MAY 2021
We B u i l d C o m m u n i t y • U n i t i n g 7 6 5 3 7
MEET THE MAN BEHIND
BHS REALTY
Barry Cryer Is Bringing Boldness, Honesty, and Smarts to the Real Estate Business A Look Back:
May 27, 1997 Remembering Moments of "Community"
Meet "Jarrell's Mom" Priscilla King
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Page 10
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Jarrell's First & Current Mayors Talk Growth
Mother's Day
INSIDE
FEATURES 6 A LOOK BACK
The Mayors who helped Jarrell learn to walk, run, and fly!
10 JARRELL REMEMBERS
MAY 27, 1997 • A Legacy of Love and Strength
16 MOTHER'S DAY
The Inspiration of "Jarrell's Mom" Priscilla King
FAVORITES 5
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT BHS Realty
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KIDS Adopt-a-Senior, Class of 2021
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EDUCATION Carissa Adkins' Culinary Program at JHS
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76537 LIFE Emergency Services
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NEIGHBOR LEIGH Alpha Mom
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PARTING SHOT Build-a-Cougar Day at Igo Elementary
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ON THE COVER: Barry Cryer—a true picture of all the reasons to work, live, build a business, and raise a family in Jarrell.
28 JISD Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks and Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell couldn't resist "Build-a-Cougar" Day at Igo Elementary. A great success for the PTO and morale for kids of all ages.
UPDATE In the April issue of MyJarrell Monthly, we featured the great work and resource needs at THE JARRELL COMMUNITY LIBRARY. Our community responded in wonderful ways. Page 25
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EDITOR'S NOTE | CAMY REYNOLDS PUBLISHER
Cathy Payne
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ann Marie Kennon
COMMUNITY EDITOR Camy Reynolds Camy is a native Texan and mom of three who has lived in Jarrell since 2009. She serves her community as a director on the Sonterra MUD Board, is on the board for the Jarrell Education Foundation, is the PTO President for Igo Elementary, and founded the local Facebook group Mom Tribe Jarrell that has over 700 members.
COMMUNITY LIAISON
Janet Hage
SENIOR WRITER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Charlotte Kovalchuk Karina Cuenca Greta Bauer GRAPHICS & DESIGN Zion Pistole • Ann Marie Kennon CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rudy Ximenez • David Valdez • Todd White 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@myjarrell.com
My Jarrell Monthly is a Fidelis Publishing Group, LLC publication. Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. My Jarrell Monthly is published monthly and mailed USPS, free of charge, to homes and businesses in the 76537 zip code. Mail may be sent to My Jarrell, P.O. Box 213, Jarrell, TX 76537.
Email: info@myjarrell.com 2
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The month of May in Jarrell brings a mix of emotions. Some see the beginning of warm weather and summer fun on the horizon; others look to the end of school. For many residents, May means a look back on the day that changed our town forever. We will never forget the destruction and devastation that occurred May 27, 1997 or the lives that were lost. They will forever hold a special place in our hearts. We will also never forget how the people of Jarrell banded together, without hesitation, to help, care for, support, and rebuild our special little town. That day brought all of Jarrell closer together and molded us into the wonderful town we are today. A true community. That very sense of community has been tangibly cultivated throughout the years by Priscilla King. Those who already know her generous, humble spirit won’t be surprised to learn that Priscilla considers herself an ordinary woman God has used to do extraordinary things in the lives of thousands of children in and around Jarrell. Many around town consider her “Jarrell’s Mom”, so it seems especially appropriate to share her story this month. Priscilla is an inspiration that we can all do extraordinary things if we are willing. It was a blast to participate in Igo Elementary’s PTO Build-A-Cougar event. There was a distinct sense of normalcy as the students were able to gather and enjoy the process of building their very own Cougar stuffed animals. The best part was the looks of surprise when the Jarrell Cougar mascot arrived for photos with them and their new Cougars. As we look to celebrating the Class of 2021 later this month, the Adopt-A-Senior program wouldn’t be possible without our community rising to the occasion and investing in those seniors before they begin the next chapter in their lives. My hope is we will all feel inspired to find our place in the community, invest in those around us, and continue to cultivate that sense of community that brings us all together.
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by Charlotte Kovalchuk · charlotte@myjarrell.com photo courtesy of Barry Cryer
BUS INE S S S P OT L IG HT
Find Your Dream Home with BHS Realty Group
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Clients also have the opportunity to pay it forward, as Barry donates 20 percent of his commission to charity and clients get to choose where 10 percent will go. “It’s basically a tithe for me and a tithe for them,” Barry says. “Whether it’s their new home or they’re selling, it helps bless their transaction.”
hether educating clients, donating part of his commission to charity, serving on local boards, or breaking the poverty cycle, Barry Cryer’s philosophy has always been hard work and helping people. Raised by a hard-working, single mother with a family history of divorce and poverty, Barry’s journey has not been easy. “I get up every day trying to change the legacy of my family,” he says. It’s what drove him, after dropping out of school at 17, to earn his GED, a Certificate in Engineer Design Graphics, and another in Small Business Management and, ultimately, inspired his real estate business, BHS Realty Group. For 32 years, Barry worked in the manufacturing industry. In the 2008 economic plunge, he told his wife Barbara they needed to find a way to control their own destiny, so he signed up for a motorcycle technician class. The instructor said he had made a decent living while owning a motorcycle shop but made the most money when he sold it. "Like God hitting me in the head with a baseball bat," Barry says, a light went on for him. He began looking into real estate investing and signed up for a real estate investment seminar in February 2009.
A NEW CHAPTER In 2013, he opened BHS Realty Group as Cen-Tex Real Estate, now located at 100-A Don Currie Drive in Jarrell. Barry believes he picked the right spot, considering Jarrell’s continued growth over the past six years and the 25,000 new homes projected over the next decade.
