Georgetown View Magazine • December 2021

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georgetownview

INSIDE

THRIVING AFTER 55

FAVORITES

FEATURES COVER FEATURE It's OFFICIAL: Welcome Home, Samsung!

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SANTA FOR A SENIOR 16 Bringing Joy to Neighbors is as Close as Your Phone SONNY BOY'S JOURNEY A Family's 80-year Mission

AROUND TOWN Elf: The Musical

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GEORGETOWN WORKS 30 Downtown Parking Project Update WORTH THE DRIVE The Granary in Jarrell

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UNSUNG HEROES Sun City Snake Wranglers

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20 EXPERIENCE GEORGETOWN 38 The Flying Vikings

GOVERNMENT 24 Inside the Re-Districting Process with Rep. Terry Wilson

TAILS FROM THE SHELTER Home for the Holidays

WHAT MAKES TEXAS "TEXAS" 44 Pecans

FOOD 56 International Christmas Favorites

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POPPY TALKS A Ted Lasso Christmas

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PARTING SHOT Bags of Celebration

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Visit our Facebook page for follow-ups to these stories, outtakes & hints to those upcoming...

GeorgetownViewMagazine 2

HEARING WELL AT THE HOLIDAYS Hacks to Help Yourself and Others at the Holidays

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A holiday tableau of stories in this issue... WCRAS foster program (photo by WCRAS), welcome Samsung (photo courtesy Governor Abbott CIO), and "Elf" at the Palace Theatre (photo by Todd White)

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georgetownview Published by Optimus Media Group, LLC PUBLISHER | Cathy Payne

cathy@georgetownview.com

Like many of the best in her craft, Cathy has a specialized degree—in her case, hard science— and a gift for writing. She found her voice and fulfilment reporting and writing news and magazine features for a regional Central Texas audience. Along with serving as the publisher of the Georgetown View, Cathy oversees multiple news magazines, marketing campaigns, and books.

EDITOR | Ann Marie Kennon annmarie@georgetownview.com With a quarter-century of writing, reporting, and marketing behind her, Ann Marie enjoys sharing her vision and voice with a Central Texas audience. She believes being involved in and writing about local communities is the best way to show her affection and appreciation of everything Texan.

SENIOR WRITER / COPY EDITOR Charlotte Kovalchuk CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda A. Thornton • Ruby Moseley • Cassidie Cox GRAPHICS & DESIGN Sandra Evans • Ann Marie Kennon CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rudy Ximenez • David Valdez • Todd White SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Jenny Campbell ACCOUNT SERVICES Debbie Tolliver IT / WEBMASTER Jesse Payne CONSULTANT W. Ben Daniel

ADVERTISING Mark Elliott 512-240-2267 • 512-598-3500 mark@georgetownview.com

Georgetown View is an Optimus Media Group, LLC publication.

Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. Georgetown View is published monthly and individually mailed USPS, free of charge, to homes and businesses in Georgetown, TX zip codes. Mail may be sent to Georgetown View, P.O. Box 203, Jarrell, TX 76537.

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EDITOR'S NOTE | ANN MARIE KENNON December Greetings...

I truly believe it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Except for Summer when it's not cold. And also Fall when it's my birthday. Still, we're in the Christmas mood and this issue has many stories that demonstrate the giving spirit of Georgetown, and a lot of people who are simply generous every day of the year.

I was so thrilled to meet Karen Dooley and hear about her Uncle "Sonny Boy," who is finally coming home to rest after being lost to his family at Pearl Harbor. Her story brings comfort and the refreshing reminder that when Americans say, "Never forget," we still mean it.

Many thanks to Representative Terry Wilson, who gave us the inside scoop on the State House re-districting. It's always wonderful to get details from a first person, non-filtered source.

I'm also so pleased to bring you the first of what I believe will be many stories about the new Samsung site and the prodigious impact it is going to have on our whole county for generations to come. Spoiler alert, this is really big! Congratulations to Judge Bill Gravell, Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell, and the whole team, for an award truly well-earned.

I heard the Judge say, as they confirmed the new site, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

P.S. Within and among our other seasonal features, please take note of some special holiday "Facts to Blow Your Mind" that appear here and there.

We invite readers and your kids to play a letter search game and let us know, if you found all the Santa Hats (Hint: there are 9), what word the letters make. Please DM your guess to us on Facebook (don't want to give it away in a feed!) and we will draw one name at random to win a $50 gift card to Mighty Fine burgers.

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samsung

Everything IS Bigger in Texas Ann Marie Kennon annmarie@georgetownview.com

THE LARGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEAL IN LONE STAR HISTORY

At the Table with Samsung

by Ann Marie Kennon‑

W

hen Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell met with BGR Group corporate consultant Jerry Strickland last January to discuss pandemic testing and vaccinations, he made a connection that would impact Williamson County for generations. BGR Group represents multiple large corporations.

Strickland later called to ask the Judge if the County would be interested in making a corporate pitch for a $17 billion project.

Aerial view of Samsung's north Austin plant (credit: Samsung)

JUST HOW BIG IS IT?

When complete, the Samsung Taylor “He gave me 36 hours to respond,” Judge plant will span more than 53 million square feet. For comparison, Gravell says. “I sent out emails with details the Austin Amazon Distribution site, Tesla Giga, and Austin Apple about the company, and received affirmative headquarters —TOGETHER—would fit inside five times. responses from Leander and Taylor. While Taylor is now receiving international attention The Judge explains, like everything from home as the awardee, I am incredibly proud that construction to military bases, access to water in Central Leander was one of the top six locations in the world.”

Texas is something city and county leaders must ensure He notes Leander did not go further only because during negotiations at every level. “We couldn’t take Samsung had larger requirements for land to create a away from our existing water supplies here. We knew we significant space buffer at the site. had to be innovative and creative.”

Partnerships

While Judge Gravell was the point man, the scaled agreements are the product of work and cooperation by people and agencies at all levels. Much work and commitment was provided by the City of Taylor, Taylor ISD, Williamson County, the State of Texas, and the Federal Government. There is also a utilities partnership with EPCOR, a Canadian company that provides clean water and energy to communities in Canada and the United States.

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To facilitate the need, Williamson County’s negotiating team brokered the meeting between Samsung and EPCOR, which will funnel millions of gallons of water into Williamson County from adjacent Milam County. “EPCOR will be bringing in water from an alternate water site that won’t take away from our residents,” the Judge says. He is also pleased that the benefit to Williamson County will be two-fold; “Not only will we have tax revenue from Samsung, and water for generations, EPCOR will be paying the tax on the half-billion-dollar infrastructure that will bring the water from that alternative source.”

SAMSUNG IS THE LARGEST-EVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROJECT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THE LARGEST FOREIGN-BORN IN THE NATION. “EVEN MORE THAN JOBS AND TAXES, THE HOUSING, ANCILLARY RETAIL, AND SERVICE BOOM HAS ALREADY BEGUN." ~JUDGE BILL GRAVELL

“Seismic” Economic Impact + Year 4* The Taylor plant will produce the most advanced semiconductors in the world but, today, what those will be is unknown. Judge Gravell explains, “This type of technology grows and changes so quickly that the only thing the Samsung folks know is that they will be building semiconductors. Their current factory replaces $100200 million in equipment every year to keep up with evolving science and development. As such, specifics of design and capability will change many times before construction is complete in 2024 so even the machines that will build the semiconductors have not been built yet.”

YEAR 4 OF THE AGREEMENT IS SIGNIFICANT A S I T I S T H E E X P E C T E D D AT E O F T H E R I B B O N C U T T I N G — M A N U FA C T U R I N G W I L L B E G I N , AND SAMSUNG WILL BEGIN EARNING R E V E N U E A N D PAY I N G TA X E S In the meantime, he anticipates the construction force to peak at 12,000 workers and, in Year 4, Samsung will hire 1,800 direct employees earning $65,000 and up for technical and administrative positions. He says, “I expect very high employment numbers even after the facility opens; their plant in Austin has between 3,000 and 6,000 daily contractors. While their production process is nearly fully automated, it is running 24/7 so there are people providing everything from machine and HVAC maintenance to cleaning and landscaping.”

