Local news | Hill Country News

Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2020 Cedar Park fatal shooting after murder charge resulted in mistrial

A Texas man pled guilty on May 8 to a manslaughter charge related to his fatal shooting of another man in Cedar Park in 2020. Kelly Lawrence Schernik, 40, entered his plea before his case was given a … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/22/23

Crystal Falls Parkway extension (Ronald Reagan Boulevard to CR 175)

As Wilco mulls new road bonds, Cedar Park, Leander pitch top projects

Williamson County is mulling whether to bring a new bond before voters this November to address the county's long-term transportation needs related to county roads and regional trails. To … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/17/23

Leander High School, seen on Sept. 29. 2022, Leander, Texas.

Community members, students can now join LISD Long-Range Planning Committee

Leander ISD is expanding its ten-year Long-Range Planning Committee to allow community members, students and parents to apply to join it for the first time. The application process is now open … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 5/16/23

Keco Motton resigned from the Cedar Park Police Department and was arrested Friday, May 5, 2023, by Texas Rangers on a sexual assault charge.

UPDATE: Death of former Cedar Park Police officer charged with sexual assault under investigation; Criminal complaint outlines allegations

The death of a former Cedar Park Police officer recently charged with sexually assaulting a woman who had called the police about a domestic disturbance is under investigation by the Killeen Police … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/15/23

Criminal complaint: Former Cedar Park officer allegedly sexual assaulted victim who called police

The former Cedar Park Police officer facing a sexual assault charge allegedly sexual assaulted the victim of a call he was dispatched to check on earlier this month, according to the probable cause … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/11/23

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

Leander High School, seen on Sept. 29. 2022, Leander, Texas. Leander ISDâ??s A.C. Bible Stadium is to the left.

Leander ISD anticipating recapture payments to grow

Leander ISD expects its recapture payments to the state to increase from $36 million to $50 million for next year, according to estimates presented at the April 27 Leander ISD Board of Trustees … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 5/9/23

UPDATE: $762 million combined Leander ISD bond package passes

The $762 million combined Leander ISD bond package passed Saturday night during the May 6 General Elections by a sizable margin. Williamson County saw a 9% voter turnout rate countywide this … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/8/23

Several cows were observed at 8:51 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2023, crossing Avery Ranch Boulevard near the intersection with North Canoa Hills Trail in Cedar Park.

Cows spotted on the moo-ve crossing Avery Ranch Boulevard

They're on the moooo-ve! Several cows were observed at 8:51 a.m. Saturday crossing Avery Ranch Boulevard near the intersection with North Canoa Hills Trail in Cedar Park. The cows didn't appear to … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/6/23

Two Houston-area men charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in Leander

Two men from the Houston area have been charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon during the theft of a vehicle in Leander. Robert Sidney Turner, 53, and Triston D. Alfred, 33, … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/6/23

Cedar Park officer arrested for sexual assault, no longer with department

A Cedar Park Police Department officer was arrested Friday by the Texas Rangers on charges of sexual assault and has been fired by the department. Keco Motton, who was with the department for … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/6/23

Narcan kits are being installed in school campuses around Williamson County as part of a partnership between the county and Bluebonnet Trails Community Services.

Williamson County program brings overdose treatment drug Narcan to LISD, county schools

Williamson County is partnering with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services to address the ongoing national opioid crisis by placing the overdose treatment drug Narcan in school campuses throughout the … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/4/23

Leander ISD held a groundbreaking ceremony last Friday, April 28, 2023, to mark the beginning of construction on Elementary School No. 30, which will be located west of Bagdad Road and north of San Gabriel Parkway near Devine Lake Park

Leander ISD holds groundbreaking for Elementary School No. 30

Leander ISD held a groundbreaking ceremony last Friday to mark the beginning of construction on Elementary School No. 30. Located west of Bagdad Road and north of San Gabriel Parkway near Devine Lake … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/4/23

The robot that led the CPHS Robotics Team to semi-finals

Cedar Park HS Robotics Team reach semi-finals at FIRST Championship

The Cedar Park High School Robotics Team cheered an impressive accomplishment back on April 22 when the team reached the semi-finals for the “FIRST Championship” in Houston for the first … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 5/3/23

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

Low voter turnout for Wilco, Leander ISD bond elections; Low spending for local PACs; School building companies giving big donations

It's hard to understate how low turnout and quiet the campaigning has been over Leander ISD's proposed $762 million combined bond package. As of Monday evening, Williamson County had barely over half … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/2/23

Officers pick up unused or expired medications April 20 at the annual "Crush the Crisis" event.

St. David’s and Leander Police Department Hosts “Crush the Crisis”

Hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medication, St. David's HealthCare and the Leander Police Department … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 4/29/23

Two girls were shot last week in an H-E-B parking lot in Elgin after one of them mistakenly got into the wrong car. Pictured is the H-E-B at Hancock Center in Austin.

Round Rock teen recovering after mistaken-car shooting in Elgin H-E-B parking lot

A cheerleader from Round Rock who was shot after a friend mistakenly got into the wrong car in a grocery store parking lot in Elgin is recovering from surgery.Payton Washington was shot in the leg … more

By Sarah Bahari, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 4/26/23

Cars line up in either direction and numerous families walk their children into Westside Elementary School in Cedar Park on the first day of school, August 17, 2022.

PACs report spending 30-days ahead of 2023 LISD bond election; three PACs opposing bond have no filings about opposition spending

Leander ISD voters are being courted by local PACs vying to convince them to vote for or against the district's proposed $762 million bond package in the upcoming May 6 elections. All PACs must file … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 4/26/23

H-E-B opened its first of 12 new H-E-B Fresh Bites convenience stores in Leander on April 17, 2023, inside the Bar W Marketplace at the corner of Texas 29 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

H-E-B picks Leander for the first of its new Texas convenience stores

H-E-B picked Leander to launch its new brand of H-E-B Fresh Bites convenience stores, a redesign of convenience stores that the San Antonio-based retailer plans to establish at 12 locations around … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 4/25/23

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