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2020

Volume 33, Issue 31

City preps for July 3 festival

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As July 4th approaches, the City of Liberty Hill is working to provide a fun and safe environment for its annual Independence Day celebration, set for Friday, July 3.

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing and the pandemic still prominent in people’s minds, City staff say they are taking precautions to keep things sanitized and people socially distant, all while giving them a fun experience.

“We know people want to have this festival and are ready to continue living.

What’s a better time to celebrate our freedom than Fourth of July,” said City Events Coordinator Katie Amsler. “We want to do it, and we’ve taken every precaution we can. We’re working closely with the health district to make sure we’re following protocol.”

Because of a lack of parking, there will be shuttles to get to and from the event, but precautions have been put in place to help reduce the risk on the buses, Amsler said. People showing signs of being sick cannot ride the shuttle.

“The shuttle buses will all have a sanitizing station on them. Face masks are required on shuttles,” said Amsler. “As of last week, we were highly encouraging masks, but we require them with the numbers going up.

See FIREWORKS, Page 8 ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

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You can help local charities make a difference

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Whether it’s providing food and clothing to someone down on their luck, helping school organizations raise funds, caring for those who can’t care for themselves, comforting a family in distress, or helping someone who has experienced trauma, the vital role that charitable organizations play in the Liberty Hill community cannot be understated.

The Liberty Hill Day of Giving is a 24-hour fundraiser that encourages the community to donate and help these organizations in their missions to improve the lives of others. This year’s event – the third since it began in 2018 – is Friday, and the seven organizations involved hope to build on a young tradition that has raised more than $70,000 in its first two years.

Operation Liberty Hill At Operation Liberty Hill (OLH), making sure people are clothed, fed, and cared about is the core of the mission.

As a mother of three facing financial hardship, Samantha Webb is grateful to have a place like OLH to help her and her family make it through a tough situation.

“It’s helped us put groceries on the table for almost a year now,” she said. “The summer snack program has been really helpful. My kids love looking forward to the treats in them.”

A common assumption is that people who seek the aid of a food pantry are poor, borderline homeless, or don’t work.

But frequently the situation is more complicated than that.

Grounded

Inspection question creates Wetzel Park headache

(ABOVE LEFT) Hope House provides a forever home for residents with severe disabilities.

(ABOVE RIGHT) Operation Liberty Hill feeds children who may miss out on meals when school is out with their summer snack program. (Courtesy Photos)

(ABOVE LEFT) The Public Library hosts events throughout the year to help keep children engaged and learning. (ABOVE RIGHT) L4 Cares provides comfort and aid for families of terminally ill children. (Courtesy Photos) Webb’s husband is employed, “We didn’t qualify for food Liberty Hill means you’re but with money stretched stamps, and we needed help.” helping your neighbor who thin; the family needs a little The help from OLH comes you may not know is strughelp. with no judgment and lots of gling.”

L4 Cares “My husband lost his job, understanding. and we unexpectedly ended “They’re great. They greet L4 Cares is an organization up pregnant with our third me with such loving, caring with a mission to help “the child. That put us in the eyes. It doesn’t feel like judg- least, the last, the lost, and the working poor category when ment, and they’re always so lonely.”

One of the most essential he found a job, but it wasn’t sweet to the kids,” Webb said paying the bills like the pre- of the staff and volunteers at vious one was,” Webb said. OLH. “Helping Operation See GIVING, Page 4

BUSINESS

Sabino’s Pizza Pub serves up authentic pies, thanks to ‘pizza purist’ owner

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer David Sabino has been making Italian food—namely pizza— since he was just a kid. Thanks to his Italian grandfather, who spent every Sunday teaching Sabino how to make different authentic meals, Sabino’s love for Italian food runs deep. It’s also what spurred him to fulfill his dream of opening his own pizza pub last September.

Sabino, who owns the pub with his wife, Amber, moved his family to Texas from Illinois in 2014. They first landed in New Braunfels, then moved to Austin, and finally, made their way to Leander.

“It’s been a dream of mine to open a pizza shop, but life has gotten in the way, whether

See SABINO’S, Page 6

June 25, 2020 | 50 Cents

RACHEL MADISON PHOTO

David Sabino, along with his daughter and employee, Brenae Ellis, stretches pizza dough to prepare for the evening rush of pizza orders. Sabino’s makes all its dough, sauce and bread in house.

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Across the dais Monday, City Council members showed visible frustration with the circumstances that have held up the opening of Wetzel Park and the City’s new splash pad.

The issue is an inspection that was not conducted before the cement was poured for the pad to insure proper grounding for the splash pad.

“The reason we had to do all this was there was an inspection that was missed during the construction of the splash pad,” said Mayor Rick Hall. “Because it was missed prior to the pouring of the concrete we had to do all these items here (referring to the list of actions taken by the City) to understand if it was bonded correctly or not.”

The absence of a documented inspection has left the City not knowing if required “deck bonding” – which is when bonding clamps are used on rebar within the foundation to reduce voltage gradients in the area – was completed properly.

Contractors claim the work was completed, but no inspection was done, even after City Inspector Jonny Ubelhor reminded contractors on-site when they showed up to pour the concrete that the inspection needed to be done first. And none of the companies and contractors involved were willing to accept liability.

In nearly an hour and a half of explanation from City staff, the Council heard details on what happened and what could now be done to resolve the issue.

See COUNCIL, Page 4

EDC approves incentive package for Higginbotham

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and City Council have welcomed Higginbotham Brothers – a new business focused on hardware, lumber and building materials – to town with an incentive package intended to help the company settle in faster.

“There are a lot of extraordinary circumstances going on in the economy right now,” said EDC Interim Executive Director Matt Powell. “There are unprecedented things going on with Paycheck Protection Plans and Williamson County grants and all this stuff. I think the general climate right now is wanting to support small businesses. I’m not saying they were going to delay their plans, but I saw

that as a definite possibility because if I were in their shoes that’s what I’d be looking at. Through this investment we wanted to support them and encourage them to build, get open and hire as many people as possible.”

Mayor Rick Hall indicated that Higginbotham Brothers had reached out to him and he felt a package would make sense.

“I was actually contacted initially by the company,” Hall said. “I felt like this was a good incentive package for the EDC. I contacted EDC to see if they would be interested in doing this and they were and took off with it.”

The incentive package, passed unanimously by both the EDC and Council, grants

See INCENTIVES, Page 3

Page 2

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Voting begins Monday in runoff election

Our caring, professional staff is focused on keeping your family healthy. And like you, we live in Liberty Hill and are working to make a difference in our hometown. From coaching youth sports teams, sponsoring community events and contributing to local causes, your hometown pediatric clinic is investing in Liberty Hill.

Voters who cast a ballot in the Democratic Primary in March can vote in the runoff beginning Monday when early voting opens.

There are three contests on the ballot, including the District 31 U.S. House of Representatives race between Christine Mann and Donna Imam.

Mann and Imam emerged as the two runoff contenders in a six-candidate race in March.

With 35 percent of the vote Mann led the pack, but Imam tallied 31 percent. The winner of July’s contest will face incumbent Republican John Carter in November.

The heavily-contested Democratic primary for U.S. Senate saw MJ Hegar and Royce West emerge from a 12-person race to go head-to-head in the July runoff. Hegar won Williamson County overwhelmingly, but only grabbed 22 percent of the vote statewide, compared to 15 percent for West. The winner in July will take on incumbent

Republican John Cornyn in November.

The runoff also includes one other contest with Robert Alonzo facing Chrysta Castaneda for the Railroad Commission nomination.

The main early voting location, the Williamson County Inner Loop Annex, 301 SE Inner Loop in Georgetown, is open June 29 through July 2

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but no voting on July 3-4.