FOR JARRELL By 2016, Barry and Barbara owned their home and managed 100 rental doors: duplexes, triplexes, multiple fourplexes, a mobile home park, and an upcoming industrial park. BHS (Bold, Honest, Smart) Realty Group serves residential, commercial, farm, and ranch buyers and sellers in Williamson and southern Bell counties. To Barry, serving these clients is about more than a transaction. “These are people’s lives— dreams—that I am participating in,” he says. That means educating clients and taking into account each unique situation. Barry has worked with customers with a full range of needs, from those about to lose their house but, with Barry's help, able to save their credit; to others in the middle of divorce or facing a death in the family. At the end of every transaction, Barry wants them to know the ins and outs of the whole process, from the roles of the real estate players to the importance of a home inspection and AC check. (You don’t have to look very far for that one...Barry also owns Star Air, Air Conditioning and Heating.)
His philanthropic efforts aren’t limited to real estate. When he’s not helping people buy or sell houses, Barry serves on the Jarrell Road and Street Committee and Economic Development Corporation, and ESD #5 Jarrell Fire Department. “We have a blank canvas, and people involved in shaping the town of the future need to be conscious of the footprint we’re leaving,” he says. “However big or small my role is, I want to be conscientious of the footprint we leave today that will be here for hundreds of years.” With the goal of expanding BHS Realty Group, Barry hopes his business will help shape Jarrell’s future as he works to bring more real estate agents and assistants on board. “I want to help support the community, because we know if people work here and live here, those dollars will circulate many times around the community,” he says. To learn more about BHS Realty Group, call 512-971-2833, email barrycryerrealtor@gmail.com, or visit BHSRealtyGroup.com.
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A LOO K BACK
by Ann Marie Kennon • annmarie@myjrrell.com
Jarrell: Birth and Growth of a City
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ounders Orlando D. Jarrell and E. C. Haeber would be proud to see what Jarrell has become, and the growth that has become exponential in the last 20 years.
A LITTLE HISTORY Jarrell has been on the map since 1909, having been built as a train stop for the cotton trade between Bartlett and Florence. Originally, the stop was planned at Corn Hill but residents turned it down and O.D. Jarrell suggested the place we now call home. Growth continued on pace with other small towns in Williamson County until the latter part of the 20th century, when growth all over Texas began changing nearby landscapes. At that time, Jarrell's first mayor, Wayne Cavalier, metaphorically, helped what current Mayor Larry Bush calls “Economic Jarrell”* learn to walk. Mayor Bush's distinctive name includes the city proper and everything in the 76537 zip code that contributes to the success of the City.
A "CITY" IS BORN Wayne Cavalier, the future first mayor of Jarrell, and his wife purchased acreage here in 1996 because they were eager to enjoy the space. When his property was damaged by the devastating 1997 tornado, he realized the kindness of Jarrell was, and would be, one of its courtesy Wayne Cavalier defining characteristics. "We weren't able to get onto our property for nearly two weeks, but people from several churches immediately began helping. Folks from all over helped pick up pieces of metal on the former cornfields, and it actually took about two years to finish." In Summer 1999, residents started to feel the impact of development to the north and south of Jarrell. Wayne recalls, "We realized we needed to decide whether we wanted to become a suburb of Georgetown or Salado, or create our own path. I was appointed chair of the committee formed to investigate 16 determining factors—it 6
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wasn't just about filling out paperwork with the State. We had to consider things like establishing a formal relationship with the County Sheriff, and what the10 boundaries would be so we could collect taxes and know who was eligible to vote on referenda and in future elections." They put together a PAC to educate residents on what the change would mean and encourage the vote. In May 2000, the first referendum included a vote for incorporation and a planned election for mayor and city council. In May 2001, the new city held its first election. Wayne believes his election was based on the confidence people had in his ideas and his ability to bring things together. He reflects on how different things were at a time not so far in the past; "We went out and talked to neighbors in person. Jarrell was small enough to allow a walk through the community; using family networks to share news and speaking to 'center' groups. We had fewer than 700 people in town and could accommodate them all at the school."
"NOW WHAT?" Wayne says, "The first thing we did was look for someone willing to be City Secretary. The PAC left us $21, and Alana Enriques worked for no pay for 18 months until we were able to establish and collect sales tax that brought revenue for operations. That first check was a big deal." Little by little, leadership began talking about next steps and managing different issues that emerged as the population grew. In 2005, the City made arrangements with the County Sheriff to hire off-duty deputies to be the Jarrell Police. Their positive working relationship meant dedicated police protection during the day, and often at night. It followed, somewhat naturally, that a municipal court was created to manage the tickets that were being written—as Mayor, Wayne was also the first Judge. Looking back, he says, "We recognized that growth and development was coming and there was no question *Jarrell, Sonterra MUD, Jarrell-Schwertner WSC
more people would come. We didn't have any estimation of how much it would explode, and we're still in the middle of it. I am pleased that we got things going, got a handle on the things that were important to us as a city, and we have always been blessed with forward-thinking councils. Little by little we put ourselves in a position to take positive advantage of things as they happened, and where we are today is proof."
20 YEARS LATER... ADOLESCENT JARRELL When Larry Bush (right) was elected to city council in 2007, City Hall was in a house, and they had a bake sale to purchase a used police car from the County Sheriff. On the plus side, the city had already hired a police chief, and the late Mel Yantis as their first city manager. About that time, the population models were predicting a 5 percent increase per year and Council realized they had to start somewhere to plan for that growth. With $9 million in debt about 950 residents, they made the prescient decision to build a wastewater treatment plant. Mr. Bush, who was elected Mayor in 2014 says, "We always knew we had to run the city as a business. We needed to make choices to survive or go into bankruptcy; the gamechanger was when Sonterra MUD arrived."
