🌱 No Sirens? + Book Bans & 'Heroes' + New Counseling Office

Hello again, Cedar Park-Leander! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Cedar Park-Leander Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Cedar Park-Leander Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Cedar Park-Leander long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 71 Low: 43.

Here are the top three stories today in Cedar Park-Leander:

1. Multiple videos showed Monday's tornadoes catching people off guard, and some are wondering why the tornado sirens did not go off and warn people. Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said "I think the greatest resource we have is our local media and our local meteorologists. Sirens are an option, I don’t know if they are the best option today, in today’s world with all the technology available." Leander does not have sirens and officials say there are faster ways to alert people, including messages sent straight to mobile devices. (KXAN)
2. Local school board meetings are being viewed by some as a place for parents to "be a hero" and gain recognition for their sometimes "outrageous" behavior. For example, a Leander woman recently brandished a pink sex toy at a meeting "to make a point about the content of books made available as optional reading to high schoolers." According to Book Riot, this "hero syndrome" may be fueling the book banning, book burning, prayer circles, and lawsuits that are now accompanying some increasingly rowdy school board meetings. (Book Riot)
3. Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists opened a new counseling office in Cedar Park, located at 507 Denali Pass Dr. Ste 305. The original office is one parking lot over on Denali Pass and will still be operational. The counselors are "trained in various methods and techniques to bring clients a variety of therapy approaches." (Digital Journal)

From our sponsor:

Today’s newsletter is brought to you in part by Ring, a Patch Brand Partner. We all know that Ring is the leader in video doorbells for home security. But did you know that Ring now makes a home security system that is getting raves from consumer electronic experts?

To learn more about Ring Alarm Pro, the system CNET called "the future of home security,” or to build your own custom system, visit Ring here.

Today in Cedar Park-Leander:

• Lapsit Storytime, At Cedar Park Public Library (9:45 AM)
• Toddler Storytime, At Cedar Park Public Library (10:30 AM)
• Move-n-Groove Storytime, At Leander Public Library (10:45 AM)
• Preschool Storytime, At Cedar Park Public Library (11:15 AM)
• Reading with Gracie (Bow Wow Reading Dog), At Leander Public Library (4:00 PM)
• City Council Meeting, At Cedar Park City Council Chambers (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Come to the open house on Mar. 26 and see a beautiful three-bedroom home on Cottonwood Cove! View the link for details and more homes for sale. (Cedar Park-Leander Patch)
• See the first round of UIL 5A soccer playoffs on Mar. 25! Leander Glenn High School will play against Dripping Springs High School. Click the link for more information. (Hays Free Press)
• Cedar Park High school girls basketball was ranked number 11 in MaxPreps Top 25 List! See the full ranking here. (MaxPreps)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (April 2)
• Add your event

Loving the Cedar Park-Leander Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers

That's it for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!