TOWN & COUNTRY
San Gabriel Presbyterian • “The Pumpkin Church” non-school-age children; October 11 and 25 from 9:30-11am. Child care providers and home school families are also welcome to schedule a special event by calling the church’s main number— enjoy story time, the playground and pumpkin patch, and each child receives a free mini pumpkin to take home.
Family Fun Day
The Pumpkin Patch at San Gabriel Pres-
byterian Church has become a much-anticipated event celebrating not just the harvest season, but also plenty of Georgetown community interaction. Each Fall, the church receives enough pumpkins to fill an 18-wheeler, and church members are joined by Scout organizations in the east field of the church grounds to unload them. If you are intrigued, you are invited to watch or help on October 5 after the 10am arrival. People aged 5 to 80 kick off this day of service with a coordinated unloading event. Within an hour or two, several thousand pumpkins are ready for sale, and folks from all over Georgetown are laughing and talking together over a hot dog lunch. The pumpkins are grown on and support the Navajo Reservation in Farmington,
Texas. They are purchased via Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers and are on sale throughout October. Proceeds not paid to the Navajo are given to participating Scout groups who help manage the Pumpkin Patch, and back to the church to help facilitate additional family-friendly, public events at no cost. The church has the process down to a science. When Halloween has come and gone, nothing will have gone to waste. The church has events for every age group throughout October; kids’ story time in the Patch to batting practice for teens when the fruit gets soft. Any leftovers are given to local farmers to feed livestock. All month long they will host field trips from schools and daycares and, for the first time this year, senior care groups. There will be two public story times for
Although the Pumpkin Patch began as an outreach event for the church itself, it is now evolved into an exciting Family Fun Day, coordinated by Family Ministries Director, Toni Howell. Annually, as many as 1500 people from all over Travis and Williamson County enjoy many activities from Camp Peniel in Marble Falls; hay and pony rides, face painting, storytime, archery, pumpkin painting and more. Except for food trucks (guests are welcome to bring their own picnic lunches) and pumpkins, everything is free. Visitors are also invited to come in costume! Church elder Phil Lacy says, “The pumpkin patch and family day is our anchor event for community outreach and we build our visibility on it. It is an opportunity to meet the greater Georgetown community. It is free and we’re right here in town. We love to show folks who we are and if they decide to come back on a Sunday, we are thrilled to have them.” Phil adds, “The pumpkin patch is very family oriented and we have many families with kids. It is our hope that as Georgetown continues to grow, we will welcome young families looking for a great church for fellowship and service.”
FAMILY FUN DAY IS COLUMBUS DAY (OCTOBER 14) FROM 10-2 • GISD IS ON A 4-DAY WEEKEND This event is especially attractive to families with school-aged children.
Scout patch designed by Keith Howell profchellenger.com
Scout Support
San Gabriel Presbyterian Church hosts five scouting groups, each meeting in the building on various days of the week. Ginger Mann, Service Coordinator for Pack 2338, provides every scout who helps at the Pumpkin Patch—unloading, staffing events, or sales—with a three-inch Pumpkin Patch award and a nice shout-out from the church. “For Scouts, we help the church throughout the year and discovered recognition of merit was a huge incentive. The Scouts help with many projects throughout the year but the pumpkin patch stands out. The congregation is very attached to and grateful for all of our scout programs; Girls, Boys, Sea and Cubs.” Phil sums it all up; “We are eager to be a community partner. You don’t just open your doors Sunday morning and have people walk in. We invite folks to come and enjoy a great day and a good experience, and when they look for a church or have a spiritual need, maybe they remember where they felt welcome.”
The pumpkin sales tent is open every day from 10am-7pm and after church on Sundays. 5404 Williams Dr, Georgetown, TX 78633 • (512) 868-0902 • sgpcgeorgetown.org Photo above: pumpkins ready for sale at the 2018 Patch. Top-right: Volunteers offloading and arranging 4500+ pumpkins. • Ginger Mann and Scout volunteers muscle the big ones onto the sales palettes.
