Sherman Burrows credits his dog, Leo (shown), with finally bringing Belle home. Courtesy Sherman Burrows

Belle found nine days after lost on trail

By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News

Although the River Place neighborhood comes together for its annual Independence Day Parade and Dads in the Hood campout, it was a lost Labrador Retriever that united the community over the past couple of weeks.

“Belle” was running the River Place nature trail with her owner, Brent Harrell, on April 8, as the pair has frequently done, Brent’s wife Melissa Harrell said. However, on this particular Sunday, 2-year-old Belle suddenly became spooked and darted away around the creek crossing in the middle of the trail, she said.

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Local residents are asked to contact CAMPO this week about improving the four-lane flush median RM 620 north to a six-lane raised median divided highway.
Source: Texas Department of Transportation

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The northern half of RM 620 — the most highly congested and heavily traveled 18.8 miles of the road from Mansfield Dam to Hwy. 183 — is not on the list for the next round of Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization projects.  

“This is so important, it cannot be over-emphasized. We cannot wait any more,” said Brian Thompto, chairman of the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association.

Thompto and other local leaders — including Scott Crosby, River Place HOA president, Morgan Briscoe, West Austin Chamber of Commerce president, and Randy Lawson, Canyon Creek neighborhood board member — went to the CAMPO meeting on April 9 and urged the transportation board to put northern RM 620 improvements on their list of projects.

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Dads in the Hood at Sun Tree Park in River Place was a huge hit on Saturday night.

“We had a larger turnout than last year, around 450 people attend. I’m not sure how many families camped but I would guess around 150,” said Paula Callas, who co-organized the event. Continue reading →

Board members from the River Place Limited District and the River Place Homeowners Association met for a joint meeting April 4 to discuss the upcoming election that will include ratifying the Limited District as well as its property tax rate. (from left) Tim Mattox, Ivar Rachkind, Scott Crosby, Pat Reilly, Lee Wretlind, Claudia Tobias and Art Jistal. Leslee Bassman

Voters set to approve district, tax rate May 5

By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News

Although the Strategic Partnership Agreement, or SPA, between the city of Austin and the River Place Municipal Utility District provided for a maximum $0.50 per $100 valuation ad valorem tax, the subdivision’s River Place Limited District officers voted unanimously April 4 to instead cap that property tax at $0.15 per $100 of assessed valuation. The MUD was converted into a Limited District when the community was fully annexed by Austin on Dec. 15. Continue reading →