The Bhatt family of River Place collected $20,841 for Dell Children’s Medical Center and recently presented the check (L-R): Dr. Kunjan Bhatt, Dr. Mark Shen, president of Dell Children’s, Dr. Roopal Bhatt and Four Points Dermatology staff members: Kandena Ramirez, Jill Hude, physician assistant, Edgar Corrales, Maritza Mendoza and Carmen Navarro. In front are the Bhatt children, Sapna and Devan.

By KIM ESTES, Four Points News

The Bhatt family hosted their annual fundraiser, Botox for Babes, and more than quadrupled earnings from last year to donate $20,841 to Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.

In 2015, the fundraiser earned $4,728 with 23 participating patients. This year’s impressive growth resulted from an increase in the number of patients to 42 and the addition of corporate sponsors and local business contributions, reported Dr. Roopal Bhatt, owner and dermatologist of Four Points Dermatology.

Bhatt and her husband, Kunjan, have put on the event since 2013 in appreciation for the care their daughter, Sapna, now 9, received at Dell Children’s after a near fatal auto/pedestrian accident in the family’s River Place neighborhood.

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors are a major public health problem that traditional interventions have been unable to address on a large scale, reports the American Psychological Association. More and more cases are being detected and this article shares a story of one local student’s perspective on self-injury. Her name has been changed in this story to protect her privacy.

It’s the end of another day for Emma.

“You get to that part (of the day) where it’s quiet. I’ve got no more noise to take up space in my head. And here I am again — it was a great day but now I’m feeling bad, back at that same place.”

Instead of reading a book, texting with a friend, watching YouTube videos or even just crying herself to sleep, Emma, alone in her bedroom, performs a ritual form of self-medication that she first tried in the 9th grade: she cuts herself.

In the beginning, Emma used whatever she could find that was sharp, afraid to cut too deeply. She favored the blades from pencil sharpeners, which were easily removed. Then this past year she started using old razor blades, even her own fingernails.

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Oak wilt has been confirmed in the Plateau neighborhood in Steiner Ranch in approximately 30 trees, shown in red. The yellow line shows 100 feet away from the affected trees and the green line show 150 feet away.

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A July 14 neighborhood meeting drew 85 Steiner Ranch residents to learn about ways to combat oak wilt, an infectious disease that has been confirmed in the Plateau neighborhood in Steiner Ranch as well as along Selma Hughes Park Road off of Quinlan Park Road.

“The purpose of these meetings is to educate residents about oak wilt as well as oak wilt prevention and containment,” said Steiner Ranch HOA communications coordinator Meredith Hamrick. “SRMA and SRROA Boards will determine next steps regarding possible HOA oak wilt policies.”

The meeting was led by Clay Bales, forester with Texas A&M Forest Service. Bales gave a presentation that explained the causes of oak wilt and ways to fight it.

While only approximately 30 trees locally are currently showing symptoms, if not treated and addressed, oak wilt will continue to grow and spread. One reason this is such a big issue is that mature, live oaks are all connected, Bales said.

Oak wilt moves in two ways, above ground in red oaks through mat beetles and below ground, in the roots. The roots, in time, grow together from lot to lot and connect throughout a community, he said.

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Four Points subdivisions in this report are Comanche Trail, Grandview Hills/Parke, River Place, Steiner Ranch and Westminster Glen. Data used is the median value.
Bartlett Real Estate compiled data from the Multiple Listing Service from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2016. This report uses median price, sold price per square foot (SP/Sqft), days or cumulative days on market, and June sales and inventory.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Four Points home sales have experienced solid growth for the first half of 2016 while prices are slightly lower compared to the same period last year.

“(Local) home unit sales were up 15.15 percent, while the median price remained at $485,000 versus $497,000 last year,” said Tom Radack, owner Bartlett Real Estate, Keller Williams Realty.

Stronger growth continues to be limited as a result of less available inventory, but days-on-market decreased from 63 to 58, from the same period last year, he said.

“Although demand is still strong, prices here are stabilizing, as a whole. However, location and desirable features still play an important role in what a buyer is willing to pay,” Radack said.

The majority of the homes that sold in Four Points were those less than $600,000, with the bulk of those being priced at less than $450,000.

“Buyers are watching closely at the prices they are seeing and the conditions of the home,” Radack said. “Homes on the market today, should have any appreciated value already priced into the home.”

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