Liberty Hill Summer Guide 2018 by The Liberty Hill Independent

SPECIAL EDITION

MARCH 22, 2018 | 50 CENTS Volume 31, Issue 17 www.LHIndependent.com

INSIDE!

INSIDE

Summer Events Area Pool Calendar Directory PAGE 45

PAGE 18

Stargazing PAGE 26

Sports

PAGE 45-50

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

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With warmer temperatures, plenty of sun- for more information. shine and longer days, spring and summer in And Liberty Hill’s event of the summer -- the our hometown offer a plethora of opportu- Independence Day Spectacular -- will draw nities for your family to explore, discover, un- thousands to City Park where Central Texwind, and enjoy the best of Central Texas. as’ own country artist Kyle Park will entertain Today, the staff of The Independent are proud before a 30-minute fireworks show lights the to bring you our Summer Guide -- a publication night sky. Save the date -- July 3rd -- and keep in its second year that bringsEmergency together ideas watching for more information. Care for keeping your children active and engaged Included in today’s paper are the regular feawhile making lifetime memories. tures of The Independent -- a thorough look at From camps promoting fitness during the the news and sports of the week. Learn more summer months, local swimming holes, a pub- about school district discussions regarding lic library program that makes reading fun for school safety and drug testing for students, all ages, to ideas for gardening and enjoying along with plans for a second fire station for wildflowers, our Guide is sure to plant some Williamson County ESD#4. new ideas for summer fun with your family. This special edition is going to everyone in Staying home can be a blast with our ideas for Liberty Hill because we want you to learn more crafts, food and star gazing. about summer opportunities in and around If you’re looking to broaden the horizon, pack our hometown. We invite you to connect with Hospital ofa Austin picnic and explore the rural landscapes around us every week in print and learn more about Liberty Hill. We have some suggestions for day your community. For only $25, we will send trips, or even longer family road trips. Riding news and information to your mailbox all the MetroRail from Leander to the big city is an year long. In the meantime, engage with us at adventure that offers good eats, entertainment www.LHIndependent.com or on social media and cultural activities at most stops. We chose at Facebook.com/LibertyHillIndependent and the Plaza Saltillo Station where art and fami- Twitter @LHIndependent. ly-friendly establishments are within walking Special thanks to our professional and exdistance of the train stop. tremely talented staff for bringing their best to Today’s edition includes a Coloring Contest this publication. of Austin and a Photo Contest sponsored by two local Liberty Hill is the place to be this summer. businesses offering prizes for winning artwork Find out more inside, and subscribe today. and photographs. Don’t miss Pages 10 and 25 ~ Shelly Wilkison, Publisher/Managing Editor

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

LIBERTY HILL PUBLIC LIBRARY

2018 Summer Reading Program

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 5

Public Library will get prehistoric this summer

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Kids, teens and adults are invited to Stomp… Romp…Roar…Read! this summer at the Liberty Hill Public Library during the library’s dinosaur-themed summer reading program, which will have dinosaur-themed activities and events running all summer long. Sign-ups for this year’s program begin May 21 and the program will run from June 4 to Aug. 2. While a library card is not required to participate in the program, it is encouraged. Participants will receive a reading log and for every 300 minutes read, they earn a prize and a raffle ticket. After turning in their first reading log, they will also get their picture on the wall at the library. Raffle tickets can be collected all summer long and will be entered into a drawing at the end of the summer for prizes like an Amazon Fire tablet or a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, said Library Director Angela Palmer. In addition, each of the library’s four staff members is heading up a dinosaur team—either iguanodon, alamosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex or triceratops—and summer reading participants will randomly draw to be on one of those teams. Whichever team reads the most minutes by the end of the summer will earn a special prize, Palmer said. Activities throughout the summer will be “a hodge-podge of everything dinosaur,” Palmer said. The first big event will be the Third Annual Decorate Your Own Summer Book Bag Day on June 6 from 12 Noon to 6 p.m. “Kids can decorate their own bags and use it to carry their books all summer,” Palmer said. Every Monday, the library will have a comeand-go program with an activity where kids can come in and win a prize or pick up a science kit to take home and do, such as a catapult kit or a sprouting seeds experiment. Thursdays will be dinosaur science days, where kids will be able to do activities like learn about volcanoes, dig for fossils and make their own dinosaur teeth. Every other Friday will feature a dinosaur-themed movie during the library’s afternoon movie matinee. The library will also host its regular story times on Tuesday and Friday mornings throughout the summer, as well as the occasional starlight story time on various evenings. In addition, the library will have various craft days with dinosaur-themed craft projects such as dinosaur perler beads, macaroni dinosaurs and dinosaur track masterpieces. On June 19, local master naturalists will be presenting a program on ancient fossil life at 2 p.m., and on July 17, they’ll be presenting a program on birds, the cousins of dinosaurs, at 2 p.m. On June 26 and July 10, Young Rembrandts will be teaching dinosaur drawing classes. Two instructors will teach kids how to draw dinosaurs during three afternoon sessions on both days. Registration for this event is required as each session is limited to no more than 30 children per session. On June 27 at 10:30 a.m., local yoga instructor Tambra Prince will lead a yoga class for chil-

dren modeled on dinosaur movements. Also on June 27, at 1:30 p.m., local Master Gardner Jared Sudekum will be on hand to help kids make their own dinosaur fairy gardens. On Aug. 1, the End of Summer Reading Program Water Fun Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “We put out pools and a sprinkler that kids can run through, and we have tubs of water beads to play in,” Palmer said. “We do bubbles on that day too, and we also have chalk so the kids can do chalk paintings on the concrete. This event is mostly an excuse to get wet, run around and have fun.” The summer reading program’s grand finale event will be Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. “All summer we’re providing really fun entertaining things for the whole family,” Palmer said. “Kids really love the hands-on activities, so we’ll be doing a lot of that. Some families can’t afford to pay $50 a week to send their kids to summer camp, so that’s why the library is a good option. Every activity is free of charge.” Last year, summer readers read almost 1 million minutes. Palmer hopes to get over 1 million minutes this year. “Last year we were within 30,000 to 40,000 minutes, so I know we can do it,” she said. “Last year we had almost 1,800 kids, 435 adults and almost 200 teens sign up. Almost three-quarters of the kids who signed up last year turned in at least one log. The program grows by 25 to 30 percent every year.” Palmer added that the summer reading program is important for kids because it helps them to retain things they learned during the previous school year. “Many studies have shown that when kids read

See LIBRARY, Page 12

(TOP) A group of kids pose together during the library’s “Choose Your Wand at Ollivander’s Day” during 2017’s Harry Potter-themed summer reading program. Kids were able to make their own wands during this event. (ABOVE) The Torrealba family poses for a photo at the end of 2017’s Harry Potter-themed summer reading program. The last day of summer reading ended with a Hogwarts graduation ceremony, which the Torrealba family dressed up for. (Courtesy Photos)

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

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

Public Meetings

The following are standing open meetings that are subject to change within the guidelines set forth by the Texas Open Meetings Act. For the most current meeting postings, and meeting agendas, visit the respective websites. - Liberty Hill City Council, 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 26, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill City Council, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 9, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees, 6 p.m. Monday, April 16, LHISD Administration Bldg., 301 Forrest. libertyhill.txed.net - Liberty Hill Parks & Recreation Board, 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill Economic Development Corp., 5 p.m. Thursday, April 19, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter

Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshop for Landowners

GEORGETOWN -- More than 95 percent of Texas lands are privately owned. This means effective wildlife and habitat management starts with private landowner involvement. Landowners can play a significant role in conserving and maintaining Texas’ native wildlife species. Their property can also receive special consideration for supporting wildlife and associated habitat. The Texas Constitution and Tax Code provide that certain kinds of farm and ranch land be appraised based on the land’s capacity to produce agricultural products (productivity value) instead of at market value. Landowners that engage in traditional farming and ranching practices can apply for special open-space appraisal based on the property’s productivity value. Productivity value is based on the land’s ability to produce agricultural products and is often lower than market value. Land that is used to manage for wildlife may also qualify for special use appraisal. T e x a s Parks and W i l d Call P&R Propane for ALL of your life Depropane service and repair needs. partment (TPWD)

will host a free workshop in Georgetown for landowners interested in converting open-space properties to wildlife management use. The workshop will cover how farm and ranch lands can maintain an agricultural tax appraisal based on wildlife management use while actively managing for native wildlife. To qualify for a wildlife tax valuation based on wildlife management the property must currently be appraised as open-space land based on agricultural use. In addition, the landowner must submit a wildlife management plan with an application to the county appraisal district between January 1 and April 30 in the year which they apply. During the workshop, TPWD biologists will provide general overview of the wildlife tax valuation, management plan development and applicable management practices for native wildlife. Landowners who apply management practices to their lands will be supporting native wildlife and Texas’ conservation initiative. The workshop takes place on Friday, March 23, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service building at 3151 SE Inner Loop, Georgetown. Presentations will start at 8:15 am and run until noon, then biologists will be available to consult with landowners one-onone. For more information or to regis-

ter, call or text 512-925-3787 or email Derrick.Wolter@tpwd.texas.gov. Signup Link: https://tpwd.texas.gov/ calendar/wildlife/wildlife-tax-valuation-workshop-georgetown-march18.

Lions Club offering early vision screening March 31

At the Liberty Hill Community Easter Egg Hunt and Fun Run on March 31st, the Liberty Hill Lions Club will also be doing an Early Vision Screening. This is primarily for children from 6 months to 6 years of age, but we can also screen older children. This is free to the public, but parents need to sign a permission slip for each child. This will be at Lions Foundation Park, along with the other activities.

Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild meets April 3

The April 3rd, 10am meeting is The Goose is Loose on the Ranch -- Disappearing Flying Geese, a lecture and trunk show by Jackie Hillman, of Two Creeks Quilts. Visitors are welcome. A workshop [fee] will be held on April 4th. Visit http://www.ctquiltguild.org for details and workshop pricing.

A Day in Nameless set April 7

The public is invited to A Day in Historic Nameless from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at the Nameless School, 23436 Nameless Road. The event, hosted by Friends of Nameless School, is free and will have historical demonstrations and displays. Demonstrations throughout the day include tomahawk and kinfe throwing, soap making, spinning, basket weaving, bee keeping, lace making, quilting, and storytelling by area storytellers. Local authors Anthony Whitte and Hollis Baker, a columnist for The Independent, will also speak. Organizers are asking visitors to bring non-perishable food items for the Jonestown Food Bank. For more information, visit www. Facebook.com/FriendsofNamelessSchool.

Liberty Hill city and school district voters will have the opportunity to hear directly from city council and school board candidates at a candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. April 17 at Liberty Hill Junior High. The forum is hosted by The Independent.

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

Keeping students safe

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 7

LHISD officials discuss drug testing, school police options

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Two informational presentations given during the Liberty Hill Independent School District’s regular meeting of the board of trustees Monday gave the Board a lot to think about when it comes to the health and safety of the district’s students. The first presentation, given by Liberty Hill High School Principal Mario Bye, provided the Board with the information it needs to consider implementing a random drug testing program within LHISD. These types of programs can be implemented from sixth grade on up. “Random drug testing programs started appearing in public schools in the late 1990s following a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring the programs constitutional,” Bye said. “They pointed out that students’ Fourth Amendment rights were outweighed by the government’s interest in drug free schools.” Bye said because the safety and well-being of students is his top priority, he conducted a survey of districts that are near LHISD or are similar in demographics about random drug testing. Of the districts he reached out to, he received a 71 percent response rate. The 10-question survey gave Bye a view into how other similar school districts run their random drug testing programs. All but one of the respondents have a random drug testing program in place. The way the drug testing was considered random varied slightly. “Of [the surveyed districts with a program], 100 percent include students in UIL and extracurricular activities,” he said. “This includes students in athletics, band and choir, as well as FFA, FCCLA, dance and cheerleading. Sixty-five percent

of the districts with programs also include any student who holds a campus parking permit. A small number of districts also reported that students in campus clubs were in the random pool, and six even allow volunteers to participate.” When looking at how often students are tested, 74 percent of the districts test 30 or more students once a month, Bye said. If a test is positive, 100 percent of the respondents notify parents and suspend the student from after school activities, while 80 percent provide some type of counseling. “The conclusion here is that these programs are established to help students who may have a problem, not just to punish them,” Bye added. The last aspect of the survey looked at perceptions of random drug testing programs. Eighty-seven percent of respondents felt the programs provided an “effective” or “highly effective” deterrent from drugs, Bye said. “Most saw their programs send a good message and help students stop using drugs,” he said. “There was also a 95 percent positive parent response to the programs and a 90 percent positive teacher response to the programs. Eighty percent of students were neutral on the issue. So parents think the programs are great—students not so much.” Bye said the cost of a program would have to be considered before implementation. He expects a program would cost LHISD $5,000 to $10,000 a year, but he said there are grants available to support drug testing programs. “We did not look at specific data, but the cost of a random drug testing program can be more cost effective to a community than paying for treatment after the problem exists,” he said.

