Why does Texas have so many elections, and why do few people vote in them?
State representative. County judge. Judge for the court of criminal appeals. The ballot goes on and on. A voter in Harris County can expect as many as 90 contests in this November’s general …
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As inflation skyrockets, local Texas governments ponder tax rate increases as they balance budgets
Every summer, Jasper County Judge Mark Allen begins to worry about two very different storms brewing: …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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Texas AG says counties can spend COVID relief funds on extra pay for elected officials without public notice
While Texas counties have to notify taxpayers before increasing elected officials’ salaries, …
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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 …
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Mortgage rates soar to 6%, a level not seen since 2008
Mortgage rates jumped to a shocking 6% as homeownership grows even more unaffordable for many …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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Travis County issues burn ban
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to issue a burn ban for the unincorporated areas of …
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WilCo raising awareness of domestic and teen dating violence
The Williamson County Domestic Assault Response Team is partnering with the Williamson County Sheriff’s …
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Williamson County EMS granted re-accreditation by CAAS
Williamson County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is pleased to announce that it was granted …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
US jobless claims rise slightly, still near lowest since May
Applications for U.S. unemployment insurance ticked up from an almost four-month low, suggesting demand for workers remains healthy despite an increasingly uncertain economic outlook.Initial …
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US power prices rise most in 41 years as inflation endures
August electricity bills for U.S. consumers jumped the most since 1981, gaining 15.8% from the same …
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Librarians and lawmakers push for greater access to e-books
Librarians and their legislative allies are pushing publishers of electronic books to lower their prices …
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Why are mortgage rates up but interest on your savings isn’t? What to know after Fed hikes
Why are you getting virtually no interest on your savings?After all, mortgage interest rates are nearly …
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US inflation tops forecasts, cementing odds of big Fed hike
U.S. consumer prices were resurgent last month, dashing hopes of a nascent slowdown and likely assuring …
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Queen Elizabeth, who reigned longer than any British monarch, dies at 96
Queen Elizabeth II, who wasn’t expected to ascend to the throne when she was born but went on to …
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Stopgap funding bill set to dominate September agenda
Lawmakers return to Washington this month to wrestle with a White House request for $47.1 billion …
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Omicron COVID-19 booster shots are coming: What you need to know
The next generation of COVID-19 booster shots — tailored specifically to combat the highly …
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Texas Sen. John Cornyn raises privacy concerns over drunk driving prevention tech in cars
After privacy concerns arose, three Republican senators, including Texan John Cornyn, introduced …
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Gas prices continue slide for 11th straight week
Average gasoline prices in the Austin area fell another 2.8 cents per gallon in the last week, with some Cedar Park and Leander stations …
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US jobless claims fall for second week, a sign of labor strength
Applications for U.S. unemployment insurance fell for the second week, suggesting that employers are holding on to workers despite growing …
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Study: Marijuana, hallucinogen use at all-time high among young adults
Marijuana and hallucinogen use in the past year reported by young adults increased significantly in 2021 compared to five and 10 years ago, …
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Pfizer’s shot is 73% effective against COVID in children under 5
Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine was 73.2% effective against the disease in a trial of children 6 months through 4 years old, reinforcing …
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US economy flashes signals of hope and concern in mixed data
Data this week generated a mixed report card of the U.S. economy, showing both resilience in the face of high inflation and signs of troubles …
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Threats against Texas schools terrify parents, heighten safety concerns
Parents are keeping their children out of school and districts are on high alert this week after threats were made against at least 12 school …
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Conservative backlash pushes Texas social studies curriculum review to 2025
The State Board of Education narrowly voted Friday to delay updating the state’s social studies curriculum until 2025 after facing pressure …
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LISD & RRISD Education Briefs
Brian Barnes of HMS selected as TASSP Region 13 Outstanding Assistant Principal of the year * Brian Barnes, Assistant Principal of Henry MS in …
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Wiley MS wind ensemble selected top concert ensemble in Texas
Leander ISD’s Wiley MS wind ensemble, under the direction of Taylor Williamson, named the 2022 2C Honor Band, a distinction given by the Texas …
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Round Rock ISD annual college fair returns
Round Rock ISD counseling services will host its annual college fair on Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m.; at Round Rock High School, 201 Deep …
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Education Briefs
McNeil High School teacher Andrea Larson, named Round Rock ISD’s secondary teacher of the year in May, has advanced to become a finalist for …
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Twitter begins testing edit button: ‘this is happening and you’ll be okay’
Twitter’s long-awaited — and controversial — edit button is finally here.The social media company announced Thursday that it has started testing the option internally before plans to roll it …
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US adds 315,000 jobs as participation jumps and wages rise
U.S. employers added jobs at a healthy, yet more moderate pace in August, offering little evidence of any …
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Jobs report shows supply returning even as Fed focuses on demand
The August U.S. jobs report contained hints of a long-awaited increase in labor supply. The big question …
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US consumer borrowing jumps by more than $40 billion, second-most ever
U.S. consumer borrowing surged in June, reflecting a jump in credit-card balances and a record increase …
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US job growth surges, tempering recession worries and pressing Fed
U.S. employers added more than double the number of jobs forecast, illustrating rock-solid labor demand …
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Texas cities say streaming giants Disney, Hulu and Netflix owe them millions of dollars in unpaid fees
A lawsuit filed last Thursday by 25 Texas cities claims that Disney, Hulu and Netflix have for …
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US job growth surges, tempering recession fears and pressing Fed
U.S. employers added more jobs in July than forecast, illustrating rock-solid labor demand that …
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Remote work fueled US productivity growth during pandemic, study says
U.S. economic productivity during the pandemic was driven entirely by firms with remote work …
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Two US cost gauges surpass estimates, stoking inflation concern
Two key U.S. inflation gauges posted larger-than-forecast increases on Friday, heightening concerns …
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Mortgage rate forecast: Recession worries may keep rates in check
Many factors are putting upward and downward pressure on mortgage rates, and prospective borrowers have observed a seesaw pattern in the cost to …
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Big, boxy apartment buildings are multiplying faster than ever
Amid the materials shortages, price hikes and other craziness of the housing market last year, something remarkable happened. U.S. builders …
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US jobless claims fall slightly, remain near five-month high
Applications for U.S. unemployment insurance fell, though remained near January levels, suggesting that labor market conditions are moderating. …
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