Local news | Hill Country News

Leander ISD joins lawsuits over TEA accountability ratings

Leander ISD is joining more than two dozen other Texas school districts in a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) planned changes to its accountability ratings. The Leander ISD … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/22/23

Cedar Park adopts 2 cent tax rate cut; 11th consecutive year of tax rate cuts

Cedar Park residents will see a tax rate cut for the 11th consecutive year. The Cedar Park City Council unanimously adopted last Thursday a 2 cent tax rate cut, which set the tax rate at $0.37 … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/21/23

The Williamson County Deputies Association held a press conference on Aug. 29 ahead of the Williamson County Commissioners Court's final vote on the final budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24, criticized the budget for including 18% of the additional deputies that the Williamson County Sheriff's Office had requested for the new budget.

Williamson County adopts two-tenth cent tax rate hike for Fiscal Year 2023-24; Williamson County deputies, district attorney criticize lack of hirings

The Williamson County Commissioners Court adopted a two-tenth of a cent tax rate increase during their Aug. 29 meeting, which will make their next county tax bill $130 more than under this year's tax … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/20/23

Derrick Neal, the former director for the Williamson County and Cities Health District, discusses how they were tackling the coronavirus pandemic during an April 2020 interview.

Former Williamson County health director sues county, health district over alleged racial discrimination by county judge

The former director of the Williamson County and Cities Health District has filed a federal lawsuit against the Williamson County and Cities Health District and Williamson County itself, alleging … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/19/23

Cedar Park man sentenced to 45 years in prison for 2021 shooting

A Cedar Park man was found guilty by Williamson County jury in the 2021 murder of his ex's new boyfriend and sentenced last Thursday, Sept. 14, to 45 years in prison. Hector De Jesus … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/19/23

Cedar Park, Leander repeal juvenile curfew ordinances due to new law

It's a Clinton-era legal relic, passed every three years for decades without significant discussion. And, after years of debate over whether it is a net benefit or harm to communities, it will no … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/15/23

The first suspect in the Aug. 30 robbery at the Lakeline Mall in Austin is believed to be a 20- to 30-year old male who is approximately 5 foot and 7 inches that weighs between 200 and 250 pounds. During the robbery, he was armed with a tan handgun, brough an oversized tan bag and was wearing a red sweatshirt, black jeans, a black balaclava, red and black gloves and white shoes.

Austin Police seeking help identifying Lakeline Mall robbery suspects

The Austin Police Department is seeking the public's help with identifying the three suspects involved in the robbery of a jewelry store in the Lakeline Mall. According to the department, the … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/15/23

Pecan Gardens, the former Candlewoods Suites hotel site at 10811 Pecan Park Boulevard in the Austin section of Williamson County, that the City of Austin plans to use to provide permanent, supportive housing for people 55 and older who are experiencing chronic homelessness.

Williamson County lawsuit against Austin's Candlewood Suites housing project dismissed

Williamson County's lawsuit aimed at stopping the City of Austin's plans to convert the former Candlewood Suites site on Pecan Boulevard into a supportive housing complex aimed to helping people … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/13/23

Gas prices slid by a few cents over the last week.

Gas prices slide again

Average gasoline prices in the Austin metro area slipped an average of 8.1 cents per gallon over the last week, to an average of $3.31 on Monday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 830 stations. … more

Staff Reports | 9/12/23

Leander ISD amends recess, sport start times to beat extreme heat

With sweltering temperatures still reaching as high as 107 degrees, Leander ISD has switched up recess hours and pushed back the start times for its sporting events. This means that elementary … more

By Clayton Kelley, Reporter | 9/12/23

Leander adopts 1.5 cent tax rate cut for Fiscal Year 2023-24

Leander residents will see a tax rate cut for the 11th consecutive year. The Leander City Council unanimously approved last Thursday a 1.5 cent tax rate cut, setting the new tax rate at … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/8/23

Compedia USA, PD Labs plan to create national headquarters in Cedar Park; Plug and Play to expand into Cedar Park; Compedia plans to create over 200 jobs

Compedia USA Inc, an Israeli educational computer game developer with over 30 years of experience, and PD Labs, a prescription laboratory that researches and develops new treatments for autism, Lyme … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/7/23

Chris Davis, WilCo's elections administrator, demonstrates the county's new voting machines back when in-person voting didn't seem so fraught.

Williamson County election administrator resigns without explanation; Judith Ritchie named interim administrator

Williamson County Election Administrator Chris Davis resigned unexpectedly on Aug. 9. He has not provided any comment about the departure and the county's release about his resignation did not … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/6/23

A Round Rock ISD Police Department vehicle, Round Rock, Texas, April 28, 2022.

Leander ISD to seek exception to having officers at all campuses

Leander ISD said its board of trustees will consider a resolution seeking a "good cause exception" that would allow the district time to implement an "alternative standard" to meet the requirements … more

STAFF REPORTS | 9/5/23

The graph shows how a typical Leander ISD resident's tax bill will fare in Fiscal Year 2023-24 under the next tax adopted by the Leander ISD Board of Trustees compared to the current tax rate.

Leander ISD adopts 16.5 cent tax rate cut for Fiscal Year 2023-24

The Leander ISD Board of Trustees adopted a 16.5 cent tax rate cut for Fiscal Year 2023-24, marking the sixth consecutive year the district has cut its total tax rate. At their Aug. 24 meeting, … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/4/23

Suspect in Leander two-fatality hit-and-run crash arrested by U.S. Marshals

The U.S. Marshals' Lone Star Fugutive Taskforce arrested a 32-year-old suspect who allegedly fled the scene of a two-fatality hit-and-run accident in Leander back on Aug. 26. According to the … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 9/3/23

A helicopter flies over the IH-35 service road to survey a grass fire along the interstate near Jarrell on Friday, September 1.

Rock quarry fire consumes approximately 21 acres

At approximately 1 p.m. last Friday, Williamson County Emergency Communications received a call regarding a grass fire along the southbound Interstate 35 service road just south of Jarrell at the … more

Contributed Report | 9/3/23

Lakeline Mall in northwest Austin, seen on Aug. 18, 2022.

UPDATE: Shooting incidents at Lakeline Mall, Arboretum shopping area this week; Two dead, one injured at Arboretum

Two separate incidents involving shots fired occurred this week, including at the Lakline Mall on Wednesday and a fatal shooting incident at the Arboretum shopping area on Thursday. Both … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 8/31/23

A wide variety of new laws are going into effect Sept. 1, 2023.

Check out how these new laws going into effect Sept. 1 affect you

The floodgates are opening Sept. 1 as hundreds of laws go into effect, impacting almost every aspect of Texans' lives. While the more than 750 laws passed by the Texas Legislature this year … more

By Josh Moniz, Senior Reporter | 8/30/23

Judith Ritchie was appointed as Williamson County elections administrator for the interim while the Election Commission begins its search for a permanent replacement.

Williamson County Elections Commission names Judith Ritchie as elections administrator

At the August 15 meeting of the Williamson County Election Commission, Judith Ritchie was appointed as Williamson County elections administrator for the interim while the Election Commission begins … more

Staff Reports | 8/30/23

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