Š2019 The Liberty Hill Independent
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SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Welcome, Summer! With warmer temperatures, plenty of sunshine and longer days, spring and summer in our hometown offer a plethora of opportunities for your family to explore, discover, unwind, and enjoy the best of Central Texas. Today, the staff of The Independent is proud to bring you our Summer Guide -- a publication in its third year that brings together ideas for keeping your children active and engaged while making lifetime memories. From camps promoting fitness during the summer months, a public library program that makes reading fun for all ages, to ideas for camping and exploring the outdoors in Central Texas, our Guide is sure to plant some new ideas for summer fun with your family. If you’re looking to broaden the horizon, pack a picnic and explore the rural
landscapes around Liberty Hill. We have some suggestions for day trips, or overnight camping trips. Learn more about Whimsy & Wonder -- an interactive art and music festival for the whole family May 18 in downtown Liberty Hill. The event, which is hosted by the City of Liberty Hill with support from Orchard Ridge and The Independent, will be a memorable experience for all ages. Liberty Hill’s event of the summer -- the Independence Day Spectacular -will draw thousands to City Park where The Spazmatics will entertain before a 30-minute fireworks show lights the night sky. Save the date -- July 3rd -- and keep watching for more information. The City of Liberty Hill also brings back its City Park Cinema this summer -- the free
movies in the park feature themed activities for the kids. Just bring your blanket, lawn chairs, picnic or enjoy the food provided. In addition to our spring and summer fare, today’s paper includes the regular features of The Independent -- a thorough look at the news and sports of the week. This special edition is going to everyone in Liberty Hill because we want you to learn more about summer opportunities in and around our hometown. We invite you to connect with us every week in print and learn more about Liberty Hill. For only $25, we will send news and information to your mailbox all year long. Special thanks to our professional and extremely talented staff for bringing their best to this publication. ~ Shelly Wilkison, Publisher
The Liberty Hill Independent YOUR AWARD-WINNING HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987 A Publication of Free State Media Group
(512) 778-5577 Send Email: news@LHIndependent.com www.LHIndependent.com www.LibertyHillLiving.com PO Box 1235 14251 W. SH 29, Suite B Liberty Hill, TX 78642
The Liberty Hill Independent is published every Thursday except the weeks of Independence Day and Christmas at 14251 W. SH 29, Suite B, Liberty Hill, TX 78642. Periodical Postage Paid at Liberty Hill, Texas. Publication #018932 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Liberty Hill Independent, P.O. Box 1235, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Shelly Wilkison - Publisher Mike Eddleman - Managing Editor Keith Sparks - Sports Editor Stacy Coale - Advertising Rachel Viator - Graphic Design
DEADLINE Noon Monday prior to Thursday publication SUBSCRIPTIONS Available for $25 per year in Williamson County, $29 per year in Texas outside of Williamson County, and $32 per year outside Texas. ADVERTISING DISPLAY RATES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Liberty Hill Independent welcomes letters to the editor, but requests that letters be limited to 300 words or less and address issues rather than personalities. Unsigned letters or those deemed unacceptable by the publisher will not be published. Children under the age of 17 must have signed parental permission. Phone numbers and addresses must be included for verification purposes. Opinions expressed in the articles, letters and columns do not reflect the views of The Liberty Hill Independent or its owners. COPYRIGHT The entire contents of each issue of The Liberty Hill Independent, including editorial and advertising copy, is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue will not be permitted without the express written permission of The Liberty Hill Independent.
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Candidate Forum set April 16
With nine candidates on the May 4 ballot between the City Council and Liberty Hill ISD School Board elections, the task of evaluating candidates and making a decision may seem overwhelming. But The Liberty Hill Independent is bringing all nine candidates together for one night and giving area voters a chance to meet and hear from each one in person at the 2019 Liberty Hill Candidate Forum. The forum, set for 7 p.m. April 16 at Liberty Hill Junior High, will have candidates from each race on stage together in turn, answering predetermined questions based on community feedback. In the City Council race Steve McIntosh, a retired Colorado sheriff’s department sergeant, is running against Place 1 incumbent Troy Whitehead who works for Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Place 5 incumbent Liz Rundzieher, who is retired, is being challenged by Bill
Brannan, the Head of School at Fortis Academy, who came up short last May when he ran against Wendell McLeod. Liz Branigan, a registered nurse and the Place 3 incumbent, will face Gram Lankford, a service technician. In the LHISD School Board race, Place 7 incumbent Scott Lindquist, a business owner, is seeking reelection, and is being challenged by Megan Parsons, a small business owner and homemaker, and Terry Smith who has retired from military service. LHISD Place 6 incumbent Vickie Peterson, who works as a director of operations, filed for reelection and has no opponent in May. There will be a short time allotted for candidates to meet and speak individually with voters before the forum begins at 7 p.m. Voter information The last day to register to vote in the May 4 election is Thursday, April 4.
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Residents are eligible to vote if you are a United States citizen; a resident of the county where you submit the application; at least 17 years and 10 months of age; not a convicted felon (unless you have completed your sentence including any incarceration, probation, or parole); and have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote. To register, or make a name or address change, go to the elections department page on the Williamson County website at www.wilco.org. Early voting runs from April 22-27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and April 29-30 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Learn to fish on March 30
LEANDER -- Williamson County is hosting its 10th Annual Learn to Fish Day in the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, located at 3005 CR 175, Leander, on Saturday, March 30, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Children of all ages will be able to spend time learning various fishing tips and techniques from local experts. The Learn to Fish Day event is free and open to the public. All activities are in preparation for the day’s objective -- to catch and release a fish. Angler hopefuls will be guided through learning stations that emphasize the use of basic tackle, appropriate bait selection, knot tying, boat cast-
ing, conservation ethics, and general outdoor/water safety. Additional activities such as “backyard bass” will also help participants hone their fishing skills. With all the planned activities, please allow at least an hour or more to fully enjoy the event. We recommend an early arrival to gain the most from the program. Fishing poles and tackle will be provided so please leave personal fishing gear at home. We suggest wearing loose, comfortable clothing, a hat or visor, and shoes other than flip flops. The use of insect repellent is advised along with sun block. Commissioner Cynthia Long
BREAKING NEWS WWW.LHINDEPENDENT.COM
hopes the Learn to Fish event will inspire families to spend quality time with children discovering the outdoors and engaging in the lifetime recreational activity of fishing. No pre-registration is necessary. Upon arrival at the park, all participants are asked to stop at the registration table to pick up materials needed for the stations. Williamson County’s Learn to Fish Day is funded through the donations of private individuals and corporations. For more information, please contact the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department at 512-943-1920 or the office of Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long at 512-2604280.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Shin Oak Ridge Bulletin Board Send news to: News@LHIndependent.com
Public Meetings
The following are standing open meetings that are subject to change within the guidelines set forth by the Texas Open Meetings Act. For the most current meeting postings, and meeting agendas, visit the respective websites. - Liberty Hill City Council, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 8 and 22, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees, 6 p.m. Monday, April 15, LHISD Administration Bldg., 301 Forrest. libertyhill.txed.net
Liberty Hill multi-year school reunion
Students, faculty and parents of people who attended Liberty Hill schools prior to the class of 2000 are invited to attend a multi-year school reunion from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. June 22 at Reunion Ranch. Cost is $35 per adult and $25 for children. This includes an all-you-can-eat barbecue lunch, ice cream, soft drinks/ lemonade/tea/water and full use of the Reunion Ranch outdoor facilities. For more information, visit www.lhreunion.wordpress. com/ “How many times have you heard someone say ‘I really wish we could have a reunion with the classes around us’? That’s what this reunion is about. This reunion is an allday event open to anyone who attended or graduated from Liberty Hill prior to 2000, including staff and parents. Think of it as more of an old-Liberty Hill celebration.
Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild meets April 2
The April 2nd meeting of the Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild in-
cludes a presentation and quilts showing the theme of “Using Color in Appliquéd Quilts” by Marthe Jones. On April 3rd, there will be a workshop entitled “Color Concepts - The Value of Value”. Visit www.ctquiltguild.org for more information on meeting and workshop locations and other details.
Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale
The Williamson County Master Gardeners will hold their 11th Annual Plant Sale and Vendor Fair on April 6. There will be hundreds of native and adaptive plants and herbs for sale as well as vendors with garden items and crafts. There will also be various learning centers on specific topics including herbs, vegetable gardening, roses, Junior Master Gardener, Ask a Master Gardener, and Ask a Master Naturalist. Breakfast, snacks, and lunch will be available for purchase from the Williamson County 4-H. Cash, credit cards and checks will be accepted. Come join the Williamson Country Master Gardeners for their 11th Annual Plant Sale and Vendor Fair on April 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center located at San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow Street, Georgetown. The garden education speakers, vendors, and 4-H food booth will open at 8 a.m. and the plant sale will begin at 9 a.m. Admission is free. The event admission is free and open to the public. For the latest information, scheduled speakers and list of available plants, please visit www.txmg.org/williamson/ special-events.
Nameless School fundraiser is April 13
The Friends of Nameless School are having a BBQ and A Day in Historic Nameless event and fundraiser on April 13 from 10am to 3pm. There will be live music and free demonstrations throughout the day. Demonstrations include tomahawk and knife throwing, soap making, spinning and weaving, basket weaving, bee keeping, lace making, quilt piecing, and German paper cutting. There will also be a silent auction and plants for sale by the Leander Garden Club. The school is located at 23436 Nameless Road just 1 mile off RR 1431. Lunch is $15 adults, $7 children 12 and under, children under 3 are free. Proceeds benefit the maintenance of this historic schoolhouse.
Cemetery Reunion is May 5
The Liberty Hill Cemetery Association invites the community to attend its Annual Reunion event May 5 at the Cemetery, 16101 W. SH 29 in Liberty Hill. The event will be held rain or shine. A barbecue lunch, provided by Mopsie’s Catering, will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m. Lunch is $15 per plate. Live music will be provided by Ricky Boen & Texas Mud as well as Cade Baccus & the Sawdust Stompers. Ken Roberts, author of The Cedar Choppers, will be the guest speaker. Children’s activities like face painting and balloon art will entertain all ages. Learn more about the history of your community through photographic displays, and from the purchase of various books about Liberty Hill. A Silent Auction will raise funds for maintenance.
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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Natural Features:
Exploring the Flora and Fauna of Williamson County
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Did you k n o w Williamson County is home to more than half a dozen endangered or protected species and more than 900 plant species? Neither did I until a couple of weeks ago. I’ve quickly learned that Liberty Hill and its surrounding areas are lush with natural vistas—and each of them can be reached within just an hour. If you’re looking for a quick trip to commune with nature, check out these nearby preserves and parks.
Discovery Well Cave Preserve – Cedar Park When you visit Discovery Well Cave Preserve in Cedar Park, you’ll feel as if you’re entering the speakeasy of natural areas. The preserve is located at the corner of Anderson Mill Road and Lime Creek Road, just next to the Ranch at Cypress Creek Park. An iron gate serves as the entrance to the preserve, which boasts more than 100 acres with at least 10 different caves spotted throughout. Although the caves are not open to the public — the ones with large entrances have grated covers — there is still plenty of hiking and exploring to be done on the preserve, and it’s still interesting to stop at each of the caves and read their associated informational signs. The signs describe each cave, and include facts on cave life, the critical habitat the caves provide and ongoing studies in the area. The ultimate reason this area has been designated a preserve is because it is home to one of Williamson County’s en-
dangered critters: The Tooth Cave Ground Beetle. The preserve was established in 2002 when the Texas Department of Transportation was looking to expand US Highway 183 due to increased usage. A cave along that route that housed the beetle had to be destroyed, so to help mitigate the habitat loss, the department was required to obtain some land where the species could still live. Caves found on the preserve were deemed suitable. The 3.5 miles of trails on the preserve are mainly flat and meander through grasslands and live oaks, as well as cacti. Currently, the best parking and trailhead option is at the Ranch at Cypress Creek Park. A short jaunt from the street parking leads to the gate. For more information on the preserve, stop by the Cedar Park Parks and Recreation office at 715 Discovery Blvd., Ste. 111.
