By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Traffic delays are bad in Four Points ​—​ especially last week with back-to-school traffic ​and reports of massive delays. The Texas Department of Transportation is making progress in its efforts to help alleviate congestion along RM 620 and RM 2222.

Photo by Shawn Olsen

A dual left turn lane from RM 2222 onto McNeil Drive is expected to go out for bid by February and be completed a year from now. Additionally, TxDOT is in negotiations to hire a consultant for a proposed bypass road, which years from now could increase traffic flow and reduce delays by 65 percent in Four Points, said Greg Malatek, district engineer for TxDOT’s Austin District, which comprises of 11 counties.

Malatek gave these updates on August 21 at the Four Points Chamber of Commerce luncheon at River Place Country Club.

TxDOT hired HDR Engineering Inc. last year to come up with solutions for Four Points’ congestion. Rashed Islam, vice president at HDR, took the lead on the project and he was at the recent Aug. 21 presentation.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

An Estates of Westridge couple said that Saturday afternoon a helicopter was flying so low in front of their house it seemed like it was at their roofline. The helicopter seemed like it was about to land on their front yard, said Matt Young, the homeowner.

“(It) totally stirred up leaves and mulch everywhere,” Young said. They opened their front door to see what was going on and debris flew in their house. Yard debris blew into their garage too.

“Debris was blowing so hard someone could have gotten hurt,” Young said.

Gary Starzmann lives a few houses down from the Youngs. He said a similar situation happened on August 16. He was at his desk and heard a helicopter nearby.

“It was really loud and not going away. He was hovering… and it looked like he was on approach for landing in the neighborhood,” said Starzmann, who flew helicopters in the U.S. Army for more than seven years.

Starzmann was standing in his driveway before he joined other neighbors who came outside to see what was going on. The neighborhood is hilly but Starzmann still lost sight of the helicopter “below the rooftops. That’s pretty telling,” he said.

Hovering helicopter on Sat., Aug. 30.
Photo by Karen Trujillo

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A Steiner Ranch couple is having to take drastic action in a further attempt to bring their adoptive son, Henry, home from Africa.

On Sept. 4, Sherri Smetana is boarding a plane by herself with a one-way ticket to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Smetana family shown here at the Fourth of July Parade in Steiner Ranch is missing one member, adopted son Henry who is still in Africa. This week Sherri leaves for Africa in hopes of bringing Henry home soon.
Photo by Lynette Haaland

“I’m pretty much staying until I can bring him back,” she said. “I need to make sure that he’s ok. I’m trying to parent a child from across the world and that’s impossible.”

The decision wasn’t easy. Staying behind will be her husband, Andy, and their 5-year-old twin girls, who just started kindergarten last week.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

The International School of Texas, a private school located nearby off RM 620 and Hudson Bend Road, is celebrating its first year with the addition of middle school students for the 2014-2015 school year. Also a new entrance is being constructed and scheduled to be complete in the weeks ahead.

“We’re proud to be celebrating the first successful year of the International School of Texas, an excellent choice for families looking to provide their children a true international education,” said Monique Threadgill, chair of the board of trustees for the International School of Texas. “We’re looking forward to the coming school year when we’ll welcome even more students to our family and continue to improve our beautiful campus and available resources.”

The nonprofit, non-faith based school opened in September 2013 and completed its first year of classes to more than 70 students. In April, 10 families with children at the school formed a Limited Liability Company and purchased the campus land to ensure a continued legacy of international education for their families and the larger community. Several of the families are from Four Points.FPN_2014_FOOTBALL-PREVIEW

In April, 10 families, including some from Four Points, formed a Limited Liability Company and purchased the 11-acre campus to ensure a continued legacy of international education.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

In the state’s new accountability ranking system, Vandegrift High School received special academic distinction in four categories: Top 25 percent Closing Performance Gap, Postsecondary Readiness, Academic Achievement in Math, and Academic Achievement in Science.

To receive a distinction, a school must score in the top 25 percent of its comparison group – each comparison group is made up of 40 schools from across the state with similar demographics. The top 25 percent schools are known as quartile 1, or Q1. VHS principal Charlie Little said VHS’s comparison group makes up some of the top public schools in the state.

“I am extremely proud of our staff and students for their exceptional performance this year,” said Little.  “We are excited and welcome the chance to be ranked and compared to the 40 of the best high schools in Texas. The use of the comparison group for accountability requires us to be savvy with our data review. Sometimes, it is only a fraction of a percentage point that separates a Quartile 4 from a Quartile 1 ranking.”

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