Michelle Ann Wolfe

Second lightning fatality in TX this year

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Michelle Ann Wolfe was killed by a lightning strike while jogging on a trail in River Place on Sept. 25. Wolfe, 37, was discovered by a runner around 5:36 p.m. off of River Place Boulevard.

The Travis County Sheriff’s Office detectives noticed a downed tree limb near her body and observed that objects in the immediate vicinity were singed. The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that a lightning strike caused the accidental death.

Wolfe’s roommate’s boyfriend said that his girlfriend called him and that she was hysterical about the situation after TCSO officials informed her that her roommate was struck by lightning and killed. Wolfe’s phone at the scene was zapped out and officials asked the roommate for help with phone numbers so they could notify Wolfe’s family. The roommate’s boyfriend went to help go through Wolfe’s things to find this information and commented how difficult that was, according to a friend of his.

Wolfe had just completed her Ph.D. at the University of Texas and was looking to move back to Seattle to be by her family, said Stephanie Taylor Twohey, who knew Wolfe from her East Austin gym. FOX News interviewed Twohey.

“I guess if I could find some grain of some comfort, she was where she loved to be. Outside and alone,” said Twohey. “She was my athlete first and became my friend over the two years that I knew her.”

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By SCOTT W. COLEMAN

Four Points News

Vandegrift (1-4, 0-1) vs Lehman (2-3, 0-1)

Bob Shelton Stadium

4800 Jack C Hays Trail, Buda

Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Lehman is in the unenviable position of being the de-facto Vanderbilt of the SEC-like District 25-6A.

Competition is tough across the board, but Lehman struggled to win in since opening and has only one season above the .500 mark in school history. In its final two seasons in Class 4A, the Lobos were 5-15. Since moving up to 6A two years ago, the Lobos have gone 1-9 and 0-10 before starting this season 2-3. Continue reading →

Buyer talks of expanding site

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

PacVentures Inc. plans to redevelop and potentially expand the former Walmart Supercenter site, which includes nearly 40 acres and the 220,000-square-foot building in Four Points

“This property is unique in that it can accommodate 220,000-square-feet immediately and up to 550,000-square-feet upon complete build out – a rarity in that area,” said Joe Simmons, Austin’s local partner for PacVentures, a commercial real estate investment firm based in San Diego, Calif.

In late August, PacVentures acquired the property at 8201 N. RM 620, and AQUILA Commercial is marketing the property.

“As the Austin metro area continues to grow and traffic woes increase, more companies are looking for office options in locations that are located near desirable neighborhoods with good schools,” said Ben Tolson, a principal with AQUILA, which manages and leases over 7.8 million square feet of office, industrial and retail properties and has over 400 corporate tenant representation clients.

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District 6 City Council incumbent Don Zimmerman faced challenger Jimmy Flannigan at a public forum Sept. 21 at Vandegrift. They shared their thoughts on the “Road to Vandegrift” as well as the potential annexation of Steiner Ranch by the city of Austin. Steiner resident Paul O’Brien served as the moderator

The West Austin Chamber of Commerce hosted the Austin City Council District 6 Candidate Forum on Sept. 21 at Vandegrift High School. District 6 candidates Don Zimmerman and Jimmy Flannigan answered many questions from the public and a participant panel. The following are their responses to three of the questions regarding the construction of the Road to Vandegrift and the potential annexation of Steiner Ranch by the city of Austin.

What role can you play in helping us with traffic at 620/2222 and building the road to Vandegrift through the preserve?

Zimmerman: (There) is a road plan from the city of Austin from 1984, that’s about 32 years ago. I still support the city of Austin road plan from 1984. Most of you have probably never seen this. It’s a very interesting road plan. This is what the City has shredded and destroyed so that… roads that were planned 30 years ago were taken off the books. This is why we have such a traffic disaster in the city.

The city, through its own policy, has had a policy of not building roads. They’ve proposed new roads. These roads would’ve helped with fire safety (and) with a lot of the congestion on 620.

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