It reopens July 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and July 6-10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Other full-time locations include the Georgetown Randalls, 5721 Williams Drive, and Pat Bryson Municipal Hall, 201 N Brushy Street in Leander. These locations have the same hours as the main lo-

Liberty Hill Police Blotter Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

Week of June 15-21, 2020 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 491 incidents resulting in four cases, 14 citations, 55 warnings and one arrest.

Weekly Highlights: - On June 15 at approximately 3:35 PM, officers responded to Bell St for a theft complaint.

- On June 15 at approximately 4:13 PM, officers responded to Forrest St, for a fraud complaint.

- On June 15 at approximately 7:59 PM, officers responded to

the 100 block of US 183 for a citizen assist.

- On June 15 at approximately 11:30 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident.

- On June 16 at approximately 11:28 AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for an agency assist.

- On June 16 at approximately 2:55 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident.

- On June 16 at approximately 10:10 PM, officers responded to the 100 block of Loop 332 for a suspicious incident.

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HAS UNFORTUNATELY BEEN CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 Though the party has been canceled, your support is still very much needed.

Your gift will enrich the lives of our Hope House residents.

We all need HOPE right now.

Thank you and we’ll see you next year!

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- On June 17 at approximately 11:38 AM, officers responded to Bell St for a harassment complaint.

- On June 17 at approximately 8:21PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Liberty Hill Fire/ EMS. - On June 18 at approximately 1:26 AM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident.

- On June 18 at approximately 3:36 AM, officers responded to Rebel Red Rd to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 18 at approximately 3:03 PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of CR 200 to assist the Liberty Hill Fire/EMS. - On June 18 at approximately 9:24 PM, officers responded to Deserti Rd for a disturbance, resulting in the arrest of a male juvenile for assault and criminal mischief.

- On June 19 at approximately 12:48 AM, officers responded to Palo Duro Ct to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

- On June 19 at approximately 10:33 AM, officers responded to the 1000 block of US 183 for a theft complaint.

- On June 19 at approximately 4:43 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident.

- On June 19 at approximately 8:54 PM, officers responded to Deserti Dr for a disturbance.

- On June 20 at approximately 9:00 AM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 20 for an accident.

- On June 20 at approximately 5:19 PM, officers responded to 14000 block of W. SH 29 for suspicious activity.

- On June 21 at approximately 1:19 AM, officers responded to Liberty Way for an agency assist.

- On June 21 at approximately 4:50 PM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident.

- On June 22 at approximately 4:14 AM, officers responded to Polo Pony to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

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cation aside from closing at 5 p.m. July 6-10.

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 printed once marked to be inserted it into the scanning and tabulation device.

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Opinions expressed in the articles, letters and columns do not reflect the views of The Liberty Hill Independent or its owners.

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

LIBERTY HILL VOTES 2020

Imam focused on solutions

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When Donna Imam sits down to work through a problem like education, wages or healthcare, she does so with the same approach she takes on challenges as an engineer, relying on data-driven solutions.

Imam has never run for office and says she is not a politician or activist, choosing instead to focus on her professional experience and getting those she says have been left out into the political process.

“There are very few people who have the depth of technology experience in engineering and the breadth of financial experience I have in bringing very successful products to market including hundreds of millions of microprocessors found in everything from washing machines to commercial jets,” she said.

A career as an engineer has prepared Imam for all facets of the legislative process.

“My set of skills is very unique in I can write an engineering requirements document, a products requirements document and I can write a marketing and messaging document to reflect what that item is going to be, and that translates directly into what kind of expertise we’re going to need in Congress,” she said.

Her analytical approach is something she says voters embrace and appreciate in a changing district.

“What voters are looking for is a voice of reason for this district,” Imam said. “Someone who is going to deliver them real solutions and not ignore them. The electorate of this district and the composition of that electorate has changed

INCENTIVES

the company $2,000 for each full-time equivalent position certified on Jan. 1 of each of the next three years, with a cap for each year. Part-time employees can be combined to create up to five full-time equivalents.

The maximum incentive over three years is $120,000, but is capped the first year at $50,000, then at 33 percent of the sales tax generated in the November 2020 to October 2021 sales tax year, and 25 percent of the sales tax generated from the same time period.

Even though construction had begun, Powell said an incentive package made sense to try

significantly over the last five years as Austin has grown into a big city from a sleepy little college town.

In a district that spans Williamson and Bell counties, Imam says residents in Bell County often feel left behind.

“The community in Bell County has never had someone really pay attention to the challenges they need addressed,” she said, pointing to the minority population in that county. “They have somebody running for office that has extensively researched this district and collaborated with them to put together a platform that has equal justice for all, which specifically calls for paying attention to the disparity in race when it comes to how law enforcement treats American citizens.”

Current social justice issues prove change is needed in many areas, according to Imam.

“America is in pain over what happened, but this is not just about law enforcement,” she said. “This is about decades of economic inequality among Black Americans and it extends beyond that to education, to healthcare, it’s being able to get a higher-wage job.”

Healthcare is another topic of concern, and Imam believes the central focus must be cost effectiveness.

“It doesn’t matter what our healthcare solution is, we have to reduce the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs,” she said. “We have to cover everybody with healthcare, and with over two million people unemployed in Texas there is no doubt in anybody’s mind that healthcare should not be tied to employment, and that’s

DONNA IMAM Democrat for District 31 what I ran on.”

As she travels the district, she says what she hears is people frustrated over a lack of representation.

“People feel very neglected and left behind by our current Congressman who has been there for nine terms and this has been repeated over and over to me,” she said. “We are talking about the kitchen-table issues that every Republican, every Democrat,every independent is facing and we’re talking to them in the language they understand that impacts them.”

No matter the party affiliation, Imam – who resides in northwest Austin and has never run for office before – believes voters will respond to her approach she said offers solutions rather than focus on political party.

“When we talk to Republicans, Independents and moderates, and we talk to them in a language they understand, and there’s no doubt in most people’s minds – Republicans that I’ve come across – that John Carter has not delivered in the last nine terms and it is time for him to go and time for representation with solutions, and that’s what we’re offering.”

Continued from Page 1 and accelerate the project.

“I didn’t want them to say with all this COVID stuff let’s push this back a year,” Powell said. “They were good with that and said they would push forward and aim to open by the end of the year. One of my goals was to insure they moved forward and opened this year and they were really open to that. This was a nice package, but fairly conservative, and everyone at the table thought it was reasonable.”

Powell said he was involved in discussions immediately after being named interim Executive Director for the EDC in early May, meeting with Higginbotham’s representa-

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tives, EDC Board President Johnny Johnston and Mayor Rick Hall.

Higginbotham Brothers, which currently operates 41 stores in Texas and Oklahoma, is investing about $3 million and plans to create 12 full-time equivalent positions. The store is being built on the north side of SH 29, just east of the Meridell Achievement Center.

“We are excited to be coming to Liberty Hill. It has been a long time coming,” said company Chief Financial Officer Jace Mattinson. “Higginbotham’s has a very unique and rich history. The company was founded in 1881 so for starters it is one of the oldest compa-

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nies and brands in Texas. Liberty Hill will be our first location in Central Texas.”

He said the incentive was a welcome offering from the City as they move toward completing their facility.

“There aren’t words for how much it means to us,” Mattinson said. “Liberty Hill is a great community with great leadership and we are excited to be here and help fuel the growth in the area.”

The agreement does provide protection for the City, stipulating that if at any time before Jan. 1, 2023, Higginbotham Brothers fails to maintain 12 FTE’s at the Liberty Hill location the agreement is canceled

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Mann touts healthcare experience

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When Dr. Christine Mann talks healthcare with voters it comes from decades of experience in the medical field as the long-time activist and physician has dedicated herself professionally and personally to the cause.

