Liberty Hill Digest August 2021

AUGUST 2021

DOG DAYS

CELEBR ATING SUMMER IN LIBERT Y HILL IN THIS ISSUE Dog Days | Courthouse Doggos & A Canine Ranch Update SIT-REP | Ad Valorem Taxes and ISDs Farm & Family | Gatlin Ranch is Changing How We Look at Cattle

INSIDE

FAVORITES 10

SAVE THE PLANET Gatlin Ranch: A New Paradigm in Sustainable Ranching

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PEOPLE Author Sam Carter is Living the Dream

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT Tears Foundation - Supporting Families Dealing With Loss

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ASK THE EXPERT Expert Advice About Pets and Small Livestock

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WORTH THE DRIVE Sticky Sweet Sno-Cones

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AROUND TOWN Young Entrepreneur Secrets

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FACTS TO BLOW YOUR MIND Nuggets and Miscellany

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BELLE CHIMES IN Is it Just Me? Part 2

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FOOD Canine-themed Cuisine

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PARTING SHOT Celebrating Independence in the Hill

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CELEBRATING “DOG DAYS”

TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY • Hank is just one of the friendly co-workers at the Williamson County Attorney’s office on special awareness days and, sometimes, just for great employee morale.

FEATURES 4 SIT-REP WITH TX REP. TERRY WILSON Ad Valorem Taxes, Part 2 • Schools and ISDs

12 LIVING GRACE CANINE RANCH Graceful Living for Senior Dogs

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WORTH THE DRIVE No need to choose just one Summer treat, you can have them all—in one cup! photo courtesy Mary Donica

ON THE COVER • Klaus—enjoying the crowds at an Independence Day celebration—is also a “courthouse” dog, thanks to his human, 26th District Court Judge Donna King.

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FOOD, FAMILY, AND FUN Get to know Gatlin Ranch, and how their best practices can help make cows, humans, and the environment healthier. photos courtesy Gatlin Ranch

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Liberty Hill digest

Published by Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ann Marie Kennon

Cathy Payne

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Megan Diane Beatty

Megan, a mom of two, has been a part of the Liberty Hill community for 11 years.

Originally trained as a nurse, today, she channels her passion to help others into throwing birthday parties for kids battling cancer. Megan’s other passion is running, and that same zest for life flows into her writing and sharing the inspiring stories of Liberty Hill.

SENIOR WRITER Charlotte Kovalchuk CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Greta Bauer GRAPHICS & DESIGN Sam Cothran • Ann Marie Kennon CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kendra Cofer • Charlotte Kovalchuk • Megan Diane Beatty SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR • Jenny Campbell ACCOUNT SERVICES • Debbie Tolliver DISTRIBUTION • David Schumacher IT/WEBMASTER • Jesse Payne CONSULTANT • W. Ben Daniel

ADVERTISING Jenny Campbell 254-251-9167 (Cell) 512-598-6538 (Direct) jenny@lhtxdigest.com

Liberty Hill Digest is a Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC publication.

Copyright © 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE | MEGAN DIANE BEATTY Dear Readers, August is back-to-school month! As ready as I was for school to end, and after hearing, “Mom!” every five minutes for the past couple of months, I am even more ready for it to begin. I can smell the relaxing cup of coffee and hear the quiet house. I wonder how many books I will be able to read the first week back to school….

In this issue you will be inspired by, and perhaps even learn something new from two Liberty Hill 2021 graduates.

I am impressed by the drive and enthusiasm these young adults have. One is an accomplished (and published) writer who’s not afraid to follow her dreams, and the other is a driven entrepreneur who strives to give only his best for his customers.

As you read through, the young ladies at the Gatlin Ranch will continue your inspiration with their ranching skills and their passion for regenerative farming. My family and I had a blast visiting their gorgeous piece of paradise in Liberty Hill. This place has so much to offer, but the best part is the hospitality! These gals don’t want you to just become customers, they welcome you to sit at their table and eat with them.

It’s still hot enough to fry an egg on your porch….make sure you go get yourself a shaved ice treat from Sticky Sweet Cups! I am totally addicted to these delicious and flavorful cups of icy goodness. You will not be disappointed!

Of course August is National Dog Month, and to honor the Dog Days of Summer, here is a picture of my pup. My daughters and I got her right after my youngest daughter finished chemo treatments and she has been the best healing therapy we could have asked for. When we were throwing names back and forth, my daughter said, “Let’s name her Hope because we never gave up hope.” And her name couldn’t be anything else but that.

All rights reserved. Liberty Hill Digest is published monthly and mailed USPS, free of charge, to homes and businesses in Liberty Hill, TX zip codes. Mail may be sent to Liberty Hill Digest, P.O. Box 213, Jarrell, TX 76537.

Email: info@lhtxdigest.com

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sit-rep with rep. terry wilson

"According to Value" Taxes: Part 2

EDUCATION IS NOT ABOUT WHERE A SCHOOL IS IN TEXAS. IT IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ALL OF TEXAS MEETS THE SUFFICIENCY REQUIREMENT. THE LEGISLATURE USES PROPERTY TAXES AS A MECHANISM TO MEET THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE THAT STATE-WIDE BURDEN.

Schools and ISDs

A LITTLE HISTORY In the beginning, public education was managed in numerous ways by counties, cities, and other local agencies. In the 1940s, the ISD framework was created to establish stability, consistency, and to make provisions to fulfill the duty via property tax. Representative Wilson explains, “Property tax is the most dependable. Values are less likely to go down, compared to other taxes, so ad valorem taxes provide consistency and stability moving forward.

Originally, school taxes were a fraction of the cost because the state provided supplemental funding. Over time, property tax burdens trended upward to ease the burden on the State when times got tighter.”

F O R M O S T TA X PAY E R S , T H E M A I N T E N A N C E A N D O P E R AT I O N S TA X F O R T H E LO C A L I S D I S T H E L A R G E S T S I N G L E I T E M O N T H E I R P R O P E R T Y TA X B I L L .