“ THIS AGREEMENT IS A WIN FOR WILLIAMSON COUNT Y BECAUSE IT IS PERFORMANCE-BASED. WILLIAMSON COUNT Y FIRST COLLEC TS ALL TAXES ON THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE COMPANY AND DOES NOT GR ANT BACK ANY FUNDS UNTIL PERFORMANCE MEASURES HAVE BEEN ME T. THIS ALLOWS US TO BE COMPE TITIVE IN RECRUITING LARGE COMPANIES WHILE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR PROMISES.”

Samsung’s taxes in Year 4 will be paid to Williamson County, the City of Taylor, and Taylor ISD. Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell’s team also negotiated $300,000 in philanthropic donations to the City of Taylor, per year, for the next 30 years, for a total of $9 million in gifts to benefit education across the board. photo courtesy Bill Gravell

Additionally, in support of the project, the Texas Department of Transportation has pledged $67 million for construction and upgrades to local roads.

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell, Taylor ISD Superintendent Dr. Devin Padavil, Taylor City Manager Brian LaBorde, Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell

Aside from the potential tax benefits, Taylor Superintendent Dr. Devin Padavil is encouraged by Samsung’s public assurance that they will significantly invest time and resources into the ISD. “Taylor ISD and Taylor, Texas are honored and proud to be selected as the home for the new Samsung Semiconductor Plant in North America. Our partnership with Samsung will provide us an opportunity to transform the lives of our students through learning opportunities, internships, resources, and financial support. We are preparing our children to contribute and compete in a global society and, in many ways, Samsung is bringing a global society to them.”

Judge Gravell adds, “I voted in favor of this agreement primarily because of the opportunities it will give to the students in Taylor schools. In addition to the more than $245 million estimated tax revenue the school district will collect, Samsung will hire 24 paid interns. This will give them opportunities with an international company that would not have otherwise been possible.”

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samsung Samsung’s tax payments—in year 4— will be twice as much as the top ten largest tax-paying companies in Williamson County, combined.

Mark Thomas, president and CEO of the Taylor Economic Development Corporation said, “A $17 billion investment would have an impact on a very large community. The impact on a community with 20,000 residents is unprecedented. The world has heard about this already and we’re seeing inquiries increase. It put Taylor on the map. High-tech companies will ask, ‘If the largest high-tech company can come here, why can’t we?’ It will open the door for that.”

Judge Gravell says, "Williamson County has again proven to be a leader in attracting the world's top technology companies. To Samsung, I want to say, 'Welcome home.' We want to thank Governor Abbott for his amazing leadership and help on this project. With the addition of Samsung on the east side of our county, Apple on the west side, and Dell Computers World headquarters in the center, Williamson County is now home to the technology superhighway of the world."

Thoughts on Negotiations

He frequently quotes JFK; A rising tide lifts all boats, but says of Samsung, “This is a controlled tsunami. It is a legacy not likely to be topped and I am still wondering how we got here. I’ve never worked so hard in my life as I have in the last nine months. I don’t believe I’m arrogant but I am pretty proud that my grandchildren will pass by the Samsung site and say, ‘My Pawpaw helped bring this to Williamson County.’”

He reflects on these and other extraordinary circumstances during his first four years as Judge. He believes it might make sense to write a book about it; not just about the biggest deal in American history with foreign investment, but a guide to landing it. “A global pandemic, Texas’ worst snowstorm, the largest deal ever, and a new multi-million dollar children’s hospital. God only puts us in those places that give us the experience to get through to the next thing.”

photo courtesy Bill Gravell

Judge Gravell recalls being exhausted at the end of negotiations every day. “It was stressful and very complicated; I went home many nights thinking it would never happen.”

photo courtesy Bill Gravell

Local and Regional Impact

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samsung

Ann Marie Kennon annmarie@georgetownview.com

What if...?

The Judge frequently asks others to consider the scene at empty car dealerships as an example of the means by which China may be able to control our economy. Providing fewer chips will prevent manufacturers from completing production on many products Americans take for granted, which will handicap our GDP and widen the nation’s global trade gaps.

Key to National Security

The concentration of fabrication facilities in East Asia creates supply chain risks. Trade disputes, military conflicts, or other disruptions in the region could significantly affect U.S. access to semiconductors.

I

n 1990, China had no chip manufacturing capabilities. Today, their government is excessively subsidizing semiconductor production, putting them on track to be the global leader in chip manufacturing by 2030. This trend makes increasing U.S. production of semiconductors critical to our own national security.

In March 2021, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence found: After decades leading the microelectronics industry, the United States will soon source roughly 90 percent of all high-volume, leading-edge integrated-circuit production from countries in East Asia.

This means the United States is almost entirely reliant on foreign sources for production of the cutting-edge semiconductors critical for defense systems and industry more broadly, leaving the U.S. supply chain vulnerable to disruption by foreign government action or natural disaster. (Source: NSCAI.gov) Fortunately, Senator John Cornyn and others in the Senate are working, with

bipartisan support, on the CHIPS for America Act, which will boost domestic manufacturing and lower the risk of supply chain interruption or corruption.

Proactively, the American Foundries Act will provide grants and economic development incentives for research and development. The fortification to be gained from these bills led to their inclusion in the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

“Consider how reliant we are on technology and the Internet,” the Judge says. “Our business environment, health care, communication, and education are critically dependent on devices.

Samsung is from South Korea—a friendly nation—and we must consider the electronic brains in our cell phones also go into our tanks and planes. Those we purchase from China may be made to be hackable. Perhaps they will be programmed with malware and designed to fail at critical times, leaving our businesses dark, unplugged, and forcing us to send ever-increasing revenues overseas.”

Unified Support

Why it Matters Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell says, “National security is the number one reason to support this project.

Semiconductors are the brain of every electrical device; from your thermostat to your pacemaker to our stealth bombers. We should not have to depend on countries we don’t trust to produce things we use to protect ourselves.

Further, when the next pandemic or ice storm occurs, I want the things we depend on for survival to be made in the USA—I want the most advanced semiconductors in the world to be made in our backyard.”

Given all factors, it is significant that the partners in the Samsung agreement are not just in Taylor. Judge Gravell adds, “This isn’t fighting to bring a new car or furniture manufacturer to America. This goes all the way to the White House and is being aggressively pursued by both parties. In Williamson County, we are twice fortunate— prosperous and protected—that Samsung will be here.”

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community

by Cassidie Cox

photos courtesy Lacey Murphy

"Be Santa to a Senior"

T

he holidays are fast approaching, and our community is preparing to spread cheer and goodwill to mark the season. Some in Georgetown may be missing the gift trees that used to be in place at local Walmart stores, covered with gift tags for local seniors.

The Georgetown View sat down with Lacey and Tyson Murphy, local Home Instead franchise owners who deserve credit for those trees and the attendant good-neighbor gift-giving.

They have great new plans for helping the entire community join in on the sharing and continuing to celebrate Georgetown's generosity.

Lacey and Tyson have been part of the Home Instead network of local caregivers for more than ten years. Every year, in addition to the quality care they offer yearround for seniors, they also participate in Home Instead's seasonal Be Santa to a Senior. This program helps those in need by giving gifts to seniors in nursing homes who might not otherwise receive any.

Due to health concerns, the trees are not available this year but everyone is invited and encouraged to join in the fun online. The 2021 process is very simple and, fortunately, is not limited to those who shop at Walmart. Lacey says, "People really liked the tree tags because it was so clear that the gifts were purchased and given locally. But I am also very excited that, with Amazon's help, everyone can shop for a stranger, on their device, from anywhere. And the gifts are still wrapped and delivered locally."

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MAKE YOUR LIST To participate, scan the code on the facing page and enter a local zip code. Seniors' first names and last initials will appear, and each has a wish list from which you can choose their items and preferred sizes and colors.