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alot
WASTE NOT... WANT NOT For a time, property tax and sales tax fell short of "prosperous", but Jarrell had a 500,000-gallon wastewater treatment plant. It was necessary, but also creating negative revenue; so, leadership began working with and connecting to the Sonterra MUD to provide wastewater treatment. Aside from the good municipal citizenship model of helping neighbors, it was a win that provided operating revenue to the city on a monthly basis. Mayor Bush praises the good relationship he has with Sonterra MUD and Board Chair Andy Bilger; "We work closely to keep abreast of what we are both doing. If Andy is successful and I'm not driving Jarrell along the same lines, ‘Economic Jarrell’ will not thrive." As it was in the early 2000s, residents have wish lists, but there are always baby steps involved, and every city must first learn to crawl (install infrastructure and build homes) before it can run, i.e., have a Walmart or an H-E-B. Thankfully, Jarrell resident Troy Bradshaw saw the need and had the means, investing his own money into a water and fire flow project that also proved prescient. As new businesses move or relocate to the IH-35 frontage properties, they require that water reserve and pressure before insurance companies will allow them to build. The Mayor says, "Troy knew what needed to be done to make
the city a city. Water pressure and fire flow are not sexy, and they generate no revenue for us, but the companies who use them require that huge water line, so it's all about balance." Thanks to the revenue the city receives from outlying areas buying water and treatment services from the city, Jarrell's enterprise fund is sound enough to borrow money from the private sector, so they will never have to think about bankruptcy again. Mayor Bush says, "When I moved here 24 years ago, I just wanted to be in the country. But, if we’re going to be big, and it looks like we are, let’s grow it the right way. I want to make living and doing business in Jarrell open and enticing for people who want to be here. If you’re going to come here and invest millions in development or corporate, I’ll be there."
...AND STILL GROWING Today, Jarrell has all the things a growing city needs as it heads toward maturity: 11 department heads, a Chamber of Commerce, EDC, full time police protection—including reserves and community policing; a franchise grocery store, library, medical services, and several fastfood franchises and restaurants. Mayor Bush is pleased to report, while award-winning schools, industry, connectivity, and Sonterra's nearly 3,600 homes have tripled the population in the past decade, Jarrell is still growing, literally. Serial annexation adds about 1/2 square mile per quarter, as more landowners and developers ask to have their properties annexed on both sides of IH-35. "With residential property, the land pays for itself via utility bills, so we will continue to work closely with Andy to keep up with availability and demand in Sonterra, which is the rising tide that will continue to lift all boats in Economic Jarrell."
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AD VE RTORIAL
All are Welcome at Lucky Penny
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ucky Penny Lounge means Jarrell friends and families have no need to go elsewhere for good food and night life. Co-owners Gail Millard and Joe Putman are happy to have found such a great location in town; "It's easy to get here, it's away from the fast pace of a bigger city and the people in Jarrell are so friendly." Lucky Penny is known for having an atmosphere full of family and fun. It’s the neighborhood bar where everyone is welcome, particularly those simply open to having a good time. Gail says, "It's the perfect place to relax and converse, but it's definitely also for people not afraid to pick up a pool stick or hit the dance floor." Lucky Penny, so named for a favorite nickname of Gail's, is open every day for dinner. "We have a new chef preparing great burgers, wings, chicken sandwiches, and fries; all your favorite bar food," she says. "We have a full bar all day but after 8pm, all guests need to be at least 21." For the grown-up crowd the Lounge features 22 beers on tap, and many craft brews are also available.
EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME They have a DJ or live music every Friday night for country and southern rock lovers, and on-demand karaoke for folks who want to be their own entertainment. For those who like a little activity with their beverages, or are always on a competitive streak, there are darts, pool tables, dozens of sweepstakes machines and brain-bender games all over the bar. The Lounge opened in 2017 and Mallard says she enjoys her many happy regulars and karaoke fans. "We are pleased to have been able to persevere during the pandemic, and we are doing our best to encourage people to come out again in a safe and fun environment."
THURSDAY & SATURDAY KARAOKE NIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT BAND OR DJ 3RD TUESDAY BIKE CLUB SWEEPSTAKES MACHINES PING PONG TABLES DART BOARDS POOL TABLES 8
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PATIO LIFE Gail is happy to have completed their planned expansion, which includes an awesome and family-friendly patio and a dance floor. "We have a very diverse environment for all of our guests. It's very relaxed to allow you to enjoy a nice lunch with co-workers or friends and at night you can chill with a great beer, watch a game on the big TV, play pool, listen to music or sing it yourself."
EVERY DAY Happy hour every day 11am-7pm Kitchen open Thurs-Fri 4-11pm; weekends Noon11pm. (Limited menu Mon-Wed) Mondays $1 off drinks for active duty, veterans, and all first responders. Tues pint night; $4 craft beer and $3 domestics. Women receive $1 of cocktails and $3 off wine on Wed. Saturday Karaoke with Rockin' Steve.
305 L I M E S TO N E P L A C E I N J A R R E L L 512 - 253 - 2775 LU C K Y P E N N Y LO U N G E
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T RI BUT E TO R ECOVER Y
by Charlotte Kovalchuk • charlotte@myjarrell.com photos by Charlotte Vancil and Scott Beckwith
A Legacy of Love and Strength Remembering the Tragedy that United the Jarrell Community
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tanding on her front porch on May 27, 1997, LaDonna Peterson was struck by how heavy and hot the air felt that morning in Jarrell. “I’ve lived here all my life and it never felt like that,” she says. She recalls telling her husband, "I sure hope it rains to get rid of all this,” as she saw him off to work. The forecast that day included thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and potential strong winds. Jarrell is no stranger to turbulent weather, with tornados and powerful winds an ongoing chapter in the town’s history. One of the earliest recorded twisters destroyed the Jarrell Methodist Church in 1926, followed by a tornado in 1955 that caused significant damage to buildings. In 1989, an F-3 injured 28 people and killed one. No one in Jarrell, however, was prepared for the one that left all those behind.
