Cedar Park July 4th Celebration

City to Host 11th Annual Celebration

Join your friends and neighbors this Friday to celebrate the 4th of July at Elizabeth Milburn Park.


Milburn Park
1901 Sun Chase Blvd.
[view map]
Friday, July 4, 2008
4 PM - 10:30 PM

The event is free to the public. It will feature live music, air castles, prizes, and games for all ages. The event will will end with a fireworks display at approximately 9:15 PM.

Based on the expected attendance, the city recommends parking at the Goddard School of Cedar Park, Cedar Park Highschool, Cedar Park Middle School, and Austin Community College.

The best viewing areas for the evening's fireworks celebration will be Milburn Park and Cedar Park Middle School.

A schedule of events for the Cedar Park 4th of July Celebration is available online.

Additional July 4th Celebrations
For information about additional July 4th activities throughout the Austin area, visit the Austin Statesman website. And, if you're headed to Austin on the 4th of July, check out the list of street closures on the News 8 Austin website. [Update: there's a new street closure map for downtown Austin available online.]

If you have information about other 4th of July celebrations in Cedar Park or throughout the Austin area, click on the "comments" link below to share the details.

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Where is Veteran's Memorial Pool?

One of the joys (or not) of living in a rapidly growing city like Cedar Park is that it's nearly impossible for map publishers to maintain current information.

I've run into this many times in Cedar Park already, and after posting an item about the opening of the new pool last month, I've had LOTS of people visit this site to ask for directions. It seems that the address is too new to be found in Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, or Google Maps. So, for anyone who's interested, here's an easy way to get there.

Directions to Veteran's Memorial Pool in Cedar Park

1. Go west on FM 1431/Whitestone Blvd., as if you're headed toward Lago Vista.
   
2. Continue on 1431 past Lakeline Blvd. and Anderson Mill. Shortly after you pass Vista Oaks Drive on your left, you'll see W. New Hope Drive on your right.
   
3. Turn right onto W. New Hope Drive. The pool will be on your left, at 2525 W. New Hope Drive.
   

Does Cedar Park Need a Costco?

On a trip to Costco earlier this month, I started thinking about how nice it would be to have one in the Cedar Park/Leander area.
(Editor's note: if you're new to Cedar Park and looking for the closest Costco, it's on Research Blvd., just north of 360/Capital of TX Hwy. See the Austin page on Costco's website for more detail.)

After a few of my neighbors mentioned the same thing, I started to wonder whether there might be one in the works. I emailed the company and got a very brief message in return:

Thank you for your email to Costco Wholesale.

Currently we do not have any public information regarding plans to open a Costco in your area. Our real estate department is continually looking for ideas for new locations around the country and around the world.

We will forward your suggestion to our Real Estate Department so they are aware of your interest.

Of course, the fact that they have no "public information" isn't all that useful to me.

So, I was interested to see an article in today's Austin Business Journal about a study commissioned by the city of Pflugerville, reporting that Pflugerville is "ripe" for development of numerous retailers, including Costco.

On a purely selfish note, after spending $72 on a tank of gas this week, I'd rather have a Costco closer to home. And, from a business perspective, the Cedar Park area might be a smarter move for the company. For starters, another ABJ story reports that although foreclosure activity throughout Austin is generally down, Pflugerville and Round Rock are among the zip codes with a higher number of foreclosures.

What do you think? If you shop at Costco, would you do so more frequently if there were a store in Cedar Park? Or, do we already have too much retail development underway?

Click on the "comments" link below to share your thoughts.

Former Pedernales Leaders Skip Congressional Hearing

According to the Austin Statesman, former Pedernales board President W.W. "Bud" Burnett and former General Manager Bennie Fuelberg missed a congressional hearing yesterday:

"[The] men at the center of the Pedernales' controversy were absent despite being subpoenaed to testify."

