Technology, training help concussion rate
Two new major hires for DSISD
page 2
Eagle Scout gives chimney swifts a home
page 3
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 42 • Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
page 5
75¢ Thursday, July 27, 2017
Three-car wreck takes two lives on U.S. 290 BY MOSES LEOS III Two people were killed, while another person was critically injured, in a violent three-car collision that occurred along U.S. Highway 290 in Dripping Springs Sunday. According to a Texas Department of Public
Safety spokesperson, a Ford Fusion was traveling southbound on Trautwein Road when it ran a stop sign at the U.S. 290 intersection. The Fusion pulled out in front of a Honda Accord that was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 290. The Fusion was
initially struck on the left side by the Accord; that collision redirected the Fusion into the eastbound lanes of U.S. 290. The Fusion was then rear-ended by a Ford F-250 traveling eastbound. The driver and front passenger of the Fusion were killed in the accident,
according to the spokesperson. The identities of the deceased victims is pending notification of the next-of-kin, said a DPS spokesperson. A woman who was a rear passenger in the Fusion was transported to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center (SAMC) in
critical condition. A child who was also a rear passenger in the Fusion was transported to Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin without any injures. Authorities have not released the identities of the rear passengers in the Fusion at this time. The driver of the Hon-
da, who has not yet been identified, is in stable condition at South Austin Medical Center, while the driver and a passenger in the F-250, who also haven’t been identified, were uninjured. A final DPS report on the accident has not yet been completed.
Son arrested following death of D.S. man BY MOSES LEOS III
Cowgirl up
MAIN PHOTO BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY; INSET PHOTO BY DAVE WILSON
A competitor hangs on tight to her Bronco during the annual Dripping Springs Rodeo held at Dripping Springs Ranch Park July 20-23. Inset, a pair of young rodeo clowns show all smiles while decked out in their garb. The rodeo, hosted by the Dripping Springs Ag Boosters Association and the City of Dripping Springs has transformed into a Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) rodeo and fundraiser for 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA).
LAGNIAPPE Hays County Vaccination Celebration
The Hays County Local Health Department and Live Oak Health Partners Community Clinic are holding a week-long vaccination fair Aug. 7-11 for all children 18 years and younger who need vaccinations. The vaccines will be free for children who qualify. On Monday, Aug. 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. there
LAGNIAPPE, 4
The Caffeine Corridor? Coffee culture engrains itself in Dripping Springs
I
BY SAMANTHA SMITH
t’s no shock that the culture of coffee continues to spread across the country. Where once coffee was just limited to the house or a convenience store, dedicated coffee shops are now offering luxury lattes and espressos. Success of those businesses, however, depends on popularity, traffic, customer service and location, location, location. In Dripping Springs, where four local coffee shops have thrived in the area, increased traffic for a variety of reasons has helped keep business brewing, even as a corporate competitor in Starbucks has opened shop. A sixth coffee shop, Austin Java, is slated to open along U.S. 290 later this year. One of the primary reasons stems from the city’s designation as the Wedding Capital of Texas, according to baristas at the various coffee shops. What each coffee shop brings to the table is also a factor in its success as well. Laurie Green, manager of Mazama Coffee on Mercer Street, said people come to the shop for a relaxed atmosphere where customers can meet friends or colleagues while sipping on an Italian style cappuccino. “It feels more like a small town shop rather than a corporate coffee chain,” Green said of Mazama’s success. Juan Chan, owner of Le Muse Coffee Bar, thinks that people in the Dripping Springs area have a craving for “craft” in everything from food to beverages. His coffee shop
An investigation into the discovery of a decomposed body in a Dripping Springs area home Sunday led to the arrest of a man who authorities suspect MCMILLON may have tampered with evidence. Skye McMillon, 24, was charged with tampering or fabricating physical evidence with “intent to impair a human corpse,” which is a second degree felony, according to a Travis County Sheriff’s Office press release. McMillon is being held in connection to the death of the victim, who on Tuesday was identified as Steven Nurse, 60, who is McMillon’s father, according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman.
