🌱 Texas High School Ideas Challenge + Early Voting Begins On CapMetro

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:

Showers and a heavier t-storm. High: 81 Low: 65.

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

1. Vista Ridge High School of Leander ISD has been selected to compete in this year's Texas High School Ideas Challenge after developing products and pitches through the Uncharted Learning INCubatoredu entrepreneurship curriculum, which focuses on "problem-solution identification, customer and idea exploration, and authentic pitching opportunities." The challenge is hosted by the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M and is modeled after the Raymond Ideas Challenge available to current Texas A&M students. Vista Ridge will compete with the other finalists tomorrow, May 6, in front of a panel of judges for nearly $15,000 in prize money. (Yahoo Finance)
2. Early voting has officially begun for Leander, where the decision to end a nearly 40-year relationship with transit agency Capital Metro is on the ballot. If voters opt to end the relationship, it could halt commuter rail service to Leander, which is the northernmost stop on the 32-mile CapMetro Red Line. According to a Leander City Council report, ridership on all CapMetro services in Leander fell from 635 average daily boardings in 2019 to about 130 in the fall of 2021 due to the pandemic. (TRAINS Magazine)
3. If you're looking for a new home in the Cedar Park-Leander area, now is a great time: Lots of local houses have recently hit the market, including several with upcoming open houses on Friday and Saturday. Check out the latest Patch real estate roundup for full details. (Cedar Park-Leander Patch)

Today in Cedar Park-Leander:

• Open Play Session At Little Land - Leander (9:00 AM)
• Cedar Park / Leander Business Happy Hour + Networking At Whitestone Brewery (4:30 PM)
• Brushy Creek Thursday At Brushy Creek Park (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a fun way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Drive over to Jonestown and stop by Lucky Rabbit, which is hosting a free musical performance at 6:30 p.m. by local favorite Audic Empire! There will also be food and drink specials all day, including $5 queso, nachos, and frozen margs. (Cedar Park-Leander Patch)
• Did you know that parts of "Fear the Walking Dead" were filmed at Volente Beach Resort and Waterpark in Leander, during the off-season? Learn more about the show's local film shoot locations in this article. (Undead Walking)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Cinco de Mayo at Lucky Rabbit w/ Código Tequila & Audic Empire (May 5)
• Hire A Pro To Tackle Mom's To-Do List (May 8)
• Add your event

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another 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!