Cedar Park residents came out to cast their votes for Cedar Park City Council Place 1 on May 3. (Steve Guntli/Community Impact) President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHReed Elementary assistant principal charged with DWI after morning cyclist crashby Tara Brolley Texas — The assistant principal at Reed Elementary School was arrested Monday after allegedly striking a cyclist while driving intoxicated near school grounds was charged with Driving While Intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.15 following the incident that occurred at approximately 7:20 a.m Cedar Park police officers responded to a collision involving a vehicle and cyclist at 1515 Little Elm Trail officers found the victim on the ground with road rash and lacerations ALSO | One person dead after disturbance at Shell gas station on East Riverside Drive who is listed as Assistant Principal on the school's directory She reportedly told officers she had consumed two White Claw beverages the previous night Field sobriety tests conducted at the scene revealed multiple indicators of intoxication and subsequent breath tests measured Johnson's blood alcohol concentration at 0.282 more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 Principal Cynthia Griggs informed parents that Johnson had been placed on administrative leave pending investigations by law enforcement and the school district Johnson was taken into custody at the scene An elementary school administrator in Cedar Park has been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated was taken into custody early Monday morning at Reed Elementary School A Cedar Park police officer was dispatched to the campus at about 7:20 a.m in response to reports of a collision between a car and a cyclist according to a Williamson County affidavit obtained by the American-Statesman The officer found the cyclist laying on the ground and Johnson sitting inside her car Johnson had "bloodshot red and glassy eyes" and smelled "strongly" of alcohol She also was unable to maintain her balance while standing After Johnson failed a standardized field sobriety test the officer administered a breathalyzer test She blew 0.282 — more than three times the legal limit Johnson was charged with one count of driving while intoxicated a class-A misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine of up to $4,000 and a jail sentence of up to one year Leander Independent School District spokesperson Crestina Hardie referred the Statesman to a letter the school's head principal sent to parents later Monday Reed Principal Cynthia Griggs said that "the school staff member involved in a Monday crash had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by law enforcement and the district." Johnson told police she had drank two White Claw hard seltzers and gone to sleep at 3 a.m She also said she had been on her phone at the time of the accident The cyclist involved suffered an apparent broken arm and small lacerations on his hand A school Facebook post shows Johnson joined the staff at Reed in 2021 American-Statesman staff writer Claire Osborne contributed to this story The bakery cafe serves a variety of French-inspired pastries A woman has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Cedar Park claiming a "culture of indifference" led a police officer to sexually assault her after he had committed other assaults Officer Keco Motton was charged in May 2023 with the sexual assault of the woman who filed the lawsuit but killed himself a few days later The American-Statesman does not identify sexual assault victims the woman's lawyers demanded $5 million from the city to settle it according to a letter sent by the Smith & Vinson law firm to the city on April 14 The city on Monday released a video with an official saying Cedar Park was not going to settle the case "Because these lawyers (for the victim) are blaming someone other than the one who committed this horrible crime the city will defend itself against this improper lawsuit," spokeswoman Fran Irwin said in the video "We want to be clear this criminal is fully to blame for this crime The lawyers (for the victim) have not threatened to sue the criminal or his estate but instead they demand that city taxpayers pay them." The lawsuit does not mention the amount of damages the victim is seeking said in an email that "the city's failure of leadership is disgraceful." "There is overwhelming evidence that Officer Keco Motton was a predator who repeatedly used his badge to sexually assault women," Vinson wrote "Our client was one of many women who were violated over many years by Officer Motton a mental health officer who targeted marginalized women." "and now has the audacity to blame the victims." Irwin said that as soon as the victim reported the incident to police they began an investigation and called in the Texas Rangers to help "We take all allegations of sexual assault extremely seriously and make every effort toward seeking justice and accountability," Irwin said in the video The lawsuit claims the Cedar Park Police Department and the Texas Rangers investigated numerous complaints made by females against Motton The investigation took place after Motton was charged on May 5 Officer Motton admitted to committing the sexual assault of plaintiff and previously of other females over a period of years," the lawsuit said It said Police Chief Mike Harmon and the city knew Motton had committed previous sexual assaults because they were conducting an internal affairs investigation of him before the victim who filed the lawsuit was assaulted The lawsuit does not say when the internal affairs investigation happened When asked to comment Thursday to the allegation that police and the city were involved in an internal investigation of Motton before the March 4 "we have no additional information to share at this time.” One of the previous victims filed a complaint with police that Motton had sexually assaulted her in February 2022 She said Motton came to her house after a dog bit someone It said Motton grabbed her between her legs Police told her they were going to investigate her complaint but she never got another response from them Three other women complained on a "Yelp" website about the Cedar Park Police Department that their complaints to the department about being sexually assaulted were ignored One of the complainants said Motton had sexually assaulted her in 2018 or 2019 after he showed up for a domestic disturbance Motton was part of the mental health unit at the Police Department but standard operating procedures that provided for a supervisor were not put into place until December 2023 "implicating Motton was unsupervised at the time he assaulted plaintiff and others," the lawsuit said Standard procedure requires an officer to wear a body camera "which