The names that appear on the website are individuals who live in or visit care facilities in Georgetown, Round Rock, and North Austin. Lacey says, “Our clients live in their own homes but, at the holidays, we receive names from resident facilities and activity directors in our area of others who wish to receive gifts. Seniors usually ask for things like sweats, slippers, pajamas, a calendar, a large-print novel... nothing really big.”

community

photo credit: HomeInstead.com

a wrapping party worthy of Santa's workshop to prepare the gifts. The wrapped, personalized packages are then given over to capable hands who pass them out to the nursing homes and activity centers.

“We love doing it every year,” Lacey says. “We are short-staffed this year so we made a tough decision to scale back but, even last year in a pandemic, we distributed a bar-raising 1,200 gifts." She is extremely proud to report numbers like these are what strengthen her belief in the passion the Georgetown community shows to help people in need.

The Wish Lists are courtesy of the agency's partnership with Amazon. Every senior was invited to create a personalized gift list, providing easy resources for everyone in the community to give back in a fun way. This year, she hopes to provide gifts to more than 200 seniors in our community.

Participating agencies include: Trinity Care Center Riverside Nursing Center AGE Thrive Social & Wellness Centers

MAKE IT COMMUNITY Buying the gifts isn’t the end of the journey to celebrate the holidays with these seniors. Once the packages are received at Home Instead, partners there reach out to students at Jarrell Elementary School who color special paper and bags to wrap the gifts. All the little elves get together with staff for

MAKE IT YOURS This program is national in scope so any zip code will allow you to help a senior in your home town, or share the website with long-distance relatives who would like to help someone in Georgetown. "With just a few minutes, from anywhere, you can bless someone in your community," Lacey says.

She believes the need to stay local is just as important to this organization as it is to everyone.

"Many of [the seniors] grew up in this area, and we understand that these really are local people living in these facilities. It doesn’t matter where they live now, they’re likely to be from within a 20-mile radius,” Lacey says.

No matter where you are, or what your holiday plans are, it is never a wrong time to give back to your community. Lacey adds, "If everybody in the community is going to celebrate, it takes us all to give, and spread joy a little further than normal this year."

If Santa visited 640 million homes every Christmas Eve, he would consume 150 billion calories. If you lived on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, you would have to live approximately 205,480 years to match that.

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Pearl Harbor Day

by Ann Marie Kennon parts of this story adapted from a contribution from Karen Dooley photos courtesy of Karen Dooley

Sonny Boy's Journey Home Karen recalls, "Anna Belle said her brother would always do without so she could have shoes to make the daily walk to school. He could not bear to see his little sister struggle in any manner." He was playful with his younger brother, Karen's father, and fooled him into believing his belly button was a scar from being shot in the belly with an arrow.

T

his December 7 will be very special to Karen Dooley's family.

Her uncle, Charles Louis "Sonny Boy" Saunders will finally be laid to rest, 80 years after his death in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Karen, who lives in Georgetown, was inspired by her aunt Anna Belle, Sonny Boy's younger sister, to share the story about the man who will be arriving at his hometown of Winnie, Texas.

"He left us at age 17," Karen says, "and didn't get to leave a memory in the family he would have had. Happily, my aunt inspired me to do more and more research to find out about my family in the past." Karen exudes much pride talking about her aunt and cousins' efforts to hold on to remnants of family history. "My parents died young and we just didn't know what to look for so, for me, it was a great treasure hunt for memories."

IN THE NAVY Sonny Boy served as Seaman, Second Class on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor on Ford Island in Hawaii. He was one of 429 sailors and marines killed in port when the Oklahoma was attacked by Japanese forces Above: Sonny Boy's last school photo December 4, 1941. He was postBelow: With Anna Belle in 1932 humously awarded a Purple Heart for Military Merit and three ribbons: American Defense, American Campaign, and Asiatic Pacific Campaign.

"SONNY BOY" Sonny Boy was born to Mortimer and Melina on October 16, 1923. He was a very caring, kind, and playful child growing up. In fact, his family says, his decision to join the Navy one month after his 17th birthday was just one example of his character; a strong desire to serve his country but an even greater desire to help his family.

Times were difficult, of course, growing up in the Great Depression.

Mortimer worked in construction and in rice fields to support the family while Melina raised their children.

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Karen says Anna Belle never lost her passion to bring her brother home and, until the last day of her life, she clung to that hope. She always felt a responsibility for his death because his desire to enlist was grounded in his desire to make life better for his family during hard times.

Pearl Harbor Day

re-examined them using advanced forensic technology, then contacted Anna Belle, who gathered and provided DNA from family members to make a positive identification.

As Sonny Boy's last living sibling, Anna Belle was committed to laying him to rest at the grave site their parents prepared for him at the Fairview Cemetery in Winnie. Records indicate Mortimer ordered Sonny Boy’s headstone on September 30, 1964 (above). It was written in her obituary in 2019 that she was certain her advocacy to bring her brother home after so many years would be continued by all who survive her.

SCIENCE STEPS IN From July 1942 to May 1944 the Oklahoma was prepared for righting and re-floating. Sonny Boy was one of 390 service members recovered from the ship by divers and salvaging crews. All were initially buried at the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, the American Graves Registration Service moved all the remains to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory to confirm identifications and return them to their families.

In 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) received authorization to exhume the unknown remains of the servicemen of the USS Oklahoma. They

On February 11, 2021, the DPAA notified relatives that the remains of Seaman Second Class Charles Louis Saunders had been identified. Scientists had used dental and anthropological analysis as well as mitochondrial and autosomal DNA analysis. These analyses and the totality of circumstantial evidence available positively indicated Sonny Boy’s remains.

AT REST Karen and the rest of Sonny Boy’s family are certain his journey began with a dedication to his family and his country, and his service included laughter and adventure.

They are comforted and thankful to think he more than likely perished while helping others. Most of all, the many nieces and nephews of this genuine hero are grateful to welcome him back to Texas to be buried next to his parents.

Karen is also grateful for the many people and organizations that have come together for a funeral with full military honors. The family is working with government officials to provide a marble slab to raise the headstone from the soft South Texas earth, and she and her sister Jackie have received clearance to meet the military plane as it arrives at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Freedom Riders will escort Sonny Boy to Winnie where the funeral home and local veteran groups are hosting media representatives to promote this viral-worthy story.

After the service, family members from all over Texas, and as far as Minnesota, Colorado, and Washington are eager to gather, reacquaint, and enjoy attendant events. With so much research to share—as far back as five generations—Karen has prepared a giant piece of butcher paper for all the family members to sign and she is looking forward to the finished product; a personally created and signed family tree.

At the end of it all, she hopes their story will continue to inspire, "There are young people like Sonny Boy who are out there right now making us proud; demonstrating that loving our country is the right thing to do."

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An Evening of

Lessons and Carols Friday, December 17, 2021 7:00 PM Zion Lutheran Church

6001 FM 1105 • Georgetown, Texas 78626

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

December 5, 2021 • 4:00 PM

San Gabriel Presbyterian Church will wrap up Christmas Stroll Weekend and kick off the holidays with a free concert and community caroling.

Professional musicians from Williamson and Travis counties will perform a full program of classical chamber music, and end with a performer and audience carol singalong. Musicians include Jarka Woody, Lisa Lamb, Shawn LeSure, Doug Wonder, Ellen Fishbein, Sean Mann, and Ginger Mann.

Program includes the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto in C Major, art songs by Ellen Fishbein, soprano, works by the Shawn LeSure chamber duo, and a few delightful Christmas surprises.

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government

by Ann Marie Kennon • annmarie@georgetownview.com

Passing the State Map

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CONSTITUTIONAL RULES

ow that Governor Abbott has signed the 2020 Census Redistricting Maps into law, the state can move forward to a March 1 primary election. The Georgetown View sat down with Texas District 20 Representative Colonel Terry Wilson (US Army-Retired) to talk about why, how, and the process when House district boundaries are re-drawn.

