LH Independent 2-13-20 by The Liberty Hill Independent

2020

Volume 33, Issue 12

www.LHIndependent.com

News@LHIndependent.com

February 13, 2020 | 50 Cents

Council calls for volunteers

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Two weeks after announcing the seven names Mayor Rick Hall suggested for Liberty Hill’s committee tasked with drafting a city charter, he stepped back Monday and announced the Council would seek volunteers to be considered for participation on the committee. The Council also authorized placement of a city charter election on the November 2020 ballot, beginning the timer on what is expected to be a lengthy process. “This is something we discussed at the retreat,” Hall said. “We didn’t take any action on it, but we had a lengthy discussion about this and again this is us trying to

be prepared for what’s happening in the future.” Hall reiterated his call to have the City solicit volunteers from the community, something mentioned at the Council retreat, but a step that had not been taken through Monday. The City did post that call to the community Tuesday through social media. “This is a great opportunity for us to start working on this, and a second part with this is we also agreed to post something on Facebook and our website to get people to volunteer to come in and be part of this process,” Hall said. “We discussed and threw out some names at the retreat, but

See COUNCIL, Page A4

Questions remain about retirement, beneﬁts for city elected ofﬁcials

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor With the announcement that the Liberty Hill City Council would be receiving compensation, it’s unclear whether the five Council members and the Mayor will also qualify for employee benefits that could include health insurance and retirement. The question, when posed to City officials, highlighted the growing lack of basic communication and willingness to share information with The Independent. In an email from The Independent Feb. 7, City Secretary Barbara Zwernemann

and Finance Director Becky Wilkins were asked to confirm whether or not Council members would be eligible for employee benefits. Neither responded until a follow-up email was sent Tuesday, to which Zwernemann responded, “This question isn’t relevant. There have been no discussions or plans about benefits for the Mayor and / or Council members.” But according to the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS), any employee who works a minimum of 1,000 hours per year qualifies

See BENEFITS, Page A8

Filing deadline Friday in local races

Candidates seeking a place on the local ballot in May for City Council or the Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees have until Feb. 14 to file. So far there is only one contested race among the pair of elections. Dana Munguia filed Tuesday to join Kendall Carter and Antonio Canas in the race for Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees Place 2. It is the only contested race at press time Wednesday among a pair of School Board spots and three City Council positions set to be on the May ballot. Incumbent Clay Cole has yet to announce his intentions regarding re-election for Place 2. Place 1 incumbent Clint Stephenson has filed but does not have an opponent to date. ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

In the City of Liberty Hill election, all three incumbents – Mayor Rick Hall, Place 2 Council member Kathy Canady and Place 4 Council member Tony DeYoung – have filed. Canady and DeYoung were both appointed in 2019 to finish unexpired terms. Candidates interested in seeking one of the five positions must file by 5 p.m., Feb. 14. The three positions on the Council will be the first to receive compensation as discussed and voted on by the Council. The Council members will each receive $12,000 annually, while the Mayor will receive a $40,000 annual salary. The City election will also include a measure allowing voters to determine the length of Council terms, either extending them to three years or keeping them at the current two years.

ANTHONY FLORES PHOTO

Chef Travis Hawthorne and the practicum culinary arts students (from left) Jared Whetstone, Leakaye Curry, Alex Urben, Conner Johnston, Daniel West, Montgomery Thompson, Nick Fyke, Noelia Hernandez, Aalyah Moreno, Virginia Elder, Abby Perea, Conner Johnston grill steaks outside the high school as they perfect their cooking skills.

LHHS culinary students develop familial bonds through cooking

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Far down a back hallway at Liberty Hill High School, lies the source of many pleasant and diverse aromas that permeate the halls throughout the day. Down the last hallway on the left, Chef Travis Hawthorne’s practicum culinary arts class is working to ﬁne-tune their skills in the kitchen. “It’s our third year in culinary arts. The course is titled practicum culinary arts because it’s geared towards how we would work in a professional setting,” said senior Alex Urben. “We learn about

the maintenance of checkbook keeping, ingredients cost, and facilitation of a whole catering event. That’s what this course is tailored around. We do less regional learning and more career-focused things.” Chef Hawthorne is in his third year with LHHS and has mentored this particular set of students for the last three years. This year Hawthorne removed the proverbial training wheels, letting them stand on their own. “We progressed throughout the years, we started with learning how to make salads and boil eggs,” said senior Abigail Parea. “Now we can make

up our own recipes. We had a cupcake competition earlier this year, where we made our own cupcakes and decorated them. It was all on us, he did help steer us in the right direction, but it was mostly all on us. If you asked us three years ago if we were able to do this, then probably not.” At the beginning of this group’s time with Hawthorne, there was the necessary hand-holding and close guidance that goes with beginners. After three years, the chef and military veteran trusts his students to know what they need to do. “Early in the program, it’s a

lot of learning and remembering how to use stuff,” said Noelia Hernandez. “I’ve noticed that he doesn’t really instruct us anymore. We just kind of know what to do. It so crazy because the ﬁrst two years he demanded so much, and now it’s all us.” After three years together, the students in the practicum course have developed tight relationships and understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses. “It ranges from person to person,” said Parea. “Noelia is a baker through and through, but

See CULINARY, Page A5

BUSINESS

First Texas Bank aims to be continued staple in Liberty Hill community

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Most community banks can say they have a strong focus on customer service, but what they all can’t say is that they’ve had a presence in their communities for more than 100 years. But First Texas Bank can. The bank, which has the second oldest charter in the state, was founded in Georgetown 121 years ago. It has since grown to include eight branches in Williamson and Travis counties and boasts $650 million in assets. The Liberty Hill branch has been open for 18 years and has an asset size of approximately $54 million and a staff of six. “We got out a little ahead of the growth curve of Liberty Hill, because our branch has been here for years and grown RACHEL MADISON PHOTO steady over that time,” said Van Swift, president and CEO of First Texas Bank, and Gilbert Moreno, branch executive and vice president at the bank’s Liberty Hill location, stand outside the local branch. First Texas See BANK, Page A5 Bank has been a part of central Texas for over 120 years.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

LIBERTY HILL LIONS CLUB Old VFW Hall

Friday Feb 21 _,,,,

4-7pm

$10 PER PLATE $7 CHILD·S PLATE UNDER 12 Proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards scholarships for LHHS graduating seniors.

Community Enrichment

-Patricia Henshaw, Van P. Swift, Jan Peterson, Johnnie Kovar, Gary Kovar, Rich Manley, Laura Spradlin, and Corey Bailey-

Thursday, February 13, 2020

OBITUARY Juanita Odell Stidham Turner

Juanita Odell Stidham Turner was called to her heavenly home on Saturday morning, February 8, 2020, at the age of 94. Odell was born in Wolfe City, Texas, on January 8, 1926, to Virgie Kizer Stidham and Charlie Stidham. She was preceded in death by her parents Virgie and Charlie Stidham, husband Don Turner, son Rickey Turner, sisters Oma Tapp and Verda Lee Greenway, and brother Homer Stidham. Left to cherish her memory are son Wes Pearson and wife Carolyn of San Antonio, son Ron Pearson and wife Bonnie of Liberty Hill, and daughter Paula Ischy of Liberty Hill, and daughter-in-law Karen Turner of Hamilton; grandchildren Mark Pearson, Carrie Wenner, Christa Moreland, Brian Pearson, Mike Hine, David Hine, Catrina Gage, Chelsea Powell, Robert Turner, and Kandey Gibson; 18 great-grandchildren; and countless friends. Odell grew up on a small farm in East Texas. After graduating from high school, she attended business college for a short time before marrying and moving to California where

she supported the war effort working as a riveter in an airplane factory. During her life she worked building planes in Texas and California, as a seamstress in a blue jean factory sewing on pockets, as a paleontology laboratory technician, co-owner and operator in the hamburger drive-in Toot-NTeller, co-owner and operator in the Lazy T BBQ restaurant in Austin and then Liberty Hill, seamstress, and her most loved jobs as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Odell and Don were married on January 25, 1961, and celebrated 34 years together. Odell was a very talented person and enjoyed many things from sewing and crafts to gardening. Everyone in her family and many friends have enjoyed one or more of her beautiful quilts as well as handmade clothes. She especially enjoyed sewing lap quilts to donate to local nursing homes. She was always ready to try something new and always ready to get up and go. She also immensely enjoyed the many road trips she and Don took in their RV. Odell was a beautiful person inside

and out. A celebration of life for Odell will be at 2:00PM on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at Fellowship Church in Liberty Hill with Pastors Derrick Norris and Tim McIlhaney ofﬁciating. Interment will follow at Liberty Hill Cemetery. In lieu of ﬂowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or Apraxia Kids/NIDCD. On-line condolences may be expressed at www.beckchapels.com/ obits. Beck Funeral Home Cedar Park is assisting the family with arrangements.

Shin Oak Ridge Bulletin Board Send news to: News@LHIndependent.com

Public Meetings

“Thank you Williamson County for the dollars and coins that you dropped in the kettles outside of Wal-Mart and other locations during the holiday season. Your charitable spirit raised $86,969.94 which was presented to the Salvation Army of Williamson County. Thank you to all the volunteers for your time and dedication and for being another reason Williamson County is a great place.” (All Kettles in Williamson County are Volunteer Kettles) Georgetown • Round Rock • Cedar Park • Pflugerville • Liberty Hill

FirstTexasBank.bank

The following are standing open meetings that are subject to change within the guidelines set forth by the Texas Open Meetings Act. For the most current meeting postings, and meeting agendas, visit the respective websites. - Liberty Hill City Council, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, at City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees, 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, at LHISD Administration Bldg., 301 Forrest Street.

libertyhill.txed.net

Liberty Hill Public Library hours

The Liberty Hill Public Library is now open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is located at 355 Loop 332 in Liberty Hill.

Free CPR Training

CPR training saves lives! Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, more commonly known as CPR, is a life-saving technique that helps maintain blood ﬂow to the brain and heart in an emergency situa-

tion. Join us for FREE CPR training on Feb. 26 from 6-8 p.m. at Family Emergency Room Georgetown, 1210 W. University Ave., Georgetown 78628. The class goes over CPR for Infants, Children and Adults; AED training for Infants, Children and Adults; followed by Choking for Infants, Children and Adults. Fore more information or to RSVP, contact Jeannie (512) 537-7706 or send email to jbfamilyer@gmail.com.

Liberty Hill Police Blotter Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

LEARN FROM THE VERY BEST!

Week of Feb. 3-9, 2020 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 357 incidents resulting in four cases, 56 citations, 64 warnings and no arrests. Weekly Highlights: - On Feb. 3, at approximately 3:38 PM, officers responded to the 2000 block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Feb. 3, at approximately 4:24 PM, officers responded to Alpine Street to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Feb. 4, at approximately 10:02 AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Feb. 4, at approximately 7:18 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29

for an accident. - On Feb. 4, at approximately 7:48 PM, officers responded to San Gabriel Ranch Road to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Feb. 6, at approximately 9:20 AM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Feb. 6, at approximately 5:36 PM, officers responded to Stubblefield Lane for a disturbance. - On Feb. 7, at approximately 8:18 AM, officers responded to the intersection of US 183 and W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Feb. 7, at approximately 5:11 PM, officers responded to RM 1869 and Snyders Trail for animals in the road. - On Feb. 7, at approximately 6:37 PM, officers responded to Independence Ave for a suspi-

cious incident. - On Feb. 8, at approximately 12:01 PM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a criminal mischief complaint. - On Feb. 8, at approximately 6:26 PM, officers responded to Housefinch Loop to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Feb. 9, at approximately 2:17 AM, officers responded to the 2000 block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Feb. 9, at approximately 10:25 AM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Feb. 9, at approximately 5:40 PM, officers responded to Eagle Owl Loop to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Throwback Thursday

Page A3

Letters to the Editor Send Letters to the Editor by email to news@LHIndependent.com

The park at Larkspur

Longtime Liberty Hill residents (and owners of a store at Seward Junction) Mildred and W.K. Seward on their wedding day back in 1929. (Courtesy Photo)

The late Hollis Baker, who wrote a regular column for The Independent, may well have been Liberty Hill’s No. 1 romantic. (Courtesy Photo)

By JAMES WEAR Columnist My wife and I spent the better part of our years together living in Liberty Hill, and during that time we were fortunate enough to know many folks older than us who could teach the younger generation a thing or two about love. W.K. and Mildred Seward, who used to run a store in Seward Junction, were among those and while W.K. wasn’t one to do much talking when he and Mildred would drop by the Liberty Hill Cafe for a cup of coffee after fetching their mail, Mildred offered her full support when she learned

we planned on getting married back in December of 1988. On the day before our wedding, she handed us a cardboard sign upon which she had written the word “now” in all caps. She told Paula to give it to someone out in the crowd and have them hold it up for me to see when the Rev. Jim Brazzil got to the part of the ceremony when he would ask me if I took Paula as my wife. “That way he won’t forget to say ‘I do,” she told Paula. And I made it a point, when that moment arrived, to look out and catch Mildred’s eye and then scan the crowd for the sign bearer and do as she had instructed. Mildred and W.K. had been married nearly 60 years on our wedding day, and I have to believe by her smile our ceremony took her back to when she and W.K. were wed, back

when times were often hard and they had to do the best they could to survive. There were so many others who set shining examples, including James and Dorothy Vaughan, Joe Ed and Nina Fay Canady, Doyce and Beth Rankin, J.B and Grace Williams, and Hollis and Alice Baker, to name just a few. Now if there ever was a fellow who knew what charm and the meaning of Valentine’s Day was all about, that would have been Hollis Baker. Hollis passed away last year, but his memory lives on in the words found in the several books he published over the years and readers of this newspaper will recall he was a regular columnist for The Independent. Many of his stories revolved around his wife and I think, were he still living, I’d somehow convince him and Alice

to join Paula and I tomorrow in making a trip down to Luckenbach. That’s when the tiny community will host its annual “Love In” and couples are invited to get married or renew their vows. A couple of friends of ours, Charlie and Anji Pearl Day, exchanged their vows there last year (with the town’s rooster serving as ring bearer) and plan on being there again to renew those vows before hosting one of Luckenbach’s famous song circles where pickers gather around a campﬁre and exchange songs. I can pretty much envision Hollis, with a can of beer in his hand, making the rounds at Luckenbach and greeting all the couples of all ages in attendance and learning their names as well as ﬁnding out how they came to be together.

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor We all learned them in school – who, what, w h e n , where, why and how. These are six questions critical to our ability to communicate and understand. What would we have without them? See? For journalists, who are responsible for communicating information to the community, these six words are the key to everything. It is usually not real difﬁcult to gather the who, what, when and where. The why and how are a bit more tricky. We spend a lot of time interviewing sources to ﬁll in the how and why of many things. The inner-workings of a wastewater plant, a city budget, bond elections, and so on are a handful of the hundreds

of subjects journalists rely on others to explain. When the ability to conduct those interviews, ask those questions and follow up with more questions is stifled or eliminated we are left with only the simple version of news about the community. It lacks depth. It lacks explanation. For some reason, lots of questions can be sometimes seen as critical or negative. But all of us, by nature, are inquisitive. I can ask 100 questions about a particular issue and a reader is sure to follow up by asking me why I didn’t ask a different one. I can count 25-plus cities, school districts and county governments I’ve worked with in 20 years as a journalist. Sometimes it is very cordial, sometimes it is all business, sometimes it can even be a bit tense. I’ve asked many officials uncomfortable or difficult questions in those two decades. I’ve even had a handful of

people choose not to respond to me the next time I approached them with questions. But for the most part there has been a very professional understanding – from both sides – of what we are all here to do. If I ask questions it is because something ought to be answered. Sometimes questions are to better understand something. Sometimes they are to determine if something is an issue at all. But without a doubt, a question that goes unanswered raises many more questions. A lot of “whys” follow when someone refuses to answer a question. Public ofﬁcials – by the nature of their public service or employment – serve the public. The why and how of their business is important to the community they serve. And that information must be made available. If it is not, we revert back to the “why” question once again. Then the questions go from being inquisitive – asked from the need to understand and ex-

plain – to being suspicious. In all my years I have never been told my questions were “not relevant”. I have been told that twice recently regarding questions asked of the City of Liberty Hill. There is no irrelevant question. Generally, public ofﬁcials appreciate when you ask questions rather than make assumptions or print information you are not sure about. To date I have not received any complaints that my reporting on the City was inaccurate. No one has demanded a retraction of something written in The Independent. But with each passing week the breakdown in communication grows deeper. Council member Steve McIntosh has not responded to any questions from The Independent since early June 2019. Mayor Rick Hall has recently requested that questions be sent by email rather than asked over the phone or in person.

