Tigers tumble into season practice
Bill aims to curb foster crisis
Tiger band leader to hang up baton
page 4
page 3
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 46
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
page 5
75¢
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Local vegan bakery named ‘Texas Best’ BY MOSES LEOS III
PHOTO BY BEN PORTER
Smiles abound as Yauss Berenji (center left), Ruby Biesi and Sascha Biesi celebrate with two H-E-B representatives after their Dripping Springs based business, Skull and Cakebones, claimed H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best competition.
Much like a devoted scientist, Dripping Springs business owner Sascha Biesi took great care in mixing soy milk with pureed beets over a large mixer. The resulting concoction was a blood-red mixture that looked more movie studio than bakery. Throw that into some white frosting, however, and out came a confectionary pink marvel, free of food coloring dyes. Such is the path Biesi has chosen ever since she and her partner, Yauss
Barenji, first opened Skull and Cakebones cafe and bakery in Austin years ago. But for Biesi, what began as a way to create vegan and organic meals for her daughter has grown into much more. On Aug. 11, Biesi and Berenji were named as the grand prize winners for the 2017 H-E-B Quest for Texas Best promotion with their product, Mocha Marmalade, which is a cake in a cup. The success is validating for the two, who aim to prove vegan cuisine may be a state of mind, but it doesn’t have to taste bad.
Vigil held for Charlottesville With candles shining bright, a handful of residents peacefully sat at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley as they held a candlelight vigil following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month. The event was held to honor the victims of a white nationalist’s attack on counter-protesters in Charlottesville, which left one person dead and 19 others injured. Wimberley High students spoke at the vigil and shared what they experienced in watching the events unfold. City, school and church leaders also spoke of efforts to keep the community’s bond strong.
ORIGINS FOR SUCCESS The path toward success began after Biesi gave birth to daughter and realized she suffered from severe eczema. A change in her diet – eliminating dairy – cleared up the problem. The issue surfaced again when her daughter, Ruby, started eating solid foods. Biesi found out Ruby was allergic to eggs. At that point Biesi knew she had to make a change. She had to go vegan. The problem, however,
SKULL AND CAKEBONES, 2
Filings begin for 2018 election BY MOSES LEOS III While the election is a year away, candidates are already starting to line up in the upcoming race for the Texas House District 45 seat, currently held by Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs). Elizabeth Bryant, a first responder from Driftwood, and Erin Zweiner, an educator and author from San Marcos, are the first to throw their hats into the ring for the HD45 race, which will be decided in Nov. 2018. Zweiner, a fifth-generation Texan, is a conservationist, children’s book author and an educator, according to a press release. She sought to run for the office to “ensure our government protects and serves all Texans.”
TEXAS HOUSE, 7
LAGNIAPPE PHOTO BY ERIC QUINN
Solar Eclipse 2017
New flood map plan available
This week, officials will approve a new flood map plan for Hays County. Get information online at HaysNewsDispatch.com or in next week’s edition of the News-Dispatch. Information was not available as of press time.
LBJ’s Boot Scootin’ Birthday Fiesta
A young girl marvels at the astronomical event. Many of the attendees battled heat and cloud cover to witness the eclipse at the Wimberley Public Library’s event this week. While 14 states were in the path of totality, Texans were able to see a partial eclipse in the early afternoon on Monday. Texas and Mexico will see a total eclipse in 2024. See more photos from eclipse events in Hays County online at HaysNewsDispatch.com.
The Hays County Democratic Party will host its annual celebration of LBJ’s birthday 3 to 6 p.m. Aug. 27 in Stone Hall at Texas Old Town in Kyle. “LBJ’s Boot Scootin’ Birthday Fiesta,” both a celebration and a fundraiser, is a free event that will feature office holders and candidates, a catered enchilada PHOTO BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY
LAGNIAPPE, 6
Page 2
News-Dispatch
Skull and Cakebones: Named HEB’s ‘Texas Best’
News-Dispatch
Continued from pg. 1
PHONE: 512-268-7862 FAX: 512-268-0262 PUBLISHER Cyndy Slovak-Barton
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EDITOR Moses Leos III
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REPORTERS Samantha Smith
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Timothy Stuckey
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PRODUCTION David White Christine Thorpe ADVERTISING/MARKETING Tracy Mack tracy@haysfreepress.com
Leon Vigil
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Jim Darby
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PHOTOGRAPHER Wayland Clark PROOFREADER Jane Kirkham CIRCULATION MANAGER/ LEGAL NOTICES David White paper@ haysnewsdispatch.com
was finding food that was palatable. Much of the cuisine centered on ratatouille and vegetable soup. “The first cook book I bought was disgusting,” Biesi said. “I didn’t like anything in it.” Instead, Biesi turned to recipes she knew well – items her family had eaten over generations. Items such as Texas sheet cake and corn pone, all without eggs, butter or crisco. “It was always my thing,” Biesi said. “When I cooked from vegan cook books, they always tasted vegan.” Biesi continued baking vegan from then on. The items she made never had milk or dairy, and often she sent them with her daughter to school. But the items then caught the eye of Berenji’s mother, who is diabetic. She loved Biesi’s creations, especially her cupcakes, that she advocated for her and Berenji to team up and start up a business. Berenji, who’s known Biesi for 20-plus years, said she was initially hesitant, as she remembered the long hours her father put into restaurants he owned. Eventually, Berenji’s mother gave them a deal they couldn’t pass up. She offered to give them the initial capital to start up, no strings attached. “Like any mother, they insist enough and you give in and do it,” Berenji said. “She made us a deal we couldn’t refuse.”
