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4 | Progress 2015
Central Texas keeps growing Progress is an annual publication that focuses on the developments of the past year in the Central Texas communities the Killeen Daily Herald serves. The section also takes an in-depth look at the changes in store in the year ahead. This year’s 148-page edition includes news, information, photographs and advertisements that highlight the positive developments in Killeen and its neighboring communities of Harker Heights, Fort Hood, Copperas Cove, Belton, Nolanville, Florence, Salado, Kempner, Gatesville and Lampasas. In addition to chronicling developments in the business sector, Progress also features news accounts from the areas of education, real estate, recreation, religion and the medical community. The content for the 2015 Progress edition was created by the Killeen Daily Herald’s editorial and advertising departments.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Business Real Estate Medical Fort Hood Education Harker Heights Copperas Cove Religion Recreation Roll of Honor Yellow Pages
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BUSINESS
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Construction continues along U.S. Highway 190 in Killeen. Several projects aim to ease traffic flow.
As Killeen’s population nears 140,000, city plans for growth BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Killeen’s population surpassed the 130,000 mark in 2012 — nearly double what it was a decade before — and moving into 2015, that number is expected to keep rising. According to the latest census figures, the city’s population was 137,147 in 2013 — an increase of 9,226 from 2010. The city’s growth and economy rely heavily on neighboring Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the world. “Fort Hood is vital to the soldiers, veterans and military family members in Killeen and it is a driving force in our local economy,” City Manager Glenn Morrison said. “As the largest singlesite employer in the state of Texas, with an estimated economic impact of over $25 billion annually, Fort Hood directly affects economic stability and growth in this community.” Killeen’s primary planning guide shows the city’s population reaching 150,000 by 2020 and 180,000 by 2032. In order for the city to stay ahead of its projected growth, millions of dollars must be invested in infrastructure and water treatment options. Morrison said Killeen has been fortunate to continue growing despite national economic uncertainty.
“Because we have been experiencing sustained growth for more than two decades, we have become very skilled at factoring growth into long-term planning,” he said. “By looking decades into the future through strategic and master planning documents, we can project what infrastructure and resources will be needed when we reach certain markers.” Highway construction has been abundant throughout Killeen over the past two years, with the U.S. Highway 190 project ongoing and other road projects set to begin in the coming months. The U.S. 190 widening project, which adds a lane in each direction to the highway between Fort Hood’s main gate and W.S. Young Drive, began in February 2014. It’s expected to be complete this summer. The city is slated to begin construction on Trimmier Road, W.S. Young Drive, Lowes Boulevard and Elms Road this year. The city also invested in a water treatment plant on Stillhouse Hollow Lake to address growing water needs. “Water is a precious commodity and one that is necessary to support our community and its continued growth,” Morrison said. “The water treatment plant on Stillhouse will ensure the availability of water in future decades, and our ability to deliver that water.”
City implements animal ordinance changes, amends FOG guidelines BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen City Council made significant changes to its animal ordinance near the end of last year, some of which went into effect this month. The changes, which include prohibiting dangerous animals inside city limits, requiring cats and dogs being spayed or neutered and microchipped, came nearly nine months after a Killeen toddler was killed by a bull mastiff. Discussions surrounding changes to the ordinance came after several local dog attacks. A Killeen child was injured Feb. 12, 2014. On March 1, 2014, a 2-yearold, Raymane Camari Robinson Jr., was attacked and killed by a large dog that escaped from a Killeen garage. Following an investigation into the attack that killed Camari, officials did not levy any criminal charges against the dog’s owner, who was out of town at the time of the attack. Camari’s mother became a vocal advocate for change prompting the city’s Animal Advisory Committee to examine and revise the ordinance. The revised ordinance forbids any animal deemed “dangerous” from being within city limits. A dog is proclaimed dangerous if it makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and the attack happens in a place other than the enclosure the dog is being kept in. For a dog to be considered dangerous, it goes through a process, which includes an investigation by the city’s Animal Services Unit, and a hearing before a local judge. If the animal is considered dangerous, the owner is required to either remove the animal from the city, or surrender it to Animal Services. The changes also include the addition of a new category of “aggressive animals,” which show behavior that represents a potential danger, such as chasing individuals in a “menacing fashion.” If a dog considered aggressive is found at-large and attacks or bites someone without being provoked, the owner could face an “enhanced penalty.” The council also approved the addition of a section requiring all cats and dogs in city limits be microchipped
An animal services shelter worker takes a dog out for stretching at Killeen’s animal shelter. The city amended its animal ordinance to require all pets be sterilized and microchipped.
along with a requirement they be spayed or neutered. The microchipping and spay or neutering mandates went into effect March 15.
FATS, OILS AND GREASE
The council also approved changes to its sewage disposal and protection ordinance last year to regulate fats, oils and grease entering the city’s sewer system. The revisions made included changing the temperature, from 150 degrees to 120, for allowable discharge to prevent damage to the city’s collection system and the treatment plant. The revisions also give restaurants two options for providing samples of dumped grease: a grab sample from an existing grease trap or installing a new sampling port at the property line. Restaurants can choose between the sampling options to determine the surcharge amount that will be added to their utility bill if found to not be in compliance with city regulations. The original ordinance was put in place in March 2010 after the city was forced to pay $900,000 to Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, the city’s wastewater treatment provider, for damage caused by sewer grease in 2009. The ordinance allows the city to assess surcharges to food service establishments as a means of enforcing the measure.
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Killeen prepares for phase II of downtown revitalization project BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Vehicles pass along Avenue C and Gray Street in phase I of the downtown Killeen revitalization project. Phase II is underway this year.
Last spring, Killeen celebrated the completion of the first phase of its downtown revitalization effort with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Avenue D. Phase I, a $5.4 million project, started in August 2012 as an initiative to replace sidewalks, revamp streets, add landscaping, lighting, plazas and decorative crosswalks in an effort to attract residents, visitors and businesses to the area. Charlotte Humphreys, city senior planner, said the project has “created buzz throughout the region.” “Many have visited the area to find downtown Killeen more inviting,” she said. Since its April opening, Killeen has hosted several events to promote downtown, including its annual Celebrate Killeen festival, the Army’s birthday, the city’s holiday extravaganza and Christmas parade. “Thousands of people have visited downtown because of these events
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and feedback has been very positive,” Humphreys said. In May, the Killeen City Council authorized a professional services agreement with Walker Partners LLC to begin the design of phase II of the revitalization project. Phase I of the project stopped on Avenue D, just east of Eighth Street. Phase II will pick up where phase I left off and continue the improvements down Avenue D to the intersection of 10th Street. George Lueck, city transportation director, said phase II will add new lighting, decorative crosswalks, retaining walls and landscaping to the area. The second phase also will address “major historic drainage issues” in the area. Phase II comes at a cost of $1.6 million, with the Killeen Economic Development Corporation funding $300,000 of the project. “Significant improvements are proposed to correct existing drainage on 10th Street from north of (the railroad tracks) to the intersection of Avenue D and 10th Street,” said Scott Osburn, city public works director. “The existing storm sewer on Avenue D and 10th Street lacks the capacity to convey the existing drainage to Nolan Creek.” The design of the project is complete,
People gather in downtown Killeen for the annual Celebrate Killeen Festival in April, which showed off the recent revitalization effort.
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Widening project to ease traffic flow along U.S. Highway 190 BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Traffic passes along the U.S. Highway 190 extension near the Rosewood Drive interchange being built between Killeen and Harker Heights.
Motorists traveling east and west along U.S. Highway 190 through Harker Heights and Killeen will soon see the fruits of the long-awaited completion of the highway widening project. The multifaceted project, which includes the widening of the highway and Farm-to-Market 2410, and the extension of Rosewood Drive, is expected to be finished this summer. Once the project is complete, it will be six lanes from FM 2410 in Heights to the Fort Hood main gate. City transportation director George Lueck said the westbound main lanes of the highway are complete along with the south side of FM 2410. As part of the construction project, the city extended Rosewood Drive, which previously ran from south of Stagecoach Road to a dead-end near Fawn Drive. The extension of the thoroughfare will create a major north-south artery through the city, running under the highway overpass to meet FM 2410.
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Lueck said the initial goal for the Rosewood extension was to ease congestion, but residents will reap several other benefits. State Highway 195 is the only major artery in the city connecting the northern and southern portions of the city. “The fact that we will have another north-south option is critical, and I think this gets it done more than any other transportation project that we have done in a long time,” said Tony McIlwain, city planner. “As a reliever, this is a great benefit. I think it’s going to be incredible once it’s finished.” With Killeen rapidly growing in size from year to year, Lueck said the project will make the community “more livable” along with improving the quality of life for residents. “It’s a way to manage growth,” he said. “The city is only growing south; we’re growing like crazy south. In order for us to properly manage our growth, we have to build north-south routes.” Lueck said the extension of Rosewood Drive is on schedule for completion in June. The city also is developing a thoroughfare plan to meet the continuous growth and address its future needs.
A road closed sign cautions drivers away from the Rosewood construction project in Killeen. The work should be completed in June, city officials said.
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Ongoing infrastructure projects to improve services in Killeen BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Work continues on Stagecoach Road in Killeen. The road widening project should be complete next spring.
Killeen has several ongoing infrastructure projects, along with a list of a few slated to begin as the city continues to plan for expected growth. The biggest project set for completion this year is the U.S. Highway 190 widening project, which includes the widening of the highway and Farmto-Market 2410, and the extension of Rosewood Drive. Once complete this summer, U.S. 190 will be six lanes from FM 2410 in Harker Heights to the Fort Hood main gate. Work on Stagecoach Road also continues. It’s expected to be complete next spring. During the fall 2013, phase one of the project — from East Trimmier Road to the Heights city limits — was completed. Soon after the completion of phase one, phase two began — from East Trimmier to State Highway 195. The thoroughfare will be a four-lane roadway with a center turn-lane from Heights to SH 195 once complete.
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Construction is underway for the Elms Road extension. The 0.75-mile project will connect the segment of Elms Road from Clear Creek Road to Carpet Lane, where it dead-ends, to where the road picks up at South Fort Hood Street going to Stan Schlueter Loop.
Transportation director George Lueck said the added capacity to existing city roads will encourage new or redevelopment of the surrounding areas, stimulating economic growth. “As more drivers use a particular route, they may be more apt to utilize the businesses or homes in the area, possibly strengthening the economy along a particular corridor,” he said. Another project that recently got underway is the extension of Elms Road. The scope of the project includes the construction of a four-lane roadway with a center turn-lane from SH 195 to Carpet Lane. The 0.75-mile extension will connect the segment of Elms Road from Clear Creek Road to Carpet Lane, where it dead-ends, to SH 195 where it picks up again and runs to Stan Schlueter Loop. It’s estimated to be completed in August. The largest road project on tap to begin this year is the Trimmier Road project, which is a multifaceted project including portions of Lowes Boulevard and W.S. Young Drive. Trimmier Road will be widened from Central Texas Expressway to Elms Road along with a turn-lane added to W.S. Young Drive from Bacon Ranch Road to Little Nolan Road and the extension of Lowes Boulevard from Trimmier Road to Florence Road. Lueck said adding a turn-lane on Trimmier will improve the efficiency of the road, while adding a turn-lane to W.S. Young Drive will “significantly improve safety.” Construction is set to begin next
The Killeen City Council voted in September to approve a $6.8 million project to widen Trimmier Road from Jasper Drive to Elms Road.
month, and is estimated to be completed in August 2016.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT
One of the biggest moves made by the Killeen City Council in 2014 was $5 million down payment on a new water treatment plant on Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The plant will add 10 million gallons of treated water per day to the city’s existing 32 million gallons per day out of Belton Lake. The plant, which will be constructed in the next three to five years, is expected to meet the city’s growing need for another two decades.
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Killeen council mulls recycling program, changes to garbage BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen City Council received its long-awaited solid waste master plan and rate study in January, which included several options for recycling programs. SCS Engineers was hired by the city in March 2014 to develop a plan and rate model analyzing the city’s current programs and various viable options for the future. The firm was hired after the city entered into contract negotiations with Austin-based Balcones Resources a month before for a proposed mandatory citywide single-stream recycling program. The program would allow residents to put recyclables into one container rather than separating them curbside, as the existing voluntary program system requires. The current program costs participants $2.48 per month for a 22 gallon bin. The council started talking about a broader recycling initiative in January 2014, reviewing four proposals that sparked debate and deferred the initiative before the council ultimately reached a consensus to allow City Manager Glenn Morrison to enter into contract negotiations with Balcones Resources in February 2014.
UNDERCHARGING RESIDENTS
The study found the city is undercharging its residents by about $1.60 — based on the current $17.50 rate for a 96-gallon can. The study shows the city should be charging residents $19.10, and increasing the rate to $19.30 in the 2016 fiscal year. The city uses a multicart system where residents are charged depending upon the size of their garbage can — $17.50 per month for a 96-gallon can, $15.60 for a 64-gallon can and $14.38 for a 32-gallon can. The study showed that the current voluntary recycling program is costing the city money. It charges residents $2.48 per month, but costs the city about $10 per resident. It yields about 510 tons of recyclables annually. The study offered various plans for recycling, including adding singlestream curbside service to its existing solid waste system and contracting with a private entity to process recyclables. SCS Engineers recommended a dif-
Central Texas Community College Enactus volunteers assist Killeen Recycling Center employees with the collection of old tires at the Killeen Special Events Center on Feb. 7. Killeen council members continue to review the city’s trash and recycling rates in the solid waste master plan. Garbage rates are likely going up this spring, and the city may decide to implement single-stream recycling.
ferent route — building a regional materials recovery facility adjacent to its current transfer station through a joint effort with Fort Hood, Copperas Cove and Harker Heights. It also suggests the city move to a single-cart system. The suggested rate structure shows rates at $19.76 in the current fiscal year, $21.37 in 2016, $21.65 in 2017, $21.93 in 2018 and $22.21 in 2019. The study suggested the city collect recyclables every other week. The city currently collects recyclables once a week. The council continues to review the rate study and plan. At its March 31 meeting, members are set to vote on a measure to raise garbage collection rates. If approved, the measure would raise rates for a 32-gallon can 17 percent, up from $14.38 per month to $16.76 per month. Residents with a 64-gallon can would see a 14 percent increase, from $15.60 to $17.76 per month. Residents with a 96gallon can would pay 13 percent more, from $17.50 per month to $19.76.
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Killeen Food Care Center helps ‘stand in the gap’ for residents Marissa Daniels of Killeen prepares Senior Packs for individuals 55 and older Wednesday at the Killeen Food Care Center. Grace Christian Center donated more than 1,500 pounds of food to help meet the need.
BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The mission of the Killeen Food Care Center is to “stand in the gap,” and over the past year, the organization bridged the gap for more than 75,000 people. In the nonprofit’s 2014 fiscal year — Oct. 1 through Sept. 30 — it served 26,217 families, including 79,049 people. Of those served were 61,141 adults, 17,908 children and 2,635 military families. Ann Farris, co-director of the center, said one the organization’s key processes is to maintain food that is both sufficient and healthy with 27 years of “standing in the gap created by hunger.” “We have no qualifying criteria,” she said. “When people say they are hungry and need food, we provide it.” Clients can get assistance from the food pantry once each month. Farris said the faith-based organization can provide one meal for 14 cents and relies on partners like H-E-B, WalMart, Starbucks and Papa John’s Pizza, along with grants from United Way, the Officers’ Spouses’ Club and the Baptist
General Convention of Texas, area churches and private donations. Farris said the organization has five part-time employees and 55 volunteers, who help with day-to-day operations. The Killeen Food Care Center provides fresh bread and pastries, canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and dairy products, baby formula, water, juices, and fresh and frozen meats.
Its services also extend to provided those in need with clothing, shoes, dishes, pots, pans, other kitchen items, bedding and linens. The food pantry serves the community 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with extended hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the first and third Friday of each month. The nonprofit provides food to individuals, families, organiza-
tions, churches and community service workers based on need. Other area food pantries include the Baptist Benevolence Ministry at 307 N. Fifth St. in Copperas Cove, Cove House at 108 E. Halstead Ave. in Copperas Cove, the Nolanville Food Pantry at 200 N. Main St. in Nolanville and the Harker Heights Food Center at 100 E. Ruby Road in Harker Heights.
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Families in Crisis, Heritage House work on services for homeless BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
As one local organization charged with helping the homeless get back on their feet gets its first year under its belt, another moves forward making strides in developing Killeen’s first shelter. In April 2013, Families in Crisis — a local nonprofit providing shelter and services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence — threw its hat in the ring to bid for federal funding to start the first general-use homeless shelter in downtown Killeen. Three months later, in June 2013, Families in Crisis received $500,000 of a $1.6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. At the beginning of 2014, the Killeen City Council gave the agency an additional $250,000. Although it’s the largest city in Bell County, Killeen does not have a generaluse homeless shelter. The facility, at 412 Sprott St., was originally planned to be opened by March; however, the date has since been pushed back to the fall after the agency hit some temporary roadblocks during the bidding process. The Killeen City Council rejected two bids for the project in January after they both came in above budget. The city is charged with handling the bidding process for the project. Larry Moehnke, Families in Crisis board president, said the rejection of the bids will allow the board to revisit the scope of the project and raise additional funds to garner what’s necessary to get the shelter built. “We had stopped fundraising because we couldn’t tell people that we need more funds for renovations when we felt like we had met the budget,” he said. Once complete, the shelter will have space for 75 to 80 people with sections for men, women and families.
Michael Christ, director of the Heritage House of Central Texas, talks about the mission of The Front Door, at 1103 North Gray St., which provides dayshelter services to the homeless in Killeen. The organization is a part of the Christian Assistance Network and is joining forces with Heritage House of Central Texas to expand services.
HERITAGE HOUSE
The Heritage House of Central Texas opened its doors in October 2013 to bridge the gap between the homeless and local agencies offering services. “Our main objective is not to duplicate the services that are already available,” said Michael Christ, director of Heritage House. “We are here to unite all of the services that are already available in the community. We have a huge service network, but unfortunate-
Clement/Parsons Elementary School Kids Care Club students line up to present “hope chests” to representatives from Families in Crisis. The items from the Copperas Cove students went to area children being helped by the nonprofit agency.
ly no one has the resources to deal with the homeless situation. It takes the combined efforts of every resource.”
The organization operates as a hub directing the indigent to necessary resources and walking them through
different processes until they are selfsufficient. The center is equipped with a computer lab and staff to aid individuals in job searches and creating resumes. Rita Kelley, Heritage House board chairwoman, said individuals are also provided mail and voicemail services so they can apply for government assistance and be reached when necessary for job interviews or medical appointments. Heritage House, inside the Bell County HELP Center at 718 N. Second St., recently formed a partnership with The Front Door, 1103 N. Gray St., and together Christ and Alvin Dillard, director of The Front Door, have big plans. The Front Door provides day-shelter services, and in 2014 provided 300 homeless people with mail drop services, restrooms, blankets, coats, food and hygiene products. By the fall, Christ hopes to have Heritage House completely moved into The Front Door, and an expanded day shelter completed that will include shower and laundry facilities. Christ said they are in the planning stages of the day facility, with the estimated cost of construction about $25,000.
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An American Eagle commercial airplane lands at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport.
Killeen celebrates 10 years of flying at regional airport BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Local dignitaries from Killeen and neighboring cities gathered in August to celebrate a decade of aviation in Central Texas at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport. Since the facility’s opening in 2004, it has undergone multiple expansions after seeing growth, a feat Killeen Mayor Scott Cosper calls “a great and tremendous success story.” The facility’s expansions included adding 1,400 square feet to the facility’s two holding areas and additional retail space, and expanding the second floor common area by 800 square feet. Matt Van Valkenburgh, aviation director, said there’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
ENPLANEMENTS
The airport saw a 4 percent decrease in the number of passengers flying out of the facility 2014, with 163,162 total enplanements. The airport had 169,775 enplanements in 2013. Van Valkenburgh attributed freezing weather at the beginning of 2014 to the drop in the number of passengers. “The biggest thing is the (freezing) weather that hit us in the beginning of the year,” he said. “We had over 100 flights canceled, and that directly contributed to the loss of enplanements.” The number of deplanements — pas-
sengers getting off a plane at the airport — decreased by 6 percent. In 2014, there were 159,593 deplanements at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport. There were 169,641 in 2013. Although the airport experienced a decrease in its number of enplanements for the year, the facility ended the fiscal year in the black. According to financial reports, the airport closed out the fiscal year with a $2.4 million ending fund balance — $73,000 more than the previous year. The airport is at 8101 S. Clear Creek Road in Killeen. Call 254-501-6100 or go to flykilleen.net.
SKYLARK FIELD
The city’s general aviation airport, Skylark Field, provides runway and storage for corporate jets, trainer planes and other light aircraft. PHI Air Medical LLC terminated its lease with Skylark in November. The company leased space at the facility for $3,100 per month, resulting in a total revenue loss of $6,200. City spokeswoman Hilary Shine said the city is actively seeking new tenants in the vacant hangar. The airport still closed out the fiscal year in the black with a $626,556 ending fund balance — a $13,500 increase from the previous year, according to city financial reports. Skylark Field is at 1523 Stonetree Drive in Killeen. Call 254-501-8728.
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A HOP bus drops off passengers at the Killeen Wal-Mart. A few route changes were made this year to the bus system, which carried about 600,000 passengers last year.
HOP makes route changes in Killeen BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Hill Country Transit District’s urban bus system, the HOP, maintained its services in 2014, with plans of improvement put into action at the beginning of 2015, officials said. The bus system averaged carrying about 600,000 passengers last year on fixed routes between Copperas Cove and Temple, the majority of which are in Killeen, said Robert Ator, director of urban operations for the Hill Country Transit District. “We did a little tweaking of services to improve things, which started in January,” Ator said. Public hearings were held in November in Harker Heights and Killeen to update the public about the changes, he said. Noticing ridership growing on Route 30, changes were made to shorten it and place some of its stops on Route 4 to improve overall efficiency, Ator said. Route 4 no longer travels through the H-E-B parking lot on Trimmier Road. Instead, it will turn on Lowe’s Boulevard and Route 30 will serve H-E-B. Route 4 was extended beyond the eastbound U.S. Highway 190 access road at Stan Schlueter Loop to continue to Wal-Mart near Modoc Drive in Harker Heights, which was previously on Route 30. Route 30 still turns onto Shawn Drive from Stan Schlueter and will add service along Shawn Drive, Pepper Mill Hollow and Chantz, Ator said. Route 30 can also travel inbound toward downtown along westbound Elms Road. Two other route changes were necessary because of growth in
south Killeen. The HOP’s Route 7 was modified to stop at the new Wal-Mart Supercenter under construction on Stan Schlueter Loop near Bunny Trail, as well as continuing to service Texas A&M University-Central Texas. Officials said the new route will continue to serve Central Texas College and Metroplex Hospital, as well as connect with Route 5. Primary changes are designed to modify travel along the southbound Robinett corridor; eliminate travel along Stan Schlueter between Littlerock and Highway, 195 instead traveling along Bunny Trail before serving A&M Central Texas. The route change will reduce travel distance from 18.6 miles to 16.8 miles. Route 21 will continue to operate the same route as it currently does, except for specific areas are now operating in the opposite direction. “Route 21 is modified to provide better service along Elms Road,” Ator said. It deviates from its previous route by traveling south along W.S. Young Drive from Veterans Memorial Boulevard to Stagecoach Road on its outbound trip. On its return trip northbound, the route will travel west along Stan Schlueter from W.S. Young, then north on Trimmier, east on Elms, and back north along W.S. Young Drive. With a 30,000-square-foot operations facility in Belton as of 2013, the Hill County Transit System operates urban and rural bus systems in Killeen, Copperas Cove, Belton, Temple and other areas. More information on HOP routes, including maps and time schedules can be found at www.takethehop.com.
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Area police, fire departments add personnel, equipment BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Area law enforcement and first responders continue to add staff and equipment to serve a growing Central Texas population.
KILLEEN POLICE
In 2014, the Killeen Police Department worked to procure new equipment, vehicles and personnel to help its mission to fight crime and protect residents in the city. In September, the department announced that it received federal funds to hire 12 officers. The department was one of 212 law enforcement agencies across the country to be awarded the $1.5 million Community Oriented Police Services grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant will fund 75 percent of the new officers’ salaries and benefits for three years, with the city matching $834,217 of the grant’s cost. The department will use the officers to target violent crime, specifically gun violence stemming from mental health issues, narcotics activity, domestic violence and armed robberies. In its application for the grant, the department said it wants to fill at least five of the 12 positions with post-Sept. 11, 2001, veterans. The officers are expected to be on the streets by June 2015. In addition to receiving funds for more officers, the Killeen City Council authorized several purchases of equipment and vehicles for the department in 2014. The purchases included $1.15 million for 20 new fully equipped Chevrolet Tahoes and $300,000 for ballistic armored tactical transport vehicle for the department’s SWAT team. The depart-
Emergency personnel respond to a structure fire in the 1000 block of North 10th Street in Killeen in January. There were no injuries during the incident. The city is moving forward with plans to build Fire Station No. 9 for about $5.59 million on Bunny Trail, two blocks south of Stan Schlueter Loop.
A police vehicle is parked outside of the Killeen Police Department’s headquarters. The department purchased new vehicles in the past year and plans to hire 12 officers this year.
ment was authorized to purchase four new motorcycles at a cost of $69,392.
The department also bought 231 FNH FN-15 carbines for just over $200,000.
The weapons are similar in appearance to the Army’s M16, and described as “semi-automatic, modern sporting rifles” by the manufacturer. According to the department, the weapons would allow officers to respond to situations where criminals wield high-powered weapons with highcapacity magazines. The purchase came after one of the department’s veteran detectives, Charles “Chuck” Dinwiddie was killed in a May 9 shootout. This year, the department’s police officers also will see a bump in pay. The fiscal year 2015 budget calls for 8 percent raise for all of Killeen’s civil service employees, including police.
KILLEEN FIRE
Firefighters and paramedics also will benefit from the 8 percent raise passed by the council in the 2015 budget.
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The raise was approved with the goal of creating parity with similar-sized departments, and help the city be more aggressive in recruiting firefighters and EMS personnel. In addition to the raises, the Killeen Fire Department is looking forward to having an additional fire station to serve residents. The city is moving forward with plans to build Fire Station No. 9 for about $5.59 million on Bunny Trail, two blocks south of Stan Schlueter Loop in south Killeen. This year, the department received an upgrade to its fire suppression rating during, which places it among about 100 departments in the nation. The “class 1” rating, which took effect this month, could mean lower property insurance rates for residents.
HARKER HEIGHTS POLICE
The Harker Heights Police Department plans to add a deputy chief to help lead its growing staff. The process to identify and vet potential candidates is lengthy, but department officials said they hope to make the hire this year. The 2015 budget also provided funds for the department to purchase a new K9 officer. The dog will cost about $14,000, plus training. HHPS only has one K9 officer, after one dog retired and another died in 2014. The department also purchased three new patrol vehicles for $101,000.
HARKER HEIGHTS FIRE
The Harker Heights Fire Department will add new equipment and new personnel to assist its mission in keeping the city’s residents safe. In April, the department plans to take delivery of a new multiuse pump vehicle. The vehicle, which costs $478,000, includes a 1,750-gallon-per-minute pump and will hold equipment for firefighting, vehicle and swift-water rescue
A Copperas Cove police SUV is seen at the second annual Law Enforcement Explorer Program car show fundraiser May 10 in Copperas Cove.
and even hazardous waste response. The vehicle will replace a fire truck in operation since 1988. The department will add another paramedic/firefighter in 2015. The position will allow the department to have 13 staff working each of three shifts.
COPPERAS COVE POLICE
The Copperas Cove Police Department appointed a new officer to serve as liaison between the department and public and media in 2014. The department named Sgt. Martin Ruiz as its new public information officer in May. Ruiz, 49, has been in law enforcement for more than 12 years. The department also bought new police pursuit vehicles in 2014. The vehicles include two new Dodge Chargers and four Chevrolet Tahoes. CONTINUED, 22
Wearing his blue Santa hat, Harker Heights Police Department officer Dave Haley presents 14 bicycles to students at Harker Heights Elementary School in December.
22 | Progress 2015 FROM PAGE 21
The new SUVs are replacing older, sedan-style Ford Crown Victorias, which were purchased in 1999. In January, the city dedicated land for a new police and fire department substation on a 4-acre lot off Old Copperas Cove Road between Constitution Avenue and Robert Griffin III Boulevard. It will become a reality sometime after 2015, when the city plans to issue a $6 million bond for its construction.
COPPERAS COVE FIRE
The Copperas Cove Fire Department experienced several big changes in 2014, including to its top leadership. In June, the Copperas Cove City Council hired Michael Neujahr as the fire chief. Neujahr, who formerly was employed with the Killeen Fire Department, replaced former Cove fire chief Burney Baskett, who was fired mid-February after eight months in the position. Neujahr has more than 13 years of fire service experience, and numerous master level certifications with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. In October, the city broke ground on a long-awaited fire station at the intersection of Farm-to-Market 1113 and
Firefighters wet down their new ladder truck Jan. 26 at the Central Fire Station in Copperas Cove.
Grimes Crossing Road. The 10,000-square-foot station will house five to six firefighters, as well as a ladder truck, two brush trucks and an
ambulance. The estimated $4.2 million cost of the station includes the design, construction and vehicles. The department also purchased a
103-foot ladder truck in 2014. The truck, which cost just over $1 million, is housed at the department’s central fire station, but will move to the new station.
Progress 2015 | 23
Bell County Central Jail renovation complete, ready for inmates
A cell is seen Oct. 8 at the Bell County Central Jail in downtown Belton. A renovation project that began in 2009 is finished and officials said it is ready to house inmates again as soon as the main jail is full.
BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
After more than six years of work, the Bell County Central Jail is ready to begin accepting inmates. The jail, at 111 W. Central Ave. in downtown Belton, has been undergoing large-scale renovations and remodeling since the county opened the newer, larger “loop jail” at the Bell County Justice Complex on Huey Drive in 2009. Inmates were moved out of the central jail, and work to rehabilitate the aging facility began. According to previous reports, the renovations cost just over $5.7 million. That work included reworking plumbing, repairing showers, changing the facility’s locking systems were changed, modernizing electronics, and repairing heating and air conditioning systems. The central jail has 523 beds, compared to 634 beds at the loop jail. While there is no specific date that the county plans to open the jail, indications are that it will open its doors once the loop jail fills up.
The facility will help the county house inmates who are 17 and being tried as adults. The Bell County Sheriff ’s Department plans to house those inmates in sections of the central jail, which will help it comply with a federal law that requires such inmates to be housed separately from older inmates.
According to information from the sheriff ’s department, the average inmate population per day in 2014 is 701, that number is up from 2013, when the average inmate population per day was just 642. Bell County also operates a smaller jail annex in central Belton. It was built in the 1950s, and holds about 183
inmates. Most of them are being held on misdemeanor charges. The county also has contracts in place with San Saba County and the U.S. Marshals Service to house inmates for a daily fee. The jail also acts as the stockade for Fort Hood. The post pays about $64 a day for each inmate it sends to Belton.
24 | Progress 2015
Bell County keeps growing as projects bring new jobs BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Bell County once again experienced growth in 2014. The county was home to a number of large-scale projects in its cities, and saw rising property values. Major projects included a $365 million Panda Energy plant, which is expected to bring $1.6 billion to the area’s economy, and create 700 to 800 jobs during the peak of its construction. In Killeen, Fort Hood had just over $750 million in current and recently competed construction projects. According to the county’s 2015 fiscal year budget, Bell County also saw an increase in taxable assessed property. Those values increased 4.93 percent from $14.6 billion in 2013, to $15.38 billion in 2014. According to documents from the county, the growth of the taxable property value increased each year since 2005. While property tax values increased, the county’s 2015 budget left the tax rate unchanged at 45.11 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Prior to 2013, the county had raised to tax rate each year beginning in 2010. According to the proposed budget, this means the average tax bill on a $100,000 home would remain at $451.10. Property tax makes up an estimated 53 percent of the county’s revenue. In addition to the increase in property values, the county has also seen consistent growth in sales tax receipts since 2009. Based on the increase, steady revenue and a rapidly increasing tax base, the county continues to hold a AA+ bond rating, one of the highest possible. The county recovered the upgrade from AA in 2010. The rating indicates the county is in “excellent financial condition” and is
The Panda power plant in Temple, which celebrated its commissioning in September, is expected to have a $1.6 billion impact on Central Texas.
“strong due to conservative budgeting practices.” The 2015 budget shows an increase in revenue from 2014. The county expects to bring in just over $78.9 million in revenue for 2015, compared to $77.6 million in 2014. While revenue is expected to increase, so are expenses. The budget lists Bell County’s total expenses for 2015 at more than $82.9 million, up from $79.1 million the previous year. About 62 percent, roughly $51 million,
of those expenses are personnel. The remaining $31 million and change is operating expenses. Expenses also include several unfunded mandates. One of the largest is the county’s indigent defense program, which will cost an estimated $4.7 million. In 2002, the cost of the program was just $2.2 million. In addition to passing a budget, the county continues to move forward with a number of projects. Those include the renovation of
the Central Jail in downtown Belton, which will begin accepting inmates as the Loop Jail reaches capacity, as well as expansions to the county engineer’s office and 911 parking and server room expansion. Bell County’s elected officials are County Judge Jon H. Burrows and County Commissioners Richard Cortese, Tim Brown, Bill Schumann and John Fisher. For more information about Bell County, go to www.bellcountytx.com.
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I-35 construction moves forward; flyover nears completion BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Construction on Interstate 35 trudged forward in 2014, as travelers continued to deal with the disruption caused by the construction that will eventually transform Central Texas’ most-traveled corridor. While completion of several sections of the project in Bell County are on the horizon, motorists still must contend with frequently stalled traffic on the busy highway. The massive $2.5 billion project aims to widen the interstate to a six-lane divided highway from the Bell-Williamson county line north to Hillsboro. Once completed, the busy highway will have at least three lanes in each direction from San Antonio to Dallas-Fort Worth and expanded frontage roads. Texas Department of Transportation Waco-Division spokesman Ken Roberts said the entire project will be complete in 2018. While 10 sections of I-35 are under construction between Waco and Salado, two major segments are in Temple and the area from Belton to Salado. That includes construction of a “flyover” that will allow commuters to travel from eastbound U.S. 190 to southbound I-35 without exiting to a frontage road. Initial segments of that flyover went up in 2010. In January, an engineer for the TxDOT’s Waco District, told members of the Killeen Temple Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Planning Policy Board the flyover in Belton should open this spring. The flyover is part of the final installment in a $106 million project that includes eight miles of construction between Salado and Belton. Farther north, road crews continue
Work continues on the Interstate 35 expansion in Salado, above, and in Belton, below. Several sections between Salado and Belton are nearly finished.
to work on a 7.5-mile construction segment on I-35 in Temple. The $243 million project includes tearing down a raised portion of I-35, and replacing it with an on-the-ground highway with expanded frontage roads. The project is more complicated than the projects in Belton and Salado. The estimated completion date for the project is summer 2018. The website my35.org includes detailed daily updates about lane closures and estimated travel speeds along portions of the highway. The site also allows users to sign up for daily updates and traffic alerts.
26 | Progress 2015
Clearwater Underground Water District adds 3-D technology BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Clearwater Underground Water District was created under provisions of the Texas Constitution to manage and protect the groundwater resources of Bell County. The district is responsible for monitoring the county’s groundwater resources, conducting research and informing and education Bell County residents about the state of their groundwater. In 2014, the district developed a new piece of technology to help assist residents — a 3-D model of the district and its aquifers. The 3-D model to assist landowners who want to evaluate their options when it comes to groundwater production within the county. The model will be updated and calibrated as new information and data is gathered and presented, according to Dirk Aaron, general manager for Clearwater UWCD. The district also continued to educate others about water conservation.
In 2014, the district developed a new piece of technology to help assist residents — a 3-D model of the district and its aquifers. In September, a representative from the district appeared at the annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Sustainable Living Expo at the Bell County Expo Center to present a demonstration to students about the impact of chemicals on rainwater runoff. The district has been assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conducting research into the Salado Salamander.
The Clearwater Underground Water District has been assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conducting research into the Salado Salamander. The salamander was listed as threatened because of degradation of its habitat and changes in water quality.
The salamander was listed as threatened because of degradation of its habitat and changes in water quality. Listing the salamander as “threatened” rather than endangered will require Clearwater UWCD to be “mind-
ful” of protecting the species, according to Aaron. The Clearwater UWCD board of directors are Leland Gersbach, Wallace Biskup, Judy Parker, David Cole and Gary Young.
Progress 2015 | 27
Killeen’s unemployment drops to 5.3 percent as state adds jobs BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The job market in Killeen is strong, but it didn’t show some of the massive growth seen in major metropolitan areas in 2014. According to the Texas Workforce Commission’s December employment data released Jan. 23, Killeen’s unemployment rate fell to 4.8 percent in December, down from 5.5 percent in November. In December 2013, Killeen’s unemployment rate was 6.4 percent. The Texas Workforce Commission data include the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood area. Texas’ overall unemployment rate for December was 4.1 percent. “This was the largest December rate decline since 1987,” TWC said in its report. “Texas has not seen a rate this low since April 2008.” Texas’ and Killeen’s unemployment rate was below the national average of 5.4 percent. “The unemployment rate dropped in all 25 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, with the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood and
Job seekers search for options while taking part in the Killeen Daily Herald job fair at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. Killeen area unemployment remains below the national average.
the El Paso MSAs each showing a 0.7 percentage point decrease, the largest decline of any MSA,” the December report states. “The McAllen-EdinburgMission MSA had the highest unem-
ployment rate at 7.8 percent, while the Midland MSA had the lowest at 2.1 percent.” Narrowing the data, TWC reported that in the city of Killeen, the unem-
ployment rate was 5.3 percent in December. That’s down from November, when the unemployment rate was 6.1 percent. In December 2013, the unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, a 1.5 percent change. By industry, it may come as no surprise that government had the highest number of jobs, with 37,600 in December, down slightly from 37,700 in November. The second highest number of jobs were in education and health services with 23,100 jobs in December. That’s up from 22,700 in November and 21,700 about this time last year. Next in line was retail trade with 16,900, followed by leisure and hospitality with 14,100 jobs, then professional and business services with 8,600 jobs, manufacturing with 7,100 jobs, mining, logging and construction with 6,900, and financial activities with 6,300 jobs. Overall, nonagricultural employment in the state of Texas grew for the fifth consecutive month, adding 34,700 jobs in December for a statewide total of 10,555,000 jobs. In 2014, TWC reports the state added 508,100 jobs since January 2014.