A primary consideration in new House boundaries is the County Line Rule.

Rep. Wilson begins, “This is a process the Legislature goes through every ten years. When the decennial census takes place, we receive an exact count of the citizens in our state, and where they live."

Any county with a population smaller than one ideal district must be kept whole and combined with one or more contiguous counties to form a single district. Representatives must make every effort to keep counties whole to prevent gerrymandering.

The Texas Constitution mandates that the Legislature draw boundaries to ensure the general—not voter—population of all State House voting districts is as close to equal as possible. The simple math divides the total population of the state by the number of House seats. The complicated math becomes necessary when population blocks grow or shift, or both, and those changes require the application of other Constitutional rules.

IDEAL OR CLOSE ENOUGH

The Constitution allows that any county with sufficient population for exactly one district (plus or minus 5 percent) must be formed into a single district.

The lines cannot be drawn to include any amount of land of another county.

In the 2020 census, Williamson County showed sufficient population for three full districts. "With just 10,000 more residents," the Colonel says, "we would have had to create a fourth district that grabbed some of Williamson County and other counties added together." As a result, House District 20 no longer includes parts of Burnet or Milam Counties. Rep. Wilson's representation is wholly within Williamson County, and he is moving his residence to Georgetown to continue serving the district.

Rep. Wilson says, "The key to the process—the core principle underlying everything we do—is that we will follow the Texas Constitution and ensure it all comes down to one person-one vote. Every person who goes to the ballot box should have an equal impact.”*

The County Line Rule was broken this year only in the case of Cameron County, which was broken into two districts. This exception was granted for the purpose of preserving minority opportunity districts; i.e., at least a 50 percent minority voting-age population.

Through the years, with massive growth and competing government principles, the courts determined that exceptions would be necessary and allowed that, while still striving for equal numbers, district populations may fall within a 10 percent margin; i.e., they must be “close enough” with a minimum of 95 percent and maximum of 105 percent of the “ideal district.”**

While the County Line Rule is a rigid regulation in the State House, it is more of a preferred guideline in the Senate, where the districts are much larger. Rep. Wilson says, "It is not a law and a claimant may not take a Senate map to court just for breaking a county line."

*WHY IT MATTERS

DISTRICT A HAS 300,000 RESIDENTS.

Because a Representative represents all the people in a district, his or her single vote in the State House is a compression of the will of 300,000 people. As such, every time a delegate casts a vote, each voter has 1/300,000th of the vote’s impact on the floor.

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government **WHAT IS IDEAL AND CLOSE ENOUGH? The official U.S. Census counted 29,145,505 Texas residents. With 150 House seats, the exact average per district would be 194,303. To adjust for other factors, the House is allowed to create districts 184,588 and 204,018 citizens. Rep. Wilson explained, within these limits, there is no wiggle room. One Representative submitted a map with two extra people in it and the map was rejected.

image courtesy Rep. Terry Wilson staff

He adds, “As Texas grows in certain places, it becomes more difficult to make the voting districts even while still keeping counties together. That is why some of the district lines are irregularly shaped." He cites Hays and Blanco Counties, and Harris County (Houston) as two distinct examples.

Larger counties are more able to create equal districts without splitting votes with another; Harris County has 24 complete districts. With so many residents, it is possible to move boundaries within the same county while keeping population counts within that ten percent margin.

Conversely, in 2010, Hays and Blanco Counties were both smaller than the ideal number but, together, they fell within the 95-105 percent range. Those two counties whole, with no breaks, used to be House District 45.

After ten years of growth, however, Hays County now has enough population to make one complete district, plus one-quarter of an ideal district left over to join another multi-county district.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY Rep. Wilson says, despite some objections based on gerrymandering in the State, this was not an issue in Williamson County. "Williamson County is very diffuse and diverse. The data show that, as a county, we are very evenly spread by age and race. We are also diffused very

well across the county, with a lot of mixing of various groups. There is no singular place where either of those things are a potential issue."

He adds the challenge to keep County voter precincts the same was nearly impossible due to growth, which outpaced the growth of the state. "We tried to only create breaks in those places that would have to break anyway; moving a voting precinct from one district to another can be as many as 10,000 votes."

THE SPECIAL SESSION Following the Constitution, House Representatives must vote on new maps by the end of the regular session. Due to the late release of census data, they could only work with data as it arrived in waves. Rep. Wilson says, "At first, we received the state count and learned how many U.S. Congress Representatives we would have.

The detailed data was released after we had gaveled out, so the governor convened a special session to complete the work."

He adds, "There are contingencies if the legislature doesn’t agree on a map, but we did agree and we did pass the bill in a special session and we will continue to do it every ten years. Now we know what the one person-one vote will be and that's a great thing for Williamson County."

DISTRICT B HAS 50,000 RESIDENTS. Each time their Representative goes to the floor, he or she casts the same vote, but with fewer citizens, each resident has 1/50,000th of the compressed impact. While that number still seems small, it carries six times the weight of a District A voter.

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around town

by Charlotte Kovalchuk photos by Todd White

Palace Spreading Christmas Cheer "Elf: The Musical" Now Playing

“ T H E R E I S J U S T S O M E T H I N G S O M A G I C A L A B O U T C H R I S T M A S S H O W S . I T ’ S M Y FAV O R I T E T I M E O F T H E Y E A R , A N D I T E V O K E S S U C H F E E L I N G S O F N O S TA LG I A A N D H A P P I N E S S .” ~ S T E P H E N Q U I N N , B U D DY ’ S FAT H E R WA LT E R H O B B S

D

ecked out in an elf hat, Grinch sweater, and pointy green shoes during the Palace Theatre’s opening night of Elf: The Musical, attendee John Sterling reminisced about many childhood Christmases that revolved around the already-classic 2003 movie. “It was a family tradition,” he says. “We would watch different holiday movies on Christmas morning, but Elf was the staple. Getting to see it as an adult brings back much-needed Christmas wonder.”

“A hoot and a holler,” is how John describes Elf: The Musical, in which a young orphan named Buddy mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of toys and ends up being raised as an elf at the North Pole. When he discovers the truth of his identity, he embarks on a quest to find his birth father in New York City.

Realizing his father is on the naughty list and his stepbrother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy becomes determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

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THE CHARACTERS Full of Christmas spirit and energy on and off the stage, actor Nick Xitco found Buddy’s character to be the perfect fit. “I’ve always loved Christmas and the holidays since I was a little kid,” he says. “Playing Buddy has been such a joy. Anyone who knows me knows I’m full of whimsical energy just about all the time, so it’s been pretty easy to channel that energy into a character who basically is that.”

An equally energetic audience made the performance rewarding for Nick and the rest of the cast. “I think my favorite part was them clapping and cheering along to the overture and some of the other numbers. It gives us so much energy on stage, which we try to give right back to them!” he says.

“That was a huge encouragement after all the work we have put in. We finally shared what we created and saw the happiness it brought,” adds Lisa Harper, who plays Buddy’s stepmother, Emily Hobbs.

Lisa says getting to do the show with her daughters, Lucy and Ella Grace, was an early Christmas gift.

Lucy works backstage and Ella Grace plays Buddy's love interest, Jovie.

around town

IN THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR For Richard Cerato, directing and choreographing such a joyous, festive musical was an exciting adventure. “I’ve never laughed more during a rehearsal process than with Elf. We workshopped many brand-new additions to the musical, including fun sight gags, slick tap choreography, and larger-than-life props.

This production is completely unique from any other, all the while paying tribute to the source material Elf film and honoring the iconic hero’s journey as we follow Buddy from the North Pole to midtown Manhattan,” he says.

“ I A B S O LU T E LY LO V E W O R K I N G O N T H I S S H O W, B E C AU S E E V E N T H O U G H I T ’ S H I L A R I O U S , F U N , A N D E N T E R TA I N I N G , I T A L S O H A S S O M E R E A L LY I M P O R TA N T M E S S A G E S A B O U T FA M I LY A N D LO V E .”

