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MU CH • GRAVEL MULCH GR OPSOIL • SAND TOPSOIL COMPOST ROCK • TURF COMPO OMPO T • RO GREEN WASTE W STE DUMP DUMPSTERS CURBSIDE DELIVERY
2021
Volume 34, Issue 48
www.LHIndependent.com
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School bus drivers train extensively to deal with special cargo
LHISD, City have meeting of the minds
By RACHEL MADISON & KRISTEN MERIWETHER Staff Writers A renewed sense of camaraderie was reached at a joint meeting of the Liberty Hill Independent School District and the City of Liberty Hill last week, where the entities discussed mutual concerns as well as future plans. Council member Crystal Mancilla said the overall feeling she got from the meeting was that it would be the first of many between the school district, school board, city council, city officials, and the city and school district police departments. “We’re looking at doing these meetings quarterly so we can start working collaboratively and supporting one another in the future of our citizens and students,” she said. “It was the first of many meetings to talk about the growth of our town and how we can support each other and work together as good neighbors.” Mayor Liz Branigan said the school district and the City had a disagreement many years ago, which was the main reason for the two entities not working together in recent years, but in the past several months, the groups have realized the need to work together. She said LHISD approached the City to set up a meeting, which she was “very pleased” about. “When we met, we talked about the [disagreement] and it turns out the causes of that falling out were so very minor that we decided to just resolve the lingering hard feelings,” she said. “That time is over, and my administration is looking forward to building bridges and mending relationships with school district [personnel].” LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell said he has a similar goal. “This is something that I had as a goal since I got here, to restore the relationship and to coordinate with all the city and county services,” he said. “I think everyone left that meeting optimistic. We have a great relationship moving forward and as long as we’re all on the same page, then it really helps us work together and support each other and the kids in the community.” Snell said a wide variety
See MEETING, Page 4 ©2021 The Liberty Hill Independent
October 21, 2021 | 50 Cents
KRISTEN MERIWETHER PHOTO
Tyrone Knight, a lead bus driver and trainer with LHISD, shows the inspection points under the hood of a Liberty Hill school bus.
Local stone carver recreates headstone for ‘witch’s grave’
By KRISTEN MERIWETHER Staff Writer An internet search for “witch’s grave Liberty Hill, Texas” will show countless tales of a “witch” buried at the Bittick Family Cemetery. According to the most popular version of the legend, Elizabeth Simpson was a Black slave accused of being a witch. Simpson allegedly stole a horse in an attempt to escape, was captured and hung from a nearby tree. Her headstone, which features numerous misspellings, gives an ominous warning: “And remember, As yo ar pasing By yo must dy, As well as I”. The story has captivated generations around Liberty Hill since at least the 1960s, with kids going out to the cemetery to light candles, leave tokens and scare each other. As the story began to be spread online The completed recreation of a headstone for Elizabeth Simpin the 1990s, the legend grew, son, who was falsely believed to be a witch. The headstone was destroyed after decades of vandalism. See HEADSTONE, Page 9 (Photo courtesy Matthew Johnson)
By KRISTEN MERIWETHER Staff Writer At least 30 minutes prior to their shift, all Liberty Hill Independent School District bus drivers arrive at the Transportation Building near Liberty Hill Middle School. Some gather earlier to talk, drink coffee and swap stories with their fellow drivers in the mechanics garage, which is doubling as an extended break room during COVID. As it nears time for the shift to start, the drivers head out to their buses to run through a pre-trip inspection. They check the lights, make sure the rear door is operational and visually inspect the tires. Drivers then pop the hood to check the
motor’s fluids, belts and ensure there are no leaks. Once the drivers have verified the bus is operating properly, each takes off on their assigned route to pick up their precious cargo—LHISD students. “When I’m training drivers, I tell them that my ultimate goal is to get them to where I feel safe enough that my daughter could ride with them,” Tyrone Knight, a lead driver and trainer with LHISD, said during a recent interview from his bus. Knight has been training bus drivers at LHISD for six years and driving for the district for eight. After spending 19 years in the retail industry he wanted a schedule that would
See BUS, Page 9
Construction phase of school bonds beginning with land purchase
By KRISTEN MERIWETHER Staff Writer With the $491.7 million bond package passing in May, the Liberty Hill Independent School District is now moving into the construction phase of district expansion. At Monday’s school board meeting, trustees voted to approve the district’s construction manager at risk for three projects that were part of the 2021 bond proposal. Bartlett Cocke, who has been working with the district on projects from the 2018 bond, will be the CMR for Middle School #3, and Joeris will be the CMR for Elementary #6 and the Liberty Hill Middle School additions and renovations. “Bartlett, Cocke has proven themselves capable, time and time again in Liberty Hill and Joris has a great reputation,”
Superintendent Steven Snell told The Independent Tuesday. “We feel confident with the projects we have, that they can do the job and they can get the subcontractors.” The construction industry, like many industries, has struggled to find enough workers to fill all the open positions. The industry has also been hit with supply chain issues that have made everything from calk to steel difficult to find. “We’ve got some unprecedented conditions,” Bond Program Manager Casey Sledge said at Monday’s board meeting. “We’ve probably said unprecedented in our careers before, but I know we’ve never had anything quite like this.” Sledge added that, “material delays are very real.” He said
See LHISD, Page 9
Changing Grange: Bringing frights to downtown
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of stories following the process of building a business from the ground up in Liberty Hill. By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Witches, ghosts, werewolves—they’re all a part of Halloween lore. But for the next two weekends in Liberty Hill, all things creepy will become far more real on Grange Street with the opening of Haunted House on Grange. Amy and Mike Gandy, who own the houses at 111 Grange and 109 Grange in downtown Liberty Hill, have been slowly renovating both homes, including leveling the foundation, installing central air and heat and redoing the plumbing. The house at 111 Grange serves as the office for Amy Gandy’s
real estate brokerage company, A. Gandy & Co., and the one at 109 Grange will eventually be a bed and breakfast. But for now, 109 Grange has been transformed into a frightening scene, with a real estate theme, of course. “The house is a mixture of all things creepy, but the theme is that it’s a house for sale that we can’t get sold, and that’s because no one ever escapes,” Amy Gandy said. “All the owners have died in the home. In fact, the original ‘owner’ will be sitting on the front porch as people enter the house.” Lots of scares are planned throughout the haunted house, which will begin at the front door, weave around to the back door, and end outside.
See HAUNTED, Page 3
STACY COALE PHOTO
Amy Gandy (right) and volunteers are hand-crafting spooky decor for the Haunted House on Grange, which is collecting food donations for Operation Liberty Hill beginning this weekend.