is further evidence of the lack of supervision and enforcement of standards by the Chief of Police," according to the lawsuit The victim who filed the lawsuit made a public information request to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for the investigation files of the incident involving her The lawsuit doesn't say when she made the request It said the commission denied her request on March 20 Texas Commission on Law Enforcement refuses to give any reason why the case is still open and pending implicating the only reason is the ad hoc policy of cultural indifference arising from police departments being predominantly male," the lawsuit states The woman who filed the lawsuit had called police for help because her husband had taken away her phone and her money It said Motton made arrangements to meet her at a community park to return items He was not assigned to investigate a prior domestic violence allegation that the woman had made against her husband More: Killeen police investigating death of Cedar Park officer accused of sexual assault When Motton and the victim met at the park Motton stood outside her car and asked her to take photos with her cell phone of injuries she had on her thighs It said she pulled down her pants and Motton then touched her genitals according to the document.Motton then told the woman to go to the business where she worked and went inside with her and demanded she go to the bathroom so he could check the bruises on her back turned her and placed his hand on her buttocks He then asked the woman if the cameras he saw on the way in worked and when she said yes It said the victim believed if the cameras were not there she would have been raped More: Firm hired to review Cedar Park police policies shares recommendations by Andrew Freeman The city of Cedar Park says it's ready to defend itself from a lawsuit stemming from sexual assault allegations against one of its former police officers Texas — The City of Cedar Park says it's ready to defend itself from a lawsuit stemming from sexual assault allegations against one of its former police officers In 2023 the Texas Rangers investigated and charged former officer Keco Motton for sexually assaulting an alleged domestic violence victim while on duty resigned from the department and later took his own life The city says it followed all the right steps and now it's the criminal's estate But in a lawsuit being filed tomorrow in court Wednesday the plaintiff's attorneys allege she wasn't the only victim but there was also even an internal investigation open at the time of the assault in his Cedar Park Police Department marked vehicle." Brad Vinson with Smith and Vinson Law firm said Vinson say its shocking enough Keco Motton was a Cedar Park police officer accused of sexual assault but even worse that he was also a designated mental health officer "He had specific unique training as a mental health officer and was often brought in to deal with women who were on the verge of mental health crisis dealing with domestic disturbance and women that were marginalized really at the cross section of the criminal justice system," Vinson said "He specifically targeted those sorts of women and used his power and authority Court documents expected to be filed Wednesday say in 2023 Motton was checking a domestic violence victim for bruising when he told her to take off her leggings before sexually assaulting her "It's really a combination of the worst things you could imagine from a law enforcement officer." Vinson said The victim later opened a complaint with Cedar Park city communications director Fran Irwin says the city took immediate action Motton on administrative leave as we prepared to terminate his employment," Irwin said we brought in the Texas Rangers to conduct a thorough ALSO| Bond reduced for truck driver in fatal I-35 crash from $1.2M to $7,000 The Texas Rangers interviewed Motton the next day where he admitted guilt and was arrested He resigned before the city could fire him "We take all allegations of sexual assault extremely seriously And make every effort towards seeking justice and accountability." Irwin said But attorney and partner Jarrod Smith says besides their plaintiff they have allegations from four other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Motton "There's been a total culture of indifference for years," Smith said "It's a top-down policy from the chief of police all the way down that they have ignored sexual assault victims for years and that's what led to our client being sexually assaulted." The lawsuit says one woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by Motton several years prior when he was investigating a domestic violence incident involving her son Another says she was assaulted in February of 2022 by Motton after her dog bit another person Motton allegedly reached into her pockets and repeatedly touched her inappropriately "There are insiders now that are reaching out to our firm -today - letting us know that they've known this behavior has been going on for years." Smith said the lawsuit shows email correspondence between that victim and city internal investigators for months the victim writes "Go ahead and do what y'all do best they were absolutely on notice and should have done something good," Vinson said and so their indifference in saying that they handled it is really reckless and pretty gross While the city says the victim is going after the wrong people.. "The lawyers have not threatened to sue the criminal or his estate," Irwin said they demand city taxpayers pay them." But the attorneys call that completely inappropriate "They want us to go after his wife and children instead of the city that knew about this for years and turned a blind eye," Smith said even says what they'll be able to say will be limited as this case goes to court In a demand letter shared to CBS Austin from Cedar Park Smith and Vinson were looking to settle for $5 million While they won't be seeking a specific dollar amount in court the attorneys noted that letter was confidential and should have never been shared with the media Cedar Park has one contested race for its City Council in the May 3 election a 43-year-old who works for the Jeremiah Program in Austin The program supports single mothers as they pursue a college degree and reshape their futures and their children's futures Hutchinson is a real estate agent who belongs to the National Association of Realtors which has a more restrictive standard of ethics for agents than state guidelines have Council Member Anne Duffy is running uncontested for her Place 3 seat and incumbent Kevin Harris also has no opponent in the Place 5 election The winner of the May election will serve a two-year term The candidates differ on the issues facing the city Frezza said housing and jobs need