This is Mann’s second run at the U.S. House District 31 nomination, eventually losing in a runoff in 2018 to MJ Hegar, but she is proud of the strides she said Democrats have made against long-time Republican incumbent John Carter. And she has made a point for many years as an area activist to call Carter out for what she says is a lack of responsiveness to voters.

“We currently have a Representative who only talks to people on his side,” Mann said. “He doesn’t make himself accountable to the public and he won’t engage in public conversation. I’ve already shown that I can, I do and I will.”

Healthcare is her focus, but she says she’s not alone in that. Mann says it is the number one issue to people she talks to as she campaigns.

The recent worry and uncertainty over the COVID-19 virus and all the issues associated with it have only heightened that awareness.

“The message has not changed,” she said. “I’ve been pushing healthcare and universal coverage for more than a decade, predating my running for Congress. It’s just that the pandemic has shone a spotlight on just how badly we need to have healthcare reform, and how badly we need to have people like myself who have a deep under-

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standing of how the healthcare system runs. My decades of experience can’t be replicated by a policy book that a staffer puts out.”

Critical among healthcare concerns today is the challenge of health coverage being tied to employment.

“The pandemic has shown gaps in our healthcare system in general, but in particular with the job losses we have seen and the devastation economically we have seen across the country,” she said.

“People are losing their insurance on top of the normal inequities we see. It emphasizes the need to decouple healthcare coverage from employment and that’s where universal coverage and Medicare for all come in.”

Being a doctor has prepared Mann to deal with many other issues beyond healthcare as she says her experience “transcends” healthcare and weaves into issues such as criminal justice reform, gun reform, racial issues, women’s issues and climate change.

“We know in medicine as doctors there are social determinants of health that impact Black and brown communities to a greater degree than they do white communities,” she said. “So solving racial inequities is in my lane. It is something I am aware of as a physician because it is something I have seen.”

And when she takes on healthcare, she does so with an administrative eye, not only that of a physician.

“I owned my first medical practice for 11 years,” Mann said. “So I spent those years negotiating contracts with insurance companies, and

and Higginbotham Brothers will repay all incentive payments in full.

Final EDC grants awarded After awarding nine COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants at its June 3 meeting for a total of $43,500, the EDC awarded the remainder of the $100,000 set aside for the program at its June 17 meeting.

Four businesses that had previously applied but were held up due to application issues or other questions were approved. Vizionz Hair Salon, Liberty Hill Pediatrics, and Happy Trails Learning Center were each granted the maximum $5,000 once the ques-

CHRISTINE MANN Democrat for District 31 I’ve contracted with every insurance company out there. I know what they write into those contracts and I know how they have the sole power to decide who is covered, what doctors are under the plan, which facilities you can go to. That ads to just the fact of being a doctor regarding my ability to negotiate something better on behalf of the American people.”

A resident of Leander, Mann has been in the healthcare industry for more than 30 years.

She believes that she has the relationships and approach that will help her win in what has been a Republican stronghold for more than two decades.

“I’ve built up 20-year relationships with people of all walks of life – Independents, Republicans, Democrats,” she said. “I have Republicans every day who come to my office every day who say I will vote for you in November because I know you. I’ve met you, I’ve talked to you, I trust you.

There’s a built-in base for me in engaging Republicans who might otherwise be disinclined to vote for a Democrat. I’ve already shown that I’m going to stand up for everybody if I’m elected.”

tions had been answered.

Hell or High Water Brewing, which operates under two different companies, requested a grant under the restaurant company and another under the brewery, and was awarded $4,250 for each.

New applicants awarded grants were Indigo Salon, Texas Taco Kitchen, Elena’s Bar and Grill, HK Computers, Davis Automotive, and Country Girl Consignment at $5,000 each, and Cut-N-Edge Salon at $3,000.

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GIVING

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 1

services L4 Cares provides is comfort and aid to families of children with a terminal illness.

Megan Smith Beatty’s daughter was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, a brain tumor on the brain stem. The tumor was very aggressive, requiring Beatty’s daughter to receive treatment at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, a move that while financially difficult, was made without question. L4 Cares stepped in to ease the transition for the family.

“L4 Cares reached out to us and told us that they got us a fully-furnished apartment near MD Anderson for the entire time we will be there,” she said. “It was such a blessing, and a huge worry lifted off our shoulders when we had so much more to worry about.

Our stay in Houston was comfortable, and we made a lot of good memories with the bad.”

A friend contacted L4 Cares for Deanna Reinders, and they swooped in to comfort her daughter and shine a light on her family in their darkest mo-

ment.

“She contacted them to surprise my daughter with a visit from her favorite princess, Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

My daughter had just been in the hospital for 10 days and was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor called DIPG; it is terminal,” said Reinders.

“Ariel came to our home, sang with my daughter, read her a story, and even brought her some gifts. It was wonderful, my daughter was going through a rough time, and L4 Cares brought her joy.”

For both mothers, L4 Cares was a blessing in their most difficult moments.

“All of these things have helped bring joy during a dark time in our lives,” said Reinders. “You can tell they truly do care about the child and their family.”

Hope House Understanding the work that Hope House does means understanding the type of residents they serve. The residents of Hope House have severe disabilities, can’t speak, and require care 24 hours a day

seven days a week.

To work for Hope House is a tasking experience. For Jared Sudekum, a Hope House caregives, the job is all about making his residents feel normal and treating them like human beings.

“I’ve been there for six or seven years, and when they brought me in, my mission was to get our residents out into the community and give them a more structured day,” he said. “We wanted to get them involved in more activities that would bring them out of the home.”

To Sudekum the residents are like family. Just like any family, he believes they deserve the best and deserve a sense of normalcy.

“I love my residents. They’re like your brother or sister, your father or mother, son or daughter,” he said. “They’re so unique, and they figure you out as you figure them out. You work together, play together, and eat together. It’s normal life but created so that if you have a challenge, we find a workaround.”

Panther Pit Crew The Panther Pit Crew is known for the money it raises for various school organizations. The Pit Crew goes the extra mile to make sure that as many students get a seat at the table as possible.

A humble group, the Pit Crew, prefers to remain in the shadows and help without any fanfare. The team regularly goes beyond the call.

Mike Riley, the father of Cade Riley, an LHHS student who passed away after an ATV accident, knows firsthand how much the Pit Crew cares about the community. In memory of Cade, his father started a fishing tournament to raise money for scholarships, and the Pit Crew didn’t hesitate to show its support.

“When they came out it

wasn’t just one pit and five guys, they brought the whole trailer,” said Riley. “They brought tents, fans, tables, and cornhole. It was all for nothing. They just came to support us because we were a member of the community. They came out and asked, ‘how can we help?’”

Liberty Hill Public Library The work that a public library does is vital to a community. Even the smallest library serves as a hub of information that helps educate and connect citizens.

In Liberty Hill, the public library goes above and beyond to positively impact as many people as possible. The impact it makes is vital to the youth of the community.

Placing them on the path of reading encourages learning.

“I found that my kids have an eagerness to read and explore now,” said Holly Hafley of Liberty Hill. “With their reading program, it’s like every hour they want to read.

My daughter will sit down for an hour and read. Even with the science to go kits they do.

They learn and are just excited about it.”

Whether it’s mermaid parties or Christmas celebrations, the events the library holds have become a tradition for Hafley and her family.

“They have shark and mermaid parties and different things that the kids are so into,” she said. “They have PJ Christmas story time where kids get to make reindeer food. For us, that’s become a family tradition. We’ve done it the last three years; we all get out PJs and listen to story time. It created a tradition for us, and I imagine for others.”

The Day of Giving is June 26. To donate to these organizations, Spirit Reins and the LHISD Education Foundation, visit the Day of Giving page and click on one of the donate buttons.

