While for some drivers the very idea of driving defensively can sound demeaning, the truth is that defensive driving can regularly be the difference between becoming concerned in, or avoiding, a deadly accident. Most drivers are good drivers, and a few drivers are exceptional drivers. But even outstanding drivers can be powerless at the hands of reckless or drunk drivers who occur to cross their paths.

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Another of these defensive driving tips is to always have fresh blades on your window wipers. Over the course of time blades become worn and no longer get in contact with the entire window. If you get caught in a unexpected, hard rain, you may find your visibility reduced in a matter of a couple of seconds.One of the first things you may learn in a defensive driving course is to look after your vehicle. When you provide regular maintenance on it, it will get you off to a safer start every time you drive onto the road. People don’t frequently realize how vital the upkeep of their vehicles is to stopping accidents. Poorly inflated tires can lead to skids.
Many insurance firms will give you a reduction, as much as 10 percent, if you complete a defensive driving course. You have got to check with your company to work out if they provide a reduction as well as the age restrictions and the specific courses they are going to accept.
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The primary benefit of defensive driving is its power to reduce or keep points from showing up on a driving record. Individuals with tickets also experience higher insurance rates, so a nominal charge for completing a defensive driving course online makes for an easy choice to keep rates down. Defensive driving not only saves cash but also improves overall skills and awareness, making you a safer driver.
Other of the most significant tips on defensive driving are, of course, to fasten your seatbelt prior to turning on your engine, and to maintain a correct driving posture. Slouching behind the wheel, research has demonstrated, can make you drowsy and diminish your ability to focus.
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Defensive driving statistics and risk management go hand in hand as a method to cut costs and to save lives. Nothing will better prepare a driver for the conditions on the road that have got the potential to cause fatalities and wounds. A defensive driving course can make the difference in life and death.

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Despite being the capital city of Texas, Austin is a city that prides itself on being far from ordinary. Known as the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’, Austin offers visitors a vacation that is as diverse as it is exciting. After all, as a city with the motto ‘Keep Austin Weird’, a visit to Austin is sure to be a vacation with a difference.

As you might expect from a city referred to as the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’, Austin has a vibrant live music scene with more music venues per capita than any other U.S city. Austin’s music revolves around the numerous entertainment venues that can be found on its historic 6th Street. Originally known as Pecan Street, East-6th Street is the heart of the Austin entertainment district and plays host to a multitude of bars, clubs and music venues. Located along the length of East-6th Street between Congress Avenue and Interstate 35, you’ll find many venues offering live music at one time or another during the week.

Austin is also the venue for an annual film, music and multimedia festival known as South by Southwest, which takes place every spring. Centred around the downtown Austin Convention Centre, each part of the South by Southwest festival is relatively independent of one another with different start and end dates. The musical branch of the festival is one of the largest music festivals in the United States with more than 1,400 performers playing across dozens of venues around the city, while the film branch has quickly become one of the world’s premiere film festivals, focussing on new directing talent.

Zilker Park in Austin is the venue for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual three-day music and art festival. Bringing together more than 130 bands over eight stages, the festival combines rock, country, folk, indie, Americana, hip-hop, reggae and bluegrass artists, and attracts a crowd of around 65,000 music-lovers every day. The festival has been such a huge success that it is often compared to other top rock festivals held in the United States, including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Coachella. Other annual events held in Austin include Eeyore’s Birthday Party and the Austin Reggae Festival – previously named the Bob Marley Festival.

If Austin’s music scene isn’t for you, Austin is also the home of a lot of artists. On Guadalupe, you’ll find a host of local artistic talent selling their works at the Renaissance Market; while every first Thursday of the month, the eclectic shops on South Congress stay open late, with artists selling their artwork on the sidewalks, accompanied by musicians playing in the streets. For a more contemporary view of Austin’s art scene, pay a visit to the Blanton Museum of Art, a 155,000 square foot museum situated on the University’s campus, housing some 17,000 works of art from Europe, the United States and Latin America.

Residents in Austin need little cause to celebrate, and ‘Austinites’, as they are known, take pride in their eccentricities and often celebrate the differences between themselves and other cities in the U.S. The local motto – ‘Keep Austin Weird’ – features on innumerable bumper stickers, tT-shirts and other memorabilia. Famous Austinites include country singer Willie Nelson, cyclist Lance Armstrong, Aactress Sandra Bullock and tennis player Andy Roddick.

When it comes to eating out in Austin, you would be forgiven for expecting the Texas ‘Holy Trinity’ of barbecue, Tex-Mex and chicken-fried steak. However, Austin now possesses a much more sophisticated and international flair, with the Wall Street Journal naming the city as one of the country’s “up and coming culinary hotspots.”

To get the very best experience of this culturally diverse and exciting city, look for a hotel in Austin that is situated in the Central or Downtown areas of the city. Just remember that Austin is a city where it’s considered normal to be a little out of the ordinary!

