Projected new elementary schools in the years ahead in Leander ISD.

By MIKE EDDLEMAN
Hill Country News

Amid a sea of numbers, percentages and geographic trends, the message to Leander ISD was more of the same from its demographer – get ready for about 1,000 more students next year.

The trend has continued for years, and while growth has migrated more to the north end of the district, LISD has remained the fastest growing district in Central Texas in numbers, and one of the fastest in the state.

At a projected low-growth rate, LISD – which currently has about 37,000 students enrolled – is expected to have more than 45,000 students by 2026. If growth continues on a faster pace it could top 53,000.

“What the demographer has pointed out to us is that we’re growing at about 1,000 students per year at our current rate and we are going to continue for at least the next 10 years to grow at a similar rate,” said LISD Superintendent Dan Troxell.

The numbers were broken down further by area of growth and housing trends, but the bottom line translated to a continued need for an additional campus about every two years, primarily elementary schools.

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Election Day Nov. 8 had a steady stream of voters casting their ballots at Canyon Ridge Middle School, Grandview Hills and River Place elementary schools and Randalls.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Just over half of the registered voters in Travis County cast their ballot during early voting, which ended Friday. Travis County broke its 2008 early voting record of 49.6 percent turnout and it surpassed its 2012 early voting turnout of 37.4 percent.

The total number of those voting early in Travis County came to 372,188 including mail-in ballots received and those who voted at early voting locations.

The only Four Points early voting location was the Steiner Ranch Randalls which had 13,360 voters cast their ballots between Oct. 24 – Nov. 4. More than 1,000 voters cast their ballots at that location each day of early voting except on Sunday, Oct. 30 when it had just over half that amount.

These local numbers contributed to a record number of Texans who have voted for the Nov. 8 election.

More than 40 percent of registered voters turned out to vote early, or more than 4 million Texans, in the state’s 15 largest counties, according to the Texas secretary of state office. This was more than the 2008 early voting record of 3.5 million.
In Williamson County, 163,617, or 53.4 percent of registered voters, cast their ballot by the end of early voting Friday. Including mail-in ballots, this surpassed that county’s early voting turnout of 42 percent in 2012 and 48 percent in 2008.

Vandegrift (5-4, 4-1) at Lake Travis (8-1, 5-0)
Cavalier Stadium
Friday, Nov. 4 @ 7:30 p.m.

By SCOTT W. COLEMAN
Four Points News

There’s no more imposing team in Central Texas in Class 6A right now than Lake Travis.

The No. 3 Cavaliers are averaging 52 points a game and have scored 49 or more points in all but two of their games this season. They haven’t allowed but two touchdowns — both in the fourth quarter — at home in since the season-opener to Judson on Aug. 26. In district play, the Cavaliers have outscored their opponents 341-28.

And all of that with SMU-committed quarterback Charlie Brewer playing sparingly as coach Hank Carter had the ability to rest Brewer once the team jumped out to early leads in most of its games this season. Still, Brewer enters the final game of the regular season averaging 229 passing and 411 rushing yards a game. With 28 passing and 34 total touchdowns to his credit, Brewer has yet to throw an interception this season.

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The Halloween season was a smash hit in Four Points with trunk or treat events at Steiner Ranch and Austin Baptist on Sunday afternoon, trick-or-treating on Monday night, and a costume ball at Grandview Hills Elementary on Friday night.

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