Board president Clay Cole asked if students or parents could dispute a positive drug test and who would administer the tests. Bye responded by saying these are decisions the Board would have to make, but that in his past experience at other school districts, students who had a positive test had to show three negative tests following the initial test in order to resume activity. He said an outside drug testing company is typically utilized in the schools, and they send in their own employee to administer the tests. Some districts also have their school nurse collect samples as well, Bye added. Trustee Clint Stephenson asked when students would be notified that they would have to do a drug test. Bye said typically the drug testing

Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

Week of March 12-18, 2018 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 202 incidents resulting in five cases, 43 citations, 31 warnings and three arrests. Weekly Highlights: • On March 13, at approximately 10:52 a.m., officers responded to US 183 and W. SH 29, for a non-injury accident, involving two vehicles. • On March 16, at approximately 6:32 p.m., officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a theft investigation. • On March 16, at approximately 8:32 p.m., officers responded to US 183, to assist Williamson

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company would send a list of students to be tested to the school the evening before or morning of the test. Vickie Peterson wondered if the tests would be done on random days so that students wouldn’t learn to expect the tests. Bye said the tests would take place on different days at different times. Board member Anthony Buck asked why 100 percent of students at the school couldn’t be included in the random drug testing. LHISD Superintendent Dr. Rob Hart responded that the district can only regulate participation, meaning students who are involved in extracurriculars or students who have parking permits can be tested,

County Sheriff’s Department, with an incident involving a possibly armed suspect. • On March 17, at approximately 12:12 p.m., at 400 Block of Loop 332 officers arrested an adult male for Possession of Marijuana, as the result of a traffic stop. • On March 18, at approximately 12:32 a.m., officers responded to 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a weapons complaint, resulting in the arrest of an adult male with an outstanding warrant. • On March 18, at approximately 11:38 a.m., at the 3000 block of CR 1869, during a traffic stop, officers arrested an adult male with outstanding warrants.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

LHISD Trustees approve more than a dozen new teaching positions

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Liberty Hill school trustees approved more than a dozen new teaching positions for the 20182019 school year during the regular monthly meeting Monday. Bob Mabry, LHISD Human Resources director, said he has been meeting with the district’s demographer and forecasting the growth at each school for next school year. Based on the projected growth, new teaching positions at nearly all the schools were unanimously approved by the Board. Bill Burden Elementary is expected to grow by 33 students, or 5 percent, so two new teaching positions, as well as a conversational Spanish teaching position, will be added. “We started a conversational Spanish class at Liberty Hill Elementary last year, and we promised if it was successful we would bring it to the two other elementaries, so that’s a position we’re also recommending,” Mabry said. At Rancho Sienna Elementary, 17 percent growth is projected, so a conversational Spanish teacher will be added, as well as five new teaching positions. The district does not plan to add any new positions at Liberty Hill Elementary. At Liberty Hill Intermediate School, student population is expected to grow by 62 students. Four additional teaching positions will be added

The Little House Odyssey By HOLLIS BAKER Columnist for The Independent Sometime in the early 1900s a prospector, probably looking for gold, found a deposit of graphite in western Burnet County. Graphite does not glitter and about the only thing this prospector found it was good for was to color your body, clothes and face a dark charcoal gray. Southwestern Graphite Mining Company bought the luckless prospector’s find, cheap. The road to the mine’s lo-

L I B E R T Y

there. At Liberty Hill Junior High School, an additional 72 students, or 11 percent growth, is expected, so an additional three teaching positions as well as an additional administrator will be added. “Liberty Hill High School’s student-teacher ratio is in good shape even with the growth, so we’re not asking for any additional teachers, but we are asking for an additional counselor,” Mabry said. “We are also recommending adding a curriculum coordinator. In the past we purchased our district’s curriculum, but we’ve been writing our own curriculum starting last year. It takes so much time and effort so we’re asking for a coordinator to assist with that.” During the public comment period, parent April Thomas spoke to the Board on behalf of parents she said will be affected by changes to transportation services for the 2018-2019 school year. Thomas said currently, buses transport children to different before- and after-school childcare facilities from all the elementary schools, the intermediate school and the junior high. The change that will take place next school year will restrict parents by giving them less options for beforeand after-school childcare because children will only be bused to facilities within certain zones. “For example, Bill Burden and Rancho Sienna [elementaries] would be excluded from Happy

Trails, which is where my child goes,” she said. Thomas said she understands providing transportation to these facilities is something special LHISD does, but that it greatly serves parents who commute to Austin for work. Without the transportation services, she said some parents may have to move their children to another childcare facility or their children may have to stop going to a childcare facility altogether. Thomas added that parents haven’t received any official communication from the district yet, they’ve only heard about this change from local childcare centers. “One thing parents wanted to know is what was the reason for the change? Is it fiscal? Is there an option for childcare facilities to opt in to pay for transportation?” she said. “Happy Trails offered to pay for transportation and they were denied. From a communication standpoint, we would appreciate some information from the district on the change if it is going to go into effect and if there are any options to debate it.” Trustees and staff do not respond to speakers during the public comments portion of meetings. Also during the meeting, several students from all three Liberty Hill elementary schools as well as fifth graders from Liberty Hill Intermediate School were recognized for their UIL participation. Third through sixth grade science fair winners who proceeded to the Austin Regional

Science Fair were also recognized. LHISD Superintendent Dr. Rob Hart said the district’s current enrollment sits at 4,075 students. Average daily attendance, or ADA, sits at 3,823 and the budget is built on 3,716. The Board also unanimously approved the certification that LHISD has instructional materials that cover all elements of the essential knowledge and skills of the required curriculum, other than physical education, for each grade level as required in the Texas Education Code. Hart said this approval is required every year. Following a 40-minute the closed session, the Board unanimously approved the sale of the former LHISD administration building, located at 14001 State Hwy. 29, to Rockefeller Properties, LLC for the cost of $801,500. The Board approved the resignations of Danny Knowles, health teacher and football and golf coach at Liberty Hill Junior High; Amy Rodriquez, second grade teacher at Rancho Sienna Elementary; and Keith Breach, math teacher and cross country and girls’ soccer coach at Liberty Hill High School. The Board approved the employment of Monica Johnson, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Rancho Sienna Elementary, and Calvin Phillips, a counselor at Liberty Hill High School. Trustees David Nix and Jeff Madison did not attend the meeting.

Shin Oak Ridge Philosopher cation was sometimes muddy, impossible to navigate and always rough. Miners with cars were few in those days. Southwestern Company managers brought in a few prefabricated houses for the miners and their family, and started producing graphite in 1918. The three rooms of the houses were about 17 or 18 foot square and joined in a line. The far left room served as a master bedroom, the middle room was a living room and the far right room became the kitchen. A 10-foot ceiling allowed for some heat relief in the summer, but claimed it back in the winter. Kerosene lamps provided lighting. A path out back led to an outhouse. A basic living situation of those years, however it came with a paying job. The mine produced an abundance of graphic at a grade that sold well. However, the late 1920s brought the Great Depression. Just about the en-

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tire business world closed down and so did Southwestern Graphite Mine. To recoup some of their investments, the company disassembled the workers’ houses and offered them for sale. My Grandpa McCoy bought one of the little houses for his son, Buck, and his soon to be bride, Drusilla Belmer. They erected the house just across the creek in the shade of a dozen mesquite trees. The newlyweds were soon blessed with their first child, Velma Ilene McCoy. The following year Velma’s brother, Billy Joe McCoy, was born. The little house served them well. And the children served the house well by mopping the graphite off the floors with their pretty white diapers. That was a cross my Aunt Drusilla had to bear. I am not sure those kids ever got all the graphite mopped from the floors. By now the little three room home had earned a name -- “Little House.”

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It was not referred to as, “The Mine House,” or even “Buck’s House,” and surely not “The Graphite Mine House.” It was the “Little House.” Dark clouds rolled over this idyllic world. Grandpa developed a heart problem. He could no longer work the farm, even with Uncle Buck’s help. They made a deal, Buck and Drusilla’s family would move into Grandpa’s farm house, and they would move the “Little House” next door to my dad and mom’s home and grocery store in town. The “Little House” made the trip to town and stood proudly next to my dad’s store. However, soon Grandpa’s health worsened. He died of a heart attack that fall. My grandma continued to live in the “Little House.” On cold mornings I built her a fire to warm the rooms. I then searched the pantry for leftover biscuit and bacon. It took me years to realize Grandma did that just MON 26

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for me. When Grandma died she had willed the “Little House” to my old maid Aunt Pearl and she in turn willed the “Little House” to my mother. By now, my cousin Velma had grown up, and she and her husband, Kenneth Brown, had bought a part of the McCoy farm. They raised their children on the pretty land. However, something kept dinging in Velma’s mind. She bought the “Little House” from my mother and it was moved again back to the farm near where it once stood. With great joy, my Aunt Drusilla moved back into the house where she was once a bride. The “Little House” now belongs to Velma’s daughter, Nancy. The “Little House” is 100 years old this year. I don’t know what the “Little House” has in mind for Nancy, but I am sure it will be a grand adventure.

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GRASS POLLEN: LOW RAGWEED POLLEN: LOW TREE POLLEN: MODERATE

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Local election set for May 5, Candidate Forum April 17

Local campaigning is in full swing as city and school board elections are less than 45 days away. The May 5 election includes a pair of races each for the city and school board. To help voters get to know the nine candidates in Liberty Hill’s four races, The Independent is hosting a candidate forum April 17. The event will be 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 17, at Liberty Hill Junior High. There will be time beforehand for voters to mingle with candidates. Candidates for each race will be given time to address the audience, and then will be asked a number of questions by a panel of journalist, with each having an opportunity to respond. Rick Hall is challenging incumbent Connie Fuller in the mayor’s race, and Bill Brannan is running against incumbent Council Member

Santa Rita Ranch hosts ‘Home on the Ranch Roundup’ Saturday

Wendell McLeod in Place 4. Place 2 Councilman Ron Rhea did not draw an opponent. There are two contested races for Liberty Hill Board of Trustees with incumbents seeking re-election in each of three places. In Place 3, incumbent David Nix, an assistant claim manager, did not draw an opponent. In Place 4, incumbent Jeff Madison, a healthcare administrator, is being challenged by Kathy Major, who retired in 2017 as Principal at Liberty Hill Intermediate School. In Place 5, there is a three-way contest with incumbent Anthony Buck, an emergency management coordinator, being challenged by Russel Martin and Jon Branigan. Dr. Martin is a veterinarian at Comanche Trail Veterinary Center in Liberty Hill. Branigan is a developer and real estate broker,

who resigned from the Liberty Hill City Council in February. Also on the May ballot is renewal of the City’s road maintenance fund, which earmarks a quarter-cent of sales tax revenue specifically for roads. City Administrator Greg Boatright said the tax generates about $160,000 annually for road maintenance and must be renewed by voters every four years. Not renewing the tax would simply roll that quarter cent of the sales tax back into the City’s General Fund. The deadline to register to vote in the election is April 5. Voters should check their status on the Williamson County Elections Department website at www.wilco.org/departments/elections. On the site, new Williamson County voters can download the registration form or find information regarding name and address changes.

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Registration forms can be mailed in, but voters can also bring their applications to the elections office – or complete them at the office – at 301 SE Inner Loop, Ste 104 in Georgetown. The rules regarding Texas’ Voter ID law have also changed slightly. The primary difference is that acceptable forms of identification on Election Day must not have expired more than four years before the date of presentation. The original law stated 60 days. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver’s license, election identification certificate, personal ID card issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, military ID card, citizenship certificate, passport, or a license to carry a handgun. More details on the changes to Voter ID laws can be found at votetexas.gov. Early voting in city and school elections is April 23-May 1. Election Day is May 5.

LIBERTY HILL ISD TRUSTEE, PLACE 4

KATHYforMAJOR

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LHISD Board of Trustees Place 4  Election Facebook page "A Major Influence on Education" Political ad paid for by Kathy Major 5490 Hwy 183 N, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

Santa Rita Ranch is rounding up music, food and a chance to see new model homes and amenities during an old-fashioned, Ranch party from 12 Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24. The Home on the Ranch Round Up will celebrate the opening of the Liberty Hill master-planned community’s new South Model Home Park and the $1.8 million dollar Green Play Park. “We are very excited for people to see what our builders have been up to along with our amazing new play park,” said Ed Horne, developer of Santa Rita Ranch. “But we also want them to experience life ‘on the Ranch.’ They can see for themselves how much fun it is to live on The Ranch.” Twelve model homes will be open, six of them new. Visitors also can explore The Green Play Park — a new community park featuring state-of-the-art-play equipment, splash park, Norwell exercise equipment, basketball courts and a covered pavilion. Austin-based Whitestone Band will keep things lively with a mix of ‘60s rock, country tunes and today’s favorites. Local food trucks will be on hand, plus visitors can sample sweets in the neighborhood bake-off. There also will be Zorb balls and a station for shining boots. Learn more at http://santaritaranchaustin. com.

LIBERTY HILL MAYOR LIBERTY HILL ISD TRUSTEE, PLACE 5

CONNIE FULLER for

Mayor  facebook.com/ConnieFullerforMayor 512-876-4256 | CFuller@cadavis.com

Reelect

ANTHONY RAY BUCK LHISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PLACE 5 PROVEN LEADERSHIP

Pol. Ad Paid by Connie Fuller Campaign, PO Box 328, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

abucklhisdplace5@gmail.com Political ad paid for by the Buck Family, PO Box 483, Liberty Hill 78642

CITY COUNCIL, PLACE 4

WENDELL MCLEOD for

City Council Place 4 Advocate for the Citizens of Liberty Hill wmcleodlhwsc@yahoo.com Pol. Ad Paid for by Wendell McLeod Campaign, PO Box 276, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

JON BRANIGAN for

LHISD Board of Trustees Place 5

Forward Thinking With

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Pol. Ad Paid for by Jon Branigan Campaign, PO Box 622, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

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Williamson County Master Gardener Jane Bowman shows one of her eight flat Dutch variety cabbages grown in a 8’ by 4’ raised bed in her own garden. The largest one was about 11 pounds and the smallest one was 7 lbs 6 oz. (Courtesy Photo)

Gardening is a labor of love

By DANA DELGADO Staff Writer For aspiring, avid or master gardeners, gardening is unquestionably a labor of love. Jane Bowman, a life-long gardener, can attest to that. She learned early in life while growing up in southern Illinois that gardening was not only necessary but exhilarating. “It was a family thing,” she said. “We canned and that sort of thing. That’s how we ate through the winter.” The heartening feeling of the experience never left her. “I like to go outside and pick my own vegetables,” said Bowman, who found an abundance of time and opportunity when she retired from school counseling in 2012. “I can be out there all day and pick tomatoes and just eat them.” Her garden, which includes 20 raised beds, is a special treat for the grandkids who share in her interests. A variety of plants in various stages of growth dot her garden. Among her plants are garlic planted in November, onions went in over January, growing beets and snow peas, and various herbs along with Butterhead lettuce, spinach, carrots, and cabbage, which are cool weather plants and ready to harvest. There are also peach and apple trees and other plants including lima beans, cucumbers, and peppers, which are wait-

ing to be planted. Besides the fresh, uncontaminated, and tasty produce she can harvest herself, she delights in the immense health benefits. “It’s a workout physically – bending, stooping, carrying and lifting,” she said. Her garden, however, has also become a retreat, providing mental and emotional well-being found in few other places. With experience and certification as a Master Gardener in Williamson County, Bowman is in a position to share her knowledge and expertise in navigating the challenges Texas poses to gardeners including alkaline soils, scorching summers, pests, and drought. “The best thing you can do for your garden,” she said, “is be in it.” In other words, daily time and commitment are essential for success. With spring temperatures easing in, Bowman signaled that March is an ideal time to get started. “It’s vegetable planting time,” she exclaimed. “It depends on the weather, but hopefully, the last freeze is behind us. Any vegetables can be planted now before it gets hot.” Peppers, she said, prefer hot weather and

See GARDENING, Page 35

Climb a tree Swim at a public swimming pool Jump on a trampoline Fly a kite Pose with a sculpture in the Liberty Hill International Sculpture Park (101 Loop 332) Attend a Vacation Bible School Slide down a slide Squirt a water gun Have a water balloon fight Ride your bike Do something that makes you feel brave Make a craft at the Liberty Hill Public Library Bake a treat Make your bed Finish a puzzle Take a selfie with your mom or dad Eat at your favorite Liberty Hill restaurant Go fishing Have a lemonade stand Donate summer snacks to Operation Liberty Hill

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Make Astronomy the star of your summer relief

BY MIKE EDDLEMAN Staff Writer

Fun in the sun is what summer is all about, but an evening of family stargazing is one sure way to enjoy it while finding a reprieve from the stifling heat of Central Texas. Whether laying on a blanket in the back yard, hiking to a more remote location away from it all, or attending a stargazing event, there's plenty to see up there, that is if you know where to look and get the most from the experience. Having family fun learning about and looking at the stars can be easy, but a little knowledge goes a long way in getting the most out of the outing and fostering an interest in science. John Upton, a member of the Williamson County Astronomy Club, said there are some simple steps to take to enhance a night of viewing. “One of the best ways to start is to get what's called a planisphere, a map of the sky on an index card almost,” he said. “The trick is knowing where to look, and that's where a planisphere is important. Once you can pick out brighter stars and constellations there will be more to see.” A planisphere – usually a connected pair of disks that spin on top of one another – can be used to determine what stars can be seen at a given date and time, helping stargazers know where to look. He added that an inexpensive set of low-power binoculars are enough of an initial investment to introduce astronomy before someone invests in a telescope.