Local oldtimers spread love during their lifetimes

Remember those interrogatives?

See COMMUNICATION, Page A8

To the Editor: I was saddened to read about the Liberty Hill Park Board meeting in THE INDEPENDENT (Feb. 6, 2020). I felt that some had not done their homework concerning the Larkspur Park. This park is on property which was part of the old Judge Greenleaf Fisk original land grant in Williamson County. One of Judge Fisk’s daughters— Ann Elizabeth, married Tom Cashion, Sr., and they settled on this part of the League, which was later given to Ann Elizabeth as part of her inheritance from her mother, Mary Ann Manlove Fisk. The Fisk/Cashion Historic Cemetery sits above the park and can now only be accessed through driving into part of the “park” land and walking up a hill. Since 2004, our Mary Ann Manlove Fisk Fund members have worked with the Texas State Historical Commission and the Texas State Cemetery Association to restore the history of this land. The Cemetery is an official State Historic Cemetery and is recorded in the Williamson County Clerk’s office. The park was the old Fisk/ Cashion Reunion park for years and the Fisk family, me included, met there to have their reunions. Tom Cashion, Jr. would take us up to the cemetery and recite the names of those buried there and their stories. The cemetery contains 15 graves, some of them settlers killed by Indians, two men killed in a gunfight on the ranch, and members of my Fisk family. Mary Ann Manlove Fisk, the first wife of Judge Greenleaf Fisk is buried there. The second wife of Judge Fisk, Mary Ann’s sister, Margaret Jane Manlove Lane Fisk and her baby are buried there. Colonel James Bartholomew “Bat” Manlove and his wife, Avarilla (Avari) Perkins Manlove are also buried there. These are all patriots of the Republic of Texas who were on the Runaway Scrape. Judge Fisk, who is not buried there, was at San Jacinto. They all have cenotaphs at the Texas State Cemetery. Milestone Builders has worked with our Fisk/Cashion Historic Cemetery Association to have a GPR survey done, as well as, a wrought iron fence put around the cemetery. Below the cemetery is the old Fisk/Cashion Reunion Park, now renamed LARKSPUR. It sits in a FLOOD PLAIN. Located there is a small tributary of the South

San Gabriel River, which was always called Cashion Springs. Today, part of that area has been named Angel Springs. This area stays muddy during spring and fall rains and is difficult to get into. I do not believe that it would be suitable for a baseball field or sports complex. When Milestone was in the process of developing the plans and our Association was talking with them, David Bennett mentioned that they might do a nature and hiking venue in that area. He also told me at that time, that it would probably be 10 years before the park was developed. We asked him to leave the park -- which used to have an old sign on it, and stone picnic tables -- with its original name of Fisk/Cashion Park. But when plans were finalized and building begun, the park and school were named Larkspur. In January, Liz Branigan brought my files on our work and the history of the area to the Park Board and presented them. During that time, we asked that they recognize the park as the Fisk/Cashion Park again. We also offered them a granite bench for the park landscaping. This bench sat on the grounds of the French Legation Museum in Austin, TX for some years. It honored Judge Greenleaf and Mary Ann Fisk and had their names and historic dates carved in the bench. Our Fisk/Cashion Historic Cemetery Board Member, Milli Riley, also came late to the meeting. She said that someone there offered to help us maintain and keep the small cemetery clean. We were very appreciative of that volunteer act of kindness. The Mayor wanted to table any action at that time. In this era of great change in Northern Williamson County, we are bound to see a clash between the old and the new. I would hope, that like my ancestor, Judge Fisk, who made treaties with the Indians and was able to co-exist with them on his land, that these two factions could seek a compromise and protect the priceless and irreplaceable history of our Republic and State for our future generations, while at the same time, bringing progress to the area. Mariann Fisk Laughlin President, The Judge Greenleaf Fisk Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Great-Great Granddaughter of Judge Greenleaf Fisk and Mary Ann Manlove Fisk

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COUNCIL

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page A1

nothing was finalized because we haven’t gotten to that point yet.” The list presented by Hall at the retreat included Bill Chapman, John Johnston, Larry Allman, Kim Sanders, Daniel Duckworth and Council members Liz Rundzieher and Kathy Canady. Four of the seven individuals – Allman, Sanders, Rundzieher and Canady – live within the City limits. All five appointees apart from the council members are closely tied to Hall through his involvement with the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce and or Economic Development Corporation, and they have shown support – especially through social media – for Hall and the candidates he has endorsed in recent elections. Hall said previously that his suggestion of those names was to “get the conversation started” about who would serve on the committee. But he added Monday that the first step in the process would be the Council deciding on the charter committee participants. The deadline for applicants to serve on the charter committee is Feb. 24, according to the City’s Facebook post Tuesday. Those interested in being considered should email the City at LHCharter@ libertyhilltx.gov. “This is not something that

we want to rush,” Hall said of the process of drafting a charter. “This is something that if you talk to a lot of cities under charter law, this is basically creating the constitution that this city will operate under for years to come. We need to do it right the first time because you can only modify a charter every three to five years, so it’s not like when you change an ordinance now.” Parks Board incident While nothing was said during the Monday Council meeting to address the incident that followed the Feb. 4 Parks Board meeting, Hall did briefly respond by email to questions about any action taken in response. As soon as the meeting adjourned, Parks Board member and Councilman Steve McIntosh – accompanied by Senior Director of Planning David Stallworth asked to serve as a witness – called Board member Liz Branigan into the room used by the Council for closed session to address what had been a testy exchange during the meeting. Branigan said the closed door discussion was hostile, adding that when she was accused of being hostile she stepped out to call in a witness of her own. City Events Coordinator Katie Amsler was then called in to serve as a second witness to the conversation, which continued behind closed doors.

After Branigan emerged from the closed meeting, McIntosh then called in Parks Board President MaryLyn Jones, this time with City Council member Kathy Canady present as the only witness. While Jones declined to comment on the specifics of what was said, she also characterized it as hostile and wished it had been discussed in public. Canady – who only witnessed the discussion between McIntosh and Jones, arriving to the Council Chambers about 30 minutes after the meeting adjourned – said in an interview last week that she intended to attend the Parks meeting but arrived late, where she was immediately asked to join McIntosh in the discussion with Jones. Hall did not elaborate on his actions following the incident, but said his message to the parties involved was, “We need to get along as a team.” When asked about the awkward position the incident placed City employees in who were asked to serve as witnesses, Hall simply said it had been addressed, but did not elaborate. Police vehicles The growing Liberty Hill Police Department is filling a need for vehicles for the additional staff. The Council approved the financing of five vehicles – four Chevy Tahoes and one Dodge Charger – for

the department. The total cost of the vehicles, including police department equipment installation, is $273,120.24, which will be financed at an interest rate of 3.688 percent with five annual payments of $60,813.49 beginning with the next budget year. “What you’re agreeing to is in the next budget we will need to allocate $60,813.49 to the police department to make this payment for the next five years,” said Finance Director Becky Wilkins. “The interest rate is 3.688 percent and it’s a little higher than usual. We have $10 million in capacity for bonding every year for bank-qualified funding, but the two PIDs (Public Improvement Districts) that we are in the middle of working with – Butler Farms and Summerlyn West – have both expressed an interest in selling bonds this year so we can’t use our bank-qualified money. We have to go with a non bank-qualified rate and our financial advisor will take this indication. When the PIDs do their bonds there will be a repayment agreement for the difference in what a bank-qualified rate was and a non bank-qualified rate. We are paying a higher rate, but there will be some sort of reimbursement to us from one of both of the PIDs.” According to Hall, this bud-

SALES

FOR SALE

MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE Feb. 15th, 8-4pm. Seeking other families to join with their garage sale items. Free Setup. 12805 TX-29, Liberty Hill, at The Market At Indian Mound Ranch. Email imr1873@ gmail.com for more details. (2/13p)

ASCEND Kayak 14 ft, good shape, $250. Call (830) 9288981. (2/13p)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Bartlett Cocke General contractors, Construction Manager-at-Risk, for: New Middle School - Bid Package 1, is requesting competitive proposals from subcontractors and suppliers. Bid Package 1 only consists of: Concrete, Masonry, Steel, Elevator, Plumbing, Electrical and Exterior Improvements. Bid Package 2 consists of all other trades and will bid at a later date. Subcontractor and supplier proposals will be received via Fax to (512) 326-4339 or (512) 326-3990 Fax or via email to bidaus@bartlettcocke.com no later than 2:00 PM on 2/20/2020. Any proposals received after

this time will not be accepted. Electronic copies of the proposal documents may be obtained from Bartlett Cocke or viewed at local and online planrooms. Contact Aarron Lacey via email ALacey@ bartlettcocke.com or phone (512) 326-4223 to make arrangements. Small, Woman Owned, Disadvantaged, HUB, HUBZone, 8(a), Minority, and all similar ﬁrms are encouraged to submit proposals on this project. Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. (2/13)

EMPLOYMENT OFFICE CLERK/BOOKKEEPER to work at Auto Dealership in Liberty Hill Location. Please send resume to recruitone101@gmail.com. (2/13p)

REAL ESTATE FOR LEASE AFFORDABLE Retail Space for Lease in Liberty Hill. 1,000 sqft Endcap only $12 + NNN! Call Rich (512) 7512319, Stanberry Commercial Realtors. (2/20p)

PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, February 13, 2020

get year the City has already financed three administrative vehicles, and has two other police vehicles set to be financed related to the additional officers brought on with the Larkspur patrol agreement. Two public works vehicles were purchased outright by the City. Open meetings training Canady requested that the Council schedule a workshop to cover open meetings rules and regulations. “I would like to see us have a training or workshop for open meetings,” Canady said. “This is like an in-service for us and for the public to come and listen as well. I’d like to do it sooner rather than later.” Rundzieher said it would be a great help as well, and the Council decided to schedule the workshop for the March 9 meeting. “We can all learn things,” Canady said of the workshop. FEMA grant The Council unanimously approved the use of Langford Community Management Services and BEFCO Engineering for administrative services and engineering services in conjunction with a grant application to install an emergency warning siren system. The Federal Emergency Management Agency grant being sought would cover 75 percent of the cost of the system if awarded. The materials provided by the

City regarding the agenda item did not specify costs associated with the administrative and engineering services agreed to Monday for the project. In a follow up inquiry by The Independent, City Secretary Barbara Zwernemann did not provide cost information for these services, but said, “Up front cost to Langford or BEFCO for the FEMA grant project for sirens is zero. (The) cost to Langford and BEFCO are rolled into the 75/25 split should the grant be awarded.” City Emergency Management Planner Casey Cobb told the Council that the plan was to purchase six of the siren systems and the approximate cost was $27,000 per system. Chamber agreement Two weeks after the Council voted to approve an agreement with the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce for use of the Fowler/Stubbleﬁeld Building downtown, Chamber representatives requested a handful of minor changes to the agreement. According to the initial proposal, the Chamber would agree to staff the ofﬁce with an employee or volunteer to keep it open for visitors from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and four consecutive hours each day Saturday and Sunday. The Chamber asked Monday

See CHAMBER, Page A5

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CULINARY

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page A1

she struggles a bit with regular cooking.” Hernandez agreed. “I hate regular cooking just because it’s not my scene,” she said. “I hate chopping, I hate cooking on the stove. I like the preciseness of baking, so that’s why I prefer it.” Knowing what each person struggles or excels in, makes working as a team more comfortable, it allows the group to assign jobs more efficiently. “Since we’ve been cooking with each other for like three years, we all know who is good at what,” said Parea. “We know who is good at making tea, who can use the smoker, and who can bake. We all kind of know where to divvy out each task, we all know how we work.” A significant part of being involved in the culinary arts program consists of competing with other schools. Students are given a menu ahead of time and begin preparation, first building their teams. “About three months out, we’re given a menu with a list of a four-course meal for two that has to be prepared in less than one hour by a team of up to three,” said Urben. “We pick our teams before the menu comes out, wait for it to come out, come up with reci-

BANK

pes for the menu, and how to plate it.” The importance of receiving the menu ahead of time can’t be understated as it gives the team time to work out the details of each course. “We have those three months to reﬁne the recipes, plating and cooking process within the hour,” said Urben. “When the day comes around, we go there with our equipment, we cook with the ingredients they give us. We plate it and then deliver it to the chef’s booth. We’re hands off from then on. The judges will inspect it and taste it without us at all.” The class’ relaxed approach to cooking has, on occasion, drawn slight criticism from those at a competition. Although they understand the need for improvement, for the students, it’s just how they naturally are in the kitchen. “We’ve gotten indirect criticism about our demeanor,” said Urben. “We’re too relaxed, and that’s maybe not professional. That is something we need to improve on.” “We just like to have fun with it at the end of the day,” said Parea. “That’s just how we are, that’s how we like to cook here, and we’re not going to be different people behind a different kitchen.”