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

COUNCIL Continued from Page 1 Liberty Hill Chief Operating Officer Lacie Hale shared a timeline of actions taken by the City in June in an effort to clarify the situation. The timeline, and other documents discussed relating to the issue, was omitted from the agenda packet provided to The Independent Monday. A subsequent request Tuesday morning to the City for those documents and others regarding the splash pad were not provided by press time Wednesday.

With the lack of an inspection report, the City resorted to grounding tests and ground-penetrating radar to try and determine if the work was done. Even though everyone involved agreed the work was likely done properly, no one was willing to sign off on the issue guaranteeing it was done correctly.

A grounding test for Ohms was conducted and read a 1.5.

According to building code a reading of nine or below is acceptable.

Council member Kathy Canady shared her frustration throughout the discussion, asking questions about the timeline and process.

“We’re talking water and electricity, which is not something that can mix real good,” Canady said. “This is a big deal because it’s water and electricity.”

Attempting to mitigate the concerns, Hall said the only spot underneath the concrete that has electricity to it is the activation post for the splash pad and it is DC current, not AC current.

“It is a device you just touch it and there’s enough DC current in your body to just activate that switch,” he said.

While Canady talked about safety and process, she repeatedly raised questions on why the City didn’t know, asking who was at fault.

In a back and forth with Senior Director of Planning David Stallworth, Canady asked what could have happened had the issue not been discovered, how the problem could have been avoided and regularly brought up the issue of responsibility.

“What I’m saying is we can

point fingers and go back and forth,” Stallworth said regarding blame, with Canady interjecting, “It’s an important finger.”

When Stallworth tried to shoulder the responsibility as head of the Development Department, Canady refused to accept that.

“We don’t know who is going to take the hit on this,” she said. “You can volunteer, but that’s a Council decision.”

Stallworth explained the process in more detail, recounting what had occurred since last October on the project. Some early delays came from changes in the project itself, as well as drainage issues in relation to other projects ongoing in the area.

“Long story short, there were two to two and a half months of delays as a result of those actions or weather-related delays,” he said, continuing to explain the decision-making process on continuing with the project. “We had one of two options. We can either proceed based on our own judgment that these people are familiar enough with procedure and process and if they are insuring there is going to be a third-party inspection then we are going to rely on them to carry out that promise. The other recourse would have been to take a hardline approach and issue a red tag and do a stop work order.”

In addition to the later tests done to try and verify the bonding had been done, Hall, Hale and Stallworth tested the splash pad and had no issues or concerns after.

In the end, the decision was made to create new deck bonding by accessing the rebar from four edges of the pad and clamp the bond wire around the outside to achieve proper grounding. This would eliminate the need to cut into or break the slab to check for clamps and is work that can be done by City Public Works employees.

Hall asked each of the five Council members in turn whether they were comfortable opening the splash pad

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Continued from Page 4

if this work was done and a certificate of occupancy was received. Each answered yes, with Tony DeYoung adding that he’d like to see more regular cleaning and sanitizing in the bathroom under the current situation with the COVID-19 virus.

If the work is completed and tested in time, the plan is to hold a grand opening celebration at 10 a.m. July 3, prior to the Independence Day Spectacular that evening.

Once the solution was settled on, Hall expressed his own frustration with the issue.

“I feel that the City as a whole has dropped the ball in multiple cases in this,” he said. “David (Stallworth), I will say to you as head of that department, and I will say to you, Lacie (Hale), as his boss that we need to tighten this process up.

If a contractor ever tells us in the future that a third party will do something we red tag it.

This has put the City way behind and is costing us money.”

In a later interview with The Independent, Hall refused to say he was satisfied with the outcome.

“I will be satisfied when we’re able to have our grand opening and open up the park,” Hall said.

He said all contractors had been paid related to the project.

Following the decision on Wetzel Park, the Council heard three options presented by Hale on the potential reorganization of the Planning Department.

Stallworth put together one proposal and Hale brought forward two others. The new plan would include three new positions – a project manager previously approved in the current budget, as well as a building official and plans examiner. The Independent has not been provided with copies of the three options presented.

Stallworth asked that he be allowed to review the proposed options before a vote is taken, saying he had not had an opportunity to consider the second and third options.

In response to that request, DeYoung made a motion to table the issue until the next meeting so Stallworth would have that opportunity and the

motion passed unanimously.

The Council approved hiring for the project manager position, though, by a 4-1 vote with DeYoung in opposition.

In an interview Tuesday, Hall defended moving forward with the position without the final determination on the department’s structure.

“I know we created that position a long time ago, and honestly I don’t recall what the range was for that,” Hall said, adding that the reorganization is important to keep up with

growth. “I think that as the City keeps growing we need to keep growing and forming and shaping our departments and I think this is just one step closer to getting us ready for the growth we’re expecting and having the right people in the right positions.

“I am going to say in total the City failed in this entire project because we don’t have defined processes internally we should be following to prevent stuff like this from happening,” he said. “One of the things we’re

Page 5

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, June 25, 2020

In local peaceful protest, group affirms Black lives matter

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story is being reprinted in its entirety after it printed incorrectly in the June 18 edition of The Independent. The story was first published June 15 at www.lhindependent.com.

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer At the corner of State Highway 29 and Loop 332, a crowd of about 150 people knelt for eight and a half minutes June 13 to remember the death of George Floyd.

Leading up to that, protesters supporting the views of Black Lives Matter lined the highway, holding signs as drivers passed. The crowd raised their fists in solidarity, shared prayers, and talked about why they felt the need to be involved on a hot Saturday in Liberty Hill.

Protest organizer and Liberty Hill resident Angie Bare sees this as an essential time in the country, and she wanted Liberty Hill to be part of the conversation.

“This is happening all over the country and in other countries,” said Bare. “We just wanted to provide a safe space for the people in Liberty Hill who stand in agreement

SABINO’S

to have a voice and join the movement.”

Understanding the area, Bare was aware that her beliefs may not line up with the overall community, but the protest organizer hoped to open the door to different ideas.

“I do understand that this may not be the predominant opinion of everyone in Liberty Hill, and that’s perfectly fine,” she said. “I’m not looking to cause a fight. I just want to have a place where people can openly support things that maybe aren’t typically presented in rural Texas.”

While the event received a large amount of resistance on social media, Bare’s intentions weren’t to create conflict but to instead create conversation.

“If someone wants to have a polite and civil conversation with me, I will always welcome that,” said Bare. “I don’t like scare tactics, and I don’t want people to try and force us not to assemble because we’re allowed to, and I think that’s part of our rights. As long as we’re all being respectful of each other, we can have differing opinions.”

Denise Hunt, a resident of Liberty Hill, originally from Jamaica, chose to participate

Continued from Page 1

it was getting married, having kids or moving,” Sabino said.

“The timing never worked out right. When we moved to Leander, we felt like our roots were finally where they needed to be. We saw this development happening in early 2018, so we reached out to the developer and the pizza pub took off from there.”

The restaurant opened at an interesting time, because just as Sabino was starting to feel his feet underneath him with the business, COVID-19 hit and changed everything.

“We had our processes down, product quality had never been better, and then COVID happened and threw everybody in the world for a loop,” he said.

“We never shut down totally—we did pickup and delivery—but one benefit was that people gravitated toward pizza

as an option during that time.

Pizza is made to be portable, and it cooks in a 500-plus-degree oven, so it’s completely sanitary.”

Because of that, Sabino said pizza sales remained strong while the dining room was closed. He used the downtime to take advantage of improving processes in the kitchen and streamlining efficiency.

“It gave us an opportunity to take a step back, so we took advantage to really improve our overall operations,” he said.

Now that his restaurant is fully open once again, Sabino understands that many people are cautious to go back out, but he said his staff is ready to see a full restaurant once again.