to be developed or created for new residents Hutchinson said she is concerned about maintaining strong support for first responders and identifying alternative water supplies Both candidates answered a series of questions about their campaigns Frezza: As the median age of our residents increases it is essential for long-term stability to implement resources that attract new residents I am dedicated to developing housing choices improving transportation options and creating more job opportunities to ensure all residents prosper while maintaining high standards in all our public sectors Hutchinson: There are challenges we face going forward and those include maintaining strong support for our first responders particularly as our population continues to grow and wildfire concerns are increasing; ensuring that we maintain a healthy mix of residential and commercial land to diversify our tax base; identifying alternative water sources for the future; and always remaining fiscally responsible to our taxpayers It’s also important that we maintain diverse viewpoints on the City Council so that all residents of Cedar Park are represented Frezza: Housing solutions that serve families Economic opportunities to support businesses promote innovation and attract sustainable economic growth while prioritizing public safety standards Continue advocating for our public schools to ensure our children have the tools resources and campus support they need to succeed More: Hilda Montgomery faces challenge from Emran Rouf in lone race for Round Rock City Council Hutchinson: We have many exciting new projects to bring to fruition in the coming years including a new hotel and convention center in the CedarView development that includes Nebraska Furniture Mart and Scheels (sporting goods) numerous infrastructure projects aimed at improving our roads and water/wastewater systems and a variety of quality-of-life projects including shared-use paths and improvements to our amazing parks and trails my goal is to continue providing insight and thoughtful perspectives when discussing issues with my colleagues What makes you the better candidate?Frezza: I have a proven track record of leadership collaboration and results — qualities that are essential for effective public service and work toward practical solutions that reflect the values and needs of our residents but also my readiness to lead with both empathy and accountability Hutchinson: I am committed to open dialogue with residents other community leaders and business owners I have honed the knowledge to continue serving on the City Council through direct experience on a city commission as an incumbent on City Council and by taking on numerous extra volunteer opportunities both on the council and in the community to always be the best servant leader I can be Frezza: I spent a decade working with the Junior League of Austin collaborating with hundreds of committed volunteers to support various nonprofits in the Austin area including facilitating our annual fundraiser "A Christmas Affair," which raises over a million dollars each year to reinvest in the community I have served as president at multiple levels and I have actively participated in board responsibilities through the Leander school district for nine years I also substituted in dozens of schools throughout our district for five years More: Meet the 6 candidates running for three seats on the Leander City Council Hutchinson: I served on the Planning and Zoning Commission from 2020-2023 I served as a member of the Community Support Subcommittee on the City Council I am a new member of the Capital Area Planning Council of Governments General Assembly and I also volunteered to serve on our City Council's legislative subcommittee nonprofits such as the Christian Resource Center and various sports organizations for my children SmileCraft Dental opened off East New Hope Drive near the border of Leander and Cedar Park in March A skeleton crew was working in Cedar Park's city offices the day after an ice storm hit in the early 2010s City Manager Brenda Eivens was watching the sun begin to melt the ice on the roads when a colleague from the city's economic development department popped in to ask a question: "Would you like to meet with a rocket scientist after lunch Eivens and her colleagues met with Tom Markusic and his real estate adviser, and they later closed a deal to bring his recently founded startup, then known as Firefly Space Systems Roughly 10 years later, that small aerospace startup has grown from 30 employees to more than 700, over half of whom are based in Cedar Park. It has significantly expanded its footprint to include two facilities in Cedar Park and its nearby rocket ranch in Briggs. It wins major contracts with the federal government and researchers And earlier this year, Firefly Aerospace, as it's now known, became the first commercial company to successfully land on the moon. Firefly didn't go straight from landing in Cedar Park to landing on the moon But it did both — and is aiming for more in the near future Cedar Park on the moon?" Eivens told the American-Statesman "Their opportunities for success were going to mean opportunities for success for Cedar Park as well From startup to bankruptcy to multimillion-dollar contractsEven after relocating its headquarters to Cedar Park in 2014 who was Cedar Park's mayor when Firefly came to town put it this way: "The only thing harder than getting a rocket off the ground is getting a rocket company off the ground." Firefly quickly encountered legal trouble when Markusic's former employer accused him of destroying property and sharing company intellectual property with Firefly's Alpha development team nearly all its assets were sold at auction Firefly Space Systems filed for bankruptcy liquidated its assets and restructured as Firefly Aerospace Despite winning contracts with NASA and the Defense Department over the following years accusing the company and Markusic of fraud and intentional bankruptcy "I remember when that happened," Powell said we've never had an economic development program fail in the city why did it have to be this one that we had such high hopes for?'" Despite the company losing major investors and seeing five different executive leaders since 2022 Cedar Park decided not to pull out of its economic development agreement with Firefly and the company's landlords didn't end their leases "Both the private sector and the public sector came together 'We're not going to do a bunch of clawback on your economic development deal We're going to give you a chance to survive,'" Powell said When its last CEO, Bill Weber, resigned last July amid reports that the company was investigating an alleged inappropriate relationship Investors contacted the head of another aerospace company — a former client