28 | Progress 2015
Workforce Solutions of Central Texas gets new grant for veterans BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Workforce Solutions of Central Texas in Killeen was busy during the past year. The agency helps Central Texans get back to work using programs such as the Workforce Investment Act and numerous seminars for new businesses and employers. “The Workforce Investment Act is a program that assists in paying for vocational training for individuals who are low-income or are dislocated workers,” said Wendy Ann Damon, a supervisor for the career center at Workforce Solutions of Central Texas. “The Texas Veterans Commission has an office here in our building and they work with veterans who have significant barriers to employment.” There are programs for working families, too. “Childcare services is the program that assists in paying childcare for individuals who are working or going to school or a combination of the two,” Damon said. For the elder working man or woman, Workforce Solutions in Killeen isn’t leaving the boomers behind either. “‘Experience Works’ is for individuals who are 55 and older who need re-training to get back into the workforce,” Damon said. Would-be entrepreneurs are targeted using the agency’s various business seminars. “Almost every Tuesday morning, an individual can attend a workshop on something put on by the Business Resource Center,” Damon said. “Some are general: starting your own business. But some are very specific like ‘I want to start a business in restaurants or I want to do in-home child care.’ So, they
Workforce Solutions of Central Texas in Killeen has been busy during the past year. The agency helps Central Texans get back to work using programs such as the Workforce Investment Act and numerous seminars for new businesses and employers.
do very specific ones, and they do ones that are open to almost anyone looking to start a business.” But Workforce Solutions of Central Texas’ newest program recently began helping those who lost their jobs at Fort Hood amid budget constraints. “We continue to run the same programs that we’ve always had available, but in addition over this last year, we’ve also begun some national emergency grants,” Damon said. “One is for individuals who are laid off from Fort Hood.” Damon said the new grants are specifically designed for workers — civilian and military — whose job at Fort Hood may have been eliminated. “That’s not a normal grant, not an all-the-time kind of program,” Damon said. “We applied to the Department
of Labor and got that specialty grant because of the effects that those layoffs and cut-backs were having on Fort Hood.” Lewis Boren, center administrator for Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, said although he’s not sure exactly how many jobs were affected by the cut-backs on Fort Hood, his agency is currently helping at least 120 individuals who lost their jobs on Fort Hood since October. “It was kind of slow starting and we had probably worked with 20 or 30 folks who were contractors until we went to the town hall meetings,” Boren said. “When we went to the town hall meetings on post, it blew up pretty quick. We had lots and lots of people.” The grant allows for on-the-job training, retraining for a similar career or
retraining for a new career. The grant also provides funding for those who need certifications for jobs they did in the military without those certifications. “We are available to anyone who would lose their job on Fort Hood currently,” Boren said. “If you lose your job on Fort Hood and you’re interested in looking for another job, or you’re interested in retraining for another career, then we’re the place you need to call.” In many cases, Workforce Solutions of Central Texas will foot the bill for your training and employment search. “If you’re laid off from Fort Hood, Workforce Solutions of Central Texas has funds available to help you become employed,” Lewis said. “We need to be your first phone call.”
Killeen chamber supports area’s economic development SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Last year was an eventful year for the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce as the organization implemented a new membership model conceived in a 2013 strategic planning process. This transition greatly enhanced the programs and services the chamber provides its members, including the establishment of leadership and business councils. These councils hit the ground running in 2014 with several new events designed to better meet the needs of all chamber members: • Nonprofit Council-Nonprofit Expo • Welcome Council-Customer Service Training • Information Technology CouncilDigital Forensics Conference • Public Education Council-Dialogue on the State of Public Education Series • Public Policy Council-State of the City and Region Series • Military Relations Council-Senior Command Teams Welcome The Killeen chamber continues to provide the programs and services members have come to expect, such as monthly mixers, ribbon cuttings and grand openings. The organization also continues to host annual events, such as Flavors of Central Texas and the membership banquet. There has been considerable progress in the business sector over the past year as a result of the chamber’s economic development efforts. In April, Solix Inc. leased the building at 402 E. Avenue D and is expected to employ up to 175 employees within the first five years of business. The location will serve as a customer care center and will include call center operations. In September, Teleperformance purchased Aegis Communications. The
Nichole Anderson, business development manager for the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, right, presents a plaque to John Morgan, store manager of the Killeen Gander Mountain at a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 12.
company anticipates having a workforce of 1,700 employees. Along with Gander Mountain, other new developments include, a WalMart Supercenter and CVS Pharmacy. Northwest Tidwell is developing a 26.5acre tract on the southwest corner of Stan Schlueter Loop and Bunny Trail. The development is expected to construct 204,300 square feet of retail space, including an anchor and outparcels. The project will create 340 direct jobs in the first five years of operation starting this spring. The Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan statistical area was ranked by Policom Corporation as the 13th strongest economy in the U.S. in 2014. Area Development also ranked the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood MSA 12th nationally, seventh among mid-size cities, and third in Texas in the “Prime
Workforce” category. This ranking reflects several strengths of the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood MSA, notably its young and welleducated workforce, high levels of job growth and other positive workforce factors. Downtown revitalization efforts are an important part of Economic Development, and the chamber continues to support the growth and events in downtown. Another significant draw are the new businesses that opened downtown in 2014, bringing life to once vacant properties. More businesses, including several restaurants, are expected to open in 2015. Chamber President & CEO John Crutchfield said, “We continue to hear positive comments about the appearance of the redeveloped downtown, especially from visitors.”
Progress 2015 | 29
TOP 25 EMPLOYERS
GREATER KILLEEN AREA (includes Killeen, Fort Hood, Harker Heights and Nolanville) as of January 2015 1. III Corps & Fort Hood: 40,820 employees 2. Military Defense Contractors & Others*: 12,468 employees * Others include civilian employees of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Commissary Agency, and Killeen ISD staff working in schools located on Fort Hood. 3. Civilian Personnel Office at Fort Hood: 5,289 employees 4. Killeen Independent School District: 6,000 employees 5. Central Texas College: 1,487 employees 6. Metroplex Health System: 1,200 employees 7. City of Killeen: 1,100 employees 8. Teleperformance: 1,700 employees 9. ESP Incorporated: 420 employees 10. Scott & White Clinic Killeen: 361 employees 11. Seton Medical Center Harker Heights: 350 employees 12. Blackboard Student Services: 238 employees 13. City of Harker Heights: 189 employees 14. Texas A&M University-Central Texas: 188 employees 15. Time Warner Cable: 153 employees 16. EG&G Technical Services: 128 employees 17. Killeen Daily Herald: 105 employees 18. First Community Services: 90 employees 19. Advanced Electrical Systems: 81 employees 20. Hill Country Transit District: 80 employees 21. Central Texas Workforce Center: 65 employees 22. Medical Office Management: 60 employees 23. Blackhawk Management Corporation: 56 employees 24. System Studies & Simulation Inc.: 55 employees 25. Stewart & Stevenson: 52 employees SOURCE: Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce
30 | Progress 2015
Area’s new restaurants please variety of palates, price ranges BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In-N-Out Burger at 2006 E. Central Texas Expressway is one of Killeen’s newest restaurants.
New restaurants are popping up all over Central Texas. There are lots of new fast-food places to satisfy any diner’s on-the-go hunger. A new Popeye’s at 120 E. Central Texas Expressway in Harker Heights is opening soon, joining the Kentucky Fried Chicken at 516 E. Farm-to-Market 2410 that opened in 2014. A new In-N-Out Burger at 2006 E. Central Texas Expressway in Killeen opened in October. The Californiabased company came to Texas in 2011, when it opened stores in Allen and Frisco, according to the company’s website. Panera Bread at 1723 E. Central Texas Expressway opened in the fall and has been a popular spot for many Central Texans. The St. Louis-based bakery has at least 1,673 locations across the U.S. and is famous for its homemade breads. Opa’s Schnitzel Hut at 1608 E. FM 2410 in Harker Heights opened in June. Hailing from Wertheim, Germany, owner Wally RedElk makes every item
on the menu from scratch just like her German father taught her. “My father, his parents owned a hotel and after WWII it became Polish,”
Progress 2015 | 31
RedElk said. “My dad was a chef, cook and pastry chef.” Schnitzel, a German staple, is one you can’t miss, RedElk said. “I buy a big piece of meat, cut it myself, trim off all the fat, then you have to marinade, tenderize it, then you have to spice it up with my wonder powder. Then dip it in flour, egg and bread crumbs and I do make my own bread crumbs, too.” RedElk also makes her own deserts, which include a creamy, layered German mandarin tort cake and homemade cheesecake. Acropolis Greek Cuisine at 306 W. Central Texas Expressway in Harker Heights opened in January 2014 and has been providing authentic Greek food ever since. Menu items include rack of lamb, assorted gyros and soups. Vino Pizza next door opened a few months later, in April, and serves authentic pizza and has numerous beers and wines to choose from. According to previous Herald reports, Vino’s most popular pizza is “The Village Butcher,” which comes with Italian sausage, smoked ham, pepperoni, salami, red onion and roasted red peppers. “The Florence” is a second CONTINUED, 32
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Scratch Elevated Bistro is at 224 Avenue D in Killeen. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday.
32 | Progress 2015
FROM PAGE 31
favorite. It’s a white pizza topped with fresh arugula. Scratch Elevated Bistro at 224 E. Avenue D in Killeen is another new eatery boasting from-scratch lunch and dinner options. Owner Robert Cavazos opened the restaurant in January, taking Killeen’s old opera house and First National Bank and remaking it into a unique dining experience. “My other half, Melissa (Sandoval), she’s in the kitchen, she actually went to culinary school in Mexico and had a bakery in Mexico,” Cavazos said. “The food, it’s not fast food. For example, our French toast is homemade bread, 2-inch cut piece of bread, stuffed with whatever you want: Nutella, dulche de leche, strawberries or peaches.”
ABOVE: Lauren Reider-Hallmark eats pizza and wine April 25 as she converses with brothers, Sam, right, and Younes Halabi, owners of Vino Pizza at 306 W. Central Texas Expressway in Harker Heights. AT RIGHT: Wally RedElk, left, owner of Opa’s Schnitzel Hut, serves lunch to Lonnie Reynolds, center, and Alex Alderete. Opa’s is at 1608 E. Farm-to-Market 2410 in Harker Heights.
A few doors down is the TyKu Wine Bar at 220 E. Avenue D, which offers “a collection of fine wines from the corners of the world and diverse-locally owned wineries.” The dimly-lit class of TyKu offers a Chinese theme. The newly remodeled, late-1800s building is a far cry from the old days of Model-Ts, but still maintains an original chandelier, a remnant of downtown Killeen’s past.
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NAACP, LULAC continue strong tradition of serving community BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Two well-established minority organizations in Killeen last year continued a strong tradition of organizing community events and providing local students with scholarships for college.
NAACP
Killeen’s local chapter of the NAACP, expanded its reach and partnerships with neighboring communities, said TaNeika Driver-Moultrie, chapter president. “We stand for all and not just a particular minority group,” Driver-Moultrie said. “So for us to be welcomed with open arms by the civic clubs, the school districts, Fort Hood and different organizations, that is progress for us as a civil rights organization.” Local chapter members have spread the word to educate that the NAACP’s origins started in 1909 with AfricanAmericans and four white liberals responding to unfair lynchings, she said. The goal is to ensure no one’s civil
rights are violated, Driver-Moultrie said. “Discrimination doesn’t have a face or color and can happen to anybody,” she said. “And we welcome all. As long as you’re willing to right the cause for justice and equality, we’re more than welcome to have you.” The local group has about 300 members, with a goal of bringing in 12 members each month. In August, the local branch sponsored the 18th annual Back to School/Stay in School Rally and Symposium. In September, the local chapter hosted a “straight talk” panel discussion with the community, which focused on the shootings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., as well as male mentorship in the community “We want to continue to have those conversations and would like to see other organizations to spearhead the efforts,” Driver-Moultrie said. “Everyone as a whole, regardless as race, color or creed, should be able to come to the table and share their concerns and is-
Guest check in for the Killeen Branch NAACP 42nd annual Freedom Fund Banquet at Fort Hood’s Club Hood on March 14.
Analuisa Tapia, president of the LULAC Herencia Council No. 4297, left, visits with Annalaura Sanchez, center, and Chela Sanchez at the first annual Latino Family Expo in September in Killeen.
sues to help come up with a solution.” Among other yearly gatherings and events, the local club hosted its annual Freedom Fund Banquet on March 14 at Club Hood and awarded a $5,000 scholarship to an area student. To learn more about the NAACP, call 254-286-9211 or go to naacpkilleen.org.
LULAC
The oldest local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens is Council 4535. Overall, 2014 was a successful year for the nonprofit, which has more than 40 members. The group continued with its sixmonth citizenship training classes, which first started in 2013, said Raul Villaronga, president of LULAC 4535. The group continues to work in conjunction with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Killeen for the program. “We’ve expanded to have immigration lawyers giving us their time to help complete a course that will offer assistance in preparation of the citizenship application and submission,” Villaronga said. “And we’ve added mock
citizenship interviews and hope to expand our English language instruction.” One of the group’s main focuses is education. The local chapter has handed out more than $100,000 in scholarships in the last 12 years. The group plans to grant $12,000 in scholarships to 12 students at an April 18 banquet. The scholarship deadline was March 27, and students will be interviewed April 6-10. One scholarship is to Central Texas College and another is to Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Villaronga said. “It’s a great thing to be able to reach out and helps kids get a college education,” he said. Funds for the scholarships are raised in the community, and Villaronga reminds residents that donations are tax deductible. Call LULAC at 1-800-5455336. LULAC Herencia Council 4297 also is active in the area. Learn more at www. facebook.com/LULACHerenciaCouncil4297.
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Herald’s reach tops media companies across Central Texas BY DAVE MILLER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen Daily Herald will reach a milestone in 2015, as the newspaper marks its 125th anniversary in business — the longest continually operating business in the community. It’s a journey that has seen the paper evolve from a small weekly publication into a dynamic media group. In fact, a recent survey conducted by a national consumer research service found the KDH Media Group — which includes the Killeen Daily Herald — is the top media company in its market. According to the respected Nielsen Scarborough firm, the KDH Media Group — through its print and online products — reaches nearly one out of every two adults in the greater Fort Hood/Central Texas area, including Killeen, Fort Hood, Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Nolanville, Gatesville and Florence. Terry E. Gandy, the Herald’s vice president and general manager, said the strong numbers for the KDH Media Group reflect a continuing commitment on the part of the company to
Crew members prepare the press to print a newspaper at the Killeen Daily Herald at 1809 Florence Road in Killeen.
better serve the area’s readers and viewers. “We continue to invest in all our media products, both in personnel and
capital improvements,” Gandy said. “We have the largest news organization in Central Texas.” Over the past two years, the Herald
has continued to enhance its print publications, with a more streamlined design, expanded sections, better packaging and more quality local content.
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The Herald’s website, KDHnews.com, is evolving as well, offering readers more quality products and features, such as photo packages, videos, online features, blogs and a community message board. KDHpressbox.com, the Herald’s sports website, continues to offer an expanding array of exclusive features, expanded coverage of local sports events, columns and videos. The Herald also maintains a Facebook page and Twitter account to provide interactive links to the newspaper and its staff. Last year, the Herald was recognized as Newspaper of the Year in its circulation category by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. It was the second such award in three years, with the Herald winning the top honor in 2012 as well. In 2010, 2011 and again in 2013, the Herald earned second-place honors, out of more than 20 papers of similar size, making it one of the most recognized publications in the state. During the past year, the KDH Media group expanded its presence to better serve residents in the greater KilleenFort Hood area. One such initiative is KDH Digital Services, which offers local business owners quality website design and
Last year, the Herald was recognized as Newspaper of the Year in its circulation category by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. It was the second such award in three years, with the Herald winning the top honor in 2012 as well. marketing services with an eye toward maximizing online exposure and sales potential through a variety of digital media. Over the past six months, the Herald has sponsored two workshops on how to utilize social media in business, with more planned in the coming year. Another new feature is the Savealotmom, a weekly column and daily blog by a local couponing and budgeting expert intended to help Central Texans better plan their family budgets and save money. The Herald also sponsored several couponing workshops. Another recent venture is Tex Appeal, a regional magazine published in conjunction with the Herald’s sister
publication, the Temple Daily Telegram. The high-gloss monthly publication offers news and features focusing on businesses and individuals in Central Texas. This year, the magazine expanded to offer two special bridal sections, a Women in Business issue and a medical directory. Since 2012, the Herald has offered its readers expanded news and sports coverage, with the establishment of FME News Service. The news service, which operates under the auspices of Frank Mayborn Enterprises Inc., broadens the scope of coverage for both publications by freeing up newsroom resources through shared information gathering.
The Herald’s three weekly newspapers — the Fort Hood Herald, the Copperas Cove Herald and the Harker Heights Herald — continue to offer readers in-depth coverage of news and sports for readers in their respective communities. In addition, the Killeen Daily Herald publishes several monthly magazines for its readers: Health and Fitness, Homefront and the Homefinder real estate magazine. After more than a century of operation, the Killeen Daily Herald remains a trusted source for news and information in Central Texas. “It has been exciting to be a part of the growth and development of this community,” said Sue Mayborn, the Herald’s editor and publisher. “We strive to stay current and progressive with new ideas while remaining true to our basic mission of being a creditable news source for our area.” Today, more than 70,000 Central Texas readers and viewers depend on the Herald’s print and online publishing for their news and for their primary source of advertising. “We want to thank our audience for their loyal support,” Gandy said. “I’m confident we’ll be a part of the community for many decades to come.”
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Killeen Civic and Conference Center to host 366 events in 2015 BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen Civic and Conference Center hosted 628 events and about 190,741 guests in 2014, according to Kathie Mulheron, the conference center manager. Connie Kuehl, Civic and Conference Center director, said the numbers hold steady with little fluctuation over the past few years. “We’ve been able to bring several conventions each year,” she said. “Many are the result of having a local contact work with us, which is very helpful.” The center has hosted the Texas Hawking Association, the National Association for Retired Federal Employees, 1st Cavalry Convention, the Water Utilities Short School, the Killeen Volunteers Youth Conference and several others. “We’ve been very successful with hosting powerlifting games from high school to military to world events,” Kuehl said. Mulheron said 366 events are slated at the convention center for 2015, including concerts, carnivals, arts and crafts events, gun shows, festivals, rodeos and an outdoor expo. Kuehl said there are still openings available for bookings, but parties interested should act fast. “I can’t say enough about how helpful it is in the bidding process for conventions to have a local member of an association work with us,” she said. “They help give us the ins and outs on what the group wants so that our bid is customized for them specifically. We try to make it east to come and have some fun.” Kuehl said the events hosted at the center have an impact on the local economy with bringing in people, who
Dancers perform the traditional Filipino dance, “Sarimanok,” in front of a large crowd at the 12th annual Barrio Fiesta at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Feb. 28,. The center holds nearly 400 events each year.
then take advantage of services offered in the city. “Probably no one thought of the economic impact on hair and nail salons, photographers, rental companies, decorations, caterers and retail,” she said. “Don’t try to get your hair done on the same day as a military ball.”
FORT HOOD MEMORIAL
The committee charged with raising funds for the Nov. 5, 2009, Fort Hood Shooting Memorial is closing in on having raised enough funds to cover construction costs. The committee formed in 2010 to spearhead fundraising efforts for the
structure, which will be located between the Killeen Civic and Conference Center and the Shilo Inn on W.S. Young Drive. Ground work began Dec. 4 at the site. “We are at the point where we have almost all the construction costs covered and are wanting to have a cushion of $30,000 to $40,000 for unexpected expenses and a maintenance fund,” Kuehl said. She said over the past few months the building community has “really stepped up” with in-kind donations and labor, but the committee still needs a metal roof and benches. “The committee has worked long and hard, but having the Killeen Daily Herald help get the word out has been invaluable,” Kuehl said. “There are so many worthwhile charities that need support in our community. The high-profile on the progress of the memorial has kept it visible with donations coming in after every article.” She said the committee is looking to ramp up construction in the spring. The memorial, which will honor the 13 killed and 32 injured in the 2009 on-post shooting, features a circular, open-air pavilion with 13 black granite columns. Each column will be inscribed with a victim’s name and likeness with a bronze sculpture representing aspects of the victim’s interests and personality on top. Temple-based Cloud Construction is overseeing work at the memorial, Kuehl said. The committee’s goal is to start building in the spring and have the memorial finished before the sixth anniversary of the shooting so families of the victims and survivors can attend the ribbon-cutting.
REAL ESTATE
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Bell County property values hold steady during 2014 BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Property values in Bell County and Killeen may not be soaring as they are in Austin, but appraisers say that’s a good thing. “Killeen’s values have been kind of flat for the last couple of years, but we didn’t see the major downturns like other areas such as Round Rock and Georgetown saw,” said Roger Chesser, Bell County’s deputy chief appraiser. “But we haven’t seen the double-digit growth either.” Chesser said stability is a good thing, with the average sold price of a home in December 2014 at $134,148, according to the Fort Hood Area Association of Realtors MLS data. That’s up from $133,707 in December 2013. “It’s steady and I think steady and solid would be a lot better indicator of the strength of the area than a dramatic decrease or a dramatic increase,” Chesser said. According to the County’s new budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, “this budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $2,001,774, which is a 3.04 percent increase from last year’s budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $1,382,983.” That means that although the county’s property tax rate of some 45 cents per every $100 in valuation has not risen, the county is still taking in
Home construction is seen on Prewitt Ranch, near Clear Creek Road in Killeen. Property values held steady across Central Texas last year.
more money in property tax revenue. Chesser said much of this slight increase can be attributed to new home building.
“Between 2013 and 2014, we saw in residential about a 1.97 percent increase and almost all that was due to new homes,” Chesser said. “It wasn’t
really based on re-appraisal.” The continued new home building is essentially keeping existing home values down, Chesser said, but that
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could change in the coming years. “In some of the newer subdivisions, the homes have been tweaking up a little quicker than some of the older and established ones. Those (older homes) stayed fairly solid and fairly flat the last couple of years. We may see those start to pick back up with the same percentage increases as the newer homes,” Chesser said. “A lot of that has to do with the principle of substitution. If people can get a brand new home, they may be a little more likely to go into that than going and buying a pre-existing one. There still seems to be development in the area. ... We’re starting to see the lot counts for dedicated lots that are platted each year starting to rise throughout the county.” Marvin Hahn, Bell County’s chief appraiser, agreed, saying low interest rates on VA loans used by Fort Hood soldiers have kept home buying in Killeen and the county steady. “The military now has had available money from VA loans and they can purchase these homes for very little down and they’re not walking away from them as much as they were a few years ago,” Hahn said. “The days of the soldier coming and living on base are not quite as prevalent now because it seems like more
soldiers are bringing their families with them and the families are buying homes.” Although he noted he didn’t have a crystal ball, Chesser said home values will likely continue to have steady growth and explained further how new homes are affecting Killeen’s housing market. “I don’t see any major depreciation of home prices in Bell County happening any time soon. We’ve been pretty steady for the last couple years. I don’t see any dramatic increases coming either. So, we can maybe expect a 1 percent, 2 percent increase on home values and it depends on the class of home,” Chesser said. “Some of the higher-end homes seem to be increasing quicker. The mid-range homes are kind of staying flat, but I think it’s also because when you’re building a lot of newer homes and they’re all within a certain price range, the existing homes in that price range aren’t going to appreciate because you go out and buy a brand new one of the same type for the same price. But the higher-end homes, the more custom homes, there’s not as many of those and they continue to increase and that’s kind of an indicator that maybe the other ones will start catching up also.”
New homes, such as this one on Causeway Drive in south Killeen, are helping keep home values steady in Bell County.
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Killeen’s housing market grows about 2 percent during 2014 BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Killeen’s housing market may only be growing by 1 to 2 percent a year, but local experts said slow and steady wins the race.
Killeen’s housing market may only be growing by 1 to 2 percent a year, but local experts said slow and steady wins the race. “It’s steady, and I think steady and solid would be a lot better indicator of the strength of the area than a dramatic decrease or a dramatic increase,” said Roger Chesser, Bell County’s deputy chief appraiser at the tax appraisal district. Chesser said a growth rate of 2 percent is good, signifying an overall strong market. “Killeen’s values have been kind of flat for the last couple of years, but we didn’t see the major downturns like other areas such as Round Rock and Georgetown saw,” Chesser said. “But we haven’t seen the double-digit growth either. So, we didn’t fall as far; in fact, we didn’t fall at all. We just kind of stayed flat, so they’re catching back up to where they were. We’ve kind of stayed at a 1 percent, maybe 2 percent increase over the year.” However, Killeen and surrounding
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cities have a high inventory of homes for sale on the market at least nine months. According to local housing experts, a healthy housing market typically has an inventory of about three to four months. “Are there a lot of homes for sale in Killeen?” asked Johnny Frederick, chairman of Killeen’s Planning and Zoning Commission. “Yes, there are.” Most experts said that inventory is seasonal and homes will begin to sell more quickly during summer months, bringing down inventory levels. Another possible contributor to high levels of housing inventory is the pace at which Killeen’s building officials are approving new home permits. Killeen approved more than 50 new single-family homes almost every month of 2014. “Between 2013 and 2014, we saw in residential about a 1.97 percent increase and almost all that was due to new homes,” Chesser said. “It wasn’t really based on re-appraisal.” With interest rates at historic lows, it’s no wonder older properties are remaining on the market longer and their values staying stagnant, Chesser said. “A lot of that has to do with the principle of substitution,” Chesser said. “If people can get a brand new
home, they may be a little more likely to go into that than going and buying a pre-existing one.” Frederick agreed, saying new homes are keeping existing home values down by attracting a multitude of military buyers using low-interest, VA home loans. “It’s less than a deposit for utilities to move into a brand new home,” Frederick said. “And I think as much as anything around here, that especially affects the existing home sales in a big, big way.” Local banks have taken notice and are increasing their availability of VA home loans for qualified buyers. “The VA is just an absolutely fantastic product,” said Katie Miller, NavyFederal Credit Union’s vice president of mortgage lending. “As you can imagine in Killeen, that is just a very, very popular product as well. That is up to 100 percent financing.” Miller said Killeen’s growth is only a fraction of what’s happening statewide, especially in major metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas and Houston whose double-digit growth is making Texas stand out in the national housing market. “It’s about growth in Texas,” Miller said.
Killeen and surrounding cities have a high inventory of homes for sale on the market at least nine months. According to local housing experts, a healthy housing market typically has an inventory of about three to four months. Sales usually pick up in the spring and summer across Central Texas.
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Fourplex homes are seen on Verna Lee Boulevard in Harker Heights. The number of multifamily housing permits fluctuates each year in Killeen, Harker Heights and Copperas Cove.
Multifamily housing fluctuates in Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Most cities in Central Texas saw their new multifamily housing numbers increase slightly, but Killeen was the only major city where fewer duplexes were built since last year. According to permit lists obtained from city building officials, Killeen approved at least 66 duplexes in 2014. In 2013, the city approved 77 duplexes, according to previous Herald reports. The biggest month for Killeen’s duplexes was in April 2014, when the city approved 32 duplexes totaling approximately $4,706,372. Many of the new duplexes were built south of U.S. Highway 190, including those on Passion Flower Loop, Study Hall Loop, Student Union Drive, Developer Court and Loyal Lane. No new multifamily complexes were built in 2014, according to data obtained
Building permits granted in 2014 KILLEEN
TOTAL PERMITS: 14,250 VALUE: $237.6 million SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES: 834 VALUE: $122.1 million COMMERCIAL PERMITS: 20 VALUE: $20.5 million SINGLE AND MULTIFAMILY HOME REMODELING PERMITS: 6,981 VALUE: $46.2 million from Killeen building officials.
HARKER HEIGHTS
According to building permits obtained from officials in Harker Heights, the city approved 18 new duplexes totaling about $2,795,000. In 2013, Harker Heights approved three duplexes, according to previous Herald reports. The priciest duplexes were $180,000 two-family homes in the 100 block of
HARKER HEIGHTS
TOTAL PERMITS: 4,982 VALUE: $93.5 million HARKER HEIGHTS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES: 203 VALUE: $43.5 million COMMERCIAL PERMITS: 12 VALUE: $13.4 million
COPPERAS COVE
TOTAL PERMITS: 4,007 VALUE: $31.9 Stone Canyon Court. Other duplexes were built in the 1800 block of Yuron Trace, the 1800 block of Seminole Trace, the 400 block of South Mary Jo Drive, the 1800 block of Tru Trail, the 900 block of Ramblewood and the 200 block of West Arlo Road.
COPPERAS COVE
There were four permits approved for new duplexes in Copperas Cove total-
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NOLANVILLE
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME PERMITS (TOTAL, ALL CATEGORIES): 61 VALUE: $16,066,870 SOURCE: City offices ing about $565,868, according to data obtained from city officials. All four will be in the 2900 block of Starlight Drive. Nolanville also had some multifamily housing approved. According to city staff, Nolanville officials approved the new Oak Ridge Apartments, which include a clubhouse and two large, 24unit, three-story apartment buildings for a total estimated value of about $4.4 million.
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Killeen plans several new retail stores during 2015 BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
People line up outside Gander Mountain for the grand opening March 12 for the new store at 701 E. Central Texas Expressway in Killeen.
The retail trade market in Killeen and surrounding cities grew in 2014. Even as road crews work to revamp U.S. Highway 190, shopping has continued along the corridor with other areas south of Killeen feeling the push for new stores as well. According to a market study conducted by Economic Modeling Specialists International, the Killeen-Temple area had 16,279 jobs in the retail trade industry. That’s the third highest producer of jobs in the area, behind health care/social assistance in second and the government sector as the highest job producer. The study says retail’s gross regional product for 2014 was about $765.6 million and was one of a few sectors to have created jobs between 2013 and 2014 with 126 jobs created that year. Perhaps the biggest addition to Killeen’s network of retail stores is the new Wal-Mart Supercenter being completed on Stan Schlueter Loop. The new store opens April 22 and recently hired more than 300 part-time and full-time workers, including many veterans. “I would say probably 8 to 10 percent of our people are veterans,” said Patrick Starns, the new Wal-Mart’s store manager. The Supercenter on Stan Schlueter Loop was issued a $6.4 million commercial building permit in July, and another $400,000 permit in October for
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Wal-Mart is opening a new Supercenter at the corner of Stan Schlueter Loop and Bunny trail in Killeen. It opens April 22. A CVS Pharmacy and a couple of gas stations are under construction nearby.
the construction of a gas station. Wal-Mart also added a neighborhood market 960 E. Farm-to-Market 2410 in Harker Heights. The store opened in October. The retail giant also renovated its store on Lowes Boulevard in June 2014 after filing a permit with a construction cost of $446,750, according to previous Herald reports. Other retail additions in the area include two new CVS locations at 3300 W. Stan Schlueter Loop in Killeen and a new store at 800 E. Farm-to-Market 2410 in Harker Heights. Michael DeAngelis, CVS spokesman, said the new 13,225square-foot store in Killeen is expected to open this spring. Gander Mountain is another big-box retailer with a location at 701 E. Central Texas Expressway that held its grand opening March 12. The new 45,600-square-foot store had at least 1,000 applications to sort through, but John Morgan, the store’s new general manger, said only about
80 made the cut, at least 40 percent of whom are veterans. Many of the hires are seasonal, but Morgan said he could potentially hire more if the new store does well. “If this community embraces us the way I think it will, we’ll keep hiring,” Morgan said. Other retail stores approved in Killeen include an $85,000 permit for a Gateway Shell Station, a $365,000 permit for a Dollar General and a $255,000 permit for a Corner Store, all near the new Wal-Mart and CVS on Stan Schlueter Loop. Other gas stations added in Killeen and surrounding cities include numerous new Stripes locations at Trimmier Avenue and Stagecoach Road, W.S. Young Drive and Stan Schlueter Loop, U.S. Highway 190 and Avenue D in Copperas Cove, Business 36 and U.S. Highway 84 in Gatesville and Stripes’ second Temple location in the 5500 block of West Adams Avenue.
Stripes opened several new gas stations/convenience stores in Central Texas during the past year, including this location at 1320 Stagecoach Road in Killeen.
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From left, Sammy the Sea Otter, the Navy Federal Credit Union mascot; branch manager Glenn Ellyson, Killeen Mayor Pro Tem Elizabeth Blackstone and Cutler Dawson, CEO and president of Navy Federal Credit Union, cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the newest Navy Federal branch at 500 W. Central Texas Expressway in Killeen.
New banks in Central Texas helping home market grow BY CLAY THORP KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
More than a few new banks and credit unions opened in 2014. Navy-Federal Credit Union is just one of the many taking Central Texas by the proverbial horns, especially when it comes to home lending and providing for a new generation of young soldiers at Fort Hood. “Texas is absolutely hot,” said Katie Miller, Navy-Federal’s vice president of mortgage lending. “From 2013 to 2014, our purchase volume in Texas alone increased 41 percent. In Bell County, our purchase volume increased 80 percent. We recognize the opportunity in Texas. We see ourselves as first-time homebuyer experts and VA experts, so when you talk about military millennials, that’s our bread and butter.” Navy-Federal recently opened a new branch in Killeen at 500 W. Central Texas Expressway and its fourth location in Harker Heights at 201 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 690 with plans for more throughout Texas. “It’s about growth in Texas,” Miller said. “We’ve got four branches in the Killeen area right now. We added our 250th branch globally within Harker Heights. ... We are expanding in Texas.” First Texas Bank is another bank with a new facility in Central Texas. Officially opened for business in November, the almost 11,000-squarefoot bank is the central hub for the company’s operations in Central Texas, having previously been on Gray Street in downtown Killeen.
Bank President Pat Kaufman said although the Gray Street location will remain open for customers, the new location has accommodated changing technology. “The (Gray Street) building was built in 1967 and has been remodeled five or six times, and with all of the technology, we needed a new building,” Kaufman said. “We were able to downsize from 17,000 square feet to 11,000 square feet because of all the technology that has been invented since 1967.” According to a permit list obtained from the city, Texas Partners Federal Credit Union is among the newest banks in Killeen, with a location at 1011 Wales Drive. Originally chartered in 1953 to serve civilian employees stationed at Fort Hood, the credit union began with seven members and about $35 in assets according to their website. Other new banks include First National Bank Texas with a new location in the Wal-Mart on Stan Schlueter Loop, which will open April 22. Waco-based Extraco Bank is another big player in the area, with locations at 100 W. Central Texas Expressway in Harker Heights, 201 West Jasper Street in Killeen and 1003 East U.S. Highway 190 in Copperas Cove. For military service members, USAA recently opened its new Copperas Cove location at 3014 E. Highway 190, Suite D100. The location complements Killeen’s location at 900 W. Central Texas Expressway along with two ATMs at 1110 Lowes Blvd. and 2200 W. Central Texas Expressway in Killeen.
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Residents have a variety of banking options throughout Central Texas, including local and national companies and credit unions. Bank of America • 2551 Trimmier Road, Killeen. • 201 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 1900, Harker Heights. Chase • 201 E. Central Texas Expy, Unit 1800, Harker Heights. • 1500 Lowes Blvd., Killeen. (ATM only) Eisenhower National Bank • 1002 W. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen. Extraco Banks • 201 W. Jasper Drive, Killeen. • 100 W. Central Texas Expressway in Harker Heights. • 1003 E. U.S. Highway 190, Copperas Cove. First National Bank Texas • 507 N. Gray St., Killeen. • 2201 Trimmier Road, Killeen. • 4304 E. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen. • 1002 N. 38th St., Killeen. • 201 E. Central Texas Expressway, Harker Heights. • 107 W. U.S. Highway 190, Copperas Cove. There are also First National Bank Texas services in these Wal-Marts: • 1400 Lowes Blvd., Killeen. • 2020 Heights Drive, Harker Heights. H-E-B also houses several banking locations: • 2511 Trimmier Road, Killeen. • 601 Indian Trail, Harker Heights. • 2990 E. U.S. Highway 190, Copperas Cove. First State Bank Central Texas • 914 S. Main St., Suite D, Copperas Cove. • 661 W. Central Texas Expressway, Harker Heights. Fort Hood National Bank • 210 Constitution Drive, Suite A, Copperas Cove. • Bldg. 109 TJ Mills Blvd., Fort Hood.
First Texas Bank opened its seventh branch in Bell County in November. The new location is at 3514 S. W.S. Young Drive in Killeen.
• Bldg. 50005 Clear Creek Road, Fort Hood. • Bldg. 50004 Clear Creek Road, Fort Hood. • Bldg. 87030 Old Ironside Ave., Fort Hood. • Bldg. 91079 Clarke Road, Fort Hood. • Bldg. 85006 Warrior Way, Fort Hood. • Bldg. 18010 Hood Road, Fort Hood. National Bank • 4103 E. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen. • 408 S. Main St., Copperas Cove. Texas Star Bank • 905 E. Farm-to-Market 2410, Harker Heights. Union State Bank • 120 N. Gray St., Killeen. • 100 E. Main St., Florence. • 345 E. Farm-to-Market 2410, Harker Heights. United Central Bank • 404 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd., Killeen.
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Habitat starts year with new executive director, new initiatives Members of Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity helped the Vosburgh family build a new home in the past year. On March 21, Michelle Vosburgh received the keys from construction manager Bill Generali at home dedication ceremony in Killeen.
BY DAVE MILLER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity moved into 2015 with a new executive director and a new set of initiatives. Temple native Amy Grace was recruited by the organization’s board of directors to streamline the local Habitat’s organization and refocus its priorities. Prior to relocating to Killeen from Colorado in October, Grace held a number of organizational and leadership development roles, including executive director and chief growth officer for a top-ranked financial services company. “We had an organizational identity crisis,” Grace said, noting the local Habitat group changed its name to Bell County Habitat for Humanity in 2009 after absorbing the Temple office. “We had multiple websites and Facebook pages going, and it was very confusing to our donors and our clients,” Grace said. “We’ve gone back to our roots as Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity.” The faith-based nonprofit organization, which provides safe, affordable, modest housing to economically disadvantaged families in Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties, has a goal of building four houses in 2015. That’s a significant jump from 2014, in which only one Habitat home was completed. A Killeen family moved into the first completed home March 21. Selected families must provide the “sweat equity” of building their own home to purchase it at a discounted price. In addition, families perform a minimum of 300 hours of sweat equity and 100 hours of construction on someone else’s house before building their own. Grace said Habitat homebuyers
receive a principal-only mortgage, substantially reducing the amounts of their monthly payments. Homes are built within four to six months through volunteer hours from partner families, local churches, Fort Hood service members, local businesses and civic groups. Since the organization was incorporated in 1994, Habitat has built 67 homes in Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties. Each home costs about $65,000 to build. To meet the goal of building four homes in 2015, Grace said Habitat is launching a “Sponsor a Home” initiative, seeking donations equivalent to 2.5 homes in the coming year. A major donation came late last year in the form of a $30,000 grant from the E. Rhodes
and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation in Temple. Later this year, the local Habitat organization will launch a new initiative, called “Brush with Kindness.” The program will help existing low-income homeowners with maintenance and repairs — expanding the scope of Habitat’s impact on the local community. Habitat programs are funded by various federal and state grants, the United Way, donations from the Fort Area Hood Area Association of Realtors and revenue from the Habitat ReStore — a thrift store selling donated and repurposed construction equipment and materials. ReStore proceeds help to cover operating expenses, which allows monetary donations to go toward home construction, Grace said.
The ReStore, at 2601 Atkinson Ave. in Killeen, is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Items for sale can be viewed online at www. Facebook.com/forthoodarea.habitat. Last fiscal year, the Habitat ReStore brought in $170,000, and Grace said it has the potential to be a stronger revenue source after its renovation is complete. In 2014, more than 250 Habitat volunteers worked over 10,000 hours to help build homes, work in the ReStore, partner with families in need, serve on Habitat committees and more. Grace said the organization will gladly welcome more volunteers. To volunteer or donate, call 254-6804007 or go to www.fhahfh.org.