OUTBREAK IN CTX There were 20 tornados in Central Texas that day. Sixty miles north, several—spotted in McLennan and Bell counties—moved south towards Jarrell. At Windy Hill School, just east of I-35 in Jarrell, teacher Priscilla King hunkered down with other staff, nearly 100 preschool children, and some highway drivers. Teachers gathered babies in a portable crib and calmed older kids with games under tables. As Priscilla watched from a window, a skinny, rope-like tornado spun across the landscape. When it subsided, she and the rest of Jarrell breathed a sigh of relief. 10
Seconds later, a cloud began forming on the horizon. It reached up to the dark storm wall across the sky as three twisters joined forces in the mass, spawning an F-5 tornado— the rarest, strongest type of tornado. At 4pm, starting at the corner of County Roads 305 and 307, the storm grew almost a half-mile wide with winds more than 260 miles an hour. It whipped through farms and pastures, grinding up everything in its path—homes, barns, windmills, crops, and trees. From her home on First Street, Charlotte Vancil stood mesmerized by the dark tower churning west in the distance. “You couldn’t take your eyes off it,” she says. “You were just in awe.” She got her camera to capture the scene. A few miles away, Virginia Davidson was doing the same thing, until she realized the tornado was headed straight towards her.
VIRGINIA'S MIRACLE Virginia was mowing her lawn when she spotted a skinny rope
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trailing down from the sky in the distance. She started snapping pictures, certain no one would believe she’d seen a tornado and that it would disappear soon. But the rope got bigger. Forget the pictures, she thought, and ran inside her house. As she huddled in the bathtub with a blanket, she remembered some paychecks she had left on the porch. Grabbing the checks, she shoved them in her purse and slipped it under her body in the bathtub. With the blanket over her head, she waited, scared to death and wondering, Why can’t they stop it? The first thing she heard was a pop as her front porch light shattered. The whole house started shaking, and she thought the ceiling would crush her. Suddenly, everything went dark and she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face for what seemed like forever. Am I going to know I’m dead or will I just be gone? she wondered. She felt her house being lifted and moved downhill. Then everything stopped. Oh, I’m still alive. I’m OK, she thought right before the world
T RIBUT E TO RE C O VE RY
around her was destroyed. At first, she couldn’t see anything, then as she heard objects flying, she didn’t want to. She shut her eyes. “I knew I was going to get hit. I didn’t want to see something big coming,” she says. As wind roared around her, she struggled to cover her face, thinking, if I live through this, I don’t want to be blind. She kept a death grip on her blanket the whole time and screamed at the storm, “You’re not taking my blanket. It’s all I have left!” Finally, the wind began dying down as the tornado spent its remaining fury on a forest of oak trees along County Road 305 toward Cedar Park.
SURVIVAL MODE Virginia lay on a pile of debris. Standing up, she saw blood running down her leg. Great, now I’m going to bleed to death, she thought. It began raining and hailing and she realized hail would probably kill her instead. She looked for a place to take shelter and saw her house was a pile of rubble. Where do I go? she wondered. Seeing a partially intact workshop room in her garage, she crawled into it. When the hail stopped, Virginia emerged from her hiding place wet, bleeding, freezing, shaking, and in shock. She searched the debris and found a jacket to cover herself as rain continued pouring down. She saw her kitchen curtains and wrapped the dirty cloth around her bleeding leg. Fortified as well as she could be, she went to check on her next-door neighbors; a couple and their two boys. Their house was gone and she later learned they had
all been killed. Returning to what was left of her house, she saw police cars with flashing lights lined up along County Road 305. Some men were walking down the road toward her, one with a large pipe wrench that made Virginia think yet again that death was imminent. It turned out he was using it to turn off people’s water meters if their pipes had burst in the storm. The group directed her to a nearby house still standing, where a woman bandaged her up and let her use the phone. Virginia couldn’t reach her husband and tried her mom. The moment she heard her mom’s voice asking if she was all right, Virginia burst into tears. “I’m OK, but the house is all gone!” she said. “It’s OK, you’re still alive,” her mother said. “But the house is all gone!” Virginia repeated. Meanwhile, her husband was on his way back to Jarrell after hearing about the tornado while at work in Austin. With the road to his house sealed off by law enforcement, he walked across fields in search of his wife, certain she was dead. He found her walking down County Road 305 with burrs in her hair, “looking like a bag lady.” Together they walked into town to find help. A woman came across the couple and gave them a ride to Georgetown Hospital. When a doctor saw bleeding, black-andpurple Virginia, he asked, “What hit you?” “What didn’t hit me? My whole house hit me!” she said, still wondering to this day how she survived. “There were refrigerators, cars going through the air. Anything could have killed me. For some reason, I’m still here.”
PROVIDENCE As the dust settled from the storm, other residents who were spared breathed prayers of gratitude. “God was with us,” Priscilla said after the tornado came within a quarter mile of Windy Hill School and veered west just before reaching the school. "It went five miles to about where Ronald Reagan meets I-35, turned west and went toward Cedar Park where it continued to do extensive damage." If there was any doubt about the strength of the winds, Wayne Cavalier recalled a news report about a truck from Jarrell found in a yard in Leander. "The tornado didn't go there, but the force of the wind flung the vehicle that far."
