Steiner Steakhouse set to open Friday

From Hill Country News, November 28, 2008...

Instead of shopping the day after Thanksgiving, Bobby Steiner will be opening the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse. He is excited, after months of waiting, to offer the upscale eatery to the community that bears his name.

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Bennigan's Lakeline closes

From Hill Country News, November 28, 2008...

Bennigan's - located at 13995 Highway 183 North at Lakeline Mall Boulevard - closed after business on Monday. It was one of four Bennigan's in the area - two in Austin, one in Round Rock and another in San Marcos - which were franchise locations owned by Hammoud, Inc.

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Don't Be Fooled By Going-Out-of-Business Sales

With regard to the going-out-of-business sales going on at Circuit City and Linens and Things, the Better Business Bureau advises the following:

Going Out Of Business Sales May Not Be Such A Bargain

What many people don't realize is that outside liquidation companies run most going-out-of-business sales. Their job is to get as much money as possible for the inventory. For these companies, going out of business is a business.

The liquidators come in before a going-out-of-business sale and raise all prices up to the regular selling price. Then they discount from there, starting with small percentages off and deepening the discounts as the sale goes on.

Liquidators have less leeway than regular retailers in pricing their products because they have no factory-to-dealer incentives to fall back on. In other words, when manufacturers are trying to get their products onto store shelves and gain market share, they may discount the price they charge to retailers or provide factory rebates. Retailers can then advertise those rebates and pass the savings along to customers. Liquidators don't have options like that because their store is not going to stick around.

Liquidators rarely sell merchandise at a loss, even near the end of the sale. There are other ways to sell it off, like to overseas markets hungry for merchandise. So rather than trying to empty a store to the bare walls, going-out-of-business sales are more of a play upon human psychology. Liquidators often try to take advantage of that excitement by bringing in extra outside goods that were never sold at the store that is closing.

FDA finds traces of melamine in US infant formula

From KVUE, November 26, 2008...

Traces of the industrial chemical melamine have been detected in samples of top-selling U.S. infant formula, but federal regulators insist the products are safe. The Food and Drug Administration said last month it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants, but a top official said it would be a "dangerous overreaction" for parents to stop feeding infant formula to babies who depend on it.

"The levels that we are detecting are extremely low," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "They should not be changing the diet. If they've been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That's in the best interest of the baby."

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Broken CFL bulb? Don't call 911

From statesman, November 24, 2008...

As a lieutenant in the Austin Fire Department's special operations division, Randy Hazelrig routinely responds to emergencies involving broken gas lines or chemical spills.

In the past couple of months, he's also responded to a new type of call that Austin firefighters say is on the rise: ones involving broken light bulbs.

As more consumers begin to transition from traditional light bulbs to new, energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs, some have begun calling 911 when the new bulbs break or shatter.

The bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, and some users aren't sure whether they are in danger or how to dispose of the fragments.

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Ever Wonder What All Those Cedar Park Businesses Are on 183?

From Community Impact, November 21, 2008...

Click on image for a larger view...

1. Terry Davis & Associates

2. Trinity Family Medicine

3. Cedar Park Tech Chiropractic Clinic

4. Edward Jones

5. Watkins Insurance Group

6. Moonie's Burger House

7. Golden Sun Tan

8. Nationwide Insurance & Financial Services

9. Cedar Park Family Practice

10. Fancy Nails

11. Barber Cuts

12. The District Skateboard Supply

13. Hearing Aid Express; 14. Peak Performance Martial Arts

15. ACE Hardware

16. Willow Tree Dance Center

17. Fast Signs

18. Karen Naples

19. Steven W. Smith

20. Callahan's Feed and Pet Supply; (Did you know that Callahan's did not close?)

21. Advanced Tech Automotive

22. State Farm Insurance

23. Stor-A-Way

24. Loan Star Title Loans

25. Allstate Insurance Company

26. Connie's Carwash and N.E.W. Mini Storage

27. Star Dancers Studio

28. Plush Fabric and Home Interiors

29. Cedar Park Eye Care

30. Domino's Pizza

31. Advance America Cash Advance

32. Austin Shoe Hospital

33. Specialty Compounding

34. Smokey Denmark

35. Cedar Park Cemetery

36. Cedar Park Fire Station #1

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Blue Santa and Brown Santa

From Community Impact, November 21, 2008...

