Editor's note: In our final weekly top stories recap of 2024, we look ahead to 2025. The top Austin news of the week includes upcoming changes to the car registration process, plus exciting restaurant and bar developments. Read the hottest headlines of the week below, then go have some holiday weekend fun.

1. How Texas car inspection and registration will change in 2025. Beginning January 1, 2025, Texas vehicle owners will no longer need to obtain a safety inspection prior to vehicle registration. We'll all be free of the safety inspection process. However…

2. Free 'food forest' in East Austin expands with thousands of new plants. East Austin's Festival Beach Food Forest, where anyone can walk around and harvest free produce, nuts, medicinal plant leaves, and herbs, has more than tripled its size.

3. 9 Austin bar and venue experts take over popular Old Austin space near UT. Graham Williams and a large team of industry pros are ready to talk about what comes next for 29th Street Ballroom.

4. Austin makes merry as one of the best cities to celebrate Christmas. The very merry Capital City jumped into the No. 23 spot on an annual list of the best cities for celebrating Christmas.

Happy holidays, Austin! Photo courtesy of Licarione Photography

5. Pflugerville chef brings Vietnamese eats to Hutto with new concept. A Pflugerville chef is circling Austin to open a new concept in Hutto in 2025.