of Firefly — for that very reason: Jason Kim Kim attended the Air Force Academy and built a career in national security before leading Boeing's Millennium Space Systems It was in that role that he first encountered Firefly and I had a small piece of it as the customer That experience really hooked me," Kim told the Statesman "When the role was opened up and the investors reached out to me I saw Firefly as an opportunity of a lifetime." When Kim finally started work in September Firefly was well underway with environmental testing of its lunar lander The company had recently expanded its Briggs Rocket Ranch that year and signed multimillion-dollar launch contracts with private companies Defense Innovation Unit and the Swedish Space Corp The company was chugging despite the turmoil and Kim was ready to lead the company even further "The opportunity of Firefly was just something that I couldn't not take," Kim said I just started to get to know the teams better and understand the capabilities more I wanted to really formulate the 2025 and beyond goals." And it got that in the early morning of March 2 Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down on the moon that morning a watch party saw employees in tears and Kim jumping up and down in celebration as technicians worked at the nearby mission operations center Over 14 days — one lunar night — Blue Ghost operated 10 NASA-backed scientific and technological instruments Firefly became the first commercial company to land on the moon But as Kim said at the time: “We might be the first "I believe that the space industry is going to be run by companies that are both rocket and satellite providers all in one company," Kim said "You really need that bundled capability and the seamless integration of those two capabilities to meet the demands of the future You're going to see more service provider kind of models You're going to see more commercial technology being applied to the U.S government as well as NASA and continue to service commercial customers as well The opportunity of Firefly was just something that I could not for a company having undergone turmoil and reaching the moon Kim said he spoke with Markusic about his vision to put so many rockets and satellites in orbit that it "looks like a bunch of fireflies in space." and one he believes is possible within the next five to 10 years "It's amazing what this company and the team can do when you give them high but achievable goals but then support them like they deserve to be supported You can see the fruits of their labor with the first fully successful moon landing and you're going to see several other successes this year by the team," Kim said Firefly should be a household name if it isn't by now They've made it easy look easy and by no means is it easy." Kim said not only are commercial aerospace companies essential for the future of space With companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX and Intuitive Machines in Houston Texas is positioned to lead the country in private commercial aerospace especially for companies like Firefly that specialize in lunar landers and rockets Firefly was drawn to Cedar Park not only by an economic development deal that incentivized its move but also by Texas' strong business climate and workforce With institutions like the University of Texas Texas State University and Texas A&M University the Lone Star State provides a steady pipeline of talent for the industry Firefly’s Spacecraft Program Director Ray Allensworth told the Statesman the day of the landing that there was time when most Texans interested in aerospace careers had to the leave the state I had to leave Texas to go find a job in aerospace," she said "And I think that's something that we don't talk about as much is that Firefly and companies like Firefly are popping up in Austin or outside of the Austin metro area and now you can really kind of live and work where you were born or where you were raised or where you went to school.” the support from the Texas Space Commission and grant programs through the state keep companies like Firefly in town and running And the state's support of Firefly is helping it go back to the moon Firefly's successful March Blue Ghost landing was just the first in a series of missions taking the company to the surface of the moon Blue Ghost Two is past critical design review That mission will land on the far side of the moon and the company's already "off to the races," he said on Blue Ghost Three Blue Ghost Two and Three likely won’t launch until 2026 and 2028 but Kim has ambitious plans for this year — although some of those have faced a rocky start Firefly has planned for at least five launches of its small-lift rocket Alpha this year Kim said the company is seeing increased demand for Alpha to carry satellites to space With a launch more than once a quarter this year Firefly wants to up that even more in 2026 this week when its Alpha rocket suffered a technical issue as it ascended into space on its sixth flight The issue resulted in a Lockheed Martin satellite that was supposed to be placed into orbit crashing into the Pacific Ocean instead Alpha's upper rocket body fired for several minutes and ascended to about 200 miles but failed to reach its intended orbit and was pulled back into the atmosphere This means that four of six Alpha flights since 2021 have failed The mission was the first under an agreement between Firefly and Lockheed for up to 25 flights through 2029 With more Alpha launches planned this year the company has a chance to regain some momentum as it competes for contracts against dominant rival SpaceX Another opportunity for the company comes with its inaugural Elytra launch this year will play a crucial role as long-haul communications relay for future Blue Ghost lunar missions Powell said Firefly's growth is immeasurable — but not unbelievable and its vision to go to the moon and beyond is what it's all about Tech One Automotive offers services such as check engine light services Dacia is a features reporter for northern markets in the Austin metro She joined Community Impact in June 2024 shortly after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in journalism Dacia previously interned for Austin PBS and Voces Oral History Center practicing yoga and trying new restaurants in the city Cedar Park's new $30 million Public Safety Training Facility is expected to open in the spring of 2026 Cedar Park Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin delivered the opening speech for the groundbreaking event The city officially broke ground on the future site of a Marriott Hotel at 750 E. New Hope Drive. The hotel will be Cedar Park’s first full-service hotel, according to previous reporting. The building will include approximately 300 rooms in addition to a 30,000 square