Category Archives: Lake Travis

Hand to Hold’s impact on one local family

Jocelyn and Bradley Brandt with their daughter Jessica, born in July, and their son Jason,
who was less than two pounds when he was born and spent the first 111 days of his life in
the hospital as a premature infant.

4th annual Hand to Hold fundraising baby shower Fri.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Jocelyn and Bradley Brandt are helping organize the Hand to Hold’s 4th annual Baby Shower event on Friday because it is the organization that helped them in their family’s time of need.

The Brandt’s son Jason was born on March 15, 2015, at 26 weeks and 1 day, weighing just 1 lb 10 oz. The Brandts visited the neonatal intensive care unit  twice a day for 111 days at St. David’s HealthCare while their baby was hooded up to ventilators and more for the breathing challenges he faced. When baby Jason got to go to his home in Steiner Ranch, he continued to struggle with feeding issues; feeding therapy was needed to strengthen his oral muscles. Continue reading →

$18 million RM 620/RM 2222 bypass project is fully funded Community urged to attend public hearing Thurs. Oct. 26

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

After five years in the making, the $18 million RM 620 and RM 2222 bypass road project is officially funded: $10.5 million from Texas Department of Transportation and $7.5 million from the city of Austin, according to TxDOT.

“We’ve been pushing for a solution since 2012. The good news is that the funding is officially approved at the state level for this project,” said Brian Thompto, Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association chairman and resident advocate for the bypass project since day one.

The RM 2222 and RM 620/Bullick Hollow Road intersection experiences significant congestion. TxDOT has done the research and concludes that adding travel capacity in the form of a new bypass road along with road improvements will improve mobility. Projections show that travel times could be reduced by about 60 percent, and help maintain safe access to and from Vandegrift High School and Four Points Middle School.

On Thursday, Oct. 26, TxDOT is conducting a public hearing at Vandegrift to present the project information and gather public input on proposed improvements to RM 2222 and RM 620. Continue reading →

VHS Football Preview Lehman at Vandegrift Monroe Stadium Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.

 

VHS coach Drew Sanders talking to Viper players at the Sept. 22 game vs Harker Heights. Photo by Bill Seitzler

Vandegrift players taking the field at the Sept. 22 game vs Harker Heights. Photo by Bill Seitzler

With arguably the toughest test on their 25-6A schedule out of the way, the Vipers (2-3, 0-1) return to Monroe Stadium for a homecoming matchup with Lehman on Friday.

Justin Moore’s mastery of the offense has been on display the last three weeks, and it will be needed again, as the Vipers have struggled in all three losses with the run game. In two wins, Vandegrift amassed 361 yards on the ground. In three losses, the Vipers averaged just 40 rushing yards in each outing.

“Justin is getting better with each game and being able to handle the pressure of being a 6A starting quarterback. It’s a big job and he’s been up to the task,” said Vipers head coach Drew Sanders.

Defensively, Vandegrift has shown it can stand toe to toe with one of the best teams in the state. Lehman won’t be that kind of test for Vandegrift this week, but coach Sanders and the rest of the staff will be certain to focus on avoiding any sort of letdown while facing the 1-4 Lobos.

Lehman’s lone victory came against Austin Akins in Week 3, a game that marked the Lobos’ best offensive performance of the season, as they outscored Akins 42-35. Continue reading →

VHS Football Preview: Cedar Park at Vandegrift Monroe Stadium ~ Tonight, Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m.

Last year, Justin Moore was pushed into action as Vandegrift’s quarterback for the first time when starter Alex Fernandes was unable to play against Cedar Park. This year, Moore returns to face the Timberwolves as Vandegrift’s starter.

Last week showed promise, with Moore going 11-for-22 for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a Permian defense that returned nine starters from a year ago. The rushing game was never really in gear, though, with the Vipers amassing just 28 net yards on 22 carries. That will need to get better this week for Vandegrift to have a chance of beating the Timberwolves.

Both teams are coming off disappointing losses, with Vandegrift driving nearly 700 miles round trip to Odessa and falling 28-24 to the Permian Panthers.

Vandegrift Vipers senior defensive lineman Zach Hildebrand (55) erupts in celebration on the sideline following a Vandegrift touchdown during a high school football game between the Permian Panthers and the Vandegrift Vipers at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa, Texas, on Friday, September 1, 2017.

Continue reading →