JULY 27, 2022 BUDA PROCLAIMS PARKS & RECREATION MONTH
KYLE LIBRARY DIRECTOR SAYS GOODBYE
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© Barton Publications, Inc.
Hays Free Press
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HaysFreePress.com
Vol. 128 • No. 20
Serving Hays County, TX
City of Buda hosts Tennessee Whiskey at Arts in the Park
BY CJ VETTER
just grab my backpack, walk home and play guitar,” Cook said. “When I started BUDA - As the last live this band, I wondered if I musical performance in the series, Buda Arts in the was a jerk to think I could pull [making a tribute Park presented Tennessee Whiskey, a Chris Stapleton band] off. But my friends said ‘if anybody could pull tribute band, at the Buda this off, you can.” Amphitheater on July 22. Even after Cook Numerous people came was injured during a out to listen to country car accident, severely music and enjoy the park’s damaging his hands, he amenities. continued to perform – The four-man band with the mindset that the played hit songs such as their namesake, Tennessee show must go on. He had to re-learn how to play the Whiskey, and other hardguitar. rocking country hits. The “I’m a Chris Stapleton main singer, Chadwick fan, and they were really Cook, formed the band rocking out up there. alongside Christian Sly, Clay Wise and Tull Rea after They’ve been playing most of the good stuff too,” all of them took a liking said Jo Hall, an attendee to the music of Stapleton. Cook also looked similar to at the concert. “He even the country music star. This kinda looks like [Chris Stapleton].” helped inspire the band’s In addition to the live creation. music, the Buda City Park “I had to be was also open, offering a homeschooled because beach volleyball court, a my mama would drop me playground and a splash off at school, and I would
PHOTO BY CJ VETTER
Delores Torres plays with her children on a tire wheel at Buda City Park. pad for children to enjoy. Also in a surprise visit, a nearby resident even brought his horses out to listen to the music. “I’ve been living on a bluff above Onion Creek for about 30 years, and I’ve got a ranch right over there,” said Bryan Chandler. “When they’re really
jamming out real good, it fires me up to saddle my horses and indulge in a little Texas fun.” Buda Arts in the Park will conclude its series with a final showing of “The Goonies” on July 29. For information, visit www. budaamphitheater.com/ artsinthepark.
PHOTO BY CJ VETTER
A crowd of fans kick up their boots and listen to Tennessee Whiskey, a Chris Stapleton tribute band, at the Buda Arts in the Park event on July 22.
SCHOOL SAFETY
Local districts seek more SROs BY MEGAN WEHRING
HAYS COUNTY – Some local school districts are looking for more school resource officers to ensure campus safety. An SRO is a specifically trained and properly equipped full-time law enforcement officer assigned by an agency to work in the school using community-oriented policing concepts, according to the National Association of School Resource Officers. On July 19, the Hays County Commissioners Court discussed the possible addition of more SROs from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office at districts across the county: Hays CISD, Dripping Springs ISD and Wimberley ISD. San Marcos ISD was not included in the conversation as it partners with the San Marcos Police Department, Judge Ruben Becerra clarified. There has been a recent increasing demand for SROs leading Hays CISD to ask for three additional officers, WISD for two and DSISD for one, according to Hays County Chief Deputy Mike Davenport. “That will make 23 total SRO deputy positions,” Davenport told the court. “We were asking the current deputies to submit their letter of interest in anticipation of adding these six. We [currently] have four people who are interested. If those numbers hold true, we
would have to hire from the outside for two of those positions. Once we hire them, there is roughly six months of training they would need to go to before they are ready to be stationed at the schools.” Davenport added that the number of interested deputies is fluid so it’s possible it could change. Commissioner Lon Shell said that when a final decision is made, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office needs to be given sufficient notice. “We do have some vacancies in our sheriff’s office,” Shell said. “I know the sheriff and his staff would like to be given as much notice as they possibly can, as they try to fill any additional positions at our schools. For me, I think that the court can give some direction to those [districts] to let them know that we are working on those additional officers and funding [for them].” Agreeing with Shell’s point, commissioner Walt Smith said that the court and county staff need to be mindful of the current vacancies in the sheriff’s office. “We want to maintain the security and safety of our whole community,” Shell explained. “Adding these positions will help that but we have to do it at the price of the rest of our department. I just want to be cognizant of that.” No action was taken on July 19 – the item will be brought back to the court in August.
BATTER UP!
Hays alumnus heads to Major League STAFF REPORT HAYS COUNTY – Take
me out to the ball game has a whole different meaning for one Hays CISD alumnus. Seth Stephenson, a 2019 Hays High School graduate, was selected to be in the Major League Baseball draft. On July 18, Stephenson was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round (No. 207 overall) of the 2022 MLB draft in Los Angeles, CA. While excelling during his time at Hays High School, Stephenson most recently spent the last two seasons playing at the collegiate level at the University of Tennessee. This year, Stephenson played in 59 games during the season
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Seth Stephenson has played 59 games this season for the University of Tennessee. at Tennessee and recorded four home runs, 28 RBI, 46 runs, 62 hits, 17 doubles, one triple, 15 walks and 25 stolen bases. He was part of a Tennessee program that won the Southeastern Conference (SEC)
ORGANIZATIONS IN KYLE HOST FREE LUNCH – PAGE 6
regular season and conference tournament championships in 2022. With his selection, Stephenson becomes the eighth Hays CISD graduate to be selected in the MLB draft since 1997 and the first to be selected since 2018.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Seth Stephenson, eyes the pitcher during his time at Hays High School.
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