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Introduction:

              Due to the decline in the quality of public education in Texas, state lawmakers passed legislation in 1995. The new law permitted the opening and implementation of charter schools. These new charters schools encourage and support innovative teaching for a variety of learning styles, improve the achievement of students, and provide options within the public school system (Terry and Alexander 2008, 4). Prior to the new legislation, there was no opportunity for choice within the public school system with regard to a child’s education, and children attended school according to their zip code. That deficiency began to change when the first charter school in Texas opened in the fall of 1996.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) reports that the “first generation” of charters consisted of 17 schools and had a collective population of 2,412 students. Legislation initially limited open-enrollment charters to 20 schools; however, lawmakers increased the cap to 100 schools in 1997 and to 215 schools in 2001 (Story 2007, 1). As of 2007, Texas had one of the largest and most flexible charter school programs in the United States (Story 2007, 1). Currently, Texas charter schools serve over 113,000 students, an estimated two percent of all public school students.  Moreover, of those 113,000 students in charter schools, 80 percent are minority and 60 percent are economically disadvantaged students (Terry and Alexander 2008, 7).

Research Analysis-Lifting the Cap:

 The State of Texas currently has 210 active open-enrollment charter schools.  In addition, Texas will likely reach the cap of 215 open-enrollment charter schools by 2009. If the cap remains in place, many parents and children will be at a disadvantage, unable to choose the best quality education for their families. Many charter education supporters have and will continue to push for greater parental control and increased accountability with an emphasis on improved public relations. However, these supporters encounter a lot of resistance, because opponents see charter schools as competition to the public schools.  Consequently, increased restrictions and mandates stifle charter school growth.

 If the Texas government and the education policy stakeholders review the statistical findings and evaluate the impact of open-enrollment charter schools in Texas, they will find a clear picture of the positive outcomes charter schools provide. It becomes apparent through the examination of the economic and social factors of open-enrollment charter schools that lifting the cap on the number of open-enrollment charter schools in Texas would be beneficial to the current public school system. 

            Contrary to common public perception, charter schools are public schools.  Similar to public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition according to state law. However, “charter schools have a significant amount of autonomy and are free to be innovative in educational and administrative practices,” as stated on the Resource Center for Charter Schools (Technology Help for Administrators 2008).  Before a charter school in Texas breaks ground, the entity must submit a proposal, similar to a business proposal, for approval, which typically includes a mission statement, a philosophy and a vision. Furthermore, the proposal provides information regarding basic logistics, including class size, number of school days and hours, the programs that will service students and a projected budget. On many occasions, charter schools seek the help of outside agencies to provide guidance, classroom modeling, in-house training, and resources in order to assist in achieving the mission. For example, an open-enrollment charter school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania used a research based program / agency from San Francisco, California called the “Developmental Studies Center” (DSC). The DSC trained the faculty, provided resources and provided ongoing support in order to achieve the school’s mission and goal. In fact, the school bases its philosophy on a democratic model that gives students a voice, which promotes and fosters the students’ academic, social, and emotional growth. Significantly, this school recognizes the existence of multiple intelligences and diverse learning styles. One program that addresses the choice of students and multiple intelligences is the choice of electives for all of the student population once a week. They also incorporate a “service learning program” to assist in molding stewards of the community (Service Learning Programs, 2008).

Similarly, in Houston, Texas, “KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Academy Houston,” whose mission is to “help…students develop academic skills, intellectual habits, and qualities of character necessary to succeed in high school, college, and the competitive world beyond” is a very successful charter school that services grades 5-8 (U.S. Department of Education 2008).  Texas recognized it as an “exemplary school” every year since 1996, and the U.S. Department of Education recognized it as a “Blue Ribbon” school. The dedication of its teachers and administrators, including being on call by way of cell phone 24/7 to address the academic needs of students led to this success of the charter school (U.S. Department of Education 2008).  This innovative dedication would not be something conducive to the public school sector.  In view of the fact that employees of mainstream public schools, are subject to collective bargaining and union contracts, have set hours and specific responsibilities in their contracts and do not deviate from them.

By employing the flexibility of the charter program and by working outside the traditional eight hours of instructional time for students, the American Youth Works in Austin, Texas is a charter school that is able to better focus on the unique needs of its students. The school allows students half a day to pursue employment opportunities, to participate in work study programs or to take care of family members, including the students’ own children. The school requires the students to fulfill only four hours of traditional instructional time in order to accommodate the individual’s life experience (Terry and Alexander 2008, 4).

Other charter schools may extend the school day in order to improve academic achievement or may extend the school year to expose the students to supplemental material and expanded learning. Equally important, a mission aimed at addressing the varied learning styles through the theory of multiple intelligences may be the goal of another charter school. There are even charter schools that focus on the arts, architecture and design, leadership, and literacy. Charter schools generally do not fit the traditional model of the mainstream public school; instead, they find ways to educate children and stimulate learning based on innovative ideas and strategies.

When a charter is operating, the entity will receive direct funding from the state and the federal government. However, charters do not receive funding for their facilities, so it is up to the charter school to raise money, solicit donations, apply for startup grants from the federal government or choose to borrow from private lenders (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5).