Continued from Page A1

Van Swift, president and CEO of First Texas Bank. He added that the main reason First Texas has been around for over a century is because the bank’s business model is different from most other banks. “We’re here for the long haul,” he said. “We have a different strategy for expansion. We expand as the market allows, and what separates us from the pack is providing the level of service that everyone says they can offer. But we can offer long-term stability.” Gilbert Moreno, branch executive and vice president for First Texas Bank’s Liberty Hill location, recently joined the local branch as its leader. He came to the bank with nine years of banking experience and a degree from Sam Houston State University. His goals at First Texas are to get to know his customers and their families, as well as their backgrounds. “At the end of the day, I’m not just looking at a person who is borrowing money, I’m looking at a part of the community,” he said. “I like getting to know the people and their families. I’m here to help people grow and assist them in any way they need. I’m here to help, not

just to push loans.” Swift said First Texas Bank can offer everything from $20,000 loans to $2 million lines of credit. The bank has no minimum loan size. It also offers home lending, home construction loans, commercial real estate ﬁnancing, custom loans and more. “I think people gravitate to a bank like this because of the long-term opportunity to build a book for business,” he added. “It’s very gratifying to sit with a customer you’ve dealt with for 25 years and have them say they would tell anyone they’re successful because they have a good banker in their corner. That’s why our bank can help a community like Liberty Hill. If you go back and look at history, the towns that prosper over time always have a good community bank.” Another aspect that makes First Texas stand out from other banks is the fact that it is never more than 45 percent loan-to-deposit, Swift said. “We’re a $650 million bank, but our loans are only $250 million,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for banks to be 80 to 100 percent loans-to-deposit. But if you’re going to do that for a long time, the economy

Page A5

That comfort in the kitchen comes from the support the students feel from their instructor of three years. “This is a comfortable setting where we are definitely ourselves,” said Hernandez. “We can tell him anything. He’s like a father figure, and if one of us is hurt or struggling in any way, he’s there for us, and I really appreciate that. Everyone has those go-to teachers, and he’s mine.” Beyond competition, being given the freedom to experiment and express themselves through food plays an even more significant part of why they enjoy their class as much as they do. “I think for me, it’s the creative process of making something from start to finish,” said Urben. “You can feel the shape of the flavor and texture forming, the flavor profile expanding and getting bigger. “I think my favorite part of this class is the artistic expression,” said Urben. “We have a lot of freedom with what we do, to make it taste like we want it to. Another part of it is the escape from school and having the freedom to express ourselves in a safe space.” For others, like Virginia Elder, along with providing a creative outlet, the ability to

cook is something she feels is an absolute necessity. Elder believes now is the best time to learn. “I realized that if I didn’t learn how to cook now, then it was never going to happen, I was really bad but better now,” said Elder. “I like the freedom of it all. I like the variety and being able to change things up. It’s all about that creative freedom.” Of course, there is some risk involved with experimenting and embracing creativity in the kitchen. On occasion, a few questionable products leave the oven. When asked what the most common mishap they faced was, the group took a moment to think before almost simultaneously sharing a one-word answer. Fires. “I left a hot pan on with nothing in it and forgot about it,” said Hernandez. “It was just on the ﬂame going to town. Conner made hockey puck cupcakes, and they were hard. You could throw them, and they wouldn’t break.” Each student has their own taste and preference for food. Some have committed to being vegetarians, others are tried and true omnivores, and one can’t stand potatoes in any form. “We all have different pal-

ates; we all enjoy and dislike different things,” said Elder. “I, for one, love macaroni and cheese, I’ve always loved it, I’ve grown up with it.” Urben, as well as many in the class, share an inclination towards Cajun cuisine and aren’t afraid of using their favorite seasoning, Tony’s creole seasoning. The love for the green can filled with a medley of spices is strong with the group, much to the dismay and mild annoyance of Chef Hawthorne. “The finest blend of spices ever crafted, is Tony’s creole seasoning,” said Urben. “We try to use it as little as possible because it’s like cheating. We used it so much that Chef hid it from us.” Postole, pho, andouille with blackened chicken and vegan mint chocolate chip cupcakes are just some of the creations produced by the young chefs. The willingness to try a variety of new cuisines is the result of Chef Hawthorne encouraging and pushing them to give things a chance before deciding if they like or dislike it. Hawthorne believes firmly in the three-bite method. “The first bite is to try it, you chew it up and swallow it then on the second bite you’ll sit there and mull it over,” said

Hawthorne. “The third bite is decision time. You take that third bite and continue going if you like it; if not, you can say it’s really not for you, but at least you gave it a fair shake.” With Hawthorne’s guidance, the future is bright for the young group. The students’ plans for the future are as mixed as the cuisines they cook. From opening their own bakeries and restaurants to taking on the fashion world and joining the military, to plans to study engineering and music. No matter what path each one chooses, they agree that the relationships developed over the last three years won’t be forgotten. More than just classmates with the same predilection for cooking, they’re family. “We are like a family through and through. We know everything about each other, and we can go to any one of us and vent, and they’ll understand,” said Parea. “We’ve cooked with each other for two hours every day for three years. We know too much about each other at this point. Our dynamic is healthy for us.”

will catch you at some point. If you’re going to own a bank and be successful for over 100 years, you can’t take on that much level of risk. That’s why we limit ourselves to slow and steady growth. Our ownership and board are willing to accept that slow, steady growth.” Swift added that First Texas Bank has plenty of room for growth—especially in the Liberty Hill area—as the market allows. “We can keep pace with the area,” he said. “Out here, the sky is the limit. Now that so many rooftops are here, the businesses are going to come—all the basic things people need. When they ﬁrst put this branch out here, (US Hwy) 183 wasn’t even a divided road. The bank was in the middle of nowhere. But because we were the only ones out here for a long time, we have been able to build a tremendous amount of business customers.” As the Liberty Hill area continues to grow, Swift said the

bank will add services as needed. “The next step will be to put a mortgage lending ofﬁcer out here,” he said. “It’s hard to say when that will happen, because we’re going to be pushing the string, not pulling it. This branch has the most opportunity of any of our branches. We’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing by providing service and everything else will fall in place behind it.” Moreno’s personal goal for his branch is to be the place that everyone tells their friends about. “I want to be sure that when someone mentions us, people will tell their friends they need to bank with us,” he said. “My goal is to be the banker that everyone says you need to go see.” Swift said the ultimate goal of First Texas Bank is to be around for another century or even longer. “We’re never going to take on enough risk where we can fail,” he said. “First Texas

Bank is extremely strong. I can tell you we would be the last bank in Williamson County to fail. We have a strong business model that focuses on longterm success and having a great team.”

First Texas Bank’s Liberty Hill location, at 721 U.S. Hwy 183, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.ﬁrsttexasbank.com.

that those hours be changed to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on business days. The Chamber also asked that a mediation clause be added to the agreement. Chamber President Jared King expressed the Chamber’s support of the agreement. “We are very happy with the agreement overall we just wanted a little clariﬁcation on a couple of things overall,” he said. The Council voted unanimously to approve the changes. Executive session The Council met in executive session for just over an hour Monday. On the executive session agenda were consultation with attorney on real property,

the wastewater plant expansion, transfer of a portion of the water service area from Georgetown, wastewater and utility agreements with Stonewall Subdivision, and applicants for city administrator. The only item the Council addressed following the closed session was the city administrator search, where a motion was made to “direct (consultant) Matt Powell to reﬁne the job description for City Administrator and the position of Assistant City Administrator to bring it back at the next Council meeting for Council to decide a path going forward.”

CHAMBER Continued from Page A4

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While many local area candidates up and down both the Republican and Democrat primary ballots in Williamson County are unopposed, a long list of names are seeking the nomination in the U.S. House of Representatives race. In addition to the Congressional contest, each party has a pair of Pct. 2 Constable candidates to choose from.

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Primary voting begins Tuesday Three candidates – Mike Williams, Christopher Wall and Abhiram Gartapati – are challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. John Carter on the Republican ballot. On the Democrat ballot, Eric Hanke, Donna Imam, Dan Janjigian, Christine Mann and Tammy Young are vying for opportunity to represent their party in the U.S. Rep. race on the November ballot.

Democrats Robert Tijerina and Greg Papst are facing off in the Constable race, while Jeff Anderson and Renee Harrell are constable candidates on the Republican ballot. In federal and state-level races, including Presidential and U.S. Senate contests, each party has a long list of candidates. Democrats have 11 propositions on the ballot as well,

while Republicans have 10. More details on the propositions and names on the two ballots can be found on the Williamson County elections website at wilco.org. Early voting for the primary begins Tuesday, Feb. 18 and runs through Feb. 28. Liberty Hill now has a permanent early voting location in the municipal court building at 2801

RR 1869. Early voting runs daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on Sunday Feb. 23 when the polls are open 1-6 p.m. Voters can cast their ballot at any voting location in Williamson County, including Pat Bryson Municipal Hall at 201 N Brushy St. in Leander and the Williamson County Inner Loop Annex, 301 SE Inner Loop in Georgetown.

Voters should bring photo identiﬁcation to the polls. Williamson County is using the new voting equipment where voters get a blank ballot to be inserted into the marking device ﬁrst, which is then then printed once marked to be inserted it into the scanning and tabulation device.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY CONSTABLE, PCT. 2

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

GREG PAPST

ROBERT TIJERINA

Residence: Cedar Park Occupation: Deputy Constable with Travis County, Pct. 2 www.Papst2020.com

Residence: Cedar Park Occupation: Law enforcement www.tijerinaforconstable. com

Q: WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT QUALIFIES YOU TO HOLD THIS OFFICE? PAPST: I have been in law enforcement for over 30 years and have served the last 20 years with a Constable’s Ofﬁce. In my 20 years as a Deputy Constable, I have gained experience as a supervisor overseeing Civil Process, Criminal Arrest Warrants, Court House Security, School Based Law Enforcement, Training and Records. Over the past 20 years I have personally been involved in the growth of the Constable Ofﬁces in Travis County. This is the same growth that is coming to Williamson County. TIJERINA: I have completed 22 years in law enforcement with 10 of those years as a Deputy Constable. I have supervised various programs and worked with other Deputy Constables as a team to deliver all types of court orders and responded to emergency calls for service.

issue is the increase in population in this precinct and the services this ofﬁce will provide to all people.

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE? PAPST: I am a long-time resident of Cedar Park and Williamson County Pct. 2. In my 20 years of experience as a Deputy Constable I understand the important role that a Constable’s Office has in the community. When Constable Coffman decided to retire I made the decision to run because I feel I have the skills necessary to lead Williamson County Constable Pct. 2. TIJERINA: I would like to provide increased access to services so that all persons are included and in turn be prepared for the changes facing this office. Q: HAVE YOU RUN FOR OFFICE BEFORE? PAPST: I ran for constable over 15 years ago. I was not elected. TIJERINA: No Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IN THIS RACE? WHY? PAPST: In my opinion experience is the most important factor voters should consider in the race for Williamson County Constable Pct. 2. The office needs a Constable who understands the inner workings of a Constable’s Office. Texas Constables fulfill an important role in the criminal and civil justice system. The Constable’s primary role is to serve civil process. Many Texas Peace officers who have never worked in a Constable’s Office have a limited understanding of civil process. If elected I will bring over 20 years of experience as a Deputy Constable. TIJERINA: The most critical

Q: NAME TWO OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE SOLUTION. PAPST: Constables encounter people in crisis situations every day. Often times people are pushed into crisis situations when law enforcement arrives. This can include removing a child from abusive parents or enforcing an eviction judgment. Because of the difficult work Constables do, I believe all deputies should possess the skills to deescalate crisis situations and be certified mental health officers. Environmental crimes such as illegal dumping and air quality violations are seldom a priority for law enforcement agencies. If elected Constable I vow to tirelessly investigate the violators of the environmental laws that protect the quality of life in our community. I will work with the District and County Attorney to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. TIJERINA: Accessible parking: Include community partners in a grass roots effort to help solve the problem of accessible parking for persons with disabilities. Senior Services: I will collaborate with other organizations or agencies to provide services to seniors. For example: Senior wellness checks and communicating with seniors when we learn of crimes targeting seniors. Q: WHY ARE YOU THE RIGHT CHOICE? PAPST: I am the right choice for Williamson County Constable Pct. 2 because I am the candidate who has the experience necessary to run the office from day one. I have 20 years of hands on experience serving with a Constable’s Office. I am a dedicated, lifelong public servant who understands the importance of transparency and vow to bring this to Williamson County Pct. 2. I will support the Williamson County Pct. 2 community by collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to address the concerns in our Precinct. TIJERINA: I have been employed with this office for the last five years and routinely patrol the neighborhoods within the precinct. I understand the challenges facing this office and I am prepared to work together with others to ensure the challenges are met. I believe all persons should be treated with dignity and respect and I am prepared to represent everyone with honor and integrity.

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Q: WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT QUALIFIES YOU TO HOLD THIS OFFICE? ANDERSON: Am a graduate of the Sam Houston State University Leadership Command College - Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. Am a graduate of the US Air Force Senior Leadership Academy. Am a Graduate of the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association. I hold a Master Peace Officer and Master Corrections Officer License. And an Instructor Certification. Served as a Sergeant in law enforcement, and as an officer for nearly 29 years. In this role I supervised and trained patrol officers, supervised detectives in a criminal investigations division, and supervised a special operations division. Served as a Senior Master Sergeant with 27 years of combined service in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserves. Gained even more knowledge and leadership experience from having deployed to Kuwait after 911, and Iraq in support of Iraqi Freedom. The experience has provided me with exceptional leadership abilities. Served as the President of the Travis County Sheriffs’ Law Enforcement Association - Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 912. Am a small business owner, and a licensed realtor with over 20 years of experience in real estate. I firmly believe that having battled stage 4 throat cancer and surviving shows my willingness and ability to overcome any and all challenges presented to me. I am confident that all of my past experiences will provide me with the guidance and knowledge required for the successful management of the Pct. 2 Constable office. HARRELL: I have been a licensed peace officer in Texas since 1994. I hold a master’s peace officers certification along with a civil process proficiency certification. I have 29 years of law enforcement experience and my assignments have included emergency communications, corrections, patrol, tactical operations, training, narcotics investigations, undercover operations, criminal investigations, and civil process. I have served as a patrol officer, field training officer, tactical response team member, undercover investigator, district attorney investigator and a Federal Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). I have 6 years of civil process experience as a deputy constable and currently work as a deputy constable with

precinct 2. Additionally, my experience as a mom of two daughters, Memaw of two precious grand babies, and wife to a wonderful husband (who is also a police officer) qualifies me to hold this office.

GEORGETOWN -- Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell along with mayors and elected ofﬁcials from nine Williamson County cities showed their support last week of a complete Census count in 2020. Around 50 people attended the event, including members of the Williamson County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee, community leaders, area partners, and others interested in learning more about the 2020

Census. One of most impactful reasons the census is important is funding. Census ﬁgures determine the allocation of funds for 55 federal spending programs including highway planning and construction, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, very low to moderate income housing loans, state children’s health insurance program, Federal Direct Student Loans, Community Development Block Grants,

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE? ANDERSON: People often ask me, “Why are you running for the Constables position?” My answer to the question is easy. This is not a job I need, it is one I want. I still have the passion to serve others. I believe in service before self. We live in a great country, and have been afforded the opportunities to serve in our community, and in our country. I served our country in both law enforcement and in the military. I want to give back to the community now and serve them as their Constable in Williamson County Pct. 2. HARRELL: About a year ago, God laid it on my heart to run for Constable in Pct. 2. I have not taken this decision lightly and have put a great deal of thought into my vision for the constable’s office. I want to bring more awareness to the constable’s office through involvement in the community. I want to build a strong team that is family and community oriented to serve the citizens of Pct. 2. Q: HAVE YOU RUN FOR OFFICE BEFORE? ANDERSON: No, I have never ran for an office, but did run and successfully win as President of the Travis County Sheriffs’ Law Enforcement Association - Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 912. Further note, I served on the executive board as a Representative, Vice President, 2nd Vic President, and President the officers of Travis County 14 years combined. HARRELL: I have never run for office or any elected position. Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IN THIS RACE? ANDERSON: A crucial issue in this race rests within the court system. The number of defendants that fail to show up for scheduled court appearances. When this happens, it not only disrupts the court docket, but it also contributes to additional court actions such as failure to appear or contempt of court proceedings. The Constable’s Office will assist the court system by helping the court locate persons whose presence in court is required. Our county is scaling upward quickly. I will work to ensure that more personnel are add-

JEFF ANDERSON

RENEE HARRELL

Residence: Leander Occupation: Retired from Travis County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce and US Air Force Reserves. Owner of Trendy Art Remodeling, and licensed Realtor. www.jeffforconstable.com

Residence: Liberty Hill Profession: Deputy Constable www.reneeharrell.com

ed to the Ofﬁce as the county grows to alleviate court related issues. HARRELL: The most critical issue in this race is communication. Communication and a strong working relationship with the courts, clerks, attorneys, and parties involved increases efﬁciency. This ensures court process is dealt with in a timely manner and to the satisfaction of all parties. Communication with the citizens and being involved in community activities is important for them to see that we are them and they are us.

help educate our youth about bullying, gangs, violence, drugs, human trafﬁcking and other issues that may be affecting our youth. I believe today’s youth relies heavily on social media and we need to be knowledgeable of those social media platforms in order to educate youth and their parents on the dangers and how to use social media responsibly. I will work to ensure our deputies have immediate access to area schools in the event of a critical incident and I will ensure deputies receive advanced training in response to active threats and dealing with those in mental health crisis.