Tejas Park – Georgetown You can find Tejas Park on the south side of Georgetown Lake, upon the south bank of the North San Gabriel River. While this park is technically a campground offering primitive campsites, it offers a whole lot more when it comes to getting a taste of nature in Central Texas. The river provides great opportunities for fishing, wading or floating and features plenty of grassy open areas, perfect for kids or pets to run around and enjoy the scenic Texas hill country. Wildlife is commonly spotted—from armadillos to herons—and it’s important to watch for snakes. Lake Georgetown is a reservoir on the north fork of the San Gabriel River. The dam was completed in 1979 to provide flood control and
See NATURAL, Page 18
RACHEL MADISON PHOTOS
(TOP) The view is hard to beat at Tejas Park in Georgetown, which sits along the south bank of the North San Gabriel River. (LEFT) The Bagdad Heritage Trailhead can be reached via Benbrook Ranch Park in Leander. While the park itself contains many of the typical amenities, the trail highlights approximately three miles of beautiful and unique vistas, right off Bagdad Road. (ABOVE) A large grate covers the opening of one of the many caves at Discovery Well Cave Preserve in Cedar Park. While the preserve is open to the public, the caves are closed in order to protect the natural habitat of the endangered tooth cave ground beetle.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, March 28, 2019
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SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Trustees approve GMP for Santa Rita
By SHELLY WILKISON Publisher Liberty Hill school trustees on Monday approved a guaranteed maximum price of $27,247,482 for the construction of the new Santa Rita Elementary School. Representatives of Bartlett Cocke, the contractor on the project, told the board that the GMP is about $350,000 under the original budget as some changes were made to save costs. To save the district money, the contractor recommended moving a proposed geothermal system from a mezzanine to the ďŹ rst and second oors inside hallway-accessible closets. Another cost-saving measure was to change the type of foundation the school will use. Instead of the traditional slab
on grade foundation in use at other Liberty Hill schools, the Santa Rita school will be a structural slab foundation. The change will save about $1 million. Contractors explained that because of the soil at Santa Rita, which was formerly farmland, the potential for vertical movement was great. As a result, 11 feet of dirt would need to be removed and replaced. Other ways the district is saving costs is by choosing concrete over asphalt on parking lots and driveways, as well as reducing landscape and irrigation, and using tile rather than stone inside the building. Santa Rita Elementary, which will open to students in fall 2020, will be 106,400 square feet and located in Santa Rita
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Renderings of the new Santa Rita Elementary School, which will open to students in August 2020. The 106,400-square-foot school was approved by LHISD voters in November 2018 and has a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $27,247,482. (Courtesy Graphics)
See LHISD, Page 25
Join us on Sundays!
Adult Bible Study at 9:00 am Worship and Kids' Bible Time at 10:00 am Free childcare from 9-11:30 am!
Community Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 20th 10:00 am-Noon at the Lion's Park
Easter Bunny Pictures ~ Games ~ Petting Zoo ~ Bounce Houses Pony Rides ~ Prizes ~ Train Ride 15725 TX-29, Unit 7, Liberty Hill missionlibertyhill.com ~ office@missionlibertyhill.com
Please bring non-perishable food items to be donated to Operation Liberty Hill.
Vacation Bible School
June 10th-13th ~ Free light meal 5-5:30 pm, VBS 5:30-7:00 pm Register online at our website: missionlibertyhill.com
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, March 28, 2019
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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Whimsy & Wonder bringing the ‘WOW’ on May 18
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer An interactive art and music experience is coming to downtown Liberty Hill on May 18. From stilt walkers to aerial bartenders, attendees will experience both whimsy and wonder—which is why the event is aptly named the same. Whimsy & Wonder is being
hosted by the City of Liberty Hill and is co-sponsored by Orchard Ridge and The Liberty Hill Independent, which is also planning the event. Katie Amsler, director of fun for The Independent, said the event is essentially a street festival that will take place in the heart of downtown. “There are three different
forms of art that we’ll have,” she said. “The first will be gallery artists. We have selected 40 artists, and we will hang their artwork in businesses along Main Street (Loop 332). The artists will also be there at the event. The second type of art we’ll have will come from artisans who hand craft everything from jewelry to
housewares. The third set of artists will be those doing live demonstrations, like a potter and an ice sculptor.” Street performers will be a major attraction at the event as well. There will be stilt walkers, hula hoopers, a street magician, a strolling caricature artist and a typewriter poet. There will also be aerial bar-
tenders, living tables and a live champagne dress. “We will also have a body painter, a dirty car artist who paints elaborate murals on the windows of dirty cars and a man who was born without hands, but uses his wrists to paint,” Amsler said. “There will be flower crowns to make for your hair and free wine
tastings.” Malted Grains will have three different food stations set up during the festival, and food trucks including Upper Crust Catering, Country Creamery and Homespun Creations will also be on site. “All of the food and wine
See WHIMSY, Page 20
Carter fields questions in town hall meeting
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Questions ranged from border security and the deficit to healthcare and social security, but U.S. Rep. John Carter fielded them all at a town hall meeting in Leander. About two dozen constituents joined Carter in Leander for his second town hall meeting in as many days. The nine-term Congressman received much criticism from Democrats through the 2018 campaign for not being more accessible and responsive to residents within his district. At Thursday’s meeting, Carter, R-Round Rock, said his focus was to have an open, honest discussion with constituents. “This is important,” he said. “I’m going to try to be fair and nice to everybody and I hope you’ll do the same for me.”
Before taking questions from the audience, Carter highlighted a few of the bills he has worked on including an effort to protect energy grids from cyber attack, a bill to assist veterans in need of transplants, and a recent bill filed to protect survivor benefits for children of service members. “One of the things people talk about is ‘where is the cooperation between Democrats and Republicans?’” he said. “Let me make it clear, that’s not a news story for anybody on the left or the right. So you’re not going to hear Judge Carter’s working with (Dutch) Ruppersberger of Maryland because it’s not a news story. But I am working with Ruppersberger of Maryland. There are certain people that have common interests and we put those common interests together and we work together.”
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Throughout the roughly 40-minute question and answer session, Carter responded to both praise and criticism in moments that were sometimes tense among audience members.
Healthcare tensions Questions on healthcare, whether related to the future of Medicare or a universal healthcare system, came up a number of times throughout the meeting, leading to the event’s most tense moment and highlighting frustrations on all sides. When a member of the audience – an immigrant who later became a U.S. citizen – took issue with statements from Carter on Social Security and Medicare costs, the back-andforth exchange reached a point when the tension overflowed in the room.
“I have lived in numerous systems, I have negotiated benefits in numerous systems and in the United States and I will stand here today and tell you the system you have here impoverishes people, punishes people and kills people,” she said. As Carter disagreed, but thanked her for her opinion, others in the audience responded less politely, speaking out with comments such as “why don’t you go back?” and “why did you move here?” Carter echoed the comments, then quickly apologized. “I apologize,” he said. “We don’t want to have a fight.” Earlier in the discussion, Carter emphasized that he would not support any type of socialized healthcare system. “We spend a lot of money on healthcare and it comes out of every American citizen’s
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MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTO
Congressman John Carter hosted a Town Hall meeting March 21 in Leander, where about two dozen residents of the district attended to ask questions. pocket,” he said. “We’ve got Decorum in Washington to figure out what we are going The town hall fell in the midst to do about healthcare. I’m not of a week where President saying it is going to be easy, Donald Trump was taking aim I just don’t believe socialized through his Twitter account medicine is the answer. I am See CARTER, Page 20 not a Socialist.”
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, March 28, 2019
‘Star Wars’ theme invades Public Library Summer Reading Program
By DANA DELGADO Staff Writer It is hard to imagine what else you could fit in or do in a community library bursting with books, tables, and computer work stations, not to mention all the patrons in only 2400 square feet. But then again, you might not have met librarian Angela Palmer and her clever team at the Liberty Hill Public Library, who over the last five years have become the wizards of fun, discovery, and interaction while promoting the magic of reading. Set back a bit from the road amongst ball fields and walking trails, the library has become a year-round hub for activities, from ghoulish festivities in the fall, to not-so-
Natural
sleepy sleepovers in the winter and the spring’s Robotics Bots & Books Adventure. The summer, however, is a whole different ball game with a host of non-stop engaging activities and eye-opening surprises for the entire family. “This year could be our best year ever,” said Palmer. “Our theme is ‘Star Wars: Read and the Force will be with you’.” Participants can expect the mega presence of Star Wars in all of this year’s summer slate of events woven into arts and crafts and science and engineering activities. Last year, 1,200 kids signed up for the program along with 200 teens and nearly 500 adults. “The program has generated
Continued from Page 7
water supply for Georgetown residents. Fishing in the lake and along the river is popular, and for food reason. The lake contains smallmouth bass, black bass, white bass, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish and hybrid stripers. Access to the San Gabriel River Trail is also found at Tejas Park. The trail is rugged and long at 26 miles, but it winds through a variety of landscapes, from dense junipers to open grasslands. The trail follows the circumference of Lake Georgetown via its dam and is also open for biking. For more information on Tejas Park or to reserve a campsite, visit www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234643. The address for Tejas Park is 4560 County Road 258 in Georgetown. Twin Springs Preserve Georgetown If you’re looking for somewhere that seems practically untouched by human hands, then Twin Springs Preserve in Georgetown is it.
The preserve, which is managed by the Williamson County Conservation Foundation, provides habitat for endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and is only accessible by permit. The permits are free, but they must be obtained by attending a training session through Williamson County Conservation Foundation. The training provides tips and tricks on leaving no trace. The species found in the preserve include the golden cheeked warbler, the Georgetown salamander, the bone cave harvestman beetle, tooth cave ground beetle and coffin cave mold beetle. All three beetles spend most of their lives underground in total darkness. The preserve has marked pathways that cover approximately 3.5 miles of natural, heavily wooded trails. Twin Springs Preserve can be reached via a parking area off County Road 262 in Georgetown. A kiosk with information at the trailhead leads to the pathway loop.
a lot of interest and has grown by 18 percent each year over the past five years,” Palmer said. “I’ve learned that this town really likes to read. The end goal is to have kids retain or improve their reading skills for the next school year.” Registration for the 2019 summer program begins May 13. Activities will run through July 31 when an array of grand prizes including gift certificates, back packs, and t-shirts will be presented. This year, the reading program adds its first ever authors, Dr. Antonio Paris and Tim Tingle to its remarkable lineup. “We’re really excited to see the authors in the program this year,” Palmer said. “Kids just love scientists.”
Dr. Paris, astrophysicist, planetary scientist and author of Mars: Your Personal 3D Journey to the Red Planet, will be exploring the geology of Mars and the recent groundbreaking achievements in the exploration of the planet. Tingle, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is an award-winning and renowned Native American author and storyteller. Also showcased this summer are a host of presenters including Lucas Miller, the Singing Zoologist; the Austin Reptile Show; Wild Things Zoofari; the Divine Canines Barking Booking Buddies, children’s musician Rob Duquette; Author and nationally acclaimed Native American storyteller Tim Tingle will be a featured speaker at the Summer Reading See LIBRARY, Page 24 Program. (Courtesy Photo)
For more information on Twin Springs Preserve, visit www.wilco.org/Departments/ Conservation-Foundation. Information on training sessions may be obtained by calling 512-943-1921 or by sending an email to wccf@wilco.org. Other nearby natural areas to explore: • Bagdad Heritage Trail in Leander, www.leandertx. gov/parksrec/page/benbrookranch-park-and-disc-golfcourse • Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge in Marble Falls, www.fws.gov/ refuge/balcones_canyonlands • Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Fredericksburg, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock • Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, tpwd.texas.gov/ state-parks/dinosaur-valley • Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve in Austin, parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/wild-basin RACHEL MADISON PHOTO • Zilker Nature Preserve in Austin, www.austintexas.gov/ Twin Springs Preserve in Georgetown is only open to those with a permit, which means the heavily wooded trails are practically untouched. The preserve is home to several endangered and naturepreserves protected species of Williamson County, including the golden cheeked warbler and the Georgetown salamander.
OPINION THROWBACK THURSDAY
Neighboring Florence’s past rediscovered in photos
By JAMES WEAR
Columnist for The Independent
Let’s head east a few miles this week and take a look at some old photos from neighboring Florence, which many of you oldtimers may recall was once known as Brooksville, according to J. Gordon Bryson’s book Culture of the Shin Oak Ridge. Bryson, citing information found in the Texas Handbook, notes the town was named by its first merchant, a Mr. Brooks, and this Mr. Brooks later changed it to Florence, after the birth of his daughter, Florence. The late Mrs. R.S. Caskey, in her book One Hundred Years of Florence, Texas (published in 1963) writes Brooksville changed to Florence sometime between early 1854 and early 1856. According to her research, the first Florence post office was established in November, 1857. “I have no evidence that Brooksville was ever a post office,” she noted. But not all historians agree that Florence was originally Brooksville. According to late Dick Love, a noted historian of the area, Florence was originally known as Limp Rag. Love said there were no settlements farther north at the time in the area (the mid-1840s) due to “plundering by hostility-minded Indians.” Love’s grandfather, Hutch, was among the community’s early residents. Regardless of what one chooses to believe regarding the origins of this community, it has remained much the same over the past 100 years, although downtown buildings have received facelifts from time to time. The pictures we share with readers today came to our at-
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, March 28, 2019 Page 19
staff notebook
Our views and other news and musings from THE INDEPENDENT Staff
Town hall reminds us of our ugly side
tention after we recently joined a group on Facebook devoted to memories of old Florence. Included on the page are photos dating back 100 years.
PHOTOS COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS LIBRARY
(ABOVE) In this photo from 1900, the building at left, located on the northside of downtown Florence, served as a blacksmith shop operated by a Mr. Law and Ben Harrison. (RIGHT) Tommy Williams was a longtime Florence merchant. He’s pictured inside of his wool and mohair business. His granddaughter was a classmate of this columnist. (Courtesy Photo)
A similar view of the northside of downtown Florence as it appeared in 1978. Notice the building third from left that once served as a blacksmith 78 years earlier, has rock over its original wood fascade. Forty-two years later, it is once again undergoing renovations. (Courtesy Photo)
It was good to see Congressman John Carter engage directly in an open forum last week with constituents who both agreed and disagreed with his positions on a variety of issues. But a few observations and one particular exchange reminded me of just how far we have drifted from the image of America we all cling to. Carter answered one question on President Trump’s recent negative comments about former Senator John McCain and mentioned how important the concept of mutual respect is today. “One of the things we lack very much, that we used to
have, is respect for each other. If we could get respect back, you’d be happier with our country,” he said. He is right. Respect is what we lack. Understanding is something we lack. A willingness to listen and trust and not fear are things we lack. And not 10 minutes after he spoke those words in the town hall meeting, we got an in-person, up close look at that lack of respect in action. When Americans sit in a public political discussion with other voting Americans, it is unacceptable to ask someone who immigrated to this country and became a citizen, “Why don’t you
See NOTEBOOK, Page 41
Letters to the Editor
Send Letters to News@LHIndependent.com Shawn and Appeals Board
Dear Editor: Thank you for your extensive and unbiased coverage of the appeal board hearing Thursday, March 14, for Shooting Star Ranch. We are SO fortunate to have The Independent that cares about the issues that effect our small town and its citizens. Although this is NOT the kind of publicity we want or desire, we feel keeping this in the public eye is important to ALL our small businesses. Along with our attorney, Terry Irion, we will continue to appeal this decision to reach a fair and reasonable outcome.