Terry states, in a “GO San Angelo” article, that charter schools may not charge tuition, teach religion, discriminate, or cherry-pick students (Terry 2008, 1). To elaborate, if a charter school encourages families to volunteer 20 hours of their time to help with various needs of the school such as painting, helping in the classroom, making packets, cleaning, etc., the school cannot in any way enforce this as a “requirement.” If a family is penalized in any way, such as a student being removed from school for incompletion of hours, it would be considered payment for education. Moreover, charter schools may not discriminate in the enrollment of students or cherry-pick, select a student based on academic performance, behavior, or other preferential selection, its admissions..

Charter schools require different regulations compared to traditional public schools (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5). An example is that charter schools, as opposed to mainstream public schools, require teachers to provide parents and guardians of students in their school with a written notice of their qualifications. Another example of the differences in regulation is under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Federal Regulation Part 300, which reauthorizes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). Originally, law required charter schools to provide and complete academic testing for a child within 60 school days from the date of a request from a parent or guardian, while it required traditional public schools to provide and complete the same within 60 calendar days.  Under the reauthorization, the requirement changed to 60 school days for both public and charter schools. Before this became universal for both mainstream public and charter schools, it was a disadvantage for the charter schools to adhere to the time restraint because it was more difficult in terms of the high cost of academic testing and limited funding.

To be sure, accountability is universal for district public schools and charter schools, as the pressure of No Child Left Behind impacts both sectors of education. Both are required to administer standardized tests, and all students must test at their current grade level rather than their level of ability. For instance, an eighth grader who is reading at a third grade level must take the eighth grade reading standardized test.

According to the article “Texas Charter Schools: An Assessment in 2005″, produced by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, “when student performance is evaluated on the basis of test scores, students in Texas charter schools perform on the average lower than do students in traditional public schools. However, when changes in test scores are used to judge performance, academic gains by charter school students can be demonstrated” (Patterson 2005, 5). This means that even though some charter school students’ performance does not exceed the performance of traditional public schools according to standardized test results, the students are individually making better academic progress in the charter schools. In addition, because most charter schools typically specialize in helping disadvantaged youth, many students in charter schools identify as an at-risk population for dropping out of school and come from low income homes which could hinder their test performance (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5). Accordingly, basing decisions of success on standardized test scores is an unfair assessment of charter school performance.

Currently, the government enforces some regulation on charter schools that forces them to shut down if they have two consecutive years of undesirable performance, which typically measures by standardized test scores. This is harsher and inequitable compared to the five years allowed for the mainstream public school districts (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5). For example, a charter school may be able to improve a fifth grade student whose reading level is equivalent to third grade but still fail with unacceptable performance because the student failed the fifth grade Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test reading section (Terry and Alexander 2008, 1).

During the 2007-2008 school years, 113,760 students enrolled in charter schools in Texas, and an estimated 16,810 students were on a waiting list (Terry and Alexander 2008, 4). Houston’s regional charter school’s waiting list was the largest at 7,415 students; coming in second was the Dallas / Fort Worth region at 5,896 students, and Rio Grand Valley had 2,110 students.  Furthermore, the Austin region had a waiting list of 623; the Corpus Christi region had a waiting list of 159; and the San Antonio region had a waiting list of 488 students (Terry and Alexander 2008, 4). According to Robelen, since these numbers stem from a survey in which only half of the schools participated, the actual number of students on a waiting list for charter schools in Texas is likely higher (Robelen 2008, 1).

The large number of students on the waiting lists for charter school enrollment demonstrates the significant demand for educational options, which is the fundamental purpose of the legislation for charter schools. The rapidly growing number of students on waiting lists demonstrates the need for lawmakers to lift the cap limiting the number of charter schools in Texas.  When a charter school has more applicants than they can allow, an enrollment lottery determines which students will be attending the upcoming school year.  Terry asks readers to “imagine parents, whose child is trapped in a low-performing public school, crying for joy that their child is randomly selected to attend a school with a track record of serving at-risk students with innovative strategies” (Terry 2008, 1). On the other hand, one can imagine the cries of a parent whose child is a student in a low-performing public school when their child looses the enrollment lottery. 

There are four different types of charter schools: open-enrollment charters, district charters, university charters, and home-rule district charters. Open-enrollment charter schools service the largest population, 89,156 students as of the 2007-2008 school year. Open-enrollment charters are by definition independent school units and can have multiple campuses. The school district operates the district charter schools that consisted of 23,275 students in the 2007-2008 school years. University charters are generally in operation at public senior university or college and consisted of 1,329 students attending 19 different university charter schools in 2007-2008. Furthermore, a home-rule charter means districts have the ability to convert into charter school status which includes an extensive voting process. There is no cap on the number of district charters; however, there are no home-rule charter schools operating in Texas (Terry and Alexander 2008, 3).

Open enrollment charter schools do not drain financial resources from mainstream public schools because they do not receive state funding. In fact, the excess money in the state education budget applies to the student’s home district and the neighboring school where the child resides. For example, in the 2005-2006 school year, the cost per student in Texas was ,629; charter schools were given approximately ,500 less per student (Terry and Alexander, 2008a, 1). Thus, operating a charter school saves the district money in educating a child because charter schools expend less money per child.

