By KIM ESTES, Four Points News

Scholarships awarded to Vandegrift High School 2015 graduating seniors increased by 54.6 percent compared to 2014, reported Amy Rodriguez, VHS lead counselor.

“Last year, VHS seniors were offered $13.5 million in scholarships. This year, they were offered a little over $20.89 million. Our students are the ones who deserve the utmost credit. Their persistence and dedication to their academics and the programs to which they are committed is inspiring,” Rodriguez said. Continue reading →

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Texas Department of Transportation is trying to wrap up construction at RM 2222 and McNeil Drive before the start of Leander ISD classes on Monday. The project is being done to help facilitate the flow of traffic through this area, the primary access route for both Four Points Middle School and Vandegrift High School.

Once finished, there will be new, dual left-turn lanes from eastbound RM 2222 to McNeil Drive, and the right-turn lane from westbound RM 2222 will be lengthened.

Additionally, McNeil Drive to RM 2222 will be striped with a left-turn, a right-turn, and a center optional left- or right-turn, said Kelli Reyna, TxDOT spokesperson for the Austin District.

Sidewalk ramps and concrete curb and gutter work is being done at night at the RM 2222 and McNeil Drive intersection. This work started on Sunday night and is expected to go through Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night in hopes of getting the project done before Monday.

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

In 2011, Michele and Michael O’Rourke were in need of psychiatric services for Michael’s bipolar type II disorder and a profound depressive cycle that had started in January.

Michele was pleased with the psychiatrist she herself was seeing, but that doctor was not taking new patients. Michael was left instead with a clinical psychiatric nurse who proved to be a poor match, recommending a course of treatment that presumed he did not take his medication regularly, although he did. Continue reading →

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Despite local opposition, the Foundation Communities’ Cardinal Point affordable housing project is expected to break ground in Four Points after the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in July approved $15 million in state tax credits to help fund the project.

Cardinal Point will be located on an 8.5 acre tract located at 11011 1/2 Four Points Drive. It will include 120 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. The project is expected to break ground in August 2016 and open in late 2017, according to Foundation Communities Communications Coordinator Alyah Khan. She said rents between all the units will average approximately $640/month. Families earning up to 60 percent of the area median family income would be eligible to apply. Continue reading →

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

River Place residents will see some relief on their water bills in the form of a one-time credit after the River Place Homeowners Association reached a settlement deal with Austin Water Utility over what the HOA said was an unjust increase in water and wastewater rates by the city of Austin.

In December 2014, the HOA filed a Water Rate Protest with the Public Utility Commission against AWU, after the city imposed a dramatic increase in water and wastewater rates upon the ratepayers of the River Place Water and Wastewater Systems. Residents saw the first increase in October 2014 and then another increase in November 2014.

River Place HOA Board of Directors Cheryl Page, Tim Mattox, Scott Crosby, Rich Coppola, Ivar Rachkind, and attorney Randall Wilburn (standing) go over the terms of the settlement with River Place residents at a community meeting on July 29.

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