foot meeting space a separate breakfast cafe and a swimming pool The new hotel is being built in conjunction with the Nebraska Furniture Mart retail store the Cedar Park NFM will be one of the largest retail spaces in Texas encompassing more than 1.1 million square feet of retail space Together, the hotel and NFM will be the cornerstones of the new CedarView development which will also include a Scheel's Sporting Goods store and other retail options to be determined Construction on the hotel and convention center is expected to conclude in 2027 Speakers at the groundbreaking included Cedar Park Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin and Ryan Rans managing partner of Indiana-based investment firm Great Lakes Capital “This is exactly where we want to be operating Penniman-Morin said city staff were thinking long-term with this development “We recognize that decisions we are making are going to have a long “Never again will our city have 117 acres of undeveloped real estate right in the middle of the city right in the middle of our two major transportation corridors We really had to make sure that this built long-term benefits to the city and met the city’s goals.” Texas — Car enthusiasts in the Austin area have a unique opportunity to see their custom creations immortalized as a Hot Wheels die-cast model The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is calling on local car lovers to showcase their custom cars for a chance to win the grand prize: having their vehicle turned into a Hot Wheels toy sold worldwide chatted with We Are Austin about the the tour which is coming to the Cedar Park Walmart on Whitestone Boulevard on July 26 The free event promises to be family-friendly offering more than just a car competition but activities for car-lovers of all ages For more information visit hotwheels.com/legends 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascension Seton is deepening its commitment to patient-centered care in Central Texas by acquiring full ownership of Cedar Park Medical Center This transition marks a significant step in Ascension Seton’s mission to expand access and drive innovation for the growing community “This isn’t just a milestone—it’s a commitment to the future of healthcare in Cedar Park,” said Eduardo Conrado and introduce new services that meet the evolving needs of the community this move allows us to further our Mission and ensure that no one is left without the care they need.” Cedar Park Medical Center has been a trusted provider in the region and this transition will only strengthen its ability to serve Ascension Seton will focus on expanding advanced medical services and ensuring a seamless experience for every patient The transaction is expected to close this summer subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions “Cedar Park Regional Medical Center has a strong team of providers including skilled physicians on the medical staff and dedicated employees who are committed to serving our patients with quality “We are confident that this transition will ensure the continued growth and success of Cedar Park Regional Medical Center we look forward to working together as part of Ascension Seton with a focus on expanding healthcare resources and access to care in Cedar Park and our larger region.” Ascension Seton remains committed to compassion ensuring that care is not only clinically excellent but also deeply personal This new chapter builds on Cedar Park Medical Center’s legacy of excellence while adapting to meet the evolving needs of the community—today and for generations to come About Cedar Park Regional Medical CenterCedar Park Regional Medical Center is a 126-bed Joint Commission accredited hospital Serving the healthcare needs of western Williamson County Cedar Park Regional Medical Center is a quality-driven and trusted healthcare provider Cedar Park Regional Medical Center provides advanced medical care close to home With over 700 physicians on medical staff and eight primary care clinics throughout the region the hospital offers an array of medical services including: two 24-7 Emergency Rooms Women’s Services with a Level II Neonatal ICU Ascension Seton is in the process of buying Cedar Park Regional Medical Center which opened in 2007 at 1401 Medical Parkway has 126 beds and was one of the few in Central Texas that was not owned by Ascension Seton David's HealthCare or Baylor Scott & White Health It did have a partnership with Ascension before this announcement David's HealthCare plans to build a Leander hospital and expansions have been happening at St Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital in Round Rock and Baylor Scott & White Round Rock The purchase represents "a commitment to the future of health care in Cedar Park,” said Eduardo Conrado streamline operations and introduce new services that meet the evolving needs of the community The price for the acquisition was not announced The announcement also did not detail if roughly 700 health care staff will be maintained or if Ascension Seton will bring in its own staff “We are confident that this transition will ensure the continued growth and success of Cedar Park Regional Medical Center," said Sean Tinney with a focus on expanding health care resources and access to care in Cedar Park and our larger region.” Ascension Seton will take over full ownership of the hospital by this summer (Courtesy Cedar Park Regional Medical Center) Noodle Alley is known for its beef short rib noodle soup as well as its steamed pork soup dumplings and steam buns Veterans Memorial Pool could see the addition of a lazy river Cedar Park joins more than 75 other Texas communities as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community The City of Cedar Park is being acknowledged for its contributions to the Texas music industry Governor Greg Abbott’s office announced in an April 25 news release that Cedar Park had been named a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community by the Texas Music Office The Music Friendly Texas initiative was launched by the TMO in 2016 and is the first program of its kind in the state The program was designed to recognize communities that “foster music business-related economic development and job creation in Texas cities and communities,” according to the release Cedar Park is joining 75 other communities across the state who have applied for the designation A certification ceremony will be held on Friday during the Live @Lakeline Concert Series in Lakeline Park I am thrilled to celebrate our City’s official designation as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community,” said Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin “This recognition highlights our commitment to fostering a vibrant music culture and supporting the talented artists who