MAN FOUND DEAD, 6
Green future for 680 annexed acres BY SAMANTHA SMITH
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA SMITH
A worker at Mazama Coffee Shop in Dripping Springs preps an order for a customer on a busy morning. The locally owned shop is one of many that thrive in the Dripping Springs economy.
has something to offer to their discerning palettes. “Everything that we make here is craft,” Chan said. Cory Deardorff, a barista at Summer Moon coffee house on U.S. 290, said the designation as the Wedding Capital of Texas has brought in more business than he initially expected. Deardorff added that customers also recognize the brand from chain locations in Buda and in Austin as well. Emily Brunken, a barista at Jolt Coffee and Beverage, a coffee stand on U.S. 290, said customers may stop by on their commute, but the customer
service brings them back with their friends and even a few wedding parties. Even Starbucks has had success from the Wedding Capital designation. Starbucks barista Taylor Fluitt said the combination of the chain coffee shop’s location on U.S. 290 and the designation has made the store an overnight success since opening in February 2017. “I know a lot of people came in the other day from a wedding party that chose to come in and hang out during a rainstorm while the wedding was delayed,” Fluitt said.
For the first time in Dripping Springs’ history, a housing development will focus on building to fit the land and not the other way around. Earlier this month, the Dripping Springs city council entered into a development agreement with California-based SunCal for the Westwood subdivision, said Michelle Fisher, Dripping Springs city administrator. The city then approved annexation of the 680-acre tract of land along U.S. 290 that will house the subdivision, which was rezoned from agriculture (AG) to a Planned Development District (PDD). Fischer said the development, which is the city’s first “conservation subdivision,” plans to conserve open space and
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT, 6
Page 2
News-Dispatch
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Sports
PHOTO BY DAVE WILSON
A participant in the barrel racing competition readies to complete a turn at the annual Dripping Springs Rodeo held at Dripping Springs Ranch Park July 20-23. The rodeo featured live entertainment, a steer show, a Mutton Bustin’ Shootout, concessions and kids’ activities.
Havin’ a buckin’ good time PHOTO BY TOMOTHY STUCKEY
Technology, change in play tactics lead to reduction in concussion rate BY MOSES LEOS III
centered on dizziness or symptoms that lasted for a short period of time, to ver the course of Level 3, which was given if 31 years in athleta player was knocked out. ic training, Mark With more scientific Winter has witnessed research into concussions sports evolve with adand head injuries, peovances in technology and ple became aware of the the medical field. Even as those advances long-term effects of concussions. have brought to light the Today, the National severity of head injuries, Athletic Training Assosuch as concussions, ciation (NATA) position Winter believes increased statement awareness, doesn’t dealong with termine conimproved “Research cussions as equipmild or severe. ment and has shown concustackling people who Every sion is treated techniques, as a traumatic have have one brain injury, helped football concussion Winter said. Additionbecome are three al research relatively that safe. times more shows sub-concusMuch of sive events that belief likely of can pile on top stems from getting a of each other the evocould lution of second one and make a situaprotocols tion worse. surround... It goes “Research ing conup ten-fold has shown cussions people who and head after that.” have one coninjuries. cussion are When three times –Mark Winter, Winter first athletic trainer more likely began his of getting a career as second one,” an athletic Winter said. “It goes up trainer, dizziness after a ten-fold after that.” hard hit was seen as “part of football.” HOW ARE CONCUSSIONS “As long as you could function, you kept going,” MITIGATED? Winter said. It was beTo combat concussions, lieved at the time that hel- every school district in mets caused a headache. Texas, including Hays, Dizziness also was seen as Dripping Springs and a sign of teams delivering Wimberley ISDs, are now a good hit, Winter said. required to have a conOver time, the mindcussion oversight team. set towards concussions Members of that team evolved to a degree of make recommendations or severity scale. Previously, guidelines for athletes who concussions were gradmay have suffered from a ed from a Level 1, which concussion.