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Baylor Scott & White Health expands in full year after merger BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
October marked the first anniversary of the Baylor Scott & White Health merger, commemorating a year of growth for the health care system. “It’s been fast; I can hardly believe it’s been one year,” said Joel Allison, Baylor Scott & White CEO. Since the merger, the health care provider has received high marks for its services in Central Texas. In July, Scott & White Memorial Hospital was ranked No. 10 in Texas by the U.S. News and World Report’s annual Best Hospitals rankings, moving up eight spots from the previous year. Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas is ranked No. 1 in the Dallas metro area and No. 2 in Texas. “We are so proud to see the two flagship hospitals of the new Baylor Scott & White Health both rank in the top 10 in the state,” Allison said. “When we merged Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare in 2013, we knew we were combining two exemplary systems known for high-quality care. These 2014-2015 U.S. News rankings are proof, as our new system now includes a total seven ranked hospitals throughout North and Central Texas.” Among other notable recognitions in 2014, the health care provider’s clinics in Killeen, Temple and Waco received a three-year radiation oncology accreditation by the American College of Radiology, making them among only 23 accredited sites in Texas.
Baylor Scott & White Health expanded care by opening new clinics, including this one at 239 W. U.S. Highway 190, Copperas Cove.
“This accreditation validates the hard work that members of the radiation oncology team do every day to deliver quality care to our patients,” said Dr. Mehul Patel, chief of radiosurgery at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple. “We have been compared to a national benchmark for providing the safe and high quality care and have met them.” The largest nonprofit health care system in Texas, Baylor Scott & White joined forces last year with eight other
health systems in the state to form the Texas Care Alliance, allowing them to share clinical and administrative data to improve quality and efficiency, lower health care costs and accelerate medical innovation in patient care. “Now more than ever, it is critical for community-based health care providers to collaborate and accelerate change,” said Allison, who serves as TCA chairman of the board. “The TCA exists to support providers who are stepping up to the challenges of
health care now and in the future. We are going to demonstrate innovative, value-based methods for reducing costs and improving quality in a post-health care reform world.”
NEW CLINICS
Throughout its first year after the merger, and into the second, the health care system made notable strides. Two new clinics opened, expanding CONTINUED, 56
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Baylor Scott & White Health officials honored more than 400 individual blood donors and several community blood drives at its annual Blood Donor Appreciation Banquet in January at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center in Temple. FROM PAGE 54
the patient coverage in the area. The 14,771-square-foot Killeen West site on Clear Creek Road, which features 24 exam rooms and two treatment rooms offering primary care, family medicine, women’s health, on-site X-ray and laboratory services, celebrated its opening in May. “The city of Killeen continues (to) grow and by re-locating to this new location, we can increase access to care with the possibility of expanding services for our patients,” said Dr. Michael Reis, chief medical officer at Baylor Scott & White Health-Central Region clinics. “This new clinic will help meet the changing needs for family-centered primary care.” In June, a nearly 15,000-square-foot primary care clinic in Copperas Cove opened its doors, the first for Baylor Scott & White in the city. “We love this community and we want to ensure it has access to quality health care,” said Dr. Raymond Harrison, medical director for the Cove clinic. “Our population continues to age and our veteran population is steadily growing. This clinic will help address our patients’ complex medical issues by providing more resources to deliver the best care possible.”
MCLANE CHILDREN’S
The McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple celebrated its first three years of service in October. “So much has been accomplished since the hospital’s 2011 opening,” said Dr. John Boyd, CEO and chief medical officer of McLane Children’s Hospital and Clinics. At the celebration, a time capsule was
unveiled and placed into the hospital’s walls, filled with significant items donated by community members. The time capsule will be opened in 2036, at the facility’s 25th anniversary. Its third year was marked by a huge milestone for the hospital. In June, 14-year-old Sandra Oldfield became the youngest patient in Scott & White’s history to receive a kidney transplant. “We have made a commitment and demonstrated our ability to provide transplants to our patients in their home town,” Boyd said. “As we celebrate three years of service, we want to continue our evolution by meeting a spectrum of needs for children.”
NEW SERVICES
New services were added at several of the hospital’s locations across the area last year. Copperas Cove added cardiology services to its expanding list of options. The Killeen facility expanded its urology services to five days per week, and added services in colorectal surgery, plastic surgery and pediatric surgery. Expansion also occurred in Killeen’s neurosciences and sports management programs. “Baylor Scott & White Health is committed to providing personalized health and wellness to the communities we serve,” said Shahin Motakef, FACHE, president of Temple and Central Region for Baylor Scott & White Health. “Providing high quality and compassionate primary and specialty care in the Killeen, Harker Heights and Copperas Cove Region, is one way we can accomplish our commitment to our mission and vision.”
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Scott & White phlebotomist Ashley Bucher, right, prepares to draw blood from Jeff Long of Belton, during a Dec. 12 blood drive at Union Grove Middle School in Harker Heights.
Chris Burfict, manager of the Baylor Scott & White Clinic—Killeen West, talks about the X-ray room during a tour of the facility before it opened in May on Clear Creek Road.
Dr. Ashis Barad, a pediatric gastroenterologist at McLane Children’s Specialty Clinic, assists Sherri Stumbaugh as she checks into the clinic for her child’s appointment using new technology at the clinic in Temple. Parents can use the kiosk to update patient information, access patient portals and print out future appointments and shot records.
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Seton Medical Center Harker Heights at 850 W. Central Texas Expressway continues to grow.
Seton continues steady growth in its third year in Harker Heights BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In the less than three years since Seton Medical Center Harker Heights opened its doors, the hospital has continued to grow its staff and services. In 2014, six new physicians came aboard the team, now consisting of 425 employees, and the facility continues to boast a high patient satisfaction rate, ranking again in the top 10 percent, according to surveys. More than 60,000 patients were seen at the hospital in 2013 and 2014. Matt Maxfield, CEO, said, “Seton Medical Center Harker Heights is fulfilling its obligation to our community as not only a choice for health care in Bell County, but to become the area’s premier community hospital.” He added, “Our sustained growth is beyond our expectations as we continue to serve our neighbors.” Although the staff continues to grow, 2014 ended with the bittersweet departure of one of Seton’s founding physicians, cardiologist Richard Cashion, who is largely responsible for establishing the hospital in 2012. Cashion retired at the end of 2014, after nearly 50 years in medicine. Maxfield expressed his gratitude for Cashion’s service to the hospital. “Through his leadership, (Seton’s) cardiology services have developed into
‘Our sustained growth is beyond our expectations as we continue to serve our neighbors.’ Matt Maxfield, Seton Medical Center Harker Heights CEO the highest quality of care and service in the region. His patients will certainly miss him and I know that all of us at SMCHH will always be thankful for his contribution and leadership.” Maxfield said. The hospital added a Diabetes Lunch Bunch last year, held at noon the first Thursday of every month. The informational program is open to the public, and each session is led by a physician or dietitian. “Our community has a high percentage of population who are ‘persons with diabetes.’ It is a nationwide issue and education is the key to keeping them out of the hospital — where their stays are often long and expensive,” said Melissa Purl, program coordinator. “Seton MCHH wanted to begin a community program that offered a healthy
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From left, Dr. Christopher Colvin and registered nurse Lee Phillips talk to a “patient” during a mass casualty drill to test the emergency preparedness of the Seton Medical Center Harker Heights staff.
lunch with recipes coupled with an educational component.” Purl added “the program is fairly new and still growing, but our Lunch Bunch has bonded with each other and it is a lot of fun and a lot of personal exchange between the group.” Seton also saw changes under the Affordable Care Act in 2014. The medical facility now allows all of the hospital’s patients to view their medical records online. “We are pleased to have the capability to provide our patients with immediate access to their medical records, as is it is important to always involve the patient in their care and treatment. The availability of this information will make our patients more informed and better able to participate in their care,” Maxfield said. Progress to gain chest pain accreditation continues to move forward into 2015, as the hospital seeks recognition for its work in the field. Last year closed with a $25,000 fundraising effort by the hospital in its annual United Way campaign, proving the hospital’s growth is contributing to more than just patient care. “As much as we give, it’s never enough. We always know that they need more, so we’re always trying to
Dr. Richard Cashion finishes out his final weeks at Seton Medical Center in Harker Heights before retiring from a career in cardiology lasting nearly five decades.
push and do a little more each year. As we grow, we want to grow with the United Way,” Maxfield said.
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Metroplex adds new services, receives top ratings in 2014 BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Through treatment, preventive care and education, Metroplex Health System carried on its mission last year of “Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ” through its dedication to providing the highest quality care to treat disease, prevent suffering and create an environment of physical and mental support for all patients. “We are honored to serve the communities of Central Texas,” said Carlyle Walton, Metroplex Health System president and CEO. “We provide advanced medical technology and welltrained staff for the well-being of our patients who repeatedly confirm that they are not only well treated, but they feel genuinely well cared for.” In 2014, more than 47,000 patients visited the emergency department and the hospital served approximately 120,000 patients. More than 1,300 babies were born at the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center. The hospital provided about $13,431,083 million in free services, averaging $36,797 per day of charity health services. Last year was marked by growth through the hospital’s addition of several new services, including interventional radiology, bariatric surgery, varicose vein clinic and a lymphedema management program. Metroplex was one of the first hospitals in the area to implement telemonitoring ICU services, which has been shown to improve patient care and
Metroplex Hospital is at 2201 S. Clear Creek Road, Killeen. In 2014, more than 47,000 patients visited the emergency department and the hospital served about 120,000 patients, including delivering more than 1,300 babies at the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center.
meet best practice standards. Patients in the hospital’s critical care unit are monitored not only by the doctors and nurses at the bedside, but also by critical care staff from Advanced ICU Care, the nation’s largest provider of telemonitoring ICU services.
The hospital’s laboratory services began offering a new technology to test for certain conditions through in-house molecular testing, which identifies diseases by analyzing DNA. “In the past, we’ve had to send samples away for testing, but these types of
tests can now be performed in our laboratory,” said Bob Pellerin, director of laboratory services at Metroplex. “The advantages are two-fold — through this technology, we can attain detailed CONTINUED, 62
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Dr. Ryan Vancura an interventional radiologist at Metroplex Hospital, discusses the new vein procedure for chronic venous disease Oct. 21 in his office,
FROM PAGE 60
and accurate information quickly, and it helps physicians to choose the most effective treatment for patients.” The Rollins Brook Center for Wound Care in Lampasas added two hyperbaric oxygen chambers to provide additional advanced wound treatment for the community. “Half of the amputations performed each year are related to diabetic wounds and unfortunately, rates of death following leg amputation are quite high,” said Dr. Glen Einspanier, medical director for the wound center in Lampasas. “This alarming fact creates urgency for treating diabetic foot ulcers and any chronic, nonhealing wound. HBO therapy helps avoid potential loss of toes and legs. Our goal is to heal wounds in an effort to save limbs and save lives.” New administration also brought change for Metroplex last year. Tammy Rodriquez, R.N., was named vice president of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, and Ashley Underwood, R.N., was named administrator at Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas. Metroplex Adventist Hospital and Rollins Brook Community Hospital received several top honors in 2014.
Metroplex was the only local hospital honored with an “A” grade in the fall 2014 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries and infections. “Our patients can have confidence that this ‘A’ rating represents the hard work and commitment to excellence by every Metroplex caregiver to keep them safe,” Walton said.
Metroplex also was recognized as a 2014 “Top Hospital” and Rollins Brook a “Top Rural Hospital” from the Leapfrog Group, the nation’s leading experts on patient safety. Metroplex Hospital is one of three hospitals in Texas to receive the Top Hospital award and Rollins Brook is the only rural hospital in Texas to receive the Top Rural Hospital award. This year promises to be another
year of growth, as the hospital adds more specialties in 2015, including urology, to bring even more services to the community. The Metroplex Behavioral Health Center is recruiting more psychiatrists and psychologists this year and will begin offering outpatient group counseling in addition to the inpatient counseling currently offered at the facility.
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New partnership continues Metroplex Health System’s community involvement BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In October, Metroplex Health System extended its community involvement by announcing a new partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas focused on area youth. At a Fall Health Fest held Oct. 30 at the organization’s Woody Hall Unit in Killeen, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas was presented with a $225,000 check for a CREATION Health grant, given by Adventist Health System. “The CREATION Health program gives children the opportunity to learn how they can make decisions that affect their own health, through exercise, nutrition, rest, and the importance of friends and family,” explained LaToya Ellis, wellness coordinator at Metroplex Hospital. “We’re proud to be a part of the Adventist Health System, which made this grant and partnership possible.” Metroplex Foundation held its 20th annual Gold Star Gala on Nov. 6, to benefit the Metroplex Hospital Wellness Department’s programs and services. The annual black-tie event attracted
About 525 people attended the Gold Star Gala in November, raising $190,000 to help purchase a new bus for the Metroplex Wellness Program, said Daphne Meade, manager of the Metroplex Health System Foundation.
475 guests, raising $100,000 in net pro-
ceeds for the Metroplex Wellness De-
partment, which promotes health and wellness throughout the community. “This is a monumental benefit to the community,” said Daphne Meade, Metroplex Health System Foundation manager. “The Foundation is pleased to lend support to the Wellness Department. We hope that this contribution will ensure more families will benefit from these invaluable programs, services, and equipment.” The department offers and participates in more than 65 health events year-round for community residents such as free monthly vaccination clinics for area children, free community flu clinic, free health screenings, free exercise classes, and health education classes. In 2014, kickboxing and Zumba exercise classes were added to the growing list of free classes. Later this year, a new mobile wellness unit, funded by Metroplex Foundation, will help bring screening and wellness services to the community. Metroplex Foundation will host three annual fundraising events this year, including the Spring Golf Classic, the Gold Star Gala and the Sporting Clays Tournament.
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Work shifts to interior on new Darnall hospital at Fort Hood BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
As the anticipated completion date of late 2015 draws nearer, progress on the new Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center continues. Ground broke on the nearly 1 millionsquare-foot structure more than four years ago, costing around $500 million. With construction finishing on the exterior, attention has now shifted. “The construction project is approximately 90 percent complete,” said Erika Provinsal, Darnall’s deputy program manager. “The current focus is on completing the architectural interior finishes in the hospital tower.” Darnall commander Col. Patricia Darnauer said the process of moving equipment into the facility is underway, including CT scanners and MRIs. From the ground up, crews are hard at work on the building systems, including heating and cooling, electricity and other utilities. Even the details are starting to come together, as drywall and bronze fixtures go in place and paint goes on the walls. With just months to go before mov-
The new Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is seen Jan. 13. Hospital staff expect to be treating patients in the facility by the end of the year.
ing in, Darnauer said the transition process is underway. “Staff preparations are now tangi-
ble. Senior leaders have examined and validated exercises for our validation process called, ‘Day in the Life.’ It is
evident that the staff is both enthusiastic and excited for this transition,” she said.
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Even with so much happening at the future hospital, it was still business as usual at Darnall’s current medical facility this year. The center’s first obstetric and gynecologic nurse resident program graduation was hosted April 28. The graduates were the first to complete the 16-week course since it moved to Fort Hood from Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. In September, CRDAMC’s emergency department began offering a sexual assault medical forensic exam program to assist TRICARE beneficiaries seeking medical assistance following sexual assault. In a joint effort with the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Carl. R. Darnall Army Medical Center opened the Central Texas Sleep Center in Killeen in November. The facility is part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to provide sleep studies for veterans and active-duty soldiers. Another medical facility on post is also scheduled to open later this year. The National Intrepid Center of Excellence Satellite Center at Fort Hood has come a long way since its groundbreaking in June. “Construction is projected to be com-
Col. Patricia Darnauer, commander at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Kevin Duffy, the administrator of Central Texas Sleep Center, and Sallie Houser-Handfelder, the director of Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, cut the ribbon of the new Central Texas Sleep Center in November.
pleted in the fall of 2015 with an opening tentatively planned for November, assuming the continuation of favorable weather conditions,” said the Defense Health Agency. “An opening date will be confirmed by late summer.” The facility, funded through the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, will treat
service members with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. The foundation’s president, David Winters, said the building pad was completed recently, and work will begin soon on the below grade plumbing and electric.
Inclement weather delayed plans to complete the pouring of the concrete slab during February, although a spokesperson for the foundation said two-thirds has been poured, with the entirety to be finished soon. In addition, some of the steel framework is already up. So far, no major delays have pushed back the projected completion date on the construction, which representatives from the Defense Health Agency contribute to the partnership with the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. “Developing a project of this size on such a short timeline requires constant communication, flexibility and dedication. The extraordinary team effort has enabled us to maintain the fast pace of this project,” the agency said. One of nine planned satellite facilities across military installations, Fort Hood’s Intrepid Center will provide traditional and nontraditional treatments for individualized patient care. “New innovations stemming from the research done at the central National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda and elsewhere are integrated into patient care to ensure that the latest and most advanced care is continually provided to our wounded heroes,” Winters said.
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Medical Homes continue to serve Fort Hood, surrounding communities BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Since their completion in 2011, the three Carl. R. Darnall Army Medical Center U.S. Army Medical Homes have provided medical care for active-duty soldiers, retirees and their families. Army medical facilities function as family-practice clinics off post, and work in conjunction with Darnall. The Killeen facility serves soldiers and their family members in Killeen. Those living in Harker Heights, Belton and Salado are served by the Harker Heights clinic, and the Copperas Cove Clinic serves Cove, Kempner and Lampasas. In 2012, the three community-based clinics received their initial National Committee for Quality Assurance certification, and will be reviewed for recertification later this year. The community-based clinics are under the umbrella of the Army’s Patient Centered Medical Homes, which are intended to transform its health care to a system completely focused on the needs of the patient. Col. Frank Hauger, a doctor within Darnall’s Department of Family and
The Harker Heights Medical Home, 201 E. Central Expressway, Suite 200, is one of three off-post facilities that provide care for soldiers and their families.
Community Medicine, said the purpose of the PCMH model “is the overall improved ability for the patient to coordinate care with their Primary Care Manager team, including improved access to the provider and the team nurses in terms of appointment availability as well as the Army Secure Messaging Service Relay Health communication platform, and Tricare online.”
Other Fort Hood clinics under the model made changes in 2014. Bennett Health Clinic is now a Soldier-Centered Medical Home, serving only active-duty troops. The families previously enrolled to Bennett, along with their assigned providers and nurses, were moved to Thomas Moore Health Clinic, where an additional pediatric hallway was established to
meet their needs. The Russell Collier Health Clinic added physical therapy services for their active-duty population, so soldiers no longer have to travel to the main hospital for this type of care. The addition of physical therapy services are currently being coordinated for Thomas Moore Health Clinic for active-duty patients.
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Greater Killeen Free Clinic marks 20 years of community service BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Greater Killeen Free Clinic celebrated two decades of service to the community last summer, and extended its care and services provided to the community. The clinic got its start in 1994 to provide health care to people who didn’t have access. Since 1994, more than 55,000 patients have been treated, with the number of patients growing annually. In 2014, the clinic saw 6,865 patients — 1,570 patients more than it saw in 2013, said Marlene DiLillo, clinic director. The clinic, in downtown Killeen, offers acute care, well women’s care and chronic care to the uninsured in Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties. The clinic expanded last year to offer gynecological services, chronic disease treatment, health promotion classes, mental health services and an exercise program. The clinic is able to order free medicine from AmeriCares’ medical assistance program to provide medica-
Shelia Brooks, supervisor of the Greater Killeen Free Clinic, and clinic volunteer Irene Underwood dance at a block party in August in downtown Killeen. The clinic threw the party to celebrate its two decades of service.
tions for heart conditions, diabetes and hypertension. Patients who receive chronic care also have disease management and
education classes available to them as part of their treatment plan. The clinic also kicked off several health initiatives in January, includ-
ing its monthly Lunch n’ Learn event to educate attendees on a variety of health topics. The class is held the first Thursday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Killeen Arts & Activities Center, 802 N. Second St. The clinic also has it on its agenda to start a walk club this year. DiLillo said volunteers logged 4,804 hours at the clinic last year — a 1,046 increase over the number of hours logged in 2013. “The Free Clinic has been able to undergo a major expansion because of the support of volunteers, community partners and donors,” she said. “We are in continuing need of financial donations to underwrite our programs, especially chronic care.” The clinic, at 718 N. Second St., sees patients on a first-come, first-serve basis. Photo identification is required, as is proof of area residency, proof of previous month’s income for each household and a Social Security number, if applicable. For more information, go to www. gkfclinic.org or call 254-618-4211.
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Pain Specialists of Austin expands care for troops in Killeen SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
If military service has left you with chronic pain, Pain Specialists of Austin now has two locations in Killeen where doctors can work to alleviate the nagging aches from your time in the service. The newest location, which opened in October, is at the corner of Stan Schlueter Loop and Onion Road, and houses the Ambulatory Surgery Center and a Pain Specialists of Austin clinic. The surgery center houses two operating rooms and six recovery rooms. As early as 2006, the military was beginning to see a link between increasing rates of soldier suicides and pain issues. The symptoms in soldiers with chronic pain were the same associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and till today the most important challenge one faces as a pain specialist is, “How can we really diagnose those very important issues if we didn’t have a good control of pain?” Specialists at 3816 S. Clear Creek Road and 2701 E. Stan Schlueter Loop in Killeen now know, that pain itself “is a disease process” and that early recognition and management can prevent its progression into a devastating state whose seriousness has been equated by the Department of Health to chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. On an average, more than half of the soldiers in their lifetime may have very likely suffered from blunt or penetrating trauma and extreme physical conditions leading to a highly intertwined web of chronic pain and psychological disorders. Typically described as anxiety and PTSD, these have been a common coexistent with chronic pain. To blur the picture further, a similar overlapping
The new Ambulatory Surgery Center at 2701 E. Stan Schlueter Loop in Killeen also houses a Pain Specialists of Austin clinic.
disorder known as DESNOS (disorder after extreme stress not otherwise specified) is now getting wide recognition in the military and even their family members. Pain Specialists of Austin Dr. Vivek Mahendru, founder, Dr. Pankaj Mehta, Dr. Timothy Mims, Dr. Christopher Chun and a full staff of nurses and professionals also have locations in Copperas Cove at 2401 Walker Place Blvd. Suite 100, in Harker Heights at 800 W. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 250 and in Temple at 1210 S. 31st St. Soldiers in Killeen and elsewhere in the United States are often left with debilitating physical, psychological and pain-related sequelae that can persist for many years after the initial event and often lead to severe impairment in many aspects of life. Among most health care providers, there may be a
lack of understanding as to why one would continue to have ongoing pain despite injuries that may have occurred years earlier during either warfare or other strenuous military exercises. Timely interventions coupled with physical and behavioral therapy may help postpone or eliminate the need for the removal or correction of structural abnormalities of the spine. At Pain Specialists of Austin-Killeen, with the application of the knowledge of advanced clinical anatomy and an appreciation of the structural basis of spinal pain, board certified physicians aim to revolutionize diagnostic techniques to identify cardinal sources of chronic spinal pain, particularly in the discs and joints. Therapeutic techniques are then used in a logical sequence to isolate specific pain generators contributing to chronic
spinal pain. These techniques range from nerve blockade and nerve ablations to minimally invasive surgical procedures that curb the use of chronic, sometimes addictive, medications and treat pain in a much healthier and promising way. The recognition that disorders like PTSD and DESNOS often coexist with pain-related symptoms reinforces the need for multimodal, multispecialty treatment programs. The Pain Specialists of Austin team of physicians use this unique treatment model: Bio-Psycho-Social model of treatment — where multiple clinicians work hand in hand to discuss a realistic understanding of a soldier’s pain problem, plan early interventions to achieve their short- and long-term goals for function and improve their quality of life.
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FORT HOOD
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Fort Hoods invests in infrastructure to support soldiers, families BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Fort Hood continues to grow and adapt to the ever-changing needs of the Army. About $850 million of construction is underway on post, including the $500 million Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, scheduled to open later this year. Another $160 million in construction will start later this year, said Brian Dosa, director of Fort Hood’s Directorate of Public Works. “What it means to me is the Army is investing in the infrastructure of Fort Hood,” he said. To continue to support soldiers and their families, investment in services and infrastructure is important, he said. Much of the construction will keep Fort Hood on track with its master plan to segment the post into different tracts, said Kristina Manning, chief of Fort Hood’s Real Property Planning Division. “It’s really on plan,” she said, speaking specifically to the shopping and medical district designed along Clear Creek Road. Once the new Fort Hood Mall and hospital open later this year, the facilities will clearly define the area. Meanwhile, many more projects are in the design phase to further the master plan and increase the post’s sustainability, said Michelle Lenis, chief of the design branch. “I’m happy with the amount of money we’re putting toward sustainment,” she said. “We’re prolonging the life of buildings and infrastructure.”
TRAINING
Crews completed construction of a $4 million record fire rifle range at the end of the year. Now the range is waiting on a contract to finish the targets. Officials broke ground one year ago on the Training Support Center and construction gains can be seen at the site. Completion is expected in July. Once the $24 million center is open, everything will be accessible to soldiers in one space. There will be a welcome area, storage with vehicle loading docks, office space, additional trainers and simulators and a fabrication area where center employees can build training aids to order. A Mission Command Center officials hope to build next door remains in the design phase. This fiscal year 2016 project was authorized a year early by
Fort Hood’s Training Support Center construction is seen Jan. 13. It’s one of several construction projects underway across post.
Fort Hood is continuing efforts to clear out old facilities to make room for future development.
Congress and a construction contract should be issued by the end of September, Dosa said.
DEMOLITION & UPGRADES
Fort Hood is continuing efforts to clear out old, out-of-date facilities to make room for future development, Dosa said. Over near Club Hood, old base housing is in the process of coming down, as are more World War II-era wooden structures. There are 100 of these old wooden buildings under contract for removal. Fort Hood received $80 million to renovate the final seven VOLAR barracks, Dosa said. This ongoing project has renovated barracks to allow soldiers to live in the Army’s “one-plus-one” — each soldier gets a private room connected to a
shared kitchenette and bathroom. The final barracks to be renovated are by the 1st Cavalry Division and 13th Sustainment Command headquarters buildings. Dosa expects the contract to be awarded by the end of this month. “It’s a huge amount of work,” he said.
FITNESS FACILITIES
Despite seven open fitness centers on the main post, Fort Hood doesn’t meet the Army’s facility requirement, Dosa said. Abrams Physical Fitness Center is still under renovation and expected to open in increments this year. Ironhorse fitness center also is closed and in need of renovation. For years, its been utilized as part of the Soldier Readiness Processing Center. “The good news is it’s funded and
we expect a year from now before it’s done,” Dosa said. Once the new Army & Air Force Exchange Service post exchange opens, the Warrior Way Specialty Store is expected to move to the old Clear Creek Main Exchange and the building will go back to Fort Hood. Dosa expects a large fitness facility to open there to help round out the post’s deficit. The food court will remain in place, but Lenis said they will add a roller skating rink, two half-sized basketball courts, multipurpose exercise rooms, weight rooms and locker rooms.
INFRASTRUCTURE
In July, Fort Hood, as well as surrounding communities, lost access to water for about two days due to a water main break in Belton. Many homes lost water or lost pressure, and the hospital had to reduce operations. To prevent a future interruption in service, Fort Hood is constructing a new pump station near the State Highway 195 gate on the east side of post to serve as a back-up to the existing one. “We learned some lessons last summer,” Dosa said. Aside from the buildings on post, Fort Hood has $22 million invested into renovating the nearly 800 miles of roads and bridges throughout post. “If we don’t do this investment now, when the roads fail, it will cost a whole lot more to fix them,” Dosa said.
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Warfare museum starts Step into the Story initiative amid fundraising BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
More than $15 million has been raised to build a state-of-the-art museum outside Fort Hood’s main gate. The National Mounted Warfare Foundation is about four years into its fundraising efforts to rally the necessary $37.8 million to begin building the Mounted Warrior Museum. The amount raised, and the amount needed to begin construction, includes the value of land donated by Fort Hood to build the actual facility. Officials said the land — about 65 acres — is a valued at about $10 million. “It’s something we don’t have,” said retired Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, president and CEO of the foundation, when asked about the importance of building the museum in Central Texas. “Our community deserves this.” Slated for completion in 2019, phase one of the 66,000-square-foot museum will tell the story of mounted warfare and Central Texas. The first phase will include the museum grounds, parking, a memorial area and a playscape for children. The next two phases include a walking trail and storage facility. In 2014, the foundation received a $5 million pledge from a private individual, a $250,000 pledge from Union State Bank, and a $25,000 grant from the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Foundation. “We feel like Fort Hood has given to us, and it’s time to give back to Fort Hood,” said Coleen Beck, Union State Bank’s president and CEO.
Retired Col. Otis D. Evans talks about his military service Friday at the National Mounted Warfare Foundation in Killeen. Chris Buford, not pictured, a videographer with Dodge Country in Killeen, records local veterans once a week as they share memories about their military service.
At the beginning of the year, the foundation began its Step into the Story initiative. Sponsored by Dodge Country Killeen, this program allows soldiers, veterans, family members of veterans and members of the community to tell their military story on video. “The goal is to share the stories weekly in the new year through the foundation’s website to show the importance of telling these stories in a museum,” said Shannan Shipman, the foundation’s CFO. “We want to show people that’s what the whole museum is all about. It’s the soldier story.”
The foundation also developed two important partnerships this year — with the Army Marathon and Cinergy Cinemas in Copperas Cove. The partnership with the marathon involves designing the medals for this year’s race. The medal depicts a Patton tank, the most prevalently-used U.S. Army tank during the Vietnam War. All future Army Marathon race medals will depict prominent pieces of U.S. Army mounted warfare equipment. The partnership with Cinergy Cinemas in Copperas Cove involves conducting a monthly movie night fundraiser
in support of the museum project. It’s on the last Wednesday of each month, and features a specific movie being shown in the theater at that time. A portion of the proceeds from all concessions and in-theater ticket sales will be donated to the foundation, as long as guests identify themselves as supporters of the fundraising event. “We are happy to partner with such great organizations, and we hope to develop many more corporate partnerships in 2015,” Funk said. To learn more about the museum or foundation, go to nmwfoundation.org.
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USO Fort Hood gets upgrade to create better space for soldiers BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Fort Hood USO Center closed for three months in 2014 to create a better space for soldiers and families. The center reopened Dec. 17 with $100,000 worth of upgrades and renovations. Located for the past eight years in a World War II-era barracks building, the wear and tear of supporting about 70,000 visitors a year was beginning to show, said Isabel Hubbard, USO Fort Hood director. “If you’ve seen it before, you’ll notice a very big difference,” she said in a ribbon-cutting ceremony in December. “It’ll speak for itself.” The $100,000 renovation was provided through in-kind donations and allowed the center to be updated and designed to better meet the needs of the community. “The space feels improved,” said J.D. Crouch II, president and CEO of the USO. “One thing that remains the same — the USO is a place to rest, a place to relax.” The renovation expanded some of the
Soldiers salute Dec. 17 during the grand reopening ceremony for the USO Fort Hood building on 50th Street. The facility was renovated last year.
more popular offerings at the center such as doubling video game access, the snack bar, lounge space and a child area. The seats in the movie theater were replaced and a new 90-inch TV was installed. Computers are available, and the seating throughout the facility
was updated. As Pfc. Pablo Campos, of 3rd Cavalry Regiment, described the renovation, “everything is better.” “It’s a great environment to just come and hang out,” he said. The center opened in the Rivers
Building in August 2001 before relocating to its current home across from III Corps Headquarters in 2006. “Everything, every single thing, we do in that building and outside those four walls is for the good of the soldiers,” Hubbard said.
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The Fort Hood Exchange Mall is seen Jan. 13. The facility is expected to open this summer, according to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service.
PX tops big changes for AAFES; Commissary starts value brands program BY JACOB BROOKS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Big things happened for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service at Fort Hood in 2014, and bigger things are in store for the military retail giant in 2015. One of the biggest post exchanges in the country is expected to open sometime this year at Fort Hood. Construction on the 265,000-squarefoot Fort Hood Exchange Mall, located across the street from the current Clear Creek Main Exchange, began in June. It was slated to open in the spring, but now construction is not expected to be finished until August, according to AAFES. Its amenities will include a pharmacy, optical center, dentist and expanded dining options, said Paula Gunderson, general manager of Fort Hood Exchange. Earlier this month, officials revealed new details about the stores that will be inside the new mall. The food court is scheduled to get Subway, Starbucks, Boston Market, Arby’s, Denny’s Express, Charlie’s and more eateries that are still in the negation stage. Other small stores to be in the mall: Pro Image Sports, GNC, Game Stop, Rosetta Stone, Wandering Cowboy, MAC
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: on the Commissary Rewards Card can be found on the commissary website: www.commissaries.com/rewards/index.cfm cosmetics and others. The current Clear Creek Exchange will remain open in the future, selling furniture, military clothing, embroidery and alterations. It also will have a laundromat inside, officials said. “It’ll be open, but it won’t be a main store,” Gunderson said. The Exchange’s Warrior Way store will stay open and sell furniture. It will include at UPS Store, a GPS Store, barbershop and the food court, where a new Domino’s opened Jan. 31. Chris Herd, district manager, MAC Pizza Management, said the restaurant features the company’s new “pizza theater” concept, which allows for more customer viewing access through an open design. The restaurant’s lobby will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday and will remain open until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Access to the Domino’s will be available through a side door after the Exchange closes. Also in 2015, AAFES will continue a plan to improve and renovate smaller stores on post. The Warrior Way Express store and the 37th Street store were both renovated in 2014. This year, the 19th Street mini-mall
will be renovated to include two new dining options. The names of those eateries have not been named yet, officials said.
COMMISSARY
The two Fort Hood commissaries totaled nearly $60 million in sales during the fiscal year 2014, and nearly 1 million transactions. Transactions at the Clear Creek Commissary on Fort Hood totaled 637,858 during fiscal 2014. Sales at this store totaled $37.2 million, according to Nancy O’Nell, Defense Commissary Agency spokeswoman. Transactions at the Warrior Way Commissary on Fort Hood totaled 352,267 during fiscal 2014. Sales at that store were $21.8 million, O’Nell said. The commissaries also introduced a “value brand” program and a rewards card last year. “Every store offers and accepts the Commissary Rewards Card, which allows shoppers to add electronic coupons to their card and frees them from having to carry paper coupons to the store,” O’Nell said in a statement. “The card is good in all commissaries. It’s free and it’s easy to use.” The value brand program allows
shoppers to “easily find the brands that consistently offer the best value — based on price — by looking for the orange shelf tag with the word VALUE,” according to the Defense Commissary Agency. “The average savings for Commissary Value Brand items is about 25 percent when compared to store brand or private label items found in commercial retail stores. In some instances, savings will be as much as 50 percent.” Free Wi-Fi may be in store for the Fort Hood commissaries if the program is successful at other locations. The Defense Commissary Agency began testing Wi-Fi access for the Naval Air Station Oceana Commissary, Va., on Feb. 2, a program it hopes will spread to all stateside stores. “Many of our patrons come to the commissary with their smartphones and tablets, and store Wi-Fi will help them maximize their commissary benefit,” said Oceana Store Director Harry Nichols. “There’s a lot of valuable shopping information on www.commissaries. com such as digital coupons for the Commissary Rewards Card, our sales flier, the savings aisle for access to promotional prices and much, much more.” JC Jones contributed to this report.
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New challenges, missions, leader for 1st Cavalry Division BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The 1st Cavalry Division continued its tradition as America’s First Team with new missions, new challenges and a new commander. Maj. Gen. Michael Bills took the reins of the division in March 2014, putting him in charge of more than 24,000 soldiers in four brigade combat teams, an aviation brigade and a field artillery brigade. “Being honored with command of the United States Army’s most storied unit, the 1st Cavalry Division, is a duty I accept with the utmost devotion and dedication,” he said during the ceremony. Just four months later, Bills deployed with about 300 soldiers from the division’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion to Regional Command South in Afghanistan. Based out of Kandahar, troopers led the southern region in an advise and assist mission. In October, Bills and Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Barteky returned to Fort Hood with a majority of the division’s soldiers, completing the transition from RC-S to Train, Advise, Assist Command-South led by the division’s deputy commander for support, Brig. Gen. Doug Gabram. The command transitioned leadership in January, leaving about 70 division soldiers in Afghanistan led by the division’s deputy commander for maneuver Brig. Gen. Viet Luong. They are expected to return to Fort Hood sometime in the spring. “We effectively worked shoulder-toshoulder with our Afghan Security Force counterparts using our soldier, civilian and contract personnel from 16 different partner nations to train, advise and assist Afghan forces,” Bills said during an uncasing ceremony in October. “I told our troopers to make every day count. They did and did more. I look forward to the continued work they will do for our great Army and this fine division.” The 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team continued to support operations in Europe as the force regionally aligned to the area. From Sept. 15 to Dec. 31, about 800 soldiers, mostly from the brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, participated in the first-of-their-kind, short-notice multinational exercises as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in
Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company pull a humvee while competing against the other five companies of the 91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
First Cavalry Division commander Maj. Gen. Michael Bills, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Barteky escort Elizabeth Laird, the “Hug Lady,” as part of the colors-uncasing ceremony Oct. 17.
Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which included multinational combined arms, live-fire exercises, military celebrations and other events. Atlantic Resolve marked the first time U.S. soldiers, in tanks, Bradleys and Strykers, fired rounds in the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations bordering Russia.
“We fired the first M1A2 Abrams main gun rounds ever fired in Latvia as well as the first tank rounds ever fired in Poland by U.S. forces, and it was a tremendous opportunity,” said Col. John DiGiambattista, brigade commander. Ironhorse soldiers traveled more than 38,400 miles and fired nearly 500 M-1
tank rounds; 3,300 25mm rounds; and 200 120mm mortar rounds during their 24 major multinational training events — the largest of which was Operation Iron Sword in Lithuania. The division’s 2nd “Black Jack” Brigade Combat Team completed a deployment to Afghanistan in March, only to begin training next mission. Under new commander, Col. Sean Bernabe, Black Jack soldiers completed in March a 30-day training rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. This work prepared the unit for its nine-month mission as the rotational force in Korea. “It is an honor to be selected as the first brigade combat team to deploy to South Korea under this new rotational concept,” the command team wrote to soldiers and families through the brigade’s Facebook page. The rotational mission began last year with 1st Cav’s 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, filling in as the third combined arms battalion for 2nd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, which is headquartered at Camp Red Cloud, Korea. The defense secretary in November announced the inactivation of 1st Brigade, and the Black Jack Brigade was announced to fulfill its mission to deter
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aggression from North Korea and be ready should fighting break out on the peninsula. Currently, 1st Cav’s 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, is serving under 1st Brigade in Korea on a nine-month rotation. About 4,600 Black Jack soldiers are scheduled to deploy in June. Similar to its sister brigades, 3rd “Greywolf” Brigade Combat Team also kept busy over the past year. Two of its battalions conducted the first transfer of authority for the rotational mission in Korea. First “Chargers” Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment deployed to Korea at the beginning of 2014, then transferred the mission at Camp Stanley, Korea, to 3rd “Warhorse” Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. Each unit brought about 800 soldiers for the mission. “This is the future,” said Lt. Col. Elliott L. Rogers, Warhorse battalion commander. “Instead of doing those large deployments where troops are gone for a year, we’ll do rotations.” Rogers described the rotational mission as “complex,” because while the threat isn’t that of a combat zone, an attack is always thought to be possible. “We made sure soldiers are ready to help defend South Korea,” he said. “We will be a value added to 2nd Infantry Division.”
Master Sgt. Quincy Martin, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, returned in November to his daughters, Amiamor, 9, and London, 5, at Cooper Field.