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...The Jarrell Community Unites Diane Johns, whose house sat on the edge of the tornado’s path, was working in Austin when the storm hit. When she returned to Jarrell, she lost track of how many times people saw her and exclaimed, “Oh my God, you’re alive!” She finally made it home, thankful to find it standing; her parents and two daughters safe. Like Virginia and LaDonna, many residents lost everything and were grateful just to be alive. LaDonna was working on her computer while her 7-year-old son played nearby when her mother-in-law called, urging her to take shelter at her house. Even as LaDonna was used to hearing tornado warnings, for some reason she decided to go. “If I hadn’t left that day, my son and I, neither of us would be here,” she says. After the tornado, she and her family members climbed out of the bathroom window to find all but that room destroyed. She couldn’t believe her eyes as she stared across the barren landscape. Her house and every house in the nearby Double Creek Estates subdivision were gone, and 27 people, including two entire families, had just lost their lives.
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DEVASTATION Evelyn McLean had been an officer with the Georgetown Police Department only a few months when she and other officers were called to help with disaster response in Jarrell. They had been told what to expect and to check bathtubs for tornado survivors. But when they arrived at the scene, there was nothing left to look through. “It was horrific,” Evelyn says. “What we saw was like a war zone.” What had been the Double Creek neighborhood was now a field of mud. Around 40 houses were gone. As resident Janet Hage drove down County Road 305, she saw asphalt ripped from the road, bark stripped from trees, a dump truck flipped over in someone’s yard, a red T-shirt pulled over a tree. “It was like a bomb went off,” says Clifford Tschoerner, then assistant fire chief for the Jarrell Volunteer Fire Department. “You always see stuff like that on TV, in other places. You never figure it will happen in your own backyard.”
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Surrounding agencies joined the response team, including the Texas Department of Public Safety and the
Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and EMS. Wearing rubber boots provided by volunteers, responders trudged through the mud, sorting through what little remained from the tornado. It took Clifford and other fire department volunteers two weeks to clean up debris.
COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER Thirteen funerals in one day, five caskets from one family—“it ripped your heart out,” Charlotte says. She and everyone else in the small town knew each one of the 27 victims. “Twenty-seven people may not sound like a lot compared to other cities who have lost more lives, but each one of those were our friends,” Priscilla says. “They were people you might have had dinner with, or gone to church with, or had children go to the same school with.” Commonly used for school events and town meetings, the Jarrell School cafeteria became a haven after the tragedy. Volunteers mobilized, cooking meals for displaced residents and setting up the school gym for donations that poured in from people all over who were touched by the story of Jarrell’s
T RIB UT E TO RE C O VE RY tragedy. “Everyone came together and helped each other. I thought that was so great,” Virginia says. She and LaDonna stayed in donated mobile homes until their houses were rebuilt by a nonprofit group. Almost all the homes destroyed by the tornado were rebuilt thanks to volunteers from Christian Aid Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. To add to the generosity, Georgetown Hospital, now St. David’s Georgetown, canceled every medical bill owed by Jarrell residents, and the Jarrell Recovery Fund ultimately reached $1.7 million. “The goodness of people was amazing,” says Diane, who led the Jarrell Recovery Board. “So many people from outside came and touched our lives and made us stronger.”
LaDonna was encouraged by the outpouring of support during a time when she felt like she couldn’t meet her son’s needs. “In a 7-year-old’s mind, that’s their world—their room and toys,” she says. “He felt like he lost everything that day. I couldn’t even give him a toothbrush at that point. It was a very rough feeling, to feel inadequate.” After hearing one of LaDonna’s interviews on the news, a California teacher sent her a quilt signed by her students that LaDonna still sleeps with every night. And both she and Janet will never forget when Fiesta Texas hosted Family Day at the Jarrell football field to lift up the community after the tornado. “It brought laughter to kids’ faces and took the fear out of parents’ hearts,” Janet says.
Beauty from Ashes “I don’t want to say time heals everything, but it makes it easier,” Priscilla says. On the five-year anniversary of the tragedy, the community gathered not only to grieve and remember their losses, but also to encourage each other and see how far they had come. Jarrell was always known for its kindness, but after being overwhelmed by generosity from neighbors and strangers in the tornado’s aftermath, that character became even more deeply ingrained in the fabric of the community. “How can we help?” is now a frequently asked question whenever a neighbor is facing a hard time.
Looking back on the tornado, Priscilla remembers driving down County Road 305 after the storm and seeing the oak trees by Salado Creek that had been reduced to half their size. In their place stood wooden skeletons with barren limbs reaching up to a gray sky. Over the next 20 years, she watched the trees slowly come back to life, anchored by the same deep roots that empowered Jarrell’s resurrection as a community with an even bigger heart as well as a backbone. Today, it’s home to people connected and strengthened by tragedy, people known for their kindness and resilience during hardships.
Years after the tornado, when an ice storm froze over I-35 and left drivers stranded, the men of Jarrell used their four-wheel drive vehicles to rescue people and bring them to the Jarrell School gym. The women of Jarrell made a huge pot of Friendship Soup out of anything they had; “The best damn soup I’ve ever had,” Diane recalls, for the dozens of people who spent the night at the gym.
“Yes, that tornado was horrific, yes it impacted us in so many ways, but we had to learn it did not define us,” Priscilla says. “That is not who we were or who we are. We are a community that has learned the importance of human life, learned the importance of supporting each other, being able to meet each other’s needs, and knowing that when it’s really dark, the sunshine can just be right around the corner.”
