Todd Wortham, our friend, neighbor and pastor of Wells Branch Community Church, left us to be with the Lord Saturday morning while on a mission trip in Joplin, Missouri.  Please join us in praying for his wife, Cassi, and children as well as his church family.

Todd, you’ve touched so many of our lives here in Wells Branch in such a short time.  We’ve been blessed to have you as a part of our community and will miss you greatly.

From Wells Branch Community Church regarding services:

We will celebrate the life of Todd Wortham with a Visitation / Family Night Thursday, August 18th from 5-8 PM at Hill Country Bible Church Pflugerville and with a Celebration Service 11AM Friday morning, August 19th at Hill Country Bible Church North West.

There is a facebook group for remembering Todd at:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/188886891178375/

Wortham Family Memorial Fund
c/o Wells Branch Community Church
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy, 110B-306
Austin, TX 78728

Jackie Gabbart is going to take on being the point person for communication during this time, to allow Cassi time with her family in mourning.   As soon as we have more information we will post it at www.wellsbranchchurch.com and On The City.  If you can’t find what you’re looking for there you can email Jackie at jackie_gabbart@yahoo.com or call her cell @ 512-963-7780.

We’d like to thank our community for supporting the WBNA in our fundraising efforts.  The following individuals and businesses donated generously to our Silent Auction, which was held on July 4^th.  Its purpose was to raise enough money to pay for National Night Out, the annual Easter Egg Hunt,  Friday night at Luminary Fest in December and to help with our educational/safety programs.  We exceeded our goal!  Thanks to all of you who participated in the Silent Auction.  Whether you were a donor or buyer, you all made a tremendous difference and the WBNA is grateful!

When you see the neighbors listed below, please thank them for supporting our community.  In addition, we hope you’ll patronize these businesses and join us on October 4^th for Wells Branch’s National Night Out Against Crime.

Join the Wells Branch email discussion group for a community conversation on any and everything! Find out what’s going on with Wells Branch as it’s happening – everything from ducks, composting and crime watch to history and gardening.  All residents, homeowners and renters alike are welcome.  New topics are always popping up.  Don’t miss out!  Join the group by going to Google Groups on your Web Browser, search for Wells Branch Neighbors, and fill out the request sheet (or use the link below). The Group Administrator can then add you.

Once you’re subscribed to the group, you should add “wells-branch-neighbors@googlegroups.com” to your contact list.  Whenever you wish to communicate with your neighbors, simply send an email to this address and your email will be broadcast to all members.  When responding to an email: “reply” goes to the sender of the email and “reply to all” goes out to everyone. Consider using software for better inbox control and to enhance your email metrics.

The site is: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/wells-branch-neighbors, but remember, you need to belong in order to read it, so send your request today!

So we don’t have fireworks this year, so what? We still live in an amazing community.  We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for.  I say we make this the best FourthFest yet, with or without fireworks!

Let’s get in the spirit early.  Hang your flags out NOW.  Let everybody know that you’re ready to celebrate!  Meet in front of the community center at 9:30am.  The parade takes off at 10am.  If you’ve never been to one of our parades before, then you should probably know we have decorated bikes, wagons, trailers, DOGS, KIDS, hats, motorcycles and floats.  Contact Matt Fuller at 251-9814 for float approval and parade questions and also if you’re interested in volunteering at this event.   WB events are huge and the MUD always needs volunteers!

When the parade returns to the Community Center, we kick off a FULL day of events.

There’ll be children’s activities throughout the park from 11-2pm.  Come win prizes at games like beanbag toss, balloon darts, milk bottle throw, soccer sick, and washer toss.   Free admission to KF Pool and games there from 12-3pm.  The Kiddy Train will be all revved up for the Fourth and giving rides and Miss Jellybean Balloon Clown will be on hand from 11-3pm to entertain.  Caricature artists provided by Wells Branch Community Church will be in the courtyard from 11-3pm and there’ll be inflatables for the kids to play on in the park.  ALL FOR FREE!!!

Live entertainment starts at 11am and goes through 5pm under the big tent.  There’ll be music, a ventriloquist, a magician and more music!  Throughout the day, concessions will be available offering a variety of items to enjoy.  For a complete list of entertainment and food, please see below.

