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2020

Volume 33, Issue 29

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June 11, 2020 | 50 Cents

Council approves new social media policy

By SHELLY WILKISON Publisher Seated together at the dais Monday for the first time since March, the unmasked City Council approved changes to the City’s Social Media Policy, authorized the Mayor to negotiate an agreement for the purchase of Lions Foundation Park, and switched members’ appointments on city committees.

In addition to naming certain City staff members who are authorized to use City social media pages, the new policy provides guidelines on moderating comments to City posts. Authorized employees, including the Mayor, may remove personal attacks, derogatory content, political endorsements, sensitive personal information, fraudulent or harassing material. “We wish to promote effective communication with respectful dialogue,” the policy states.

The City’s social media sites are subject to the Texas Public Information Act, including a list of subscribers and posted communications.

The policy states that city employees “will communicate truthfully and accurately, strive to avoid misunderstandings, and correct errors of fact as they become known.”

See COUNCIL, Page 10 ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

EDC awards first nine business grants

selves.

“Four weeks ago, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to do this,” said Snell, in his opening remarks to the crowd. “But, the seniors came to me and said, ‘If there’s one thing we want more than any other, it’s one last sunset together as a class.’ So, here we are – God is good and we’re going to have a great evening.”

Cole Ondrasek began with the official welcome followed by the invocation from Lana Scott and the Pledge of

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation (EDC) unanimously approved nine of the first 18 applications for the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Program.

Of the nine that were not approved, four were being sent back to applicants for more information or clarifications and five were denied grants. The total awarded was $43,500 of the available $100,000 allocated for the grant program.

The nine approved businesses had completed applications and met the requirement of being within the city limits.

They were Quick Service Garage – which is owned

by Council member Kathy Canady – Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant, Liberty Hill Pharmacy, Liberty Hill Beer Market, Malted Grains and Happy Wok at the maximum $5,000; while Grand Donuts requested $4,000 and Hair Stop requested $4,500 and were both approved for that amount.

The EDC Board considered each application in turn, only raising questions when forms were not complete or the business location came into question. Happy Trails Learning Center and Liberty Hill Pediatrics were sent back for more information on the applications, and a decision on Hell or High Water Brewery was postponed to allow interim EDC Director Matt Powell to discuss the application with the owners.

The new brewery and restaurant downtown applied for two

See GRADUATION, Page 4

See GRANTS, Page 4

Liberty Hill High School saluted 282 graduates in a ceremony June 5 at Panther Stadium. While very few wore masks, the students were positioned six feet apart on the field, and families distanced themselves in the bleachers.

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

LHHS sends off the Class of 2020

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor At last, the seniors of Liberty Hill High School were able to bring the curtain down properly.

After being initially scheduled for May 22, only to be postponed due to the global pandemic, the Class of 2020 was finally able to go ahead with their commencement on June 5 at Panther Stadium.

According to Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell, the event almost never happened but for an impassioned plea from the graduates them-

Editor’s Note: This edition features the second installment of a series of stories on the seven local charitable organizations selected to participate in the Liberty Hill Day of Giving on June 26. Learn more and contribute at www.LHIndependent.com/liberty-hill-day-of-giving.

The Liberty Hill Public Library hopes to use the money is raises during the Day of Giving to improve their tech and bridge the digital gap. (Courtesy Photo)

Liberty Hill Public Library hopes to bridge the digital divide

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer The importance of the public library in a community like Liberty Hill extends beyond just checking out books. For many residents, it’s a necessity for their technological needs.

“We provide resources and free computers, DVDs, audiobooks, and educational databases,” said Librarian Angela Palmer. “We don’t charge anything to the public.

Our goal is to provide free educational and recreational resources for everybody.”

The public library hopes to expand its services and impact on the community by providing more computers for patrons.

“What we’re asking for this year are computers and Wi-Fi hotspots,” said Palmer. “One of the things we need is computers because we only have four public computers that get tons of use because a lot of people out here can’t afford or do not have internet access.”

The library’s work isn’t strictly educational. In some cases, their work is helping people

make a living.

“We would like to expand our computers because a lot of people are looking for jobs, and we help a lot of people apply for jobs,” said Palmer.

Palmer believes an issue that faces the community is technological literacy, and she is trying to address it because knowing these skills in the 21st Century is vital to everyday life.

“A lot of people don’t know how to do computer basics like

See LIBRARY, Page 8

Horses for healing

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer The use of animals in therapy isn’t a new concept. While dogs tend to be the most popular animal for treatment, at Spirit Reins, horses are helping to heal those suffering from trauma.

“Our mission is to offer help and healing to children and families that have experienced trauma,” said Spirit Reins Executive Director Rhonda Smith. “We partner licensed health professionals and equine professionals with horses to help children feel and experience love and belonging.”

Smith grew up on a horse ranch and, after leaving a corporate job, founded Spirit Reins in February 2003.

“When I left the corporate

Spirit Reins provides 125 arches for 30 horses available to be partnered with children and families dealing with trauma.

(Courtesy Photo) world to follow my heart, my two passions were children and horses, and I wanted to find a way to put those things together. That’s what Spirit Reins became, a culmination of those two passions. I didn’t

know at the time how powerful horses would be in this work.

The kind of trauma that Spirit Reins helps with doesn’t boil down to just one thing. It

See SPIRIT, Page 8

Page 2

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Event promoting Community Patrol group canceled after concerns of Police Chief, others

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By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer An event promoting the creation of a local community patrol was canceled June 5 after citizens complained on social media and to Liberty Hill Police.

Event organizer Larry Diffey of Liberty Hill, said the need for creation of a community patrol group was in response to recent civil unrest in Austin and areas near Liberty Hill.

Diffey’s initial Facebook post for the event has since been removed, but the private group page remains. Comments on the post, which he shared on various Liberty Hill public group Facebook pages, were tense with many contributors in disagreement with a need for such a group.

Amanda Young, one who commented on the post, said she believes it’s an overreaction and sends a negative mes-

sage to local law enforcement.

“I think the community should be much more concerned about armed neighbors overreacting over nothing,” she said. “Creating a group like this only tells our local police department that we don’t have faith in their ability to protect us.”

Before being deleted, the post said the effort was in response to “violence and destruction as close as Cedar Park. There is a strong possibility that as the more populated areas ramp up response forces that the BLM (Black Lives Matter) and Antifa (an anti-fascist political movement) groups will be doing hit & run type destruction on outlying areas.”

In a letter posted on Facebook on June 4 -- two days before the event was set at City Park -- LHPD Chief Royce Graeter, addressed these concerns, In this screenshot of Larry Diffey’s original post, he invites the community to participate in a Community Patrol to be a deterSee PATROL, Page 5 rent to any violence that might come to Liberty Hill.

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Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

Week of June 1-7 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 399 incidents resulting in 10 cases, 23 citations, 78 warnings and three arrests.

Weekly Highlights: - On June 1 at approximately 10:31 AM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a child custody issue.

- On June 1 at approximately 1:13 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a harassment complaint.

- On June 1 at approximately 1:30 PM, officers responded to the 11000 block of W. SH 29 for a theft complaint.

- On June 1 at approximately 9:02 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident.

- On June 2 at approximately 1:38 PM, officers responded to Proclamation Ave for a harassment complaint.

- On June 2 at approximately 10:40 PM, officers arrested a male adult with an outstanding warrant and resisting arrest, as the result of a traffic stop on the 14000 block of W. SH 29.

- On June 3 at approximately 1:04 PM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 to assist a stranded motorist.

- On June 3 at approximately 6:22 PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a disturbance, resulting in the arrest of male adult for assault and interference with an emergency call.

- On June 3 at approximately 10:46 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a disturbance.

- On June 4 at approximately 9:41 AM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a theft complaint.

