By LYNETTE HAALAD, Four Points News

Land at RM 620 and Steiner Ranch Boulevard is being cleared for a new Austin-based SouthStar Bank and other pad sites for future commercial development including possibly a carwash.

Plans for the the 20-acre site were approved on Feb. 19, according to Christine Barton-Holmes, senior planner at the City of Austin- Planning & Development Review Department.

Barton-Holmes said the first phase will be a bank and all of the infrastructure for the whole site. The next phase will be a medical office and the third phase, a professional office and the final phase a carwash.

Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC is the site plan applicant, and the owners are listed as Lone Star Bank and Texas MU 15 Investments, Ltd. McAden Builders Inc. is the initial builder on the site.

“We are building SouthStar Bank on the hard corner there at Steiner Ranch and 620,” said Allen McAden, CEO McAden Builders.

“We are also building two additional pads and a detention pond on lots two and three. They are just pads for further developments nothing has been selected yet at this time,” McAden said.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

When Jonathan and Polly Tommey moved to River Place from the U.K. in 2012, they had one dream in mind – to build a place where adults with autism could live and thrive. Now, a generous donation of land from one local family is helping to make that dream a reality.

The Tommeys learned first-hand about autism after their son, Billy, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 2. In 2007, while in the U.K., Polly Tommey founded The Autism Trust, a non-profit organization with the mission of providing vocational, educational, wellness, and semi-independent residential programs for individuals with autism.

“As a parent, our biggest concern is who’s going to look after my children,” said Jonathan Tommey. “We don’t want them in these institutions that offer them no opportunities.”

After the success of The Autism Trust in the U.K., the Tommeys were awarded an exceptional visa to build the same center of excellence in the U.S. They chose Austin because of the warm community atmosphere and the many autism experts who live here.

The Tommeys came with the goal of building a state-of-the-art center where adults with autism can live a safe, healthy and purposeful life. But first, they needed some land.

Tommey family

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​​Girls UIL State 5A Champions​: (L-R) Renee Jacops, Elizabeth Nelson, Jade Federlin, Lindsey Thompson, Hanna Brown, Kendall Shields, Sydney Sanders, Maddie Ibrahim​ and Hannah Palacios. ​Assistant Coach Carlee Bauer ​(front left) ​and Girls UIL State Coach of the Year Head Coach Kimberly Davies​ (front right).​
​​Photo by ​​Debbie Donohue

VHS girls swim & dive win state, Boys place 5th at state

By JULIE WOLK, Four Point Contributor

The Vandegrift Viper swim and dive girls team won the Girls’ UIL State 5A Championship title by 62.5 points last weekend. The boys team came in fifth overall, a dramatic rise from last year’s 19th placement.

Overall, the Vipers took the podium with three gold and two silver medals during the Feb. 20-21 state event at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center at the University of Texas.

“The state title for the girls and the boys’ incredible rise in placement are due to depth, passion and teamwork,” said Kimberly Davies, VHS swim and dive head coach. “We don’t rely on one or two star athletes. Our focus has been to maximize each swimmer’s strength to contribute to the whole. We emphasized ’team’ this entire season.”

Davies also won the UIL State 5A Girls Coach of the Year.

​​UIL 200 Freestyle Relay State 5A Silver Medalists​ (L-R) Zach Bezella, Jack Hanna, Zach Wolk​ and John Winkler​.​
Photo by Debbie Donohue

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

All Four Points schools received the “met standard” classification for the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness or STAAR test results, and all exceeded state accountability ratings for 2014. Nearly all schools, with the exception of Grandview Hills Elementary, also exceeded Leander ISD averages.

Furthermore, several Four Points schools were given “distinction designations” for their above and beyond performance: Laura Bush and River Place elementaries, Canyon Ridge and Four Points middle and Vandegrift high schools. Continue reading →

Mighty Fine Burgers Fries Shakes at its first Steiner stop last Thursday. Cold temperatures didn’t keep customers away.
Photo by Carol Killgore

Mighty Fine comes to Steiner  with its first food truck

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Mighty Fine Burgers Fries Shakes launched its new food truck last week and will have a regular stop in Steiner Ranch on Thursday evenings at the Gene Arant Team office parking lot at 4304 Quinlan Park Rd.

“I think it’ll be a great family outing. There’s not a lot of convenient restaurants to Steiner or the area,” said local resident Marlis Oliver, executive director of K&N Management, which founded and owns Austin-area Mighty Fine Burgers Fries Shakes as well as Rudy’s Country Store & BBQ.

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