This holiday season, blue and brown are the new red and green.

Every winter for more than a decade, Leander, Cedar Park and Williamson County law enforcement agencies have worked with the communities to make Christmas merrier for families in need. The Blue Santa and Brown Santa initiatives bring toys, books and financial assistance to thousands of eager children and their parents.

Local police departments work with the Hill Country Christmas Bureau to run Blue Santa, which serves families living within the bounds of each city. The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office organizes Brown Santa, a parallel program assisting county residents who live outside incorporated cities.

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Willy O's Burgers and More in Cedar Park

From Community Impact, November 21, 2008...

In December 2007, cousins William Payne and Don Hendrix opened Willy O’s Burgers & More, a burger joint offering delicious Blue Bell milkshakes ($3.79), fresh-cut fries ($1.89) and made-to-order hamburgers ($3.49 and up).

Hendrix said what sets Willy O’s apart from other fast-food restaurants is a tastier burger, fresh-cut fries, fresh-cut continuous potato chips called ribbon fries ($2.89) and seasonings from Zapp’s Potato Chip Co.

Conveniently located in 1890 Ranch near Cinemark Cedar Park, the restaurant is a great place for a casual date or meeting with friends before catching a movie.

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New Stores at 1890 Ranch

From Community Impact, November 21, 2008...

Platos' Closet: The upscale resale store will begin making purchases when it opens and, after five to six weeks, will begin selling clothes. Some new items will be available, such as purses and sunglasses, but most of the merchandise will be resale apparel.

Mardel and Hemispheres: Hobby Lobby is bringing its sister stores to 1890 Ranch. Mardel and Hemispheres, both owned by Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., are scheduled to open in mid-November. Mardel is a 22,000 sq. ft. Christian supply store that sells books, music, gifts, videos, children’s games, office supplies and educational materials. Hemispheres, which is 50,000 sq. ft., sells home décor, including imported and domestic furniture, artwork, rugs and bedding. Mardel is open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. except Wednesday, when it is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Hemispheres is open Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Call 260-2086 for Hemispheres or visit http://www.mardel.com/ and http://www.hemispheres-us.com/.

Charming Charlie (opened October 14th): The Houston-based women’s accessories retailer has hundreds of fashionable, affordable choices of handbags, jewelry, clothing, sunglasses and accessories. The store is about 6,800 sq. ft. and is open daily from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at 1355 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 400. Call 259-4262 or visit http://www.charmingcharlie.com/.

Baskin Robbins: Baskin Robbins recently opened at 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. S-104. The ice cream parlor seats 22 people and offers custom cakes and specials such as $1 scoop Tuesdays. Call 986-7593.

Buffalo Wild Wings opened Sept. 29 at 4710 Toll 183A. Wing lovers can savor 40 cent traditional wings on Tuesdays and 50 cent boneless wings on Thursdays, as well as daily rotating beer specials and happy hour from 4-7 p.m. With 20 beers on tap, 39 high-definition televisions and five 100-inch high-definition projectors, customers can enjoy watching a game. Hours are Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. and Sun. 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Call 528-9030.

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Crystal Falls Plaza brings Starbucks to Leander

From Community Impact, November 21, 2008...

Crystal Falls Plaza, anchored by Starbucks Coffee Company, is under construction at 1705 US 183, just south of the Lowe’s-anchored Gateway at Leander at the intersection of Crystal Falls Parkway and US 183.

The land was formerly occupied by a barbershop owned by City of Leander Councilman John Perez.

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Get business and residential directory information online from ReferenceUSA

From Austin City Connection, November 3, 2008...

