Round Rock to host Williamson County pioneer day

From Impact News, May 7, 2009...

Washing clothes, churning butter and working in the garden may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of how Williamson County families spend their weekends, but more than 500 people are expected to do just that May 9 at the fourth annual Williamson County Pioneer Day. The area’s heritage will be celebrated during the event at Old Settler’s Park, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock.

The event will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and is free to the public. A pioneer-style lunch will be served at noon for $3 per person. Supplies are limited so guests are encouraged to arrive early.

For more information visit www.williamsonmuseum.org or call 943-1670.

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Swine flu fears alter local events

From KXAN, May 1, 2009...

Swine flu fears are affecting everything from school field trips to local festivals and many events have been postponed or canceled altogether.

This year's Pecan Street Festival will go on as scheduled this weekend in Downtown Austin, but organizers have teamed up with an Austin company to provide portable toilets that include handwashing stations.

There were also be 10 sanitizing stations lining Sixth Street along with the crowds and booths.

"There will be water and soap and towels at those hand washing stations and we'll make sure that never runs out," said Debbie Russell, an organizer for the festival.

Fears over swine flu have postponed the Round Rock ISD annual Hispanic Heritage celebration.

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Campaign encourages residents, businesses to improve air quality

From Round Rock City News, April 29, 2009...

On Monday, April 20, area elected officials including Mayor Alan McGraw, Williamson County Commissioners Lisa Birkman, Precinct 1, and Valerie Covey, Precinct 3, participated in a rally at the state Capitol in support of the region’s “Big Push” initiative to remain in compliance with federal health-based standards for ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog.

The rally celebrated the unveiling of an exciting, region-wide public awareness campaign, “Ozone Action Heroes,” that empowers, educates and encourages residents and businesses to join the growing force to improve our air quality. By committing to at least three simple, yet heroic, actions such as refueling after 6 p.m., checking tire pressure and turning off the lights, we will win the battle against air pollution.

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TXDOT Greenlights big changes for Central Texas roads

From KEYE, March 5, 2009...

TXDOT commissioners Thursday gave the green light for some big changes on Central Texas roadways; allocating more than $1 billion in federal stimulus money to widen lanes and build bridges.

A total of $10 million will be used to turn FM 1460 near Round Rock into a four-lane stretch of blacktop.

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ACC breaks ground on Round Rock campus

From Austin Business Journal, February 5, 2009...

The Austin Community College District broke ground on its new $119 million campus in Round Rock this week.

In the first phase of the project, the community college is building nearly 275,000 square feet of classroom and administration space. That project is slated to be complete and ready for students in 2010.

Eventually, the ACC Round Rock Campus will encompass nearly 600,000 square feet and serve 11,500 students.

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Austin loses 1,800 jobs after adding 9,600 in the past 12 months

From Impact News, January 23, 2009...

The Austin-Round Rock MSA* lost jobs for the first time since July 2008 in December, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Unemployment for the area increased slightly to 5.2 percent.

The sector with the largest decrease in jobs was government, due in large part to the holiday break for state education staff. Government, however, was the largest and fastest-growing sector for the region over the last 12 months, with a 4.1 percent annual growth rate and the addition of 6,500 jobs.

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Austin foreclosures rose 11% last year

From Austin Business Journal, January 15, 2009...

Austin fared better than many cities in 2008 in terms of foreclosures, according to a new report from RealtyTrac Inc. of Irvine, Calif.

The Austin-Round Rock area ranked 80th among the top 100 U.S. metro areas with just under 1 percent of its homes, or 5,737 properties, in foreclosure. Still, that’s an 11 percent increase from 2007.

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Round Rock aims to advance with downtown development

From News 8 Austin, January 12, 2009...

The City of Round Rock is trying to make its downtown a destination.

New development is in the works to expand and add retail, office space and restaurants to the area.

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VIDEO: Large, mixed-use development, Avery Centre, planned for northeast Round Rock

From Impact News, January 12, 2009...

A 1,400-acre planned unit development called Avery Centre is in the works in northeast Round Rock. Waterstone Development is planning and managing the project, which will include a mix of uses such as residential, commercial and retail.

Approximately 400 acres of the project are already occupied or planned by Seton Medical Center Williamson, Texas State University, Austin Community College and the Texas A&M Health Science Center.

"Avery Centre will be diamond in the Waterstone projects going forward," said Waterstone Development CEO Bob Wunsch in a July 2008 Round Rock City Council meeting.