Because charter schools receive less money per student compared to mainstream school districts in Texas, it is necessary for charter schools to incorporate fund raising into their fiscal plans. Moreover, charter school fundraising brings more dollars into the public sector.  According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, in Illinois the total of public and private funding for charter schools brought in a total of million dollars to help educate the youth. In addition, charter schools introduce new resources into public education. Grants provide funds designed for charter schools phases such as, planning, development, and initial implementation which are not available to the public school system if charter schools were not in existence (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008).

It is incorrect for the districts in Texas to believe that charter schools negatively impact their bottom line or hinder their budgetary plan. In the event of the opening of a new charter school, the state provides the district with short term financial aids in order to prevent an impact on the school district revenue (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008). Because charter schools typically enroll a diverse student body with a variety of characteristics, the fiscal impact is a factor of enrollment only (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008). In addition, public and charter schools receive a percentage of money for students with disabilities; therefore, the public district receives an even higher amount than the ,500 per special education student.  Finally, socioeconomic factors dictate funding for individual students and services offered (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008).

Districts can easily reduce expenses to adapt to charter schools. The National Alliance for Charter Schools, reports that school districts can often adjust to student enrollment fluctuations-where there may be some key adjustments the first year, the following years have little to no impact on the school district (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008).   The National Alliance for Charter Schools also believes that if a charter school is thriving, and the district cannot adjust to the fluctuation in enrollment, it is likely due to the district’s own failed policies and rules (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008).

Charter schools in Texas increase the employment of teachers in the district as well. Many teachers struggle to obtain a teaching position once they graduate and charter schools open the doors for many of these qualified teachers to find a job in education. The state law only requires teachers to be state certified to work in a charter school if they specialize in special education or bilingual education (Terry and Alexander 2008a, 6). The state government in Texas does not require charter schools to employ certified teachers, but many choose to do so, especially with the shortage of teaching opportunities. Story supports this by stating statistics that show charter schools employ 26 percent of new teachers in the field compared to traditional public schools, which employ a mere 7 percent respectively (Story 2007, 3). In addition, charter schools can impact the traditional school district in a positive way by reducing the need for districts to hire new teachers by eliminating overcrowding, which reduces the average cost of hiring and training a new teacher, estimated to be about ,000 per teacher (The National Alliance for Charter Schools 2008). 

The impact of charter schools in the community’s economic and social growth is rapidly increasing. As stated earlier, charter schools do not receive funding for facilities from the state, however the districts that have charters schools receive and excess of approximately ,500 per student that attends a charter school.  Therefore, without the funding for a facility, charter schools renovate, remodel and/or rehabilitate existing property within a community in order to accommodate students. Having a charter school residing in a neighborhood has the potential to generate tax revenue and increase the value of real estate (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools 2008).

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools also suggests that if charter schools are successful in educating students, it can reduce the dropout rate in high schools and increase college admissions and graduates. Texas seems to have a high dropout rate, and those students who graduate do not have the communication and math skills necessary for college and require remedial math and reading programs to qualify for admission to college (Terry and Alexander 2008, 4). One of the most successful schools in Texas is a charter school that reduced their dropout rates dramatically under the direction of the mission of their charter.

 These charter schools often provide a safe haven for youth by providing aftercare and tutoring. Importantly, charter schools often give communities a sense of pride. Many charter schools offer Boy Scouts of America, sports, and other programs in order to facilitate teambuilding, self esteem, and help foster a sense of community, and growth in a child. Some charter schools open their doors for tutoring and mentoring on Saturdays to offer extra assistance as well as a safe setting for young learners. However, these programs are uncommon in the traditional public school district setting mostly because of the contract and collective bargaining processes of the districts. Charter schools have the ability to add the extra touches that impact students without the political constraints that traditional district schools face.

            While charter schools do not seem like they would pose a significant threat to the financial operations of the public school system in Texas, there are some risks associated with the existence of charter schools. Because most charter schools operate like a business, there is a risk of misappropriation and improper allocation of funds. In addition, misconduct of administrators, teachers, and entities involved with a particular charter school could lead to a negative reputation of charter schools as a whole. However, limiting the number of charter schools based on isolated incidents of illegal activity, inappropriate behavior or misuse of power could prove to be harmful to the education system. Misconduct can develop in any entity, including public school districts.

            Research shows that students from a traditional public school who attend charter schools for a period of two or three years improve more rapidly than students in the traditional public school district (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5). Not using a growth based system to measure the amount of growth, a student is able to obtain in the course of a year in the state accountability system is causing charter school to seem deficient (Terry and Alexander 2008, 5). Research from the “Texas Charter Schools: An Assessment in 2005″ produced by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, shows that students who left traditional public schools to attend charter schools performed better on average than they would have if they were still attending the traditional public school (Patterson 2004, 32). Thus, the correlation of charter schools and student achievement is significant, and students will benefit from the removal of the charter school cap in Texas.

            Charter schools provide competition with the mainstream district schools which provides an unwanted positive impact on the district schools. It forces district schools to exhibit more accountability of staff and teachers and puts pressure on them to increase student performance. If the schools are functioning at low levels, parents or guardians will feel the need to remove their child from the district school by applying to a charter school. If lawmakers remove the cap and more options are available to parents and guardians, more choices for education will be accessible to students and parents. In addition, the competition between charter schools and public schools will cause school districts to increase their overall academic performance.

