friday, August 14, 2015
THE FAYETTE COUNTY La Grange, Texas 78945
INSIDE
Unanimous Vote to Enact Burn Ban By ANDY BEHLEN The Fayette County Record
Fayette County Commissioners Court issued an order declaring a burn ban for Fayette County at their meeting on Monday, August 10. Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka recommended the ban due to the continuing dry conditions. “It doesn’t look like we’re going to get any substantial rainfall in the next three or four
Volleyball Action
Volleyball season is officially here. See how Fayette County teams did in their season openers. Pages A6, A8
Volume 93, Number 81
weeks, and it’s pretty dry out there as it is,” Janecka said. The Judge noted that Fayette County’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), a measure of ground moisture used to determine fire potential, broke above 600 on Monday. It stood at 627 on Tuesday. Abraham Pace of the Fayette County Firefighters Association said his group supported the Judge’s recommendation. Commissioners voted unanimously
The Answer is Yes (Finally) in Fayetteville and Round Top-Carmine
One of the most important special sections we’ve ever produced ...
is included free in today’s newspaper. The 72-page “Veterans Voices” is a collection of emotional first-person recollections from 40 different Fayette County WWII veterans as told to Elaine Thomas. Some of these men have died since they were interviewed, but their stories, their Voices, live on. The timing of this publication is no accident. Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the official end of WWII. Another beautiful aspect of this publication is advertising intended to look like ads from the 1940s. Additional copies are available for sale at the Fayette County Record, with half of the proceeds from those sales split evenly among all Fayette County VFW and American Legion Posts. Read these men’s stories to understand why they truly are part of “The Greatest Generation” and gain a better appreciation of the freedom we enjoy. – Jeff Wick
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Shelby, located at 6814 Skull Creek Road, will hold a rummage sale on Friday, Aug. 14 and Saturday, Aug. 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mobile Food Truck
Join St. Paul Lutheran Church in La Grange for food and fellowship at their annual Celebration Sunday on Aug. 16 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in La Grange. A meal of barbecue chicken will be served beginning at 10:45 a.m. for $9 per ticket. Dine in or drive through. Events include praise worship at 9 a.m., live and silent auction, cake wheel, and games for all ages. Contact Peggy Johnson at (979) 966-9311 or Hayley Saunders at (979) 966-9091 for tickets or information.
Fayetteville and Round Top-Carmine have never had high school football teams before. But kids from both schools have joined forces to play six-man football on a private association team that debuts this fall – the Fayette County Panthers. They’ve been practicing for over a week in Fayetteville preparing for their first game Aug. 28 against Cedar Park Summit. Here the Panthers do a cheer during practice Monday. For more about the Panthers, and the La Grange Leps, Schulenburg Shorthorns and Flatonia Bulldogs check out our special football section coming out Aug. 25 in the Record. Photo by Jeff Wick
Flatonia Looks at Plan to Fund Fire Dept. By ANDY BEHLEN
The Fayette County Record
It’s a problem that comes up almost every year at budget time for the incorporated cities in Fayette County – the cities provide the bulk of the funding for their volunteer fire departments, yet the departments make most
of their calls outside the city limits. A task force formed of fire officials and city leaders in Flatonia is looking at one possible solution to the funding problem – a new taxing entity. Members of the task force announced a proposal to form
an emergency service district (ESD) at the Flatonia City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 11. Such a district would require an election and approval from voters within the proposed district. Voters would elect five See Flatonia, back page
There’s more For the Record on Page A2 & A11
WEATHER WATCH This Week’s Forecast High Low Friday: 101 75 Partly cloudy Saturday: 100 73 Clear Sunday: 96 73 40% chance of rain Monday: 96 73 Wild Bunch Brewing general manager Craig Hunter, left, and Tony Gallo enjoy some of the La Grangebrewed “Wild Black” beer during a recent interview. Gallo was a security consultant, making sure Wild 30% chance of rain Bunch’s Reynolds Street brewing facility was safe and secure. Photo by Jeff Wick
Burn Ban In Effect
INSIDE TODAY Opinion........................ Page A4 Crossword................... Page A5 Society......................... Page A9 Sports.......................... Page A6 Obituaries.................. Page A10 Weekend...................... Page B1 Classifieds................Page B2-5
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INSIDE TODAY
Are You Ready for Some Football?