“It’s nice that people are slowly starting to come back out for dining, but you can still

because it’s a matter of life and death for her. Life and death based on the color of her skin.

“I am out here because I am a black woman, I am out here because I’m a black mother, I’m out here because I am a black sister, black daughter, and a black wife,” said Hunt “I am tired of people telling me I need to choose a side because of my color. I’m choosing a side because of life or death, and I’m out here because it seems to me there is an exponential number of black lives being lost to different systems.”

Hunt’s experience in Liberty Hill differs from that of the white community. Since arriving, Hunt and her son have experienced some form of racism, she said.

“I’ve experienced racism, but the hardest part of it for me was that my son got it very badly because, as a Jamaican, he grew up half here and half in Jamaica. He was bullied badly in school,” she said. “As a Christian black woman, I experienced it in my church, and that broke me a little bit because that is supposed to be a safe place.”

Hunt struggled to contain her emotions when asked how the

enjoy our pizza via take out if you aren’t comfortable,” he said. “But there is nothing better than having people come in, relax and have a drink and some pizza.”

What sets Sabino’s apart from other pizzerias is its Chicago-style stuffed pizza, which Sabino said “looks like an inside out pizza” and can feed a crowd. The stuffed pizza contains two layers of crust stuffed with cheese and toppings covered in Sabino’s house red sauce.

Sabino’s also offers a Chicago-style thin crust pizza, which takes the sauce all the way to the edge of the crust and is cut into square slices instead of triangles. The dough and pizza sauce for all Sabino’s pizzas are made in-house daily. The pub’s most popular pizza is called “The Meats,”

About 150 people participated in a peaceful protest in Liberty Hill on June 13. Protesters supported the views of Black Lives Matter.

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

turnout of the event made her feel.

“There are more people not of my color out here, and I know the percentages, there are more white people living in Liberty Hill. We can’t do it unless white people step up. Black people cannot do it without white people willing to stand beside us,” said Hunt. “When I came out here today, I was like okay, there is some hope, and I can act a little bit more on that hope.”

Coming from Round Rock, Jillian Kerlin and her family felt the calling to stand for injustice. As a mother of two black sons, Eliyas and Kebede,

the issue engulfing the nation hit close to home.

“We don’t live in Liberty Hill, but most importantly, we want to stand for justice because we have two black kids,” said.

“About six years ago, when we adopted our first son, we were awakened to our privilege and systemic racism. We don’t feel like we could be silent.”

With emotion in her voice, Kerlin said she was proud to see the Liberty Hill community’s response.

“It’s emotional to see that in a small town like this, so many people want to fight for justice,” she said. “It’s encouraging to see enough people care

to come out in the heat to make their voices heard.”

As the peaceful thinned out, one lone individual parked across the highway, waving an American flag. Soon after, a man with a Blue Lives Matter sign joined in.

One incident did occur as a man with a child arrived and began walking in front of remaining protesters, yelling at them. Four police vehicles arrived, and the man crossed to the opposite side of the highway. Contrary to misinformation on social media, there were never more than five individuals who counter-protested the BLM protesters.

which comes topped with Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, hamburger, bacon and ham.

Pizza isn’t the only thing on Sabino’s menu. The pub also serves a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and rolls.

Sabino’s also just added wings to its menu, effective as of mid-June.

“Our number one item aside from pizza is our Italian beef sandwich,” Sabino said. “We get our beef from Chicago, and it’s served with options of sautéed peppers and onions, and sandwich bread we make in house.”

In addition to the restaurant, Sabino’s also has a bar, which serves 14 beers on tap, including some from local breweries like Whitestone, San Gabriel River and Bull Creek, and 10 different wines. Margaritas are also on the menu.

Sabino said his goal with opening the pub was to be a neighborhood hangout where families could go after a baseball game, but also where a group of friends could go out for drinks and watch a game.

“I wanted a place that was comfortable taking your family, where you could get the best pizza in Texas, and enjoy sports like nowhere else,” he said. “We have 14 big screen TVs here, and we designed this place to have a family atmosphere.”

Sabino added that his pub’s pizza ovens are 40 years old, which makes for the best pizza there is.

“They make the best pizza you can find because they are old school,” he said. “I’m a pizza purist. I don’t want to make a pizza in four minutes.

I don’t believe you can make

a quality pizza and churn them out that fast. It might take us longer to make one, but you’ll be happy with the pizza you get. We hand roll everything out, and everything is made fresh. It’s totally worth the 15to 20-minute wait.”

As of now, Sabino’s motto is “Not weird, not a chain, just great pizza.” Sabino hopes that motto will change in the future.

“I don’t want that to be our motto five years from now,” he said. “I would like to have a second and third location down the road. Right now I want to optimize what we have in our four walls here.”

Sabino’s is located at 2082 U.S. Hwy. 183 in the Shops at San Gabriel Ridge in north Leander. For hours and more information, visit www.sabinospizzapub.com.

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SPORTS

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 25, 2020 Page 7

UIL announces football season plans Organizing body wants full stands, lifts TV blackout

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor The UIL has announced plans to go ahead with the 2020 high school football season in a move designed to help return normalcy to Texas prep sports.

Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of the plan is to have full attendance, while at the same time the Friday night broadcast ban will be lifted for the upcoming season, allowing those who choose to remain home to watch on television or online.

However, stipulations aside, Liberty Hill athletic director and head football coach Jeff Walker is chomping at the bit to get back after it, he said.

“We’re very excited and eager to get started,” he said. “But, I believe it’s still a little early to get too excited because things are changing daily. We’ll prepare like we’re playing and see what happens in the next six weeks.”

All of the Panthers’ sports teams have been back training for the past few weeks after the UIL lifted the suspension of activities earlier this month, which meant athletes were once again free to participate in summer conditioning drills, something Walker hopes will bear fruit come the fall, he said.

“As an athletic director, I’m planning for every scenario and hoping for the best,” said Walker. “Our student athletes are working extremely hard and are very hopeful they’ll get to participate in their sports during the 2020-21 seasons.”

A recent spike in coronavirus cases across Texas may make a return to normalcy merely a speck on the sports horizon at this point, but once players and coaches are given the green light to compete, Walker is confident proper measures will be in place – not only on behalf of his program, but its governing body, as well.

“I don’t think there’s any extra pressure – we all want sports

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Liberty Hill grad Dejahnae Thompson competed at the Leander Spartans Invitational track meet at Liberty Hill Elementary School on June 20.

Thompson competes at Liberty Hill meet

The Leander Spartans Invitational was held June 20 at Old Panther Stadium on the campus of Liberty Hill Elementary School.

Included in the field was Liberty Hill Class of 2020 grad Dejahnae Thompson, who competed in the girls’ 400 me-

ters and finished in 17th place overall in a time of 1:02.74 after the time was good enough for second place in her heat race.

Thompson has signed to run track at Southwestern University in Georgetown.

As opposed to runners ad-

vancing to the final from qualifying heats, the event’s format consisted of the 22 entrants being divided into five races, with the times from all of them combined to form final event standings.

Hali Murphy, a teammate of Thompson’s with Leander

Spartans, won the event in 55.18.

The meet was for athletes seven to 18 years of age and featured 21 different events across all age divisions.

UIL’s bold stance should be applauded See SPORTS, Page 8

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Hope is a very powerful thing.

In fact, without it, what do we really have to live for?

What motivates us to carry on even in the face of adversity the likes of which we’ve never before seen as a society?

Hope.

When the UIL announced plans to go ahead with the 2020 high school football season – in its entirety, including complete schedules and full stands – it was certainly a breath of fresh air in a time when we’re all struggling to breathe.

After the entire world being on pause for the past threeplus months due to a global pandemic, the announcement provided hope for a return to normalcy.

