About Todd Hower

Happy Thursday, Lake Travisites! We’re halfway through January already?! Somebody slow this year down. 2020 is well underway, and so are the excellent (and crazy) events happening in our area. Sometimes you can’t make this stuff up…

The Mansfield Dam ghost hunt…

Early Tuesday morning, an employee reported to Lower Colorado River Authority that he saw a man inside one of the dam’s tunnels — where no one should be. LCRA promptly called law enforcement and began a comprehensive search to find the “gentleman” who the employee said, “ran by him.” But they didn’t find anyone in the top-to-bottom search of the facility.

Feeling crummy? Maybe this will bake your day…

You know what they say about a balanced diet, right? A cookie in each hand. Great American Cookies opened December 21 at Shops at the Galleria at 12717 The Shops Parkway, Unit 100, Bee Cave. They offer a variety of sweet goodness ranging from your standard chocolate chip cookie to brownies, gourmet cookies, and cookie cakes. You could say you will have a variety of cookies to “pick and chews from”…

When you’re walking your dog and see black smoke…

JoAnn Ellis took her dog out for an afternoon stroll and was “horrified” when she stumbled upon black smoke. As she approached the smoke, she noticed a vacant house up in flames. Lake Travis Fire Rescue battled the massive structure fire in the Hudson Bend area on Sunday for two hours before getting it under control. Investigators believe an illegal controlled burn by the property owner caused the fire. The Travis County Fire Marshall is still deciding whether to give the property owner a citation. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Right now, Travis County is under a burn ban until February 7.

When the future of Lakeway is at stake…

City officials are close to finalizing the Lakeway Comprehensive Plan to present to City Council after a year of planning. What is the Lakeway Comprehensive Plan? As city officials describe it, the comprehensive plan is a living document intended to guide the city on the bulk of its future decisions pertaining to significant issues, including zoning, future land use, and transportation. In other words, how will we divide 6,700+ acres in Lakeway for residential, commercial, or green space use? Furthermore, what neighborhoods will attend what schools as Lakeway grows? Finally, how will we generate enough revenue to cover the costs of urban developments from the growing population? Basically a bunch of important stuff that could dictate the future of Lakeway. The deadline for presenting the plan is March 16th.

When Austin Real Estate sales are breaking records…

The Austin area closed out the decade with a record-breaking $13B (that’s BILLION with a B) in home sales. More homes sold in 2019 than any other year on record. Romeo Manzanilla, 2020 ABoR president said, “That type of exponential growth has put enormous pressure on the market, raising the median home price from $193,520 in 2010 to $318,000 in 2019. As we look forward to this year, the market is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon.”

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Hey, LTL family. A happy new year & happy new decade! We’re back and ready for 2020. Let’s get into it…

When we all scream for ice cream (and cry)…

Gelato is all over Austin, but it’s hard to find that delicious creamy goodness in the Lake Travis area. Frost Gelato was a favorite for many of you. Located in the Hill Country Galleria, the popular dessert spot closed its doors in December, after four years of serving delicious gelato. What’s going to take its place? Amy’s Ice Creams…I’ll let you decide how to feel about that…

When you’re obsessed with your dog and Instagram knows it…

You love your fur babies. You love showing others how much you love your fur babies. Now you can make all your friends even more jealous with professional portraits of your pup. Kim Ortiz Portrait Photography is opening its second location in Hill Country Galleria and solely focusing on puppy portraits. Their main goal for this location is to donate proceeds to local animal shelters. In addition, they will feature a monthly dog boutique and “yappy hour” wine event too. Furthermore, the new location will celebrate its grand opening with an event featuring prizes, a pet calendar fundraiser, and dog portrait and family portrait sessions.

When defense wins championships…

Sometimes the shots don’t fall. But that doesn’t mean you accept losing. That’s what the Lake Travis ladies basketball team did January 7 at home. They turned up the heat on Hays with full-court presses and an in-your-face half-court defense that kept the Rebels scoreless for long stretches. This led to an impressive 39-26 win. The Lake Travis girls remain undefeated in their district with their win over Hays.

When you’re tired of feeling helpless about Australia…

You may be on the other side of the world, but that didn’t stop a local Bee Cave coffee shop from taking action. On January 25, Runaway Luna Lifestyle in Bee Cave plans to host a silent auction to raise money for wildfire relief. Staff members said it’s the least they can do to help their families back in Australia. The shop is still looking for items to auction off, so if you’re interested in contributing, click here.

The reason your allergies suck right now…

Allergies suck in Austin. But are you sneezing more this month? Are your sinus’ flaring up again? Here’s why: watch the cedar pollen explode from these Lake Travis trees. It’s so bad, Dallas is talking about it. (Maybe that’s Jason Garret’s excuse for why the Cowboys tanked this year)…

When the best students STEM from Vandergrift…

The Vandegrift Vipers have been named a top STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-ranked school in the state of Texas. According to the 2019 Best High School Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, VHS ranked number 5 on the list. U.S. News looked at the top 1,000 public schools from the latest Best High Schools rankings, and then evaluated their students’ participation and success in Advanced Placement science and math tests.

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Hey, LTL family! Just an FYI that we will be off for the holidays. We will be returning with a new 2020 edition of LTL Weekly on January 9th. Enjoy the break & happy holidays. Ok, let’s get into it.

When you can’t stop moving to Texas from California …

It can’t be the weather. Or the beaches. So why are Californians moving to Texas at such a rapid pace? The low cost of living and no state income tax explains it. Texas took second place on the podium for most popular destination states to move to in 2018. A whopping 564,000 movers chose the Lone Star State to call home. 15%, or roughly 86,000, of total movers, came from The Golden State. Approximately 6%, or 34,000, chose Travis County as their landing spot. It raises a few questions. How long will the Texas lifestyle stay affordable? What other implications will that have on infrastructure, development, real estate, and the economy? Well, at least they’ll be able to enjoy the same great Mexican food!