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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Starting up the business was a challenge for the two, who often found themselves working out of different kitchens in the Austin area. The business began with cupcakes. Soon the two found their niche in wholesaling their product to grocery stores. Their cupcakes eventually reached events such as
Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Increase The Hays County ESD #6 will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 2.74 percent (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or effective tax calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code). Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted. The first public hearing will be held on August 30, 2017 at 5:00 PM at Hays County ESD #6, 400 Sportsplex Drive, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. The second public hearing will be held on September 7, 2017 at 9:00 AM at Hays County ESD #6, 400 Sportsplex Drive, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. The members of the governing body voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase as follows: FOR:
Jennifer Rodriguez Steve Janda Tim VonKennel Marilyn Miller
AGAINST:
N/A
PRESENT and not voting:
N/A
ABSENT:
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Robert Avera
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Dripping Springs business owner Sascha Biesi (right) watches as an employee at Skull and Cakebones sort beets.
“This is a huge food town. From Austin, to Wimberley to Kyle and Dripping Springs, there are so many food choices ... We don’t have to go beyond that to get what we need.” – Yauss Barenji of Skull and Cakebones
the Austin City Limits music festival and Fun, Fun, Fun fest. Berenji said the business churned out “thousands and thousands of cupcakes per week.” The desire to expand, however, was necessary for Biesi, who knew she had to do more than cupcakes to show off the business. She said she started to experiment with other recipes and ideas. Those ideas took off, which led the two to create a Kickstarter crowd funding site for a possible food truck. Luck struck the duo late last year when a friend guided them to a business along Highway 290 in Dripping Springs.
Several months later, Skull and Cakebones found a a commercial kitchen and made it their home.
SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY Since opening their doors, Biesi said it’s been “fun” educating area residents on the different ways to get protein. She said her products are all “meat-eater tested and approved.” The community at-large has also been supportive as well, as it provides an alternative option not found in many places. But Berenji said the business tries its best to not boast the fact they are vegan.
“This is a huge food town. From Austin, to Wimberley to Kyle and Dripping Springs, there are so many food choices,” Berenji said. “We don’t have to go beyond that to get what we need.” Earlier this year, the two sought to test their product by entering the H-E-B Quest for Texas Best Contest. Out of 600 entries, Skull and Cakebones were one out of 25 finalists that presented their items to judges. After presenting their item, which was a nervewracking experience, the two were chosen as the grand prize winners. What they got was a $25,000 check and product placement on H-E-B shelves. It also provided validation that their venture has been worthwhile. “It’s so cool because every time they say, Skull and Cakebones from Dripping Springs, it makes me really proud,” Biesi said. “Even though we were born in Austin, this is where we were meant to be.”