Meanwhile, the rest of Greywolf is preparing for a rotation at the National Training Center in April, led by new commander, Col. Matthew Van Wagenen. This decisive action
rotation will also incorporate a Fort Bliss-based Stryker battalion, an armor battalion from Fort Riley, Kan., and elements of the Army National Guard and Reserves. For the first time
ever, troops will also utilize tanks and Strykers together at the center. The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade also received a new commander this year. Col. Jeffery Thompson now leads the division’s aviation brigade. The brigade’s Gray Eagle companies continued to set precedent for the Army’s unmanned aircraft operations. In December a ground-based sense and avoid radar system was installed at Robert Gray Army Airfield that could lead to more flight time for Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems. Viva Kelley, product director for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airspace Integration Concepts product office based at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., said work on the system began about eight years ago as a way to let unmanned aircraft operators have the sense of the peripheral vision a pilot in a manned aircraft would have. “The most important thing for this — other than the three-dimensional view — is this radar sees what nobody else can see,” she said. In particular, it sees noncooperative aircraft, which are aircraft that do not speak to air traffic control. In other elements of the brigade, aviators wrapped up deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait.
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New commander sets four areas of focus for III Corps BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
III Corps received a new commander last year, as well as an expansion of its command. Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley left his post at III Corps in August to pin his fourth star and take command of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Mark has led this renowned formation with distinction, marked by consistent demands on and off the battlefield and exemplified the compassionate leadership, skill, agility and responsiveness of this great corps,” said Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, whom Milley replaced in command. With his wife by his side, Milley bid farewell to the corps he led for nearly 20 months — about half of that time was spent in Afghanistan, where the Phantom Corps served as the headquarters for the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command. During his command, the corps expanded due to Army reorganization. Oversight grew from one division — 1st Cavalry Division — to a total of 18 brigades in four divisions across four installations. New commander Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland’s command scope includes his former division, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, as well as the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan., and the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. In total, MacFarland now leads about 120,000 soldiers. Other new additions to the Phantom Corps included British Brig. Tim Lai and Maj. Gen. Kendall Cox as deputy commanders. Command Sgt. Maj. Alonzo Smith also joined the team, creating an all new group of leaders in Fort Hood’s top headquarters. With about six months in command,
Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, right, commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, listens to the morning battle update brief Dec. 11 inside the III Corps Mission Command Post at Fort Hood.
MacFarland has laid out four areas of focus: combat readiness, leader development, quality of life and community relationships. “Combat readiness gets us ready for the most demanding set of circumstances we could possibly face. Leader development ensures we are agile and adaptive enough for whatever unforeseen circumstances we might encounter,” he said. To get III Corps’ headquarters and staff back to the basics after four deployments in 10 years, a series of post exercises began in December.
“We’re focusing ... on restoring our ability in what we call decisive action,” MacFarland said. For those units back in garrison, soldiers are picking up the slack from a recent reduction in the civilian workforce. More soldiers are guarding the gates, serving in dining facilities and working at the Logistics Resource Center. These soldiers are working within their occupational specialty, MacFarland said. “We’re trying to get away from soldiers doing things that are not military tasks for sure. We’ve reduced the num-
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ber of soldiers being tasked to do those kinds of thing by about 30 percent since I’ve taken command, and we’ll continue to look for ways to make sure we’re not diverting soldiers from the No. 1 priority of combat readiness as much as we can,” he said. Despite all the changes and uncertainty in today’s Army, MacFarland said he remains proud of soldiers and their ability to adapt and excel. “The soldiers are responding very well ... and regaining their skill sets very quickly, and that’s very gratifying,” he said.
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78 | Progress 2015
Several command changes across Fort Hood during past year sumed command of the brigade, said Mendenhall helped make the transition smooth and carry on the previous commander’s legacy. “I’m proud to serve with each and every one of you,” he said. “The history of this unit is unmatched.”
BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Fort Hood’s parade fields were heavily used last summer, with plenty of command-change ceremonies. Each ceremony brought a bittersweet reminder that change is constant in the Army. Soldiers and families bid farewell to friends and commanders as they welcomed new ones.
1ST MEDICAL BRIGADE
III CORPS
Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley left his post at III Corps in August to take the helm of U.S. Army Forces Command. Milley led for nearly 20 months, to include a deployment to Afghanistan. Incoming commander and newly promoted Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland previously commanded 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss. “I’m looking forward to being a member of this great team, this great community, and getting to know all of you ... and to get moving on this great transition together,” MacFarland said.
1ST CAVALRY DIVISION
Maj. Gen. Michael Bills took command of the 1st Cavalry Division in March with one star on his hat, but quickly added the second as he prepared the troops for a deployment to Afghanistan. He said he was humbled and honored to join America’s First Team. “Command at any level is not only a critical responsibility but a sacred privilege,” he said during the March command-change ceremony on Cooper Field. “Being honored with command of the United States Army’s most storied unit, the 1st Cavalry Division, is a duty I accept with the utmost devotion and dedication.” Maj. Gen. Anthony Ierardi relinquished command after 20 months of leading the more than 22,000 soldiers in the division, and he headed off to Washington, D.C.
1ST BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
Col. Steve Gilland, bid farewell to 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to make way for Col. John DiGiambattista in April. Gilland took command of the brigade in July 2012 and has led soldiers on several training exercises in Europe and a rotation to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. “We are fortunate to have (DiGiambattista) as he comes from the Penta-
Then-Col. (promotable) Viet Luong, right, 1st Cavalry Division deputy commander for maneuver, hands the unit colors to incoming 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, commander Col. Jeffery B. Thompson as outgoing commander Col. Cory A. Mendenhall looks on during a change-ofcommand ceremony Aug. 5 at Fort Hood’s Cooper Field.
gon,” Bills said. “He comes to us with a wealth of experience as an infantry officer with three deployments to Iraq ... I can’t think of a more qualified and capable officer to take command of an outstanding team as (DiGiambattista).”
2ND BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
After leading 3,200 soldiers on a deployment to Afghanistan, Col. Robert Whittle relinquished 2nd “Black Jack” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, during a June ceremony at Cooper Field. Whittle led the brigade for nearly two years, which included the deployment and the train up at Fort Hood and at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. Col. Sean Bernabe stepped as the new brigade commander, calling Black Jack a “well-oiled machine.” Bernabe came to Fort Hood from the National War College at Fort NcNair, Washington, D.C. This is his first stop at Fort Hood during his 22-year career. “I look forward to service together as we write the next chapter of Black Jack history,” he said.
3RD BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
Col. David Lesperance said goodbye to 3rd “Greywolf” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, in June. As he left to serve as III Corps’ chief of staff, Col. Matthew Van Wagenen stepped in as the new Greywolf commander. “I expect nothing but great things from this formation in the coming years,” he said. Van Wagenen previously served on the staff at Regional Command East in Afghanistan. This is his first time at Fort Hood. “I’m looking forward to getting connected with the community down here. It’s legendary, the cooperation between Fort Hood and the community,” he said.
1ST AIR CAVALRY BRIGADE
Col. Cory A. Mendenhall bid farewell to 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, during an August change-ofcommand ceremony at Cooper Field. Mendenhall became chief of staff for the U.S. forces at Yokota Air Base in Japan. Col. Jeffery B. Thompson, who as-
After 17 months at the helm of the 1st Medical Brigade, Col. (promotable) Bertram C. Providence addressed his troops for the final time during a June ceremony at Sadowski Field. “The Good Book says that there is a time and place for everything,” Providence said. “All things must end. It has been a great privilege — I left everything on the field — but now I must move on.” After passing the flag to Col. Allan J. Darden, Providence left Fort Hood behind to become the Forces Command Surgeon at Fort Bragg, N.C. Darden joined Fort Hood from the Office of the Surgeon General human resources office. “(Providence) left me a great foundation to build on,” Darden said. “It’s a privilege and an honor to lead soldiers.” This is Darden’s first time at Fort Hood, and he said he is looking forward to getting better acquainted with his new home.
FIRST ARMY DIVISION WEST
Maj. Gen. Warren E. Phipps Jr., relinquished command of First Army Division West during a December ceremony, to deploy to Afghanistan for the second time in his career. For two years, Phipps led the division on its unique mission to train Army Reserve and National Guard components to deploy overseas. Under his command, 32,000 troops were mobilized and more than 40,000 demobilized. A month later, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt assumed leadership of the division. “This is a special trust and responsibility that I promise you I will never take for granted,” Colt said. The role came after Colt’s most recent assignments as deputy commander, XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C., and commander of the U.S. National Support Element CommandAfghanistan.
166TH AVIATION BRIGADE
Col. Kevin Vizzarri described his replacement as commander of First Army Division West’s 166th Aviation Brigade as “the real deal,” during a June ceremony at Cameron Field.
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After two years leading the “Greywing” Brigade, Vizzarri relinquished his post to Col. Christopher Albus. “Greywings, I can tell you, you are getting a great commander who is a perfect replacement,” said Vizzarri, who retired after 25 years as an Army officer. Albus joined the Greywings from West Fort Hood’s Operational Test Command, where he served as director of the U.S. Aviation Test Directorate.
120TH INFANTRY BRIGADE
Col. Timothy Bush relinquished command of 120th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division West, during a June ceremony at Cameron Field. He passed the colors to his successor after 24 months in command. Bush will become First Army’s director of operations in Rock Island, Ill. Col. Daniel Hurlbut took command after serving as operations chief of Division West for the past year. “We’re excited about taking command. We’re looking forward to the missions ahead,” Hurlbut said. “There’s a strong chance that our missions will expand in scope, so we’ve got a lot of work to do but it’s going to be fun.”
13TH SUSTAINMENT COMMAND
Maj. Gen. Clark W. LeMasters Jr. left his post as commander of the 13th Sustainment Command in July to serve as deputy chief of staff for logistics and operations for the Army Materiel Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. After more than two years in command and a deployment to Afghanistan, LeMasters relinquished his position to now-Brig. Gen. Rodney D. Fogg.
Fogg most recently served as the executive officer for the commander of the materiel command in Alabama. This is his first time stationed at Fort Hood. “I’m absolutely honored to stand before you today,” Fogg said. “We are so privileged to take command of the 13th Sustainment Command ... humbly stepping up beside those leaders and soldiers who established and sustained the unit’s outstanding reputation and history.”
89TH MILITARY POLICE BRIGADE
As Col. Ross Guieb addressed his troops for the first time in August, he told soldiers of the 89th Military Police Brigade, “The Guieb family is all in.” No stranger to Fort Hood or the “Griffin” Brigade, Guieb takes the reins of a unit he once deployed to Iraq with. He most recently served as the executive officer to the provost marshal general’s office in Washington, D.C. Col. Robert Dillon relinquished command to Guieb during a ceremony at Sadowski Field after leading the brigade for two years. He is now deployed to Afghanistan.
504TH BATTLEFIELD SURVEILLANCE BRIGADE Col. Ryan Janovic assumed command in December of 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in a ceremony on Sadowski Field. Janovic came from the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., where he completed graduate studies. He replaced Col. Charles Hensley, who held the brigade’s top spot for 27 months. He left to serve as the chief of plans for Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Fort Hood trains with Dutch forces BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The 21st Cavalry Brigade may be on its way out, but joint training with the Netherlands continues at Fort Hood. Pilots and aircrews with the 21st Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) closed the books on 30 years of Apache helicopter training July 21 with one last flight before turning in their final six helicopters as the brigade prepares to discontinue missions by the summer. The brigade’s discontinuation, part of an Armywide reallocation of equipment and personnel, is scheduled to be complete in June, according to a U.S. Forces Command directive. Since the mid-1980s, the brigade has served as the Army’s Apache training brigade, tasked with the unit fielding and training program for all U.S. Army attack aviation units, as well as pilots from allied nations transitioning to the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter platform. “We have trained over 80 battalionsized units,” said Col. John White, brigade commander, in July. The brigade has worked with every Apache unit in the active-duty Army and the vast majority of reserve-component attack units. Under the brigade’s Foreign Military Training Program, it oversaw the training of allied, foreign
The 21st Cavalry Brigade flew its final mission in July. The training aviation brigade will inactivate in June.
military Apache aircrews, including a permanent contingent from the Netherlands that has been at Fort Hood since the late 1990s. Recently, the Dutch program expanded to include a Chinook program and training of army forces from the Netherlands. Training support to the Netherlands is scheduled to continue under another unit through 2015, the FORSCOM directive stated. In October, seven aeromedevac crews with the Royal Netherlands Air Force completed two weeks of medical training at Fort Hood in preparation for deployment to Mali in support of the U.N.-led efforts to stabilize the West African nation. The course trains teams of two aeromedevac professionals — a doctor and a flight nurse — to work on patients from a rotary wing aircraft in a forward setting.
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3rd Cavalry troopers case colors for first tour in Afghanistan BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
For the fifth time since 2003, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment cased its colors in June — this time to deploy to Afghanistan. With four tours through Iraq, this was the first time the “Brave Rifles” deployed to the country, bringing along about 2,200 soldiers. “The troopers of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment have cased the colors as they prepare to embark on yet another chapter of this proud unit’s storied history,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Bills, 1st Cavalry Division commander and former commander of the regiment, during the symbolic casing ceremony in June. In February, they wrapped up an advise and assist mission in Train, Advise and Assist Command East. The colors were uncased during a below-freezing, late night homecoming ceremony, and the final squadron of troopers returned in March. Regimental Commander Col. Cameron Cantlon said any American soldier who worked in Afghanistan should be proud of what already has been achieved, and should know their work has set the ground work for what the Brave Rifles completed. “I’m proud of what our coalition has accomplished over here. I’m even more
Staff Sgt. Daniel Kalinowski hugs his son Danny, 9 months, and his wife, Bree, at the 3rd Cavalry Regiment homecoming ceremony Feb. 23 at Fort Hood’s Cooper Field. Danny was only a few weeks old when Kalinowski deployed to Afhganistan for nearly nine months.
proud that 3rd Cavalry Regiment has been part of a very historic time in Afghanistan,” he said. Aside from Afghanistan, the Brave Rifles also deployed last year to Cuba and Egypt. Regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Heinze said the unit had two years since its last deployment to Iraq to prepare and train. Being selected for these three mis-
sions shows “the unit is adaptive” and “flexible,” he said, while pointing out this isn’t unique to the Brave Rifles, because all Army brigades train hard. “They are hungry and eager to attack any assigned mission,” he said. “The resilience of these troopers is phenomenal. I couldn’t be more proud.” The regiment’s 4th Squadron trained to serve in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as part of the Multinational Force and
Observers peacekeeping force. Troops deployed in May, replacing 1st Cavalry Division’s 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. “When you look at the peacekeeping mission, it takes on a whole separate skillset of tasks,” Heinze said. “It’s night and day.” The 400 soldiers deployed there spent time on nonlethal training, as did the soldiers of Crazyhorse Troop, 1st Squadron, who are conducting detention facility operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “It was a team effort across all of III Corps,” said troop commander Capt. Anthony Oliver of the training schedule. With the help of Division West, the infantry company underwent military police training in March at Fort Bliss in El Paso. “It was a whole new skillset for us to learn,” he said. “The training was outstanding.” Bringing soldiers to a different mission than they’ve seen over the past 12 years, Oliver said it’s important to conduct operations in the most professional manner possible. “A little finer polishing goes into that,” he said. Both Cantlon and Heinze said they look forward to the spring, when the entire regiment is back together at Fort Hood.
13th Sustainment Command deploys to Kuwait; 310th Sustainment takes over BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In November, the 13th Sustainment Command cased its colors at Fort Hood as it prepared to deploy to Kuwait to support the 1st Sustainment Command Theater’s mission of supporting sustainment operations in the Central Command area of responsibility in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. At a farewell ceremony in December, the unit’s commander, Brig. Gen. Rodney Fogg, said the soldiers were ready for the mission ahead. “Like any Army deployment, we’ve been planning and training for months,” he said. The unit’s primary task during the nine-month deployment is to provide logistical support, making sure all the
Soldiers from the 13th Sustainment Command board buses Dec. 6 as they prepare to deploy to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
transportation, supplies and equipment required is available. Prior to the unit’s departure, the
310th Sustainment Command, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based out of Indianapolis, Ind., arrived at Fort Hood to
cross train with the 13th before assuming command during its absence. Because of the scope of the 13th’s mission at Fort Hood, the 310th took control of the deployed unit’s operations to ensure a smooth transition and continued oversight while the 13th is in Kuwait. “Although today marks the transition to our new mission, the daily tasks of coordinating sustainment support across the III Corps area of responsibility must endure,” Fogg said. “I cannot think of a better organization than the 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command to take on the challenge.” The 310th provides senior level logistics support to all III Corps units across five stateside posts — Fort Hood; Fort Bliss; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Sill, Okla.; and Fort Carson, Colo.
Progress 2015 | 81
Fort Hood troops help support Ebola mission in West Africa BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In October, Fort Hood deployed nearly 500 troops to support Operation United Assistance — a mission to combat the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa. Soldiers from the 36th Engineer Brigade, 1st Medical Brigade and 85th Civil Affairs Brigade, shipped out to Liberia in October and November. The engineer brigade provided about 450 soldiers from its headquarters and several of its support units to oversee the construction of Ebola treatment facilities, said Col. Heath Roscoe, brigade commander. “The Ebola treatment units are specifically to separate those who are infected, and getting them to some medical treatment so they can be cared for,” Roscoe said as soldiers trained in protective gear. Special guest then-Gov. Rick Perry stopped by to observe the engineers training in October, offering words of encouragement and support. He said he knows the mission is probably not something they expected
Lt. Col. Frank Riggle, left, III Corps deputy surgeon, talks about routine medical procedures for service members during their 21-day observation period at the North Fort Hood controlled monitoring site after returning from West Africa.
when they joined the military. “It’s the events that happen in life you don’t see coming that really distinguish and characterize who you are,” Perry said. “It’s the train-
ing that you’ve been exposed to and absorbed that will serve you well. In turn, it’s going to serve the citizens of this country and the citizens of this world.”
Troops prepared to be gone for one year, but upon arrival in Liberia, learned the resources in the country were better than expected, and in January, soldiers began to return to Fort Hood. “We found ... a lot of capacity we didn’t know about before,” said Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division, who is leading the effort by multiple government organizations. This included a good contracting capability with connections through the U.S. Agency on International Development. As the troops returned, they were required to undergo a 21-day observation period at one of five locations in the U.S. North Fort Hood is one of those locations. The final group of Fort Hood soldiers were released from isolation March 23. On March 9, a 28-soldier headquarters element from 48th Chemical Brigade cased its colors to take over the mission from the 101st Airborne. They expect to close out the entire mission and return home in about six months, when they too will undergo the threeweek isolation.
82 | Progress 2015
Operational Test Command adds new leadership in 2014 BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
FORT HOOD — The U.S. Army Operational Test Command, the Army’s only independent operational tester, executed more than 64 operational tests at test sites across the country last year. Composed of seven test directorates, staff directorates and special staff from Fort Hood, as well as Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C., and Fort Sill, Okla., the command tests and assesses equipment, systems and technology in a realistic operational environment using soldiers to determine whether these products are effective, suitable and survivable. “The systems and procedures our Army uses to ensure that our equipment, our organizations and our materiel meet the needs of our soldiers in the field, it’s not something that every officer has an opportunity to participate in over the course of their careers,” said Brig. Gen. Scott Spellmon, OTC commander. “Certainly that is not different for me.” Major systems and equipment tested in 2014 include the Apache Block III, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, a new Shadow Unmanned Aerial System, C-17
Operational Test Command Brig. Gen. Scott Spellmon, left, transfers the saber to incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Graham, center, during a change of responsibility ceremony April 24.
Increased Gross Weight and Formation Spacing Reduction, Excalibur Block 1B and the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System. The command’s participation in two Network Integration Evaluations at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and Fort Bliss, in the spring and fall broadened the partnership of the TRIAD team consisting of ATEC, Brigade Modernization Command and System of Systems Integration. The OTC also continued its 10year partnership with Ballet Austin. Spellmon represented the command
at Ballet Austin’s annual Christmas performance of “The Nutcracker,” and several OTC leaders participating as the “Celebrity Mother Ginger” before a sellout crowd of 2,200. Though testing carried on as usual last year, major changes occurred in several of the command’s leadership positions. In March, Robert Miele was welcomed as OTC’s new executive director, making him the only Senior Executive Service Level I position at Fort Hood. Miele served as the acting technical director of the U.S. Army Materiel Sys-
tems Analysis Activity before joining the OTC. “I am proud to be a part of this exceptional command,” Miele said. “My wife and I have looked forward to getting back to Texas.” Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth M. Graham took over as OTC’s senior enlisted adviser in April. Having served as a drill sergeant, first sergeant and NCO Academy commandant, Graham has deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and BosniaHerzegovina. “What OTC does is serious business,” Graham said, “and we can’t afford to cut corners.” Col. Timothy Karcher took over as OTC’s deputy commander/chief of staff, having served as the command’s G3. Karcher was recognized in October by the Bell County Commissioners’ Committee on People with Disabilities as military disabled person of the year. Other new OTC leadership assignments at Fort Hood include Col. Brian K. Luke, director, Maneuver Test Directorate; Col. Nicholas D. Arata, director, Aviation Test Directorate; Col. Willie J. Locke III, director, Mission Command Test Directorate and Col. Ronald W. McNamara, director, Maneuver and Maneuver Support Test Directorate.
First Army Division West gets new commander ahead of reorganization BY ROSE L. THAYER KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
First Army Division West underwent a command change in January, as the division prepares for a reorganization. In a January ceremony, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt assumed leadership of division, replacing Maj. Gen. Warren E. Phipps, who is now the senior adviser to the Afghan Ministry of Defense with U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. “This is a special trust and responsibility that I promise you I will never take for granted,” Colt said. Division West is a subordinate unit of First Army headquarters at Rock Island, Ill. It trains and validates Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers for deployment to combat or other contingency operations, as well as units of the active Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and United States partner na-
tions. It has three training brigades headquartered at Fort Hood, with much of its operations conducted at North Fort Hood. Colt’s most recent assignment was as the deputy commander of the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C., and commander of the U.S. National Support Element CommandAfghanistan. With the drawdown now in effect, and a new shift toward mobilization and readiness underway, Colt’s tenure with Division West will, undoubtedly, be marked by change. “We have a great plan, and now it’s really ensuring that our cognitive shift keeps up with our physical change,” he said. While Colt said the exact implications of the total Army drawdown are still not certain, he said some things are sure.
“We don’t know what we’re going to need, but we do know response is going to have to be ensured, instantaneous and guaranteed for success,” he said. In January, Colt met with Dutch officers to discuss potential training opportunities for their units. “It was an office call between the commander of Division West and the Air Commodore of the Dutch Defense Helicopter Command, and the Dutch 11th Airmobile Brigade commander, to discuss possible cooperative opportunities,” said Col. Christopher Albus, 166th Aviation Brigade commander, who was present at the meeting. The Dutch armed forces have held a significant footprint on Fort Hood for some time now and look to further establish itself at the “Great Place.” “I think we already have a good working relationship with units on Fort Hood,” said Air Commodore Jan Willem Westerbeek.
Division West training alongside Dutch forces here has evolved over time. “I think that the Dutch-American relationship is strong,” Albus said. “There is a lot that we can gain from each other, especially as a First Army organization. “This is all contingent on whether the Army chooses to select First Army to handle the transition responsibilities from 21st Cavalry Brigade.” The idea of future training opportunities and the beneficial international relationship between the two organizations seemed to be a mutual feeling. Only time will tell what the Army has planned for these allied commanding generals and their units. “I rather look forward to the opportunity to potentially work with this great NATO partner,” Albus said. “I think there are benefits for both First Army Division West and the Dutch air and ground forces.”
Progress 2015 | 83
84 | Progress 2015
Smaller units at Fort Hood experience deployments, homecomings BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Smaller units at Fort Hood also kept busy in the past year.
504TH BATTLEFIELD SURVEILLANCE BRIGADE After deploying about 650 soldiers to Kosovo early in 2014, troops from the 504th’s headquarters and its long-range reconnaissance unit, 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment were welcomed home from the Multinational Battle Group-East’s mission of peace support operations in October. The nine-month deployment paired the brigade with several National Guard units to reinforce the Kosovo police and the European Union Law Enforcement Mission. A ceremony was held at the brigade’s headquarters Oct. 31 to uncase its colors following the return to Fort Hood. “As you folks know, on the Kosovo side, it was a very good challenge maintaining the environment as required for the future of Kosovo,” Col. Charles Hensley, former brigade commander, told soldiers. “It was a great privilege for me to serve with all of you.” In December, Col. Ryan M. Janovic took command of the brigade, following Hensley’s departure to Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. Janovic came to Fort Hood from Washington, D.C. The brigade’s other two battalions also returned from deployments in Afghanistan. Both the 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion and the 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion returned in June after nine-month deployments.
11TH SIGNAL BRIGADE
Throughout the summer, soldiers from the 57th Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, redeployed to Fort Hood, with the final redeployment in September. In January 2014, the unit cased its colors before members of the Bravo Company deployed to Afghanistan to provide communications support to 17 forward operating bases and assist with conducting retrograde of equipment that had accumulated in Afghanistan throughout the years of war. At a homecoming ceremony in September, 40 returning troops from the 57th were welcomed by a new battalion commander, Lt. Col. David W. Gill, who replaced Lt. Col. Darlene Straub. Straub deployed with the unit, but is
A group of soldiers with Charlie Company, 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, receives a final inspection before being lifted in the air by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter March 11 at Fort Hood.
now at Fort Bragg, N.C. The 62nd Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, also returned from deployment last year. In May, the unit returned to Fort Hood from Kuwait, where it served as the primary tactical communications provider for the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The 16th Signal Company, 11th Signal Brigade, is supporting the Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program mission with Tactical Installation and Networking teams dispatched across the country in support of the upgrade project. Additionally, the 16th Signal Company established a working relationship with the Fort Hood Network Enterprise Center allowing the integration of their military personnel into the daily operations and upgrade projects of the Fort Hood network infrastructure.
Monique Barsh gets a kiss from her husband, Spc. Kenneth Taylor, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 57th Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, during a homecoming Sept. 8.
Progress 2015 | 85
EDUCATION
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Progress 2015 | 87
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Killeen ISD rezones two schools to accommodate growth BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen Independent School District continues its pattern of growth in the 2014-2015 school year, and with it comes the usual future plans and growing pains. This year, the district’s student body population grew by 1,178 students at its peak compared to last year. The district’s enrollment as of late January was 42,229 students, with most of its expansion coming from the southern portion of town. As a result, school board members this month approved rezoning some of Ellison High School’s attendance zone, near U.S. Highway 190, and Reeces Creek Elementary School, near Stagecoach Road. Along with rezoning, staff came to board members several times over the past semester asking class-size waivers to be granted, meaning in certain areas, numbers went beyond the recommended 22-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio permitted by the state, a challenge that often comes with growing districts. “At the present time, the district is projecting a student growth rate of 1.6 percent,” Superintendent John Craft said. “We anticipate a peak enrollment of 43,615 students for the 2015-2016 school year. This projection is the result of a more natural growth rate in line with the expansion of the (Interstate) 35 corridor statewide growth trends.” The challenge with a growing district is more complicated than simple expansion, however, officials said. Challenges associated with growth entail many factors: projecting and building schools in the most appropriate areas and on time to meet the community’s needs, the utilization of portable classrooms to provide additional space, rezoning of campus
Fowler Elementary School, seen Aug. 24, is Killeen Independent School District’s newest facility.
boundaries to provide relief at overcrowded campuses, and hiring additional personnel at the right time to meet staffing needs over the course of the years, Craft said. “Many of the decisions we are in the process of making this spring are dictated by projections,” Craft said. “Our demographer has historically done a very thorough job and projections typically align very closely with actual enrollment numbers, especially for a district of almost 43,000 students.” From a budget perspective, however, a consistently growing district is better than one that is stagnant or decreasing, he said. As school enrollment increases, so does the district’s revenue, as the state and federal government base funds off students’ average daily attendance rate. “The district has employed various strategies to compensate for many of these challenges,” Craft said. “We
incorporate hiring contingency positions early in the spring hiring season in anticipation of vacated classroom teaching positions late in the summer. As a result, the district is positioned to begin the school year with highly qualified staff in place. We work closely with developers and our municipalities to ensure open communication regarding future developments. We analyze attendance zones and enrollment trends almost daily, and we have a very efficient plan to relocate portable classrooms as needed.” According to the district’s most recent strategic facilities plan approved in December, several new schools and a new football stadium are slated for construction in the near future to help manage predicted growth. According to the document, district residents might see the quickest additions to its facilities by 2017. The district plans to open a middle
and elementary school during that year, according to the report. Middle School No. 13, which has not yet specifically been approved by board members, is projected to open in the fall of 2017 and will tentatively cost about $37 million, according to the report. Elementary School No. 34, which also has not been specifically approved by board members, is projected to open in the fall of 2017 to the tune of $32 million. A new high school — which would be the fifth in the district — and a new elementary school — the 35th — as well as a possible $48 million stadium also might open in 2019 if voters approve a $165 million bond in May 2017, according to the plan. Further down the line, the district hopes to open a $41 million middle school — the 14th — and a $41 million elementary school — the 36th — after the fall of 2020.
Progress 2015 | 89
90 | Progress 2015
Developing academics, relationships key goals for KISD leader BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Although students and teachers have seen John Craft in the superintendent’s office for several months, he did not become the full-time, permanent superintendent of the Killeen Independent School District until January. Craft was named interim superintendent in July after longtime Superintendent Robert Muller anCraft nounced his resignation to accept a position at Texas A&M University in College Station. In his new role at the district’s helm, Craft will work with Killeen ISD school board members and district staff to help identify priorities in the upcoming weeks, which will translate into the district’s future goals for the next few years, he said. Several areas of focus remain constant, however, including developing Killeen ISD’s academics and relationships and guiding district growth.
ACADEMICS
“First and foremost the district will work to continue to provide and expand exceptional educational opportunities for students,” Craft said. “We will focus on all areas of student achievement to include the areas of advanced academics — talented and gifted, Advanced Placement, dual credit, SAT and ACT preparation, (the) launch of the Early College High School — and special education services.” A joint effort between Central Texas College and Killeen ISD, the Early College High School is expected to begin this fall. Located on CTC’s campus, about 150 Early College High School
Students and staff from Patterson Middle School cheer as they find out they won the Killeen Independent School District UIL academic meet among the school district’s 11 middle schools at Harker Heights High School.
students will take basic high school classes and dual-enrollment classes taught by CTC professors and Killeen ISD teachers, resulting in a high school diploma and a multidisciplinary associate degree by the end of a student’s high school career. To uphold high academic standards across all campuses in the upcoming years, Craft said the district also understands the importance of providing top quality professional development, and the growing importance of technological integration in all of its campuses. “Today’s students live and operate in a technologically dependent society,” he said. “Leveraging technology to engage students and meet their individual aca-
demic needs is key to preparing today’s 21st-century learners.”
strength of our relationships to move the district forward.”
RELATIONSHIPS
DISTRICT GROWTH
Another key to district success, Craft said, is its relationships with students, the community and among its staff, something Killeen ISD wants to continue to foster on each level. “Public education remains a sector of society which thrives on fostering effective, genuine and impactful relationships,” he said. “Engaging the community as partners in the education of our youth is extremely important. The Killeen Independent School District understands the importance of teamwork, and we will work hard to emphasize the
Killeen ISD’s student body growth is expected to continue, and will remain an area of focus, Craft said. “The timing of new facilities, effectively communicating future needs with our community, and delivering quality facilities for learning to take place is essential to the district’s future success,” he said. In addition to building more facilities, Craft said the maintenance and safety of current facilities also remain a priority to ensure students are provided with optimal places to learn.
Area school districts meet standards in latest accountability rankings BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
All area districts were up-to-snuff overall this year, according to the Texas Education Agency, the state entity that governs public schools. Killeen, Copperas Cove, Belton and Lampasas Independent School Districts received a “met standard” on the most recent accountability ratings. The TEA calculates accountability rat-
ings based off students’ standardized test scores. This year’s 2014 ratings are based off test scores from the 2013-2014 school year. The TEA transitioned to a new accountability system in 2012 and now uses four “performance indexes” — student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and post-secondary readiness — to better measure all students’ postsecondary readiness and determine if children
are adequately learning. Killeen ISD, like neighboring districts, met standards as a district, but received no distinctions. Several campus-level distinctions were issued. Willow Springs Elementary School received an “improvement required” rating based on its failure to meet state standards in its “Closing Performance Gap” category, which measures the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students
and the two lowest performing racial and ethnic student groups, according to the TEA. The index looks at every subpopulation tested to ensure all are performing equally well. As a result of the Willow Springs rating — which is heavily based off scores from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams — the district is spending about $388,000 to bring the school up to par this year.
Progress 2015 | 91
Copperas Cove ISD creates plan for next five years of growth
Copperas Cove’s new Pride of Cove Director of Bands Andrew Nixon directs the band during practice earlier this month at Copperas Cove High School. Current director Randy Kelley is retiring at the end of the school year.
BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — While Copperas Cove Independent School District’s peak enrollment was down slightly compared to last year, Cove ISD still purchased two small tracts of land around Crossroads High School to allow for the future expansion of the campus one day, according to officials. Working with more than 150 members of the community, Cove ISD released its new strategic plan Feb. 10 to board members. The plan lays out the district’s general direction for the next five years. “Vision 2020” highlights several categories the district deemed important, including instructional, human resources, funding, facilities, technology and community partnerships. Katie Ryan, assistant superintendent of curriculum and development, said the categories were ranked, in a sense. “He asked us to go back and talk to our board teams and prioritize this: ‘What do you think is the engine on the train, what comes in second place, third place,’” Ryan said. Staff came to the conclusion that teaching and instruction was the most important piece, but all other pieces were more like wheels that supported the engine — equally important to ensure instruction progresses, she said. One highlight from the plan includes synchronizing the district’s curriculum on every grade level to ensure, say, all
eighth-graders move to ninth grade with the same skill set and all eighthgraders learn at the same pace. Ryan said Cove ISD plans to coordinate the specific skills a single grade level teaches on a week-to-week basis. While data has been a part of instruction for many years, Cove ISD will move toward more individualized data-driven instruction, especially in elementary and middle schools, she said. Cove ISD’s peak enrollment this year
was 7,870 students, shrinking from 8,275 last year. By and large, however, its core student population remained the same, as all but 46 of the students lost from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015 are in the district’s prekindergarten program, said Rick Kirkpatrick, deputy superintendent of operations and support. “Because of our change from a full day pre-K program to a half-day program, the district lost several students — 359 — in the pre-K grades. However, our
enrollment in that grade level is slightly higher than our projection,” he said. Cove ISD’s enrollment without prekindergarten fluctuated from a peak of 7,454 students in 2012-2013 to a low of 7,317 in 2011-2012, he said. “Our trend over the last three years has been a decline of about 60 students per year. This is most attributable to the loss of troops on Fort Hood due to sequestration and the loss of civilian jobs on post,” he said.
Cove superintendent works to review curriculum, keeps eye on funding BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — Joe Burns has been the superintendent of Copperas Cove Independent School District for three years, but a new contract will keep him in the position through 2020. Burns, 48, received a five-year contract extension at the end of January. Burns, his staff, students and community members worked together to put together a strategic plan for the future of the district. “First and foremost, we want to continue the meaningful work we have undertaken as it relates to student success,” Burns said. “We desire for our
students to be successful not only on the state mandated assessments, but also in their co-curricular activities, on the SAT and ACT, college readiness exams and in the work Burns world.” To achieve sustained success, Burns said Cove ISD’s teaching teams will be working with curriculum staff this summer to make sure the district’s courses and lessons are relevant and rigorous. This includes reviewing the courses’ scope and sequence, and analyzing data related to student performance, he said. Cove ISD also will keep an eye on the
legislative process at the federal level for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, he said. “This bill it critical to schools across the nation because it drives the federal testing and accountability mandates for states and ultimately school districts,” Burns said. “In addition, this piece of legislation also contains the Impact Act program.” Due to Cove ISD’s loss of heavy Impact Aid, the district is very anxious about future reductions in the program, Burns said. Any further cuts to the Impact Aid program will ultimately translate into further refinement of the programs and staffing, he said.
Another important issue for Cove ISD is technology, Burns said, both on a student level and on an administrative level. “We believe that if financial resources continue to shrink, we must be able to effectively leverage our technology hardware and software to manage as much of the business and data functions as possible,” he said. “In addition, we want our students and staff to take advantage of the blended learning opportunities through which teachers can be more effective in the instructional delivery process and students and parents can benefit from easier access to instructional materials and resources.”
92 | Progress 2015
East Ward Elementary School student Kiana Allen-Moten blows a kiss to the judges before leaving the stage during the themed outfit portion of the inaugural Miss CIS Fashion Pageant at East Ward Elementary School on Jan. 31. The event was organized by Communities in Schools.
Communities in Schools gives students support in all areas of life BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Last year was Michael Dewees’ first full year at the helm of Communities in Schools after the previous executive director, Mary Barr, retired in August 2013. “Being a new executive director, I realized that some in the ISD administrations were not familiar with me; therefore, I made it my goal to meet with them to introduce myself,” Dewees said. “They graciously allowed me to speak at their school board meetings last spring and I feel that was a great start in establishing a good working relationship between the ISDs and myself. Of course, I will I continue to build upon this.” Communities in Schools aims to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. During the 2013-2014 school year, the nonprofit served 6,440 students across seven school districts, including Killeen, Copperas Cove, Temple, Belton, Salado, Florence and Cameron, Dewees said. They monitor academics, behavior, attendance and social service needs of at-risk students. Last year, Dewees said 97 percent of students improved in academics, 98 improved their behavior and 96 were promoted to the next grade level. Ninety-nine percent of Communities in
Schools students graduated from high school in 2013-2014. With a professional staff of 54 people on 48 campuses, Communities in Schools provided 229,965 student services in 376,314 contact hours during the 2013-2014 school year, Dewees said. The services include academic support through tutoring, grade monitoring, homework clubs and state testing support. CIS also addresses individual student needs by providing supportive guidance and counseling, including children dealing with the deployment of a parent as well as grief counseling, crisis intervention, mentoring, conflict resolution, anger management, drug and gang prevention and alcohol awareness. The nonprofit promotes parental engagement by offering parenting classes and hosting numerous parentstudent activities in addition to providing health and human services such as school supplies, shoes, winter coats, eyeglasses and agency referrals. Dewees said the nonprofit’s career and college readiness program offers career fairs, informational trips to colleges and advice on how to dress for success, write resumes and prepare for interviews. “As with any nonprofit, we are hoping to increase or at least maintain our current funding levels, so we can continue to provide services to address an ever increasing need among the children and families of our area,” he said.
Progress 2015 | 93
Local organization seeks education opportunities for military children BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In its pursuit to ensure quality education opportunities for military kids, the Military Child Education Coalition rolled out several new initiatives in the past year, according to the organization’s spokeswoman Cindy Simerly. The nonprofit in Harker Heights trained nine local schools in the Elementary Student 2 Student program to help even the youngest students with the challenges of transition. “Elementary Student 2 Student models service and leadership, and engages younger students as peer leaders under faculty direction,” Simerly said. The coalition also provided military student transition officers in local schools to give support military and veteran-connected kids. “Embedded right in KISD middle schools, four Military Student Transition Consultants provide immediate response to students and parents as they transition into and out of our community,” said Stacye Parry, MCEC director of training and services. In conjunction with the Killeen Independent School District, MCEC held its first regional education convention
Dinette Dormeus laughs as Delores Rosado reads “Giraffes Can Dance” to children during the Tell Me a Story literacy event at Fort Hood’s Casey Memorial Library.
with a focus on middle school. The gathering brought together educators and community leaders to discuss collaboration in addressing the issues facing military and vet-
eran children. “It was a very worthwhile investment on the part of KISD, Fort Hood and the Killeen community to come together to discuss challenges middle school
students face,” said Jack Ballantyne, MCEC chief operating officer. “The dialog was rich, and the recommendations for the way ahead are achievable through this renewed partnership.” Simerly also said the organization provided a growing number of professional development training sessions that reflect its longstanding partnership with the local school district. The Military Child Education Coalition was founded in 1998, and develops relationships between military installations and school districts serving them in order to meet the needs of children with military parents. In the last two years, nearly 8,000 people in Killeen received training on MCEC student or parent initiatives and professional development workshops, though Simerly said many more have been served through the organization. “We estimate our reach to be in the tens of thousands in the Killeen area alone when you consider the students who go back to their school communities, the parents impacted through our Parent to Parent workshops and Tell Me A Story events, and the local caring professionals who support our military and veteran-connected students,” she said.
