Liberty Hill Independent Monthly - March 2023

Owners Chad & Amanda Moore

ABOUT OUR COVER

The historic Globe Theatre is helping grow the community of Bertram by bringing well-known country music artists and entertainment celebrating Texas life. The Andis Goble family of Bertram enjoyed a recent event at the Globe, which featured a car show.

PHOTO BY STACY COALE

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The information in this publication was compiled with great care to assure the accuracy of editorial content and advertising copy. Liberty Hill Independent Monthly and its parent company assume no liability for the accuracy of the information reported to us herein, and the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. For advertising rates and information, or to obtain additional copies, call (512) 778-5577 or send email to news@LHIndependent.com. This publication is truly a collaborative effort of experienced journalists, a professional design team, advertising specialists and many others passionate about sharing the story of Liberty Hill, Texas. Copyright©2023 Texas Independent News Corp./Liberty Hill Independent. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Contact Us: (512) 778-5577 News@LHIndependent.com Liberty Hill Independent, PO Box 1235, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

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Helping get the word out

High school marketing program working with local businesses

BY SCOTT AKENEWICH STAFF WRITER

About two weeks before Christmas, a local business reached out to Liberty Hill High School marketing teacher Mikyela Tedder in hopes of getting some assistance.

“They called and asked if we had any students that could help with their social media,” said Tedder. “It’s something all of our kids can do.”

From there, the concept grew and now Tedder and her students are partnering with the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce for a program that will see students working with local businesses across the full spectrum of marketing strategies.

Tedder said the program generated immediate interest.

“Within three days, we had 16 local businesses contact us,” she said. “Originally, we thought we would do 10.”

According to Tedder, both sides of the equation emerge as winners in the proposition.

“Our students gain valuable real-world experience, which will look good on college or job applications,” said Tedder. “While the businesses will get help in all areas of marketing, including print, video, merchandising and logo design – any form of branding or marketing they need.”

Aspiring marketers

Senior Saha Gollapudi is one of the students who will gain valuable experience through participation in the program, which will come in handy when she embarks on a career in marketing.

“For me, it will help me with the social aspect of the job as far as being able to talk to multiple clients and plan events,” she said. “It’s a good balance of the different work environments.”

Gollapudi said she was inspired to seek a marketing career by a Netflix series in which the profession is highlighted.

“After I saw ‘Emily in Paris’ I realized marketing is a real field and one I was interested in,” she said. “But, I’ve also spoken to so many people who are in it and say it’s a great field.”

Gollapudi is working with Main Street Marketplace in Liberty Hill, a business consisting of various vendors featuring a wide variety of products.

Another senior, Alex Carvalho, is hoping to improve his communication skills through the program.

“I think it will give me a better idea of how to work with businesses and upgrade my people skills,” he said. “Also, finding ways to promote things because I have a lot of ideas.”

(Above) Mike Croft of Lolycrow Aerial & Business Photography met with LHHS students Adalyssa Vogt, Evany Wallschlaeger and Ava Hamby as part of the school’s marketing program to work with local business owners. (Below) LHHS students India Young, Annie Witt and Will Duckworth met with Daniel Duckworth of Duckworth Insurance Agency as part of the marketing program. (Courtesy Photos)

BIZ BRIEFS:

What’s New?

Latest business openings and what’s coming soon to Liberty Hill

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Hwa Sun Martial Arts

15725 SH 29, Liberty Hill

Maria Spratt recently opened Hwa Sun Martial Arts studio where she teaches classes in the style of tang soo do to both adults and children, from beginning to advanced.

Torchy's Tacos

19392 Ronald Reagan Blvd.

Torchy's Tacos recently announced it will open a location in fall 2023 in the Bar W Marketplace near H-E-B.

The Pit Stop Charcoal Grill

60 CR 214, Liberty Hill Food Truck Park

The latest food truck to open at the Liberty Hill Food Truck Park is The Pit Stop, a mobile food vendor that features a variety of charbroiled dishes, from burgers and chicken to ribeye asada and pork ribs.

Dwell House Coffee and Tap

204 E. Main Street, Florence Dwell House Coffee and Tap is a neighborhood craft coffee shop. Its first location opened in Hutto in 2021, and its second location opened in February in Florence. Locally roasted coffees, beers on tap and more are sold.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Blessings by the Dozen Confectionary

Mobile, Liberty Hill

• Liberty Hill Bakery

Mobile, Liberty Hill

• Double Dippin' Ice Cream

15399 SH 29, Jardin Plaza

RETAIL

Velocity Tire

12404 SH 29, Liberty Hill

San Angelo based Velocity Tire is set to construct a 5,700-squarefoot facility for its second location in Liberty Hill, where it will sell and install tires and wheels along with tire repair.

Gold Medal Gymnastics

Behind Liberty Hill High School

Gold Medal Gymnastics moved from The Crossover in Leander to a new facility in Liberty Hill in early March. The studio offers classes in tumbling, gymnastics and more for children and teens.

Orangetheory Fitness

19380 Ronald Reagan Blvd. A gym that focuses on group exercise classes and heart rate-based interval training, Orangetheory is scheduled to open in July in the Bar W Marketplace near H-E-B.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Watermark Arms

719 US Hwy 183

• Energy Reigns Fitness

719 US Hwy 183

SERVICES

ARTHUR AUTOMOTIVE AND CLASSICS

13000 SH 29

Arthur Automotive and Classics recently opened in the building that was formally J&Z Auto Works. The family-owned business specializes in British classics, but the mechanics there enjoy working on anything

with a motor, both gas and diesel.

District 29

12701 SH 29, Liberty Hill

A new industrial office complex is coming to Liberty Hill just north of the Golf Cart King building. The project will be completed in three phases, with the first being done by the end of the year.

Keller Williams Realty

Liberty Hill Group

14001 SH 29

Realtor and Broker Kim Sanders opened a dedicated Keller Williams Realty office in Liberty Hill in February.

Capital Title

13987 SH 29

Marley Ketchum recently opened Capital Title in the former location of A Texas Girl’s Guns. Capital Title is the largest independent title company in the U.S. and is headquartered in Plano.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Jiffy Lube

12390 SH 29

• Douglas Landscapes

Mobile, Liberty Hill

• Chase Bank

Ronald Reagan Blvd. and Kauffman Loop

• Tex Mix Concrete Plant

304 CR 264, Bertram

• Gold Triangle Services

9101 SH 29

• Ronald Reagan Storage

3065 CR 258

• Steelhorse Biker Church

126 Holmes Drive

NOW OPEN

• Angela Ronzoni's Pizzeria

9073 SH 29

• Caliber Collision

12372 SH 29

• Access Health Urgent Care

13140 SH 29

ON THE MOVE

Open Door Baptist Church

Stonewall Ranch Pkwy. The church has announced it will move from 13997 SH 29 to its own standalone building near Bill Burden Elementary in Stonewall Ranch. A timeline for the construction of the new church has not been set.

Mrs. Amy's Adventures

12270 SH 29

Daycare and preschool Mrs.

Amy’s Adventures recently announced it will construct a standalone building in the Stonewall Crossing development, adjacent to the newly-opened Caliber Collision. Mrs. Amy’s is currently located at 14370 SH 29.

Liberty Tavern 3000 RM 1869

Liberty Tavern, the first gastro pub to open in Liberty Hill, celebrated its grand opening in February. The restaurant includes an outdoor beer garden and large playground for children.

Absolute Nails by Ket

14745 SH 29

Absolute Nails is celebrating five years in business this month. The salon was opened by Ket Vora, who still manages the salon today.

Liberty Hill Donuts

13740 SH 29

Liberty Hill Donuts closed its doors in February.

Anchored by Hope

3608 RR 1869

Anchored by Hope, a Christian book and gift store focusing on home education, closed its doors in February after the passing of its co-owner, Josh McGinty.

Quick Service Garage

1100 Loop 332

Quick Service Garage, which is owned by former Council member Kathy Canady, recently sold. The new owner of the property has yet to be announced.

Clubhouse Sports Academy

15390 SH 29

The Clubhouse recently announced it is expanding its name to Clubhouse Sports Academy because it will include training for more than just baseball and softball players.

Liberty Hill Independent

921 Loop 332

The community newspaper staff begins working remotely later this month. The downtown building that housed the newspaper since 2019 has been sold to a Lampasas-based engineering firm opening an office in Liberty Hill.

Capital Title

The Pit Stop

Dwell House Coffee & Tap

Hwa Sun Martial Arts

May bond election aims to address LHISD enrollment growth

Proposal would generate $471.1 million for Liberty Hill schools

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

Liberty Hill ISD Trustees have called a bond election for May 6, which if approved by voters, will generate $471.1 million for the district in the form of three different propositions.

The bond – which will not increase the current tax rate – will go towards the construction of new schools, expansion of existing campuses and increasing school safety across the district and is the result of a five-month study by the Liberty Hill ISD Long Range Planning Committee, which is composed of 90 community members.

LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell said it was important to have a diverse cross-section of the community serving on the committee, which proved to be a successful formula for the 2021 bond.

“We wanted to invite the same people back from last time,” he said. “We had about half new this time and half from the last one.”

The committee produced a list of priorities for the district, with the three propositions based on priority, which Snell said was a critical part of the process.

“The committee broke down into subcommittees and did an excellent job of focusing on urgency and need,” he said. “They came up with a list of project needs each subcommittee vetted before they were vetted by the entire committee.”

Director of Planning and Strategic

Partnerships Kristin Coulter delivered a presentation to the board on Feb. 6, along with committee members Clay Cole, Frank Funk, Zebadiah Miller, Anna Jenkins, Megan Garner and Sam Russo.

