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News-Dispatch Volume XXXVIII No. 12
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
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75¢
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Billboards on FM 1826 stir up protests BY KATERINA BARTON
PHOTO BY KATERINA BARTON
Meeting attendees voiced their complaints during the town hall meeting where the construction of a self-storage unit was also a topic of discussion.
Locals rise up against Driftwood storage facility BY KATERINA BARTON Tensions were high at a public meeting in Driftwood Dec. 13 where developers of an unwelcome self-storage facility clashed with local residents. Hays County Pct. 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant and Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones called a town hall meeting in order to address a few topics of interest that had been emailed to their offices in recent weeks, which included the facility. More than 50 residents filled the Driftwood Community Center for the town hall meeting, some even standing on the sides of the room. The meeting began with a presentation from representatives of the Jenkins Organization that bought 15.8 acres where a self-storage facility is projected to be built in early 2018. The facility will be built near the intersection of FM 1826 and Darden Hill Road, which is located in Dripping Springs extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
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A pair of recently erected billboards near Driftwood stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversy during a heated town hall meeting Dec. 13. The billboards were put up in late November on FM 1826 outside of the Rim Rock neighborhood in Driftwood, which is located near Salt Lick BBQ. The billboards are more than 40 feet tall and have space for four 300-square
“Didn’t Lady Bird Johnson teach them anything? You can do that in Austin, but not out here in the country.” – Mary Buchanan, Driftwood resident
foot advertisements. Media Choice, an outdoor advertising company headquartered in Austin, owns the two billboards along FM 1826. However,
at this time, no advertisements have been posted on the boards. Meeting attendees voiced their complaints during the town hall meet-
BY SAMANTHA SMITH
PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III
The Wimberley Texans endured a season-ending loss to West Orange-Stark in the state semifinals in Katy. Above, Wimberley Texan senior JoJo Weeks is consoled by his mother, Lisa. Left, Heath Schake, hugs teammate Hunter Bonugli.
Active shooter awareness event teaches skills to survive A feeling of tension cast over roughly 150 residents at Dripping Springs High when 911 phone call recordings from the 1999 Columbine school shooting were played. The tapes, which rarely have been heard by the general public, offered a moment of shock for some. All, however, attentively listened to those who reported what was at the time one of the worst mass shootings in American history. For Hays County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. David Burns, the recordings offered a chance for him to showcase the importance of being prepared in the event of an active shooter situation. On Dec. 11, Burns led a Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event (CRASE) presentation, which was hosted by the HCSO. The event comes weeks after the tragic mass shooting that took place in Southerland Springs. Burns, a former U.S.
“Prior to that day, no one ever thought that something like this would happen to them ... It can happen anywhere, no one is immune from this.”
– David Burns, Hays County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant
Army Paratrooper, said he was inspired to teach the class after hearing criticisms from a radio DJ following the tragic events at Columbine. The DJ, who was commenting on the Columbine event, was irate at law enforcement for taking more than 45 minutes to enter the building. However, it was the DJ’s comment of, “I would rather see dead cops than dead kids,” that pushed Burns to offer people the tools to be prepared in active shooter situations. Burns, a founding member of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) program, said after years of offering the situational
BILLBOARDS, 6
Hays Co. supports potential RR 12, U.S. 290 study
The agony of defeat
BY SAMANTHA SMITH
ing where the construction of a self-storage unit was also a topic of discussion. Some community members said the signs diminish the quality of Hill Country aesthetic that the area is known for. They claimed the signs can be seen from some of their homes. For other community members, they see the oversized signs as a hazard. Pam and Jim Grayson of
awareness training to police officers, he was inspired to offer the training to civilians. That’s when CRASE was born. Burns uses a diversified training technique involving videos, sound bites, 911 calls, and audience participation. Burns said the tactics offer the chance of “re-programming” the human brain to be able to react quickly in an active shooter situation. The first video shown to residents Dec. 11 was a transcribed recording of the 911 calls with a teacher in the library at Columbine. The library was where most of the victims in the event were ultimately shot and killed by the gunman.
“Prior to that day, no one ever thought that something like this would happen to them,” Burns said. “It can happen anywhere, no one is immune from this.” Burns said residents should follow several techniques that could go a long way to survival. One is not to freeze up or use the “hide and hope” or “play dead” method to survive. “If you just lay on the ground and freeze and can’t believe it’s happening to you that can become very problematic,” Burns said. Burns also referenced the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy to the audience, as well as the human body’s physical response to stress. He illustrated the importance of planning ahead for a situation when cognitive functioning will be impaired. Burns also coached audience members to use techniques like combat breathing to calm themselves if they
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Hays County leaders gave support to placing the Ranch Road 12 and U.S. 290 intersection in Dripping Springs into a potential study that could one day lead to improvements. By a unanimous vote, Hays County Commissioners Dec. 5 approved a resolution supporting the submission of that intersection into the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ (CAMPO) Platinum Planning Study. The study could also allow officials to create a new plan for transportation projects that could lead to a city center in Dripping Springs. Hays County Pct. 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant said the Highway 290 and Ranch Road 12 transportation project is a traffic focal point for many Hays County residents. “This (resolution) gives
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LAGNIAPPE EmilyAnn Trail of Lights
Head to Wimberley to celebrate the 20th annual festival at EmilyAnnTheatre and Gardens through Dec. 28. Enjoy more than 100 lighted exhibits created by Wimberley businesses and organizations 6-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Get more details at emilyann.org
Trail Walk
Get out into nature together with the city of Dripping Springs at this “Healthy Parks Healthy People” event at Charro Ranch Park on Jan. 6 from 10 a.m. - noon for a trail walk and bird watching event. Special guest Jesse Huth will lead event goers through some of Dripping Springs’ most enjoyable bird watching trails.