O
In the Hays CISD, the oversight team consists of two athletic trainers at Hays and Lehman, along with a general practitioner. School board trustees and those in the athlete community can choose to add others to the team. On the field, coaches and athletic trainers are the first and primary line of defense for players and their safety. Winter said at Hays, one of the first things the AT staff does is pull an athlete from competition or practice if they are showing one or more symptoms. Concussion symptoms can range from headache, dizziness and nausea to impaired vision and unstable balance. Athletes are evaluated via special tests that determine their cognitive skill. If it’s determined the player shows symptoms of a possible concussion, they are then referred to a physician, who can then diagnose them. Once diagnosed by a physician, athletes must complete symptom-free a five-step concussion protocol, which must be completed prior to returning to the field. But one of the challenges is getting athletes to comply with standards to ensure their safety. Winter said for the most part, athletes are compliant with ATs and will let them know if there is an issue. He added concussions are also fairly self-evident at times. However, there are some athletes who may hide their symptoms to
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WHAT IS A CONCUSSION? The word concussion comes from Latin and means “to shake violently.” A concussion occurs when an impact of the head or body causes the brain to shift or move inside the skull. avoid being pulled from practice or a game. It’s an issue that goes all the way from the high school rank to the professional level. Sarah Ashworth, Hays High assistant athletic trainer, said students usually work with ATs regarding potential concussion issues. “Coaches are pretty good at stopping and asking the kids if they are okay,” Ashworth said. “They do a good job of sending the kids to us in order to be assessed.”
HOW HAS THE GAME BEEN MADE SAFER? Even as science has determined collision sports, such as football, have higher risks of
head injuries, advances in techniques and equipment have also made the game safer. Changes in tactics on the field is one factor, as football is more passoriented than running straight ahead, Winter said. Tackling techniques have also played a role in making football safer. At one time, football players were taught to drive their facemasks into the chest of an opponent; today players are taught techniques that don’t require use of the head. Technology has also led to improved safety for players, as helmets are constructed to divert direct force on an
athlete’s head. Last year, the Hays High athletic training staff estimated roughly 20 out of the 240-man football roster suffered a concussion in 2016. Only one student suffered a second concussion. “There is no helmet that’s concussion proof,” Winter said. “They try to make technology better to where subconcussive events can be lessened.” Ashworth said increased knowledge by all also goes a long way toward making the game safer. “Increased knowledge from community, parents and coaches to tell the kids when to stop is important,” she said.
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Education
News-Dispatch
DSISD students succeed in early STAAR results SUBMITTED REPORT
A high percentage of Dripping Springs ISD students met standard at all grade levels and subjects, according to preliminary State of Texas Assesment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results. Results extend across four profiency levels, ranging from “Did Not Meet,” “Approaches,” “Meets,” and “Masters.” Students scoring “Approaches” and above are considered to have passed the assessment. A student in the “Ap-
proaches” category shows some course knowledge but may need additional support, while a student scoring in the “Meets” category shows strong knowledge of course content. The “Masters” status indicates the student has mastered the course content. Results were released recently for Grades 3-8 Reading and Math, Grades 4 and 7 Writing, Grades 5 and 8 Science and Grade 8 Social Studies. Earlier in June, results were released for five endof-course exams at the
high school level. A high percentage of Dripping Springs ISD students achieved the status of “Masters” on the STAAR tests. Roughly 40 percent or more of Dripping Springs students in Grades 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 achieved “Masters” status on reading tests. Forty percent of eighth-graders achieved Masters status for Math, and more than 40 percent of students taking three of five end-of-course exams performed at the highest level of proficiency. Percentages of DSISD
students passing all tests and reaching the “Masters” level were substantially higher than those recorded statewide. “Our students continue to be successful on state-mandated assessments, far exceeding the state average in every area and grade level,” noted Superintendent Bruce Gearing. “More of our students are at the meets or advanced standard by almost double the state standard. We are focused on other measures of student engagement and success.”