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ast month, we covered how property taxes work in Texas, and the tools you have to challenge your assessment and limit the growth of your bill. This month, we expand on how property taxes fund the public education system, the largest share of your bill, and how you can impact your local school district’s budget and tax rates.

To gain a good understanding of the taxes Texans pay to support public education, it is important to begin at the beginning. When Texans laid out the Declaration of Independence in 1836 and itemized all the things Mexico had done wrong to compel the territory to break away, they listed their grievances in order of importance. First on the list—even before the forcible military dissolution of the state legislature—was the

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lack of support and maintenance of a system of free and public schools.

“Our responsibility to our children and our state has always been the general diffusion of knowledge and educating people,” says Colonel Terry Wilson, US Army, Retired, state representative for Liberty Hill.

SUFFICIENCY REQUIREMENT Article 7 Section 1 of the Texas Constitution provides for “knowledge essential to preserving the knowledge and liberty of the people.” In simple terms, public education in Texas must be sufficient so that every student is either educated enough to get a job, pursue a post-secondary degree or vocational training, or enlist in the military. “This is the job of the legislature,” Representative Wilson says. “We do not provide the education ourselves—it is our duty and responsibility to provide a mechanism for it and facilitate it somehow.”

TWO-TIER SYSTEM A school district’s “Maintenance and Operation” (M&O) funding covers everything a district does to educate students; teacher salaries, air conditioning, textbooks, etc. This M&O revenue comes from two main sources, their property tax collections and state aid. The state uses two sets of formulas to decide what the total funding for a district will be for any given year.

The first formula, known as “Tier 1”, uses a “basic allotment” that adds a set “per student” amount of revenue for every district. Tier 1 funds treat every student the same and are meant to cover the costs that are universal for all students.

The state sets a tax rate for each district to charge to help cover this cost, known as the “compressed rate”. If a school cannot raise enough money from its property taxes to cover this basic allotment, the state makes up the difference out of funds from the Foundation School Program.

Thanks to changes made in House Bill 3 in 2019, this tax rate works like the rates for cities and counties we described last month. If the school district receives more than 2.5% additional revenue from year to year the “compressed rate” drops to keep the total allowed revenue at 102.5% of the previous year’s revenue unless they

receive voter approval. For example, if a school district collects $100,000 in M&O taxes one year, they cannot collect more than $102,500 in M&O taxes the next year, not accounting for new construction.

The second formula, known as “Tier 2,” adjusts its funds based on the additional expenses required to educate different types of students. These costs come from items like career and technical education, special education, English Language Learners, and other programs. If you ever hear a school funding item referred to as an “allotment”, it is part of Tier 2 funds.

To cover these costs, a school board can raise their property tax rate by up to 5 cents with a unanimous vote and can charge up to 12 cents more with voter approval.

What if a school district does not have a large tax base to pull from? In order to keep those districts from having too high of a tax rate, the state guarantees they will receive a certain level of revenue if they have to tax above the compressed rate.

For FY2022, LHISD will also receive $19.6 million in state aid. This formula is based on average daily attendance (ADA) and takes other factors, e.g., travel time, special education, and Tier II programs, into account.

As Col. Wilson put it, “It is Texas’s responsibility to educate all of our kids, but we cannot have a state-wide property tax—that is reserved for local government only. As a result, we have a funding system that is more complex than necessary, essentially trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.”

RECAPTURE Recapture is sometimes referred to as a “Robin Hood” tax and is part of the efficiency requirement that helps provide a consistent education experience in every ISD in the state, regardless of its size and tax base.

Colonel Wilson explains, “In LHISD, the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax is 86.4 cents per $100 of home value. In Liberty Hill, based on the number of homes and home values, the ISD receives $31.9 million in revenue to pay for actual expenses required by the legislature: buildings, salaries, and materials. For FY2022,  AU G U S T 2021  L IBER T Y H ILL DIG E ST

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image libertyhillisdbond.com/tax-information

LHISD property taxes will bring in 61.9 percent of what is needed to meet its full budget.

to maintain level education fields for the sake of all of Texas.

“In Buckholts, the ISD tax rate is close, at 96.6 cents, but there is not as much land value so their tax revenue is $398,500; just 19.94 percent of their budget. If the taxpayers in Buckholts were required to fully fund their ISD entirely, they would have to pay $4.85 per $100 to meet their full M&O burden. So, again, the efficiency requirement keeps districts across the state within a certain range of each other on property taxes.”

As we go into School Year 2021-2022, you can still have an impact on your ISDs property tax rate. In August, districts will propose their rates once the Texas Comptroller certifies property valuations and will be mailing out notices for when and where you can attend public meetings to ask questions and offer comments on those proposed rates.

The responsibility to distribute the cost burden at a state level, means the 125 students in the Buckholts ISD school building have the same diffusion of knowledge as the 6,011 students in Liberty Hill ISD without putting an untenable cost burden on the taxpayers of that school district. “The necessary benefit of this kind of planning,” Col. Wilson says, “is that smaller cities and towns are not without growth potential because education opportunities remain at the core of every community, regardless of size.”

BONDS If a school district wants to do something outside of its M&O budget, like building a new football stadium, a new campus, or adding any programs that are not part of the state plan, they can go to the voters for permission to take out a bond. Since these types of funds are not part of the state’s constitutional duty to provide a sufficient education, they are taken care of entirely on the local level through an “Interest and Sinking” (I&S) property tax that does not get subsidized by the state and is not subject to recapture.

The legislature is always looking for the best ways to do this to make the M&O tax get to zero. Colonel Wilson believes, since property tax is entirely designed for the benefit of the local taxpayers, it should be reserved for covering local school district bonds through I&S taxes. Because education is a state responsibility, there will continue to be changes and modifications to the laws that will provide benefits to the whole state.