– ELLA GRACE HARPER, JOVIE

As for why people should see Elf, Richard says, “Our Elf is overflowing with holiday magic. You’ll have to come and see it for yourself! We’ve had a ball in rehearsals. Now we’re excited to share the gift of Elf with our community!”

ELF: THE MUSICAL RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 30 AT THE PALACE THEATRE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT GEORGETOWNPALACE.COM.

"I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WORKING ON THIS SHOW, BECAUSE E VEN THOUGH IT ’S HILARIOUS, FUN, AND ENTER TAINING, IT ALSO HAS SOME REALLY IMPOR TANT MESSAGES ABOUT FAMILY AND LOVE." ~ELLA GRACE HARPER (JOVIE) D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1  G E O R G E TO W N V I E W

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georgetown works

by Charlotte Kovalchuk • charlotte@georgetownview.com images courtesy Georgetown City Council

Downtown Parking Garage

Project Aims to Alleviate Downtown Parking Challenges

A

potential parking garage site at the Tamiro Plaza lot could be the key to solving Georgetown’s downtown parking problem for the near future. Mayor Josh Schroeder says, “This is phase 1. There will be multiple parking garages.”

Five parking garage sites were discussed at the City Council workshop November 9: 1. Austin Avenue and Fourth Street by the Monument Café, owned by the city; potential construction cost $8.2 million - $17.9 million 2. Austin Avenue and Sixth Street by the Tamiro Plaza, not owned by the city; potential construction cost $10.4 million - $11.5 million 3. Sixth and Main Streets by Tejas Meat Supply, owned by the city; potential construction cost $7 million - $8 million 30

4. Ninth and Forest Streets by the Georgetown Public Library, owned by the city; potential construction cost $3.5 million to $4.5 million 5. Ninth and Main Streets by Grace Heritage Center, owned by the city; potential construction cost $7.1 million - $21.7 million Driven by Georgetown’s growing pains, the parking garage project has been in the works since 2015.

“We’ve seen an uptick in the use of our downtown area even during COVID,” Councilwoman Amanda Parr says. “We have multiple new businesses on the Square. This is leading to more people spending more time on the Square, which is what we want people to do, but there has to be a place for them to park. I think there’s no surprise that we’re all supportive of the need for a parking garage. The parking problem has become imminent.”

DECE MBER 20 21  GEO R GE TO W N V I EW

All seven council members supported the Tamiro Plaza location, citing its proximity to the Square, low impact on public parking during construction, and easy access from major-thoroughfare Austin Avenue. While the city doesn’t own the Tamiro Plaza lot, Mayor Schroeder says the owners are interested in selling the property. “[Staff] didn’t want to get too far in discussions until they ran it by Council to see if Council thought it was a viable option,” he says, assuring that there is “absolutely zero chance that we will use condemnation authority.”

The Monument and library sites were quickly opposed by council members, with some saying the library lot is too small to meet the parking demand and both areas already have plenty of parking.

Councilman Steve Fought added that people with handicaps would have a hard time getting to the Square from the sites. Most members were also against the Sixth and Main lot, noting its small size, proximity

georgetown works THE QUESTION IF THERE'S A N E E D F O R PA R K I N G I S U N F O R T U N AT E LY N O LO N G E R A N O P T I O N . W E ' V E G OT TO G E T THIS ONE FIGURED OUT AND D O I T I N G E O R G E TO W N FA S H I O N , W I T H P O S I T I V E CO M M U N I T Y S U P P O R T A N D I N V O LV E M E N T.” ~ CO DY H I R T, CO - O W N E R MESQUITE CREEK OUTFIT TERS to residences, limited access during events, and buried downtown location that would make it hard to find for newcomers. “We already tried that one and failed. Why are we going to try it again?” Councilman Kevin Pitts says, referring to the option’s public pushback in 2019. Amanda Parr and Councilman Jake French also said a parking garage isn’t the highest and best use for the Sixth and Main location.

Parr, Pitts, and French supported a parking garage at Ninth and Main as an alternative to the Tamiro Plaza lot.

“Those two lots have several options for high capacity parking and for mixed retail and/or residential components, which I would like to see adjacent to the Square,” Councilman French says. “Both of these lots are easily accessible and surrounded by existing commercial development. While the Ninth and Main lot would put pressure on existing, limited parking, I think the shortterm pain is worth it in the long term.”

BUSINESS OWNERS REACT All Things Kids owner Karen Soeffker describes the search for downtown parking as a daunting adventure.

“Add on 100+ temperatures in the summer and that makes it even less attractive to walk from distant parking spaces with strollers and toddlers in tow,” she says.

“Providing parking garages near the Square will keep our businesses accessible, free up street parking for downtown residents, and ensure our Square remains a family-friendly destination; not just a nightlife spot.”

For Nick Austin, the parking issue is a personal struggle. As owner of We Are Not Broken on the Square, a photography studio and nonprofit organization, she says it’s difficult to continually find parking in the Square’s three-hour spots or transport equipment to her business from two blocks away in the parking lot at Ninth and Main. “The economic growth is fantastic, but with that should also come the projects to facilitate that growth in the way of additional parking,” she says.

“We know that there's no slowing down the growth of this amazing community,” Mesquite Creek Outfitters co-owner Cody Hirt adds. “People are going to come, and they're going to need places to park. We can either sit back and get upset over them parking in our beautiful downtown neighborhoods or we can come together as a community and work on a design and develop something that works for all of us."

NEXT STEPS The city encourages public input on the parking garage sites through an online survey at georgetown. org and a printed version at the Visitors Center. The survey closes December 31. The project’s process—public engagement, land acquisition if needed, permitting/site review, design, bidding, and construction—could take up to two-and-a-half years.

“WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS” was originally a threat. The ever-popular song was originally sung, loudly and repeatedly, by crowds of rowdy, lower-class servants demanding booze from their masters... or else. (i.e. “We won’t go until we get some!)

M

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worth the drive

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

Granary Provides Community Gathering Place

T

he Granary was inspired by two couples’ dream of creating a family-friendly place with good food, good drinks, and good people. “We decided, the four of us crazy people, in the middle of a pandemic, to buy property and build a place we would like to go to,” Cari Springfield says.

Cari, her husband Lynn, and their friends Misty and Scott Murrah sought to bring something similar to Austin’s music, food, and bar scene to Georgetown’s neighbor to the north. “There’s a cool scene in and around Austin but nothing in this direction,” Lynn says. “Jarrell is a massive hub of growth, but there’s not a lot to do, it seems, outside of driving to Georgetown or Salado or other towns. Why not have something here?”

Jarrell became The Granary’s home after some of Scott’s friends who lived in the area told him about a piece of property up for sale on W. Avenue L, just off I-35. The city’s exponential growth drew The Granary owners to the area. Cari shares, “It’s neat to see some regulars, but every weekend, new people say, ‘I heard about y’all and decided to stop in.’ ” The Granary opened in April this year with a bar, food truck park, and live music, all centered around a silo originally erected on the family farm north of Granger Lake and used for many years

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DECE MBER 20 21  GEO R GE TO W N V I EW

in the family’s cattle business. “It’s great to see a feature from the farm that Misty and I spent many hours working around,” Scott says.

As one visitor described The Granary, “It feels a lot like old Austin, but blessed.” Lynn says, “We’ve been told that this feels like a bridge between old school, old town, and all the new developments to come out and break bread. We’re a community meeting place.

People come to us for fundraisers, birthdays, Little League parties, and band events. It’s an extreme honor to be part of that.”

Local beers are on tap along with old school Texas barbecue at The Granary’s bar and barbecue joint.

For those who are not fans of beer and barbecue, the food truck park offers everything from hot dogs to Cajun food from Lao Mec Kitchen, Curb Food Truck, PopPop’s Southern Fixin’s, The Cuban Corner, Krab Kingz, and Papa G’s. “There’s something for everyone,” Lynn says.

worth the drive

And everyone is welcome. “There’s room for kids to run around and it is all outdoor stuff, so we are very COVID-friendly,” Cari says.

