Tigers move forward to state meets
Local film heads to SXSW
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Candidates file for DSISD election page 5
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 20
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Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982 Thursday, February 23, 2017
Human error to blame for 1,800 missing votes
State rep a no-show at ‘ghost’ town hall
BY MOSES LEOS III An “anomaly” resulting from human error led to roughly 1,800 votes at a Hays County early voting site to not count toward the Nov. 8, 2016 election, according to a Hays County press release. Jennifer Anderson, who assumed the role of Elections Administrator Jan. 1, said only items involving the Anthem Municipal Utility District (MUD) were affected by the missing votes.
MISSING VOTES, 7
Wimberley man arrested for Austin/Kyle burglaries
BY MOSES LEOS III The rough and tumble world of Beltway politics made its way to Dripping Springs Sunday. By holding what amounted to a “ghost town hall” at Flores Mexican Restaurant, constituents within Rep. Roger Williams’ (R, TX-25) district expressed frustrations at their inability to contact him. Williams did not respond to requests to attend the town hall. He instead attended a private meeting with the North Hays County Republicans at Church of the Springs in Dripping Springs. For some, the lack of response equates to what they believe is a lack of representation by Williams for certain constituents. Erin Zweiner, a spokesperson for a branch of Indivisible 25, a group of concerned members in Williams’ district, said one reason for the town hall concept came after many tried to contact Williams via email, social media and phone calls. However, she says a response is usually a form letter stating the congressman’s schedule is “busy.” “We used official channels and unofficial channels. We have requested town halls and more generic meetings and we don’t hear anything back,” Zweiner said. “That’s incredibly frustrating to not hear from someone who is supposed to be representing us.”
REPRESENTATION, 8
BY MOSES LEOS III
PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III
Hays County resident Laurie Ryan holds a sign expressing concern over the Trump administration’s view on the press while listening outside of the covered patio area at Flores Mexican Restaurant in Dripping Springs Sunday. Inset, a line of constituents within the Texas 25th Congressional District line up for a ghost town hall meeting in Dripping Springs. Area residents held the town hall to address frustrations attempting to contact Rep. Roger Williams.
No injuries after structure fire, swift water rescue calls BY MOSES LEOS III
One person was rescued early Monday after becoming trapped in a vehicle as a result of debris and rising water along FM 150 at the Onion Creek double crossing in Driftwood. Two water rescue calls came in after the storm Sunday night. The incidents made for a busy six-hour stretch for the North Hays County Fire Rescue, which responded to a pair of water calls and also provided mutual aid to battle a structure fire in Johnson City early Sunday, Scott Collard, North Hays County Fire Rescue Chief, said. The first water related call to
The North Hays County Fire Rescue responded to a pair of water calls and also provided mutual aid to battle a structure fire in Johnson City early Sunday.
the department was made at 4 a.m. on Bell Springs Road and Barton Creek for a vehicle that was stalled in the water. Collard said fire crews helped remove the vehicle from the roadway. No one was injured in the incident. Roughly two hours later, fire crews were dispatched at 6:25 a.m. to the Double Crossing. Collard said debris in the water was piling up against the opposite side of the creek, and
a truck trying to cross the creek was unable to get to the other side. Collard said crews went into the water and performed a rescue of the driver. Early Sunday morning, Collard said North Hays crews were dispatched around 12:30 a.m. to assist the Johnson City Fire Department with a structure fire along FM 3232, which was caused as a result of Sunday’s storms.
Impeccable timing led to the Kyle Police Department’s arrest of a Wimberley man who is suspected of committing multiple home burglaries in RAMIREZ Kyle and Austin. Kyle Police arrested Taylor Reid Ramirez, 34, of Wimberley, on Feb. 9 for an existing parole violation warrant after they observed him outside of a home in the Amberwood subdivision.
BURGLARY SUSPECT, 7
LAGNIAPPE Hunger STRIKE Hunger STRIKE is an annual bowling tournament benefiting Hays County Food Bank. The event will take place at Sunset Bowling Lanes in San Marcos, TX on Friday, Feb. 24 from 1-4 p.m. See haysfoodbank. org/hunger_strike.aspx for more information.
Running workshop
Grab your athletic shoes, lace up, and join your community at the Dripping Springs Sports and Recreation Park (behind HEB) for another Healthy Parks, Healthy People – Dripping Springs event. Dripping Springs is partnering with the Drip-
LAGNIAPPE, 7
Page 2
News-Dispatch
Opinion
NewsDispatch PHONE: 512-268-7862 FAX: 512-268-0262 PUBLISHER Cyndy Slovak-Barton csb@haysfreepress.com
Texas legislature is at it again BY STERLING ROGERS
EDITOR Moses Leos III moses@haysfreepress.com REPORTER Samantha Smith news@haysfreepress.com PRODUCTION David White Christine Thorpe ADVERTISING/MARKETING Tracy Mack tracy@haysfreepress.com Pam Patino ads@haysnewsdispatch.com Jim Darby ads@haysfreepress.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Wayland Clark PROOFREADER Jane Kirkham CIRCULATION MANAGER/ LEGAL NOTICES David White paper@ haysnewsdispatch.com News-Dispatch (USPS 011 - 401) is published weekly except for the weeks following July 4 and Christmas by Barton Publications, Inc., 113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640. Subscription price: $32 local, $45 county, $56 out of state. Periodicals Postage paid at Driftwood, TX. Email paper@ haysnewsdispatch. com for subscriptions and address changes. POSTMASTER: send address changes to News-Dispatch, PO Box 339, Buda, TX 78610 LETTERS GUIDELINES We welcome locally written letters to the editor on timely topics of community interest. We ask that you keep them to about 350 words in length and that you not indulge in personal attacks on private individuals. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters should be signed by the author and include a daytime phone number where the author can be contacted for verification. Letter writers are limited to one letter per month. Letters can be emailed to csb@ haysfreepress.com.