When the Lake Travis Quarterback lineage continues …

It’s official. Hudson Card, starting quarterback for the Lake Travis Cavaliers, has officially signed with the Texas Longhorns. Moreover, Card received offers from Alabama and Ohio State, but there was only one destination on his mind. This puts Card in good company since he is following the Bakers, Brewers, Baldwins, and Gilberts that came before him. Hudson is already texting his former Westlake-rival-turned-teammate, Sam Ehlinger, about navigating UT as a QB. He will fit in nicely there.

When artificial intelligence actually creates jobs?

Sense Corp., a data and artificial intelligence consulting company, is relocating its headquarters from St. Louis to Austin. More specifically, they are landing at 2500 Bee Cave Rd. The move will create 200 new jobs and $80 million in investments over the next five years in Texas. Maybe the robots won’t steal your job just yet?

When the Mayor of Bee Cave gets a better job …

In October, Monty Parker announced he wouldn’t run for a second term. But according to his social media post on December 16th, he has now decided to resign. The reason? He’s accepted a new job opportunity requiring his full attention. His resignation went into effect on Monday at 5pm. As a result, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Goodwin will serve as acting mayor until the May 2020 election.

Oh deer …

There’s an overpopulation crisis in Lakeway, but not with people. There are too many Bambis. As a result, Lakeway City Council was in session until 1:10am on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing deer overpopulation problem. Deer trapping is still suspended until costs can be clarified. In the meantime, a motion was approved for a permit to trap, transport, and translocate. The eventual goal would be to move the deer to West Texas as a way to limit overpopulation in Lakeway.

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4 points for bottlenecks, 0 for Austin traffic …

We all know the spot — the infamous 620/2222 bottleneck. Traffic congestion and wait time have grown 40% each year at the Four Points intersection and only getting worse. TxDOT has finally decided to break new ground on a bypass road connecting 620 to 2222. It will be located about a mile north of Steiner Ranch Blvd. The problem? Because of construction, it will probably get worse before it gets better. The project will cost around $16 million and take about a year.

I’ll have a double QB combo with wins, hold the losses …

Lake Travis Highschool has always nurtured great quarterbacks. This year is no different for Coach Hank Carter. His starter, Hudson Card, is one of the top prospects in the state and a future Texas Longhorn. Unfortunately, a toe injury knocked him out for 6-weeks, but Carter didn’t panic. He knew his backup, Nate Yarnell, would carry the team. And Nate did, for six straight wins while Hudson healed up. Upon Card’s alley-like return to the ring, he threw for 3 TDs & a rushing touchdown for a win over Judson. Now they’re looking ahead to get sweet revenge against North Shore. If you remember, this was the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.

When you want to cross the street without drowning …

The infamous Great Divide Drive in Bee Cave neighborhood, The Homestead, is getting one step closer to safety. During the December 10th Bee Cave City Council meeting, officials awarded a contract to conduct an engineering and planning study for the low-water crossing.

When you want to do yoga, but also pet baby goats …

Bee Cavers probably know the studio well. It began when Rachel Phillips discovered her mother-in-law raised Pygmy Nigerian Dwarf goats. For that reason, she urged her husband to help her start a “goga” (goat & yoga) studio. What began as a Hurricane Harvey charity project turned into a thriving business that’s “bleeting” in the money. You can get your goga on twice this Saturday, December 14th at 10 & 11am. And for an extra $10, you make all your social media friends jealous with a baby goat photoshoot. Nothing like one-upping your family’s Christmas cards over the holidays, right?

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When you try to break the curse …

Steiner Ranchers know the location — and the history that goes with it — all too well. Frog & the Bull relocated from Hawaii and is now open for dinner and brunch on the weekends (and looking to be open for lunch by mid-to-late December). The talk around the neighborhood is positive, and the menu looks fantastic. Will phenomenal Iberian cuisine break the location curse? I hope so. Tutto Gusto, Quinlan Park Grill, Thai Harmony, Suevo Nuevo, La Fuentes, Hecho En Mexico, and Poppy’s make the list of seven restaurants that have come and gone since this location opened in 2007.

When you need a quickie …

This wedding planning business started in 2014 and is located at Star Ranch Hill in Bee Cave. The service is for couples who want a no-fuss wedding with an affordable price tag. Wedding packages range from $250 to $5,000. The trend of spending less on a wedding is a booming business. What started with the owners performing five to six weddings a month in 2014 has grown to the owners and staff now handling 30 to 40 weddings a month. The founder said millennials are using her service more than other generations.

When you work here but don’t live here …

Affordable housing in the Lake Travis area is the issue. A developer is planning to build a 180 unit, four-building affordable housing complex near Storm Drive and Ranch Road 620. The complex aims to appeal to those who make 30 to 80 percent below the median family income — which is at $95,900 — in Travis County. Rent could range from $830 a month for a studio to $1250 for a three-bedroom/two bath.

When I scream, you scream, we all scream for an ice cream truck …

Amy’s Ice Creams at Hill Country Galleria will be relocating to a new storefront next to Frost Gelato. In the meantime, you’ll find them working out of an ice cream truck in front of the central plaza.

When the decorations mysteriously disappear …

Roadside tree decorating has a new twist this year — people un-decorating trees in protest. This annual tradition has sparked lots of controversy over the years, due to people not picking up the decorations after the holidays. Festive or futile?

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