Round Rock Soldier Dies in Afghanistan
The U.S. Department of Defense has released the name of a Central Texas soldier who died in Afghanistan. Specialist Alex Hernandez III of Round Rock died Saturday in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.
The 25th Combat Aviation Brigade says Hernandez was found unresponsive in his room.
Alex Hernandez was based in Hawaii . He was 21.
According to his Facebook page, Hernandez went to Bastrop High School and later graduated from Lanier High School. He leaves behind his wife.
Vocalist Traci Lamar Hancock Passes Away
Traci Lamar Hancock, one-third of the Austin-based mother-daughters musical group Texana Dames, has died. The “Traci for Grace Fund”— a website put together to raise funds for Lamar and her family — says she died Friday from complications relating to cancer.
On September 1, 2011, Lamar shared the story of her battle with cancer on the Texana Dames website. She said she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2010, and was undergoing chemotherapy.
Lamar thanked everyone who donated time, energy, money and love to support her.
Lamar was born in Lubbock and raised by a family of musicians. She says in her biography that she began to speak Spanish fluently and play Spanish songs after the family moved to New Mexico.
Lamar and Texana Dames were recognized numerous times for their contributions to music. The band was inducted into the County Music Association of Texas Hall of Fame in 2002.
Travis County Commissioners Talk F1
The Travis County Commissioners plan to meet in executive session today to talk about Circuit of the Americas and Formula 1.
County Judge Sam Biscoe’s office says commissioners are meeting behind closed doors because they are talking about contracts and details of a public safety plan that need to be kept secure in order to keep 9,000 fans, plus staff and competitors, safe.
The commissioners are also talking about making improvements to a few roads near the track, and how to deal with the increased traffic that events will bring.
The Circuit of the Americas track is still under construction in preparation for November’s F1 Grand Prix.