To eliminate M&O school tax completely and move that burden to the state level would require dedicating all surplus growth in state revenue. At that point we could be rid of M&O taxes entirely and provide funds from the state level. That would allow complete flexibility for districts to pass their own bonds and charge property tax for local voter approval. It is truly the only place where government is administrating locally but the responsibility is from—and making it work for—Texas as a whole.

KEY TAKEAWAYS House District 20 has 33 ISDs and, with a few exceptions, without recapture and smoothing, most tax districts would be paying $2-$5 per $100 of home value.

For those municipalities able to fund their budgets easily, that excess is shifted to other ISDs that need it,

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N e x t m o n t h , R e p r e s e n t a t i ve W i l s o n w i l l t a ke a l o o k a t s o m e p r o p o s e d c h a n g e s t h a t h ave b e e n d i s c u s s e d i n p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n s . T h e s e co u l d b e r e v i s i t e d s o o n , a n d h e h o p e s to e n g a g e w i t h a n d r e ce i ve f e e d b a c k f r o m y o u , t h e co n s t i t u e n t s .

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courthouse canines

courthouse canines

by Ann Marie Kennon • annmarie@lhtxdigest.com.com photos courtesy Williamson County Attorney Office

Dog Days at the Justice Center baby gates on the doors. Mr. Hobbs adds, "It's also a great humanizer for guests to see that we're just people too, and we love dogs."

GREATER CALLINGS Beyond that, his Great Dane and Peggy's Havanese are being trained and certified to be in the office regularly to provide support for victims and witnesses. Mr. Hobbs says, "Being in the justice system can cause a lot of anxiety for children or families. We have both dogs to cover the spectrum; some people love and feel safer around big dogs, others prefer a small dog for comfort.

The dogs are here to help ease the process for anyone who has been through a trauma." He adds that it is also helpful to have animals present as a distraction because

MEET PEPPER

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Williamson County Attorney’s Office Staff prepare for a day of work with their morale officers.

n 1999, Pet Sitters International created Take Your Dog to Work day to encourage businesses to allow dogs in the workplace. It was intended to celebrate dogs as companions and promote their adoptions from local shelters, rescue groups, and humane societies. One Williamson County office not only took the holiday to heart, but has turned it into a signature workplace program.

RUFF DAYS Williamson County Attorney Dee Hobbs participated in the national event for the first time in 2019. Mr. Hobbs says it was popular with the staff and everyone enjoyed it; "We didn't do it in 2020 because people were at home. But, in 2021, we have been running minimal staff in the office so we allowed all the people who had to be there to bring a comfort animal while they worked. We started out doing it periodically for those who needed it and, across the board, it has been great for morale."

Inspired by the results, Mr. Hobbs and his Chief of Staff Peggy Vasquez are personally investing in formal training for their own dogs to be certified service dogs. He says, "We've all been through the wringer and it is comforting, when you're the only person in a big office, to have your best friend as a co-worker."

Office companions, however, only need to be house-trained and social, but everyone agrees that it's a treat to walk through the halls and see

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Contributed by Peggy Vasquez

Pepper is my 3-year-old Havanese and she serves in the Williamson County Attorney's office as a Service Dog working with Victims of Crime.

After losing my beloved 18-year-old Havanese boy, Bogey, who had filled my life with so much joy, I longed for a new fur baby. When I mentioned it to my boss, County Attorney Dee Hobbs, he suggested that if I would be interested in getting a new puppy and would commit to training the puppy to work as a Service Dog to help victims of crime, it would be beneficial to our office as well as our own staff and visitors to the building.

I wanted to adopt and rehome an adult Havanese and began my search online. Several months had passed when I received the call about Pepper. Her previous owner could not keep her due to an illness so it was decided that this beautiful, Havanese girl from a champion blood line would be mine. My daughter picked her up in California and flew her home to me.

there are often long waits in the office, or outside courtrooms. Studies have shown service animals lower blood pressure and anxiety responses, and "people who are waiting to testify can spend their time petting the animals rather than thinking about their concerns."

STAYING PAWS-ITIVE Mr. Hobbs says he will continue with the national awareness event and allow employees to bring a personal dog for support every now and then, if just to break up the monotony. "When we did it in 2019, we had no idea how much it was going to pay off during a time no one saw coming. But necessity is the mother of invention and, really, it's just hard to be in a bad mood when there's a puppy around."

Pepper's quiet and reserved nature is perfect for the job. Her training went very well and she has been an amazing addition to my life and to the office. She is the official office mascot, and attends all meetings. She also assists in drawing attention to important issues like domestic violence awareness, teen dating violence, the Pandemic, and many others.

She has worked with victims of domestic violence, applicants for protective orders, witnesses who were nervous about their participation in trial, and children who were present in our office while their parent met with Prosecutors.

She is always a welcome sight for our own staff members when they need a little "Pepper Time", and as a greeter in the Justice Center for those in the building attending to difficult matters.

Pepper loves her job and every morning finds her waiting eagerly to go to work to bring a little comfort, spread a little joy—and sometimes comic relief—wherever she goes.

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farm & ranch

by Megan Diane Beatty • megan@lhtxdigest.com photos courtesy Gatlin Ranch

Regenerating, Revolutionizing Ranching!

The Gatlins are Bringing Science, Health, and the Environment Together on the Dinner Table

IT’S ABOUT THE SCIENCE The Gatlins believe revolutionizing the beef industry is as simple as starting with a network of regenerative farms and ranches across the nation.

Jo explains, “Most people have heard of the 1930s Dust Bowl, the first man-made weather catastrophe the world had ever known. After years of mono-crop farming, feedlots, and other conventional practices had stripped the land of its natural vegetation and root systems—the glue that keeps our soil moist, healthy, and fertile—massive dust storms scraped the mid-West and almost left the middle of the country a desert waste land.”