Given the concerns raised about them, I'm not surprised... Read the full story on the Statesman website: Congressional committee hears testimony on Pedernales.

Catch an Express Game this Weekend

If you're a baseball fan but don't want to drive to Houston this weekend to watch the Astros play the Red Sox, you can still get a baseball fix. Head over to Dell Diamond for a Round Rock Express game.

• Friday 6/27, 7:05 PM - Express vs. Nashville Sounds - Eco-friendly tote bags for first 3,000 fans, plus post-game fireworks
• Saturday 6/28, 7:05 PM - Express vs. Nashville Sounds - Used car night with 4 used cars going to lucky fans
• Sunday 6/29, 7:05 PM - Express vs. Nashville Sounds - Faith Night, including a pre-game concert with Hawk Nelson
• Monday 6/30, 7:05 PM - Express vs. Albuquerque Isotopes - Beach night, Express team photos, and $1 hot dogs and sodas

Can't make it this weekend? Additional games are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 2-4. For details, see the Round Rock Express website.

Device Prompts Evacuation Near Courthouse

Cedar Park police had some excitement earlier today. News 8 Austin and KVUE report that areas around the police department were evacuated while police checked out a device in a car.

NEWS 8: Police evacuate Cedar Park Municipal Court

KVUE: Police remove Device from truck outside Cedar Park police department

Dell to Ban Smoking on Campuses in 2009

Austin Business Journal reports today that Dell will ban smoking on all of its domestic campuses starting January 1, 2009.

Read the full article on the ABJ website.

183A Toll Road to Go Cashless by Late 2008

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) announced today that its Board of Directors approved the elimination of cash toll collection on 183A by the end of 2008.

To accommodate drivers who do not have a TxTag, Tolltag or EZ-Tag, the Mobility Authority has implemented a “Pay-By-Mail” program. Customers choosing to use the “Pay-By-Mail” program can expect their vehicle’s license plate to be photographed. The Mobility Authority will then send a Toll Bill to the registered owner of the vehicle.

The transition to cashless toll collection on 183A is expected to take place as early as November 2008.

For more information, read the press release or visit the CTRMA website.

Cedar Park Water Quality Report Online

If you haven't received yours in the mail (or didn't read it when it came), Cedar Park's 2007 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is available on the city's website.

According to the report, Cedar Park's water "Meets or Exceeds All Federal (EPA) Drinking Water Requirements" based on data from the most recent required EPA tests.

Read the report online: http://www.cedarparktx.us/cp/resources/1/CCR%202007.pdf

Austin Steam Train Railfair - June 28-29

The Austin Steam Train will celebrate its annual Texas Hill Country Railfair on June 28th and 29th in Burnet, Texas.

The Hill Country Flyer will depart from Cedar Park at 10 AM on Saturday and Sunday so that passengers can attend the festival. The train will return to Cedar Park at 5:15 PM.

Festival attendees can also drive to Burnet and ride any of the four Railfair Local trains departing at 10 AM and 2:45 PM Saturday and Sunday.

Train reservations are strongly encouraged for this weekend's departures. All train passengers receive free admission (normally $3) to the festival, which includes railroad memorabilia vendors, model railroad displays, museum and historic rail car displays, railroad motorcar rides and lots more.

Call (512) 477-8468 Monday-Friday 9 AM - 4 PM, or visit the Austin Steam Train website for ticket prices and more information.

Developer Seeks Vista Ridge Zoning Change

Multi-family housing may be coming to the northwest side of Vista Ridge Blvd., near 1431 and Colonial.

An earlier proposal sought to change the zoning on the land from General Retail to Multi-Family; however, the proposal was withdrawn by the developer. The new zoning proposal seeks to change the zoning from General Retail to Multi-Family and Open Space Green Belt.

A hearing will be conducted on July 1st at the Cedar Park Library at 6:30 PM. The Commission will take public testimony at that meeting. Any citizen may attend and may testify, and each speaker is limited to three minutes.