9
MAYOR'S UPDATE • BY DALE ROSS
Mobility Projects in Georgetown
Mobility and increased
traffic consistently have been top issues cited by residents in Georgetown in citizen surveys. Since we can’t close a gate to keep people from moving to our wonderful city, our best option to address traffic is to implement mobility projects to keep us moving as our population grows. Georgetown residents have a history of supporting projects to address our transportation needs. In 2015, Georgetown voters approved a $105 million bond for transportation and mobility projects. Two of the larger 2015 bond projects, Southwest Bypass and Rivery Boulevard Extension, have already been completed. Northwest Boulevard extension and bridge over I-35 is under construction and should be complete by early 2021. Other transportation or mobility projects are being proposed, are in the planning stage, or are funded and in the process of being implemented. I’d like to share with you some details about projects in each of those categories respectively—road projects
10
Library, 402 W. Eighth Street. After public input and review by several City boards and commissions, the Plan is scheduled for review and adoption by the City Council in November and December. Read the draft of the Plan and find out more about the review process at transportation. georgetown.org/bike-plan.
that are being proposed, bicycle projects that are in the planning phase, and pedestrian crossing improvements in Sun City that are funded and will be happening next year.
Williamson County Road Bond election
Residents will be voting on Williamson County bond election propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot. Proposition A includes road projects and Proposition B includes parks and recreation projects. The road projects in Proposition A include these projects in Georgetown: • Southwest Bypass extension from State Highway 29 to Wolf Ranch Parkway would construct a roadway and include intersection improvements at SH 29. • Southeast Inner Loop Extension from SH 29 to Sam Houston Avenue would construct a roadway with a bridge over SH 130. • Four safety projects in Sun City include: 1) CR 245 from north of RM 2338 to Ronald Reagan Boulevard involving reconstructing and widen-
Pedestrian crossings in Sun City
ing to four lanes, 2) Ronald Reagan Boulevard at Silver Spur Boulevard turn lanes involving constructing intersection improvements, 3) Ronald Reagan Boulevard at Sun City Boulevard turn lanes involving construction of intersection improvements, and, 4) SH 195 northbound off ramp at Ronald Reagan Boulevard involving construction of exit ramp. Go to wilco.org/bondelection to find out more about these projects and others on the November 5 ballot. Early in-person voting is Oct. 21-26 and Oct. 28 – Nov. 1. Go to wilco. org/elections for details on polling locations and hours.
Bicycle Master Plan
An initial draft of a Bicycle Master Plan for Georgetown presents a blueprint for future transportation projects to create a safe
bicycle network in Georgetown. The plan includes a system of bike lanes on streets, off-street paths, and pavement markings or signs to indicate bicycle routes. The plan also includes ideas for bicycle rack locations,
activities, signs, maps, and educational efforts to help bicycle mobility. You can learn more and talk with City staff at a public open house on the Plan on October 23 at 6 p.m. at the Georgetown Public
City staff has worked with Sun City residents for the past year on ways to enhance pedestrian safety. As a result, the City Council approved funding last month to add pedestrian crossings with signal flashers at eight intersections on Sun City Boulevard and Del Webb Boulevard. The project will include pedestrian crossing signs as well as push-button activated flashing beacons to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians. Walkers can push a button to activate the flashing lights and let drivers know that they are present. The beacons and signs are being ordered and manufactured. They should be installed early next year. As you can see, mobility efforts in Georgetown include roads improvements for our vehicles as well as projects for bicyclists and pedestrians. In all these ways, we aim to keep you moving safely in our growing city.
