Austin, TX
Easter events and specials from across Central Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – Easter is simply across the nook, and eating places and companies throughout Central Texas are gearing up with celebrations for adults and youngsters alike.
From egg hunts to Easter bunny sightings to brunch choices and specialty menus, here is a take a look at a few of the thrilling Easter occasions happening you can participate in in case you’re nonetheless searching for one thing to do!
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Easter at Fairmont Austin
Fairmont Austin is celebrating Easter downtown with a number of occasions for the entire household.
The lodge shall be providing Easter Brunch that includes a diffusion of chilled seafood choices, oak-smoked prime rib, and extra on April 9 at 10 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.
There will even be two egg hunts for youthful attendees, Tiny Tails petting zoo onsite, and a particular look from the Easter Bunny.
Reservations might be made right here.
Easter Tea at The Driskill
Easter Tea at The Driskill Lodge. (Jane Yun)
Persevering with their long-standing Afternoon Tea custom, the historic Driskill Lodge shall be internet hosting an Easter Tea from 4 p.m. to six p.m. on Easter Sunday.
The Tea will function gentle bites together with French pastries, petit fours, and finger sandwiches, all accompanied by premium loose-leaf teas and glowing wine.
Tickets are $90 for adults and $45 for kids; reservations might be made right here.
Second Annual Easter Egg-stravaganza at Fareground

Austinites can go to the downtown meals corridor on Saturday, April 8 for family-friendly actions, scrumptious brunch specials and an Easter egg hunt for youths of all ages.
Friends can take pleasure in mouth-watering dishes, candy treats and face portray from 12 p.m. to three p.m.
The occasion will function three totally different egg hunts for 3 totally different age teams, making certain everybody will get an opportunity to take part, all on the Fareground’s stunning outside patio and garden space.
Be taught extra and RSVP to the occasion right here.
Easter Photograph Ops at Area Northside

It is springtime, and Area Northside in North Austin invitations friends to hop by means of for a hip photograph expertise with blossoming Austin-inspired bunny topiaries sprouting all through the middle.
Friends who share their images to Instagram shall be entered to win a $500 procuring spree on the retailer of their alternative.
Click on right here for a digital map of bunny areas.
Easter Brunch and Dinner
No Easter is full with out deviled eggs, lamb chops and scrumptious spring-inspired specials. Listed here are a few of the scrumptious Easter choices from throughout Central Texas.
Brunch Specials at Aba

The Mediterranean restaurant shall be serving a light-weight spring frittata with lump crab for dine-in brunch on Easter Sunday.
Reservations are inspired and might be made right here.
Easter Dinner at Tillie’s at Camp Lucy

Tillie’s at Camp Lucy. (Camp Lucy)
These seeking to discover the Hill Nation can have fun Easter with Tillie’s at Camp Lucy, a 289-care ranch resort in Dripping Springs.
Tillie’s shall be providing a 3-course alternative of menu dinner curated by Govt Chef Andy Knudson throughout common dinner service from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
Menu choices embrace carrot salad, smoked prime rib, oyster mushroom and English pea risotto, and strawberry shortcake.
Dinner is $85 per particular person; reservations are inspired and might be made right here.
Easter Celebration at Spare Birdie

Spare Birdie Public Home. (Rick Cortez)
Spare Birdie, the Cedar Park public home recognized for its totally immersive leisure and vigorous ambiance, is worked up to announce their Easter eating specials out there 11 a.m. to three p.m. Easter Sunday.
Particular menu gadgets embrace seared tuna toast, crab cake Benedict, and a hangover burger made with Akaushi Wagyu beef.
The Foolish Rabbit cocktail, made with a scrumptious mix of rum, carrot, pineapple and mango, will even be out there.
Dine-In Specials at Goodfolks

Goodfolks in Georgetown will function two dine-in specials and a specialty cocktail for Easter Sunday.
The loaded pimento cheese poppers, made with roasted jalapeños, applewood bacon, white pimento cheese, panko and signature Goodfolks Ranch, are certain to please anybody who loves a superb mix of spicy and creamy flavors.
The herb crusted rack of lamb contains a succulent lamb rack coated in a flavorful herb crust served with candy potato purée.
The Berrylicious cocktail, a refreshing concoction made with gin, blackberry, strawberry, vanilla, honey and cream, is ideal for anybody searching for a fruity but subtle drink.
Easter Brunch at TLC

Shrimp and Grits at TLC. (TLC)
Convey the entire household to TLC in South Austin for Easter brunch with their spacious group eating ambiance and dog-friendly patio.
TLC is providing $5 Frose and half-off all bottles of champagne.
Menu options embrace french toast bread pudding and the southern consolation staples hen fried steak and eggs and shrimp and grits.
Brunch shall be supplied April 8 and 9 of Easter weekend from 11 a.m. to three p.m. for walk-in service solely.
Easter Weekend Menu at Trattoria Lisina

Braised Beef Brief Rib. (Trattoria Lisina)
The upscale Tuscan Italian restaurant and occasion venue in Driftwood shall be providing particular menu gadgets Easter weekend, Friday, April 7 by means of Sunday, April 9.
The Easter weekend celebration will function expanded restaurant hours and particular menu options along with the common menu, in addition to mimosa and champagne specials.
Specialty gadgets embrace bone-in braided beef brief rib, key lime pie and a Peeps marshmallow gelato; the gelato particular shall be out there all through all the month of April.
Reservations for in-restaurant eating at the moment are open and might be made by calling 512-894-3111 or visiting right here.
5-Course Easter Brunch at Luminaire

