By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A new 65,000-square-foot self-storage facility will be constructed at the intersection of RM 620 and Marshall Ford Road, across from Randalls grocery store.

Crews are breaking ground this week on All Stor Self Storage, according to Brendan Callahan, development associate at Endeavor Real Estate Group. He said the project is owned by Endeavor and local partners.

The facility will be a three-story, climate-controlled self-storage facility and should be completed by next winter, Callahan said.

Crews are expected to break ground this week on All Stor Self Storage, a new 65,000-square-foot facility being built near this intersection at RM 620 and Marshall Ford Road, across from Quinlan Crossing.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A new 8-foot tall fence off of RM 2222 along the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve has many Four Points residents asking why it is necessary.

The stretch of fence along RM 2222 is costing $250,000 and the funding comes out of the 2014 City of Austin budget, , according to Jill Mayfield, public information officer with Austin Water. Construction began in December and will be complete by March 1.

This new 8-foot tall fence off of RM 2222 along the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve is costing $250,000 and is expected to be complete by March 1.
photo by Lynette Haaland

This fence is the newest section of an ongoing 10-year project by the City of Austin and is mandated by the federal government to protect the protected species within the preserve, Mayfield said.

 She said one reason the fence is needed is to keep people from trespassing in the preserve. She said BCP has had incidents of trespassing and litter and one big concern is unattended hikers who may cause wildfires.

 “Somebody walking with a cigarette through these lands could be very serious,” she said.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Hill Country News

It’s been a highly unusual winter in Central Texas with three bad-weather days for Leander ISD students; however, the LISD Board of Trustees’ plan to make up one of the missed days on Memorial Day has upset many local veterans and parents.

Leander resident and Marine James Crabtree created an online petition last week to urge the LISD board to not have school on Memorial Day. He then sent out a press release and began speaking out through local Austin media. He and several other local veterans and parents spoke during the citizen’s comments portion of the LISD School Board meeting last week on Feb. 6.

Leander resident and Marine James Crabtree created an online petition last week to urge the Leander ISD board to not use Memorial Day as a bad weather makeup day. Crabtree also spoke at LISD’s board meeting last week.
photo by Cassie McKee

It is a personal fight for Crabtree. While serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said his battalion lost 10 men.

“It’s the one day our nation has set aside to honor them and all those we’ve lost in our nation’s armed forces,” Crabtree said, prior to the LISD meeting. “It should be a day that is more than just another random school day or a day for mattress sales.”

After learning that the district was planning to have school on Memorial Day, Crabtree said he and other community members sent emails to the Board of Trustees to ask them to reconsider. He said he received a response from the assistant superintendent of human resources. Continue reading →

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The reopening of the upper Panther Hollow trail in River Place was celebrated on Saturday with a ribbon cutting and hike. Some 50 people attended.

R-L Alan Glen, Jim Casey, Christie Griffith, Sandy Perry and others cut the ribbon in celebration of the reopened upper trail on Saturday.

River Place resident Steve Snodell was the first to run the trail after the ribbon was cut.

“We’re looking forward to this. We helped get it reopened,” said Dylan Drummond. He and his daughters Madison, 9, and Kennedy, 6, took their dog for a hike at the event.

Dylan Drummondand his daughters Madison, 9, and Kennedy, 6, took their dog for a hike at the event.

“This is my top favorite trail in or near Austin. I’m excited it is open again,” said Alex Horn, who used to walk the trail before it was closed nearly two years ago. Saturday she bought four year old Siberian Husky mix, Whiskey, from the Austin Humane Society for a hike on the trail. Continue reading →