Not some “new normal,” either.

The old one – when Texans are free to gather in glee under the Friday Night Lights in cel-

ebration of the fierce tradition that is Lone Star State prep football.

Of course, the entire thing is going out on a limb a bit, as we still don’t know if school will be back in its normal form in the fall yet.

But, with so many things having been already washed away by a wave of fear and uncertainty, maybe – just maybe – we can dare to dream, don’t you think?

However, not all dreams can come true – that’s not how life works.

Chances are, the games will be played in some way, shape or form.

The UIL reinstated summer conditioning programs, which opened back up earlier this month, and all indications are fall sports will be contested.

The tricky part of the equation is the part about full attendance being allowed once the ball is kicked off.

How can we possibly have packed stands if class sizes are restricted due to social-distancing guidelines, which are currently and will probably be all the rage for quite some time still?

This fall will mark the 100th anniversary of UIL-sanctioned football in Texas, so you know the powers-that-be want everything to come off without a hitch, but at the same time, we also need to be realistic.

Although, all that said, somebody has to lead the way and be the first to jump back into the deep end – pandemic be damned – and if the UIL is willing to do that, more power to them.

As a vaccine for COVID-19 isn’t even on the horizon yet, what will it take for people to finally accept some degree of risk and get on with their lives?

We’re fighting a war against an invisible enemy and with war comes casualties – it’s simply an undeniable fact of life – and in this case, death.

There’s never going to be a “perfect time” to get back after it like we once did, so we applaud the UIL for its announcement.

Worst case is the games can’t go on or if they do, with limited or maybe even no spectators – as professional leagues in the various sports around the globe have already shown

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Lauren LaDuque saw both of her older brothers standing at attention in full dress uniforms with one saluting the other.

Colby LaDuque had just graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as a newly-minted ensign and younger brother Riley, currently in his second year at the U.S. Air Force Academy, paid his sibling proper military customs and courtesy.

Soon, Lauren will join them, as the Liberty Hill Class of 2020 alum will follow her brothers into military service after receiving an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

According to Lauren, witnessing Riley’s indoctrination into the academy and the emotions it stirred within her was enough to convince her to follow the same path.

“I decided I wanted to go to an academy about two years ago when I watched my older brother on his acceptance day,” she said. “I was in awe as his whole class marched onto the field in unison after only a few hours away – just seeing the commitment and unity among everyone there made me immediately feel a purpose that I’ve been working to fulfill.”

Lauren’s ambition to be a pilot was ultimately the determining factor in her decision to pursue a career in the

Air Force, despite the fact she originally considered all the service branches, she said.

“Out of all of them, the Air Force was the first one I wanted to go to originally, so I always felt a little biased even when looking at the other academies,” said Lauren.

“Also, I was looking to be a pilot, so why not go where pilots are made.”

Liberty Hill head volleyball coach Gretchen Peterson knows Lauren has exactly what it takes to succeed in her next undertaking, based on seeing her grow and mature over the course of her high school career, she said.

“Lauren is confident in who she is and what she stands for,” said Peterson. “She’s a hard worker who understands what hard work is and isn’t afraid off it – in fact, she welcomes it. She appreciates what comes from hard work and doesn’t shy away from things just because they may not be easy at first. I think she’s an amazing example of what grit and working while you wait is, and I have learned so much from her.”

In fact, some of the character traits Lauren displayed during her Lady Panthers playing days will also serve her quite well as an officer in the military, she said.

“Lauren’s work ethic, her goal setting, her intelligence and her ability to connect and create strong and cher-

ished relationships with those around her is one of her main strengths,” said Peterson.

“People know Lauren cares about them and you want to follow someone like that – whatever their role is on the team. She’s a pretty amazing combination of all the makings of a strong leader.”

Colby, who graduated Liberty Hill High School in 2016, was looking for a place he could not only continue his playing career on the gridiron, but achieve an academic and cultural synergy, he said.

“I’ve always appreciated the military due to the amount of discipline and self-sacrifice that’s required to be part of any of the military branches.

After my high school career ended, I was looking for a school to continue my football career,” he said. “I came across the Coast Guard Academy and I believe it was the perfect combination of everything I wanted to do with my life. The Coast Guard is truly a service-minded branch, which I think aligns with where I feel God has led me to operate.”

Colby’s first duty assignment will be as a deck watch officer aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco in Ketchikan, Alaska, and said playing a sport at a service academy is even more demanding than at a civilian university.

“It was a great feeling to continue playing and I consider myself very blessed,” he said.

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

According to the UIL, we’ll once again witness scenes like this at football games this fall. us.

The UIL also announced a lifting of the Friday television broadcast ban, which will allow fans who choose to stay home an opportunity to watch their favorite teams play.

Critical word here is “choose.”

If someone exercises their God-given right to decide

what’s best for themselves and wants to go see a game in person, fine.

If another individual does the same and spends Friday night in front of a television or a computer monitor, then so be it.

What matters here is having the option to choose.

Yes, hope is indeed a powerful thing.

For high school football fans across the state, that hope has been restored – for the time being, at least.

That gives us a reason to carry on.

LaDuque will join brothers in the military “I definitely do think it’s much harder to play a sport at the academy and football is especially physically and mentally draining. There were times freshman year when I was balancing a 26-credit hour semester, studying to be recognized as a freshman, attending drill practices, attending a number of trainings and then going to a three-hour football practice that I wondered if it was worth it. Though the fact I made it through makes it all worth it and I built some great relationships along the way. With that being said, every cadet at the academy participates in their own extracurricular activity and everyone experiences, at the very least, a mental strain.”

Riley agreed there is much more involved while studying and training to be an officer in the United States military compared to counterparts at regular colleges.

“There are many things that make a military academy different from a civilian institution,” he said. “The first is the military obligation. Most people know we’re obligated to a certain time of military service after graduation, but while we’re in the academic year, we wear uniforms, perform squadron-wide physical training, have morning formations, march to lunch and perform jobs outside of school every day.”

However, perhaps the biggest challenge is to work one’s way

Liberty Hill Class of 2020 graduate Lauren LaDuque, center, will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, joining older brothers Riley, left (USAFA cadet) and Colby (U.S Coast Guard Academy alum) in pursuing a military career. (Courtesy Photo) up the food chain – so to speak.

“We have a four-year class structure in which freshmen are at the bottom of the ‘totem pole’ and classes gain more privileges as they ascend upward,” said Riley. “Freshmen must run anytime they’re outside, wear their service dress uniforms off base, walk at attention in the hallways, eat meals at attention and stay in their squadron area. Freshmen are also not allowed to own a television or gaming system, close their doors, or take naps.”

Colby’s experience was similar to his brother’s as far as the Spartan aspect of academy life

as a first-year cadet, he said.

“For starters, freshman year restricts cadets so much,” said Colby. “They’re not allowed to use social media or have any gaming systems or watch videos, keep any civilians clothes in their room and must walk in the middle of the hallway and can only look forward.”

But, that’s not all.

“You’re not allowed to look at your food when you eat and you’re restricted to base – only allowed to leave in between certain hours on weekends.

But, after the entire freshman

See LADUQUE, Page 8

Page 8

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Library asks community to flex creative muscles

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer The Liberty Hill Public Library is calling on the community to flex its collective creative muscle in the kitchen and around the house for two upcoming contests.

“We have two contests, the Virtual Top Chef and the Virtual Book Character contest,” said Library Executive Director Angela Palmer.

The Book Character Contest encourages community members to use household items to create unique depictions of book characters. Participants are free to choose any character they like for the competition as long as they appear in a book.

The contest’s inspiration comes from a similar event from out west.

“The Getty Museum in Los Angeles inspired me,” said

Palmer. “They were having a contest for people to recreate one of their paintings or works of art with things they have at home. That gave me the idea to do this but as a book character contest. The goal is to use what you have at the house and be creative.”