Planning & Zoning Meeting
Cedar Park Public Library
550 Discovery Blvd
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
6:30 PM

For more information about public events and Cedar Park Planning and Zoning meetings, visit the City of Cedar Park Website.

Submit Video Questions for Gov. Perry

According to a brief mention today on the Statesman's political blog, "Postcards from the Lege," Governor Rick Perry is scheduled appear on "The Situation Room" Tuesday.

Perry will discuss offshore oil drilling (which he has previously said he supports) with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

CNN is seeking users to submit video questions for use during the discussion. Visit their iReport website to participate or watch videos that others have posted.

Fun Fact... IE and Firefox Face Off

It's always interesting to see how people use technology in their daily lives.

On a national scale, Microsoft dominates the web browser market. A great majority of people who browse the Internet do so using Microsoft Internet Explorer.

But, products like Mozilla Firefox continue to grow in popularity. With the recent release of Firefox 3.0, Mozilla may have increased its market share to more than 19% this week.

I tend to believe that Cedar Park residents (and those in the Austin area in general) are a tech-savvy bunch. So, I wondered what browsers visitors are using to access this site.

Of course, the numbers are small (speaking of which, tell your friends and neighbors about Cedar Park Life!). But, among people who visit this website, almost 33% use Firefox -- a significantly higher percentage than those using the product nationwide.

Community Impact Interviews Newly Elected Officials

Check out this week's Community Impact Newspaper for profiles of City Council Member, Lowell Moore, and LISD School Board Member, Will Streit.

LISD Registration Offered at 2 Locations

Leander Independent School District is offering registration for all elementary schools at the main Administration Building and at Cedar Park High School during the months of June and July. Students can be registered at either location.

Leander ISD Administration Building
204 West South Street
Leander, TX 78641
(512) 434 – 5000

Cedar Park High School
2150 Cypress Creek Road
Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512) 435 - 8300

Both facilities will be open Monday - Thursday, June 23 - 26 and also July 7 - 24, from 8:00 PM - 12:00 PM and from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Parents who would like to register their child must bring the child’s birth certificate, Social Security card, immunization records, a photo ID of parent or guardian, and proof of residency, such as an electric or water bill.

For more information, call (512) 434 - 5000 or visit the LISD website.

New Rainbow Station Childcare Center on Parmer

Cedar Park welcomed the new Rainbow Station childcare center this month, at 11651 W. Parmer Lane, south of RM 1431 (Whitestone Blvd.).

Center Features
The $3 million, 20,000 square foot campus includes a nursery school, pre-school, private kindergarten, before and after school programs and an infirmary to provide parents with emergency backup care for mildly ill children.

Rainbow Station also provides a specially constructed "village" for school-age children up to the age of 14. The Village offers children the choice of attending curriculum-driven activities at the Apothecary, Arcade, Art Gallery, Café Rainbow, Club 5, Gymnasium, Theater, Toy Shoppe and the Village Green.

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM

Childcare Registration
Registration is available online at http://www.rainbowstationaustin.org or parents can take a free tour and enroll children on-site.

Now Hiring for Open Positions
The center is currently hiring for a number of positions. To see available jobs, visit their website: Rainbow Station Employment Opportunities.

Cool Off at Cedar Park Pools

Making plans to beat the heat this weekend? Try one of Cedar Park's pools.

Veterans Memorial Pool
2525 W. New Hope Drive
(512) 401-5500

Elizabeth Milburn Pool
1901 Sun Chase Boulevard
(512) 401-5530

Buttercup Pool
411 Twin Oaks Trail
(512) 250-9578

Usage fees vary between the various parks. Visit the city of Cedar Park's website for a list of pool fees.

See the Round Rock Express Play Omaha

Check out a Round Rock Express game tonight or Friday evening at Dell Diamond.

Today is "Thirsty Thursday," with 1/2 price draft beer and $1 sodas. Stick around for the Skills for Bills Ball Toss after the game, benefiting Limbs for Life.