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New lead named for King’s Academy SUBMITTED REPORT The King’s Academy announced this month the appointment of a new principal, Shelby Hubbard. Hubbard received her undergraduate degree in elementary education from Missouri Southern State University. After seven years of teaching,
she returned to college and received her masters degree in school administration at William Woods University. While in Missouri she taught HUBBARD first,
fourth and fifth grades at Central Elementary, in her home town of Pierce City, Missouri. In 2014, when Hubbard moved to Texas to be closer to family, she secured a teaching position in Dripping Springs teaching fourth grade and, most recently, kindergarten. The King’s Academy is excited to use Hub-
bard’s organization skills to further the vision of the school. This family partnership school blends academic instruction with Biblical instruction. Hubbard noted that becoming principal at The King’s Academy is a great fit for her, as she has a desire to educate the whole child – academically, socially and spiritually.
Two new major Texas hires for DSISD Crossword
POENITZSCH NAMED LEARNING AND INNOVATION DIRECTOR At a special meeting July 20, the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees approved Superintendent Bruce Gearing’s recommendaPOENITZSCH tion of Nicole Poenitzsch as the district’s new Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Innovation. Poenitzsch has served 12 years in education, most recently as assistant superintendent for Sealy ISD. She began her tenure in public education as a high school English teacher and progressed through roles including department leader, junior high assistant principal, elementary principal, assistant superintendent and adjunct professor. In her position at Dripping Springs ISD, Poenitzsch will oversee the Learning & Innovation Department, which covers all areas of teaching and learning for the district and includes working closely with administrators at each campus to plan the learning experiences for all students. Poenitzsch received her Bachelor of Arts & Science degree from Texas Tech University, her Master of Education in education administration from the University of Houston-Victoria and her Doctorate of Education in executive leadership from Texas A&M University in College Station. “I am honored to join in the collective effort of the district team. The district’s alignment to such a clear and transformational vision is inspiring” said Poenitzsch in a statement. “My family and I are incredibly
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: $42 local, $59 county, $62 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.
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excited about becoming part of the Dripping Springs ISD community and we look forward to what the future holds.” Poenitzsch will begin her new responsibilities at DSISD in August. She replaces Diane Flaim who will be retiring from the district in December.
RAY TO LEAD SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY The Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation of Kristen Ray as principal of SycRAY amore Springs Elementary at its July 20 meeting. Ray has been employed since 2014 as a senior consultant for The Leader In Me, which is part of the Franklin Covey Education Division, according to a district press release. Ray began her career in education at Roosevelt ISD where she taught first grade in addition to serving as a Title 1 reading teacher. From there she moved to North East ISD as a second grade teacher. She continued for an additional 12 years at North East ISD serving as both assistant principal and principal for several different campuses. Ray earned her bachelor’s degree in human development from Texas Tech University and her master’s degree in educational administration from Wayland Baptist University. “I am honored to serve as the new principal at Sycamore Springs Elementary,” said Ray. “I look forward to partnering with the community, parents, and the amazing staff to create an empowering culture of learning for our students.”
See solution, page 4
Worship in a church of your choice Call 512-268-7862 to join the church directory today.
Sunset Canyon Baptist Church 8:45 AM
Sunday Morning
11:00 AM
Sunday Worship
5:45 PM
Wednesday Meal
6:30 PM
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St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Mass Schedule
Rev. Charlie
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corner of RR 12 & Post Oak in Dripping Springs
Garza, pastor Saturday: 5 p.m. Located at the Sunday: 8:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m.
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News-Dispatch
Real Estate
Lagniappe
Public Notice
Continued from pg. 1
JOHNSON CITY LOTS FOR SALE
will be free games, prizes and free food as well as a firetruck and SWAT vehicle at Anita Reye Park next to the clinic at 401 E. Broadway St., San Marcos. Vaccinations will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 7-11 at the clinic.