Over time, farmers and scientists learned when there are healthy, developed root systems, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are absorbed into root nodes and other microorganisms that live in fertile soil. These are known as ‘carbon sinks’—places where massive amounts of carbon are able to be sequestered out of the atmosphere and back into the soil to be used as nutrients.

I F YO U CO U L D B E A PA R T O F C H A N G I N G T H I S W O R L D F O R T H E B E T T E R , W O U L D N ’ T YO U ?

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atlin Ranch in Liberty Hill was founded on the idea that cattle are actually for the climate, not against it.

While sisters Meagan and Jo Gatlin grew up learning and working in conventional agriculture, they saw the future for the industry and set themselves on a mission to sustain life, regenerate climate and earth, and create a community of people who are deeply connected to their food. Fortunately, their mission to help the environment and the cattle industry also means good food and great family experiences for the rest of us.

IT’S ABOUT FAMILY The Gatlin family is now in its third generation of ranchers, having learned traditional ranching from their dad and grandfather, “Pop.” Over the past 30 years, their latest generation has been adapting and evolving operations to incorporate different feeding approaches and regenerative agriculture methods. At the same time, as they worked and managing daily operations, Meagan 10

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and Jo gained a thorough understanding of proper care and respect for livestock. Jo says, “We’re not a company, we’re a community; we’ve always joked that Dad ran cows like modern-day hippies—with great love and respect. The Ranch has been such a sacred and special place for Meagan and I growing up and we want to share that with our community.”

IT’S ABOUT HEALTH The amount of research on grass-fed and finished beef is overwhelming. The main consensus is that grass-fed and finished beef has a more ideal Omega 3 fatty acid to Omega 6 Fatty Acid ratio. This represents a reduction in the amounts of free radicals in our diets, which means greater wellness over time. As well, research shows changing the diet of a cow to grain or corn can increase the acidity in its stomach, which not only causes discomfort for the cow but can also lead to more resistant strains of bacteria that can be harmful to humans who eventually consume the beef.

Regenerative and Sustainable practices simply acknowledge the lessons of the Dust Bowl and incorporate systems and processes that regenerate the land for better soil health.

Among the most popular practices is pasture rotation; i.e., rotating livestock through smaller paddocks over shorter periods of time, which halts overgrazing that can destroy root systems and lead to desertification.

COMING SOON...

Next Spring, Gatlin Ranch will be launching Farm to Table dinners in one of their expansive pastures.

Meagan says, “We believe it will be an experience unlike any other.” Diners can sign up at GatlinRanchCattle@gmail.com

ENJOY GATLIN RANCH BEEF Gatlin Ranch ships nationwide from GatlinRanch.com Free pick-ups and $5 shipping in Central Texas

IT’S ABOUT FARMING Growing up in a legacy business, the sisters’ have always had a strong sense of the short- and long-term effects of conventional agriculture as it supported their family, and how sustainable farming could lead them into the future. “We are passionate about finding solutions in the beef industry that will leave this planet happier and healthier. While people on both sides argue the relative merits of climate culture, Gatlin Ranch is actually doing the work—using cattle to restore land and soil to the point where root systems and soil life can hold massive carbon sinks. This means we are taking what would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere and placing the carbon back into our soil to be used as food for vegetation.”

IN PERSON...

See Jo and Meagan at the Wolf Ranch Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Santa Rita Farmers Market on Sundays

FAMILY FUN FREE hayrides the last Sunday of each month 4101 County Road 207 Liberty Hill (512) 584-7787

Jo says Sustainable Farming is a bit of an umbrella term; “The best way to describe it, is that it is a form of land management that leaves the earth healthier for future generations of our family and yours.”

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graceful living

by Charlotte Kovalchuk • charlotte@lhtxdigest.com photo courtesy Rhonda Minardi

Updates from "Where Love Resides" Donation Sparks New Bunkhouse for Living Grace Canine Ranch

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hether caring for senior dogs, effecting change, or educating new generations of pet parents, Rhonda Minardi is on mission to help undervalued canines live their best lives.

Her goal was accelerated thanks to a substantial donation from local business and civic leader Jack Garey.

A fellow dog lover, Jack was touched by a story about Rhonda's vision of a 501(c)(3) sanctuary for displaced senior dogs on five acres in Bertram. Living Grace Canine Ranch is a permanent home for dogs labeled “adoption undesirable” or orphaned. All senior dogs are welcomed regardless of breed or challenges, and they find security, comfort, nourishment, unconditional love, and companionship. "It's an admirable thing she's doing, and I wanted to help out," Jack says.

Jack and his son toured Living Grace while Rhonda described her vision of caring for dogs disregarded by society due to old age or illness. "Whether dogs or people, seniors are disregarded as if they have no value any more," Rhonda says. "If dogs can only tell their stories, if we sit down and talk to older people, all they've gone through in their life just to be abandoned . . . It happens every day. That bothers me. Living Grace Canine Ranch is going to do everything we can to make these senior dogs' lives enjoyable."

After experiencing Living Grace, Jack told Rhonda, "Anyone can make a website look good. You are the real deal." Rhonda remembers the tears in his eyes as he said, "I'll help you."

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Thanks to his donation, Garey's Big Dog Bunkhouse is expected to open mid-September and house up to 30 large canines. "We didn't expect to be starting on another building this quickly. It's amazing. I'm honored the Lord chose me to do this. He entrusted me with all these little lives because he knows we will do the right thing," she says.

teers committed to sharing their love every week."

As a grandmother to three young children, she is excited about a volunteer collaborative children's storybook available in time for Christmas. "Our mission is to save, serve, and elevate senior dog's lives. I'm hoping planting and fostering seeds of compassion at young ages will improve animal cruelty laws in Texas and encourage public awareness for humane animal treatment and conditions,” she says.

LIFE-SAVING MISSION

BRIGHT FUTURE There are 34 residents at Living Grace Canine Ranch, and Rhonda has a heart for each orphan, emotional cripple, or medically needy dog seeking a quality life. "Unlike an animal shelter environment, it takes time to build a trusting relationship between human caregivers and old dogs of need,” she says. “As a nonprofit, we rely on ranch volun-

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As a long-term alternative lifestyle solution to reduce traditional animal shelters' financial and space burdens, Living Grace hopes to become a model.

