City of Lorena, TX

06/11/2026

Important Notice for Mobile Food Vendors

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District has announced new statewide licensing requirements for mobile food vendors under House Bill (HB) 2844, which take effect July 1, 2026.

To help vendors and the public understand the upcoming changes, the Public Health District will host a Town Hall Meeting with information about the new licensing program and an opportunity to ask questions.

Town Hall Details

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026

Time: 9:30 a.m.

Location: 225 W. Waco Drive, Waco, Texas

Why This Matters

Starting July 1, 2026, mobile food vendors will transition to a new statewide licensing system established by HB 2844. Vendors are encouraged to attend the Town Hall to learn about:

New licensing requirements

Frequently asked questions about the transition

Learn More

Additional information about HB 2844 and the new mobile food vendor rules is available from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District and has been shared on our website at: https://ci.lorena.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/3683

We encourage all mobile food vendors operating in or around Lorena to stay informed and participate in the upcoming meeting.

06/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to City Manager Kevin Neal and Police Chief Scott Holt on their graduation from the Texas Certified Public Manager® (CPM) Program through Texas State University!

Today, June 8, 2026, Mr. Neal and Chief Holt were recognized as graduates during a special ceremony at the Texas State Capitol, marking the successful completion of this prestigious leadership and management development program.

This outstanding achievement reflects their commitment to professional excellence, ethical leadership, and continuous improvement in public service. Their dedication to expanding their knowledge and skills ultimately benefits the entire City of Lorena and the citizens we proudly serve.

For those unfamiliar with the CPM Program, it is a nationally accredited management development program designed specifically for public sector and nonprofit leaders. Participants complete an intensive seven-course curriculum covering leadership, communication, budgeting and finance, personnel management, quality improvement, public policy evaluation, information systems, and applied research. The program is accredited through the National Certified Public Manager® Consortium and is recognized across the country as one of the premier professional development programs for public service leaders.

The Texas CPM Program, administered by Texas State University's William P. Hobby Center for Public Service, equips public servants with practical management tools, leadership strategies, and best practices that can be immediately applied to strengthen organizations and better serve their communities.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Neal and Chief Holt on this significant accomplishment and thanking them for their continued leadership, professionalism, and dedication to the City of Lorena. We are proud to have them representing our community!

05/12/2026

Last night’s meeting of the Lorena City Council was a special occasion as we had the honor of swearing in two incumbents, Emily McKenzie and Jason Blanek, along with newly elected Alderman Joe Gomez.

We would also like to recognize and sincerely thank Mrs. Kelly Yarbrough for her many years of dedicated service to the citizens of Lorena. Mrs. Yarborough has faithfully served on the Lorena City Council since 2014 and has served as Mayor Pro Tem since 2021. In addition to her service on the Council, she currently serves as Chairwoman of the Lorena Economic Development Corporation and has continually served on the Lorena EDC since 1999.

Her leadership, commitment, and countless contributions to our community have helped shape Lorena for generations to come, and we are deeply grateful for her service.

The City of Lorena would also like to extend our appreciation to all elected and appointed officials who dedicate their time, energy, and talents in service to our community. Your commitment to public service helps make Lorena a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.

04/20/2026

Early Voting dates and times: https://tx-mclennancounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/18239/Early-Voting-Information-05-02-2026

04/08/2026

At tonight’s City Council meeting, we had the privilege of celebrating an incredible milestone and an exciting new beginning.

After 28 years of dedicated service, we honored the retirement of our longtime Finance Director, Linda Klump. Her commitment, leadership, and impact on our community have been truly invaluable, and she will be greatly missed.

We were also proud to officially welcome our new Finance Director, Cary Erskine. We are excited for the future and look forward to the contributions he will bring to our city.

Please join us in thanking Linda for her years of service and wishing her a happy, well-deserved retirement—and in welcoming Cary to the community!

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

Good evening, Lorena!

We’re excited to share a long-awaited update on Ann, the very elusive dog; she has been safely secured!

Thanks to an incredible collaborative effort from our community, Ann was secured during the evening hours of March 31, 2026. She has since been transported to the City of Lorena’s contracted holding facility, Pet Circle, where she will remain while awaiting reunification with her owner.

This outcome would not have been possible without the support and dedication of so many. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who played a role in helping bring Ann to safety.

We want to give special recognition to the citizen and their family who patiently built trust with Ann and were ultimately able to secure her with a leash. Your compassion and persistence made all the difference.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to the Lorena Police Department and the Lorena Public Works Department for their continued hard work and commitment throughout this effort.

This is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together. Thank you, Lorena!

Photo Credit: Erin Elizabeth's Facebook Post

03/31/2026

*************Update*************

The leak has been repaired and water service has been restored.

Thank you for your patience while our utility crew took the necessary steps to repair the damage caused to our water main.

Thank you to our utility department for their hard work and dedication.

****Attention Lorena Water Customers****

A private contractor working in the 900 Block of South Old Temple Rd. has hit a water main, causing a temporary water outage for customers located east of IH-35 and south of the water main break.

Our utility crew is in the process of repairing the damaged pipe and will restore water service as soon as possible.

Once service is restored, you may notice a milky color to the water; this is simply air that was introduced into the water main, and the air will dissipate on its own over time.

At this time, the City of Lorena is not initiating a boil water notice, so there will be no need to boil your water once service is restored.

For additional information or questions, you may call 254-857-4606 or email [email protected].

03/31/2026

Effective March 31, 2026, the City of Lorena is initiating Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan at the request of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Brazos River Authority due to ongoing dry conditions and lack of rainfall.

Stage 1 restrictions are voluntary: Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), and to irrigate landscapes only between the hours of 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. on designated watering days. NO WATERING ON WEDNESDAYS.

All operations of the City of Lorena shall adhere to water use restrictions prescribed for Stage 2 of the Plan.

Water customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.

If drought conditions worsen or water usage does not decrease, the City may move to Stage 2: Mild Water Shortage Condition, which includes additional conservation measures such as limits on outdoor watering.

For more information on Lorena's Drought Contingency Plan and efforts to reduce water consumption please click on the link below:

03/26/2026

https://www.ci.lorena.tx.us/Jobs.aspx?UniqueId=71&From=All&CommunityJobs=False&JobID=UTILITYPERMIT-CLERK-23