TABC Notice
Peaceful Hill Country Living. Lots priced at $30,000 +. Easy drive to Austin, San Antonio and Marble Falls. Contact Mike S. for home packages 512-705-3824. Contact Mike H. for lots 512781-6377
Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Wine and Beer permit by Big Brew, LLC dba Driftwood Tasting Room, to be located at 18922 FM 150 W, Driftwood, Hays County, Texas. Officers of said corporation, Owner is Lindsey M. Pierce, CEO.
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Starting Friday, Allen, Looney who is the city of Dripping Springs’ emergency planning coordinator, and many other volunteers, are preparing to partner with Family Eldercare of Austin for a weekly fan drive in Dripping Springs that will run through the end of August. The drive will provide donated fans at no cost to senior citizens, disabled residents, and those who have children in order to beat the deadly summer heat. Allen began reaching out to area nonprofits, including Helping Hands, The Friends Foundation and the Hill Country Senior Activity Center. The group then reached out to Family Eldercare, which agreed to partner for a northwestern Hays County distribution center. So far, the group has received 30 donated
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Flood Map Meetings
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released preliminary flood insurance rate maps for public review and comment and will hold open house meetings on proposed changes. Meetings will be held from 2-7 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 RR 12, and from 2-7 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins Street. There will be no formal presentation. Property owners are encouraged to view the maps at maps. riskmap6.com to see the specific areas being remapped and how they may be affected. Do you know a free event to be included in Lagniappe? Send an email to christine@ haysfreepress.com.
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fans for distribution. Looney, who is the food pantry coordinator at Helping Hands, said creating the drive was a group effort and everyone is thrilled for the experience. Allen said extreme heat is the fifth highest natural hazard in Hays County. “Fans can only do so much, but it can mitigate the danger,” she said. See www.HaysNewsDispatch.com for more information.
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
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Shooting competition offers bragging rights
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Now in its fifth year, the Hill Country Sporting Clay Competition has been raising funds for charity and bringing locals together for competitive shooting. With the theme of “Only one can brag, the rest are lyin’,” the event promises a lot of compeition and comraderie. The shootout, put on by the Dripping Springs Knights of Columbus, will be held Aug. 26 at the Longhorn River Ranch outside of Dripping Springs. Proceeds from the event support a variety of charitable activities, including funds for the Center of the Intrepid soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Burke Center for Youth in Driftwood, Boy Scouts Eagle projects, college scholarships, St. Martin de Porres Youth Programs and Special Olympics. The KCs are looking for sponsors for the event, with team sponsorship levels ranging from $250 to $5,000. The site of the clay
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Sports Updates New Developments
Cityy Council Briefs and more
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COURTESY PHOTO
A marksman takes aim at a previous Hill Country Sporting Clay Competition. The annual event benefits a variety of charitable activities in the area.
LEARN MORE
See more information about the competition and sponsorship opportunities, at www. HillCountryShootout. com.
competition is a private 1,623 acre ranch on Ranch Road 165 with hilltop overlooks and winding riverbanks. The competition includes 15
clay-target stations with 100 clays per shooter at each station. Special games for the shooter will be set up at each station. Awards for the top men’s, women’s and junior shooters will be given, and trophies are awarded to the top teams. Festivities continue after the shootout with a catered lunch, door prizes and drawings.