More than 20 years later, Jarrell still remembers the 1997 tornado and its devastating impact. Igo Elementary School, flourishing in its second year, is named after the Igo family who died in the storm. Jarrell Memorial Park was built on the land that used to belong to Larry and Joan Igo, featuring a community center, playground, and Little League ball fields. “A tragic field where families lost their lives became a community support area. Families come together, we play ball, we picnic,” Janet says. “It became like a heartbeat of Jarrell in the aftermath.” Grandmother Mildred Igo cuts the ribbon to officially open Igo Elementary in 2017 M AY 2 0 2 1 M Y J A R R E L L M O N T H LY
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by Karina Cuenca • karina@myjarrell.com photos courtesy Adopt a Jarrell Senior 2021 • Used with permission
Adopt a Jarrell Senior Celebrating the Class of 2021
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here may be more events going on around town than there were this time last year, but graduates are still feeling a little disappointment to miss some of the graduation parties and celebrations of years past. In keeping with a tradition begun in 2020, Jarrell ISD is encouraging everyone to celebrate 2021 graduates by allowing parents, friends, and Cougar fans to “adopt” a student. The Facebook group, “Adopt a Jarrell Senior: Class of 2021,” started by Kristen Ivicic, is the place to find seniors still seeking adoption. On the page you’ll see the faces of the future and be inspired by their goals. Nearly 75 percent of the graduates have been adopted, but there are more being added daily and there are no rules against adopting more than one student.
HAVE A STUDENT WHO WANTS TO BE ADOPTED? Kristen says there is still time to add new students to the list. The last day of school is May 27th, but adoptive supporters are welcomed to send goods through the beginning of the summer. Kristen's son Garrett was an adopted graduate last year and he reflected on the experience one year later; “It made the quarantine more bearable to deal with at times. Being stuck inside every day was starting to get to me, so it was always a pleasant surprise to have gotten a gift from a friend or a loved one.” Kristen assures potential adopters their gifts do not have to be extravagant. "The purpose of this group is to recognize the hard work of these graduates over the past year and encourage them on their next chapter." The two most frequently mentioned items on the graduates' wish lists are gummy candies and Chickfil-A. Kristen added that one 2020 graduate received a unique gift; a small item from his Amazon wish list on a near-weekly basis from the date of his adoption through the end of the school year. "It was a recurring token of support from his community, and that support is at the core of the programs purpose," Kristin added. Scan the code to visit their Facebook page and find your Senior. Pictured: Marcos Rhea • Missy Tschoerner • Steven Turk • Cole Rogers 14
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GRADUATION Jarrell High School Class of 2021 May 27, 2021 8:00pm Jarrell High School's football stadium Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks will deliver the commencement address. Each graduate will receive four tickets to graduation. The event is not open to the public, but will be live-streamed via the JISD website and Facebook page.
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MOT H ER'S DAY
by Camy Reynolds • camy@myjarrell.com photo courtesy Priscilla King/Facebook
Jarrell's Mom
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arrell's Priscilla King wanted nothing more in life than to be a mother and have a large family, but when she found out she could not bear children she knew that wasn’t the end of her dream. Since beginning her foster journey in 1998, she has fostered more than 100 children, with a special affection for kids from difficult backgrounds or who had obstacles. She says, "I fell in love with children others might categorize as difficult or too far gone, because I didn’t see them that way. I just saw an opportunity to love, provide a safe environment, and just allow them to be children." She says foster care is a wonderful opportunity; one that showed her a world she would not otherwise have experienced. Her kids taught her to be compassionate, gave her an opportunity to be a missionary right in her own backyard, and enriched her life. She is especially blessed by her adopted children; Christopher, Elizabeth, Roxanne, Lillian, and Lisa, whom she taught to be independent and compassionate, and even inspired to become foster and adoptive parents themselves.
TO INSPIRE OTHERS Friends Robin Barfield and Dan Hartman know Priscilla to be a strong woman who loves serving the Lord. "She is humble, compassionate, and giving," Robin says. "She has a way of making people feel special." Dan adds, "She would give her last dollar to help someone feed their children. She has this special ability to mentor you without even knowing she’s doing it." One of her hallmarks was taking advantage of teachable moments. Brenda Cooper, another close friend, remembers a time Priscilla taught her to make pickles. "We sat on the porch washing cucumbers and she just poured into the kids while she worked. Above all else, she showed love and patience." 16
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Priscilla's kids were happy to share more intimate experiences. "She’s like the energizer bunny," Lisa says. "She saved my life at 10 months old and for that I am forever grateful. If I could pick one quality to implement in my life it would be to embrace her nurturing side, which inspired me to foster and adopt. I don’t know when that door will open but I definitely know it’s one my husband and I will walk through when the time comes." Priscilla's son, Christopher, also adopted as an infant, agrees; "She was very nurturing but also provided structure for all the kids. If they had a problem she would comfort them, then walk them through steps to a solution. She’s very pragmatic and always a constant." He gives great praise for her brilliance as well; "She opened and operated a business at a time when a lot of women didn’t. I don't know how she did it all, but she still always had plenty of love to go around." Daughter Elizabeth says, "Despite all our baggage. mom took us all in and through her love and actions she made us into the people we are today. It wasn’t always an easy journey, but mom did it with grace and compassion. She molded me to be independent, taught me compassion, and is my very best friend."
BEYOND HER OWN HOME As a foster mom, Priscilla soon realized there was a lack of child care in Jarrell. In 1984, she opened Windy Hill School, the first child development center in Williamson County. She says, "It was a natural extension of loving my kids to do something so important; create a place that taught and challenged all children rather than just babysitting them. In the 18 years it operated, we were fortunate to help thousands." She says she is forever grateful to God that He allowed her to have a life so rich and full, and that He would allow her to reach the number of children that she did.
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E DUC AT IO N
by Ann Marie Kennon annmarie@myjarrell.com
JISD Culinary Program
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COMMUNITY
hese Jarrell High School students run a kitchen that rivals any of your favorite restaurants. Taught and mentored by Carissa Adkins, the Culinary Arts program is a CTE path that enables students to earn certifications and prepare for a lucrative and exciting career after graduation.