enrich our diverse community we will continue to make Cedar Park a hub for creativity The business offers various skincare and injectable services from bio stimulators and dermal fillers to facials GreenPal connects residents with lawn care professionals for needed services It's time for Texas voters to cast their ballots in the May 3 general election Where can Central Texas residents vote on Election Day Here is what you need to know before voting If you're planning to vote on the May 3 election, here is what time polls open and close: Here is a look at each county's sample ballot for the May 3 election: these are acceptable forms of ID to vote in Saturday's election: The state IDs must be issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety Any expired forms cannot be expired beyond four years for voters ages 18 to 69 Individuals 70 and older are allowed to bring photo IDs that have been expired for any amount of time What alternative forms of ID can be used to vote?Voters who cannot provide one of the specified forms of identification may complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polling station and present an alternative form of ID These alternative forms of identification may be either original documents or copies Here are the following forms of ID you can use: persons are not allowed to use wireless communications devices within 100 feet of voting stations persons are not allowed to use mechanical or electronic devices to record sound or images within 100 feet of the voting stations Devices that should not be used in the polling place include: Apr 17, 2025 | , , Two Leander ISD teams – the Cedar Park HS girls and Vandegrift HS boys – returned from the UIL State Soccer Championships last weekend with the top prize both holding off their opponents by 3-1 margins These state titles mark firsts for both schools in these programs The Cedar Park HS Timberwolves were up against Wakeland HS from Frisco ISD on Friday April 11 at Birkelbach Field in Gerogetown The girls racked up three goals before halftime and won their 5A Division 2 state title game 3-1 Special shoutout to Meredith Koltz for capturing the MVP honors with two goals the Vandegrift HS Vipers also took Birkelbach Field to compete in the 6A Division 2 finals against Mesquite HS The boys jumped on a 3-0 lead and went on to win 3-1 over Mesquite HS Special shoutout to James Hehman for capturing the MVP honors after scoring the team’s first goal of the match Congratulations also to two other #1LISD teams – the Vandegrift HS girls and the Vista Ridge HS boys – for finishing as state semifinalists Photo galleries from the state championship matches are show below 📸 Photos courtesy of Paige Richards & Raina Woo The official Leander ISD Instagram account | #1LISD Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The former Cedar Park Public Library is located at 550 Discovery Blvd. Williamson County has proposed transforming Ronald Reagan Boulevard stretching from RM 1431 in Cedar Park to I-35 in Jarrell Map shows the locations of the 2025 Neighborhood Road Resurfacing Project in Cedar Park Firefly Aerospace employees gathered at a watch party in Cedar Park overnight Saturday, anxiously watching a livestream as Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander slowly inched toward the moon's surface You have to surrender control," Kevin Scholtes a future systems architect who's spent the past four years working on the project "You have no control over what happens – but you can't tell your body that." Then came confirmation of the lander's touchdown: "You all stuck the landing Scholtes pumped his fist in the air before turning to hug his wife "You feel just about every emotion imaginable all at once," he said The Blue Ghost was carrying 10 science and technology instruments to collect data for NASA. It landed softly in an "upright, stable configuration" within the Mare Crisium, a more than 300-mile-wide basin located on the moon’s near side (the side you can see from Earth), around 2:34 a.m., according a press release The achievement makes Firefly only the second commercial company to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon — and the first to ever do so without a hitch. Last year, Houston-based Intuitive Machines sent a spacecraft to the moon, but it stopped working after landing on its side Firefly was contracted by NASA to deliver 10 science and technology instruments to the lunar service associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate compared the mission to a "delivery service" of sorts and we want you to land in [a] place and take all these instruments they are perfectly chosen for the region," she said "You pick the place you want the package to go and that's just what we did with Firefly." Firefly is under contract for two more lunar missions with NASA with the next projected to launch sometime next year "I just wanted to thank the White House administration and NASA for entrusting in Firefly for these lunar lander missions and the Blue Ghost mission today," Jason Kim "This initiative [has] really helped Firefly evolve from a rocket company to an end-to-end and we're going to continue doing those missions." The Blue Ghost mission also lays some of the groundwork for NASA's Artemis program which aims to send astronauts back to the moon by mid-2027 "We wanna be able to prepare for our future astronauts to go and keep them safe and so we chose these science instruments perfectly to go to this incredible place on the moon," Fox said The Blue Ghost will spend the next lunar day (about 14 Earth days) using these instruments to collect data "Our goal is going to be to capture as much data as possible," Ray Allensworth "We're going to continue to operate the lander as long as our batteries have a state of charge There's a lot of really interesting phenomena that will happen that we really want to make sure and capture." You can keep up with the lunar lander's journey on Firefly's website Cedar Park City Council authorized the final round of major road resurfacings that were part of the 2022 bond program April 10 Cedar Park City Council voted to approve rezoning for a nearly 8-acre property that could house a 64,000-square-foot commercial development Drone photo shows a bird’s-eye view of the aftermath of the 2023 Parmer Lane Fire in Cedar Park emergency responders were able to successfully employ new methods to handle the fire but for people looking to get ahead of future blazes extended drought conditions and other factors have led to a heightened risk of wildfires across the western United States according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association People can take a number of precautions to prepare their property and home and• Community Impact• talked to local officials to find out how to best prepare Winter