Q: NAME TWO OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE SOLUTION. ANDERSON: Issues facing this precinct, the whole county for that matter is the growth of the county. With growth comes roadway and traffic issues, and other criminal offenses (i.e. burglaries, domestic violence, active shooter incidents, and theft). Other issues are the need for additional mental health resources. We currently have a large population of veterans, and other civilians who need mental health services. Schools have issues with bullying, alcohol and drugs, and attendance. The way to curtail this is to increase manpower and to make sure our deputy constables are trained and equipped to handle whatever issue presents itself. I believe too we can be more proactive enforcing traffic laws in and around school zones. Once again, the way to help curtail these issues is ensure more personnel are added to the Office as the county grows, and to make sure all personnel are trained and equipped to help alleviate related issues. HARRELL: Two other issues of importance are safety of the community and security of our schools. I will work to provide a mentor program in area schools that do not have school resource officers assigned, to

Q: WHY ARE YOU THE RIGHT CHOICE? ANDERSON: My strongest qualification is my breadth of leadership experience. I am a strong, knowledgeable, and confident leader. This is a job I want, not one I need. In closing, I ask that you go to my website: JeffForConstable. com and read About and Platform. HARRELL: I currently work as a deputy constable for Pct. 2 and have worked in that capacity for approximately six years. The various jobs I’ve held over my 29 years in law enforcement gives me a well-rounded knowledge of all aspects of law enforcement, from dispatch, jail operations, patrol services, major crimes investigations, District Attorney Investigator and working in various aspects of the court system. Additionally, I have experience in civil law and receive yearly training in civil process. My current position is, Writ Specialist. This assignment deals with the most complex aspects of civil process. I plan to build a strong team of people with unique gifts and talents to make the vision of the constable’s office a reality that is in line with the diversity of our precinct. I am compassionate and I care. I will serve the community with honesty, integrity and accountability.

County holds kick-off for Census Complete Count school funding for things such as free and reduced lunch and more. In addition, it affects representation in government. It is estimated that Texas will gain three congressional seats based on 2020 Census counts. Currently, the Census Bureau is recruiting workers. To get information on applying for Census jobs, anyone can text ‘texasjobs’ to 313131. In March, Census postcards will be mailed to most homes staggered over a few days.

Self-response will take place in March and April. May through July, Census workers visit addresses that have not completed a census questionnaire. Even a 1% undercount could have a signiﬁcant impact on programs and initiatives in our county. It is estimated that an area could possibly lose approximately $1,500 per person each year who is undercounted. Learn more at www.wilco.org/2020census.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page A7

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 31 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

ERIC HANKE

Residence: Liberty Hill Occupation: Retirement Counselor, Texas County & District Retirement System www.hankefortexas.com Q: WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT QUALIFIES YOU TO HOLD THIS OFFICE? HANKE: Every day I have conversations with working-class folks all across Texas about one of the most significant decisions they will make in their life: their retirement. When considering your retirement, you look at every aspect of your life that policy coming out of Congress touches – healthcare, housing, and education being top among them. I have had thousands of these conversations over the course of the last several years; I am running to bring these stories to Congress to make they are heard and to reorient the policy priorities back towards working people. IMAM: Early on in my 18+ year tech career, I witnessed my employer move manufacturing to Mexico and lay off all assembly workers. Many of them had no career retraining options and never worked a decent paying job again. This left a profound impact on me. About 6 years ago, I joined and ran a non-profit that provides free education and training. We helped thousands, but I realized that too many people have been left behind and we needed to do more. I started my engineering career designing smart meters. I’ve led large product lines from business-class notebooks used by tens of millions worldwide to microcontrollers found in virtually everything from washing machines to commercial jets. In addition to my non-profit work, I founded my own tech consulting firm. Lowering the cost of healthcare is an engineering scaling problem. Using tech to lower the cost of education is a business problem. Bringing quality talent to rural and underserved communities in our district is an incentivizing problem. Creating high-paying jobs in all parts of the district is an entrepreneurship problem. I’ve successfully implemented all these solutions. JANJIGIAN: I have 15 years in the healthcare field working with clients that have been going through major health issues, such as cancer, heart/ stroke and major accidents. I’ve sat down personally with over 18,000+ different Texas families in their homes, and have take the time to learn about what their needs and wants are. My understanding of the massive gaps in our healthcare system separate me from all the other candidates that are currently running, or our incumbent that’s currently sitting in this seat. Additionally, most candidates have forgotten that this isn’t just a national race, this race is also about understanding what’s important within the district. MANN: I have been fighting for a diverse range of policies from outside government office for 20 years, including working at the local ordinances to protect workers, expansion of healthcare, and immigration reform as well as having chosen a career dedicated to improving people’s lives. With more than a decade as a Voter Deputy Registrar, organizing Williamson and Bell County Voter Registrar groups, and as a founding member and co-captain of Williamson County Indivisible in 2017, a founding member of the Wilco Black Dems, and most recently, as President of the Democratic Women of Williamson County, I was on the ground with other community organizers hearing and seeing firsthand the issues facing our district. YOUNG: We’re never going to see change until we start

DONNA IMAM

Residence: NW Austin, Williamson County Occupation: Compuer Engineer www.votefordonna.com

DR. CHRISTINE EADY MANN

Residence: Leander Occupation: Family Practice Physician www.christine4congress.com bringing people together to get things done. I believe in listening in good faith to people with different views and working to find common ground. I’ve done it on the Round Rock City Council and I’ll do it in Congress. In local government, you don’t worry if someone is a Republican or Democrat. You focus on improving your community and listening to each other. Congress could use a lot more of that. In Congress, I’ll always put the needs of Central Texas first because I know the stakes we’re facing. Lowering healthcare costs, addressing gun violence, and the importance of good paying jobs aren’t talking points for me - they are struggles I’ve lived first hand. There are enough members of Congress advocating for the wealthy and well connected. And there are certainly more than enough members of Congress focusing on partisan fights instead of getting things done. I want to change that. In Congress, I will bring my local, bipartisan experience and my lived experience to find solutions that will finally make a difference in the lives of everyday Americans. Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE? HANKE: As I mentioned above, I have had thousands of these conversations with working-class folks all across Texas. I hear the same two concerns in nearly all of those conversations: folks want to retire while they are young enough to enjoy it but they don’t have affordable access to healthcare, and they don’t believe social security will be there for them. Healthcare and retirement security touch every American’s life and Congress is the body that needs to step up and pass reforms to our current system. IMAM: People who work for a living are America’s biggest assets, but more than half of us have been left behind and are living paycheck to paycheck. Student loan debt is at an all time high when technology should be decreasing the cost of education. Families are bankrupt from medical bills, and over 80 million Americans can’t afford to pay for insurance premiums, deductibles, copays, and prescription drugs. I’m proposing innovative, practical, and financially sound solutions that address challenges across our district. I believe that if working people like us come together, we can all get healthcare for our families, debt-free education for our kids, and afford to live where we work. JANJIGIAN: The needs of the district have not been met by John Carter, and frankly, there’s an overwhelming sense in the District that he’s been “phoning it in” for the past few years. I don’t want to sit around and see more of my friends and clients not being able to afford healthcare. I can’t leave our climate in the state that it is for my children without be-

DAN JANJIGIAN

Residence: Leander Occupation: Agency Owner www.danjanforcongress.com

TAMMY YOUNG

Residence: Round Rock Occupation: City Council Member tammyyoungforcongress. com ing actively involved in policy change. I refuse to hear more stories of immigrants being kept in cages at the border here in Texas. I knew if I wanted to see change at home and on the national stage that I had to step up because I have always been able to bring people to the table and get the job done. These are crucial issues that need folks on both sides coming together to solve them. A House seat is a Representative seat that requires the person holding it to represent the best interests of his/her constituents. This includes the folks that have been here their entire lives, our Military, who may find this their home for a limited time, and the new populace that continues to move into Williamson and Bell counties. I’ve been working with all three of these groups over multiple decades, and am determined to see their needs represented, not just in Texas, but on a national level. MANN: As a family practice doctor, all my patients have in common the daily struggle of trying to make it. Empowering people for progress and ending the lack of access in our communities is the driving force for why I am running; so everyone has access to quality healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, and livable wages. In school and residency I was a single working mom, the challenges our working families are going through with low minimum wage, no affordable childcare option, and costly medical services are the same today and we need someone who will listen and fix these problems, unlike our current representative who has refused to have meetings with constituents. I have decades of grassroots work in public policy across the community and am ready to be more effective in Washington. YOUNG: There aren’t too many people like me in Congress today, and I think we need new voices and new perspectives. I was a teenage mother and a high school dropout, working two jobs to survive. I endured years of abusive and violent relationships before I was able to break the cycle and create a better life for my children. I went back to school and earned my GED and college degree in special education to help schools teach kids like my children, who struggled with ADHD. I know the challenges facing working families because I’ve lived them. I came out the other side more committed than ever to helping others make a better life for their families. That’s why I ran for the Round Rock City Council, where I’ve worked with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to make our city stronger. We’ve balanced our budget and maintained one of the highest bond ratings in the state while passing a $15 minimum wage for city employees and offering high-quality health care. I’ve partnered with the local

See DEMOCRATS, Page A8

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

JOHN R. CARTER

Residence: Round Rock Occupation: US Representative, District 31 johncarterforcongress. com Q: WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT QUALIFIES YOU TO HOLD THIS OFFICE? CARTER: As the top Republican on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding committee, and a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have a unique position to bring resources to Central Texas, but most importantly I listen and understand the needs of Central Texans. I’ve raised four beautiful children here, and now I’m grandpa to six stellar grandchildren. I want to see Central Texas continue to be the home to great schools, lucrative jobs, and safe communities for my grandchildren and everyone I represent. I take my responsibility to deliver real results for Central Texans very seriously. I’ve passed major pieces of legislation to improve the lives of veterans, secure the homeland, strengthen our military and provide educational opportunities for young Texans throughout my time in Congress and I’m proud of my record. GARAPATI: Built a successful business after failing numerous times. Married to my high school sweat heart with two small kids. Immigrant who came to America with nothing. Hence I represent the American worker, American family and the American dream. WALL: I have extensive and successful training and experience in business negotiations, contracts and licensing. I have a small business I opened in 2012 and have experience in international trade as well as balancing and managing large budgets. As a Police Lieutenant and Chief of Police I have developed and successfully implemented department policy. My 19 years of serving the public have given me hands on experience with the mental health crisis in America. I have also been deeply involved with Internal Affairs by keeping those in a position of power accountable to the public. WILLIAMS: All the requisite experience and qualifications of any critically thinking citizen who wishes to serve their country and preserve our Constitutional Republic. Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE? CARTER: When I talk with my Central Texas neighbors, I hear their concerns about issues facing this country, and it’s my job as their representative to solve these problems. Plain and simple, I am running for Congress to solve problems with commonsense solutions, and I have a record of doing just that. For example, when constituent Charles Nelson came to me because the VA wouldn’t cover a live donor transplant that he desperately needed, I went to work and changed the law. When experts came to me and said America’s energy grids were at risk for cyber-attacks, I passed legislation to create a backup analog system so that the country wouldn’t face a longterm power outage that could cost American lives. When Ft. Hood Soldiers came to me to discuss subpar housing, I passed legislation to create a Tenant Bill of Rights so that they get safe, comfortable, and secure housing on base for their families. GARAPATI: Want to go to US Congress and set the fol-

ABHIRAM GARAPATI

Residence: Leander Occupation: Small Business Owner www.abhiram.us lowing aspirational goals for our nation and accomplish them by 2050: Paying off the national debt and balancing the budget, Infrastructure projects like the Hyperloop and Subway train systems, Zero Landfill waste, Safest country in the world, Healthiest country in the world. WALL: I feel that this district is in dire need of a representative that is an actual reflection of it’s hard working constituents. District 31 needs a representative, who is not a politician, comes from the working class, and has an actual vested interest in finding solutions to current problems. WILLIAMS: Lack of action from my current incumbent. Two circumstances are present today: 1st an all-out assault from the progressives on our Constitutional principles, 2nd we have a President who would sign legislation that can have lasting effect on a positive future for our country. Legislation of a nature that establishment Presidents may not sign. Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IN THIS RACE? WHY? CARTER: Ensuring that our communities have the resources and opportunities to continue to prosper as people continue to move here is pivotal for the future of our region. That’s why it’s so useful that I sit on the appropriations committee in Congress. With the high growth in Central Texas, it is imperative that we scale for the growth. This means keeping taxes low so small businesses can grow, increasing both higher education and career and technical education opportunities for young people, improving infrastructure to reduce traffic, and keeping Ft. Hood strong. GARAPATI: National and household debt: My first and foremost audacious goal is balancing the budget and paying off our national debt by 2050. As a nation, we all need to save money and be thrifty. I live within my means and you do too and all my 31st District constituents live within their means. Why does the same principle not apply to the federal government. I am passionate about selling off some federal assets to raise money to pay down debt. Congress will give me a platform to raise awareness on saving and paying down both our national and household debts. WALL: I think for this district in particular, is the continued waste of tax payer money. Those currently in Congress have displayed time and time again it’s inability to create a balanced budget. Continuing to borrow on our children and grandchildren’s behalf is a sure road to financial disaster. WILLIAMS: Constitutional principles; I’m very concerned with the progression from safe, rare and legal to states introducing infanticide elements into the abortion issue. I believe heartbeat legislation is a solution most American’s will agree is a reasonable measure to address the issue. Constitutional measures to add boundaries to the Legislative Branch (term limits, curtailing exempting themselves and special interest from legislative action, Senatorial recall procedure). Judicial Branch consequences for extraconstitutional legislating from the bench. Statehood requirements effecting elector-

CHRIS WALL

Residence: Hutto Occupation: Police Patrol Supervisor chriswallforcongress.com

MIKE WILLIAMS

Residence: Georgetown Occupation: Retired firefighter AFD, retired faculty ACC mikewilliams31ctx.com al disenfranchisement of voters in most populous states – preserve the Electoral College. Q: NAME TWO OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE SOLUTION. CARTER: No matter the political party, there’s an overall theme to the concerns Texans have; they want safety and security. That means financial security, safe schools and communities, and they want to be secure in their future. That’s why I’m tackling issues that help improve the lives of all Texans, like lowering prescription drug pricing, taking care of the 92,000 veterans that call TX-31 home, and ensuring that military and law enforcement have the resources they need to keep our country and communities safe. GARAPATI: Infrastructure projects like the Hyperloop and Subway train systems: When was the last time we saw a project like the Golden Gate bridge being built or sent a man to the moon? As a nation, we stopped dreaming big and aspire to make impossible goals possible. If not for a book seller and a car manufacturer, we would even be out of the Space race. Will facilitate the private sector to pursue bold infrastructure ideas like the Hyperloop and Subways. Zero Landfill waste: Want our nation to recycle everything we produce so there is no waste going to the landfills and polluting our environment. Already companies like Google and Apple are accomplishing this goal and want to set this goal for the entire nation with buy-in from everyone. WALL: Gun Rights vs. Mental Health debate: We do not need more restrictions on gun owners. We need more options for police officers when on calls for with those who are in a state of mental distress. There also needs to be more focus on funding for mental health awareness and services. Close the loopholes between mental health providers and background check. The Veterans Administration needs to be streamlined. I would like to explore the idea of ceasing any further construction of any new facilities and instead use that money to allow veterans to see their own private physicians. This would cut cost associated with construction, maintenance, and personnel while allowing a more personal and focused treatment by a family physician. WILLIAMS: Enhancing Civil Liberties/Rights and Parental Rights protections. PC culture in general and speech police on campus and in communities attack 1st Amendment protections and must be rejected. Attacks on 2nd Amendment rights effectively turning millions of law-abiding citizens into criminals must be rejected. Indoctrination of our school children to progressive perversions must be rejected. Presumption of innocence/due process must be preserved. Border security and merit-based immigration. Finish the Wall – Fix the Law.

