Category Archives: Lake Travis

Local parents reflect on teacher Adam Ladner

Leander ISD’s Paul Smith, teacher and former River Place Elementary principal, worked at River Ridge
Elementary with Adam Ladner. “This one says it all. His love for the Longhorns and for his students. This was
at our River Ridge 4th and 5th grade track day. He pushed his student in her wheelchair for the 100 m dash.
Look at their facial expressions! Adam was a perennial student favorite.”

Adam Ladner taught at River Ridge Elementary in Steiner Ranch starting in the 2009-10 school year and through the 2014-2015 school year. Local parents share comments on what a great teacher he was after learning of his death last weekend.

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Former River Ridge teacher shot, killed by neighbor

Adam Ladner was a 5th grade teacher at River Ridge
Elementary from 2009 through 2015.

STAFF REPORTS

A former River Ridge Elementary teacher was killed last weekend when a dispute with a neighbor turned violent.

Adam Ladner, 41, a Leander ISD science teacher and girls soccer coach at Running Brushy Middle School in Cedar Park, was shot multiple times in what police say started as a noise complaint on Jan. 26. His neighbor, 64-year-old Larry Wayne Smith, was arrested and charged with murder.

It is the second shooting death in Cedar Park in less than a week.

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River Place to charge nature trails fees for nonresidents

By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News

Beginning March 2, trail users who are not residents of River Place’s Limited District may want to start bringing a credit card to the neighborhood’s popular pathways.

With Board Member Art Jistal absent from the Jan. 8 special-called meeting, the Limited District unanimously approved a fee schedule for nonresidents to use the River Place nature trail. The district is responsible for solid waste disposal along with maintaining the community’s parks and trails.

“We’ve been trying for a little over a year to come up with a strategy to try and manage the traffic on the trail,” Limited District President Scott Crosby said. “We have several of those trails and they are just extremely crowded, especially on weekends.”

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February 3 2019 Issue

Local youth in Lake Austin on “America’s Funniest Videos”

Seth Priebe (left), a River Ridge Elementary student, entertained family and friends by jumping into muddy Lake Austin in January 2017. His mom shared a video which ended up airing on “America’s Funniest Home Videos” this month. Neighbor Parker White-McArdle was with him on the diving board two years ago.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Two years ago, Seth Priebe decided to go “mudding” in Lake Austin like he always does when the water is lowered. His mom, Shelly, took photos and videos as she always does.

A friend of the family said she couldn’t stop watching the entertaining video and submitted it to “America’s Funniest Home Videos”. It was selected and the video ran a few weeks ago on Sunday, Jan. 6.

“My kids have always celebrated when LCRA lowers the lake,” Shelly said. She and her husband, Chuck, have lived in the same home on Lake Austin since 1987. Their children Megan, 24, Maria, 21, Simone, 18, and Seth, 11 have all played in the Lake Austin mud over the years.