Monty Oehrlein
Dear Editor: First, I want to commend Mike Eddleman on his fine display of journalism in the “Board denies appeal for Shooting Star Ranch” (March 21, 2019). As a witness to the hearing, I can attest that the article captured the story with a keen attention to the facts and did not favor either side with undue opinion. Eddleman’s work here is commendable. The facts in this story should
See LETTERS, Page 20
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at former U.S. Sen. John McCain, and Carter was asked if he felt the “trashing” of McCain by Trump was appropriate. “No, it’s not appropriate,” Carter said. “McCain was a very controversial figure. That’s what made him famous. He spoke his piece very openly and in many ways McCain made statements that stirred people up just like – maybe in your opinion not as harsh – the president, but he could be rough and that’s what made him famous.” He went on to say that some of the current tone in politics could be traced to one issue. “One of the things we lack very much, that we used to have, is respect for each other,” Carter said. “If we could get respect back, you’d be happier with our country. To that end I don’t think the President should disrespect the Senator and quite honestly the Con-
Letters
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
gress, or anybody else, should disrespect the President.” Treason? In an effort to illustrate what she said is “treasonous” activity by President Trump, the same member of the audience who spoke out on universal healthcare described for Carter a scenario where a member of the military “openly leaked allied intelligence to an adversary, had insecure communications, and lied multiple times every day,” and asked when the Congressman would act to remove that person. Carter responded directly to the question as it referenced the military before she countered with a comment about Trump. “Every fact I’ve stated is true of our Commander in Chief, President Trump, and I expect you to take action,” she said. Carter took issue with the
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give all Liberty Hill residents a wake up call to the power they have yielded to their local governing officials. Residents should not walk away from this story feeling immune to the treatment given to the Oehrleins. What has been reported is a family business that has actually challenged unreasonable demands made by a single local governing official. Small businesses are especially vulnerable to excessive government regulations, because the costs involved to comply or resist destroys their razor-thin profit margins or causes a cascade of multi-year losses that end in financial failure. Shooting Star Ranch is being asked to comply with a fire code interpretation that a city would normally provide and would need to tax its entire resident base to fund --massive water storage and distribution. The Oehrlein family provided their own verbal defense and offered a reasonable solution, but
it was struck down by a single, vague code interpretation in a “courtroom” environment that appeared to challenge 7th Amendment and common law due process rights. The Oehrleins are in fight to retain their fundamental freedom from a local government agency that has seemingly no check on its ability to wield power and demand compliance. Take heed to protect the community’s interest in this matter, or soon, this treatment will be at every Liberty Hill resident’s doorstep. Melanie Kriewaldt-Roth Dear Editor: I attended the appeal hearing for Star Ranch. Star Ranch gave a very good argument and showed ever reasonable measure to comply with the spirit of the regulation. The true concern is about life safety. Star Ranch clearly meets the requirements and can manage any event they have safely
statement, saying there was a difference in someone’s opinion and the law. “Let’s be fair,” Carter said. “You haven’t proven those facts to a body that would make a determination of whether those facts were true. That’s the way we do things in the United States. Your opinion is welcome, but your opinion is not law.” Social Security concerns The state of Social Security and potential bills being discussed relating to the program were brought up, but Carter was clear that raising taxes was not an answer to solving the Social Security troubles that he would support. “We should start looking at raising the age that you are eligible for it and other things that Social Security provides,” he said. “Right now Social Security’s survival rate is in the 30s, so they’re talking about
based on the evidence I saw and heard. Board was hand picked and given information prior to the hearing as well as coached in a manner beyond procedures. One board member was particularly aggressive towards Star Ranch. The FM is trying to shut busi-
Whimsy
2032 it will be at a point where it will not fund itself. We’re going to have to fix that sometime in the 20s.” He added that the fund was not growing and was already in debt. “You’ve got to have workers paying into the system for Social Security to survive,” he said. “No one is paying into the system and there is no lock box. All the money that used to be the excess went into federal bonds so everything in the lock box is a federal bond and if you don’t know what a federal bond is, it’s an IOU from the federal government to the American taxpayer. It’s money (the government) borrowed from us. “I don’t think we ought to be looking at increasing benefits. I think we ought to be looking at how to extend the longevity of Social Security.” Border security
nesses down. After witnessing the kangaroo court I’d recommend a suit against each member of the board, FM and county reps. They are not here to grow Wilco or keep it safe. David Parrish
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are free while supplies last,” Amsler said. “Food from the food trucks will be available for purchase.” Six different bands will be at the festival, playing everything from jazz and country to pop and rock. In addition, School of Rock will be performing in the Imagination Garden, an area of the festival that will be dedicated to children. “We will have a whole kids’ section called the Imagination Garden, which will have several different things,” Amsler
said. “Kids can make masquerade masks, and there will be a big community mural for kids to paint. We’re also going to build teepees out of cedar planks and ask the public to come up and decorate them with ribbons and beads and the kids can run and play in them.” Amsler said the City of Liberty Hill hosted an art exhibit downtown two years ago and it was very successful, which is why this year it was decided to take the event to another level.
Border security has been a focus for Carter, but when plans surfaced through the President’s National Emergency Declaration to take monies from scheduled projects for the military, Carter voiced his opposition to that plan. He said $3.3 billion was expected to come out of military construction funds and that some of the projects at risk were at Fort Hood. “What our concern is, and my position is, I’m going to fight to keep from taking anything away from Fort Hood,” he said. “Right now, to the best of our information, there are two projects from Fort Hood on the list, but they are in a position where if they reach a point to be contracted they will not be on the list. Both of our projects are right at that point so I think they will not be impacted.” Growing deficit When asked about the growing deficit, Carter said he didn’t see a solution without a “pretty painful solution for everybody.” He outlined how he saw the differences in the two parties contributing to increased spending. “The challenge in dealing with the debt is what the priorities of the two parties are,” Carter said. “The Democrats are more interested in domestic spending. They’re priori-
ties and big expenditure areas are in domestic spending programs of all sorts. Republicans are more interested in military spending, law enforcement spending and making markets work. That difference in priorities, according to Carter, leads to pressure from both sides when it comes to cuts or spending. “One of the things that happened when we created caps is we got into this dispute,” he said. “When the military was cut, Republicans would have wanted domestic spending cuts. When the military was raised, Democrats would have wanted domestic spending raised. That’s where the budget fights come in. Our basic priorities are different. Either the government is the solution or the government is the problem. All of those things clash in the middle, that’s why we’ve got an issue.” Carter calls the solution painful, and said it revolves around what he termed “entitlements”. “We have to deal with entitlements, they’re two-thirds of the budget,” Carter said. “All this stuff we fight about is onethird of the budget. Two-thirds of the budget happens whether Congress meets or doesn’t meet, whether we have Democrats in there or Republicans in there. That issue has got to be dealt with. We’re kicking the can down the road.”
“We wanted to make this event really cool and bring more people downtown,” Amsler said. “We wanted more families, more kids, and more people from out of town to come see what Liberty Hill is all about. We really wanted to create a buzz. We have the [International] Sculpture Garden here and it’s a big deal. We want Liberty Hill to be known for its arts.” Parking for the event is free and will be available at Liberty Hill Elementary School,
Fellowship Church and along downtown streets. Pedicabs will be transporting attendees from the parking areas to the festival without charge. Whimsy & Wonder will take place May 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Liberty Hill. Admission to the event is free. Attendees age 21 and over will be given a wristband and wine glass upon entry to the festival, which means identification is required. For more information, visit www.libertyhillfun.com.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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LIBRARY
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Shadow Factory Puppets; the Austin Astronomical Society; and the Flying Disc Dogs of Austin. In addition, the one-ofa-kind Big Rig Transportation Zoo will make an exclusive stop at the library for the summer reading festivities in July. A major hit last summer, the Science2Go Kits return for 2019. Scheduled for every Monday during the program, the kits will provide a variety of take home projects. The first kit, which explores what makes the best parachute, is scheduled for June 3. Additionally, two-unique space-related camps, Astronaut Camp and the Jedi Camp, will be offered this summer along with a unique movie showing. The Astronaut Camp provides a range of activities and crafts while Jedi Camp participants engage in games, and create a Jedi light saber and tunic.
On June 10, a unique makeshift Box Car Drive-in Movie Theater at Bill Burden Elementary will be the venue for the showing of the movie “Star Wars: A New Hope” (PG), the adventure that started it all! Officially, the summer reading program kicks off on May 28, when participants will decorate their own book bags for use throughout the summer. The Liberty Hill Public Library offers Besides the visiting au- engaging activities and captivating thors and featured guest presentations during the Summer presenters, the program Reading Program. (Courtesy Photo) calendar has been filled with interactive activities in- Swamp. A complete listing of cluding the Alien Mad Sci- all the events for the summer ence Laboratory; a Hover- reading program can be found craft Experiment; Design and on Page 23, and online at www. Build Your Own Droid; Oreo lhpl.org/. Tasting; Build a Robot; and To volunteer, sponsor an acGalaxy Slime, Moon Rocks, tivity or presenter, contact the and Walking in the Dagobah library staff at (512) 778-6400.
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LHISD
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South. Voters approved the construction in a bond election in November 2018. In other business Monday, the Board approved an agreement with the City of Liberty Hill whereby the City is providing $150,000 as startup funding for the school district’s police department. The MOU goes back to the Liberty Hill City Council in April for final approval. The district is in the process of interviewing candidates for Police Chief with the goal to have the position filled this spring. The Board approved the creation of three Police Officer positions Monday to staff the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department. Human Resources Director Bob Mabry said once a Chief is hired and the department has been created, the new Chief will begin staffing the officer positions. Also this week, the Board
approved a contract with TCG Advisors to manage investment of the school district’s bond proceeds as they are awaiting expenditure. The annual fee for services is $45,000. “With the assistance of TCG Advisors, the District will be able to diversify our investments, manage our construction cash flows and earn higher rates of return on our bond proceeds. TCG is a registered investment firm specializing in developing strategies to invest and manage bond proceeds,” said LHISD Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hanna. In personnel matters this week, the Board approved the creation of multiple new positions for the 2019-2020 school year due to projected enrollment growth. At Bill Burden Elementary, where projected enrollment of 718 is expected to increase by 31 students, the Board ap-
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
proved the creation of one additional teacher. Rancho Sienna Elementary, where a projected enrollment of 843 is expected to increase by 79 students, will have two additional teaching positions and one assistant principal. Liberty Hill Intermediate School, which houses fifth and sixth grades, will have two additional teaching positions and one additional counselor. The projected enrollment of 783 is expected to increase by 63. Liberty Hill Junior High with a population of 701 anticipates an increase of 14 students. .5 additional teacher was approved along with an additional counselor. At Liberty Hill High School, which has a projected enrollment of 1,310 with an increase of 87 students, two additional teacher positions and one associate principal position was approved. Mabry said an Associate
Principal focuses more on curriculum and instruction rather than discipline and other administrative duties. This will be the first associate principal position in LHISD. The district is also creating a position for a Construction Project Manager. This employee will oversee all of the construction projects that are anticipated to be ongoing even
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after work is completed on the current bond projects. A salary has not been set for the position and a job description was not available at press time. The Board accepted the resignations of Christine Appleby-Ingram, LHHS ARD facilitator; Diana Arth, Rancho Sienna teacher; Amanda Burson, Intermediate teacher; Shannon Johnson-Quaife, In-
termediate teacher; Mack Oliphant, LHHS teacher/coach; Justin Walker, LHHS assistant principal; and Janie Williams, LHHS teacher. The Board also accepted the retirement of Liberty Hill Junior High Principal Annette Coe, who is retiring in May with 37 years in Texas public schools.
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Participants named for 2019 Day of Giving
Bolstered by the successful efforts of nine local charities in 2018, which combined to raise more than $35,000 in the first-ever Liberty Hill Day of Giving, seven organizations have set a goal of raising a combined $82,000 this June. Six of the selected organizations are returning from last year’s Day of Giving, with the new addition of the Liberty Hill Cemetery Association. The Day of Giving is scheduled for June 27, kicking off with an opportunity at the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce Lunch and Learn for each organization to talk about its mission and plans for the funds raised. A 24-hour online fundraiser will be publicized and promoted through the organizations and The Independent leading up to the June 27 event. Groups will also be on hand
at the July 3 Independence Day Spectacular to continue raising money and publicizing their mission. “We have amazing nonprofit organizations in our town who are doing wonderful things in our community, for our children, for our seniors, for our history,” said Katie Amsler, Director of Fun with The Independent. “We really can make a difference when the whole town gets together. It was amazing what we were able to do together last year and we look forward to more success this year.” Dream a Dream Therapeutic Horsemanship will participate once again, this year hoping to raise $6,725 to send three Liberty Hill children to summer camp, purchase an online insurance policy for a literacy fund and build a new round pen.