Page A8

Communication Continued from Page A3

We are entering our fifth week without a response from the City regarding three specific open records requests,the City regarding three specific open records requests and there is no sign a response is forthcoming. Regardless of the policies or goals of Council members and City staff old or new, there was never a question that was deemed to not be “relevant” prior to the May 2019 election in Liberty Hill. There was a willingness from every staff member to sit down and explain complicated issues, sharing how they work and why they work the way they do. There was a willingness on the part of every Council mem-

ber to consider every question, whether they liked them or not. Today, information and answers to questions are much harder to come by. The newspaper represents the public at City meetings. Each question asked is for the purpose of informing the public about the decisions and intent of the City. When the City doesn’t want to provide that information it is saying the community has no need or doesn’t have a right to know. Refusing to respond is the one answer that is wrong every time, regardless of the question.

and is included in the retirement plan unless otherwise determined by the municipality. While the new job description for Council members spells out they must work 10 hours per week, leaving them well below the 1,000 hours per year required to be enrolled, Mayor Rick Hall’s job description notes that the Mayor must work 32 hours per week, putting the position at 1,664 hours per year. A representative with TMRS said enrollment in the system is automatic for employees unless the City in question determined a position would not be eligible for participation. The City has never clarified the status of compensation, choosing even in the announcement in August during the budget process to refer to the planned compensation as a “pay structure” for the Council without addressing their status as employees. If Hall does qualify for enrollment in TMRS, he would be eligible to contribute up to seven percent with the City contributing a 2-to-1 match. Employees are vested at five years. Questions unanswered While Zwernemann responded that the question was not relevant, she did not respond to a follow-up email to confirm that steps had been taken to address the benefits question in dealing with the Mayor and Council positions. Wilkins, who also oversees human resources for the City did not respond at all. In an email response, Hall

said Wilkins did not respond to the question “because this has never been discussed so she had no answers for this question.” He also reiterated it had never been discussed, but no member of the staff or the Mayor were willing to answer questions by phone on the process to explain how the compensation arrangement was set up or how the Mayor position would be determined ineligible for benefits. A later email Tuesday morning from Zwernemann detailed new requirements for requesting information, implying that simple questions to understand process and function of the Liberty Hill government would not be addressed any other way. “Please note there are no responsive documents related to your questions submitted today. Further, the City of Liberty Hill has a duty to respond to written requests for public information, including those made through e-mail. However, state law does provide that the City may designate one e-mail address for receiving written requests for public information. Effective Monday - March 2, 2020 the City of Liberty Hill will implement a designated email address for submitting public information requests. On that date, a written request submitted through e-mail is only considered received if sent to the designated e-mail address referenced below.” No email address was provided.

Benefits Continued from Page A1

Democrats chamber of commerce to help train our people for good jobs like plumbing and HVAC repair.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IN THIS RACE? WHY? HANKE: Healthcare. It is by far the issue that is top of mind amongst voters, and one of the few policy areas that impact every person’s life. I believe allowing anyone to buy into Medicare for healthcare coverage is the surest path to universal coverage. I also believe Congress must do more to address rising prescription drug prices, including allowing Medicare to negotiate rates and updating our patent laws that allow drug companies to overcharge. IMAM: No matter which voter I talk to, whether they are a working professional, a Veteran, a school teacher, or a restaurant server, the primary concern of Texans in my district is healthcare. Even people with employer based health insurance have limited in-network choices and lose coverage when they are in-between jobs. People are unable to pay their deductibles and are left with tens of thousands in bills when coverage is refused. Rural clinics and hospitals continue to close. Veterans are forced to take a whole day off work to see a doctor in a VA clinic far from where they live, only to be turned away. Families are bankrupt, resorting to GoFundMe accounts to pay for hospital bills, while the private health insurance and pharmaceutical companies report record profits of billions. My Healthcare for All proposal reduces the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs with Medicare for All. Improves the quality of care with more doctors and nurses to cover everyone, especially in underserved and rural areas. Addresses Black and Latino

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Branch steps into new role as AP at LHJH

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As students move through the crowded halls of Liberty Hill Junior High, a figure stands out in the crowd, a familiar face filling a new role. He guides students with authority to the gym as they prepare for a presentation from an astronaut, and once they settle in, he takes his place to the side watching for any disruptions. Bryan Branch is the fresh face on LHJH’s administrative staff, serving as the school’s new assistant principal. Branch started his career in education in 1996 at Dripping Springs Middle School, where he coached several of the girls’ sports programs before moving to work with different schools. “As I pursued my career, I went along and tried to become a varsity basketball coach. It was one of my main deals,” said Branch. “I went to several different schools and climbed the ranks until I got my very first varsity job in Luling.” Branch’s interest in becoming a coach isn’t a surprise, given his deep sports fandom, specifically football and basketball. “I’m a Cowboys fan and a Spurs fan,” he said. “I grew up in the middle of Texas, so I wasn’t around anybody. I don’t have a baseball team, so I’ll root for both.” Branch eventually found himself in the city of Louise, where he took on multiple responsibilities for the 1A high school. “I was just about head everything,” he said. “I was head volleyball coach, head basketball coach, and head track coach. We had a lot of success there, we won a state championship in volleyball, went to state in basketball and had a lot of track runners advance.” After achieving his goal, Branch started to notice that his duties kept him away from many of his son’s activities, something he hoped to remedy. “At the time, I was starting to miss things,” he said. “I was starting to miss little league. I was missing his stuff. At that point, I began thinking about a career change, but I wasn’t ready to give up the coaching

Continued from Page A7

maternal deaths. JANJIGIAN: Nationally, the answer would be Climate Change and Health Care. The issue with Climate Change is that facts don’t lie. The world is getting hotter, and there are already areas of the world that are uninhabitable. These areas will only expand, pushing a growing population into a tighter and tighter space globally. We’re having 100 year storms multiple times a year, and we’ve done damage which is already irreversible. Just as we’re given one body to live in, we’re given one planet to live on, and we need to protect both. Healthcare is second on that list because it should be a right to have that coverage, and not a privilege. Most families today are struggling just to have health care protection, not realizing that even having the best insurance policies will not save you from bankruptcy, having to lose your property, or other financially catastrophic alternatives. MANN: Folks in our district are tired of inflated prescription drug prices they can’t afford, checking their bank account before making a doctor’s appointment, and worrying if they lose or quit their job how will their children have health insurance. The lack of quality, accessible health care for all is the most critical issue and the solution is Universal Healthcare, with a Single Payer system. I have been an advocate for more than a decade and will continue to push back against misinformation, and work to present the moral and economic advantages of improving our healthcare system based on my decades as a family practice physician. YOUNG: The number one issue for so many - myself included - is the cost of healthcare. I’ve spent more of my life uninsured than insured. Even with insurance, too many families can’t afford their

healthcare. We need to drive the costs down immediately. I know firsthand the fear and panic that grips a parent when their kid is sick and they don’t have health insurance. Every American must have access to affordable, quality health care. One way we can do this is with a public option that provides a Medicare plan that people can afford to buy in to if they don’t have access to private insurance or don’t like the plan provided by their employer. I think it’s very important to maintain freedom of choice in our system, but they have to be able to afford it. We also need to crack down on price gouging by the pharmaceutical companies and demand lower costs for prescription drugs, particularly for programs like Medicare which should be able to negotiate lower drug prices. Q: NAME TWO OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE SOLUTION. HANKE: Retirement security and economic opportunity. Soon more money will be drawn from Social Security than is being put in. The cap on income that is taxed for Social Security should be removed; there is no reason someone who makes $137 million should be paying the same into Social Security as someone who makes $137,000. Economic opportunity is tied to so many issues – education, housing, access to healthy food & clean water, and jobs. I plan to bring the stories of working people to Congress so that we start investing in communities, and not just large corporations, again. IMAM: Education: Inadequate access to education is the single biggest threat to America’s national security. My Education for All policy proposal ends the student loan scam by reducing the cost of

part of it.” After finishing his time in Louise, Branch spent another five years working at Ganado before becoming a middle school coordinator at Liberty Hill in 2017. “I came here hoping to move up in the district because I want my son to grow up and graduate from here,” said Branch. “It’s a great school and a great community.” After three years in his position, Branch applied for and earned a new assistant principal spot at LHJH. Branch says his goal is to “help the students and the teachers as much as possible because I think that’s what a good assistant principal does.” Branch’s philosophy, when working with students, is to ANTHONY FLORES PHOTO try being proactive and pre- The newest face on Liberty Hill Junior High’s administrative vent issues before they be- staff is Assistant Principal Bryan Branch, who brings with him come issues. 23 years of education experience. “It’s helping the students have to talk to each other.” school, and whatever happens avoid behavioral situations, While many parents place after that happens. When he avoid it before having to reall their chips on the table gets to that point, if he wants to act to it,” he said. “Hopefully, with AAU, hoping their child continue to play, we’ll support we can be proactive in our beearns a scholarship to college, it; If he wants to go off and be havior and provide them with Branch and his wife view it as in college, we’ll support it.” some strategies and some a way for their son to get better As an educator with aspiraways to be successful in the at something he loves. tions of rising in the ranks, classroom.” “A lot of people say, ‘I have Branch hopes that one day Part of Branch’s proactive to get this college scholarship, the assistant title gets dropped strategy is to provide educaI have to,’ and that’s not why from his title as he takes on a tors with the tools necessary we play,” said Branch. “We principal role somewhere. to work with students. play to make him the best “I’m not ready for it yet. I’ve “I want to help the teachplayer he is right now, and our learned a lot from Principal ers, whether it be student theory is that whatever hap- Motal, and I feel very fortumanagement or ideas about nate to be under him,” he said. pens, happens.” lessons,” he said. “I’m by no Avoiding the trappings of “He’s a great principal, and means a master teacher, but goals that are too far out of I’ve learned a lot from him as I’ll do anything I can do to reach, Branch has his son fo- a teacher and administrator. help them. I think that’s what cused on more straightforward I’m fortunate enough to be my job is as the assistant pringoals within reach. Making the around Ms. Pennington, too. cipal, to make lives for the varsity squad in high school is I’m in a situation where I can students and teachers as easy that current goal. learn from them. I’m in a good as possible at the same time “He’s trying to make varsity situation here. I want to move while they’re getting the most in a couple of years, that’s the up eventually in the next five out of themselves” goal now,” he said. “He plays years.” When he’s not helping stuAAU to get ready for high dents and teachers, Branch enjoys spending time with his son and playing golf. For the veteran educator and his wife, who teaches in Round Rock, their son is their biggest focus. “Our hobby right now is him. We should probably have our own, but he plays a lot of AAU basketball, and we do a lot of traveling for that,” Branch said. “I do like to play golf when I get the chance. I do love to watch football and basketball. I joke with my Valentine’s Day wife that in three years, what Fathers and daughters took to the dance floor and shared some are we going to do when he special moments Friday night at Liberty Hill Elementary’s Fagraduates because then we’ll ther-Daughter Dance in celebration of Valentine’s Day.

college and trade school. Provides debt-free education for graduates that serve in rural or under-served communities. Establishes a non-military GI bill that reimburses graduates pursuing high-demand fields such as teaching, social-work, mental health, technology and family medicine. High-wage Jobs: Economic insecurity impacts every American — from middle-class and working class families to students, recent graduates, and retirees on a fixed income. This is a symptom of stagnant wages and benefits, job-insecurity and age-discrimination. Most people have little to no investments or retirement savings. I’m proposing RealPay for All which creates a system where people can afford to live where they work, put a down payment on a home, and can retire someday with Social Security. JANJIGIAN: Locally, what I hear the most is regarding traffic and connectivity. As the community grows, and our District is one of the fastest growing in the Nation, we need to make sure that our commissioners are creating the right amount of roads, and thinking strategically to make sure that our locals aren’t going to start dealing with the traffic issues that are currently plaguing Austin. There are concerns that new apartment complexes and subdivisions will ruin communities that have thrived for hundreds of years, and unrestricted growth can be a really bad thing. Another major issue is connectivity throughout the District, specifically access to Internet. Many rural houses, mine included, are not able to get high speed Internet, and the slow speeds that are available are being sold at ridiculous rates. In an era where job security and simple connection to others can be at risk by not having these services, it’s imperative to work to require the compa-

nies giving these services to find ways to include all people within the district, or to make room for competing companies that will. Because they haven’t expanded, it’s allowed some of the major carriers to increase rates and focus on the communities that are wealthier and more dense, leaving out a majority of our neighbors. MANN: Other issues are common sense gun reform and climate change issues in the district. As a gun owner, my policies ensure the 2nd amendment for all Texans, while keeping our communities safe based on the research advocated by Moms Demand Action. I was the only Moms Demand Action gun sense designated candidate when I ran for this seat in 2018 and will pursue this designation again in 2020 when available. I am one of only 2 Democratic candidates in this district’s primary who has continually supported bans on assault weapons. Gun reform policies are popular across the political spectrum because our communities want to feel safe at the store or place of worship, and they want their children safe in school. Additionally, saving our environment and planet from pollution and climate change with aggressive policies to restore regulations and provide Central Texans with safe drinking water. As a member of the local Citizens Climate Lobby, a bipartisan climate group, I will join Republicans and Democrats in advocating for rapid transition to their proposed plan for non-carbon based energy sources. We are already a global leader in production of wind energy but expansion of Central Texas wind and other green energy technologies will not only continue lowering costs but creating jobs. Additionally re-engaging in the Paris Climate Accord and pursuing policies as outlined in the Green New Deal, such as

net-zero carbon emissions, development of more clean, affordable, and accessible public transit options are a necessity for our growing district. YOUNG: More than 90 percent of Americans want action to reduce gun violence—and yet politicians in Washington are standing in the way of even basic measures like stronger background checks and red flag laws. As a native Texan, I support the Second Amendment, but I also believe we can uphold the Constitution while keeping us safe. Like far too many people, I have experienced gun violence firsthand and care deeply about this issue. We must keep weapons out of the hands of domestic abusers and other dangerous people. Gun violence is happening in our communities, our schools, and our homes. Failure to act now endangers the lives of our children everyday. I will advocate for expanded background checks, waiting periods that cannot be circumvented at gun shows, red flag laws, and ending the boyfriend loophole that endangers the lives of women every day. Texas has been the leading energy state for decades. We can and should lead the nation in clean energy development. We have enormous potential in solar and wind energy across Texas that can create good new jobs and supply affordable, clean energy— all of which will help combat climate change. We have to invest in these new technologies and deploy wind and solar power across Texas and the nation. If we do that, we can lead the world in clean energy, creating new jobs building solar panels and wind turbines, installing and repairing them and upgrading our batteries and electrical grids to meet their needs. It’s a really exciting opportunity that’s good for Texas workers and our planet.

SPORTS

for $

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, February 13, 2020 Section B Page 1

Right play, right time Getting the ball to the proper player is all about execution

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor As a clock ticks down on a basketball game, which is being closely contested, each and every possession is worth its weight in gold and decisions that are made are critical to the outcome. Sometimes the game simply plays out, while others are determined by a particular script. Set plays. Knowing how to properly execute one at the right time is often the difference between victory and defeat. Perhaps the most important element of this is ensuring the right player ends up with the ball in his hands for a potential game-changing shot, said Liberty Hill head Coach Barry Boren. “We have speciﬁc plays designed to get the ball to either Carson (Perkins), Walker (Baty) or Kadin (Knight),” he said. “We probably run three or four of them per game.” However, set plays can serve a completely different purpose altogether, said Boren. “Sometimes, if we feel like the players have drifted off a bit, we’ll run one just to get everyone back on the same page again,” he said. Junior guard Bobby Mundy said there are certain parameters he and his teammates must remain within the boundaries of, but there’s always room to improvise when necessary. “We don’t have to run our sets exactly the same way every time,” he said. “It all depends

on who’s open or where there’s space.” As a shooting guard, Mundy makes his way up the court transitioning from defense to offense looking for what the opposition gives he and his teammates, which will often determine the method of attack, he said. “If we don’t see a chance for a fast break, we’ll pull back into our half-court set,” said Mundy. When the game is being played in a free-ﬂowing manner, there is an unspoken understanding the Panthers have, he said. “I feel like our team has a very special kind of chemistry,” said Mundy. “We always know where the other guys will be and a lot of that comes from practicing so much together.” But, sometimes play must be tailored for a hot hand. For example, after the Panthers had defeated Taylor at home by a score of 56-49 on Jan. 24, Liberty Hill assistant Blake Boren had an epiphany concerning how the Panthers were running their offense. “Our philosophy was sound, but our offense was too post-oriented and very predictable,” said Boren. “So, Blake suggested we go back to our pressing style – sometimes as an assistant, you can take a step back and see things from a different perspective.” Boren said he would rather have his inside game in reserve to be able to deploy at the right

Lady Panthers peaking at right time of season

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Any basketball coach will tell you the same thing. How you ﬁnish the season is much more important than how you begin. The Lady Panthers of Liberty Hill have thoroughly grasped this concept and are currently riding a wave of momentum as the postseason looms. Head Coach Chris Lange and his club are playing their best basketball of the season when it matters most as they approach the playoffs with a keen eye on what lies ahead as they also look back for a moment. “We’ve had a pretty good year,” said Lange. “We’ve had our ups and downs and for whatever reason we haven’t been able to put it together for stretches.”