"Living Grace Canine Ranch exists because Texas animal shelters euthanize 60 percent of senior dogs, regardless of low-cost treatable health conditions. To end pain and suffering is one thing, but to take a life, simply to save money or because it's most convenient, is morally wrong," Rhonda says.

“We're setting the bar high here.

Think of us as the canine version for your parent's assisted living needs. We're taking it up a notch and inviting traditional animal welfare organizations and government agencies to think broader.”

Living Grace asks for prayers, public financial assistance, and business sponsorships to help unwanted senior canines flourish in their golden years. To donate or volunteer, visit livinggracecanineranch.org.

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people

by Megan Diane Beatty • megan@lhtxdigest.com photos courtesy Samantha Carter

Young Author Living the Dream

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and what kind of story you want to tell, there can’t be anything. I’m simply moved by storytelling, how it communicates, speaks ideas, and conveys messages to others.”

hile it is not uncommon for creative young adults to dream of moving to New York City to live a lavish and upbeat lifestyle, one graduate has already gone and done it.

Not only did the Class of 2021’s Samantha Carter set a goal to graduate early and make that move, but, when most seniors were living up their senior year, she was spending her nights writing a novel.

Looking for the Sun is a gothic, fantasy novel that explores death and its faces. The book centers on two main characters, Happy and Book, as they go on a journey to find where the sun lives. On the way, the two discover a deep friendship and bond that cannot be broken. “If there is anything one should take away from my book, it is the absolute strength that comes with a reliable friend,” says the young author.

Her primary idea flowed from her reading Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, which she felt encompassed the hope for the American dream. “I wasn’t particularly a fan of the novel, but I was drawn to this seemingly unconditional friendship between the main characters, Lennie and George.” Other aspects of her book, such as her characters constant travel and lack of a base, originated from the many times she

GLOBAL GOALS

moved as a kid. “I wanted to emphasize that a home doesn’t have to be a physical abode, but a personal connection.”

Her biggest inspiration is the fiction itself. “I love how fictional writing is completely dependent on imagination. It is a mosaic of research, structure, themes, characters, plot, and more but, without an idea of where you want the story to go

Sam was also accepted into a program at Hunter College, which will enable her to become fluent in Chinese within five years. “I’ve always had the drive to learn another language, not just for the benefits it would bring in the workforce but, more significantly, giving me the ability to speak to more people. Being a storyteller and a writer fuels me in my learning of another language.

There are so many stories to learn and listen to in other languages.”

This brilliant, young author’s dream is to one day write for television. “Television has made significant breakthroughs in representation and I want to be a part of this wave of media that allows people to see themselves in what they watch. With that in mind, the best piece of advice I would give someone my age or someone looking to achieve their goals is to take opportunities that come to you while seeking out the ones you want.

And of course, work towards what makes you happy!”

I A M M O V E D B Y PA S S I O N A N D CO M PA S S I O N . I A M G E N U I N E LY AW E D B Y T H O S E W H O U P L I F T OT H E R S , A N D H O P E TO S O M E D AY D O T H E S A M E .

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community support

by Ruby Holder Moseley photo Facebook / HillCountryTEARSFoundation

Walking for Babies and Children

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eptember is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to recognize the children and families affected by the disease and emphasize the importance of supporting research. While observation events are T H E T E A R S F O U N DAT I O N WA S F O U N D E D I N 20 02 . A M B E R C H AU B E G A N somber in nature, T H E H I L L CO U N T R Y C H A P T E R I N AU G U S T 2017 I N H O N O R O F H E R DAU G H T E R , the Hill Country TEARS M A D I S O N , W H O D I E D O F S I D S AT T W O M O N T H S O L D. Foundation is helping meet the needs of all bereaved families with a Rock & Walk event October 16.

Each year The TEARS Foundation also recognizes professionals in our community who go above and beyond to help a bereaved family during their time of need.

The TEARS Foundation exists to provide ongoing eduNominees for Heroes of Service may be first-responders, cation and resources for families, and bereavement care firefighters, nurses, EMT, chaplains, and doctors. Each will after the loss of a baby or child. Their mission and vision receive a letter and notification that they may be chosen is the health and well-being of families on their journeys to be this year's Hero at the 2021 Rock & Walk. to recovery. The foundation offers various types of virtual The heart of the Rock & Walk is to let bereaved famisupport—trained Peer Companions talk, listen and counlies know they are not alone. The Foundation strives to sel over the phone and accommodations are provided build awareness about pregnancy, infant, and child loss for the deaf and to Spanish-speakers. by bringing the community together to support these Families can also receive compassionate support via families. Participants rock in chairs or walk laps together e-mail and Hill Country Founder Amber Chau reports to honor the children whose names appear on butterflies many local groups are on track to re-instate in-person lining the path and are reminded that we can find hope. groups this Fall. Amber says, "The goal of the foundation Visit TheTEARSFoundation.org to nominate a hero, apis to build a caring community of families, professionals, ply to be a VolunTEAR, apply for services or donate, and and community members. The overall wellness of the scan the code for information about family of a baby that has gone too soon is of utmost the Hill Country event. Early Bird regimportance." istration is $5 through August 31 and Another tier of support is TEARS Foundation’s offer of $10 until the event date. Contribufinancial assistance for final arrangements and funeral tions help provide ongoing bereavearrangements for those gone too soon. ment care and the overall wellness of families grieving the loss of a child.

LOCAL HEROES

COMPASSION

“ROCK & WALK” OCTOBER 16 TH AT 10:00 SAN GABRIEL PARK, GEORGETOWN

Contact Amber (408) 838-8438 to support bereaved families with sponsorships, prize donations, or participate as a walker & rocker.