Proposition A consists of funding for high school #2, elementary schools #8 and #9, a new transportation building and new maintenance and warehouse buildings, along with significant improvements at Liberty Hill High School, including cafeteria and Career and Technical Education expansions, a robotics workshop and band hall additions at a cost of $459 million.

Proposition B is for various technology

items at a cost of $7.1 million and will go toward instructional devices, as well as network upgrades, technology carts, CTE labs and special education devices.

Proposition C is for improvements at Panther Stadium, with the primary item being replacing the turf field – which has outlasted its expected lifespan of 10 years –along with construction of a new concession stand and additional restrooms on the visiting side of the stadium at a cost of $5 million.

Despite the fact the district’s second high school was part of the 2021 bond, it will also be included on the 2023 version due to a philosophy geared toward not only fiscal responsibility, but finishing projects, said Snell.

“Staying within our budget is very important,” he said. “We had 13 projects on the last bond and we’ve finished 12 of them. As a district, we have hard choices to make. Do we finish projects and make adjustments or do we try to finish all of them at once and have ones that are unfinished? We would rather finish projects.”

The district’s second high school – which will be located east of Highway 183 at the intersection of County Roads 258 and 260 and is scheduled to open in 2026 – was originally budgeted for $145 million, but has since increased to a cost of $310 million, necessitating the need for it to be included on the 2023 bond proposal.

Liberty Hill ISD’s combined enrollment for its eight schools recently reached 8,000 students and there is no end in sight for the skyrocketing number, which is projected to reach over 18,600 by 2032.

The district is the third-fastest growing in the Austin area, trailing only nearby neighbors Leander and Georgetown, primarily due to the significant numbers of new homes sold, with 2,100 closings last year.

In fact, following a 14.9 percent increase in student enrollment from 2020-22, the number is expected to be 137 percent over the next 10 years.

As a result, Liberty Hill ISD is classified as a “fast-growth district,” the criteria of

FUTURE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS

Liberty Hill Independent School District is classified as a “fast-growth district” and is projected to have over 18,000 students by 2032. To learn more about the 2023 bond election, visit libertyhillisdbond.com.

(GRAPHICS COURTESY LHISD)

which includes an enrollment of at least 2,500 students during the previous school year and either enrollment growth of at least 10 percent or a net increase of at least 3,500 students over the past five years.

Due to the rapid growth of the district, measures such as these must be taken to remain ahead of the curve, said Snell.

“When you’re a fast-growth district, you

need to prioritize your needs and tough decisions need to be made,” he said. “Which is what we asked our committee to do and why we wanted it to be made up of people involved with our community to provide assurance with checks and balances that everything we do is what’s best for the future of the district.”

How sweet it is Professional chocolatier retires to Liberty Hill

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

Melanie Boudar knows chocolate. From growing her own cacao beans in the farmlands of Hawaii to creating unique flavors of truffles with her bean-to-bar method, she’s more than just a chocolatier—she’s a connoisseur of all things chocolate.

Boudar didn’t always make chocolate, though. Her original career was working as a diamond buyer, which she did for 26 years before turning to chocolate. Most of her diamond buying career was in Albuquerque, N.M., but toward the end she was looking for a change. That’s when she found a job as a gemologist in Hawaii, and her fascination with chocolate began.

Love at first sight

One day while purchasing diamonds, Boudar had a deal go wrong. Long story short, the cutter that came to sell her diamonds drastically under-priced the diamonds he had sold her and asked if she’d give them back. After hearing the cutter’s appeal at a diamond court down the street (yes—diamond courts are a real thing), Boudar decided to give them back to the cutter.

To thank her, the cutter bought her a box of chocolates from a local shop. When she opened that box, everything changed.

“I was a Snickers girl at that point,” she said. “I loved chocolate, but I didn’t know the difference. This box had an amazing fragrance. It really captivated me, because they looked like little jewels in the box. I got hooked on a different level of chocolate.”

Boudar said that experience was one she filed away in her memories, but it kept coming back to her, always in the back of her mind.

“I worked with the jeweler for six years and then he decided to sell his business, so I had to find something else to do,” she said. “I ended up flying over to the Big Island, bought a piece of land outside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and built a bed and breakfast there. While I was running the B&B, I started making chocolate. At first it was trial and error, but then I got so involved I decided to get professionally trained.”

Boudar moved to New York, where she went to the Culinary Institute of America, and also took online classes from Canada-based Ecole Chocolat, to become a

professional chocolate maker. Armed with her newfound knowledge, Boudar went back to Hawaii and entered a competition at the Kona Chocolate Festival, which she won in addition to taking the judges’ choice category.

“All of these resort hotels were there with their chocolate desserts, and when I won, they were looking at me like, ‘Who are you?’” Boudar said.

“I continued to make chocolate after that on the Big Island, selling at farmers markets and things like that. Then, I decided I wanted to open a store.”

The chocolate biz Boudar first opened a chocolate shop on

Oahu, where most of the economy of Hawaii is located, and ran that for five years. Next, she moved back to the Big Island to open a shop near the resorts, where she partnered with an ice cream and bakery. Lastly, she decided to move on to Maui and open a chocolate shop there called Sweet Paradise, which is still open today and using her recipes, though she is no longer affiliated with it.

“That store really took off,” she said. “Because you can grow cacao in Hawaii, I decided to partner with some people to buy a couple of acres of farmland to plant cacao.”

Planting her own cacao catapulted Boudar into the creation of quite the tourist attraction. She started hosting tours, showing people the whole process of fermenting and drying cacao, how it’s turned into chocolate, and how to use a molcajete (the Mexican version of the mortar and pestle) to grind up the beans and add sugar and spices to make hot chocolate on site.

Boudar is also a founding member of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association, which was created in 2009, as well as the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund, which is a nonprofit organization that works alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discover, identify and preserve cacao varieties for the conservation of biodiversity.

After leaving her mark in Hawaii, Boudar eventually decided she was ready to move back to a landlocked state. She sold her store and her farmland, and went to Santa Fe, N.M., where she opened a chocolate shop and production factory called Art of Chocolate Cacao Santa Fe.

“It was a bean to bar facility, which means we processed everything from the start,” she said. “I imported beans from several different countries, like Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Belize.”

She did tours in her factory, much like she had done in Hawaii, but instead showed visitors the process of manufacturing chocolate from bean to bar.

“We were cruising along until Covid hit us,” she said. “When that happened, we were shut down. We had a pretty high overhead running a 3,000-square-foot factory,

(Above) Chocolatier Melanie Boudar retired to Liberty Hill after spending years in Hawaii and New Mexico creating bean-to-bar chocolates for chocolate shops she opened and ran herself. BY STACY COALE (Below) Boudar (left) used to grow her own cacao when she lived in Hawaii, where tourists got an inside look at how cacao is turned into chocolate. (Courtesy Photo)

and in the middle of the shutdown, the lease renewal came up, so we closed. It was very disappointing and financially ruinous. It was a nightmare.”

Sweet retirement

With all her free time in quarantine, Boudar wasn’t sure what to do next. One day a friend called and asked her if she’d be interested in moving to Texas to care for and cook for an ailing aunt and uncle.

“That’s how I got to Texas,” she said. “I cooked for them about a year and took them to doctor appointments and things like that,” she said. “Then I learned about a tiny home community in Liberty Hill, and I thought, ‘Why not?’ It’s affordable and something I can own, so I bought it and moved to Liberty Hill. I’ve been here a year now.”

Since moving to Liberty Hill, Boudar has spent much of her time enjoying retirement life, but chocolate is still a big part of what she does. She is currently a tutor for two classes at Ecole Chocolat, where she helps students learn about bean-to-bar chocolate making as well as how to create a business plan as a chocolatier. Additionally, she still makes her own chocolates out of her home when time allows.

“I have clients all over the country who have been insisting I keep making something, so for Christmas and Valentine’s Day I did a small production in my home for them,” she said. “I also do private parties, where I do chocolate tastings or pairings with wine. And if the right thing came along, I would consider opening another storefront in Liberty Hill.”

Delicious creations

Boudar’s favorite chocolates to make are truffles, which are traditionally made with cream and dark chocolate. She also uses fruit purees and spices to flavor her truffles.

“A lot of people just dump extract into their chocolates for flavor, but I don’t do that,” she said. “I’m a purist in that sense. I grate the rinds and soak the spices overnight. I’m meticulous because I want my chocolates to have authentic flavor. I even grow my own Meyer lemons that I use in my chocolates.”

Boudar is partial to using tropical flavors, thanks to her time in Hawaii, and creates truffles with essences like passion fruit, mango and hibiscus.

“My goal with chocolate is to educate people about what they find in chocolate and how to taste it properly,” she said. “I want people to understand the label on the package and what they are really eating.”

Boudar added that chocolate is really an amazing food with a fun history in both Mayan and Aztec traditions.

“It’s a fun food, and it’s healthy in moderation,” Boudar said. “Cocoa butter is actually a healthy fat. I like to educate people on

what they are eating. This type of chocolate is different from the corporate sugar bombs you can buy at the grocery store.”

A lot of what it takes to become a chocolatier is identifying the different tastes and levels of sweetness that various types of

chocolate provide.

“The tasting portion is important, because if you can’t taste good chocolate, you can’t make good chocolate,” Boudar said.

(Above) Melanie Boudar uses real fruits and spices to create flavorful truffles, like passionfruit and mango.

PHOTO BY STACY COALE

(Below) Chocolatier Melanie Boudar spent years in Hawaii and New Mexico creating bean-to-bar chocolates for chocolate shops she opened and ran herself. (Courtesy Photos)

Fitness and firearms

The Tactical Games blends fitness, shooting into competitions

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

Shooting at barricades and doing burpees don’t seem to have anything in common, but if you’re an athlete competing in The Tactical Games, it makes complete sense.