Kadin Knight (#12) is one of the Panthers’ players who has plays designed speciﬁcally for him to score. time than depend solely on it. “I think it’s better to have that to go to when you need it,” he said. Perkins has been the biggest beneﬁciary of the more free-wheeling play of the Panthers, as the senior point guard has been on an offensive assault in recent games, scoring 24.5 points on the average, including a sparkling 33-point performance in a 74-54 home victory against Salado on Feb. 4. “We’ve actually been running fewer plays, which has given us more freedom,” said Boren. Having the ability to make such drastic adjustments is

something which has come to fruition over the years, he said. “Earlier in my career, I ran sets, but didn’t have any speciﬁc plays,” said Boren. “I didn’t have something to go to when I needed it.” Boren cited a 46-43 home win over Burnet on Jan. 28 as proof positive of putting to proper use a pre-planned play. “We had a rough third quarter against Burnet,” he said, of a period which saw his club outscored 15-14 in what was a close contest. “So, we ran a play for Kadin (Knight) from a sideline inbounds pass to start the quarter and he scored. Getting an easy bucket can

Jessica Holliday (#2) is one of the players the Lady Panthers can count on in critical situations. Lange said the Lady Panthers are in a similar place as a year ago, but a bit better off. “We’re in pretty much the same situation as last season,”

he said. “But, we have three or four more wins than we did at this time.” Baylee Laird and Jessica Holliday have been at the heart of

the Liberty Hill run, as the pair of junior guards has been instrumental in displaying the ruggedness need to successfully navigate the rough waters

be very deﬂating for the team who gets scored on and a momentum boost for the team that scores it.” Sure enough, the Panthers went on to outscore the Bulldogs by a 17-12 margin in the fourth quarter on the way to a three-point victory. But, sometimes Boren said even with proper execution, you simply have to tip your hat to the defense for getting a stop. “If the defense plays it right, that’s one thing,” he said. “But, if you botch the play and people aren’t in the right places or something, that’s different.” According to Mundy, a com-

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

plete buy-in on behalf of the players is necessary in order for the entire operation to be successful. “What we do takes a lot of discipline – you really have to believe in the process,” said Mundy. “Coach Boren will always ﬁnd a way to make you better.” So, what’s it like when a choreographed play comes off without a hitch and the ball tickles the twine? “It feels so great because you’ve been able to do what the coach says,” he said. “He presents what he wants us to do so beautifully and it ﬂows so perfectly.”

ting double-figure scoring. Sophomore center Emma Hubbard has stepped up her inside game as of late, while Kenzy Wise has provided plenty of grit and Taylor Swieczkowski has given a spark off the bench with timing scoring and rebounding. However, Lange knows his club can still do better, but keeps proper perspective. “There are some guys I’ve worked with in the past where if you lost a game, the sky would be falling,” he said. “I like to compartmentalize all the pieces and take it for what it is, which is a game.” One situation is unacceptable, though. “If we play as well as we can and lose, okay,” said Lange. “But, I don’t like to lose to teams I know we should beat.” Lange added there is one element of his squad that he finds quite endearing. “Our girls have a willingness not to quit,” he said. “They ALEX RUBIO PHOTO believe in what they’re being asked to do and they keep fighting – I’ve been lucky enough to of district competition. Both have a lot of teams like that – I players have shown a willing- think it’s just the Liberty Hill ness to drive the lane and draw attitude. As a coach, there’s fouls, while remaining threats See PEAK, Page B6 from three-point range and hit-

Rookies adjusting well to varsity play

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Shortly after practice ends and the rest of the Liberty Hill girls’ soccer squad has left the ﬁeld, Lady Panthers head Coach Darren Bauer stands alone with Bella Jaimez, passing a ball back and forth from about 10 yards away. Not too ﬁrm, not too soft – again and again. “We were just working on passing technique,” said Bauer. “She’s been panicking a bit and reaching for the ball instead of getting her body behind it.” While it may seem like a simple enough block of instruction concerning a small part of the

game, it’s indicative of the work ethic and effort Jaimez has already shown during her freshman season wearing the Purple-and-Gold. In fact, the speedy wing back is only one of an entire crop of Lady Panther freshmen who are having quite an impact for Bauer’s club, including Kaylie Fowler, Kassidy Contreras and Cordelia Brown, who are all seeing significant minutes. Fowler has had the biggest influence so far, ranking second on the squad with nine goals to go with five assists on the current campaign, playing with poise and confidence that

See ROOKIES, Page B6 Cordelia Brown (#14) is one of Liberty Hill’s excellent players in the freshman class this season.

SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

Liberty Hill softball returns only ﬁve this season

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor One of the biggest challenges for any high school coach is to replenish the ranks upon the graduation of seniors. Some years are worse than others, depending on how many critical players are no longer on the roster once donning caps and gowns and receiving diplomas. For Liberty Hill head softball Coach Kristin Brewer, this season is one of those years. Of the 19 players on last season’s squad, only ﬁve are returning for this year, which has created quite a quandary for Brewer, she said. “Every so often, it happens like this,” said Brewer. “But, it’s usually not so dramatic.” Only seniors Cheyenne Floyd and Ashton Dirner, juniors Leanna Limon and Tannis Brewer and sophomore Dylan Lewis are back this year to offer experience, but it’s not all doom and gloom for the Lady Panthers as they get ready for the new season. “Our talent pool is very

healthy,” said Brewer. “We just need to get them to play together.” Brewer began practice with 34 players on the field for tryouts and has since cut that number, as she slowly determines who will make up the varsity and junior varsity rosters. One thing is for sure – she wants a bigger squad this season in order to have added flexibility at her disposal, she said. “It really helps a lot when you have utility players who can play multiple positions,” said Brewer. “Bottom line is if you can hit, we’re going to find a place for you.” Brewer said the fact Liberty Hill has seen such massive growth as a community in recent years resulting in a bigger enrollment, she actually needs to go through a vetting process to narrow her team down. “We keep getting bigger,” she said. “Gone are the days when all you have to do is come out and you’re on the team, so we have to get down to the nit-

ty-gritty.” Having to cut players is never pleasant, but it’s a necessity these days for her program. “Really, it’s the toughest part of coaching,” said Brewer. “It’s never a good feeling when somebody doesn’t make a team.” Last season, the Lady Panthers ﬁnished with an overall record of 16-9, with a perfect 6-0 district mark and lost to La Grange in the second round of the playoffs, which was a source of consternation for Brewer. “We didn’t get where we wanted,” she said. “We wanted to get back to state, but fell short.” Liberty Hill last reached the state tournament in 2017, defeating Vernon in the semiﬁnals, 6-2 before falling to Krum in the championship game, 4-3. Brewer said one of the primary challenges for her these days is dealing with the personalities of her players, which aren’t the same as they used to be.

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

Ashton Dirner (#8) will be depended on to provide offense in the Liberty Hill lineup. “It’s a different kind of kid,” she said. “You can’t coach every player exactly the same way – some you can be a drill sergeant with and they’ll respond, where others will shut down.” Liberty Hill will once again

play in Class 4A District 27 for one last season before the move to Class 5A next year, with Taylor and Salado being the Lady Panthers’ biggest rivals, said Brewer. “We’re in a pretty competitive district,” she said. “Next

year, we’ll be ﬁne because we’ve been playing Class 5A teams for years.” With the departure of Abbey Covington, Floyd, who posted a 5-2 record and 5.09

See SOFTBALL, Page B6

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

Long name, big game

Swieczkowski sparks Lady Panthers off bench

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Taylor Swieczkowski (#5) is always willing to give a helping hand to her Lady Panthers teammates.

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gets physical.” Swieczkowski isn’t the biggest player on the blocks, but she makes up for it in other ways when it comes to competing against larger opponents. “When I’m up against taller girls, I’ll get lower when I box out,” she said. Despite the fact she doesn’t start for the Lady Panthers, her presence on the bench provides head Coach Chris Lange with a valuable asset he can use when the situation calls for it – a role Swieczkowski embraces. “When I’m making baskets, my role is to score,” she said. “The more I make, the more conﬁdent I get – it’s nice to know I contributed.” Like during the Lady Panthers’ 44-25 home victory over Taylor on Jan. 24, when she scored a varsity-career best eight points, including three straight buckets in the second quarter. Even when she’s on the bench, Swieczkowski still ﬁnds a way to be involved in the game, she said. “I try to look at the defense to see what I want to do when I get in,” said Swieczkowski. A switch this season from guard – where she had played all along – to forward was part

of her introduction to varsity basketball and something Swieczkowski has come to terms with after initial apprehension, she said. “It was kind of disappointing at first,” said Swieczkowski. “As a guard, there’s more action, but forward was where I was needed more.” In the classroom, Swieczkowski said her favorite subject is math for a very distinct reason. “I like it because there’s an absolute answer to every problem,” she said, who added she’s considering the medical field. “It’s interesting how the body works.” Swieczkowski said her junior year has been a bit more difficult academically, but it’s a challenge she’s succeeding at conquering. “I have pre-calculus, AP statistics and AP English 3,” she said. “We have to write a lot of timed essays.” As a young girl, Swieczkowski said she would go to Lady Panthers basketball games and imagine what it would be like to someday wear the Purpleand-Gold herself. “I always dreamed about being out there on the court playing,” she said. “Being on varsity this year has been a lot more exciting.”

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By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Twelve letters. Over the years, it’s been butchered horribly time and again as people struggle to pronounce Taylor Sweiczkowski’s surname. However, there’s no mistaking the Liberty Hill junior power forward when she’s on the court. Swieczkowski can easily be found under the basket at either end of the court, banging bodies with the big girls down low in an endless quest for points and rebounds. Sweiczkowski first picked up a basketball in the second grade and hasn’t put it down since – except for a brief flirtation with another athletic endeavor. “I played volleyball up until junior high school,” said Swieczkowski, who also played softball through her sophomore year. “But, when I got to high school, I decided to focus on basketball.” Swieczkowski said it was difficult to give up softball, but she preferred the rhythm of roundball over the more placid play she encountered with a bat and glove at her disposal. “For me, basketball is more fun because it’s fast-paced,” she said. “Also, I like when it

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Walker Baty signed a national letter of intent to play football at the University of Texas-San Antonio with father David and mother Krista at Liberty Hill High School on Feb. 5.

Powerful defensive lineman will play for the Roadrunners

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor When Walker Baty walks onto the field at the Alamodome in San Antonio next season for his first college football game, the opposition will be fairly fierce. As in national champions Louisiana State University. Big difference from facing Lampasas or Burnet, but NCAA Division I football is a far cry from the Class 4A highschool variety. On Feb. 5, the Liberty Hill senior defensive lineman signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Texas-San Antonio and will be lining up wearing the colors of the Roadrunners next season. However, despite the fact getting the opportunity to continue his gridiron career at the college level is a great honor, Baty said his future could’ve just as easily been elsewhere. “It could’ve been basketball or baseball,” he said. “I’ve always loved sports.” But, football it is for Baty, who racked up 76 tackles and 11 sacks during his senior season for the Panthers and was named defensive MVP of the Blue-Grey Football All-American Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Jan. 20 as a member of the West squad, who defeated the East by a score of 37-30. Baty said one of the determining factors for his choice of colleges was new UTSA head Coach Jeff Traylor, who arrived from Arkansas after a successful career as a highschool head coach and college

assistant. “I like how he’s very generous, but always stays on track,” he said. “He likes to have fun, but can be hard when he needs to be.” According to Liberty Hill head football Coach Jeff Walker, he wasn’t sure Baty had it in him to be a big-time college football player – or even a football player, period – early on in his Panthers career. “During Walker’s freshman year, he didn’t like to do squats in the weight room,” said Walker. “But, then he started to see results and began to like the physicality of the football ﬁeld.” Baty admitted he had an aversion to weight training early on and needed plenty of encouragement. “Coach Walker really started getting on me about the weight room,” he said. “He’d be in my phone if I missed a session, but I like it now and I’m in there all the time – I’m probably in there about three hours a day because of him.” Baty said Walker was concerned about more than just weight work. “Even when I was on varsity as a sophomore, he’d be pounding it into my head to eat right and take care of myself,” he said. “He’s a really good coach, one of the best I’ve had and a genuine person.” Ironically, Baty’s love of basketball has made him a better football player, said Walker. “He has great feet for a big kid,” he said, of the 6-foot-4, 260-pound pass rusher. “Put

his quickness together with his size and you really have something. He’s deﬁnitely the kind of young man we don’t have come through here very often.” Walker said Baty will encounter the usual challenges when a player moves up to the college game. “At that level, it’s harder to compete,” he said. “So, he’ll have to get stronger and faster because there’s going to be a lot of guys his size.” Baty’s playing weight during football season was 290 pounds, but he’s down to about 260 during basketball and said he’s suited to play on the outside at UTSA if he remains lighter or can move back inside if his new coaches want him to bulk back up, an assessment his current coach agrees with. “I think he can do both – play inside or outside,” said Walker. The Liberty Hill sideline boss added if Baty is anything like he was in high school when he’s in college, opposing offenses better be ready. “Walker’s just a player – plain and simple,” said Walker. “He’s everybody’s nightmare going into games as far as how they’re going to block him.” Sufﬁce to say, Baty can’t wait to begin his college football career. “It’s a great feeling to know I have a home there and I’m wanted,” he said. “It’s going to be awesome – new team, new coaches – I’m really excited.”

Dejahnae Thompson, center, signed a national letter of intent to run track at Southwestern University. She is pictured with her father Dwaine and mother Alana at Liberty Hill High School on Feb. 5.