“The first option should not be to go buy a telescope,” said fellow astronomy club member David Ault. “Go to an event and go to a club meeting and participate and talk to people. In a lot of cases there are telescopes you can learn on.” Astronomy club meetings are held the first Thursday of each month in Round Rock at 2919 Joe DiMaggio Blvd., and are geared toward those with all interest and knowledge levels. “The club has been around since 1981. We have members from North Austin and all over Williamson County,” Upton said. “It is very informal and fairly small. We don't keep track of membership so there are no requirements. Anyone with an interest in astronomy can show up. “We try to have meetings that are a full range, so some get rather technical and someone with no introduction to astronomy might not get a lot out of them. But we try to have nearly an equal number where someone could gain something even if they have no knowledge,” he said. Not only can visitors and new members learn a lot about astronomy, they will meet many amateur astronomers with a similar interest, often decades in the making. “I've been interested in it nearly 60 years, but I started at age 8 with a birthday gift of a book on general science,” Upton said. “It was an overview book that talked about all the sciences with a section on astronomy, and I was really captivated by that chapter in the book.”

The astronomy club does a lot of outreach, either speaking to students at school, or during the monthly public viewing nights at Fountainwood Observatory at Southwestern University in Georgetown. “Those are very good ways to get an introduction and is a good way to talk to people who are interested in astronomy and ask questions,” Ault said. Mark Bottorff, with the Southwestern Physics Department, said on a clear night at the public viewings, visitors can look through as many as a half-dozen telescopes, seeing the moon, a few planets, and some brighter star clusters, nebula and galaxies.

There is an operator for each telescope who will explain what viewers can see and information on the telescope itself. The permanent telescope onsite in the dome is a 16-inch Meade Schmidt Cassegrain type telescope. The draw for people to explore the night sky is a natural inclination, said Bottorff. “Humans are sentient beings, imbued with an independent spirit, embedded in a physical universe and subject to its natural laws,” he said. “Given this existence it is understandable that we ask questions about the nature of this universe and our relation to it. Opening the observatory to the public puts people in direct

STARGAZING 101 First time stargazers should start off using a sky map or a planisphere to locate stars and constellations.

Use a flashlight with a red light or filter to avoid your eyes readjusting from the bright light.

Instead of investing in a telescope, start with a pair of inexpensive set of low-power binoculars.

Look for astronomy meetups, clubs or groups. Most are free and offer lots of great information.

Try to be as far away from the city lights as possible. And give your eyes about 10 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

Dress for comfort and bring other supplies such as water & snacks, seating or blankets, and bug spray.

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

contact with the universe allowing them to ponder these deep questions while marveling at the beauty of the cosmos. Going to the observatory is a great way for parents to introduce children to science through direct engagement with the actual universe.” Kids of all ages enjoy the public nights, with club members having an especially good time sharing their own love of astronomy with newcomers. “We have as much fun as the public does. The more enthusiastic the public, the better the night,” Upton said. “Typically at the outreach nights there will be anywhere from 30 to 120 people depending on how clear it is. It is just a fun event where kids and parents alike get to have fun and learn.” Having an observatory so close to home in Williamson County is something special for local astronomy lovers. “It is a big plus to have that kind of facility in a city, but far enough out that you can still see things,” Ault said. “To be able to get out to Georgetown and be a mile or two miles from downtown is a real plus.” Having an opportunity to

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contemplate the expanse of space and the distance the stars are from the earth is what always makes the biggest impact on newcomers. “At outreach events, one of the most surprising things, after people have seen Saturn, is that you can see objects that are millions of light years away,” Ault said. In addition to the viewing nights at Southwestern, there are plenty of opportunities at home or even state parks to explore the stars. Ault was first hooked on stargazing while camping as a Boy Scout. “(We were) always going out to these campgrounds in the middle of nowhere,” he said. “It was hard to avoid looking at the sky at night and that piqued my interest in astronomy. It has always been an interest since that point.” Two Central Texas state parks – Enchanted Rock State Park and South Llano River State Park – are designated International Dark Skies Parks and Texas Parks and Wildlife hosts many stargazing events around the state throughout the year. In addition to knowing where to look and having some binoculars or a telescope, Upton said each evening under the stars must begin with some patience.

“It takes about 10 minutes or more for the human eye to adapt to the dark,” he said. “Once we get into the darkness our pupils expand, but that takes about 10 minutes. You want to be in a place where there's not a direct view of a bright light, then allow your eyes to adjust to the dark.” He added that when using a map to locate constellations, use a red filter on a flashlight to avoid the brightness. Comfort should also be a consideration wen planning a night outside. “Being prepared for a night out is important,” Ault said. “Bring water, seats, bug spray, anything that makes it more comfortable. If you have kids be prepared to not stay out too long.” No matter what the interest level, families interested in an evening of stargazing have plenty of opportunities to begin learning about astronomy. “The one thing to leave everyone with is if they do happen to be free, watch the newspapers or the Southwestern University website and see when the events are,” Ault said. “For someone just starting out you can learn an awful lot.”

Did you know? The sun is the only star in our solar system.

Enchanted Rock State Park and South Llano River State Park are both designated International Dark Skies Parks.

Stargazing Resource Guide FOUNTAINWOOD OBSERVATORY

WILLIAMSON COUNTY ASTRONOMY CLUB

TEXAS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Southwestern University, Georgetown Hotline 512-563-1242

Round Rock Fire Station #6 2919 Joe DiMaggio Blvd., Round Rock 7:30 p.m., first Thursday of the month www.williamson-astro.org

1220 Toro Grande Drive, Cedar Park

The observatory hosts free public nights monthly where families are welcome to come see the stars, learn about the telescope and meet amateur astronomers. The telescope is a Meade LX-200 with Schmidt-Cassegrain optics and a 16-inch primary mirror. It has a digital CCD camera for taking digital images that can be viewed and processed on a computer.

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE STARGAZING INFO. www.tpwd.texas.gov The page has extensive information on stargazing at state parks, including the Dark Skies Program, monthly updates on visible constellations, tips and techniques, photography tips and more.

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The Larry K Forrest Memorial Planetarium, named in honor of one of the original co-founders of the museum, offers star shows in a 33ft geodesic dome that is a full 360 degree movie theater. The planetarium features pre-rendered movies and live star shows with trained scientists. Admission to the planetarium is covered under the general admission to the museum. For more information and show times, visit www.txmost.org.

APRIL 21

International Astronomy Day

There are 88 official constellations which are recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

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Wildflowers blanket Hill Country landscapes

By DANA DELGADO Staff Writer With a seemingly sudden flourish of vibrant blooms, the landscape -- particularly in the Texas Hill Country -- comes back to life in spectacular fashion. At least, that’s the hope. Mother Nature will determine whether it is a wildflower boom or a bust, but it is always worth the wait and never disappointment, even in the leanest of years. Nature’s rather dull, brown winter coat is increasingly replaced by fields of charming wildflowers signaling the beginning of the annual spring spectacle known as the wildflower season. For nearly four months beginning in March, a striking variety of alternating wildflowers grace the countryside like an unending parade of blossoms. So impressive a showing, people flock to not only see the blooms, but to smell them, lay in them, and be photographed in them. For many, it is a rite of passage. It doesn’t matter whether it is the first time to view the wildflowers or the umpteenth time, they never cease to amaze. Fortunately, the state forbids their removal. The bluebonnet, the designated state flower, is the crown jewel of the incredible central Texas display. “Bluebonnets and many other spring-flowering species are just beginning in our area and will peak during the first half of April,” said Joe Marcus of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower

Center. “Some species come on a little later and extend the spring flowering season into June.” The bluebonnet is one of thousands of varieties that bloom across the rolling hills of the Edwards Plateau, which sits at the crossroads of central, south, and west Texas. Other wildflowers like the Indian paintbrush whose colors vary from scarlet to orange, cream, yellow, and occasionally purple depending on the species quickly join the varying landscape palette along with Indian blanket with its brilliant combination of red, orange, and yellow. Pink evening primrose, Mexican Hat with its sombrero-like flower, Brown-eyed Susan, spotted beebalm, wine-cup, and verbena are other spring bloomers among countless others making encore appearances. To help identify and learn about the various plants and their blooms, Texas Highways Magazine maintains a handy pictorial sampling with descriptions of common wildflowers visible not only in central Texas but throughout the state, spring and fall, at http://texashighways.com/ travel/item/7341-wildflowers-of-texas. Also available is the newly published “Texas Wildflowers, A Field Guide” by the University of Texas Press. The new release is an updated version of the classic guide first published in 1984. Joe Marcus of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower

See WILDFLOWERS, Page 30

DANA DELGADO PHOTO

The bluebonnet, the crown jewel of the annual spring spectacle, is one of thousands of varieties of wildflowers which will be ablaze with blooms throughout the Hill Country.

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Wildflowers

CLAIRE WILKISON PHOTO

The Mexican Hat with its sombrero-like flower can be seen in the fields around Liberty Hill and throughout Central Texas.

Continued from Page 29

Center crafted the revisions. The 2018 roadside version is organized by flower color making it much easier to distinguish the various wildflowers and readily find details. Fortunately, Liberty Hill is a gateway to some of the area’s best wildflower viewing in central Texas. From the Highland Lakes area including Burnet, Llano, Lampasas, and Marble Falls to Fredericksburg, Johnson City, and Mason have been traditional prime wildflower sites. A number of specific noteworthy routes have been identified by Texas Highways. The Willow City Loop, off of Texas 16 south of Llano and just past Enchanted Rock State Park, provides exceptional viewing along a very scenic but narrow ranch road. This 13-mile drive through unique geological features including rolling hills, canyons, and steep outcroppings is among the Hill Country’s most celebrated drives. Expect to see a host of wildflowers including bluebonnets, phlox, coreopsis, wine cups, and prairie verbena over the spring blooming season. Another route, which originates in Lampasas, follows FM 580 for 20 miles to Colorado Bend State Park and then continues until turning west on US 190 to San Saba. Besides getting an eyeful of stunning wildflowers, one can visit the state park as well as San Saba, the self-proclaimed “Pecan Capital of the World.” Other areas, which traditionally have spectacular displays, can be seen on a full day of viewing or seen separately. Texas 16 from Llano to San Saba south passes fields of bluebonnets, prairie

LIVE.   LOVE. Liberty Hill.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

verbena, goldeneye phlox, and Englemann’s daisies. Burnet to Mason on Texas 29 is another premier route, which provides opportunities for unobstructed viewing for months. Park Road 4, from State Hwy 29 to Inks Lake State Park and ending at State Hwy 29, offers unique wildflower viewing among cedar and oak woodlands and granite outcroppings. Besides taking in the wildflowers, a host of outdoor activities are available at Inks Lake State Park as well as Longhorn Cavern, which is also on this route. Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg features a unique walking trail where one can view the fields of blooming wildflowers from March through October. With over 200 acres, it is among the largest wildflower farms in the country. There is no admission and is open seven days a week. Marcus, of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, said the center is an ideal starting point for wildflower adventures. Located in south Austin at 4801 La Crosse Ave., the center offers labeled displays in their demonstration gardens and plenty of photo opportunities in a serene, casual setting with level pathways. The center, which was founded in 1982 as a botanical garden to inspire the conservation of native plants, has extensive information on wildflowers, best viewing routes around the state, and even a wildflower forecast on its website, https://www.wildflower.org.