The Tactical Games is a Florence-based company owned by local Jared Halbert, that hosts events across the United States that are a mix of fitness, shooting and competition. All walks of life participate in these weekend competitions, from elite athletes to civilian gun enthusiasts.

Halbert himself was a professional shooter for 10 years, and is also a CrossFit lover and owner of the Rattler CrossFit in Liberty Hill, along with his wife, Kasey Halbert.

Halbert played golf in college, but when it started contributing to his back problems, he switched to professional shooting so he could keep his competitive edge but be gentler on his back. He started doing CrossFit as a way to strengthen his back after having necessary surgery to repair it.

He found The Tactical Games during his last few years of competing and ended up winning two of the national championships. After that, the founder of the Games, whom he had become close with, approached him about purchasing the business from him.

“He’d had a long career in the Special Forces, but he wasn’t a big business guy,” Halbert said. “I had a lot of experience in operating other businesses, so when we became friends, he approached me about buying it, and I decided I wanted to.”

The Tactical Games started out as a private group, with competitors only being allowed to compete via invitation, but in 2019, Halbert decided to open it up to the public for anyone to compete. Since then, it has grown from five events in 2019 to 12 in 2023.

“We have people who come in from the fitness side, who are obstacle course racers or CrossFit athletes, and then we have people come in from the shooting sports side,” Halbert said.

Participants can enter in a variety of divisions, from the elite division for top athletes, to the tactical division that is set up for those in the military and law enforcement, and lastly, to the intermediate division, which is for everyone else.

“The elite division is pretty far departed

from reality,” Halbert said. “You have to be able to manage super heavy weights and running super long distances. The other divisions will do from like 50 to 70 percent of the amount of weight and distance. In the tactical division, it’s more geared around real-life weights and shooting challenges, and then the intermediate division is scaled, so if there’s something you’re not able to do, like climb a rope, you can do burpees instead. A lot of people get nervous about competing, but you can scale it down.”

Safety is an integral part of the competition, as every athlete is using a gun.

“The protocols throughout are very structured, with everything being based around making sure that all the guns are always in a safe condition before any athlete turns around to start doing their fitness portion,” Halbert said.

To make sure every athlete is staying safe, each person has someone with them, essentially watching and reminding them to safely remove the bullets and set the weapons down in the designated area.

Twelve different regional competitions take place over weekends in areas across the United States through the first 10 months of the year. Winners of each of those regional competitions are invited to compete in the national competition every November, held in Florence at the Texas Shooting Academy, another one of Halbert’s businesses.

Part of the fun of the competition is not knowing what to expect until it actually begins, Halbert said.

“When you show up to the competition, we don’t expect you to know anything,” he added. “You’ll get separated out by divisions and put into the squad that you’ll be with for the event. When you get to your first event, everything will be explained, so just know you will be walked through every step, even if you don’t know anything. If you’re going to run a course, you’ll walk the course, and you’ll be told where you’re supposed to move and how you’re supposed to shoot.”

The first day of competition includes four separate events, as does the second, for a total of eight events. Each event progressively gets harder as the competition goes on, and involves both fitness and shooting challenges.

The idea behind The Tactical Games is to give athletes and shooting aficionados a taste of what military special operations

training missions can be like. The Tactical Games was started originally in North Carolina, but since Halbert purchased the business, it’s been headquartered in the Liberty Hill area. And those aren’t the only businesses Halbert owns locally.

“We don’t have just The Tactical Games here,” Halbert said. “We also have the Rattler CrossFit gym in Liberty Hill, and we own the Texas Shooting Academy gun range in Florence.”

Besides the regional competitions, The Tactical Games also hosts frequent training days for local competitors to get together and practice drills done during the real

competitions. The ones in Texas are held at Halbert’s Florence gun range.

“It’s a really good way to get exposed in a super low-pressure environment, and you aren’t the only new one,” Halbert said. “There are probably 10 new people at each of those events learning how to do it.”

Halbert said a lot of people think the competitions are only for those who have law enforcement or military backgrounds, but that’s not the case.

“The best competitors that have shown up are just regular people who do it because they love it,” he added.

Florence-based company The Tactical Games offers fitness and gun enthusiasts the chance to flex their skills in both arenas through weekend-long competitions across the United States. (Courtesy Photo)

Bringing up Bertram

A look at the steady growth Liberty Hill’s neighbor to the west is experiencing

BY RACHEL MADISON & SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITERS

Just over the Williamson County line to the east lies a small town known for its train depot, its historic theater, and its nod to the ways of Texas life of the past. And while this town is still small today, things are starting to shift.

From Bertram Elementary to the City of Bertram and the commercial and residential development in between, things are blossoming in this quiet city.

Residential growth

“Bertram has seen a lot of growth in the last two years,” said Bertram City Administrator Georgina Hernandez. “We have several fully built-out subdivisions that were finally all completed within the last year, like Dove Meadow and Campo Colinas. We are also in the platting process or preliminary construction process on several other subdivisions, like a 70-acre one with 258 lots, another one with 150 lots, and 188 lots in another.”

Hernandez added that the City is also currently in negotiations with a buyer for land just off State Highway 29 adjacent to Bertram’s eastern city limits who has plans to put in a mixed-use commercial development along with a single-family residential subdivision. If this subdivision comes in, Hernandez estimates that it will possibly double Bertram’s size. Bertram’s current population, according to 2022 U.S. Census data, is 1,764. In 2012, it was 1,358.

Matt Harper, owner of Silverado Signature Homes and developer of the Flores Park subdivision, got his start in Bertram in 2017, building homes first for the Dove Meadow subdivision. Since then, he’s stayed busy in Bertram.

“Once people heard we were building in Bertram, we just kind of got our start,” he said.

“We started doing custom homes as well, because the variety of homes that people want is much wider. The average prices of homes have gone up, but we are also seeing folks coming from all different areas of the United States,” he said. “I was born and raised in this area and I didn’t know Bertram even existed until probably 20 years ago.”

Harper has several more projects on the drawing board, including additional subdivisions in Bertram, but he said he’s waiting to see what the economy and demand guides him to do.

“Prior to 2017-2018, there wasn’t a lot of construction activity here in Bertram, but it’s really started to pick up,” he added.

Infrastructure growth

Because Bertram is still small, Hernandez wants to make sure the city has the right infrastructure in place before the growth explodes. She said Bertram has a good water supply, but because its within a groundwater conservation district, the amount of water that can be used is regulated.

“We are looking to purchase active water rights, and drill more wells,” she said. “We’ve recently acquired 792 acre feet of pumping rights, but we are going to continue to grow that permit. In five years I want our water situation to be totally handled so no one has to worry about it. That’s one of my biggest goals.”

The City’s growth has also influenced an expansion of the Bertram Police Department. Police Chief Dewayne Kyle has been serving the community for the last three and a half years, and in that time, has worked to double the size of the department. Previously, there were only four part-time officers.

“We’ve also almost doubled the salary for the officers in the last three years, which helps in bringing in and retaining more experience officers,” Kyle said.

Today, there are eight full-time officers. He has also completely replaced the department’s vehicle fleet, and is continually working to update all of its equipment. Calls within the department continue to rise at an average rate, Kyle added, with the majority of his officers working traffic accidents along SH 29.

Evan Milliorn, vice president of the Bertram EDC, said one challenge is that a lot of businesses looking at Bertram want to move into existing buildings, which the

city doesn’t have a lot of. It doesn’t help that the railroad tracks run adjacent to SH 29, which is the major road coming into town.

Hernandez said right now, the City of Bertram is currently finishing up the rewrite of its comprehensive plan (last updated in 2017), and with that, loop roads are being planned to provide more commercial frontage in the future.

“Once we zone it that way in our future land use plan, that gives the City more teeth to say ‘No, we don’t want residential to go there; we want it to be commercial,’” she said. “The comp plan and future land use map that we approve this year will help us to be able to build that commercial corridor.”

Though there may not be enough buildings currently, Hernandez said any business that is entertaining a move to Bertram won’t be turned away.

“We have a lot of mom-and-pop type shops here that employ just a few people,” she said. “If larger businesses were looking at us, we wouldn’t tell anyone we’re not interested.”

Milliorn said another goal the EDC has is to plan for future development.

“Given the timing of where we are in the natural cycle of development of our community, we have the ability to have some long-range planning goals,” he said. “We can look at buying land, which all of us on the current EDC will be gone by the time it’s developed, but this way we can get

it secured and kept away from residential builders so that we have the option to create an industrial park, where we can attract primary employers.”

Commercial growth

Katy Duke, treasurer of both the Bertram EDC and the Bertram Chamber of Commerce, said the EDC is working actively to promote the businesses that are already in town as well as try to source new ones.

She said one of the EDC’s big goals is to attract businesses that can serve as primary employers for the community. Outside of Bertram Elementary and the City of Bertram, the largest employer is the local branch of the Pedernales Electric Co-op. Besides a primary industrial-type employer, Duke added that Bertram still needs some basic accommodations, like a grocery store, a pharmacy and another hotel.

“The Globe brings a lot of people to town, so we need to have places for those tourists to stay,” Duke said. “We would like them to stay longer than they do, which is why we need hotels, vacation rentals, things like that.”

Another potential tourism gain for Bertram is the Austin Steam Train, which is headquartered in Cedar Park but travels through Bertram on its way to Burnet. The train hosts passengers for various themed rides, with the Hill Country Flyer being one of the most popular rides taking place most Saturdays. Occasionally, the train does

The City of Bertram celebrates Donkey Day instead of Groundhog Day. Surrounded by city leaders, Pawnee, the infamous local donkey, predicted an early spring for 2023. (Courtesy Photo)

stop in Bertram for a short layover at the Bertram Depot.