Area superintendents watch Impact Aid as federal government makes cuts BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
As many area families live on or work at Fort Hood, federal dollars come into play each year when the Killeen and Copperas Cove Independent School Districts’ create their budgets — specifically Impact Aid funding. Part of the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Impact Aid is designed to assist school districts that lose property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property, or that experience increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children. For Killeen ISD, several unknowns remain when it comes to funding, including how much money the district will qualify for and how much it will actually receive, Superintendent John Craft said. As a result, the district plans to budget Impact Aid conservatively,
“while also continuing to monitor the qualification criteria closely,” he said. Impact Aid requires a rather complicated qualification process, and the only sore spot Killeen ISD needs to watch, as of October, is its low tax rate. Voters may need to raise the property tax rate if the state average rate increases as it must stay at 95 percent or above the average rate to qualify funding. District concerns also include the impact of future reductions in funding as a result of federal sequestration and “across the board cuts,” Craft said. “The Impact Aid program Learning Opportunity Threshold, which ultimately drives the level of annual funding provided to federally impacted districts, fluctuates slightly from year to year,” he said, explaining how although allocated a specific amount of funding, cuts may prevent the district from receiving the total amount. “For example, the past two finalized funding years the LOT payment threshold
varied between 97.1 percent and 96.1 percent.” For the 2015 fiscal year, Killeen ISD is expected to receive about $47.6 million in Impact Aid.
COPPERAS COVE
Cove ISD already submitted its annual Impact Aid application, but it will most likely remain ineligible this year, Superintendent Joe Burns said. In February 2014, Burns announced Cove ISD lost its heavy Impact Aid funding, which accounted for 16 percent of the district’s revenue. In 2015, the district lost about $12 million because it failed to meet a program requirement that 35 percent of the student population be military dependents — meaning students who are connected to the military because their parents either work as a contractor at Fort Hood or their parents are active-duty military who are assigned to Fort Hood but live off post. Cove ISD fell to 34.09 percent in 2014.
“Since the federal Budget Control Act of 2011 and the inception of the sequestration process we, as a nation, have seen dramatic cuts to our military programs,” Burns said. “As a result of these cuts, the number of soldiers and contractors at Fort Hood have been reduced. This ultimately impacts the student population we serve.” Burns said the district has engaged federal lawmakers to either change the formula used in calculating aid funding or give districts losing money time to streamline their programs and staffing to fit into the new financial footprint before the aid is cut off. “As a result of the expected decrease in Impact Aid funding, CCISD is in the process of evaluating program effectiveness and efficiency,” Burns said. “We are also reviewing staffing guidelines and looking for areas where we might be able to realize some additional savings as we adjust to this new normal.”
94 | Progress 2015
Salado ISD features growing enrollment, additional programs BY JACOB BROOKS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Fresh off another Lone Star Cup championship, the Salado Independent School District continues to add students and programs. The district reached 1,556 students as of Jan. 20, an increase of 105 students over the same time last year. At the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, Salado High School began offering English and U.S. history as dual-credit courses through Central Texas College. This year, the dual-credit courses will be offered through Temple College, said Salado ISD Superintendent Michael Novotny said. Also new this school year: The district began offering half-day prekindergarten to 3-year-olds and an after-school program for pre-K through sixth-graders than runs from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Currently, there are about 30 students in the after-school program. Starting next school year, Salado High will offer a computer science programming course, and the search is now underway for an instructor, Novotny said. The fall semester also will see the start of an AVID program at Salado Intermediate School. According to its website, Advancement Via Individual Determination “is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the
Salado’s Sarah Kate Kelarek (3) goes up for a shot while being guarded by Gatesville’s Gracie Lee during a game in January at Salado High School.
achievement gap by preparing all students for college and other postsecondary opportunities.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Salado High School beat out more than 200 other Texas 2A schools to
win the Lone Star Cup for the second straight year. Salado High School also won it in 2008. The Lone Star Cup is given to the high school that scores highest in state athletic, academic and final arts competitions. “It just demonstrates the outstanding athletic, academic and fine arts achievements we have here in Salado,” Novotny said. Winning the academic University Interscholastic League state championship was a big help to winning the big cup, Novotny said. It was the second consecutive year for the high school to win the academic competition, and its ninth time overall. Salado also won first place in boys golf and a state championship in filmmaking, Novotny said. Salado Junior High Principal Chris Diem was named Region 12 Principal of the Year last summer. Although Diem received this honor, he resigned from the principal position in early November and served his last day at the junior high Dec. 22. Diem is now senior program coordinator for the College of Medicine at the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Thorndale ISD middle and high school principal Paul Baird was hired to replace Diem. FME News Service contributed to this report.
Florence ISD starts search for new superintendent as district adds programs BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
FLORENCE — The Florence Independent School District is looking for a new superintendent. Board members unanimously accepted Florence ISD Superintendent Sam Atwood’s resignation Feb. 9 after about a 2½-hour executive session, according to the approved minutes. Atwood’s resignation came on the coattails of a Jan. 22 called meeting. The board spent about 7½ hours in executive session discussing employee complaints brought against Atwood, according to minutes from the meeting, though no details were released about the complaints. Atwood, 67, said the complaints were “not really related” to his resignation,
which was for personal reasons. Atwood is a longtime educator from Bastrop. He was appointed superintendent of Florence ISD in March 2013. He served as the district’s interim superintendent for three months before his appointment and replaced Karla Moyer, who left the district to join the Region 13 Education Service Center in Austin in 2012, according to Herald archives. And while Florence ISD remained relatively the same size during the 2014-2015 school year, Atwood spent his last year preparing it for upcoming changes, he said. “We are beginning preparations for substantial growth that we expect to reach our district in about three years,” said Atwood, explaining the district is working on some of its
infrastructure to handle the growth. The Florence school system consists of three schools, about 1,000 students and 159 staff members. In the 2014-2015 school year, Florence ISD ramped up many of its programs and hired additional personnel, Atwood said. Filling formerly empty positions, some of the positions included: business manager, director of special education and federal programs, high school principal, high school counselor and several teachers, said Atwood. District officials also sanctioned upgrades and additions in the area of instructional technology, he said, which staff are already utilizing. “We have made organizational changes and implemented programs that will be very beneficial for our
teachers as they work with our students who are English Language Learners,” he said. “These changes will benefit us for years to come, and have been long overdue in our District.” In addition, Florence ISD started a more comprehensive reading program that will provide curricular alignment and research-based methods for reading instruction at the elementary, middle and high school levels, he said. According to the Texas Education Agency, the governing entity who oversees public schools, Florence ISD received a “met standard” on its 2014 accountability report. Florence High School earned a distinction designation, which it received for its students top test scores in science.
Progress 2015 | 95
Belton ISD poised for continued growth in coming decade
the building was renovated to become Bhs9, a ninth-grade center. Bhs9 helped to accommodate the large growth of Belton High School, which welcomed over 2,600 students.
BY JACOB BROOKS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
BELTON — As the Belton Independent School District continued an effort to use the latest technology in its classrooms, it also had to deal with an Ebola scare in 2014. Belton ISD grew by about 200 students in the past year. Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year is 10,529 as of Feb. 2, up from about 10,340 the year before. Belton ISD spokesman Kyle DeBeer said the district is expected to add about 3,500 new students in the next decade — the same amount it grew during the past 10 years. The opening of two new facilities in the fall marked the end of the 10-year facilities plan. Now, the district is looking to develop a plan that will carry the district into the next 10 years and manage the continued growth, DeBeer said. Much of that growth with include the presence of the latest technology, he said. Currently, all high school and middle school students are given iPads, MacBooks or other technical devices.
EBOLA
Belton Independent School District Board President Randy Pittenger, left, and Belton ISD Superintendent Kincannon speak with FFA members in December during a groundbreaking ceremony for the school district’s new agricultural barn.
This year will mark the first graduating class for Belton New Tech High @ Waskow, which opened four years ago. The seniors at that school will walk across the stage June. 4.
CONSTRUCTION
The district opened Chisholm Trail Elementary School and North Belton Middle School in August. Tyler Elementary, whose students
transferred to Chisholm Trail Elementary, was repurposed into the Belton Early Childhood School, the district’s first school dedicated to pre-kindergarten education. The opening of North Belton Middle School made Belton Middle School unnecessary for middle school education. The school building, close to the high school campus, was absorbed by Belton High School. Over the 2014 summer,
Belton ISD entered the national spotlight in October when it was discovered two students were on the same plane as a passenger who was later diagnosed with the Ebola virus. While the students were not considered at-risk, one of their parents was, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The family volunteered to be in selfquarantine for 21 days. Even though the students did not attend school, the district took action. Out of what DeBeer called an “overabundance of caution,” Superintendent Susan Kincannon closed North Belton Middle School, Sparta Elementary School and the Belton Early Childhood School for two days while the schools were thoroughly cleaned. FME News Service contributed to this report.
96 | Progress 2015
Lampasas ISD increases its technological infrastructure BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
LAMPASAS — In the next year, it is possible Lampasas Independent School District will increase its technological infrastructure to help support more than 1,000 computerized devices within the school district, according to officials. In February, keeping in line with many other Central Texas school districts, Lampasas ISD took a look at what it would cost the district to head toward a one-to-one iPad device initiative across all of its campuses in the next several years, phasing in the devices slowly. “In 2010, we began evaluating various devices for their potential to help us transition to more and more digital resources and digital learning. We determined that the iPad was the strongest contender,” said Eric Folks, instructional technology coordinator at Lampasas ISD. Launching a shared iPad initiative at the high school and a one-to-one initiative at Hanna Springs Elementary School in the 2014-2015 school year, this
A Hanna Springs Elementary School student shows Lampasas Independent School District board President Kirk Whitehead how his online textbook works at the board’s regular meeting Dec. 1.
year’s fifth-graders at Hanna Springs Elementary were the first class to have their own iPad devices in their classroom, officials said. It was seen as a great success — helping to foster learning, career readiness
and generally engaged students more than the traditional curriculum, they said. At Hanna Springs Elementary School, educators in various subjects found different ways to coordinate iPads into their classroom curriculum to increase student engagement. Lacey Plouff ’s English class used the device to speed up the editing process between herself and her students, using programs like Pages for Mac and Keynote to improve their presentations. Through email, she was able to quickly review their mistakes and sent students back the needed rewrites. Similarly in the students’ math class, the device was used to help track learning and implement remedial lessons immediately. In Raelene Freasier’s science class, students used the device to access their fully online textbook, complete with virtual fossil lab. “They have the option of choosing the animal they want to see fossilized, so they pick the pressure, the type of sediment, all these wonderful things, and it shows you how long it takes to make it,” Freasier said.
Folks showed a multiyear phase-in plan for the devices. The plan would allow the class of 2022 — current fifthgraders — to be the first class to graduate high school using iPads throughout the rest of their secondary education career. If approved, next year the program would expand to include another 400 devices given to all of 2015’s fifth-grade students and 2015’s six-grade students. This year’s Hanna Springs’ fifth-graders would keep their current iPads, bringing them to Lampasas Middle School with them. According to the plan, beginning in fifth grade next year, students would have their own iPads that would graduate grade-to-grade with them. The district would replace the devices every three years. Phase I, next year’s expansion, would cost more than $200,000. While the district only would need to contribute about $100,000 to the total, additional funds would be needed to update wireless infrastructure and add two more staff members to support the expansion. Board members will discuss funding details at the end of March.
Fort Hood soldiers offered education opportunities on and off post BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Soldiers seeking higher education found several new and ongoing opportunities through the Fort Hood Education Services Division last year. In conjunction with the division’s mission to further the Army Continuing Education System’s services, it provides counseling, college programs, tuition assistance, testing, skills training and access to the Army Learning Center computer lab. Throughout the year, the division hosted special events including college fairs, transcript evaluation days, comprehensive briefings across all organizational levels and the 18th annual College Graduation Recognition Ceremony. Additionally, two new programs were added to assist transitioning soldiers. The VOW Act Higher Education Track offered a two-day briefing to give information on what soldiers who
leave the military can expect as they enter into a traditional college experience. Topics ranging from school and degree selection to navigating the application process and applying for financial aid are covered. The division also created three new training opportunities through its Career Skills Program for transitioning soldiers. Each one gives the chance to train with one of three corporate partners, Microsoft, General Motors Automotive Technician or the United Association of Steam Pipe Fitters, with the end result of providing a career for the soldier once military service is complete. Central Texas College continued its partnership with Fort Hood last year through one of these training programs. The Microsoft Software and Systems Academy is designed to prepare transitioning soldiers who plan to leave the military within six months for
information technology careers. During the 16-week course, activeduty soldiers learn the fundamental aspects of information technology and software testing and development. Four classes have graduated from the program so far. Upon completion, students earn a CTC certificate of completion as MSSA IT professionals. The participants then meet with Microsoft executives for job interviews and possible employment. Central Texas College is continually ranked among the top military-friendly schools, top schools for military members using Tuition Assistance and a Best for Vets school. “Our avid partnership with Microsoft and the Department of Defense to offer the MSSA cohort program is an extension of our continuing efforts to support military members in their educational endeavors,” said Bruce Vasbinder, spokesman for CTC. In addition to the MSSA program, CTC is a founding member of the Col-
lege Credit for Heroes program, which offers college credit for military training to current and retired military students. “Both initiatives are excellent tools to assist our soldiers,” Vasbinder said. Texas A&M University-Central Texas also seeks offer military-friendly education for local soldiers and veterans through several initiatives. The campus has two full-time vocational counselors to serve as liaisons for veterans, active-duty military and family members who attend, or are planning to, the school. The Department of Veterans Affairs and A&M-Central Texas partner in the VetSuccess on Campus program to help veterans with their transition to college life. Last February, the school was designated as a Purple Heart University, working in collaboration with the Military Order of the Purple Heart Central Texas Chapter 1876 to recognize members of the student body who are Purple Heart recipients.
Progress 2015 | 97
Creekview Academy closes doors; another charter school in jeopardy BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The Killeen area already saw one charter school close its doors last year and is waiting to see if another will follow suit. Killeen’s Creekview Academy, part of the Honors Academy Charter School District, officially shut its doors Nov. 21 after a lengthy back-and-forth with the Texas Education Agency. The TEA, the regulatory arm of the government for all public schools in the state, announced Honors Academy’s charter was revoked in December 2014 because the district failed to meet academic accountability standards for three consecutive years. The commissioner’s ruling went into effect June 30 after Honors Academy Charter School District exhausted its legal appeals. At the beginning of the school year, teachers were informed the district’s charter was revoked, but administrators said it was going through an appeals process and would probably merge with another district, said B. Scott, the former campus director of Creekview Academy. “A lot of the teachers were hopeful of the merger, so they could keep their jobs. It was misleading because a lot of them stayed with their students to make sure the process was smooth,” she said in November, explaining the teachers were told there was no merger and all appeals failed. A letter sent the week the school closed is how most parents, students and teachers found out Creekview
Richard Milburn Academy students, from right, Peyton Tidwell, Ani-ya Mallard, Dominique Hodges, Jobari Baker and Aubrey Abraham rehearse a skit.
Charter Academy was shutting its doors, Scott said. Creekview Charter Academy, which served grades kindergarten through eight, had about 150 students enrolled at the beginning of this year. Many of Killeen’s Creekview Academy students were subsequently enrolled at nearby Priority Charter Schools.
TRANSFORMATIVE ACADEMY
In the fall, Transformative Charter Academy was put on the list to have its charter revoked because of issues with its finances. For the past three years, Transformative Charter Academy had problems staying within the state’s financial parameters by having more
liabilities than assets and too many debt-related expenses. The school also exceeded allowable administrative costs and had lower than allowable investment earnings. The school’s superintendent, Claudette Morgan-Scott, said they might challenge the revocation with other charter schools affected by the TEA’s decision, but are first going through the appeals process, which began midJanuary. Until the process is finished and the TEA determines its final ruling, Transformative Charter Academy will continue to serve its 72 students in grades 9-12. The threat of revocation comes in the wake of Senate Bill 2, passed in
Private schools offer another option for area students BY NATALIE STEWART KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The area offers several options for people seeking a private school education for their children. St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School provides its prekindergarten through fifth-grade students with a Catholic education while teaching the same Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills taught in public schools. The school is accredited by the Texas Education Agency. St. Joseph’s is at 2901 Rancier Ave. Call 254-634-7272 or go to stjosephschoolkilleen.org.
Killeen Adventist Junior Academy offers a Christian-based education program, featuring a traditional academic curriculum based on Adventist teaching and taught by certified teachers. The school serves students from prekindergarten through ninth grade. The academy is accredited by the Texas Education Agency. The school is at 3412 Lake Road in Killeen. Call 254-699-9466 or go to mykaja.org. Memorial Christian Academy in Killeen combines a blended curriculum from ABeka and is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools Inc. to provide a Christ-centered
learning environment for students prekindergarten through 12th grade. All forms and information are available at mcawarriors.com. Memorial Christian Academy is at 4001 Trimmier Road. Call 254-526-5403. The Montessori School of Killeen offers programs in Killeen and Temple. The Temple campus serves children ages 2 through sixth grade, while the Killeen campus serves children ages 3 through kindergarten. The Montessori School of Killeen is at 5610 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 2. Call 254-680-7500 for the Killeen campus or 254-771-1116 for Temple.
June 2013, that allows the state to close a charter school if it receives three strikes in its accountability ratings. The Killeen area’s other two charter schools are running without any hiccups. Richard Milburn Academy has students in grades nine through 12 and offers four-hour morning and afternoon classes for students who need a more flexible schedule, with credit recovery courses available. Call 254-634-4444. Priority Charter Schools, which has five schools in Killeen, Copperas Cove, Temple, Georgetown and Leander, are individually focused and mastery based, which makes it easier for faculty to meet student needs and develop lifelong learners. Call 254-654-2825.
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98 | Progress 2015
Central Texas College controls costs, expands services for students BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
In the midst of rising college prices and worldwide enrollment shrinking somewhat, Central Texas College managed to respond to challenges and maintain its low tuition prices this year, even expanding some of its services. In November, CTC and Austin Community College entered a joint agreement to change service area boundaries in the Hill Country, allowing CTC to assume responsibility for Gillespie County. The boundary change is pending legislative approval, which is expected this spring. If plans go through, CTC would be the community college provider for the cities of Fredericksburg and Harper. CTC provides services in neighboring Mason and Llano counties, and the college can serve Gillespie County without significant additional cost. During the current semester, CTC’s student head count in Texas is 17,042. “We will face some challenges this year as our worldwide enrollment is trending downward, largely because of continued reductions in military enroll-
Brandon Broadus, 21, uses the DUI simulator during the “Keep Spring Break Safe” event at Central Texas College in Killeen.
ments due to troop downsizing and limitations on the use of tuition assistance,” Chancellor Thomas Klincar said. “Our online enrollments are up this semester and we are on par with our overall Texas enrollments.” So far this year, CTC received approval for new sites at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Fort Campbell, Ky., and Fort Rucker, Ala.
These new sites will allow CTC to offer higher educational opportunities to soldiers and their families. CTC has a presence at more than 20 U.S, military installations and numerous sites abroad, including Europe, the Pacific Far East, the Middle East, Africa and Navy ships at sea. CTC was awarded a contract to operate the Military Skills Enhancement School or Troop School at Fort Hood. The three-year contract is valued at $7.5 million. Courses are offered to activeduty military and provide military skills enhancement for improvement in job performance as well as technical certification. This past fall, CTC Continuing Education partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission to identify high-demand workforce needs in Central Texas and develop expedited training programs for veterans as part of TWC’s new Veteran Industry Partnership initiative. The program is designed to create jobs for veterans and supply a skilled and ready workforce for the state’s most high-demand industries. In addition to numerous federal and state contracts, CTC will begin expand-
ing its hours to accommodate more students working toward degrees in the evenings and weekends next fall. It also partnered with the Killeen Independent School District to offer Early College High School next fall. The new high school — if approved by the Texas Education Agency, the entity that governs public schools — would be housed on CTC’s campus and enroll about 150 Killeen ISD students its first year who would graduate simultaneously with a high school diploma and an associate degree. “We are continuing our infrastructure upgrades at central campus, which includes classroom enhancements and new technologies, which will set the standard for creating an innovative and engaging instructional environment for our students,” Klincar said. “We recently completed an upgrade to ‘smart’ classrooms in two buildings and more remodeling upgrades are underway in other buildings.” This school year, CTC also lowered the tax rate to 13.66 cents per $100 assessed property value, the 23rd consecutive year the tax rate held steady or was lowered.
UMHB continues to increase enrollment, carry on traditions BY JC JONES KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
BELTON — With a record enrollment, the University of Mary HardinBaylor enjoyed another year of growth in 2014. An increase of 241 students brought the total enrollment up to 3,733, making 2014 the sixth consecutive year for record numbers. “This is the 25th year in the last 30 years we’ve had record enrollment,� said Gary Lamm, associate vice president for enrollment management. “One thing unique about this record is this is the second-largest increase in our history.� The university continued to draw crowds throughout the year. Former President George W. Bush addressed a crowd of about 2,700 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor students, faculty members and alumni Feb. 11 at this year’s McLane Lecture. Bush told the audience he would not undo decisions he made during his time in office. “I made the decisions I made, I would do them over again and history will prove that they were the right decisions.� About 6,000 audience members attended the 75th annual Easter Pageant as students and community members portrayed the life and death of Christ. Military Appreciation Day welcomed nearly 200 active-duty military members and their families to Crusader Stadium on Sept. 13 to mark the Cru’s first home game of the season, and pay tribute to the university’s partnership with the 4th Sustainment Brigade. UMHB also welcomed change in 2014. The annual Reaching Out event, designed to provide opportunities to
serve, focused on a single effort, instead of several throughout the community as in years past. Students, faculty and staff gathered Oct. 4 to work on various projects throughout city of Belton parks, including work on the extension of the Nolan Creek Hike & Bike Trail to Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. The university celebrated the dedication of the Bawcom Student Union on Oct. 10. The facility is the most recently completed in the Campus Master Plan, and is named after Dr. and Mrs. Bawcom, UMHB’s president and first lady from 1991 to 2009. President Randy O’Rear addressed attendees at the event, which included the cutting of a 300-yard purple ribbon to signify the building’s opening. “Students, you deserve to have a building like this, and Dr. Bawcom, you deserve to have your name on it.� A partnership forged with Baylor Scott & White Health last year brings promise of a new Doctor of Physical Therapy Program this fall. “The addition of the DPT program will strengthen our commitment to health-related education in the region, allow us to extend our mission of Christian higher education to a new population of students, and will enhance the notoriety of the UMHB Graduate School thanks to our continued strong partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health,� O’Rear said. Students in the program will have daily opportunities to collaborate with physicians, nurses, therapists and other health care professionals. The university plans to build a facility to house the program on the Baylor Scott & White campus in Temple.
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Progress 2015 | 99
100 | Progress 2015
Second building opens on Texas A&M-Central Texas campus in Killeen BY COURTNEY GRIFFIN KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Texas A&M University-Central Texas moved one more step closer to realizing its 30-year plan after it opened a second building, Warrior Hall, in September. “We now have a real university library,” said Marc Nigliazzo, president of Texas A&M University-Central Texas at the opening. “We were in the Fairway Middle School for years and the stacks were in the gymnasium. And, we have our first three science laboratories in the building.” The $38 million, 125,500-square-foot building moves several departments that were previously located at the old Fairway Middle School in downtown Killeen, thus centralizing the campus. In addition to a library, the building houses the university’s first science laboratories, conference facilities, classrooms, student affairs, counseling and the sociology and finance departments, as well as others. The university also reached several other milestone achievements and has more on the horizon. The university enrolled 2,540 students this spring, its highest number of fulltime students. It is also the second year the university has been solely accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, giving the university more control over its programs and curriculum. When it opened more than five years ago, A&M-Central Texas shared
Warrior Hall is the second building on the Texas A&M University-Central Texas campus in Killeen. The facility that opened with the fall semester also includes science labs, conference rooms and offices for several university departments.
an accreditation with Tarleton State — meaning both schools had the same curriculum until 2013. In fall 2015, a Bachelor of Science will be offered in biology. Clinical lab science and other bioscience-related programs are expected to follow after the programs’ curriculum are built and staff is hired this year. Peg Gray-Vickrey, provost and vice president of academic and student affairs, said pending approval by the Texas A&M University System Board
of Regents and SACS, A&M-Central Texas hopes to add 21 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the next five years. Many of the new degrees are geared toward health, science and technology to meet requests from students. Officials said they will continue working very closely with community colleges to keep costs low, creating more of a “pipeline” to higher degrees and capitalizing on their strong programs by creating avenues to
bachelor’s degrees. It’s a strategy that’s proved effective, Nigliazzo said. This year, the average cost for a bachelor’s degree if a student starts at Central Texas College and ends at A&M-Central Texas is $17,000. A&M-Central Texas also implemented ways to increase its full-time students. With its merit program, if a bachelor’s degree candidate has a 3.0 GPA or higher, the graduate program waives its GRE entrance exam requirement. The university also began a maximum tuition rate, meaning there are no additional costs for undergraduate students who wish to take 12 hours or more. Officials announced the university is on track to have its first doctorate program in education. “We are in negotiations and discussions, writing, cajoling ... to create a cooperative agreement with (Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi),” said Jeff Kirk, the dean of the college of education. “But Corpus Christi is currently engaged in a joint program with (Texas A&M University-Kingsville), so once they separate we can start to process and make that happen.” The program is expected to be up and running in 18 months, he said. On the recreation side of things, A&M-Central Texas announced its first men’s and women’s sports team will begin playing this fall. Dan Chase, who has coached the Fort Hood men’s rugby team, grabs the reins as the college’s rugby club coach.
Progress 2015 | 101
HARKER HEIGHTS
102 | Progress 2015
Harker Heights makes plans to handle residential growth BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
HARKER HEIGHTS — As more houses are built in the city limits, Harker Heights’ population is on the rise. The city’s population grew from 28,437 in 2013 to 29,053 in 2014. “The city continues to see strong residential growth,” City Manager David Mitchell said. “I believe that the city has many factors in its favor: topography, quality subdivisions, infrastructure, low crime, schools, parks, and programs create a mix that is attractive to those seeking a residence in the area.” In 2014, 201 single-family residential construction permits were filed, compared to 196 in 2013, and 19 duplex permits increased from 12 in the prior year, said Joseph Molis, planning director. Residential construction values were about $46.31 million last year, he said. Overall, the city added 220 residential units, with most growth in the south and east sections of town. “We are anticipating new subdivision construction on Stillhouse Lake Road, south of Knight’s Way,” Molis said. The Grove at Whitten Place, near Verna Lee north of Harker Heights High School, Tuscany Meadows, south along Stillhouse Lake Road, and Evergreen Estates, off Knight’s Way west of the high school, are expected to continue with development, he said. Mitchell said USAA’s ranking of Harker Heights as a top five commu-
A home is under construction on the south of Harker Heights, located on Stillhouse Lake Road and Chaparral Road.
nity in the nation for military families affirms the direction the city is going. “We expect a similar year in 2015 to what we witnessed in 2014 in terms of residential growth,” Mitchell said. “The city’s consistent residential growth is really a testament to both the quality of development and place that is found in Harker Heights.” Officials will work to continue to improve the quality of life for residents, he said. Since adopting the city’s Knight’s Way Overlay District No. 1 along Farmto-Market 2410, city staff has continued work to identify areas to encourage harmonious growth.
“It provides specific room for development work in the city,” Mitchell said. “The design is to have a balance between residential and commercial development as well as aesthetics.” The city’s planning and development department worked on the corridor plan, taking into account the city’s codes, zoning, parking and landscape, to allow for commercial development. The overlay will follow a zoning ordinance amendment and set standards for current and future buildings, parking, signage, landscaping, screening, buffering and street appearance for the next 20 years. The overlay district and an updated
sidewalk ordinance are incorporated in the second phase of the city’s Mobility 2030 comprehensive transportation plan, Molis said. Mitchell said the thoroughfare plan ensures adequate road connectivity for the city’s future growth. “Beyond this, the city will also be looking at developing a plan for the revitalization of the north area of the city,” he said. “The city is committed to providing quality infrastructure and services to all areas of the city. We are excited about the future of the city and know that these documents will serve the city well in guiding redevelopment and growth.”
David Mitchell completes first year as Harker Heights city manager BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
HARKER HEIGHTS — 2014 marked the first year for David Mitchell as city manager. City Council members approved Mitchell’s hire Oct. 29, 2013, to succeed longtime City Manager Steve Carpenter, who served the city for 19 years before retiring at the end of 2013. Mitchell, who previously worked for Harker Heights from 2004 to 2009, started his first day as city manager Jan. 2, 2014. “Steve Carpenter had developed a strong staff and left the city on very firm footing,” Mitchell said of the
transition. “Steve and I spent some time when I first started simply reviewing all the active and pending projects, which really helped.” Mitchell said he’s Mitchell enjoyed his first year back in Harker Heights, where most of the leadership staff are long-serving employees recognized as leaders in their field an also made it a smooth transition. When accepting the position, Mitchell said one of his goals was to continue meeting state mandates, such as having a balanced budget and operating in a legal and ethical manner.
“Citizens and businesses chose Harker Heights for a reason, and we should honor that choice by giving them outstanding service,” Mitchell said. Employees take an active role in business recruitment and place a high value on maintaining and developing an infrastructure system to serve both citizens and businesses, he said. Successful projects for the city in 2014 included: renewing the city’s thoroughfare plan and sidewalk ordinance, and new programs such as the family camping night and the development of leadership team group training and visioning, Mitchell said. “Being acknowledged this year as
one of the top cities for military families told us that our efforts really are paying off,” he said. “We desire to be the city of choice in Central Texas.” Moving into 2015, Mitchell said future goals are outlined in the fiscal year budget, such as road improvements and projects to further enhance water and wastewater infrastructure. Another goal is to develop and implement a plan for the revitalization of the northern area of the city, he said. “We believe if we serve to our best in all we do, the city will continue to be a destination for many and further chapters will be added to what already is an amazing story,” Mitchell said.
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Major improvements ahead for drainage, roadways in Heights BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Harker Heights continued to make major improvements to drainage and water issues within the city during 2014. According to the city’s fiscal year 2014-2015 budget, officials anticipate spending about $1.89 million on water projects, $3.2 million on wastewater projects and $6.15 million on street projects. City Manager David Mitchell said the city completed and started several major projects in 2014, and some will stretch into 2015. “This is part of the city’s commitment to give our citizens and businesses outstanding service,” Mitchell said. “We desire to have an infrastructure system that meets the current and future needs of our citizens and businesses.”
WATER, DRAINAGE
A 150,000-gallon elevated tank to serve the higher elevations in the Evergreen and the Ridge subdivisions and adjacent undeveloped ridges was completed and fully operational in late 2014, Mitchell said. The city entered into a development agreement with Evergreen Developers for a 12-inch waterline from the water pump station located on Comanche Gap Road next to Dana Peak Park and connected it to the elevated tank. Also completed in 2014 was a manhole rehabilitation project along Roy Reynolds Drive. The project helped update and improve the manholes along this route to reduce inflow and infiltration of water into the wastewater system. In March, the city approved a $346,275 bid for the project to seven 8-inch waterline bores crossing Farm-to-Market 2410, connecting to the existing 16-inch waterline on the south side of FM 2410 and installing fire hydrants on the north side of FM 2410 at each bore location.
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
Construction of the FM 2410 bridge continued in 2014 and will be finished this spring, creating six lanes on the bridge. The Texas Department of Transportation funded the $9.5 million project as part of the U.S. Highway 190 expansion from W.S. Young Drive in Killeen to the Indian Trail exit in Harker Heights.
Construction of the Farm-to-Market 2410 bridge in Harker Heights continued in the past year and will be finished this spring.
Starting Feb. 9, crews began constructing lanes along Farm-to-Market 2410 and Highland Oaks Drive to add a 12-foot left-turn lane and a right-turn lane on FM 2410 at the Highland Oaks intersection. Another project set to start this year is a roundabout on Commercial Drive. According to a proposal from Walker Partners, estimated project costs are about $527,873.
SIDEWALK ORDINANCE
Council members approved updating the city’s code of ordinances Oct. 28 to have a uniform standard for sidewalks. The existing subdivision ordinance was changed “to expand and modernize the regulations pertaining to sidewalks in future developments.” Joseph Molis, planning and development director, said amendments to the ordinance include requiring sidewalk layouts in a preliminary plat installed
by the developer at their own expense and requiring sidewalks on both sides of the street.
MOBILITY 2030 PLAN
Council members adopted an element of the city’s thoroughfare plan in May to focus on the current roadway infrastructure and possible future streets and major intersections to help improve access. “Movement of people is not just about streets, but also sidewalks and trails and transit systems that we need to take into account in this update,” said Fred Morris, former planning and development director. Turning the Stillhouse Lake Road end of Cedar Knob Road into a cul-desac and realigning the street to connect with the Tuscany Meadows’ entrance — Vineyard Trail — is one such possible change. Connecting Rosewood Drive to Chaparral Road and straight-
ening Chaparral with Stillhouse Lake Road is another. The proposed plan also outlines more possible thoroughfares connecting U.S. Highway 190 to FM 2410 to include a potential Warrior’s Path extension to U.S. 190 in Nolanville and improvements to FM 439 Spur throughout Bell County. The second section of the plan incorporates the city’s updated sidewalk ordinance and Knight’s Way Overlay District No. 1, Molis said. “We’re looking at the possibility of long-term development,” he said. Ideas include connecting the north and south sides of town from FM 2410 to Indian Trail with a continuous sidewalk, Molis said, along with adding hiking and bike trails. Mitchell said the overall plan won’t be achieved in a short time. “This is going to be something that you walk through as you have funding opportunities.”
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Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Gina Pence talks about the chamber’s role in the community Monday morning in Harker Heights. This is Pence’s first year as the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO.
Heights chamber leadership changes BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
HARKER HEIGHTS — The Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce saw new leadership in 2014 after Bill Kozlik retired as its president following 15 years of service. Programs created during Kozlik’s presidency include the Harker Heights Food and Wine Festival; Vision XXI, a leadership development course; and the Coffee Connection, a morning networking mixer. Kozlik said the chamber’s growth shouldn’t be solely attributed to him. “I couldn’t have done any of it without the help of the volunteers and the members,” he said. The chamber’s board named Gina Pence, who previously served as the chamber’s membership and events director for two years, to succeed Kozlik on Feb. 27, 2014. “I intend to work in partnership with the chamber’s board of directors, membership and staff to vigorously promote the success of Harker Heights’ diverse businesses and advance our community’s economic interests,” Pence said when she started the position in March 2014. Teri Stermer resigned as the board’s vice-chair and stepped into the chamber’s business development and tourism role in July. In her new role with the chamber, Stermer said she works the city and economic development while also both seeking specialty businesses and maintaining relationships with current business owners. “There’s a lot of options the chamber offers that I didn’t know myself until
I started working here,” Stermer said. “Just reaching out to everyone is my biggest goal right now, saying ‘what can we do for you.’” Also joining the chamber’s staff in late June was office manager Eric Kilter. He assists in recruiting new members, keeps up with billing and keys in on membership retention. “I relate to a lot of them as a smallbusiness owner myself,” he said. In October, Jim McKinnon, senior vice president at Texas Star Bank in Harker Heights, began his one-year chairmanship of the 15-member Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce board of directors. McKinnon, has been a member of the chamber for 10 years and was previously vice chair, treasurer and ambassador chairman. “I believe a team atmosphere will continue the great things we’ve already accomplished and also create a path to improvement,” he said. McKinnon took over for Larry Linder, who continues to serve as past president. Annmarie McKenna, chief executive administrator of Freedom Urgent Care in Harker Heights, and Paul Payson, general manager of Patriot Buick GMC in Killeen, were two new appointees to the board. In addition to new leadership, chamber membership continued to grow to about 852 members to date. “I want to encourage people to get involved with their chamber and meet the talented and interesting individuals in our community,” Pence said. For future chamber events and programs, Pence encouraged residents to check out www.hhchamber.com.
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New retail opportunities pop up to serve Heights residents BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
HARKER HEIGHTS — As the area’s population continued to expand, so did retail opportunities for residents. In 2014, Harker Heights collected more than $6.21 million in sales tax, or about $924,387 more than what was collected in 2013. The amount is a 17.46 percent increase from last year. The Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, a grocery store, was one of the biggest newcomers in 2014. According to building permits, construction costs were $5.5 million. Area Market Manager Vince Banks said Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets have been around since 1998. The Harker Heights location is the first such store between San Antonio and Dallas because of opportunity and Bell County’s and Harker Heights’ support, he said. Store manager Juliana Knight said associates are excited to be part of the community. “We’re really geared to the in-and-out quick shopping,” Knight said. Officially opening Oct. 1 at 960 E. Farm-to-Market 2410, the 41,000-squarefoot grocery store is a condensed version of a super Wal-Mart, primarily offering grocery and health and beauty items. City Manager David Mitchell said it’s been easy to work with store representatives thus far, as they’ve jointly worked to have aesthetically pleasing landscapes, a sidewalk and addressed traffic flow coming off FM 2410. A future road, known as Hudson Boulevard, will be near the business’ property line. The store has about 110 employees. Twin Peaks also created new jobs in 2014. The mountain lodge-themed restaurant opened in April and said it would employ about 135 people. With a menu including “hearty” American fare and 32 draft beers from a full-service bar, the new restaurant has the potential to generate more than $4.1 million in taxable sales, according to the restaurant’s website. “We’re thrilled to have Twin Peaks join the Harker Heights community,” said Kristen Colby, the senior director of marketing of the Dallas-based restaurant franchise. “It’s always exciting to come into a new market, and we can’t wait to introduce locals to everything Twin Peaks has to offer.” According to records, 12 commercial permits were applied for in 2014 valued
In October, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen was granted a permit from the city to build its $620,000 store at 120 E. Central Texas Expressway.