OCTOBER 2019
CITY INSIDER
The Rev. Dr. Bill Pederson, Pastor
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of Jarrell WEEKLY SCHEDULE Sundays
9:45 am Bible Study • 11 am Morning Worship 5 pm Choir Practice • 6 pm Evening Worship
New Hope
BAPTIST CHURCH P A S T O R
K E V I N
R O S S
Wednesdays 7- 8 pm
NEED A RIDE? Call (512) 966-0971 Dr. Max Johnson, Pastor
110 W. Avenue G, Jarrell, TX
“ THE BARN CHURCH ” SERVICES: Sunday: 11 am & 6 pm
Sunday School: 9:45 am Wednesday: 7 pm
I went out to a farm last
week to treat a colicky horse. Colic is a general term that means abdominal pain, and there are dozens of reasons for a horse to colic. I found the horse rolling around kicking up dust; he would whinny and thrash, get up kicking at his side, then throw himself down. He was in a lot of pain. I opened my drug box and started drawing up meds for pain control and sedation. I then found out that this horse had not been de-wormed in a long while, and there were new foals in a neighboring pasture. I saw these young horses over the fence, coughing. We got the horse on a halter; I gave him a skin twitch to distract him, and then gave him the drugs in his jugular vein. After about an hour and a few hundred dollars in treatment, the horse felt much better. A fecal test
diseases so much easier than in past decades. The problem is that bugs are amazingly adaptable at evolving to resist the drugs we throw at them. Given enough time and sheer numbers, some of these parasites will survive and not be affected by our drugs. To slow down that process, get with a good veterinarian to determine a responsible, effective parasite plan for your animals. Dr. Carlton served four years in the United States Army as a Veterinary Corps Officer. He honed his clinical skill set working on these unique animal populations, and brings that special knowledge to the community at Jarrell Animal Hospital. Dr. Carlton is a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Association of Equine Practitioners, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, and he continues to serve in the United States Army Reserve. Jarrell Animal Hospital 191 Town Center Blvd. Jarrell JarrellAnimalHospital.com and Facebook Dr. Carlton will share news and views for your pets and animal friends as a regular writer for City Insider. Send your questions to info@ fpgtx.com
PUMPKINS ARE HERE!
All Month - while they last!
5404 Williams Drive | Georgetown | 512-868-0902 | www.sgpcgeorgetown.org •
1700 CR 305 | JARRELL
revealed a massive amount of roundworm eggs. A few days later, a different client came in very upset because her kitten vomited up a small thin hair-like thing that was moving. Turns out it was also a roundworm. Roundworms are parasites that infest our gastrointestinal tracts. These parasites migrate from the intestines through the liver and into the lungs, so you might see coughing in a young horse, or even a worm coughed up by a kitten. Roundworms can be passed from the dam to puppies, and cats can pick them up by eating insects. The old thinking was that we would give medications to kill the parasites every year, or sooner, and that would prevent the animal from having the issue. Unfortunately, the veterinary and parasitology community are finding that intestinal parasites are becoming resistant to these medications. We now recommend that animals have fecal examinations every year to see if de-worming needs to be done. In horses, that means annual fecal egg counts and strategic de-worming. In cats and dogs, that means annual fecal flotation to look for parasites. We have excellent drugs out now that make treating
Children’s chapel & nursery offered during worship
SAN GABRIEL PRESBYTERIAN
(512) 746-2828
NEWS FOR PAWS & CLAWS and HOOVES & SNOUTS
by Dr. Nathan Carlton, DVM
9:15 am Adult Sunday School Children & Youth Sunday School Parents Time Out
Youth - Grades 7 through 12 God’s Kids - Age 5 - 6th grade • Adult Bible Study
Even if you are not ready to be a member, you are encouraged to worship with us! We will be honored to be of service to you. We will provide a place in our church fellowship for temporary residents (and others) and a transitional step for those who need more time to review Baptist beliefs.
