AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Linden Creek, a luxury interior design and home staging firm headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, is proud to announce the opening of its newest franchise location serving Austin and the greater Central Texas region, including San Marcos. This expansion reflects Linden Creek’s continued national growth and its mission to deliver thoughtful, high-impact design solutions that help homes perform in competitive real estate markets.

The Austin franchise is led by Sue Miller, who brings decades of leadership experience and a global perspective to the role. As the owner of Linden Creek Austin, Sue is committed to providing the highest standard of staging and interior design services for homeowners, real estate professionals, and builders across Central Texas. Her focus is on creating elevated, functional spaces while making the selling and design process smooth, strategic, and rewarding for clients.

Before joining Linden Creek, Sue spent 25 years working in international development and foreign assistance, leading large teams and complex projects around the world for organizations including the Peace Corps, the U.S. Department of State, and USAID. Through her travels and experience managing and decorating properties in Washington, D.C. and Texas, she developed a passion for creating beautiful, livable spaces that reflect both lifestyle and market demands.

“Central Texas is an exciting and competitive housing market, and I’m thrilled to bring Linden Creek’s proven systems and thoughtful design approach to Austin,” said Sue Miller, owner of Linden Creek Austin. “Whether a client is preparing to sell or settling into a new home, our team focuses on creating a clear plan that supports their goals. For design clients, that means spaces that reflect how they live. For staging clients, it means presenting homes in a way that resonates with buyers and shows what’s possible.”

Linden Creek is trusted by top agents nationwide for its ability to help properties sell faster and at stronger price points. The firm’s buyer-focused approach emphasizes layout, scale, and visual clarity to showcase each home’s full potential.

With this opening, Linden Creek now operates in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Charlotte, Lake Norman, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Princeton & Morristown, New Jersey; New Hope and Central/Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Sarasota and Jacksonville, Florida; and Atlanta and Alpharetta, Georgia. Additional locations, including Dallas-Fort Worth, TX and Charleston, South Carolina, are slated to open next.

To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit https://linden-creek.com/franchise.

Media Contact:
Zoe Fisher, Linden Creek
Marketing Director
[email protected]

SOURCE Linden Creek

The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners traveled down to Austin expecting a tough Red River Rivalry battle, and that’s exactly what the No. 4 Texas Longhorns gave them. 

Head coach Vic Schaefer and his team led through all four quarters on Sunday at the Moody Center, taking care of business in front of an energetic home crowd.

With College GameDay present on the Forty Acres, the Longhorns advanced their conference record to 6-2.

Texas rallies around X-factor 

Both point guard Rori Harmon and forward Madison Booker had characteristically impressive showings on Sunday, along with several other Texas players. However, one contributor earned the highest praises of Schaefer and her teammates: forward Justice Carlton.

“Justice is like our difference maker,” Harmon said following the matchup. “I’ve realized over the course of this season, she makes a difference in our team when she does things like she did today.”

Carlton recorded 16 points and eight rebounds across 28 minutes of play against the Sooners, scoring seven points more than her season average so far. Booker emphasized the importance of having her competitive spirit on the court. 

“When Justice has that look in her eyes that she’s ready to dominate her opponent, protect the rim and get rebounds and be aggressive, I think we’re a very hard team to beat,” she said. “She helps us in so many ways she doesn’t know about.”

Sooners surge in third quarter to stay within striking distance

Despite trailing throughout the matchup’s entire duration, the Sooners didn’t falter in the second half of this matchup. In fact, they seemed to respond to their 16-point halftime deficit with an added element of energy and grit. 

“They’re just relentless,” Schaefer said. “They just never stop coming at you.”

Schaefer then detailed a particular statistic that demonstrated the tenacity of his opponent. Even though the Longhorns outscored them 7-2 in fastbreak points in the first half, the Sooners ultimately finished the game with 15 fastbreak points to Texas’ eight.

Oklahoma outscored Texas 46-38 in the second half, making it difficult for the Longhorns to hold onto their lead until the final buzzer. 

With a convincing rivalry game in the books, Texas will now shift gears to what’s ahead on the schedule. Having kept the longest active home court winning streak in the nation alive, they look to claim their 39th consecutive victory at the Moody Center against the LSU Tigers on Thursday.