The contest is open to everyone, something Palmer hopes encourages a variety of different characters.

“This is actually for all ages; this is for kids, teens, and adults. The kids don’t just get all the fun in this one,” she said. “I just hope that people participate to see how creative people are and see where their imagination takes them.”

With the expansive variety of books available, contestants have an almost bottomless well of characters they can recreate.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

The following ordinance was passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Liberty Hill on June 8, 2020.

CITY OF LIBERTY HILL ORDINANCE NO. 20-O-34 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS, AMENDING SECTION 11.02.002(B), OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF

Fireworks

Buses will not be at full occupancy, so we want everyone to know shuttle lines may be longer. We also recommend if you’re 65 or older or immunocompromised that you stay home.”

With the potential of such a large gathering, Amsler says smaller groups are encouraged, as well as social distancing.

“We are encouraging no more than groups of 10 and maintaining a six-foot distance when you’re at the festival, so we want people to spread out,” she said. “Please use common sense and be smart. The food trucks and porta-potties will be spaced out.”

While the watermelon spitting contest got the axe for safety reasons, the community can participate in one of the most American competitions in existence and a staple of any Independence Day celebration.

“We’re only having one contest out there this year, which is the hotdog eating contest,” said Amsler. “We canceled the watermelon spitting contest because spit can spread COVID.” Community members willing to take the chance on scarfing down some hotdogs have the opportunity to win a trophy and, more importantly, bragging rights.

Two contests traditionally held at the festival will be moved to the Stubblefield Visitors Center as a safety measure.

“We normally have the homemade ice cream and homemade apple pie contests out there, but

Sports

Continued from Page 7

to start and finish this season, but safety as always is our first priority,” he said. “The UIL does a fantastic job of putting kids first -- we all want UIL events in 2020-21. I believe we can make it happen if coaches around the state will follow all the guidelines in place and put their kids’ safety first.”

As far as the lifting of the broadcast ban is concerned and any potential reduction in revenue caused by a drop in attendance, Walker said the program is ready.

“We’ve prepared and planned for less revenue during the 2020-21 season,” he said. “The safety and well being of our community is and will always be our priority.”

Liberty Hill is scheduled to open the season at home against Killeen Ellison on Aug. 28.

LIBERTY HILL, INCREASING THE EXEMPTION FROM AD VALOREM TAXES ON THE APPRAISED VALUE OF A RESIDENCE HOMESTEAD TO $5,000.00 FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISABLED OR ARE 65 OR OLDER WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

dice fan, so I’d like to see Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet,” said Palmer. “For the kids, they can do Fancy Nancy or Piggy and Elephant. They can do the Hunger Games for teens or Percy Jackson. There are so many they can choose. It can be any character that you want.”

To enter the contest, participants need to send in a photo of themselves and their character with the name of the character and the book they originate from through email or Facebook.

“We’re going to post them online and let the community vote for their favorites,” said Palmer. “Each like is a vote.

People can vote for three, and we decide the first, second, and third-place winners.”

The winners will receive gift cards from various businesses in town. Contestants have until July 25 to submit their entry.

The Virtual Top Chef competition is an opportunity for all ages to show their culinary skills and win some prizes.

Palmer adopted the idea from a similar contest in Round Rock and believes it’s something the community will rally around.

“Round Rock is doing this too, and I thought this was a fantastic idea, so I tweaked it a little bit for us,” she said.

“I thought it was a great idea, something fun and different, and I’m looking for different.

Top Chef just finished its season, and people like it. People love cookbooks, and they go out quickly for us. Kids, teens, and adults love cookbooks.”

With so many people already cooking at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Palmer believes this contest is the perfect activity for families to enjoy. It’s a way to provide kids

Continued from Page 1 we’ve modified it this year to make it a little bit safer,” said Amsler. “We’re going to hold those contests still, but we’re going to do them the weekend before. It’s this coming Saturday. We’re going to have the contest here at the Stubblefield building. People can show up with their apple pies and ice cream. The judges will be here, and at the festival, we’ll announce the winners.”

Winners of the contests will receive a $100 cash prize. Ribbons will be handed out, with

LaDuque

the first-place finisher taking home the coveted blue ribbon.

Community members who venture out to the event can expect live music, with three musical guests.

“We’re going to have three bands this year,” said Amsler.

“We have Colby Keeling from 6-7 p.m. Then we have Little Texas from 8-9:30 p.m. Then we’re going to have a post fireworks band this year; it’s nameless Road, which is a local Liberty Hill band. We’re doing that so that people can

Continued from Page 7

class passes an indoctrination test, all these privileges are gained. Aside from freshman year, the entire corps attends training and drill practices every week. You must have your door opened from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and must follow a strict manual of rules. I could go on, but really all this combines to mean you don’t have the freedoms and privileges that are given to civilian school students. Though, I believe this is justified due to the amount of responsibility that will be bestowed upon the graduates once they gain their commission. As 22 to 25-year-olds, academy graduates will be placed in charge of grown men and women who have been part of the service for 20 years.

It’s a daunting task and only a regimented and strict curriculum could prepare a young person to lead so quickly in their career.”

Aside from all that is the small matter of studying, not to mention responsibilities, which spill over into the summer months, said Riley.

“Our schedules are very regulated and our core curriculum covers a larger range of classes than a civilian university,” he said. “We also spend the bulk of our summers back at the academies doing training or working basic training for the next incoming classes.”

But, one thing Colby wasn’t quite ready for was trading the central Texas climate for that of Connecticut, he said.

“It was very hard to adjust to the winters up north,” said Colby. “I’ve never been colder than when the polar vortex hit the north last year and the temperatures dipped to -26 degrees in New London. I was in awe of how people spend their whole life in temperatures like that. But with the different climates, there are many cool opportunities that are present-

ed in both Colorado and Connecticut. I would advise Lauren and Riley to make sure to get out of the gates and put the homework away. Enjoy and embrace the opportunities to experience a completely different way of life.”

The LaDuques have a rich military history in their family, as mother Tafi’s father served as a Marine in Vietnam and both of her grandfathers fought in World War II, in the Army and Merchant Marines, but were made aware of the opportunities available for their children at service academies by a another former Panthers football player, said Jason LaDuque.

“We were first exposed to the opportunity of playing football at a service academy through Shawn and Julie Covington,” he said. “Their son, Jacob, was a year ahead of Colby and was an outstanding defensive end, who was recruited by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and his parents told us about how they found him through an online recruiting service.”

After that, it was simply a matter of beginning the process – with a little help from his former and future head coaches, said Jason.

“Colby posted his highlight video on the website and was found by the Coast Guard Academy,” he said. “The school is a Division III football team and Colby’s height and weight seemed to fit better to a smaller school. Also, there was another Liberty Hill kid by the name of Blake Thompson, who was a senior at the Coast Guard Academy, so they know Liberty Hill produces tough kids. So, (Coast Guard Head ) Coach (C.C.) Grant came and talked to (former Liberty Hill Head ) Coach (Jerry) Vance and it all worked out.”

Indeed, toughness is a Liber-

with a little bit of education at the same time.

“I thought this would be a fun activity for people to do since they’re cooking at home right now,” she said. “It’s a family thing, and you’re practicing literacy skills by reading and math skills by measuring. It’s good fun, and you get to eat what you make.”

Contestants are free to cook any cuisine they choose as long as it ties in with a book.

“It can be any food. It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, dessert, or whatever,” said Palmer. “We’re asking for it to be as original a recipe as possible, and the recipe must reflect a book’s title, characters, plot, or a specific part of the story. It has to be literary-based.”