2017 Property Tax Rates in Hays County ESD #6 This notice concerns the 2017 property tax rates for Hays County ESD #6. It presents information about three tax rates. Last year's tax rate is the actual tax rate the taxing unit used to determine property taxes last year. This year's effective tax rate would impose the same total taxes as last year if you compare properties taxed in both years. This year's rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate the taxing unit can set before taxpayers start rollback procedures. In each case these rates are found by dividing the total amount of taxes by the tax base (the total value of taxable property) with adjustments as required by state law. The rates are given per $100 of property value. Last year's tax rate: Last year's operating taxes Last year's debt taxes Last year's total taxes Last year's tax base Last year's total tax rate
$3,608,228 $0 $3,608,228 $4,538,651,572 $0.0795/$100
This year's effective tax rate: Last year's adjusted taxes (after subtracting taxes on lost property) $3,605,884 ÷ This year's adjusted tax base (after subtracting value of new property) $4,704,279,873 =This year's effective tax rate $0.0766/$100 (Maximum rate unless unit publishes notices and holds hearings.) This year's rollback tax rate: Last year's adjusted operating taxes (after subtracting taxes on lost property and adjusting for any transferred function, tax increment financing, state criminal justice mandate, and/or enhanced indigent healthcare expenditures) $3,605,884 ÷ This year's adjusted tax base $4,704,279,873 =This year's effective operating rate $0.0766/$100 x 1.08=this year's maximum operating rate $0.0827/$100 + This year's debt rate $0/$100 = This year's total rollback rate $0.0827/$100
The average taxable value of a residence homestead in Hays County ESD #6 last year was $343,893. Based on last year's tax rate of $0.0795 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed last year on the average home was $273.39.
Statement of Increase/Decrease If Hays County ESD #6 adopts a 2017 tax rate equal to the effective tax rate of $0.0766 per $100 of value, taxes would increase compared to 2016 taxes by $185,014.
The average taxable value of a residence homestead in Hays County ESD #6 this year is $371,021. If the governing body adopts the effective tax rate for this year of $0.0766 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $284.20.
Schedule A - Unencumbered Fund Balance The following estimated balances will be left in the unit's property tax accounts at the end of the fiscal year. These balances are not encumbered by a corresponding debt obligation. Type of Property Tax Fund Balance General Fund 6,130,894
If the governing body adopts the proposed tax rate of $0.0787 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $291.99. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearings and express their views.
This notice contains a summary of actual effective and rollback tax rates' calculations. You can inspect a copy of the full calculations at 712 S. Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, TX 78666. Name of person preparing this notice: Luanne Caraway Title: Hays County Tax Assessor-Collector Date Prepared: 08/17/2017
Thursday, August 24, 2017
www.HaysNewsDispatch.com
Page 3
Legislation aims to curb foster care crisis BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY
The future of foster care in Texas has been teetering towards the brink of a full- blown crisis. Overworked caseworkers, children sleeping in Child Protective Services (CPS) offices due to a shortage of foster beds and abuses within the system are just a few of the major issues concerning child welfare advocates and state leaders. “It became an issue statewide as children kept dying,” said San Marcos resident John Barthel, a volunteer special advocate for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). CASA is a volunteer program that focuses on helping children in the foster care system. Volunteers handle one case at a time, as opposed to CPS caseworkers, who can be tasked with 20-30 cases simultaneously. CASA provides six weeks of training for all volunteers, starting with legal issues and working with different cultures volunteers may encounter. Volunteers also train on handling different levels of child development as well as any drug and alcohol issues they may come across. Barthel, now retired, said that he happened to witness another CASA class “graduating” and realized the need for volunteers. Despite their best efforts, groups such as CASA find the gap between children in need and people available to help them continues to grow. “Each year, we see a growth in population in our four-county service area of Caldwell, Comal,
COURTESY PHOTO
CASA volunteer Rosa Hernandez reads to her CASA children at the CASA of Central Texas Summer book fair. Puppy McKenna from CASA’s partners at Canine Classmates was also there.