Carissa's students also exercise their creativity at Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competitions and in many annual community service projects. While it's more about service than competition, Jarrell has had best-in-Texas and national qualifiers for the past five years. She says, "I love to see them create things they didn't think they could, then share their food with others. And it's not just here, other teachers have noticed the satisfaction and excitement in the students who take this class; they are thankful they have gained that knowledge and confidence."
IN SCHOOL Carissa is ideally suited for the program, with degrees in Family Consumer Sciences and School Counseling. "I feel like this career chose me," she says. "I didn't aspire to be a teacher, but I worked in the food industry and I was eager to give teaching a shot. I've been doing it 11 years now and love it."
Their service learning includes an annual Lions Club senior luncheon, partnering with the City of Jarrell for their Thanksgiving meal, and collecting donations. "We are super active in the community and I am looking forward to getting back out there next yeaer. It's wonderful to see the students so willing to help but learning in the process."
As well, the school has an ideally suited classroom that includes a fully functioning commercial kitchen, which allows students to learn cooking from A to Z, baking and serving, plus career skills like building a resume or going on interviews. Students can begin with Intro to Culinary as early as 9th grade, then move on to Culinary 2, Advanced Culinary, and career preparation. Carissa has a wonderful mix of grade levels and averages ten career-ready graduates per year. "There are many ways to be an expert in the industry besides cooking, and are a number of certificates students can earn at each level; from safe storage and waiting tables to principles of managing a business. They learn all the functions of a kitchen and, when they graduate, they will have
YOU CAN HELP
industry certifications that will help them land a job with higher pay than entry level." Students get plenty of practice at staff and community luncheons where they plan, purchase, set up, and serve as part of a class "business."
Carissa is pleased to bring awareness of the program at the school and anyone wishing to support them on their career paths can provide help for advanced students to purchase a chef coat and have their names embroidered on them for a professional look. She is also looking for support to acquire new equipment that will allow them to enter cooking competitions in the next school year. Contact Carissa at carissa.adkins@ jarrellisd.org.
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76537 LIFE "76537 Life" is Q&A that is all about municipal details and information that will, over time, add to our knowledge base and help readers understand the differences living in various locations in Economic Jarrell. We will address things readers may like to know about the variables within.
Emergency Services Q&A FIRE CHIEF RAY CUMMINGS
POLICE CHIEF KEVIN DENNEY
What is an ESD? An ESD if an Emergency Service District. We are Williamson County ESD No. 5. This is a special purpose district within the State of Texas. WCESD No. 5 provides fire protection for approximately 70 square miles. WCESD No. 5 provides emergency services for the communities of Jarrell (City), Sonterra, Corn Hill, Theon, and parts of Walburg.
If Sonterra residents have a police emergency, whom do they call? The primary jurisdiction for police service falls to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Residents with a police emergency, should call 911 and the County will dispatch a deputy. Jarrell PD, along with several other agencies in the area, uses the County as our dispatch center. If a Jarrell unit is available, it will also be sent to the call. In the end, the County has primary jurisdiction and would ultimately be the one taking a report, doing investigations, or making arrests. The City of Jarrell and the Jarrell Police Department are dedicated to the protection of everyone in our community because of this we assisted the County in approximately 400 calls to Sonterra last year.
How many full-time firefighters does WCESD No. 5 currently have? There are 15 fire fighters assigned to a 48/96 hrs work schedule over three shifts. There is 1 Operations Captain assigned on a 40 hr work week The fire marshal is assigned to a 40 hr work week The fire chief is assigned to a 40 hr work week Does WCESD No. 5 still have volunteer firefighters? If so, how many? Currently WCESD 5 does not have any volunteer fire fighters. Is the ESD board the governing body of WCESD No. 5? Yes, the ESD is governed by a board of directors. There are 5 members on this board. How can a person become a member of the ESD board? The board meets once a month of the 3rd Monday of each month at the fire station located at 155 CR 313 Jarrell Texas. The meetings start at 630 pm and usually run for approximately 1 hour. These meetings are open to the public. When a vacancy arises on the board, anyone within ESD5 may submit a letter of interest for a position to County Commissioner Valerie Covey. The WCESD No. 5 will soon begin construction on an additional fire station at 5th street and Avenue G in Jarrell proper. This station is slated to open in October of 2022 and will be staffed with 6 firefighters.
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Will Jarrell PD respond to calls for service in Sonterra? Because Jarrell does not have primary jurisdiction in Sonterra, we normally do not respond to routine calls for service. We do occasionally drive through Sonterra, and conduct traffic stops in and around the area. If we have a unit available, we will respond to any calls in-progress and have potential for injury. This includes disturbances, assaults, and medical emergencies, for example. Does any part(s) of Sonterra fall into JPD jurisdiction? At this time, Jarrell PD does not have primary jurisdiction in any area of Sonterra. We do have primary jurisdiction in the City of Jarrell and along approximately 7.5 miles of IH-35 and the frontage roads. How many deputies does Jarrell PD currently have? We currently are authorized 8 officers, but have one still in training and one opening we are trying to fill. Functionally, we have 6 officers available for service. Does Jarrell PD have patrol 24/7? Our officers work 12-hour shifts, and we have 24/7 coverage. Because we only have enough officers to run one per period, there are times we are not able to staff a shift due to training, sick leave, or time off, for example. The Jarrell Police are dedicated to the safety and protection of all Jarrell-area residents, businesses, and visitors. We look forward to being part of a cohesive and vibrant “One Jarrell” because we are stronger together, as we tackle emerging issues in the coming years.