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Round Rock, Austin sales tax numbers down

From News 8 Austin, January 9, 2009...

Sales tax numbers are down for the City of Austin and the City of Round Rock.

On Friday, both cities got their sales tax checks from the state comptroller.

Sales tax makes up a big chunk of both cities' budgets for the year.

Austin's numbers were down nearly 7 percent for September, compared to September of 2007.

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Deeper cuts may follow Central Texas sales tax declines

From statesman, January 10, 2009...

Austin and other area governments may be forced to deepen spending cuts, based on the latest report of sales tax revenue from the state comptroller's office.

The report, which analyzes November sales tax receipts, shows that the state is slightly up overall in the face of declining national spending.

But cities such as Austin and Round Rock, which have anxiously watched their declining revenue, saw a deepening slide during the last fiscal year.

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Rail line could roll through Round Rock

From News 8 Austin, January 7, 2009...

A quicker commute could be in the works for folks living in Round Rock and workers coming to town.

City officials have come up with a possible plan to put in tracks where they know stops are needed most.

The daily congestion on Interstate 35 and three tollways which run through Round Rock made commuters in the area eager to hear buzz about a possible rail line for them to board.

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Texas unemployment rate up, despite new jobs

From News 8 Austin, December 19, 2008...

The unemployment rate in Texas edged up in November.

The rate in October was 5.6 percent, last month it went to 5.7 percent. Last year in November the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent.

In Austin and Round Rock, the unemployment rate went up from 3.5 percent in November 2007, and 4.8 percent in October, to 5 percent in November.

The Texas Workforce Commission said the state saw hints of economic recovery from Hurricane Ike with a slight increase in the number of jobs in the southeast.

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Round Rock considers water conservation plan

From statesman, December 11, 2008...

The City of Round Rock is again looking to get residents to conserve water by increasing rates for high usage during summer months, but this time officials also are focusing on educating people about the need for conservation.

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Austin safest of big Texas cities

From Austin Business Journal, November 24, 2008...

Austin is the safest among Texas’ five biggest cities, according to the 2008 city crime report from CQ Press of Washington D.C.

Austin ranks 199 among the nation’s largest cities in terms of most criminal activity, the report shows. San Antonio is the 233rd safest city; Fort Worth ranks 243; Dallas is 352; and Houston is 338. The report analyzes data on murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft.

Meanwhile, nearby Round Rock is the 19th safest city in the country.

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Texas A&M Health Science Center dedicates new Round Rock campus

From Round Rock City News, November 21, 2008...

Moving full speed ahead in Central Texas, the Texas A&M Health Science Center held a campus dedication event Thursday, Nov. 20, to provide the latest details on its new Round Rock campus, with the first building expected to be occupied next fall

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Higher education hub on the horizon for Round Rock

From News 8 Austin, November 10, 2008...

What was once filled with corn fields and cows in northeast Round Rock has quickly become a site of consistent development.

Texas A&M, Texas State University and Austin Community College all have plans to expand their educational arms into the city, and city officials have their arms open to the idea.

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Round Rock road project will move forward after all

From Austin Business Journal, October 31, 2008...

After funding dried up earlier this year for the widening of a major road in Round Rock, the Texas Department of Transportation’s Austin District announced earlier this week that it will fund and construct the first phase of the road project after all.

The project will widen A.W. Grimes Boulevard from U.S. 79 to Old Settlers Boulevard. The road is in the center of Round Rock’s medical and education growth - the Texas A&M Health Science Center has broken ground on its medical school on A.W. Grimes Boulevard just south of University Boulevard, and Texas State University is building a nursing school at its campus near the intersection of University and A.W. Grimes boulevards.

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Cell phone free school in Round Rock

From KEYE, October 28, 2008...

It's your cell phone and your car - but a Central Texas school says its property is a cell-free zone when you're driving. It's a pilot program now in effect at Forest Creek Elementary in Round Rock.

When drivers pull into an entrance at Forest Creek Elementary, they're met by a sign that reminds them to put down cell phones and Blackberries while they're in their cars. If the sign doesn't convince drivers, the parent who proposed the program hopes students will do the job.

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Attack of the feral hogs: Round Rock residents concerned

From KEYE, October 23, 2008...

Call it "attack of the feral hogs." Bands of wild pigs are on the rampage across Central Texas, and they're hitting areas of Round Rock hard.

The hogs' calling card is obvious: yards completely turned upside down. The problem is so extensive in Round Rock, the city is now coordinating an effort to stop the hogs.

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