The Omaha series concludes on Friday with a 7:05 PM game and post-game fireworks.

Visit the Round Rock Express website for more details.

Austin-area Juneteenth Celebrations

Check out the Statesman website for a list of today's events commemorating Juneteenth.

Statesman Reports Shooting Investigation

Today's Statesman reports that Cedar Park police are investigating a series of incidents in the area of Highway 183 and Cypress Creek Road. According to the article, between Friday afternoon and Monday night, residents reported a fight, gunshots fired, and youths with guns at a nearby apartment complex.

Check the Statesman website for the full story.

Forest Oaks Home Sales Center Now Open

Buffington Signature Homes announced today the opening of a sales center in its Forest Oaks community, which is located off E. Park Street in Cedar Park.

The company currently offers 40 homesites in Forest Oaks, with a variety of lot locations and sizes. The homesites are a minimum of 80 feet wide, and include cul-de-sac, corner and greenbelt lots.

The Forest Oaks Sales Information Center allows prospective buyers to check out the company's floor plans and designs and tour their selection of homesites. A model home is scheduled to open in early July.

Features

• Easy access to Brushy Creek Road, 1431, and 183
  
• Highly rated Leander schools (LISD)
  
• Low 2.44% tax rate
  
• 3- and 4-bedroom floorplans from 2,030 to 3,694 sq. ft.
  
• Prices from the mid-$200's to the mid-$300's
  
• 90+ "Signature Features" including 3rd car garage, island kitchens with granite countertops, and custom cabinets
  
• Various "Signature Options" that allow buyers to further personalize their homes
  
• Two neighborhood pools
  
• Community center and neighborhood park with entertainment pavilion

Forest Oaks Sales Center Location
1200 Shiloh St.
Cedar Park, TX 78613

Office Hours
Monday - Thursday & Saturday, 10am to 7pm
Friday & Sunday, 11am to 7pm

Forest Oaks and Buffington Signature Homes Info
Visit the company website: Forest Oaks

Supernanny's Austin Casting Call: June 19

If you've ever wished that Jo Frost, host of the popular ABC show Supernanny, could come to your house, here's your chance.

Supernanny is casting for season 5 and will hold an open casting call in Austin this Thursday.

The scoop, according to this week's Austin Business Journal, is:

"[T]hey're on the hunt for households with two working parents -- preferably entrepreneurs who have a hard time balancing work with everything else."

Date
Thursday, June 19th

Time
4:00pm - 8:00pm

Address
Main Event
13301 N. US Hwy 183 Bldg A
Austin 78750

If you'd like to apply but can't make the open call, the show also provides an application on the Supernanny website.

Find more information here: http://www.supernanny.us.com/Take-Part.aspx

Kitten Season at the Willco Animal Shelter

It's kitten season at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. From late spring to fall, the shelter takes in 200 to 400 cats and kittens each month.

They're committed to saving as many of the adoptable animals as possible, but they need help from individuals and families throughout Williamson County.



3 Ways to Help

• Adopt - You can adopt a cat or kitten, all of whom are spayed/neutered, microchipped, licensed, and fully vaccinated. For the month of June, which is nationally recognized as “Adopt a Shelter Cat” month, the shelter is offering cats over 5 years old for $25.00, any single cat or kitten under 4 years of age for $50.00 and two for $75.00.
  
  
• Volunteer - The shelter needs volunteers to provide foster care for kittens (or puppies) that are too young for adoption and may need special feeding or round-the-clock care. They also offer a volunteer program for the day-to-day care of animals at the shelter. The next volunteer orientation meeting will be Thursday July 10 at 6PM in the shelter classroom.
  
  
• Spay/Neuter your cats - Another simple way to help reduce the number of unwanted cats and kittens is to spay and neuter your own cat and encourage others to do the same. Even if your cat only goes outside occasionally, there is a chance of an unwanted litter.
  