A Recap... and a note of Thanks The Jarrell Community Library is enjoying new levels of attention and participation in the community. Robin Barfield says the cardholder and volunteer bases have increased, and many are asking about May programs: Story Time, Craft Time, Summer Reading Program, ESL for children and, perhaps, even a Teen group. Robin says, "We were blessed to receive an anonymous donation that will allow us to hire a part time Library Director. This is very exciting because to have a dedicated paid resource will enable us to do things that cannot be done with an all-volunteer organization. We are still in the process of developing the requirements for this position, but will roll out the job posting soon. Because we have been able to do so much in such a
short time frame, we are getting attention from other libraries all over the state." The library is also looking for board members. Anyone interested in serving should contact the Library or Robin at 512-496-7956. They are also looking for individuals who would like to join Friends of the Library; the fundraising arm of the library. She added. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to MyJarrell for featuring our organization in their April edition. Not everyone is on social media and it’s great that we now have a publication that can inform our residents of the exciting things that are happening in our town. Jarrell Community Library, putting the UNITY in Community!" M AY 2 0 2 1 M Y J A R R E L L M O N T H LY
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N E I G H BOR LEIGH
Alpha Mom I
t’s Mother’s Day. The day mom gets breakfast in bed and flowers. Who am I kidding... all I really want is 60 minutes to myself and maybe an off-budget $7.50 to get a quarter pounder and french fries I won’t have to share after my offspring snarfs his fries in 42 seconds and is “Stiiiiiill hungryyyyy.” I do love being a mom, of course. But it’s a lot of pressure. See, you may not know this yet, because everyone is busy fussing about the Zoomer-Boomer rivalry and how Millennials are starting to call themselves “old” (that sound you hear is my eyes rolling) but... the newest generation—born in the early 2010s—are called Alphas. I happen to be in a very, very tiny minority of Gen-Xers who have Alpha children. This means I have unique Venn diagram of things I’m teaching and translating to my son, with very few intersections of things he actually needs to know. I don’t imagine very many Millennials have ever told their Zoomer kids to “roll up” the window, “dial” or “hang up” the phone, or asked for a reminder to “tape” their favorite shows. I also get a really weird look when I say I want to “burn” a CD. My son is not old enough yet, but I am already wondering if I’ll ever have to teach him how to write a check. Don’t even get me started on mix tapes. Funny to think of how long those things actually existed. The more technological things are, the shorter their life span. Humans wrote checks for a couple of centuries. Those that had them, “dialed” a phone for about 70 years. Side note: As far as hanging up goes, there is absolutely no gratification in angrily pushing the END button like there was when you slammed a phone receiver into the cradle and enjoyed the resonating clang that followed you out of the room. Also, in sensory fun, wasn’t it equally satisfying to slap an actual book closed when you finished the last page... more so than gently sliding the button to “off” on a Kindle? Moving on... Media fans used VCRs from 1956 until the mid-2000s, and burned CDs for about 15 years. At this rate, maybe we will get lucky and TikTok will be obsolete by 2025. 26
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On the plus side, as a Gen-Xer, I am solidly and happily on the outside of much generational nitpicking. I think it’s hilarious that Zoomers tell Millennials their skinny jeans and side-parted hairdos are “old.” Those are the people who laughed at my slouch socks and turtlenecks, so they have it coming. I am unbelievably happy to sit back and proclaim, “I don’t care what anyone thinks of my momjeans, I still love Phil Collins, and yes, I have watched all 12 seasons of ‘Frasier’ many times, because it’s hilarious.” Perhaps I have simply reached the age of “Warning” by Jenny Jones, and didn’t realize it. Some of her best lines... When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me. ...You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat And eat three pounds of sausages at a go And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes. I read that poem, the first time, in 1982 and it felt impossibly far away, but I think I might have arrived there. From this side of 50, I have a good understanding of why my parents thought children of the 80s had lost their minds. I still love my scrunchies and Ferris Bueller, but I do wonder what we were thinking with those bangs. Thankfully, Alpha Son is still too young to be embroiled in the generation conversation, so I have a few more years before he notices how lame I am. I can only imagine what kinds of things he will have to teach me when he realizes I’m obsolete. Meanwhile, I’m still on the phone trying to tell my mother, for the 100th time, how to cut, copy, and paste.... “No, you don’t TYPE c-o-n-t-r-o-l, you push the button with that word on it... never mind, I’ll be right there.” Isn’t the Silent Generation (1928-45) adorable? Happy Mother’s Day to all! XXOO
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PA RT I N G SHOT
by Camy Reynolds · camy@myjarrell.com
Big Success for "Build-a-Cougar"
Above: Jordan, Donovan, Vinny and Mikey Griffiths give a loud roar • Right: Zion Davis brushing his Cougar • Genny Jarrett with her “Cougee” the Cougar and the Jarrell mascot. • Kasyn Denby is excited to show off her new friend.
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his school year has been far from normal, but as things slowly begin to settle into the way they use to be, the Parent Teacher Organization at Igo Elementary wanted to do something fun for the kids and faculty. They created a plan for “Build A Cougar” and quickly pieced the details together. Similar to the retail Build-a-Bear franchise, students added the stuffing to their Cougar and placed a heart inside before closing it up. They dressed each bear in a cute Cougar T-shirt and completed the birth certificate. The school also provided a pick-up kit to make sure every distance learning student could participate and build their Cougar at home, or come to the school and build it there. 28
After receiving an overwhelming response from the community, the PTO was well motivated to open the program opportunity to everyone in Jarrell. The success of the program was evident, not just in the more than 320 Cougars sold, but also in the smiles, laughter, and joy on production day. There was excitement to spare as children and families made their way down the assembly line to build their Cougars and take photos with the Jarrell Cougar mascot. The Igo PTO report that they are thrilled with the community participation and look forward to offering more fun events like this in the next school year.
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ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON P.O. Box 213, Jarrell. TX, 76537
JARRELL, TX