Hope House, one of the top fund raisers last year, is looking to raise $6,000 to complete an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible bathroom remodel for a new home in the community. They raised $6,300 last year. Operation Liberty Hill, which paid for a new freezer and other improvements with last year’s funds, has a goal of $7,000 this year for exterior projects including improved parking, a raised garden bed, new storage building and lawn equipment. The Liberty Hill Public Library returns again after raising enough to help fund a new roof, with sights set on raising $18,000 to replace its HVAC system. The biggest goal going into this year’s event belongs to L4 Cares, with plans to raise $28,000 to purchase a cargo
van to help distribute donated goods. The need to add ADA compliant walkways between the sculptures in the International Sculpture Garden at the Intermediate School campus has the Liberty Hill Development Foundation focused on raising $10,000. For the Liberty Hill Cemetery Association, $6,436 would allow for new directional signs at locations throughout the cemetery to help families locate their loved ones. Watch for more information on these local organizations and their fundraising goals and needs leading up to the June 27 Day of Giving, and learn about how everyone can donate and get involved in helping Liberty Hill surpass last year’s total.
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SPORTS
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, March 28, 2019 Page 29
Boys’ soccer to face Wimberley in bi-district playoff
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer The Liberty Hill boys’ soccer team defeated Cedar Park Monday 3-2 in a pre-playoff warmup game. The Panthers are set to face Wimberley, a familiar opponent, Friday afternoon in Burnet for the bi-district playoff round. Head Coach Darren Bauer said his team initially struggled defensively against a quick Cedar Park team on Monday, but second-half adjustments were the difference in the warmup match. “I think the first half, we were a little sluggish, and it was a warm day,” Bauer said. “We
are not used to the speed like Cedar Park or a higher-quality team will play against us. In the first half, we were sluggish, but we also had some bright moments and opportunities. There were some things we had to get up to pace on and some things our younger players were not initially ready for. We fixed a lot of those problems at halftime, and in the second half, created a lot more opportunities. Overall, I think our players picked up the pace and realized we can’t play the way we have been. We have to be a lot sharper and more efficient with the ball.” The Panthers were rarely
challenged defensively as they rolled to a 17-2-3 record with a perfect 12-0 district mark this season, and Bauer believes the pressure from Monday’s Cedar Park game can be beneficial. “I want our defense to be challenged, that way, when we get in those type of games, they do not panic and know what to do,” Bauer said. “It was good to see, because there were a few times we got confused, but we still managed to get things worked out. In warmup games, I don’t really worry about the score, but more about how we are playing and if we are
See SOCCER, Page 32
Liberty Hill Fair & Rodeo expected to draw thousands
By KEITH SPARKS Sports Editor Thousands of rodeo fans are expected to make their way to Harvest Ranch Arena April 1821 for the 12th Annual Liberty Hill Fair & Rodeo. The rodeo will feature “mutton bustin’,” bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, girls’ breakaway roping, junior barrel racing, junior NFR bull riding, miniature horse bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer roping, tie down roping, and team roping. Some big names have already committed to compete in Liberty Hill, including Trevor Brazil, Tuf Cooper, and Scott Snedecor, each of whom have taken home some of the most prestigious awards in professional rodeo. Last year’s professional rodeo clown of the year, “Backflip” Johnny Dud-
ley, will take part in the rodeo, as well. Liberty Hill Fair & Rodeo founder and senior pastor of Williamson County Cowboy Church, Corey Ross, said the attendance of the aforementioned rodeo stars speaks volumes to Liberty Hill’s reputation amongst the rodeo community. “You’ll see a lot of those kinds of guys coming to Liberty Hill, and they don’t go just to any rodeo,” Ross said. “Trevor Brazil and Tuf Cooper and those kind, if they come here, then that’s a pretty good deal.” Ross, a Liberty Hill resident for 15 years, founded the rodeo because he wanted to bring a little bit of his “western lifestyle” to Central Texas after growing up in Casa Grande, Arizona, as a ranch hand for
SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO
Zach Sotelo (#15) scores a goal in the Panthers’ 3-2 win over Cedar Park Monday afternoon. Liberty Hill will face Wimberley Friday afternoon in Burnet in the bi-district playoff round.
John Wayne. “I started it because my family is a rodeo family, we’re a ranching family,” Ross said. “When I was born, my dad was ranching for John Wayne, ‘The Duke,’ in Casa Grande, Arizona, so we’ve always been in that lifestyle. When I moved to Liberty Hill 15 years ago and started the church, I wanted that western lifestyle to continue.” Ross has long been competing in professional rodeo, as well, so it was a natural progression for him to bring one to Liberty Hill. “I was doing some roping, so I thought, ‘Let’s start a rodeo,’” Ross said. “There’s not one in Liberty Hill. There’s one in Georgetown, there’s one in Burnet, there’s one in Marble One of last year’s Liberty Hill Rodeo competitors attempts to hang on during a bronc riding event. This year, big-name cowboys Tuf Cooper, Trevor Brazil and Scott Snedecor will compete See RODEO, Page 32 in Liberty Hill from April 18-21. (Photo Courtesy Alex Schumann)
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Lady Panthers face Canyon Lake in bi-district match
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer The Liberty Hill girls’ soccer team ended the regular season 18-2-2 (11-1) as the District 27-4A champions. Now, the preparation for a return trip to the State Soccer Tournament is underway. On Monday, the Panthers lost a 1-0 warmup game to Georgetown as preparation for their bi-district playoff game Thursday against Canyon Lake in Burnet. “We had not practiced since our last district game,” said Head Coach Darren Bauer. “We came back and played Monday, and we didn’t have a practice between district and the Georgetown warmup game. Georgetown was a good team, and they were very disciplined defensively. They had some girls up top that were dangerous, and it gave us a good look and good test for what will be coming up in the playoffs. We are getting back to the level we need to be at after district play.” Liberty Hill had its last remaining players that were out with injury rejoin the team this week, and it could not have come at a better time. In warmup games, Bauer is more focused on his team making the correct adjustments rather than focusing on the final score. “We are finally back to having our team at full capacity,” he said. “Maybe everyone is not up to 80 minutes worth of game time, yet, but Monday, we had everyone back and ready to play for the first time since week three of the season. That is the first time we got our starting 11 out there in a long time, and it was good to see. I thought we were the better team on the day, despite the score. We possessed well, and we created some chances. There were a few times where we missed some clear-cut goal scoring opportunities, and that we will have to do better with. We possessed the ball
very well throughout the game against a very good team. We will have to create better opportunities against teams that are high caliber like that in the playoffs.” As Liberty Hill prepares for their playoff match against Canyon Lake, Bauer said records and accolades don’t matter. Canyon Lake has the potential to be a dangerous scoring team if Liberty Hill takes them lightly. “In the playoffs, it doesn’t matter who has scored what goals or who has the assists right now,” Bauer said. “Everybody’s record going into this week is 0-0 right now. We will have to focus on trying to go 1-0 every step of the way. If we keep that mentality and come out and take care of business, we should be good. Canyon Lake has a couple girls on the attacking side that are dangerous. They try to counter out of it, so if we can stop that, I think we will be good. It is very important that we do not overlook anyone, especially since we did go to the State Tournament last year. Every team will want to knock off Liberty Hill, so I think will get the best game from everyone that we face.” This year, Liberty Hill will draw on their experience to help with their playoff run. “A lot of our success will come down to the fact that most of our team has a lot of experience from last year now,” Bauer said. “They know what it takes, and I think the three girls we brought up as freshmen will be brought up to speed by our older girls. Our younger players got a taste of it Monday night against Georgetown. I think the fact the girls know it is about to get a lot more serious will help get us where we need to be.” This late in the season, Liberty Hill plans to continue to possess the ball and limit any opposition’s ability to attack, but Bauer said there could be a
few wrinkles if necessary. “We do have a few different wrinkles we can throw in at this time of the year, depending on the situation, but for the most part, we will do what we have been doing all year long,” he said. “The ability to do that can be very helpful. In the warmup game Monday, we ran three different formations before we found the one that was working the way we wanted it to. The fact that we can move pieces around and get our players to do what we want them to try and do is a huge part of our success. You can’t play every team the same way, and if we find a weakness, we can shift the way we play to take advantage of it.” So far this season, the Lady Panthers have scored 149 goals, averaging just over 6.8 goals per match. They’ve also tallied 134 assists and posted 18 defensive shutouts on the season. Liberty Hill will face Canyon Lake in the bi-district playoff round Thursday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. in Burnet.
SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO
Sophomore Piper Tabor (#13) crosses over a Georgetown defender in the Monday night warmup game, which Liberty Hill lost 1-0. With almost two weeks off in between their final game and the bi-district playoff round, Head Coach Darren Bauer scheduled the game to keep his team warm.
Panther tennis awarded top seeds in district meeting
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer The District 27-AAAA tennis-seeding meeting was held on Monday evening at Liberty Hill High School, where Head Tennis Coach and 2019 District Tournament Director Philip Dodd led the event. The Panther seniors were top seeds in all their draws, which are voted on by district coaches based on their records and tournament finishes this year. Leading the way for the Panthers in mixed doubles were seniors Kennedy Coleman and Gunnar Ortega. Coleman and Ortega were seeded number one, and teammates Zach Kizer and Ava Tolley were seeded third. In girls’ doubles, senior McKenzie Wukasch and junior Lauren Crow received
the top seed, and freshman Sophie Sherman and sophomore Mackenzie Coleman were awarded the third seed. In boys’ doubles, senior Henry Madison shocked the district coaches by opting not to play singles this year after qualifying for State last year, but will play doubles with junior Tyler Franklin. They are the top seed in boys’ doubles. “Henry knew we are in the toughest region in the state with several state champions returning from this region and thought he would have a better chance in doubles,” Dodd said. “He and Tyler have some good wins this season, so we will see.” In girls’ singles, junior regional qualifier from last year Angie Melendy received the second seed and sophomore
Cassidy Sudekum the fourth seed. In boys’ singles, without Madison competing, the top seed went to Alfredo Lopez from Burnet while Panther sophomore Ethan Warrington got the third seed. “Ethan lost in a third set tiebreaker to Lopez at our first home tournament in February,” Dodd said. “He has a great chance if he plays well.” Senior Blaine Richardson will also be competing in boys’ singles and drew Lopez in his first match. The top two teams in each event qualify for the regional tournament on April 17 and 18 in Corpus Christi. Dodd came out of the seeding meeting feeling good about where the Panthers were. “I like our chances in all
events,” Dodd said. “Our players have played more matches, tougher competition and are hungry to get to the next level. That is true from our junior high players to our junior varsity squad on up to our varsity team. If we can get over losing in some events to Lampasas that they have done in the past, we should take a bus load to regionals. We should get several players in position to go to State, and if they play their best, they will have a shot. They must defeat a defending state champion to get there, but should get the chance if they win district.” Varsity will play April 1 and 2, and junior varsity will play April 2.