Customers shop at the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, which opened in October. The $5.5 million 41,000-square-foot grocery store is at 960 E. Farm-to-Market 2410 in Harker Heights.
at $13.36 million. In addition to larger commercial business, other industries are thriving too, said Gina Pence, Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. “We’ve seen a big influx in the medical field,” Pence said, citing Vitalogy moving into the Seton Medical Pavilion as an example. She said the influx is due to growing demand. New eateries in Heights such as
Acropolis opened up shop this year, and Vino Pizza expanded to offer a wine bar, Pence said. Other developments and openings included: Gateway Food Mart gas station, convenience store and laundromat on FM 2410, between Creek Drive and Mountain Lion Road; Synergy Center at 560 E. Central Texas Expressway; a 12,800-square-foot strip shopping center at 200 E. Central Texas Expressway for Austin-based Endeavor
Real Estate Construction on the $1.15 million building began in December. Mattress Firm will fill the majority of the space, with 4,574 square feet left for retail or restaurant space, according to Endeavor’s website. Another 1.5 acres also is available on the site; An 8,000square-foot clinic opened May 17 at 840 Prospector Trail in Harker Heights, with an estimated construction cost of about $6 million. Moving into 2015, Texas Mattress Plus opened at the end of January at 750 E. Central Texas Expressway. In October, fast-food restaurant Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen was granted a permit from the city to build its $620,000 store at 120 E. Central Texas Expressway. In November, the city issued a new commercial permit to G.L.R. Inc., based out of Dayton, Ohio, for a $1.4 million CVS Pharmacy project. The 14,135-square-foot pharmacy is being built at 800 E. FM 2410. The CVS will be the first in Heights. A shell building with three commercial suites and two food service businesses is expected at Commercial and Heights drives. “These new developments continue to bring a greater array of services and products to our citizens,” Mitchell said. “Given the level of platting activity at the end of 2014, development in 2015 should continue at a fast pace.”
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Heights makes improvements to recreation facilities, plans new park BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
HARKER HEIGHTS — Striving to improve the quality of life for residents, updating existing parks was a focus for the Harker Heights Parks and Recreation Department in 2014. On Oct. 4, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Armed Services YMCA’s future community building near Mountain Lion Road at Purser Family Park. But in February, council members voted to call a special election May 9 asking voters if the city should sell land after the YMCA informed the city it is having difficulty obtaining construction financing under the lease terms for the property. The city will review sealed bids and will select a bid, if any, meeting the city’s desire for a recreational facility, according to the election order. YMCA officials previously said the planned $11.5 million facility will serve children, soldiers and everyone in the community, with pools, aquatic therapy and rehabilitation along with healthy programs.
OTHER PARKS
Carl Levin Park received renovations to the existing exercise trail, playground units received shady canopies and the park’s pond received a lighted water aerator to assist with the pond quality, Bark said. In the Harker Heights Community Park on Farm-to-Market 2410, a 5-foot concrete fence running along the property line to the baseball complex was installed along with two full length batting cages, Bark said. Moving into 2015, for Goode-Connell Park at 110 E. Beeline Road, staff members are coordinating with Oncor
The Armed Services YMCA is building a fitness center at Purser Family Park, but financing issues prompted the city to consider selling the property.
to install security lighting on the north end of the park and additional lighting under the canopy of the playground unit. Irrigation also is anticipated for 2015, he said. Staff will continue to coordinate the concept plan for Comanche Gap Park, with construction to start late this year. On Jan. 27, council members approved authorizing City Manager David Mitchell to negotiate engineer services for construction plans and specifications. According to city documents, the total design fee for the project is $137,000, and estimated construction for the first phase of the project is $1.27 million. “This property has historical value to not only the city of Harker Heights but to Bell County as well,” Bark said. “This piece of land is currently registered with the Texas Historical Commission.”
Killeen resident Alyx Geiger, left, with her dog Logan and Harker Heights resident Lauren Hopkins with her dog Lucy Loo are seen Nov. 6 at the dog park in Purser Family Park in Harker Heights.
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Nolanville officials plan for economic, residential growth in 2015 BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
NOLANVILLE — With residential permits picking up, city officials worked to plan for future growth. In 2014, the city collected more than $264,670 in sales tax, or about $40,044 more than what was collected in 2013. The amount is a 17.82 percent increase.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Nolanville Economic Corporation Board was formed in 2013, and forms were sent to the state in June 2014 for the EDC to formally incorporate and become a government entity. The EDC operates with 4B sales tax for economic development and determines if there are any incentives the city can offer new businesses. President Colleen Smith, Secretary Paul Habhab and Yvonne Frate have been with the EDC since its inception. Other members are Vice President Kara Escajeda, Treasurer Bryan Buck and James Bilberry. In December, board members outlined steps they’d like to take moving forward in accordance with the city’s strategic plan. “I think our first step as an EDC would be Main Street. ... That seems to be the center point of our community and then expanding outward — beautification, cleaning it up, making it look more appealing to those businesses,” Frate said. Escajeda, who was named Nolanville city manager this month, said she’d like businesses such as photographers,
During the winter, Nolanville purchased a Killeen Independent School District school building at 101 N. Fifth St. to renovate it as a new City Hall.
insurance or consulting brought into the city and seen from U.S. Highway 190 as well as Main Street beautification. The goal, Escajeda said, is to support the community’s vision and business growth. “Part of the EDC’s role is to ensure that we have goodwill in the businesses that are here, so that if another business tries to come in and they ask the other business ‘How well does the city of Nolanville treat you?’ we want them
to have a positive experience,” Escajeda said.
NEW CITY HALL
During the winter, the city purchased a Killeen Independent School District school building at 101 N. Fifth St. for $150,000 that will soon be used as City Hall. Bilberry said once Nolanville is using the building, he’d like it to be an example of a façade throughout the city.
“I think we need to set up a design architect for the new City Hall that can be tied with everything else so we have an idea of what we want everything to look like,” Bilberry said. Most of the city’s departments moved into the new building this month, which underwent a few renovations, interim City Manager Crystal Briggs said. CONTINUED, 108
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Plans in the next year or two are to possibly renovate space at the new building for the city’s municipal court and council meetings, which are currently conducted at the J.W. Sims Community Center, she said. In addition to the EDC, the city entered into a $35,480 collaborative agreement with Texas A&M University to produce a comprehensive plan for the city’s development in May. The task force has met since the summer to draft plans relating to city business, parks, infrastructure and more.
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
With a slowly growing population of around 5,000, the residential housing sector showed steady growth as well. Nolanville saw a slight increase in the number of new single-family homes, issuing 61 permits with a total value of $16 million last year. In 2013, the city issued 50 permits with a total value of $11.8 million. Both years the city issued one new commercial permit. Last year, the city issued a $4.4 million permit for an apartment complex. In 2013, a $250,000 permit was issued for a convenience store.
Crystal Briggs, Nolanville assistant city manager and city secretary, center, speaks at a special council meeting Jan. 26 to discuss funds for renovations and furniture for the former school building that will become City Hall.
In May, council members approved plats for a 48-unit, two-building, threestory apartment complex known as Oak Ridge Apartments at 339 10th St. Josh Pettijohn, development project manager with Miller-Valentine Developers, said construction is expected to be completed by the end of April. It includes a 3,023-square-foot clubhouse building, one apartment building is 29,531 square feet and the other
is 27,705 square feet. Pettijohn said features include a swimming pool, fitness center, business center with a computer and printer and an activity center for children. “There will also be a city park,” he said. Construction also continued in the multimillion-dollar, multiphased, upscale Bella Charca subdivision.
During March 2014, officials considered 28 acres in Nolanville for an additional subsection of the development known as Heritage Estates. The proposed 41 lots would be situated farther back from the road, said John Blackenship, the Bella Charca subdivision developer. The entire 370-acre subdivision plan includes 908 homes with 39 acres set aside for parks.
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Nolanville smooths out bumps in Avenue H road construction
Bryan Neaves for repairs to the chip seal coat of 11 city streets, including Main Street, Avenues J and K, and Old Nolanville Road. The total cost of the project is estimated at slightly more than $100,000, The roads last received a new layer of seal coat in the early 1990s, Pena said. He said the project should not cause traffic delays. “We’re not tearing up the road. We’re just adding a new layer,” Pena said. The city has about $169,000 in its street fund, and the project will improve the roads until the city has the funds to repair them further, he said.
BY RACHAEL RILEY KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
NOLANVILLE — With a few bumps in the road, the city saw infrastructure improvements in 2014. In January, overhauling of Avenue H road construction started with road closures along Avenue H between Main and 10th streets. “The road was in very bad shape and deteriorating quickly, and it’s one of the major thoroughfares into the city,” former City Manager Stephen Pearl said. Kasberg, Patrick and Associates served as consulting engineers, and Lone Star Grading and Materials LLC, was named the contractor for the project. In May, residents reported problems getting in and out of their driveways, flooding issues and a general lack of on-site visibility related to Avenue H construction. Eighth Street resident Adam Dunn said he wished only one side of Avenue H was torn up at a time. Jeri Vick, a homeowner along Eighth Street, said two large bodies of water at least 3 feet deep along Avenue H prevented Eighth Street residents from leaving their vehicles. Pearl said puddles blocking Eighth Street passage were due to lack of infrastructure and contractors digging around a water pipe that needed to be moved. Public Works Director Bob Pena said it was a logistical issue solved shortly after flooding problems. After a main water and several utility lines were discovered to be in conflict with the construction project, Pena said it took a while to organize engineers’ and contractors’ schedules to come collectively on-site to address
WATER
Improvements along Avenue H in Nolanville included new sidewalks and improved drainage.
the problem. In September, council members voted to save more than $158,000 by removing several items from the project. The contractor’s initial budget was exceeded by more than $48,000 because of unexpected delays including the discovery of the main water line and utility lines. Original estimates for the road improvements were $917,200. The overall project was funded by a $1 million bond approved by the council in 2012. According to original bond plans, additional repaving is to take place from Avenue H to Mesquite Street, as well as Eighth Street. Deletions included improvements to the sidewalk on the east side of Main Street between avenues H and I, deletion of 2 inches of asphalt overlay
on Second and Fourth streets between avenues H and I and removing decorative lighting that would cost $45,000. “If anything, Main Street needs attention,” Councilman Dave Brackmann said. In November, officials announced most of the work to Avenue H was complete, and the road was open back to traffic. In December, Police Chief Gary Kent said new stop signs were out on the street. “We wanted to educate the citizens that Avenue H is now open, and they need to stop at the stop sign,” Kent said.
OTHER ROAD PROJECTS
In October, council members authorized Pena to negotiate an interlocal agreement with Bell County Engineer
In May, the Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 3 was awarded a $295,433 block grant to update water and wastewater systems for some residents in the Plaza Mobile Home Park. Deteriorating wastewater pipes on three streets were replaced at a cost of $125,000 each. Trae Sutton, an engineer working on the project, said more pipes will be upgraded when additional grants are awarded. The water district also began steps to eliminate a potentially risky aerial sewer pipe after a storm damaged cracked it in November 2013. The board is looking to fund a complete reconstruction of the cracked pipeline that crosses Nolan Creek, eliminating any risk of damage by running the pipe completely underground. The expected cost of the project is from $650,000 to $800,000. In April, the board also voted to expand the district’s area of coverage, procuring sites previously served by the Belton-based nonprofit 439 Water Supply Corp.
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Belton attracts residents, tourists with variety of events BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
BELTON — This quaint, historic town is the seat of Bell County and features everything from parks and locally owned shops to large, citywide events. Regular favorites include Belton Market Days on the third Saturday of each month along Central Avenue in the city’s historic downtown square. The event features a number of vendors, and is hosted by the Downtown Belton Merchants Association. One of Belton’s biggest draws each year is its annual Fourth of July Celebration. A well-loved tradition since 1852, it includes a parade, as well as a cattle drive, arts and crafts festival, barbecue and a rodeo. More than 50,000 people attended in past years. The city is also home to the Bell County Museum. Established in 1991, the museum serves as a link to the county’s storied past, and includes several permanent and rotating exhibits.
The stores and restaurants of The Gin, near downtown Belton, attract visitors. On spring, summer and fall weekends, live music is featured in the courtyard and at the gazebo along Nolan Creek.
The museum has 12,000 objects related to Bell County and Central Texas that it rotates on a regular basis. One area of Belton blends the area’s
historic past with modern retail and restaurants. The stores and restaurants of The Gin, near downtown, also attract visitors. On spring, summer and
fall weekends, live music is featured in The Gin courtyard and in a gazebo on the banks of Nolan Creek. Belton is home to the Bell County Expo Center, which hosts several events, concerts and conventions throughout the year. This year, the Expo Center will host the Central Texas State Fair, as well as the Texas Master Gardeners conference in April. The Expo Center is home to Belton’s Citywide Garage Sale. The large-scale event is held three times each year, and features booths containing a variety of vintage and antique items, such as furniture, knick-knacks and jewelry. Those who love the outdoors and boating can enjoy Belton Lake. The large lake is a sportsman’s paradise, and features several easily accessible boat ramps, a marina and other features. The lake is ideal for those who enjoy boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing.
Belton completes several infrastructure projects during 2014 FME NEWS SERVICE
BELTON — Residents of Belton saw the realization of some projects in 2014 that were long dreamed of: the opening of Phase II of the Nolan Creek hike-and-bike trail, the finalization of the West Ninth Avenue/Martin Luther King Jr. extension and the dedication of the Belton Lions Club Playground. When construction of Phase II of the Nolan Creek hike-and-bike trail began in October 2013, then-Belton Mayor Jim Covington said the trail had been an issue since he was first elected to City Council in 1995. “And they were talking about it for 30 years before that,” Covington said at the time. The new phase gives the city a 1.1-mile-long trail that runs along the banks of Nolan Creek, linking Confederate Park and Yettie Polk Park to Harris Community Park before crossing over the creek to the intersection of West Ninth Avenue and University Drive, near the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus. Construction on Phase III will extend the trail along Martin Luther
King Jr. Avenue to Loop 121. The West Ninth/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue extension and bridge has been a long gestating dream for the city. The extension had been on the books for decades, Belton Public Works Department Director Mike Huber said. “As far back as 1980 the city elders determined we were missing connectivity,” Huber said at a November presentation of the project. When completed, the $6 million project will use Ninth/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to link Main Street with Loop 121, a process that will require the construction of a 418-foot bridge over Nolan Creek. The December ribbon-cutting for the Belton Lions Club Playground, an $180,000 inclusive environment designed for special needs children, was the fulfillment of almost five years of work to bring a dream to fruition. The Belton Lions Club started working on raising funds for the project in 2009, but the project “really came together” in 2013 when the club received a $75,000 grant from Lions International, said Robert Jones, the club’s immediate past president.
Although it took the projects years, or in some cases decades to be realized, they have all been built or designed to last. When the Belton City Council approved a $4.15 million contract for construction of the West Ninth/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue extension Huber encouraged everyone to “Remember this moment — we’re making history for Belton.” And when Belton City Manager Sam Listi described the Belton Lions Club playground, he called it something that, “will serve our children and grandchildren for decades to come.”
WATER, SEWER UPGRADES
As the city continues to prepare for future growth, the Belton City Council approved the beginning of a $26 million, five-year water and sewer repair plan last month. The plan calls for $8.8 million in upgrades and repairs to the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure to be undertaken this year alone. The council unanimously voted to approve a resolution directing city staff to publish a notice about the city’s intent to issue $9.995 million in certificates of obligation in April.
A major renovation and expansion of the Temple-Belton wastewater treatment plant is among the projects that will be financed by the bonds. The project will replace the headworks, a structure that filters and removes large objects from raw sewage, and the aeration system of the existing treatment basin. The repair is needed because the headworks deteriorated due to years of exposure to hydrogen sulfide, a corrosive gas that results from the breakdown of the waste matter by bacteria, according to Mike Huber, Belton’s public works director. The total cost of repairing the headworks is $11.2 million, but because Belton only owns 25 percent of the plant, the city will only pay $2.8 million. Temple will fund the rest of the repair cost. City staff also will oversee the replacement of Belton’s 6,200 water meters with automated meters. The $4.5 million project will use a performance-based contract, which means the meter upgrade should pay for itself with operational savings and recaptured revenue over a span of 15 years.
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Salado looks forward to sewer project, completion of I-35 work BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
SALADO — The village is in the midst of some major changes to its infrastructure. One of the biggest projects on the horizon for Salado is work on its sewer system. The planned sewer system was passed in November, and will serve an estimated 327 properties along Main Street, in a recently adopted “overlay district” on the west side of Interstate 35, and an area between the I-35 frontage road and West Village Road. To pay for the new sewer system, Salado voters approved bonds to finance the construction, raising property taxes to 65 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for residents under 65 years old. The tax increase puts the village in the same property tax range as Belton, Harker Heights and Morgan’s Point Resort. To reduce the bond needed to pay for the project, Salado Mayor Skip Blancett announced in November the village would seek grant funding. Salado also plans to update and repair some of its roads. That project will cost an estimated $500,000, and include sealing cracks in more than 20 miles of roads. Salado is looking forward to the completion of $106 million construction project on I-35 late this year. Part of a massive $2.5 billion project to widen the heavily-traveled interstate to a six-lane divided highway from the Bell-Williamson county line north to Hillsboro, construction began in 2010, and has posed an inconvenience to drivers and impacted business.
One of the biggest projects on the horizon for Salado is work on its sewer system. The planned sewer system was passed in November, and will serve an estimated 327 properties along Main Street.
Shopping, art, fine dining, history entice tourists to explore village BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
SALADO — Located to the southeast of Killeen, Salado is a village of 2,100 residents and home to an eclectic array of shopping, art and fine dining in a scenic and historic Central Texas setting. From the village’s humble beginnings in 1859, Salado has become the home of many renowned artists, historic homes and buildings, and home
to businesses and events that attract droves of tourists each year. “We are a great Central Texas community,” said Debbie Charbonneau, Salado tourism director. “We have a little bit of everything here.” According to Charbonneau, there were 329,613 inquiries about Salado between Dec. 1, 2013, and Nov. 30, 2014. That number is up from the same time the previous year, where Salado had 249,199 inquiries. Those inquires came from various
sources, including the Internet, print advertising, website advertising, events, tour groups and the visitor’s center. Part of what brings so may visitors to Salado is likely the many special events held there throughout the year. This month, Salado hosted its 14th annual Wildflower Weekend, where visitors enjoy music, food and works of the village’s many local artists. In July, Salado will host its annual performance “Salado Legends.” The
play, penned by nationally honored playwright Jackie Mills, is a “musical drama” depicting life in the 1850s. Other special event this year include a pub crawl, wine festival and the Christmas Stroll, a holiday favorite. Even when there isn’t a special event going on, visitors are welcome to enjoy Salado’s wineries, restaurants, art galleries and other local businesses. For more information, go to www. salado.com.
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New highway, water pipeline highlight Florence growth BY JACOB BROOKS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
FLORENCE — A project that will forever change the vehicle traffic in Florence was completed in October, routing State Highway 195 to the east rather than through the small town nestled between Killeen and Georgetown. The new bypass allows motorists a quicker commute from Killeen to Austin, avoiding the slower speed limit and pair of traffic signals that marked the old highway that now goes by the name Patterson Avenue. Elected officials at the federal, county and city levels joined to open the 7.6-mile segment of new road that stretches from the Bell County line to about 3 miles south of Florence with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 28. “When I moved to Round Rock in 1973, the mayor told me this was the most dangerous highway in our part of Texas,” said U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, adding many families would often avoid the road when traveling to and from high school football games because of the large number of wrecks. Texas Department of Transportation said stretch of highway had a cost of $59 million — $20 million for project engineering and $39 million in construction costs. It includes multiple overpasses, topping creeks and smaller roads. It’s all part of an Army-backed plan to widen State Highway 195 to a divided, four-lane roadway from Killeen to Interstate 35 north of Georgetown. The plan has been discussed for more than two decades. A 20-mile stretch of SH 195, from north of Florence to Killeen, was finished in 2006. Two more segments of the construction — a 6.8-mile portion that connects the road from the south of Florence to Ronald Reagan Boulevard and a 5-mile stretch from Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Interstate 35 — are underway. The entire project is expected to be complete by spring 2016. According to state statistics, as many as 11,000 vehicles per day pass through Florence on the highway. D. Boones Country Store, a new gas station, café and convenience store, opened along the new highway where it intersects with Main Street on the east side of town.
Cars line up in front of businesses on East Main Street in Florence on Jan. 25.
WATER
Florence has been battling water shortages for the past few years after technical problems with aging wells and the widespread drought affected the town of roughly 1,100 residents. The town has three wells pumping and providing water to 490 homes and businesses, said Doc Blackman, the town’s public works director. In January, the city was in Stage 2 water restriction, which limits the watering of lawns and washing cars to certain times. To increase its water supply, the city completed a long-term goal of connecting to the city of Georgetown’s water supply in the fall with construction of $600,000 water pipeline, Blackman said. He said the city is waiting on a part to make the pipeline fully automatic, but Florence could tap into the supply if needed. Officials said Florence will use the pipeline sparingly to lessen the workload of the city’s wells or if drought conditions worsen. “We’re going to try it a little bit each day just to give the wells here a break,” Blackman said.
A project that will forever change the traffic in Florence was completed in October, routing State Highway 195 to the east rather than through the small town between Killeen and Georgetown.
Progress 2015 | 113
COPPERAS COVE
114 | Progress 2015
Copperas Cove’s economic future looking better than ever BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — The Five Hills Retail Center is overflowing with fastfood restaurants, financial centers, health and beauty businesses and the H-E-B Plus, with even more to come. Polo Enriquez, executive director of the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation, said Five Hills will continue to expand as more businesses see the benefits of coming to Cove. “Endeavor Real Estate Group, the owners of Five Hills, will purchase the remaining acreage known as Phase II and continue its aggressive marketing efforts,” Enriquez said. The city approved sale of the final plat in 2013, which meant the remaining portion of Robert Griffin III Boulevard was dedicated to the city and Endeavor was authorized to sell portions of it. Utilities are already installed on the remaining 50 acres. Ross Dress for Less, rue21, Burke’s Outlet, Bealls, Dots Fashion and Rack Room Shoes are all listed on the website of Endeavor Real Estate Group as future businesses coming into the center with space for more. The final months of 2014 and the first of 2015 already have seen new businesses opening up in Cove. PAR Guns and Wood Joint Antiques and Collectibles opened up near the end of the year and January saw Schlotzky’s Deli close down to reopen with a Cinnabon inside. Stripes Convenience Store also opened its doors in January, bringing 30 new jobs to Cove. Construction of The Narrows Business and Technology Park, a 72-acre subdivision paid for by the EDC, is Cove’s first shovel-ready site of its kind and was opened and ready to accept
Customers attend the grand opening of Cinnabon inside Schlotzky’s on Jan. 16 in Copperas Cove.
tenants fitting the target industry profiles at the end of January, Enriquez said. The EDC is already negotiating with a client and hopes to announce a first tenant soon. “These tenants will mostly fall into the category of ‘primary job creators.’ Their products and services will enhance the economy of the community by bringing new wealth and opportunities,” he said. “Ideally, we would love to see enough businesses come in to provide for 2,500 to 3,000 good-paying jobs, but that is just my wish. That number will end up being determined by who
we can attract to the park.” One of the EDC’s “pet projects” was realized in 2014 and is already set to make an impact in 2015. A business incubator that gives business owners a place to work with shared resources, consulting and staffing for a certain period of time designated at the Entrepreneur Center opened up and announced the first small business to take up residence in January. “Over the years, I have learned that proper planning is essential if you are going to succeed,” Enriquez said. “I remember the statement in ‘Alice
in Wonderland’ — ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road can take you there.’ How true. Therefore, we at the Copperas Cove EDC plan.” Part of that plan is to increase business growth on the west end of the city. Dental and medical offices already dot Business Highway 190, along with Cove Fitness in the strip mall called Cove Summit, but the EDC also has opened lines of communication with retailers to continue marketing the west end, to include possible grocery stores. Enriquez said he believes retailers will be able to see the benefits of coming to Cove, especially with the bypass now open. “For this year, we want to develop more programs and services that will help our small- and medium-size businesses to grow and, in some instances, just stay in business,” Enriquez said. “These new programs and services will supplement what we are already doing for our local businesses. “Supporting our existing businesses makes sense for many reasons, the most important being that these businesses bring the economic vitality to our community that we need in order to grow and bring more businesses to town.” While some feared less traffic on the major thoroughfare would mean fewer customers for businesses along it, the opposite is already proving to be true. Businesses downtown will most likely see an increase in sales simply because they will be easier to get in and out of with less traffic congestion, said Betty Price, Cove chamber president. “We’re going to find it easier to get in and out of the businesses that we used to avoid because of traffic,” Price said. “It’s going to make shopping more convenient on 190.”
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Progress 2015 | 115
Residential, commercial development in Cove during past year BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — The city experienced an upsurge in residential development in 2014, issuing 98 permits for the construction of new homes and eight permits for duplexes, nearly twice the amount as 2013. The value of the properties equaled nearly $15 million, with the city gaining about $70,000 in permit fees. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs awarded $923,821 in housing tax credits to private developers constructing the 72-unit Constitution Court Phase II Apartments, a planned rental property in Cove that will feature 69 units offering reduced rents, according to a press release issued by the TDHCA.
A home is under construction in February on Jonathan Lane in Copperas Cove.
Polo Enriquez, executive director of the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation, said the EDC board members and staff are grateful for the continued investment in the community. “These housing projects will help
in many ways,” he said. “First, people living in the complexes will have plenty of shopping within minutes of their homes. Then, as we move forward with the opening of the business park, we will create job opportunities.”
Construction on the complex is scheduled to begin this year, said Mike Morton, Cove’s chief building official. W.B. Whitis of WBW Development Ltd. is developing a subdivision with 1,000 lots at Lutheran Church Road and North Farm-to-Market 116, land likely to be annexed into the city, Morton said. “Verde Mesa Development is also developing at the end of Skyline Drive, called The Reserves, (which is) 57 lots.” The city’s population was 29,592 in 2000 and the 2010 census was 32,032, Morton said. While the growth was small for that decade, recent population growth has caused the council to request a new census in 2015. “The potential for growth is always positive with the construction of new residences and commercial properties,” he added.
Cove council makes some ordinance changes, working on others BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — Copperas Cove has seen a few ordinance changes over the past year, primarily when it comes to pets and zoning. Cove residents formerly were allowed to own up to four cats or dogs per person, but with feral breeding getting out of control, the City Council decided to limit that number to four per family. The way the ordinance read previously, a family of five could have had up to 20 cats and dogs. “During a review of the existing city ordinance, it was noted it stated four per person. The ordinance was amended to read four per household,”
city spokesman Kevin Keller said. “No major issues were reported and this was by no means out of control. The city just took action to ensure it was better regulated. During the transition, Animal Control will ensure any residents having more than four per household will be given plenty of time to make appropriate accommodations for the excessive animals.” Pet owners also now have three days to pick up an impounded pet before the cat or dog becomes property of the city and can be placed for adoption. Proof of ownership is required and all fees will have to be paid at the time of retrieval. The option to have up to four chickens as pets was approved by the
council, but sanitation requirements must be met.
ZONING CHANGES
Most of the recent changes in the zoning ordinance concerned changing designations, such as removing the labels for private clubs and liquor sales on the zoning map, or fixing language to clarify misconceptions and close loopholes. The council also passed an ordinance in January allowing the city to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages near churches, schools or public hospitals. It also determines the distance a business must be from designated locations, how the distance is measured and when the council
can make exceptions to those requirements. Other changes included updating agreements with Fort Hood to cooperate between police and emergency personnel concerning military personnel living in Cove. While the city has had these agreements before, the new memorandums will facilitate information sharing concerning not only arrests in town, but domestic abuse incidents. Keller said keeping those lines of communication open with Fort Hood is good for the city. “Copperas Cove appreciates the relationships we have built with Fort Hood, and these agreements will ensure future partnerships,” he said.
116 | Progress 2015
Cove opens U.S. Highway 190 bypass, finishes other roadwork BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — The U.S. Highway 190 bypass and Farm-to-Market 2657 road projects officially opened Jan. 29, completing an initiative three decades in the making. Mayor John Hull and City Manager Andrea Gardner cut the ribbon on the 5.2-mile project, joined by local and state leadership and city residents. The $46.5 million project broke ground in July 2011. The bypass becomes the new U.S. Highway 190 and takes traffic around Copperas Cove, from east of the Five Hills Shopping Center to west of Farm-to-Market 2657. The existing roadway was renamed Business 190. Some businesses are already using the Business 190 address and receiving mail, said Johnny Castro, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman. The addresses in the postal service’s data base will be automatically updated and businesses and residents can notify personal correspondents at their convenience. The city was able to get the bypass project completed by using an innovative concept that has since been adopted throughout the state: paying the money up front and allowing the state, via TxDOT, to pay the city back over time, said Bobby Littlefield, TxDOT Waco District engineer. “At the time this was delivered, those rules hadn’t been written. So this was sort of a way to initiate that process, which has benefited the state in many other projects,” Littlefield said. Copperas Cove spokesman Kevin Keller said the new highway should
The southeast part of the U.S. Highway 190 bypass and Farm-to-Market 2657 projects in Copperas Cove opened to traffic in late January.
be an economic boost to the community. Residents complained about not being able to access Business 190 when leaving a local business or restaurant except in areas where a traffic light is posted. “We look forward to easing the traffic congestion on (Business) 190, allowing for easier access to local businesses,
especially during peak times,” he said. Plans are underway to beautify Business 190, Councilwoman Marty Smith said. “We will work with businesses to help spruce up and fix up. We plan to take the island out and make more of a landscape and beautify the area,” she said. The beautification project will be
funded by a $210,000 grant awarded to Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful. Silvia Rhoads, city recycling coordinator, said the project is a joint effort. “KCCB, the city and TxDOT will work closely together to ensure the beautification meets all requirements by TxDOT. An exact project has yet to be determined,” she said.
Coryell County commissioners continue work to ease jail overcrowding BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Coryell County continues to work to ease overcrowding in its jail, as the construction of a new facility to house inmates is still years away. The current jail was built in 1991, and can house up to 92 inmates. The aging facility has been overcrowded for the past several years, while county officials attempt to plan and pay for the construction of a new jail. In keeping with state jail standards, County Sheriff Johnny Burks said he
tries to keep occupancy at 10 percent below maximum capacity. About 16 of the available 82 jail beds designated for female inmates, and the rest are for male inmates according to past Herald reports. In June 2013, commissioners voted to select the site for a new 192-bed jail by June 2016 and to start construction in fiscal year 2017. In 2014, Coryell County commissioners voted to buy a vacant lot a block from the county courthouse. The county will pay $120,000 for the unimproved lot at 712 Bridge St.
The lot, located just south of the courthouse square, is about 1 acre in size. While the county waits for a new jail, it continues to pay to hold inmates in surrounding county jails. Because of the overcrowding, the county contracts with other county jails to hold inmates. About 15 inmates are boarded outside the county per day. In 2014, Coryell County commissioners renewed an agreement with Limestone County to house inmates from the overcrowded Coryell County
Jail for $42 per inmate per day. The county also has similar agreement with Milam County. Outside the jail, the county’s court system is facing a similar strain. Officials reported in August that the 52nd Judicial District is on pace to see 624 felony files, compared to 525 the pervious year. Officials of the county and the 52nd Judicial District Court plan to ask the state Legislature to create a second district court to help cope with the growing load of criminal cases in the county.
Progress 2015 | 117
Copperas Cove leads Coryell County in tourism revenue BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Tourism is big business, and Copperas Cove continues to drive Coryell County’s share. Visitors spent $762 billion on tourism in the United States in 2013, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis. About $60 million was spent in Coryell County, said Mourad Sebti, an economics professor at Central Texas College. “For every dollar spent, $1.88 is the induced effect of direct purchases a traveler makes,” he said. When the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce conducts a tourism event, it tracks people outside of the city or county lines, said Betty Price, chamber president. The true benefit is to Cove residents, who not only are able to participate in the events but reap the benefit of the sales tax from visitors spending their money in town, she said. “Tourism is an industry. It doesn’t just produce a product you can see,” Price said. “Everyone is involved in tourism with things as simple as restaurant referrals from our hotel front desk clerks to shopping referrals
The 2014 Rabbit Fest Royalty, from left, Pre-teen Miss Rabbit Fest Natalie Perez, Young Miss Rabbit Fest Kelsey Dane and Teen Miss Rabbit Fest Kelseigh Fife ride in the 2014 Rabbit Fest parade.
that will bring visitors back to our area even after the event.” Everything from tourists staying in hotels and eating at local restaurants to having to buy the small articles they may have forgotten to pack brings in revenue to the city, Price said. The hotel taxes are used to promote the city’s events and sales taxes helps offset what the city has to pay for everyday services.
“The bicycling events are probably the bigger tourism events. The majority of those racers are coming from outside our area,” Price said. The Megan Babb Memorial Classic bicycle race each January attracts more than 300 riders, pedaling an estimated $16,600 into Cove in direct spending and more than $31,000 in indirect spending. Rabbit Fest each May is the city’s larg-
est tourist draw, with a budget of $60,000 to $65,000. An estimated 30,000 people attended the festival over the four-day period in 2014. A low estimate that each attendee spends $10 results in $300,000 in direct spending and nearly double that amount in indirect spending. The annual Krist Kindl Markt saw a lot more people in 2014, thanks to mild weather bringing in more vendors and visitors than in recent years, Price said.
Economic Development Corporation on track to bring in more businesses BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
COPPERAS COVE — The Economic Development Corporation has several projects underway to attract and retain local businesses to the city. The largest project, The Narrows Technology and Business Park, a 72acre development designed to bring in new primary employers to the community, opened at the end of January with most infrastructure completed. The site extended Robert Griffin III Boulevard from Old Copperas Cove Road to Constitution Drive and created Charles Tillman Way, which provides connections to Robert Griffin III and Constitution. The EDC agreed to use the same lighting that runs through Five Hills Shopping Center for about $42,000. The corporation is still working contracts to install gas, electric and cable utilities to the site.
The Cove EDC already started marketing the property before construction began and is in negotiations with several interested companies. It is hoping to attract primary job employers such as distributors and industrial and technology businesses, and they hope to make an announcement soon on who the first business will be, said Polo Enriquez, EDC executive director. Cove EDC also is marketing the Copperas Cove Professional and Business Park owned by the Copperas Cove Industrial Foundation, a private nonprofit organization working to improve the city’s economy. The nearly 23-acre park is on Constitution Drive south of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The Industrial Foundation developed the land into 16 lots ranging from 1 to 2 acres each, with two access points on Constitution Drive. The park was constructed adjacent to The
Narrows and Five Hills, a 128-acre shopping center still under development. Officials want the business park to attract professional businesses such medical clinics and lawyers’ offices. “We feel that project is not going to compete heads up with (Five Hills) or the Economic Development Corporation’s Narrows,” said Jimmy Clark, an industrial foundation member. “All three developments will have property available to handle everything in the gamut.” The Entrepreneur Center, at 207 S. Third St., houses four offices and a meeting room and is not only open, but has its first occupant. The Center is ready to welcome additional small and startup businesses wanting to take advantage of the benefits offered, such as access to other professionals and use of office equipment. The EDC hopes to office professional operations such as accountants,
marketers, architects, engineers and insurance agents in the space. For 2015, the EDC wants to have at least one primary employer occupying The Narrows before the end of the year, Enriquez said. Now that the bypass on U.S. Highway 190 is open and complete, the EDC will begin marketing the west side of Cove to retailers. “We are convinced that retailers will see the financial benefits of locating a store in that part of town,” Enriquez said. “Our job is to make them aware of those benefits and see that they have every opportunity to look at our community when they start thinking expansion. We will not let them overlook us.” EDC staff will continue to work with private businesses and investors owning property downtown in an effort to attract more occupants to the downtown area, Enriquez said. “We want downtown to be a major part of our business community.”
118 | Progress 2015
Gatesville combines Shivaree, Spurfest into super festival HERALD STAFF REPORTS
Gatesville’s big tourism day will be Sept. 12. That is the date of Shivaree and Spurfest, which were previously two separate events that are now celebrated at the same time. In an effort to spur tourism, Gatesville merged the summer Shivaree with the fall Spurfest for a three-day festival in September. Food, music and competitive activities for all ages occupied two city parks and the downtown square during the combined events. Organizers opted for the fall Spurfest schedule because the recent heat and drought discouraged vendors and visitors from participating in the summer Shivaree. The Shivaree, named for an old folk custom in which friends and neighbors would raise a loud ruckus outside the home of newlyweds to disrupt their wedding night, was usually held in June. The merger was an attempt to capitalize on Gatesville’s title as Spur Capital of Texas, a designation earned from the state Legislature after the family of the late Lloyd Mitchell donated his large spur collection to the Coryell County Museum in 1995. As a cowboy and rodeo bronc rider, and a high school coach and history teacher, Mitchell found, gathered, swapped, bought and was given spurs of all shapes and sizes for more than 70 years.
Amaya Gomez, 6, has the pony ring to herself Sept. 13 during Spurfest in Gatesville. Amaya’s mount, Oreo, is one of six Shetlands belonging to James Hiroms of Brownwood. This year, Spurfest will be combined with Shivaree for a three-day festival in September.
Some 6,000 of the 10,000 spurs in his collection are on display at the museum on Gatesville’s Main Street. Large, colorful metal boots with spurs adorn the town square year-round. Amanda Summers, executive director of the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce, said while the event will be shortened to one day this year, organizers are working to draw a bigger crowd.
“We’re trying to make it bigger this year,” Summers said. Carnival rides, a magician, food booths, a Miss Spurfest pageant and a night concert are some of things planned for this year’s event, she said. Unlike last year, the Coryell County Museum will be open during the event, Summers said. It was closed last year for renovations and a new roof.
Another tourism draw is the Carson & Barnes Circus, which came to town March 13, Summers said. The circus began traveling in 1937, and includes elephants, a pygmy hippo, a big top and other features. Gatesville also holds a fireworks display every July 4, and chamber officials are working to add other events in celebration of Independence Day.
Kempner draws families looking for a more rural lifestyle BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Kempner continues to be a draw for families choosing a more rural lifestyle. Even with a population of just over 1,000 residents, businesses are eyeing the area. A developer purchased land on U.S. Highway 190 at the intersection of Bill Brown and Orchard streets in 2013, with plans to build a shopping mall, but ground has not yet been broken, said City Secretary Trudy Davis. “There’s talk of a doughnut shop going in, because the gentleman who bought the land owns Donut Palace in Lampasas. It’s also possible the will be
a hair salon and a nail salon, that kind of strip mall,” she said. Kempner has very low taxes, which is a draw for those interested in purchasing property there, but no new building permits were issued in 2014, Davis said. Most of those moving into the area moved into existing homes. Kempner continues to sell stones to honor veterans for the park’s “Wall of Honor,” which is a tribute to Fort Hood’s 36th Engineer Brigade, Davis said. “The stones honor any veteran — they don’t have to be from here; they can even be from any other state. As long as they are a veteran. We have quite a few now, with a lot of kids buying stones to honor their parents
who served.” The city’s emergency services are provided by Police Chief David Sheedy and four volunteer reserve officers. A growing volunteer fire department is led by Fire Chief Dewey Owen, who oversees 23 firefighters and support staff. An annual fundraising barbecue dinner and auction held in the spring raised about $18,000 to purchase firefighting equipment. This year the fundraiser will be held March 7, and the volunteer fire department hopes to raise enough money to replace their 1981 FMC fire engine, as they don’t know how much longer they can depend on the vehicle working, said
Nancy Owen, public information officer for the volunteer department. “We’re expecting to hold last rites on the truck any day now,” she said. “We’re not planning to replace the truck with a brand new one, but just a new-to-us one. Low mileage and good working condition are the priority.” Her husband, the fire chief, is asking for support from area businesses patronized by the members of the volunteer fire department as well as residents of Kempner and the eastern part of Lampasas County, he said. “We depend on this support in order to keep training up to standard, our gear safe and serviceable and our trucks in good running condition.”