They are grateful to the Jarrell EDC's Mary Poche, who guided them through the grant application process and helped them present the need to the Jarrell City Council for a sign that would draw people not only to The Granary, but to Jarrell. “The City has been extremely supportive and accommodating,” Lynn says, adding that the City just ordered Thanksgiving lunch for its staff from The Granary. “We couldn’t ask for a better place for The Granary to call home.”

COME BY...

Visitors can check out a diverse live music scene featuring old school rock, acoustic blues, old and new country, and even polka music. And don’t be surprised if you see a rooster meandering around.

That’s just Rojo, The Granary’s adopted rooster. “He’s kind of our mascot,” Lynn says.

The Granary is open 5pm to 9pm Thursday with brisket, tamales, and karaoke; 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday with live music; and 11am to 8pm Sunday.

FUTURE PLANS

To learn more about The Granary, email info@thegranarytx.com or scan the code to visit their website.

After recently adding new bathrooms, The Granary owners’ plans include expanding parking and transforming the bar next year from take-out window service to a gathering spot.

Thanks to a $25,000 grant from Jarrell’s Economic Development Corporation, The Granary’s owners were also able to buy a “big beautiful sign on 35 that’s LED backlit. We’re hard to miss from the interstate,” Cari says.

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experience georgetown

by Charlotte Kovalchuk photos by Mark Marquez

Kids with Special Needs Take Flight

Westin Thomas had a blast soaring through the skies.

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s Paul Hansen talks to a group of kids with special needs and their families at the Georgetown Municipal Airport, he is suddenly interrupted by a hug from a boy with Down syndrome. Paul doesn’t seem to mind, later saying that hugs and smiles are why he started his nonprofit organization Flying Vikings 12 years ago. “There’s no agenda. I’m not out to impress anybody. I just want to make someone smile,” he says.

There were 24 of those smiles the day before Halloween this year as kids descended on the airport dressed as everything from a chef to a prison inmate to Scooby Doo. They soared through the skies with volunteer pilots, even taking control of the plane for a few minutes during an aviation adventure provided by Flying Vikings, which gives free plane rides to kids ages 6-18 who have a chronic illness or disability.

For some parents, the event was about giving kids like 10-year-old Westin Thomas the chance to feel normal.

“I get to be the captain and fly you everywhere!” Westin, who has Costello syndrome, tells his mom, Angelica. “It’s great, seeing his smile and how happy

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it makes him,” she says. “He has a lot of challenges. It’s nice to do something that doesn’t involve hospitals or doctors.”

Other parents saw the event as an opportunity even typical kids don’t get. Donna Adams brought her sons, 11-year old Cole and 12-year-old Nathan, who are both autistic. “No one gets to do this," she says. "Not even regular kids. With group activities, [special needs kids] are always last, always behind. Flying Vikings gives them a step up. For 30 minutes, they don’t have special needs. They’re pilots.”

experience georgetown Flying Vikings founder Paul Hansen and event sponsor and Share the Will founder Will Williams. 

A BETTER PLAN While working in banking and investments, he felt God tell him, "I have a better plan.” Paul was asked to help with a mentor program for at-risk kids while handling the Burlington Police Department’s investments, which inspired him to launch another organization to help kids in need.

Flying Vikings was born out of Paul’s family history of aviation, a lifelong desire to fly, and a servant’s heart. “After praying, it was time to make a difference as opposed to status, title, and chasing what society defines as success,” he says. “I walked away from security, steady pay, and career advancement.”

Others have joined Paul in his mission to bring joy to kids with special needs, including nonprofit organization Share the Will, which sponsored the Georgetown event, and food donors Chick-fil-A and Domino’s.

He looks forward to Flying Vikings’ next chapter in 2022 and hopes it will impact more and more children and families. “We just want to make a small difference while having a larger impact upon society,” he says. “We can only continue this by seeking community involvement; individuals and businesses with big hearts for our support.”

Scan the code to learn more about Flying Vikings.

The candy cane’s shape, while handy for hanging on trees and other holiday décor, was actually a “J” for Jesus. The red stripes symbolize his blood.

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tails from the shelter

contributed by April Peiffer photo courtesy WCRAS

Happy Paw-lidays from the WCRAS

T H E H O L I D AY S A R E A T I M E F O R LO V E , C E L E B R AT I O N , FA M I LY, A N D TO G E T H E R N E S S ; T H E R E ’ S N O B E T T E R T I M E TO I N V I T E A F O S T E R D O G O R C AT I N TO YO U R H O M E T H A N N O W.

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he Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is excited to host its annual Home For The Holidays fostering program again this year. As part of the program, families can pick out any medium to large adult dog or adult cat as a foster pet for the duration of the holiday season. Fostering is a wonderful way to help the shelter by making space for new animals in need of the shelter’s help, and it is an activity the whole family can enjoy. Giving back to the community through fostering is a gift for all, especially for the dog or cat that gets to spend time in a home instead of the shelter.

Why not give the gift of a home, love, comfy beds, and lots of extra helpings of holiday treats to a shelter pet this season and enjoy the love and affection you’ll receive in return? A foster pet is sure to repay your holiday generosity of spirit with plenty of love and affection right back. The shelter can guarantee there will also be some tail wags, doggie kisses, kitty purrs, and biscuit-making thrown in.

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HOW IT WORKS Scan the code to fill out the linked Foster Application. Then, make an appointment to visit the shelter and pick out the medium to large adult dog or adult cat to take home as your Home For The Holidays foster pet. If fosters find they have a love connection and the pet is a perfect fit, adoption can take place at any time.

If it turns out not to be a good time for adoption, fosters may bring the dog or cat back to the shelter once the holidays are over. The program runs through January 3, 2022.

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WHAT MAKES TEXAS “TEXAS”?

Pecans

by Ann Marie Kennon

T

here is good reason the pecan is the official tree of Texas. While trade records tell us pecans have been exported from the state since before the Civil War, there is also archaeological evidence the tree has been growing in Texas regions since prehistoric times. Today, it is native to more than half of Texas counties, including most of the river valleys, and it is the only commercially grown nut in the state. Plus, its leaves and coverage make it a wonderfully preferred shade tree in the Texas heat.

SOME HISTORY For a long time, the pecan tree was not duly honored for its fruit and con44

tributions because most were cut down to make room for more valuable cotton crops. On the plus side of that razing, pecan wood was handy for making farming tools and wagons. But, by 1904, when the state was in danger of losing them all together, the nut trade made a significant comeback and quickly became one of the leading money crops. That comeback grew to the point that the Texas Legislature declared the pecan the state tree twice; in 1919 and 1927.

In the years after, and fortunately for pecan growers, trees did not know they were in a Great Depression and Texas’ annual crops weighed in the tens of millions of pounds. With all that product,

Texa s

Pecan trees produce nuts on alternate bearing years; one heavy, one light.

The trees can live to be over 200 years old.

H E Y, N E W T E X A N S , T H I S I S I M P O R TA N T...  T H I S I S A P ’ K A H N ... T H I S I S A P E A - C A N .

One ounce of pecans provides 10% of your daily fiber intake.

The pecan is heart healthy and contains antioxidants, 19 vitamins and minerals and healthy fat.

One of the mineral components is zinc, which is important in producing testosterone in both males and females.

You can enjoy up to 200 of these beauties in a single pie.

GEORGETOWN STUDENTS MAKE IT OFFICIAL

growers and shelling companies in some of the more prolific cities and counties were able to keep as many as 15,000 people employed at any given time.

In 2013, Diego Rodriguez, a student in Mary Mikeska’s first grade class at Ford Elementary in Georgetown discussed with his dad how cool it would be to create a law for Texas. Diego’s class had been studying state emblems and his father, an attorney, talked to the class about how the legislative process works, so the kids decided to lobby the legislature to make a new law.

