October 2025 Liberty Hill Independent Monthly

BIZ BRIEFS:

What’s New?

Latest business news and what’s coming soon to Liberty Hill

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Bu alo Wild Wings Go

14241 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

Liberty Hill will soon be home to Bu alo Wild Wings Go, a takeout and delivery concept of the restaurant of the same name. The restaurant will be at the end cap of the newest building in the Water Tower Plaza. Bu alo Wild Wings Go o ers chicken wings and tenders with variety of sauces, as well as burgers, wraps, sides and desserts. The project is set to begin in October and be completed by the end of 2025.

Pizza Hut

13900 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

Pizza Hut is now open in Liberty Hill. The popular chain o ers delivery and takeout of pizzas, pastas, wings and more from its new location.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Ricas Raspas El Guero

112 CR 214, Liberty Hill

• Jardin Breakfast

15399 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

RETAIL

Static ATX Records

55 CR 200, Liberty Hill

A new record store, called Static ATX, recently opened in Liberty Hill. The store o ers a wide variety of vinyl records, CDs, books and more. The store is open Thursday through Sunday.

The Plant Stand Nursery

203 Myrtle St., Liberty Hill

A new plant stand recently opened in downtown Liberty Hill that o ers customers several options of plants and flowers, as well as seasonal decor.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Emma + Norah Co. Online, Liberty Hill

• A ordable Autos 14745 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill SERVICES

Action Exteriors

7200 RR 2243, Georgetown

Action Roofing specializes in high-quality roof replacements, repairs and maintenance. The

team is committed to excellent workmanship, honest communication and customer-first service. Over the years, the company has built a strong reputation in Central Texas, and is proud to now call Liberty Hill home.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

• Genesis O road Fabrication

136 River Rd., Liberty Hill

• Hill Country Manufactured Homes

2815 Hwy. 29, Bertram

ON THE MOVE

Liberty Tavern

3000 RR 1869, Liberty Hill

Liberty Tavern recently announced it is renovating its outdoor area to include more parking spaces and bring the playground closer to the dining area. This renovation comes on the heels of the restaurant's recent three-year anniversary at the end of September.

the Liberty Hill Post O ce. Previous postmaster Bob Brady is now working for the Jarrell Post O ce.

The Luxe

2001 Loop 332 (Main St.), Liberty Hill Day spa The Luxe is celebrating its one-year business anniversary in October. Inside the spa are several di erent complementary businesses, including Kat Vora Organic Nails, Dani Luckey Aesthetics, Liberty Hill Medical Massage, Fleur Rebelle Boutique and Laney Beauty Artistry.

Simply Home Boutique

15280 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

Simply Home Boutique is celebrating 13 years in business in October.

Independence Title

14362 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

The Liberty Hill o ce of Independence Title celebrated 20 years in business in September.

Amanda Sauceda, Liberty Hill

Post O ce

2655 RR 1869, Liberty Hill

Amanda Sauceda has been named the new postmaster at

Pep & Punch

2023 Loop 332 (Main St.), Liberty Hill

Women's and gift boutique Pep & Punch is celebrating its six-year anniversary in business in October.

Main Street Marketplace

704 Main St., Liberty Hill

Several new vendors are now selling their wares at Main Street Marketplace in downtown Liberty Hill, including Arete Tallow Skincare, Momma Sophie's Goat Milk Soap and DudeMark Lifestyle Brand.

Empowered Women's Fitness Center

1460 Hwy. 29, Bertram

Empowered Women's Fitness

Center in Bertram celebrated four years in business in September.

Tea2Go TeaN'ergy Liberty Hill

15050 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

Tea2Go TeaN'ergy Liberty Hill closed its doors permanently Sept. 28. Store management cited changing economic times and rising costs of goods as reasons for the closure.

Liberty Tavern

City to break ground on pilot water treatment plant

Two different processes will be experimented with

BY JACE BRAZIEL STAFF WRITER

In November, the City of Liberty Hill will break ground on a pilot facility that will, when fully constructed in June 2026, test two multi-barrier direct potable reuse water treatment processes for use in the Advanced Water Purification Facility, or AWPF, which is slated to be operational in 2030.

The pilot facility, which will be built on the existing property of Liberty Hill’s wastewater treatment plant, marks the beginning of a years-long project Assistant Public Works Director James Herrera believes is the solution to the city’s water problem.

In late 2022, when Herrera was looking into the calculations on the city’s LUEs –living unit equivalents – a term to describe the typical flow consumed by a single-family residence in a typical subdivision – he discovered that the numbers weren’t what he was expecting.

“You base [LUEs] upon your water availability,” he said. “But when I started questioning that, I realized we soon won’t have the water availability to continue growing at the pace we were growing.”

Water availability was an issue that would not be easily solved, though.

“I looked at a lot of options,” Herrera said. “I looked at increasing the water line size to Leander -- that alone would’ve been $100 million.”

Herrera also mentioned a plan to increase the number of wells. Between late 2023 and early 2024, he oversaw the drilling of four wells. Of these, only one produced favorable results, while the remaining three were called off.

“I’m getting these reports,” he said. “The numbers just aren’t justifying the costs. We’re getting 20 gallons per minute. It would take 100 years to get your money back on that.”

With the list of options available to the city becoming increasingly shorter, Herrera looked to cities that found themselves in a similar situation.

“There were two other cities in Texas that had already gone through something similar,” he said. “One of them being El Paso and the other being Big Spring.”

Big Spring was the first town in the nation to house a direct potable reuse plant and similar facilities have been constructed in Wichita Falls and El Paso in Texas alone and

in cities and states all across the nation in recent years. El Paso recently broke ground on yet another similar project, which they anticipate will provide 10 million gallons per day to the city.

Direct potable reuse, or DPR, is a process in which already-treated wastewater, also known as effluent, is further subjected to more intensive treatment and sent either directly into distribution or to the source water that a standard water treatment plant would pull from.

Another similar process, indirect potable reuse, or IPR, involves treating effluent and allowing it to percolate through a natural environmental barrier, such as an aquifer, where natural processes further purify the water.

Another reason the city chose DPR, as Public Works Director Justin Parsons puts it, is due to the already-rigorous standards the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ, places on the city’s effluent.

The TCEQ imposed strict guidelines on the city’s current wastewater treatment plant in April 2024, reducing the maximum phosphorus levels within the effluent from 0.15 milligrams per liter to 0.02 milligrams per liter.

“By the time you do that [treatment] to get to those kinds of levels, what’s coming out is really, really pure,” said Parsons. “I mean, we’re taking PFAS [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also known as ‘forever chemicals’] – out. It’s low, low levels of anything.”

According to both Parsons and Herrera, the jump from that level of purity to fully drinkable water is worth pursuing.

“Our effluent is already cleaner than most people’s drinking water,” said Herrera.

In the new pilot facility, set to break ground in November, the public works department will run tests of two multi-stage treatment processes – reverse osmosis and carbon-based advanced treatment.

Traditionally, reverse osmosis involves filtration through a membrane under high pressure, creating a stream of ultra-filtered water.

The membranes used in the process have pores that are small enough to filter out most bacteria. After this, ultraviolet light kills any remaining viruses or bacteria, and an oxidant is used in conjunction with the UV light to break down harmful chemicals like pesticides and industrial solvents that have molecular sizes small enough to pass through the barrier.

Finally, the water passes through a granular activated carbon filter, which removes any remaining organic chemicals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such carbon filters can remove target contaminants to concentrations below one microgram per liter – that’s one-millionth of a gram per liter.

The second process set to run in the pilot program, carbon-based advanced treatment, begins with ozone (O3) injection. Ozone is a potent disinfectant that kills bacteria and other microorganisms while also beginning to break down other organic compounds.

Following this, the water is passed through a slew of filters with colonies of beneficial bacteria, essentially fast-tracking natural filtration processes.

These filters trap solid particles, while the bacteria utilize organic contaminants as food, breaking them down. Finally, like with reverse osmosis, the water passes through more carbon filters and UV light treatment.

Put a bit more simply, reverse osmosis uses high-tech filters and UV light to disinfect and purify. Carbon-based advanced treatment fast-tracks natural processes, while also using UV light and ozone.

Both of these processes will be tested extensively at the pilot facility, Herrera explained.

The results will be sent to the TCEQ, which will make the final determination as to which method produces the cleanest, purest water.

The level of scrutiny placed on drinking water produced from DPR plants is much higher than that of water produced at traditional water treatment plants.

As explained at the Pure Water LHTX town hall the city hosted in August, once the full facility comes online, it is expected to produce five million gallons of water per day.

All of the water available to the city right now, according to Herrera, including water

sent from Leander, water purchased from Georgetown, and water pulled from wells in Liberty Hill, amounts to one million gallons per day.

“The rule of thumb in water or wastewater projects is about four dollars per gallon,” Herrera said. “We’re now looking at $220 million to $250 million to build this facility.”

At five million gallons per day, a price tag of $250 million would exceed that, costing around $5 per gallon.

But, City Finance Director Josh Armstrong explained there’s more to the story when it comes to funding the AWPF. With the amount of financial assistance available to the city – federal EPA grants from the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and principal loan forgiveness from the Texas Water Development Board, to name a few – large swaths of the cost will be covered.

Liberty Hill City Council made another step toward this project during their regular meeting on Sept. 24, when they approved the principal loan forgiveness agreement with the Texas Water Development Board.

This agreement wipes out $10 million dollars from the city’s repayment obligation, meaning only $18 million of the $28 million loan will need to be repaid.

These funds are slated for use in the construction of the AWPF pilot facility, according to Parsons and Armstrong.

The timeline for and information about the project on the Pure Water LHTX website is still accurate, Herrera said, which means construction for the AWPF facility will likely begin in early 2027.

“Now it’s going to pose a new set of problems,” Herrera said when speaking about the opening of the AWPF in 2030. “We go from not having enough water to ‘What do we do with all this additional water?’ It’s a much better problem to have, and it puts Liberty Hill in the driver’s seat.”

In November, the City of Liberty Hill will break ground on a pilot facility that will, when fully constructed in June 2026, test two multi-barrier direct potable reuse water treatment processes.  PHOTO BY JACE BRAZIEL

City Council approves tax rate, budget for fiscal year

Liberty Hill decides on $76.6 million budget for 2025-26

BY JACE BRAZIEL STAFF WRITER

During a regular City Council meeting on Aug. 27, the Liberty Hill City Council unanimously approved both the proposed $76.6 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and the proposed ad valorem tax rate of $0.469407.

The newly approved tax rate is a decrease from last year’s rate of $0.483029. The new budget and tax rate went into effect Oct. 1.

To fund the maintenance and operations of the city, the new rate allocates $0.304358 toward the general fund. This fund is essentially the city’s savings account, and it finances the police department, development services and streets and drainage, among other things.

The remaining $0.16509 is slated for the debt service fund, which is used to pay down the annual debt obligations for the city.

Finance Director Josh Armstrong said there are several reasons for adopting a no-new-revenue tax rate as opposed to maintaining the same rate as last year.

