Stories | Hill Country News

Kevin Sanchez of Vandegrift High School runs in the Class 6A boys 3200 meter run during the UIL State Track and Field Meet on May 7, 2021 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. Sanchez finished ninth in the event.

Local athletes set for UIL State Track & Field Meet

The UIL State Track & Field meet begins Thursday at Mike Meyers Stadium in Austin. more

By Zach Smith, HCN Sports Editor | 5/10/23

A Texas "gun enthusiast," Francisco Oropeza, 39, was firing off his AR15 in his yard Friday night about 40 miles from Houston. He was known to be touchy, so, despite the noise and danger, no one … more

By Tom H. Hastings, Guest Columnist | 5/10/23

Commentary: Paying for My Meds Twice: Texas Law Needed to Protect Patients

I was only 10 years old the first time I went to the hospital with severe head pain, uncontrollable vomiting, and visual disturbances with complete blindness in my left eye. Driving four hours to … more

By J.P. Summers, Guest Columnist | 5/9/23

5/4/23

Student art contest winners were on display for Williamson County's 175th Birthday Celebration art contest.

Williamson County 175th Birthday Celebration Student Art Contest Winners Announced

The student art contest winners were announced for Williamson County’s 175th Birthday Celebration art contest, presented by the Greater Round Rock Community Foundation, Williamson County and the … more

Contributed Report | 5/4/23

Krystall Williams named principal of RRISD's Elsa England Elementary

Krystall Williams has been named the new principal of Round Rock ISD's Elsa England Elementary School. She will replace longtime principal Jana Stowe, who will retire at the end of this school year. … more

Staff Reports | 5/13/23

Christy Hilbun named principal at LISD's Giddens Elementary

Christy Hilbun was named the new principal at Leander ISD's Giddens Elementary School. Superintendent Bruce Gearing described Hilbun as an "amazing educator with a heart and passion for her students, … more

Staff Reports | 5/7/23

Local gas prices continue to fall ahead of the summer driving season.

Local gas prices drop, but average remains above $3 per gallon

Average gasoline prices in across the Austin metro area dropped 11.7 cents over the last week to $3.14 per gallon, according to GasBuddy's survey of 830 area stations. Drivers in Cedar Park and … more

Staff Reports | 5/3/23

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar's office released the monthly sales tax report for April, showing gains in hotel and alcoholic beverage taxes and large dips in oil and natural gas production taxes.

State sales tax revenue $4.1 billion for April despite major drops in oil and gas production taxes

Texas sales tax revenue totaled $4.09 billion in April, 6.7% more than in April 2022, according to the state comptroller's office. The majority of April sales tax revenue is based on sales made in … more

Staff Reports | 5/6/23

Almost two-thirds of adult Gen Zs — people who are 26 and younger — are living paycheck to paycheck, an 8-percentage-point increase from a year earlier.

More young adults are living paycheck to paycheck in the US

The share of young people who struggle to cover everyday bills jumped from a year ago, while that of seniors living paycheck to paycheck leveled off, according to a report. The survey, conducted by … more

By Alex Tanzi, Bloomberg News (TNS) | 5/8/23

Nearly 7 million Texans don’t have reliable broadband internet. The House on Thursday approved a bill that would ask voters to OK $5 billion to provide more internet access throughout the state.

Texas House OKs $5 billion for broadband, if voters give thumbs up

The Texas House last week moved one step closer toward investing $5 billion to expand internet availability across the state. Filed by Republican state Rep. Trent Ashby of Lufkin, House Bill 9 and … more

By Pooja Salhotra and Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune | 5/3/23

The Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio.

House passes bill to rein in “rogue” prosecutors

Locally elected prosecutors who do not enforce certain laws could be removed from office under a bill approved by the Texas House of Representatives on Friday. The bill passed 97-51, -and will now … more

By Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune | 5/3/23

5/11/23

A Transgender Pride Flag is held above the crowd of LGBTQ+ activists earlier this year. About half of young trans and nonbinary youth in the U.S. seriously contemplated suicide in the past year.

Half of trans and nonbinary youth in the US ‘seriously considered’ suicide in the past year: survey

About half of young trans and nonbinary youth in the U.S. seriously contemplated suicide in the past year, as a record-breaking number of bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ people — especially … more

By Muri Assunção, Tribune News Service | 5/9/23

Amy Sokol, Sherry Koorie, Ashley Landry and Adalis Cardenas work to remove and save native plants from the site of a road construction project in Round Rock.

Native Plants Rescue on Corridor H / Sam Bass Road

Members of the Williamson County Native Plant Society of Texas and the Good Water Master Naturalist’s Native Plant Rescue Project gathered on Sunday, April 23, to dig up and rescue native plants … more

Contributed Report | 5/10/23

A marcher carries a Transgender Pride flag during a march in Kansas City, Missouri.

Commentary: What’s missing from the LGBTQ+ debate is tolerance

Pronouns came up in conversation recently. Through circumstances largely beyond my control, I was at dinner a few nights ago with six or seven strangers. It wasn’t hard to read the room. They were … more

By John M. Crisp, Guest Columnist | 5/11/23

Commentary: What did you inherit from your mother?

As Mother’s Day approaches, it is appropriate that we discuss the physical characteristics, personality traits, coping mechanisms, etiquette rules, life ambitions, etcetera that we inherited from … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 5/10/23

People walk by a hiring sign posted on the exterior of a Target store on April 7, in Novato, California. U.S. hiring and workers' pay gains accelerated in April.

US job gains and wages pick up, signaling labor resilience

U.S. hiring and workers’ pay gains accelerated in April, showing signs of labor-market resilience and fresh inflationary pressures in the face of economic headwinds. Nonfarm payrolls … more

By Reade Pickert, Bloomberg News (TNS) | 5/10/23

A Texas DPS trooper blocks an entrance to the mall parking lot a day after a mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Sunday, May 7, in Allen, Texas.

Texas mall gunman was terminated from Army over concerns of perception, behavior

DALLAS — The man authorities said killed eight people and wounded seven others at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday was terminated from the U.S. Army in 2008, an official said. And a social … more

By Marcela Rodrigues and Sue Ambrose, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 5/9/23

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference on Jan. 31 in Austin.

Gov. Greg Abbott says Biden in cahoots with cartels

WASHINGTON — With Title 42 about to expire, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed another 450 National Guard troops to the border Monday, a move the White House denounced as a stunt that will only worsen … more

By Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 5/11/23

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