About the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter
The Williamson County Regional Clinic is a open door animal shelter that accepts all homeless (stray) and unwanted animals from Williamson County as well as the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, and Hutto.

They attempt to place all the adoptable animals in good homes and provide medical care and some rehabilitation to animals who need minimal assistance before being placed for adoption.

For more information, visit www.wilcopets.org or call 512-943-3322.

Father's Day Weekend Baseball

Baseball fans can enjoy a game with Dad this weekend at Dell Diamond. The Round Rock Express are in town, with games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening. Check out the special features like Friday fireworks and Father's Day Catch on Sunday.

• Friday, June 13 vs. Memphis Redbirds (7:05 PM) - Friday Fireworks presented by Bud Light; Chick-Fil-A Night
• Saturday, June 14 vs. Memphis Redbirds (7:05 PM) - Express Flags (1st 3,000 fans) presented by Kingsford Charcoal
• Sunday, June 15 vs. Memphis Redbirds (7:05 PM) - H-E-B Kids Day, Baseball Gloves (all kids 12 & under) presented by Sanders Morris Harris; Got Milk Tour; Spike TV Father's Day Catch on the field from 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Father's Day Catch sounds like a great way to spend some family time on Sunday. Here's the scoop: Spike TV is offering Dads and their sons and daughters the chance to play catch on the field prior to Sunday's 7:05 PM game.

The 30-minute catch on the field will begin at 6:00 pm and conclude promptly at 6:30 pm. Spike TV will be handing out softee balls to all catch participants, and Sanders Morris Harris is distributing baseball gloves for all kids 12 & under.

See the Round Rock Express website for more details.

Cedar Park Library Needs Your Help

The library needs to add to its collection of materials to meet Cedar Park's growing needs.

You can help the library support our community by donating new or gently-used materials, from fiction and non-fiction books to DVDs, music CDs, puzzles, and games.

Donation Tips
In general, there should be no writing, water stains, or mildew in books. Pages should not be missing or torn, nor yellow or brittle with age.

Videos, CDs, and DVDs should be in good working condition, and preschool puzzles or games should still have all pieces.

College textbooks should be no more than 2 years old (check the copyright date), and other non-fiction books should be no more than 5 years old.

The library also accepts donations of new magazine subscriptions.

Share in the Benefits
All donated materials that are not placed in the library's collection will be placed in one of its book sales, the proceeds from which go toward purchasing new books.

Donations may be tax deductible. While the library doesn't appraise donated materials, staff will provide a written receipt for donations upon request.

And, for anyone visiting the library today, the director tells me that they're holding a donor appreciation event!

Gold's Gym Coming to 1890 Ranch

If you're looking to get back in shape, Gold's Gym will open a new location in Cedar Park at the end of summer.

Construction on the gym is already under way between Target and the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center (near the intersection of 183 and 1431). It should be completed in early September.

With a gym so close to home, some of us will find it harder to make excuses for not going. And, according to Cary Causey, Gym Sales Manager, the spot is set to be a flagship location for the company.

Members will have access to a variety of features (click on the image above to view more detail), including:

• Cardio Theater
  
• Basketball court
  
• Lap pool
  
• Kid's Club
  

New members can sign up to take advantage of an introductory special of $24.99 enrollment fee and $24.99 per month for the life of the membership. This is for a one-gym membership for the Cedar Park location only. However, for those who sign up before the opening date, Gold's Gym's will extend your membership to other locations (next closest is Lakeline and 183) until Cedar Park opens.

As part of the introductory special, additional family members can be added for $19.99 enrollment fee and $19.99 per month. Causey says that the offer is available to the first 300 members and about 150 spots are left. Sign up requires payment of the enrollment fee, last month's dues, and prorated dues for remaining days in the current month.