“One being that we have seen an increase in other revenue types,” he said. “That allows us to balance those revenues.”

Other revenues mentioned in the budget include sales tax, investment income and other various fees, grants and sponsorships.

The increase in revenue generated by the sales tax in 2026 is projected to be significant.

In 2025, the projected revenue stood at approximately $5.9 million, while in 2026, that number is expected to jump up to $7.7 million, netting the city just under $2 million in additional revenue.

Another reason Armstrong gives for the rate involves the city’s downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ.

“Last year, there were some issues related to the downtown TIRZ that muddled the calculation of the rate,” he said. “I wanted to establish a baseline for the future to allow us the opportunity to identify our needs.”

Most importantly, he said, the estimated expenditures amount to only about $36.8 million – a marked decrease from the budgeted $57.2 million. Year-end estimates for

revenue, however, line up with the original projection of about $48 million.

Accounting for the largest increase in projected revenue for the coming fiscal year are charges for services. As Liberty Hill continues to grow, more and more people use services from departments like wastewater and water. Revenue generated by the charges for such services, therefore, increases.

In the coming year, the projected revenue from these departments is set to rise by just under $4 million – from the expected $13.8 million in FY 2025 to $17.6 million in FY 2026.

In the budget’s transmittal letter, Mayor Crystal Mancilla laid out the city’s budgetary priorities, as set by City Council. At the top of the list is water.

“Water capacity for current and future residents and businesses is essential for the continued growth and prosperity of our community,” said Mancilla.

To that end, the budget accounts for a short-term water agreement with the City of Georgetown, which aims to assist with capacity needs. It also includes funding for a new water and wastewater rate study to look for ways to help conserve water.

The water fund for FY 2026 is expected to effectively break even, with expenditures outpacing revenue by just under $10,000.

About $1 million in additional revenue is

expected to be generated through charges for service.

However, this is offset by an increase in water purchased from surrounding municipalities, amounting to approximately $700,000, an increase in debt service payments of around $400,000 and smaller increases in other expenses, such as maintenance, materials and personnel.

The fund is expected to spend $3.66 million and generate $3.65 million in revenue in FY 2026.

Perhaps the largest deviation from last year’s projections can be found in the wastewater fund.

This fund was projected to spend $16.5 million and was only projected to earn $10.4 million in FY 2025. According to year-end estimates, though, the reality is that the fund will generate $4 million more than expected, while spending almost $10 million less.

For FY 2026, the fund is budgeted to pay $12.8 million while generating $14.6 million.

The utility capital projects fund accounts for a large portion of the year’s budgeted expenses – over $35 million.

This is meant to fund projects related to water supply and wastewater management, as well as impact fees for related departments.

Such projects include updating portions of the city’s water lines, expanding the

city’s water storage infrastructure and constructing the Advanced Water Purification pilot facility, among others.

Staffing is another area where the city is directing its focus. In addition to a cost-ofliving adjustment and long-term disability insurance for city employees, the budget for the coming year also includes funds for two additional police officers to enhance overnight coverage and a new emergency manager position to plan and prepare for future emergencies.

Finally, the city plans to prioritize community accountability.

According to Armstrong, this includes mostly one-time funding for various projects, including a road thoroughfare plan, an update to the parks master plan and a continuation of the update to the Unified Development Code, or UDC. The Home Rule charter transition process is also receiving some attention, with plans to streamline department processes and create key performance indicators to track and improve outcomes.

As the city continues to experience significant growth, the budget for FY 2026 aims to further ease the transition from a general law city to a home rule one, while being proactive about its ability to provide municipal services to its citizens.

The budget can be reviewed in its entirety on the city’s website at libertyhilltx. gov.

The Liberty Hill City Council recently approved a $76.6 million budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. PHOTO BY RACHEL MADISON

Husband, father gone far too soon

together.

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 3, the Liberty Hill community lost one of its very own.

Brody Montes, 19, a lifelong resident and recent Liberty Hill High School class of 2024 graduate, tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident on RM 1869 in Liberty Hill. Where there once was a vibrant, larger than life young man that was wise and caring beyond his years, there is now a missing piece of a family that has lived in Liberty Hill for generations and must now navigate their new reality without him in it.

Together with his wife, Emily Montes, they had recently started a family of their own, welcoming their son, Everett Montes, only a few short months ago.

Brody and Emily were high school sweethearts and they were engaged to be married right on the Panthers football field during the LHHS class of 2024 graduation ceremony. Both Brody and Emily were Panthers through and through. Brody played varsity football and Emily danced with the Liberty Belles during their time in high school.

As Emily recalled her first impression of the “fluffy-haired” boy who would one day become her husband, she knew right away Brody was someone she wanted to be around. Though he initially wasn’t looking for a relationship with anyone at the time, the couple’s magnetic personalities quickly brought them

“We ended up going to the homecoming game together with all of our friends,” she said. “From there, we started talking pretty much every day and calling all the time. Then, one day, he was just like, ‘Do you want to go out?’ and I was like, ‘Sure!’ So, what started as a group project in freshman math class turned into almost five years together.”

Brody had a way of providing comic relief at the most opportune times, almost as if it was scripted and could instantly lift a room out of a heavy or awkward moment. But he also had a knack for having those serious and heartfelt conversations with his friends and family. He could navigate the two personas seamlessly and always for the same reason: to lift up those around him he cared so deeply for.

Mia Montes, Brody’s older sister, spoke of his uncanny ability to accommodate any moment and it’s something she’s always been fond of.

“Brody was so special because he knew how to bring light to every situation,” she said of her little brother. “He was able to flip a switch from being silly and making jokes to being the most serious person. He cared so deeply for others and always offered a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. He always knew what to say to make someone feel better. He also loved so big, meaning the family and friends he held close – he loved more than anything.”

Wife Emily echoed Mia’s sentiment and remarked in his always-impeccable timing – no matter what emotions were being conveyed.

“He was a very big joker,” she said. “If it was super quiet and everyone was feeling down, he’d just make the most inappropriate but funny joke to lift everyone’s spirits and it was always the right time when he made them.

From being the biggest joker to being super, super caring and serious, he always supported us no matter what.”

Emily continued to speak to just how supportive Brody was and that he would stop at nothing to step in and help, even if it was cheering someone on from the sideline.

“Whether I wanted to try a new hobby or go into a different career, he was always like, ‘Yeah, let’s do that,’”she said. “With his sister going to college and everything, he was like, ‘You’ve got to keep going. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.’”

Brody’s infectious nature made people want to work harder, be better and see the positive in people. In the days and weeks following his passing, the outpouring of gratitude, for all he was, has been nothing short of impressive. Every story spoke of his character as a young man, a brother, a husband, a father, a nephew, a friend or a helping hand. They each told the tale of a selfless, trusting and loyal human being that was taken from this world way too soon.

With such an impact being made on their lives, those who knew and loved Brody must now move on and he wouldn’t have it any other way. But Brody’s legacy is certain to remain. Whether it’s in a well-timed joke to liven up a stagnant room, a heartfelt conversation with someone who needs a sounding board, or and most of all, in the eyes, the heart and the soul of his young son, Everett, he has left a mark on a world and a communi-

ty that is so much better than one that would have never known him.

One of Brody’s uncles, Paul Montes, brought up a fitting and welcome reminder of a certain trait of his late nephew and it will hopefully serve as at least some form of closure for those who are understandably missing him – Brody always said goodbye.

“There’s a good chance the last time you saw Brody, he gave you a hug and said goodbye,” he said. “He always made a point to find each and every person that was there so he could tell them goodbye and give them some form of encouragement or appreciation –that’s just who he was.”

Then there are those who, if given the chance, would want to tell Brody, one last time, how much he meant to them.

“I would tell him thank you – for everything,” said Emily. “Thank you for being my person – showing me what real love is like, showing our son what it means to have a father that shows up for him everyday and supports him and thank you for pushing me to be better and loving me through everything.”

“One thing that I would want to say to him, if I could, is that he always made me so

Brody and Emily Montes had welcomed son Everett into the world just two months before his tragic passing in a motorcycle accident. COURTESY PHOTO

Brody Montes’ memory will live on in Liberty Hill

Emily and Brody Montes were married shortly after graduating with from Liberty Hill High School’s class of 2024. They got engaged on the Panthers football field immediately following graduation. COURTESY PHOTO

proud,” said Mia. “He accomplished so much in his life in such a short amount of time. He may have been my li le brother, but I truly looked up to him and his confidence in everything he did in life.”

For those who would love to hear one last thing from their beloved Brody, Emily summed it up in a way that would surely resonate with all who ever had the good fortune to cross his path.

“I think he’d tell everyone how proud he is of them,” she said. “He’d be proud of them for supporting each other, trying to make each other laugh and just being there for each other and continuing on and trying to be er ourselves. I think he’d be proud of us for everything we’ve done. He always made

a point to tell everyone he was proud of them for what they were doing and how well they were doing it. For me, I was a stay-athome mom and he was always like, ‘You’re doing really well. I know it’s hard, but you’re doing really well and I’m proud of you.’ He always made a point to say that and I think he’d tell everyone just how proud he is of them.”

Brody meant so much to so many and this small town with a big heart was fortunate to have such a good kid with an even bigger heart walk its streets and affect so many others in such a positive way. The Montes family has been in this town for generations and all who know them will speak of their resilience, their kindness, relentless spirit and thirst for living life on their terms. As Emily and her baby boy now look to an uncertain future without a husband or father, they won’t ever be alone in doing so, and that is what the unspoken bond of a family and a community does best.

So far, Liberty Hill has shown up for the Montes family by helping the GoFundMe account setup to cover the funeral expenses hit its goal of $30,000 with ease.

The Liberty Hill Football Boosters also held a fundraiser during LHHS’ Homecoming week with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Montes family.

Red’s Smoke Shop

Brody Montes was a member of the Panthers’ varsity football team, while Emily Montes was part of the Liberty Belles dance squad. COURTESY PHOTO

Brody Montes, far left, had a close bond with his fellow Panthers football players during his time at Liberty Hill High School. COURTESY PHOTO

Flood recovery ongoing

Liberty Hill community continues to show up in big ways for those affected by July flood

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

In what now seems like ages ago to many, Central Texas was gripped by record-breaking floodwaters in early July, and the events that followed turned Liberty Hill into its tightest-knit version of itself in recent memory.

For many others, it’s still as if it happened just yesterday, as they are still knee-deep in the receding waters of the recovery process, and there is still so much to be done.

Though they are certainly grateful for all that the Liberty Hill community has done for them, they are hoping that kindness and selfless generosity continue to ease their hearts and minds.

Operation Liberty Hill

Operation Liberty Hill, a beloved and critical link to local families in need, was on the front lines of the recovery efforts. With their early coordination efforts with the City of Liberty Hill in the days after the floods, to their relentless dedication to sending literal truckloads of food, supplies and otherwise to those families who lost everything, they continue to rally their supporters so that they can continue the call to action for those who depend on it.