Star sprinter signs to run for Southwestern

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Dejahnae Thompson wasn’t always so fast. In fact, her time in the 400 meters as a freshman was a full nine seconds slower than it is currently in her senior season, an increase in speed she has used to earn a scholarship to Southwestern University in Georgetown, where she will compete for the Pirates after signing a national letter of intent on Feb. 5. “When I tell people I used to run much slower, they think it’s crazy,” said Thompson, who competes in the 100, 200 and 400 meters and both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Thompson played soccer as a youth, but once she arrived at the high school level, she knew her destiny was on the track, but she didn’t necessarily believe her dream to compete in college would come true, she said. “My goal was always to run in college,” said Thompson. “But, I didn’t get really serious until after my sophomore year.” According to Liberty Hill head girls’ track Coach Gretchen Peterson, Thompson deﬁnitely has what it takes to compete at the college level. “Dejahnae is an extremely hard worker, has a selﬂess attitude and never a complaint,” said Peterson. “She’s always open to being coached and has a good understanding of the work which needs to be put in by a track athlete because it doesn’t happen over-

night.” Southwestern is an NCAA Division III school and is a hefty increase as far as the competition level and commitment required, said Peterson. “It’s a big jump,” she said. “Mostly in the demands of running year round and constantly ﬁne-tuning yourself to compete every day for a spot because not everyone goes to the meets – you have to trust the process because it’s a whole new learning curve. But knowing her history and the way she attacks things, she should be ﬁne.” Peterson added Thompson has the proper combination of ability, desire to work and patience needed to succeed in track. “Running hurts and it takes a special kind of athlete,” she said. “The mental and physical demands are very high because of the time it takes to be good, but Dejahnae is very coachable and has one of the stronger work ethics I’ve seen – she sets goals and gives her best knowing her teammates and coaches are depending on her – she always does things the right way, is a great kid in the classroom and an outstanding young woman. She has integrity, holds herself to high standards, does everything with class and maturity and makes Liberty Hill proud.” Although Thompson had the chance to go to Concordia University in Austin, she chose to stay even closer to home. “I chose Southwestern be-

cause I wanted to go to a smaller, private school,” she said. “Also, I wanted to stay close to home because I come from a military family and we’re really close because it’s just us here.” Thompson knows she must continue to improve as she moves up and ﬁnds herself competing against better athletes, she said. “I think getting stronger is the main thing for me,” said Thompson. “The stronger you are, the faster you can get out of the blocks.” In order to increase her strength, she works with weights several days a week. “A lot of leg work like squats, lunges, box jump and body weight exercises like pull-ups and push-ups,” she said. “You need to be strong to maintain proper form because your arms help your legs move faster.” On the mental side, sprinting for short distances usually doesn’t involve pushing through pain barriers with the exception of one event – the 400. “Especially in the last 100 meters,” said Thompson. “So I just focus on my breathing and not the pain.” Away from the track, Thompson said she plans on studying art with the goal of getting into advertising and commercial art in order to give her creative side an outlet, she said. “I could never do anything business or medical,” said Thompson, who draws and

See THOMPSON, Page B6

Pair of Panthers’ post players come to play

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last week, spectators witnessed a pair of players assert themselves from a hoops perspective. Salado came to town for a rematch of the double district defeat the Panthers had suffered earlier this season on the Eagles’ home court and it was a decidedly different affair in the respective return engagements. The girls’ game was a nail-biter from beginning to end, with the kind of intensity one would expect for a pair of teams locked in a struggle for the district title. In fact, the score was tied after the ﬁrst quarter (8-8) and at halftime (20-20) as both sides delivered one blow after another in trying to gain the lead. Entering the fourth quarter, the Lady Panthers held a slim lead at 31-30. That was when Emma Hubbard decided to take matters into her own hands, as the sophomore center pulled down a pair of critical rebounds to go with two blocks and three clutch free throws to help put the proceedings on ice in favor of the Purple-and-Gold. Hubbard’s effort came after she had suffered a knee injury earlier in the game, only to return to the fray after having said joint taped up – and seemed energized.

She had already began the game with a flourish having scored three points, gotten two rebounds and a block in the opening stages before temporarily sitting out after the injury and it seemed as if what looked to be a promising performance was going to go by the wayside. However, once she returned to the lineup, Hubbard began to assert herself under the basket at both ends of the court in a way she hadn’t been during recent games – something that had prompted head Coach Chris Lange to challenge her coming into the game to provide more of. Well, she sure did and if Hubbard can continue to play that kind of dominant basketball, the Lady Panthers will be as well off down low as their counterparts on the boys’ side are with their big man. We speak of Walker Baty, of course. The Division I football signee is decent at hoops, as well and his 18 points against Salado in the second half of the doubleheader simply reminded everyone while he may be 30 pounds lighter now than when he last set foot on the gridiron, he’s still much more than most high school post players can handle. Baty scored 18 points on the evening, including 10 in the fourth quarter, as the Panthers finished off a 74-54 victory. One could almost sense the visitors wanting to wave a white flag and if it was a fight,

it certainly would’ve been stopped. Less than 12 hours after he had banged and bashed the Eagles into submission, Baty signed his name to a national letter of intent to play college football at the University of Texas-San Antonio, so it was a pretty hectic couple of days for the young man his teammates call “Big Walk.” A decent nickname, but how about something with a bit more imagination? “Big Red” is a contender, but falls a bit short of where we want to go with this. Here’s a guy who causes

coaches all over Central Texas to have nightmares trying to ﬁgure out how to either block him on a football ﬁeld or guard him on a basketball court only for him to get the job done regardless. Walker “Super Duty” Baty. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? After all, he’s just as tough and dependable as a big ‘ol Ford truck, so there we have it. But, back to the double-revenge the Panthers exacted on Salado. The earlier meeting between the respective teams was a dark night indeed for Liber-

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Right from the opening tip, Emma Hubbard (#25) came to play during the Lady Panthers’ home victory against Salado. ty Hill after both squads had suffered defeat on a cold, rainy night on the road, so to triumph in the rematches was sweet for the home team and the raucous crowd that roared for every basket during both the girls’ and boys’ games. Certainly it was the kind of hoops atmosphere we’ve been waiting for all season and the previous two home dates at the Purple Palace against Bur-

net and Lampasas were just as loud and vociferous, so well done. Next we’ll see what the ﬁnal stretch of the regular season holds for both Liberty Hill hoops squads and if the past few games have been any indication, we’re in for a wild postseason ride.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, February 13, 2020

(ABOVE) Kailey Berzin dives to the basket during the Lady Panthers’ 47-32 away win against Taylor on Feb. 11. (RIGHT) Jessica Holliday (#2) led Liberty Hill with 18 points in a 47-32 away win against Taylor.

District Champions

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

Lady Panthers’ 47-32 victory over Taylor clinches title

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor TAYLOR -- On a rainy night Jan. 17, the Lady Panthers lost their road game against Salado to fall to 2-1 in the district. Three-and-a-half weeks and seven wins later and they’re district champions after a 4732 road victory against Taylor in their regular-season ﬁnale. Jessica Holliday led the Lady Panthers with 18 points, including four 3-pointers in a contest in which the visitors were in control from beginning to end. Head Coach Chris Lange was understandably pleased with the effort of his club – not only on the game, but down the entire ﬁnal stretch of the season. “What this shows is how hard the girls have worked all season long to get here,” he said.

“They delivered and got the job done.” The Lady Panthers led 14-6 after the opening quarter, which was finished off with a Holliday bucket, then went right back to work on the Ducks in the second period. Taylor Swieczkowski hit a pair of baskets – including an and-one -- to keep the visitors rolling before Holliday drained a three and a couple free throws to end the half with Liberty Hill leading by a score of 25-11. Emma Hubbard and Baylee Laird scored st the outset of the third quarter, which was finished off by back-to-back threes from Holliday and Brooke Wright and the Lady Panthers held a 38-23 advantage entering the final period. Taylor began the fourth

quarter with a 7-0 run to pull within eight points at 38-30, but it was as close as the hosts would get the remainder of the game. Morgan Jackson hit a bucket to bump the lead back to 10, then Holliday hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game before Hubbard sealed the deal with a pair of baskets to close the game. Liberty Hill’s victory paired up with Salado’s 44-39 loss to Burnet clinched the district title for the Lady Panthers, who will be the number one seed in the opening round of the playoffs. Laird added eight points for Liberty Hill, while Hubbard scored seven and Swieczkowski ﬁve. According to Laird, she and her teammates are all set for

the postseason. “After finishing district so well, we’re really ready for the playoffs,” said Laird. “With us going up to Class 5A next season, it’s a really good feeling to have won district again – tonight we had no doubt because we know what we’re capable of.” Lange credited the Ducks’ defense for making it more difficult for his club. “We made some mistakes here and there and Taylor played really good defense – they make you play away from the basket,” he said. “But, we did enough to get the win.” As for his squad’s postseason aspirations, Lange said by no means will the Lady Panthers simply be happy with what they’ve already achieved. “We’ve never been satisfied

with winning the district,” he said. “We want to push on – going to Class 5A next season will change everything, so it’s a credit to our players.” Liberty Hill ﬁnished the regular season with an overall record of 21-14, including a 9-1 district mark. LHHS 88, Eastside Memorial 11 With the game already long since decided at the half, Lange issued a challenge to his players. “I wanted us to score at least 75 points and hold them to three or fewer the rest of the game,” he said. Sure enough, the Lady Panthers answered the bell on both and cruised to an easy 88-11 home victory over Eastside Memorial on Friday. Laird led Liberty Hill with 18

points, while Holliday added 17 and Regan Walker 13 on the evening. The Lady Panthers led 15-4 after one quarter and 36-9 at the half before leading 62-9 after three when the visitors failed to score on their way to only a single basket the entire second half of play. Lange said he wasn’t pleased with how his club began the game. “We played a little sluggish in the beginning,” he said. “We had to try and work on a few things and just get comfortable doing what we do, so we settled down after the ﬁrst quarter.”

Runnin’ Panthers keep rolling

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Walker Baty led Liberty Hill with 20 points in a 66-52 road win against Taylor on Tuesday.

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By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor TAYLOR -- Things got very physical for Walker Baty and his Liberty Hill teammates during their district road contest against Taylor on Feb. 11 – exactly how he likes it. Baty, who last week signed a national letter of intent to play football at the University of Texas-San Antonio next season, used every bit of his stature and strength in a 66-52 victory over the Ducks, as he led the Panthers with 20 points. Liberty Hill jumped out of the gates with a 7-0 run to start the game, as Kadin Knight and Baty hit buckets before Carson Perkins drained a three. After the Ducks had scored their ﬁrst points of the contest, Baty sandwiched another pair of hoops around another from Knight after he had stolen the ball and drove to the basket. But, neither was done there. Knight hit back-to-back buckets, the second of which was a 3-pointer before Baty was fouled and drained a free throw to give the Panthers a 19-12 lead after one.

Walker Weems hit the opening shot of the second quarter, but then Taylor got themselves back in the game with an 11-3 run and tied the score on two separate occasions late in the half, but the Panthers closed the quarter with a 7-0 run of their own. Hunter Clayton and Baty both scored, which was followed by a Perkins three to provide Liberty Hill with a 36-29 halftime lead. After being held to only a single basket in the second period, Baty came back with a vengeance in the third quarter, pouring in eight points, including an and-one after he was fouled driving the lane. Plenty of other Panthers contributed to what was a 25-point third-quarter performance, which saw them ahead by 17 entering the fourth at 61-44. Liberty Hill only scored ﬁve points in a slow-paced fourth quarter and cruised to victory. Perkins added 18 points on the evening, while Knight scored 14. According to head Coach Barry Boren, his side wasn’t

satisﬁed with their effort in the ﬁrst meeting between the teams this season – a 56-49 home victory on Jan. 24. “We had beaten them, but our guys didn’t feel like they had played their best,” said Boren. “We had 21 turnovers to their 10 in that game, so we needed to take care of the ball and they did it pretty well tonight.” Boren praised his club’s effort during the decisive third quarter, which saw the Panthers outscore Taylor by a 2515 margin. “We had some guys do some really timely things for us in the third,” he said. “Kadin (Knight) made some especially good plays.” Boren said the play of Perkins from his point-guard position opened up the Taylor defense. “Carson was so aggressive he kept them from doubling,” he said. “It was just a good group win and it sets the tone for the playoffs.” The Panthers are now on a seven-game winning streak, not having lost since the

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTOS

(ABOVE) The Lady Panthers have had plenty to celebrate since district play began, going 5-0 and outscoring their opponents by a 46-0 margin. (RIGHT) Emma Stephens (#8) leads the Lady Panthers with 22 goals on the season, including five in a 13-0 away win against Little River Academy.

GIRLS SOCCER

The Lady Panthers soccer squad hit the road Feb. 11 for a district matchup against Salado and came home with a 3-0 victory, as Emma Stephens led Liberty Hill with two goals. Madi Fuller added a goal for the Lady Panthers, her sixth of the season. Stephens has 22 goals on the current campaign, including 16 in district play, during which the sophomore midfielder has had multi-goal games in all five contests. Liberty Hill 13, Little River Academy 0 Stephens scored five goals to lead the Lady Panthers to an easy away victory against the Bumblebees. Fuller, Katie Wilson, Cordelia Brown, Bryden Bourgeois, Kaylee Richardson, Piper Tabor and Abbey Janicek also scored single goals in the win. Liberty Hill (11-1-3, 4-0) will next host Burnet on Feb. 14.

LAURA COLEMAN PHOTOS

(ABOVE) Senior Tyler Franklin and Ethan Warrington advanced to the Division II boys’ doubles final in Robinson on Feb. 7. (RIGHT) Freshman Patrick Fay teamed up with sister and senior Lorelei Fay to win the Division II mixed doubles championship in Robinson on Feb. 7.

TENNIS

The Liberty Hill tennis team played at the Robinson tournament Feb. 7 and competed against 20 teams from Class 2A to Class 6A from Dallas, Austin and Waco. Liberty Hill head Coach Philip Dodd was pleased with his team’s strong showing. “Teams like Mansfield Legacy, North Crowley, Round Rock, Waco Midway, Bryan, Groesbeck, Pflugervile, China Springs, Brock, Moody and others made a great tournament for us to play,” said Dodd. “It was a long day and we played at three different locations with the main site being Waco Regional Tennis Center, which boasts 18 courts

Runnin’

and a stadium court -- probably the nicest facility we’ll play at all year.” Dodd added the event was a good measuring stick of where his team is early going. “It was good to see how we stacked up against teams from different classification and different regions, especially because we’re moving to Class 5A next year,” he said. “I was very pleased with our showing -- we still have work to do, but they’re headed in the right direction.” In boys’ Division II doubles, it was an all Panthers final, as senior Tyler Franklin and junior Ethan Warrington will play sophomores Ethan Wukasch and Zack Kizer for the championship.

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district opener at Salado – a 70-62 loss on Jan. 17 and Boren is elated with how his team has responded ever since. “We lost our first district game and our backs were against the wall,” he said. “But, this is a really good team we have and I’m proud of how they’ve been able to come back.” Liberty Hill (24-7, 7-1) holds a one-game lead over Taylor atop the district standings and will next play at Burnet on Feb. 14 before closing the regular season at home against Lampasas on Feb. 18. LHHS 85, Eastside Memorial 19 Only three seconds had elapsed off the clock when Kaleb Bannon drove for an easy layup at the outset of Liberty Hill’s home district game

against Eastside Memorial on Friday, on which the senior guard was fouled and added the free throw for a 3-0 advantage. Game over. Seconds later, a steal produced another Bannon bucket and the Panthers were on the way to an 85-19 victory over their namesakes from Austin. Walker Weems soared to the hoop moments later for an emphatic dunk and it was 11-0 before the visitors managed a basket, which ended up being their only points of the first quarter. In fact, the Panthers used a 32-0 run bridging the first and second quarters in building a 43-2 advantage before Eastside scored again and had a 51-8 halftime lead. The game clock was left run-

Wukasch and Kizer were down 7-3 in their semifinal match against Round Rock McNeil, who had beaten the Panthers in the fall, but they continued to work and came back to win the match 9-7 and set up the all Liberty Hill final. Franklin and Warrington also had a tough semifinal match against regional team finalist China Springs winning, 9-7, but were ahead most of the match by a game and then closed it out at the end. “Closing out matches is still an issue with some of our players,” said Dodd. “But, the ones which are winning are doing it now, so that’s great improvement.” In Divison II mixed doubles, the brother/sister duo of

Patrick and Lorelei Fay dispatched China Springs in the finals, 8-, to claim their first championship of the year together after promising results during the fall season. Fay and Fay defeated Pflugerville Hendrickson in the first round, 8-2, then Grosebeck in the quarterfinals, 8-2, followed by a victory over district opponent Taylor in the semifinals, 8-5. In Divsion I mixed doubles, sophomores Colin Garner and Eliza Homorodi coming off their championship win in Llano last week, won their first

round match easily over Madisonville, 8-1, then lost to last years’ state qualifiers in mixed doubles in Class 3A from Brock in a close match 8-5 in the quarterfinals. “They’re playing well together and competed against a really good team,” said Dodd. “So far, they’re the surprise of the year.” In Division I girls’ doubles, Mackenzie Coleman and Ava Enstrom played well enough to reach the semifinals against state qualifiers from Groesbeck, but fell short 8-3. The duo defeated Herrera/Ju from

Waco Midway, 8 -5, then Marquez/Nunez of Little River Academy, 8-2 , before losing in the semifinals for a thirdplace finish again following a third Llano last week. “We just need to get more aggressive like the teams that have beat them,” said Dodd. “We don’t close out the net – we need to move more at the net and try to finish to point earlier. If they can do those things over the next couple of months, they’ll have a chance to make a run at regionals.”