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Baseball opens district with wins over Salado
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer The Liberty Hill varsity baseball team carried its hot streak right into District 27-4A play as the Panthers extended their win streak to 12 with back-toback matchups against Salado, who was selected to win the district earlier this season. Liberty Hill quickly put that rumor to bed with a 2-0 win
over Salado last Friday night and a 6-1 win over the Eagles Tuesday on the road. The Panthers are 17-3-1 (2-0) this season and seem to be just getting started. The Panthers followed up a strong Friday night performance with an even better 6-1 win Tuesday night on the road. Salado took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second
inning before Liberty Hill tied it in the top of third and pulled away with two runs in the fifth inning and three in the sixth. Kaden Dydalewicz pitched the first five innings, allowing three hits, one run and striking out nine. Mason Stearns pitched the last two innings allowing one hit, no runs and striking out two. Cole Alexander scored three runs in the
win and Dydalewicz went 2-4 at the plate with three RBI. Head Coach Steven Hutcherson said he wanted to see his team get back to the strong bat mentality Tuesday on the road, and his team could not take Salado lightly after beating them on Friday. “Salado is probably a little more on the scrappy side this year than they have been in the
past,” Hutcherson said. “They are competitive, know how to win and know how to keep themselves in a game, even if we maybe have the better team. They are what I thought they would be, and we did not assume it would be easy. Tonight, we needed to get back in to that team mentality of at-bats. That means my at-bat is about setting up the guy be-
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hind me.” It was senior Wyatt Cheney earning the win on the mound for the Panthers March 15. Cheney pitched seven innings, allowing only three hits and striking out 12. Cheney said it was exactly what his team has been working for all season. “During pre-district, we just
See BASEBALL, Page 38
PANTHER OF THE WEEK
Cheney pitches shutout in first complete game of senior season
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer Liberty Hill pitcher Wyatt Cheney has had an extremely busy senior year. He signed his letter of intent to attend Oklahoma State University as a member of the baseball team in late November, not long after he started at safety in the State Championship game for the Liberty Hill football team. After the State Championship, Cheney had to quickly get his mind and body ready for what looks to be a long and promising baseball season. “This year, switching over to baseball was a little different, because we played a lot longer this football season,” Cheney said. “I had to rush a little bit to get my arm ready and get ready for baseball. I didn’t have near as much time as I did last year. After the State football game, I started going to hit almost every day. I started long tossing and getting my arm ready to throw and just tried to get back in the groove of things. I had to knock the rust off, because it had been awhile. I started baseball after the soreness from football wore off. I gave my body a little break from taking hits for about a week, and I then went full-on baseball mode. I would usually start towards the end of November, so I was about a month behind getting going
this year.” What Cheney found once he entered the baseball facility to begin his senior baseball season was a renewed energy in the program. “The energy in the locker room when I came over to baseball was great,” he said. “Everyone was excited, and we just all want to get it right in our last year. We want to go out senior year and make a run at this thing. Everyone was excited to get started.” As one of Liberty Hill’s top pitchers, Cheney appreciated the slow and easy approach to the mound that Head Coach Steven Hutcherson implemented this season, playing his pitchers in short stints to start the season gradually. “This year, we did a lot less pitching,” Cheney said. “In our first few scrimmages, we probably only threw an inning or about 15 pitches. I think starting that way was nice. Later in the year, if we can make a run at this thing, that will pay off in the end with less pitches on our pitchers’ arms. We gradually built up as we went along the season, which helped me a lot because of the late start I got. The less pitches you throw, it raises the intensity, because you want to throw your absolute best for those 15 pitches.” Despite being a senior leader of a talented roster, Cheney
said this is as light as he has ever felt during a baseball season as far as pressure is concerned. “I felt a lot less pressure coming in to this season,” he said. “With Coach Hutcherson, everyone on our team has improved their game. This year we are just playing as a team and doing everything for each other, which is different from last year. If one has a bad game, then the other eight players are going to have his back.” The Panthers were voted to finish third in district play before the season began, and that is something the team did not appreciate. “Winning district this year is pretty important to us,” Cheney said. “We felt we got left out by a lot of people saying we would finish in third place. We kind of took offense to that, because we know we are a better team than they gave us credit for.” Last Friday, in the 2-0 district-opening win against Salado, Cheney pitched all seven innings, struck out 12, allowed three hits and reached base all three times he was at bat. Hutcherson said that is just typical of the type of player he is. “Wyatt has been a guy that we feed off of, along with others,” Hutcherson said. “If our seniors are leading the way, we
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
Pitcher Wyatt Cheney unloads a pitch against Rouse earlier this season. Last Friday, in the Panthers’ 2-0 district-opening win against Salado, Cheney pitched all seven innings, striking out 12 batters, allowing only three hits, and reaching base all three times he was at bat. are going to be tough to beat.” competitor I am, it would just his senior year has felt special, Cheney pitched his first full be hard for me to watch from and there is only one way he game this season in that open- the dugout in that moment. wants to finish it out. “So far, my senior year could er, which was a nice change of When you’re on the mound pace after being forced to take in that atmosphere, it brings a not have gone much better, but it slow early in the season. special type of energy. It was a it would be really nice to top it “The district opener this year district game and there were a off with a baseball state chamwas the first game that Coach lot of fans there. It was kind of pionship,” he said. The Panthers traveled to SalHutcherson let me finish,” high stakes for a district game Cheney said. “It felt good, and intense. It is fun pitching ado for their second district and as competitive as I am, I in that type of atmosphere. We game of the season Tuesday wouldn’t let coach pull me out have our fans supporting us night and will host Eastside of that game. It was 2-0 and I and the other fans rooting for Memorial Friday night at couldn’t have sat in the dug- their team that you do bad, so home. Game time is set for 7 out and watched. I wanted to you just want to prove them p.m. go back out there and make wrong.” sure I finished it. The type of Cheney said up to this point,
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Girls’ track 1st, boys 2nd at Burnet relays
SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO
Senior Colton Walter (#5) drives the ball past a Cedar Park defender. The Panthers defeated Cedar Park 3-2 in a warm up game Monday afternoon.
Soccer
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getting up to speed with where we need to be.” The Panthers have drawn a very familiar opponent in Wimberley for the bi-district round. Over the past three seasons, Liberty Hill has defeated Wimberley four times in the regular season, including twice earlier this year, but Bauer said his team can’t take the challenge lightly in the playoffs. “Really, we just have to be ready, and we cannot overlook them,” he said. “It is tough to beat a team three times in one year, and they know how we like to play. We did play them early in the season both times, and since then, I believe we are a different team. They do know our personnel and they know how we want to play. The key for us is coming out sharp and being effective in our passing.” Liberty Hill defeated Wimberley 4-2 on Jan. 8 and shut them out 1-0 on Jan. 18. “The first time we played them, we were pretty sloppy, defensively,” Bauer said. “We were still working on our defense and trying to figure stuff out. The second time we played them, we possessed the ball a lot more, and our defense was a lot more solid. They also played a little more defensive then they did the first game. If that trend continues, they may sit back a little bit more, and I think we are doing a much bet-
ter job possessing at this point in the season. Hopefully, we can do that and take the chances that we get or some long shots, then it could possibly be over quick.” The Panthers have multiple players that will be getting their first playoff experience this week, but Bauer has faith in his upperclassmen leading the way. “We have some kids that are starting on varsity that do not have much experience in the playoffs,” he said. “I think we need to get them ready and up for it. We want to make sure they are putting everything in, and if they are not, then our coaching staff and their teammates will let them know. I don’t think our seniors will let anyone slack off. They know what they want this year, and I think they will have our team ready.” The Panthers have scored 74 goals this season, averaging 3.4 goals per match. They have added another 57 assists to go along with those scores and have posted 11 defensive shutouts. Jaron Frye leads the team with 32 goals scored, followed by Colton Walter and Matthew Shipley with 11 each. Liberty Hill will face Wimberley Friday afternoon in Burnet. Game time for the bi-district playoff match is set for 5:30 p.m.
By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer While many students were relaxing during spring break, the Liberty Hill track teams were hard at work. The varsity girls’ team took a first-place finish with 186 points at the Burnet Bulldog relays last Thursday in Burnet. The varsity boys’ team took a limited number of runners, but still managed a second-place finish with a team total of 146 points. The junior varsity girls finished in fourth place with a team total of 75 points. The Lady Panthers got first place finishes from Maddie Ornelaz in the 100-meter dash (13.30) and Regan Walker in the 100-meter hurdles (17.38). Megan Sims also took first in the triple jump with a leap of 32-07. Head Girls’ Coach Gretchen Peterson said she was most proud of the team’s focus during a week off. “Our girls ran really well,” Peterson said. “We are super proud of their effort and focus during spring break. It’s not easy to show up and perform the way they did, and it was a total team effort. We scored points in every event, which is what we will need to do in order to fight for a
LAURA COLEMAN PHOTOS
(ABOVE) Freshman Greta Coker clears 9-0 in the pole vault during the Burnet Bulldog Relays last week. Coker finished third in the pole vault, helping the Panther girls to a first overall finish as a team at the meet. (RIGHT) Panther runners Grayson Ramey (left) and Brady Brewer (right) compete in the 100-meter dash. Ramey took fourth in the event with a time of 11.82, and Brewer finished fifth in 11.84.
See TRACK, Page 38
Rodeo
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Falls, but there’s not one in Liberty Hill. With our arena, it’s a professional arena, and we have enough room, 70 acres, to be able to have a lot of people come and be able to park and so on.” According to Ross, the rodeo started out on the right foot from the get-go, but has grown even more over time. One of the few major changes from year one is the addition of steer roping, which will take place on April 21. Now, Liberty Hill’s steer rop-
ing competition provides the third-largest payout in the country, behind only Cheyenne and Pendleton, Oregon. “It really started good, but what I’ve added and what’s changed is I now do professional steer roping with it, which of course was the very first event in rodeo,” Ross said. “That’s what started rodeo so many years ago was steer roping. Now, we do the third largest steer roping behind Cheyenne, which is the daddy of them all, and Pend-
leton, Oregon.” In addition to the rodeo competition, the fair will include a carnival by Thomas Carnival and vendors like Brotherhood Brand, Country Creamery, Diesel 512, Essential Bodywear, Homespun Creations, LuLaRoe, Lyssa Loo’s, and Red Brick Java. The rodeo will also feature the Liberty Hill High School Steer Saddling Challenge, where LHHS clubs can compete to win up to $1,250 for their respective organizations.
The school with the highest percentage of their faculty attending the rodeo will receive a $500 prize, as well. Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for students that bring their student I.D., $5 for children between the ages of four and 12, and free for three-year olds and younger. Parking is free for each day of the fourday event, and Sunday’s steer roping competition is free to attend for all age groups.
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SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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City preparing for roundabout work
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Bids are scheduled to be open April 2 for the downtown roundabout project at the intersection of Loop 332 and CR 279 and that means construction and detours are soon to follow. Patrick Hubbard with Steger Bizzell Engineering described the phases of construction and traffic control program for Council members at Monday’s meeting. There are a total of five phases, with construction slated to begin in May and be completed in June 2020. But only two of those phases will create detours for traffic. The first of those comes in phase two, set tentatively for July 29 to Aug. 23 this summer. “We will be closing down Loop 332 and Main Street
and CR 279 will remain open during this phase,” Hubbard said. “Because we will be closing Loop 332 to through traffic we’re going to have a detour plan, with all through traffic rerouted up to 1869. Local traffic will still be able to get through all the way down to the portion being constructed.” In phase three, traffic will be shifted slightly, but will flow in the same configuration it does currently. In phase 4, scheduled for Dec. 23 to Jan. 10, 2020, inbound traffic from CR 279 will be impacted. “We have already completed the majority of the pavement and the center medians will need to be constructed (in phase four), so we will move traffic to the outer edges of the lanes and the medians will be constructed as well as a small
portion of pavement that will remain on CR 279,” Hubbard said. “Because the incoming traffic will be affected, we are going to reroute traffic onto Churchill Lane for the incoming traffic on CR 279. We wouldn’t expect that detour to take more than one to two weeks.” The last phase will be a final level of asphalt on the project, but Hubbard said that will be scheduled to be completed in one night and should only take about six hours. When the roundabout is completed, the contractor will do the parking lot work adjacent to the roundabout, but that work is not expected to impact traffic flow. In December 2018, the Council voted 4-1 in favor of moving forward with the roundabout project, with Council member Liz Rundzieher being
the only no vote. Holmes Road project The Council unanimously approved a bid for $289,853.50 from Austin Engineering for wastewater line improvements on Holmes Road. “You recently awarded a contract to them to build your reuse pump station out at the wastewater plant and that project is under construction,” said Perry Steger of Steger Bizzell. “We’ve done a lot of projects with this firm and we recommend you award the contract to Austin Engineering.” The City received seven bids, ranging from the approved low bid up to $473,202. The original estimate from Steger Bizzell was $366,202. The project includes about a half mile of 12-inch wastewater line and will be paid for by the developers of Liberty Estates as part of the develop-
ment agreement that annexes it into the City. “What this line will do for us is it will get us up through Liberty Hill Estates and we’re negotiating with property owners north of there for wastewater service for approximately 700 LUEs (Living Unit Equivalent),” said city Administrator Greg Boatright. “We’re opening up a whole new area for our city.” Event funding In an effort to provide a permanent funding source for community requests for donations and sponsorships, the Council voted to set aside 1 percent of the City’s development fees earmarked for that purpose. Boatright said currently the move would generate between $10,000 and $15,000 annually. “That will grow,” he said. “We didn’t want to take too
much away because right now the fees help underwrite our general fund budget. We didn’t want to go with too much in the beginning, we can always adjust it, but by putting some seed money plus the money we generate annually with the potential in growth I think we can sustain the ability to address some of the funding needs.” It was suggested that the City put between $25,000 and $50,000 into the fund to start with. “We need some seed money because probably the requests are going to out-pace the funding we have allocated for it right now so we need some cushion to put in there,” he said. “Hopefully, one day we will look up and we’ll have several hundred thousand