Chimney swifts find refuge at Charro Ranch Park
B
Page 5
BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY
Birdwatchers looking for chimney swifts need only to visit the newly constructed tower at Charro Ranch Park, built by Connor Stevens with Boy Scout Troop 585. (courtesy photo)
ird watchers going to Charro Ranch Park can thank a Dripping Springs 15-yearold for its new feature. Boy Scout Connor Stevens with Troop 585 took on the task of building a chimney swift tower for his Eagle Scout project. As the name implies, the tower serves as a home for chimney swift birds. “Realizing how much their habitat has been impacted over the last hundred years, I really felt that the chimney swift tower would be the perfect project for me,” Stevens said. The tower is approximately 18” by 18” and stands 15’ tall. It’s a sturdy structure, weighing more than 500 pounds and wrapped in hardie siding, a type of cement board. Stevens said he was able to build the tower with high quality materials thanks to generous contributors. “This is a tremendous gift to the city and something Charro Ranch Park visitors can enjoy for years to come,” Mayor Pro-Tem Bill Foulds said. “We are most appreciative of Connor’s efforts.” A plaque has been installed near the tower to educate visitors about the chimney swift species. “The chimney swift (Chaetura Pelagica) is a bird in the Swift family that usually makes its home in a chimney. Since many chimneys are capped off or torn down, chimney swifts have had to make their homes and in air
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Page 6
News-Dispatch
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Planned Development: Green future for 680 annexed acres Continued from pg. 1
preserve existing heavily treed areas when developing the residential neighborhood, instead of leveling the land and paving over it. It’s not yet known how many acres will be open space in the Westwood subdivision until a final plat is submitted, Fischer said. She added PDDs are created specifically for property because of a
unique quality, or if it’s a mixed-use development. Fischer said the reason behind the PDD zoning designation was to remain “consistent with the regulations in the development agreement for this particular property.” “For Westwood, it’s not a mixed-use development, but it’s unique because it’s the very first subdivision
to be a conservation subdivision design,” Fischer said. However, Fischer said the zoning change to PDD for Westwood doesn’t necessarily mean Dripping Springs’ residents can expect to see more subdivisions. “We’re real excited to have a true conservation design subdivision come through,” Fisher said, “It’s got a ton of open
space in it and a community parkland and a civic site so this is going to be a huge benefit to the city and the community,” Fischer said. According to the company’s website, SunCal is a family owned developer that specializes in mixed-use and master planned communities with an emphasis on “building sustainable projects that are envi-
ronmentally sound.” Fischer said council members were on board to rezone the land to make way for the new conservation subdivision that will “build the development to fit the land and respect the lay of the land and the natural features of it.” Dripping Springs has an in-place ordinance for a conservation subdivision design, but SunCal
is the first developer to comply with the ordinance and enter into a development agreement, Fischer said. A price point for homes in the Westwood subdivision is not yet know. SunCal has submitted a preliminary plat and will soon submit its site plan and final plat for review prior to the start of construction, which could be as soon as October 2017.
Man Found Dead Continued from pg. 1
However, the release did not specify in what way McMillon tampered with or fabricated evidence. On July 23, Travis County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 10000 block of Sandy Beach Road for a welfare check call. A caller advised authorities their employee had not shown up for work in several days. When deputies arrived,
they located a deceased person that was in an advanced stage of decomposition in the home, according to the release. An autopsy was performed by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office. According to the release, there are unanswered questions based on injuries revealed during the autopsy. McMillon is currently being held in the Travis
County Jail on $100,000 bond, according to the release. Criminal charges could be added or changed when the medical examiner’s report is finalized and the investigation is complete. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case. This story is developing. We will provide details as they become available.
Eagle Scout
Continued from pg. 5 shafts, wells, cisterns, etc. Hollow trees were their original homes before they began nesting in chimneys. Chimney swifts are not considered endangered, but their population is decreasing, and have the conservation status of “Near Threatened,” the plaque reads Chimney swifts can only stand and create nests on vertical surfaces, so many chimney swifts towers are designed with grooves on the inside just as a chimney would have. They build their nests using twigs and saliva. Chimney swifts migrate to the northern portion of South America in the winter, but can be found in Texas in the spring. They generally arrive here at the beginning of April. Only one brood usually lives in each chimney swift tower during nesting
CHECK IT OUT
Charro Ranch Park, located at 22690 W. FM 150, is open daily from dawn until dusk. Find more information on the city’s website, www.cityofdrippingsprings.com
season despite the height of the tower. The towers are made very tall (this one is about 15 feet tall) to avoid overheating problems which affects their breeding. A nest with five nestlings can eat about 12,000 insects in one day. They love mosquitos,
termites, and beetles. During roosting season and during migration up to about 100 chimney swifts can occupy one tower. When large colonies of chimney swifts are preparing to roost at night they can create a flying funnel above the tower.
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