Regina O’Brien, program director for Operation Liberty Hill, spoke of the overwhelming turnout of support in every way from the community. From individuals to small groups, to business organizations and fellow charities, the response from everyone became the rhythm of this small town’s beating heart, and a mighty heart it is.

“In such a dark, terrible, tragic time, the hearts of this community shone so brightly with love, with generosity, with kindness,” she said. “Their time, their energy, their ideas, their strength, and bringing their peace and their joy – their hearts just shone, and it’s been such a beautiful thing to see.”

O’Brien and her team are keeping a close eye on the ever-prevalent needs of their community. As always there are those fundamental items that will always be sought from the giving public. Some specific needs as of lately include diapers, sizes 5-8; laundry detergent; dish soap; toilet paper; and paper towels.

There are also those needs that will

continue to shift throughout the recovery process. As the debris removal process begins to give way to the rebuilding process, there are some newly emerging needs, such as rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, construction tools and building materials.

In lieu of these and the many other items needed, gift cards are always welcomed as well. And, of course, those wanting to donate their time and labor are always welcome to coordinate those specifics with Operation Liberty Hill.

Hope House

In keeping with the theme of charitable organizations, Hope House has been a shining light in the lives of so many within the Liberty Hill community for many years.

In their unique case, they find themselves not only giving but receiving as well, as they were hit hard by the destructive waters of the unforgiving flood.

Community Engagement Director Adam Stone saw his fair share of unprecedented generosity much like O’Brien did, and he wanted to share the immense gratitude on behalf of everyone at Hope House.

“What’s on our hearts and minds at the moment is that it’s time to say thank you to the community who showed up and refused to let us fall down,” he said. “We couldn’t have done this without so many people showing up, and it is time to say thank you by throwing a thank you party on October 26.”

The early-evening event, held from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hope House, 1705 CR 285, will give Stone and his team a chance to honor all the volunteers that played such a critical role in their survival and recovery. Complete with a barbecue dinner, it will give them the opportunity to express their heartfelt thanks.

Next on the agenda for Hope House is what Stone called the chance to “pivot,” by re-thinking and re-shaping the infrastructure of their organization through a master plan called “Renewed Hope,” which will allow them to finally build the future Hope House out of the flood plain while simultaneously allowing them to expand their capacity to serve their mission of a forever home to even more people in need.

“Crisis reveals what’s already true,” Stone said about the tremendous heart of the people of this community. “It just revealed that

we live in an amazing town with amazing people.”

There are many who have lived in Liberty Hill for years that, prior to these tragic events, had never heard of Hope House even though the organization will be celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. But Stone called it a “problem that we can solve,” and now that it is on a much broader radar, the word will continue to spread, allowing Hope House to grow right alongside the community that it holds so dear.

River Sentry

Ian Cunningham was also affected by the floods, but in a much different way than those on the front lines.

His heart took a pretty big hit upon hearing the news of the young and innocent lives of the little girls that were tragically swept away in the floods. With his own daughter back home from a riverfront summer camp just weeks prior, he felt an overwhelming call to help solve the very real problem of real-time flood warnings, which led him and a small team to develop the River Sentry Flood Warning System.

The prototyping happened at an accelerated rate, and they moved right into the testing phase of the pilot system in coordination with several Kerr County camp locations.

Given the outstanding results of the test units, production is now underway, and

Cunningham will be installing his River Sentry systems at Camp LaJunta and Camp Vista in the very near future.

Once in place, the rotating list of residents will have a much-welcomed peace of mind knowing that there are safety measures in place that will protect them as they sleep.

To Cunningham, that peace of mind will come knowing of the lives that will be saved as a result of his calling to help prevent the unnecessary loss of life in the face of mother nature’s unyielding power.

Though life has moved on for most, there are still many others who have months of work still ahead. From those on the banks of Sandy and Cow Creeks who are still living in their vehicles while they slowly rebuild their entire homes and lives, to the many residents of the Rio Ancho neighborhood whose homes are still in unlivable condition, to those who now navigate this world without that special someone whose life was taken in the floods, they still need this community.

They still need help restoring their lives so they can get back to a sense of normalcy that so many are back to taking for granted. This small town has been gigantic in its response to these horrific events, and it must keep that demonstrable presence going until every last member is sleeping in their own bed and waking up to a newfound sense of normalcy.

Liberty Hill was hit with catastrophic flooding in early July, but locals quickly mobilized to help those affected. Recovery efforts are still underway as many in the community work to rebuild. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

From class to market

Recent LHHS graduate picks up where he left off in school, taking entrepreneurial vision to next level

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

During his sophomore year at Liberty Hill High School, Nathan Keen found an “easy A” in the Incubator.EDU entrepreneurial program and figured it would be nothing more than a way to boost his GPA as he looked beyond his high school years.

As it turns out, he was right in many ways. He aced the class without putting forth any considerable effort and he decided to opt in again the following year for yet another easy hour of his day.

But after a severe injury halfway through the school year, a much different path began to present itself. With his football playing days behind him, he developed a love for weightlifting and before he knew it, the dots between the gym and entrepreneurship began to connect.

“I fell in love with lifting,” said Keen. “I had a lot of friends who were also lifters, so we all grouped together in Mrs. (Dimitra) Becker’s (entrepreneurship) class and we realized we can do research on what we love and see where it goes.”

Though Keen admittedly still didn’t take the class that seriously by this point, there was now at least an idea – a product – that would become the focus of their business plan and so, Lone Star Supplements was born.

A lifelong problem-solver, who’d spent his life so far pondering problem after problem in order to find potential solutions, even on a global scale, mind you, Keen started to identify with the problem-solving that comes along with any new product development and the entrepreneurial grip started to take hold.

“I finished out my sophomore year kind of in that same relaxed mentality,” he said. “We heard Mr. Schiff was going to be our teacher for our junior year and we were over the moon about that, so we signed up for the second year of it.”

Steve Schiff, a serial entrepreneur himself who also presides over the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce, now teaches Entrepreneur I and II classes at LHHS.

Upon review of Keen and his teammates’ video presentation that showcased their product and business idea, the “blow-off” syndrome was evident, so a challenge was presented to them as they kicked off their

junior year.

“We weren’t really sure what we were getting into,” Keen said as he chuckled a bit. “The first day of class, Mr. Schiff sat us down and said, ‘I’m going to play y’all’s pitch from last year and I want you to be honest with yourselves – did you do it for the grade or did you do it because you were passionate about it?’”

Schiff saw some raw, untapped potential in Keen and his team and after taking an honest look at themselves, they exited easy street for the school of hard knocks – it was time to get down to business.

“We recognized the opportunity in front of us,” he said. “Mr. Schiff is full of so much wisdom and there is so much that we can benefit from as young, aspiring entrepreneurs. We sat ourselves down and said, ‘We can make something out of this.’ So, within the first week of our junior year, we took apart every second of our presentation.”

After a complete dismantling, Keen and his team started to reassemble the pieces to ensure they knew their product and that their presentation conveyed said knowledge while simultaneously convincing their potential buyers their product was like no other. With Schiff’s guidance, they started to cut their teeth in all things business, good, bad or otherwise.

But the guidance and mentorship didn’t stop at Schiff. Knowing how impactful the stories of other entrepreneurs can be to those who’ve barely even dipped their toes into the shark-infested waters of business, Schiff regularly invites other businessmen and women to offer their insight to the business world as it relates to them and their industry.

Keen spoke of a standout speaker that stuck with him in more ways than one.

“We had Jason Stanley (of Oak Crest Advisors) and his associate Shane Williams come and speak to us,” he said. “We noticed something different about them, especially Shane. We really liked his energy. We took him on as a mentor and then we ended up making him a business partner of ours.”

Entrepreneurship programs continue to pop up in many schools across the nation, but to Keen, the Liberty Hill community has the upper hand.

From the school district, to the teachers, to the mentors, to his partners, all the way down to the very people he hopes to offer

his product to in the very near future, it’s a community that he doesn’t take for granted.

“I’m very proud to say that I was born and raised in Liberty Hill,” he said. “Working with the Chamber of Commerce, working with the other small business owners and hearing what they all had to say was incredible. The small town feel from when I was a kid is still there and that’s such a beautiful thing about Liberty Hill.”

Now that Keen has graduated from LHHS, Lone Star Supplements will soon be launching a product into the market – a pre-workout supplement designed to provide a healthier, longer-lasting boost all the way to the recovery stage of a workout.

Keen said they have no plans on stopping

there as they look to be much more than just a supplement company – they want to be a way of life for the fitness-minded individual.

From clothing lines to protein bars and beyond, their springboard will introduce a product that skipped no details regarding the manufacturing process and the quality of the ingredients.

Though they aim to eventually offer three distinct flavors – Green Apple, Pina Colada and Sweet Tea, the latter will be their flagship product with a unique and enticing flavor not seen in any competitor’s inventory.

To find out more about Lone Star Supplements, find the business on Instagram @lonestar.supplements or visit lssupplements.com.

Nathan Keen, center, pictured here with LHHS teacher Steve Schiff, left, and Mike Bowles, Liberty Hill ISD Education Foundation president, right, has always been a complex problem-solver. His venture into the world of entrepreneurship has allowed him to put those skills to use in his own business. COURTESY PHOTO

Lone Star Supplements will soon release their flagship product: a sweet tea flavored pre-workout supplement with two others, green apple and pina colada, to eventually follow. COURTESY PHOTO

The unknown road

An Idaho excursion offers breathtaking scenery

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

It was during a conversation leading up to our recent excursion to Montana when the town of Challis, Idaho, was, by pure happenstance, placed onto my radar.

I was with my folks and we had the pleasure of visiting with my uncle, who’d brought with him my 94-year-old grandmother for a wonderful evening full of good food and even better company. It was after dinner and my uncle asked my folks if they had to pick one of the most memorable places they’ve visited on their travels during retirement, what would it be? It was then that my pops began to tell the tale of a tiny little town called Challis, nestled deep in one of the many stunning valleys of the Rocky Mountains.

As I listened, my interest peaked and I put it on my list of places to eventually visit one day and that was that. However, as fate would have it, we were a mere handful of weeks away from embarking on a week-long adventure to Southwestern Montana and we were in search of a “vacation within a vacation” to a nearby picturesque town that would maximize our experiences while traveling to a part of the country that we’d yet to have seen. As I played around on Google Maps, my intention was to hit either Glacier National Park or Yellowstone, but I couldn’t bring myself to settle on just a day or two to experience either of those majestic destinations, so I put them on the futures

list and kept wandering around the digital landscape. It was then I noticed a familiar name on the map – Challis. Even more surprising than its discovery, after a lifetime of not even knowing of its existence until just days before, was that it was only three hours away from where we were staying in Hamilton, Mont.

Without delay, I booked a place to stay for two nights. It was a riverfront apartment on the famous Salmon River or, as many refer to it, the River of No Return. We were giddy with excitement and couldn’t wait to discover all that my parents had so affectionately recalled of their years on the road.

After our initial day in Hamilton, the plan was to head to Idaho for a few days and then return to Montana for many fun-filled adventures scheduled for later that week.