- On June 4 at approximately 4:01 PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for

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- On June 4 at approximately 6:10 PM, officers responded to Ronald Reagan to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 4 at approximately 8:14 PM, officers responded to Kingfisher Lane to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 4 at approximately 9:28PM, officers responded to CR 200 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 5 at approximately 9:47 AM, officers responded to the 9000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 5 at approximately 7:47 PM, officers responded to the 16000 block of W. SH 29 for a traffic hazard.

- On June 6 at approximately 2:48 AM, officers responded to Red Matador and Rusk Bluff to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 6 at approximately 1:56 PM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 20 for a fraud complaint.

- On June 6 at approximately 7:30 PM, officers responded to Lola Drive for a violation of a court order resulting in the arrest of a male adult.

- On June 7 at approximately 12:53 AM, officers responded to Stubblefield for a disturbance.

- On June 7 at approximately 10:15 AM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RM 1869 for an accident.

- On June 7 at approximately 5:58 PM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH 29 for a traffic hazard.

- On June 7 at approximately 11:18 PM, officers responded to Red Mulberry Way to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

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Thursday, June 11, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 3

EDITORIAL: If it’s a cover-up, it will come unraveled Everyone knows that a certain incident occurred.

Everyone knows it happened because there were witnesses.

Turns out one of the witnesses was you. You were represented at the incident by a tiny electronic gadget -- a camera in a police car.

Yes, since we were all working at real jobs, taking care of our families and obligations, paying our mortgages and our taxes, we couldn’t be there in person. But the law, public policy and good state government placed the camera there to make sure our interests were protected.

But our publicy-owned camera and the cloud storage were not the only witnesses. Others in the Police Department saw it. In fact, a grievance from the former police chief to the City indicates the FBI also became interested and requested all of the video. While only a patrol unit video was electronically transferred to the requesting agency, it traveled across

space and time creating even more witnesses.

The body cam video matters because a licensed Texas peace officer raised its evidential existence in more than one official government document.

Whether or not the officer’s allegation is true that it documents inappropriate behavior by the Mayor during a ride along can only be answered by the public viewing of the video.

Taken while he was a frontseat passenger during a ride along with former Officer Jeff Farmer, the audio and video footage on Farmer’s body camera reportedly shows the Mayor using profanity, making offensive comments about the suspect and other law enforcement agencies, and accessing the police unit computer during a high-speed chase of a motorcycle.

When The Independent requested the video from the City of Liberty Hill we received various responses that could

be perceived as stonewalling.

Among other explanations, they asked why we want it.

And in accordance with the law that states they shouldn’t ask, we didn’t answer.

In his defense, Mayor Rick Hall doesn’t intimate that the video doesn’t exist. Instead, he says that we didn’t request the correct date of the incident so the City won’t release it.

And while he is correct that the law requires a date certain to obtain body camera footage, the response is typical for this administration.

Instead of being forthcoming with information, it is common practice for the City to hide behind the law waiting for the public to get lucky, pull the arm and hit the jackpot on the exact combination of words that line up like images on a slot machine.

The law is clear, and the newspaper is putting city government on notice that it is a criminal violation to destroy this video evidence, edit it, or

alter a government document in any way.

It is a travesty of the public interest for this City Council, city staff and lawyers to become involved in what appears to be a political stonewalling and cover-up of one of their own member’s actions. Their organized silence is unethical and runs counter to the spirit of open government and Texas open records laws.

This Council appears to have forgotten its primary obligations to its citizens to act in honesty and openness. It appears they have chosen to circle the wagons and protect one of their own rather than ask the questions we are asking.

Denial is truth for this Council, and everything said by a handful of employees and former employees is easily squashed as sour grapes.

One can only wonder why they aren’t asking questions of the Mayor. Why don’t the mounting accusations against Hall matter to this Council?

Throwback Thursday

Smith honored on 50th year with Cashway

By JAMES WEAR Columnist As a young man growing up in rural Te n n e s see, Ezra “Smitty” Smith probably had no idea he’d wind up in Central Texas some seven decades later...and still working for the same company he joined back in 1970 while living in West Texas.

And when we use the term “work” we’re not talking about sitting behind a desk in an air-conditioned office and shuffling paperwork...no, five days a week, 12 hours a day one can find Smitty on a forklift, putting together loads of

lumber for area home builders.

He first joined Cashway Lumber five years after the company was started by Barney Ward in Odessa back in 1965. Several years later, when Ward’s son-in-law, Robin Bledsoe, came to Leander to open a store, he tabbed Smitty as the man he wanted at his side to build the business. And they literally did, pouring concrete and standing up walls for the initial store that would later become a storage building.

The Leander Cashway opened its doors in 1984, and as Leander grew, so did the business.

The company weathered the lean years, and under Robin’s guidance, added more employees and additional delivery trucks. Smitty and

Store manager Mitch Bledsoe looks on as Smitty Smith, left, shows off plaque recognizing his 50 years as an employee of See THROWBACK, Page 5 Cashway Building Materials. (Courtesy Photo)

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Why hasn’t there been an item on a public meeting agenda regarding five pages of allegations against Hall made by former Chief Maverick Campbell? Don’t the accusations deserve at least cursory consideration, maybe even an investigation? The Council investigated Campbell and City Secretary Barbara Zwernemann, so what’s wrong with giving the same consideration to claims against an elected official?

If the Council is truly independent of the Mayor, as some members claim, and they want to do the right thing for the community, the way to begin is to have the courage to launch an inquiry, and be honest and transparent in providing their findings to the public.

If the allegations of inappropriate behavior inside a police unit are incorrect, it would be easy to set that record straight and put the matter to rest by releasing the video.

While the scent of a salary and the absence of political opponents may have created a very different scenario in our hometown this year, it’s one that always brings down those seeking power and money for themselves.

What is done in darkness is always eventually uncovered when someone opens the curtains of secrecy and sunlight spills into the room.

Because it’s our job, The Independent will continue our search for the truth. When we find it, we’ll print it for you.

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

To the Community of Liberty Hill ISD:

As elected officials in Liberty Hill ISD, we are proud to serve this great community and understand our responsibility for serving and responding to the needs of the community.

The recent events in our country have left us heartbroken.

These events have opened old wounds and will create new scars for years to come. We are reminded that we live in a world in which racism exists and we recognize that LHISD is not excluded from this. We stand together with our Superintendent and the staff of LHISD to condemn racism, discrimination, and exclusion of any kind.

We are all searching for the right words to say and life lessons to help students and our own children to understand what they are witnessing today is inexcusable and unfortunately, a reality all of us have seen or experienced at some degree or point in our lives. We are looking for a solution that will end racism. The truth is we do not have the perfect answer, but as a community, we can forge a path to stop acts of racism, to stop hatred, and create a true Championship culture. One that does not tolerate racism and one that embraces as high of a standard for char-

acter, as it does for academics and athletic achievement.

We believe in the leadership in our district, we believe in our teachers, we believe in the LHISD Police Department, and most importantly, we believe in our students.

The school community cannot do this alone. We have strong policies in place, policies that address discrimination, and affirmative action. We also understand that no policy, rule or punishment can prevent racism. Silence and failure to act are not acceptable and we want to take an active stand and open the door to the Liberty Hill community to join our school district in keeping our school safe for all students.

LHISD prides itself on our designation as a “No Place for Hate” district and we as members of the LHISD school board are committed to ensuring that the message of equity, fairness, understanding, and respect is upheld in our schools. We welcome the Liberty Hill community to join our school district in keeping our school safe for all students.

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Page 4

GRADUATION

Allegiance, which was led by Lauren LaDuque.

Emily Barnett kicked off the festivities with a rousing version of the National Anthem and was pleased to be back among her classmates, she said.

“Singing the anthem was a huge honor and an unbelievable opportunity,” said Barnett, who will attend Baylor University and study musical theater performance. “It’s so exciting to see everybody one last time.”

However, there was one thing that caused her consternation before the ceremony.

“I’m super nervous because of all the walking I’m going to have to do in these shoes,” she joked, referring to her choice of high-heel footwear.

