By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

After moving to Austin to be closer to family, Gerard DeSantis, DMD, wanted to open an orthodontic practice close to home.

“I had been trying to open a location in the Four Points area for the last year and a half and am thrilled that I am finally open,” DeSantis said. “I live near Four Points with my family and love the area. From the beautiful wooded hills to the trails, lake and creeks, you can’t beat Austin and Steiner Ranch for family fun and outdoor living.”

He celebrated the opening of his private practice, The Ranch Orthodontics, in early June at Quinlan Crossing, 5145 RM 620 N., Ste. G120.

The Ranch Orthodontics opened in Quinlan Crossing in Steiner Ranch in June. L-R Katie Glosson, RDA orthodontic technician, Dr. Gerard DeSantis, orthodontist and owner, Kim Linam, practice administer, and Rebekah Eberhart, treatment coordinator.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Big Red Express Car Wash is under construction at RM 2222 near RM 620 and is slated to open this fall offering the latest in car washing technology.

“We’ll probably open at the end of September or beginning of October,” said Tom Sesny, manager of the independent car wash at 11213 RM 2222.

The wash will feature a tunnel with a conveyor belt system where the whole floor will move the vehicle forward while the washing goes on. There will be driers at the end of the tunnel to dry the car and vacuums on-site.

The tunnel will hold up to five cars at any one time and there will be no rails, which Sesny said can damage tires.

“It will be a quick wash, less than three minutes,” Sesny said. “It will be a lot faster than anything else in town.”

Big Red Express Car Wash will open by this fall offering a wash that takes less than three minutes.
Photo by Lynette Haaland

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

River Place residents, along with some others in Four Points, will soon have a stronger voice in their representation on the Austin City Council, with the implementation of the city’s new 10-ONE council. The first election for the city’s new 10-ONE council elections will be Nov. 4, with the new council taking office on Jan. 1, 2015.

River Place is located within district 6 and so are several other Four Points areas to the north of RM-2222 and some in Comanche Trail. The Steiner Ranch peninsula is not in the district except those bordering areas close to Lake Austin. Other neighborhoods in district 6 are Anderson Mill, Riata, Robinson Ranch and Avery Ranch.

The portion of District 6 that is in Four Points is in green.
City of Austin provided the map.

Since the filing period opened July 19, four candidates have entered the race for the district 6 council seat. The filing period will close Aug. 18. One of the top issues for each candidate is transportation. Continue reading →

The River Place Rapids summer swim team finished up strong with every swimmer achieving personal best times during the season. Additionally, out of 122 swimmers, 39 had qualifying times for the All Star meet in individual events or relays.

“Head coach Clayton Ferguson, with assistants Abigail Brinker and Briana Miller, spent countless hours coaching our kids through one of our best seasons,” said Elisa Verratti, outgoing president of the Rapids.

She said that the favorite part for most swimmers is earning a “heat winner” or “personal best” ribbon at a swim meet. Competing in the All Star meet is also a highlight of the season, along with pep rallies, team parties and parent-coach relays at the meets.

“Our primary goal is to make sure each swimmer has fun while improving their stroke techniques and speed,” Verratti added. Team members are between the ages of 5 and 17.

River Place Rapids 2014

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Starting in April, students in Marlowe Macintyre’s 5th grade class at River Ridge Elementary followed the progress of Matt Rutherford and his fiancee Nicole “Nikki” Trenhorn on their non-stop voyage across the Pacific.

The students tracked the journey as a means of learning more about ocean ecosystems and the impact of microplastics or small particles from degraded plastic products on the world’s oceans.

Macintyre is not just a teacher trying to expose her students to science. She is also Matt’s mother. And no one is more impressed ​—​ or emotionally invested ​—​ in Matt’s many journeys.

Matt Rutherford and Nicole Trenhorn on the boat they hope to sail non-stop across the Pacific. The pair is currently more than half-way to Japan. Photo by Laura Schneider.

Matt and Nikki started their trek in San Francisco on April 27. Due to the Pacific hurricane season, they needed to finish their voyage by early July, when they delivered their boat, a Harbor 29 on loan from manufacturer WD Schock, to a dealer in Japan.

They arrived in Japan on July 2, fighting strong winds and dangerous currents from an approaching storm. A problem they did not anticipate after 63 days alone at sea. “We had not seen another boat for 6 weeks and now we were completely surrounded by freighters. There must have been 50 of them going every which way,” wrote Matt in his blog.

The dangers were worth it for the ambitious goal the pair set out to accomplish: to be the first to sail continuously across the Pacific while dragging a net to collect ocean microplastics, especially from the North Pacific Gyre. Their samples will help to determine the volume of plastics in the gyre as well as what amount is displaced by trade winds. Continue reading →