10:30 am Sunday Worship
Need brown sugar for a recipe and suddenly realize you’re out? Save a trip to the grocery store by adding molasses to white sugar. No molasses? Use maple syrup in a pinch.” —W.S. in Florida • To keep hard floors in good shape, get a microfiber mop that is strictly for dust mopping. Treat it with an appropriate floor-care agent, and make sure that you toss the mop head in the wash regularly. Never use fabric softener when washing or drying microfiber cleaning cloths. • When making a cream pie filling or a custard, you may substitute two egg yolks for each egg. • Did you know that when iron and copper in metal kitchen knives come in contact with certain fruits and vegetables, it causes them to brown more quickly? It’s better to use a glass, plastic or ceramic-coated knife to cut produce items, especially lettuce, apples and avocados, which are prone to browning. • To remove the scent of garlic from your hands, sprinkle salt on a cut lemon and rub it on your hands. Then, Wash as normal with soap and water. • If you roll sausages in a very light coat of flour before you cook them, it will reduce the shrinkage. • After you pressure-wash the patio and driveway, mix up a gallon of vinegar with a cup of salt and a few drops of dish soap. Use on cracks to deter weeds from growing in them. It’s safe and works quite well.” • Rust stains on clothing? Never machine-dry an item until the stain is gone, as it may set the stain. For rust, apply lemon juice to the stain, and then sprinkle with cream of tartar from your kitchen and rub it into the fabric. Allow the clothing to sit until the stain is gone, and then launder as usual. Good luck! • Mirrors make a room feel larger, because they reflect space, essentially doubling the visual area. But for maximum impact,
experts say to hang your mirror on the wall adjacent to your window, not across from it. • Lunchbox season is here, finally. If you have an issue with odors remaining in your plastic food containers, fill the container with hot water, and add a teaspoon of baking soda. This should remove smells. Let sit overnight if necessary. • Rub stubborn stickers or labels with straight white vinegar or soak a paper napkin with vinegar and lay it over the label. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then remove. You should be able to rub the adhesive right off. Reapply if necessary. • To erase crayon marks from painted walls, make a paste of equal parts baking soda and water, and apply to the area. Then let it dry and wipe away. This works best on a white or very light wall, as dark colors may lose some color. Also, wipe gently, as baking soda is a mild abrasive. • When you shop for shoes, go in the evening. Feet swell and expand throughout the day, so if you buy shoes in the morning, the fit might not feel too good later in the day. • To give rooms the illusion of extra height, hang curtains from a spot very near the ceiling. The long vertical lines of the fabric draw the eye up. It can be enough to make a very small room look and feel a little more spacious. • Whether you cook or bake often, you definitely have some brown sugar hardening up in a plastic bag somewhere in your pantry. A piece of bread in a jar of brown sugar or stuck into a plastic bag of dry cookies adds just the right amount of moisture. Of course, the bread will be hard as a rock, but that just means it worked. • If you want to save money and don't mind missing the scent, ball up three 1-foot lengths of aluminum foil in your dryer. Compress tightly, making sure to press down pieces that may snag on clothing or undo the ball. As clothes tumble and rub against one another in the dryer, they exchange electrons, which causes static. The foil balls discharge any static buildup the clothes may experience and help keep them separated, which should speed up the drying process. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
11
CITY INSIDER
OCTOBER 2019
Loyce J. Graham MD, PLLC 181 Town Center Blvd. Suite 400 � Jarrell � 512.746.2690 Office Hours: Mon., Wed., Thurs., Fri. 8 am - 5 pm | Tues. 8 am - Noon
COUGAR LUBE & WASH F U L L S ERV I C E O I L & LU B E
512-746-4274 AUTO MAINTENANCE
• STATE INSPECTIONS • CAR WASH
MON-FRI: 8am-6pm SAT: 8am - 5pm SUN: 10am - 4pm
www.CougarLubeandWash.com
171 Town Center Blvd | Jarrell Northbound IH-35 EXIT 275 | Southbound IH-35 EXIT 274
12
F R EE
CAR WASH with Full Service Oil Change Cougar Lube and Wash
CITY INSIDER
OCTOBER 2019
Dementia Care Fundraiser A Gift of Time is a local
nonprofit on a mission to open Georgetown’s first licensed, full-time Adult Day Center. This service will provide therapeutic programs for adults with mild to moderate dementia and give much-needed support and respite to their caregivers. Today, the community-driven 501(c)(3) is pleased to announce its Annual Fundraiser – Gallery of Memories. The Fundraiser will be held on November
5th at The Georgetown Community Center from 5:30–7:30 pm. This exhibit and reception are part of A Gift of Time’s ongoing efforts to raise funds to acquire a building. The need for A Gift of Time is dire. Describing what access to A Gift of Time would mean for her, local author and caregiver Andrea Lee says, “It would give me a piece of my life back.” Speaking of his own experience caring for his wife
with dementia, Georgetown resident and A Gift of Time Board Member Vic Figurelli says: “I believe had A Gift of Time been in existence at the time—placing my wife in a care facility could have been deferred for a while longer. I don’t know if the ‘while longer’ would have been weeks or months or more. But it would have meant her being with me at home that much longer.” The Georgetown community has one of the fastest-growing senior populations in the nation and the fastest-growing pre-senior population (Brookings Institution). An estimated 2,000 Georgetown adults 65 and older have some form of dementia (US Census and Alzheimer’s Association). Yet, these residents do not have access to full-time, licensed Adult Day Care. They are waiting for A Gift
of Time’s doors to open. A Gift of Time's mission is to provide compassionate, holistic day care for people with memory loss and to support their loved ones as they confront the challenges of caregiver. The nonprofit was founded by Josie Zamora in 2016 and
is supported by a diverse and experienced Board of Directors. This group of concerned citizens have felt the impact of dementia and are striving to do something extraordinary to help others find hope when faced with the devastating effects of the disease.
