Todd Hower

Save the Date – Save Lake Travis

Written by Todd Hower | September 13, 2013

As the water supply in the Lake Travis area nears the lowest levels in history, LCRA is sending more water downstream to maintain shoreline habitats.

Yesterday, I wrote a Plea from One Lake Travis Lover to Another.

Today, I want to make you aware of an upcoming event that you can attend and help make a difference in how the area lakes are being managed.

Mark your calenders for the Save Lake Travis Fundraising Party happening September 28, 2013.

Admission is free, but the Central Texas Water Coalition is desperately seeking donations. They need your donations to help with legal costs, funding for needed scientific research, and education efforts. CTWC is fighting to protect our lakes from continuing to be drained to provide enormous amounts of water for rice farming. All proceeds will go to help CTWC and Friends of CTWC. If we don’t change current LCRA policies, we are destined to have lower and lower lake levels.

A Plea from One Lake Travis Lover to Another

Written by Todd Hower | September 12, 2013

Think about the first time you drove out to the lake and the view of open hill country with the waters of Lake Travis came into sight. Things looked a lot different if it was a time when Lake Travis was full.

Beautiful scenery, amenities, and recreational opportunities are all part of what makes this place we call home so special. Lake Travis is the main reason we have seen significant residential and commercial growth in the area. Recent traffic issues in the area might have you arguing that we’ve seen enough!

Most visitors don’t come to the Austin area without a visit to the lakes or an evening spent watching the sun going down over Lake Travis. A full Lake Travis provides the area with a significant amount of revenue.

An Introduction to Wakesurfing

Written by Todd Hower | September 9, 2013

If you’ve spent any time on Lake Austin or Lake Travis recently, you may have noticed something you haven’t seen before. People of all ages are riding waves behind boats without the use of a rope.

Turns out you don’t need to go to the ocean to surf. It’s called wakesurfing and you can catch a wave right here in the Lake Travis area!

Now before you go out to buy a wakesurfing board and get behind a boat to give it a try, let’s go over a few of the basics.

The Boat

One of the most important rules you’ll need to know about wakesurfing – friends don’t let friends wakesurf behind boats with outboard engines! Please don’t try to wakesurf behind any boat where the prop is exposed. You only want to wakesurf behind a boat that has an inboard engine. In other words, the prop is underneath the boat and several feet away from the back where you’ll be surfing. That way, a fall won’t result in the loss of limb or life. For your sake, your friend’s sake, you parents sake, the whole sport’s sake, and your pretty face’s sake, never wakesurf behind a boat with an exposed prop.

To Do This Weekend

Written by Todd Hower | September 6, 2013

What’s shaking this weekend in the Lake Travis area? If we’re to believe The Weather Channel, it’s a weekend filled with temperatures in the 90’s and a very little chance of rain. Let’s get out there and do a rain dance to get these lakes filled up!

And here are a few other things you can do.

Friday

Parent’s Night Out this Friday 9/6 (7-11p) at the Hoppin’ House in Lakeway. Drop off your kids for a night of jumping and a movie. Kids will jump until 9p and then watch a movie from 9:15-11p. Popcorn and water is provided. Don’t forget to send your child with a pillow and blanket. Call 263-0060 with questions or to make your reservation.

The Hoppin’ House in Lakeway is located at 2105 Ranch Road 620 South, suite 201, Lakeway, TX. 78734 (map).

Saturday

4th Annual Public Safety Day – The parking lot of the Lake Travis Elementary School will be packed full of helicopters, police cars and motorcycles, SWAT trucks, ambulances, fire trucks and more. Live music from local bands can be heard throughout the day. Vendors from around the Lake Travis area will be on site to offer food, drinks and more. There will be a kids fun zone and a free vision screening for children by the Central Texas Lions Kid Sight Vision Foundation.

This event goes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s located at the Lake Travis Elementary School, 607 Ranch Road 620 N., Lakeway, TX 78734 (map). Admission and parking is free.

Hill Country Galleria – The Saturday Night Concert Series kicks off this Saturday at 7pm with Ghosts Along the Brazos! All concerts are free and broadcast by KDRP Community Radio.

Steiner Ranch Movies in the Park – The last movie of the 2013 season “The Incredibles” is this Saturday at Bella Mar in Steiner Ranch. The movie starts at 8:30p. There will be snacks and drinks available for purchase and you can register to win a free iPad!

[Read more…] about To Do This Weekend

4 Quick and Painless Steps to Protect Your Home Network

Written by Todd Hower | September 5, 2013

Whether you’re spending time at home on your phone, tablet, working from a home office, or ordering pay-per-view movies, more than likely you’re connecting through your home network.

Most homes in the Lake Travis area have a home network setup. Unless you live out in the middle of nowhere, it’s not surprising to see several other wireless network connections within range when you pull up the list of available connections. If you can see all your neighbors home networks, they can see yours. How can you be sure your network isn’t the one that everyone is connecting to?

The security of your home network has become increasingly critical. Here are four quick and painless steps that you can take to help minimize your home network’s vulnerabilities, and protect your privacy.

Todd Hower

The Boat

Friday

Saturday

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