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

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You are Cordially Invited to the Dedication Ceremony of

Liberty Hill Veterans Memorial Park

Thursday-April 12 6-8PM in Downtown Liberty Hill Please join us at the newly expanded Veterans Memorial Park for this well-deserved tribute to our Veterans in every branch of the military. Dedication Time: 6:30-7:15PM

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Fire and Courage offer summer fun for youth perience and just show up here and learn stuff. You don’t have to come in and do a full evaluation or anything for camps.” Johnson believes that living an active lifestyle is important for growth and development. The camps also foster and promote a teamwork mentality. “All of our camps are active,” he said. “Everything they work on is agility based stuff. Your base agility and high hand coordination are things we focus on. They work together with other people so they get life skills as well. In cheerleading everything is based on how well your team can do so working hand in hand is important. On the dance side they have to be synchronized with others and there is a lot of peer bonding that goes on. In parkour you engage yourself off of beating your own times, but also compete against the other competitors.” The camps and clinics cover a wide range of ages so there is something for almost everyone at Courage Cheer and Dance United. “We start as young as age two,” he said. “We have college kids that compete and are in off-season that come in to train so we get a wide range of ages. One thing we pride ourselves on is being family friendly and cost effective. Our family discount plans are really great so we encourage families to come see us.” Another great option for those seeking summer fun and training is the Country Fire Volleyball

program based right here in Liberty Hill. and that prepares them to go into those programs Club Director and owner Jason Tuggle said and be successful.” summer 2018 is a great time to get kids involved Tuggle said that you don’t have to specifically in the Country Fire program. be a volleyball player to enjoy the camps. Any“We have a wide range of programs for kids one that is an athlete or just wants to stay active ranging from second grade to 12th grade,” Tug- in the summer can benefit from the skills taught gle said. at Country Fire. “We break it into blocks with roughly the same “We have a fitness program that runs all sumage groups. We are a competitive national vol- mer called VolleyFit,” Tuggle said. leyball club and in the summer we have several “It is a volleyball specific workout but it works camps for girls to choose from. This summer we shoulders, core and legs. It’s a good workout will also offer boys volleyball camps as well. We program for someone who just wanted to get a have a new coach coming in to help with that. good workout program for the summer. We enWe will have a small offering for boys programs courage any and all to come to our gym and get and gauge the response.” involved with volleyball.” Country Fire is not your average summer See FITNESS, Page 35 camp. The participants work hard, but enjoy the process. “We teach our camps the same way we coach our club volleyball,” Tuggle said. The Family Salon That Specializes in Children “From second grade and up we teach them how to overhand serve in volleyball, never underWe love all children; even hand. As they progress through those that are "over the hill" our summer camps they get a ton yet still young at heart! of fundamentals that translate to Check out our Senior prices! middle school and high school volleyball. Two of the camps we Book Appointments at Facebook.com/LibertyStyleStation offer are middle school and high or call 512-778-4033 school volleyball prep camps 55 CR 200, Liberty Hill (South of City Park)

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By LANCE CATCHINGS Staff Writer Parents are always looking for ways to get their kids out of the house and moving during the summer. Courage Cheer and Dance United is a great local option during the long summer months. Owner Justin Johnson, is a former University of Texas gymnast and national championship coach. He said Courage is a great option for families that want to get their kids involved this summer. “We do cheerleading, dance and parkour,” Johnson said. “With our cheerleading we do tumbling, stunting and junior high to high school tryout prep. Last year we got our daycare license so we are a fully registered daycare as well. We will run dance, parkour and tumbling camps throughout the summer. Outside of that we will have fundays and half day clinics as well.” Parents that have children with no prior experience need not worry. The experience level of the camps and clinics ranges from beginner to those with years of experience, which makes for a broad spectrum of attendees. “We break up our camps based on skill level once the kids get there,” he said. “The gym is pretty large so we separate and each group works on skill level appropriate stuff. They can have no cheerleading or tumbling ex-

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Day Trips

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

Continued from Page 21

After lunch, take a leisurely 30-minute drive through the Texas Hill Country southwest toward Marble Falls. There’s something to see here year-round with the rolling hills and foliage, but the drive is especially pretty during the spring and summer when the wildflowers and trees are putting on their best show. Once you’ve arrived in Marble Falls, stop at Blue Bonnet Café and get yourself a slice of heaven, or pie, as the locals call it. There are at least a dozen different flavors of pie available at any given time. They’re baked fresh daily and topped with a generous amount of whipped cream or meringue. My recommendation? Lemon meringue pie every time. You won’t be disappointed. At this point, you could call it a day. But if you’re a thrill seeker—and you’ve got some extra cash—Marble Falls has a great way to scratch that itch. Head to Hidden Falls Adventure Park, where you can rent dirt bikes and ATVs from an onsite rental company to explore a nearly 3,000acre outdoor playground. Prices start at $125 for 2-hour rentals (trail fees are not included). Fun Fact: Marble Falls elected Texas’ first female mayor, Ophelia “Birdie” Crosby Harwood, in 1917—before women even had the right to vote. Drive time from downtown Liberty Hill (to Balcones Canyonlands): 28 minutes East to Georgetown One of my favorite places in Georgetown is Berry Springs Park and Preserve because of everything it has to offer. Not only can you camp there if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, but you can also spend the better part of a day there. The park has a pecan grove, historic homestead buildings, playground, spring-fed pond and fishing pier, a 2.5-mile nature trail (perfect for bikes and strollers), and donkeys. Yes—two adorable, braying donkeys. Bring an apple or a few carrots, and they’ll be your best friends. Keep in mind that the park asks that you only feed them fresh fruit or vegetables, and no more than one a piece. Fishing at the park hasn’t brought me any luck thus far, but it is relaxing. The catch-and-release pond is full of vegetation, which the fish love, but makes fishing a little more difficult for the youngest anglers. I’ve never picked pecans at the park, but I have heard through the grapevine that if you’re there during pecan season in the fall you can pick enough pecans to make your own homemade pecan pie. The park is at 1801 CR 152 in Georgetown and is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. After several hours at the park, chances are you’ll be thirsty. That’s where Rentsch Brewery comes in. The brewery’s taproom is open in the afternoons and evenings Wednesday through Sunday. Not only is Rentsch the first craft brewery in Georgetown, but its production is also 100 percent renewable as all the beer is brewed via the City of Georgetown’s wind powered energy grid. In addition to great beer (I recommend the Rentsch Radler, the brewery’s hefeweizen mixed with lemonade), a different food truck is on site nearly every evening with fare ranging from

seafood and pizza to tacos and sandwiches. The brewery also boasts a completely fenced in beer garden, which is great for kids and dogs alike. Families can hang out, play lawn games and enjoy live music under the stars on most nights. Rentsch Brewery is located at 2500 North East Inner Loop in Georgetown. Fun Fact: Georgetown is considered the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas.” Seeds from poppies in Europe were sent to Georgetown by an American soldier to his mother shortly after World War I ended. Seeds have since spread across the town and now bloom every April. Drive time from downtown Liberty Hill (to Berry Springs): 27 minutes West to Burnet One of the best ways to start a day in Burnet is going through the drive-thru at Mojo Coffee. After getting a little pick-me-up (I recommend the Riser or the Aloha), head to Longhorn Cavern State Park. The park offers 90-minute guided tours through the cavern nearly every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket prices range from $12 to $16 depending on age. Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes if you plan to take the tour (strollers not recommended). Other points of interest at this state park include the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) museum and observation tower. The CCC cleared the cavern of debris and built the park’s facilities as well as the scenic byway accessing it in the 1930s. If you’re up for even more walking, the park also has a half-mile nature trail and a 1.5-mile hiking trail through oak and juniper country. Picnic tables, a gift shop and snack bar round out this park’s offerings. Longhorn Cavern State Park is located six miles west of US Highway 281 on Park Road 4. After your cave tour, go for lunch at the BarB-Q Shak on State Highway 29. This joint is only open for lunch Wednesday through Saturday, but is well worth a stop if you’re in town. I recommend the brisket, which is done just right. If you need another dining option, check out Mama’s Home Cooking, which is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you dine here, know that the portions are large and the food really does taste like mama’s home cooking. If you’re not sure what to order, the chicken fried steak is always a safe and delicious bet. Mama’s is located at 200 S. West Street. Round out your day in Burnet at the Highland Lakes Squadron WWII Aircraft and Museum where you can get up close and personal with vintage WWII aircraft. Keep in mind the museum is only open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but it’s well worth a drive-by even if it’s not open as several impressive planes are parked right outside. The museum is located at the airport in Burnet, at 2302 S. Water Street. Fun Fact: While you’re at Longhorn Cavern, make sure to climb to the top of the observation tower to catch a glimpse of the Falkenstein Castle, a Bavarian-style castle built in the mid1990s. Although the castle is a private residence, the owners do rent it out for weddings and other special events. Drive time from downtown Liberty Hill (to Mojo): 25 minutes

RACHEL MADISON PHOTOS

(TOP) Stairs lead down to the entrance of Longhorn Cavern, a cave created over thousands of years by the dissolving and cutting action of water on the limestone bedrock. Ninety-minute tours of the cave are available nearly every day of the year. (ABOVE) Hancock Springs Park in Lampasas is home to the oldest free-flowing spring pool in Texas, which keeps the water at a constant cool 69 degrees.

Fruit

Continued from Page 17

be picked by customers, most freshly picked vegetables are available only at the orchard stand until sold out. With few exceptions, the orchard is open at 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. Occasionally, they have to close for a full day to insure they have the ripest, best tasting fruit available so customers are asked to call (830) 997-9433 to check their recorded message. More informational can be found at http://marburgerorchard.com/ Sweet Eats Fruit Farm - Georgetown In Williamson County, Sweet Eats Fruit Farm is a fruit-picking wonderland, which has been offering a whole family experience since 2013. Situated at 14400 E. State Hwy 29 about 15 miles east of Georgetown, this farm lets you pick or select from already picked fruit. Fresh eggs are also available. Fruit options include strawberries, nectarines, pears, peaches, plums, and in the fall, pecans and pumpkins. Generally, strawberry harvest begins late February or March through May while peaches and nectarines are available

May through August. Fall Fest runs September – November with pecan foraging November through December. While most people come by to get fresh fruit, they are innately drawn to all the activities offered on the grounds throughout the growing season. You name it and they have it from the expected pony rides, face painting, petting zoo, farm animals, hay maze, and bounce house to the unexpected zip-lines, gem mining, an obstacle course, scavenger hunts, bull roping, and live music. The farm is also a party and wedding venue and is available for group and school tours. In addition, day camps are provided for cooperative outside learning and play on the farm. Sweet Eats Fruit Farm is open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission into the activities section of the farm is $12/kids, $10/ adults, and kids under 2 are free. Additional information is available at www.sweeteats.com or by calling (512) 766-3276.

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

Gardening

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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benefit from 40 percent shade cloth. The Master Gardener stressed the need to check for insects in the soils before planting and to always mulch. Bowman recommended that gardeners reference https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/ for a complete vegetable planting guide listing vegetables and appropriate planting times. Bowman emphasized that tomatoes, in particular, will thrive if planted when temperatures do not exceed 95 degrees in the day and are not below 75 degrees at night. She suggested a special recipe for planting tomatoes, which may be grown in the ground, in containers or her preference, raised beds because of central Texas’ rocky soils. The recipe includes mixing into the planting hole the following items: two shovels of good compost, one cup of corn meal, one cup of agriculture dry molasses, one cup of cottonseed from a feed store, and two tablespoons of Epson salt. Before planting, the Master Gardener suggests adding 1-2 teaspoons of Mycorrhiza to the roots of each tomato plant after removing it from the pot to enhance plant efficiency in absorbing water and nutrients from the soil. Next, the plant should be planted as deep as possible after removing all but the top three leaves. Finally, the tomato plant should be watered with seaweed mix as directed by the container. Bowman cautioned gardeners to refrain from adding other ingredients that would make the soil more alkaline, but did suggest a cage and row cover be placed around the sides of the cage for wind protection. For better flavor, she recommends planting the heirloom tomato plant, but added that hybrids produce more fruit. The daily vigil for pests begins once planting is completed. “All insects are easier to kill when young,”

Bowman said. While some are easier to spot than others, most can be treated with strong water spray, organic insecticidal products, or simply picking them off like tomato horned worms. “Consider using a mesh cover to keep the produce safe if the plant doesn’t have to be pollinated,” she added. “All greens don’t need to be pollinated.” When it comes to landscaping, gardeners are encouraged to use native or adaptive plants that are drought tolerant and can manage through the summer heat. Despite their hardiness, they can still fall victim to deer. “If hungry, deer will eat anything,” said Bowman. “Some of the most deer resistant plants are those with a strong smell like rosemary, sages, salvias, ornamental grasses, and agaves.” A thorough list of native and adaptive plants including Earthkind Roses, maintained by the Texas Agri-Life Extension Office, is accessible at http://texassuperstar.com/ The Texas Master Gardeners (TXMG) of Williamson County provides a multitude of activities. The group offers monthly informational meetings and hands-on activities, has a speaker’s bureau available to area organizations, and operates a gardening helpline at williamsonhelpdesk@agnet.tamu.edu. In addition, a comprehensive training program is available to be certified as a Texas Master Gardener. The new class, set to begin in August, is offered for a $250 fee that includes the classes, a manual, field training, and dues. Activities following completion of the course include a host of community agencies such as Operation Liberty Hill with their community gardens. Through their efforts, over 7,500 pounds of fresh produce have been donated.

IF IT'S HAPPENING, YOU'LL FIND IT HERE.

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Name Address City/State/Zip Phone Email Address Mail to: The Liberty Hill Independent | PO Box 1235, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Call us at (512) 778-5577 to purchase subscription with credit card or pay at www.LHIndependent.com

Dr. Ben Menke, PT, DPT, OCS

Understanding Pain

(512) 778-6700

Stress responses to pain

It’s now been found conclusively in scientific studies that stress contributes to pain. Of course, most of us already knew this intuitively through our own life experience. As a physical therapist, I hear patients link their symptoms to stress all the time. But for those of you who might have thought you were just making it up or being overly psychosomatic, the good news is, you’re not crazy! At least not in that way. It works like this. Imagine you’re sitting in your living room watching your favorite show on TV. For me right now that would be March Madness (poor Longhorns!). And life is good. All your bodily systems are relaxed. When, all of a sudden, a massive roaring African lion jumps into the room! What would you do? Would you take a nap? Check your posture? Worry about the food in your stomach? Try to fight infection? Of course not, there’s a lion in the room! In your body there are various bodily systems: musculoskeletal, digestive, immune, reproductive, etc. When life is good, they’re evenly balanced. When a threat enters (be it a lion or a pain experience), the systems shift. They prioritize tasks that help you deal with the threat. You’re ready to run or fight, you’re wideawake, and restoration tasks like healing are put on hold. This is normal and happens to all of us. If we liken the lion to pain, and add all the other issues we face when dealing with pain, like anxiety, fear, strained relationships, confusion, de-socialization, the lion gets even bigger. From the moment you wake up, there is a big lion in your life. All your bodily systems ramp up to

Fitness

protect you, and they work overtime, so it follows you everywhere. With all this stress, an increased amount of stress chemicals and no “down time”, you may start seeing other adverse effects including mood swings, problems sleeping, unusual fatigue, sore and sensitive tissues, difficulty thinking clearly, low libido, changes in appetite, among other things. Clearly, this can lead to more than just your own self being affected; it affects those around you as well. Now, what would you do if a cute little lion cub came into the room? Unless you have a major phobia of lions, you probably wouldn’t freak out. You may even want to pet it. What does this mean? With a smaller threat, the stress system and stress chemicals do not activate as intensely because the situation is more manageable. Knowing more about your pain – how it works, what it means, and how to relate to it – can help turn a roaring lion into a lion cub. Knowledge really is power. Education is therapy. With increased knowledge of pain, the system can return to balance and you can get back to enjoying March Madness. Dr. Ben Menke, PT, DPT, OCS, is clinic director at Texas Physical Therapy Specialists in Liberty Hill. TexPTS offers same-day, no obligation, free screens to anyone who’d like to learn whether physical therapy might be right for them.

Continued from Page 33

The Fire will have something offered almost every day during the summer and they plan to have a few things on some weekends as well. The website for scheduling and other information is www.countryfirevolleyball.com “We will have a few weekend offerings,” he said. “Go to our website and click on camps and clinics. There, families can see things specific to the age group of their child. All of our events will be listed and they can pick which different camps and clinics they would like to attend. Most of

our camps are roughly four weeks. We also offer several clinics that will be roughly an hour, which we call power hour.” Teamwork is a large part of growing as an athlete and student and Tuggle said it is a big part of what they teach in his programs. “We do everything as a team,” he said. “They learn to get on the court and play together as a team. It gives them the chance to interact with other girls in the community and build those relationships.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Celebrate Easter With the Churches of Liberty Hill Your guide to Liberty Hill's church service schedules and events.