Progress 2015 | 119
New stores open, water expansion project almost complete in Gatesville BY JACOB BROOKS KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Gatesville said hello to new businesses in 2014 and is trying to attract more with a new reinvestment zone on the outskirts of town. New stores to open included Stripes, a convenience store at 2218 E. Main St.; Cellular World AT&T, which sells cellphones at 2225 E. Main St.; and The Paint Store, 407 State Highway 36, Suite. 3, which sells paint supplies and interior design services. According to officials from Stripes, the new store created 30 new jobs in the Gatesville community. During the opening on Aug. 13, the store donated $1,000 to the Gatesville Children’s Mental Health Services and gave free mugs to the first 200 customers. The AT&T store also opened during the summer, and The Paint Store opened in October. Ongoing construction projects in Gatesville include a new elementary school, a new nursing home that will replace Hillside Nursing Home’s existing facility, a Holiday Inn Express on State Highway 36 and a new $2 million building at the Laerdal Medical Corporation plant, which makes high-tech mannequins for medical training, said City Manager Roger Mumby. In addition, Mumby said, the Gatesville Water Supply System, which also provides water to North Fort Hood and outlying communities, is in the process of finishing a $13 million expansion. The expansion increases water capacity from 9 million to 12 million gallons per day, and added a new pump, pipes and equipment, including two new storage tanks, Mumby said.
REINVESTMENT ZONE
At a January Coryell County Com-
Cooper Mooney and his friends get his goat, Pistol, ready for showing at the Coryell County Youth Fair in Gatesville inside the recently renovated Gatesville Civic Center.
missioners Court meeting, commissioners held a public hearing to receive input about a planned reinvestment zone that will provide tax incentives for Cross Trailer Manufacturing and Sales LLC, which has housed numerous manufacturing and tool-making companies in the past. Coryell County Judge John Firth said it’s all part of a plan to “encourage companies to move and relocate to Coryell County.” The tax abatement deal would help to fill a long-vacant manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Gatesville. “This particular property, after being originally Wooley Tools, was in fact then occupied by a number of
different companies that were primarily involved in Army equipment and vehicle refurbishment,” Firth said. “For several years, they were rebuilding Humvees and other Army wheeled vehicles. … It’s a great facility.” The plan will likely mimic a deal with Attic Breeze, a company that specializes in solar ventilation that received a 90 percent abatement on its property taxes for the first year of business. Firth said the 90 percent figure will taper down each year, but it’s still too early to give a definite number on the new company’s deal.
PIPELINE
A 20-inch crude oil pipeline that cut
across 37 miles of Coryell County, adding an estimated $30 million of value to tax rolls, was completed in 2014. BridgeTex Pipeline, a joint venture of Magellan Midstream Partners and Occidental Petroleum Corporation, built the pipeline. However, the Coryell County Commissioners Court said earlier this year that crews building the pipeline damaged county roads, resulting in the county to seek more than $50,000 in compensation. “Magellan ... gave me a call and told me that their engineers had done a complete assessment and believed that about 80 percent of the claims that we made were perfectly valid and that would be about $44,000,” Firth said at a meeting in January, adding Magellan offered to pay half the cost — $22,000 — to repair the roads. He said Magellan encouraged commissioners to seek legal action against Magellan’s contractor to recoup the other half in damages to their roads.
BUSINESS EXPO
New this year was a business expo at the recently renovated Gatesville Civic Center. The center underwent “major renovations to make it more energy efficient and to be more appealing,” according to the city. Mumby said the renovations cost about $500,000. The expo was held Feb. 28, and included a re-grand opening of the civic center and showcases area businesses who are members of the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce, said Amanda Summers, the chamber’s executive director. She said the chamber has 189 members. Clay Thorp contributed to this report.
120 | Progress 2015
Lampasas adds homes in 2014 BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
LAMPASAS — Originally settled by John Burleson in 1850, Lampasas started off named after the Texas revolutionary. There are many theories on how the city came to be called Lampasas, but no one can agree on which one is correct. One thing all officials agree on, however, is that the number of city residential properties is growing. Two new fourplexes built on the south side of Lampasas, owned by father-and-son-team Gerald and William Cummings and his father, provided new residential opportunities in Lampasas while construction of new offices for Eckermann Engineering added to the commercial base, according to city documents. A new senior living center called The Manor at Hancock Park opened on Central Texas Parkway as well, and offers 34 two-bedroom apartment units, 24 one-bedroom units, a large club room for residents, a fitness center, a library and a business center. The Lampasas City Council approved another fourplex development near the end of the year, a request by developer Rob Harris to add residences to Mill Street in east Lampasas. Jerry Bunting, city building inspector, said the city is currently updating its infrastructure to attract more development. “We would like to get more people to move over here,” Bunting said. “If you want to have business coming into your town, you’ve got to have a readily available workforce, but right now the businesses in town equal the workforce.”
The Lampasas High School Band’s flag squad performs during the Spring Ho Grand Parade on July 12 in Lampasas.
Lampasas chamber aims to increase tourism in 2015 BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Lampasas had a great year in 2014 for tourism and is looking to have an even better one this year, said Alicia Menard, the Lampasas Chamber of Commerce executive director. The city’s newest event, the “Hillacious Bike Tour,” was organized by Vision Lampasas!, Lampasas Association for the Arts and the Lampasas chamber. The noncompetitive event doubled as a fundraiser for all three organizations and drew about 300 participants. “The bike ride went fabulous. We’re hoping to more than double the number of participants this year and are actually shooting for 1,000,” Menard said. “We had great feedback, so we’re hoping to make it an even better event this year.” Cyclists can elect to ride one of five
routes, ranging from 9 miles to 80 miles. Registration is underway at www. bikereg.com/Net/lampasas-hillaciousbike-tour. There is a $35 registration fee, but after April 6, registration fees increase by $10. The second race will occur the second Saturday in April. The Riata Roundup Rodeo, a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event, will be held inside the city for the first time in 2015 with the opening of a new arena capable of hosting the event. The two-day rodeo will be held the second weekend of May. Between the bike tour and the city’s two annual festivals, the Blooming Festival held in the spring and the Herb and Art Festival in October saw an increase of about 1,000 new visitors, Menard said. “Our hopes at the chamber is to double that this year,” she said. “We’ve really revised our marketing strategy
and have been tweaking the festivals to increase not only the number of visitors we get, but the amount of money we can bring into the city.” Some of those tweaks will be adding a jazz theme and a wine-tasting tent to the Blooming Festival, with five to 10 wineries expected to attend, she said. Meanwhile, Vision Lampasas! continued to beautify the city with murals, completing an eighth mural with a patriotic theme painted at 405 N. Key St. Vision Lampasas! is still in the process of choosing where the next mural will be and is holding a competition on what the theme will be and who gets to paint the mural, Menard said. The Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden continues to keep the community involved with its rotating Art in the Park celebration, the date to be determined. For more information, go to www. lampasaschamber.org.
Construction growth tops 3 percent as Lampasas population passes 20,000 BY DAVID A. BRYANT KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
LAMPASAS — Lampasas County started 2015 with more construction than the previous year, which may mean continued growth for a population that recently topped 20,000. “It’s a 3 percent growth in total construction compared to last year,” said Melissa Gonzales, Lampasas Central Appraisal District chief appraiser.
Although no major subdivisions were platted in the past year, residential construction continued to dominate construction permits, she said. The county expects new construction on residential to be the same as 2014 at approximately $12 million, although commercial construction is expected to be down in 2015. The more populated portion of the county, Precinct 1, is seeing a lot of residential development spillover
from Copperas Cove’s increased growth and construction, with a proposed 78-unit senior citizen housing development expected to be built by Wheatland Investments Group of Kansas, said Gonzales. The county is seeking larger companies to bring their businesses to Lampasas. “This would definitely create room for growth, not only in commercial growth but also in residential, as potentially new citizens will relocate
to Lampasas County,” she said. County Judge Wayne Boultinghouse said that county officials toyed with the idea of creating a “business park,” or a piece of property where the county would put in sewer, electricity and water lines, so several businesses could easily build on the land. “You always hope to bring people in, but it’s slow in developing,” he said, explaining that developing plans for a business park would take several years.
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RELIGION
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The new Worship Center at Grace Christian holds 1,000 people. The church at 1401 E. Elms Road in Killeen holds services at 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
Grace Christian Center membership grows in year after tragic accident SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
On Oct. 10, 2013, Grace Christian Center in Killeen lost its senior pastors, Terry and Jan Whitley, and their lead associate pastor, Steve Timmerman, in a tragic one-vehicle rollover in Pflugerville. During the months since, while Grace Christian Center was without a senior pastor, pastors and advisers came from around the world to preach on Sundays and many Wednesday nights. The associate pastors, taking up the mantle that was left behind, sacrificed an incredible amount of their time to keep the church running while continuing to serve the congregation and God. Amid the uncertainty, instead of the church’s attendance decreasing, it began to increase. Instead of continued mourning, the church has moved forward in many new areas and against the odds. On March 2, 2014, the president of the board of trustees for Grace announced the choice and acceptance of
the new Senior Pastor, Mark Price. He has the same vision as Pastor Terry Whitely did — to continue being a family church dedicated to equipping people to serve their community and the world. After the installation of Pastor Mark on April 28, the church was infused with new life and membership exploded. Each week the church sees greater numbers of guests and new members. In 10 months, Grace Christian Center grew by 800 people. Due to the speed of growth, there was no longer room in the 700-seat auditorium, so work began to renovate the Youth Facility into a new Worship Center. It opened March 15, and can now hold 1,000 people. Although the church has grown significantly and continues to do so, Grace Christian Center still has the warmth it always did and remains a family church. Services are at 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays and at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. The church is at 1401 E. Elms Road, Killeen. Call 254-634-6990.
Hundreds of churches serve residents of all faiths across Central Texas
ADVENTIST • Iglesia Adventista 3705 Zephyr Rd., K 394-9980 • New Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church 4602 Clear Creek,K 554-7113 • Killeen Seventh-day Adventist Church 4700 E. Rancier, K 699-6263 ANGLIGAN • Christ the King Anglican Church (ACNA) 273 Country Rd. 4877, CC 394-0798
APOSTOLIC • Church of Jesus Christ House of Prayer 200 N. Gray St., K 554-7551 • Holy Temple of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc, 519 S. Pearl St., Belton 254-613-4591 • Jesus Name Apostolic Ministry 314 Casa Drive, CC 547-8358 • New Life Church 702 N. 8th St, K 618-5223 • New Apostolic Church 1207 Metropolitan Dr., K www.newapostolicchurch.org • New Harvest Apostolic Ministries 612 Gray St., K 383-5228 • Temple Of Faith Apostolic Ministries 808 N 8th St,, K (254) 247-1904 ASSEMBLY OF GOD • Betel Asamblea De Dios 413 N. 8th, K 634-3772 • Bethel Temple Assembly of God 3102 S. Hwy, 195, K 526-2003 • First Assembly of God 502 N. 38th St., K 699-1954 • First Assembly of God 2205 FM 3046, CC 547-3724 • First Assembly of God 1601 S. Harley, HH 699-4114 • First Assembly of God 2514 E. Hwy 190, L (512) 556-5185 • First Assembly of God 209 W. Hallmark, K 200-9356 • First Samoan Assembly of God 502 N. 38th St. Killeen, TX (254) 371-0347 • Five Hills Assembly of God 302 East Ave. D, CC 547-9155 • Full Gospel Killeen Church 1410 S. Trimmier, K 526-9048 • Korean Full Gospel Killeen Church 1410 S. Trimmier, K 526-7777 • Korean Full Gospel New Light Church 112 E. Hallmark Ave, K 628-1116 • New Beginnings Assembly Corner of Hwy 190 and Indian Trail BAPTIST • 21st Centrury First Baptist Church North 10th Street, Nolanville
• Anchor Of Hope Baptist Church 5700 FM 439, B 939-6044 • Bethel Baptist Church 508 East Jasper Drive, K • Bible Way Baptist Church 2306 S. FM 116, CC 547-8584 • Calvary Independent Baptist Church 13341 State Hwy 195, Killeen, TX 76542 • Central Korean Baptist Church 1200 Old FM 440, K 526-8840 • Clear Creek Baptist Church CC 547-2006 2.5 miles south on FM 2657 • Cedar Knob Baptist Church K 947-5250 • Cedar Valley Baptist FM 2843, Salado • Community Baptist Church Hwy 195 & Briggs Rd., K • Cornerstone Baptist Church 484 FM 3219, K 690-4114 • Cross Road Missionary Baptist Church 1212 East Veterans Memorial Blvd HH 254-535-3322 • East Lake Baptist Church 3213 Lake Rd., K 690-4400 • East Side Baptist Church 500 N. W.S. Young, K 634-0358 • Eastside Baptist Church 1202 MLK Jr. Dr., CC 547-3401 • Fairview Baptist Church 1202 Veteran’s Ave., CC 547-3421 • Faith Baptist Church Ann Blvd. & Ruby, HH 699-9184 • First Baptist Church of Copperas -Cove 300 W. Ave. B, CC 547-3717 • First Baptist Church of Killeen 3310 S WS Young Dr., K 634-6262 • First Baptist Church U.S. Hwy. 190, Kempner 512-932-3195 • First Baptist Church of Trimmier E. Trimmier and Chapparal Rd., K 634-9717 • First Community Baptist Church 1320 Georgetown Rd. CC. • Freedom Baptist Church 102 Northern Dove Ln., CC 518-0074 • Good News Baptist Church 204 West Ave. B, K 634-0497 • God’s Way Community Baptist Church 700 Whitlow Dr, K 690-0005 • Grace Baptist Church 947-5917 • Greater Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church 4213-A East Veterans Memorial, 535-4908 • Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 4201 S Zephyr Rd., K 680-4378 • Holy Light United Baptist Church 1602 S. Main, CC • Holy One Baptist Mission 211 E. Ave. C, K 519-3990 • The Homecoming 10060 E. Trimmier Rd., K 833-6359 CONTINUED, 126
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• Killeen Baptist Temple 508 Jasper, K 526-4410 • Killeen Korean United Baptist Church 4103 Zephyr Rd., K 690-2233 • Landmark Missionary Baptist Church 7512 E Trimmier Rd, K, 501-9193 • Korean Memorial Baptist Church 113 S. 8th St., K • Korean Mission First Baptist N. 5th & Ave. B, CC 547-3717 • Lawler Baptist Church FM 2843 &CR 230, (254)793-2414 • Liberty Community Church 3002 Gus Drive, K 526-0114 • Light of Christ Missionary Baptist Church 307 East Avenue D, K, 254-634-9620 (Pastor Casey Jones Sr. - 554-5475) • Lifeway Fellowshi 4001 E. Elms Road at Stan Schlueter Loop • Marlboro Heights Missionary Baptist 2901 Illinois, K 690-4521 801 R.A Abercrombie Dr.,K 690-4526 • Memorial Baptist Church 4001 Trimmier, K, 634-6882 • Missiona Bautista 54th & Turner K 699-5852 • Mountain View Baptist Church Corner of FM 2410 & Cedar Knob • Native American Baptist Fellowship Church 6161 S 5th St, Temple 721-5758 • Nolan Valley Baptist Church 13206 W. FM 93, Belton 939-8367 • NorthSide Baptist Church 1800 W Hwy 190, Nolanville, 690-6722 • Oak Hill Baptist Church FM 2657 and Boys Ranch Rd., CC 547-4623 • Pershing Park Baptist Church 1200 Old FM 440, K 634-1013 • Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana 4102 Turner Ave. & 54th St., K 634-0486 • Red Sea Baptist Church 1004 North 18th St., K, 628-8999 • Robertson Ave Baptist Church 305 E. Roberston Ave. CC 547-3155 • Second Street Baptist Church 1602 N. 2nd St. K 690-2886 • Simmonsville Missionary Baptist Church 509 S. 42nd St., K 699-1956 • Skyline Baptist Church
Immanuel Lutheran Church moved into a new location at 3801 Cunningham Road in Killeen in October.,
906 Trimmier, K 699-4479 • Southern Hills Baptist Church South FM 116, CC 547-0009 • Sunset Baptist Church 814 W. Ave. C, K 634-5055 • Tabernacle Baptist Church 6601 S. Ft. Hood St. K, 554-2920 • Thy Word is Truth Christian Ministries Missionary Baptist 1803 Sherman Dr. K, 254-526-8310 • Trinity Baptist Church 403 FM 2410, HH 699-4436 • Triple 7 Baptist Fellowship, 1501 Riverside Dr., K 254-290-1552 • Westside Baptist Church K 628-1004 • Westview Missionary Baptist Church - ABA
1102 W. Main St., G 404-2316 • Unity Missionary Baptist Church 903 N. 1st, CC • Youngsport Baptist Church Rt. 2, Box 94, RM 2484, K 616-2484
BUDDHIST • Wat Pah Samarkki 20905 State Highway 195 K, 793-3713 • SGI-USA Killeen Activity Center 116 E. Ave. D, Killeen 554-6960
BIBLE CHURCH • Grace Bible Church 1203 Winkler Ave., K 690-1728 • Instituto Biblico Hosanna 205 E. Hallmark Ave., Suite B, K 953-1113 • Killeen Bible Church 4717 Westcliff Road, K 690-4748 • Maranatha Bible Institute Harker Heights, 699-8400
CAO DAI • Cao Dai Temple of Harker Heights 127 E. Ruby Rd., HH 699-5074 CATHOLIC • Red Team Chapel/58th St. Chapel Corner of 58th & Battalion, 288-6548 • Holy Family Catholic Church 1001 Georgetown Rd., CC 547-3735 • St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
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2903 E. Rancier, K, 634-7878 • St. Paul Chong Hasang Catholic Church 1000 E. FM 2410, HH 698-4110 CHRISTIAN CHURCH • Cantico Nuevo 1801 Rancier, Killeen 258-2958 • Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1301 Trimmer, K 5262179 • Copperas Cove Christian Church (disciple of Christ) 1908 Morrow D.C.C. 547-2486 • Iglesia Christiana Sinai 701E. Stan Schlueter Lp. K. 628-1539 • Deliverance and Praise Temple Church of God in Christ 702 Harley Dr., 699-4346 • Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1301 S. Trimmier, K 526-2179 • Copperas Cove Christian Church Disciples of Christ 1908 Morrow Dr., CC 547-2486 • Crestview Independent Christian Church 2608 S. FM 116, CC 547-4013 • Deliverance Ministries, Household of Faith, Church of the Living God, Inc. 329 Indian Trail, HH 519-4659 • The Fellowship of Praise & Worship 301-A S. Main St., CC 458-8429 • House of Refuge Ministries 908 Highland Ave., K 213-0465 • Iglesia Cristiana Sinai 701 E. Stan Schlueter Lp, K 628-1539 • Iglesia Cristiana Misionera A.I.C. 1801 Nathan Dr, K 633-6230 • Iglesia Cristiana Nueva Vida
Pastor Adrienne Zermeno is seen inside Kempner United Methodist Church.
3709 Zephyr Rd., K 680-4422 • Iglesia Cristiana Uncion y Poder 313 S. 1st. St., CC 518-4452 • Min. Divina Misericordia 205 E. Hallmark Ave., Suite B, K 953-1113 • Restoration Christian Church Upstairs National Bank, CC 520-5419 • Samoan Christians Fellowship Assembly 406 N. 4th St. K 542-3792, 628-5449 • Samoan Congregational Christian 1st Cav. Div. Memorial Chapel, FH Solid Rock
Family Christian Center 340A Copperas Cove Plaza, CC 518-1411 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE • Christian Science Cowan Amenity Ctr., 1433 Cool Spring Way Sun City - Georgetown, 512-943-4784 CHURCH OF CHRIST • Central Union Church of Christ 3202 Westcliff Ste. 100, K
• Church of Christ 400 N. W.S. Young Dr., K 634-7373 • Church of Christ 306 W. Avenue E., CC • Church of Christ Cemetery Rd, Kempner • Church of Christ Iglesia Ni Cristol 508 E. Jasper Dr., K • College View Church of Christ 123 Yates Rd. , K (at Reese Creek Rd.) 254- 290-3541 • Nolanville Church of Christ Main Street, Nolanville 462-5614 • Leon Church of Christ 4404 Twin City Blvd., Belton 939-0682 • Southside Church of Christ 1505 Trimmier, K 526-3041 • Westside Church of Christ 152 Westside Church Rd. K, 554-6711 • Youngsport Church of Christ Youngsport, 634-3754 CHURCH OF GOD • Christo-Vision Ministries 201 Ave. C., K 690-8200 • Abundant Life Church of God (Cleveland, TN) 1210 Florence Rd, K 526-4598 • Church of God The True Vine 211 Ave. D. Killeen • End Time Church of God Rt. 7, Box 7252, Twin Lakes Estates Belton 939-0326 • Deliverance Church of God (Cleveland, TN) CONTINUED, 128
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1618 Vet. Blvd., CC 518-3181 • Community Life Chapel Developing Community Leaders 254-415-2414 • West End Church of God in Christ 3601 South WS Young Drive Killeen, TX 76541 254-213-5511 CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST • Agape Church of God in Christ 3716 E. Veterans Mem. Blvd, Suite C, K 6906147 • Bibleway Church of God in Christ 300 Jasper Rd, K 213-9134 • Bountiful New Life Church of God in Christ meets at Copperas Cove Library 501 S Main St, CC 702-3816 • Deliverance and Praise Temple C.O.G.I.C 702 Harley Drive, HH 699-4346 • Divine Faith Ministry Holiness Church 2201 W Stan Schlueter Lp, K 680-7951 • First Church of God in Christ 5201 Westcliff Rd., K 953-3100 • Garden of Gethsemane 111 Cox Dr., HH 690-2703 • God’s Holy Tabernacle Church of God in Christ 500 S. 44th St., K • New Bethal Christian Worship Center 4013-A Stan Schlueter Lp, K 368-6400 • Power House 110 FM 2410 Suite A, HH 699-2127 • Trinity Cathedral Church of God in Christ 1312 George Town Road, CC - 547-5493 COWBOY • 5 Hills Cowboy Church 139 CR 4630 Kempner, TX 290-6005 • Maxdale Cowboy Church FM 2670 & Wolfridge Rd., Maxdale, TX, 254-368-2563 EASTERN ORTHODOX • Eastern Orthodox Call Father Paul Anderson at 254-768-7649 for service times, dates and locations. EPISCOPALIAN • Darnall Army Hospital FH 288-8850
Lia Ashford prays at Anderson Chapel AME church in Killeen during a service for National Black Solidarity Sunday on Dec. 14.
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church 2800 Trimmier, K 634-7474 • St. Martin’s Episcopal Church 1602 South FM 116, CC 547-0331 • St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 4th & Chestnut, Lampasas 556-5433 FULL GOSPEL • Bountiful Blessing Full Gospel Ministries 608 S. Ann St., HH 220-8899 • Grace Bible Fellowship 718 N. 2nd St., K 628-2111 • First Samoan Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Inc. 2602 S. FM 116, CC 245-2700 or 638-2900 • Full-Gospel Baptist Church Call for information 634-0940 • New Testament Christian Church 3500 Florence Rd., K 526-2149 • The Potter’s House Corner of 10th & Ave C, CC 547-7918
HEBRAIC ROOTS • B’nai Yisrael 2006 S. 57th St., T 598-2135 HOLINESS • Divine Faith Ministry Holiness Church 2201 W Stan Schlueter Lp, K 680-7951 HOME & CELL CHURCHES • Association of Home Churches For location nearest to you, call 690-5856 INDEPENDENT • 1st CD Memorial Chapel, FH, 287-6114 • 4 ID Memorial Chapel, FH, 287-5334 • 13th COSCOM Chapel, FH, 287-3090 • 33rd Street Chapel, FH 287-7262 • 68th Street Chapel, FH 287-6805 • 76th Street Chapel, FH 287-5835 • Blackhorse Chapel, FH 287-1635 • Casa De Oracion-Asambe Dios 313 S. 8th St., K 634-3772
• Cornerstone Ministry Nolanville 698-2055 • Full Gospel Killeen Church English Congregation (Multi-Purpose Education & Activity Center) 1410 Trimmier Road, 499-7689 • Killeen Bible Church 4717 Westcliff, K 690-4748 • Protestant Women of the Chapel • Comanche Chapel, FH Diane Kohl 542-7042 • Old Post Chapel, FH, 288-6545 • Post Chapel, FH, 287-5283-2642 • Post (Comanche) Chapel, FH, 288-6544 • Soldier’s Hospitality House 3981 Chaparral Rd, K 634-0822 • West Fort Hood Chapel (Praise Service) FH 288-9219 1401 Elms Rd., K 634-6990 INTERDENOMINATIONAL • Faith Fellowship Meeting at Nolanville Elementary School
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901 Old Nolanville Rd, N 526-0009 • North Pointe Church 1115 N. Main St. CC 547-7470 St. John’s Faith Outreach Baptist Church 3507 Cranford Ave., K 699-4874 ISLAMIC FAITH • The Islamic Community of Greater Killeen 5800 S. Fort Hood Road, K 634-8799, 634-1990 JEWISH • Jewish Community Fort Hood The Spirit of Fort Hood Warrior and Family Chapel Campus, Tank Destroyer & 31st St, FH 254-287-3411 • Congregation Simcha Sinai 102 Cattail Circle, HH 231-4930 LATTER-DAY SAINTS • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2nd & Mary Jane, K 526-3013 • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1502 Virginia, CC 547-1248 • Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Hillcrest Rd., Temple 547-7850 LUTHERAN • Abiding Savior WELS 458 Turkey Trot Killeen, 953-4442 • Faith Lutheran Church LCMS Old Austin Rd. & Sunflower, Lampasas 512-556-3514 • Fort Hood Lutheran Fellowship Old Post Chapel, 761st Tank Destroyer Blvd 512-556-3514 • Grace Lutheran Church LCMS Trimmier & Bacon Ranch Rd., K 634-5858 • Immanuel Lutheran Church ELCA 3801 Cunningham Road, K 634-2772 • Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS 922 Lutheran Church Rd, CC 547-3498 • Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 1215 South Wall, Belton 939-0824 • Trinity Lutheran Church Hwy 190 & Morris, CC 547-2225 METHODIST • 4 ID Memorial Chapel, FH, 287-5334 • Adams Chapel AME Church 125 Ario, HH 699-3435 • Anderson Chapel AME Church 1002 Jefferies, K 690-5030 • Conder Valley Community Church 3601 Edgefield St., K 616-1664, Claudia 5473349 • First United Methodist Church Killeen 3501 E Elms Rd, Killeen 634-6363 www.fumckilleen.com • First United Methodist Church 302 E. Curry St. F 793-2535 • Grace United Methodist Church S. Main & Ave. F, CC 547-3729 • Harker Heights United Methodist Church Cardinal & Harley, HH 699-6271 • Hillside Evangelical Methodist Church
Singers practice the “pure Mozart” composition “Requiem in D minor,” which they performed in November at the First Baptist Church in Belton.
2602 S. FM 116, CC • Kempner United Methodist Church Hwy 190, Kempner 512-932-3011 • Nolanville United Methodist Church 300 W. Ave I, Nolanville • Pidcoke United Methodist Church 11230 FM 116, Gatesville 254-598-6094 • St. Luke United Methodist Church 102 E. Church Ave., K 526-3993, 526-5234 • St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church Florence and Fowler, K 634-7721 • Thomas Chapel AME Church 901 N. Main, CC • Topsey United Methodist Church Rev. Deanna Ranes, 4406 FM 1113, CC 7809245 NAZARENE • Belton First Church of the Nazarene 1701 Sparta Rd., 939-3404 • First Church of the Nazarene 951 Stagecoach, K 634-7676 • First Church of the Nazarene W. Hwy 190, CC 547-4032 NONDEMONINATIONAL • Abundant Life Christian Church 3301 E. Rancier Ste. 102-B, K 813-1061 • Amazing Grace Fellowship 1600 E Rancier Ave, K 290-0403 • Antioch Fellowship Ministries Church of God & Christ 210 W. Mary Jane, K 634-2101 • Agape Christian Center 321 N. Penelope, Belton 939-9673 • Bethesda Fellowship Ministries 1803 Pecan Cove, CC 547-3455 • Beyond the Veil Ministries 1801 N. 8th St., K 628-0145
• Calvary Christian Fellowship of Georgetown Dell Pickett Elementary School 1100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Georgetown, 512-8888892 • Carinthian Christian Church Rte. 2 Box 65 D, CC 547-3755 Chapel by the Lake Oakalla Road, K • Christian House of Prayer 916 W. 190 CC 526-7021 3300 E. Stan Schlueter Lp, K 526-7021 • Common Ground Ministry 1600 E. Rancier Ave., K 383-4705 www.commongroundministry.org • Destiny World Outreach Center 101 N. W.S. Young Dr., Killeen 690-0856 • Disciples Church Meets at Eastern Hills Middle School 300 Indian Trail Harker Heights, TX www.MakeDisciplesNow.org • Divine Grace Ministries 205 E. Ave. C, K 458-0146 • Exalted Praise Worship Center 600 Indian Trail, Suite 201, HH 466-0749 • Excellent Covenant Powerhouse Ministries 4103 Zephyr Rd, K 699-6920 • Faith Christian Center 103 E. Mockingbird Dr., HH 519-3226 • Faith Community Church 3705 Zephyr Rd, K 254-338-8777 • Faith Tabernacle 812 Harley at Beeline, HH 394-0572 • Family Dominion Ministries Inc. PO Box 11143, K 520-4269 • For Whosoever Will 3310 Florence Road, K 512-932-2716 • Fully Persuaded Church of Reconciliation 602 Gray Street 526-2100 • Gift of Life Ministry
5802 Wedel Cemetery Rd. Heiden Heimer, TX 983-1911 • God’s TrueVine House of Worship 906 South Ann Blvd. HH, TX 338-2872 • Grace Abound Tabernacles 10th Street, Nolanville, 698-9910 • Grace Awakening Church 5400 East Veterans Memorial, K 554-2500 • Grace Bible Church 1203 Winkler Ave., Killeen 690-1728 • Grace Christian Center 1401 Elms Rd., K 634-6990 • Grace Ministries Apostolic Church 3119 Commerce St., K • Greater Love Outreach Ministry 3603B E Veterans Memorial Blvd., K 6342879 • Greater Vision Community Church 2000 E. Stan Schlueter Lp, K 200-4382 • Guiding Light Ministries 524 Shady Drive, Ste. A & B, K 690-0198 • Harker Heights Community Church 425 E. Cen Tex Expwy, HH 289-3861 • Harvest of Prayer 605 W. Ave. G, Temple 254-547-8877 • Killeen Christian Fellowship 803 E. Central Texas Expressway 723-6414 • Knowledge is Power Ministry 815 Florence Rd. Killeen 634-3463 • Iglecia Cristiana Jehova Es Mi Pastor 805 Hall St., Killeen 554-2147 • Iglesia Divina Misericordia 205 Suite B, Hallmark Ave K 953-1113 • Joint-Heirs with Christ Ministries 219 E. Ave. D., Killeen 526-0599 • Liberty Christian Center 801 N. 8th St., K 287-2470 415-7336 CONTINUED, 130
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• Montessori Children’s House School Killeen, 699-104 • Movement of Faith International Ministries 810 W Rancier Ave STE 100, K • New Beginnings for All People 113 S 20th St, K 254-9004 www.NBIMINC.org • New Bethel Christian Worship Center 1301 8th St., K 254-368-6400 • New Covenant Christian Church 104 County Road #221., Oakalla 547-5082 • New Covenant Ministries Worship Center 1340 E. Knights Way, HH 247-7466 • New Life Christian Center of Killeen 625 E. Vets Memorial Blvd, HH 699-5200 • New Life Fellowship 708 East Four, Belton 939-8011 • New Life Ministries 207 E. Avenue C, Killeen 953-3179 • New Covenant Mission Outreach 3401 Zephyr Rd, Killeen 501-FIRE • New Jerusalem Church 1209 Hillcrest Rd., Temple 985-2079 • New Vision Church of Fellowship 1601 N Eighth St, K 371-1179 • The People’s Choice Worship Center 802 N 2nd St., Building G; K 690-2066 • Praise & Deliverance House of Prayer 315 Gray St. Killeen 289-2922 • Praise Fellowship Church 680-2983 • Precious People Ministry 319 N. Gray, K & 702 Elm Road, K • Rivers of Living Waters 508 N. Gray St., K 690-9673 • Shekinah Glory Worship Center 205 S. 2nd St. & Ave E., CC 542-6100 • Southern Gospel Worship Center 501 W. Elms Rd, K 702-2777 • Tabernacle of Praise 348 S. 40th St. K, 702-1690 • Templo Victoria 514 E. Ave D, K 554-5371 • The Church of the New Commandment 997 Stagecoach Rd., K 681-0530 • The Home Full Gospel 1613 Illinois, K 699-0169 • The Salvation Army 501 N. 2nd, K 634-7172 • Transforming Life Fellowship Ministries 4107 Westcliff Rd., 526-2997 • Trinity Worship Center 1802 Martin Luther King Blvd., CC • True Gospel Church 1101 W. Ave E, K • True Worship Ministries 103 E. Mockingbird Ln, HH 690-8730 • True Deliverance Ministries 508 Hall Ave., K 634-7082 • Truth and Deliverance Ministries 203 S. 2nd St., CC 514-2348 • Word of Knowledge Ministries 625 E. Vet. Mem. Blvd, HH 501-9105 • Word of Life 1506 McCarthy Ave, K 634-7082 • World Outreach Church of Killeen
First United Methodist in Killeen opened a prayer trail in the past year on its property along Elms and Cunningham Roads in Killeen.
Immanuel Lutheran Church, at 922 Lutheran Church Road in Copperas Cove, celebrated its 120th anniversary last year.
1100 Hwy 440 • United Faith Church 1101 N. 1st, CC 547-8005 • Unity Church of Temple 12 S. Main St., Temple 770-0070 • Universal Life Wiccan Church 107 E. Ave E, CC 542-1555 • Victory Life Family Church 1196 Amy, HH 368-8690 • Vineyard Christian Fellowship East Hwy. 36, Temple 778-2802 • Word of God Christian Fellowship 808 N 8th St, Killeen 690-3315 PENTECOSTAL • Apostolic Faith “Living Water” C.O.O.L.J.C. 62nd & Battalion, FH 547-1426 • Apostolic Temple Church
1408 N. 4th Street, 680-3787 • Bethel Church 4307 E. Hwy 190, K • Christ Gospel Holiness Church 311 N. Gray, K 628-6000 • Christ Gospel Apostolic Church 200 S. Gray St. K 628-8000 • Church of Full Gospel 300-A W. Hallmark Ave., K 690-5361 • Faith Point Church 3504 E. Centex Expressway., K 699-5231 • First Church in Harker Heights 2314 Indian Trail, HH 698-4660 • Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church of God 1704 N. 38th, K 690-1011 • Iglecia Cristiana Jehova Es Mi Pastor 805 Hall St., K 554-2147 • Jesus Christ Apostolic Faith Temple Church 701 Sun Meadows Dr., HH 698-2000
• Jesus House of Prayer Apostolic Ministries Suite 911-B, Trimmier Rd., K 213-8164 • Killeen Holiness Church 607 W. Avenue G, K 634-5387 • The Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church 1411 N. 38th St., K 519-1123 • Pentecostal Experience Holiness Church 309 W. Ave. F, CC • Potter’s House 1306 E. Rancier Ave, K 554-4120 • Rivers of Living Waters 508 N. Gray St., K 690-9673 • Samoan First Assembly of God 502 N. 38th St, K 554-2901 • Tabernacle of Praise Pent. Church, Inc. 5010 Trimmier Rd, K 526-4686 • True Deliverance Pentecostal Holiness Church 524- C Shady Ln, K 245-6063/ 245-6099 • United Pentecostal Church of Copperas Cove Pecan Cove Rd., CC 547-2264 • Saints Center of Copperas Cove 801 Industrial Ave. CC 542-3211 PRESBYTERIAN • First Presbyterian Church 4705 East Rancier Ave., K 690-6464 • First Presbyterian Church 704 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., CC 542-4884 • First Presbyterian Church 2500 Church St., B 939-2115 • Hill Country Church (PCA) 1604 S. W.S. Young Dr, K 698-4950 TRANS DENOMINATIONAL • Common Ground Ministries 1600 E. Rancier, K 383-4705 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST • Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 1726 Morgan’s Point Road, Morgan’s Point 780-1008
Progress 2015 | 131
RECREATION
132 | Progress 2015
Year in review: Many highlights for area teams, athletes BY CLAY WHITTINGTON KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
It was another standout year for area sports teams. Like most years, 2014 began with a bang as a number of squads embarked on impressive playoff runs. In basketball, state-ranked Harker Heights and Salado produced the deepest runs of any boys teams, reaching the Class 5A and Class 2A regional quarterfinals, respectively, but there were plenty of other strong showings during the season. The Ellison girls became the first team in program history to go undefeated en route to a district championship, while the Lampasas boys reached the playoffs for the first time in a dozen years. Perhaps the biggest moment for Killeen basketball, however, occurred in late June, when the San Antonio Spurs selected former Kangaroo Cory Jefferson with the 60th pick in the NBA Draft. In golf, Salado dominated the links as Dalton Hankamer finished second individually, while guiding the Eagles to the state championship, and the Lady Eagles placed second as a team. The Lady Eagles also delivered on the diamond, reaching the regional final before being eliminated from the playoffs, while Lampasas cruised into the regional semifinals for the third time in four years. Salado’s impressive showings continued on the baseball field, where the Eagles also reached the regional finals, and on the soccer pitches as both teams qualified for the Class 4A playoffs. The well-rounded display helped Salado earn the 2014 Lone Star Cup for a second consecutive season. The Lone Star Cup goes to the school that accumulates the most points based on finishes in each sport along with academics and One Act Play. In May, a number of area athletes won medals at the UIL State Track & Field Meet, including Lometa senior Tricia Williams, who defended her state championships in both the Class 1A, Division II discus and shot put by establishing new records in each event. She also won the state powerlifting title. Salado’s Ryan Simmons also walked away from the meet with a pair of gold medals in the discus and shot put, while Lampasas’s Shonderius Howard placed first in the Class 3A high jump.
Copperas Cove quarterback Manny Harris looks down field Oct. 24 against Harker Heights. Cove made the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season.
The quartet of DJ Lilley, Daniel McCants, Kyle Boutte and Devyn Williams led Killeen to a second-place finish in the 400-meter relay, and Lometa high jumper Mikhalia Barnett also earned a silver medal. Additionally, Gatesville finished second in the 1,600 relay as Jordan Brock, Sarah Hogan, Robbie Clarke and Alli Richardson edged out Stafford in a photo finish, breaking the school record in the process, while Efrain Hernandez, of Ellison, placed third in the 800. Following the summer break, area schools picked right up where they left off, producing plenty of memorable moments in the fall. After losing 31 consecutive games, Ellison’s football team ended its skid by beating Bryan Rudder 33-13 on the road en route to finishing the season with a 2-8 overall record. In Bob Shipley’s first season as head coach at Belton, the Tigers were the only area football team to win a game in the playoffs, beating Garland 50-27. It was the program’s first postseason victory since 2009. Copperas Cove extended its current playoff-appearance streak to 11 consecutive years, going 7-4 in the season. The Lady Bulldawgs had another strong year in volleyball, reaching the third round of the Class 6A playoffs for the first time since 2006 while reaching the postseason for a ninth consecutive year. In Gatesville, the Hornets qualified for the playoffs for a 12th straight season.
Ellison’s Madison Hattix-Covington (24) shoots over Shoemaker’s defense Jan. 23 at Shoemaker.