“We will be working with them to stop here more often,” said Lori Ringstaff, president of both the Bertram Economic Development Corporation and the Bertram Chamber of Commerce. “The train has mainly just been going through Bertram, but as we get more things here, we’ll have more for them to stop for. We work closely with them so we can do that.”

Milliorn said restaurant franchises are looking at coming to Bertram, but none are quite ready to make the leap. Hernandez added that “first it’s rooftops, then it’s commercial.”

In the meantime, Milliorn said the EDC is working to improve the business atmosphere for those already operating in Bertram. For example, the EDC is working on some downtown revitalization along Vaughan Street, including placing planters along the street and commissioning local artist Jeffrey Goble to paint a new mural next to The Globe Theatre.

“It’s a goal of the EDC to invest in ways to beautify downtown,” Duke added. “We have folks coming to The Globe every weekend or on the train, and we have to give them more reason to stay. We are doing what we can with what we have.”

Sandi Melchor owns Hill Country Smokehouse, a barbecue restaurant on SH 29 in Bertram. The restaurant has been open for a little over two years, and so far, has been a successful business.

“My husband and I had been talking about opening a barbecue restaurant, and one day we drove by, saw the traffic on Highway 29, and saw this building for lease, so we went for it,” she said. “Bertram is growing fast. Our busiest time is actually between 1 and 5 p.m. We get everyone—the locals and the out-of-towners. Weekends are just getting busier, too.”

The Bertram Chamber of Commerce is also highly involved in supporting the current businesses in town. Ringstaff said the Chamber is extremely active, including hosting monthly luncheons, organizing multiple festivals throughout the year, and working to continue increasing membership.

“We have had about five new members every month for the last six months,” she said. “We are close to 100 members now.”

Bertram Elementary growth

As Bertram continues to grow, there are more school-age children that need classroom space.

Despite the fact Bertram had its own high school many years ago, these days the only school within the city limits is Bertram Elementary School, which is part of the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

DID YOU KNOW?

Fun facts about Bertram

- The baseball fields in Bertram are dedicated to John Owen “Chief” Wilson, who played Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1908-1913 and for the St. Louis Cardinals from 19141916. Wilson retired to Bertram in 1917 after hitting 59 career home runs, 31 of which were inside the park.

- Bertram is named after founder Rudolph Bertram, who was the principal stockholder of the railroad when it was constructed between Austin and Marble Falls in the late 1800s. In 1882, he purchased a 40-acre tract near the tracks in what is now known as Bertram. A train filled with prospective buyers visited the area and between them bought 70 lots, which gave Bertram its start.

- Every Groundhog Day, the City of Bertram celebrates Donkey Day instead. Local donkey, Pawnee, predicts if there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring by choosing to eat, or not to eat, a bowl of oats. For 2023, Pawnee predicted an early spring.

(Above) Sandi Melchor, owner of Hill Country Smokehouse in Bertram, said since opening her restaurant in 2021, business has been good. Locals and out-of-towners traveling along SH 29 stop at her barbecue joint frequently, and the number of customers she sees on a daily basis is growing quickly. (Below) Flores Park is one of the newest subdivisions in Bertram. The developer, Matt Harper of Silverado Signature Homes, said when Flores Park is complete, it will include 40 homes. (Bottom) The historic Globe Theatre has become a major tourist attraction for Bertram. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MADISON AND STACY COALE

Bertram

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Burnet Consolidated Independent School District.

The school is slated to be improved with a two-story building containing more classrooms, connecting hallways between buildings and an expanded parking lot, all of which will increase the capacity from 450 to 750 students.

Currently, the BCISD consists of six schools covering an area of 700 square miles and an enrollment of 3,200 students –although Bertram is located approximately 11 miles west of Burnet.

In 1882, the first school in Bertram was built and was the precursor of voters approving incorporation of an independent school district in 1909, at which time the historic, two-story, red brick building was constructed that is still in use today.

The “Classic School” – as it is now known – was referred to as a “college” due to its advanced curriculum and superior instruction and had 11 grades.

However, in 1970, the school district was disbanded and absorbed by the BCISD.

But, just because Bertram Elementary is separate from the rest of the district geographically, BCISD Superintendent Keith

The Festivals of Bertram

ART, HERB & WINE FESTIVAL – April 29 | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. & April 30 | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

This festival happens annually on the streets of downtown Bertram with more than 80 local artisan vendors, herbal products, Texas wineries, food truck vendors, live music, free mini-seminars, and a 5K run.

OATMEAL FESTIVAL – Sept. 30-Oct. 1 | Times TBD

Bertram’s longest running festival will celebrate its 46th year in 2023. The two-day event offers a barbecue dinner, rides and games for children, a parade, an outdoor market, an oatmeal baking competition, a street dance, live music and more.

HALLOWEEN DOWNTOWN – Oct. 31 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Every Halloween, downtown Bertram is transformed for the town’s trickor-treaters into a safe and fun place to celebrate. Businesses and individuals from across town set up on Vaughan Street to pass out candy, play games and host a costume contest.

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS – Dec. 2 | 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Bertram’s annual Christmas celebration includes a day full of festive events, including a kids’ dash, a holiday parade, vendors and food booths, beer and wine booth, live music and games and activities for families.

McBurnett said it’s just as much a part of the organization.

“We’ve really embraced the fact we’re a consolidated district,” he said. “We’re proud of our history as a district and want to maintain it.”

Currently, one of the district’s biggest challenges – and expenses – is maintaining proper bus routes.

“We spend more on transportation than most districts in the state,” said McBurnett. “Seven-hundred square miles is a lot.”

Each day, 27 buses cover 54 routes with an average of 3,300 miles covered in transporting 982 students.

As Bertram continues to grow, McBurnett said it’s possible more schools will be needed, but that prospect remains difficult to forecast.

“It’s really hard to say,” he said. “Right now, interest rates have gone up, so not as many homes are being sold. In fact, many homes that were under contract haven’t gone through. But, it will be interesting to see what happens once the economy gets back to where it was.”

For now, though, McBurnett sees his entire district continuing on an upward trend.

“Everything depends on exactly how significant our growth is,” he said. “At this point, I believe it will continue to be moderate.”

McBurnett need only look east to Ber-

tram’s nearest neighbor to see what can happen when growth skyrockets.

“We can clearly see the growth spurt in Liberty Hill,” he said. “Certainly, part of that extends to Bertram.”

(Above) Downtown Bertram is transformed for trick-or-treaters every Halloween as Vaughan Street businesses offer children a safe and fun place to celebrate. (Top right) Bring your Sugar to the Oatmeal Festival on Labor Day weekend. (Below right) The Art, Herb & Wine Festival is the community’s annual springtime event. (Courtesy Photos)

Construction is under way now to expand Bertram Elementary School. Once complete, the building will have the capacity to house up to 750 students. The current facility serves up to 450. (Courtesy Photo)

Liberty Hill’s fire department experiencing growing pains

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

Is the local fire department growing fast enough? That’s the burning question on Fire Chief Anthony Lincoln’s mind these days, as the department works as fast as it can to accommodate the amount of people it serves in Williamson County Emergency Services District No. 4 (WCESD No. 4).

WCESD No. 4 covers about 126 square miles, with boundaries from the San Gabriel River on US Highway 183 to the south and County Road 254 to the north, the Burnet County line to the west and the Oaks at San Gabriel subdivision on State Highway 29.

In that area, there are two full school districts, Liberty Hill and Florence, as well as portions of three others, including Leander, Georgetown and Burnet, and Lincoln estimates a total of between 45,000 and 50,000 people to serve.

“We’re growing, but I don’t know if we’re growing fast enough,” he said. “So far we have kept up with the growth, but it’s starting to compound.”

In the last five years, the department’s call volume has essentially doubled from 6.7 percent in 2018 to 13 percent in 2022. The most frequent calls are for motor vehicle accidents, Lincoln added.

“Also, when we look at our stats monthly, what I have noticed is last year in 2022 about 39 percent of the time we had double-stacked calls, which means we were out on two calls at once,” he said.

WCESD No. 4 was formed in 2001 with one station, located near Lions Foundation Park on Loop 332. The second station, built on Ronald Reagan Boulevard near Santa Rita Ranch, opened in 2019.

Over the years, the department has grown to include three fire engines, two brush trucks, one attenuator truck, one SUV and as of 2022, a ladder truck. Lincoln said adding a ladder truck to the department’s arsenal was critical because up until then, all the department had was a 24-foot extension ladder, which barely gave access to a two-story house.

“When we started looking at getting a ladder truck, we knew we had to because of the all the multifamily housing that is coming,” he said.

Additionally, a fourth engine and a second ladder truck are on order for the department.

“It’s going to take us 38 months to get them,” Lincoln said. “We used to be able to

design and build a station, order the vehicles and then be ready to go. It doesn’t work that way anymore. We have to think way out ahead. We’ve also had crazy price increases on our equipment -- some things have gone up by 20 percent.”

Lincoln said he knows it is aggressive to keep buying more fire vehicles, but because it takes such a long time to get the orders in, he doesn’t want to take too lax of a stance and then be behind the curve. He added that even in developing strategic plans, it’s hard to be aggressive enough.

“The ink doesn’t even dry on the paper after developing a five-year strategic plan, and it’s time to update it again,” he said.

“The growth is happening way faster than we can plan for it. We are almost reacting to the growth than trying to predict it.”

In just the last five years, the staff for the department has grown from 27 full-time employees to 53 full-time employees, with 10 new staff members joining in early 2023. Those employees will work at Stations 1 and 2 for now but will transfer to Station 3 when it opens next year.

The department’s third fire station will be in the Clearwater Ranch subdivision, just off County Road 200. Lincoln said the

project is nearing design completion and should break ground later this year. He anticipates Station 3 will open in early 2024.

Plans for Stations 4 and 5 are also underway, Lincoln said. The department’s fourth station is set to be developed at Seward Junction, on the southeast corner of US 183 and SH 29, where large commercial development projects are estimated to begin this year.