MARCH 25

Cross Tracks Church

101 Church Street Palm Sunday Service 9am & 11am

Hope City Church

Rancho Sienna Elementary Palm Sunday Celebration Breakfast 9am MARCH 30

Cross Tracks Church 101 Church Street Good Friday Service 7pm

Fellowship Church 3600 RR 1869 Good Friday Service 7pm

MARCH 31

The Grove

811 Loop 332 Easter Gathering 5pm APRIL 1

Cross Tracks Church 101 Church Street Easter Sunrise Service & Brunch 7am

Cross Tracks Church 101 Church Street Easter Egg Hunt 9:30am

Cross Tracks Church 101 Church Street Sunday School & Easter Service 10am & 11am

Fellowship Church

3600 RR 1869 Easter Sunday Service 8:30am, 9:45am & 11am

Fellowship Church

3600 RR 1869 Special Kid Event & Easter Egg Hunt 9:45am & 11am

APRIL 1

APRIL 6

Williamson County Cowboy Church

St. Andrew Orthodox Church

Mission Liberty Hill Lutheran Church

APRIL 7

8355 RR 1869 Easter Service & Egg Hunt 10:30am

15725 Hwy 29 Easter Sunday Service 10am

Union Hall Baptist Church 301 CR 259 Easter Sunday Brunch 10am

Union Hall Baptist Church

301 CR 259 Service & Special Choir Music 11:15am

The Grove

811 Loop 332 Easter Gathering 9am & 10:30am

5205 CR 236 Lamentations Service 7pm

St. Andrew Orthodox Church 5205 CR 236 Divine Liturgy 9am

St. Andrew Orthodox Church 5205 CR 236 Nocturns and Divine Liturgy of Pascha 11pm APRIL 8

St. Andrew Orthodox Church 5205 CR 236 Agape Vespers 1pm

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

Lessons from childhood summer memories

By KATIE AMSLER Advertising Director As I was cleaning out the garage, organizing my kids’ sports equipment and toys in preparation for the warmer months, I came across my favorite childhood toy—homemade stilts. Growing up, we didn’t get the latest new toys for our birthdays. As a matter of fact, we rarely even got presents for the holidays. Instead we had special dinners and game nights. Presents were a big treat. My dad was a plumbing contractor, and one summer night much to our surprise, he came home with leftover wood from a construction site he was working on. He got out his tools, measured all five of us kids and began crafting away until we had five pairs of custom stilts just the right size. He used leftover spray paint to paint the stilts. When my older brother, Ben, turned 5, my parents saved to buy him a shiny, red bike with training wheels. When I turned 5, they took me to the store to pick out my favorite color spray paint. They painted the bike lavender for me. My younger sister, Allison, chose green. Maggie chose pink, and Griffin chose blue. It was a rite of passage we all looked forward to. Not only did the bike last for 10 years through five kids, but so

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Buena Vida Ranch

YOUR GOOD LIFE STARTS HERE

SITE BUILT HOMES AND BARNDOMINIUMS ONLY KATIE AMSLER PHOTO

did the spray paint. My dad used that spray paint to paint our stilts. We spent every summer racing down the driveway on those stilts. They were so special to me that I still have them, and every once in a while my kids will pull them out of the garage. Every time I see them, I’m reminded of a different time when small things brought such happiness. Every summer I vow to do better at living simply, utilizing my resources, only buying what’s necessary, and teaching my children to live within their means.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

FAMILY by KATIE AMSLER

Thursday, March 22, 2018

LIBERTY HILL, TX

road trip

Spring Break in Austin has always been one of my very favorite weeks. We have the rodeo, SXSW, swimming holes and beautiful weather! I plan for weeks. I’ve spent the last sixteen Spring Breaks discovering the quirkiest, most unique Austin experiences with my kids. I’ve woken them up at 3am to drive downtown and see bands that I knew would make it someday. We’ve fought crowds to take selfies with llamas. We’ve met celebrities, walked on water, eaten chips from a 62-foot Dorito vending machine and taken naps in trailers on 4th Street. But here’s the thing. My kids are 17, 14, and 9 now, and they’re starting to think my adventures aren’t that cool anymore. They’d rather sit around with their friends and stare at their phones than hang out with their uncool mom. One day a few months ago, it hit me. My kids are going to bail on me for Spring Break this year. I can’t let that happen! We have traditions to uphold! In my panicked discovery, I told my husband Aaron “We have to go somewhere for Spring Break. Somewhere without cell service!” I could see his

eyes roll in his brain. You see, I’ve already planned several trips this year. Aaron would always prefer to stay home, and he has lovingly nicknamed me “Go, Go, Gosh Darn, Go”—but with a few not as nice words thrown in there. After realizing he couldn’t talk me out of it, he finally agreed under one condition. I had to pay for the trip out of my bank account. For a second I thought he had me, because let’s face it, my account is never exactly overflowing. Dang HEB. But I looked him square in the eye and said “Challenge Accepted.” I saw fear come across his face as he realized that I was going to make it happen, and there probably wouldn’t be 5-star hotels involved. The first thing I did was call my BFF Greta. She’s the “she” to my “nanigans,” and she’s always up for an adventure. We researched and researched, and in the depths of pages 12 & 13 of our Google search results, we formed a plan. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the most epic and budget-friendly road trip of all road trips!

FRUITY PEBBLE MORNING MUFFINS 2 cups bread flour 3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup softened butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup milk 1 cup Fruity Pebbles

BUTTERSCOTCH POPCORN 1/2 cup popcorn 1cup light brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add flour mixture to mixing bowl. Slowly add the milk until combined. Fold in the Fruity Pebbles. Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are golden brown.

Instructions Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a 14 x 10-inch roasting pan. Pop the popcorn. Sift out unpopped kernels, and put popcorn in a very large bowl. Bring brown sugar, corn syrup and butter to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butterscotch chips, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt until blended and smooth. Pour syrup over popcorn, stirring to coat thoroughly. Pour mixture into

“ F

DAY ONE Liberty Hill to Marfa, TX (7 hours) - Marfa, TX is a small town of about 2000 people in far West Texas. Culture meets Cowboy in this quirky, art-filled town where people gather to live a simpler life. We left Liberty Hill while it was still dark at 6am, which was perfect because the kids slept in the car for a couple of hours. Our goal was to eat snacks for breakfast, and reach Marfa in time for lunch. We drove through the Hill Country and headed west on I-10 with minimal bathroom breaks. We went south on US-67, and took a quick detour east on US-90. I told my family I needed to stop at Target. What they didn’t know was that we were really going to “Tiny Target”—an art installation that sits on the side of the road in a remote area. Tiny Target is a small shell of a building, with the

pan. Bake 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, cool mixture in pan about 15 minutes. Turn mixture out of pan onto wax paper to cool completely. Break popcorn into smaller pieces. VEGGIE TURKEY ROLLUPS 6 slices Turkey Breast 2 tablespoons hummus 6 slices of red bell pepper (cut into strips) 6 cucumber slices (cut into strips) 6 carrot slices (cut into strips) Instructions Stack two slices of turkey on top of each other. Spread a spoonful of hummus in the center of the turkey. Add 2 strips of red pepper, cucumber, and carrot. Roll the turkey up, being sure to tuck the veggies in the middle.

Target logo on the front. There is nothing inside the building, unless you count a red wasp nest and some trash. I just couldn’t pass up the chance to snap a picture at this MARFA, TX

Tiny Targ US 9 et 0 Al pine , TX

ROAD SNACKIN'

In th ju b A U th H th a d st a al 2 in J ri st o w ro w M $ ca S in w cr h w n k cr m S d ro sn “W W b th e yu si sk n

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 39

WHITE SANDS, NM

DAY TWO Day 2 –Marfa, TX to White Sands, NM (4 hours) and White Sands, NM to El Paso, TX (1.5 hours) - White Sands, NM is home to White Sands National Monument, one of the world’s greatest national wonders. White Sands encompasses 275 miles of giant wave-like sand dunes.

“Gre e Fra tings” ma a t Tu mural o mbl ut Mar eweed side of fa, T Lau ndr X y.

rf a , TX Ma e da ntin a r e P l Va 90

VALENTINE, TX

Instagram-worthy destination. Despite the groans from everyone, the girls jumped out for a quick photo op, before heading west through Alpine. As we drove past Sul Ross State University, everyone looked up to see the infamous desk that sits on top of Hancock Hill. The desk was hauled up the hill in 1981 by students looking for a quiet place to study. Although the desk has been replaced four times, it still houses a notebook that serves as a diary for visitors to leave inspirational quotes and thoughts. The desk is a 20-minute hike up the hill and has an incredible view of the desert. Just as planned, we drove into Marfa right around 1:00. We knew we had to stop at the Food Shark trailer, a cashonly Mediterranean food truck, when we saw that the line was out to the road. The hour-long wait was well worth the falafel, Greek salad and Mexican Coke, and the dollar coin and $2 bill for change were icing on the cake. Since we still had time before check in, we stopped by Frama at Tumbleweed Laundry for coffee and ice cream. To get to the café portion, we had to walk through the laundromat, where each dryer was labeled with names like “Bert”and “Gilbert.” The kids were thrilled to find not only ice cream, but wifi and board games. The menu on the wall was created out of Scrabble pieces, and our barista was dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit with roller skates. Before leaving, we snapped a photo in front of the “Welcome to Marfa” sign outside. We checked in to El Cosmico, a bohemian West Texas nomadic hotel that attracts adventurers and wanderers. El Cosmico is home to trailers, yurts, tepees, safari tents and campsites, and sits under the wide-open sky. We stayed in Safari tents ($120 per night), and each tent has a queen-size

Whit e S an ds, N M

bed with an electric blanket, linens, light and a power outlet. After unpacking, browsing the gift shop, exploring, resting, throwing the football around, and soaking in the guacamole bowl-shaped hot tubs, we had dinner at Stellina, followed by a viewing of the Marfa Mystery Lights. The Marfa Lights, mysterious glowing orbs that appear in the desert, have mystified people for generations. The lights can vary in color--white, blue, yellow or red. They can flash, twinkle, or dart through the sky. No one knows the origin of the lights. Some say they are reflections from headlights or campfires. Others think they are paranormal. My group saw flashing red and white lights that kept us guessing until we fell asleep under the constellations in our tents. The next morning, we packed up and had breakfast at Marfa Burritos before jumping back on the road. Everything at Marfa Burritos is handmade—from the tortillas to the two types of salsa. Ramona, the owner, is known as the Burrito Queen of Marfa. The food is delicious, but there’s just one kick—you have to order in Spanish. We couldn’t stop laughing, as one by one, the kids pulled out their best Spanish accents at the order window. We were all sad to leave Marfa. We fell in love with the simplicity, eccentricity and the big open sky.

We pulled out of Marfa around noon, and headed west on US-90. Thirty minutes down the road in Valentine, TX, we pulled over to take photos at Prada Marfa. Prada Marfa, like Tiny Target, is an art installation on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Designed by an artistic team from Berlin, Prada Marfa was meant to be a “pop architectural land art project.” It is built out of biodegradable substances that will slowly melt back into the Earth, serving as a criticism of modern consumerism. Despite the deep meaning behind the installation, the mood was quite light, as people from all over pulled over on the side of the road and took turns posing in front of the store. Behind Prada Marfa is a “love lock wall” where visitors can place a lock on a fence to commemorate their love in Valentine, TX. A little further down the road, we passed a giant, white blimp-shaped object on the side of the road. A quick Google search taught us that the blimp is actually a Tethered Aerostat Radar System, or TARS. It is used to help US Customs search the sky for suspicious aircraft activity along the Texas/Mexico border. It floats up to 12,000 feet in the air and uses high powered radar to help catch illegal smuggling of contraband across the border. We continued on through the big blue sky towards El Paso, where we found a hotel room at The Doubletree ($114 per night), a spot known as being one of the best places to watch the

sunrise in El Paso. We dropped our bags off, went to a grocery store to get food to grill hamburgers, packed the cooler, and drove another hour and a half to White Sands National Monument. When we arrived at the national monument, we stopped by the Visitor’s Center to purchase sand sleds and wax. New sleds are $18.99 and used sleds are $10. We also found people standing outside selling sleds for $5 so they didn’t have to take them home. We bought sleds for the kids, and headed into the park. Gate admission is $5 for ages 16 and over. Under 16 is free. There is an 8-mile drive to get to the tallest and steepest sand dunes. The further you drive, the better the surfing. We found a spot next to a bbq grill, and the kids ran up the hills as fast as they could. After waxing the bottom of the boards, they soared down the sand dunes. Some used boards and some just rolled down. They ran, surfed, played and laughed for a couple of hours while we watched the sun fall behind the mountains. We timed our visit to capture the sunset colors, and we were mesmerized by the beauty. While the kids and moms played, the dad grilled, and we finished our adventure with a picnic. We dusted off the tired kids, and drove back to our hotel in El Paso. The plan was to let the kids swim in the heated pool to get all of the sand off, but everyone was too tired, so we quickly crashed.