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ask the expert

Expert Advice for Pets & Livestock T E X A N S LO V E FA R M A N I M A L S A S M U C H A S W E LO V E O U R C AT S A N D D O G S A N D D R . N AT H A N C A R LTO N O F J A R R E L L A N I M A L H O S P I TA L I S W E L L V E R S E D O N A L L O F T H O S E . H E H A S S O M E A D V I C E A N D G U I D A N C E F O R H O B B Y A N D F FA FA R M E R S TO H E L P U S U N D E R S TA N D T H E N E E D S A N D B E N E F I T S I N O U R D I V E R S E U N I V E R S E O F CO M PA N I O N A N I M A L S .

Can you share some benefits and concerns for specific farm animals?

How much space is reasonable to raise certain animals?

Farm animals enrich our lives by providing meat or eggs but they can also help us by providing an agricultural exemption for the land. Those benefits are a great way to lower your tax burden but there are a lot of things to consider first.

Animal units (AU) are a way to describe the carrying capacity of a piece of land. One AU is a full-size cow-calf pair; one horse is usually 1.3 AUs. You may have four goats per AU for full-sized meat goat breeds or perhaps six pygmy goats per AU. The total AUs for your land depends on soil type and annual precipitation. Fortunately, we have a general landmark—stocking density is typically lower west of I-35 than on the east side. A good starting point is one AU for every four acres on the east side; one AU for every eight acres on the west. You may need to adjust based on the amount and condition of the grass through the seasons. For instance, you could run four large goats on a five-acre lot on the east side of town but drop to two for the same size lot on

Make sure you have a facility prepared to care for them. Cattle are a common choice in Central Texas and they are easy to own but what happens if one is sick? How will you vaccinate and de-worm the animal every year? If you own 20 cows you will have 20-25,000 pounds of animals to corral, so setting up a good set of working pens with a functioning head gate and squeeze is essential. Without those items you won’t be able to vaccinate, let alone work on one when sick.

ARE THERE ANIMALS I SHOULD NOT RAISE TOGETHER? Generally, we do not raise goats and sheep in the same area. Both are susceptible to copper poisoning; sheep more so than goats. Both species need loose mineral to supplement their diet but if you feed a goat-based supplement with sheep in the area they will eventually develop copper poisoning.

Housing chickens and turkeys is also not a good idea.

Turkeys can transmit Blackhead and other bacterial diseases to chickens.

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ask the expert

contributed by Dr. Nathan Carlton

the west side. It may be tempting to have more, especially this time of year when it seems like there is plenty of grass for many animals.

Always remember, come August, there won’t be much to eat on the ground and in winter you may be in the same spot. Even if you are okay feeding them hay you will want to keep the density low to prevent over grazing and heavy parasitism.

Good veterinarians talk to animals...great veterinarians hear them talk back.

ing disease in goats or blackleg in cattle. De-worming every year will help reduce death loses and improve the gains you see on your animals. I recommend working with a vet to figure out a good vaccine and de-worming schedule for your livestock.

How do I know if my animal is sick and needs a vet?

Sometimes it is obvious—a cow with a laceration or lame goat, but sometimes the signs are less obvious. If you see your goat pressing his head against the fence or hear her grinding her teeth that is a problem of pain.

In general, if you are at all worried about the health or welfare of your animal, call a vet early. There aren’t many food animal vets around so a late-day call means less chance he or she will be able to get to you.

Do my farm animals need stimulation for good emotional health?

Yes. Farm animals are prey species so they do better in groups than alone. I also think it is a good idea to be around your animals as much as possible. This way they are used to you and can be easier to handle when it comes time to calve or vaccinate.

Do vets make house calls or do I need to bring the animal to the vet?

There are very few mobile vets in the area and fewer large animal vet facilities around. If you are interested in owning livestock be sure to do your homework and find a good vet that will be able to come to you prior to when you might need one.

What are some basic health concerns to keep in mind to keep animal healthy?

All animals need fresh water and some shelter. If you have cattle and there are no trees around to keep them out of rain and sunlight you might consider putting up an overhang or lean-to. Vaccinations are a great way to keep away some easily preventable diseases like over-eat-

BONUS HACK: REMEMBERING RITUAL Who among us hasn’t forgotten at some point to turn off the water trough hose or close the gate? Or, you do it, but it’s such an automatic gesture that later, if you think back, you can’t remember if you actually did it or not?

There’s a trick for this. When you’re doing something you need to remember later, do a small “remembering ritual” like snapping your fingers three times, tapping your nose twice or stomping your foot.

The physical repetition makes an indent in your mind, and when you think back later, you’ll remember if you did your ritual. The second trick here is to mix it up a bit. Keep two or three of those rituals in your toolbox to use, but don’t use the same one every single time for the same task or it will become as autopilot as the original task itself.

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worth the drive

by Megan Diane Beatty • megan@lhtxdigest.com

by Megan Diane Beatty • megan@lhtxdigest.com photos courtesy Bryant Amsler

around town

A “Sticky Sweet” Summer

Essential Habits for Entrepreneurs

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o doubt about it, summer is in full swing and, although a day at the pool is always a great way to escape the heat and humidity that comes with the Texas sun, sometimes you just need to indulge your inner child with a sticky, icy dessert.

Sticky Sweet Cups shaved ice trailer is a family affair and when you walk up to order, you feel like you’re part of that family too. “We love to be invited to celebrations, fundraisers and holiday events,” Mary Donica says. “That’s the best part about owning a ‘sugar wagon.’ We get to be a part of people’s memories and that makes our hearts happy. We find that sometimes we bring a nostalgia and trigger memories from childhood.

We get to see people from all walks of life—young and old! To bring people together to share a common interest is pretty neat and I have to say, we are the blessed ones.”

NEXT-LEVEL Every day, Sticky Sweet Cups takes shaved ice to a whole new level of creativity and indulgence. They start with ice that is shaved to create a soft and fluffy texture, which Mary proudly says is really what keeps customers coming back. Or perhaps it’s the ice cream they add to the cone before the flavorings?