Situated on the primary ground of Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin downtown, Luminaire shall be providing a particular five-course Easter brunch menu on Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9 from 8 a.m. to three p.m.
The particular Easter meal consists of preserved lemon magdelenas; strawberry, tomato and avocado salad; crabmeat empanada; delgada Benedict; and leche frita.
The five-course meal is $90 per particular person; particular Easter libations, together with mimosa and sangria choices, are $10 per particular person.
Reservations might be made on-line.
Particular Easter Gives
Enterprise throughout Austin and past shall be providing particular Easter gadgets of all types.
Cookie Wealthy
Obtainable by means of April 9, Cookie Wealthy shall be providing a brand new Easter 12 pack of their signature bite-sized treats.
New Easter flavors embrace Peep Peep (a purple sugar cookie rolled in crystal sugar and crammed with almond buttercream and a dollop of marshmallow fluff), key lime pie, banana pudding and extra.
Order on-line right here.
Easter Goodies at Walton’s Fancy & Staple

Easter Goodies. (Walton’s Fancy & Staple)
Walton’s is your one-stop store for all issues Easter.
Austinites can cease in for florals, limited-time Golden Easter Eggs, seasonal macaroons, pastries and their well-known brunch staples like avocado toast and shrimp & grits.

Austin, TX
Texas House debates on vouchers that would give families more than $10K yearly for private schools

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — Lawmakers in the Texas House are debating the priority of public school funding bills, which include school vouchers.
After years of stalling in the state House, the controversial school voucher bill now has its best shot on Wednesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott said he has the numbers to pass the bill, but passage is not guaranteed.
Democrats are threatening to kill all proposed constitutional amendments for the rest of the legislative session unless the House puts the school voucher issue on the November election ballot for voters to decide on.
The voucher bill would give Texas families more than $10,000 yearly to send their children to private school.
Democrats and some Republicans oppose the bill, saying it will strip funding from public schools.
Protesters filled the halls of the Texas Capitol Wednesday morning, saying they want funding for public schools, not vouchers.
The legislative battle comes after years of failed attempts to pass similar bills.
Wednesday’s debate is expected to last several hours.
Voucher bills want to prioritize low-income families and be open to all, but goals might be at odds
Copyright © 2025 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Austin, TX
Texas lawmakers start process of finalizing state budget

Texas legislature: State budget battle
Texas lawmakers have started the process of finalizing the budget, but it wasn’t easy getting there. Members of the Texas House got bogged down in several debates that included: tracking undocumented immigrants, defunding the lottery, and giving AG Ken Paxton backpay.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas lawmakers have started the process of finalizing the budget, but it wasn’t easy getting there.
Members of the Texas House got bogged down in several debates that included: tracking undocumented immigrants, defunding the lottery, and giving AG Ken Paxton backpay.
Texas AG Ken Paxton discussion
The backstory:
Texas House members took an unexpected U-turn on what’s typically a procedural vote. The political pivot involved the process needed to finalize the state budget.
Passing SB 1 to the Governor involves addressing differences in the House and Senate Budget Bills by drafting instructions to the budget negotiators, known as conferees. Supporters of Attorney General Ken Paxton used that process to get him backpay as payback for his impeachment acquittal in 2023.
“And if we believe that not only politicians but regular citizens are entitled to the presumption of innocence, we should truly believe that he should have been entitled to his salary during the course of his suspension. And now that he’s been acquitted, if you broke it, you bought it,” said Lewisville republican Mitch Little.
Rep. Little was on Paxton’s defense team during the impeachment trial and argued that House budget negotiators should get Paxton almost $64,000 into the final budget.
Rep. Wes Virdell, a Republican from Brady, while discussing Little’s motion, noted the House impeachment was rejected by the Senate in 2023. But it was pointed out that state law requires the suspension of pay for a state office holder who is impeached. And no one during the discussion spoke about how Paxton, earlier this year, did not contest accusations in a whistle-blower civil lawsuit. The claims by former staff members are similar to at least three Articles of Impeachment and have resulted in a $6 million award for the plaintiffs. The Paxton payback request passed by an 88 to 56 vote.
Texas border discussion
The backstory:
Another budget rabbit hole involved a border issue.
Last year, Gov. Abbott ordered Texas hospitals to document how much is being spent on medical treatment for undocumented immigrants. Aledo Republican Mike Olcott made a motion to put Abbott’s Order into the Budget Bill.
“A lot of these small hospitals are suffering because of overwhelming costs. And I’ll give you an example. When I spent some time at the border near Falfurious back in 2006, an emergency room, and the only emergency room in the area, had actually shut down. And the reason I was told was because they were overrun by undocumented migrants, and they went out of business. And so little children in that area in Falfurious now had to drive two and a half hours to Corpus Christi to get emergency care. That’s not right,” said Rep Olcott.
A request to include prison costs in the instructions was added to the political theater.
The undocumented immigrant count instruction was approved.
Texas Lottery discussion
The backstory:
The fate of the Texas Lottery was also discussed.
The House budget defunds the Texas Lottery. For that cut to stick, Senate budget negotiators will have to agree with the House team.
The instruction debate went past 1 p.m. despite the fact that the instructions were not binding. That means budget negotiators can ignore them all.
The House Budget Negotiators are: Appropriations Chair Greg Bonnen (R) Friendswood; Appropriations Vice Chair Mary Gonzales (D) San Elizario; Rep. Armando Walle (D) Houston; Rep. Stan Kitzman (R) Pattison; and Rep. Angelia Orr (R) Itasca.
Big picture view:
House members eventually debated several notable Bills. Among them was Governor Abbott’s emergency item dealing with expanding vocational-technical programs, which passed.
The House also approved a bill to create a new cybersecurity force.
HB 6, a Teacher’s Bill of Rights, also advanced. The legislation was drafted to address disruptive students and provide teachers with protection when disciplinary measures are taken.
The Source: Information from a Texas legislative session committee hearing
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