ZAP hearing postponed until Feb.

By CASSIE MCKEE
Four Points News

A River Place zoning dispute could possibly jeopardize Jonathan and Polly Tommey’s dream of opening a center for adults with autism.

“We’re in a sticky situation where we can’t really move forward,” said Jonathan Tommey. “We wanted this to move a lot faster than it has in the last year and a half.”

The Tommeys moved to River Place from the U.K. in 2012 with the mission of opening a state-of-the-art center where adults with autism could live and work. They learned first-hand about autism after their son, Billy, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 2.

In 2007, while in the U.K., Polly Tommey founded The Autism Trust, a non-profit organization with the mission of providing vocational, educational, wellness, and semi-independent residential programs for individuals with autism.

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By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

Members of the Islamic Center of Lake Travis remain optimistic notwithstanding an early morning fire on Jan. 7 that destroyed their future community center, said Shakeel Rashed, ICLT board member.

“Our community has always been very open and optimistic, and we remain the same through this moment of difficulty, especially with all the love and support we have received during this time,” said Rashed, a Steiner Ranch resident.

On Sunday, Solidarity with the Community was held by ICLT and Lake Travis United Methodist Church to show unanimity among the community regardless of individual affiliations. Representatives from all religious groups were invited, including Jews, Christians, Muslims and all other faiths. The Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway and others also spoke at the event.

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The three story Islamic Center of Lake Travis was under construction when it was destroyed by fire on Jan. 7.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Fire crews responded to a reported structure fire reported at 3:33 a.m. in the Hudson Bend community at 4700 block of Doss Road on Jan. 7. Crews arrived on the scene to find a three story building fully engulfed with flames.

The building was the Islamic Center of Lake Travis and was nearly complete, said Shakeel Rashed of Steiner Ranch and a board member of the Islamic Center.

The fire was extinguished from the exterior to keep the fire from spreading to neighboring homes and vegetation. The faith-based building was still under construction. No injuries were reported. The Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

The agencies involved were Lake Travis Fire Rescue (primary), Austin Fire Department and the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Lake Travis Fire Rescue commends the facility owners for maintaining a well established defensible space around the construction site greatly reducing the opportunity for the fire to spread to nearby vegetation and providing improved access for fire crews.

“Oliver!” director Nikki Guckian (left) and choreographer Brenda Hull (second from left) teach newly-recruited elementary and middle school students the opening number of the show.

VHS Performing Arts Center
Jan. 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 at 7 p.m.
Jan. 14, 21 at 2 p.m.

By SARAH DOOLITTLE
Four Points News

The Vandegrift High School Theatre Harvey Players open their annual musical “Oliver!” on Thursday and there are eight performances from Jan. 12 – 21.

This is the first time that the VHS theatre department will perform a show for two consecutive weekends, inspired by audiences’ response to last year’s musical, “Cinderella,” which sold out three out of four performances.

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