FAVORITE MEMORIES “My favorite place was White Sands. Me and Lily tried to make sand mounds, and then we rolled down the hill to see who could run over the most.” – Allie Amsler, Age 9 “My favorite moment was listening to live music at Tin Valley because I got to hear some of my favorite old songs!” –Abbie Amsler, Age 17 “My favorite thing was hiking Rattlesnake Ridge at Tin Valley. I made it up 25 feet before my dad saw me and yelled at me to come down. I don’t know why he made me come down. I didn’t even see a rattlesnake.” - Bryant Amsler, Age 14 “My favorite memories were grilling dinner for everyone and making sure the food was just right.” – Aaron Amsler

“My favorite thing we did was sledding at White Sands. The sand felt amazing on my feet.” – Sam Walsh, Age 14 “My favorite memories were the kids laughing and playing without the use of electronics.” – Kori Walsh “My favorite moments were dinners at night together full of good food and laughter, seeing the brightest night sky imaginable, and sleeping under the electric blanket in the freezing cold.” – Greta Walsh “My favorite part was seeing the marfa lights because it was funny listening to people trying to ﬁgure out what they were. I also liked ordering breakfast burritos in Spanish.” – Grace Walsh, Age 16

See ROAD TRIP, Page 40

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

DAY THREE Day 3 –El Paso, TX to Terlingua, TX (4.5 hours) - Terlingua is a Texas ghost town right on the Mexico border, surrounded by Big Bend National Park. After opening the curtains and watching the sunrise from our hotel room, we took our time packing our bags and getting on the road. El Paso is known as the “Tex-Mex Capital of the World,” so we started our morning with breakfast at their crown jewel—L&J Café. We stuffed ourselves with omelets, queso and pancakes, and headed back east on US-90. We drove until we reached Alpine, where we stopped to fill our coolers with food to grill for dinner. From Alpine, we headed south on Hwy 118. Cell phone service and gas stations were non-existent from this point, so we had to be prepared and map out our route ahead of time. We had reservations at Tin Valley Retro Rentals, just north of Terlingua, through Airbnb. Although our original plan was to spend time in Big Bend and Terlingua, Tin Valley was such a rare find that we couldn’t bear to leave the property. Tin Valley sits on 120 private

acres, surrounded by the solitude of the Big Bend mountains with the magnificence of the Milky Way directly overhead. The property houses 13 unique vehicles that have been converted into camping RVs. We reserved Senorita Mojave (blue school bus from the 50s), Cozy Cactus (1964 RV), The Dragonfly (1946 vintage RV), Franny (1972 school bus covered in graffiti), and The Cuddle Bug (VW bug on a stick that spins like a merry-goround). We also found a tepee, land yacht, and other RVs—each with its own personality and décor. The rentals range from $20 - $80 a night. The unique sleeping accommodations were just part of the charm. The entire property was full of tiny details that made this a most-memorable evening. Each campsite has a grill, fire pit and chairs. Each also has a bucket of paint and brushes. All guests are encouraged to find a rock to paint and leave at the site. We had so much fun looking at

Liberty Hill Neighbor & REALTOR®

all of the different rocks and coming up with designs for our own. We packed an easel and canvases, which we setup at sunset. Along with painting rocks, the kids each painted a canvas of the mountain scenery—inspired by the book The Glass Castle. My kids quickly befriended one of the adoptable cats on property, which they named Patrick since it was St. Patrick’s Day. We hiked and explored and left pennies on the campsites, per the owner Ronda’s request. She said copper is good for the energy. As the sun went down, we carried our coolers and flashlights down to the Willie Nelson RV, where we were invited to join the locals for live music. The men lit the grill, fired pizzas and grilled steak, and we joined the local potluck. We got comfortable in lawn chairs, made new friends, and tapped our feet to the music. The husband and wife duo, with bare feet and tie-dyed shirts, kept us entertained with everything from local Terlingua songs to Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball. When the music died down, we trekked back to our campsite—pointing out stars along the way. We slept through a rainstorm and woke up with

Thursday, March 22, 2018

T in

Val le y Re Ter lin tro Re gua n , TX tals TERLINGUA, TX

the sunrise. Before we could leave, we had one last thing to do. The inside of each camper was adorned with quotes, poetry, stories and lyrics. We each thought of something meaningful to write on the walls of our camper as we came to the end of our road-trip. We drove 8 hours back home to Liberty Hill with full hearts, serene minds, and a few sore backs from the mattresses in the RVs. We made memories to last a lifetime, and we were reminded that sometimes the best adventures come with the smallest price tags.

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Shelley’s energy originates with people whether she is helping buyers or sellers every step of the way, networking with REALTORS® across the country, or dedicating time to her heart’s cause of raising public awareness as Chair of the Texas Coalition for Bleeding Disorders. She relishes getting to know her clients on a personal level so she can provide the most assistance possible during a momentous time in their lives. Shelley is described by clients as hardworking, dedicated and compassionate, and is always available and ready to listen. She loves her home of Liberty Hill and finds no greater joy than helping her neighbors and community members navigate Central Texas’ fast-moving real estate market!

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 41

IN THE KITCHEN FRUIT PIZZA

WHAT YOU NEED: 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookies 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

FRUIT ROLL-UPS

Assorted fresh fruit, such as: kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, pineapple, and oranges Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 12 inch pizza pan; press sugar cookie dough into the bottom. Bake sugar cookie dough for around 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow cookie to cool completely. In a large mixing bowl; beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Evenly spread over the top of the sugar cookie and add fruit toppings. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving for best results.

BANANA POPS

WHAT YOU NEED: 5 large bananas 10 wooden sticks 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Assorted toppings: sprinkles, nuts, coconut, etc. Peel the bananas and cut them in half so you have 10 banana pieces. Skewer the cut end of each banana with a wooden stick, inserting it in until it’s stable. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper, and place the bananas on the baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in 30-second increments. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Place your toppings in shallow bowls and have them nearby–the chocolate hardens quickly, so you’ll want them to be easily accessible. When your chocolate is melted and your toppings are ready, remove the bananas from

WHAT YOU NEED: 3-5 cups of fruit Sugar or sweetener of choice

the freezer. Hold one banana over the bowl of chocolate. Use a large spoon (a small ladle works well for this purpose) and spoon a generous amount of chocolate over the banana, rotating it and spooning on more chocolate until it’s covered. It’s important to work quickly, since the chocolate will start to set soon after it touches the cold banana. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Quickly move the banana over one of the bowls of toppings, and sprinkle the toppings over the banana, letting the extra drop back into the bowl. Place the banana back on the baking tray, and repeat until all of the bananas are coated with chocolate. The frozen bananas can now be served. If you won’t be eating them right away, store them in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag in the freezer. If you are serving them straight from the freezer, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving, for the best taste and texture.

Preheat oven to 170. Line a cookie sheet that has a lip with plastic wrap (be sure to overlap your sides). Puree your fruit in food processor or blender until a smooth consistency. Add sweetener of your choice and sweeten to taste. Pour mixture on to prepared cookie sheet about 1/8" thick. Bake for 6-8 hours. The center should be no longer tacky. Lift plastic wrap out of cookie sheet and place on the counter top to cool. Flip over onto parchment paper. Remove plastic wrap. Cut into strips and roll. Store in an air tight container.

RAINBOW FRUIT KABOBS Add assorted fresh fruit to toothpicks or wooden skewers for fun rainbow kabobs! Serve plain or with dip of choice.

PHOTO CREDITS: Fruit Pizza photo by MustHaveMom.com, Banana Pops recipe & photo by Sugarhero.com, Fruit Roll-Ups recipe & photo by DomesticallyBlissful.com, Rainbow Fruit Kabobs photograph by ChocolateCoveredKatie.com

Page 42

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, March 22, 2018 Page 45

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Lauren Macias (#6) follows through on a hit against Taylor on March 15. Macias led the Panthers offensively with a perfect four-for-four performance at the plate that included four singles and two RBIs.

Panthers annihilate Taylor to remain undefeated in district

By KEITH SPARKS Sports Editor The Liberty Hill softball team remained undefeated in district play with yet another annihilation of a district opponent with a 12-0 win over the Taylor Ducks on March 14. The Panthers took control from the get-go, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never looking back. The Panthers went scoreless in the second, scored two in the third, went scoreless in the fourth, scored two in the fifth, went scoreless in the sixth, then scored three in the seventh to seal it. Lauren Macias and Ashton Dirner led the way offensively, as Macias went four for four at the plate with four singles and two RBIs and Dirner went four for five at the plate with two singles, two doubles, and four RBIs. Carissa Garza made an impact, as well, going three for five with a single, two doubles, and two RBIs. Jessika Truax hit a double and two RBIs, and Kandyn Faurie Ashley Gatlin, and Cheyenne Floyd each got hits, as well. Head Coach Kristen Brewer couldn’t argue with the results, but admitted that she would have liked to see more intensity from her girls. The lack of intensity likely had a lot to do with their game taking place in the middle of Spring Break, considering it had to be moved forward from March 16 to March 15, which led to the absence of a few varsity starters. “I think we could have come in a little bit

better intensity-wise,” Brewer said, “but the outcome of what we did, we’re really happy with, obviously. We were missing a handful of players due to it being Spring Break. Logan Oehler, our catcher, was out of state on a school trip, and Ireland Sargent, our normal left fielder right now, was out of state with her family. Everyone else that was here was able to step up. We talked to our team about it after the game. The only thing that we were looking for a little bit more of was intensity, but that’s not to knock anything that we did.” The lack of tough district competition thus far doesn’t come as a complete surprise to Head Coach Kristen Brewer, considering the results of district play last season and what’s taken place early on this season. There are two teams, however, that could prove tough for the Panthers in district play, neither of which they’ve had an opportunity to play, yet. “We figured, looking at previous scores and seeing what everybody else has done that our biggest competition in district was probably looking like Salado and Lampasas,” Brewer said. “Looking ahead, that’s why we’ve tried to keep a harder preseason, because I think that’s more what’s going to help us get ready as far as looking toward playoffs, than what actually district is going to do for us.” After facing Salado in a road game on Tuesday, the Panthers will play Llano at 6:45 p.m. on Friday at Llano High School.

Head Football Coach Jeff Walker addresses his team during an offseason workout. Walker opted to take it relatively easy on the team during last year’s offseason, so as not to ruffle any feathers early on. This season, however, he isn’t pulling any punches during his first full offseason with the Panthers.

Walker shaking things up in first full offseason at Head Coach

By KEITH SPARKS Sports Editor In the spring of 2017 -- Jeff Walker’s first offseason as Liberty Hill’s Head Football Coach -he opted to focus more on getting to know his players than completely upending their offseason program. In a lot of ways, this is his first true offseason as the Panthers’ Head Coach. “Early on, I was just taking it in with the kids,” Walker said. “When you come in when I did, you don’t want to come in and rewrite the books. I came in and, yeah, at least the first month I was just seeing where they’re at, what they’re doing, just trying to find out a little bit more about them and be a little more observant, I guess, than as proactive as I am right now.” Now that he’s had the opportunity to get to know his players and what they’re capable of, Walker is upping the intensity in the weight room and on the track. “I’m trying to turn up the intensity quite a bit,” Walker said. “I’ll continue to do that all the way into the summer. You can’t run them off before you get to know them, which was my worry. I didn’t know what they’d been doing the last few years, so I didn’t want to run them off, so my intensity level and our expectations probably weren’t as high as they are right now as far as what we demand from them and what we’re trying to get out of them.” This offseason isn’t solely about the Panthers getting stronger and faster, physically, but it’s also about improving upon their mental toughness.

“We’re using our offseason to see if we can get them mentally tougher, too,” Walker said. “A lot of our offseason is a mental game, and last year I was pretty much just trying to see who they were and what they were about. This year, I’m trying to get them out of their comfort zone and let them know it’s okay to be there. Just pushing them a little harder, I guess. I’m not as worried about feelings.” Last year, Walker spent much of the offseason simply observing his players and learning what they had been through during their previous offseasons. This year, however, he’s actually leading his own group in the weight room and getting more involved in the day-to-day operations. For some, the offseason may not seem as important as football season from the outside looking in, but Walker made it clear that for the players, their effort in the offseason can improve or tank their standing with the coaching staff, heavily affecting their chances of making it to varsity and starting or sitting on the bench. “100 percent, and I tell them that this is when they make our football team,” Walker said. “They’re trying out every day for the football team. You can find out a lot about a kid when he doesn’t think he can do one more thing and you can make him do 10 more. Some will quit, some will fight through it, and some will find a way, so there’s no doubt, especially from here on out.” The reasoning behind the importance that Walker places on offseason workouts is pretty simple.

See OFFSEASON, Page 48

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

LHHS defeats Alvarado 5-1 in non-district tune-up

SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO

Freshman Athena Brown (#4) gets her head on the ball during the Panthers’ 5-1 win over Alvarado on March 16. Coach Darren Bauer scheduled the non-district matchup as a tune up for their upcoming playoff run.

By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer The varsity girls picked up a 5-1 win over Alvarado last Friday night. The non-district soccer exhibition game was scheduled by Head Coach Darren Bauer after district play came to an end due to the long layoff before the 2018 playoffs start. Bauer said it was another strong performance from his team, but the mid-day heat was definitely a factor. “It was a hot day for us, because we played the game at noon,” Bauer said. “It was a lot hotter than either team was used to playing. Due to the heat, we had the game plan that we wanted to possess. We wanted to make them work on defense, that way we could tire them down. We wanted them to neither have the will nor the legs to keep up an attack in the heat.” Heading into the game, Bauer said he wanted to see his team show patience. “The girls possessed well and played the game very patiently,” he said. “We possessed a lot better than we had in the last few previous games. When you are patient and wait for openings, good things happen. We put a goal away 15 minutes into the game. After that, we scored a couple more and the game was pretty much over due to the heat and the way we possessed.” Liberty Hill took a 3-0 lead into halftime and never looked back. Kyla Boliek scored two goals to lead the team on the offensive end. Maddie Dube, Brooke Briscoe and Madi Fuller each scored a goal in the win, as well. Briscoe also had three assists while Fuller and Lauren Castillo each had one. “In the second half, we stuck to the same game plan and had a lot of possession out of the back,” Bauer said. “It was good to see the girls be that patient and make the other team work. We gave up a goal, but I guess I can forgive them giving up a goal every now

and then. They all played very well in the end, so I was happy.” Samantha Carter picked up three saves in the win and Miranda Durkin had one save. Liberty Hill is now 20-2 on the season and moving closer to the start of the 2018 playoffs. “Alvarado is a good team that finished second in their district,” Bauer said. “It was a good test for us to come out and play the way that we did. The intensity level probably could have been a little higher, but with it being Spring Break, it wasn’t terrible. It was definitely higher competition than we have seen in some of our district games.” Liberty Hill will play 6A Vista Ridge Friday night on the road. This will be their last tune-up game before they start counting for real. “Friday night against Vista Ridge, the competition will step up even more,” Bauer said. “With the intensity and level of play against these two teams, we should be ready to go when the playoffs start. Vista Ridge is a talented 6A school, and it will probably be the hardest game we have had to play all year. We have played some other 6A schools this year, but Vista Ridge is good, plain and simple. We scheduled them because we want the competition and need to be ready when we face Wimberley, Boerne or Salado in the playoffs.” In the Bi-District round, Liberty Hill will face Cameron Yoe. A date and time for the game has not yet been set. “From what I have gathered, they are more of a counter attack team, similar to Taylor,” Bauer said. “They like to defend and make it hard on their opponents. They hope to hit one or two goals and win 2-0. We have seen that style of play before this season. We should be used to it and just recognize that we need to be patient.”