See COUNCIL, Page 40
Celebrate Easter Your guide to Liberty Hill area church service schedules and events. Andice Baptist Church
6570 FM 970, Florence www.andicebc.org Sunday, April 14 Palm Sunday Service 11am Friday, April 19 Good Friday Service 6:30pm Sunday, April 21 Easter Sunday Celebration 9:15am Community Breakfast 9:15am Easter Egg Hunt 10:15am for children ages 2-4th grade Worship Service 11am with Children’s Church for ages 0-3 years
Cross Tracks Church
101 Church St., Liberty Hill www.crosstrackschurchumc.org Sunday, April 14 Palm Sunday Services 9am & 11am in Worship Center Friday, April 19 Good Friday Service 7pm in Chapel Sunday, April 21 Easter Sunrise Service 7pm at Outdoor Chapel Brunch 8:30am Easter Egg Hunt 9am Sunday School 10am Easter Worship Service 11am in the Worship Center
Divine Savior Church
WELS affiliated 719 US 183, Bldg B, Ste 102, Liberty Hill www.divinesaviorchurch.com/dscsrr Friday, April 19 Good Friday Service 6:30pm Sunday, April 21 Outdoor Easter Service 9:30 am at Santa Rita Ranch, 175 Elizabeth Park Blvd, Liberty Hill Easter Egg Hunt & Easter Brunch immediately following service
FBG Liberty Hill Campus 111 Holmes, Liberty Hill www.fbg.church Sunday, April 21 Worship Service 11am
Fellowship Church
3600 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill www.fellowshiplh.org Sunday, April 21 Easter Services 8:30am, 9:45am & 11am Easter Egg Hunts following 9:45 & 11am services
Grace Alive Church
16030 W. Hwy 29, Liberty Hill www.gracealivelibertyhill.org Sunday, April 14 Special Palm Sunday Service 10am Celebration of Jesus with worship and waving palm branches Sunday, April 21 Resurrection Celebration Service 10am Easter Egg Hunt and Pot Luck immediately following service
Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church
5205 County Road 236, Liberty Hill www.annunciationtx.com Friday, April 26 (Great & Holy Friday) Royal Hours 9am Descent from the Cross 12pm Lamentations of the Cross 7pm Sat, April 27 (Great & Holy Saturday) Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 9am Paschal Nocturns & Divine Liturgy 11pm Sunday, April 28 (Holy Pascha) Agape Vespers 5 pm
LifeSprings Christian Church
15611 W. State Hwy 29, Liberty Hill www.lifespringschristianchurch.org Sunday, April 14 Palm Sunday Services 10am Egg Hunt immediately following main service 11:30am Sunday, April 21 Easter Sunrise Service 8am
Mission Liberty Hill Lutheran Church
(LCMS affiliated) 15725 W. State Hwy 29, Suite 7, Liberty Hill www.missionlibertyhill.com Friday, April 19 Good Friday Worship with Communion 7pm Saturday, April 20 Easter Egg Hunt at Lion’s Park 10am-noon Sunday, April 21 Light Breakfast at 9am Easter Service 10am
New Life Church
1015 US-183, Liberty Hill www.newlifechurch.family Sunday, April 21 Easter Celebration 10am Communion, Egg Hunt, Potluck, Bounce House
Restoration Church
Meets at Liberty Hill Event Center 14875 W. State Hwy 29, Liberty Hill www.restorationchurchtx.net Sunday, April 21 Worship Service 10:30am
Union Hall Baptist Church
301 CR 259, Liberty Hill www.uh-bc.com Sunday, April 21 Brunch 10am Special Easter Service 1:30am-12:30pm
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BASEBALL
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wanted to clean some things up and play well together as a squad,” Cheney said. “We wanted to execute our game plan and work hard at getting better every day, so we could be prepared when the games count.” Cheney said it was not lost on his team that Salado was the pick to win district. Cheney also picked a great time to pitch his first full game of the season. “It irritated us that people picked Salado to win the district,” Cheney said. “We are a lot better than people give us credit for, and that is starting to show. The pitches felt good tonight, and I felt in the zone. I feel like I did good mixing it
TRACK
up and keeping them off my fastball.” Hutcherson said the Panthers will not usually throw a pitcher all seven innings, but Friday night was the right mix of circumstances. “Our plan for guys is to throw four strong innings,” Hutcherson said. “After the fourth, fifth and sixth, he still looked really good. He wanted the seventh, and he had enough pitches left. He hadn’t really gotten in trouble, so I figured we could let him roll, and we had someone ready to go just in case. We may use more than one pitcher in the next one, and we feel good about anybody we have to run out there.” It was a 0-0 stalemate until the
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district championship in about a week.” Varsity girls’ running events Ornelaz finished first in the 100-meter dash in a time of 13.30, followed by Nikki Threet in fifth with a time of 14.06. Delaney Foster finished second in the 200-meter dash in 27.79, followed by teammate Megan Sims in fourth with a time of 28.22. Senior Kennedy Coleman finished second in the 800-meter dash in 2:37.72. Madison Sears finished second in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:32.32, and Payton Stephenson finished fifth in 6:11.45. Sears also took third in the 3200-meter run in a time of 12:46.84, and Stephenson finished sixth in 13:59.12. Regan Walker won the 100-meter hurdles
in 17.38 and finished second in the 300-meter hurdles in 50.36. Madison Walker finished third in the 300-meter hurdles in 50.57. Threet, Megan Sims, Foster and Ornelaz took third in the 4x100 meter relay in 52.34. The same team finished third in the 4x200 meter relay in a time of 1:51.09. Madison Walker, Coleman, Dejanae Thompson and Lindsee Miller finished second in the 4x400 meter relay in a time of 4:13.17. Varsity girls’ field events Jamaya McKay took second in the shot put with a toss of 33-0. Taylor Sims finished sixth with a toss of 26-06. Taylor Sims finished third in discus with a throw of 81-10. Kenzie Coleman finished fifth
Thursday, March 28, 2019
third inning for the Panthers when Alexander scored Ryan Leary with an RBI and then later hit a solo homerun with a 3-2 count to give Liberty Hill the 2-0 edge. Alexander said the pitcher left the ball out there, and he just couldn’t pass it up. “The pitcher kept missing with the fast ball away, and I was kind of looking away,” Alexander said. “It was 3-2 and I saw the fast ball up and away. I probably could have walked that at-bat, but that’s my pitch, so I swung at it and got a good result. It is crazy when you have power hitters on a team, because it can be 0-0 and one person gets on, and the next thing you know it can be 2-0
in one inning with no outs. Salado was picked to win our district, and we just wanted to come in and show that they are not going to win our district. Liberty Hill is back.” Hutcherson was satisfied with the win Friday night, but would have liked to see a more complete game from his team. “It looked like we were on spring break, to be honest,” Hutcherson said. “It’s not that it was not a well-played or crisp game, but we looked at times to be searching for energy rather than having it authentically. Spring break takes you out of your routine a little bit, and you just hope you come out on the right side of it, and we did.”
Rowen Guerra (#20) gets ahold of a pitch against Navarro. With back-to-back wins over Salado, the Panthers now have an overall record of 17-3-1 and an undefeated 2-0 district record. The Panthers will host Aus- “You come off a back-to-back tin Eastside Memorial Friday with Salado, and you don’t night, which will also serve as want to have a letdown. We Senior Night for Liberty Hill. must go out and play and make “Eastside Memorial is the team the opponent irrelevant. That is people may think is down in our job, and if we can do that, I the district,” Hutcherson said. think we will be good.”
with a throw of 77-04, and McKay finished sixth with a throw of 76-02. Saber Prado finished third in high jump, clearing 4-04. Brooke Wright took second in pole vault, clearing 9-06, and Greta Coker finished third, clearing 9-0. Megan Sims came in sixth in the long jump with a leap of 14-07.50, and Prado was seventh with a leap of 14-06.50. Megan Sims won the triple jump with a jump of 32-07, and Prado took third with a jump of 30’ even. For the boys, The Panthers got first-place finishes from Walker Gilbert in the 400-meter dash (49.21), and Gabriel Diaz in both the 800-meter run (1:59.83) and 1600-meter run (4:58.10). Gregory Miller won the 3200-meter run (11:04.51),
and Benjamin White in the 110-meter hurdles (15.39). In the field event portion, Austin Levee won the shot put and Grayson Ramey took first place in the triple jump. Head Boys’ Coach Kent Walker said the name of the game is steady improvement each week. “We are continuing to improve each week, and we should be getting a couple injured guys back for the district meet,” Walker said. “Walker Gilbert continues to run well and has improved his 400-meter dash time each week.” Varsity boys’ running events Grayson Ramey finished fourth in the 100-meter dash in 11.82, followed by Brady Brewer in fifth at 11.84. Gilbert finished second in the
200-meter dash in 22.80, Brewer took fourth in 23.87, and Benjamin White finished sixth in 24.13. Gilbert won the 400-meter dash in 49.21, and Gabriel Diaz finished sixth in 53.58. Diaz won the 800-meter run in 1:59.83, Joseph Pezold finished second in 2:04.47, and Ryan Davis finished fifth in 2:08.60. Diaz won the 1600-meter run in 4:58.10, Gregory Miller took second in 4:58.84, and Ryan Davis finished fourth in 5:06.40. Miller also won the 3200-meter run in 11:04.51. White won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.39 and took third in the 300-meter hurdles in 41.15. Varsity boys’ field events Levee won the shot put with a toss of 43’ even and took sixth in the discus with a throw of
113-04. Noah Kelley finished second in the high jump, clearing 5-02. Ramey finished third in long jump with a leap of 2000.75, John Cearley finished fifth with a jump of 19-03, and Collin Lyons finished sixth at 18-07.25. Ramey won the triple jump with a leap of 41-11, and Lyons finished second at 41-07.50. The track teams will compete at the Texas Relays held at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin March 28-30 and will travel to Taylor for the 27-4A district meet April 3-4. Liberty Hill will host the area track meet at Panther Stadium on April 15.
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Same-way streets
No action on one-way streets issue
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor For about 20 minutes Monday, residents from inside and outside the city limits took turns voicing their concerns over the one-way streets downtown and subsequent traffic issues in the area. In all, 10 people addressed the Council, with two supporting the current one-way status and seven of the other eight seeking a remedy to the congestion through some form of change. But when the Council took up the issue later in the meeting, Council Member Liz Rundzieher’s motion to change one block of Barton and one block of Myrtle to two way died for a lack of a second and no action was taken. Those who spoke in favor of making a change focused much of their attention on why the City should give more consideration to the situation and needs of those outside the City limits. “I am just one example of how the City’s decisions affect this community as a whole,” said Cathy Cantrell, who added that she does not get to vote because her home is in the City’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). “I would like to go on record in support of changing the two streets listed on the agenda tonight from one-way streets back to two-way, until an alternative route is completed.” The reason for the original change was that the roads would not accommodate twoway traffic, but Cantrell said her family had driven the same roads for 50 years as two-way. She implored the Council to reevaluate the issue. “I do understand that public hearings were held and there was no pushback on the issue,” she said. “Folks seem to think that they don’t have a say so if they don’t live within
the city. I hope the City and the entire community have learned a lesson through this process. The City’s decision has a huge impact on the entire community and the entire community needs to speak up at these public hearings.” Seven others, including Barbara Smith, who also resides in the ETJ, made similar arguments, and said they expected better communication and more inclusion. “My concern is for the oneway streets, but even more important is my concern for communication from the Council to the people about what they’re planning to do, and second, making decisions that impact more than just people who live within the City limits without due consideration for others who might be effected,” Smith said. But Council candidate Bill Brannan, running against Rundzieher for Place 5, cautioned the Council over focusing too much on those who live outside the city limits. “I believe the policy to reroute traffic through the neighborhood is a bad policy,” he said. “The Council members’ first obligation is to the citizens of Liberty Hill. Someone living in the ETJ or outside he ETJ is secondary, not primary. It’s the same logic as if someone were to come from Bertram and tell this City what we should do with our policies. It is also a waste of taxpayers’ money because a lot of money was spent actually studying, researching and putting a plan together for how to deal with the traffic that is already happening in Liberty Hill.” For developer Chris Pezold, the issue is one of safety and a problem caused by growth elsewhere. “I think this is an issue of convenience versus safety,” said Pezold. “The long line at the intersection of 332 and
1869 are the result of new subdivisions located on 1869. Not allowing drivers to cut through old town is a small contributor to that congestion. If Barton is changed back to a two-way – or one way going back toward town – and is used as a cut through it would at best alleviate 20 percent of the traffic congestion at 332.” He pointed out that Fellowship Church uses the field adjacent to Barton for children to play in and warned it could be a safety issue, and added that making the downtown streets one-way has long been on the Council’s agenda. “I’ve spoken to four prior mayors of Liberty Hill, all of them said that the one-way streets were something that all the prior Councils wanted to get done in old town for safety reasons,” Pezold said. Judy Hale suggested perhaps changing the streets back to two-way or one-way the other direction for only certain hours of the day. Pezold, as well as Brannan, said the traffic troubles could be mitigated with a police officer directing traffic at certain times of the day. “A traffic officer, one hour a day, five days a week, would alleviate nearly the entire problem, without endangering the citizens,” Pezold said. Council member Ron Rhea said he chose to let the motion die for lack of a second for a number of reasons. He said, as he has in previous meetings, that the issue had been studied thoroughly before implementation, and that he felt it was a safety issue. He also did not believe those seeking the change were showing the same concern for residents of downtown. The way in which the issue was brought back to the Council also frustrated Rhea, who
See STREETS, Page 44
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dollars in there. Right now, if we can just keep pace that will be good.” This fund will be more specific to requests for donations and sponsorships from events like the Library’s Summer Reading Program or the Liberty Hill Rodeo. Boatright said it did not include funding for events like Independence Day or the Christmas Festival as examples, which would be budgeted for separately.
New position Liberty Hill will be looking to hire a Project Development Inspector after the Council approved the position Monday. “It will be for inspecting our subdivisions for water and wastewater services and roads, things that we currently subcontract out for,” Boatright said. “In addition to that what we would look for that person to fulfill is oversight of our CIP (capital improvement projects) program.”
Current projects such as park improvements, the roundabout and Stubblefield Road are ones Boatright gave as examples of areas the City would like to have more involvement in on a day-to-day basis. “It is very specific to subdivisions and the projects we have going on such as Fowler and Forrest Street buildings,” he said. “Bringing that in house will give us more control and more say and give us a better way of tracking what we’re doing.” Liberty Hill is currently contracting those services and spending about $150,000 per year. Boatright said with salary and benefits, he believes the City can bring someone on full time for about $90,000. Strategic planning meeting City Council, staff and consultants will again spend two days in strategic planning meetings April 1-2 in Fredericksburg. “I’m looking forward to the
strategic planning session we have coming up,” Boatright said. “I just felt like we need more input, and that’s why I hope our Council will engage on this because there are things they have a specific interest in, whether it’s parks or transportation, and this is the ideal place to talk about that stuff and figure out how we’re going to accomplish it. I don’t want it to just be consultants telling us what they are doing for the City. I want to talk about how we’re going to get things done and how we’re going to pay for them.” The agenda has not been finalized for the meeting as of press time.
