Lady Tiger wrestler makes history
Robotics team wins award
Lady lifters qualify for state meet
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXIX No. 23
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
Picking up chicks at Fancy Feathers
PHOTO BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Clucks were on the clock Saturday as the Fancy Feathers 4H Club hosted its 12th annual open chicken show at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. The event featured numerous entrants ranging in age from 8 to 18 showing a variety of chicken breeds. Along with several shows, the event featured an egg show, a cluck-off contest and fan favorite, chicken poop bingo.
Permian Highway Pipeline outcry builds as residents seek answers BY MOSES LEOS III
Transparency issues surrounding Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline provided more fuel for opponents fighting to keep the project from going through the Hill Country. Those arguments and much more were brought to the forefront in a public meeting held at Hays High March 6. Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones said adding roadblocks to Kinder Morgan’s
path could force the company to seek another route. “One strategy we’re looking at is to make it as uncomfortable as we can and to make it as expensive as we can to where an alternative route is more attractive than bringing it through here,” Jones said. The meeting, hosted by Hays County, continued to give landowners insight into how to fight and negotiate with Kinder Morgan
Linda Green and Carondelet Dember show off a protest sign at the March 6 Kinder Morgan public meeting at Hays High.
PIPELINE PROTESTED, 6
Two weeks after tabling a resolution opposing Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline, Wimberley city leaders Thursday opted to craft their own version that differs from neighboring jurisdictions. The resolution, approved by a 4-0 vote, substantially cut portions that had been included in versions approved by Kyle, San Marcos, Woodcreek and Hays County elected
–Craig Fore, Wimberley council member
officials in recent weeks. Council member Allison Davis and Mayor Susan Jaggers were absent from the meeting.
Cuts included taking out line items that questioned the lack of state oversight in the construction of pipelines.
“We’re not against the pipeline, we’re against the route,” said Wimberley councilmember Craig Fore. “So, we want to get them (Kinder Morgan) to come to the table and negotiate a different route. That’s the purpose of this resolution.” Wimberley leaders first discussed the possibility of a resolution Feb. 21. That original resolution, which mirrored items passed by other governmental
WIMBERLEY PROP, 6
LAGNIAPPE Wildflower Spring Market at Ranch Park
The eighth annual Wildflower Spring Market comes to Dripping Springs Ranch Park March 23-24. Vendors from around the state will show items such as clothing, candles, gourmet foods, jewelry, Texas handmade art, gifts, hand-crafted pottery, soaps, photography, metal art, garden related gifts and so much more. Admission is $5. Save a dollar off of admission by bringing a canned food item for the Helping Hands Food Pantry.
Hills of Milk and Honey Farm Tour
The community is invited to learn about Hills of Milk and Honey and regenerative agriculture in general. Pre-register to attend this unique weekly event held most Tuesdays in the fall and spring by visiting www. hillsofmilkandhoney. com/farm-visits. The next tour is Tuesday, March 12 from 8 to 9 a.m. Participants will join us for a quick 10 minute mini tour of the farm promptly at 9 a.m. and then enjoy local coffee from Greater Goods Coffee Co. while chatting with Farmer Amy about the future of farming. Hills of Milk and Honey is located at 2434 Martin Road in Dripping Springs.
County officials seek solution to incidents at double crossings BY MOSES LEOS III A handful of vehicle incidents along FM 150 at the Onion Creek double crossings, including several involving 18-wheelers, is pushing Hays County officials to try and rectify the issue. Last week, Kyle Fire Department officials responded to an overturned semi-trailer that required several hours to clear. It’s one of several wrecks in the area involving vehicles of all types. Scott Collard, North Hays County Fire Rescue Chief, said wrecks and incidents at the double crossings is a “very common occurrence.” North Hays responds to most incidents at the double crossings as the area is in its jurisdiction. On Tuesday, North Hays fire crews re-
BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
“We’re not against the pipeline, we’re against the route. So, we want to get them (Kinder Morgan) to come to the table and negotiate a different route. That’s the purpose of this resolution.”
Thursday, March 14, 2019
On Tuesday, North Hays fire crews responded to at least three wrecks at the double crossings on FM 150 before 7 a.m. sponded to at least three wrecks at the double crossings before 7 a.m. Narrow lanes and winding curves of the roadway play a part in the incidents, Collard said. Wet conditions also are a factor in some of the wrecks. While there are signs instructing drivers to slow down as the approach the low
FM 150 ACCIDENTS, 2
Annexation tops Dripping Springs legislative priorities
Wimberley council okays resolution opposing Permian pipeline route BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
75¢
Texas Night Sky Festival
Celebrate the starry Texas sky March 29-31 at the annual Texas Night Sky Festival at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. The free event, hosted by the city of Dripping Springs, Hays County Chapter Texas Master Naturalist, Texas Night Sky Festival Association and many others, features a plethora of activities, culminating in the big festival after dark on March 30. More information can be found online at texasnightskyfestival. org.
remainder of the legislative session, Dripping Protecting dark skies Springs officials will and enabling more be eyeing key bills that freedoms in how cities could affect the city. spend money are two Mayor Pro Tem Bill topics Dripping Springs Foulds said there are city leaders support three bills relating to during the 86th LegislaHotel Occupancy Tax tive session. funds that could offer Those priorities were municipalities flexibility outlined via a resolution in how to use it. approved by Dripping “With HOT funds, you Springs city leaders can only use that money March 3. towards the hotel and High on Dripping lodging industry, heads Springs’ priority list is and beds so to speak, supporting legislation to help bring tourism. that would allow GenThese bills would give eral Law Municipalities us a little bit more finanto annex an area upon cial freedom with those request of the property funds,” Foulds said. owner. The legislation Included in that list would impact cities with is Zwiener’s House Bill a population of 1,599 to (HB) 4581, which would 2,900 and would only allow municipalities to be allowed if the area to apply HOT funds to the be annexed is adjacent construction of paths to the city limits and and trails. For the city, doesn’t have utility this could potentially services. aid in a vast network Over a decade ago, an of trails connecting amendment was made lodging centers to to the Texas Local Govdowntown Dripping ernment Code granting Springs on Mercer Street cities within a 1,500 and other commercial to 1,599 population developments. bracket the ability to “Dripping Springs is annex an area upon rea very popular tourist quest. Dripping Springs, destination, and we however, has surpassed want our visitors to have that population, which the opportunity to walk means this section of to places of interest in the code is obsolete. the city,” Fischer said. “We used to work “We’re missing that curwith this particular rently. But once again, section of the code, but as a city, we’d have to we outgrew that popula- prove that these funds tion bracket,” said City will be reinvested back Administrator Michelle to our hotel and lodging Fischer. “This would industry.” create a new section of Foulds said more the code to allow cities local control for HOT like Dripping Springs to funds would allow the once again utilize these city to continue its push annexation rules.” for tourism, including Under this change, funding for the Dripthe city would annex ping Springs Visitors upon request from Bureau. a property owner, or “We will always fund within a development the visitors bureau beagreement, which is not cause it’s a great asset to an uncommon strategy. this city and we appreFischer said the ciate all the work they city has been working do,” Foulds said. “These with Rep. Erin Zwiener bills are just more tools (D-Driftwood) on a in our box that would plethora of bills that allow us to do different could affect Dripping Springs. During the D.S. ANNEXATION, 2