By 1945, Texas was producing about 30 percent of the nation's crop. While, prior to 1900, commercial shellers used railroad spikes to crack the shells and needles to pick out the meat, mechanization allowed growers to keep up with rising demand across the country. The result was as much as 75 percent of Texas' annual crop being exported north and east to satisfy a growing number of shelling and candy companies.

In the 1960s, growers had begun expanding into more counties, creating new varieties, using greater mechanical devices, and the state was up to 1.8 million trees. This led to a boom in commercial planting in the 1970s and state production began edging toward 100 million pounds annually.

TODAY While Texas has slid to the #2 spot behind Georgia in total numbers, gathering pecans is still a major enterprise for many in the Lone Star State. At its simplest (and most fun) level, families bring buckets and pick up pecans around Georgetown or perhaps in their own yards. Commercially, they are collected by the millions by mechanical shakers or spread sheets under the trees to catch them.

After the class agreed on Pecan Pies, they reached out to State Rep. Marsha Farney and Senator Charles Schwertner who guided them through the process and advocated for the new Official State Dessert.

The bill itself was drafted for the students by staffers.

It included language regarding the state’s production plus several century-old recipes and references to the nut-based dessert. To help garner “yea” votes, students wrote letters and drew pictures for lawmakers, interviewed senators and, in what is still remembered as “The Most Adorable House Committee Hearing in Texas History,” testified before a Senate committee. Needless to say, the bill passed!

“Texans generally agree on two things: Texas pecan pies are, hands down, the best, especially when made with Texas pecans by a Texan; and secondly, whether served hot or cold, with a scoop of ice cream or without, pecan pie is indeed the perfect ending to any meal.”

—HCR 53 and SCR 12

All for a taste of Texas' official state dessert...

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Thriving AFTER 55

PERCEPTION

PROTECTION

Help for Hearing at the Holidays

Georgetown's Snake Wranglers

Page 50

Page 54

THE CHRISTMAS TREE PICKLE is a tradition to keep eager kids calm on Christmas morning. As the quirky tradition goes, the first child to find the glass pickle hidden in the tree on Christmas morning either wins a prize or the privilege of opening the first gift. The goal? To keep kids from rushing through the process of opening presents, and instead take the time to enjoy each one.

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by Ruby H. Moseley

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day...

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ith the holidays almost here, carols are playing and people will gather to celebrate their bonds with each other. Now might be a good time to look at how hearing loss can subtly affect those situations. It is important to understand that hearing loss happens gradually. So, until a person is willing and able to get professional help, there are still ways to make communicating work for everyone, whether it be at a restaurant or the long-awaited time with our families.

good time to chat. Christmas music lends to that special feeling, but even if it’s low, it can still be distracting. Also, several conversations, going at once, can be confusing.

Include the hearing-challenged person by adjusting the environment and suggesting a seat in the middle of the group.

Karen suggests a good strategy is to take the conversation outside and watch the grandkids play with their new puppy or drone in the open environment. This is a better situation to understand one another and watch new memories in the making.

WAYS TO ADAPT For those with reduced hearing ability, gathering with colleagues or company friends for a holiday luncheon pose particular issues. “Eateries have become noisier,” says Karen Block, audiologist at Advanced Hearing Aid Solutions. “They are built with high ceilings, large windows, and tile or concrete floors. Sound waves bounce off these hard surfaces and raise ‘noise’ levels.”

Beforehand, check online reviews, which might mention noise levels. Karen also suggests asking the hostess to seat your group in a quiet corner. Asking the manager to lower the volume of the overhead music isn’t asking for too much. Others may appreciate that you spoke up.

After your event, review the restaurant to comment on that, as there are likely others who want a quiet place to eat also.

Whether you’re in a restaurant or sitting with family, sit across from the person talking so you can see them and understand them better. It is no secret that we all read lips, and observe hand gestures and body language.

But when we aren't able hear as well as we used to, we depend on them even more.

WAYS TO HELP It can be frustrating to repeatedly hear, ‘pardon me?’ ‘what did you say?’ When people can't participate in conversation, they may feel left out and become moody. An empathetic relative can recognize these signs as inaudible speech or, conversely, that the room is too noisy. Take note if a person isolates him or herself, wants to leave, or asks to be alone.

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WAYS TO GET ALONG For those who are no longer confident of their own hearing, it can be tempting to simply nod in understanding rather than asking people to repeat their words. Karen says, "You may feel like you’re imposing to ask again, but people may be able to sense when you're pretending. Plus," she smiles, "it's a good thing to know exactly what you're nodding in agreement to."

One final thought, concerning the post-2020 new normal. Masking may be necessary in some homes or gathering places for some time to come, particularly at the holidays. This poses a unique problem, even for those who hear normally.

Fabric and paper masks muffle and distort spoken words and they remove the opportunity to read lips entirely. Karen says, "Hopefully we won’t always have to cover our mouths, but until then, a kind ‘Would you mind repeating that?’ isn’t asking too much. Chances are, people will understand and have had to do the same."

So as we look forward to holiday social schedules, here’s to hearing the love coming from loved ones near and far, and the beloved Christmas carols, reminding us of our blessings. Listen up! Hear the bells of Christmas say, ‘Peace on Earth, goodwill to men.’

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If you’re tired of the same old boring Christmas games, break out the Victorian-era classic, “SNAP-DRAGON.” Soak a bowlful of raisins in brandy, set it on fire, then take turns pulling out handfuls and swallowing them whole. One tradition says the person who snatches the most treats out of the brandy will meet their true love within a year. Another suggests one of the raisins contains a gold button and becomes "the lucky raisin". The person who fishes that raisin out can claim a reward or favor of their choosing.

(Aren't you glad someone invented Pictionary?)

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Sun City's Unsung Heroes

by Linda A. Thornton photos courtesy John Leek

The Snake Wranglers

O

n call 24/7, Jim Christiansen, Steve Kelley, John Leek, and Joe Plunkett don’t jump into skintight suits emblazoned with the letter “S” when their phones ring, but they will attempt to come to the rescue of the caller as swiftly as they can.

In 2005, Jim, a professor emeritus of herpetology at Drake University, a research associate at UT, and a Sun City resident, had the idea to advertise a new service: “Will answer snake calls free, day and night.”

Jim credits the original Del Webb community design for retaining much of the area’s native wildlife, which allowed him the unique opportunity to analyze its snake population. In January, with years of significant data behind him, he will be presenting at the Texas Conservation Symposium as they focus on the impact of urbanization on wildlife.

Steve, John, and Joe signed on years ago as volunteers and joke that they had all the right qualifications: an interest in snakes, common sense, and no fear. Together, the four “snake ambassadors” remain committed to educating their neighbors and demystifying snakes.

Joe Plunkett, John Leek, Steve Kelley, and Jim Christiansen

Together, the four wranglers have handled thousands of snakes and have had their share of interesting experiences—a snake in a washing machine, a snake up their pant leg— nothing seems to surprise them, except for the call they received asking if they could rush over to get rid of an armadillo in a backyard.

THE SNAKES Of the two venomous snakes in our area, the western diamondback rattlesnake (at left, top) is the one to watch. Because of its skittish nature, the coral snake (below) is usually not a threat unless it is handled. Surprisingly, children gravitate toward picking it up, due to its beautiful coloration.

Though they have received 300 calls so far this year, only three snake bites have been reported in Sun City in the last nine years. The wranglers agree common sense is the key: Try to keep garage and exterior doors closed Maintain home weather stripping

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Disturb the ground with a rake or broom before gardening Don’t go out in the dark barefoot or in flip flops and without a flashlight Take notice of where you put your hands and feet Wear boots and long pants when hiking

AFTER A BITE If bitten by a snake, the snake wranglers suggest victims elevate the bite site and maintain calm.

Rather than driving to an emergency room, call 9-1-1. First responders will call ahead to make sure the anti-venom (also called antivenin) is available at the hospital location.

Sun City residents should also consider adding the snake wranglers’ cell phone numbers to their phone’s contact list. You can find them under “Helpful Numbers” in Sun Rays magazine.

