About Todd Hower

When you’re done with dude, brah, swamps, gators, and the big apple …

According to the 2019 Texas Relocation Report, the Top 5 States moving to Texas are California, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, and New York.

When you don’t like #5, but you’re okay with #6 …

According to the report mentioned above, Travis County is the #5 county for total new out-of-state residents moving in and the #6 county for total locals leaving Texas.

When you welcome back 11,000 new students …

Your name is Marco Alvarado, communications director for Lake Travis ISD. Good luck this week! 😉

When you bring your blanket on the bus …

It’s too cold, but the students are not complaining. It’s hard to believe that a school bus in Texas does not have to be equipped with air conditioning. Fifty new general buses with air conditioning and sixty existing buses retrofitted with air conditioning will be rolling out across the Leander school district this year.

When you’re all about the Ladies …

You donate! The Ladies of Charity – Lake Travis is hoping to expand their local reach with a new building on Medical Parkway. The organization provides financial and in-kind donations to more than 30 local charities.

When you know everything about everything in Lake Travis …

But do you really? Test your knowledge with our little back-to-school pop quiz.

[Read more…]

When traffic is making you tense …

It could be because you’re a Lakeway resident. Or as one snarky Facebook user put it, “Awwwwwwh poor rich people. Thoughts and prayers 😒” But seriously, nobody wants to see quiet streets turn into speedy thoroughfares. 

When the threat of toxic algae hits home …

News headlines have been buzzing after three dogs died from what could be “toxic algae.” The dogs swam in Lady Bird Lake and seemed to suffer from symptoms of poisoning, which is consistent with blue-green algae.

When you’ve done 27 fun things …

The summer of 2019 is winding down, but there’s still time to do more fun things in the Lake Travis area.

When the 10-day forecast makes you cringe …

Hello, summertime! This triple-digit heatwave isn’t going anywhere.

[Read more…]

When you want to be Willie’s neighbor …

How does 632 acres sound? Yes, please!

When you want brisket on your pizza …

Toss Pizzeria and Pub recently opened a second location at 11905 Bee Cave Road, just before the Hill Country Galleria. The menu features a specialty pie with Terry Black’s brisket, over a dozen flavors of wings, salads, and brunch options. Pizzas are available on vegan, gluten-free, and cauliflower crusts.

When you like mathematical word problems …

According to the National Weather Service, Austin used to average about 14 days of 100-degree temps. In the past 20 years, we average closer to 32 days. Last summer, it was 52 days in the triple digits. As of this week, we hit our 8th day in the triples. If Sally has three apples and Roger has 15 pears, how many more days until Austin bursts into flames?

When you’re okay being a 90%er …

Despite the hot days, Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are still a whopping 95% full. Lake Travis is at 679.04, Lake Buchanan is 1017.63, and Lake LBJ is at 824.71. Not too shabby.

When you like pets more than humans …

You’re not alone. Peopling is hard.

[Read more…]

When you’re depicted as botox-injected wine drinkers …

Welcome to Lakeway. Here is the Austin area described with photos of characters from Saturday Night Live skits.

When you go from lawsuit to lawsuit …

Christopher Milam looks forward to exposing the lies leveled against him. The plaintiff claims Milam is being sneaky and moving assets around to make it look like he’s broke. Milam was part of a group that had planned to re-develop the Backyard on Bee Cave Parkway but got wrapped up in lawsuits. The Backyard project is moving ahead with new developers. Milam is moving ahead with more lawsuits.

When you shop ’til you drop …

It’s the back-to-school season, which is always a great excuse to go shopping. On Wednesday, LTL’s Cathy Hale shared an update on all of the local boutiques in the Lake Travis area, including the new Kendra Scott Pop-Up Shop that just opened.

When school starts …

So does school traffic. Enjoy your last few weeks of driving as summer vacation from traffic is drawing to a close. Here’s a list of start dates for Austin area schools.

When more people move to Austin …

Get a job. The Austin area’s unemployment rate — coming in at 2.2% for May — is very close to breaking the record low set in 1999.

[Read more…]

When you like see-through …

Leander ISD is joining Austin, Lake Travis, Hays, and Pflugerville ISD’s and implementing a new “clear bag policy” at its varsity football games. The University of Texas also enforces the clear bag policy at all its sporting events. You can use a clear one-gallon resealable plastic freezer bag or a clear bag no bigger than 12 inches by 6 inches.

When you ain’t that good …

You file that away. Texas QB Sam Ehlinger shrugged off verbal jabs from Terry Bradshaw and Baker Mayfield about the Red River Showdown. “He couldn’t beat Lake Travis, so I don’t really care about his opinion on winning,” said Mayfield, an alumnus of Lake Travis High School. Ehlinger said he modified his Twitter settings so that he reads mentions only from people he follows. Take that Mayfield.

When you need a place to dump …

There’s not an affordable dumpsite in western Travis County, so some people take their trash to the Cardinal Hills neighborhood. Property owners in the community have placed cameras on their tracts to catch the perpetrators.

When you settle, but there’s more …

Will the Lakeway Regional Medical Center (now Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Lakeway) ever dig itself out of the hole? The U.S. Depart­ment of Justice settled fraud claims against some of the initial investors for $1.1 million, but millions in additional claims remain unresolved.

When you swoon about neon colors …

It must be a Lake Travis sunset.

When you like Spam on your salad …

In the midst of the development buzzing around Vail Divide (Hwy 71), there’s good news too – pizza! On Wednesday, LTL’s Cathy Hale shared an update on businesses coming to Bee Cave including a new pi “ZZA” and salad joint.

[Read more…]