            Patterson asserts the bottom line for charter schools in Texas as follows:

Charter schools are a valuable alternative to traditional public schools (Patterson 2005, 1).

Charters are especially effective with disadvantaged students (Patterson 2005, 1).

Charters challenge traditional public schools to improve student performance (Patterson 2005, 1).

 Charters do a better job with high school students and alternative education programs (Patterson 2005, 1).

 

Conclusion:

The benefits a charter school can provide to the district public schools, parents, students, and the community significantly outweighs any negative impact charters may cause. The Texas legislature should eliminate the cap of 215 charter schools which prevents charter schools to operate in a free market (Terry and Alexander, 2008, 1). The 16,810 or more students on the waiting lists for charter schools prove the demand for charter schools. This demand, viewed in light of the current issues facing traditional public schools, proves that charter schools are working well in improving the quality of education. Many education analysts believe that the quality of a charter school education will increase overtime. Unless this demand meets the supply, tens of thousands of students will remain in an environment that may not promote academic, emotional or social growth. Equally important, these students will not thrive in their current placement and could regress to the extent of becoming an at-risk youth who could potentially drop out of high school, leading to a grim future. This proposed reform of lifting the cap could be an immense opportunity for Texas to become a leader in the charter school movement. The Texas public school system could stop the increase of real estate taxes to invest money in failing districts and make the choice to provide additional educational resources for the children of the state.

            The bureaucracy that places a barrier to student learning and student performance is unconscionable. A simple solution to the education crisis Texas is facing would be to lift the cap while continuing to monitor all educational institutions. It is in the best interests of the child to allow parents and guardians to make the choice of where their child should attend school to get the best free, appropriate public education possible. The main purpose of the charter school legislation in 1995 was to give that choice to Texas citizens. That freedom no longer exists for thousands of citizens in Texas because of the cap on charter schools. Given the overwhelming evidence that charter schools are socioeconomically beneficial, lawmakers in Texas should increase or remove the cap altogether and make charter schools available to all of its citizens in 2009.

 

 

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Considered by many to be one of the premier nightlife spots in the country, Austin, Texas boasts a high-energy bar scene and entertainment district, and the moniker, “The Live Music Capital of the World.” In addition to the literally hundreds of bars, clubs and restaurants that make up Austin’s downtown, a newer type of establishment is quickly growing in popularity among locals and tourists alike: the wine bar. The twenty-something University of Texas at Austin crowd can keep 6th Street and it’s rowdy, raucous bars and dance clubs; Austin’s older, more sophisticated set has found a posh and cozy new home in Austin’s burgeoning wine bar scene. Let’s take a closer look at three of the most popular spots for fans of the fermented grape.

1.Cork & Company

Cork & Co.’s fun, flirty atmosphere makes it one of Austin’s most popular casual wine bars. With its low-key vibe and emphasis on making wine fun, Cork & Co. consistently serves up a good time. Patrons enjoy wine appreciation classes (think “Pottery, Paint & Prosecco”), great happy hour specials, a wide selection of wines for sale by the flight, glass, or bottle, and even lively trivia games. Located at 308 Congress Ave., Cork & Co. is uniquely situated in the heart of downtown, close to restaurants, clubs, and a great view of the capital.

2.Cru Wine Bar

Self described as “an exciting destination to experience and explore the fascinating world of wine,” Cru offers Austin’s wine aficionados more than 300 wines to choose from, with a selection of more than a dozen unique wine flights daily. Cru’s welcoming, yet sophisticated atmosphere make it a great option for any personality, and its two convenient locations (with one downtown, at 238 West 2nd Street, and another at North Austin’s trendy Domain shopping center) make it one of the more accessible wine bars in Austin. In addition to an extensive array of wines, Cru’s patrons can enjoy a delectable, Mediterranean inspired menu of starters and entrees (including steamed mussels, seared ahi tuna and stone-fired pizzas), or can simply snack on one of their deliciously creative cheese flights.

3.Taste

The newest edition to Austin’s sommelier scene, Taste (officially called Taste Select Wines) offers a unique spin on the traditional wine bar concept. Offering a full (though brief and often changing) menu, Taste combines delicious culinary treats (the roast Texas quail is a true delicacy, and the cheese plate is creative, decadent and delicious) with exquisite wines and an extremely knowledgeable (and yet surprisingly unpretentious) staff. Perhaps the best thing about Taste (located downtown at 202 West Cesar Chavez St.) is the self-serve section. Wine aficionados on the go can sample one of the dozens of wines Taste offers literally on tap. Simply hand over your credit card upon entering the bar, and you’ll receive a key card that provides access to a wealth of different wines from across the globe for you to swipe and sample at your leisure. Just hand the key card over when you’re done, and the staff will tally your drinks and charge you accordingly. But sampler beware, this is a deliciously easy way to blow your budget!

