Nest with PTA volunteer Kelli Merchant. LYNETTE HAALAND
By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
Four Points Middle School band members 
Four Points Middle School band member 
PTA members and others from the community came to Four Points Middle School for the unveiling of the Falcon Nest. 
Four Points Middle School band members 
Four Points Middle School choir members 
Four Points Middle School cheerleaders 
Emma Heslinga 
Ellie Kim 
Four Points Middle School students hang out in the newly unveiled Falcon Nest on April 9. LYNETTE HAALAND 
“Each person is more than a single story.” FPMS student Ellie Kim spoke at the ceremony. She recalled facing a challenge at age 13 that caused her a lot of tears, but out of that she realized that the challenge did not make her a failure. “No it made me 10 times better,” she said. “I know I’m going to make mistakes,” Kim said. “I have a lot to learn. I have time to improve and make changes.” Emma Heslinga also spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony. She describes her time at FPMS as a privilege. “I’m thankful to have this experience.” Heslinga encouraged fellow classmates to let their voices be heard. “Your words need to be heard. Speak up,” she said. Th e FPMS choir sang a song with lyrics: “In a time full of By MEGAN MENCHACA Texas Tribune Texas lawmakers and activists portrayed Tuesday’s guilty verdict in America’s most closely watched trial of a white police offi cer in a generation as a step toward justice — but said there is more work ahead to reform police behavior and the criminal justice system. Former Minneapolis police offi cer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, a Black man, for putting his knee on the man’s neck for nearly 10 minutes. Jurors found Chauvin, guilty of all three charges he faced: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd’s murder sparked nationwide Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. and in Texas during the summer and prompted renewed calls for police reform. And Texas police departments garnered criticism for their use of force during those protests. Before this year’s legislative session began, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus unveiled the George Floyd Act that would ban chokeholds and limit police use of force in an eff ort to protect Texans from what the caucus calls police brutality. Members of the caucus celebrated Chauvin’s conviction by pumping their fi sts and hugging during a Facebook Live stream. Many state legislators, including multiple caucus members, responded to the verdict with public calls to pass the caucus’ police reform bill, or House Bill 88, which was left pending in committee in March following a debate over a provision that would remove police offi cers’ legal shield against civil lawsuits. “A just verdict, but this is only one step, and it can never bring George Floyd back,” state Rep. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin, wrote on Twitter. “Now we must pass the George Floyd Act and other reforms so that we never have to do this again.” Before moving to Minneapolis, Floyd, a 46-year-old, was a resident of Houston’s Th ird Ward, a historically Black neighborhood. Texans across the state, including Floyd’s friends, family and residents of the Th ird Ward, had varied responses to the verdict, including sighs of relief or applause, according to Th e Houston Chronicle. During a press conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called for refl ection, and he said he and the Houston Police Department would be announcing police reforms next week. Turner said reform is a constant process that also includes investBy LYNETTE HAALAND Four Points News Th e Four Points real estate market is hot and not expected to cool anytime soon, according to experts. Home prices are up and inventory is down in Four Points, Austin and the Central Texas area. Th e median home price in the Four Points area including River Place, Steiner Ranch, Grandview Hills and Comanche Trail increased 22.6% in March to $748,000 compared to a year ago. Th e fi rst three months of 2021 showed median home prices increase 21.2% to $726,000. “Our area, as is Central Texas, is in an extreme seller’s market,” said Tom Radack, owner of Bartlett Real Estate, Keller Williams Realty in River Place and a longtime resident of River Place. “Oft en there is little or sometimes no inventory. Prices are now exceeding the asking prices.” Radack said that since July 2020 through January 2021, prices on average are 100% to 101% of asking price and for February and March, 109% and 111%, respectively. “And it’s not just the price, buyers are making major concessions such as: off ering free, lease back to seller, paying seller’s title policy costs, and other seller expenses. Also, off ering cash or cash equivalents in lieu of fi nancing and not requiring an appraisal is becoming standard,” Radack said. Th e fi rst quarter of 2021 showed homes sales in Four Points decreasing to 66, down 9% from a year ago. During the same period, new listings decreased 16.2% to 103, while active listings decreased 76% to 13. Staff Reports Former Travis County Sheriff ‘s detective Stephen Broderick is facing capital murder charges in the triple homicide of his ex-wife, his adopted daughter and her boyfriend, a promising football player, that occurred Sunday morning near the Arboretum shopping area. Th e victims have been identifi ed as 35-year-old Amanda Broderick, her 17-year-old daughter Alyssa Broderick and her 18-year-old boyfriend Willie Simmons. Alyssa and Willie had attended Elgin High School together and Willie, a senior, had been recruited to play football