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ning the entire second half as Liberty Hill led 62-13 after three periods and cruised to an easy win. Carson Perkins led the Panthers with 25 points, while Kadin Knight added 18 and Baty 16 on the game. However, the biggest cheers of the evening were reserved for when junior AJ Garza scored his first-ever varsity basket near the contest’s conclusion. According to assistant Coach Blake Boren, his squad approached the game like any other despite the lopsided nature. “We took it just as seriously as any other game,” said Boren. “It was a good chance to practice everything we do in a real game.”

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ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Cole Ondrasek (#22) added defense and rebounding in the win at Taylor on Feb. 11.

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Softball Continued from Page B2 earned-run average last season with five saves and 69 strikeouts in 69 innings, will now be the Lady Panthers’ number-one starting pitcher and the McLennan Community College commit should be able to fill the role of top gun in the circle for Brewer’s club along with fellow hurlers Hannah Cline and Korie Reinhardt. Dirner, who led the Lady Panthers last season with a .523 average to go with six home runs, 37 runs batted in, 46 hits and 43 runs scored and who has signed with Angelo State University, will play second base and shortstop and provide some pop in the Lady Panthers’ lineup, said Brewer. “We lost a lot of power from last year, but Ashton can definitely fill that role,” she said. “We also have some younger players who are working their way up – it’s all about pitch selection, getting their pitch and then knocking the cover off the ball.” Freshmen Sophia Knight and Ella Pogue will also be counted on to add another dimension to the Lady Panthers’ lineup. “We have a fast team, so we need to be able to play smallball and be smart,” said Brewer. “If you get on first base,

we want our players to have the mentality they’re going to score.” Of course, a perfect blend of power and speed is ideal for any team, she said. “What you really want is a mix of the two,” said Brewer. “You need variety, so we even want our most powerful hitter to be able to bunt.” According to Brewer, the only way to season a young club is to put them out on the field. “We have a lot of inexperienced players who are moving up this season,” said Brewer. “So, we’re just going to throw them into the fire.” However, all that being said, Brewer wants a particular kind of player on her team – one which is talented, but also bought into the program. “All of them have to earn their spots,” she said. “We want players who really want to go out there and compete – talent is good, but you can’t be satisfied.” In other words, intangibles are just as important as skills. “Our players need to have good softball knowledge,” said Brewer. “They need to be 100 percent about the team, be selfless and do what’s best for the team – things like moving

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Cheyenne Floyd (#11) will be the Lady Panthers’ number-one pitcher this season. around and playing different positions based on various situations and being able to work well together.”

Finally, they must be a burning desire within each individual. “We want to see how they re-

act under pressure,” she said. “People who are full of fire and energy and aren’t afraid of competition, knowing some

Thursday, February 13, 2020

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

of them will emerge as leaders – it’s all about what’s best for 2020 Liberty Hill softball.”

Rookies Continued from Page B1 belies her relative inexperience at the varsity level. “Kailey has great ball control,” said Bauer. “But, what impresses me the most is she’s so calm on the ball, which allows her to do a lot of things. Also, the way she sees the entire field slows everything down for her which lets her do things beyond her years.” Contreras is a midfielder who’s also played up front as a striker, as well as at the back as a defender and is one of the most versatile players on the Lady Panthers’ roster. “Kassidy’s filled a nice place for us in the midfield,” said Bauer. “She solidifies our four midfielders because the other three are more free to move around – with the stability she adds, she’s been the rock that sits in behind our attacking mids, which allows the others to go forward without worrying.” Emma Stephens, who has a team-leading 15 goals, is among the beneficiaries of Contreras’ solid play, along with fellow midfielders Madi Fuller, Mykenna Russo and Abbey Janicek, who have combined for another 18 between them on the season. Brown is a midfielder who plays out wide and displays a desire to play a spotless style, he said. “Cordelia makes freshman mistakes every now and then,” said Bauer. “But, she wants to be perfect and not make any – it helps us she’s learning so quickly and shows she really wants to be a part of our program and make a difference.” During a recent practice, Bauer instructed Brown to make runs to the far post when the opposite winger has the ball and is readying to send a cross

Peak

to the front of the net, advice that she took moments later and put one in the net – exactly the kind of attention-to-detail he wants his freshmen to take ownership of. “It was great to see her trying it,” he said. “We hope it carries over to a game because we want our wingers sneaking in and not just sitting back, but creating pressure without the ball.” Finally, Jaimez has already bought into the Lady Panthers’ culture of seeking perfection, he said. “Bella’s a very hard worker and her fitness level is outstanding,” said Bauer. “She’s willing to work and has gotten very comfortable with everything. She didn’t even play defense until this year, so sometimes she plays like a freshman, but she’s playing against girls who are four years older than her now and she’s done well – she wouldn’t be where she’s at if she hadn’t.” Bauer said while it may seem as if it’s been a smooth transition for the quartet on the surface, it’s taken plenty of effort to get so far, so fast, so soon. “It hasn’t been seamless – it never has been for any of our freshmen,” he said. “But, they’ve always had great leadership.” Bauer is referring to current players such as Fuller, Janicek, Russo and Piper Tabor, who have been around the program long enough to be completely qualified to show rookies the ropes. “Our older girls come in and work the younger players hard,” he said. “In fact, when they see someone has a great deal of talent, they want to bring it out of them.” Bauer added the learning

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nothing more scary than when a team quits on you – it’s a situation I never want to be in.” One situation Lange doesn’t mind being in is having Holliday or Swieczkowski at the free-throw line when the game is on the line, he said. “Jessica’s real confident at the line,” said Lange. “Taylor can knock them down all day long.” Precise shooting from the charity stripe is sometimes overlooked in the early stages of contests, he said. “Free throws can make or break a game,” said Lange. “For example, in the first Salado game (a 62-48 loss), if we make some of the early free throws, we stay in the game longer.”

Running sets can also have a profound impact on proceedings. “We have a fair amount of set plays,” he said. “What we run is situational and depends of what the defense is doing as far as if we try to get someone a shot or just run our normal offense. But, it would be nice if we never had to run a play.” As far as how his team will perform come pressure time at the end of the season, Lange is confident his charges will respond accordingly, he said. “I don’t expect our players to react any differently than they have all along,” said Lange. “We’re not talking about having to win any one game – if we do our job, we’ll win.”

Thompson Continued from Page B3

paints in her spare time. “I like art because it helps me relax and focus.” Once she arrives on campus, she knows she’ll be a lot busier than she ever has been and will have to handle it accordingly. “I know I’m going to have to manage my time and not get distracted,” she said.

When Thompson put pen to paper signing her letter of intent surrounded by family, friends and teammates, she said the entire experience was all a bit surreal. “It was crazy because this is actually real,” she said. “I’m really excited to be running in college.”

Kailey Fowler (#9) is second on the Lady Panthers with nine goals on the current campaign. curve for young players is even more pronounced due to the complex system the Lady Panthers employ. “We play in a way so different than anything they’ve ever done,” he said. “Everybody starts at square one to learn our system – how we want to control the field.” Fowler said part of the secret behind her success lies with the work she does on her own away from the practice pitch. “I’ll work on agility and ball-touching drills,” she said. “Especially my first touch, which is very important because it can’t be too big so the ball is out too far in front of me or too little so I overrun it.” The energetic, young striker has scored her goals in bunches this season, opening her highschool account with a hat trick in a 6-0 victory against Copperas Cove at the Panther Cup, followed by a four-goal performance in a 19-0 win against Jarrell in the district opener and a pair of scores in a 16-0 home win against Florence, a game in which she also picked up three assists. But, it’s not all about physical skill for Fowler, who realizes the mental game is just as important, she said. “Along with speed, you have to be smart,” said Fowler. “When you make your runs forward, you have to know what you’re doing, so you’re not offside and can take your opportunities. Sometimes, it can be difficult when you’re really into the game because you’re wanting to go.” According to Fowler, she’s even surprised herself a bit with the success she’s found so early on. “When I first moved here, I saw how the girls played,” said Fowler, who moved to Liberty Hill as an eighth-grader. “I thought there was a possibility I wouldn’t make the varsity.” Suffice it to say, she’s certainly made the grade, as her goal-scoring record would suggest, but just because she’s playing with the big girls doesn’t mean she’s at all complacent concerning her spot on the squad.

SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTOS

Bella Jaimez (#17) has an outstanding work ethic and fitness level, and has provided the Lady Panthers with an additional offensive threat from her wing back position. “I know I have to work hard to keep my place on the team,” she said. “You have to keep showing how good you are and give 100 percent in practice with no slacking – you have to practice the same way you play games.” Unlike some of her teammates who are longtime Liberty Hill residents and have played with each other at the lower levels of local soccer for years before they even reach high school, Fowler hasn’t been afforded that luxury, although it didn’t take much time to fit in with her new surroundings. “It really didn’t take very long – all it took was communication,” said Fowler. “Over the summer, I would go to the open fields and show them how I play while I was trying to get better.” Bauer said this season’s freshmen are simply the latest in a long line of young players who have continued along the Purple-and-Gold pipeline of success. “For us, it’s about average to have good, young players come in every year,” he said.

“For example, some of the players we have now like Alyssa (Lee), Emma (Stephens) and Katie (Wilson) were all outstanding as freshmen. Every season, we look to add three or four very good players and get them experience really fast – that way we never have to worry about the future too much – it’s all part of the culture and tradition around here.” However, if there’s one aspect of indoctrination which is most important, it’s buying into and accepting being part of the program certainly won’t be easy by any means, said Bauer. “I think the expectations we have here is the biggest challenge for new players,” he said. “They all know we’re not going to settle and it’s going to be about hard work and getting better every day.” Of course, young players will always be prone to mistakes, but it’s not so much making them as it is how you react and recover, said Bauer. “One of the biggest things I preach to our players is as

long as you’re working hard, it’s what you do next that matters – as long as you’re getting better – we want our players to look at it that way.” As for the freshman class he has at his disposal this season, their collective performance thus far into the campaign has alleviated concerns he had before the first ball was kicked, he said. “They’ve stepped into some roles we were worried about back before the season began,” said Bauer. “You don’t know how players are going to react during games.” But, he’s not settling for the considerable amount they’ve already shown. “They’ve learned a lot,” he said. “But, they still have a long way to go because of the high expectations we have for all of our players.” Certainly a sentiment shared by Fowler when one of her shots ends up in the back of an opposing net. “I feel like my work’s done,” she said. “But, I always want to get more.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO

BOYS SOCCER

On Feb. 11, the Panthers played a road game at Salado and emerged with a 4-0 win. On Feb. 7, the Panthers were defeated by Little River Academy by a score of 1-0. Liberty Hill (9-6, 3-1) will next host Burnet on Friday. In the photo above, Jessie Anaya (#12) moves the ball upﬁeld during the Panthers’ 2-1 home loss to Stephenville on Feb. 13.

GOLF

The Liberty Hill golf team competed Feb. 6 at the Lake Travis Invitational. Matthew Sterling ﬁnished second after posting a round of 76 as Charlie Lippa of Lake Travis won with a 75. Other Panthers playing in the

event were Charlie Calabretta, who shot a 79 and Reese Vickers who carded a score of 119. The girls played in a tournament in Lampasas and senior Cheryl Gauthier shot a 78, which was good for a thirdplace ﬁnish behind winner Elle Fox of Copperas Cove, who

In Division II girls’ doubles, first-time teammates Ava Ortgea and Cassidy Sudekum played well together, good enough for a second- place finish. The pair had a 5-0 lead in the finals over Round Rock McNeil team, but couldn’t close out the match after having several 40-15 leads. “Closing out matches comes

with experience and match play. Ava is gaining great experience this year as a freshmen and will carry it over,” said Dodd. “Cassidy is spread too thin. She competes on the swim team, speech and debate teams and played basketball last year. She hasn’t put the time on the court others have and needs to if she wants to stay competitive with the new

TENNIS Continued from Page B5

posted a round of 72. Other Panthers who competed were Sarah Baker (18th, 96), Brooklyn Huckaby (43rd, 108), Morgan Poulain (44th, 109) and Emma Heibner (54th, 117).

players on the team and the new ones coming up from junior high next year. But, she’s a competitor and wants to win every time she steps on the court.” In Division I girls’ singles, sophomore Sophie Sherman was the number-two seed, but missed the trip due to illness. In Division II girls’ singles, senior Lauren Crow pushed

Marissa Ezzo finished ninth in the 148 class with a score of 260-115-215-590 at the Lehman Lobo Invitational on Feb. 8. Jena Pina was third in the 114 press of 285 and a dead lift of POWERLIFTING class with a lift of 230-105- 385 for a score of 1,080. The Liberty Hill powerlifting James Eckford was ninth in 250, with a total score of 585, team competed Feb. 8 at the Lehman Lobo Invitational in Madison Knisely was fourth in the 148 class with a score of Kyle and had some promising the 142 division with 250-125- 365-235-360-960, while Jack250 for 625, Taylor Sims fin- son Harrison finished eighth results. As a team, the Panthers finished fifth in the 181 class with in the 275 division with a 505ished fourth in the girls’ com- a score of 325-135-285, with a 265-395-1165, Ismael Jacinto petition with 11 points in the score of 745 and Marissa Ezzo was ninth in the 132 class with was ninth in the 148 class with 265-160-300-725 and Keegan 19-team field. Klaus-Ryan was 10th in the Perla Hernandez had the best a score of 260-115-215-590. On the boys’ side of the com275 class with 480-295-380individual result, finishing secpetition, Juan Delacruz posted 1,155. ond in the 198-pound division Liberty Hill will next comwith a total lift of 735 pounds, the Panthers’ highest result with a sixth-place fi nish in pete in Salado on Feb. 20. including 295 in the squat, 150 the 165-pound division with a in the bench press and 250 in squat of 410 pounds, a bench the dead lift.

through several tough opponents to capture her ﬁrst title of the year, winning in the ﬁnals 8-4 over China Springs. “Lauren is getting better each week,” said Dodd. “She had been working a lot, but not on the tennis court. Now, she’s putting more time in with her tennis and it’s starting to pay off.” In Division II boys’ sin-

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gles, Will Gray played tough matches before falling in the consolation semiﬁnals to Waco Midway, 6-3. “Will is getting better each week and growing as well,” said Dodd. “He’ll play mixed doubles this week again and should do well.” Liberty Hill will next compete in Copperas Cove on Feb. 14.

“We’ll see our toughest district opponent in Lampassas this week,” said Dodd. “So, it’ll give us a preview of how we’ll do in district play.”

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Congratulations, Kelly Banner-Shelley

Kelly and P.J. Shelley were married April 30, 2017, at Pecan Springs Ranch in Austin. The couple will be celebrating three years of marriage, and nine years together this year. The Shelleys’ photo won First Place in The Independent’s photo contest on Facebook and the couple received a $50 gift certiﬁcate from All Stems from Sophia Florist in Liberty Hill. (Courtesy Photo)