T
hey are at it again. Some of our legislators don’t seem to get it. Senate Bill 602 has been introduced in the legislature setting up a commission to possibly close five of the existing state supported living centers for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. A similar bill failed in the last legislature. It didn’t just fail; it failed spectacularly. That should have sent a message. Senate Bill 602 would create a commission, appointed by the governor, and empower it to recommend “a center be consolidated with another center,
Senate Bill 602 has been introduced in the legislature setting up a commission to possibly close five of the existing state supported living centers for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
downsized, repurposed, or closed.” The commission may not recommend the closure of more than five centers. Downsized? Repurposed? What do those terms really mean? Does “consolidated” mean that residents would be shifted from one geographical location to another? What would that do to their
contacts with their family members? The stated purpose in establishing the restructuring commission is “to ensure that the state maintains only the number of state supported living centers necessary to meet the need for those centers in the state.” Admission to at least one of those centers has been denied for
months, even years. How does closing or consolidating centers help those who have been waiting for acceptance? And, mark it for certain, there are many who are waiting. Their families are struggling to cope with the round-theclock care they require. Among the things the commission is instructed to consider in arriving at a decision to close, downsize, repurpose, or consolidate a center is “the property value of, the market demand for, and any deed restrictions applicable to property and facilities of the center.” This raises the specter of the efforts by land developers’ lobbyists who aggressively lobbied the previous legislature in an attempt to gain control
of the real estate at the Austin center. That center occupies high-dollar real estate, but that is not reason enough to displace its current occupants. These are human lives we are dealing with here. They are not just names on a roster. They are fragile, sometimes self-destructive, but human lives. They are somebody’s child, somebody’s brother or sister. And they are citizens of Texas, entitled to its protection. That our legislature could consider a bill such as SB 602 is folly. The cost in human misery is too great. SB 602 must not become law. Sterling Rogers is a resident of San Marcos.
Editorial Check your facts, Congressman Smith I t’s hard to know what to make of Congressman Lamar Smith, one of three U.S. congressmen who split parts of Hays County. By all accounts the congressman has worked well with the Hays County Commissioners Court. A staunch conservative, an outspoken critic of President Obama, he no doubt represents the feelings of many in his district, which stretches from suburban San Antonio through the precincts west of Buda and Kyle. Indeed, from time to time he pays visits to this newspaper office to check in and stay in touch. We wish he would use his position as chairman of the science committee in the House to help the nation get ahead of the climate change issues that even Defense Department analysts believe threaten our security, or to be a leader on transportation issues in our district; but, even so, he typically comes across as friendly and reasonable, even to those who may disagree. Then he goes on the floor of the House last week and says the only way to get real news is to get it from President Trump. His comments made national news (of the old-fashioned kind). Whatever you think of Donald Trump’s policies, or his intention to shake up Washington – efforts that good people may disagree about – one thing is unassailably true: This president is not a reliable source for “news,” if by that we accept the common definition of news as useful information that is verifiably accurate and true. Looking at just this past week, the President Trump said that Sweden has just suffered a terrorist attack “yesterday” (the implica-
... One thing is unassailably true: This president is not a reliable source for “news,” if by that we accept the common definition of news as useful information that is verifiably accurate and true.