Madison Sears was one of the graduates on this night and was overwhelmed by the opportunity to re-unite with her classmates after the global COVID-19 pandemic prematurely ended their senior year.

“This is so awesome,” said Sears, who starred in cross country and track during her time in Purple-and-Gold and will attend Blinn College before transferring to either Texas A&M or the University of Colorado. “For me, it’s a mix

GRANTS

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 1

of emotions and it’s definitely different, but it was important for me to be able to have this closure.”

Vince Hernandez, who will study architecture at the University of Texas, was already looking forward to the impact he plans on having on the world – but not without one last chance to reflect back.

“I like being able to leave a footprint,” he said. “But, I’ve been looking forward to this ceremony for my whole life.”

Once all 282 seniors had migrated from the staging area to the floor of the stadium – sitting in white chairs placed six feet apart in observance of social distancing policies – the first of the night’s speakers stepped to the podium in class Salutatorian Sutton Landers-Carlyon, who spoke about the massive amount of changes all of them had gone through over the entire four-year matriculation process.

“High school was daunting for all of us,” he said. “We were leaving a world of familiarity and undergoing drastic changes. As humans, we’re creatures of habit by nature and resist change – nobody wants to live a new life, so we wage war against change, yet here we are sitting now as dif-

Continued from Page 1

different grants – one under the restaurant and another under the brewery, which are two separate businesses, but the EDC Board preferred to only approve one grant, or split the total amount between both businesses. Powell was tasked with discussing those options with the business owners.

Three of the five businesses not approved for the grant – Vizionz Salon, Texas Paint & Fabrication, and Hilltop Children’s Center – are outside the city limits. The Board rejected KLM Custom Homes because it did not meet the qualifications and did not approve Hear It All because the business is currently moving its Liberty Hill location elsewhere.

When the EDC began discussing the program in early May, the outline of the proposal was to take $100,000 of

Thursday, June 11, 2020

EDC funds and make available up to 20 grants for up to $5,000 each for local businesses.

The criteria stipulates to be eligible a business must have 50 or fewer employees, have a publicly accessible location within the corporate limits of Liberty Hill, must not be home-based, in good standing with the City regarding fees and financial obligations, and must provide a current sales tax certificate.

Businesses must also demonstrate current or anticipated declining revenue beginning March 1 due to the impact of COVID-19.

According to the EDC website, the deadline for applications was Wednesday. The next meeting where the Board will consider applications is June 17.

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

(ABOVE LEFT) Seniors line up to take their seats on the field. (ABOVE RIGHT) Valedictorian Shantika Ramsingh delivers her speech. (BELOW) Kristopher Draper makes his way back to his seat after receiving his diploma as Trustee Clay Cole looks on. ferent people.” mental engineering. “Although Landers-Carlyon, who will the past will be remembered study chemical engineering at and the future is in store, all the University of Texas, went we have is right now.” on to more closely describe In closing, a sense of nostalhis own transformation from gia was already beginning to just another kid who wanted to set in. get by at the beginning to the “When I look back at high determined, motivated young school, I won’t remember all man he had grown into. the stress, all the studying or “Back when I was freshman, tests I either failed or nailed,” all I wanted to do was the bare she said. “Building meaningful minimum,” he said. “But, that relationships is more important quickly faded and now I’m than good grades.” confident all of us can tackle Liberty Hill High School anything that comes our way.” Principal Jonathan Bever was Valedictorian Shantika Rams- one of the final speakers after ingh soaked in the moment the graduates had all filed up to and everything it represented the front to receive their diploduring her speech. mas and returned to their seats.

“I remember walking into a “This might not be what we new school on the first day of had imagined,” he said, of the freshman year,” she said. “In health guidelines, the mansome ways, it seemed as if this ner in which the ceremony day would never come.” was held and the timing of it.

Ramsingh then went on to list “But, despite all the bumps and some of the memories that will bruises along the way, look stand out in her mind for the who’s still standing.” rest of her life, breaking them Bever went on to praise those Find more photos from Liberty Hill’s Class of 2020 graduation down into specific places on seated before him as he looked online at www.lhindependent.smugmug.com. the school grounds. out over the assembled student eration. stronger because of where you “This building over here body.

“As you move forward, trust sit.” holds so many memories for “I believe this will now be in your instincts,” he said. “AlSears said the occasion was me,” she said. “From the dance a generation which doesn’t ways be conscious of choices almost too good to be true. room to the foyer where I was take anything for granted,” he which can affect your future – “It feels surreal to all be here fitted for my cap and gown.” said. “All of you have come to always be true to yourself and together again after we’ve been She went on to say perhaps the powerful realization how remain loyal to your core val- apart,” she said. “In a way, it the chain of events was exactly important is it to value what ues, but follow your dreams, felt like we had all moved on as it was meant to be. you have, when you have it. embrace opportunities and with our lives already. But, it “We didn’t get the ending we You’ve chosen to be better and listen to advice from others just goes to show with all the deserved to our senior year, as look at it as if everything has who have wisdom, experience bad stuff going on, there’s alfar as all the things we missed happened for you and not to and even those who have made ways something better at the out on,” said Ramsingh, who you.” mistakes. You’ve all learned a end, so that makes this even will attend the University of Sage advice was the next great deal this year and I be- more special.”

Texas and major in environ- thing Bever offered for consid- lieve this senior class is now

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Thursday, June 11, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 5

Teaching across the spectrum Pyle enjoys instructing students in all subjects

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor When Courtney Pyle made the decision to pursue a career in education, she was certain of one thing. “I chose elementary education so I could work with younger children and teach all subject areas,� said Pyle. “The younger children really touch my heart. I love watching their minds grow as they inquire about the world around them.�

For her continuing efforts, Pyle was recently named Rancho Sienna Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year for 2019-2020.

Pyle currently teaches kindergarten, which she has for six years after having taught ďŹ rst grade and pre-kindergarten each for a year, and has been at Rancho Sienna since the school opened three years ago.

Returning to her theme of having a passion to shape the youngest of minds, Pyle said the willingness of students at that early age to learn and soak up as much as they can lights a ďŹ re within her, as well as the fact they look up to who is showing them the way. “I chose a career in education because I wanted to make a difference in children’s lives,â€? she said. “I’ve absolutely loved being a teacher and I especially like working with the younger students because they have so much enthusiasm and admiration for their teachers.â€?

According to Pyle, the familial atmosphere that exists at Rancho Sienna is perhaps the most enjoyable aspect when

she steps onto the campus and into her classroom each day – a factor that makes receiving the award that much more special. “It’s a very big honor to be chosen as Rancho Sienna’s Teacher of the Year,� said Pyle. “I’ve always felt the staff there was more of a family than simply co-workers. What I get most out of teaching is loving my students and teaching them to love others, as well. My students always know that no matter what is going on in their lives, they can come to school each and every day and feel safe and loved and their teacher will welcome them with a warm smile and a big hug.�

Rancho Sienna Principal Melanie Bowman realizes the gem she has in Pyle as far as her never-ending selessness and desire and ability to enrich everyone’s experience. “Mrs. Pyle is a champion for herself, her students and our kinder team each and every day. If there’s a problem, she’s the ďŹ rst one to come up with as many solutions as possible,â€? she said. “If a student is having a tough day, she does whatever she can to bring a smile to their face. If someone on our team needs a favor, she’s the ďŹ rst to volunteer her time and effort.

Rancho and our kinder team wouldn’t be the same without her – we love and appreciate her so much.�

Bowman added the fact Pyle is always on the go with her many responsibilities – both in and out of school – makes it that much more remarkable she can accomplish so much.

saying, “At present, we have not had any indication of violence, riots or looting making their way into Liberty Hill.