“We’re looking at three acres on the Pohl property development because that’s a really busy corridor,” Lincoln said. “We are hoping that one will be open in two or three years from now.”

The fifth station’s location is yet to be determined, but Lincoln said it will most likely be on County Road 3405. There is also a possibility it could be located near the Butler Farms subdivision on the west side of Liberty Hill.

“I can’t say where Station 5 will be, but our goal is to nail that location down as soon as possible,” he said. “We really want to get all our fire station sites nailed down before everything gets built up in Liberty Hill.”

Lincoln estimates that eventually, Liberty Hill could have up to 10 different fire

stations because of the geographic area the WCESD No. 4 covers, as well as the population growth that he anticipates the district will see. He also said a new central station for the department is needed, because the current location has no room left for the department to grow, even in the next two to three years.

“We have just started talking about building a new central station, because we have no more office space,” he said. “We would keep it in the same area, and then use Station 1 as a training and service center.”

Williamson County Emergency Services District #4’s newest vehicle is a ladder truck, which is the first of its kind to join the department’s fleet. Previous to this, the department only had a 24-foot extension ladder. (Courtesy Photo)

Marketing

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

In addition, the team aspect of the program will provide an example of how cohesion and collaboration are critical components.

“It’s very important to be able to work as a team,” said Carvalho, who plans to pursue a career in sports marketing and management. “Because you can’t do it all on your own.”

Tedder is determining exactly how the students will be broken into groups in order to best work with the businesses.

“At first, I was going to have groups of three or four,” she said. “But, then I decided to have pairs because we’ve had such a positive response.”

Real estate agents, attorneys and restaurants are among those interested in participating in the program and Tedder said she will let the students decide for themselves who they would like to work with.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” she said. “So, I thought I would let them choose.”

Marketing requires a particular kind of personality to be successful, said Tedder.

“You need to be confident in your ability,” she said. “Also, you need good communication skills in order to deal with different

kinds of people, to be organized, follow through on things, determination and to be very goal-oriented.”

Gaining true comprehension of what the students do in working with the businesses is perhaps the most important aspect and one they will take with them as they move forward in their respective careers, said Tedder.

“They need to really understand the impact of the campaign they’re creating,” she said. “Make sure everything is professional and conveys the proper message the business wants to send.”

Showing the way

According to Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kelly Michael, getting local business owners to collaborate with local youth is an opportunity too good to pass up.

“Getting our members involved can help students to go through that process of what it’s like to run a business,” said Michael. “The school reached out to us looking for mentors and we were happy to help. We’ve had a great response from the business owners.”

One of those business owners is Justin

WORSHIP GUIDE

Liberty Hill & Surrounding Communities

ANDICE BAPTIST CHURCH

6570 FM 970, Florence (254) 793-2557

www.andicebc.org

PASTORS

Derrick Norris, Senior Pastor

Matt Koehler, Associate Pastor of Students & Families SERVICES

Sunday Bible Study 9:45am

Sunday Worship 11am

Wednesday AWANA 6:30pm

CROSS TRACKS CHURCH

101 Church St., Liberty Hill (512) 515-0070

www.crosstrackschurchumc.org

PASTOR Michele Lott SERVICES

Sunday School 9am

Sunday Worship 10am

Sun. Online Facebook.com/cross trackschurch/

CONNECT CHURCH

Meets at Santa Rita Elementary

532 Santa Rita Blvd, Liberty Hill (479) 926-5455

www.ghbc.org/connectchurch

PASTORS

Danny Forshee, Teaching Pastor

Leighton Forshee, Campus Pastor  SERVICES

Sunday Worship 5pm

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

3600 RR 1869, Liberty Hill (512) 515-5579

www.fellowshiplh.com

PASTORS

Tim McIlhaney, Dan Riemer, Ed Billock & Angel Perez SERVICES

Sunday Worship 8:30 & 11am

Servicio española a las 11am

Sunday Bible Study All ages 10-10:45am

Havard, who owns Havard Roofing and Construction and was happy to lend a helping hand to the business owners of tomorrow.

“My project manager brought it to me and we thought it was a good idea,” said Havard, who has run his business for two years. “This way they’ll get an idea of what it’s like to promote a business.”

Havard added one of his desires in getting involved with the program was to help strengthen the bonds a community needs to be successful – now and in the future.

“We’re all about keeping things local,” he said. “We want to spend our money here and also give back.”

Ginger Trevino has owned and operated GT Insurance Services for seven years and is glad to have help in promoting her business, she said.

“I don’t have time to even think about anything like that,” said Trevino. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the students can do to help us.”

Jennifer Smith, owner of Two Brand It, said her company wanted to help pass the baton to the business owners of the future, while maintaining a strong sense of local cohesion.

“Two Brand It decided to get involved in

this program because we think it’s important to teach our next generation the value of pouring into your community,” she said. “We pride ourselves in being more than just a spirit store and are excited to see what the students can do for our business and this community.”

Smith views the opportunity as a way to stay better engaged with town’s population through its marketing efforts.

“We hope to give the students room to explore different avenues of marketing and let them use this as an opportunity to grow within an environment that is inclusive and learner friendly,” she said.

Smith listed her company’s primary marketing needs as scheduling, content creation and areas in marketing outside of social media.

“Investing in the next generation is very important because these are the individuals that will be shaping and leading this community in the coming years,” she said. “This gives us the opportunity to be a part of that in a real way.”

LIFE SPRINGS

CHRISTIAN CHURCH

15611 W State Hwy 29, Liberty Hill (512) 633-6074

www.lifespringschristianchurch.org

ONE CHAPEL LIBERTY HILL 811 Loop 332, Liberty Hill (512) 729-6200

www.onechapel.com/liberty-hill

Wednesday Bible Study

All ages 6pm

THE HILL CHURCH

111 Holmes Road, Liberty Hill www.thehillchurch.church

PASTORS

Daniel Jung, Pastor

Kendall Ringler, Associate Pastor SERVICES

Sunday Worship 10:15am

Sun. Online 10:15am facebook. com/thehillchurch.church

HOLY ANNUNCIATION ORTHODOX CHURCH

5205 CR 236, Liberty Hill (512) 782-9940

www.annunciationtx.com

PASTOR Bp. Irineos Placek SERVICES

Vespers Sat. 6:30pm

Divine Liturgy Sun. 10am

PASTOR

Dr. William Brannan SERVICES

Sunday Worship 10am Online youtube.com/c/LifeSprings

MISSION LIBERTY HILL

LUTHERAN CHURCH

(LCMS Affiliated) 15725 W State Hwy 29, #7 Liberty Hill (512) 778-9310

www.missionlibertyhill.com

PASTOR

Rev. Mike Cofer SERVICES

Sunday Bible Study 9am

Sunday Church Worship 10am

Sunday Online 10am missionlibertyhill.com/online worship/

PASTOR

Darren Shaw SERVICES

Sunday Service 10am Online Service 10am online.onechapel.com

Wednesday Youth 7pm

ROCKPOINTE CHURCH

LIBERTY HILL 170 CR 214, Liberty Hill (512) 259-8872

www.rockpointechurch.com

PASTOR

Darin Ramsey, Campus Pastor SERVICES

Sunday Worship 9:30am

Call (512) 778-5577 or email us at stacy@LHIndependent.com to include your church in the Worship Guide

How the ‘Chiliversary and Imaniffer Maskeraid Ball’ led to creation of Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce

BY JAMES WEAR COLUMNIST

While reading through February’s edition of the Liberty Hill Independent Monthly, I came across an article about the current Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce and its membership and goals for the coming year. As I read the article, it took me back 34 years to a time when founding Independent publisher Jim Linzy and myself along with others decided it was time for Liberty Hill to organize a chamber, or at the very least, a “council of clubs” as Linzy often put it.

At the time, Liberty Hill was several years away from incorporating as a city, and our small group believed organizing a chamber would be a “viable alternative” to incorporation, which at the time was drawing sharp opposition from many who lived in Liberty Hill.

Organizing would take seed money, and to generate those funds, Linzy and the newspaper staff agreed to throw a big downtown party in observance of The Independent celebrating its first anniversary in print. Linzy, because he was a big fan of chili (having had participated in the World Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua where he and his team arrived in a limousine that attracted a large group of onlookers simply because he had dropped a rumor Willie Nelson was gonna show up that day in a limo…the fact that it was a joke wasn’t important) dubbed this anniversary celebration as the first annual Chiliversary and Imaniffer Maskeraid Ball.

To this day I’m not quite sure how to define the word “imaniffer” although the general tone of it seems to imply one who chose to identify as such had lofty dreams of making the community a better place in which to live, and looking back on those who supported the creation of a chamber, that was indeed a common goal those folks shared.

The event drew a large crowd as those attending took part in various contests, winners of which were announced in the following week’s newspaper. Lisa Crane won the pumpkin pie baking contest while her husband, Mike, shared top honors in the costume contest with Suzy Joseph Lyon.

Larry Floyd and Van Calvin won both the

washer and horseshoe pitching contests while a group that dubbed itself Liberty Hillbilly Chili took first in showmanship. Tiny Walters and Wayne Benedict took the blue ribbon as far as best tasting chili was concerned.

Barbara Sybert and Karen Smith won the 42 tourney, Chris Sybert and T.J. Shannon won the egg toss with Shannon also coming out on top in the jello eating contest. Laddie Matulla took first in jello sucking while Annie Parks won the lemon roll. Bonnie Parks was the best pumpkin seed spitter and sisters Rebekah and Sarah Berry carved the best jack-o-lantern.

Johnny Ellzny was first in the jalapeno eating contest (downing 17) in a field that included my future bride, who swallowed nearly as many but without the aid of drinking water or beer.