tion was this happened because the country accepted refugees from Syria). No such attack took place. He made a major issue of what he describes as his historic election victory, bragging that he won more electoral votes than any president since Ronald Reagan. Actually, not only did Reagan win more electoral votes than President Trump, so did George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton (twice), and Barack Obama (twice). In fact, Trump’s total was not close to any of theirs. In other words, far from being a landslide of Reaganesque proportions, President Trump’s electoral college victory was less than any recent president except George W. Bush — and President Trump lost the popular vote by the largest margin in history. A close election shouldn’t be the judge of a president. Even Abraham Lincoln was elected with a minority of the popular vote (although, in his case, he did win more votes than anyone else in a fourway race). What insecurity makes President Trump claim a landslide over and over again when it is so obviously untrue? But he didn’t stop there. Earlier this week he also claimed that refugees were streaming into the country unvetted (just not true; the background checks take about two years). And he voiced support for a top aide who made ridiculous claims about widespread voter fraud in New
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Hampshire and elsewhere, claims that he himself has made in one form another over and over – and which
have been discredited by impartial election observers, Republican governors and secretaries of state, local election officials, and reputable news organizations. He said earlier this month that the murder rate is the highest “in 45-47 years.” In fact the national homicide rate peaked in the 1990s and the number of murders in the U.S. actually fell 42
percent between 1993 and 2014, according to the FBI, despite the fact that population rose 25 percent in the same period. It happens that there are several non-partisan, public-service organizations that fact-check our leaders – one of the benefits of living in a free republic. FactCheck. org found six significant
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Page 3
Short film shot in Dripping Springs heads to famous Austin film festival
“Chasing Grace” is influenced by Barnett’s childhood experiences living in the 1970s. In a short film shot in statement, Barnett said Dripping Springs when she began sharing will receive red her story, she realized carpet treatment next many others shared month. similar situations “during “Chasing Grace,” a or after their parents film written, produced divorced.” and directed by Austinite The story follows Julia Barnett, will make its world premiere March Grace, who reluctantly meets with her es10 at the 2017 South by tranged father, only to Southwest Film Festival discover the truth about in Austin. For Barnett, the chance the events of the “wild 70s summer that drove to show her them apart,” film on a according to a renowned “It would release. stage is an Barnett exciting be great for said creating venture. the authenticWhat it Dripping ity of a small could Texas town Springs to do for in the 1970s Dripping do more was one of the Springs’ fofilm future films. There primary cuses during is also wide pre-producare so open. tion, filming “It would many great and editing. be great for She Dripping locations received Springs to assistance ... I would do more from area films. There hope others residents, are so who lent her many great would see ’70s era items locations,” and wardrobe Barnett and shoot to include on said. “I the shoot. She there too.” would also received hope help from others –Julia Barnett, Austinites would see director of Chasing Kathryn and Grace and shoot Kyle Chanthere too. If dler, who dothat helps nated a 1970s Dripping Springs finanera pickup truck. cially, or just promotion, “It felt like you were in I would be happy with that time,” Barnett said. that.” “The clothes they wore Barnett began preand everything just felt production for the film, so Texas in the 1970s.” which is her directorial Barnett and her film debut, in April and evencrew also received the tually began shooting in help of many Dripping August. Springs residents and Between that time, business owners during Barnett worked to pull the process. She said together funding for the filming in a small town film, along with finding is “so wonderful” and locations to shoot the film, as well as props and CHASING GRACE, 8 proper wardrobe. BY MOSES LEOS III
A
PHOTO BY DAVID RADZINSKI
In a scene from the upcoming short film “Chasing Grace,” Susan, played by director, writer and actress Julia Barnett, crouches down as she talks with Grace, played by Lydia Tracy Barnett, while Grace’s father, Mel, played by Christopher Backus, looks on.
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COURTESY PHOTO
Members of Wimberley VFW Post 6441 discuss veterans affairs with Deer Creek resident veterans.
Veterans stay connected in Wimberley SUBMITTED REPORT Members of Wimberley’s VFW Post 6441 have begun a monthly program of visits to veterans who are residents of Deer Creek Retirement Home in Wimberley. Post members visit Deer Creek’s resident veterans on the second Monday of each month to keep them informed of goings on in the veterans arena, assist them in dealing with federal and state veterans agencies and to contribute generally to their welfare and morale. Deer Creek administrators and staff fully support the program. “As members of the VFW it is our duty to allow these veterans to
share their stories of some of the most eventful times in their lives,” said VFW Post Commander John Thompson. “The staff at Deer Creek do a great job meeting the day-to-day needs of these residents. Our visits are simply to give them a chance to share their experiences with other veterans.” While the first meeting this week was mainly informational in nature, coffee and snacks were shared, and everyone got acquainted. At present, there are seven veterans in residence at Deer Creek. Future plans include activities, possible attendance at regular VFW meetings, and limited outings consistent with Deer Creek policies.
See Solution, pg. 7
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Page 4
News-Dispatch
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Sports Tiger girls relay teams finish in top ten at state BY MOSES LEOS III Dripping Springs High senior Kylie Ballard’s last competitive swim of her high school career came at a place she always strived to be. Joined by sophomore teammates Lydia Evans, London Ferris and junior Katie Tuohy, Ballard swam the backstroke leg of the Tiger girls 200-yard medley relay team that finished 10th in the UIL Class 5A state meet at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swim Center Saturday.
Ballard, who was one of six Tiger athletes who made it to the state meet, said reaching the competition was the culmination of hard work paying off. It also provided an “awesome” end to a chapter in her life. “It was a huge honor to be here today. I’ve always been on the brink of making it (to state),” Ballard said. “So senior year, being able to come here and make it to finals, was a huge way to close my swimming career.” Andrea McCarthy, Tiger swimming coach, said the
Tiger girls relay team has been the “epitome of what our season has been.” Guiding the relay team was Ballard, who McCarthy said is the team captain and has an “unbelievable attitude” for a high school student. That includes the ability and maturity to deal with the successes and failures that come with competitive swimming, McCarthy said. “They all respect Kylie because she leads by example,” McCarthy said. “She’s an amazing kid.”
TIGER SWIM, 5
PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Dripping Springs’ Lydia Evans swims in the Girls 100 Yard Butterfly in the preliminaries on Friday at the UIL State Swimming and Diving meet in Austin. Evans also competed in the 100 Yard Breaststroke and the 200 Yard Medley.