Also, stop by Sun City’s social center monitor’s desk on Texas Drive and pick up a Snake ID Guide.

A TOILET BRUSH CHRISTMAS Artificial Christmas trees first appeared in America during the late 19th century. These early trees did not resemble live pine trees; they were made of metal wires covered in dyed-green feathers.

In the 1930s, the Addis Brush Company, an American toilet bowl brush manufacturer created the first brush artificial tree. This tree was actually manufactured using the same equipment as the company’s toilet brushes. The introduction of these trees increased the popularity of the artificial tree.

(Patentplaques.com)

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food

International Christmas Favorites L A U F A B R A U Ð (Icelandic Leaf Bread) Sometimes called "Snowflake" bread, it is decorated with different patterns and fried for a very crunchy treat. Laufabrauð originated as a way for Icelanders to economize on flour during latter centuries when cold climate and poor trading meant no wheat. No wheat meant grain products were reserved for holiday indulgence and the bread became a Christmas tradition that was eagerly eaten and shared.

3 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. Kosher salt 3 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. whole milk, heated to 115° Canola oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Using two forks or your fingers, cut butter into flour mixture, forming pea-size crumbles.

Stir in milk until dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth.

Divide dough into 25 one-oz. balls; working with one ball at a time, roll dough into a 7-inch disk, about 1⁄16” thick. (Cover remaining dough with a damp towel to prevent dough from drying out.)

Using a paring knife and working outwards from the center of disk, cut rows of nested Vs 1⁄4” apart.

Use knife to lift the tip of every other V; fold each tip back to cross over the V behind it, pressing the dough to adhere. (Scan the code to see a step-bystep demonstration).

Store cut dough disks between parchment paper and cover with a damp towel until ready to fry.

Scan the code for a video demonstration on cutting and frying the bread.

Heat 2 inches oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deepfry thermometer reads 400°.

Fry 1 dough disk at a time, flipping once, until crisp, about 30 seconds.

Transfer to paper towels to drain.

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food P U T O B U M B O N G • Philippines This rice dish is made with a glutinous (sticky) purple-colored rice and is usually garnished with a dollop of butter and a heap of sugary, shredded coconut. It is mostly sold outside churches during the traditional simbang gabi, a devotional nine-day series of Masses practiced by Filipino Catholics and Aglipayans in anticipation of Christmas.

• 1 1/3 cups sticky purple rice

• 1 1/3 cups sticky white rice malagkit

• 2/3 cup long grain purple rice

• 6 cups water for soaking the rice

• 3/4 cups muscovado sugar

• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut

• 1/2 cup softened butter Combine all the rice in a large mixing bowl. Cover with water and soak for 2 days. Pour contents into a large sieve to drain.

Put soaked rice into food processor. Grind rice until it becomes very fine, about 10 mins.

Fill a steamer with water halfway and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, fill each bumbong (bamboo tube) with powdered rice. Do not compress the rice so steam can pass easily.

Once water is boiling, arrange each bamboo tube on the steamer. Continue to cook until steam comes out of the tube.

Remove the tube from the steamer. Arrange the contents over a piece of banana leaf. Spread butter all over and then top with freshly grated coconut and muscovado sugar.

PERUVIAN SPICY HOT CHOCOLATE • 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 cloves

• 1 piece orange peel dried, about 1"

• 1 Star anise (spice)

• 1 pinch nutmeg

• ½ cup water

• 2 c prepared whole milk

• ½ cup evaporated milk

• 3 T Peruvian bitter cocoa

• 1 ½ T cornstarch

• 1 t instant coffee

• sugar to taste

Place small pot on medium heat, add 1/2 c water and immediately add spices. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise. Cook on low heat.

Cook spice infusion half-covered over low heat for at least 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and strain spices.

Discard spices and preserve the infusion.

Return the infusion to the pot, and dissolve dark chocolate and instant coffee in it, whisking with hand mixer.

Add whole and evaporated milk. Stir well until mixed.

Add pinch of nutmeg and continue beating without letting the mixture boil.

Dissolve cornstarch in 3T water. Add diluted cornstarch to the chocolate and continue beating in circles until chocolate is thick.

Cook three minutes, add sugar to taste, serve hot in large cups.

If you like chocolate with a lot of foam, blend before serving. Decorate with whipped cream, marshmallows, or cinnamon powder.

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512.

poppy talks

A Ted Lasso Christmas I

recently started watching Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and I don’t typically promote stuff, but I am a word person and I love how the characters sometimes create one-liners that require a bit of thought, however goofy.

For instance, if you live in England and you get fired, you might put your footwear in the trunk of your car when you pack up your office. In other words, you got the boot so you put your boots in the boot.

So… just for fun, here are some Christmas Lassos.  When Santa Claus rings your doorbell because he brought some snacks to your party, it’s a Kringle jingle for a Pringles mingle.  On Christmas Eve, when you’re running around getting last-minute gifts and you get into an argument with your driver, it’s a swift gift Lyft rift.  If your canine pet left a mess on the floor because he knocked over and drank your Christmas dairy drink, you’ll be cleaning up a dog nog log.

 If your mom wants you to add more silver icicles to your holiday greenery you need tinselmo' the mistletoe.  When the street market guide says you can buy decorations from the man in the booth with all the wind damage, they are in the gent’s bent Advent ornament tent.  My brother, who agrees Die Hard is the best Christmas movie ever, and invites me to his house to drink beer while we watch the movie will throw me a foamy at his homey and show me Nakatomi.  When the former President decided to go to a holiday singles party, it was Nixon fixin' to do some Vixen mixin'.  Santa's wife was annoyed when the manicurist wouldn't affix the sharp fingernails until after Christmas, citing the Claus claws pause laws clause that she do nothing to scare children during the busy season.

 Realizing that trimming your cheerful robot with a green garland was a mistake is a jolly Wall-e holly folly.

 My friend was trying to flirt with the sales guy to get a discount on a BB-gun for her son but the insider Red Ryder provider denied her.

 When you really want to spontaneously swat a person who doesn't like Christmas, you're making a Grinch flinch an inch in a pinch.

 When you are concerned for the safety of the kooky man who guards the Nativity scene in a national park, you are aware of the stranger manger Ranger danger.

 Your friend in Georgia who enjoys orange soda and volunteering at the mall is an Atlanta Fanta Santa.  When your cat is enjoying the scent of the perfume you spilled on her, the myrrh on her fur sure made her purr.

Yes, Poppy knows your eyes are rolling but I really had fun doing them. Feel free to send your own Lassos to us and have a wonderful, blessed Christmas season!

Standing over 150 feet tall, the Statue of Liberty was given to us by France in 1886 and is the LARGEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER. France constructed it and presented it in late October 1886 as an early Christmas present. At 225 tons, it is also the world’s heaviest gift.

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parting shots

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

Delivering Hope

Juvenile Justice department, Georgetown Fire Department, and WilCo Family Services. “It’s an incredible opportunity to meet the people of the community and let the people of the church get out there and do what they do best—love people,” Pastor Mel says.

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rmed with 1,100 bags of groceries, Celebration Church set out on a mission to ensure families in need in the area would have a happy Thanksgiving. More than 150 volunteers of all ages gathered at the church the weekend before Thanksgiving to assemble bags of “all the fixings for a nice Thanksgiving meal,” explains Outreach Pastor Mel Stauber. That Sunday, the church's "Dream Team" of volunteers grabbed bags after church and delivered them to 1,100 families in Georgetown and Austin, including several local families through the WilCo 64

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Thanksgiving Bags of Celebration began about 13 years ago as a way for the church to take care of families in need. Sometimes the benefits go beyond the holiday, Pastor Mel says. "Some deliveries have turned into follow-up check-ins on the families, who had other needs, like home repair, which volunteers have been more than happy to help with."

He explains the outreach is part of Celebration's vision, inspired by Pastors Joe and Lori Champion; “It's not something we do, it’s who we are. Without [the Champions'] vision for the church and community and wanting to help people, none of this would be possible.”

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