Should situations like these come about, we are prepared to handle the situation. We have a great, and very safe community, here in Liberty Hill.�

In response to statements in the Facebook post that some people felt encouraged violence, Graeter continued, saying, “Many have mentioned

and been concerned with social media posts involving violence which were associated with the group. This is always discouraged, and I did communicate this earlier in my meeting with the group organizer.�

The Independent reached out to Diffey for comment, but he responded, “At this point, things have gotten so twisted around, I’d rather just not say anything else about it.�

PATROL Continued from Page 2

“Courtney always has a positive attitude even when times are tough,� she said. “She has a very busy personal life with her children and still manages to be an amazing mother and teacher.�

However, maintaining a status quo in the classroom simply doesn’t get it done for Pyle. “She’s constantly trying to come up with better ways to do things in the school and classroom,� said Bowman. “If anyone ever needs help with something, she’s always willing to jump in and help.

Courtney is always willing to step in and lend a hand when somebody needs assistance – she never needs to be asked.�

But, perhaps the most valuable aspect of Pyle is simply the endearing personality she brings. “Even with challenges, she puts on a smile – she’s constantly our team’s cheerleader,â€? said Bowman. “We can always count on her to lift others up with words of afďŹ rmation, a smile and a hug. She does this for everyone on our team and our campus, as well as our students.â€?

Pyle said she also takes great satisfaction in laying down a solid base for young students to build on as they begin their educational journeys. “I think every grade has its challenges,� she said. “But, teaching kindergarten is a very important role because we’re building the foundation for students for what’s to come in future years. If they don’t have a strong foundation, they’ll

Courtney Pyle, who was named Rancho Sienna’s Teacher of the Year for the 2019-20 school year, enjoys providing a foundation for the future as a kindergarten teacher. (Courtesy Photo) continue to struggle in school.

In kindergarten, students learn how to read, so it’s imperative we work very hard to ensure every student has the tools they will need to be ready for the next school year. When kindergarten students begin the year with us, they’re like a blank slate and we have the opportunity and privilege to teach them social skills and leave a lasting impression.�

Sometimes enough of a lasting impression to inspire youngsters to aspire to emulate those guiding them along the educational trail, said Pyle. “When we discuss careers and the children express what they want to be when they ‘grow up,’ I always tell them they can do anything they put their mind to. I love being a support

THROWBACK Continued from Page 3 Robin would open the gate before sunrise and more often that not, leave for home after dark.

Cancer claimed Robin’s life in 2005, and although Smitty mourned the death of the man he termed as his best friend, he continued to work, now under Robin’s son, Mitch, who took over as the Leander store manager.

Half a century after draw-

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ing his ďŹ rst paycheck, Smitty is still ďŹ rst on the job each morning and has the coffee made before the rest of the staff arrives, and if by chance an early customer slips through the gate needing building materials for the day ahead, Smitty climbs on his forklift and pulls the load of lumber from the racks and gets the customer loaded and on his way.

for them in their successes.�

Being a teacher these days requires much more than just standing in front of students.

It takes the ability to educate oneself in how to identify the needs of individual students – something modern technology has enabled Pyle and her fellow educators to engage in despite the fact the process is a constant evolution that must be reacted to accordingly and expertly, she said. “Teaching has continued to grow and change over the years,� said Pyle. “We collect a lot more data on students to ensure they’re not falling behind and collaborate across the campus and at the district level to see where they’re succeeding, so we can continue to use those strategies. We also see

where students are struggling the most so we can improve our techniques as teachers to help every student be successful.�

Despite the fact it’s always difďŹ cult to say goodbye at each year’s end, Pyle said the biggest gratiďŹ cation comes from helping the light bulb go on when a student grasps a concept after initially struggling. “The best aspect of being a teacher is making a difference in children’s lives,â€? she said. “When you see a child falling behind academically, you work with them one-on-one to help them succeed and spend countless hours researching more techniques to help the child and that moment when they ‘get it’ is the best feeling in the world.â€?

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PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Sale of property to satisfy a landlord’s lien. Sale to be held at American Self Storage-Liberty Hill at 13740 Hwy 29, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 on June 24th, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Cleanup deposit required. Contents of storage units sold for cash to highest bidder. Property includes the unit contents of the following tenants: Jim Moran: 1 unit containing washer/dryer, boxes, DVDs. Eric Hinojosa: 1 unit containing couches, coffee table, and mattress. Joe McIntosh: 2 units containing storage bins, treadmill, furniture, bicycle, and tools. Lance Bledsoe: 1 unit containing ammo boxes, camping equipment, coolers, bins, and boxes. Evan Cortinas: 1 unit containing boxes, mattress, and golf bag. Deirdre Solon-Martinez: 1 unit containing dresser.

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(6/11p) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Liberty Hill has been asked to review and approve the following application(s), to wit: A request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a Duplex in the Downtown Commercial/ Retail District (C-2) on the following property: 100 CR 279, City of Liberty Hill, Texas. AW0233 – Henry Field Survey .29 Acres.

WCAD Property Number R0220211.

In accordance with Section 211.006 of Texas’ Local Government Code, a public hearing on this application will be conducted by the Planning and Zoning Commission. This hearing will begin at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

The Planning Commission will then forward its recommendations to the City Council, who will conduct its own public hearing at 6:30 PM on Monday, July 13, 2020 and make the final decision on this matter. Both public hearings will be held at the Municipal Court Building, Council Chambers, 2801 RM 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas. Information regarding this application is available at the city’s Planning and Development Department, 100 Forrest Street. For more information, call (512) 548-5519.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION CITY OF LIBERTY HILL,

Oatmeal Festival seeking sponsors

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer BERTRAM -- What first started as a spoof on Texas Chili Cookoffs, the Bertram Oatmeal Festival, evolved into a 43-year-old tradition.

This year the event looks to continue that tradition, even in the face of the odd curveballs 2020 is throwing its way.

The festival began in 1978, as an attempt to keep the city of Oatmeal from being wiped off the map.

“They were going to take the city of Oatmeal, Texas off the map in the late 70s,” said Festival board member Stephanie Fitzsimmons. “To be able to get it put back on the map, they needed to do a festival or event of some type, so they came up with the Oatmeal Festival.”

Over the years, the festival evolved from just a gathering and a parade into an event meant to raise money to help high school seniors with college scholarships.

“It was just purely getting together and doing the parade, but over the last 10 years, we’ve morphed it into a sponsorship fund for our local youth in Burnet County where they have to come and volunteer,” said Fitzsimmons. “When they graduate, they can apply for the scholarship, and we give them however much we can afford that year. Last year, we gave out $9,600 to seven local kids.”

The pandemic is creating difficulty in giving out a large number of funds, making the sponsorships and various money-raising events more

vital than ever.

“This year, I think we have about five that have applied.

We’re still trying to figure out how much to give out,” said Fitzsimmons. “This year with COVID-19, we don’t want to give away all of our money, but also if they volunteer, then they deserve it.

It’s a fundraising festival, so there are things like a fun run, sponsorships, vendors, and the dance, all of those things are fundraisers that go into the count to give out to students.”

For businesses interested in sponsoring the event, there are four tiers with different rewards ranging from $200 to $1,000.

“It tops out at $1,000, which is the premier sponsor and you get a banner and get a logo in the paper, a t-shirt, radio recognition, press release mention and dinner at the sponsorship dinner,” said Fitzsimmons. “It goes down to $600, which is the associate sponsor, and you get a 2 x 6 full-color logo banner.

Then we have a title sponsor at $350. $350 and up are on our shirt. Then we go down to $200.”

Because the festival relies heavily on sponsorships to host the event, Fitzsimmons and other board members are admittedly worried.

“We are worried about sponsors, but luckily we have a lot of newer sponsors that have reached out to us,” she said.

“Our goal is not to cancel, but to be able to host the festival, we have to have sponsorship money.”

Businesses can learn more at OatmealFestival.org.

OBITUARY Merle Louise Jordan

Merle Louise Jordan of Burnet, Texas passed away on Sunday, June 7th, 2020. She was 88 years old.