Wimberley siblings dive into state meet BY MOSES LEOS III
Two years of hard work paid off for Wimberley High senior diver Mariel Mayhew at the Joe Jamail Swim Center in Austin Saturday. After entering the sport during her sophomore year, Mayhew finally got the chance to compete in the UIL Class 5A state girls 1-meter diving championships. While Mayhew finished in the top half of a competitive field, the chance to share the moment with her brother, Evan, who competed in the 5A boys 1-meter diving state championship, meant just a little bit more. “It’s great to make it my senior year and make it to state,” Mariel Mayhew said. “And having my brother here as well, that’s been fun.” For sophomore Evan Mayhew, who made his second straight appearance in as many years at the state meet, getting to state validated the “practice and late nights” the two put in. Mariel Mayhew’s path toward the state meet began two years ago. Prior to committing to diving,
Mariel Mayhew participated in gymnastics. With her background, Mariel realized there were several parallels when it came to diving and gymnastics from a physical standpoint. “(Gymnastics) helped some, but it’s definitely different than gymnastics,” Mariel said. “The twists are different than in gymnastics, but it does help with rotations and knowing when to kick out.” But Mariel had to adhere to the mental component of diving, which is the challenging aspect of the sport. She said while a diver may have the skill necessary to succeed, it “takes the right mindset” to excel. “It’s really the mindset and it’s all mental when it comes to diving,” Mariel said. Evan, who began his path in diving last year as a freshman in high school, said he was trying to dive clean. After gathering experience, which included his first trip to state, Evan said he started bumping up the degree of difficulty in his dives. Regularly communicat-
TEXAN DIVERS, 5
PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Lady Tigers take down Cougars for Valentine’s win Kaylen Morrison draws a foul in the bi-district playoff game against Crockett on Valentine’s Day at Burger Center. Morrison put in 12 points and made 8 of 11 from the free throw line, sealing the 41-31 win for the Lady Tigers in the fourth quarter. The Tigers’ season ended with a loss to Port Lavaca Calhoun.
PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Wimberley’s Mariel Mayhew rotates and looks for the water as she dives in the preliminaries on Friday at the UIL State Swimming and Diving meet in Austin. The senior qualified for the finals and finished 16th overall in the Girls 1-meter diving.
Tiger wrestlers head to state meet STAFF REPORT Six Dripping Springs Tiger wrestlers will head to the Berry Center in Cypress later this month as they take part in the UIL Class 5A state wrestling competition. The six Tigers’ accomplishments highlighted a performance where Dripping Springs’ wrestling team finished second overall at the regional competition at the Delco Center in Austin last weekend. As a team, the Tigers accumulated 154 points, second only to Veterans Memorial High, which scored 181.5 points. A total of 24 teams competed at the regional meet.
COURTESY PHOTO
Shown here are state qualifying wrestlers Clayton Jetton, Anthony Bigley, Ryland Kinard, Chase Warden, Ben Owens and Micah Ribera.
Two Tiger wrestlers won their weight classes, and four others qualified for the state meet based on their results. Regional champions were Chase Warden at
126 pounds and Clayton Jetton at 195 pounds. Micah Ribera was third at 113 pounds and three Tigers, Ben Owens (132 pounds), Ryland Kinard (160 pounds)
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and Anthony Bigley (170 pounds), finished in fourth place. Brodie Dyer placed fifth at 106 pounds and is a state alternate. Nick Hammond was sixth at 138 pounds.
Tiger LAX earns Aggieland trophy BY MOSES LEOS III The Dripping Springs High School Tiger Lacrosse team kicked off its week with a tournament win, bringing home the trophy from the Aggieland Classic, which was held Feb. 10-11. The Tigers beat Keller, Austin High, Westwood and Bowie to go undefeated in the annual lacrosse tournament. Dripping Springs’ junior varsity placed third for the weekend. Three days later, the Tigers cruised past the Westwood Warriors 20-7. Gabe Reno, Josh Hays and Connor Jamail accounted for 15 of the 20 goals scored during the game. Other Tigers posting points were Tanner and Logan Heinchon, Cameron Howorth, and Ryan
NEXT UP
The Tigers travel to San Antonio next weekend to face Alamo Heights and Reagan.
Thomas. Dripping Springs’ Connor Mogen had 13 saves in the goal. JV also defeated Westwood with a score of 16-5. On Saturday, the Tigers faced Georgetown High School at Southwestern University in an offensive battle. But the Tigers fell short in a 19-17 loss to the Eagles. Tanner Heinchon, Robert Blackmon, Josh Hays and Nic Austin all earned hat tricks during the game. Also contributing offensively were Connor Jamail, Gabe Reno, Cristian Reno, Logan Heinchon and Jakob Joy.