The day concluded with a street dance and let me tell you, downtown was as full of people as I had ever seen.

I don’t recall how much money was raised that day, but it was enough I suppose to cover some of the expenses associated with organizing, which happened a few months later. The initial board of directors, chosen by the community, included Ina Berry, Lefty Miller and Nathan Wetzel, who were elected to serve three-year terms; Marjorie Bohanan, Bill Burden and Linzy were elected for two-year terms, and Don Vickers, Frank Watson and Don Cunningham were elected to one-year terms.

The board tabbed Linzy to serve as chairman while Berry was selected as chairman-elect and Watson was named secretary-treasurer. In all, 34 individuals initially signed up to belong to the chamber.

Early on, the chamber focused on the possibility of building a community center with Vickers, Burden and Cunningham appointed to that committee. Bohanan and Miller served on the membership committee.

In the coming months, the chamber organized a number of events, including a Christmas parade, an Easter egg hunt and a community festival that carried on for several years and was the launch pad for the barbecue cookoff that eventually outgrew its downtown location. Money raised by the chamber would provide the startup fees for the Liberty Hill Development Foundation, and from that organization a community

park today known as Lions Foundation Park would be built. The Foundation also provided acreage for a badly-needed fire station and a community library.

Many of those who were involved in the chamber’s early days have since passed on, but friends and family of those involved can point to their efforts with pride.

Donna Precht

Donna Lee Precht, 94, died on November 19, 2022, after a brief illness. She had been a resident of Wesleyan Estrella in Georgetown since March of 2021.

Donna was born October 8, 1928, in Mexico, Missouri, the only child of Edna Lyle and Lawrence F. Precht. She graduated as Salutatorian of the Mexico High School class of 1946, and in 1950 received a B.S. Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Donna then lived in Europe for the next ten years, studying music and performing as a lyric soprano in concerts in both France and Italy. In 1960, she returned to the United States and lived in New York City, where she was a member of the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Studio, made her concert debut at Town Hall, and recorded the music of Edgar Varese for Columbia Records. During this time she also performed with the St. Louis Symphony and for three summers was awarded a music internship to work with the Boston Symphony at the Tanglewood Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts. In 1969, Donna returned to Europe, where for two years she was a member of the Zurich Opera Studio in Zurich, Switzerland.

Donna then gave up singing professionally, and after brief jobs in other fields, moved to the Austin area, where in 1973 she was

employed as an undergraduate advisor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Texas.

Donna continued this work until her retirement in 1995. During this time she received many awards for Staff Excellence and Outstanding Service in Student Advising at both departmental, college, and university levels.

After retirement, Donna became an active and valued member of the choir at Cross Tracks Church in Liberty Hill, singing with the group until well past her 90th birthday.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents, several cousins, and a very dear friend, Louine Noble.

She is survived by many fellow church members and friends.

A memorial service was held at Cross Tracks Church on Saturday, February 11, at 10:30 am.

(Right) The late Marjorie Bohanan was among those who took an active role when the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce was organized in January of 1989. The vote to adopt a set of bylaws and choose the group’s initial board of directors followed several months of planning and a fundraising event sponsored by The Independent. (Courtesy Photo)

Rooted in community

Subdivisions offering residents opportunities for gardening

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

Gardening has long been a favorite pastime for outdoor enthusiasts and foodies alike, but as the pressures of the big city push into the rural oasis Liberty Hill was once known as, finding a place to garden isn’t as easy as it used to be.

While some area residents have the land and means to garden on their own, others aren’t so fortunate. That’s why some of Liberty Hill’s subdivisions have created a way to overcome that, through establishing community gardens for residents to harvest from throughout the growing season or plots to rent and grow whatever they’d like.

Orchard Ridge

Orchard Ridge, located just off State Highway 29 in Liberty Hill, has two types of community gardens that were established in 2016 when the subdivision opened.

The first is the Founder’s Garden, which offers residents individual garden boxes they can rent and use to grow whatever fruits, vegetables or herbs they’d like. Medi-

um boxes go for $50 a year, while large boxes go for $75 a year. An on-site shed provides gardening tools for residents to use, and water spigots are located near each box.

The second is a true community garden, which the community association plants each year for all Orchard Ridge residents to pick and choose from. That garden is free for residents to harvest from, and is maintained by the community’s landscape company.

In 2022, the community launched a garden club for kids in the Founder’s Garden by donating three garden boxes and the literal seed money for supplies and seeds for the kids to get started.

Eric Allen, the community manager for Orchard Ridge through Capital Consulting Management Company, said more than 30 families participated in the club, and together the kids grew broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, collard greens and rhubarb.

“Through the club we have been able to teach kids how to garden and why you should garden,” he said. “We teamed up with the Liberty Hill Garden Club to teach our volunteers how to teach the kids. As long as I continue to have volunteers, we will continue that program. It was a big hit.”

In the community garden, each year has a theme tied to it. In 2022, it was an herb garden, with 12 different herbs planted for residents to pick as they needed. The year before that, it was a salsa garden, complete with tomatoes, peppers and herbs. That garden was really popular, Allen said, which is why the salsa garden will be back in 2023.

“We’re hoping to do a salsa-making contest this year to inspire folks to utilize the garden more,” he added.

In addition to the gardens, Orchard Ridge fittingly has a orchard of fruit trees as well, including peaches, figs and pomegranates. The subdivision also grows blackberries and olives.

“We are still recovering from the freeze of 2021, which wiped out a lot of our trees, but we will be replacing what we lost this coming year,” Allen said. “When things are ripe for the picking, our landscape team notifies me and we send out a community email to go pick what’s ripe.”

Orchard Ridge has 780 homes, and the subdivision is totally built out. Not all homes are occupied yet, but all are under contract.

(Above) The community garden at Rancho Sienna offers gardening plots that residents may rent annually. (Below) In 2022, Orchard Ridge launched a garden club for kids, which today involves more than 30 families. (Courtesy Photos)

Solution from the sky

Rainwater collection viable alternative to groundwater

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

Deep beneath the surface of the Hill Country terrain of Williamson County lies a hidden threat – one that without addressing has the potential to choke off sustenance itself.

Groundwater – or lack thereof – is a serious problem being faced as more and more wells are dug in rural areas, tapping into the local aquifer to the point where it could potentially run dry in the near future, leaving residents without that most precious of resources.

But, when Kerry and Travis Redding walk outside their house on a 50-acre parcel of land the couple calls home near the border of Williamson and Burnet Counties, all they need to do is to look up to find a solution to the problem that lies far below.

“It doesn’t even need to rain a lot,” said Kerry Redding. “Usually, one big storm and you’re good for a while.”

Upon a short stroll across their property past pens housing various animals, one is standing before a large, round tank about eight feet in height with a gauge that on this day is nearly to the top of its measuring stick.

“Our main tank holds 40,000 gallons,” said Travis Redding. “We get 100 percent of our water from annual rainfall – we know how much we use and how much we can store.”

The Reddings own Freedom Rainwater, a company that specializes in exactly the kind of technology that allows their family to live completely free of the concerns faced by those who depend on groundwater to survive.

Travis said the belief of many that their wells will never run dry is a fallacy.

“People think there’s an unlimited water supply,” he said. “But, that’s not the case.” Especially for those who live far enough outside city limits to not be able to tie into a municipal source.

“City water’s not an option out here,” said Travis. “You can actually set up rainwater collection for less than it costs to dig a well and the water quality is better.”

After considering their options, Travis said it was a no-brainer as far as which method they would depend on.

“It was a matter of do we want to spend $20,000 to dig a well and then have to

re-drill at some point,” he said. “Or do we want to install a rainwater system to supply our entire house?”

A typical collection system requires the house to have a metal roof that feeds water to gutters that transport it to the storage tank after which it goes through a sediment and carbon filter before finally being purified by an ultraviolet filter, then sent back to the house for use.

According to Travis, it’s not the amount of actual rainfall that matters, but the size of the collection system.

“It’s all about how much you can capture and store,” said Travis. “Just like solar panels – not how much sun, but how many panels do you have when it’s sunny.”

As development continues to run rampant in Williamson County, the Trinity Aquifier – which stretches from the Oklahoma border to south of San Antonio and supplies much of the county’s groundwater – can no longer replenish quick enough to keep up with the demand as more and more housing subdivisions continue to pop up across the landscape like troublesome weeds draining a scarce resource.

“We have a major problem – we can’t sustain our groundwater,” said Travis. “A decade from now, there won’t be well water, so the only way will be for more homes to have rainwater collection.”

Currently, Williamson County has no groundwater conservation district – an authority that constantly monitors well levels and governs accordingly – despite the fact there are 98 such entities across the state of Texas and all surrounding counties, with the exception of Travis County, have one.

With no government organization to look out for the county’s best water interests, the supply can be abused to the point of being on the brink of disaster in the form of dry wells.

Collecting rainwater bypasses the politics and provides peace of mind for those who choose to employ such systems, said Travis.

“A lot of people like the security of knowing exactly how much water they have at all times,” he said. “Part of it’s economics, but also reliability.”

However, regardless of where water comes from, keeping a close eye on usage is also critical, said Kerry.

“It does make you a lot more conscious of what you do in the house – things like turning off the water while brushing your teeth and we don’t do any landscaping,” she said. “We do a lot of conservation.”

Rainwater collection isn’t only for ranches or rural homes, though.

In fact, the Texas Property Code makes it illegal for homeowners associations to outlaw the practice – meaning even in densely-developed areas such as Santa Rita Ranch, the method is a viable option – even if only as a backup plan, said Travis.

“A lot of our customers are supplementing city water with rainwater – like an insurance policy,” he said. “If half of the new homes here used rainwater, we might be

Kerry Redding checks the water-level gauge on the 40,000-gallon storage tank of a rainwater collection system that supplies her family of five in rural Liberty Hill. PHOTO BY SCOTT AKANEWICH

able to maintain our groundwater levels.”