AUSTIN, Texas – Every year on Feb. 2, Americans turn their eyes to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow. An often-unfulfilled promise that decides six more weeks of winter or early spring. 

In Texas, animal-based forecasts come with a Lone Star twist, from armadillos and alligators to prairie dogs and more. In the Lone Star State, Groundhog Day isn’t just about shadows on the ground, it’s a community event.

Tradition with a Lone Star Twist

A black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) (Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The backstory:

Groundhog Day is a tradition rooted in a 19th-century Pennsylvania superstition that says if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on Feb. 2, and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. 

The superstition has inspired a wide network of animal prognosticators across North America, but in Texas, locals have embraced unique forecasters and unorthodox weather-predicting methods that reflect the state’s wildlife and culture.

Bee Cave Bob

Bee Cave Bob is a nine-banded armadillo from Bee Cave, Texas, who has been providing a weather forecast on Feb. 2 since 2010. This Texas town refers to the event as Armadillo Day, instead of Groundhog Day. 

Photo courtesy: Bee Cave Bob on Facebook

During Bob’s annual appearance, he emerges from his burrow onto a concrete slab painted to resemble a highway. The armadillo’s behavior is then observed and interpreted to determine his weather prediction. If he sees his shadow, he will retreat and winter will go on for six more weeks. If Bob does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. 

Bee Cave’s “Armadillo Day” celebration is organized by the Benevolent Knights of the Raccoon, a Texas-based group that hosts the semi-private ceremony that takes place at a ranch known as West Pole Ranch, located on Highway 71. The event invites Texans to the Hill Country to celebrate with barbecue, chili and tamales.

Big Al in Beaumont

Big Al is a 94-year-old, nearly 14-foot-long alligator that weighs over 1,000 pounds from Gator Country Adventure Park in Beaumont, Texas. The alligator has been providing a Feb. 2 weather prediction since 2006.

Photo courtesy of Gator Country Beaumont Texas’s Facebook page.

On Groundhog Day 2026 at 2 p.m. Big Al will be provided with a serving of food, typically meat of some kind. If the alligator takes a bite of the food, that means Texas will have an early Spring. If he does not eat, there will be a long winter.

Big Al’s handlers told the Beaumont Enterprise that alligators are unable to digest food unless warm weather is on the way. So during this time of the year, when temperatures drop, alligators are in a state similar to hibernation, known as brumation. While in brumation, alligators reduce their body temperature and heart rate, slow down their metabolism and don’t eat. Only drinking water to avoid dehydration.

Prairie Dog Pete in Lubbock

Prairie Dog Pete is a prairie dog ambassador located at Mackenzie Park in Prairie Dog Town in Lubbock, Texas. The prairie dog became such an asset and goodwill ambassador for the city that Lubbock adopted it as its mascot.

The City of Lubbock uses the prairie dogs at the park as prognosticators to predict the weather in one of two ways. Similar to Punxsutawney Phil, Pete either sees his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter, or he does not see his shadow, indicating an early spring.

Pete’s forecasts in years past, have been done by choosing between celery or carrots as a method of predicting weather. If he chooses celery, that means six more weeks of winter. If he chooses the carrot, that means spring is on the way.

Wiener dogs in Buda

The Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce hosts their second annual Buda Ground Dog Day celebration at noon Feb. 1. A twist on the classic Groundhog Day, incorporating the city’s theme of wiener dogs, dating back to Buda’s inaugural competition in 1997 under the theme “The Amazing Wiener Dog.” 

Buda, the self-proclaimed Wiener Dog Capital of Texas, traditionally chooses an honorary dachshund dog that gives the weather prediction for the Buda City Park event. 

The honorary dachshund, Beans, will make the official prediction for the season ahead. Beans was selected as the honorary wiener dog for this year’s celebration during a random selection process on the city’s Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

In 2025, the honorary wiener dog, Nacho, made the first ever Ground Dog Day forecast at the Buda Amphitheater and Pavilion. Nacho’s weather-predicting method relied on him choosing between a stuffed snowman and a sunshine plush, upon his highly anticipated release from a dog house.

City of Buda, TX — City Government’s Facebook post

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