Melendy shows rapid improvement in tennis By KEITH SPARKS Sports Editor Those who have kept up with Liberty Hill tennis over the last two years have likely noticed the rapid improvements of sophomore Angie Melendy, who missed a large portion of her freshman season due to injury. Those improvements haven’t come by accident. Melendy has put in the work, both during school practices and with another group at Cimarron Hills Country Club, and it’s starting to show. “I’ve put in a lot of work over the summer with my coach at Cimarron,” Melendy said. “Last year, I was out with a medical issue, so this year, my coach and I at Cimarron Hills have been really trying to work up a game. After my medical injury, I really had time to figure out that I really wanted to get better at tennis, so putting in that work definitely helped.” While her game has clearly improved in just about every area, Melendy thinks it’s her serve, in particular, that’s improved the most, allowing her to hold her own against some of the best competition in the district. “I’d say one major thing was my serve, because I couldn’t serve hardly at all last year,” Melendy said. “I still need to work on it, but I really improved there.” Outside of school, Melendy often participates in United States

Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments. The experience she’s gained at those tournaments, during which she started competing against lower talent levels than she typically sees in school tournaments, has given her an advantage during school tennis by allowing her to build on her confidence. “Starting off with lower-level USTA tournaments also helped with building my confidence toward school tennis. Getting more experience with tournaments from USTA has also helped with school.” Lots of high school athletes come home from school exhausted and burned out on whatever sport they happen to be playing at the time. The last thing they want to do is go practice even more. Melendy, on the other hand, can’t get enough tennis. In addition to her workouts at the high school, she has practices at Cimarron Hills every Monday and Wednesday, with an additional private workout after team practice on Wednesday. She also has a close friend that she works out with every Thursday after school, and often participates in USTA tournaments on Saturdays after playing in school tournaments on Fridays. Melendy said her infatuation with tennis increased significantly after watching her fellow Panther tennis players compete at the

See MELENDY, Page 50

LAURA COLEMAN PHOTO

Sophomore tennis player Angie Melendy returns a ball during a Panther tennis tournament. In addition to playing for Liberty Hill High School, Melendy plays in USTA tournaments.

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 47

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

Junior pitcher Cheyenne Floyd (#1) winds up during the Panthers’ win over Burnet on March 9. Floyd threw the first perfect game of her career during Liberty Hill’s 15-0 victory.

Pitcher Abby Covington (#14) prepares to release a pitch against the Temple Wildcats. Covington is the only pitcher on the Panthers’ roster with extensive varsity experience, forcing her to step up as a leader during her junior season.

Panther pitching duo dominating the mound

By KEITH SPARKS Sports Editor The Panther softball team’s pitching rotation looks a bit different than they expected it to at this time last year, thanks to the departure of Amber Wiggins, who transferred schools during the offseason. Head Coach Kristen Brewer said both of her pitchers, juniors Abby Covington and Cheyenne Floyd, have handled it flawlessly. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s been a bump in the road for either one of them,” Brewer said. “Cheyenne worked really hard last year to get to where she is, considering that she pitched JV last year. She had some things to work out to make her pitches more legal. That’s what she worked on all summer, which has earned her the spot where she’s at. Abby is literally just picking up where she left off and has turned out to be a big leader on the team.” Covington admitted that she and Wiggins weren’t particularly close, but said she had a feeling after their State Championship run last year that Wiggins might not be back for their 2018 campaign. Despite the shakeup to their pitching rotation, Covington said she approached this season the

exact same way she approached last season, except this time, her experience has given her more confidence. “I pretty much approached it the same, because it’s the same as playing in any other game with people from school,” Covington said, “but now I have more confidence, because I know what I can do now based on last year.” Floyd doesn’t have last year’s varsity experiences to lean on this season, considering she pitched for the JV team as a sophomore. The biggest difference in this season’s competition, she said, is simply the level of play. “The girls on varsity definitely have a different mindset and take it more seriously, and of course, the competition is a lot higher than JV,” Floyd said. Brewer admitted that she’ll need both Covington and Floyd to step up if they want to make it back to the State Championship this year, explaining that their willingness to concede to one another as well as their ability to finish games solo is a huge advantage for the Panthers. “We’re going to need both of them throughout the season to get back where we want to be, and I think they complement each other well,” Brewer said. “If they need to come in for each

other, they’re willing, but they’re also both able to take care of a game on their own.” Floyd agreed that she and Covington complement each other well, explaining that the two have different strengths and weaknesses, which allows them to work well together. “She definitely has more control than I do,” Floyd said. “We both throw pretty hard, but she’s strong where I’m weak, and I’m strong where she’s weak, so it’s just a good team for us.” Covington, who’s known more for the movement on her pitches, said their different styles on the mound keep opposing hitters off balance. “For her, I’ve seen that she has more speed, and I have more movement,” Covington said. “That’s hard for hitters to catch on to, so if we keep switching up, we’re really able to keep the other teams off balance.” As a pitcher who has already competed at the highest level, Covington is expected to be a leader on the team, particularly for her fellow pitcher. Brewer said she doesn’t necessarily have to say a lot to serve as a role model for Floyd. “Abby is more of a quiet leader, but she leads by example,” Brewer said.

“Getting in there and doing what she’s supposed to do. If something’s not working, going back to the bullpen and correcting herself. We’ve also been working with both of them, and she’s kind of helped by working with Cheyenne with, even though I call the pitches, what to call, and if they start reading it say, ‘Oh, I think we should do this,’ or, ‘This is working better.’ Having more communication. Abby has that a lot more than Cheyenne right now, but she’s stepped into that leader position to be a role model for pitchers coming up.” This year, Covington has a much closer relationship with her fellow pitcher than she did last year, allowing her step into that leadership role more easily. She said in her opinion, one of the few things Floyd needs to improve on is her confidence. “Me and Cheyenne are a lot closer friends, and we get along well,” Covington said. “All she has to do is gain more confidence and we’ll be a good duo together.” Floyd agreed, and said she knows she needs to improve upon her confidence in order to pitch at the level Covington was able to last season. “Mine definitely was all mental, be-

cause I did not have a lot of confidence,” Floyd said. “My biggest issue is confidence, and you have to have confidence as a pitcher, or you will not succeed. That was my biggest thing is being able to tell myself I can play with these girls.” Floyd’s confidence seems to be well on its way, considering she pitched the first perfect game of her career during the Panthers 15-0 shutout over Burnet on March 9. The attention that came with, according to Floyd, was a little overwhelming. “It was definitely overwhelming with all the attention that came to me,” Floyd said. “It was crazy. I did not expect it to turn out that way, but I was very happy with the outcome.” Floyd gave a lot of credit to Covington for serving as her role model and helping her with the transition to varsity, both on and off the mound. “She’s definitely been very accepting and has been helping with the transition to varsity, as well as all the other girls,” Floyd said. “My relationship with her is very good. We get along great, and she definitely helps as far as making it more of a team effort than a competition all the time, so that helps a lot.”

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PANTHER OF THE WEEK

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Athlete Carissa Garza making a difference in two sports

By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer Junior Panther Carissa Garza has played softball for as long as she can remember. She may have been making plays in the State Championship for Liberty Hill last season, but her journey started much earlier. “I started playing baseball and t-ball around the age of three years old,” Garza said. “I started playing travel ball around the age of eight. At 12, I started playing club for the Texas Blaze and I have been with them ever since.” Last season, the center fielder and leadoff batter played a huge role on the Panthers’ road to the State Tournament, and she has that goal firmly in her sights again. “We made it all the way to the State Finals, but came up just short,” Garza said. “I had a good year, hitting-wise, and my speed was a big part of my game when I got on base. We for sure want to get back to where we were last year and finish things off the right way by winning State.” Garza said the team has learned to adjust after losing two major pieces to graduation. “The two seniors we lost from last year were a big part of our team,” she said. “With them gone, we have to adjust. At first, our hitting was not great, but now I feel our hitting has gotten better. Our confidence at the plate has improved and our defense is a lot better. We’ve done a good job adjusting, and I feel we’ll have a good season.” Garza, who also plays guard for the Panther basketball team, recently made the transition from basketball to softball. She made sure to continue working on softball during basketball season, though, so she said the transition was quick. “I play basketball, as well, but softball is my main sport,” she said. “While I was playing basketball, I worked on softball outside of it. You don’t want to come into the next sport without any practice. It was tough on my schedule focusing on both, and there is no downtime in between. My first full day of softball we had a game, so it’s a quick adjustment to make.”

Offseason

Speed and quick judgement are the keys to being a productive center fielder, and Garza has both, but it’s not all about natural talent. She continues to work on those things day in and day out. “When I see the ball in the air, my first thing is to step backwards,” she said. “You never want to run up first, because the ball could go over your head. I step back and track where it’s going. We work on drills over and over again in practice to try and get better. We practice watching the ball come off the bat, so when we get to the game, we’re ready.” So far, the Liberty Hill softball team has been in a groove, winning their first three district games by double digits. The Lady Panthers defeated Burnet 15-0 on Friday, March 9, forcing the Bulldogs to exit early due to the run rule. “We have won all three of our district games so we’re off to a good start so far,” she said. “We run-ruled our rival, Burnet, and that felt really good. Our hitting had not been as great as we wanted it to be, and that night, we figured out who we are. Our approach is to go out every game and set a high standard for ourselves. We go out every game and work to compete against ourselves. We don’t worry about the other team and just try to be better each game.” Garza and her teammates try to do all they can to keep their energy and intensity level high. “When we are high energy, it gives the team more of a confidence boost,” she said. “Hits in softball are contagious. When one person gets a hit, it just keeps going and going. Energy for us is really important to what we do.” Garza said she loves the feeling of putting on her Liberty Hill uniform and taking the field before each game. “It is definitely an honor to represent my school and community,” she said. “We were State Runners Up last year, and people expect a lot from us. Our goal is to get back there and become State Champions. Each time we have a game and I run on the field, I am grateful to be a part of this team.”

Continued from Page 45

If a player shows that he can work hard and push his limits in the weight room, the coaching staff can assume he will do the same on the field. If a player quits when the going gets tough in the weight room, they can assume he will quit on the field, as well. “I can take a kid that’s going to work hard in the weight room and that’s going to work hard out on the track and make them a good football player,” Walker said. “I can’t take somebody that’s not doing the extra stuff they need to be doing. There’s no doubt we can change a young man if he wants to change, but that’s the big thing. They’ve got to want to do it and spend the time it takes to do it. I tell them all the time, ‘I go in the weight room, but I don’t get much stronger.

You’ve got to do something when you’re there.’ We’ve got to get them in there and we’ve got to get to work. The next four months are going to be huge for this program and what we’re going to be next year.” Although many within the high school football ranks wrote Liberty Hill’s senior class of 2018 off, Walker said they were more talented than most anticipated, and their departure will force a lot of younger players to step up after improving during the offseason. “We lost a good senior class,” Walker said. “We’re going to count on some young kids to fill those spots. You may see a few sophomores up there playing that right now are freshmen. It’s asking a lot from them.”

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Center fielder and leadoff batter Carissa Garza (#9) prepares to take a pitch during the Panthers win over Burnet on March 9. Garza’s speed gives her an advantage in the outfield and while running the bases.

Although their official class period may end in May, the offseason doesn’t. Walker said the summer is arguably more important than their spring workouts, because all of their progress can be lost if they don’t keep up with it. “Summer’s going to be big for us, too,” Walker said. “If you devote yourself during the summer, you become great. If you don’t, you lose what you’ve worked for, and it’s like starting over.” On April 23, the Panthers’ workouts will turn into strategy sessions, as the focus will shift from speed and strength training to what’s essentially a 45-minute football practice, where Walker said he’ll “get a lot of talking out of the way,” that he won’t have time for come August. “We’ll try to get a lot of things out of it,” Walker

said. “A lot of it is learning that you don’t want to have to take time in August to do, some simple stuff. It’s a good time for us to be able to slow it down and talk. Come August, we’re in such a rush to become great, it’s go, go, go and we don’t really slow down and catch our breath and walk and talk them through some things that need to be done correctly. Without pads, you can’t tell a lot, but if you get a good feel for them in the weight room and then go out and run to the ball well or they block and come off the ball well, or they seem to have a little wiggle in them at running back, you can start piecing some parts of the puzzle together.” “We don’t win football games in August. We win them right now,” he said.

SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 49

SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTOS

(RIGHT) Starting goalkeeper Parker Sargent (#00) gets up for the save. Sargent and fellow varsity boys’ goalkeeper David Larkin have finished with three straight shutouts in the Panthers’ last three games. (ABOVE) Backup goalkeeper Miranda Durkin (#0) blocks a shot on goal. In the Panthers’ 5-1 win over Alvarado last Friday. Durkin finished with one save.

Panther goalkeepers preparing for playoff push By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer Goalkeepers are a special type of player. They can easily become the hero or the villain of a game, and when you are on a good team, it can be tough to get in on the action. Freshman Samantha Carter has been a goalie since she was six years old and loves the responsibility that comes with the role. “Everyone wanted to be a goalie when we were little, and as we got older, a lot of people stopped wanting to do it,” Carter said. “You have to be able to analyze the field and know what is going on around you. It is a lot of mental work, and that is what I love about it.” Goalies are the last line of defense for a team, and Carter said that comes with pressure. “One of the big mental challenges is that you are the last resort,” she said. “I have the job of making sure I have to block the shot. You have to push the fear of making a mistake away so it does not affect how you play in the game. I think you get a different perspective as a goalie. I don’t get to run around and talk to the players as

much as everyone else does. It is two 40-minute halves, and I have to make sure I am dialed in and focused the whole time. Even though you are not involved in the immediate action, you have to make sure you keep your mind focused.” Carter loves the feeling of having blocked shots on goal after a win. “When we win a game and there were some shots on goal, it makes you feel really good,” she said. “It makes you feel like you were instrumental in the win of that game. If you had not have blocked those shots, then it could have been a loss. When you dive and save a ball, it is probably the best feeling ever.” As a goalie, having an off-day is unacceptable. As the girls’ soccer team prepares for their playoff push, Carter is mentally preparing, as well. “I think one of the biggest challenges is the mental aspect of it,” she said. “If I have an offday, it could ruin everything, so I have to be mentally ready. Often times, people will just think you could have saved that, but if you’re not mentally ready to save that shot, then you won’t. Going into the playoffs, I am taking the

mindset that every playoff game is a game that will get us to State. I go in expecting to be shot at and expecting to block them. I know in my head that I can block them, so I go in thinking that every single game.” When it comes to blocking shots, there is no wrong way to do it, as long as the ball does not go into the goal. “In the moment, I never think about sacrificing my body, because I have so much adrenaline going,” Carter said. “I have learned to have no hesitation when it comes to throwing myself at the ground to save a ball. I have learned to do whatever it takes to block shots.” Senior David Larkin is one of two goalies for the Liberty Hill varsity boys’ team, and he likened it to being somewhat of a field general. “As a goalie, you have to direct the traffic on the field,” Larkin said. “You have to let your players know where opposing players are on the field. People get caught with their head down looking at the ball, so you have to let them know where to go. You have to help direct the entire team.” Larkin said getting a fast break stop is the ulti-

mate goalie’s dream. “One of the best things is when the other team’s forward has a break away, and it’s just you and him,” he said. “When he shoots and you get a save, the feeling afterwards is amazing. Your heart is racing and you can hear the crowd cheering. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. You need the mentality that you will do any and everything to save the ball. All the goalkeepers have had some crazy experiences.” Larkin is excited about the upcoming playoff matches the Panthers will face as they journey toward State. “If we face a team with a really good offense, then our defense will have to improve,” he said. “I think we will hold our own in playoffs. Parker (Sargent) and I are good goalkeepers, and we have some phenomenal players on the team as well, but there will definitely be some challenges ahead.” Head Coach of both teams, Darren Bauer, said that all four of his goalkeepers between the have

See GOALIES, Page 50

Page 50

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Panthers win 9th straight with 1-0 victory over Alvarado Goalies

By LANCE CATCHINGS Sports Writer In the game of soccer, all it takes is one, and the Liberty Hill boys’ soccer team can attest to that. The Panthers are on a nine-game winning streak, with their last three wins all ending in the same 1-0 score. Head Coach Darren Bauer said it was a tough game, and the players did what they needed to get the victory. “It was a hard-fought game like we expected,” Bauer said. “The heat did not affect as much as the girls’ game, because we got some cloud cover. Both teams were going at it really hard. Both teams are good playoff teams, so it was a good test for us to see where we stand. I felt it could have gone either way, and the score line was pretty fair at 1-0. We possessed really well and played a lot better than we had in the past few games. Overall, our possession was great and we created a few more opportunities than they did. We hit the post a couple times, so we could have had maybe one or two more. It was good to see our defense shut down Alvarado, because they had a better attack than any of our district opponents.”