A Gift of Time’s November 5th Fundraiser is open to the community and is a crucial step in raising awareness of the need for their programs and funds for their building. Learn more at AGiftofTimeGeorgetown.org or call (512) 688-6497.
A Gift of Time Fundraiser Team and Board Members share a sample banner for the Fundraiser.
M•A•R•K•E•T•P•L•A•C•E EXPANDED COVERAGE AREA! Highspeed Internet Services Available In:
JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
UNIQUE LADIES’ BOUTIQUE FULL SERVICE SALON BARBER SHOP
CALL TODAY! 512.897.1860
8 Stylists / Barbers • Walk-In (any service) or by Appointment
180 TOWN CENTER BLVD | JARRELL
(beside Brookshire Brothers)
254-291-4790 | Follow Us on Facebook for Sales & New Arrivals!
SOSComm.com
Georgetown • Serenada Walburg • Weir • Jarrell Salado• Holland •Bartlett Granger • Taylor • Thrall Liberty Hill • Bertram
Visit us online for rate plans & to see our full coverage map!
COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE CARE
512-864-9794
E LY ! G ET LIV
STATE INSPEC TIONS
Breakfast ● Sandwiches ● Salads Smoothies ● Gourmet Coffee Espresso ● Homemade White & Wheat Bread & Bagels
2228 N. AUSTIN AVENUE • GEORGETOWN Located across from GISD stadium
GeorgetownMufflerandAutomotive.com
Lively Coffeehouse & Bistro
Residential • Commercial TACLA 006424C
ALLPURPOSE HEATING & AIR
Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
512-930-3750
(in the Salado Square)
254-947-3688
(512) 746-5641 (512) 869-1032
LLC
R E F R I G E R AT I O N
Repair • Installation • Service Sheet Metal Fabrication
21 N. Main Street Salado, TX
St License # TACLA4518C
allpurposeair@ecpi.com
CavLaw,
PLLC
WAYNE E. CAVALIER Attorney at Law
A-1 Automotive Complete Auto Service
700 S. AUSTIN AVENUE • GEORGETOWN 512.869.7659 www.quenansjewelers.com
607 Leander Rd. • Georgetown 512-869-6993 Over 20 years of Quality Service Monday - Friday 7:30am - 6pm
254-721-6282 · bcsports.us bcsports-sales@usa.net
512.863.7633
OFF ROAD RECOVERY
✯
LOCAL & LONG DISTANCE
DEPENDABLE SERVICE
RV TOWING ✯ FLATBED AVAILABLE ✯ LOCKOUTS
MOTORCYCLE TOWING
Equipping Leaders in
MINISTRY • BUSINESS • POLITICS Leadership Instruction & Professional Development
512-948-5750 wbendaniel@gmail.com
ELDER LAW • WILLS • TRUSTS • ESTATES SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
512.775-7676 • cavlawtx@gmail.com 181 Town Center Blvd • Suite 500 Jarrell, TX 76537
Mon., Wed.-Fri 9-4 Sat. 9-4 Sunday 10-4
Crossword and Sudoku solutions on previous page.
CITY INSIDER
OCTOBER 2019