“Each year, we see a growth in population in our four-county service area of Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays counties ... With the population growth, the number of children coming in to state care because of abuse has also increased.” – Eloise Hudson, Community Relations Coordinator of CASA
Guadalupe and Hays counties,” said Eloise Hudson, Community Relations Coordinator of CASA. “With the population growth, the number of children coming in to state care because of abuse has also increased.” The number of chil-
dren also outnumbers the foster beds, and children are sometimes required to sleep in the offices of CPS workers. In one such case, a teen that was staying at an office in Houston ran away, only to be struck and killed by a car. Children face oth-
Water District Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate Hays County Water Control & Improvement District No. 1 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2017 on September 14, 2017 5:00 p.m. at the Belterra Centre, 151 Trinity Hills Drive, Austin, Texas. Your individual taxes may increase or decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted. FOR the proposal:
Doug Botts; Roger Durden; Dan Robison; George Baker; & Paul Kelly
AGAINST the proposal:
None
PRESENT and not voting:
None
ABSENT:
None
The following table compares taxes on an average residence homestead in this taxing unit last year to taxes proposed on the average residence homestead this year. Total tax rate (per $100 of value) Difference in rates per $100 of value Percentage increase/decrease in rates (+/-) Average appraised value General exemptions available (excluding senior citizen’s or disabled person’s exemptions) Average taxable value Tax on average residence homestead Annual increase/decrease in taxes if proposed tax rate is adopted (+/-) and percentage of increase (+/-)
Last Year $0.875/$100 Adopted
This Year $0.875/$100 Proposed
$0.00/$100 0.00% $374,727 $400,053
$374,727 $3,278.86
er risks in the system including abuse, often at the hands of other foster children. “I’ve had a couple of times where I shake my head a little bit,” said Lisa Metzler, a three year
volunteer special advocate for CASA. “How does that happen to a kid?” Homelessness and sex trafficking are also major risks for children in the system. According to a recent University of Texas study, of the 79,000 child sex trafficking victims estimated to be in the state, a vast majority were either in foster care or had previous contact with CPS. Lawmakers have introduced 88 pieces of legislation to help curb the crisis, though only 21 of these passed. It’s lead to over 270 changes in language of Texas statues. Children’s rights advocates initiated these changes following a 2011 lawsuit. The suit alleged that the Texas foster care system had violated the constitutional rights of the children within their care by moving them repeatedly and keeping them in unsafe care. In December 2015, U.S. District Judge Janis Graham ruled in a 255page ruling that the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (TDFPS) was “broken” and demanded an overhaul of the system. The DFPS released data in October 2016 showing that on any given day in Texas, CPS workers were failing to check on nearly 1,000 of the state’s highest priority kids who face immediate threats of sexual of physical abuse. The agency claims they have since brought that number down to 450. However, data also showed that an additional 1,800 children were being checked on but not within the required 24-
hour time frame required by law. It is estimated that nearly one-third of investigative workers leave each year due to the gratuitous nature of their work, leading to the delays in investigations. “To see that on a dayto-day basis, I can see how people burn out,” Metzler said. Two court appointed special masters issued recommendations to fix the problems, though the state of Texas objected to all recommendations. However, the court rebuked the state’s objections and Texas was ordered to implement their recommendations. These recommendations included a pay increase to current workers and the employment of over 800 more to help curb the gap between the number of children in the system and the workers available. On May 31, Governor Greg Abbott signed four bills into law aimed to increase the effectiveness of DFPS services and accountability; these bills will go into effect Sept. 1. House Bill 5 makes the DPFS a stand-alone agency apart from the Health and Human Services Commission in order for the DFPS to make decision and put them into action more quickly. While it remains to be seen if these bills will indeed help ease the burden upon DFPS, there are still opportunities for people to help the current situation by joining organizations like CASA. “Even if it’s not for you, pass the word,” said Metzler, “All you need is to qualify is care.”
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NOTICE OF TAXPAYERS’ RIGHT TO ROLLBACK ELECTION If taxes on the average residence homestead increase by more than eight percent, the qualified voters of the district by petition may require that an election to be held to determine whether to reduce the operation and maintenance tax rate to the rollback tax rate under Section 49.236(d), Water Code.
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News-Dispatch
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Sports
Tigers finish in top 10 at Fraulein Tourney BY MOSES LEOS III A week after navigating through the John Turner Classic in Pearland, the Dripping Springs Tiger volleyball team notched a topten finish at the 41st Fraulein VolleyFest in New Braunfels. The Tigers accomplished that feat despite going 3-4 over the course of the threeday tournament. Dripping Springs opened the tournament by going 2-1 in pool play Aug. 17. The Tigers upended Dallas Westwood and San Antonio Warren before
NEXT UP After hosting Westlake earlier this week, the Tigers will take a week off before hosting New Braunfels Canyon at home on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.
getting swept in two sets by Friendswood. The Tigers’ struggles continued Aug. 18 when they dropped a heartbreaking three-set duel to the Hays Rebels. The match marked the fourth time Hays and
Dripping Springs have squared off this season. Dripping Springs followed by defeating Ridge Point in three sets before dropping their next two goes to New Braunfels Canyon and Class 5A No. 1 Rouse to end the tournament. Tiger senior Graceyn Tippens lead the team with 156 kills and 26 aces in 49 sets played so far this season. Senior Ava Pritchard so far has 69 kills, while junior Alexis Haydt has 62 kills. Pritchard leads the team with 42 blocks, while sophomore Avery Kalsu has delivered 278 assists.
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Dripping Springs Tiger Alexis Haydt (6) and Ava Pritchard attempt to block a kill from Hays Rebel Kaitlyn Krafka in a game played Aug. 14.
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Several Dripping Springs High football players speed down the field during a conditioning drill on Aug. 18.