Progress 2015 | 133
134 | Progress 2015
UIL realignment changed landscape for area high schools Killeen High pitcher Rene Ramirez (22) throws to first baseman Chris Barber to check the Boerne runner March 14 at Killeen High.
BY CLAY WHITTINGTON KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The University Interscholastic League brought sweeping changes to the structure of state sports in 2014 with its bi-annual realignment. Most notably, a new classification was added. With the creation of Class 6A, all sixman football teams were transformed into Class 1A programs, subsequently elevating the former Class 1A teams into Class 2A, Class 2A into Class 3A and so on. Class 6A is reserved for schools with an enrollment of 2,100 students or more, while Class 5A consists of schools with between 1,060 and 2,099 students. Class 4A has between 465 and 1,059 students, and Class 3A schools have enrollments of 220 to 464, while Class 2A ranges from 105 to 219 students. Class 1A is composed of schools with 104.9 students or fewer. Along with the new names, however, there were plenty of changes to local districts. The Killeen-area schools lost a rival as Temple moved down to Class 5A and was not replaced with another school, creating a seven-team district. The newly formed District 12-6A includes Killeen, Ellison, Shoemaker, Harker
Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton and Midway. With the odd number of schools, programs are now required to have bye dates in order to allow every team to play each other either once of twice a season depending on the sport. District 12-6A teams will now compete against teams from District 11-6A in the opening round of the playoffs. District 11-6A consists of Garland, Garland Lakeview Centennial, Garland Naaman Forest, Rowlett, Sachse, North Garland, Rockwall and Tyler Lee.
Additionally, the move in districts is coupled with a move in regions, allowing the Killeen-area schools to compete in Region II, making travel to regional competitions much more convenient. Instead of traveling to Lubbock like the schools did in previous years as Region I teams, most Region II competitions are held in Waco. In other area football districts, Gatesville and Lampasas moved into District 14-4A, Division I, joining Burnet, China Spring, Robinson and La Vega, while Salado was elevated into District 11-4A,
Division II with Caldwell, Giddings, La Grange and Smithville. Florence now competes in District 103A, Division I with Cameron Yoe, Lago Vista, Little River-Academy, Rockdale and Troy, and Lometa joins Evant, Santa Anna and Zephyr in District 111A, Division I. While the all teams in District 12-6A compete against one another in every sport, it is not the case for the smaller classifications. For example, Gatesville returns to its Waco roots for all other sports, including basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, track and field, golf and tennis joining China Spring, Lorena, Robinson, Waco Connally and La Vega in District 17-4A. Similarly, Lampasas and Salado share District 25-4A with Burnet, Liberty Hill, Llano and Taylor for every sport other than football. Florence is part of District 25-3A with Blanco, Comfort, Georgetown Gateway College Prep, Ingram Moore, Jarrell and Lago Vista for a majority of its seasons. Lometa, which only participates in basketball, cross country and track and field, is part of District 25-4A with Cherokee, Cranfills Gap, Evant, Jonesboro and Oglesby for every sport except football.
Central Texas athletes abound on national stage in several sports BY ALBERT ALVARADO KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
No matter when and where the biggest games in professional or college sports are played, the greater Fort Hood area will have a hand in the outcome. Whether it’s the NFL, NBA or major college sports, alumni from various high schools in the area have become stars and big-time players in the NCAA and professional ranks. Super Bowl XLIX had a local flavor as New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Boyce was going up against Seattle Seahawks assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan. The Patriots won a thrilling 28-24 contest that will go down as one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history. Boyce, a graduate of Copperas Cove High School, is a second-year player for New England and did play in the Patriots’ Week 17 loss to Buffalo.
Boyce has nine career receptions for 121 yards. The Patriots picked him in the fourth round with the 121st overall pick in 2013. Morgan was part of Killeen High’s 1991 Division I-5A state championship team and helped the Colorado Buffaloes go 4-0 in bowl games during his collegiate career. Morgan started his coaching career at Copperas Cove in the early 2000s. Former Copperas Cove Bulldawg Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor in 2011 and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. Charles “Peanut” Tillman, another former Bulldawg, established himself as one of the league’s best defensive backs for the Chicago Bears. Tillman had consecutive Pro Bowl selections in 2011 and 2012 and won the 2013 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. June 26 proved to be one of the most historic nights in Killeen basketball
history as the San Antonio Spurs drafted the former Killeen Kangaroo Cory Jefferson with the 60th and final pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. The Spurs eventually traded his rights to the Brooklyn Nets where he averaged 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the first 25 games of his NBA career. Jefferson is one of the greatest players out of Killeen High School and became a standout at Baylor. David Cobb, a former Ellison High football star, leads a local contingent of athletes who are out of college and hoping to break into the pro ranks. Cobb finished his career at the University of Minnesota by rushing for 1,626 yards in 2014, a new Golden Gopher single-season record, and 13 touchdowns. In preparation for the NFL Draft, Cobb played in the Senior Bowl and rushed for 69 yards on 11 carries. The NFL Draft is April 30 through May 2.
University of Texas at El Paso quarterback Jameill Showers played his final two collegiate seasons in El Paso, where he helped the Miners make it to the New Mexico Bowl. The former Shoemaker Grey Wolf threw for 1,858 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior in 2014. University of Texas cornerback Duke Thomas (Copperas Cove) and Baylor running back Johnny Jefferson (Shoemaker) will go for the Big 12 title this fall. Texas State’s Ojai Black (Ellison) and Baylor’s Royce O’Neale (Harker Heights) look to make March Madness memorable this spring. The high school football recruiting Class of 2015 included Shoemaker’s Diamon Cannon (Tulsa) and Kerry Walker (Texas State), Copperas Cove’s Manny Harris (UTSA) and Harker Height’s Troy Smith (Army). Bulldawg star basketball player Rashard Odomes signed to play for Oklahoma.
Progress 2015 | 135
136 | Progress 2015
Abundance of recreational activities available in Killeen BY JORDAN MASON KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
As the city continues to grow, the Killeen Parks and Recreation Department continues to provide modern and family friendly facilities that offer a variety of programs and activities for everyone from children to adults. Athletic leagues, a race series, fitness classes, hike and bike trails, an aquatics center and two senior centers are some of the activities and areas of fun the department offers in 2015. Killeen Parks and Recreation gives local runners a chance to participate in the CenTex Race Series, which will offer 16 5k and 10k runs throughout the year in Killeen and nearby cities, such as Copperas Cove, Temple and Belton. Get more information at killeentexas. gov/centex. Awards are given to overall male and female winners along with first place winners in each age category. Trails of Hope 5K Run, held Feb. 28, supported the efforts of Hope for the Hungry. Like every race in the CenTex Race Series, registration can be completed online, and results for each race are also posted online in the Parks and Recreation section at killeentexas.gov. The department also offers two hike and bike trails. The Andy K. Wells Hike and Bike Trial starts at the Killeen Community Center, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd. and is 2.5 miles long. The trail eventually may complete a series of trails linking Belton and Stillhouse Hollow lakes. The trail at Lions Club Park opened in 2011 and loops around a recreation section that includes a playground and outdoor basketball courts. The trail is 1.5 miles long and is located at 1600 E. Stan Schlueter Loop. The Killeen Community Center is a multipurpose facility that offers a gym and meeting rooms, which can be rented to host anything from birthday and anniversary parties to receptions and meetings. The center also has an arts and crafts room that is available for group rentals. Killeen Parks and Recreation also offers pavilions for rental at Long Branch Park, Conder Park, Lions Club Park, AA Lane Park, Marlboro Park and Maxdale Park for outdoor events like corporate picnics, family reunions, birthday parties and more. Room and pavilion rental applica-
Golfers play a round at the Stonetree Golf Club in Killeen. The club is open to the public and features a variety of trees and small lakes with fountains.
tions are available at killeentexas.gov. The center offers classes like Tai Chi, oil painting and Walk Live, which is a free class offered on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Costs for Tai Chi and oil painting range from $12 to $40 per person. Questions regarding hours and renovations can be answered at 254-501-8889. The Killeen Family Recreation Center is part of Lions Club Park and features the Tommie Harris Fitness Center, named after the former Ellison defensive tackle who went on to star for the Chicago Bears. Harris donated the gym equipment located on the second floor of the recreation center, where professional bodybuilders and casual lifters alike train each day. The first floor offers two indoor basketball courts where residents and nonresidents can play. The recreation center offers monthly, quarterly and annual membership fees for family, adult, senior and youth. Childcare is provided to members at no additional charge. The Killeen Family Aquatics Center is also part of Lions Club Park and will open on the weekend of Memorial Day. The center offers day passes and season passes to residents and nonresidents and features a bath house, a 10,360 square foot multi-use pool, a
25-meter lap pool, three water slides, a bowl slide and a tot slide. Killeen Parks and Recreation also offers Long Branch pool, at 1101 Branch Drive inside Long Branch Park, which will reopen during Memorial Day weekend. Like the Killeen Family Aquatics Center, Long Branch Pool offers day and season passes, but pool passes are not valid at the Aquatics Center. Killeen Parks and Recreation also offers two senior centers for people age 55 and older, one at Lions Club Park and one at the Bob Gilmore Senior Center at 2205 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd. There is no fee to join either center, but certain activities will require members to purchase supplies. The Bob Gilmore Center has yoga, dancing, movie nights, games, exercise, oil painting and many more activities. The center also serves lunch at 11:30 a.m. every day at a cost of $2 per person. Lunch also requires a reservation by noon the day before. Killeen Parks and Recreation also offers a number youth and adult leagues. The Tri-County Soccer Club offers 50 to 60 teams for youth ages 4 to 14. The department also offers youth leagues for T-Ball, softball and baseball as well as boys and girls basketball. Registration for each of the leagues is available online at killeentexas.gov.
In addition to the youth leagues, Killeen Parks and Recreation also offers a number of adult leagues, including basketball, soccer and volleyball at Lions Club Park. Registration for these leagues is also available at killeentexas.gov. Those interested in serving the community can participate in the AdoptA-Park initiative where community volunteers participate in litter removal and maintenance of local parks. Killeen Parks and Recreation is home to Stonetree Golf Club, which was built in 1970 and completely renovated in 2005. The club is open to the public and features a variety of trees and small lakes with fountains. Stonetree hosts 25 to 30 golf tournaments annually along with major fundraisers. The club also features a pro shop with the latest golf equipment and a clubhouse that offers a daily menu and sports bar and is available to rent for functions and parties. Last year, the course hosted the inaugural Tee Off Junior Golf League, created by the city of Harker Heights. Tee times at Stonetree are available up to seven days in advance. Learn more about Killeen Parks and Recreation at killeentexas.gov or call 254-501-6390, 254-501-8889 or 254-286-2005.
Progress 2015 | 137
Mary Hardin-Baylor continues dominance in NCAA Division III football BY ALLAN MANDELL KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team won its 10th consecutive American Southwest Conference crown in 2014. For most of the season, the Crusaders, who compete in NCAA Division III, were ranked No. 2 in America. UMHB ended its regular season with a 10-0 record and then won its first playoff game over Texas Lutheran. The next week, the Crusaders were defeated by Linfield (Ore.). For those who enjoy football, there aren’t many better venues to watch a game than Crusader Stadium in Belton which holds 8,766 fans. There is no such thing as a bad seat in the stadium. In 2015, the Crusaders, again expected to be ranked among the top teams in America, will play seven of its 10 regular-season contests at home. Tickets can be purchased at www.umhb.edu. Head coach Pete Fredenburg started the Crusader football program in July 1997. Since then, he’s led the Crusaders to 170 wins, 12 conference titles and two
UMHB won its 10th consecutive conference crown in 2014. national championship games. Fredenburg earned National Coach of the Year honors in 2013. Due to its success and top-notch program and facilities, UMHB is able to draw interest from top high school players all over the nation. But Fredenburg and his staff mostly recruit players in Texas, and there are always several players on the Crusader roster who played their high school football in the greater Fort Hood area. The men’s and women’s basketball teams also are competitive. Both play at the Mayborn Campus Center and tickets can be purchased at the stadium. The Crusaders compete in most NCAA sports. Among recent highlights, the women’s golf team finished No. 2 in the nation in 2014 and won the national championship in 2013.
UMHB’s Zach Anderson (1) leaps over Kean’s Corey Miller (52) and Darren Dixon (21) during game action at Crusader Stadium in Belton on Sept. 27.
138 | Progress 2015
Tons of fun in the sun at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area BY ALBERT ALVARADO KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
It is no secret that there is plenty of sun in the state, but residents of Central Texas can fight the brutal heat by heading to the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area. BLORA includes a marina, water slides, water skiing, a boat launch along with boat and RV storage areas. No beach umbrellas or sun-shade canopies are authorized on the first level of the beach, but they may be set up on the second and third levels. Waterfront activities are based on the availability of lifeguards and water temperatures. The POV gate fee for authorized Morale, Welfare and Recreation users is $3 and the gate fee for civilians is $10. The BLORA Phantom Plume water slides at Sierra Beach are now open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week and are also open on holidays. The Sierra Beach swim area features two 300-foot water slides that curve from the start tower down to the 4-foot splash pool. Covered family picnic shelters are located adjacent to the beach area and a snack bar sells refreshments. BLORA offers boater safety tests and courses that are open to the public, unless certification is required. A Texas boat certificate is $13 while a Coast
Waterfest visitors wait for their opportunity to climb into a sphere and run around a track last summer at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area.
Guard certificate that is transferable to other states is $15. All boaters, regardless of age, must complete a boater safety test and the law is in effect for boats of 15 horsepow-
er or more, windblown vessels of 14 feet and personal watercraft. Call 254-2871853 or 254-287-4126. Equipment rentals are available at the Recreation Equipment Checkout
Center. Call 254-287-1853 for reservations and pricing. For more information about BLORA, go to hoodmwr.com/lake_activities.htm or call 254-287-6644.
Fort Hood MWR offers many programs for soldiers, families to have fun BY ALBERT ALVARADO KILLEEN DAILY HERALD
Soldiers, retirees and civilians with ties to Fort Hood have plenty to do in their spare time thanks to the Fort Hood Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs offered on post. Whether it’s golf, arts and crafts, Army Community Service workshops or basketball games, the Fort Hood MWR offers a plethora of activities. MWR seeks to enhance the quality of life by providing recreation and services to encourage growth and a feeling of self-reliance within the military community. MWR is reeling in activities in March as the Big Bass Contest kicks off at the Sportsmen’s Center. The heaviest catch wins a rod and reel combo. The tournament ends at the
Dirk Bland helps the Bravo family learn how to fillet a fish May 17 at a clinic sponsored by MWR.
end of the month and is open to all and registration is available at the Sportsmen’s Center. A registration fee of $2 is required per participant and a Fort Hood fishing permit and state license is required.
MWR also offers a variety of workshops for military families. Weekends kick off early for MWR at the Thursday Music Mix at the Backbone NCO Lounge. You can play pool, shuffleboard and
eat popcorn on the patio decks as a DJ spins country and western, oldies, R&B and blues hits. The event is free and open to noncommissioned officers, corporals or higher, their guests and civilians age 18 and older. The Phantom Warrior Scramble at the Courses of Clear Creek will take place April 24. Teams must consist of three players from the same division, directorate, battalion, brigade, company or branch. The tournament cost is $35 per participant and players have the option of purchasing mulligans for $5. On-site registration is from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. and the tournament has a noon shotgun start. For more information about MWR, go to hoodmwr.com or facebook.com/ forthoodfmwr.
Progress 2015 | 139
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KILLEEN 254-634-8181 SOUTH KILLEEN 254-554-8181 HARKER HEIGHTS 254-953-8181 TEMPLE 254-899-8181 FLORENCE 254-793-2601 GEORGETOWN 512-869-8181 ROUNDROCK 512-246-6800 LIBERTY HILL 512-515-6300
2115 BIRD CREEK TERRACE TEMPLE, TEXAS 76502
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ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Serving the Area Since 1946 2102 W.S. Young
“Restoring Faith in Education� Since 1955 PK3 through 6th grade
(254) 699-4653
2901 E. Rancier Killeen
(Next to Killeen Mall)
(254) 634-7272
140 | Progress 2015
60
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HALLMARK SERVICE CO. Sales • Installation Service All Makes & Models Call today for free, no obligation sales estimate
TURN TO THE EXPERTS
See Dealer for Details.
60
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Professional Protectors of Health & Property Since 1956
Residential & Commercial 1506 Florence Rd. Killeen, Texas 76541
1106 W. Stan Schlueter Lp. Killeen, Tx
254-634-5317 TACLA29645C
54
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Harker Heights
United Methodist Church (254) 699-6271
208 W. Cardinal Ln Harker Heights, TX www.hhumc.org
634-2646 634-7645
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203 Elbert Lane Harker Heights
699-2685 699-8464
Residential-Commercial
Free Estimates
Progress 2015 | 141
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BAND ROOM
THE Good Credit, Bad Credit, No Credit... NO PROBLEM!
Home Healthcare since 1975
View Our Entire Inventory Online
GENEFOGLEMOTORS.COM Special Military Financing! 2803 E. Veterans Memorial Killeen, Texas
699-7181
254-634-1736
39
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35
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Visit us online at outreachhealth.com to apply
5501 E. Central Texas Expressway
www.batesnissan.com
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WILSONS DENTAL LAB 749 S. Amy Lane Suite B Harker Heights, TX
254- 690-3384
HARKER HEIGHTS 212 W. Vet. Mem. Blvd. 699-BAND(2263) COPPERAS COVE 508A Cove Terrace Shopping Center 547-7100 BELTON 2805 N Loop 121, Ste A, 939-6200
“BAND”
IS Our Middle Name
www.thebandroomtx.com
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142 | Progress 2015
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HUNTER RENTALS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Thank You to all our valued customers for your business
“Experience You Can Trust.”
R.K. BASS ELECTRIC KILLEEN & COPPERAS COVE
28
29
YEARS
1503 W. Stan Schlueter Lp. Killeen, TX 76549
1200 E. FM 2410 Harker Heights
1902 E. Central TX Expwy
KILLEEN
dodgecountry.com
698-8751
888-637-0437
27
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254-634-3311 www.HunterRentals.com
27
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Killeen Auto Brokers
27
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Chamber of Commerce It's Right in the Middle of Where You Want to Be!
Serving Our Military!
3500 S IH-35 Belton, TX 76513 www.cedarcresthospital.com
(254) 939-2100 CALL 24/7
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552 E. FM 2410
Guaranteed Credit Approval 805 E. RANCIER AVE. KILLEEN, TX
Harker Heights, TX (254) 699-4999
254-526-4889
www.hhchamber.com
killeenautobrokers.com
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GREENZIT LAWN CARE Residential & Commercial Lawn Aeration Organic Fertilization Insect Control Weed Control Disease Control Trees • Mowing
1506 Florence Rd. Killeen, Texas 76541
634-2646 554-5296
875 W. Centex Expwy Harker Heights, TX
254.680.4747
FORTHOODHD.COM
Progress 2015 | 143
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Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 4201 Zephyr Rd Killeen, TX 75643 (254) 680-4378
sewandquiltstore.com
Working with God to extend His Kingdom on Earth
2201 WS Young Dr. Suite 111 C (254) 616-2200
Pastor J.A. Moland
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Rodriguez Concrete Work Slabs, sidewalks, driveways, patios, walls, etc. Now doing concrete stone design.
Jose Rodriguez
(254) 698-4177 (254) 681-1671
14
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Light of the World Ministries (254) 526-3377 PO Box 20 Killeen TX 76540
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APPLIANCES Modern TV & Appliance 401 N 8th St, Killeen (Corner of 8th St & Ave C) (254) 634-5922 www.moderntv.net ....... 18
AUTO SERVICE, PARTS & REPAIR
southpointhyundai.com ....................................... 148
AWARDS, TROPHIES & PLAQUES Sargent’s Trophy Co. 302 W Rancier Ave, Killeen (254) 526-4404 sargentstrophy.com...... 79
Absolute Towing 220 W Veterans Memorial Blvd, Killeen (254) 634-4327.............. 20
BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS
Big Chief 114 E Ave G, Killeen (254) 634-5421.............. 10
First State Bank 661 W Central Texas Expwy, Harker Heights (254) 616-2265 fsbcentex.com .............. 8
Bill’s Towing & Storage 3700 Bacon Ranch Rd, Killeen (254) 690-2869 billstowingkilleen.com . 33 Chip Control Auto Glass 2519 E US Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (888) 356-4126 chipcontrolautoglass.com ....................................... 115 Continential Battery 600 E Centex Expwy. Killeen (254) 634-2287 continentialbattery.com ....................................... 20 MAACO 1002 N Twin Creek Dr, Killeen (254) 526-4079 maaco-killeen.com....... 26 The Car Wash Barn 1701 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Killeen (254) 634-1893 thecarwashbarn.com ... 81 The Car Wash Barn 4901 MLK Jr Blvd, Killeen (254) 634-1893 thecarwashbarn.com ... 81 The Car Wash Barn Ft Hood at The Exchange Bldg 50014, Clear Creek Rd, Killeen (254) 634-1893 thecarwashbarn.com ... 81 The Car Wash Barn 101 E Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 634-1893 thecarwashbarn.com ... 81
AUTOMOTIVE SALES South Point Hyundai 4610 S IH-35, Austin (877) 398-1982
Greater Central Texas Federal Credit Union ..... 3305 E Elms Rd, Killeen (254) 690-CASH gctfcu.net...................... 12 Texas Partners Federal Credit Union 1011 Wales Dr, Killeen (254) 526-3081.............. 5 Union State Bank 120 N Gray St, Killeen (254) 634-8181 usb-tx.com.................... 2 Union State Bank 120 N Gray St, Killeen (254) 634-8181 usb-tx.com.................... 71
hhchamber.com ............ 108
CHURCHES 5 Hills Cowboy Church 139 CR 4630, Kempner (254) 290-6005.............. 127 Abiding Savior Lutheran Church 458 Turkey Trot, Killeen (254) 953-4442 abidingsaviorkilleen.com ....................................... 125 Anderson Chapel 1002 Jefferies Ave, Killeen (254) 690-5030 andersonchapelkilleen.org ....................................... 127 Central Christian Church 1301 S Trimmier Rd, Killeen (254) 526-2179 ccctexas.org ................. 124 Grace Christian Center . 1401 E Elms Rd, Killeen (254) 634-6990 gracechristiancenter.com ....................................... 122 Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church 4201 Zephyr Rd, Killeen (254) 680-4378 greaterpeace.com......... 126 Harker Heights United Methodist Church 208 W Cardinal Ln, Harker Heights (254) 699-6271 hhumc.org..................... 126
Union State Bank 2201-B E Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen (254) 554-8181 usb-tx.com.................... 107
Killeen Church of the Nazarene 951 Stagecoach Rd, Killeen (254) 634-7676 www.killeennaz.org...... 127
Union State Bank 345 E FM 2410, Harker Heights (254) 953-8181 usb-tx.com.................... 107
KPLE-TV PO Box 11031 (254) 554-3683 kpletv.org ...................... 126
BUILDING SUPPLIES Heights Lumber & Supply 602 W FM 2410, Harker Heights (254) 699-3491 heightslumbersupply.com ....................................... 106
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce 552 E 2410 # B, Harker Heights (254) 699-4999
St. Mary’s School 1019 South 7th St, Temple (254) 778-8141 stmarys-temple.org...... 128 Westside Baptist Church 711 Stagecoach Rd, Killeen (254) 628-1004 westsideoasis.com....... 121
COMMUNITY HARKER HEIGHTS Central Texas Homebuilders Association 445 E Centex Expwy, Harker Heights (254) 699-6964 cthbainfo.com............... 101
COMMUNITY - KILLEEN City of Killeen - Killeen Volunteers PO Box 1329, Killeen (254) 501-7878 (254) 501-7736.............. 34
COMMUNITY SERVICES CYS-FCC (254) 287-5448 hoodmwr.com/ childandyouth.html....... 133
COMMUNITYHARKER HEIGHTS City of Harker Heights 305 Millers Crossing, Harker Heights (254) 953-5600 ci.harker-heights.tx.us . 104 Kirbo’s Office Systems 617 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Harker Heights (254) 526-6182 kirbos.com .................... 44
COMPUTER SERVICES Kirbo’s Office Systems 617 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Harker Heights (254) 526-6182 kirbos.com .................... 31
DAY SPA Spa-Topia Massage Therapy 315 E Avenue D, Copperas Cove (254) 542-7722 spatopia.massageplanet.com ....................................... 114 Triapolis Wellness Therapies 620 Town Square, Copperas Cove (254) 547-8847 triapoliswellness.com .. 35
DENTAL Central Texas Orthodontics 300 Morgan St, Harker Heights (254) 526-8666 iheartbraces.com.......... 57 House of Smiles 5610 E Centex Expwy, Ste 3, Killeen (254) 680-4450 houseofsmiles.net ........ 60
EDUCATION A New Beginning 2201 S WS Young Dr, Ste 114-B, Killeen (254) 616-2255 massageschoolkilleen.com ....................................... 99 Action Career Training 400 W Centex Expwy, Killeen (254) 501-8600 actioncareertraining.com ....................................... 69 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 1000 E FM 2410, Harker Heights (888) 333-2377 AFSP.org ........................ 97 Central Texas 4-C 504 N 5th St, Temple (254) 778-0489 centraltexas4c.org........ 88 Central Texas College 6200 W Central Tx Expwy, Killeen (254) 526-7161 ctcd.edu ........................ 92 Copperas Cove Independent School Disctrict 703 W Ave D, Copperas Cove (254) 547-1227 ccisd.com...................... 86 CTC Online High School (254) 501-3076 ctcohs.com ................... 99 Killeen Independent School District 200 N WS Young Dr, Killeen (254) 336-0000 killeenisd.org ................ 89 Montessori School of Central Texas 5610 E Centex Expwy, Ste 2, Killeen (254) 680-7500 centraltexasmontessori.com ....................................... 85 The Band Room 212 W Veterans Memorial Blvd, Harker Heights (254) 699-2263 (254) 690-3300 thebandroomtx.com ..... 28 Transformative Charter Academy 802 N 8th St, Killeen (254) 628-8989 transformativecharter.org ....................................... 88 University of Mary Hardin Baylor 900 College St, Belton (254) 295-8642 umhb.edu ...................... 98
EMPLOYMENT ACT 11550 IH-10 West 280, San Antonio Tx 78230 (254) 718-3590 actcentraltx.com........... 95 Art-Co Bell Corp 1302 Industrial, Temple (254) 778-1811 artcobell.com................ 27 ATDS Truck Driving School (800) 460-2837 truckingschool.com...... 95 CCA Bartlett State Jail 1018 Arnold Drive, Killeen (254) 527-3300 cca.com/careers........... 75 Express Employment Professionals 200 W Calhoun Ave, Temple (254) 771-5595 expresspros.com .......... 33 Express Employment Professionals 1801 Trimmier Rd, Ste #A-7, Killeen (254) 554-5700 expresspros.com .......... 33
FINANCIAL SERVICES John Lister, CPA 2420 E Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 547-0773 johnlister.com ............... 113
FIREPLACES Georgetown Fireplace & Patio 8 Sierra Way, Georgetown (512) 930-5850 georgetownfire-patio.com ....................................... 47
FORT HOOD Sedona Staffing 1109 E Central Texas Expwy, Killeen (254) 690-5627 sedonastaffing.com...... 76
FUNERAL HOMES
Better Texas Contracting (254) 563-6181 bettertexascontracting@ gmail.com ..................... 50 Century Link 902-B W Central Texas Expwy, Killeen (254) 628-5484 centurylink.com............ 16 Creative Carpet & Interiors 3953 Chapparral Road, Killeen (254) 634-4023 creativecarpet interiorskilleen.com ....................................... 22 Hallmark Service Company 1106 W Stan Schlueter Lp, Killeen (254) 634-5317 hallmarkservicect.com. 43 Killeen Pest Control 1506 Florence Rd, Killeen (254) 634-2646 killeenpestcontrol.com. 34 Lochridge Priest, Inc. 150 West Amity Rd, Belton (254) 773-0003 lochridgepriest.com ..... 15
First National Bank 1stnb.com/careers ....... 27
Crawford Bowers Funeral Home 1615 S Ft. Hood Rd, Killeen (254) 634-2638 crawfordbowers.org..... 10
GC Services 332 Town Square, West Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 518-COVE gcserv.com.................... 6
Harper Talasek Reeder Vogel 506 N 38th St, Killeen (254) 699-8200 Harpertalasek.com ....... 19
Cedar Crest Hospital 3500 IH 35 (254) 933-2100 cedarcresthospital.com 63
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Elms Creek Family & Urgent Care 3816 South Clear Creek Rd, Killeen (254) 554-8773.............. 52
GC Services 560 Town Square (254) 518-1211 gcserv.com/career........ 11 Osmose Utilities (716) 319-3438 osmoseutilities.com ..... 3 Sedona Staffing 1109 E Central Texas Expwy, Killeen (254) 690-5627 sedonastaffing.com...... 28 Spherion Staffing Services 2309 Birdcreek Terrace, Temple (254) 778-0533 spherion.com/jobs........ 4 Windsor Foods 601 E 3rd Dr, Lampasas (512) 556-5454 windsorfoods.com ........ 9
ENERTAINMENT Painting with a Twist 716 Indian Trail, Ste 220, Harker Heights (254) 393-0182 paintingwithatwist.com/ harker-heights .............. 131
Artie’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. 125 N 4th St. Killeen (254) 554-7250.............. 31
HOME BUILDERS John D Bowen Construction (254) 518-1162 jdbtx.com ...................... 49
HOME REMODELING RNC Construction 103 W Ave E (254) 542-7622 rnc-construction.com... 31
HOME SERVICES Ables Top Hat Chimey 808 S 23rd St, Copperas Cove (254) 547-6087 ableschimneysweeps.com ....................................... 24
HOSPITAL
Metroplex Health System 2201 S Clear Creek Rd, Killeen (254) 526-7523 mplex.org ...................... 67
INSURANCE Allstate - Ira Brand 2312 E Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 547-6300.............. 25 Texas Farm Bureau Decuis W Tasby 4200 E Stan Schlueter Loop, Ste D, Killeen (254) 718-1260 dtasby@txfb-ins.com ... 30 Union Insurance Agency, Inc 100 E Main St, Florence Tx (254) 793-2550.............. 21 Union Insurance Agency, Inc 345 E FM 2410, Harker Heights (254) 953-8151.............. 21
146 | Progress 2015
Western Insurance 2128 E US Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 547-2626.............. 119
INVESTMENTS The National Investment Center of Central Texas 408 S Main St, Copperas Cove (254) 547-7521.............. 25
JEWELERS Pagel & Sons Jewelers . 2102 S WS Young Dr, Killeen (254) 699-4653 pagelandsons.com ....... 9
LAUNDRY SERVICES Wells Laundry wellslaundry.com ......... 12
MANUFACTURING & DISTRIBUTING Big Chief 114 E Ave G, Killeen (254) 634-5421.............. 10
MEDICAL Advanced Pain Care 3400 E Central Texas Expwy, Ste 101, Killeen (512) 244-4272 austinpaindoctor.com... 66 Angels of Care 12741 Research Blvd #4026, Austin (512) 996-9559 angelsofcare.com ......... 54 Bell County Indigent Health Services PO Box 880, Killeen (254) 519-1229 bellcountytx.com .......... 64 Coryell Memorial Hospital 1507 W Main St, Gatesville (254) 865-8251 www.cmhos.org ........... 65 Dr. Dave Webster 5610 E Central Texas Expwy, Ste 1, Rosewood Plaza (254) 690-8887 websterfamilypractice.com ....................................... 58 Eye Clinic of Killeen 2301 S Clear Creek Rd, Ste 116, Killeen (254) 526-5505.............. 64 Greater Killeen Free Clinic 718 N 2nd St, Killeen (254) 618-4211 gkfclinic.com ................ 56
Killeen Pediatric Care 4102 S Clear Creek, Ste 107, Killeen (254) 526-8300 killeenpediatric.com..... 67
Killeen Animal Care Boarding & Bath 424 W Rancier Ave, Killeen (254) 634-BATH (254) 634-2284.............. 35
Kirbo’s Office Systems 617 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Harker Heights (254) 526-6182 kirbos.com .................... 76
Killeen Veterinary Clinic 1321 Pershing Dr, Killeen (254) 634-0242 killeenvetclinic.com...... 13
Little River HealthcareKings Daughters Clinic . 2025 Memory Lane, Ste 500, Harker Heights (254) 298-2600 lrhealthcare.com/kdc ... 51 Metroplex Health System 2201 S Clear Creek Rd, Killeen (254) 526-7523 mplex.org ...................... 61 Pain Specialist of Austin 2701 E Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen (855) 876-PAIN painspecialistsofaustin.com ....................................... 55 Pundt Family Dentistry 421 North 38th St, Killeen (254) 634-0234 pundtfamilydentistry.net ....................................... 63
Stagecoach Pet Hospital 4826 Stagecoach Dr, Ste 300, Killeen (254) 200-2790 stagecoachpet.com ...... 22
REAL ESTATE & RENTALS Armadillo Properties/ Exit Heart of Texas Realty 2602 E Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 547-0505 armadilloproperties.com 38 Brown’s Temporary Apartments (254) 634-8554 brownstempapts.com... 49 Delores Castillo, Realtor 2000 E Centex Expwy, Ste B, Killeen (254) 702-7303 deloressellstexas.com.. 47
Seton 850 W Central Tx Expwy, Harker Heights (855) 855-4469 setonharkerheights.org ....................................... 59
Eagle Home Mortgage 2201 S WS Young Dr, Ste 111, Killeen (254) 415-4237 eaglehm.com ................ 40
Texas Bariatrics 2201 S WS Young Dr, Ste 111-B, Killeen (254) 227-6224 killeenweightloss.com . 62
First Community Mortgage 100 W Central Tx Expwy, Ste 300, Harker Heights (254) 690-3765 valoans4u.com.............. 27
MOTORYCYCLE SALES Ft Hood Harley Davidson 875 W Central Texas Expressway, Harker Heights (254) 680-7474 forthoodhd.com ............ 75
NEEDLECRAFTS Nedlewerkes 100 Cove Terrace Shopping Center, Copperas Cove (254) 542-6335 nedlewerkes.com ......... 115
PET CARE SERVICES Bubbles & Bows 1248 Hwy 190, Copperas Cove (254) 547-8022.............. 119
Flood Real Estate 701 W Central Texas Expwy, Killeen (254) 526-8100.............. 47 Fort Hood Area Board of Realtors 306-A Mary Jane, Killeen (254) 634-4412 fhaar.com ...................... 37 Hunter Rentals & Property Management 1503 W Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen (254) 634-3311 hunterrentals.com ........ 42 JWC Property Management 3800 WS Young Dr, Ste #101, Killeen (254) 526-5921 jwcrentals.com ............. 45 Keith Carothers Homes . 3362 Upton Dr, Kempner (254) 542-6090 keithcarothershomes.com ....................................... 41
Killeen Overhead Doors 1505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Killeen (254) 690-3667 killeenoverheaddoors.com ....................................... 46 Linnemann Realty 3402 S. WS Young Dr, Killeen (254) 628-9272 linnemannrealty.com.... 48 Precision Value Homes . 3301 Rockwall Dr, Killeen (254) 535-6050 (254) 290-7826 pvhtx.com ..................... 42 Rinehart Real Estate Inspection Service 445 E Central Tx Expwy, Harker Heights (254) 690-1186 realestateinspection.net ....................................... 43 Sedona Staffing 1109 E Central Texas Expwy, Killeen (254) 690-5627 sedonastaffing.com...... 50 The Releford Group 1536 W Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen (254) 554-3568 therelefordgroup.com... 44 Tramel Property Inspections Killeen, Tx (254) 289-8471 tramelpropertyinspections. com ............................... 44 Window World 6803 Woodway Dr, Waco (254) 751-0008 windowworldwaco.com ....................................... 41
RECREATION & LEISURE Armed Services YMCA 501 Clara Dr, Copperas Cove (254) 542-2851 asymca.net.................... 133 Armed Services YMCA 100 E Beeline Dr, Harker Heights (254) 634-5445 asymca.net.................... 133 Armed Services YMCA 415 N 8th St, Killeen (254) 634-5445 asymca.net.................... 133 Killeen Bowlerama Corner of Rancier & 38th St, Killeen (254) 699-5222 killeenbowlerama.com. 137
Killeen Kickers Square Dance Club 2205 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Killeen (254) 526-0772 (254) 289-3285 killeenkickers.com ....... 137
RECYCLING Centex Scrap & Metal ... 12800 Texas 195, Killeen (254) 526-4600 centexscraptx.com ....... 16 City of Killeen Recycling 111 East Avenue F, Killeen (254) 554-7572 killeentexas.gov/public_ works ............................ 23
RESTAURANTS Bare Bones BBQ 4305 S Hwy 36, Gatesville (254) 248-1441.............. 35 Big Daddy’s Back Door Catering 1304 E Rancier Ave, Killeen (254) 449-2022 bigdaddyskilleen.com .. 76 Dairy Queen 1220 S Fort Hood St, Killeen (254) 526-5118 dairyqueen.com............ 32 Maurice’s Real Pit BBQ 129 W Veterans Memorial Blvd, Killeen (254) 699-6665.............. 109 Papa’s Café 302 Millers Crossing #14, Harker Heights (254) 200-1313 papas-café.com............ 29
SERVICES AJ’s Repair & Service 302 E Robertson Ave, Copperas Cove (254) 542-8000 ajsrepairandservice.com ....................................... 114 Alzheimers Association (800) 367-2132 alz.org/texascapital...... 68 Events by Stephanie PO Box 11964, Killeen TX 76547 (254) 371-6251 eventsbystephanie.net . 31 Rodriguez Concrete (254) 698-4177 (254) 681-1671.............. 21
SOLAR ENERGY Solar Centex 1901 E FM 2410, Harker Heights (254) 300-1228 solarcentex.com ........... 24
SPECIALTY STORE Kirbo’s Office Systems 617 E Veterans Memorial Blvd, Harker Heights (254) 526-6182 kirbos.com .................... 114 The UPS Store 2511 Trimmier Rd, Ste 140, Killeen (254) 634-9406 ups.com ........................ 28
STORAGE
So Natual Organic Restaurant & Market 706 Edwards Dr, Harker Heights (254) 245-8571 sonaturalmarket.com ... 33
Big Red Barn Storage 1328 W Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen (254) 526-4848 bigredbarnselfstorage.com ....................................... 72
Texas BBQ Grill & Crabshack 110-B W Veterans Memorial Blvd., Harker Heights (254) 519-1300.............. 23
Hubbert Self Storage 13805 FM 2410, Harker Heights (254) 698-2077 hubbertselfstorage.com ....................................... 106
The Feed Mill Restaurant 108 N 6th St, Gatesville (254) 865-9450.............. 35
TAX PREPARATION
RETAIL Killeen Mall 2100 S WS Young Dr, Killeen (254) 699-2211 killeenmall.com ............ 7
Derland Bahr, CPA 581 Pan American Dr, Ste 7, Harker Heights (254) 432-5724 derlandbahrcpa.com .... 32 Uncle Joe’s Tax Service 618 N 10th St, Killeen (254) 289-8284 unclejsweeton@yahoo.com ....................................... 29
TRAVEL Fly Killeen 8101 S Clear Creek Rd, Killeen (254) 501-6100 flykilleen.net ................. 77
WINERIES Stillhouse Wine Room 403 E Stan Schlueter Loop #308, Killeen (254) 681-9463 stillhousewineroom.com ....................................... 30