It was a cool fall morning when Louise was born on October 2, 1931, in Liberty Hill, Texas to her parents, Wesley and Merle (Mather) Brown. Just a few months shy of Louise’s 20th birthday, she married Kenneth “Bud” Jordan on June 23, 1951, and the two were best friends until Bud’s passing in February 2005. Louise worked in Georgetown, Texas as a bank teller at the First National Bank. Her most cherished blessings were her family whom she loved dearly.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Bud Jordan; parents, Wesley and Merle Brown; her brother, David Brown and his wife Diana; as well as Creeda Brown and Betty Brown.

To cherish her memory, Louise leaves behind her daughter, Angela Jordan of Fredericksburg, Texas; grandson, Chad and wife Cari Decker; granddaughter, Sarah Decker; great-grandchildren: MayCee and Allie Decker; son, Fred Jordan and wife Karen of Stephenville, Texas; grandsons: Dean Jordan and wife Katie and Cliff Jordan and wife Ashley; great-grandchildren: Claire, Megan, Lexi, Jack and Wade Jordan; son, Rickie Jordan and wife Sabrina of Liberty Hill, Texas; grandsons: Lance Jordan and

wife Emily and Phillip Jordan and wife Myra; granddaughter, Shannon Ponton; great-grandchildren: Audrey, Luke, and Peyton Jordan, Ashlyn Duderstadt, and Denton Ponton; son, Ken Jordan and wife Holly of Gatesville, Texas; grandsons: J. Jordan and wife Shelby, Ty Jordan, and Seth Jordan; granddaughter, Brandi Jordan; great-granddaughter, Charlye Jo Jordan; brothers: Marvin Brown of Liberty Hill, Texas, Kenneth Brown and wife Ann of Liberty Hill, Texas, Donny Brown and wife Brenda of Belton, Texas, and Bobby Brown and wife Debra of Liberty Hill, Texas; sister, Ruth Kliewer of San Antonio, Texas; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A graveside service to honor Louise’s life and memory will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 19th, where she will be laid to rest with her husband Bud at the Liberty Hill Cemetery, in Liberty Hill, Texas.

You may share a message or memory in the online memorial guestbook at www.RamseyFuneral.com.

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SPORTS

Seniors Hannah Johnson (#2536) and Lindsee Miller (#2538) flanked teammate Zaila Smith (#2546) during the Liberty Hill Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 7.

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2020 Page 7

LH INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTOS

Brady Brewer (#2) was named preseason district most valuable player by Texas Football Magazine and will continue his playing career at Sam Houston State University.

Fall sports seniors began year with a bang The Purple-and-Gold saw several step up and lead by example

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Back in August when the Panthers took the field, courts and to the trails, it was senior leadership that carried the day for the Purple-and-Gold, as several athletes led the way.

As all of them are now alumni, having graduated on June 5, it’s a good opportunity to look back at some of them and their achievements.

Football Nobody had a greater impact on the gridiron for the Panthers in 2019 than Walker Baty.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound defensive lineman racked up impressive numbers in his final prep season before heading off to play Division I football at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Baty collected 77 tackles on the season, with 18 of them for a loss and added a team-leading 11 sacks on the season, highlighted by a trio of eight-tackle performances and a four-sack assault in the Panthers’ 66-7 opening-round playoff victory against West Columbia.

Brady Brewer provided plenty of inspiration despite seeing his high school career ended prematurely after suffering a knee injury in the fourth game of the season.

Brewer, who had been named

district preseason most valuable player by Texas Football Magazine and will continue his playing career at Sam Houston State, where he will also study business, had been off to a dominant start to his senior campaign, with a pair of seven-tackle games and nine against Pflugerville Connally in a 59-13 Liberty Hill victory, while also remaining an offensive threat as a return man.

Drake Oberpriller was ranked second on the squad at season’s end with 102 tackles – 66 of them solo – in a season that saw the hard-hitting defender post seven double-digit tackle contests including four consecutive 10-tackle games down the stretch of the schedule and 16 in the Panthers’ 24-6 third-round playoff win against El Campo.

Oberpriller was just as effective with the ball in his hands as a kick returner, piling up 249 yards in all, including 132 in the final game of his career, Liberty Hill’s 49-34 defeat to Lampasas in the fourth round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

As much of an impact as Baty had while he was in the lineup on defense, head coach Jeff Walker’s club dearly missed the presence of quarterback Jacob Cearley after the signal-caller was sidelined with an injury during a 33-28 home

loss to Manor in the third week of the season.

However, when he returned to the lineup three weeks later, Cearley not only assumed his usual spot under center on offense, but also filled Brewer’s vacated safety position across the line of scrimmage, impacting the Panthers’ fortunes in a positive way on both sides of the ball for the remainder of the campaign.

One constant all season was center Ryley Rosenbusch, who could always be seen sprinting up to the line of scrimmage ahead of his teammates as they broke the huddle set to unleash the powerful Slot-T offense on the opposition.

Rosenbusch had to constantly adapt to different teammates across the line all season as a rash of injuries decimated the Panthers up front and responded by anchoring a running game that featured a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Trey Seward (2,046) and Blake Simpson (1,702) and averaged 366.8 yards per game on the ground.

Austin Knox was another Panther who had a positive impact as one of Liberty Hill’s leading defenders, despite a broken collarbone that limited him to six games.

Nate Robinson found himself the lone senior in the

running-back rotation as the number-three runner, but still rushed for 515 yards and scored 10 touchdowns on the season.

Hadley Weems had a solid last season with 31 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown against Hutto in the home opener.

When it came to kicking the ball, twin brothers Matthew and Mason Shipley raised the bar for Liberty Hill special teams, which had already been set high by older brother and former Panther kicker Michael, as the pair booted balls with authority all season, whether it be field goals, extra points, kickoffs or punts.

In fact, one of Matthew’s booming, high-arcing extra points soared over the safety net and smashed lights out of the scoreboard at Pflugerville ISD Stadium during the Panthers’ visit there, the kind of kicking prowess that earned him a scholarship to the University of Hawaii, where he’ll continue his playing career.

Other seniors on the Panthers’ roster included Michael Heeney, Matthew Sterling, Matthew Montes, Layton Bolin, Eric Byrd, Alton Eadie and Justin Coffey.

Volleyball Lady Panthers head coach

Gretchen Peterson had a solid trio of seniors on her roster for the 2019 season in Ashley Nelson, Lauren LaDuque and Emily Huppee, who each played a specific role in contributing to the overall success of the team all season during a campaign in which they failed to lose even a single set during district play.

Nelson was one of the Lady Panthers’ leading hitters up front, providing plenty of kills along with dominant defensive play in shutting down her counterparts across the net.

LaDuque provided a spark off the bench with enthusiasm and grit, functioning mostly as a defensive player and an excellent passer and server of the ball.

Huppee will continue her playing career at Morrisville State College in central New York and played all three positions across the front line for Peterson’s club, providing timely kills and blocks.

Cross country Head coach Kim Holt had some excellent seniors leading the way on both the girls’ and boys’ sides as the Panthers hit the trails in a quest to qualify for the Class 4A state championships.

For the girls, Madison Sears suffered an injury early on in the campaign, which kept her

out until near the end of the season, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to be an influential leader before finally returning to finish off her senior season.

Everything Sears was on the girls’ side, Kevin Berber and Gabe Diaz were for the boys, as the duo dueled for number-one status all season, with each constantly pushing the other to improve from week to week.

Berber finished ninth in the Class 4A state championships in Round Rock with a school-record time of 15:40.24.

Other seniors included Hannah Johnson, Lindsee Miller, Karlie Bye, Ryan Davis, Ron Guzman, Milo Jacinto and Jordan Rocha.

Tennis The Liberty Hill tennis team also featured a quartet of seniors who excelled all season while leading their younger teammates for head coach Philip Dodd’s squad.

Lauren Crow was awarded the team’s Number One Player Award, while Ava Enstrom led the girls with 61 wins on the season and Lorelei Fay won the Coaches’ Award.