Rummage Sale
St. Paul Celebration
One Dollar per Copy
in favor of the ban. Surrounding counties have also enacted burn bans recently, including Bastrop County as of August 6, Lee County as of August 7, and Austin and Colorado counties as of August 10, Gonzales, Lavaca and Washington counties have not yet enacted a burn ban. The burn ban order remains in effect for 90 days, unless the court decides to terminate it earlier.
For The Record
A mobile food pantry truck will be at Waldeck Lutheran Church on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The church is located at the corner of FM 1291 and FM 2145. There’s no complicated paperwork to fill in, just a simple sign in. Bring a box, bag or other container to carry your food.
RECORD
Cheers to Local Beer
LG-Brewed Beer Now Sold Here By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record
When Heinrich Kreische was brewing beer up on the bluff in the mid to late 1800s, La Grange was home to one of the earliest, and eventually largest, breweries in Texas. More than a century later, locally-brewed beer is flowing in La Grange again. A project years in the making, Wild Bunch Brewing is finally producing beer from its Reynolds Street facility in La Grange, and it’s now being enjoyed by the public. According to Craig Hunter, the general manager of the
brewery, they are brewing three kinds of beer right now – a Black and IPA and a Golden Koelsch, which exactly duplicates the recipe Kreische used. They also have plans to add three new types, possibly with additional tie-ins to local history. “We chose La Grange because it’s the perfect place to brew beer. There’s great water here, a strong German and Czech population and it’s a perfect distribution point between Houston, Austin and San Antonio.” The type of beer they are making here is of the top-fermenting variety (ale) which brews quicker than bottom fermenting lager. See Beer, back page
One City Water Well Goes Dry Conservation Urged
The City of La Grange is enacting Phase One of its Drought Contingency Plan. The decision comes after one of the seven ground water wells recently decreased in production requiring the city to engage in services to restore the well. After a lengthy rehabilitation process, during pump testing the well started to produce large
amounts of sand and had to be shut down. With one well out of service, the other six wells are running longer to keep up the current water demand during this dry period. Lengthy run time can cause additional wear and possibly shorten the life of the other wells. In order to conserve water to decrease demand, the city is enacting Phase One of their “Drought Contingency Plan.” See Water Well, back page
Slow Down, Pay Attention In School Zones Chief Says With the start of a new school year just days away, (Sacred Heart begins Monday, while most local public schools begin Aug. 24) La Grange police Chief Jackie Skelton wants to remind drivers to be extra careful near school zones. He reminds drivers that there is no texting or cell phone use in school zones (and plenty of signs around the campuses state that). Additionally Skelton wants people to be mindful of the speed limits around schools. On Travis St. the speed limit is 25 when lights are flashing at the beginning at the end of the school days. On Jackson, Milam and Vail Streets the speed limit is 15 miles per hour the entire school day. On Eblin St. the
Pay extra attention to the signs around school campuses, as students head back this fall. Photo by H.H. Howze
speed limit is 20 miles per hour from 7:30-8:30 in the morning and again from 3-4 in the afternoon. Also watch for school busses loading and unloading, Skelton said.
LGISD Open Houses Wednesday
Wild Bunch Black on tap at Vin 114 in La Grange, currently the only place in Fayette County you can buy the beer.
All La Grange ISD school campuses will hold Open Houses on Wednesday, Aug. 19. PTO representatives will be available at the K-6 cafeteria with membership forms to recruit parent volunteers. Health and transportation personnel will also be available with immunization and bussing information. Students in grades Pk-6 will pick up their schedules
and school information in front of the LGISD Auditorium from 4 -6 p.m. The gym behind the auditorium will be used in inclement weather. Students will then go to their classrooms to meet their teachers. The LG Middle and High School Open House will also be Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 4-6 p.m. for students to locate classrooms and pick up textbooks.