AUGUST 18, 2021 WANTED
STEM LESSONS
Hays CISD is in need of more teachers.
Childrens books teach science, technology, engineering and math.
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News-Dispatch
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HaysNewsDispatch.com
Vol. 41 • No. 47
Serving Hays County, TX
County judge says masks are school required BY SAHAR CHMAIS
The line is drawn and Governor Greg Abbott is probably not happy. But students in Hays County will be required to wear masks, despite the governor’s executive order to the contrary. Hays CISD and Dripping Springs ISD took up the issue of whether students had to wear masks while at school, and decided to “encourage”
students to wear masks. But Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra entered the fray on Friday when he issued his own executive order on Friday, requiring anyone going to school to wear masks. Becerra’s decision came after monitoring the spike in hospital admissions, how highly contagious the Delta variant has been and that children under the age of 12 do not have
Public schools and public charter schools in Hays County will be required to enforce masks for students, staff and visitors over the age of two when on campus and on school busses.
access to the vaccine. Public schools and public charter schools in Hays County will be required to enforce masks for students, staff
and visitors over the age of two when on campus and on school busses. “Currently, 70% of the 12-15 age group are unvaccinated,” Becerra
said, “and children under 12 are not eligible for a vaccine at all. Masks are their only line of defense.” Not only is the virus causing a health crisis emergency that has caused rising hospitalization rates, there is further concern about the health and safety of children and school staff, Becerra added. “This order is intended to slow down com-
BY BRITANY ANDERSON
BY MEGAN WEHRING
PHOTO COURTESY OF TINA FRETWELL
Tina Fretwell (left), of Dripping Springs, meets her half-sisters for the first time in upstate New York.
Hays County woman’s DNA discovery leads to new family BY BRITTANY ANDERSON After 50 years, Tina Fretwell has finally found a piece of herself she’s been searching for her entire life. Born in 1970 in Da Nang, Vietnam during the midst of the Vietnam War, the TINA’S MOM only thing Tina ever found out about her father was that he was an American soldier named David. It would be decades before she found more — thanks to a gene-
Coming Up CALLING ALL KYLES!
The city of Kyle is gearing up for its annual Pie in the Sky Festival Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5. Among the festivities, Kyle officials are trying to gather as many festival goers as possible with the name “Kyle” in an effort to break the world record for the most Kyles in one place. There will be free admittance to patrons with valid ID showing their name is Kyle. The gathering will
STATE NEWS
occur on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 10 a.m. There will be a group photo and official sign in.
UP, UP & AWAY AT KYLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Join the Kyle Public Library on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. for Up, Up, and Away — a celebration of the art of hot air ballooning. There will be a ton of events for the kids, including a rock climbing wall, a castle
Veteran reporter Gary Rodgers touches on Capital Highlights.
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MASKS MANDATORY, 10
Dripping Springs to vote on 2022 budget in September
DSISD school board convenes for explosive meeting on masks having to remove one parent from the stage. After Hays County Once the board judge Ruben Becerra’s returned from the controversial mask closed session, the mandate last week, public forum was Dripping Springs ISD opened up to over 50 (DSISD) school board passionate speakers members met in front who had 1.5 minutes to of a full house for an speak, although several emergency meeting on speakers did not show Aug. 16 to discuss how up. Many expressed the district will move their frustration with forward in response to the meeting, saying the mandate. that it was unnecessary Parents and stuto be held on the night dents, some masked, before school. others not, filled the Multiple speakers Dripping Springs High told board members School auditorium that their children will Monday evening. never wear a mask at School districts across school, citing physical, Hays County could not emotional and psychodecide whether on not logical reasons. Some to require masks. But said that there is no Becerra’s mandate has science to back up the seemingly made the effectiveness of masks. call: all K-12 students Students also spoke and staff within Hays of their classroom exCounty, including periences, saying that DSISD, are required to schools prioritizing wear masks at school. masks causes menThe board meeting tal health problems, began with the memamong others. bers going into a closed Other speakers, howsession to receive legal ever, said that the disadvice from the district’s safety protocols trict’s attorneys. After need to be updated an hour and a half of and asked that Becerwaiting, many audira’s mask mandate be ence members became followed. A respiratory impatient and began nurse at Dell Children’s yelling for the members Medical Center also to come out and chant- brought a petition to ing “no more masks,” the board, signed by requiring a police officer to intervene and DSISD CDC PROTOCOL, 10
munity spread of the COVID-19 virus, and free up hospital space,” he said. “Personal responsibility, undefined, as a disaster response strategy for an infectious disease pandemic is not working.” Earlier this week, Austin ISD and San Marcos ISD also put out a mask requirement. In response to school districts across
“I didn’t know if I wanted to look into it myself. Then I finally said, “Look, I think I found your sisters. She got very excited, needless to say.”
Kansas, leaving Tina in the care of her aunt and grandmother. Like other ‘Amerasians’ at the time, a term coined for children born of American servicemen and Vietnamese women, Tina faced discrimination for her mixed heritage, including having rocks thrown at her. Tina even faced discrimination within her own family. Her grandfather was in the Viet Cong, –Tina’s husband Ben and her family feared how he would take to having alogy kit that led her to her a half-American grandhalf-siblings. daughter with her light When Tina was only hair and skin. a few months old, her Coupled with the fact mother, Kim Tu Huynh, left Vietnam for Wichita, DNA DISCOVERY, 6
bounce house, eliminator, skee ball, mini putt-putt golf, crafts and music, as well as a demonstration by the Central Texas Ballooning Association. Attendees will also have a chance to win free tickets for the upcoming Kyle Pie in the Sky Festival.
BACK TO SCHOOL FAMILY SKATE NIGHT
Join Kyle Parks and Recreation Friday, Aug. 20 from 6-8:30 p.m. for the Back to School Family Skate Night at Ash Pavilion in GreggClarke Park.There will be music, lights, concessions and fun. Skates will not be provided and registration
is required. Registration for city of Kyle residents is $1, and $2 for non-residents.
IN THE GARDEN: DIY GARDEN PLANNING
Join other gardening enthusiasts and beginners at the Dripping Springs Library Thursday Aug. 19 to talk about DIY gardens. In this presentation a Hays County Master Gardener will cover a variety of topics about gardening, including planting schedules, soil types, trees, native plants, environmental considerations, and more. Register by visiting the library website.
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DRIPPING SPRINGS – Dripping Springs is looking at a budget with $10.5 million in revenue. The city council continues to hold workshops ahead of the vote to set the FY 2022 budget next month. In the proposed general fund budget, the city is looking at $10,561,779.93 in revenue and $8,799,411.43 in expenses. There will be about $1.4 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CLFRF) at the end of FY 2022 that the city will have to allocate; there are no specific plans at this time, according to finance director Shawn Cox. “We have not yet allocated how that is going to be spent for the city,” Cox said. “There are different ways it can be spent such as lost revenues for some of our parks programs [and other] programs that can be put on to help recoveries. The county is doing a lot, every city has been allocated a portion.” When there are remaining funds from the revenue that has not been spent, cities typically move it to reserve accounts also known as rainy day funds, Cox explained. The city is projecting a $1.25 million increase in revenue for the general fund budget compared to FY 2022. The boost in revenue is primarily driven by increased appraised values, Cox said, but the tax rate will stay the same at $0.19 per $100 of valuation. Sales tax revenue is also expected to grow by 8%. A vote on the budget is anticipated for Sept. 21, according to city secretary Andrea Cunningham.