Winners will be decided by judges and get gift cards from Simply Home Decor & More, the event sponsor. The contest will have four different age categories, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12, and 13-18. Palmer will be posting each entry on Facebook, with a people’s choice winner being decided based on likes.

Entries for the Top Chef competition must be emailed to askthelibrary@lhpl.org by 6 p.m. Monday, July 6. The public can vote for their favorite from July 7-July 13. The winners will be announced on July 14.

With these contests, Palmer hopes families can enjoy their time at home together and embrace creativity.

“It’s something fun to do with your kids, it’s something to do with the family, and it doesn’t cost a lot of money,” she said.

“We’re asking that you don’t buy anything and just use what you have around the house and your creativity.”

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Despite virus spread, no new restrictions

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor State and county leaders are urging residents to take every precaution in the face of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, but have stopped short of mandating any tighter restrictions.

Confirmed case numbers have spiked over the last 10 days, with cases statewide increasing by 37 percent, and a 66 percent increase in Williamson County.

One statistic officials have focused on is hospitalizations, a number that has also steadily increased. As of Tuesday, there were 4,092 people hospitalized in Texas due to COVID-19, rising by an average of 176 patients per day since June 14.

In the Austin area, there are 825 available beds with 245 currently hospitalized. This designated trauma area includes Williamson County, where 24 are currently in the hospital.

On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott opened the door for local officials to impose additional restrictions on outdoor gatherings of 100 or more, and last week he allowed larger cities to begin implementing safety measures such as mandating masks in businesses.

“Today’s proclamation and emergency rules will aid in that effort in two key ways: allowing restrictions on large gatherings where COVID-19 is easily spread and implementing a statewide standard of infection control for child care centers. However, as we face this challenge, there is no substitute for personal responsibility. I urge all Texans to do everything in their pow-

er to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus by wearing a face mask, washing their hands often, and staying six feet apart from others,” he said.

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell has followed Abbott’s lead, choosing to encourage people to wear masks, but stopping short of making it mandatory.

“In the last week, we passed the milestone of our 30th resident dying because of COVID-19,” Gravell said.

“And so it is still a very serious disease and pandemic that we deal with, but I think that we have learned that common sense really plays a big role in protecting each other.”

Looking ahead to the July 4th holiday, Abbott said local officials have the authority to limit gatherings.

Liberty Hill will hold its Independence Day Spectacular July 3, implementing a number of safety measures and precautions.

According to County statistics, the 78642 zip code has between 10 and 60 confirmed cases. Mayor Rick Hall said Tuesday he believes the number for Liberty Hill is close to the 22 reported last week, not counting those recovered.

The total fatalities to date in Texas reached 2,220 Tuesday. While the number of recoveries in Texas has grown by more than 12,000 over the last 10 days, the increase in active cases has risen by nearly 20,000. In Williamson County, the number of active cases has eclipsed recoveries 732 to 722, with 32 deaths among 1,498 total cases reported Tuesday.

exit the park in phases, so we don’t have one massive clump of people at the shuttle lines.”

A variety of food trucks offering all types of cuisine will be spread out around the park.

One of the new additions to the event this year is an alcohol tent.

“We have all kinds of food trucks so you can pick what you want,” said Amsler. “This year we have something new, which is the alcohol tent. It’s something people have wanted for a long time. We’ve eased

into it. We’ve never had alcohol, but we’re going to sell it so we can sell it safely.”

Kids will have an area filled with different activities, all sanitized and spread out.

“We have a whole kids zone, with a rock wall, bounce houses, slip and slides, and a dunking booth,” said Amsler.

“We have a couple of different water slides, and a bungee run.

We’ll have a train, too, and that’s always popular. We’re going to have an undercover agent walking around the kids

zone, passing out free coupons for kids.”

Amsler feels this celebration is just what the community needs, after weeks of being stuck at home.

“Liberty Hill is all about community, and the idea of an actual celebration is very exciting,” she said. “We think we are all ready for some fresh air, and watching fireworks

by Zoom doesn’t have the same ring. We look forward to sharing a safe and memorable event in our beautiful city.”

ty Hill trait that serves former Panthers well once they trade their football uniforms for that of one’s country, said Jason.

“Several of Colby’s teammates went into the military, as well,” he said. “Colton Cunningham was one of them – he went into the Marine Corps and was a squad leader from the get go. His dad commented that Liberty Hill football sets these kids up well to endure through demanding expectations and I believe he’s 100 percent correct.”

After Colby had led the way, the family realized what military academies offered said Tafi LaDuque.

“Once Colby began at CGA, it opened our eyes to the service academy opportunities,” she said. “Riley has always been influenced by Colby and I think that was the driving force to him applying to a service academy. However, Riley wanted to be a pilot, whereas Colby wants to be on a ship, then go back to school to be a Judge Advocate General attorney. So, Riley began focusing on the Air Force and the U.S. Air Force Academy.”

Riley said his older brother was a massive influence in his decision to not only join the military, but to become an officer, which opens up a variety of career progressions.

“Colby definitely played a large role in directing me in that path,” he said. “I saw all the cool opportunities and experiences he was having and that was a large inspiration for me to aim that way. Going to a military academy sets you up to graduate as an officer, which offers a larger range of jobs than the enlisted crew are eligible for. Officers also fill mostly leadership roles and that was enticing to me.”

Something else that runs in the family is athletic ability, as Lauren played volleyball

in high school after Colby had played football, with Riley having joined the Air Force rugby team after his arrival at the academy.

Tafi added the environment in which all three of her children were raised provided the perfect blend of athletics and academics, which set them up for success at service academies.

“Growing up in Liberty Hill, the exposure to athletics was a normal way of life,” she said. “Our kids were easy to raise and the drive to do good in school came on their own.

I also think the Liberty Hill school district is top-notch.

The sports gave them the grit and determination and the academics were challenging enough to make them contenders for the academies.”

Although the application process was both lengthy and grueling, it was certainly worth it in the end, said Lauren.

“One of the main challenges is receiving a nomination from an elected official for your area – your Congressman, State Senator, or Vice President,” she said. “This is a very long process ending in an interview. I received mine from (Congressman) John Carter. Once you have the nomination, then you can begin the application process to the Academy. The acceptance rate for USAFA is 11 percent, so it’s very competitive. It was also stressful because there are so many different components to one application, but it feels so rewarding when you get that acceptance call, you don’t even think about it.”

Once he had graduated, Colby realized not only what he had accomplished over four years, but how his experiences had shaped him into the individual he now is.

“The most gratifying aspect is the fact I didn’t quit,” he said. “I developed a resil-

iency and a work ethic that I wouldn’t have gained otherwise. Along the way, I built new friendships and gained knowledge that has made me a completely new person. Also, I was also able to maintain a long-distance relationship with my high school sweetheart, Tabitha Bowles, who I married at the end of May.” Riley had some advice for Lauren as she begins the journey he is already well on his way through – embrace and take advantage of where you are and who you’re with, but never lose sight of what the real mission is.

“So far, I’ve been very blessed to be in a great squadron with people I really enjoy being around,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the U.S. a lot and probably wouldn’t have gotten that if I chose to take a different path. In regards to Lauren, my best advice is to stay positive and always remember how much of an honor it is to represent the United States.”

Tafi is definitely glad her daughter has embraced the chance that now lies before her.

“Women in the military have made leaps and bounds and I think the opportunity is amazing,” she said. “While I’ll always be nervous for my children’s safety, I believe they’ll be well-trained and prepared to do the job they end up doing.”

Finally, she’s glad all her children are following a tradition that goes back generations in her family.

“I love the fact they’re serving our country,” said Tafi.

“We probably haven’t doted upon our kids and their accomplishments enough, but it’s awesome to know they’re getting a first-rate education and their eyes are seeing life from a world view.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, June 25, 2020

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