With a borrowed car from some very dear friends and not a clue of what we were about to experience, we hit the road and traveled southbound on Highway 93. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were about to travel on one of the prettiest stretches of U.S. highway that exists on the map.

As we ascended the mountain on Highway 93, the scenery became even more majestic than the mile before and I had to make a conscious effort not to drive off the side of the mountain. They say that texting and driving is dangerous – try driving while in absolute awe of every bit of your surroundings.

At the peak of Lost Trail Powder Mountain, a famous ski destination during

the wintertime, lies the border between Montana and Idaho. As soon as we crested the mountaintop and began our descent, the beauty seemed to intensify with every twist and turn of this highway that I could swear was built by Mother Nature herself.

Within minutes of being on the Idaho side of things, the road began to obediently follow the path of the mighty Salmon River. There truly are no words to describe our journey. It was one breathtaking turn after another. Even as the pine forests gave way to bald granite mountainsides, the indescribable beauty simply took on a new persona, yet it was equally stunning in every way.

When we finally reached the town of Salmon, we were too confused, or lost, to realize much about the town at first glance. We thought our apartment was right there in town, but it turns out that we were dead wrong. We still had 20 minutes to go, so we booked it into high gear and continued onward through the various dirt roads that lined the mountainsides, hugging the Salmon River so perfectly.

As I’m sure many can relate to, even the most scenic drive can often be a stressful one, so when we arrived at our home for the following two nights, we couldn’t have been more relieved to find that our accommodation was well beyond our expectations and a host that welcomed us with a smile. As a bonus, we had the sweetest concierge – a yellow lab named Lucy. As we settled into our perfectly minimal yet completely providing studio apartment, the sound of the roaring Salmon River quickly took hold of our souls as it sang us into a trance that only a mountainside stream can do. The place

was perfect, all the way down to the fresh mountain spring water that flowed from the tap. We knew right away we’d arrived at a place that would live in our memories forever.

The next morning greeted us with a sunrise that just might top all that I’ve ever laid eyes on – it was nothing short of a divine offering and it will live in my soul for eternity. Our early rise was intentional, only because we had business in the town that inspired this excursion in the first place – the town of Challis. A sucker for history, I had my sites set on the Bayhorse Ghost Mining Town and we made no delay in setting our course for its longitude and latitude.

After a long, slow, twisting and turning mountain climb in our trusty all-wheeldrive Subaru, we finally landed at Bayhorse, a long-abandoned silver mining town that was, on this day, still a ghost town – we had the place to ourselves.

From the old structures that still stand today to the countless pieces of original machinery, both that were built in an America from long ago, every footstep on this property gave me goosebumps. At times, I could swear that I heard those old diesel engines hum as the workers toiled away in a seemingly endless quest to strip every last piece of precious metal from the mountain core. I left the site with a sense of gratitude for the generations that gave their all to the very industries that built this phenomenal country.

Our final morning in Salmon found us simply taking it all in.Even in the smallest, most unassuming town, there is a precious memory waiting to be made.

Northern Idaho offers a much more mountainous landscape than its southern parts, giving it a much less touristy feel than many other Rocky Mountain destinations. PHOTO BY BRAD MARTIN

The abandoned mining towns that surround the cities of Challis and Salmon are steeped in a rich history of gold and silver production, and their longstanding structures offer an up-close view into the days of old, when America was on the verge of the industrial revolution. PHOTO BY BRAD MARTIN

Read our round up to learn more about the biggest news stories affecting our community

COMPILED BY LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT STAFF

School board hears accountability update

During the LHISD school board’s September meeting, the board heard a presentation from Dr. Heather Stoner, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, regarding the Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability scores that came out in August.

Stoner first gave a brief history of the public education accountability system for the state of Texas. She explained that the A-F accountability rating system began with the passage of House Bill 22 in 2017, but the TEA has continued to tweak the calculations.

“What is the difference between the last time we released accountability scores [2022] and this time?” she said. “You’ll see not a ton, except in the world of CCMR [College, Career and Military Readiness]. In 2023, there was a considerable change that made it more difficult for our students to earn credit for an industry-based certification.”

Another change to the CCMR is the scoring metric. A CCMR score of 60 would net the district an A rating from 2018 to 2022, but in 2023, that same score of 60 would earn the district the lowest rating: a D.

“It’s kind of a double whammy,” she said. “It’s harder to get the certification, and it’s also a harder score to get.”

CCMR plays a role in determining the district’s student achievement score, and the higher score between student achievement and school progress is used to calculate the district’s final grade.

For the 2024-25 school year, even with the increased standard of scoring, the highest of the two scores was student achievement, coming in at an 86, a B. This score contributes 70 percent toward the overall score given to the district.

Underscoring this, Stoner mentioned some highlights from the 2024-25 school year regarding district performance.

“If you compare our [test] scores to the region, we outperform the region in 52 of 60 tested subjects, and exceed the state averages in 57 out of 60,” she said.

Another area where the district saw suc-

cess was closing the gaps, also known as Domain 3. This score constitutes the remaining 30 percent of the district’s overall score.

Domain 3 focuses specifically on the performance of groups of students, including those who have special needs, those who are economically disadvantaged, and those who are part of certain racial/ethnic groups. This category measures the district’s ability to ensure that gaps in performance of these groups are being closed.

For this category, the district received a total score of 84. Stoner also mentioned the scope of the district’s success in this category in particular.

“Seventy percent of our campuses improved that Domain 3 score with a total net difference [from last year] of 47 points, which is really considerable,” she said.

Combining the scores together with their appropriate weights, the district’s overall score was calculated to be an 85, a one-point bump from last year.

Stoner also outlined how the district will use the TEA accountability scores as feedback to better meet the needs of students yearover-year. She explained the district compiles the data the TEA provides into spreadsheets that are made available to principals in each school. From there, meetings known as “data visits” are held, which allow principals to share prescriptive plans with various educational coordinators that incorporate that information. The final step is making sure the district is implementing such plans and monitoring their effectiveness.

Stoner emphasized the district’s focus on rigor and engagement within the classroom, pushing students to grow through data-driven plans of action.

“Accountability is not just a snapshot of a test on one day,” she said. “It’s ensuring that you’re doing the right things over and over through the cycle of looking at data, making great plans, and implementing them and monitoring them.”

MoakCasey presents audit report to school board

During the September LHISD Board of Trustees meeting, Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero was joined by Leo Lopez,

Chief Financial Officer of MoakCasey, as they presented the results of a mandatory efficiency audit to the board.

As mandated by House Bill 3 in 2019, any school district that seeks voter approval on a maintenance and operations tax rate increase must complete an efficiency audit before such a proposal can be placed on the ballot. The board voted in August to move forward with an increase to the M&O tax rate, and they hired MoakCasey to conduct the necessary audit.

MoakCasey is a finance, education and economic development consulting firm that offers school finance services, among other things.

Lopez outlined the proposed increase in the M&O tax rate from 64 cents per $100 of home valuation to just under 74 cents per $100. This increase is expected to generate $10.7 million in revenue for the district, which would be used to reduce class sizes, bolster safety and security measures, and fuel efforts to recruit and retain staff.

In August, the district presented a different number: $10.9 million in revenue. This discrepancy is largely due to a difference in the estimated maximum compressed tax rate, also known as the MCR, which is calculated by the TEA. The deadline for the TEA to have the final determination of the MCR was Aug. 31, while the deadline for the board to approve a new tax rate was Aug. 18.

Consequently, the board had to approve the total tax rate of $1.24 per $100 of home valuation before having the final calculation of the MCR portion of that rate.

“We were planning on that rate to be 57 cents from the state, based on all the data that we had,” said Interim Superintendent Travis Motal. “Well, since the end of August, the state came out and said the tax rate is going to be 59 cents.”

Because the board had already adopted a rate of $1.24, two cents had to be removed from the voter-approved portion of the proposed rate in order to account for the two-cent increase of the MCR portion. The difference in “value” between the two pennies and their eligibility for state recapture leads to both a drop in expected revenue and a drop in necessary state recapture payments: $10.9 million to $10.7 million and $1.5 million to $998,000, respectively.

One way to get a good grasp on how effectively a district is managing its finances is to compare it to similar districts.

“Peer districts are selected for a number of reasons,” Lopez said. “We look for districts that closely represent your school district. We look at a few that are nearby, but we also look at other districts that meet very similar criteria to you in terms of enrollment, five-year growth and total tax rate.”

Compared to all six of the listed peer districts, including Georgetown, Dripping Springs and Hutto, Lopez said the 2024-2025 M&O tax rate held by LHISD is the lowest, even sitting over six cents under the state average.

“In terms of the tax burden you have been levying on your taxpayers, you’ve been pretty conservative in that regard,” he said.

Other sources of funding for the district, specifically federal revenue streams and miscellaneous local revenue streams, are also shown to be generating less than peer districts, and considerably less than the state average.

“If you look at what all of our funding [amounts to], it comes out to $9,368 [per student],” said Trustee Kendall Carter following the conclusion of Lopez’s presentation. “Comparatively, we’re about $400 short of peer districts, and we’re $1,300 short of the state average.”

Making sure the district is utilizing funds to effectively meet the needs of its students plays a major role in determining its financial efficiency, and as such, academic accountability ratings are taken into account during the audit process.

“Your district received a B in the comparison school year, which is right in line in terms of the numerical score. You’re on the upper end of your peer districts,” said Lopez.

Operating expenditures are perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle. How does the district utilize the funds it has? LHISD expends $9,836 per student in total operating expenditures, a touch lower than the peer district average of $9,851 per student, but marginally lower than the state average of $10,765 per student.

Slicing that even further, the audit also shows that LHISD has a lower average teacher salary and a lower average administrative base salary than peer districts – about $2,000 and $3,000 lower, respectively. When compared to state averages, there is an even larger difference: about $5,500 for the average teacher base salary and $4,500 for the average administrative base salary. Despite these gaps, the district’s payroll accounts for 86 percent of its operating expenditures – 8 percent higher than its peer average, and 3 percent higher than the state average.

Lopez pointed out the difference between where the district allocates its staff compared to its peers.

“One of the things I wanted to call out is that your teaching staff and your paraprofessional staff percentages are both higher than the peer district average,” he said. “Your administrative staff ratio is lower than the peer district average. Relatively speaking, you’re putting more of your payroll into the classroom.”

School board approves new school expansions, names

During the September LHISD board meeting, the board of trustees voted unanimously to approve both the expansion of three existing elementary schools and the naming of two new ones.

Enrollment projections predict that between the 2032-2033 and the 2033-2034 school years, the number of students enrolled at elementary schools across the district will exceed the current capacity, even taking into account the two elementary schools currently under construction.

Considering the length of time it takes to construct a new school, the district estimated it would need to break ground on a new elementary campus by 2029 in order to have it operational by that time.

“It costs us between $1.5 and $2 million to open up a new school with just dedicated staff,” said Interim Superintendent Travis Motal.

One possible solution to the capacity problem, then, is the expansion of existing campuses to more adequately meet the needs of the growing school district.