Once getting over the initial mental block of relying on the sky for water rather than a municipal source, rainwater becomes an attractive alternative, said Travis.

“Sometimes, people are intimidated at

Liberty Hill water

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

The availability of water has been a topic of frequent discussion in Liberty Hill in recent years, and for good reason.

The rate at which the community is growing, both within and outside the city limits, is staggering. With more homes, more people, and more businesses, also comes the need for more water, and the accompanying infrastructure.

According to City of Liberty Hill officials, it’s not the water that the City needs—it’s got plenty of options—it’s more about how the City will get that water into town. The City has several wells, but using those wells is a short-term solution in City Administrator Paul Brandenburg’s mind.

“The wells we have are not a long-term solution, but they are an excellent stop gap until we secure water from other resources and find a way to get it here,” he said.

Four of the wells are in the process of being redrilled, which means City water crews are drilling approximately 30 feet from the original location of the well to see if more water can be pulled up from the Trinity aquifer.

“We’re going back in again, even deeper, to see how much water we can get,” Brandenburg said. “We are also testing gallons per minute, and right now we are seeing more water than what we initially thought.”

Drilling began in fall 2022 and should be completed between July 2023 and May 2024. The estimated amount of acre feet those wells will provide is 318 acre feet. An additional four wells are also slated to begin drilling within the next year or so to add to the initial four in town.

The City Council also recently voted to require developers of residential developments to test for wells on site as part of their development agreements. If they are able to procure water, then they can use that for construction and possibly drinking water for their future residents.

primary challenge of lack of infrastructure still makes it currently impossible to pull that water into the city.

Brandenburg said he’s also looking into several other options for water, like a potential contract with Hill Country-based Gandy Water, LLC, which would come from west of Liberty Hill, and the Edwards Aquifer, which would come from east of Liberty Hill. Another option would be to create an interconnect from Leander’s Kaufmann Loop water tank, or to pull water in from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, which would come from Milam County, or to build a new water tower in Liberty Hill to store more drinking water.

However, many of these options would require the City to partner with the BRA, the Lower Colorado River Authority, other cities within the region and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. That adds another layer to the challenge behind these potential projects.

“We have access to water, and we have options for more water,” Brandenburg said. “Now the question is, what comes first? And what do we invest in first? What is going to get us through years one through three, and then four through six, and then six to 10? We can’t do all of this at the same time, but the next step for City Council will be to decide what the next big project is to lay out now that the wells are being drilled.”

To help with that effort, the Council recently created a seven-member community task force, called LH2O, which consists of members of City Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and Liberty Hill residents. That group’s purpose is to assist the City Council with vetting these types of projects to help them decide what might be the next best step for the City.

“This group will get together and talk about the list of project ideas and assist City Council with the research for those so that Council can look at the bigger picture issues, instead of all the details,” Brandenburg said.

first because there’s a lot of mystery in their minds – they don’t think about rainwater as a water supply,” he said. “But, you can install one for half the price of digging a well.”

“You can’t put all your eggs in one basket relying just on the wells or groundwater; you also have to look at other options that we have for surface water,” Brandenburg said. “The challenge, though, is that most of the surface water we have is contracted water. So how much is really available to us?”

In spring 2022, the City was able to secure rights to 1,400 acre feet of water from the Brazos River Authority (BRA), but the

Looking to the immediate future, Brandenburg said he also hopes to host a town hall style meeting to inform the community about what the city’s water status is, much like the City did in early 2022.

(Top) Travis and Kerry Redding own Freedom Rainwater, a company that provides affordable rainwater collection systems that are an alternative to groundwater and municipal sources. (Above) Travis Redding checks the purification system of the rainwater collection system on his 50-acre Liberty Hill ranch.

PHOTOS BY SCOTT AKANEWICH

What’s the next project to bring much-needed water to town?

Playing both ends of the pitch

Lady Panthers keeper yearns to stop, score goals

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

During Liberty Hill’s home game against Hays earlier this season, Brooklyn Escobar made a quick change Clark Kent himself would have been proud of.

The Lady Panthers’ sophomore goalkeeper slipped into the locker room at halftime wearing her standard kit, only to emerge in the colors of an outfield player before retaking the field in an advanced position up the pitch – the opposite end of where she usually patrols.

After stopping the Hawks from putting the ball in her own net for the opening 40 minutes of the contest, Escobar spend the second 40 attempting herself what she had been preventing the opposition from doing.

An interesting juxtaposition, indeed.

But, one Escobar is fully capable of handling – and a role she relishes.

“I definitely miss being out on the field,” she said. “Most other soccer players run five or six miles per game – I like running, it makes me feel free.”

In the game against Hays, Escobar came as close as she ever has to scoring in a high school game when she got the ball on the right wing, deftly made a move around a defender, then unleashed a howitzer off her right boot that eluded the Hawks goalkeeper, but crashed against the crossbar.

According to Escobar, she was simply

in the moment and reacting with muscle memory.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” said Escobar. “I haven’t really played in the field since I switched to goalkeeper in fifth grade.”

Escobar had made an appearance in the outfield earlier this season in a one-sided victory, but Liberty Hill head coach Landon Maddux said that was more of a novelty than anything else.

“The first time we put Brooklyn up there, it was kind of a joke,” he said. “She’s been wanting to and she’s just an amazing athlete.”

After the Hays game, though, Maddux conceded using Escobar up top if his team is chasing a goal late in an critical contest might not be so far-fetched an idea after all.

“You never know,” he said. “But, then there’s the risk of getting my goalkeeper injured, so I have to weigh that part of it.”

In fact, Escobar likes running so much she is a member of the Liberty Hill track team this season, participating in the relays and oh, by the way, she also plays volleyball for the Lady Panthers in the fall.

But, it’s when she’s standing between the sticks with her padded gloves firmly fastened when Escobar is in her true athletic home and like any good homeowner, takes extreme offense when an opposing player dares to trespass in the 18-yard area that serves as her soccer residence.

When this occurs, Escobar certainly doesn’t shy away from contact – even with those bigger than she is bearing down on her goal.

“I try not to think about that,” she said, of potential collisions with opposing strikers. “The worst I’ve ever had was on a corner once when I ended up hitting my head on the post, but I was okay.”

Maddux characterized Escobar’s rugged style of play with a gridiron reference.

“She’s like a middle linebacker looking to hit someone that comes through a hole in the line,” he said. “Brooklyn is very quick off her line – her speed is her greatest attribute.”

Despite the fact goalkeepers can be an eclectic lot, the result of the isolation of the position they play with their teammates moving around on the field while they remain solitary, Maddux said Escobar is the furthest thing from a recluse when it comes to interacting with her teammates.

“Brooklyn has a bubbly personality and is just a fun, coachable kid,” he said. “She’s all about character.”

Only being a sophomore, Escobar still has plenty of ceiling left to her continued improvement, said Maddux.

“I didn’t see her last year,” he said. “But, people tell me she’s faster and stronger this season and she’s very smart – Brooklyn has a high soccer IQ – she’s the full package.”

As the boss of the back line, Escobar must sometimes lay down the law for her defense when it comes to tightening things up and limiting scoring chances, which often involves verbal encouragement, she said.

“I’m usually pretty calm,” said Escobar. “But, sometimes I’ll have demands of my defense because they help control what goes in the net. But, it’s hard to get mad at my teammates because I love all of them so much.”

Of course, for any guardian of the goal, even letting a single shot pass through and into the back of the net is akin to a crime – and a happening Escobar takes quite personal – especially when it ruins a clean sheet, she said.

Brooklyn Escobar has recently ventured forward on the field in addition to her primary duties as the Lady Panthers’ goalkeeper.

“Shutouts are really important for a goalkeeper,” said Escobar. “Even when you let in one goal, it hurts.”

As far as her upfield antics are concerned, Escobar said if she had her choice of a highlight-reel-worthy feat on the field, her true colors would still show through.

“I think I would rather make a save in the upper 90 than score one,” she said. “Because I’ve never had to make a save like that before.”

PHOTO BY SHANNON HOFMANN

Staying in the moment

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

On game day, Ella Granda is like many athletes who have a particular routine they go through in order to ensure mental and physical readiness once competition begins.

However, the Lady Panthers junior guard takes it one step further – going all the way back to the beginning of the school day.

“When I’m in first period, I just focus on that class, then the same thing during second period and it’s like that all day,” said Granda. “I concentrate on what’s right in front of me – it’s how I stay in the moment.”

Once she’s successfully navigated a day of classrooms and hallways, Granda takes the court as Liberty Hill’s starting shooting guard – a position that is brand new to her this season after playing point guard on the junior varsity last season.

Granda said the transition to her new position has been relatively smooth.

“It’s been easier because last year I was learning a lot,” she said. “This year, I’ve had to slow down a little so I can see better what Gabby’s doing.”

Granda is referring to backcourt running mate and point guard Gabby Mundy, who burst onto the Purple-and-Gold scene last season as a freshman and has continued to further blossom this year in leading the Lady Panthers’ offense.

In contrast to when she was running the show for the JV squad, now Granda must react accordingly as Mundy’s sidekick.

“It’s been good because we have pretty good chemistry,” said Granda. “I just always know I need to be ready to play off her in the moment.”

Head coach Chris Lange said converting Granda to the off-guard spot has required somewhat of a mentality change.

“We’ve had to work with Ella to get her a little more under control and let the game come to her,” he said. “But, it’s also good to know I have someone else that can handle the ball.”

Lange added Granda’s experience at the point can only make her more effective regardless of where she finds herself on the court at a given time.