On the boys’ side, Tyler Franklin provided a solid presence, playing singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

(LEFT) Ashley Nelson (#1), Lauren LaDuque (#15) and Emily Huppee (#6) were always at the center of things for the Lady Panthers during their senior season. (ABOVE) Lorelei Fay received the Coaches’ Award in concluding her high-school tennis career.

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last Friday evening, we rolled up to the parking lot at Panther Stadium like we have many times before to cover an event.

Many of the same names we’re used to seeing were in the program.

But, unlike usual, when we’re on hand to witness the latest athletic exploits of the Purple-and-Gold, we were there to take in an entirely different event altogether.

The sun sank slowly in the western sky as 282 Liberty Hill High School seniors gathered on the auxiliary field before making their way into the stadium for the Class of 2020 commencement ceremony.

Each chair had a student’s name on it in order to ensure

Same spot, different perspective

proper alphabetical perfection upon marching the short distance from one plastic pitch to the other.

One read “Madison Sears,” while another “Drake Oberpriller,” along with “Lauren LaDuque,” “Kevin Berber” and many others we’re used to seeing running, jumping and doing their best in the name of Pantherville.

When one covers athletes, it’s easy to grow attached and feel somewhat of a connection, so to see them leave knowing you’ll never get to see them compete at their respective sports again is sorrowful. You get to know them as people as well as athletes – even when it comes down to little personality quirks and because we’re dealing with athletes here -various superstitions.

Such as learning about Cole Ondrasek’s lucky Fred Flintstone socks he had to wear for every home basketball game to ensure he would be as effective

in ripping down rebounds.

Speaking of fashion, Ondrasek’s hoops teammate, Carson Perkins, was rocking a pair of vintage Air Jordans for the occasion – certainly appropriate for a baller who flashed the skill level the Panthers point guard did during the time he graced the court.

You also find out about some of their future hopes, dreams and destinations.

Oberpriller will head west for San Diego State University – in our beautiful hometown -to study international business.

We’re not sure what Ryley Rosenbusch wants to be, but there must be a trucker in the family, as a big rig in the parking lot let out a loud blast from its horn when his name was called out during the diploma presentation.

But, there were certainly many more seniors we weren’t familiar with – those who have spent the same four years of hard work and determination

to reach this day, but never stepped into the athletic arena.

However, on this day, everyone was on the field for the same reason.

Graduation, or at least the physical ceremony, almost didn’t take place due to the global pandemic. Initially, it was scheduled for May 22, but was moved back to June 5.

There was certainly a different feel to this event, as the occasion marked the first time in nearly three months Panther Nation was permitted to gather in the wake of restrictions that have put the entire world – and all of our lives -- on hold.

Sure, there was the usual nervousness and anticipation on the part of the soon-to-be grads, but there was more.

Perhaps Sears put it best when she described the entire atmosphere as surreal – as if everyone present had already moved on with their respective lives only to rewind for a few hours and regain some of what

had been lost.

Students were allowed to only invite four people each to the ceremony in order to comply with health guidelines in limiting the size of the crowd.

White chairs were placed six feet apart on the field, which usually serves as a gridiron or soccer field, waiting for the arrival of the seniors.

Hugs and handshakes were a no-go.

But, other than those few things, the ceremony resembled much the same of what one would normally expect.

We stood on the field right where we usually would for a soccer game -- along the touchline on the east side of the field -- and were privileged with seeing all of our familiar names in an entirely different light.

Oberpriller would normally be blowing up an opposing ball carrier, while Sears and Berber would be speeding around the track encircling the field and

LaDuque would be pounding volleyballs into submission in the adjacent gym.

Instead, each of them was decked out in school colors in the form of cap-and-gown to receive their diplomas.

No numbers, scores or times.

Just accomplished young people marking the occasion of their respective first steps into the real world.

Made us hark back 32 years to our big day on the natural grass field of Junipero Serra High School in San Diego, while a whirlwind of memories flashed before our eyes of many of the things that have transpired since that late spring Southern California afternoon over three decades ago.

Success, failure and everything else in between – all of which these newly-minted graduates will experience along life’s path.

Class valedictorian had

See PERSPECTIVE, Page 8

Page 8

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, June 11, 2020

BUSINESS

Commercial real estate gearing up for bounce back post virus restrictions

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some slowing in the commercial real estate industry locally over the last few months, construction on many new businesses has remained strong in Liberty Hill.

One of the most visible projects along State Highway 29 is a new Austin Regional Clinic, being constructed by Plano-based Huffman Builders just to the east of Indian Mound Ranch.

Ron Evans, principal at Huffman Builders, said the project is about two to three months from the shell construction being done, and then work on the interior will begin. The building is 6,500 square feet.

“With COVID-19, lots of clients, mostly medical, that are under construction have changed their opening dates by pushing them back,” he said. “I don’t know what Austin Regional Clinic’s opening date will be now. The interior finish out won’t start until they

determine their move-in date and opening date. There’s no reason to finish it and have it sit there for months. The original plan was for them to open in late fall, but we’re not sure now.”

Evans added that he has another project breaking ground in a few months in Liberty Hill, on the north side of SH 29 next to Sunny Hill RV Park.

“We’ll be breaking ground on a 6,000-square-foot animal hospital,” he said. “That will be open most likely about a year from now. I don’t know if it’s been named yet, but the owner is Dr. Matthew Brooks of New Hope Animal Hospital. He will own it with another partner or two.”

Another major construction project along SH 29 next to Dairy Queen, is the new building for Texas Pawn & Jewelry, which is currently located in the strip center next to Subway and Happy Wok. Troy Farr, owner of Texas Pawn & Jewelry, said the project is ahead of schedule,

RACHEL MADISON PHOTO

Plano-based Huffman Builders is the contractor on the new Austin Regional Clinic project, going up to the east of Indian Mound Ranch on Highway 29. The exterior of the project should be completed within the next two to three months. and he’s expecting the new ry’s current location once his Center. It will be a standalone pre-engineered metal building 5,900-square-foot building to business moves out. He also building for the Comanche, with a limestone rock veneer be complete by late July or added that the acre lot next to Texas-based hardware store on the front entry and metal early August. his new building has been sold that provides lumber, building panels above.

“We are finishing the rock to a franchisee, who may even- materials, paint, lawn and garWorsham added that there are on the exterior this week,” he tually put a fast food restaurant den supplies and more. Hig- two standalone shed buildings ginbotham Brothers has been on the property, for housing said. “Most of the exterior is on the site. done, so we are moving to the “Liberty Hill is going to be around since 1881 and has lumber, which will also be erected soon. The foundations interior. We have some custom a growing mecca for the next dozens of stores across Texas. cabinets and custom gun racks several years,” Farr added.

Jerrod Worsham, owner of for those buildings have been Another big project is a new Jimmy Jacobs Construction, poured. being built. We have some flat “All construction is moving wall that has to go up, and the hardware store on SH 29 said the project is going well. electric in the front still needs called Higginbotham Broth- Structural steel is being erect- forward, but we’re not certain to be put up.” ers. It’s being completed by ed on the project this week, on a completion date yet,” As of now, Farr said he Georgetown-based Jimmy Ja- and all underground utilities Worsham said. “I’d say it’ll be doesn’t know what will hap- cobs Construction, just to the are complete. The building See BUSINESS, Page 10 pen to Texas Pawn & Jewel- east of Meridell Achievement will be an 18,000-square-foot

Census plans adjust to COVID-19 Williamson County recognizes

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As Texas continues to reopen and attempt to return to normal, Williamson County is working to do the same for its census campaign. The 2020 census hit a significant setback with the COVID-19 pandemic and is open until Oct. 31.

“We’re still working on the census, and we’ve just shifted strategies, said Williamson County and Cities Health District Community Partnerships Manager Kelli Becerra.

“Originally, during this period, we were going to be doing a lot of face-to-face outreach and try to get people to take the census. Due to all this, the census deadline has been extended. We’re on a new timeline for the census to October.

