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Happy Thanksgiving! Volume 35, Issue 1
www.LHIndependent.com
2021
News@LHIndependent.com
November 25, 2021 | 50 Cents
Community embraces the return of schools’ Thanksgiving tradition
By KRISTEN MERIWETHER Staff Writer After a year without the Thanksgiving lunches due to COVID, the annual Liberty Hill tradition was back last week, much to the joy of parents and students alike. Parents, grandparents and sibling shuffled through the lunch lines on the final days before Thanksgiving break to enjoy a delicious meal featuring oven roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread stuffing, buttered green beans and homemade peach crisp for dessert. Central Office staff, and an army of parent and high school student volunteers helped pull off the event that saw 12001500 lunches served. On a normal school day, elementary schools serve 400-500 lunches. Students led their parents through the cafeteria, showing them where to get milk, how to pay and where to sit. It wasn’t just an opportunity to share cafeteria food with their children, but a way for parents to experience a part of the school day with them. “These moments are the most precious memories at school and we are so blessed to be a part of it and thankful for the school for allowing us to be there with our children,” said
Author visits LHMS
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer The library at Liberty Hill Middle School was slightly more noisy last week when students gathered to do a writing workshop with April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of popular young adult mystery thrillers like The Night She Disappeared and Girl, Stolen. Henry helped students brainstorm through character development ideas—by pulling names out of a phone book and asking the students to develop the characters based on their names—and had them complete a writing exercise where they had to use a specific list of vocabulary words to flesh out their stories. Hands shot up frequently as the students eagerly gave personalities and looks to characters like Darla Bolts and James Tompertini. “You definitely have to give your characters what they
See AUTHOR, Page 8 ©2021 The Liberty Hill Independent
Sarah Saiz, parent of five-yearold Santa Rita Elementary student Reagan. Last year’s celebration was canceled due to COVID. As cases continue to remain low in the area, the district has opened the schools up to parents and volunteers again, something parents are enjoying. “The kids really missed out last year. They were bummed,” said Haley Wisian at Liberty Hill Elementary. “They are extremely excited for it to be back this year.” What makes it so exciting for the students? “You get to play with friends and family at school,” Emalee Trump, 11, said. The elementary school tradition has been going on for generations in Liberty Hill. The district was unable to provide an exact date, but grandparents who spoke to The Independent at Liberty Hill Elementary said they had participated with their children and were now coming back as grandparents. Wanda Loehr worked at Liberty Hill Elementary in the 1990s and recalled enjoying the Thanksgiving lunches as a parent. She, along with her husband Robert, joined her two grandsons Harley, 6, and Jesse Janz, 7, at LHE on Nov. 18. “I love to be able to come up
KRISTEN MERIWETHER PHOTOS
(ABOVE) Wanda and Robert Loehr enjoy a Thanksgiving lunch with their grandchildren Harley, 6, and Jesse Janz, 7, on Nov. 18 at Liberty Hill Elementary School. (RIGHT) Chandon Ford, general manager of child nutrition services, serves lunch to students and parents at Noble Elementary School.
here with Paw Paw and have extra time with them, hear about their day and show what they’ve learned,” Loehr said. Stephen Borrego joined his four-year-old granddaughter Emberlyn at Liberty Hill Elementary, a tradition he had shared with his own daughter a generation earlier. “It means a lot to the students that we can contribute,” Borrego said. “They can see we stand behind them.”
Board discusses park updates, swim center
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Small and big changes are coming to Liberty Hill City Park in the coming months, from new lighting and trees to a brand new swim center. City Administrator Lacie Hale provided updates on several improvements coming to City Park during the Parks Board meeting on Nov. 18. One update includes the installation of approximately 15 to 20 solar lights, which will be set up at City Park in January 2022. The lights will be used to light up the walking path around the park as well as the sports fields in the eve-
nings. She said the City is also working on getting updated quotes from vendors regarding planting trees along the path. “I would like to discuss a plan at the December meeting as far as what we can purchase with the funds budgeted for trees, and the sizes of the trees,” she said. “I’ll bring those quotes back to our meeting in December, and then we could plan to plant them at the appropriate time of the year.” Along with the new trees, an irrigation system will also be set up in house to keep the Mayor Liz Branigan (right) recently signed the Liberty Hill Swim Center bid, awarding the contract to STR Constructors, LLC. She was accompanied by Parks & Recreation Board chair Mary See PARKS, Page 4 Lyn Jones (left). (Courtesy Photo)
Sales tax collection sets record for Liberty Hill
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer In the latest sales tax report provided to the City of Liberty Hill, the total collection of $270,408 was an all-time record, Economic Development Director Matt Powell announced at the most recent Economic Development Corp. Board meeting on Nov. 17. That record was only reached by $304, but last year during the same time frame, the sales tax was just over $208,000, which represents a 29.8 percent increase in sales tax year over year.
During the meeting, the EDC also continued its discussion of incentive programs. Previously, it was suggested that all the programs be combined into one, but Powell said by doing that, it made things more confusing. The Board discussed instead keeping the programs separate but having one application online where applicants can check off the incentives they are applying for. Powell said he could have an example of what the application would look like later this month. The Board talked about putting together a marketing or
awareness campaign surrounding the incentive programs, so that businesses know what the programs are once they are approved by City Council. The Board also discussed providing the public with a list of incentives the EDC has approved in the past. President John Clark said this would be helpful for many of the new board members, so they could see what deals had been done in the past and be more knowledgeable when talking with constituents. He added that this could also help to track the success of future incentives.
Board member Jamie Etzkorn added that this information would also allow the Board a way to see where its money is coming in and going out on a regular basis. Powell said he is also working on part two of the City’s shop local campaign with the Chamber of Commerce. Stickers, with a similar look to the shop local stickers, have been created for customers to put on their cars. “We’ve talked about the business side of it where businesses could say, ‘Hey, when you spend money in my store, the
sales tax is going to stay here,’ but what we were missing is as a Liberty Hill resident or nearby resident that likes to shop here, they should be able to demonstrate their affinity for doing so,” he said. The initial packets created for local businesses will be distributed during the week of Thanksgiving, so that businesses can implement them before Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27, Powell added. During the meeting, the group also discussed the possibility
See EDC BOARD, Page 8