The Austin Public Library has a new online resource you can use to locate business and residential directory information. You do need to have an Austin Public Library card to use the service, though. The good news is that, as of October 1, 2008, you no longer have to be an Austin resident to get a library card. If you live in Texas, you are good to go!

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Sushi rolls into Georgetown

From Community Impact, November 14, 2008...

Ichiban Sushi Buffet, 1103 Rivery Blvd., Ste. 210, is expected to open by Dec. 1. The restaurant, owned by Shan Shen Lin, will feature two sushi chefs, a sushi bar and a Chinese buffet. Call 972-937-0660.

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Holiday Inn Express next for Leander?

From Hill Country News, November 13, 2008...

The owner and general manager of a Cedar Park hotel wants to build another hotel, this time in Leander.

Sharon Erickson, owner of the Comfort Inn in Cedar Park, and her general manager, Jerry Anderson, spoke at citizens' communications on Thursday night at the Leander City Council meeting to tell the council that they are moving forward with their plan, but can only go as far as the city will let them.

“The bank has already authorized to give us the money we need to build it, and they said in a letter we can go forward once Sonny Drive extends east beyond the railroad tracks,” Erickson said.

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CR 272 becomes hot topic in Leander

From Hill Country News, November 13, 2008...

Moments before Leander City Engineer Wayne Watts gave an update on the city's 2007 Bond projects at last Thursday's city council meeting, resident Blanche Corley expressed her concerns about the lack of work done on County Road 272, which is better known as East Crystal Falls Parkway.

The council also expressed discontent about the fact that no work has been done to widen the road as originally planned several years ago. Watts and City Manager Anthony Johnson blame it on a TxDOT grant that requires an additional environmental study that's required for the road. After voicing their displeasure, the council unanimously decided that the city must look forward into seeing what needs to be done to get the road finished in a timely manner.

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Ed. Note: The construction timeline for East Crystal Falls Pkwy calls for bids to be opened Feb. 5th, awarded Feb 19th, ground-breaking to begin in March, and project completion Nov. 15, 2009.

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Leander Employment Firm Scamming Job Seekers

From KEYE, November 11, 2008...

More than a million jobs have been slashed in the United States this year. The unemployment rate now sits at a 14-year high of 6.5 percent. With so many people looking for work the Better Business Bureau is getting complaints about one employment company that was operating out of Leander, Texas.

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Are You Confused About the State of the Economy?

You may or may not agree with me that we are witnessing a major once-in-a-lifetime seachange in the economy which will have (already has had) a profound effect on our lives. I have developed a thesis about what's coming, but I won't elaborate on that here. I simply wanted to pass along a couple of links that may help you to get your head around what has been happening in the global markets, the economy, and the finicial crisis. They provide a good rearview mirror view of the events that got us into the current crisis, and define a lot of the terms which have popped up in the general media lately - Credit Default Swaps (CDS), Collateralized debt Obligations (CDO), Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), Glass-Steagal Act, Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), etc. See:

http://www.caseyresearch.com/library/articles/2374/hell,-meet-handbasket-11-7-08/

Another instructive article written by Nouriel Roubini published by Bloomberg on October 23 is very interesting:

http://www.rgemonitor.com/roubini-monitor/254130/bloomberg_october_23_2008_roubini_says_panic_may_force_market_shutdown_friday_morning_update_markets_are_becoming_dysfunctional_and_sp_and_djia_futures_trading_already_suspended_today
You will need to register to read the entire rticle, but, in my opinion, Roubini is one of the most astute individuals at deciphering the big picture and explaining it in understandable terms.

Local Notes

The building under construction next to Taco Bell on 183 is going to be Leander's McDonald's. It should be open by the end of the year.

Starbucks has started construction of their Leander store on the southwest corner of 183 and Crystal Falls Parkway.

A little bird told me that the building under construction next to Chik Fil-A at 1890 Ranch is going to be a Carl Jr.'s Hamburger Restaurant. Yum!

Due to Circuit City declaring bankruptcy, they are closing hundreds of stores. The one at 1890 Ranch is one of them, and currently they are having a store-wide sale of 20% off everything.