The benefits of expansion over new construction include a lower investment in terms of both time and money. Hiring

of positions such as maintenance staff and counselors would be necessary for the opening of a new school, but for an existing school that already has such staff, only positions to make up for the increased student capacity would need to be filled.

“We can save not only on the cost of a building, but also on the maintenance and operations side,” said Motal.

The money saved, said Trustee Brandon Canady, is savings to the M&O fund, not the I&S fund.

“You talk about saving $2 million,” he said. “That’s a direct savings to the M&O. The M&O is where we need it the most– just finding any area we can save money.”

Dustin Akin, executive director of operations, presented the project before the board, noting specifically the three schools targeted for expansion: Bill Burden Elementary, Santa Rita Elementary and Rancho Sienna Elementary.

Akin also said the proceeds needed to fund these expansions come from the 2021 bond proceeds.

In addition to increasing the capacity of each of these schools to 1,000 enrolled students – up from the current 800 – the plan accounts for the inclusion of updates to the schools’ infrastructure.

“Not only are we looking to expand the

capacity,” Akin said. “But as part of the 2023 bond, there is also a line item for major maintenance projects, such as renovations to the kitchen and a ention to the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems of the campus.”

Motal told The Independent all three expansions are planned to be fully completed by August 2027.

Between 2027 and 2029, the district has plans to open the two currently under-construction elementary schools. The names of these schools were voted upon at the meeting, with both passing unanimously.

Elementary School #8, located in the Lariat subdivision, was given the name Lariat Trails Elementary School.

Elementary School #9, located in the Saddleback subdivision, was given the name Saddleback Elementary School.

City Council approves site development permits

During the Sept. 24 City Council meeting, the council passed several ordinances regarding new site development permits.

The council heard presentations from representatives of Whataburger and Bojangles, and unanimously approved the issuance of site development permits and utility

service requests for each. The sites listed for development are within the Heritage Ridge subdivision, where Starbucks and Wendy’s are located.

No estimate on the construction timeline was given during the meeting.

Bojangles provided an estimated $3.5 million in annual sales, ne ing the city around $290,000 in sales tax.

Whataburger estimates around $4 million in annual sales, which would yield just over $330,000 in sales tax.

In the same subdivision, another site development permit was approved for a larger project – a three-story multi-purpose facility. This 30,000-square-foot facility is proposed to house a variety of different businesses, including retail, restaurants and entertainment.

The site plan presentation also mentions a possible pickleball court on the second floor and a roo op bar and restaurant on the third floor.

A tentative timeline for this project was included, with construction set to begin in March 2026.

Two other site development permits were approved as well, one enabling the expansion of Trussmate and another the construction of a corporate headquarters for Five Star Civil Construction.

Theater programs take center stage in LHISD

Both local high schools feature promising productions

BY PHOEBE JOHNSON-QUAIFE EDITORIAL INTERN

Twelve years ago, the small town of Liberty Hill celebrated the opening of its new high school campus.

At that time, in 2013, the population consisted of 1,000 residents. Remarkably, the town has experienced explosive growth, with the population rising to an estimated 12,000 today.

In response to this significant increase, Liberty Hill opened its second high school, Legacy Ranch, just last year, accommodating the needs of its expanding community.

Although these statistics are remarkable, this isn’t about the rapid growth, but more so the incredible opportunity Liberty Hill will have this year.

For the first time in history, Liberty Hill will see fall theater performances from both Legacy Ranch and Liberty Hill high schools.

In 1992, Liberty Hill High School established its award-winning theater program. Thirty-three years later, Legacy Ranch High School, under the direction of Taylor Fambrough, is creating its own legacy by producing the school’s inaugural theater production. Legacy Ranch will be showcasing “The Little Women,” a story of four sisters maturing into womanhood during the Civil War.

Across town, Liberty Hill’s theater direc-

tor, Sarah Beauchamp, said her students will be presenting “The Outsiders” at the Black Box Theater for the fall season. Dates for the showings will be advertised on the department’s social media once they are set.

“The Outsiders” is a cult classic novel that follows 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his gang, the Greasers, as they fight with the opposing gang, the Socials. The narrative highlights Ponyboy’s challenges in navigating life lessons and his experiences with loss as a young boy from a working-class background.

Both stories chosen entail a beautiful lesson and promise an exciting performance.

Following the fall season, Liberty Hill announced the department’s UIL production of ”A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a comedy written by William Shakespeare. In the spring, Liberty Hill will also be performing “The Revolutionists.”

Meanwhile, Legacy Ranch has decided to keep details about its UIL production under wraps for the time being.

Legacy Ranch student Oakley Pittman commented about their journey thus far with the theater program.

“Being in a production with others helps you form friendships and bonds you wouldn’t really find anywhere else,” said Pittman. “You get to know your peers and share meaningful moments with them.

Putting on an actual show will be fun, but I’m doing it more for the journey and the experiences I’ll have on it.“

Legacy Ranch student Charlotte Fernandez added to her classmate’s comments.

“I always want to push myself into learning more about acting and a day without practice feels wrong,” she said. “I’m so grateful for starting acting, because without that I wouldn’t have been in any acting programs or the wonderful theater class I’m in now.”

Both Liberty Hill and Legacy Ranch’s theater directors encourage all students to come out and audition, regardless of acting experience.

For those not interested in auditioning for a role in the production, there’s also the option to become a part of the tech team.

While the spotlight shines solely on the actors performing onstage, an entire crew stands behind the curtain, which is just as important, said Beauchamp.

“Acting is only a small part of theater,” she said. “Set building, set design, costume, lighting and sound contribute, too. A lot of our department is run by people who are working backstage because if we didn’t have that, people would be standing in the dark on set.”

This just goes to show the essence of theater – regardless of one’s role on set, every contribution is vital. There is always a place for everyone and each person plays an essential part in bringing the perfor-

mance to life.

For Liberty Hill, there are some changes that are taking place this school year.

“We have many upperclassmen this year, which makes our program strong,” said Beauchamp. “The students are hard-working, dedicated and excited about the three shows we have planned. It will be fun to see them work on these projects. We also have new thespian officers this year and I’m looking forward to seeing how they lead the department.”

Beauchamp shared the best possible way to support both programs.

“Join the booster club,” she said. “We have a great group of parents that make up our booster club and they’re always there to support us when we do shows.”

Fambrough also had a message for her theater students.

“I’m excited to see where the students take this program,” she said. “At the end of the day, they’re the ones who push the program into the greatness that it can be – and just from meeting them already this week, I can tell it’s going to be an amazing program.”

Beauchamp said theater provides a vital artistic outlet for everyone involved.

“I believe it’s important to serve the community, participate in local activities and connect with younger theater students,” she said. “We should encourage them to attend our shows and get involved.”

Both Liberty Hill and Legacy Ranch High Schools’ theater departments will feature multiple stage productions this school year. COURTESY PHOTO

Both local high schools’ theater departments have plenty of talent in producing several shows on the stage this school year. COURTESY PHOTO

Bringing family fun close to home

Kitfoxy’s Putt Putt & Pew Pew now open in Liberty Hill

BY LESHELLE VALLEJO STAFF WRITER

Liberty Hill has a new hotspot for family-friendly fun: Kitfoxy’s Putt Putt & Pew Pew, a glow-in-the-dark mini golf and laser tag facility that opened its doors on Aug. 7.

The idea for Kitfoxy’s came to life when Karen and Miguel Rodriguez decided to step away from the corporate world and build something that would serve both their family and the local community.

“We always loved taking our kids to play mini golf and laser tag when they were growing up,” Karen said. “When we thought about starting a business, this felt like the perfect fit – not just for us, but for Liberty Hill , too.”

The Rodriguez family moved to Texas in 2016, leaving California behind in search of a slower pace and deeper community ties. Miguel, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, also owns Cornerstone Jiu Jitsu Academy in Leander, which has been a staple in the area for the past eight years. With their new venture, the couple continues to plant roots in the Liberty Hill community.

remained for a few weeks.”

Another challenge has been visibility. With no permanent sign yet – delayed by permit approvals – the Rodriguez family relied heavily on word-of-mouth and social media.

“It’s been a learning curve,” Karen said. “From advertising restrictions in local groups to figuring out TikTok, we’re slowly figuring things out, especially things I never thought I would do.”

Kitfoxy’s offers glow-in-the-dark mini golf, laser tag, party rooms, hangout spaces complete with games, and even a growing arcade area.

Families can enjoy air hockey, card games and block play, while kids run through the blacklight laser tag arena.

The facility has already hosted memorable groups, like a recent visit from guests decked out in full fluorescent paint.

“They were ready for the experience and had an incredible time under the black lights,” said Karen.

Family and faith are central to the Rodriguez family’s mission.

The name “Kitfoxy” has a personal backstory. The kit fox, an endangered species from their hometown in California, once served as the couple’s personal emblem –used as gaming handles and even CB radio tags.

When brainstorming names, Miguel suggested to Karen they consider reviving it.

“It’s cute, memorable and meaningful to us,” he said. “It just felt right.”

Launching a business is never without hurdles and Kitfoxy’s opening day was no exception.

“I pulled up to the building that morning and road construction had left two feet of dirt blocking the driveway,” Karen said. “We had just posted on social media we were opening – and people couldn’t get in. Thankfully, we were able to eventually access the building, but construction

“We come from a strong Christian background,” Karen said. “For us, it’s about creating a safe, fun environment where families can connect and kids can just be kids.”

The business also hopes to deepen ties with homeschool co-ops, youth leagues and church and sports groups, as well as offering weekday opportunities when the facility is quieter.

They’ve also started engaging with PTOs and community groups to host fundraisers, helping local organizations raise money while bringing families together.

While still new, Kitfoxy’s is already planning for growth. With modular walls inside, they have flexibility to reconfigure the space.

Food is one frequent request and the family is exploring ideas on how that could be incorporated.

For now, the Rodriguez family is focused on building awareness and fine-tuning the

experience. They currently employ four staff members, with their 27-year-old son helping run day-to-day operations. Their daughter, 23, is expecting the family’s first grandchild – a reminder of how deeply rooted their business is in family life.

When it comes to advice they’d give to others looking to start a business, Karen emphasized two things: budgeting and marketing.

“Plan for your budget to be at least half again more than what you expect,” she said, recalling their sticker shock at the price of fluorescent paint. “Also, start your

advertising early – well before opening day.”

Most of all, she encouraged persistence. “Running a business like this is different than our jiu jitsu school – it’s about reminding people every day, ‘We’re here, come have fun!’” she said. “But the community support has been amazing.”

Kitfoxy’s Putt Putt & Pew Pew is located at 350 CR 277 in Liberty Hill and is open Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays from 1 to 9 p.m., Fridays from 1 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit kitfoxys.com.