If you're interested in learning more, you can talk with Gold's Gym staff, who are available to answer questions and sign up new members in the temporary trailer behind the construction area. Or, call them at 888-465-3006.

UPDATE: Rates may have changed. Contact Gold's Gym at the new phone number above for details.
UPDATE 2: An opening date has been set for late September.

Austin-area Biz: Baby Retailer in Round Rock

For Cedar Park parents looking for a store that offers specialty baby products, nearby BabyEarth is a great find.

Located in Round Rock, the company offers a variety of products for families with children.

When I wanted to travel with my daughter last year, I searched everywhere for a Baby B'Air flight vest so that she could move around on my lap rather than being stuck in a carseat throughout the flight.

None of the major retailers offered the product. I found one at a store in LA, but it would have taken too long to reach me before the trip.

Fortunately, I found one at BabyEarth, here in the Austin area. I was able to order the product online and pick it up at their warehouse near IKEA.

When I took it home and tried it on my daughter, it didn't fit. But, fortunately, I returned to the warehouse and was able to quickly and painlessly exchange the vest for the next size up.

If you're looking for special baby products in the Austin area, give BabyEarth a try.

And if you'd like to recommend other local businesses of interest to Cedar Park residents, email cedarparklife(at)yahoo.com.

Cedar Park Event Center Groundbreaking

From the City's website, here's a photo of Cedar Park and Dallas Stars representatives celebrating the groundbreaking on the new Event Center earlier today.

Cedar Park to Break Ground on Event Center

New Event Center to Open in 2009

The hockey and music fans among us will soon have a new venue in Cedar Park.

The City will get a new Event Center next year at the Northwest corner of New Hope Road and Toll Road 183A.

Groundbreaking Ceremony
The City has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for Tuesday, June 10 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. The event will include remarks from the Mayor and other officials involved in the center's planning, as well as a barbeque lunch.

Event Center Development
The 6,800 seat center is being developed under an agreement between the city and Hicks Cedar Park, LLC, an affiliate of Hicks Sports Group, the owner of the Dallas Stars.

It will be home to the Texas Stars, an AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars hockey team, and will also host many other events and concerts.

The Event Center complex will include a 181,000 square foot, multi-purpose indoor event center with 6,800 seats, 24 luxury suites, a center-hung scoreboard, banquet space, an ice center to accommodate professional hockey, and 2,500 parking spaces adjacent to the building.

The complex will also include a 16-acre mixed-use development with close to 91,000 square feet of retail shops and restaurants and the same amount of commercial space.

The project is expected to take about 16 months to complete, with a grand opening set for September 2009.

Visit the city's website for more information: Cedar Park Event Center.

Texas Among 9 States Involved in Salmonella Outbreak

Sometimes it's better to grow your own vegetables.

The Austin Statesman reports today that state health officials are warning residents against eating raw tomatoes due to a salmonella outbreak:

"The Department of State Health Services is telling consumers to avoid eating two of the most popular kinds of tomatoes unless they are cooked, as health authorities investigate a nine-state outbreak of salmonella that has sickened 21 people in Texas, including a Hays County resident.

The advice is to avoid eating raw Roma or full-sized tomatoes until local, state and federal investigators pinpoint the source of the contamination. Tomatoes that are home-grown or still attached to a vine are OK to eat..."

See the full article here.

Cedar Park Has New Police Captain

Following the recent retirement of Support Services Bureau Capt. Debbie Dugger, CPPD Patrol Night Lieutenant Mike Harmon was appointed as Captain on Monday, May 19, 2008.

Harmon has been with the Cedar Park Police Department for 10 years in a variety of roles from Officer and Detective, to Patrol Sergeant and Patrol Night Platoon Lieutenant. He was named “Officer of the Year” in 1999 and received the City’s Police Department Employee of the Year award in 2002.

Visit the City of Cedar Park website to learn more.

Photo: Chief Henry Fluck and Captain Mike Harmon, from the City of Cedar Park website