and summer are the highest risk seasons for wildfires in Texas according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association The winter risk is due to cold fronts bringing dry air into the state and the summer risk is due to high heat and extended drought conditions Cedar Park Fire Chief James Mallinger said the city is what is considered to be a wildland urban interface meaning much of the city is densely populated but there are areas in town that push up against wild spaces and could be at risk of wildfire damage Cedar Park’s position as a WUI made it vulnerable to a 50-acre brush fire that destroyed multiple buildings Cedar Park was the first test of the new regional mutual aid autoaid system,” Mallinger said about the blaze He noted that over 50 fire trucks from various localities came in to fight the fire Mallinger said Cedar Park is typically at a moderate fire risk but that risk increases in dry and windy conditions There are many things to consider in preparing a home to resist damage during a fire One of the main things people can do to protect their home from a wildfire is to create a fire break “You want to have what we consider a defensible space around your home you want at least 5 or 10 feet around your home where nothing’s going to burn,” Mallinger said Matthew Selby with Emergency Services District 4 said homeowners can use xeriscaping landscaping that reduces or eliminates the need for watering and noncombustible features to create fire breaks It’s also important to clean out gutters and make sure trees and plants are trimmed and not touching the house Mallinger said it’s crucial for people to make sure any grass or shrubs they have are well watered so they are slower to burn and to adhere to watering restrictions when they are in place homeowners need to get rid of “laddering fuel”—things such as bushes that lead to higher bushes and eventually to trees or the house noting that roof eaves have ventilation holes “That is a lot of times where we see embers fly in and start a fire inside a home or inside a business,” he said Native plants: adapted to local conditions and can help reduce water and maintenance Ornamental grasses: drought-tolerant and add texture and movement Mediterranean plants: lavender and rosemary thrive in dry conditions Wildflowers: drought tolerant and can add color and beauty to xeriscaped landscapes SOURCE: Brazos River Authority Though short-term trends can be difficult to predict, the changing climate in the state is exacerbating the danger and risk of fires, according to a study from the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University surface dryness and vegetation presence are all factors that make it difficult to accurately predict short-term trends Dryness is projected to increase and humidity levels to decrease by 2036 so high-risk periods for statewide wildfire risk are expected to increase considerably according to The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment vegetation presence and surface dryness play a large role in contributing to the risk environment Mallinger said the fire department does annual training to be ready to fight wildfires where firefighters rehearse deploying emergency shelters in case they get caught in a wildfire The department also does brush truck apparatus training to ensure they are familiar with their equipment when they need it “The fire department’s prepared to respond if needed,” Mallinger said Another part of Cedar Park preparations is being available to homeowners and occupants when they call with questions about how to prepare The parks department and fire department will go out when a call is received, and staff from the departments will help people assess their fire risk situation. Ultimately, the departments will provide recommendations on how people can safeguard their property.Daniel Sousa, Cedar Park's community affairs assistant director, said the city prefers residents communicate fire concerns with the city through its Report It! system An important part of being ready for a fire is preparing a go bag Selby said people should consider the things they use on a daily basis “A lot of people are on medications that if they don’t take daily Mallinger said local resources are crucial and noted that water conservation efforts help the fire department be prepared to fight fires “Remembering to conserve water so it’s there for emergencies is one of the biggest things residents can do to help us be prepared for a wildfire,” he said Drinking water and water for fighting fires comes from the same source The city estimated that during the three days it took to fully extinguish the 2023 fire the fire department used 8 million gallons of water As of April 1, Cedar Park was under Stage 3 water conservation requirements meaning residents were limited to one day per week for outdoor watering the city was subject to Williamson County’s burn ban that was instituted March 25 for up to 90 days Residents of Cedar Park always have to obtain a permit before doing any outdoor burning. Locals are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at www.warncentraltexas.com SOURCES: Texas Comptroller, www.texasproud.com The new CedarView development will include a 300-room Marriott hotel a new convention center and the NFM showroom (Courtesy City of Cedar Park/Community Impact) forces churches to cover elective abortions in their health insurance plans Cedar Park Church’s insurance carrier inserted abortion coverage High Resolution Photos ADF attorneys represent Cedar Park Assembly of God in challenging state law that forces abortion coverage in employee health insurance plans SEATTLE – Eighteen states and multiple religious freedom advocates filed friend-of-the-court briefs Monday with the U.S Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in support of Seattle-area Cedar Park Assembly of God represented by Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys is asking the full court to review a decision by a split three-judge panel in Cedar Park Assembly of God v Kreidler that forces the church to violate its constitutionally protected pro-life religious beliefs and instead follow the state’s requirement that most Washington employers provide abortion coverage for employees “It’s unconscionable for the government to force any church to pay for abortions,” said ADF Senior Counsel Rory Gray Supreme Court has affirmed that the government can’t compel religious organizations to act in violation of their sincerely held faith convictions which celebrates and protects life from conception to natural death has fought to practice what it preaches long enough and we welcome the support of these states and religious freedom advocates.” Cedar Park had an abortion-free health plan Cedar Park’s insurance carrier added surgical abortion and