We’re able to reactivate and do new things.”

To minimize the health risk that would come with the traditional census method of going door-to-door, part of the strategy now is the move to digital outreach through advertising.

The County is using existing

Library

divisions to get information out, hoping to increase the number of people they reach.

“We’re utilizing our WIC division, they have a WIC bus, WIC on wheels is what it’s called, and so they’ve been seeing people this whole time because even now people need their WIC benefit. We’ve stocked our WIC program with tons of census information. We do COVID-19 testing, so we’re including census information in the little bags we give after we finish testing people at the drive-thru.”

As of now, the current WilCo census self-response is 64.4%, which is seventh among all Texas counties. Overall, Texas has a self-response rate of 55.5%. Texas ranks 41st in state self-response.

“People should be on the look-out in the mail,” said Becerra. “All households will receive something from the census giving them the option to take it by mail, enter a code online, or call in.”

Many of Williamson County’s residents reside in unincorporated areas, and the newly reopened census office

Continued from Page 1

setting up email,” she said.

“What we’re planning to do if we can get some money from the Day of Giving is to buy computers and have classes for people to come in and learn how to do those things.”

A key aspect of improving tech literacy is beginning at a younger age. Palmer hopes that with some money raised, the library can start to offer coding courses.

“We want to set up coding classes for kids so we can advance their education,” she said. “We’re trying to bridge the digital divide in the country. With COVID and kids trying to go to school, we realize

that some kids don’t have access at home.”

The need for the library’s services is showing now more than ever. Parking lots full of people trying to use the Wi-Fi hotspot during the pandemic shows Palmer how vital they are.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been shut down, and we’re the only free computers in town,” she said. “A lot of people need us to help them print out things for work or do their online classes. Right now, we aren’t doing as well as we could. Lately, these couple of months, we’ve been extending our Wi-Fi out to the park-

Perspective perhaps the most profound words that were delivered on the night when she said maybe – just maybe – everything which has happened recently, culminating with all of them being reunited one final time before moving on, was exactly as it was supposed to be.

All the disappointment, anger and frustration over the current climate and everything that had been lost.

She also mentioned all the locations in the school, which will hold special memories for her, almost giving rooms in a building personalities of their own – memory machines, if you will.

All places nobody was allowed to go for the final twoand-a-half months of their senior year.

But, everyone was back under the Friday Night Lights one final time before riding off into the sunset which had provided such a stunning backdrop for the evening’s festivities only a few hours earlier.

Fireworks exploded over the north end zone, bringing it all to a conclusion, an explosive and colorful celebration that symbolized everything we’ve all gone through to get back to

will be making an effort to ramp up outreach.

“For the people who may be harder to reach in rural areas, there is going to be outreach done,” said Becerra. “The Williamson County census office just reopened, so those offices are trying to rehire and hire community members to go out and outreach and leave census information on doors.”

While they will be going door-to-door, for health and safety concerns, census takers will not be speaking with residents, instead leaving packets with the necessary forms and information.

“They aren’t going to be doing face-to-face talking, they’ll be leaving packets, so it’ll be just like when you order food right now. We aren’t doing the typical outreach we used to, so we’re pretty much just handing out materials.

We’re trying to include census information in places where people already have to go pick things up.”

Residents of Williamson County can respond to the census at 2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020.

ing lot so that people can use it 24/7, and we’ve had a lot of usages.”

Because of COVID-19, Palmer doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to ask for funds, but says that whatever the community can give is welcomed.

“People have been hurting, they’ve been out of work or unable to work as much, and they’re conscious about money because they don’t know what’s going to happen with the economy,” she said.

“We’ll accept what we can this year. We’ve been lucky.

People have been generous with us.”

Continued from Page 7

Who is that masked man? We were definitely glad to be back and in our element on the field at Panther Stadium for Liberty Hill’s graduation ceremony – the first time in nearly three months the Purple-and-Gold could congregate.

(Courtesy Photo) this point of semi-normalcy in ceremony was providing just our respective lives. that for her and her classSears also mentioned how mates. she is the kind of person But, not just for them. who needs closure in order For all of us. to properly move on and this

Elder Abuse Awareness Day

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Older generations are a vital part of society because often they are a wealth of knowledge and experience. To inform the community of elder abuse, Williamson County is joining the rest of the state to recognize Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15.

“Normally, we designate the month of May as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. With the whole COVID-19 crisis going on and everybody meeting virtually,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long. “We decided there is a statewide recognition day, so we would use that to bring attention to the Williamson County community. Unfortunately, elder abuse is more prevalent than we might think.”

Abuse for many individuals automatically triggers the image of physical harm. Still, in many cases, the abuse taking place is often financial.

“Often, it’s somebody that has been financially taken advantage of, they’re embarrassed and less likely to report it,” said Long. “Unfortunately, some the financial elder abuse is at the hands of family members that are taking advantage of a senior in a compromised situation,” Long, whose mother is 90, appreciates the efforts the County is taking to help se-

Spirit

niors in the community.

“We have great state resources and a great group of volunteers, too, that work in this arena,” she said. “Our goal is to help individuals be aware and be mindful, especially for those of us with elderly family.”

Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) is a state agency tasked with investigating any potential abuse of seniors (65 and older) in the state and adults with severe disabilities.

APS community engagement specialist Sam Cortina said, “Last year we took in approximately 118,000 cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”

As a popular area for retiring seniors, Williamson County should, in theory, see an increased number of cases of abuse, but it isn’t.

“I’m proud of the work that Williamson County has done in sponsoring, supporting, and helping those in need,” said Cortina. “We do know that Williamson County is one of the top 10 places to retire, so technically our numbers should be skyrocketing, but they’re not. Because we pay attention to those cases.”

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, seniors – who are more at risk from the virus – are forced to remain secluded for their safety.

“They had to be sequestered and quarantined at the very

Continued from Page 1

encompasses a variety of different issues that people may be facing.

“For us, trauma is anything from abuse and neglect to witnessing domestic violence,” said Smith. “It could be the death of a loved one or divorce, anything that feels overwhelming at the moment to our client, whether it’s a child, their parent, or the whole family system. It’s a broad definition.”

The healing process at Spirit Reins is a three-pronged method comprised of the setting, the horses, and the therapists.

“I think the experience at Spirit Reins is at the core of what I’ll refer to as our secret sauce,” said Smith. “It’s the beautiful setting of 125 acres, we have 30 horses, and we have incredible licensed therapists trained in different modalities to help meet these kids where they are.”

For clients, the experience begins at soon as they enter the gates of the Spirit Reins ranch.

“Being on the edge of the Texas Hill Country is the feeling that you’ve left something behind, and you’ve come onto this place of healing,” said

Smith. “As they drive through the gate, that’s where it starts.

They see the horses roaming loose, they see the land and the trees.”

Smith and her organization believe that healing centers around on relationships.

“A typical session is they would head right out and catch the horse that the child is working with,” said Smith.

“The core of our work is understanding that trauma occurs in the context of relationships, and trauma is healed in the context of relationships.”

One of the advantages of using animals, in this case, the horses, is a lack of judgment that exists in animals. Smith believes it creates the right environment for healing.

“Part of what makes Spirit Reins special and different from other talk therapy centers is that the horses allow children to work on relationships without all of the human judgment,” she said. “They have a chance to experience a relationship built on mutual trust and respect, and love.”

Because of its prey animal status, the horse has a brain structure that works in the

time when our seniors need to be interacting with people. It’s even a tougher time right now for our seniors,” said Long.

For the average citizen wondering if a family member, friend, or neighbor is facing abuse, there are different ways to identify abuse.

“There’s the obvious physical signs. If you see someone is showing signs of bruising or maybe they’re looking malnourished. Those can be the obvious physical signs,” said Long. “Those signs can also show that they’ve been because they’ve been taken advantage of financially and can’t buy food. There’s the obvious one, and then there are the more subtle signs of becoming more withdrawn for no apparent reason.”