Tigers aim to stay on their toes in 2017 BY MOSES LEOS III
After getting a taste of December football last year, the Dripping Springs Tigers hope to get the full entrée in 2017. That’s the goal for Tiger head coach Galen Zimmerman and his squad as they completed the first of two weeks of preseason practices, which lead up to the team’s Sept. 1 home opener against Bastrop. For a team that returns 13 total starters from a year ago, maintaining the focus and avoiding complacency will be the keys to success. “Right now, we’re trying to keep everyone focused,” Zimmerman said. “They know what to do and it’s stuff they’ve done before. We’re trying to keep them from getting relaxed.” Leading the Tigers is an offense that returns a bevy of talent at the skill positions. Wide receivers Johnny Hoyle, Reed Beverly and Curt Raymond,
“They’re doing a good job ... They’re getting used to the speed of the game. There will be some mistakes, but as long as we can learn and get better, we can take it.” – Galen Zimmerman, Tiger head coach
along with running back Joe Cox, will be the arsenal surrounding quarterback Trevor Greenman. While Greenman’s last experience at quarterback was at the junior varsity level, he was able to see the varsity field on the defensive side last season. Cox rushed for 743 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Hoyle snagged 1,053 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2016, while Beverly finished with 450 yards and four touchdowns. Raymond had the third highest receiving yard total with
431 yards. “He’s got experience and he played last year at another position,” Zimmerman said. “I’m confident in him and we’ve got confidence in him.” On the defensive side, Dripping Springs brings back several key players, including Lane Dominey, Enzo Arnold, Matthew O’Neal and Josh Embry. While there are a few new spots to fill, primarily on the defensive line, Zimmerman said the players are getting acclimated to the tempo of the game. Getting used to the tempo of how a play
moves, and being able to process what’s happening on the field, must be a habit for the new players, Zimmerman said. “They’re doing a good job,” he said. “They’re getting used to the speed of the game. There will be some mistakes, but as long as we can learn and get better, we can take it.” But with the experience comes a limited learning curve for the returning athletes. Zimmerman said the team has been able to a “lot of different things” in the first week of practice than in the last few years. Keeping up the intensity is what he hopes to instill as the lights officially come on for the first time at the new Tiger Stadium. “We’ve slowed some things down, but it’s hard for them to change between slowing down for teaching and running up-tempo,” Zimmerman said. “But they’re doing a good job. We like what we see, but we have to get better.”
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PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Tiger quarterback Trevor Greenman (left) prepares to throw the ball as head coach Galen Zimmerman watches in the background.
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Education
PHOTO COURTESY OF DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD
Sycamore Springs elementary and middle schools, situated at the same location, will serve a combined 1,600 students this fall semester.
DSISD welcomes students to two new campuses in one location STAFF REPORT
COURTESY PHOTO
The 2017 marching season will be the last for Tiger band leader Keith Lancaster.
Tiger band leader to hang up baton BY MOSES LEOS III
T
he ping of an electronic metronome is music to the ears of Buda native Keith Lancaster. From the moment he became drum major at Hays High years ago, a life in music education was Lancaster’s calling. Roughly 30 years, several stops and a UIL state marching championship
later, Lancaster, who is the current head band director at Dripping Springs High, is now ready to hang up his baton. While the 2017 marching season will be his own career finale, Lancaster aims to continue his life’s work of guiding the next wave of musicians. “I get a lot of enjoyment in watching students
After more than a decade, Dripping Springs ISD this week officially opened two brand new schools to students. On Wednesday, the district opened its doors to Sycamore Springs Elementary and Middle Schools, which are both situated at the same location. The combined campuses are expected
The connectedness of the schools will allow for opportunitites for student and staff collaboration, mentoring relationships, and easy transition for students taking subjects at a higher grade level. to welcome approximately 1,600 combined students, who will be welcomed by 150 staff
members, serving in instructional and support positions. DSISD last opened a
campus in 2007 when the district opened Rooster Springs Elementary. At that time, the district changed its grade configuration so that all elementary schools served students in Pre-K through 5th grade. The opening of SSMS also marks the first time that DSISD secondary students will not be at a single school.
SYCAMORE SPRINGS, 7
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Left to right, Joseph Kadlecek and Cameron Adkins were awarded the the rank of Eagle Scout by Troop 101.