Melendy

Jaron Frye scored the winning goal to put the Panthers ahead in the second half on an assist from Matthew Shipley. Liberty Hill is now 145-2 on the season and finally getting back to full strength after missing players due to injury. Bauer believes these are great opportunities for his team to show its depth. “We missed a couple starters that were out of town on family trips,” Bauer said. “It shows our depth when we can miss a couple starters and still show up and play a really good team tight and get the win. It is a testament to how deep we are as a program and how we’ve built up the program over the past few years. The kids know what we expect from them, and they all hold themselves to a high standard to perform when they get their chances in the game.” Liberty Hill will host Mexia Tuesday in their final exhibition game of the season before they start the playoffs. The UIL soccer playoffs do not start until March 29, so Bauer wanted to make sure his team stayed mentally dialed in by scheduling some quality opponents between the end of district play and the start of the 2018 playoffs. “I don’t think Mexia is as high quality a team

Continued from Page 46

highest level last season, while she was a freshman. Watching her teammates advance to Regionals, then to State started a fire in her that can only be quenched by accomplishing the same. “Watching everyone before, when I was a freshman, it made me really want to improve and be

where everyone else was,” Melendy said. Her personal goals include making it to Regionals and State, but also improving to the point where she’s consistently winning USTA tournaments outside of school, which is one of her main focuses as of right now.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

as Alvarado, but they are definitely still good,” Bauer said. “They finished in second place in their district, and their district is fairly strong. They will come out and want to prove themselves against us. They know we are a high-caliber playoff team and want to make sure they are ready. For us, it will be a game where we need to come out sharp and focused, because a few days later, we will have our first playoff game. We have almost a week and a half of just practicing, so we want to make sure we are ready.” Liberty Hill will face Cameron Yoe in the Bi-District playoff round. The game time and date have not yet been determined. Bauer said on the boys’ side, patience will be key against Cameron Yoe. “I know for sure on the guys’ side, Cameron Yoe likes to play defensive,” he said. “We have played a couple teams like Taylor that have frustrated us. We will have to be patient to be successful. If we only get one goal and we get it late, then that’s what it takes. We have to stay organized defensively, and when we get our chances, we have to take advantage of them.”

Continued from Page 49

“As far as school tennis goes, I definitely want to make it out of district and see how Regionals and possibly State would go, and I definitely want to win more tournaments outside of school, which is where I’m building up right now.” Last weekend, Melendy advanced to the Cop-

peras Cove Spring Fling Invitational semifinal by winning her first round matchup 8-4 and her second round matchup 8-3 before falling 6-0, 6-0 to a competitor from Pflugerville Connally who eventually went on to win the championship with an undefeated run.

done an outstanding job this season. “On the girls’ side with Miranda Durkin and Sam, we knew it would be a tight competition all year, and it still is,” Bauer said. “Our main focus with them is that they stay in the game and stay focused. We have to keep it going because we will have a game where we need them to step up and make a big save. They have both come up with some big saves this year. In the times we’ve needed them, they have stepped up.” On the boys’ side, Bauer has two keepers that could both be starters anywhere else, which has come in handy on multiple occasions. “We knew coming in that Parker Sargent was going to be our number one goalkeeper, but David, over the past three seasons, has improved so much,” Bauer said. “He has given us the confidence that if we need him to step in, he can do that. It’s always nice to have a backup goalkeeper that you can rely on. Parker has been an incredible attribute this season, because he reads the game so well. He has made some big saves in some games for us, as well. We have confidence in all four of our keepers, and that is rare.”

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

CLASSIFIED ADS

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Brewer’s Permit by Hedgehog Brewing, LLC, to be located at 1425 CR 258, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas, 78642. Owners of said corporation are Chris Harris-Member and Jonathan Harris-Member.

(512) 778-5577 or NEWS@LHINDEPENDENT.COM YARD SALE 3/24/18 and 3/25/18. 9am until sold out. Large appliances, furniture, clothes, tools, computer stuff, exercise bike. 501 Blessing Ranch Road, Liberty Hill. (3/22p) HUGE YARD SALE Saturday, March 24, 7am-Noon. 601 Silver Creek Drive, Leander. Tools, baby toys, luggage, furniture, clothes, lots of great items! (3/22p)

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE 13.84 ACRES IN LIBERTY HILL ISD, near town, $206,000, will owner finance or discount for cash (512) 423-7136. (3/29)

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PUBLIC NOTICES MOVE IT SELF STORAGE LIBERTY HILL Pursuant to Chapter 59 of the Texas Property Code, Move It Self Storage located at 15725 Highway 29, Liberty Hill TX 78642, will hold

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LEGAL NOTICE

Deadline Tuesday At Noon -- $10 Minimum Charge For 30 Words 20¢ Each Additional Word

SALES

a public auction of property being sold to satisfy a landlord’s lien. The sale will be held online at http://www.storagetreasures.com. Competitive bids for the unit(s) will be accepted until April 4th, 2018 at 10:00am. Property will be sold to the highest bidder. Deposit for removal and cleanup may be required. Seller reserves the right to refuse any bid and to withdraw item(s) from sale. Property in each space may be sold itemby-item, in batches, or by the space. Property being sold includes contents in spaces of Multi-family Yard Sale - Sundance Ranch North following tenants: Salinas, Amanda: BathMarch 24-25 | 9am to 2pm tubs, Bike Frames, 101 Arabian Avenue South Bed Frame; Gonzales, 161 N. Showhorse Drive Tony: Household Furniture, Décor, Bed210 Thoroughbred Trace ding. (3/22) Appliances, furniture, tools,

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electronics, clothing, kids books and toys, decorations, outdoor furniture, recumbent bike and much more!

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

HAS OPENINGS FOR PART-TIME, SURVEY INTERVIEWERS 40-60 HRS/MONTH: $14.47/HR & $0.545/MILE. MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN, LIVE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX, HAVE DRIVER’S LICENSE, RELIABLE VEHICLE & BE AVAILABLE TO WORK DAY, EVENING & WEEKEND HRS. TO APPLY, EMAIL: NAME, PHONE, ADDRESS & COUNTY TO DENVER.RECRUIT@CENSUS.GOV BY MARCH 26 TO SCHEDULE ATTENDANCE AT A RECRUITING SESSION IN ROUND ROCK, TX ON MARCH 28 OR 29, 2018. The U.S. Department of Commerce is An Equal Opportunity Employer. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application process, please notify the agency. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

HOMES AROUND THE HILL Lago Vista

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Looking for a place XS ǻX MR XLMW *EWXIV$ You’re always welcome at Cross Tracks Church! Join us to celebrate the Risen Lord. Palm Sunday È a±ųÏĘ Ɨă È ȟ ȦȦ E Q Good Friday È a±ųÏĘ Ƒǉ È Ȯ T Q Easter Sunday È eŞųĜĬ ŏ È Ȯ E Q Sunrise service in Prayer Garden; Brunch immediately following | ȟ ȴȉ E Q. Easter egg hunt, all are invited | Ȧȉ E Q Sunday school for all ages ȦȦ E Q Easter service (VSWW 8VEGOW (LYVGL (VSWWXVEGOWGLYVGLYQG SVK ŏǉŏ ĘƚųÏĘ Ƌţ È ĜčĘƋ Ņý ŏîƆŀţ XŅŅĩ üŅų ƋĘå čĜ±ĹƋ ÏųŅŸŸ ±Ƌ ƋĘå Ƌų±ÏĩŸú

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SUMMER GUIDE - March 22, 2018

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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KIDS CRAFTS

Photo by www.SweetCsDesigns.com

EASY KIDS BINOCULARS For each set of binoculars, you'll need 2 Toilet Paper Tubes 2 Pieces of Scrapbook Paper Scissors Hole Punch Hot Glue Yarn

1 2

Cut the scrapbook paper to fit the toilet paper tubes. Draw a line of hot glue vertically down each tube. Press the paper onto it. Then add dots of hot glue around the tube as you wrap the paper around to cover entire tube. Hot glue tubes together to form a binocular shape. Then punch a hole on the outside, top of each tube. Tie yarn through the holes to form a necklace, so your child can wear the binoculars around his or her neck. Use binoculars for backyard exploration and treasure hunts this summer!

3 4 5

Photo by www.HandmadeCharlotte.com

COLORBLOCK BIRD FEEDER

To make a bird feeder, you'll need

Outdoor acrylic paint Masking Tape Paintbrush Clear plastic tube (from tennis balls or similar) String Craft knife or precision scissors Permanent marker Popsicle sticks (jumbo) Bird seed

Start by taping off your pattern â&#x20AC;&#x201C; try stripes, and angle, or whatever you like. Then apply a coat of outdoor acrylic paint and let dry completely. Once dry, carefully remove the tape. Use a permanent marker to mark a line as wide as your popsicle stick onto one side of the tube at the bottom of the bird feeder. Use the craft knife to cut out a slit and make sure the popsicle stick fits through. Then mark a line directly across from it so that the popsicle stick will stick out from each side of the tube. Cut a short triangle above the slit, for the bird seed to slowly pour out of. If your container has a bottom lid, glue it in place before filling with bird seed. Fill the container with bird seed, put the lid on, and hang!

2 3

Photo by www.StepByStep.com

FAIRY JARS

To make the fairy jars, you'll need Clean Glass Jar Multiple Colors of Glow in the Dark Paint Paintbrushes Paper Plate White glue Glitter

1 2 3

Squirt out different colors of glow-in-the dark paint onto the paper plate. Using a different paintbrush for each color, dab dots inside of the glass jar. Start at the bottom so the paint doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix. Let your jar dry outside an hour before sunset, and leave outside overnight. Leaving it in the sunlight will activate the glow-in-thedark paint. Brush glue onto the jar lid. Sprinkle glitter on the wet glue, and shake off excess glitter outside. Use your decorated jar to capture fireflies all summer long!

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, March 22, 2018

KIDS EAT FREE GUIDE Listed are a few great restaurants that offer serval options for kids on various days of the week in the surrounding areas.

MONDAY

Blue Harvest Bar & Grill 700 E. Whitestone Blvd., Suite B-204 Cedar Park, TX , 512-528-0889 Kids deal: Kids 10 and under eat free on Mondays! One kids’ meal per adult entree purchased.

Fuddruckers 11023 Pecan Park Blvd Cedar Park, TX, 512-219-1957 Kids Deal: Kids eat for 99 cents after 4 p.m. with the purchase of an adult combo.

Maggiore's 1420 Cypress Creek Rd, #1000 Cedar Park, TX 78613, 512-291-6067 Kids deal: 2 kids eat free Mondays 5-10pm with adult entree purchase of at least $8.99

Firehouse Subs 1465 E Whitestone Blvd, Ste H 340 Cedar Park, TX, 78613 1540 Cypress Creek Rd Cedar Park, TX, 512-335-3473 Kids deal: Kids eat free deal: Kids 12 and under eat free every Tuesday after 5 PM in the Austin area. Valid for one kids combo per adult purchase.

Noble Sandwich Co. 12233 620 N #105 Austin, TX, 512-382-6248 Kids deal: Every Thursday, kids ages 12 and under eat free at all locations with the purchase of an adult meal (dine-in only). Includes an item off the kids menu and a fountain drink.

Pluckers 1066 Pecan Park Blvd Cedar Park, TX, 512-258-9464 Kids deal: Kids 10 and under eat free all day at all locations. You can get up to two free kid’s meals with the purchase of every adult meal.

Moonie's Burger House 13450 Research Blvd Austin, TX 78750, 512-257-9000 Kids deal: After 5 p.m. on Sundays, one free kids meal per purchase of adult combo meal.

Moonie's Burger House 13450 Research Blvd Austin, TX 78750, 512-257-9000 Kids deal: After 5 p.m. on Mondays, one free kids meal per purchase of adult combo meal.

TUESDAY

TUESDAY Casa Ole 1013 W University Ave Georgetown, TX, 512-869-6699 Kids Deal: Kids eat for 99 cents with purchase of an adult entree.

THURSDAY

SUNDAY Mama Fu’s Asian House 4701 183A Toll Rd Cedar Park, TX 78750, 512-982-5822 Kids deal: Kids 12 & under get a free kid’s meal per adult meal purchase, all day on Sundays, dine-in only.

EVERYDAY McAlister's 1701 183A Toll Rd Ste A Cedar Park, TX, 512-260-3354 Kids deal: Kids meal for 99 cents everyday!

SUNDAY

Please call ahead to verify specials, as prices and days may change.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

June 11th: June 18th: June 25th: July 2nd: July 9th: July 16th : July 23rd: July 30th: Aug 6th: Aug 13th:

Schools Out Week Super Hero's Week Splish Splash Week Red, White & Blue Week (Closed on the 4th) Let it Snow Week Sports Week Splish Splash Week Magic Week Olympic Week week of camp) Hawaiian (last Week (Last week of camp)

Thursday, March 22, 2018