtownbuzz.com.
See you on the Square, Aiden
GTown Buzz — your weekly buzz on Georgetown, TX Got a tip? Just hit reply.