“Anytime a guard can play point guard,”

LHHS swimmer finishes 11th at state meet

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

he said. “It makes them a better guard, period.”

Granda began playing basketball in seventh grade when she and her family still called Lakeview, Minnesota, home before leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the Lone Star State when she was in seventh grade.

While Granda was still up north, she also played lacrosse – primarily to help keep her fitness level up during the hoops offseason, she said.

“I was looking for a summer sport,” said Granda, who was a midfielder. “I wanted something different from basketball that would keep me in shape.”

One might think anyone who has dealt with the harsh winters of the Upper Great Lakes region would find the ice storms Central Texas has experienced twice in the past three years to be a picnic – but not so, she said.

“I’m already used to Texas weather,” said Granda. “I’d rather it be 20 degrees than 100 because I feel like when it’s colder, you can always put more clothes on.”

Granda employs a physical style of play that belies her relatively slight frame in constantly driving to the basket and going to the floor to capture loose balls – an aspect of her game she said makes her more effective.

“I’m not the tallest or the strongest,” said Granda. “But, when I have the ball I try to make contact, draw fouls and then hit free throws.”

However, even when her scoring touch deserts her, Granda still brings plenty to the table in the form of defensive intensity and with it, still contributes to team success.

“Even when I’m not scoring, I can still play defense,” she said. “It’s not always about points – but being up in the face of an offense and making them frustrated.”

Lange said Granda’s defensive abilities allow her to remain involved even when her shots aren’t falling.

“When Ella’s not scoring, she’s able to stay on the court because of her defense,” he said. “Whenever you have players like her and people like (former Lady Panthers players) Kenzy Wise and Alexa Solis, it allows a coach to win with defense.”

Through it all, though, Granda strives to neither look back nor forward and one way she manages that is to envision how events will play out on the court later in the evening.

“Right after our athletic period, I’ll fix my hair before I go to class,” she said. “Usually, it takes about five to eight minutes and I’ll visualize what I’m going to do.”

Last year when Victoria Phegley competed at the Class 5A state swim championships on the campus of the University of Texas, she might have been a bit overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation.

However, this time around, the Liberty Hill senior was back for another crack at glory for the second straight year and finished 11th in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 53.56.

“It feels wonderful,” she said. “A lot of my teammates this year had really big expectations of me, so I’m glad I lived up to my success from last year and am able to continue being a role model for my team. I’m also proud to represent Liberty Hill at the Class 5A state meet again.”

Head coach Dimitra Becker said returning for a second year in a row certainly played in Phegley’s favor.

“Having been to state before played to her advantage because she knew what to expect, which helped cut out some of those pre-race jitters,” she said. “She knew the level of competition she was swimming against and she was ready.”

Phegley added she found gratification in the fact she was able to rebound following a slow start to the season.

“My season started off really rough and I lost a lot of confidence in my swimming because I wasn’t dropping times for a while. However, my coaches told me to trust the

Ella Granda (#4) made a successful transition from point guard to shooting guard upon her arrival to the Lady panthers’ varsity this season. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Panthers junior guard remains present on, off court

Victoria Phegley qualified for the Class 5A state swim championships for the second season in a row.

(Courtesy Photo)

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

Freshman shows versatility on fi eld, court, track

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

DJ Seaborn doesn’t have much time to himself.

A er all, the Liberty Hill freshman usually finds himself running with a ball on a football field, bouncing one on a basketball court, or circling the track at Panther Stadium.

In this day and age of sports specialization, Seaborn is bucking that trend by participating in three sports – one during each season of the school year’s sports calendar – football in the fall, basketball in the winter and track in the spring.

However, make no mistake.

Just because Seaborn plays multiple sports doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a favorite.

“Football has always been number one for me,” he said. “Although I might keep doing all three throughout my high school career.”

Seaborn and his family moved to Liberty Hill from Pflugerville in 2021 when father David was added to the Panthers’ football team’s coaching staff as a defensive secondary coach and DJ was in seventh grade, so he had a few years to get accustomed to life in his new home before reaching high school.

“It was an adjustment when I first got here,” he said. “But, then I started going to school and making friends in sports – but it took awhile to get used to.”

However, it didn’t take long for Seaborn to establish a reputation as one of Liberty Hill’s best up-and-coming athletes, which gained him a bit of middle school fame, he said.

“I think in seventh and eighth grades, everyone knew me because of sports,” said Seaborn. “But, now in high school, I have to start all over again.”

Of course, one way to get noticed very quickly in Texas is to excel on a gridiron and Seaborn has done just that as a member of the Panthers’ freshman football squad this season, lining up at tailback and cornerback.

In fact, he even got to experience a taste of varsity life when he was called up to the big squad when rosters expanded for Liberty Hill’s run all the way to the Class 5A Division II semifinals – something that provided him with some valuable insight, he said.

“It was pre y cool,” said Seaborn. “I got to talk to the varsity players and find out what they were thinking about the game.”

In addition to his culture shock of moving to a relatively small town from a more urban area off the field, Seaborn also had big-time adjustments to make on it with his indoctrination into Liberty Hill’s famed Slot-T offense.

“I never played in that kind of offense before, so it was kind of weird to me,” he said, of the complicated blocking and running schemes found within his new playbook.

“At first, I didn’t like it because it’s based on just following blocks and running through holes and I’m more of a juke guy, but a er awhile I got used to it once I got more playing time.”

Seaborn plays point guard in basketball and runs the 100 meters and competes in the long and triple jumps in track, following in the footsteps of his father, who is now also one of his coaches – which creates an interesting dynamic between the two

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

process and eventually things worked out.”

Last year, Phegley competed at the state competition in the 100-yard bu erfly and said mastering the different strokes can be an inexact science and an ever-changing proposition.

“That’s just the way it is with swimming sometimes,” she said. “An event you were great at last season can all of a sudden be a struggle to finish and you just have to adjust to that.”

Becker said it was Phegley’s versatility that allowed her to make the adjustment to

depending on where they are at the time, he said.

“During practice, he definitely yells and gets on me more than everyone else,” said Seaborn. “But, he’s nicer at home.” Seaborn is an avid PS4 enthusiast who has created an online persona for himself in the form of a virtual basketball player.

“I mostly play NBA 2K with some friends of mine,” he said. “We created our own

the different event.

“Victoria is an all-around talented swimmer,” she said. “She puts her head into competing and works super hard to get the job done.”

Becker added Phegley’s dedication out of the water has also played a critical role in her success.

“More times than not, she’s at the front of the pack during our dryland practices because she pushes herself,” said Becker. “I’m extremely proud of Victoria, she’s a four-year le erman, team captain and the

neighborhood league where you design your own player and play against others –mine has a good driving dunk, can shoot 3-pointers and play good defense.”

Sounds a lot like the real-life version –except for that first part, he said.

“I can almost dunk, but not yet,” said Seaborn. “I think I would rather have a big dunk than a long touchdown run because dunking is just more fun.”

first Liberty Hill swimmer to make state not once but twice.”

Becker said her increased expectations for her team overall this season has resulted in further development of the Panthers program and Phegley is a prime example of that progress.

“Ge ing to be a part of the Liberty Hill swim team has helped make an individual sport a team effort for me,” Phegley said. “It’s truly a blessing to have a team to lean on when races go poorly and to celebrate when we do well.”

Liberty Hill freshman DJ Seaborn is a three-sport athlete for the Panthers in taking after father David, who is a coach for the Purple-and-Gold. PHOTO BY SCOTT AKANEWICH

LOCAL EVENTS

March 4

CHRIS HOFF

Hometown Watering Hole

3317 E. SH 29, Bertram

8 p.m. | $10 Cover 512-355-7377 hometownwateringhole.net

March 9

RIDERS IN THE SKY

Globe Theater

132 W. Vaughn St., Bertram

8 p.m. | Tickets $30-200 globetheatertx.com

March 10

MUSIC UNDER THE OAKS WITH FAMILY SHILOH

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m. 512-548-6230 agapebbq.com

March 11

MUSIC UNDER THE OAKS WITH ALASTAIR GREENE BAND

Agape BBQ 3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

LET F REEDOM

6:30-9 p.m. 512-548-6230 agapebbq.com

BOOT ROCK BOYS

Whiskey Barrel Pub

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

2-4 p.m. | 512-548-6151 whiskeybarrelpub.com

JASON KANE WHITE

Hometown Watering Hole

3317 E. SH 29, Bertram

8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. | $10 Cover 512-355-7377 hometownwateringhole.net

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD

Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park

8 p.m. | Tickets $29-77 512-986-7411 | hautespotvenue.com

March 17

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH ROYCE REED

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m. | 512-548-6230 agapebbq.com

March 18

THE DECADES BAND

Whiskey Barrel Pub

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

1-4 p.m. | 512-548-6151

whiskeybarrelpub.com

JESS LOPEZ Y LOS FUNKY MONKEYS

Hometown Watering Hole

3317 E. SH 29, Bertram

8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. | $10 Cover

512-355-7377

hometownwateringhole.net

March 24

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH THEM THAT KNOW

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m.

512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

March 25

COMEDY NIGHT PRESENTED BY AC SQUARED PRODUCTIONS

Whiskey Barrel Pub

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

2-4 p.m. | 512-548-6151

Tickets $12 advance, $15 door

whiskeybarrelpub.com

March 26

THE MALPASS BROTHERS Globe Theater

132 W. Vaughn St., Bertram

8 p.m. | Tickets $30-40 globetheatertx.com

March 31

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH BOOT ROCK BOYS

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m. 512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

April 1

MUSIC UNDER THE OAKS WITH JOEL TUCKER BAND

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-9 p.m. 512-548-6230/agapebbq.com

Travis

Family Shiloh

Alastair Greene

Riders in the Sky

Shane T. White Clyde Davis Connie Fuller Ginger Floyd Debby Norman