Local Boy Scouts attain Eagle rank STAFF REPORT
A pair of Dripping Springs boy scouts received the organizations highest honor earlier this month after they earned their Eagle Scout designation for their service projects. Joseph Kadlecek and Cameron Adkins, who both graduated from Dripping Springs High in June, were awarded the Eagle Scout rank during a ceremony put on by Troop 101 in July. Kadlecek earned his Eagle rank by renovating a goat stable in the Dream of Hopes Ranch in Dripping Springs. Kadlecek used railroad timbers as a base for the water retention system for the project, as well as the gutters. A water tank running into an animal water trough was also designed and installed. The walls of the stable
were painted to increase the aesthetics and complete the project. Kadlecek will attend Texas State this fall and his hobbies include backpacking, music, restoring cars and playing the guitar. Adkins, who will be attending Texas A&M University in College Station this fall, earned his Eagle rank by constructing an 8-foot Chimney Swift tower at Charro Ranch Park. The tower was made with textured wood, steel legs, plywood, wood beams and concrete. In addition, Adkins installed a ventilation and insulation system, a sun collar and a predator guard. A hardy board siding was assembled and painted to match nearby buildings. Adkins’ hobbies include backpacking, theater and improvisation and playing the guitar.
See solution, page 6
Worship in a church of your choice Call 512-268-7862 to join the church directory today.
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St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Mass Schedule
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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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On Saturday, Sept. 2 and Sunday, Sept. 3, head out to the Chester Franklin Arena at Veterans Park in Wimberley for this annual event benefitting the mission and vision of the Gunner Thames Memorial Foundation. Rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m. both nights. The event is BYOB. Saturday night’s festivities will include a dance featuring the Sam
few from Dripping Springs, will gather at Dripping Springs Ranch Park Sept. 9 for the 10th annual Dripping with Taste event. Roughly 75 vendors will be on hand to help out about 2,500 festival goers have a “taste” of what’s happening in Texas. The event runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 9. Ticket information can be found online at drippingwithtaste.com.
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DSISD Back-to-School Events
Dripping Springs ISD will host a variety of orientation events for the new school year. Listings are as follows:
DRIPPING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY Thursday, Sept. 7: Parent Orientation–Pre-K and Kinder, Classrooms, 5:30-6:15 p.m. Parent Orientation–Grades 3 and 4, Classrooms, 6:15-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12: Parent Orientation for Grades 1 and 2, Classrooms, 5:30-6 p.m. Parent Orientation for Grade 5, Classrooms, 6:15-7 p.m.
ROOSTER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY Thursday, Sept. 7: Parent Orientation for Grades 2 and 4, Classrooms, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12: Parent Orientation for Grades 1, 3, and 5, Classrooms, 6-7 p.m.
SYCAMORE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY
Thursday, Sept. 7: Parent Orientation for Pre-K and Kindergarten, Classrooms, 5:306:15 p.m. Parent Orientation for Grades 3 and 4, Classrooms, 6:157 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12: Parent Orientation for Grades 1 and 2, Classrooms, 5:30-6 p.m. Parent Orientation for Grade 5, Classrooms, 6:15-7 p.m.
WALNUT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY Thursday, Sept. 7: Parent Orientation for Grades 3 and 4, Classrooms, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12: Parent Orientation for Grades 1 and 2, Classrooms, 6-6:30 p.m. Parent Orientation for Grade 5, Classrooms, 6:30-7 p.m.
DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL Thursday, Sept. 7: Meet the Teacher Night, 6-8 p.m., Classrooms
SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL Tuesday, Sept. 5: Meet the Teacher Night, 6-8:30 p.m., Classrooms
DRIPPING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL Monday, Sept. 11: Meet the Teacher Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Classrooms
Thursday, August 24, 2017
www.HaysNewsDispatch.com
Page 7
Local organization brings joy to public speaking BY MOSES LEOS III
Talking in front of a large group of people isn’t a big deal for Dripping Springs resident John Letlow. With a deep voice and a confident tone, Letlow isn’t one to shy away when he’s asked to make a presentation, or in this case, conduct an interview. But Letlow understands that’s not the case for many Americans who fear the art of public speaking. “The gag line is, at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than do the eulogy,” Letlow said. But through the Toastmasters organization, an international club that’s nearly 100 years old, residents are able to find a way to overcome that fear and spread the good word to their peers.
Toastmasters International is an organization that has more than 345,000 memberships and over 15,000 clubs worldwide. The organization began as a series of speaking clubs organized by Ralph C. Smedley, who worked at the YMCA in Bloomington, Illinois at the start of the 20th century, according to the Toastmaster’s website. Those clubs were created to help men in the community learn how to speak, conduct meetings, plan programs and work on committees. The first unofficial Toastmasters meeting was held in March 1905, according to the website. Smedley then moved to California and held the first official meeting of the Toastmasters in 1924. Since then, the organization has spread worldwide and gained millions
“The gag line is, at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than do the eulogy.”
