DSISD teacher named Teacher of the Year
Local kids help out at care facility
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Dripping says goodbye to VFW building
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 41 • Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
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75¢ Thursday, July 20, 2017
Speed limit cut to 45 mph on U.S. 290 SUBMITTED REPORT In an effort to promote safety along U.S. 290 through the Dripping Springs area, the Texas Department of Transportation in
cooperation with the city of Dripping Springs, has extended the 45-mph zone through town. This includes the stretch of highway from Crow Ranch Road (near the water tower) to just west
on U.S. 290 have been reduced overall by 5 mph from the Blanco County line to the Travis County line. On the west side of town, the speed limit is 50 mph from Spring Lane to just west of
McGregor Lane, where the speed limit then becomes 60 mph. The stretch of highway west of McGregor to 281 is now 65 mph. Headed into Austin, the speed limit is 60 mph
1826
Four potential roundabout/ traffic signals Potential roundabout/ traffic signal
of Roger Hanks Parkway (near Tractor Supply). When school resumes, the speed limit is 30 mph in school zones along this stretch of highway. On the outer edges of the city, speed limits
967
Curb smoothing
POTENTIAL BYPASS STUDY AREA
Curve smoothing Shoulder widening
150
Two potential roundabout/ traffic signals
DRIPPING SPRINGS
Curb smoothing 170
Burn ban extended 30 days BY SAMANTHA SMITH
DRIFTWOOD Curve smoothing
from Crow Ranch Road to Nutty Brown Road. A map depicting the speed limit changes can be found on the city’s website, www. cityofdrippingsprings. com.
150 150
Shoulder widening Upgrade grading
Potential roundabout/ traffic signal
The FM 150 Character Plan covers FM 150 from Arroyo Ranch Road outside Kyle to RM 12 in Dripping Springs and focuses on changes and upgrades to the area regarding widening shoulders on roads and creating bypasses and cross sections.
Hays County moves closer to finishing FM 150 character plan BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY
Residents of Hays County met with K Friese employees during an open meeting at last week at Dripping Springs High School to voice their opinions and concerns as the FM 150 Character Plan nears completion. Residents spoke with various employees of K Friese on potential development in their area. K Friese representatives were assigned to various maps that marked key sections of the corridor for residents to review. The FM 150 Character Plan covers FM 150 from Arroyo Ranch Road outside Kyle to RM 12 in Dripping Springs and focuses on changes and upgrades to the area regarding widening shoulders on roads and creating bypasses and cross sections. This is a separate effort from the FM 150 alignment study by the county that was being conducted to study and develop a possible
PHOTO BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY
FM 150, 4
Residents of Hays County met with K Friese employees to discuss the future of FM 150 during an open meeting last week at Dripping Springs High School.
It’s official. Hays County’s temporary burn ban has been extended to 90 days. The ban went into effect last week, but has some residents wondering why the county itself is engaging in prescribed burns. If private citizens are caught burning during the burn ban, the consequences are serious. According to the Texas Water Code, if a person intentionally or knowing-
BURN BAN, 5
Property tax cap in Lege draws concern BY MOSES LEOS III Controversy surrounding a bill that could limit governmental entities’ ability to raise property tax rates will continue as the Texas legislative special session begins this month. Much of the consternation stems from Senate Bill (SB) 2, authored by State Sen. Paul Betancourt (R-Houston). The bill, which died before the end of the regular session in May, would require entities such as city, county governments and emergency service districts (ESDs) to hold an election if they plan to raise property tax rates by five percent.
PROPERTY TAX, 6
Whether rain, fire or tornadoes, LAGNIAPPE cities prepare for hazard plans Blanco River/ BY TIMOTHY STUCKEY Whether it’s flooding or fires or tornadoes – any kind of natural disasters – Hays County cities are coming together to put forth their updates on the 2017 Hazard Mitigation plan. The 2017 Hazard Mitigation Plan, or HMP, has been approved for public comments through July 26. Eleven incorporated cities in Hays County, and the county, have their own plans that provide overviews of natural hazards and
how best to respond in order to minimize the loss of life and property. The plans for each incorporated city and the county can be found on the county website. “Each jurisdiction has the opportunity to adopt the plan; this is done by an affirmative vote of the city council,” said Kay Allen, Dripping Springs Emergency Planning Coordinator. “Having done that, the obligation is to make a good faith effort to complete the action items specific to that jurisdiction; since the action items are tailored
to the jurisdiction’s specific situation and needs, there is a strong motivation to follow through on completing them.” The 2017 HMP update is the most recent to the county’s HMP since 2011. The HMP for Hays County was first initiated in 2003 in response to the Disaster Mitigation Act passed by Congress in 2000, which established a requirement that jurisdictions nationwide must develop hazard plans in the event of natural or man-made disasters. Approved in 2006,
the Hays HMP was designed to help the incorporated cities within the county prepare for the hazards the areas are most susceptible to. “Past hazards greatly influence these plans,” said Kathy Roecker, Kyle’s Stormwater Management Plan organizer. “Looking at past hazards assists in planning and preparing for future hazards.” For instance, flooding has been a consistent and troublesome issue in Hays County. Between
HAZARD PLAN, 4
Onion Creek Water Forum
Meet your neighbors at this forum discussing the Blanco River and Onion Creek at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Road 12 in Wimberley on Thursday, July 20. Exhibits and a meet and greet will begin at 9 a.m., and presentsations by local water experts will begin at 10 a.m. For more information contact David Glenn, VAGabond Chief, Hays Trinity Aquifer Volunteer Advisory Group at david.glenn@vownet.net or (512) 557-3595.
LAGNIAPPE, 3