One of the issues Long hopes to overcome is the difficulty of reaching seniors.

“One of the things we all say now is that we’ll go to a website, but for a lot of the seniors, the internet was not a thing for them,” she said. “They may not be as comfortable as you and I are hopping on a website.

So, it’s about how do we reach the folks to let them know we can help.”

To report a case or the suspicion of a case of elder abuse, community members can call the APS hotline at 1-800-2525400 or visit www.txabusehotline.org.

same way as a child that has experienced trauma.

“What happens to children neurologically is that they get an overdeveloped brain stem region. The fight, flight, or flee region gets activated for a child who experienced trauma,” said Smith. “As a prey animal, horses naturally develop a really strong fight, flight or flee system to stay safe.

The model of therapy we use, natural lifemanship, is based on experiences that build new pathways in both the child and the horse’s brains.”

For the 2020 Day of Giving, Spirit Reins is aiming to raise $20,000 to fund a session every Thursday afternoon for the rest of the year.

“Our goal is really to fund the therapy work that we do,” said Smith. “We calculated how much it would cost for a therapy session every Thursday afternoon for the rest of the year to be covered by the Liberty Hill community. We want to be able to say that Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Liberty Hill covers that for any family that signs up for that spot.”

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COUNCIL

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done about four months from now.”

Jardin Plaza, located next door to Mexican restaurant Jardin Corona at 15395 W. SH 29, is being developed by JLB Real Estate. Francisco Puebla, co-owner of developer JLB Real Estate and manager of Jardin Corona, said the building will consist of six units total ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet each. Steel framing for the project has now been erected, but the completion date is still unknown.

The Main Street Social project on Loop 332 near downtown, has been moving along since its groundbreaking in January 2019. The project is in full construction mode, with steel and framing complete on the building and the exterior going up. The soft opening for

Following a 53-minute closed session, the Council voted to authorize Mayor Rick Hall to begin negotiations with the Liberty Hill Development

Main Street Social is scheduled for mid-September, with a hard opening by Oct. 1.

Ground has been broken and the pad sites are in place for two 20,000-square-foot buildings at Vista at 29, a mixeduse project that is expected to bring retail, restaurants and office space to the area. The development will be located approximately a mile west of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and two miles east of US Highway 183. The first two buildings of the project are expected to be completed by September.

At the 183 Highlands Retail Center, located on US 183 heading north into Liberty Hill, things came to a standstill due to COVID-19, said Mason Turner, associate with Turner Commercial Properties.

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Foundation for the purchase of Lions Foundation Park on Loop 332.

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tin market is starting to bounce back,” he said. “As far as the retail center at 183 Highlands, #thesmiledoc is moving along with their build out. I’m not sure when their target open date is, but it’s anticipated to be soon. No other retail tenants have secured space yet, but inquiries have picked up in the past couple weeks.”

Building A of the office condos was completed during the beginning of the pandemic, said Tawney Stedman, broker with Capella. In addition to the retail center, commercial pad sites and an office park are also a part of the mixeduse development. Building B of the office park is set to be completed in August.

“We completed Building A of the office condos during the beginning of the pandemic,

but sales and leasing remained quiet,” Stedman said. “Once the restaurants announced opening to 25 percent, our phones started ringing. Right now we are working with several 5,000 to 10,000 square foot users as tenants; mostly medical and several small office users. Trillium Montessori is under construction and is anticipating opening this August.”

Another pad site belongs to Paws Landing, a luxury dog daycare, groomer and indoor dog park, which has recently just started clearing land.

Stedman said during the first phase of COVID-19, the commercial market went quiet, existing contracts were extended because of the uncertainty of the outcome, and leases went on hold.

“The market has been busy the last three weeks, partly because of the catch up,” she said. “Most of my activity has been from the office sector.

Tenants are still looking for locations. While restaurants are closing, there are new restaurants coming into the Austin market eager to absorb second generation restaurant spaces.

Retail has been slow, but it is speculative the lack of retail leasing will be short term.”

Other strip centers across Liberty Hill also experienced slowing during the pandemic.

Panther Plaza, located at the northeast corner of SH 29 and County Road 200, has been complete since October 2019, but hasn’t signed any tenants.

The Shops at San Gabriel Ridge on US 183 in north Leander and the Water Tower

Center, at 14125 W. SH 29 in Liberty Hill, also haven’t signed any new tenants. Monique Rivera, broker with Asterra, said she does have some promising prospects at both shopping centers, although nothing executed yet.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss and will happily share once things go through,” she added.

“By the end of June, I should have more info.”

Highway 29 Office Park, located at 14001 W. SH 29 in Liberty Hill, is owned by Youngquist Investments. Current tenants in the office park include KLM Design Build; Islet and Goertz Homebuilders; Vita Nova Counseling; and Preferred Elite Construction. No new tenants have been reported.

members Monday, members of the Foundation Board have been talking with Mayor Hall and other city officials for some time about the possibility of transferring ownership of the privately-held park to the City.

However, no offer has been made public since a previous Economic Development Board and a previous council spent almost two years engaged in negotiations, which ended in March 2016. The Foundation Board left open the possibility of future talks.

Also following the executive session Monday, the Council took no action after private consultation with their attorney who was set to “advise Council regarding former City Secretary Barbara Zwernemann”.

Zwernemann was terminated by the Council on May 25 for “failure to maintain the City’s records accurately and in a manner required by state law and city code.”

The Council voted unanimously, with Tony DeYoung absent, to make changes to committee assignments of Council members Kathy Canady and Steve McIntosh.

Canady was removed from the Planning & Zoning Com-

mission and appointed to Parks & Recreation Board.

She replaced McIntosh on the Parks Board and he was appointed to Planning & Zoning.

There was no discussion on the matter or an explanation for the change.

In February, members of the Parks Board complained about McIntosh’s behavior at a meeting in which he privately reprimanded Liz Branigan and MaryLyn Jones for disagreeing with him during the public meeting.

The Council also approved COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants to local businesses as recommended by the Economic Development Corp. Those approved include $5,000 for the Quick Service Garage, a business owned by Canady, who abstained from the vote; Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant, $5,000; Liberty Hill Pharmacy, $5,000; Liberty Hill Beer Market, $5,000; Malted Grains, $5,000; Happy Wok, $5,000; Grand Donuts, $4,000; Hair Stop, $4,500; and Visionz Hair Salon, $5,000.

(See related story, Page 1.)

In other business Monday, the Council, without discussion: • Approved the final plat for Wildleaf Phase 4 • Approved final plat for

Stonewall Ranch North Section 9 Approved a Professional Services Agreement between consultant Matt Powell and the Economic Development Corp. for $3,500 per month plus reimbursement for travel and expenses, for a minimum 15 hours per week.

Powell will be acting as Interim Executive Director.

Approved a $5,000 donation to Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet Counties to support the organization’s efforts to provide service to elderly residents.

Approved the removal of Zwernemann from the City’s band and investment accounts signature cards and add Nancy Sawyer, who was named City Secretary on May 25.

Approved an additional homestead exemption from ad valorem taxes of 1% of the appraised value with a minimum exemption of $5,000. Previously, the exemption was $3,000.

The Council also approved change order for the Down-

town Street and Utility Program in the amount of $59,744.64. The increased costs reflects an error in the calculation of the area of concrete and removal of some existing concrete.

Another change order was approved for the South Fork Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion contract with Cunningham Constructors & Associates in the amount of $75,511.40 reflecting changes in equipment costs and increased water flow.

Mayor Hall said he spoke with County officials who said some bond funds might be available to help pay for the extension of Stonewall Parkway across SH 29 to intersect with Liberty Way in the Liberty Parke development.

The Council unanimously approved Task Order SB 020-58 for $129,000 to pay for the design and construction services associated with the project.

The proposal to extend the road was brought to Council

by McIntosh, a resident of Liberty Parke.

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