Steiner swimmer Kendall Shields, in the top lane, competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials recently in two events, the women’s 100 and 200 meter backstroke.

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Steiner swimmer Kendall Shields competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha from June 26 through July 3 in two events, the women’s 100 and 200 meter backstroke, and it was an unforgettable experience.

Though Shields did not place in the top four to qualify for the U.S. Olympic swimming team, she also did not expect to at the young age of 15. The event was thrilling for her nonetheless and an opportunity to swim with and learn from the best swimmers in the country.

“Anyone who is anyone in the swimming world was at the meet, so I got to warm up with, see and even chat with some of the Olympians,” said Shields. “I talked to (four time Olympic gold medalist) Missy Franklin a little because I had met her at a previous meet… It was super cool to watch (other swimmers) go through their pre-race and warm up routines as well to see how they handle success and disappointment away from the cameras.”

Competing at this level came with perks.

Continue reading →

Place 6 Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman is not promoting or opposing the $720 million transportation bond at this point.

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Place 6 Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman said he thinks there are both pros and cons with the $720 million transportation bond that Austin residents will vote on in November.

“I’m not promoting the bond but I’m not opposing the bond either,” Zimmerman said.

He said he is not opposing it because it contains a substantial amount of money that would be earmarked for district 6 transportation improvements.

“We do have $30 million dedicated to district 6 congestion relief if it passes,” he said.

One of the projects that could be funded is the RM 2222 bypass project that would provide relief for the RM 620/ RM 2222 intersection.

“CAMPO is ready to include this in their plan, subject to funding. If this bond passes in November, there will be money to push that project forward,” Zimmerman said. “There’s also some matching TxDOT money as well.”

Continue reading →

Brian Thompto

Pam Waggoner

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Never before has so much momentum been built for real improvements to address traffic congestion in Four Points, but local traffic advocates Brian Thompto and Pam Waggoner want to make sure residents know how to best back the most timely initiatives currently underway. They want to maximize the traction gained last week when a local reader brought up seemingly simple traffic fixes to the traffic issues in an opinion column.

The $720 million transportation bond is one timely initiative on the table that will be on the November ballot. In the next couple of weeks, Austin City Council members will be working on the language that can determine allocations for specific projects like the multi-prong, RM 620 and RM 2222 solution that could make significant changes to improve Four Points traffic flow.

Another initiative is adding a second road to Vandegrift High School, a proposal that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Last week, Four Points News ran Mike Beal’s point of view on the opinion page about another idea about how to fix the local traffic issues that would involve a 3,500 foot road to Vandegrift.

Thompto and Waggoner said they wanted a chance to address, amplify and clarify the points made by Beal and encourage the community to get involved at this critical juncture.

Thompto is the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association chairman and co-founder and the West Austin Chamber of Commerce (formerly Four Points Chamber of Commerce) director of community relations and mobility.

Waggoner is the Four Points Traffic Committee founder and Leander ISD Board of Trustees vice president.

The following is their response including background and updates on the two local initiatives underway to help alleviate traffic issues in Four Points.

Continue reading →

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Three local Destination Imagination teams were among 1, 464 teams from around the world at the Globals Tournament at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. May 25-28. Over 8,000 students — including those from Vandegrift, Canyon Ridge Middle School and Laura W. Bush Elementary — from over 20 countries were competing at DI Globals.

Continue reading →