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When you mention Austin Texas to most people the first thing that usually comes to mind is music. Since 1976, the television show Austin City Limits has brought music into living rooms around the world. It is no wonder that music is the first thing we think of when we hear Austin, Texas. Austin officially became known as the music capital of the world in 1991. It got this distinction because compared to all areas nationwide, Austin has more live music venues per capita. With over 200 live music venues and thousands of artists calling Austin home, you can see a live music show at just about any time you want.

The Austin City Limits television show that is still filmed today on the University of Texas at Austin campus might have been the initial start of this city’s music claim to fame but the sheer volume of artist and venues makes this town truly musical. Not only are there daily live venues but there are festivals that bring out all kinds of music and entertainment. The most popular festival is The Austin City Limits Festival. With over 100 artists filling Austin’s Zilkner Park, this annual festival brings out the best of the best in talent. Groups like Pearl Jam, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan have all made appearances at this annual festival. For out of towners who wish to travel to see the festival have many local Austin Hotel Packages to take advantage of.

Music Venues in Austin Span the Entire City

There are other festivals as well, the Pachanga Festival is the area’s Latin-themed festival and Urban Music fest is a celebration of urban culture. You don’t just have to go to festivals for music in Austin, as every day venues of all kinds across the city offer just about any kind of music a person could possibly be looking for.

Music in Austin is much more than festivals and music venues, however. There are dozens of music cafes and restaurants around the area. The thing a lot of people will find interesting is that the music doesn’t stop there. In Austin you can expect to find music performances at the airport, city hall, and even grocery stores such Whole Foods Market with its “Music at the Market” series held in the spring.

Austin is music. The venues, restaurants, city locations all cater to the music scene. You can’t go to Austin and not enjoy the music. Luckily, when you travel, affordable and comfortable Austin TX lodging makes your stay relaxing as well as entertaining.

Long before Austin became the bustling city that we see today, it was a popular hunting and fishing area for many of the regional Native American tribes. Nomadic tribes, such as the Apache, Tonkawa and Comanche, made camp in the area and took advantage of the vast natural resources for their survival.

In the early 1830’s, white settlers founded a small village in the area, then called Waterloo, which was chosen as the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1839. It was then that the name of the settlement was changed to Austin, as a tribute to the founder of Texas, Stephen Austin. The small village began to grow into a thriving city in a very short period of time, with nearly 900 residents in just a few months of its selection as the capital.

The year 1845 brought the annexation of Texas into the United States. The state’s legislature approved Austin as the capital of the newly created state, and over the next several years, two public referendums confirmed this decision. Austin continued to grow and thrive, becoming the true heart of the state. When the railroad came to the city in 1871, Austin’s population exploded. Within half a decade, the population of the city rose from around 5,000 residents to 10,000.          

The 1880’s brought the introduction of the city’s public school system. This, coupled with the opening of the University of Texas at Austin, brought a true sense of order and community to the city. In 1888, Austin’s state capital building was completed, bringing even more attention to the steadily growing city. It was billed at the time as the 7th largest building in the world. The building was constructed of pink granite and the peak of the building stands higher than the US Capitol building in Washington, DC.

From the early 1900’s through the 1950’s, Austin became a hub of manufacturing and innovation. There were factories, laboratories and think-tanks popping up all over the area, and many companies were finding that the city was the ideal location for their businesses. Even today, some of the best known technological innovators have their offices and factories around Austin. This high-tech attraction to the area has earned the region the nickname “The Silicon Hills.”

In the 1970’s, the interests of the people of the city seemed to turn to culture, the community and the environment. Well-known musicians, such as Willie Nelson, brought the attention of the rest of the country and the world to the city. The live music scene began to grown and Austin is now known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Communities grew close and people worked together to make their neighborhoods safe and beautiful. The people and the government took steps together to preserve the area’s natural resources and to make Austin a cleaner, greener place to live. This trend has continued up to today, with Austin being a unique city, known for its music, strong community ties, and deep interest in environmental issues.

Deciding to move office space is a big move for any company. Executive suites, cubicle space, window offices, conference rooms; the choice of commercial real estate is endless, as is the choice of location. If you’re considering moving to US office space and you want to move somewhere hot then Texas could be the ideal choice for you.

Hot, humid and vast; Texas is the perfect location for any business. But where’s the best place to take office space in Texas? Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth are all great locations for commercial property in the Texas area but in my view, nothing can beat Austin.

Why’s Austin such a fantastic choice to take office space in Texas? You’d better read on!

Austin is the capital of Texas. This means it has a growing population, which currently stands at around 790,000 people, so you’ll never be short of employees or customers. The city of Austin was christened 2nd Best Big City in “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine in 2006 and according to Travel magazine ranks as number 1 on the list of cities with the best people.
Austin office space is rich and plentiful. Affordable pricing, stylish interiors and versatile floor space means it’s one of the top office space locations in Texas. As a result, the city’s office space is home to 3 of the Fortune 500 companies – Whole Foods Market, Forestar Group and Freescale Semiconductor. Dell also has an office in the city, while earlier this year Facebook announced plans to build a new downtown office in Austin, which could bring around 200 jobs to the area.
Austin is hot, hot, hot! The city has a sub-tropical climate which means that it experiences hot summers and mild winters. This makes it ideal for companies who hate the cold and enjoy warm winters.
The city of Austin is a fantastic choice for technology and defence companies thanks to a steady stream of graduates from The University of Texas at Austin. As a result, Austin is known as major centre for high-tech and boasts a large number of major technology companies such as Apple, Google and AMD.
Austin’s official slogan is “The Live Music Capital of the World”, which reflects the city’s vibrant music scene. The city is full of nightclubs, particularly on 6th Street and Austin’s annual film and music festival, South by Southwest, attracts thousands of tourists each year.