Kitfoxy’s Putt Putt & Pew Pew, a glow-in-the-dark mini golf and laser tag facility, opened its doors on Aug. 7 in Liberty Hill. COURTESY PHOTO

Kitfoxy’s offers glow-in-the-dark mini golf, laser tag, party rooms, hangout spaces complete with games, and a growing arcade area. COURTESY PHOTO

Panthers ground and pound

Cougars, 73-35,

in district opener

Liberty Hill rushed for 702 yards in win over Connally

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH OWNER/PUBLISHER

Following a 1-2 start to the season, the Liberty Hill supporters of the Purple-andGold have become accustomed to seeing finally showed up in a 73-35 away victory over Connally in the district opener at The Pfield in Pflugerville.

The Panthers rushed for 702 yards in a classic display of the potency of their famed Slot-T offense, as junior Dylan Belinga led the way with 16 carries for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

In all, eight Liberty Hill ballcarriers gained yardage on the evening – something Belinga said is quite impressive.

“It’s amazing – the fact we can rotate guys back-and-forth,” he said. “We have a lot of guys that can play, which is good because we have depth.”

Panthers head coach David Seaborn was equally as pleased with the prolific performance.

“It’s a blessing to have such quality of kids,” he said. “All of them can have a positive impact on a game.”

However, early on in evening’s proceedings, it was the Cougars who got on the

board first when Connally’s Jonah Garcia hauled in a 61-yard scoring strike from quarterback Jace Watkins for a 7-0 advantage on the contest’s opening series.

On the previous play – a 3rd-and-12 on the Connally 39-yard-line – Liberty Hill’s Orrin Cole stacked Watkins up in the backfield for a six-yard loss, which would’ve forced the Cougars to punt, but the Panthers’ sideline had called timeout just before the ball was snapped, which negated the play, allowing the home side to hook up for the long touchdown pass on the following play.

But, as usual, whatever the opposition can do better in the air, the Panthers can do better on the ground, with proof of that on the next offensive play when Bryce Byrn took a handoff from senior signal-caller Judah Fried and sprinted 60 yards for a tying touchdown and a 7-7 score after less than two minutes had passed on the game clock.

After that, though, the fumble bug that had plagued them in the season’s opening two games once again took hold of the Panthers when Fried fumbled on a keeper at the Cougars’ 2, then after the Liberty Hill defense had forced Connally to punt, Belinga fumbled on the visitors’ first play from scrimmage after the three-and-out.

Following consecutive losses to open the season in which the Panthers fumbled six times – losing five in the process – Liberty Hill was successful in not losing the ball in last week’s 33-20 win over Eastlake, so the pair of early turnovers in this game was cause for concern, said Seaborn.

“I feel like last week we took a step forward in that regard and this week we took a step back,” he said. “So, we still haven’t put a complete four quarters together.”

Watkins scored from four yards out to capitalize on the second fumble, but once again Byrn roared right back by scoring his second touchdown of the game to once again level the score at 14-14, as the pair of scores occurred only 18 seconds apart and the score was even at the end of one period of play.

Another touchdown run by Watkins from five yards out gave the Cougars a 21-14 lead in the early stages of the second quarter, but that would mark the final occasion on which Connally would enjoy a lead for the duration of the contest.

Senior Preston Benefield scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 40 and three yards, respectively, then Jack Pitchford found the end zone on a 48-yard run and Liberty Hill led, 38-21, at halftime.

Interestingly enough, the Panthers went for two on all three occasions and were successful as Benefield and Pitchford fol-

lowed their scoring runs with the ensuing conversions.

The Panthers got the ball to open the second half and immediately added to the lead on a 52-yard jaunt by Belinga, as the teams started a sequence that would see them trade touchdowns over the course of the five combined offensive series of the third quarter, including a 64-yard Benefield rumble and Belinga’s second touchdown of the game from four yards out to give the Panthers a commanding 59-35 lead entering the fourth.

While the Cougars had already scored their final points of the night, Liberty Hill tacked on another pair in the final period, as Belinga collected his hat-trick touchdown from two yards before fellow junior Cayden Timmons got in on the scoring act with another on a 3-yard run to provide the final margin of victory.

In addition to Belinga’s big night, Bryn rushed 11 times for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Benefield racked up 144 yards on six attempts and three touchdowns and senior Bryce Muchaw added 52 yards on nine carries.

“Tonight was a good momentum-starter, to start district off with a good win,” he said. “But, we still have things to work on and know what the ultimate goal is – to be able to play four complete quarters and make a playoff run.”

Liberty Hill’s Orrin Cole (21) makes a tackle during the Panthers’ 73-35 away district win over Connally.

PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Panthers sophomore Bryce Byrn (28) scored a pair of touchdowns in the Panthers’ 73-35 away district win over Connally. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Wranglers wreck Brenham, 44-24

Legacy Ranch moves to 4-1 on the season

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

With the morning rains that finally traded triple-digit temperatures for those deeper blue skies, a cool breeze and that subtle hint that Texas will allow yet another fall season to grace its presence very soon, Sept. 24’s atmosphere was ripe for all things football, and football is exactly what the spectators at Legacy Ranch High School got as their JV Blue team hosted Brenham and came away with a 44-24 win.

The Wranglers offense came out swinging with a 76-yard drive that saw its way to the end zone. By land and air, each attempt saw clean execution with zero penalties called.

The defense had an incredibly aggressive onslaught against Brenham’s run game, but they were slow to find their stride against the deep ball, and the Cubs answered back with a touchdown of their own.

Special teams came in to prevent the twopoint conversion, preserving the Wranglers’ lead that would remain throughout the game.

After struggling against Brenham’s defensive stand on the following drive that resulted in a deep Wrangler punt, an even more aggressive Wrangler defense found a new gear with a strip sack that put their offense at 1st -and goal on the 5-yard line,

which they handily converted into another seven on the board.

There was a moment in the first half where the defense got in their own way, giving away a scoring drive to their opponent due to multiple back-to-back penalties, but they soon climbed back to par with yet another strip sack that resulted in another offensive touchdown.

Though the second half opened with Brenham’s own attempt to fire up the jets which gave them a touchdown on their very first play of the half, they quickly lost steam, and Legacy Ranch controlled the narrative from there on out, which gave them ample opportunity to try new plays, practice some time management and rotate many of their freshmen into the mix, giving them the reps they need as they hone their skillsets, something Wranglers head coach Tim Knicky took full advantage of.

“We’ve got a ton of kids playing a lot of football – and it’s really good football,” he said. “I think our kids are learning, they’re doing what they need to do in order to get better wherever they’re at. The reps on the field are always going to trump everything else. We have a good group on all four levels – there’s some success and some failure on both sides – but the ability to have the success and failure and to be able to talk about it – that’s what we need.”

The defensive onslaught wasn’t due to happenstance.

Knowing the competition that was coming off the bus to compete with his athletes, Knicky made sure his team knew what was in store and the expectations were communicated throughout the pre-game preparations.

“Brenham is a really good opponent,” he said. “And we wanted to go out and flex some muscle early, so we talked about doing some of that stuff – playing with our ‘hair on fire’ defensively, getting some early touchdowns and really focusing on starting fast. So, seeing someone that’s such a good football team just gives us the opportunity to put our best on and do it from the jump.”

Looking forward, Knicky and his staff

are fully aware that penalties will be the difference between who celebrates the win and those who hang their head low on that long ride home, so the work continues to clean up the mistakes, ensuring that those punishing locker room speeches after a loss are kept to a minimum.

“That was the message at halftime,” he said. “We just had so many killer penalties. They had a touchdown drive where we had thirty-five yards of penalties – it’s hard to play defense when you’re doing that. That’s the stuff – as you start to play higher caliber opponents when you get to that varsity level – when those five yards and those 15 yards are killer. We’ve got a lot of work to do in that area for sure. The best part is to have it on tape so we can go coach it now.”

Legacy Ranch’s Will Cunningham (10) advances the ball during the Wranglers’ 51-0 home win over Pieper earlier this season. PHOTO BY LOGAN BRUNO

Legacy Ranch’s Troy Ramos (28) breaks a tackle during the Wranglers’ 51-0 home win over Pieper earlier this season. PHOTO BY LOGAN BRUNO

Wranglers wideout Rex Stroup (2) finds himself in open space during Legacy Ranch’s 51-0 home win over Pieper earlier this season. PHOTO BY LOGAN BRUNO

Taking up the mantle

Sophomore steps up in second season

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH OWNER/PUBLISHER

Last season when Hannah Griffin burst onto Liberty Hill’s volleyball radar as a freshman, she had nothing to lose.

After all, the outside hitter was a rookie being integrated into a roster of veterans that would still do most of the heavy lifting on the Lady Panthers’ front line.

However, this time around it’s much different, as those she looked up to while working her way up the Purple-and-Gold ranks have moved on after graduation, leaving her to be the main focal point of the Liberty Hill lineup.

But, Griffin hasn’t been fazed at all by the pressure of suddenly being the go-to girl – in fact, it’s been quite the opposite.

“This season I know I can be a leader and what the expectations are,” said Griffin, who still ranked second on the squad with 369 kills last season despite her relative inexperience at the varsity level.

“Now, I just try to live up to that.”

Perhaps no better example the 6-foot Griffin has done exactly that occurred earlier this season when the Lady Panthers hosted rival Georgetown only to drop the first two sets before storming back to win the match in five, including an epic 37-35 fourth-set score that precipitated the deciding fifth stanza.

In all, Griffin collected 34 kills in leading Liberty Hill back from the brink of defeat to a famous victory.

Lady Panthers head coach Marie Bruce isn’t surprised one bit Griffin has been on such a steep arc of improvement from last season to this year.

“Hannah has such a passion for the

game in her heart and soul,” said Bruce. “She’s always working to be able to play at a higher level.”

After the opening four matches of district play this season, Griffin had already racked up 414 kills – more than she had all last season and twice as many as senior Falon Stroup, who had 200 and was second on the team.

According to Griffin, she excels most when things don’t go exactly as they’re drawn up – which has directly led to much of her success this season.

“The best part is having a team I can rely on and be able to get kills on out-ofsystem balls,” said Griffin, of situations when the supply line from setter to hitter is interrupted. “We do a lot of training on that in practice.”

Griffin added it’s all those bumps and sets on the practice court between her and setter Addison Betzen that has translated into matches.

“Addison and I have played together for a long time,” she said, of the junior who has 796 assists on the current campaign. “We’ve built chemistry by working hard in practice.”

In addition, Griffin credits Stroup with providing a threat at the opposite end of the net opposing defenses need to respect, which opens up more scoring chances for her.

“Falon’s done a great job and continues to step up,” she said. “Which helps a lot to take the pressure off.”

Bruce said Griffin’s experience as a freshman was enhanced by the players she has now replaced in allowing her a seamless transition to varsity competition.

“Last year, we had seniors that really helped Hannah be able to step in and be herself,” she said. “She was allowed to shine and now she’s not afraid of tough situations.”

But the intangible skill that truly sets Griffin apart from her peers is an undying desire to never be satisfied with her performance, said Bruce.

“Hannah has a great deal of coachability and she never settles,” she said. “She has a variety of shots and is able to do a lot.”

As a result of her self-criticism and open-mindedness, Griffin is well aware of aspects of her game that still need work.

“I definitely have to be more consistent with my serve-receive,” said Griffin. “Also, I need to hit my cross-court shots more consistently.”

