Tag Archives: Grandview Hills

Former tennis pro turns coach in Austin

Brian MacPhie during a victorious moment.

By CARSON FIELD, Four Points News

Once a professional tennis player, Brian MacPhie is now giving back to the game of tennis in Austin.

MacPhie previously played on the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour for almost 15 years, from 1993 – 2005. On the tour, he won seven doubles titles and reached a career-high doubles ATP ranking #1 with Mark Knowles. His singles ATP ranking was #126.

He has plenty of accomplishments from his playing career, but he is most proud of his durability on tour.

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River Place Rapids post record-setting season

Action photos by Michael Pyrcz

By PAULA SCHUMANN, Contributor

The River Place Rapids swim team completed its 2018 season at the All Star Invitational Meet at Westwood Country Club on June 25. Forty-one swimmers participated in the event, in either an individual event or as part of a relay.

The Rapids team — with 109 swimmers ages 4 to 13 — had its overall highest finish since at least 2014, and multiple records were broken during the season and at the All Star meet.

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Two VHS grads earn Eagle rank in Troop 441 9 in original pack earn Eagle

Sea base 2014, Troop 411 sailed for a week through the Florida Keys.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Two scouts from the local Boy Scouts of America Troop 441 have earned their Eagle Scout rank. Caden Edwards and Chas Wright, recent 2018 Vandegrift graduates and Steiner Ranch residents, are part of the estimated 4 percent of scouts nationwide who earn this rank.

An Eagle Court of Honor was held for the two boys to celebrate their accomplishments. The ceremony was held at the Vintage Villas on April 15 with nine other Eagle Scouts in attendance.

“We had almost all of our boys from their original pack from 201 at Steiner Ranch Elementary, who joined in 1st grade, crossover together to Troop 441 at Lake Travis United Methodist. It’s either nine or 10 who have finished with their Eagle, which is just a tremendous feat,” said Brandi Wright, mother of Chas.

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Local Firewise committee chairs urge wildfire preparedness

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Nathasha Collmann and Randy Jamieson, Firewise committee chairs for Steiner Ranch and River Place respectively, are worried that local residents have become too complacent about wildfire preparedness.

“After the 2011 fires here in Steiner Ranch, there was obviously a flood of focus and attention and participation around wildfires,” said Jamieson. “And that’s died off.”

He continues that, “Since then, every year all the rain that we’ve had has just made things grow and grow… So we have an even greater fuel source than we had before.” Increased carbon dioxide has also meant increased vegetation growth.

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