In conclusion, Austin might not be the most high profile city in the United States but it’s certainly a fantastic choice for commercial real estate for any business.

Round Rock homes are priced about eight percent below the area market. In addition, property taxes are lower here, as is the general cost of living. So you can afford more Forest Creek Home for your money and still get all the great recreation, golfing, education, outdoor activities, and the local entertainment scene. Forest Creek homes for sale run from just under 0,000 to around 0,000. There are lots of different sizes and styles to choose from in this beautiful planned community. Don’t miss your chance to have affordable golf club community property while maintaining close proximity to the city and countryside as well. In addition to lower cost of living, great schools, and amenities, your Forest Creek home will be situated in one of the safest communities in the country–Round Rock was recently named the 13th safest city with populations between 50,000 and 100,000.

To see ALL houses for sale in Forest Creek visit the Forest Creek page on our Round Rock Real Estate website.

Forest Creek is situated in the nationally acclaimed Round Rock School District. Round Rock ISD boast several accomplishments including:

National and Texas Blue Ribbon Awards
Greater Austin Quality Awards
The Eighth Annual School System “What Parents Want Award”
Two “Recognized” ratings from the Texas Education Agency
Eleven National Blue Ribbons
Fourteen State Blue Ribbons
And 81% of its High School seniors take the ACT and SAT, scoring well above the national average
International Baccalaureate Schools
Texas Education Association (TEA) Gold Performance Acknowledgements
The Best Public Schools in Texas – Texas Monthly
America’s Best High Schools – Newsweek
America’s Best High Schools – US News and World Report
Texas Business & Education Coalition (TBEC) Honor Roll 
Expansion Management Education Quotient
Just for the Kids High Performing Schools
Texas Mentor School Network
National PTA Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence
University of Texas Center for Performance Excellence

Forest Creek is situated in the nationally acclaimed Leander School District. Leander ISD boasts several accomplishments including:

Forest Creek Schools are: 

School District:                 Round Rock ISD
Elementary:                     Forest Creek   

Middle School:                  Ridgeview       

High School:                    Stony Point

Major Employers:

IBM

Dell Computers

Westinghouse

Cisco Systems

Abbott Labs

3M

Farmer’s Regional Office

Motorola

Sun Microsystems

Links of Interest:

Shopping:  La Frontera, Lakeline Mall, Round Rock Prime Outlets

Hospitals:

St. Davids

Seton

Scott & White

Area Links

Marriott Hotels

Hiking

Forest Creek real estate is so diverse in style, design, and price that you will have to see the neighborhoods for yourself. If the homes aren’t enough to convince you, remember the superb schools, nearby recreation and amenities, and Austin area jobs. And don’t forget the Austin entertainment scene. There is a reason Austin is called the Live Music Capital of the World. It has more performance venues than any city in the U.S., and Austin City Limits is filmed right at the University of Texas at Austin. It also boasts great festivals for both music and film, and the city is filled with artists and artisans of all kinds who line the streets with their creativity.

Texas A&M University is represented by the Texas A&M Aggies football team, or the Texas Aggies. They are a Division 1 college football team. Since their inception in 1996, the Aggies have competed in the South Division of the Big 12 conference. Their home games have been played at Kyle Field, a stadium with an outdoor seating capacity of 83,002. Their current head coach is former NFL coach Mike Sherman.
From 1894 until 1902, the Aggies were independent from an conference affiliations before they joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1903. This lasted until 1908, wherein they once again became independent from 1909 until 1911. This was an on-off affiliation with the SIAA, until they joined the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1913. From 1915 until 1995, they have been part of the Southwest Conference. From 1996 until the present, they are part of the South Division Big 12 Conference.

Championships and Accomplishments

The Texas A&M Aggies football squad has earned one National championship title and 19 conference titles since their initial joining as a charter member of the Southwest Conference in 1915. Texas A&M recognizes only the national title of 1939, but retroactive polls have awarded them titles in 1917, 1919 and 1927.

Texas A&M Aggies football has become one to mark history, as their 1921 game between the University of Texas was the first ever live, play by play broadcast of a college football game.
The 1980?s and the 1990?s marked as one of the more shining moments in Texas A&M Football history as several of their players went on to become named as part of the All-American squad.

The lone Texas A&M player to have won the prestigious Heisman trophy is John David Crow, who has won the award way back 1957 who has lead the team to an 8-3 record and a stunning Gator bowl berth against Tennessee.