-John Letlow, member of Dripping Springs Toastmasters
of members. Toastmaster group meetings give members experience in the art of public speaking. In Dripping Springs, the Toastmaster organization meets once per month and has approximately 35 members. But not all who attend the meetings are business executives or the shy-atheart. “We have a diverse group. We have doctors, teachers and a retired judge, and we have a couple of lawyers,” Letlow said. “It’s a fun club, it really is.” The group assists its membership base is
through several techniques. New members start off with the basics, which derive from the verified speaker’s manual. That manual offers ten lessons for the ten different kind of speeches. Letlow said the lessons are cumulative and help members improve their public speaking skills. It also covers important public speaking topics such as eye contact and body language. In meetings, the group discusses the manual and has members conduct prepared speeches based on the part of the manual they’re working on.
The Dripping Springs group then shifts to table topics, where a chairman asks questions and picks someone to step to a podium and answer in roughly one to two minutes. Dripping Springs’ final part of its meeting is the evaluation section, where an evaluator critiques the speaker on how they performed. All of it, however, is done in an environment that is not judgmental, Letlow said. The goal is to offer support to speakers and help them learn the art of speaking in public. “Personally, I’ve seen people come in to Toastmasters and be literally terrified where they couldn’t speak at all,” Let-
low said. “A year leader, they were better speakers than Bill Clinton.” As a member of Toastmaster for nine years, Letlow said the lessons learned have helped him in his business and personal life. He said it’s made him “much more comfortable” in leadershipship skills. And while there is some fear associated with public speaking, Letlow said Toastmasters helps to dispel it. “One of the great things is removing the fear factor,” Letlow said. “A lot of people are afraid of public speaking. Once you remove the fear factor, it becomes a joy to do it.”
Sycamore Springs: Two new campuses in one location Continued from pg. 5
The campus is a unique design that connects the two schools, yet allows them to operate as separate schools with separate principals, according to a district press release. Some spaces are shared, like the kitchen, administrative workspace, and Center for Learning and Innovation. The cafeterias connect but have a movable wall in the center that will be closed for day-to-day operations. The connectedness of the schools will allow for opportunitites for student and staff collaboration, mentoring relationships, and easy transition for students taking subjects at a higher grade level. Kristen Ray is the new principal of Sycamore Springs Elementary and
Dan Diehl leads Sycamore Springs Middle School. Assistant principals are Tami Ballard at SSE and Karen McCollum and Steve Novickas at SSMS. Sycamore Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle School are designed to fit into the natural landscape, according to the release. The building’s design was created in a way that incorporated the change in elevation on the site into the layout of the building. The schools also have features that focus on sustainability, including rainwater collection, a geothermal heating/air-conditioning system, and landscaping that, in a majority of areas, uses a native Texas seed mix that won’t require irrigation.
High bill?
Turn up the savings. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD
Set your thermostat to 78 degrees. Every degree lower can increase your energy use by 6 to 8 percent.
Kindergarten teachers Abby Strobel (left) and Kinnison Bryan prepares her classroom for the arrival of students.
Texas House: Rep. Isaac draws opponents Continued from pg. 1
Zweiner announced her candidacy in May and has traveled all throughout the district, which encompasses Blanco and Hays counties. In Febrary, Zweiner organized a mock town hall in Dripping Springs in order to seek an audience with U.S. District 25 Congressman Roger Williams. “Everywhere I go, I hear disappointment in our state legislature’s choice to focus on narrow and negative legislation that doesn’t address the problems of real Texans,” Zweiner said. “Texas must put aside divisive politics and move forward on the issues that matter to all Texans, like education and health care. It’s time to put the all back in y’all.”
“The gag line is, at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than do the eulogy.” -John Letlow, member of Dripping Springs Toastmasters
Bryant, a Driftwood resident, is a search-andrescue dog handler, as well as a science educator, according to her campaign website. Bryant, who announced her candidacy in July, said she’s running as she believes the voices of people in HD 45 “have gone unheard in Austin, not because they cannot hear us, but because our representative has chosen to ignore us.” “It is time for us to come together as a district and put our feet
down,” Bryant said. “This government will bend to the will of the people come hell or high water, and that is why I am running for state represenative.” Isaac, a fourth generation Texan and Dripping Springs native, has served as the HD 45 representative since he was first elected in 2011. However, Isaac ran unopposed during the 2016 HD 45 election. His last contested election was in 2014 when he defeated Jim Duke, a Liberterian
candidate, in a landslide. Isaac plans to run again for the HD45 seat. The election for HD 45 will be Nov. 6, 2018.