Liberty Hill’s Hannah Griffin (14) has stepped in to be a team leader during her sophomore season after critical contributions during her freshman year. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Panthers sophomore Hannah Griffin (14) has flourished this season in her new role of being Liberty Hill’s top outside hitter. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Student of the game

Legacy Ranch sophomore eats, sleeps and breathes sport of volleyball while making waves on newfound varsity stage

BY BRAD MARTIN STAFF WRITER

When those concert tickets are scanned and those perfect spots within the venue are secured, the excitement for the upcoming performance is inevitable and it’s rare that one leaves disappointed after an hour and a half of their favorite band leaving all that they have on the stage.

But sometimes, there’s a standout performer that demands nearly the entire audience’s undivided attention and it becomes undoubtedly clear that “that one is going to make it big.”

The sports arena is no different and there will always be that athlete that, even in warmups, stands out amongst the others.

With their infectious presence and energy, it’s apparent the others on the team have created their routines to mimic those of their teammate and mentor and in the case of Legacy Ranch volleyball, Klaire Murphy brings those infectious traits to the court, time and time again.

“She’s extremely committed to her sport – to the craft of being a really good volleyball player,” said Lady Wranglers assistant coach Gretchen Peterson. “It’s what drives her – it’s her passion and that’s really evident in the way she plays.”

As Peterson spoke of Murphy’s “impressive” growth over the years, she spoke of

an athlete that not only continues to excel in her natural and most desired abilities and positions, but one that understands just how important a multi-versed player can be to any organization.

“Last year, she had to be a leader for us, but in roles that she wasn’t comfortable with,” she said. “She had to set – she’s not a setter, but she did it. It was hard for her. She had to be our best outside hitter and our setter and take on that role as a freshman. It was tough and she would say that. She didn’t necessarily enjoy it, but she did what her team needed her to do and, in retrospect, I think that made her a better leader and a better team player.”

Murphy now understands the many needs of her team when it comes to being adaptable and she has become a role model to incoming freshmen with her enthusiasm for all facets of the sport on tap and ready to pour into some fresh minds that will pay the message forward: We play where we’re needed.

As her roots continue to deepen into the soil of the Wrangler way, she is leading the incoming freshmen toward the culture, the conditioning, and the overall essence of Legacy Ranch volleyball.

“It’s given me a reason to step up,” she said. “Having a leadership role, seeing as we have all these new players and that I’ve now been here for a year, I can see how we do things – how we warm up, how we come

into the gym and how we look as a team. It’s definitely something I’ve enjoyed taking on. With the challenges, it’s been fun to see how I can handle those things and I get to be that for them.”

Murphy played a pivotal role in securing the first varsity victory for the Columbia-and-Navy’s record book and, to her, it all came down to the mindset of her and her squad.

Though there were some initial jitters, the mental game took over and turned their trembling knees and uncertain hands into well-tuned instruments and the resulting sound had the crowd on their feet.

“It was a little bit intimidating at first,” she said as she recalled the news of the early transition to varsity. “But I knew that, given that we have a really good coaching staff and good players with the potential to be really good, I think, if we were all to lock in and practice as a team, we could get to where we want to be. If we go in confident, we’ll play confidently. If we go in scared, we’ll play scared. We didn’t know if we were ready or not, but I definitely think we’ve taken on the challenge well.”

As someone who rarely takes her mind off of volleyball, it’s only natural to wonder where such a deep drive and motivation comes from. Though her initial answer would simply point to her love of the game, there’s also her goal to make her mark on the collegiate level when that time comes.

“Because I want to play in college one day, it makes me want to be that player that girls look for when they watch college volleyball,” she said. “And that’s not only in how I play, but how I think and how I act. I have to remember that we’re all a team. If I make a mistake, I have to show that it’s okay to make a mistake. To learn, you have to figure out what works and what doesn’t. If I learn how to think correctly and behave correctly, I can really up my game.”

On the rare occasion that finds Murphy not immersed in her beloved sport, which spans beyond Legacy Ranch to both sand and club play, Murphy enjoys hanging out with her friends and family, reading and finding a unique release in honing her typing skills.

Though she draws much of her inspiration as it relates to the court from Louisville’s Charity Looper, Murphy leans heavily on her mom for inspiration on and off the court.

“She’s really strong,” she said of her mother. “It makes me want to be strong.”

Much like any sophomore who is looking to carry their athletic career outside of the halls of their high school locker room, Murphy is intent on finding her stride in the many physical aspects and positions of the game, as well as continuing to forge her resilient mind so that, when the time comes, she can prove to those, whether above or below, that she can cover the spread without fear or hesitation.

Lady Wranglers sophomore Klaire Murphy (4) has blossomed into a team leader this season at her natural outside hitter position. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Legacy Ranch’s Klaire Murphy (4) played setter last season to suit the needs of the team during the Lady Wranglers’ inaugural season. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Panthers sweep Leander in straight sets

Liberty Hill defeated the Lions in home district opener

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH OWNER/PUBLISHER

Some straight-sets volleyball victories aren’t as one-sided as the score indicates and a contest of that variety unfolded as Liberty Hill hosted Leander for its home district opener in September.

In a highly-competitive match that featured wild swings of momentum throughout, the Lady Panthers defeated the Lions by a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) score, as Hannah Griffin led the Purple-and-Gold with 20 kills.

According to Griffin, she and her teammates perform at a higher level when they’re under the gun.

“Honestly, I think we do better in tougher situations,” said Griffin, who leads the Lady Panthers with 408 kills on the current campaign. “Also, we really wanted that match, so that helped us dig out of the hole.”

Griffin got off to a flying start with seven kills in the first set to go with an ace and a block, but Leander stayed with the home side until the 6-foot sophomore outside

hitter put the set away with a kill.

At the outset of the second stanza, Griffin picked up right where she left off with three more kills for Liberty Hill’s first points of the set.

However, soon after the Lions went on a 9-0 run to take a 17-8 advantage and seemed to be on the way to leveling proceedings at a set apiece when senior Falon Stroup stamped her authority on the match by collecting four kills in quick succession as the Lady Panthers answered with an 8-0 run of their own.

Once they had pulled with a point at 22-21, it was Griffin who once again came through with three consecutive kills before Aly Tuley hammered home the set-winner.

Lady Panthers head coach Marie Bruce said at times when her side is on the wrong end of a momentum shift, it pays to get back to basics.

“I think we just have to focus on our own touch and game plan and go back to keeping it simple,” she said. “Working together and communicating with your teammates – just the basics of volleyball.”

Griffin said Stroup came alive once the

Leander block focused on her as a result of the hot start, which opened opportunities up for her teammate.

“Falon was doing great and her kills were working when mine weren’t,” she said of Stroup, who had nine kills on the match.

“So, we just kept feeding the hot hitter.”

Bruce said it’s that kind of multi-dimensional front-row attack that makes the Lady Panthers more dangerous.

“We want a balanced offense and everyone to contribute positively,” she said. “Falon has done a great job this season of balancing Hannah and just being a force on the right side.”

But, the Lions were undaunted and continued to pressure the Lady Panthers in a

third set that saw Liberty Hill lead throughout, but never more than three points until midway through when Charisa Tuley served an ace, Adalyn Hennig slammed a kill and freshman Macee Walters blocked a shot to give them a 19-13 lead.

Finally – as she had done all night –Griffin put the finishing touches on victory with three more kills down the stretch to provide the final margin.

“We definitely feel better after our start in district,” she said. “But, we still have stuff to work on like always.”

Bruce echoed those sentiments.

“It’s exciting – this is a fun time of year,” she said. “We just go back into the gym to get better every day.”

Liberty Hill’s Falon Stroup (6) and Aly Tuley (5) go up for a block during the Lady Panthers’ 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) home district win over Leander. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Panthers freshman Macee Walters (12) plays a ball in the backcourt during Liberty Hill’s 3-0 (25-22, 2522, 25-20) home district win over Leander. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Panthers setter Addison Betzen (7) bumps a ball during Liberty Hill’s 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) home district win over Leander. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Lady Wranglers lose four-setter in district opener Legacy Ranch defeated by Lago Vista

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH OWNER/PUBLISHER

When Legacy Ranch decided to accelerate its athletics schedule and move its programs up to the varsity level a year earlier than originally planned, Columbia-and-Navy leadership knew there were going to be rough patches along the competitive road, but the long-term benefits would far outweigh any short-term struggles.

The team’s recent home district volleyball match against Lago Vista was a clear example of that philosophy unfolding with the Lady Wranglers’ 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-21, 28-26) defeat to the visiting Vikings.

As a result, Legacy Ranch assistant coach Gretchen Peterson was able to glean positives more easily despite defeat.

“I think the effort was there,” said Peterson, who is currently filling in for head coach Taylor Bryant, who is on maternity leave. “Half of these girls were playing eighth-grade volleyball last year, so to throw them into this kind of environment is a really cool opportunity.”

After dropping the opening set, 25-15, the Lady Wranglers stormed back with determination in taking the second stanza by a 25-21 score, with five kills from sophomore Klaire Murphy to add to the five the outside hitter had in the first, along with four from Aniya Aleshire to deadlock the match at a set apiece.

Peterson attributed the turnaround to a renewed focus after settling into the proceedings.

“We were a little bit on our heels in the first set,” she said. “I thought we came out focused, but just didn’t play very well. We had seven hitting errors, but we were swinging – we weren’t playing timid or safe. We made mistakes, but they were the right kind of mistakes, which I feel good about because with a young team that’s starting to mature, that’s really important.”

The third set was another closely-contested affair, as the squads took turns stealing momentum back and forth, as Bella Moschina, Camile Moynahan and Lily Hamlin all served up aces for the home side to go with four more Murphy kills, but the visitors prevailed, 25-21.

Initially it seemed as if the Lady Wranglers’ collective spirit had been broken, but that was far from the truth, as after falling behind

to begin the fourth set by as much as 11-3, Legacy Ranch fought back and eventually took an 18-17 lead.

Eventually, though, the Vikings had a bit more to offer in winning the set by a 28-26 score.

Murphy led the Lady Wranglers with 18 kills on the match, while Aleshire added eight.

Peterson praised Murphy’s effort not only for its individual brilliance, but the positive effect it had on her teammates.

“Klaire is one of our six-rotation players, along with our setter Haylee Roeder, which means neither of them ever leaves the floor, which is a lot to put on a kid,” she said. “But, she’s been up for the challenge all season long, has done really well and we know we’re going to get a swing out of her. But doing so well also opened up things around her and Haylee did a great job recognizing that and our defense also found their own.”

Until moving up to Class 5A next year upon UIL realignment, the Lady Wranglers will compete in a Class 4A district this season –along with all of the school’s sports, with the exception of football – a decision that was made for logistical and competitive reasons, said Peterson.

“Scheduling is extremely difficult when you’re not in a district like we were last year because in September and October, everyone else is,” she said. “Also, we’re treating this year like a dress rehearsal because when these kids are juniors, we want them to be ready for varsity, so they need to play matches and see what a full season feels like, which we didn’t have last year. You only get experience by having experiences and I believe these kids are ready for the challenge.”