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Page 5
Education Three vie for DSISD board seats this May BY MOSES LEOS III
Three people, including a pair of incumbents, are tossing their hats into the ring for two Dripping Springs ISD board trustee seats that are open this May. Board trustee Barbara Stroud, DSISD board vice president, trustee Ron Jones and resident Trey Powers filed for the May 6 election prior to Friday’s filing deadline. Stroud, who has served on the board for nine years and has previously been board president, will vie for a fourth term on the dais. Her term expires this May. Stroud, an attorney and mediator, said she had originally not intended to run for reelection but ended up changing her mind. “Nine years is a long time and it’s a big time commitment to serve on the board. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to continue that,” Stroud said. “But I just decided it was
important to continue serving.” Stroud said reasons for running were based on the district just starting its strategic plan. She also felt the district was moving forward in a “positive way.” With a “young” board, Stroud felt she would be able to offer her experience on the dais. “I just really felt it was important to keep the momentum going for the district,” Stroud said. “We’ve got a cohesive leadership team on the board and with our superintendent. I felt called to continue serving.” She added the district has seen steady growth and that it will continue to grow into the next decade. “I think we have always been such an excellent district and that’s why people move here, but we still have to constantly be improving and evaluating our processes and figure out a way to improve,” Stroud said. Jones, a consultant who was elected in 2013, will
STROUD
JONES
Springs for the education and its public schools expect “an academic rigor.” Jones said that includes the school board’s commitment to preparing students for post-graduation experiences, including college and post-graduate careers. He said students are informing the board
they are “well prepared.” “It’s been exciting to watch that evolve, especially as it relates to all of the growth in the district,” Jones said. Jones said he enjoys the prospect of getting to talk to people during the campaign and gathering different viewpoints. As far as the field, Jones said Stroud is “fantastic” and he has worked with her while on the dais. While Jones has met Powers once, he did not have knowledge of his platform. Jones said advocating for building “innovative learners” is his goal. “Our role is about governance and it’s about school board policy,” he said. “We don’t micromanage education processes.” Powers, who has lived in Dripping Springs for six years, is a mortgage loan officer who has two children within the district. Powers said he has not run for public office, but spent several years as a policy advisor to state elected officials. According to a bio
provided to the News-Dispatch, Powers serves as a member of the Walnut Springs Elementary Watch DOGS, or Dads of Great Students. He was also invited by Superintendent Bruce Gearing to participate in “D.S. Dialogues,” which is a small round table discussion group. Other activities include serving on the advisory board for Project Connect, which is a local non-profit, and is a current member of Leaderhsip Dripping Springs. Powers, according to his bio, believes in “serving his community in both charitable and civic roles.” He said he is also a strong fiscal conservative. He also said that he has “extensive experience” in policy development and implementation at all levels of government. “Powers wishes to share his experience and passion to ensure DSISD continues to be the premiere Central Texas school district and that every child has a champion,” according to Powers’ bio.
While the boys team isn’t as large as other programs, McCarthy said the team will return some “good, solid guys” who are going to be juniors and seniors next year. She said once the boys team receives more “mileage” they could see improvement. The list could include junior Markus Egger, who competed in the boys 500-yard freestyle swim.
Tiger sophomore swimmer Lydia Evans, who moved from Georgia in the middle of the semester, said she plans to work on a return trip to state next season. Evans said participating in the regional competition was challenging, but competing at state was “eye opening.” “I’m going to focus on training and definitely get closer with my teammates,” Evans said.
Ballard said she used lessons learned last year while working with former Tiger teammate Micah Slaton, who swam in the Olympic Trials in Omaha last summer and is now swimming at Missouri. “It’s been an up and down ride to get there and to actually get to state and swim on the team, it’s exciting, but also humbling,” Ballard said.
POWERS
EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE
All early voting will be done at Dripping Springs ISD Administrative Building, 510 West Mercer St. Monday, April 24
Tuesday, April 25 through Friday, April 28 Saturday, April 29 Monday, May 1
Tuesday, May 2
run in his first reelection campaign as his term expires this May. Maintaining academic rigor has been a “long standing tradition” in Dripping Springs and Jones said he hopes to continue that, if he is reelected. He said people who move out to Dripping
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tiger Swim
Continued from pg. 4 McCarthy lauded the work ethic of the entire team as they navigated through a difficult district that includes powerhouses such as A&M Consolidated. McCarthy said it was “amazing” for her students to pull together and that she could see they were working together. She added realizing what their challenges are and realizing how individuals can help the team allowed for success. “Knowing that we are going into this district and going on to one of the hardest regions in the state, that could have been scary for them,” McCarthy said. “But they didn’t take it as something they couldn’t accomplish.” A young girls program that has “exploded” in recent years could lead the Tigers in the future. McCarthy anticipates many of the underclassmen on the girls team will return to state next year.
PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Dripping Springs’ Katie Tuohy swims the Girls 100 Yard Backstroke in the preliminaries on Friday at the UIL State Swimming and Diving meet in Austin. Tuohy also swam in the Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay with teammates Kylie Ballard, London Farris and Lydia Evans.
That could include Evans, Farris Tuohy and junior Lauren Kehm, who made up the Tiger girls 400-yard freestyle relay team that finished seventh in state.
“The girls are having fun and rooting each other on,” McCarthy said. “They’re putting their effort into it. I’m trying to work with them any way I can.”
Texan Divers
Continued from pg. 4 ing with each other also provided a level of support during the season. “It’s nice to have someone that knows the sport and can do the dives and help you,” Mariel said. “It’s nice to have someone there who knows what they’re talking about.” Having fun, while keeping each other calm during meets and practices is what Evan and Mariel have experienced. That extends to their training, which is done at Trinity University in San Antonio, where they train two to three hours per day. The two also attend a week-long summer camp that helps them improve. But Mariel’s final dive at the state meet could be, in fact, the last dive of her career. She isn’t looking to extend her career beyond high school. Evan, who will vie for a third straight trip to state next year, is considering the possibility of diving in college. The chance to dive on the biggest of stages against competitors she’s familiar with was meaningful. “Through the years, we get to know each other. It’s incredible to be here my senior year,” Mariel said. “I didn’t think it was a possibility.”
PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Wimberley’s Evan Mayhew, a sophomore, enters the water near vertical as he finishes a reverse somersault in the preliminaries on Friday at the UIL State Swimming and Diving meet in Austin. It was the second year for Mayhew, who this year was joined by his sister Mariel, to compete in the state meet.
Page 6
News-Dispatch
Thursday, February 23, 2017
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Public Notice CSP 16-002 DSISD PHONE SYSTEM UPGRADE & ADDITIONAL HARDWARE FOR SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & MIDDLE SCHOOL
Real Estate Company is looking for a bright, well-organized individual for a PERMANENT PART-TIME WEEKEND RECEPTIONIST in our Dripping Springs office.
Good computer skills required. You will be answering phones, greeting clients & helping agents. Self motivated and good organizational skills preferred. If you are cheerful, good with people, productive, great at multi-tasking, we want to talk to you. Email resume to drippingsprings@stanberry.com
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Dripping Springs ISD is requesting competitive sealed proposals for the DSISD Phone System Upgrade and Additional Hardware for Sycamore Springs ES & MS (CSP 16-002). Proposals shall be addressed to Michelle Lyons, Purchasing Specialist, Dripping Springs Independent
Wanted
Full service septic system company since 1982 has 3 new positions open. We are on Hwy 183 S near Mustang Ridge. 1. Entry level Septic Technician – Will train or, Licensed Septic Technician. 2. Administrative Assistant/ Customer Service – 4 days per week. 3. CDL Driver- Pump truck driver and will also train for septic technician. Benefits: Health Insurance, paid vacation, paid holidays, no weekends. Must be physically fit enough to perform some manual tasks. Please email your contact info and resume and we will contact you by the next day.
School District, 510 W. Mercer Street, P.O. Box 479, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620, and must be received by 2:00 P.M. (CST) on March 23, 2017. The CSP package may be obtained at the District’s website at www.dsisdtx.us. Dripping Springs Independent School District reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, to waive any formalities and irregularities in the proposals received, and will accept the response(s) determined to be in the best interests of the District.
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www.HaysNewsDispatch.com
Page 7
Lamar Smith: Check your facts Continued from pg. 2
untrue statements in just one press conference Feb. 16. Another fact-checking site, PolitiFact, ranks statements on a scale ranging from “true” to “pants on fire.” In between are several layers of gray – a useful category since not all political statements are clearly, wholly true or false. PolitiFact ranks just four percent – four percent! – of President
Trump’s statements over the last few years as plainly, unconditionally true and accurate, without room for debate. Seventeen percent are rated “pants on fire” (in other words, outrageous whoppers) and another 33 percent plain old “false.” Lest you say that all politicians (or all people) lie and exaggerate, let’s put that in perspective. Barack Obama scores 21 percent
in the “true” beyond any doubt category and just two percent “pants on fire.” Bernie Sanders 13 percent “true” and zero percent pants on fire. PolitiFact’s not tilted to Democrats either. Republicans Lindsey Graham, John McCain and Jeb Bush score 17, 20, and 18 in the unquestionably true category and 0, 4, and 3 in the “pants on fire” department.
Heck, Politifact ranks Lamar Smith’s statements as 27 percent true, and 20 percent mostly true, with zero “pants on fire” and 33 percent “false,” with the rest in middle ground where partisans might argue either way, depending on how facts are interpreted. Not great perhaps, but decent enough for any human whose comments are constantly put to the test – and downright
saintly compared to Mr. Trump. Congressman Smith’s constituents expect him to promote the Republican ideals upon which he was elected, even if we may wish that he would moderate one or two of them. His own conscience may demand that he support a president from his own party, especially on issues where they agree.
But the congressman should draw the line at assaults on common sense. No politician, no president, no person should be put on a pedestal where he or she gets to claim their own reality or dismiss plain facts as “fake news.” The founders of this country knew better. So should our congressman.
Missing Votes: 1,800 not tallied in November Continued from pg. 1
Anderson said in a statement that she was motivated to look into issues regarding the Anthem MUD election contest. That race has been mired in controversy after it was discovered two votes in favor of creating the MUD were not counted. Following an investigation, Anderson discovered one Mobile Ballot Box (MBB), which is a device that communicates with voting booths and records all votes to calculate a final tally in an election, was not counted in the election. Anderson said “dozens” of MBBs are used countywide during the elections. However, the MBB in question was overlooked after it was taken offline and replaced at the Hays County Government Center early voting site on Oct. 24, 2016, according to the release. “Normally, when a piece
The untallied Mobile Ballot Box, according to the release, held two votes “For” the Anthem MUD bond propositions, along with votes for the election of MUD board members. of equipment is taken offline in the middle of an election, it is quarantined and held for tallying,” Anderson said in her statement. “This particular MBB, evidently, was not quarantined or processed properly.” She added the MBB was set aside and was never tallied on the Nov. 8 election; the MBB contained 1,816 votes. However, Anderson said inclusion of the votes would not have changed the outcome of any office or measure that has been canvassed, save for the An-
them MUD proposition. The untallied MBB, according to the release, held two votes “For” the Anthem MUD bond propositions, along with votes for the election of MUD board members. Anderson said issues regarding the Anthem MUD election have already been corrected in December 2016. “While I have no way of knowing for certain who cast these ballots, I can say with certainty that two votes for the measures presented were among the results on the MBB that
7 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine. Listen to live music on three stages from 11 a.m. through 2 p.m. This free event is located at Lions Field on RR 2325 Wimberley with ample parking in three lots.
