Bond proposal has something for all LISD schools

Major projects included for VHS, FPMS, SRE

By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

Three Four Points schools would benefit from a recommended $453,860,841 bond package, which would improve safety, accommodate growth, and provide major facility maintenance throughout Leander ISD, according to Victor Villarreal, co-chairman of a bond advisory steering committee.

There are “optional items” that could add $9,856,468 to the proposed bond total.

Funds projected as necessary to meet LISD requisites amount to $172,536,655 for elementary schools, $117,525,385 for middle schools, $87,175,801 for high schools, $47,730,000 for technology and $28,893,000 for ancillary requests.

Four Points recommendations

Four Points area schools specifically mentioned in the package are Steiner Ranch Elementary, Four Points Middle School and Vandegrift High School.

SRE, as well as Giddens Elementary, are recommended for major maintenance to their HVAC systems, lighting, carpet and paint at a total estimated expense of $17,863,111. Both campuses are about 20-years-old and due for facility and equipment refurbishing and replacement, said Corey Ryan, LISD chief communications officer.

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River Place Rapids wraps season

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

The River Place Rapids swim team wrapped its 2017 season on June 25 with the All Star Invitational Meet at Westwood Country Club with 40 swimmers.

Cannan Ginsburg won second place overall in the boys 7-8 category and won the freestyle event. Other top 3 finishers were: Nicholas Zimmerman’s first in the boys 7-8 breaststroke, Kayla Kovar’s second in the girls 9-10 breaststroke, and Lilah Schumann’s third in the girls 7-8 butterfly.

There were ten all-time Rapids records broken during the season.

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VHS expansion, agriculture barns on proposed bond project list

Dan Troxell

Bond Advisory Committee
presents to LISD Board

By DAN TROXELL
LISD Superintendent

During the June 15 board meeting, the co-chairs of the Bond Advisory Committee presented its recommendations to the Leander ISD Board of Trustees. Their presentation was the culmination of five months and many, many hours of meetings, research, facility tours, conversations and deliberation on the parts of the steering committee and subcommittees. After carefully weighing the long list of identified needs, the BAC ultimately identified $453,860,841 in new facilities, campus additions and land purchases to meet increasing student enrollment; campus safety upgrades; and maintenance upgrades to older buildings.

Co-chairs Victor Villarreal and Shaun Cranston have done an outstanding job leading the BAC through this lengthy and challenging process. Last month, the steering committee was tasked with prioritizing and narrowing the scope of the proposed project lists submitted by the five subcommittees, totaling nearly $1.2 billion. As Villarreal and Cranston reported to the board, while there were a number of worthwhile projects on the list, they agreed to prioritize items that support growth, student safety and maintenance/operations.

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DWI arrests remain constant, crashes are down from last year

Right: These are driving while intoxicated cases reported by Travis County Sheriff’s Office and include a large portion of the Four Points DWI cases so far this year. In addition to these cases, Austin Police Department reported six DWI arrests in 78726 and two in 78730 from Jan. 1 – April 15.

By CASSIE MCKEE
Four Points News

Officers with the Austin Police Department are ramping up their No Refusal enforcement efforts to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road this summer.

The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Austin in the first quarter of this year was slightly higher compared to the first quarter of 2016. Between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2017, there were seven fatalities caused by an impaired driver. During the same period in 2016, there were five fatalities caused by an impaired driver.

One positive trend so far this year is that the number of crashes due to DWI is down compared to last year, according to Blake Johnson, operations lieutenant for the Austin Police Department highway enforcement command.

“One trend we’re seeing is both crashes overall and DWI crashes are down, which is a good thing,” Johnson said. “Through the first quarter of the year, DWI crashes were down 23 percent from last year.”

The number of citywide arrests for driving while intoxicated in the first quarter of this year held steady compared to years past.

“DWI arrests are trending about the same,” Johnson said. “(In the first) quarter, they were down 6 percent from last year. Annually, we’re somewhere around the 6,000 mark.”

Between Jan. 1 and April 15, 2017, APD made 1,701 DWI arrests citywide. The three zip codes with the most arrests were 78704 in South Austin with 189, 78701 in downtown with 176 arrests and 78703 in central Austin with 123 arrests.

In the Four Points area, the highest number of DWI arrests made by APD were in the 78726 zip code, which contains the section of RM 620 from Anderson Mill Road to Four Points Drive. In 78726, there were six DWI arrests between Jan. 1 and April 15, 2017. There were 19 DWI arrests total in 2016.

In 78730, there were 2 DWI arrests between Jan. 1 – April 15, 2017. There were six DWIs total in 2016.

Most all of 78732 and part of 78730 are policed by Travis County Sheriff’s Office. TCSO reported eight DWI cases from Jan. 1 through April 15, 2017. There were nine additional DWI cases reported from April 15 – July 2.

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