Current Quarterbacks in the Roster
Tommy Dorman, Jerrod Johnson, Stephen McGee, Ryan Tannehill

Texas A&M Recent News

Texas A&M fans are in for their money?s worth as some of the team?s key player are being honored for their achievements in the field. Just recently, A&M junior defensive back Jordan Peterson has been named to the ESPN The Magazine All District 6 Football Team. He has been named by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Being names All District now makes Peterson a candidate for the Academic All American football team. Peterson carries a 3.8 grade point average, while also becoming a two time academic all Big 12 selection. In his three seasons with the Aggies, he has compiled 74 tackles, made four interceptions and broken up 14 other passes. He has been a starter for 17 games with the Aggies.

Another A&M footballer, Cyrus Gray, the A&M Running Back, has just recently earned Big 12 Player of the week honors and a Special Team Player of the Week awards. This is after rolling up a school record of 261 kickoff return yards, and not to mention 98 yard touchdown, the first kick off return score for the during the intense showdown between Oklahoma. Fellow Longhorn Trent Hunter also received a Big 12 Defensive accolade after posting in 17 tackles in his debut against Army last September.

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Mayfield Ranch is one of the many new construction planned neighborhoods in Round Rock, Texas, offering upscale living at affordable prices and access to some of the United States’ finest culture, education, technology, and quality of living.  

Mayfield Ranch is a 700-home master planned community that prides itself in offering residents the best of open spaces, natural preserves, and outdoor recreation at the stunning Williamson County Park. In addition, the developers are planning a brand new recreation center. The master plan provides for these homes to be nestled within a system of several greenbelt type areas that will add to the already-plentiful trails for hiking and biking. Throughout these diverse neighborhoods two things are common; the high standard of living and respect for the natural surroundings.  Prices in Mayfield Ranch range from 0,000 to 0,000.

To see ALL houses for sale in Mayfield Ranch visit the Mayfield Ranch page on our Round Rock Real Estate website.

There are six primary builders in this community. When you shop for your Mayfield Ranch home, you can choose from:

Meritage Homes
Newmark Homes
David Weekly Homes
D.R. Horton Homes
Standard Pacific Homes
Grand Haven Homes

All of these builders offer the best in construction and quality for the price range, and will work with you to make sure you’re happy with your new Mayfield Ranch home. Mayfield Ranch homes are all near the Williamson County Park that offers a wildlife preserve of 200 acres, soccer fields, hiking and cycling trails, tennis courts, and much more in the planning stages.  Mayfield Ranch is close to all of the Round Rock amenities as well as the ones located in other neighborhoods. Your Mayfield Ranch home would be close to the famous Forest Creek Golf Course and other championship courses, great shopping, lots of dining, major employers, and the ever-popular Austin city nightlife and entertainment.  The Mayfield Ranch Homeowners Association invites all residents to be part of their community and participate in association activities. This association helps Mayfield Ranch homes hold their value by keeping the area architecture, common areas, and property changes consistent with the master plan. 

Mayfield Ranch is situated in the nationally acclaimed Round Rock School District. Round Rock ISD boast several accomplishments including:  
National and Texas Blue Ribbon Awards
Greater Austin Quality Awards
The Eighth Annual School System “What Parents Want Award”
Two “Recognized” ratings from the Texas Education Agency
Eleven National Blue Ribbons
Fourteen State Blue Ribbons
And 81% of its High School seniors take the ACT and SAT, scoring well above the national average
International Baccalaureate Schools
Texas Education Association (TEA) Gold Performance Acknowledgements
The Best Public Schools in Texas – Texas Monthly
America’s Best High Schools – Newsweek
America’s Best High Schools – US News and World Report
Texas Business & Education Coalition (TBEC) Honor Roll 
Expansion Management Education Quotient
Just for the Kids High Performing Schools
Texas Mentor School Network
National PTA Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence
University of Texas Center for Performance Excellence
Mayfield Ranch is also situated in the nationally acclaimed Leander School District. Leander ISD boasts several accomplishments including:  

Mayfield Ranch Schools are: 
School District:          Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD       

Elementary:
Cactus Ranch Elementary (RRISD)                                    Pleasant Hill Elementary (LISD)

Middle School:
Hopewell Middle School (RRISD)
Wiley Middle School (LISD)

High School:
Stony Point High School (RRISD)
Vista Ridge High School (LISD)  

Major Employers:
IBM Dell Computers Westinghouse Cisco Systems Abbott Labs 3M Farmer’s Regional Office Motorola Sun Microsystems

Links of Interest:
Shopping: 
La Frontera, Lakeline Mall, Round Rock Prime Outlets Hospitals:
St. Davids Seton Scott & White
Area Links
Marriott Hotels
Hiking

If the homes aren’t enough to convince you, remember the superb schools, nearby recreation and amenities, and Austin area jobs. And don’t forget the Austin entertainment scene. There is a reason Austin is called the Live Music Capital of the World. It has more performance venues than any city in the U.S., and Austin City Limits is filmed right at the University of Texas at Austin. It also boasts great festivals for both music and film, and the city is filled with artists and artisans of all kinds who line the streets with their creativity.

More University Of Texas At Austin Articles