The Asian American Cultural Center presented the 2012 Lunar New Year Celebration, the Year of the Water Dragon Saturday with song and dance, food and festivities. Young dancers with the April Rain Chinese Dance School led by director Sherry Chen perform for the audience at the festival.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

The University of Texas spring semester is back in full swing as students arrive for first day of classes on the forty acres. To curb the depression of having to hit the books after a long holiday break, Austin offerred incredible weather. Maybe it was too good encouraging the more stubborn students to delay the start another day to enjoy the weather.

Photo by Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman

The funeral of Mark Brandon Dominguez, 17, who was killed last week in a shooting near his home while he went outside to investigate a disturbance, was held Saturday at San Jose Catholic Church in Austin and laid to rest at Live Oak Cemetery in Manchaca, TX with full honor guard from the Manchaca Volunteer Fire Department and the Austin-Travis County EMS. Fire personnel unload the casket at the burial site and carry it along a line of honor guards.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

The City of Wimberley held a parade to celebrate the high school Boy’s football team in winning the UIL State Football Championship in Class 3A Division II in December. The parade featured the entire team, coaches, band and pep squad as they marched from the Visitor’s Center to the Towns Square. The team led by star player Brady Lambert, second from left, sing the school song with the help of the Texan band.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

Fun for half of the family.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

Special Forces soldier Larry Ockletree Jr, 27, returned home to Round Rock Tuesday evening to a welcomed surprise held by the non-profit Celebration of Love. Okletree saw his mother Carol, left, and Larry Ockletree Sr., right, for the first time in a few years as he will get to spend Christmas here before being deployed again early next year. The group’s volunteers lined the street to greet him, hired a limo for a night on the town and presented gifts and cards to his family including his wife Ruth and daughters Xoyah, 6, and Aiyanna, 4.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

 Musician Traci Lamar Hancock, far left, herself an ovarian cancer patient, performs with the Texana Dames including her mother Charlene Hancock, center, and sister Conni Hancock, right, for patients in the infusion room at Seton Shivers Cancer Center Wednesday afternoon at their annual holiday party.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

Despite the closure of the annual holiday Trail of Lights, people can still gather under the moonlight tower otherwise known as the Zilker Holiday Tree for family fun, food and entertainment.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

WIth the Trail of Lights not occurring this year due to a budget shortfall some of the holiday characters have moved to the Long Center to spruce up the City Terrace & Hartman Concert Park grounds. Long Center workers Jose Delgado, left, and Orlando Martinez, right, move a polar bear into place.

Photo by Ralph Barrera

Team Austin members turned out Tuesday afternoon to show their support for Movember, an annual moustache charity event designed to raise awareness and funds for cancers that affect men, benefiting Austin-based LIVESTRONG and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The group walked one lap around the Texas State Capitol building to raise awareness, education and survivorship for men’s health issues. Currently the U.S. campaign has over 143,000 participants and has raised $13 million, according to Donny Killian, U.S. Country Manager. Participant Sean Bell with his sons Ethan, 5, left, and Cullen, 3, right, who sport moustaches of their own to show their support for the cause.

Photo by Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman