Sun City Insider October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

We Never Really Left The Stone Age Pg. 4

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: Things You Never Knew Pg. 8

A World of Fun at Any Age: Georgetown Parks & Recreation Pg. 12

climbing to new heights :

Sun City Hiking Club Read the latest issue of City Insider online at CityInsiderTX.com

Pg. 15

Working For You Fiscally Conservative • Led a measure to pay an additional $10M of debt saving taxpayers approximately $5M in interest • Worked to keep spending under control & voted to lower tax rate • AAA bond rating maintained saving your tax dollars

Safety • Worked to locate County EMS in Florence, Jarrell and Weir & increase coverage in other areas of the county • Supported competitive compensation for law enforcement retaining highly trained personnel • Continues to collaborate with various state and local entities to address mental health issues

Conservative Leadership • Supporting our Veterans & their families by addressing issues through Hero’s Night Out including housing & job search, Peer Mentoring and the Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court.

Infrastructure • Completed IH-35 northbound frontage roads • Completed Williams Dr. expansion from DB Wood/Shell Rd. to Ronald Regan Blvd.

• Completed safety improvements to SH 29 - adding deceleration lanes at Jack Nickalus, Park Place and Cedar Hollow • Completed safety improvements on FM 2243 - adding a deceleration lane at Escalera Pkwy • Completed CR 245 realignment at Williams Dr. • Partnered with TxDOT on the expansion of SH 195 • Underway on plans for SH 29 Bypass from FM 2243 to IH-35 • Underway on plans for intersection improvements at DB Woods at SH 29 • Underway on plans to expand and realign CR 111

“It is an honor to serve you as Williamson County Commissioner, Precinct 3, and I humbly ask for your vote and support on November 8.”

Early Voting: Oct 24 - Nov 4 ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, November 8 For voting information & locations, visit: www.wilco.org/elections

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Living With Living History

A Guide To Quality Living in Georgetown A local resource for residents of Sun City, Texas © 2016 Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC

Cathy Payne As you may know, I am married to a man who is my senior by some years— nearly two decades to be exact—and together we have a sixteen-year old son.

That means living under the same roof we have a Baby-Boomer, a Gen-Xer, and a Millennial. This combination makes for interesting conversations at times, and has definitely made me aware of the power of perspective.

Recently my husband was helping our son with his history homework and I found myself listening closely as he presented (his) living history version of the space program. His account of the moon landing on July 20, 1969, for example, is somewhat different than Walter Cronkite’s. Although he’s not normally the conspiracy theorist in the family (I am), hubby says that he can’t really be sure that Neil and Buzz actually landed on the moon at all. You see, on that most historic of days, hubby and his family were staying with relatives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. These good country-folk lived “way down in a holler”, and they let their pet goat sleep in the house on occasion. They had a large console TV in the corner of the living room with a pair of rabbit ears on top, which were, of course, wrapped in the requisite piece of crumpled tin foil to improve reception. Just as the eagerly awaited moment arrived, the goat decided to take a nap behind the TV, and, like a dog, had to make circles to find just the right spot. Between the distance from the Earth to the Moon, the precariously placed tin foil, and a wiggly Billy goat, really all he could see was snow…which makes the whole thing questionable in his mind.

His fuzzy memory improved however, as he went on to describe “splash downs”, explaining that, at the time these space missions were returning, no one ever gave serious thought that someday one would land like an airplane; or that there is a thousand times more computing power in a cell phone today than in all the computer technology that assisted our first space forays. We do indeed live in a different world.

He can’t believe that I have never watched a single episode of Bonanza; or that I have no memory of the television commercials playing, “See the USA, in your Chevrolet,” while showing the newest models— of cars and women. I thought buying a new car was all about 0% financing for 7 years…

He still talks about going to the Frigidaire (his word, not mine), reaching into the freezer (with three inches of ice inside, of course) and pulling out a Swanson Turkey Dinner or a Morton Chicken Pot Pie, removing the tin foil, and setting the aluminum tray in the oven for half an hour on 375°. In my world the microwave only takes three minutes, and you’d never put aluminum in it…

Well, I see my son multi-tasking—looking at something on his computer, wearing headphones, texting someone, watching television, all while working on Chemistry homework. Maybe times really were simpler back in the day.

Cover Photo: Hanna Hooper (N55) and Keith McDowell (N57) take a break during a hike in the Grand Canyon. Several club members made the trip, but it wasn’t a club sponsored event.

CONTENTS 4 6 8 9 10 12 15 16 18 20 22 23

Thought You’d Like to Know: Texas Crushed Stone Randalls Announces Williams Drive Location Presidential Elections - Things You Never Knew Discover Your Inner Artist October and the Pink Ribbon Culture A World of Fun at any Age: Georgetown Parks and Recreation Climbing To New Heights: Sun City Hiking Club Bucket List Celebrating 75 Years with the USO Mayor’s Update Ask Your Lawyer Health & Wellness

STAFF Managing Editor/Lifestyles: Cathy Payne Writer: Ann Marie Ludlow Design: Elysia Davis Marketing: Bill Mateja, Norma Wilt Guest Columnists: Mayor Dale Ross, John Bickle, Webster Russell and Dee Coffeen, Jana Schrier, MD

CONTACT US

Info@CityInsiderTX.com P.O. Box 213, Jarrell, TX 76537 To Advertise in City Insider, call a sales exec at 512-746-4545 © Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC, 2016. All rights reserved.

Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook at City Insider for more news & pictures!

OCTOBER 2016 | 3

“We break rock and crush it up and people live on it every day. Unless you are in parkland, generally, you are on top of aggregate stone all day long; house and building slabs, roads, sidewalks, churches, hospitals…everything.” ~Bill Snead

We Never Really Left The Stone Age

by Ann Marie Ludlow

You probably don’t think about it much but, in our ultra-modern age, we cannot get by without our ultra-ironic need for lots and lots of stone. Thanks to Bill Snead, former Sun City resident and owner of The Georgetown Railroad Company (GTRR) and Texas Crushed Stone since 1965, the country’s need for crushed rocks also means great business for Georgetown.

Texas Crushed Stone (TCS) is a family business, started back in 1942

by Bill’s dad, Edwin Brazelton Snead.

He opened a quarry in Austin to produce limestone aggregate, which is used as road base and an ingredient in concrete and asphalt. Mr. Snead was also a pilot and was looking for a place to move his Austin quarry because the town had grown up around it. He flew over the Georgetown area and saw a large outcrop of rock. When he came to look at the property, the agent never took him to the place with the big rock, assuming most want nice grassy lots. “But that’s what dad was interested in,” said Bill. “Texas is a big 4 | OCTOBER 2016

A loader dumps 25 tons of stone block from the quarry into a truck headed to the crusher. The stone block by the rear tire is average size at this stage. To get some perspective, those tires are 9 feet tall.

place for rock. You could quarry Sun City if you really wanted to.”

The elder Snead opened the quarry in Georgetown in 1958 and joined several other businessmen to purchase eight miles of railroad track between Georgetown and Round Rock to move product. Their railroad was a short line and built on infrastructure slated for abandonment by the Missouri-Pacific line.

Currently GTRR owns about 25 miles of mainline track and 50 miles of trackage (feeders and railcar yards). Their inventory also includes 700 rail cars and 11 locomotives.

Job security? TCS has been mining the stone on their roughly-8000 acres in Georgetown since 1958 and has only unearthed about 40 percent. Bill Snead says, “That means we will have product for at least another 50 years.” Snead’s compa-

nies also own about 2000 additional acres around Central Texas for stone and other industry use.

The miners drill six-inch holes and blast the rock from a solid wall to large chunks. They dig down to a depth of 60-80 feet before they begin moving outward. Loaders pick up giant stones, about 25 tons at a time, and drop them into even bigger trucks. Each truck carries 100 tons and costs about $1.25 per minute to operate, so they work fast—to the tune of 1200 truckloads per day. The material that comes out of the crusher is about the size

of a golf-ball.

In another interesting twist, the man who knows everything about elemental stone is extremely forward-thinking and technology-savvy. “Knowing your business will be viable for five decades or more means you must know and be ready to take advantage of the innovations that will have arrived in those 50 years.”

Snead says today it costs about as much to mine one ton of stone as it does to move it 20 miles. Because of the transportation costs,

That congested bit of highway you drive on near downtown Austin was built in the 1970s along the right-of-way of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Commonly abbreviated MoPac, with nickname of The Mop, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River.

TCS customers are generally within a 60-mile radius of the quarry.

“That’s where improvements in transportation come in,” says Snead.

“The self-driving car is going to be one of the most significant changes in our lifestyle in the next 50 years.

Capacity of a road is determined by the headway a vehicle needs. If Williams Drive were ready for smart cars, lights could be timed precisely; there wouldn’t be variable spaces between cars; and we could put twice as many cars on it without having to make the road any bigger.

Think of the impact on highway travel and costs for my trucks and all truckers if their vehicles were as smart as their phones.”

TCS doesn’t do building or landscape stone; they break rock and crush it up to create aggregates.

“Our business ends up in some kind of pavement. If you look at an aerial view of Sun City and a broad view of the slabs, sidewalks, parking lots and streets, you realize the highway system is a skeleton. Where the pavement is, is where the people are.”

Snead says his business goes in roughly four-year cycles of good

and bad markets. When the economy is good, people move and build homes. Right now, our community is growing and our workforce of 140 people works five days a week, 5am to midnight, to keep up with demand. Outside of that, they also provide agricultural limestone for regions where soil is calcium- or mineral-deficient.

Like farms, the stone business is heavily invested in its infrastructure and keeping up with it. “Our staff is 25 percent maintenance. One loader has a lifespan of about 70,000 hours and we re-do the engine about every 20,000. We have one conveyor belt that is two miles long and the rubber belt has enough power to rip itself to shreds. But it is $800,000 to replace, so we take good care of that.”

When he’s not breaking rocks, Mr. Snead is also heavily involved in the Scout program in Georgetown; his son Kent is an Eagle Scout, and he and his brother created a scholarship for Cadets at Texas A&M. Snead is an Aggie himself and also served in the Air Force before taking over his father’s work at the Railroad and Stone companies.

Bill Snead stands next to a truck dumping 100 tons into the crusher. Each tire costs $10,000.

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GEORGETOWN AREA REPUBLICAN WOMEN LITERACY

Donates Copies Of U.S. Constitution To GISD Elementary Schools

Phyllis Graves(N28), left, and Tiffany Pullen, Georgetown Elementary ELAR and Social Studies Coordinator.

On September 1, Georgetown Area Republican Women Literacy Volunteers Phyllis Graves (N28) and Anne Foster (N25) donated twelve copies of the United States Constitution to each of Georgetown’s nine elementary schools. These will be used for group discussions in fifth grade social studies classes.

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ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR WILLIAMS DR. LOCATION Randalls Food Markets will be expanding to Georgetown with a new store in the new Oak Meadows Marketplace at Williams Dr. and Jim Hogg Rd, just west of the Del Webb Blvd. entrance to Sun City. Groundbreaking is projected in January 2017.

"Randalls is excited to become a part of this vibrant and thriving community," said Sidney Hopper, president of Randalls. "We look forward to providing an exceptional shopping experience to Georgetown residents."

The Georgetown location will be 57,655 sq/ft and provide traditional groceries plus a fuel station, drive-through pharmacy,

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bakery with gourmet cakes, Starbucks, and a convenience store with snacks, drinks and to-go items. The deli will have a large seating area and fresh-prepared food (pizza, burgers, sushi, etc.).

Randalls offers natural and organic products throughout the store, but will also have full-service meat and seafood counters, as well as an extensive selection of wine and beer with an emphasis on local offerings.

"We are eager to meet the needs of our customers and create new jobs in Georgetown," said Hopper. "We project we will hire approximately 165 full and part time employees."

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Presidential Elections... Things You Never Knew HISTORICAL: George Washington spent his entire campaign budget of 50£ on liquor to serve to the 391 voters who arrived at the polling place. It was apparently a Virginia tradition to roll the barrels onto the lawn on Election Day.

John Quincy Adams was elected the 6th President of the United States despite losing both the popular and electoral vote. No one won the majority, so the election went to the House of Representatives, where Adams had more friends than his competition.

“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

Ronald Reagan won in 49 out of 50 states during the 1984 United States presidential election, missing in the 50th by less than 4000 votes.

TECHNICAL: Congress set a uniform day for presidential elections in 1845 as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. It allowed people to get their seasonal harvests in, observe the Sabbath, travel to vote, and return home for Wednesday, which was observed as Market Day, and all before winter snows.

The office of President of the US can be transferred to the Vice President if a majority of the cabinet votes that the sitting President is incapable of his duties. In theory, the cabinet could peacefully stage a coup and overthrow the president.

STRANGE BUT TRUE: In 1872, incumbent Ulysses S. Grant had an easy run for a second term—his opponent died before the final votes were cast.

Democrats use a donkey as their mascot thanks to Andrew Jackson.

When his critics called him a “jackass” because of his populist views, he embraced the image, even using it alongside his slogan, “Let the people rule.”

Hillary and The Donald have nothing on John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. During the campaign, American politics sounds more like bathroom graffiti than political commentary. Jackson called John Quincy a pimp, and Quincy called Jackson’s mother a prostitute.

Provident Crossings apartment homes feature today’s trends with open layouts, larger rooms, walk-in closets, full kitchens and more. The community is a village unto itself with a theatre, shops, salon, spa, exercise and game room, and a grab-and-go café, to name a few. With no buy-in or long-term leases, the month-to-month rent model makes it easy for seniors to live life worry-free. To provide residents the very best in care, Provident Crossings brings peace of mind and choices while eliminating the surprises of home ownership.

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DISCOVER YOUR INNER ARTIST

Kathleen McElwaine is an artist, the equipment for the whole family instructor and ardent community and how much greater can it be to supporter in Georgetown. She grew spend time working on art in a naup in Oklahoma and much of her tional park with your family?” artwork reflects the beautiful pasA lot of things are happening toral images and simple farm life of for her this year. She was invited to her childhood. teach a class at the Bullock Museum She has been sketching and in Austin, she has written several drawing since an early age, but her books on techniques and recently art really took shape while she was Daniel Smith, a leading designer riding the bus to and from work at and manufacturer of artist quality UT a few years ago. watercolors and oils, Her work gained designated her as quite a bit of attenone of their “Watertion, and it wasn’t color Artists.” Her long before her fellow work will now be commuters began featured around the taking turns taking world with a biogralessons from her. “My phy and her teaching style of drawing and books. Her pieces are painting has been also available at the called ‘Texas WhimMonument Market, sy.’ I guess it looked and in 2015 “My All very easy to other American,” a feature people and I wanted film about college Artwork by Kathleen McElwaine to be able to share it.” football player After 2011, she quit her job at UT Freddie Steinmark, used one of her and began painting and teaching full paintings behind the desk in Coach time, “Although,” she says, “I work a Darrell Royal’s office.

14-hour day now with painting and “I want to tell anyone with a teaching together.” She developed dream to just keep working at it and a following after a feature article in it’s going to happen. My encouragethe Statesman and her work with ment is that I’ve planted seeds and longhorn images was licensed. Tothey’ve taken years to bring any day she has a space on the Georgekind of recognition but it’s worth it. town Square, and she loves being And I don’t think I can pay back as able to walk out the door and see much as I’ve received. I always have people on the sidewalk. “I feel like room for new people and teaching Georgetown and I are part of each art may not change the world, but it other even more.” changes mine.”

She is available for classes by “My goal is to get people being appointment for individuals or creative again and get people to groups. “What I really love is when I spend time together. Some have have a family; moms and dads and said art saved their life because they kids, or grandparents. It’s something painted during cancer treatment. they can all do together. I have all I’m always going to teach people for

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McElwaine’s instruction is $40 per person or $100 for a family and all materials are provided. She has a studio at 800 S. Austin Avenue (on the Square), but her business is very mobile and flexible, so she is ready for a Christmas or office party, church social or family reunion; she says, “Your place or mine?”

Visit her at KMcElwaine.com or call 512-653-2540.

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OCTOBER 2016 | 9

October and the Pink Ribbon Culture

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and is an effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education on symptoms and treatment.

Supporters hope greater knowledge will lead to earlier detection of breast cancer, which is associated with higher long-term survival rates, and that money raised for breast cancer will produce a reliable, permanent cure.

The pink ribbon is the most prominent symbol of breast cancer awareness, and you are likely to see it on everything from fire engines to NFL players throughout the month.

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women; one in

eight (and one in 1000 men) will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime.

Every year in the U.S. over 240,000 women get breast cancer and more than 40,000 die from the disease.

On a positive note, nearly 90 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years. Early detection, screening, and personalized treatments are key when it comes to saving lives, and there are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors alive in the country today.

Marjorie Gallece is the Senior Certified Patient Navigator at the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, which serves Austin and surrounding areas in Central Texas.

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Georgetown and surrounding areas have many activities and events to promote awareness and celebrate survivors. The St. David’s Georgetown Hospital will have a

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There are also many support groups locally. In Sun City, the Georgetown Women’s Support Circle meets from 1-3pm on the fourth Monday of every month at the Cowan Creek activity center.

You can also use St. David’s breast cancer risk profiler online any time at StDavids.com.

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balloon release and program for Breast Cancer Awareness month on October 21. To find out more specific information, contact Donna.

Langbein@stdavids.com. As well, all throughout October, if you visit any Kerbey Lane Cafe (2120 N. Mays, Round Rock) and order a pink pancake, you benefit the Breast Cancer Resource Center. You can also order a Raspberry Lemonade Berliner Weisse from Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Co. (13010 W Parmer Ln #800, Cedar Park), and 100% of the sale will be donated towards BCRC. This is the second year Red Horn Brewing Co. has created a special pink beer just for the center.

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mentor to a big sister for patients who have been diagnosed and want help or just company. Her clients say she is brilliant, and if she doesn’t know the answer, she knows where to find it. Her advice for supporters: “Pink has an emotional appeal and consumers ought to think about whether the color clashes with the bigger message. Just putting a ribbon on something triggers the consumer to buy it, but not everything with a pink ribbon is a fundraising piece. If possible, do your homework before writing those checks. Never assume that everything with a pink ribbon benefits those diagnosed with breast cancer. As people are making a donation of time, money or energy to do a walk or participate in an event, it’s important that they know where the donations are really going and how it will be put to use.”

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Survivor Stories from Sun City…

BETTE STOELZING (N20) – Bette has been attending the BCRC support group meetings at Cowan Creek since her diagnosis five years ago. Her journey through treatment and a cure was especially challenging because her husband was stricken with Guillain-Barré syndrome after a flu shot and became paralyzed shortly before she discovered she had cancer. “Our Sun City community was so supportive and did beautifully by us. They all pitched in and basically took us under their wing. I love the BCRC support group at Cowan Creek because there are so many survivors; some for 30 years or more. It is encouraging to have friends who make it through to lead long full lives.” Bette is happy to be able to attend the group to be a support for others, especially those who are there for the first time. “Women who have just found out are usually incredibly afraid and devastated. There is a core of women who go to every meeting for that same reason; to comfort and encourage those women who are newly-afflicted. We assure them there is light at the end of the tunnel and they can make it through.” She admits it’s not always easy and there are days that she would like to do something else, but the group is kind of like a sorority. They call and check on each other and if someone gets bad news, they visit as often as they can. “It’s a selfish thing really, because we get a lot out of it for ourselves. We’ve bonded so well and there’s great satisfaction knowing you’re able to help others.”

CHARLOTTE BOLEY (N13) – In 1985, while living in Birmingham, Charlotte had a lumpectomy in her right breast followed by radiation. She moved to Sun City in 2003 and had a recurrence in August 2010 followed by a right mastectomy. She is cancer-free today and is under the care of her oncologist Dr. Brian Shimkus, whom she sees in his Georgetown office every two to three months and, she says, is an outstanding physician. Her experience in Birmingham was mitigated to some degree by her participation in Camp BlueBird. BlueBird is part of a network of camps for cancer patients that provide a kids’ camp experience for kids, adults and families to aid in their recovery and dealing with difficult treatments. In Texas you will find Camp Carefree in Houston for adults, and several others for families at www.CancerCamp.net.

DIANE SMITH (N8) – Diane has had the unique survivor experience of treatment and awareness across many years of research. She was first diagnosed 30 years ago and had a mastectomy. After being cancer-free for three decades, her doctors found two suspicious areas in a routine mammogram this past summer and she had a second mastectomy. She says the world of treatment has changed quite a bit from the first time. While her first surgery meant a 4-5 day hospital stay, and follow up plastic surgery months later, this time she had both surgeries at in the same procedure; surgeons side-by-side, and she was only in the hospital for one day. She was also very impressed with the DNA testing that determined her recent diagnosis showed her two lumps were different kinds of cancer. Advances in DNA testing help determine risk factors and survivor probability, plus she is doing well with integrative medicine; acupuncture, chiropractic and Qi Gong. Diane feels very fortunate to have seen her children grow up and she is proud to say, “I lived through it once, and I can do it again!” To prove it, by the time you read this, she will be enjoying a cruise with her husband on the Caribbean.

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OCTOBER 2016 | 11

A WORLD OF FUN AT ANY AGE:

Georgetown Parks and Recreation

by Ann Marie Ludlow When residents are asked what it is that they like about Georgetown, it is invariably the beauty of the rivers and the small town feel that brought them here in the first place.

Some of the credit for that beauty falls to the Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department. The department manages and operates the City's recreational and cultural programs. With 50-plus full and part time employees, they maintain 55 parks totaling over 1360 acres of land and even with all parks in use, we still have 887 acres to be developed. Amenities include parks, ball fields, nature walks, sports arenas, pools and splash pads, party pavilions, playscapes and much more.

Within the city limits of Georgetown we also have a U.S. Army Corps

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of Engineers lake, Lake Georgetown, with four park sites; a county park, Berry Springs Park and Preserve; and four private parks; the Shadow Canyon Preserve, Texas Traditions Park, the Georgetown Soccer Association Sports Complex, and the Village Pocket Parks. These nine park sites and open space contribute an additional 3,463 acres of open space to the residents of Georgetown that is not city owned. On top of that, 2,447 acres of that additional parkland is undeveloped Army Corps of Engineers designated open space surrounding Lake Georgetown.

Parks are supported by city and sales taxes, but they also generate free revenue from many services.

They run a $7 million budget and are growing every year to keep pace with our fast-growing city. As new development occurs, builders set aside land in those areas reserved for parkland for the city to develop.

Depending on time and in order to attract buyers, developers will often build the playgrounds or parks themselves then turn them over to the city for management.

Director Kimberly Garrett, dubbed “Director of Fun” by Mayor Dale Ross says, “Our most popular feature for the past 20 years have been our trails. We have 9.2 miles of trails around the city and they are perfect for a variety of activities. Hikers and bikers share with kids and moms with strollers, senior walkers and we Courtesy georgetown.org

have a few fitness courses as well.

We are always finding new ways to connect them; the current goal is to connect Garey Park and Katy Crossing to our existing network.”

Garrett says they are constantly looking to develop new amenities and activities, not just to provide for the residents, but to keep up with growth. The biggest project right now is the construction on Garey Park, expected to open in early 2018.

Concurrent with that are constant updates and upgrades for current facilities. “We will have better alignment with the roads in and out of the parks and the rec center, as well as better access to playscapes and restrooms throughout the city,” Garrett says.

She also recommends Sun City residents get to know Robert Staton (Robert.staton@georgetown.org). He is the director of the Senior Adult Adventure Program who incorporates outdoor programs for senior residents; everything from kayaking and intro to pickleball, to disc golf and skeet shooting. “These are designed for older adults who aren’t quite ready for the rocking chair, and want to relive their adventurous youth or learn a new activity!”

Stanton organizes dozens of activities like Granny Basketball or memoir writing, as well as monthly day trips, paddle board outings and days on the Georgetown Challenge course. Staton’s activities require a

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fee, but activities and transportation are provided for the program and they are very popular with church groups, clubs, and team-building for any group.

For celebrating or picnicking, there are campgrounds and pavilions city wide and they can be rented or reserved through the Parks department at (512) 930-3595.

The Parks department also manages many of the city’s annual events. “We have so many fun

things every year and I’m always pleased to see the community response and participation at every playground opening or splash pad ribbon cut. People know what to expect at the July 4th celebrations, and right now we are gearing up for our Senior Adult Dance October 21 at the Community Center in San Gabriel Park.

Garrett says her job does often feel like being Director of Fun. She loves to go out and visit the parks;

be onsite and be on the trails to see people enjoying them and get feedback on what they like. “We are here to provide for the citizens so we always want to get their input. I love the life-changing stories about people who have begun an activity or a new exercise regimen and are improving their lives with our centers and outdoor sites.”

Information about park amenities and events can be found at: Parks.Georgetown.org.

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Trippum, fallum, e pluribus bunion. That is the official motto of the Sun City Hiking Club. The Club celebrated their Sweet Sixteen anniversary last May. One of the largest clubs, at 400 members, they hold meetings five times annually and have four social events.

There are about 100 official club hikes each year—two per week—weather permitting.

Club member Kathy Corbett says safety is always a high priority for the club. There are 50 hike leaders, all of whom attend a training class that prepares them to lead the group.

Each hiker carries on his/her pack an Emergency Contact Information Form (inside a weather-proof plastic tag) with personal and medical information, and each group takes along a well-equipped First Aid Kit in case of medical emergencies on the trail.

Hikers do not have to sign up for hikes in advance, and destinations and descriptions are posted on their website Calendar. Members just show up the morning of the hike at the appointed place (usually Legacy Hills Pavilion) and carpool to/from the hike destination.

A post-hike meal is also a highlight of their outings. On especially long or remote hikes, they likely enjoy a picnic. Usually they have lunch or brunch and an occasional dinner at a restaurant near the hike location.

Hike routes range in distance and difficulty from Level 1 routes (easy) to Level 2 routes (moderate) to Level 3 routes (difficult).

Distances range from four miles to 14 miles (or more). The terrain at some destinations allows them to offer all three route options.

At other destinations, route options are limited by the type of terrain and the condition of the trails and on any given day, hikers can

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choose the level of hike difficulty that appeals to them at the time.

Hike locations vary greatly as well. Each month, they offer at least one route within the Sun City trail system. They also hike in the Georgetown area: San Gabriel River Trail; Berry Springs Park; and Rabb Park and Pfluger Park near Pflugerville.

One of the favorite local destinations is the Goodwater Loop that encircles Lake Georgetown. This property is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Club divided the 26-mile Loop into nine segments and offers a hike along each of the segments at least twice each year. Once a member completes all nine segments, he/she earns the distinction of "Looper" and is awarded a laminated map of the trail. Some members have hiked the entire Loop eight times since this program was initiated in January of 2011.

They also sponsor a Marathon (26 miles) and a Half-Marathon at the Goodwater Loop each year. This year marked the tenth year for the full Marathon. Hikers start the trek around the lake in the dark (at around 6:00 AM and normally finish before dark that evening.) Some members have completed the Marathon multiple times.

In addition to day hikes, the Club also sponsors "multi-day" trips during which relatively small groups of hikers (usually no more than 40) travel to destinations within Texas and beyond. The group lodges and has meals together and hikes for at least three days.

Past destinations have included parklands in Texas, Colorado, Arkansas, Minnesota, New Mexico and Utah. They have even been to England and the Virgin Islands on club-sponsored trips.

For more information on the Sun City Hiking Club, visit www.SCTexas.org, click on the “Clubs & Groups” tab at the top, click on the “Chartered Clubs” tab on the left, and then select “Hiking Club”.

Top: In September, Vikki Alpher (N51) and other members of the Sun City Hiking Club hiked 24 miles over two days during an independent outing to the Grand Canyon.

Left: Sun City Hiking Club members.

OCTOBER 2016 | 15

THE BUCKET LIST:

Recently, Sun City residents Webster Russell (Russ) and Dee Coffeen checked a major item off their bucket lists—a 111-day trip around the world! Russ and Dee invite you to experience this adventure as they share photos, anecdotes, travel tips, destination recommendations, and maybe even a little gossip about finding love on the high seas.

Entering into Hong Kong Harbor

k

Dee gotHong a custom-made dress, pected, there were police all over, Enteringandinto Kong Harbor

We left the Barrier Reef and headed for Hong Kong, Singapore, Saigon, and Mangalore India on the way to Dubai.

Dee at one of Saigon’s museums.

as well.

After two days in Hong Kong, we were off to Saigon (Ho Chi Min City).

Hong Kong has really built-up I had been in Vietnam in 1964 and since my last visit. Living space is at 1965, and briefly in ‘66. I wasn't sure a premium there, so the vast maif I really wanted to go in country jority of the "new" buildings were again. There were a number of Vietliving spaces. The "Junk" navy, once nam vets onboard; and like all vets prevalent in the bay, was greatly we traded stories, and then came to diminished. the conclusion we would Motorbikes are thebe doing ourselves a disservice to stay away. preferred of transport in Saigon The day we arrived wasmode beautiful.

We took the train up to the top of Saigon was still Saigon, although Victoria Peak where we could see instead of the moneyed U.S. solfor miles. The heavy smog didn't diers walking the streets, it was rich stop us from visiting Stanley Market, Chinese propping up down town. the next day; I bought some custom "Uncle" Ho's pictures, banners, and shirts that were made in one day statues were everywhere. As ex-

16 | OCTOBER 2016

Dee one of Saigon's Museum

as well. I have never seen so many motor bikes in my life. It was not unusual to see several hundred at a Main Street stop light.

Our next stop was Singapore.

Singapore is a beautiful city, both in architecture and appearance.

Singapore lived up to its reputation as an economic capital with a well-structured population. We had a grand time there, especially walking through the botanical gardens.

For Dee, a Master Gardener, it was a dream visit.

From Singapore we headed to Columbo, Sri Lanka. We docked in a harbor that had been used by

traders for at least 2000 years. A primarily a Hindu and Buddhist nation, there were several absolutely beautiful temples with exceptional art work and statuary.

From there we were off to Mangalore India. As is true in that part of the world, it was very hot and humid.

Cashews are very prevalent in Indian cooking so we visited a cashew processing plant. We learned that cashews grow outside the fruit

unlike pits in a peach. Because of that, their processing is very labor intensive. Once they reach the roasting stage then they are in the ovens for up to nine hours.

Because we’re interested in other cultures, we went to a large and famous Buddhist temple complex.

It had, as we expected, gorgeous statuary, sacred cows in the street, and various types of holy men.

Next came Dubai with its wonders, so stick with us next month.

SUN CITY’S SEMI-ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

On Saturday, October 1, the Sun City Community Association and the Sun City Kiwanis Club hosted their semi-annual Garage Sale - and judging by attendance and weather, the event was an overwhelming success! 146 vendors (including Kiwanis’ own extra-large “booth”) lined the Sun City Social Center parking lot and the crowds poured in—hoping to come across that one perfect treasure, and supporting local youth programs and scholarships in the process. All items for sale at the Kiwanis booth were donated, and proceeds from the sale benefit the children of Georgetown and Williamson County - over $175,000 in the last 15 years. The sale is held the first weekend of April and October each year.

Photo: Jesse Payne

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CELEBRATING 75 YEARS ✩ WITH THE USO ✩

USO Fort Hood held a gala at the Sun City ballroom October 1 to commemorate the past, present, and looking forward to the next 75 years of the hallmark organization and its mission to support our troops and their families. Attendees stepped back in time at a USO-style camp show and enjoyed the sounds of Kent Dugan’s Republic of Texas Big Band music. Palace Theater players also presented a “USO Extravaganza” to the delight of the guests.

Proceeds from the event went to the Fort Hood USO and the service men and women stationed there.

USO’s Isabell Hubbard said everyone loved the music and the show and all the feedback was very encouraging; “We had our previous gala in Belton but we got great feedback from Sun City residents, and they asked if it could be closer, so we decided nothing would be closer than Sun City itself. We were happy to accommodate so many people who were really interested and wanted to support us.”

Although this was a special anniversary, the USO holds a gala every year and they are already planning next year’s event. “We hope the committee will agree to have it in Sun City again next year and we are also planning a Spring event—something casual with jeans and boots.”

Visit FortHood.uso.org to stay up to date on their events.

18 | OCTOBER 2016

CIVICS 101: THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

When you cast your vote for the President of the United States, you’re really not directly putting him or her into office. The Founding Fathers established a process that created a compromise between the popular vote and a vote by Congress. You help choose your state’s electors when you vote for President because when you vote for your candidate you are actually voting for your candidate’s electors.

Each candidate in the state has a specific group of electors, chosen by the party at their conventions or by a vote of the party’s central committee. They might be state elected officials, party leaders or some who have affiliations with the Presidential candidate.

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MAYOR’S UPDATE

Road and Park Projects Planned for 2017

By Mayor Dale Ross parks and road projects approved by the voters are included for 2017, but due to increases in property values, the tax rate was reduced.

City property taxes for the average home in Georgetown are projected to increase by $56.

As the fastest-growing city in the nation above 50,000 residents, the City of Georgetown budget for 2017 responds to the demands of growth with a property tax rate that is lower. The 2017 fiscal year started October 1 after hearings and budget approvals in August and September.

This year the property tax rate drops to 42.4 cents per $100 valuation, which is 1 cent lower than last year and the lowest tax rate among Central Texas cities. Major

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Highlights for 2017 include public safety enhancements, new road and park projects, utility projects, and services to meet the demands of growth.

Southwest Bypass: This new arterial to be completed in 2018 will connect State Highway 29 with Leander Road on the west side of town. (Another segment will be built

by Williamson County to connect Leander Road to I-35). The budget includes $10 million for this project that was approved by voters in the 2015 transportation bond.

Public Safety: Responding to growth in calls for service, six firefighter-paramedics and two emergency communication operators are included in the budget. In partnership with Georgetown ISD, a school resource officer will be added to provide an officer at each middle school.

Garey Park: Construction starts this fall on Garey Park, a 525-acre ranch on west Leander Road that is set to open as a park in 2018.

Features of this park, a generous gift from Jack and Cammy Garey, will include hiking trails, camping areas, an equestrian center, and an event center. The budget includes $5.5 million for this new park, authorized by voters in 2008.

City, County and State Officials celebrated the groundbreaking for the Southwest Bypass on June 3.

San Gabriel Park: The first phase of renovations to San Gabriel Park are set to begin in early 2017. The project was approved by voters in 2008 and is funded at $1 million in the current budget. New pavilions and playgrounds along the San Gabriel River are included in phase 1.

Sidewalks: The budget includes $2.2 million in sidewalks and ADA ramps at intersections to increase pedestrian mobility and safety. This is the first of a multi-year program approved by voters in 2015.

Street Maintenance: Projects include segments of Sixth, Seventh, 10th, 11th, and 17th streets for rehabilitation, as well as sealant and asphalt overlay on many neighborhood streets. The total budget is $3.8 million for 2017, funded by the street maintenance sales tax and general fund revenues.

Water Utility: Capital projects funded by water utility revenue include a Lake Water Treatment Plant expansion ($5 million), the West

Loop water main ($2.1 million), an elevated storage tank in Sun City ($3 million), site development work for a new water treatment plant on the south shore of Lake Georgetown ($1 million), and other projects. There is a $1.40 per month increase in the residential waste water rate to fund system improvements. A wastewater rate increase has not occurred since 2007. Georgetown continues to have the lowest waste water rates in the region.

City staff and the members of the City Council worked hard this summer to craft a budget that delivers new parks and road projects that were approved by the voters and increases services to meet the demands of our growing city while reducing the property tax rate to be the lowest in the region.

To see the 2017 budget and a budget video, as well as summary documents, visit the City of Georgetown website at georgetown.org.

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By John W. Bickle, Attorney at Law 1. What is a dependent administration?

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Welcome to another in my series of articles regarding matters involving Texas and Federal law which I hope will be interesting and useful to you. As before, I’ll continue to quote liberally from and use the format which was inspired by the Elder Law Handbook of the Tarrant County Bar Association. However, remember this is information and not legal advice. For legal advice, ask your lawyer. This month we’ll continue to look at some concerns about ESTATE ADMINISTRATION.

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As you might suspect, under a dependent administration the court chooses, appoints, closely supervises and controls the administrator of the estate. The Texas Estates Code provides a preferred order for choosing who is appointed, e.g., the surviving spouse first, then next of kin. Generally, the court requires that the administrator must be bonded, must file periodic reports with the court, and must apply for and receive court approval before acting. Because of court involvement, dependent administration can be lengthy and expensive, but may be the best way to protect the interests of the beneficiaries entitled to the decedent’s estate.

2. When is a dependent administration necessary?

The executor’s attorney may recommend dependent administration to protect the executor if, in his opinion, the case is too complicated for the named executor(s) to handle. Otherwise, a dependent administration may be necessary if (1) the decedent dies without a will; (2) the will doesn’t name an executor or a successor executor; (3) the executor(s) named in the will predecease the decedent; (4) the named executor(s) are unable to or unwilling to serve; (5) the named executor(s) are disqualified by law from serving; or (6) the will doesn’t have the special language required in Texas wills making the executor an independent executor.

3. What is an administrator?

An administrator is the person or institution appointed by the probate court, not by you, to handle your estate when there is no will, or when the executor(s) named in the will cannot or will not serve.

4. How are heirs determined when a person dies without a will?

If there is a dispute about who should inherit and there is no will, the heirs of an intestate decedent and their shares of the estate can be determined in an heirship determination proceeding. This usually involves a court hearing at which a judge hears evidence identifying all heirs and their shares of the decedent’s estate. An attorney ad litem, appointed by the judge, represents the interest of unknown heirs, known heirs who cannot be located, physically or mentally incapacitated heirs, and minors.

5. How can an heirship determination proceeding be used to avoid dependent administration?

An order signed by a judge, from a court of appropriate jurisdiction, which determines the heirs and which also states that there is no necessity for administration, is sufficient legal authority to all persons for payment or transfer of the decedent’s assets to the heirs named in the court order.

I’ll be back next month with more questions and, hopefully, more answers.

Remember, we’re all in this together and the more information you have the better questions you can ask your lawyer and the better decisions you will make.

John W. Bickle resides in Sun City, is licensed to practice law in Texas and continues in practice today as a member of the Williamson County bar. He can be reached by phone at (512) 868-8593 or by email at jbbickle@msn.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS Knowledge is Power: Breast Cancer Prevention

By Jana Schrier, MD By now most people recognize October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From pink ribbons to ad campaigns and fundraising events, you can’t miss it.

But even with all of these reminders, what steps are you taking to prevent yourself or a loved one from becoming a victim of breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women (other than skin cancer). While the medical profession has made tremendous strides in the struggle against this disease during the last quarter century, the battle is far from over: an estimated one out of eight women who reach the age of 80 in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her life.

As women get older, the risk of breast cancer increases. Most invasive breast cancers (those that have spread from where they started) are found in women age 55 and older.

Although certain genetic factors may not be preventable, there are

Know your screening options: According to the American Cancer Society, women without risk factors, ages 40 to 44, should have the choice to start annual mammograms if they wish to do so; women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year; and women 55 and older may switch to mammograms every two years, or can continue yearly screening. Talk to your doctor about the best option and screening schedule for you.

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Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol may alter the way estrogen is metabolized by a woman’s body and it may cause blood estrogen levels to rise, thus increasing the risk of breast cancer.

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Don’t smoke: Studies have shown smoking can greatly increase the risk of several cancers, including breast cancer.

Exercise regularly: Exercise has many benefits that can help prevent breast cancer. It not only helps you maintain a healthy weight level, but by exercising you also modulate high levels of estrogen and may even enhance the immune system.

At St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, we understand that breast cancer can be a frightening topic. However, it is also a topic that cannot be ignored. Open communication is the first step toward prevention and early detection.

For more information, call St. David’s Georgetown Hospital at (512) 943-3000, or speak with a physician.

Jana Schrier, M.D., is a gynecologist who practices at St. David’s Georgetown Hospital.

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Know your family history and share it: This is something we all should do with our doctors, but it’s even more important for women who come from families with a history of breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about your family history and tests to detect a gene mutation that can indicate a high risk of developing breast cancer as well as ovarian Now cancers.

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Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight can increase your likelihood of developing breast cancer.

This is particularly true for women who have experienced menopause.

After menopause, the majority of estrogen in a woman’s body comes from fat tissue rather than the ovaries. The more fat on the body, the higher the degree of estrogen.

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Appr. S/F 1,310 1,467 1,591 1,597 1,670 1,696 1,712 1,712 1,712 1,805 1,807 1,888 1,888 1,888 1,895 1,947 1,976 2,000 2,066 2,150 2,156 2,230 2,415 2,435 2,529 2,552 2,581 2,598 2,651 2,791

Lot Type P GB, HC GB GB P P GC, GB, HC HC, P GB, HC GB, HC, P GB

GB, HC GC, GB, HC P GC GC GC GB, HC P GC GB GB, GC GB GC

List Price $199,950 $239,000 $239,950 $254,950 $259,950 $284,500 $297,500 $319,950 $329,950 $319,950 $287,950 $339,950 $339,950 $338,800 $297,500 $289,950 $319,000 $349,950 $299,900 $387,500 $419,950 $399,000 $387,950 $403,950 $549,000 $399,500 $439,950 $384,900 $387,500 $547,000