The Silent Auction is back this year and benefits the WBNA.  Money raised from this event helps fund the Easter Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Friday night at Luminary Fest and all of the educational and safety seminars we put on throughout the year.  Come peruse all of our goodies and start placing your bids at soon as the parade returns. Contact Debbie Brown at 422-2372 or SilentAuction@wbna.us if you have an item or service you’d like to donate.

Although we may not have fireworks, there’s still so much to do in the neighborhood to celebrate Independence Day!  Come show your spirit and remember YOU make Wells Branch GREAT!

Live Entertainment Under the Big Tent

11:00-12:30  Off the Record
1:00 – 1:45    Ian Varella, Ventriloquist
2:15 – 3:00    Gusto the Great, Magician
3:30 – 5:00   Pride and Joy

Concessions

WB MUD –roasted corn, watermelon, and funnel cakes
Wells Branch Garden Guild – Hot dogs and sausage wraps
Boy Scouts – Soft drinks, water
Cub Scouts – Ice Cream
Armada Swim Team – Popcorn
Branch BBQ – BBQ Sandwiches, chips, cookies
Chon Som – Asian cuisine
El Faro Taco – fajita tacos, horchata

Travis County to hold public hearings on redistricting

Travis County will hold a series of public hearings to allow the community to give input on the redistricting plan to be adopted by the Commissioners Court on or about August 23, 2011.  The new plan must reflect changes in Travis County demographics as reported in the latest Census data to ensure an accurate representation of the voting public.

Click HERE to download the public hearing notice, which includes the dates, times and locations of all the public hearings. The public hearing in Precinct 2 takes place on Wednesday, June 29  from  5  pm  to  8  pm  at  the  Precinct  #2  Justice  of  the Peace Office, 10409 Burnet Rd., 2nd Floor, Austin, TX 78758.

Public Hearing Set for Travis County 2011 Bond Program

The Travis County Commissioners Court will be holding a Public Outreach Meeting on the Travis County 2011 Bond Program on June 27 at 7pm at the Wells Branch Community Center at 2106 Klattenhoff.  Click HERE for more information on the Bond Hearings.

Continue reading Travis County Pct. 2 News →

“Bill Todd was a valued friend to all in our community.  Everyone growing up in Wells Branch had children that were entertained and amazed with tales of life in 1850s at Homestead tours and events.  We will remember and miss him dearly.” – Chuck Walters, President, WB MUD

To read more about Mr. Todd and all that he contributed to our community, please visit www.wbna.us -> community -> history-> Bill Todd

Please take a moment to share your thoughts and stories about Mr. Todd under “Comments” so that we may share them with the rest of the community.

Public Sale & Use of Fireworks Prohibited AND Public Fireworks Displays on HOLD in Travis County

Travis County Commissioners Court was presented information June 14, 2011 regarding the imminent threat of wildfire in Travis County.  A local disaster declaration is required to prohibit the sale and use of fireworks.  Governor Perry has extended the Proclamation Declaring Local State of Disaster and Prohibiting Sale and Use of Fireworks through 7 a.m. on July 5, 2011.

The continued lack of rain has created conditions that could allow a fire to quickly devastate large areas.  The dry vegetation and frequent windy days could spread wildfires quickly and make them extremely difficult to extinguish.

Celebrating Independence Day with fireworks is a long-standing tradition in the United States.  We as a nation are very proud to be free and independent from foreign control.  However, the uncontrolled use of fireworks, in our current and forecast conditions, poses a hazard to the citizens and property of Travis County that is too great a risk to bear.

We would like to thank the public for their understanding during these extreme conditions, and their continued support to protect life and property in Travis County.

For these same reasons, local Fire Authorities throughout Travis County have restricted public fireworks shows due to extreme wildfire risk around July 4^th holiday. Permits for public fireworks shows during the current extreme wildfire danger will not be approved.

When the weather conditions improve, Authorities will reevaluate any pending request for permits and grant approvals accordingly.

Check www.wellsbranchmud.com or www.wbna.us for updates regarding the status of July 4^th fireworks and watch for signs throughout the neighborhood should the MUD receive last minute approval.