abortifacient contraceptive coverage to the church’s health plan to comply with Washington law But Cedar Park’s insurer indicated that it would remove abortion coverage mid-year if churches obtained an exemption from the state’s abortion-coverage mandate That exemption is what Cedar Park has been seeking in court for more than five years “Cedar Park appealed to [the 9th Circuit] for review, but the panel’s opinion didn’t consider Cedar Park’s religious autonomy argument at all,” says the multi-state brief led by South Carolina the only place where the phrase ‘religious autonomy’ appears anywhere in the opinion is one instance in the opening paragraph where the Court summarized the claims originally raised by the plaintiff in this case the religious autonomy doctrine has taken a back seat in the Ninth Circuit.” “SB 6219 forces Cedar Park to make a choice,” adds a brief filed by Christian Legal Society and The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty “It must take an action that would violate the tenets of its faith: purchasing a health plan that all agree triggers coverage for abortion services Or it could stop providing health insurance for its employees a decision that would also contradict its beliefs and would expose it to hefty penalties The panel nonetheless cast Cedar Park as a mere bystander raising only ‘general disapproval of the actions that others might decide to take.’ That was gross error and puts [the 9th Circuit] in conflict with the Supreme Court.” Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom Supreme Court cases and more than 30 state supreme court cases since 2011 and a recent study concluded that among all frequent Supreme Court advocates who did not work for the federal government he had the 3rd highest success rate for persuading justices to adopt his legal position Bursch served as solicitor general for the state of Michigan from 2011-2013 He has argued multiple Michigan Supreme Court cases in eight of the last ten terms and has successfully litigated hundreds of matters nationwide including six with at least $1 billion at stake and industry associations in high-profile cases magna cum laude in 1997 from the University of Minnesota Law School and is admitted to practice in numerous federal district and appellate courts serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom where he plays a strategic role on the Appellate Advocacy Team Gray has worked diligently on key cases to preserve religious freedom and free speech in America He has served as a member of the main litigation teams in Thomas More Law Center v Colorado Civil Rights Commission,Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v Gray has written briefs at all levels of federal and state courts in which the Second Circuit upheld the use of the national motto from Washington and Lee University School of Law he completed the ADF leadership development program to become a Blackstone Fellow in 2005 Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit from 2007-2009 and for the Hon Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit from 2009-2011 Gray is also admitted to practice before the U.S Supreme Court and various appellate and trial courts © 2025 Alliance Defending Freedom is a registered 501(C)(3) Charity. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Capital Area Child Development Center, a new STEAM-focused childcare center offering therapy services and programs for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, is opening in Cedar Park. (Courtesy Capital Area Child Development Center) The new CedarView development will include a 300-room Marriott hotel, a new convention center and the NFM showroom. (Courtesy City of Cedar Park/Community Impact) On March 10, Great Lakes Capitol, an Indiana-based investment firm, and Nebraska Furniture Mart announced they have signed an agreement with the city to build a luxury Marriott hotel with an attached convention center at 750 E. New Hope Drive. The new development will be at the heart of CedarView, an ambitious mixed-use development that will be anchored by NFM’s incoming showroom. The city plans to break ground on the development this May, and it is anticipated to open in early 2027. The new 300-room hotel will include a 30,000 square foot convention space, and will be one of Cedar Park’s only full-service hotels, meaning it will include on-site dining, recreation and concierge services. The facility is currently slated to include a full-service restaurant and bar, a breakfast cafe and a pool, according to a news release. "The development of this hotel and convention center in CedarView underscores our commitment to creating vibrant, connected communities that elevate the standard of hospitality," says Ryan Rans, managing partner at Great Lakes Capital in the release. "We are thrilled to partner with NFM and the City of Cedar Park to bring this transformative project to life." A.J's Yotas specializes in working on off-road Toyota and Lexus vehicles. (Adobe Stock) Cedar Park Public Library will host its annual Mini-Con where attendees can showcase cosplay, play board games and more. (Courtesy Cedar Park Public Library) Dacia is a features reporter for northern markets in the Austin metro. She joined Community Impact in June 2024 shortly after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in journalism. Dacia previously interned for Austin PBS and Voces Oral History Center. In her free time, she enjoys antique shopping, practicing yoga and trying new restaurants in the city. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Cedar Park moves to Stage 3 water conservation measuresby Tara Brolley CEDAR PARK, Texas — The City of Cedar Park is moving to Stage 3 water conservation measures limiting outdoor watering to just one day per week The stricter regulations come as water levels in Lakes Travis and Buchanan Lake Travis serves as the city's sole water source Enforcement of the new restrictions will begin March 31 giving residents time to adjust their irrigation systems homes with addresses ending in different numbers are assigned specific watering days: Wednesday (1 including apartments and HOA-owned properties ALSO | Austin's Tatsumi Sushi makes Yelp's list of Top 100 US Restaurants for 2025 A temporary water conservation rate adjustment will also take effect March 31 with increases appearing on utility bills starting in mid-May The city said the rate adjustment aims to encourage conservation while maintaining "adequate funding for the water utility." "The City of Cedar Park encourages everyone to visit www.waterthriftycedarpark.org/digital-metering and sign up to see their usage in near-real-time set thresholds and set alerts," officials said Alexis Frezza will face incumbent Bobbi Hutchinson for Place 1 on the Cedar Park City Council in a May 3 election