By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Leander ISD Superintendent Bret Champion accepted a $100,000 district-wide award at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards on Friday in San Antonio.

The money goes into the district general fund and there are some ideas that will benefit the system as a whole that cannot be announced yet but that the district has been researching for years, said Veronica Sopher, spokesperson for LISD.

L-R Veronica Sopher, Leander ISD assistant superintendent of community and governmental relations, Trish Bode, LISD board member, Mark Koller, Pleasant Hill Elementary principal, Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, LISD Educational Excellence Foundation executive director, Paul Johnson, Vista Ridge High School principal, Bret Champion, LISD superintendent, Pamela Waggoner, LISD board vice president, Aaron Johnson, board member, Dr. Tiffany Terrell-Spicer, Leander High School principal and Sue Williams, LISD parent volunteer.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

While the number of fatalities on Austin roadways has decreased compared to this time last year, the number of driving while intoxicated arrests in Austin seems to be holding steady, according to Austin Police Department data from the first quarter of 2016.

Between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31, 2016, APD made 1,517 DWI arrests. During that same time period in 2015, APD made 1,540 DWI arrests.

“On average, every year we do about 6,000 DWI (arrests) department-wide,” said APD Lieutenant Blake Johnson. “We’re on pace to be around that same number this year.”

Fortunately, there has been a decrease in the number of fatalities this year compared to the same time period last year. 2015 was the deadliest year on Austin roadways with a total of 102 fatalities. Of those, 65 percent involved impaired drivers. Continue reading →

This crash at the intersection of RM 620 and RM 2222 occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Apr. 5 and it involved a driver who was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

While the number of fatalities on Austin roadways has decreased compared to this time last year, the number of driving while intoxicated arrests in Austin seems to be holding steady, according to Austin Police Department data from the first quarter of 2016. Continue reading →

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Travis County and the Texas Department of Transportation are ready to “fast track” plans for a new full-purpose traffic signal at the intersection of Steiner Ranch Boulevard and RM 620, according to a May 6 email sent by TxDOT project manager Bruce Byron to Brian Thompto, chairman of the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association.

“Due to heavy traffic on RM 620 during peak hours, Travis County contacted TxDOT to see how we could improve operations at this location,” said Kelli Reyna, public information officer for TxDOT. “After looking at a myriad of different options, it was determined that a traffic signal was the best solution.”

In his email, Byron said the redesigned, full-purpose traffic signal would cost approximately $250,000; however, Reyna said that number could not be confirmed until a funding agreement is put into place. Continue reading →