🌱 Rise In Fentanyl Overdoses + Austin Todd Helps Longhorns Win

Hello again, Round Rock! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Round Rock 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 Round Rock Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Round Rock 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:

Cloudy, breezy and very warm. High: 79 Low: 65.

Here are the top 3 stories in Round Rock today:

1. Round Rock native outfielder Austin Todd started in his sixth consecutive Opening Day for the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, Feb. 19. The Longhorns beat Rice seven to zero at the UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Austin Todd went one to three with a run scored. (Horns Illustrated)
2. According to the CDC, the number of Texas deaths caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl has increased rapidly over the last two years, becoming "more common than cocaine and heroin." Rise Recovery Services, which has a location in Round Rock, specializes in non-narcotic medical stabilization for substance abuse patients, but surviving is "purely luck" according to Zach Timber, the program director. To help stop the rapid increase of fentanyl-related deaths, Timber said education about the dangers of fentanyl "needs to target younger Texans." (CW39)
3. On Saturday, high school swimmers from across the Lone Star State gathered at the Texas Swimming Center in Austin for the UIL State Swimming and Diving Championships. Several Central Texas students came home with championship medals, including Hannah O'Leary, a Round Rock junior who earned a bronze medal in the girls' 200 IM. (Austin-American Statesman)

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Today in Round Rock:

• RRHS Baseball JV(M&W) vs Pflugerville (Scrimmage), At Round Rock High School (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Join Round Rock Public Library's "Genius Hour" on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2:00 p.m.! Kymberly Keeton presents "Pieces of My Story," a webinar on African American Genealogy and recording oral histories. (Facebook)
• Have you met Brewster? Click here to learn about the food-running robot at Flix Roadhouse movie theater in Round Rock. (Twitter)
• Want to be a carpenter, building maintenance supervisor, construction manager, architecture, or engineer? Click here to learn more about the Round Rock ISD Construction Technology program! (Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up 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!