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

$25 for Minimum 30 Words (Print Edition), Additional Words $0.20 Contact us for Online Rates

GABRIEL’S OVERLOOK COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE SALE

Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025 Time: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

25+ families participating. Directory provided at front gate. Front gate will be OPEN for the duration of the garage sale, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. 100 Park Place Drive, Georgetown, TX 78628

Lady Wranglers players celebrate a winning point during Legacy Ranch’s 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-21, 28-26) home district loss to Lago Vista. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Legacy Ranch’s Kyla Green (10) plays a shot over the net during the Lady Wranglers’ 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-21, 28-26) home district loss to Lago Vista. PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO

Free Masons have served Liberty Hill since 1875

BY JAMES WEAR COLUMNIST

Longtime Liberty Hill residents will tell you the local Masonic Lodge has been a longtime supporter of the community…150 years in all, in fact.

Anyone familiar with the Free Masons and the group’s guiding principles shouldn’t be surprised by the organization’s generosity and devotion to the community.

Looking back, many of Liberty Hill’s most widely-respected citizens – former mayor and longtime school board member Nathan Wetzel is a prime example – were members of the local lodge, which was chartered back in 1875.

The Masons’ latest project, according to a recent press release, is “The Fantastic Teeth Fan Club,” sponsored by Masonic Lodges across Texas.

The project “has already reached more than 1.4 million children statewide. By partnering with local elementary schools and dedicated lodges like Liberty Hill #432, the program helps prevent tooth decay and builds lifelong healthy habits.”

Liberty Hill Masons, according to the press release, “…assembled and delivered 920 dental kits – enough for every first grader in the Liberty Hill Independent School District. The kits were dropped off at all seven elementary schools in the district and will be distributed directly to students.”

According to the text found on the Texas Historical Marker affixed to the exterior wall of Free Mason’s building, which is located downtown across from the Liberty

Hill City Hall, “Chartered in 1875, Liberty Hill Lodge No. 432, A.F. & A.M., met first in the Methodist Church. When this building was finished in 1883, the Masons purchased the top floor for their lodge hall and built an exterior wooden stairway to the room. This native stone structure was erected by Scottish-born John Munro, who operated a hardware store below the Masonic Hall. The lodge bought the first floor from his heirs in 1945 and often use it as a community meeting place.”

The Free Masons’ website has a section devoted to the organization’s history, including minutes from the first meeting that was held. “Liberty Hill Lodge # 432 met at the Liberty Hill Academy at 9 p.m. July 24th, 1875. The time and place set by the Deputy Grand Master, for installing the officers and setting the Lodge to registry work. Deputy Grand Master Norton Moses in the East, Brother Babcock in the West, Brother T. M. Price in the South. Brothers Babcock and Price were members of Norton Moses Lodge # 336. The following were installed as officers of the lodge: J. L. Dunn, Worshipful Master, A. J. Miller, Senior Warden & T. S. Snyder, Junior Warden.

“The by-laws in the Taylor Monitor were adopted for the lodge and the member dues were set at $2 a year. The fee for each degree was set at $11. Brother T. N. Bryson presented the lodge with a set of lodge jewels. The stated meeting time was set to be the Saturday night after the full moon in each month. We now have a legally constituted Liberty Hill Lodge # 432 in Liberty Hill, Texas.”

The website also included a bit of history

pertaining to how the Free Masons came to call the organization’s current downtown location its headquarters.

“A resolution was offered and a committee appointed to get a better lodge room on May 26, 1883. June of 1883 was a busy month for Liberty Hill Lodge #432. It had two applications for initiation and affiliation, two Entered Apprentice examinations and a Fellowcraft degree. The Lodge was meeting in the third story of the Methodist Church. In May 1883, the Lodge decided to find a new meeting place.

At left, Norton Moses was among the pioneering members of the Liberty

first mayor in addition to playing an active role in many community organizations, belonged to the Liberty

“The building committee report proposed to build a story on John Munro’s rock building [the one-story building] at a cost of $797.87. A committee was appointed to raise the money and to nominate officers for the coming Masonic year. All was not going too well. The building committee considered the building unsafe and failed to act. The committee asked to be discharged, which was granted. The finance committee reported it had failed to raise enough subscriptions, was discharged and subscribers were released of their subscriptions.

“Another committee, composed of J. D. Russell, J. K. Lane and John Munro, was appointed to make plans for a lodge hall. This committee submitted two plans. One was to build over the Grange Hall at a cost of about $630.00. The other plan was to raise the walls over the Munro building at a cost of

Bobby Wayne ‘Abe’ Lincoln

Sept. 1, 1941 – Sept. 4, 2025

Bobby Wayne “Abe” Lincoln, beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend, passed away on September 4, 2025, in Round Rock, Texas, at the age of 84.

Born on September 1, 1941, in Milam County, Texas, he was the sixth of eight children born to Hugh Anthony and Willie Byrd Lincoln. He spent his early years on the family farm in Milam County, near the community of Lexington.

Growing up on a farm with seven siblings, he learned early in life the value of hard work and long hours.

Bobby began what would become a lifelong career with the Georgetown Railroad Com-

pany, hired as a brakeman on November 14, 1960.

He dedicated nearly 42 years to the company, retiring on May 1, 2001, with the respect and admiration of all who worked alongside him.

On April 20, 1963, Bobby married June Lunsford. Together, they raised two children, Bobby and Paula. He was a long-time resident of Georgetown, and later, Liberty Hill.

Bobby was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Ernest, Elmore, Ronnie, and Bill; and his sister Shirley Bernard. He is survived by his son, Bobby Gene Lincoln, his daughter, Paula June Flores, and her husband Ricardo; grandson Devin Miller and his wife Carlie; granddaughter Liana Lincoln;

PHOTOS

about $825.00. After due consideration it was recommended that the present wall be raised. This committee having failed the Brethren were again released of their subscriptions.

“Brother John Munro made a proposition to sell the lodge the upper story of his rock building which was just being completed. On a motion it was resolved that a committee of three be appointed to purchase the second story of Brother Munro’s building and make such charges as necessary to raise sufficient money to make a payment, said payment to be not less than five hundred dollars, and to execute a note for the balance, payable in twelve months’ time at 10 percent interest ($850) The Lodge then erected wooden stairs steps on the outside at the back.”

great-grandchildren Hadley and Rhett Miller; sisters Sue McAferty and Janie Zercher; and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.

Also mourning his passing is his faithful little dog, Prince, who rarely left his side. His kindness and generosity left lasting impressions on all who knew him. He was deeply loved, and he will be dearly missed.

A visitation with the family was held at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel on September 11, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The funeral service took place the following morning, September 12, also at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel, beginning at 10 a.m. Afterward, Bobby was laid to rest at Whiteley Cemetery.

Hill Masonic Lodge. At right, the late Nathan Wetzel, who served as Liberty Hill’s

Hill Masonic Lodge. COURTESY

EVENTS CALENDAR

October 4

THE DECADES

The Vineyard at Florence

111 Via Francesco, Florence

7-10 p.m. facebook.com/vineyard.atflorence/ events

October 7

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

Vintage Church

170 CR 214, Liberty Hill

6-8 p.m. facebook.com/ events/834453885911715

October 9

THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE

Liberty Hill Beer Market

13851 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

7-10 p.m. facebook.com/even ts/1450752929337172/145075389267 0409/

October 10

CAM DOZIER

Agape BBQ 3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30 p.m. agapebbq.com

4-7 p.m.

facebook.com/ events/1104785918424724

PREVIEW NIGHT

Divine Savior Academy

23857 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Liberty Hill

6:30 p.m. divinesavioracademy.com

October 17

CHRISTIAN FAMILY BARN DANCE

Williamson County Cowboy Church 8111 RM 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-10 p.m. facebook.com/even ts/561696806836684/561696840170 014/

FALL FUN FRIDAYZ WITH KEN & RENEE

Dahlia Cafe 2450 RR 1869, Liberty Hill

6:30-8:30 p.m. facebook.com/ events/1415780196057392

October 11

ORIENTEERING AT RIVER RANCH PARK

Austin Orienteering Club

194 Reveille Way, Liberty Hill 9 a.m. facebook.com/ events/1942012289982057

CITY WIDE PRAYER GATHERING

Liberty In The Hill

90 E. Santa Rita Blvd., Liberty Hill (Santa Rita Middle School) 10 a.m.

facebook.com/profile. php?id=61556988742586

MICHAEL MARTIN

MURPHEY

Globe Theatre

132 W. Vaughan St., Bertram

8-10 p.m., $53-$464 globetheatretx.com

October 13

DEMONSTRATION

GARDEN TRIAL RESULTS - WILLIAMSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

Georgetown Annex

100 Wilco Way, Georgetown

6:45-8 p.m. txmg.org/williamson

October 16

ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

The Luxe

2001 Main St., Liberty Hill

NERF NIGHT OUT

Shin Gan Dojo

141 Jonathan Dr., Liberty Hill

5:30-8:30 p.m., $40 shingandojo.com

October 18

WIZARDS & WANDS

Michelle’s Patisserie

1908 Main St., Liberty Hill

12:30-2:30 p.m., $75 michellespatisserie.com

ROYCE REED

Fire Oak Distillery

4600 CR 207, Liberty Hill 12-6 p.m. fireoakdistillery.com

LIBERTY HILL INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL

Lions Foundation Park

355 Main St., Liberty Hill 2-7 p.m. experiencelhtx.com/sculpture-festival

THE MARKET LHTX AT THE LIBERTY HILL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL

Lions Foundation Park

355 Main St., Liberty Hill 2-7 p.m. themarketlhtx.com

PAUL THORN

Globe Theatre

132 W. Vaughan St., Bertram 8-10 p.m., $36$348 globetheatretx. com

October 19

TRUNK-ORTREAT

Mission Liberty Hill

381 CR 213, Liberty Hill 3-5 p.m. missionlibertyhill.com

October 22

TRIVIA NIGHT

Liberty Hill Beer Market 13851 SH 29,

Liberty Hill 7-9 p.m. facebook.com/even ts/1393333915176201/139333399850 9526/

October 25

HANDS ON IN THE GARDENSHREDDING LEAVES AND LEAF MOLD WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens 3151 SE Inner Loop, Georgetown 9-11 a.m. txmg.org/williamson

MYSTERIES AND MYTHS River Ranch County Park 194 Reveille Way, Liberty Hill 5:30 p.m.

facebook.com/ events/801556348934872

FAMILY SHILOH

Agape BBQ

3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill 6:30 p.m. agapebbq.com

November 1

14TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS REVEAL

Simply Home Boutique 15280 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill 10 a.m.-4 p.m. simplyhometx.com

CHILI & CHOWDER FESTIVAL

San Gabriel River Brewery

500 Chaparral Drive, Liberty Hill 2-8 p.m. sangabrielriverbrewery.com

Michael Martin Murphey

Cam Dozier

Royce Reed

Paul Thorn