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News-Dispatch
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Don’t forget to celebrate your feathered friends
L
BY JERRY HALL
et us consider a variety of topics today, starting with news from Glacier National Park. I visited this Montana park several years ago and enjoyed looking out on the massive sheets of ice which give the park its name. Unfortunately, climate change is transforming Glacier.
When I was there, the park contained almost 50 glaciers. Today, there are just 25, and scientists predict they’ll all be gone by 2030. Sad. How do birds react to a solar eclipse? Generally, birds either go to roost or become more active, depending on the species. Dairy cows return to the barn and crickets begin to sing. It won’t be long until
According to his owner, Alex spoke has last words when his cage was covered on the night he died: “You be good, see you tomorrow. I love you.”
bird migration is in full swing, with birds departing our area for warmer places to the south. Hawks will be especially active in
the Coastal Bend area of Texas. Since they do not fly over water, they will be funneling through the area south of Corpus Christi,
headed for Central and South America. Thousands of broadwinged hawks swirl in “kettles” overhead and make for a true raptoral rhapsody. Whooping cranes will also be on the move. By early December, lots of these majestic birds will be arriving back to their winter home in Texas. Boat tours out of Rockport offer close-up views of
whoopers and other waterfowl. Finally, let us remember Alex, the gray parrot who died in 2007, at age 3, with a vocabulary of more than 100 words and the ability to assemble them in simple sentences. According to his owner, Alex spoke has last words when his cage was covered on the night he died: “You be good, see you tomorrow. I love you.”
forced a “large number” of students from rehearsals. “Those kids that year worked hard and fought through adversity and kept getting better all season. They never gave up,” Lancaster said. Eventually, the arduous amount of work that goes into band directing took its toll. During the course of summer band practice, which runs from late July to the start of the school year, directors can log upward of 100-plus hours per week. Once the school year
begins, directors add not only scheduled rehearsals during the school day, but also seven hours and 50 minutes of practice outside of school. All of that is during the fall semester and doesn’t include the amount of work it takes during the concert band season in the spring. Burnout was something Lancaster wanted to avoid, which led him to search for life off of the podium. But riding off into the sunset with a state title isn’t what Lancaster is
seeking this season. Getting better, improving skills and having fun is what he hopes the 2017 Marching Tigers will attain this season. As the coda to his directing career nears, Lancaster relishes the lives he’s impacted and the love of music he’s passed on to students. “I’ll probably remember the students who come back after graduation and talk about what they got out of high school band,” Lancaster said. “It sticks with me more than anything else.”
Lancaster: Tiger band leader to hang up baton Continued from pg. 5
work on a piece of music, now knowing any of it, and to master it at a high level and produce a great product,” Lancaster said. Lancaster’s path into music education was spurred by his experience as a drum major at Hays High. Working with the band directors at the time, Lancaster said it became “obvious to me” what he wanted to do in life. Following his graduation from Southwest Texas State, now Texas State University, in music education in 1985, Lancaster set off to south Texas and Weslaco, where he was a small fish in a big pond of 10 directors. Weslaco was a big school, classified at what today is 6A; it also offered him chance to learn from a variety of directors. Lancaster experienced the complete opposite when he became the head band director at Woodsboro High, a small 2A school located just outside of Aransas Pass.
“Those kids that year worked hard and fought through adversity and kept getting better all season. They never gave up.” – Keith Lancaster, Tiger bad director
As the only band director in the district, Lancaster taught musicians from 6th grade to high school. “I learned a lot there because I had to. I had no other choice,” Lancaster said. “I did it all.” Soon, Lancaster sought a way to find a job closer to home. When the Dripping Springs High head band director job opened in 1998, Lancaster didn’t hesitate. He was driven by the tradition and the reputation of Dripping Springs’ marching band, which he had competed against during his years at Hays. The school, which at the time had just moved up to what is now 5A, was also
academically driven. “I knew about the Dripping Springs band and how good it was, even though it was a small school,” Lancaster said. During the course of the next 19 years, Lancaster helped shape musicians in the Dripping Springs area. His tenure was highlighted in 2009 when Dripping Springs won the 2009 UIL 4A marching band competition. Lancaster said that season was no different than any other season, which was to be “really good at what we do.” What made the season more challenging was having to combat a nasty bout of the flu, which
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