Hill Country News

Applications accepted for historical commission appointees

Williamson County currently has openings for appointments to the Williamson County Historical Commission. The WCHC is designated to coordinate and supervise historic preservation under the direction … more

Staff Reports | 9/30/22

The Band of the Hills is alive with music for the Hill Country

Band of the Hills, a wind and percussion ensemble composed of musicians from Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Pflugerville and surrounding areas, will celebrate 25 years of community engagement next … more

Betty Cohn, Staff Writer | 9/29/22

Cedar Park Police: Two men charged with recent catalytic convert thefts

Two men are facing felony charges after being arrested for allegedly stealing catalytic converters for area vehicles.Derrion Newton, 27, and Dariel Jenkins, 24, were observed by police officers … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/28/22

Cedar Park, Leander and Wilco approve their final tax rates, city budgets

The cities of Cedar Park and Leander have set their final tax rate for Fiscal Year 2022-23 along with their final city budgets for next year.Both cities have cut their tax rate down to historically … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/28/22

Leander ISD earned a "B" rating in the first TEA accountability evaluations released in two years.

Leander ISD gets a B rating in TEA accountability evaluations

Leander ISD earned an overall B rating in accountability evaluations, or 89 out of 100 score, when the Texas Education Agency released ratings last month.This is the first time evaluations have been … more

Staff Reports | 9/28/22

Local gas prices tick upward, then back down again

After a slight tick upward last week, local gas prices fell back down below the $3 range at many stations across Cedar Park and Leander. The Austin metro area average fell 4 cents to $3.12 per … more

Staff Reports | 9/28/22

Travis County commissioners voted to issue a burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Travis County issues burn ban

The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to issue a burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county effective immediately. The ban is set to expire on Oct. 26 unless further action is … more

Staff Reports | 9/27/22

458 Leander ISD teaching positions in the balance with VATRE election on Nov. 8

Leander ISD taxpayers face a consequential vote this November that could decide the fate of 458 teaching positions.The Leander ISD Board of Trustees approved Aug. 18 a final tax rate of $1.2746 for … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 9/27/22

Members of the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, the county district attorney's office, various local police departments join county commissioners Terry Cook, Cynthia Long, Valery Covey, Russ Boles and County Judge Bill Gravell for a proclamation designating October as Domestic and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in Williamson County.

WilCo raising awareness of domestic and teen dating violence

The Williamson County Domestic Assault Response Team is partnering with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and Hope Alliance, Williamson County’s only resource center and emergency … more

Contributed Report | 9/25/22

Left to right front row: Senior Director of Emergency Services Chris Connealy, EMS Ops Division Commander Ed Tydings, EMS Director Mike Knipstein, and Dr. Jeff Jarvis, EMS Medical Director. Left to right back row: Pct. 1 Commissioner Terry Cook, Pct. 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long, County Judge Bill Gravell, Pct. 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey, Pct. 4 Commissioner Russ Boles.

Williamson County EMS granted re-accreditation by CAAS

Williamson County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is pleased to announce that it was granted re-accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). Williamson County … more

Contributed Report | 9/22/22

Leander residents tour the new Sculpture Garden Trail located at Lakewood Park in Leander for the first time Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, following its grand opening.

Sculpture Garden Trail grand opening held at Lakewood Park in Leander

A grand opening was held Saturday for the new Sculpture Garden Trail located at Lakewood Park in Leander.The ribbon cutting for the new park feature was held during the second annual Arts Fest, which … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/20/22

The Leander City Council recently reviewed a video of divers examining the break in the BCRUA's water intake pipe.

Leander imposes harsher $1,000 fines for Stage 4 watering violation ahead of BCRUA repairs

Leander will impose harsher penalties on homeowners who repeatedly violate the current Stage 4 water restrictions, which are being imposed while the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority's (BCRUA) … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/20/22

A nurse at a Walgreens pharmacy shows a patient the newly formulated Moderna bivalent vaccine on Sept. 7, 2022. The vaccine is an "updated booster" designed to target not only the original COVID-19 strain, but also omicron BA.4 and BA.5, which had surged in the U.S. in 2022.

Should I get the omicron booster now or wait a few weeks?

New omicron-targeting COVID-19 boosters are now available, but many are wondering: Should they get the shots immediately or wait to time them closer to the holidays? The short answer is it depends … more

Staff and Wire Reports | 9/15/22

Gas prices have continued to fall, dipping below $3 per gallon at a wider number of stations across Cedar Park and Leander this week.

Gas prices fall, hold below $3 at greater number of stations

Gas prices continued to fall over the last week, dropping 13.1 cents per gallon across the Austin area while the number of stations reporting prices below $3 per gallon in the Cedar Park and Leander … more

Staff Reports | 9/14/22

Kate Pape of Cedar Park was recently the first female scout in the area to earn the rank of Eagle Scout with Scouts BSA,

Cedar Park woman is first female scout in region to earn Eagle Scout; Cedar Park mayor, council recognizes her accomplishment

Cedar Park woman was honored Thursday during the Cedar Park City Council meeting for being the first female scout to earn the rank of Eagle Scout with Scouts BSA (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/13/22

New-to-district Camacho Elementary teachers board an LISD school bus to learn the routes students will take in preparation for the first day of school.

Leander ISD student, bus driver and bus monitor left hospitalized after accident with FedEx truck

A Leander ISD student, a bus driver and a bus monitor were left hospitalized after a crash involving their bus and a FedEx delivery truck.The accident happened around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning at … more

Staff Reports | 9/9/22

A new break in the recently repaired section of the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority's (BCRUA) 36-inch raw water intake pipeline was discovered. The Cedar Park Treatment Plant on Lime Creek Road at Lake Travis (below) is located close to where the break occurred in an underwater section of the pipeline. Cedar Park plant is not directly impacted by the break, which impacts the BCRUA water treatment plant located elsewhere in Cedar Park.

Cedar Park, Leander imposing water restrictions due to BCRUA water intake pipe repairs

The City of Cedar Park is prohibiting its water customers from using irrigation systems or hose-end sprinklers for outdoor watering from Sept. 21 to Oct. 4 while the Brushy Creek Regional Utility … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 9/9/22

Powering Up

Utility workers repair power lines at the intersection of U.S. 183 and Osage Drive in Leander on Sept. 7, 2022. more

Staff Reports | 9/8/22

Okanlawon Azeez Egerongbe was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a series of fraud and money laundering schemes.

Round Rock man sentenced to 10 years in prison for fraud schemes

Last week, a federal judge sentenced Okanlawon Azeez Egerongbe, aka Tony Kunle, Alex Tohee, 37, of Round Rock to 120 months in prison and to pay $633,520 in restitution for his role in a … more

Contributed Report | 9/8/22

Leander ISD's Rouse High School in Leander, Texas.

Former Rouse HS student arrested after posing with gun outside of school

Leander police arrested a former Rouse High School student after he allegedly posted photos of himself holding a pistol in his vehicle outside of his former school on social media. Joseph Ellis, 18, … more

Staff Reports | 9/7/22

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