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SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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Keeping your kids’ summer schedules fun, but not too full
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Whoever came up with the lyrics to “Summertime and the Living is Easy” probably didn’t spend the summer shuttling kids to and from various activities while simultaneously trying to cure their inevitable boredom. And while it can be a struggle to enjoy easy living in the summer, it doesn’t have to be. Check out these tips from some local Liberty Hill moms who have a few summers of experience under their belts. It takes a village Liberty Hill mom Sheri Lowery has three kids, ages 7, 10 and 12. As a working mom, she relies on outside help during the summer to make life a little easier. “I think every parent struggles over the summer,” she said. “I always hire a part-time nanny to help me out in getting my kids to and from various activities. The other part of the time I try to get in on a carpool. If I know a neighbor is doing the same camp we are during that week, we can split driving duties, which eases that burden.” Lowery added that splitting
Notebook
up responsibilities between parents is a good option as well, like having one parent drop kids off and another parent pick them up. Lowery said setting up play dates with friends and neighbors is another way to get some extra help. “The kids can take turns at each other’s houses,” she said. “I work from home, so I can have my kids’ friends come to my house on Tuesday when I don’t have meetings, and then ask my friend to take them on Friday when I’m typically busy. Coordinating with another working mom who has kids is great, because you’re both in the same boat.” Let them be bored Lowery said the best advice she ever received was that she can’t cure her kids’ boredom. “If you are constantly trying to cure their boredom, they’ll always look at you to entertain them,” she said. “Encourage them to find something to do on their own, like building a fort or pulling out an old game they haven’t played in a while. If they are left to their own devices, they will find something to do.” Lowery added that she tries to find a happy medium be-
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go back?” when responding to their opinion and point of view. Nothing is more American than having a right to a point of view and having the right to voice it. But three people in the audience all voiced the same question in one form or another as a woman stood in the middle of the room and took issue with the United States healthcare system. From their comments rang the attitude that maybe she shouldn’t be in the United States. From their comments, an intolerance for a different opinion was clear. Nothing is more un-American than responding the way those three individuals did to some-
one they disagree with. It is a safe bet that not a single person in that room has a family history that originated in the United States. A citizen who was not born here is no less a citizen than someone who was. A citizen who took a test and pledged allegiance to this country is no less a citizen than someone who had the good fortune of simply being born here. When someone attempts to classify someone’s right to a political opinion by suggesting perhaps they should not be here, they are the one who is wrong. This was a debate about healthcare. Are we really to the point in the U.S. where we
tween structured activities and down time. “We try to have a happy balance between relaxation and structured activities,” Lowery added. “Even though I’m a working parent I don’t want them to miss out on summer and time with friends, but they are definitely not doing something every single week.” Prepare to negotiate Liberty Hill mom Meredith Brand has six children ranging in age from 21 to 8. She said negotiation skills are key to a successful summer, especially as kids get older. “As they get older, you lose a little bit of the control,” she said. “They don’t want to go to the camp I suggest, so we have to negotiate what they’re going to do in the summer. I may see a cool camp I want my kid to go to, and they don’t want to go. They want to do nothing. But I want to make sure they’re getting stimulated— not sitting in front of screens all day. You have to finding a way to create that balance.” Realize that plans change Brand said she always has an outline of a plan in the summer, because each of her kids is involved in a different
activity, ranging from Girl Scouts and basketball camp to a semester abroad and theater camp. “Be sure your kids are doing something they love and don’t get stuck in a rut, but be ready to let the plan go, too,” she said. “My biggest frustration comes when my plan is not working out, but you have to learn that a lot of home life in the summer is a family circus. Let your kids do their thing and let the family circus just evolve as it does.” Find a good balance Liberty Hill mom Heather Himmer has four children ranging in age from 10 to 3. She’s found that if her kids are home all the time during the summer, they start to get stir crazy, which is why they break up their activities. “If their time at home is broken up, they enjoy being home more when they are home,” she said. “We usually let our kids pick a couple of summer camps they want to do, but we don’t want them so involved in things that they don’t get any free time. It’s a balancing act.” Himmer said in between the more expensive and time-consuming summer activities, like
vacations and camps, she’ll sprinkle in smaller activities to keep her kids active, such as trips to the library to participate in the Summer Reading Program or trips to the park to play. “The biggest thing for us is not to be in any one routine for too long,” Himmer added. “If we’ve got a couple of weeks with nothing going on, then we’ll break it up with a quick getaway or even going to a museum. It gives the kids something to look forward to, but they can also look forward to having time at home.” Logistics are important Even though Brand’s older children are in college, they come home for the summer, which means logistics become extremely important. “My three older kids have jobs and their own schedules to maintain, but we will only have two cars for them to share,” she said. “A lot of it will be on them and their responsibility of knowing their work schedules, but I know I’ll be reminding them to figure it out a week ahead of time so they don’t wake up in the morning and don’t have a way to get to work. They’re grown
up and they need to find a way to do that.” Teach them new skills Summer is a good time for kids to learn things they don’t learn in school, Lowery said. She uses the summer months as an opportunity to teach her kids everything from budgeting to the art of compromising. “All of my kids have a little bit different interests, so on a free day they’ll have to take turns choosing what we do,” she said. “That’s a big lesson in compromise. And last summer I put my oldest two kids in charge of the budget. Their nanny held the money and if they went somewhere, they had to figure out what they could afford. They could choose to spend all their money in one day or break it up to make it last the whole week. It really helped them learn money management.” Lowery added that she also has her kids help her with menu planning and cooking during the summer. “I find that if they help make it, they’ll eat it,” she said. “It’s really cool getting them involved in the kitchen.”
can’t have an educated, even spirited, debate on healthcare without turning it into a loyalty test or question about who belongs and who doesn’t? Perhaps a person’s political opinion is a measure of their fitness to be American today? Surely not. That moment was a shameful display of American politics in a setting that easily could have been a great example of what can truly make us great. In addition to the confusion over what constitutes an American and who should or should not be here, I couldn’t help but notice that there was very heavy security both outside the building and in the room during the town hall. It
left me scratching my head as I contemplated why it might be so “present” at a meting between a Congressman and his constituents in Leander, Texas, so I inquired. There was no specific threat and Carter’s office responded that it was a precaution members of Congress are taking in response to previous events. I am not against security. But I’ve never once been worried, afraid or nervous when attend-
ing a forum, town hall, meeting or other event related to government at any level. If I should be, that’s pretty sad for us all. If a town hall meeting generates fear in us – whether justified or not – then we have truly become a sad, angry, paranoid bunch of people. Do we fear those with political differences that much? Do we see one another as that different?
Even if you believe the security measures were appropriate, you should be asking yourself how we got here and what we should be doing to get back to a place where everyone is accepted and we can engage in debate without fear, anger and a sense that some belong in the conversation and some do not. ~ Mike Eddleman Managing Editor
WWW.LHINDEPENDENT.COM for BREAKING NEWS and MUCH MORE
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
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REAL ESTATE FOR LEASE FOR LEASE 2 bedroom 2 bath 1000 sq ft, new carpet and paint ready to go. Rent $1000 with $500 deposit. Also 4.5 acres for lease at the same location. 2119 RR 1869 Unit E. Agent 512-809-1716. (3/28) OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE Multi-unit office space for lease. 1800 sq.ft. located at 101 Jonathan, Suite 7, Liberty Hill. $1500/mth plus utilities. Call 512-585-6256 to inquire. (3/28p)
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PUBLIC NOTICES CITY OF LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS NOTICE OF HEARING FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THAT GSC Homes, LLC has made application for a Conditional Use Permit for property described as 0.556 ac of land out of the Henry Field Survey, Abstract No. 233; .63 ac of land out of the Henry Field Survey, Abstract No. 233; and .63 ac of land out of the Henry Field Survey, Abstract No. 233, Williamson County, in the City of Liberty Hill, Texas. The proposed project is described as follows: A request for conditional use permit to build duplexes in the Downtown Commercial/Retail (C2) District off Carl Ship Road. The City of Liberty Hill Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on this Application on April
5TH, 2019 at 12:00 Noon at the Liberty Hill Municipal Court Building located at 2801 Ranch Road 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas and City Council will hold a Public Hearing on this Application on April 8th at 6:30 PM at the Liberty Hill Municipal Court Building located at 2801 Ranch Road 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas. A copy of the Application and additional information may be reviewed at Liberty Hill City Hall at 926 Loop 332 in Liberty Hill, Texas between the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM – Monday through Friday prior to the Public Hearing. Comments regarding the Application for Conditional Use may be emailed to smcferon@ libertyhilltx.gov or mailed P.O. Box 1926, Liberty Hill, TX 78642. Participation in this local proceeding is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal. (3/28) CITY OF LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS NOTICE OF HEARING FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THAT CLKA HOLDINGS, LLC has made application for a Conditional Use Permit for property located at 200 Carl Shipp Dr. in the City of Liberty Hill, Texas. The proposed project is described as follows: A request for conditional use permit to build duplexes in the Downtown Commercial/Retail (C2) District located at 200 Carl Shipp Road, better described as .042 ac of land out of the Henry Field Survey, Abstract N. 233, Williamson County, in the City of Liberty Hill, Texas. The City of Liberty Hill Planning & Zoning Commis-
sion will hold a Public Hearing on this Application on April 5TH, 2019 at 12:00 Noon at the Liberty Hill Municipal Court Building located at 2801 Ranch Road 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas and City Council will hold a Public Hearing on this Application on April 8th at 6:30 PM at the Liberty Hill Municipal Court Building located at 2801 Ranch Road 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas. A copy of the Application and additional information may be reviewed at Liberty Hill City Hall at 926 Loop 332 in Liberty Hill, Texas between the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM – Monday through Friday prior to the Public Hearing. Comments regarding the Application for Conditional Use may be emailed to smcferon@libertyhilltx.gov or mailed P.O. Box 1926, Liberty Hill, TX 78642. Participation in this local proceeding is a prerequisite to the right to take any subsequent appeal. (3/28) CITY OF LIBERTY HILL, TX LOOP 332 ROUNDABOUT ADVERTISEMENT AND INVITATION FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the CITY OF LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS for LOOP 332 ROUNDABOUT. The Scope of Work will include: Furnishing and installing and providing all labor and materials required for an asphalt roadway roundabout, parking improvements, storm sewer, electrical lighting, pedestrian paths, drainage improvements, erosion control, and other items, as more fully described in the Construction Plans and Project Specifications. Bids must be submitted on the complete project. Bids must be enclosed in a sealed envelope and will be received by the City of Liberty Hill, ATTN: Sally McFeron, 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642, until 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at
Thursday, March 28, 2019 which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. Bidding Documents will only be made available electronically. To obtain access to the files for no charge, please contact Steger Bizzell – bids@ stegerbizzell.com, 1978 S. Austin Ave, Georgetown, TX 78626, (512) 930-9412. Bids not accompanied by cashier’s check or bid bond will not be considered. BIDS received after the date and time of the bid opening will be returned unopened. After receipt of BIDS, no BID may be withdrawn within ninety (90) days after the date of bid opening. City of Liberty Hill reserves the right to reject any or all BIDS and to waive any informality in BIDS received. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference for this project will be held on Wednesday, March 27th at the Municipal Court Building, 2801 RR 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 at 10:00 a.m. The project site will be available for inspection by prospective bidders immediately following the pre-bid conference. Representatives of Owner and Engineer will be present to discuss the Project. Bidders are encouraged to attend and participate in the conference. Engineer will transmit to all prospective Bidders of record such Addenda as Engineer considers necessary in response to questions arising at the conference. Oral statements may not be relied upon and will not be binding or legally effective. A bid bond in the amount of 5 percent of the bid issued by an acceptable surety shall be submitted with each bid. A certified check or bank draft payable to the City of Liberty Hill or negotiable US Government Bonds (as par value) may be submitted in lieu of bid bond. (3/28) NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bid proposals addressed to MREC MAG CONTINUED ON PAGE 43
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42
MorningStar, LLC on behalf of Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 23 (the “District County Municipal Utility District No. 23 (the “District”), c/o LandDev Consulting, LLC, Attn: Caylea Pogue, will be received from qualified bidders until 2:00 pm CST on April 25, 2019 at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735, for furnishing all labor, supplies, and supervision necessary for construction of Morningstar Phase 3, Section 1B and Section 2B Subdivision (the “Project”). The Project involves construction of subdivisions and associated infrastructure including grading, roadway, water quality ponds, waterline, gravity wastewater line, storm sewers, erosion controls, and associated appurtenances. Bids will be opened and publically read aloud at 2:00 pm CST at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735, on April 25, 2019. No faxed bids will be accepted. Any proposal received after the closing time will be filed unopened. Bids must be submitted on the form included in the bid documents, in sealed envelopes marked “Bid for Morningstar Phase 3, Section 1B and Section 2B Subdivision Project”. Plans and Specifications for the Project may be examined without charge at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735. Bidders must contact Caylea