presentations, hands-on experiences, a dome star show, solar observations and a night sky observing party. See www. texasnightskyfestival.org for more information.
were not tallied on election night,” Anderson said. The Elections Divison of the Texas Secretary of State’s office has been notified of the issue, Anderson said. She added she would make any results from the internal investigation public. In addition, the elections office has installed new policies and procedures to “ensure that this does not happen in the future,” Anderson said. She added that sharing the information will “instill faith” in the reputation of Hays County elections. “This mistake is preventable, and our equipment provides opportunities to identify and reconcile anomalies prior to canvassing,” Anderson said. Joyce Cowan, who retired on Dec. 31, was the Election Administrator during the Nov. 8, 2016 elections.
Texas Crossword Solution, from pg. 3
Lagniappe
Continued from pg. 1 ping Springs Running Club to host a running workshop on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Beginners and experienced runners alike can learn about proper footwear, stretching and how to prevent injuries.
Mighty Texas Dog Walk
Join thousands of dog lovers at this fundraiser for Service Dogs, Inc., a local nonprofit that takes dogs abandoned to animal shelters and transforms them into lifelines for people living with disabilities. Dress to impress (and compete in a costume contest) for this year’s theme, “Furry Tales. The event will be held March 4 beginning at 10 a.m. outside the AustinAmerican Statesman office in Austin. See www. servicedogs.org/mightytexas-dog-walk-2017 for more info and to register.
Market Days
Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Wimberley Market Days Saturday, March 4 from
Hill Country Writing Symposium
This gathering held March 16-18 at the Wimberley Village Library offers insight into writing for fiction, non-fiction and poetry as well as sessions on publishing. The seminar is presented by the Texas Authors Institute of History, a one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to Texas Authors. See Writing. TexasAuthors.Institute for a list of sessions and schedule.
Texas Night Sky Festival
Celebrate the Hill Country’s night skies at this annual festival March 18 at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. Activities include live
Scholarship opportunity
The Dripping Springs Women’s Club will award two $500 college scholarships for female students in May. Applications are due by April 10 and can be found at www.dswomensclub.com or by contacting womenofds@gmail.com.
PEC offering scholarships
Pedernales Electric Cooperative is offering scholarships to high school and homeschooled seniors in its service area. Applications for the 2017 school year are now available at pec.coop/ scholarships. Recipients will be selected based on their applications, including an essay, academic performance, community involvement , extracurricular activities
and financial need. This year’s essay prompt asks students: What are some of the biggest challenges teenagers see in their community? What changes or programs would you implement to improve the community in which you live?
Tax services
Free assistance with income tax preparation is available through the AARP Tax-Aide program at the Dripping Springs Independent School District Administration building and the Wimberley Village Library. In Dripping Springs, volunteers are available on Tuesdays through April 18 except during spring break from 2-7 p.m To make an appointment, leave a message at (512) 858-0954. In Wimberley, volunteers will be available by appointment by calling (512) 590-0893 through April 12. For more info, call (512) 8580954.
Burglary Suspect
See all your local news 24/7 at www.HaysNewsDispatch.com Breaking News
| Crime Updates | Tiger and Texan Sports
Community Photos | City Council Briefs
TexSCAN Week of February 19, 2017
Continued from pg. 1
During the course of their investigation, authorities charged Ramirez Friday with four charges of burglary of a habitation, a second-degree felony. Ramirez also faces a burglary of a residence charge from the Austin Police Department, also a second-degree felony. Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said detectives in an unmarked vehicle drove by a home in the Amberwood subdivision Feb. 9 and saw a man, later identified as Ramirez, who fit the description of a suspect who committed daytime burglaries in January. According to police, the suspect, who walked with a limp, was alleged to have rung doorbells of residences to ensure the homeowners weren’t present. The suspect then kicked in the front or back
time! d e t i a lim r o f E FRE
Police say they believe Ramirez was in the process of burglarizing the home he was in front of when he was arrested. doors to commit the burglary during the daylight hours. Barnett said detectives turned around and eventually stopped Ramirez for a traffic stop. When detectives searched the vehicle, they allegedly found property that police said matched with items that were reported stolen in previous burglaries. Police say they believe Ramirez was in the process of burglarizing the home he was in front of when he was arrested. Over the course of several days, Barnett said detectives met with nearby
agencies, including Buda and Austin Police Departments, to determine if Ramirez had committed other burglaires. He said detectives are still “in the process” of comparing items recovered from Ramirez’s vehicle to the list of items that were said to be stolen. Barnett said police believe Ramirez was acting alone. Barnett said Kyle Police detectives put in “a lot of hours” to catch Ramirez, which included staking out area neighborhoods in unmarked vehicles. Ramirez is being held in the Hays County Jail on $50,000 bond.