It could also be the flavor choices; everything from traditional Cherry and Orange, to Pickle or Zombie-virus. If you’re not sure, you can try three at a time, and there are even a few sugarless options.

Then again, the key might be in adding sprinkles, cotton candy, or chocolate syrup on the top. We rec-

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Owners Mary and David Donica

little elbow grease is helping build character for recent Liberty Hill graduate Bryant Amsler. Addressing the need to save money for his own college education, Bryant chose to build a business that is enabling him to generate revenue, build business and networking skills, and nurture independence, all while serving the Liberty Hill community as a professional power washer.

CLEAR ON THE CONCEPT He credits his friend Jed for planting the seed for the pressure washing business, but it was his own wrecked truck that inspired him to move forward with it. “My sister had an auto accident and our insurance went up. I didn’t want my parents to have to pay even more because of my wreck so I started the pressure washing business to be able to fix my truck out of pocket,” Bryant says.

ommend channeling your inner mad scientist to be sure.

Mary says her biggest seller is Carole Baskin-tigers blood with cream on top, which she has fondly imprinted from their opening weekend.

“It was Easter 2020, when people were being told to stay home and isolate themselves. It was a scary, sad time and we wanted to bring happiness and joy to our small town.

“Unsure if we should wait to open or not, we just went for it. Tiger King was the thing to watch on TV at this time so we had to include that on the menu.”

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ENJOY! Sticky Sweet Cups is located at 535 HWY 29 between El Rancho and Big’s convenient store. They are open Wednesday through Friday from 2-7pm, as well as on the weekends that they don’t have special events. Their season ends at the end of September, but they are always available for special events. You can follow them on Facebook for updates and message them for any requests.

“Our goal is to make people smile.

It’s a crazy world we live in, if we can brighten someone’s day with a shaved ice treat then we have succeeded.”

Fueled by dreams of going to college, Bryant has continued to work hard to grow his business and turn that dream into a reality. “Everyone dreams of that first day of college,” he says. “The friends you will meet, the experiences you’ll be exposed to, the school spirit you’ll develop, but paying for that dream can be a nightmare if you don’t have a surefire plan.”

and algae build up over time and leave your home, driveway, sidewalks, patios and decks unsightly. Maintaining your home and business with regular pressure washing can not only increase the longevity of your property, but also increase its value by thousands of dollars. It adds a newer feel to your property,” explains Bryant “I don’t charge by the hour because I feel like its incentive to go slower. I charge by the job so I can take my time and get it done right without it being at the cost of my customers.”

Bryant is also pleased that local businesses like Tractor Supply and McCoy’s have allowed him to advertise at their stores. “I’m really grateful that being young is no obstacle to being a part of the great business community in Liberty Hill. You just have to ask.”

HISTORICAL GOALS It seems every generation has its share of successful young entrepreneurs so it’s no surprise Gen-Z is doing the same. This very wise-for-his-age business owner says, “If you are thinking about starting your own business, the best advice I can give you is to look into what you want to do and map it out. Know your demand and study your competition. Find a niche—the more narrow, the better—where you can be the one specialist people can trust to get the job done.”

THE PERKS While he has many talents and interests, he chose pressure washing for the value and benefits to homes, property, and public spaces. He explains, “Dirt, grime, mildew,

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facts to blow your mind

belle chimes in

Nuggets and Miscellany In case you haven’t used enough data yet, the latest Excel spreadsheets have 220 or 1,048,576 columns; 214 or 16,384 rows; resulting in 234 or 17,179,869,184 cells.

The most current Apple calendar scrolls all the way back to January 1, 1 and ends December 31, 10000. Assuming no changes to our current system, you won’t need to update until 4909, when one full day will be added to match Earth’s orbit.

S

ummer is in full swing, but Belle is watching it from a chair thanks to a "should probably have given up cheerleading before my mid-30s" back problem. But that doesn't mean I'm not still busy being amused by a few new random observations.

If you decide to watch all the videos on YouTube, you will never finish. There are more than five billion videos right now, and 300 hours are added nearly every minute.

First, I know the whole world has opinions about social media and Facebook, and I'm not crazy enough to stick my toe in that quicksand, but I think it's really time to stop flashing the "Get COVID information here" message on every third post in my Fakebook feed. It's inconceivable to me that they still think there's anyone left on the planet who will see that and say, "Oh goodness, is something going on in healthcare? Someone turn on the news! Hey, while you're at it, maybe check to see if we had the election yet."

Gravity Points is a digital “pen” created by Akimitsu Hamamuro. The website simulates the effect of gravity by allowing you to plot small gravity centers on your screen.

Then, even smaller floating objects will flock to these gravity centers and orbit them until they become black holes.

It’s a teeny tiny time lapse of how the universe works.

There actually is a word that rhymes with purple; “hirple” means “to limp awkwardly.” Still no luck for orange,or silver.

Of course I still don't like customer service phones; particularly the artificial intelligence operators. It's particularly insulting when they play the fake typing noise to reassure (and totally convince) me that, no, it's not a robot at all, but a real live human pounding 120 wpm on what sounds like a 1977 Corona typewriter. It's a bit like Samurai movies dubbed in English... I say three words and "human" Karen clacks about 400 characters. Perhaps there was a focus group in a board room somewhere that determined people are less likely to hang up if there's no silence.

In case you are still wondering…In the Vietnam protest rally scene in Forrest Gump, where Tom Hanks’ mic is cut, what he actually says is, “Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs.

Sometimes they don’t go home at all. That’s a bad thing.

That’s all I have to say about that.”

The Twitter bird’s name is Larry. Supposedly, the blue bird was named after former NBA player Larry Bird by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. Stone’s home team was the Boston Celtics.