at the University of North Texas. Austin Police responded to the call around 11:42 a.m. on April 18 near Great Hills Trail and Rain Creek Parkway. Austin-Travis County EMS and Austin Fire Department personnel responded and attempted life-saving measures, but all three people were pronounced dead on the scene. APD said the couple’s son, who was present during the shooting, but physically unharmed, was later located away from the scene where he was turned over to APD offi cers. “Amanda was a beloved colleague who worked at Manor for three years and Volume 18, Issue 17 Sunday, April 25, 2021 512-241-1370 M-F 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Closed noon – 1 p.m.) 6618 Sitio Del Rio #A101 www.HillCountryPediatrics.com Patient-Centered Care LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID EDDM RETAIL REAL ESTATE, 5 FLOYD, 4 FALCON NEST, 2 MURDER, 4 Serving Steiner Ranch, River Place, Grandview Hills, Westminster Glen and Comanche Trail since 2005 512.428.6554 • 2222Dental.com • 10601 RM 2222 at River Place Blvd. B.J. Myers DDS SAFETY FIRST COVID-19 vaccinated staff Antiviral air purifi cation Lina Clendennen DDS • Free Second Opinion • Emergency Service • New Patients Welcome Board Certified Dermatologist Carmen A. Julian, DO Board Certified Dermatologist Roopal Bhatt, MD Board Certified PA Jill Hude, PA-C Medical Dermatology Skin Cancer Treatment Cosmetic Dermatology CALL TO SCHEDULE 512-515-9689 WELCOME BACK TO AUSTIN DR. JULIAN ! Suspect faces capitol murder charges in the shootings of a mom, daughter, boyfriend Stephen Broderick (not pictured) was supposed to meet Amanda Broderick for a scheduled visit with their son on Sunday morning. Now he faces capital murder charges in the shooting deaths of his ex-wife, Alyssa Broderick and her boyfriend Willie Simmons (not pictured). Photo from GoFundMe Four Points home prices are up 22% above March 2020 Verdict: Texan reactions to murder convictions in Floyd’s death Four Points Middle creates Falcon Nest — a place to connect Four Points Middle School principal Steve Crawford shares with the community the idea behind the newly unveiled Falcon Nest on April 9. LYNETTE HAALAND Four Points Middle School student Noah Blant cuts the ribbon unveiling the new Falcon Nest with PTA volunteer Kelli Merchant. LYNETTE HAALAND 
Four Points Middle School principal Steve Crawford shares with the community the idea behind the newly unveiled Falcon Nest on April 9. LYNETTE HAALAND
The band played, the choir sang, the cheerleaders cheered and the students hung out as Four Points Middle School unveiled its new Falcon Nest — a place created to foster connections.
“The Falcon Nest represents a vision, a culture we want to create here,” said Steve Crawford, FPMS principal.
There was a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 9 at FPMS’s new Falcon Nest. A partnership with Leander ISD and Sendero Homes helped to build the new space, which includes comfy and hip seating and tables surrounded by student artwork.
Crawford says this space encourages collaboration.
“No matter how different we are or how alike we are, we have a voice to collaborate with others… this is a place where everybody belongs,” Crawford said. “Each person is more than a single story.”
FPMS student Ellie Kim spoke at the ceremony. She recalled facing a challenge at age 13 that caused her a lot of tears, but out of that she realized that the challenge did not make her a failure. “No it made me 10 times better,” she said.
“I know I’m going to make mistakes,” Kim said. “I have a lot to learn. I have time to improve and make changes.”
Emma Heslinga also spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony. She describes her time at FPMS as a privilege. “I’m thankful to have this experience.”
Heslinga encouraged fellow classmates to let their voices be heard.
“Your words need to be heard. Speak up,” she said.
The FPMS choir sang a song with lyrics: “In a time full of war, be peace… In a world full of hate, be a light”.
It was then time for Noah Blant to cut the ribbon to unveil the Falcon Nest. Kelli Merchant, FPMS PTA volunteer, was also there to help.
Blant is an example of a student who is bringing other students together. He had an idea to create a student-to-student help desk when COVID-19 affected schooling so drastically a year ago. Today The Falcon Force is a real-time app that gives students technology support.
The idea of the Falcon Nest was started last year — during Crawford’s first year at FPMS — with the PTA board. “The idea was born out of the group on what to do with the blank (open) area that was very hospital looking,” he said.
The idea was there but the message from LISD was that it could likely happen in a couple of years. A donation of $10,000 from Sendero Homes, however, accelerated the vision. Sendero was founded by Four Points residentCosmo Palmieriand has local leadership including Scott Walther and Lance Haley.
With the donation, the PTA vote to move forward came around March 2020 but unfortunately the pandemic delayed the project. The furniture shipped in the summer but wasn’t allowed to be opened for a while due to COVID restrictions.
Finally, nearly a year later, the ribbon cutting ceremony was organized but then the Texas winter storm paused the unveiling in mid February.
Now this new common space is exactly where the PTA and Crawford hope students will go when FPMS opens doors at 7:35 a.m. and throughout the day.
“People can get hidden. Everyone has a story in school,” Crawford said, and this new space can help people connect.
Phase 2 and 3 will include other open spaces where other Falcon Nests can be created with furniture in the future.