Originally from Dubai, quadruplets (L to R) Talal, Dana, Alma and Fotoun Hakim moved to Steiner Ranch this summer specifically to attend Vandegrift where they are juniors.

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Vandegrift High School adds a number of new students each year and, this year, four of those students are drawing some special attention.

Talal, Dana, Alma and Fotoun Hakim are 16-year-old quadruplets originally from Dubai who recently started the new school year as juniors at VHS. The siblings moved to the United States with their parents and older brother at the age of 11, and attended middle school and the first two years of high school in Ft. Meyers, Fla.

The Hakim family moved to Austin specifically for VHS because of its good reputation.

“They have indicated that they chose Vandegrift for the BioMedical program we offer,” said VHS Principal Charlie Little. “We are seeing more families choosing Vandegrift as a destination school for our academic programs, quality extracurricular, IB, and amazing community.”

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

During the past year, there have been two reports of possible mountain lion sightings made to the Steiner Ranch Homeowners Association. The sightings were in the greenbelt area of Shire Ridge and at a trailhead off of Flat Top Ranch Road, according to an HOA spokesperson.

Jim Nissen, who lives on Flat Top Ranch in Steiner, said his 15-year-old daughter, Katherine, was walking home at about midnight on July 30 when she was startled by a noise as she walked past the trailhead near Waters Drive and Summer Canyon Drive.

“While she was walking past the trailhead near that intersection, she heard a noise and looked back to see a large cat exiting (a) cottonwood tree in the area,” Nissen said. “She immediately started to run and was terrified. She said as she looked back, the large cat climbed back into the tree. She was absolutely positive this was not a raccoon or coyote. It was a large cat and she identified it as a mountain lion or cougar.”

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

3M is selling its 156-acre campus in Four Points at 6801 River Place Blvd. at the same time it is looking to relocate to another site in Austin. The move affects hundreds of local employees.

In 1988, employees started to fill the 11 new buildings of the 3M campus in Four Points, which are connected with walkways. Today the campus has 1.2 million-square-feet of space including offices, laboratories and an on-site co-generation utility plant that powers the 3M campus in Four Points.

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The Vandegrift Viper community kicked off the football season with a game against the storied Odessa Permian Panthers on Friday, Aug. 26 at Monroe Stadium.
The elite Vandegrift programs — band, choir, football, dance, cheer — gave their best performances while students, parents and fans celebrated.

The Vandegrift Vipers take the field for the first time in the 2016 season to host the Permian Panthers at Monroe Stadium in Austin, Texas, on August 26, 2016

The Vandegrift Vipers offense watches the action on the field as storm clouds move in from the north during a high school football game between the Vandegrift Vipers and the Permian Panthers at Monroe Stadium in Austin, Texas, on August 26, 2016

The Vandegrift cheer squad watches the game from the sidelines during a high school football game between the Vandegrift Vipers and the Permian Panthers at Monroe Stadium in Austin, Texas, on August 26, 2016

The Vandegrift Viper Band prepares to perform during a high school football game between the Vandegrift Vipers and the Permian Panthers at Monroe Stadium in Austin, Texas, on August 26, 2016

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