The Track Sharker tool by Marine Research Group OCEARCH lets you track tagged sharks—who all have names, by the way—as they travel all over the world. You can even zoom in on the Texas coast to see which sharks are hanging out there, and also where they’ve been swimming and traveling for the past year.

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Is it Just Me? (Part 2)

Go! Pico, GO!

And can someone please tell me why I have to prove my identity when I'm trying to pay a bill on the phone? Are there terror cells and scammers trying to pay strangers' bills across the nation? I'm okay with that, really. If someone is willing to do that, you have my permission to let them. I feel the same about the bank that won't let me deposit money into my

mom's checking account. I’m totally cool with the Taliban paying her cable bill.

In other questionably stupid things, I actually got a letter from the IRS notifying me I would be getting a letter from the IRS that would explain the money I'm going to get from the IRS in a few months.

Granted, it's always a little suspicious to get money from them—without explanation—so you then have to worry about when they're going to want it back, but couldn't they just have included a note with the check? Glad to see my government is spending my tax money on triple redundancy and killing trees.

On the more personal side, you know you're getting older when you're filling out an Internet profile form on your device and you get to your year of birth, you have to spin that wheel like you're on "The Price is Right". I generally have to take that second spin too. Delightful.

Speaking of "old", I've decided that it must not be so bad to go to prison. Bill Cosby got rid of his cane and is apparently no longer blind since getting out a few weeks ago. Miraculous! Given my current medical bills, the next 24 months might actually be cheaper that way.

Meanwhile, back to Summer life and recliner thoughts. For one, I'm going to take a moment and be grateful that spiders don’t fly. Also that I would love to see what it would be if we ever had an “anti thunderstorm.” Consider how freaky it would be if we started with loud, high-pitched screeches followed by flashes of extreme darkness (during the day). Much more end-of-the-world than some of the stuff people stress about these days.

Hmmm... probably time for another pill.

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fo od

fo o d

...and from the bar...

Recipes with a "Canine" Flair EVERYTHING'S BETTER WITH BACON RIGHT?

TEXAS HOTS' HOT DOG SAUCE Or, as Texans might say... chili!

INGREDIENTS

DEVIL DOG • 3 oz. Jose Cuervo® gold tequila • 5 oz. unsweetened grapefruit juice

HOT DOGS ARE

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped

• 1 lb ground beef

NO EXCEPTION.

• 2-2/3 tsp chili powder

• 1-1/3 tsp paprika

DIRTY DOG

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 2/3 tsp cloves

• 1 oz. Hennessy® cognac

WRAP EACH HOT DOG

• 2-2/3 tsp ground cumin

• 2/3 tsp garlic powder

• 1.5 oz. vodka

IN A STRIP OF BACON,

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1-3/4 tsp salt

• 5 oz. chilled orange juice

SECURE BOTH ENDS

• 1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 oz. chilled cranberry juice

WITH TOOTHPICKS, AND GRILL— ROTATING FOR EVEN COOKING— UNTIL THE BACON IS CRISP AND COOKED

FROZEN DOG TREATS Because your best friend enjoys a little chilled snack in the summer time too. These ingredients are healthy for dogs and can be shared with your human friends and family too.

INGREDIENTS • 4 bananas • 1/2 cup peanut butter*

In a four- or five-quart pan, cook onions in a little oil until tender. Add ground beef and brown. Add 1-1/2 quarts water and simmer for one hour. Add remaining ingredients. Cook 30 mins. Thicken with cornstarch or flour to desired consistency. Note: Mix cornstarch or flour with cool water to a paste.

Sauce can be frozen in an ice cube tray. One cube is enough for one hot dog.

After frozen, take out of tray and store cubes in freezer bag.

AND THE HOT DOG IS HEATED THROUGH.

FUZZY DOG • 1 shot peach schnapps • 1 shot amaretto almond liqueur • 1 shot coconut rum • Orange juice Pour each shot over ice, fill glass with orange juice.

• 4 plastic mini cups (plastic or paper) Peel, slice, and freeze bananas.

Put frozen banana slices in a food processor and blend. Scrape sides to get rid of lumps; mixture will be thick. Continue blending until it reaches the consistency of soft serve ice cream.

Add peanut butter and mix well.

Separate into 3-4 cups and freeze or pour into your favorite dog treat mold. If using cups, remember to remove any paper before your pooch gets to chewing.

*Please check your peanut butter and make surre it does NOT contain XYLITOL sweetener.

This is toxic to dogs.

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parting shots

by Megan Diane Beatty • megan@lhtxdigest.com photos by Kendra Lynn Cofer Photography

Celebrating Summer in The Hill

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ourth of July celebrations may be, arguably, the best part of Summer. Small-Town USA means charming traditions like how far you can spit a watermelon speed, a hot dog eating contest, or being crowned Ms. Liberty.

Liberty Hill kicked off Fourth of July weekend at Shooting Star Ranch’s Dancing under the Stars event. This event, which featured Jason Kane White & The Lonesome Road Band, benefited two local nonprofits, L4 Cares and Community Pathways. L4 Cares founder Kendra Cofer was very pleased with the turnout; “The community showed up in a big way. Hundreds of people enjoyed a great performance from the band and the firework show was magnificent. It was nice to see people relaxing and enjoying time with family and friends while supporting us.”

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On July 3, for the first time ever, Liberty Hillians enjoyed non-traditional Texas weather—in the 70s—at the Independence Day Spectacular. The mild temperatures combined with the beautiful sunset made for a perfect festival comeback! “Liberty Hill’s small businesses really pulled through with sponsorships and that money was passed on to the community for an even more spectacular show this year,” says Liberty Hill’s communication manager Katie Amsler.

Event host, Shooting Star Ranch’s Shawn Oehrlein will continue to support the Liberty Hill community by providing her beautiful venue for Dancing Under The Stars events through October 2021.

Scan the code for information and tickets.

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P.O. Box 213, Jarrell. TX, 76537

ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON LIBERTY HILL, TX

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