Tag Archives: Volente

Evacuation route plans meet opposition, Travis Co. shifts plans to permanent road

Travis County officials met strong opposition from local residents during a Dec. 5 meeting in Steiner Ranch when the county was looking for community feedback on the chosen evacuation route called F, marked on the map in red.

Note: The evacuation route will be discussed during a special combined Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association and Steiner Ranch Master Association meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11 starting at 6 p.m. at Towne Square 12550 Country Trails Ln.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Local residents strongly opposed plans presented for a so-called Travis County emergency evacuation route during a presentation on Dec. 5 in Steiner Ranch. The proposed $7.1 million road that measures three fourths of a mile would connect RM 620 to Flat Top Ranch Road beginning near Westridge Park.

Residents at the meeting who live near the proposed road, which is also called route F, said they do not want a permanent road there.

Residents reiterated multiple times that they were not informed when the county shifted the scope of the evacuation road project to emphasize a route that could also be used as a permanent, general use, continuous road.

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Local student wins $100,000 from Dr Pepper

Local University of Texas student Alina Scarlett won $100,000 on Saturday in the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway contest.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Alina Scarlett, a local University of Texas student, won $100,000 for college tuition from Dr Pepper on Saturday by throwing the most number of footballs into an oversized Dr Pepper can and winning a halftime contest at the SEC Championship game of the University of Alabama vs the University of Georgia in Atlanta.

Scarlett — a communication sciences and disorders major who will graduate in May —  was watching the Red River Showdown with her family in Steiner Ranch when former Longhorn and pro football player Vince Young was promoting the contest. He and another football personality were tossing footballs into the target.

Scarlett, who is also an intern in the youth department at Austin Baptist Church, thought the game looked like something she could do.

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Homeschool student steps in to save VHS’ “Sound of Music”

Homeschool student John Paul Kinney, who played Captain von Trapp, stepped in to help the Vandegrift theater department in a pinch to put on “The Sound of Music”. He drove some 20 miles to come in for practice each day. ANGELA PHAN

By HARSHITA AVIRNENI, Vandegrift Voice

The show must go on. Homeschooled senior John Paul Kinney played the role of Captain von Trapp in the Vandegrift theater production “The Sound of Music”. Kinney was asked to fill in three weeks before opening night after the original cast member junior Sam Smoot got pneumonia.

“I love the show and the role,” said Kinney, of northeast Austin who lives some 20 miles from Vandegrift. He was excited to be asked to play Captain von Trapp. “I’m a pretty reserved kind of guy but the first word to come out of my mouth was ‘abso-freaking-lutely’.”

Director Celeste Schneider said she asked all the boys in theater and choir if they would be able to fill in but no one could.

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Vandegrift scholars earn National Merit recognition

National Hispanic Scholars:
Stefano Bonilla, Maximilian Deitrick, Camille Gutierrez, Matias Latorre Duque, Brianna Navas, Camden Perez, Marley Price, Orianna Santucci, Cameron Segura, Grant Shaffer, Elena Wilson. LYNETTE HAALAND

By PEYTON KLAM, Vandegrift Voice

Vandegrift has a number of seniors awarded by the National Merit Recognition program this year including 14 seniors who are National Merit Semifinalists and 43 who are National Merit Commended Scholars, and 11 seniors are National Hispanic Scholars. The results are based on PSAT/NMSQT scores from last school year.

“National Merit boasts these students as ‘Scholastic Champions’,” Dean of Instruction Christa Martin said. “We are very proud of our Viper Champions and their exemplary academic performance. These prestigious accolades can broaden academic opportunities giving an edge on college admissions and opening doors for generous scholarship offers.”

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LT Fire Rescue fights California wildfires

LTFR firefighters, Lt. Adam Griggs, battalion chief Eric Carlson, Lt. Travis Mc Anally were all part of the Texas team that joined the 3,600 people assisting with the California fires.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Local Lake Travis Fire Rescue firefighters helped fight the Woolsey Fire in southern California a few weeks ago. The fire started Nov. 8 and was 100 percent contained by Nov. 21 after burning nearly 97,000 acres, killing three people and destroying more than 1,600 buildings in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Three LTFR firefighters — who typically work to protect Steiner Ranch, Comanche Trail, Strawberry Hill, Monteview Acres and other Four Points areas — were among some 200 firefighters from across Texas who traveled to California in November to help work the enormous fire.

“I’ve seen some large fires, big areas acre-wise but knowing how fast the fire went with the Santa Ana winds and how much ground it covered, just the devastation that it left,” said Lt. Adam Griggs, LTFR inspector/investigator of the wildland fuels mitigation fire prevention division.

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