Pogue at LandDev Consulting, LLC in order to view and/ or obtain electronic access to proposal forms, plans, specifications, and contract documents without charge (telephone: 512-872-6696 or email: caylea.pogue@landdevconsulting.com). A bid must include Bid Security in the form of a certified or cashier’s check or a bid bond issued by a surety legally authorized to do business in Texas, payable to the District, in an amount of at least 5% of the total amount of the bid, in accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.271(c), as a guaranty that, if awarded the contract, the bidder will promptly enter into a contract with MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC on behalf of the District and furnish bonds on the forms provided. If a Bid is Accepted, the contractor will be required to furnish, at the contractor’s expense, (i) payment and performance bonds in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2253; (ii) a one year maintenance bond in the amount of 10% of the contract price, in a form and substance, and with a surety satisfactory to the District, upon final payment and acceptance under the contract; (iii) worker’s compensation insurance coverage in accordance with Texas Labor Code Section 406.096; and (iv) general liability insurance insuring against liability for bodily injury, personal injury, death, or property damage. No Bid may be withdrawn for at least 90 days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT The Award will be made on the basis of the lowest responsible bidder that is considered the most advantageous to the District and result in the best and most economical completion of the Project in accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.273(c). The right is reserved to waive any informality in the bidding and to reject any or all bids. The Project is being constructed by MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC on behalf of and in the name of the District. The contract will provide that the contractor will look solely to MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC for payment of all sums coming due thereunder. Minimum Wage Scale: The contract will require compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 2258, Subchapter B, pertaining to prevailing wage rates. In accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.279, the District specifies the prevailing wage rates for public works established by Williamson County, Texas as the District’s prevailing wage rates. The contractor for the Project must pay not less than the specified prevailing wage rates to workers employed by it in execution of the contract. (4/4p)
LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for A Wine and Beer Retailer’s Off – Premise Permit by Happy Joe’s LLC DBA Happy Joe’s Food & Novelties to be located at 13677 HWY 29, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. Managing Member of said LLC is Jose J. Ochoa – Managing Member
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First row from left, are Rachel Ware (7th Art Smart) - Camille O’Brien (8th Art Smart tied) - Elijah Brown (8th Dictionary Skills) - Dalaney Mangham (7th Listening) - Ella Barto (8th Listening). Center row are Victoria Phegley (8th Mathematics) - Tyler Kuhn (7th Ready Writing) - Cole Labay (7th Science - tied) - Caleb Griffith (7th Science - tied) - Caden Garner (7th Social Studies). In back, are Elaina Green (7th Spelling) - Ashleigh Heiderscheit (8th Spelling) - Mya Niccum (7th Painting) - Stefanie Fajardo-Lujano (8th Painting) - Mazlyn Sroba (8th Drawing). Not pictured are Dillon McKinney (8th Art Smart - tied). (Courtesy Photo)
Junior High celebrating successes following UIL competition
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer For the last decade, Liberty Hill Junior High has been celebrating successes in the annual University Interscholastic League competition, and this year, the celebration continues. The junior high earned a total of 1,211.5 points in this year’s competition in January, which was far above the competition in their district, which included Burnet, Lampasas and Salado junior highs. “Second place was Lampasas with 809 points,” said LHJH Principal Annette Coe. “Burnet had 448 points, and Salado had 765 points. We beat Burnet and Salado easily by 400 points.” Coe said in the 11 years she’s been at the junior high, the school has won the district title every year except for one, when it lost by just a few points. “I think we’ve been very suc-
cessful every year because we actually put in the school day times for the kids to practice, so they’re not having to spend time outside of school,” she said. “Starting in October, the kids meet every Friday during their standards time to practice with their coach. If a student is not on a UIL team, they have study hall.” Coe said adding the time into the school day has made participating in UIL easier for students. “Students are involved in so much outside of school, so building the time into the day helps with continuity and their teacher knows they’ll be there, because they didn’t have a doctor’s appointment or track practice or something else,” Coe said. “We start in October and the contest is in January, so we get about 12 practice days built in.” Coe added that because a lot of the UIL events are based
around certain subject matters, like science, social studies and math, various departments within the junior high can help students bolster their knowledge in different areas. “Starting a chess club this year helped our chess puzzle teams come in first and second this year because they were actually practicing after school,” Coe said. “And our fine arts department helped with speaking events, and we did well on individual results on those. The district is also focusing heavily on writing right now, and our writing teams did well and improved. We also do an art contest at the school to get the kids to produce art and think about why and what it means to them. That way they’re putting more into it than just a class project.” At the junior high level students aren’t able to go on to
See UIL, Page 44
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Streets
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Continued from Page 39
likened it being placed on the agenda again – with a plan already identified – to the situation last spring when Mayor Rick Hall negotiated an agreement before presenting it to the Council for consideration that would have funded school resource officers for the school district. The safety of City residents is what Council member Elizabeth Branigan said is her pri-
ority, adding that she agreed with Brannan’s point that those living within the city should be the first consideration. “I think our highest priority should be our citizens’ safety,” she said. “As I said in the March 11 meeting, why are we going to endanger one of our neighborhoods for a solution we know is not going to work? The residents through the neighborhood do not want in-
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creased traffic, there is enough traffic through the neighborhood anyway. They feel even the small change would breech their safety.” She believes the one-way streets have not caused the RR 1869 traffic problem, and the problem is due to increased population along that road. “The traffic problem would not be solved by shortcutting through the neighborhood,” she said. “All it would accomplish would be to move the traffic jam over one block. This proposed change to the traffic plan would not solve the problem.” She added that a warrant study was already being done by Texas Department of Transportation at the four-way stop at RR 1869 and Loop 332. The reason she supported holding another public hearing was because Branigan believed the process of potentially
CITY OF LIBERTY HILL WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES Effective April 1, 2019
On February 25, 2019, the City of Liberty Hill City Council approved a rate change for the City’s Water & Wastewater Systems for In-City and Out-of-City Customers. These new rates become effective on the April 1, 2019, billing cycle.
WATER
Residential Minimum charge by Meter Size (per month) 5/8 x 3/4” 1” 1 1/2” 2” 3” 4” 6” Volume Charges (all Meter Sizes) Volume Rate (per 1,000 gallons - 0-10,000 gallons Volume Rate (per 1,000 gallons - 10,001 to 20,000 gallons) Volume Rate (per 1,000 gallons over 20,001 gallons) Purchased Water Fee WASTEWATER Residential Flat Rate per month per LUE Commercial Flat Rate per month per LUE Wholesale Customer Monthly Minimum Charges Williamson County MUD No. 12 Williamson County MUD No. 13 Williamson County MUD No. 19 Williamson County MUD No. 19A Reviewed/Approved 2/25/2019
In-City
Out-of-City
$ 35.09 $ 87.72 $ 175.44 $ 280.69 $ 561.37 $ 877.16 $1,754.30
$ 43.86 $ 109.66 $ 219.29 $ 350.86 $ 701.69 $ 1,096.44 $ 2,192.88
$4.61 $7.68 $9.96 $6.74
$ 7.74 $12.91 $16.70 $ 6.74
In-City $49.67
Out-of-City $53.93
$60.87
$76.09
$6,300.00 $4,400.00 $4,000.00 $6,300.00
changing the plan needed to follow the original process, which included hearings. “I insisted that any proposed change would also require a public hearing,” she said. “I expected more people to show up than did. I listened to the people who came to speak carefully. I feel (the proposal) is a dangerous solution to a problem we already have a proposed solution for. “If someone had come up with a different solution, I would have been all for it. If someone had come up with a really good idea I personally would have favored that. It’s always possible,” Branigan said. Similar sentiments were echoed by Council member Troy Whitehead. “I was disappointed because there weren’t any other options put on the table,” he said. “At the meeting previous, my understanding was we were go-
UIL
ing to have the public meeting and then be able to have another study done or some way to know what the impact would be if we did move those streets back to two way and that option wasn’t given the way they had the agenda drawn up.” He did not support adding traffic back to the downtown neighborhood and said steps were being taken to establish a long-term solution. “I really feel like placing the burden on the people of that neighborhood to absorb that extra traffic, and the fact we are in the middle of a study with the state to try and get that intersection signalized, would have hurt more than it would have helped,” Whitehead said. A solution? There were no changes made to the one-way streets, but a few people mentioned the idea of a police officer directing traffic at the four-way stop
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state UIL competitions, but Coe said it does prepare them for when they’re able to do so once they reach high school. “We’re definitely preparing our students for the high school level, when they go on to state and even get college scholarships,” she said. This year, LHJH earned first place awards at the seventh grade level in team events for art smart, calculator, chess
puzzle, dictionary skills, listening skills, science and spelling. The seventh grade teams earned second place awards in math, number sense and social studies, and third place in maps, graphs and charts. LHJH earned first place awards at the eighth grade level in team events for art smart, social studies and spelling, and second place awards in calculator, chess puzzle, dictionary
Thursday, March 28, 2019
during peak times for traffic back ups. City Administrator Greg Boatright said after the meeting he had previously made an effort to get Police Chief Maverick Campbell to have an officer direct traffic at the intersection, but disagreements on the issue prevented the move. He said he has asked the City Attorney for clarification and believes now something can get done. “I wrote (City Attorney) Dottie (Palumbo) an e-mail, asking her specifically because the Chief had told me all these reasons why he couldn’t do it and she said tonight that it is an administrative decision,” Boatright said. “I’m glad to have that okay from our legal counsel, because I have had that discussion with the Chief and he is not wanting to do it.” As of press time Wednesday, Campbell had not responded to requests for comment.
skills, listening skills and science. The eighth grade teams also earned third place awards in number sense and maps, graphs and charts. The junior high also had eight seventh grade district champions and eight eighth grade district champions this year. “We usually end up beating every other district by at least a couple hundred points, which is a bigger gap than normal,” Coe said. “We’re pretty proud of our students.” Coe said she expects this trend to continue in the future, even when the junior high eventually splits into two separate junior high schools and sixth grade is integrated into the schools. “It’ll help to have sixth grade on campus to practice too,” she said. “If we have a student that comes in and gets first place in sixth grade, then we can continue to work with them and help them grow to be successful in that contest from then on out.”
Shooting suspect arrested at Santa Rita South
SUMMER GUIDE - March 28, 2019
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office announced that the suspect in a shooting incident near SH 29 and Ronald Reagan Tuesday was arrested, but the firearm used has not been recovered and is the biggest concern at this point for law enforcement. “We believe we still have a weapon – a pistol – somewhere in the neighborhood,” said Sheriff Robert Chody. “The suspect is not sharing that information with us and he says he never had a weapon. We know this to be false because we recovered a .22 shell at the location of the initial site. We’ve done an article search with our canines, but there is no telling where it is at. We do not want a child to find this weapon and cause harm to themselves.” Kevin Lee Meeks, who was
positively identified by the victims, was arrested and booked into the Williamson County Jail on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after an exhaustive search of the area and Santa Rita South neighborhood that involved more than 40 officers from four different agencies – Liberty Hill Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Florence Police Department. The first call came in of shots fired at 12:55 p.m. when Deputies responded. “A suspect with a gun went to a location at the 9700 block of SH 29 and fired a shot at a resident,” Chody said. “The resident did not know who this person was.” When the resident approached the suspect, the suspect allegedly said he did not want to be bothered and as the resident came closer the suspect fired at
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
him with what Chody said was a .22 caliber pistol. “We believe he just ran behind SH 29 and into the neighborhood and that’s when officers started arriving to try and locate the suspect,” Chody said. “We initially thought there was more than one suspect. We saturated the area, 911 calls started coming in giving locations of the suspect, but we were always a few steps behind.” That’s when Chody said the decision was made to lockdown the neighborhood to facilitate the search. “We blocked all entrances and made sure all vehicles leaving the scene were searched before leaving to make sure we didn’t have any hostage situation in the vehicle.” Based on a call from a neighbor, the suspect was located in a residence he had broken, and DPS troopers, along with Wil-
liamson County Deputies, apprehended him. Early on in the search it was believed there might have been two suspects, but Chody said there was only the one suspect. Meeks did not give any initial indication of why the incident occurred and Chody said he believes there is a mental health issue involved. The scene was cleared around 3:30 p.m. The incident led Liberty Hill ISD to put all campuses on a soft lockdown just after 1 p.m. “When we got the information there was a lot of unknowns,” said LHISD Superintendent Steven Snell. “The most important thing for us when there are unknowns is we’re going to lock down everybody because we don’t know if it’s a gunman on foot, if they are in a car, we don’t want our high school kids released and driving by.”
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The soft lockdown means school business goes on, but all activities are brought inside and the building is secured. “There is monitoring of parking lots, there’s monitoring of all entrances, but as far as the students are concerned, business inside the school runs as normal,” Snell said. Because it was so close to release time for students, Snell said the district had other issues of concern as well. “When it got closer to dismissal time we were concerned that the suspect was still at large because we have elementary students who walk or ride their bike independently and go home to an empty house and we didn’t want that to happen, so our plan was to hold all independent walkers and bus riders until we got the all clear. Fortunately we got the all clear right at 3 p.m.” The district was also prepared
KEVIN LEE MEEKS to hold students bound on buses for Santa Rita as well as long parents could not get in and out of the neighborhood due to the lock down. Wednesday, Chody informed residents of Santa Rita South that the Sheriff’s Department would continue its search for the missing weapon and said if anyone found the pistol they should call 512-943-1300.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, March 28, 2019
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