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Page 8
News-Dispatch
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Representation: Congressman Williams a no-show at ‘ghost’ town hall meeting Continued from pg. 1
Additional motivation for the town hall meeting came after they discovered Williams was meeting the North Hays County Republicans. But instead of picketing outside of that town hall meeting, Zweiner said they created their own. Their town hall meeting allowed constituents to pose questions to a cardboard cutout of Williams. A comedian at times offered “responses” that they felt Williams could give. Zwiener said residents feel Williams’ district, which extends across 13 counties from Fort Worth to as far south as Hays County, is gerrymandered in a way for Williams “to avoid his constituents in the bluer part of Texas.” Many also want to hear Williams’ position on topics such as the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, financial regulation and “holding (President Donald) Trump accountable,” Zweiner said. Oak Hill resident Annie Soutter, who said she has tried to reach Williams 10 to 15 times, wanted to express her concerns regarding gender inequality. She said the lack of representation from Williams“disturbs her greatly.” “I would like our representative to represent us regardless of which side of the aisle we sit on,” Soutter said.
“I would like our representative to represent us regardless of which side of the aisle we sit on.” –Annie Soutter, Oak Hill resident
Dripping Springs resident Connie Cuoco said she wanted to gather Willliams’ viewpoints on his votes on immigration, education and his feelings on healthcare. But she felt all voices should be heard, “not just those in the Republican party.” Those on the Republican side of the aisle said their meeting with Williams was scheduled in advance. Wally Kenny, a Dripping Springs resident and president of the North Hays County Republicans, said the meeting with Williams had been set up for six weeks. The meeting, which was private and not open to the media, was a question and answer session for members of the NHCR. Kenny said the NHCR, which holds regular meetings with and without speakers, wanted to hear from their congressman. He
claimed the NHCR can only “get him” twice a year to talk with them as his office is in Tarrant County. Kenny said that Williams will “meet with anybody.” But he said concerns by those who were protesting were normal for the “side that loses.” He said many Republicans “felt the same way when Obama won.” “It’s the spoils of war. Unfortunately, we won and they lost this one,” Kenny said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t work together and do things. We will and we do that.” Dripping Springs resident Ann Child was surprised at the exclusive nature of the meeting. She wanted to thank Williams for cosponsoring legislation she supports. However, Child said she was denied entry. Child claims she has been a part of the NHCR meetings before and said the meeting was posted in the calendar section of another Dripping Springs publication for two weeks, which led her to believe it was a public meeting. While she didn’t fall in line with protesters at the NHCR meeting, she felt all voices should be heard. “Obviously he was voted in, so I can’t argue that,” Child said. “But there are lots of people who do care about these issues.”
PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III
Top: Dripping Springs resident Carlos Quezada stands in line outside of Flores Mexican Restaurant in Dripping Springs with a sign he created for a town hall for Rep. Roger Williams. Left: Driftwood resident Pearly Gates holds a sign outside of the covered patio area at Flores Mexican Restaurant, where a town hall meeting centered around Rep. Roger Williams was held. Williams did not attend. At right, Westlake resident Louise Nelson holds a sign toward the end of the “ghost” town hall meeting.
Chasing Grace: Short film goes to SXSW Continued from pg. 3
“[Locals} were helping me tell my story. I was touched by that ... If I were to go shoot something else, I’d go to Dripping Springs.” –Julia Barnett, director of Chasing Grace
out of Austin, which is associated with SXSW. She also hired a Fort Worth based musician to help score the film. The challenge, however, was cutting and editing a film that was near and dear to her heart, ensuring the film was cut down to the 11-minute runtime necessary to be a part of the Texas Shorts Competition.
“You get emotionally attached to a scene you shot, but when you get to the editing room, it may not tell the story you want it to tell,” Barnett said. “It’s like cutting a piece out of you. But you feel better because you got rid of it.” Barnett now eyes postproduction for the film, which includes sound editing, color correction
and final production costs. Barnett started a gofundme page to crowdfund the final expenses. So far the film has gathered roughly $4,700 of the necessary $9,000. The possibility of additional exposure is what she hopes to gather at SXSW. Exposing Dripping Springs to the film industry could follow. “There are a lot of small towns in Texas, but what is special about Dripping Springs is that it’s so close to Austin, so you can work with many industry professionals,” Barnett said.
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she appreciated the generosity of residents. “They were helping me tell my story. I was touched by that,” Barnett said. “If I were to go shoot something else, I’d go to Dripping Springs.” Principal filming began in August and ended several weeks after. During that time, the Chandlers helped seek locations in the Dripping Springs area. Those included the Dripping Springs administration building, Dripping Donuts and Hudson on Mercer. Once filming was complete, Barnett began the editing process. She enlisted the help of an editing company
R A L T O
PHOTO BY DAVID RADZINSKI
Austin resident and director and writer Julia Barnett directs Christopher Backus prior to filming a scene in the short film “Chasing Grace,” which was shot in Dripping Springs.
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