San Marcos - Buda - Kyle | April 2022

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SANMARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12 APRIL 11MAY 8, 2022

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LOCAL VOTER GUIDE 2022 SAMPLE BALLOT

IMPACTS

6 TODO LIST

DINING FEATURE

HaysCISDgrappleswith teacher, stashortages

ABSENCES GO UNFILLED

During the 2021-22 school year, unlled absences have almost doubled compared to the two previous years, according to data through February. The following data for 2019-20 and 2020-21 is recorded from August-May while the 2021-22 data is from August-February. WHAT IS AN UNFILLED ABSENCE? When a campus or district cannot nd a temporary replacement for the absent teacher.

BY ZARA FLORES

When Parker Mayland was a child, all he wanted to be was a teacher, he said. He would come home from school, set up a makeshift class- room in his living room and go over what he learned that day with his grandmother. However, recent stang shortages and subsequent stressors felt by teachers—such as those he saw rsthand through his experience as a student teacher—have deterred him from pursuing a career in education. “When I started student teaching, I had an open mind, [think- ing] I’ll probably get a job because there are so many vacancies. I think about a month in … I didn’t say ‘I’m never going to go into teaching,’ but I denitely realized I needed to take a step back,” Mayland said. Local school districts, including Hays CISD, have felt the strain of COVID-19 case spikes and stang shortages over the past few months, with January being especially challenging. Following the winter break, HCISD ocials posted to Face- book and sent an email to parents announcing that it was hir- ing certied and noncertied guest teachers to substitute and asked parents to consider applying. It was an all hands-on-deck situation, HCISD Chief Communi- cation Ocer Tim Savoy said. “Everybody who can sub in a classroom, if their schedule per- mits, we were bringing them in from central oce,” Savoy said. “If you have a second grade classroom and you’ve got some- one in there who’s a sub and they’re not experienced at it, all those other second grade teachers are going to be there to help them out because they’re going to be so incredibly grateful that they’ve come in to watch that class and to help them.” CONTINUED ON 28

UNFILLED ABSENCES FOR HAYS CISD

201920

1,322

23%

1,626

202021

78.17%

2,897

202122*

*202122 DATA IS FROM AUGUSTFEBRUARY.

However, after the January spike of COVID-19 cases, the pool dwindled to anywhere from 100300 SUBSTITUTES , and the demand for a substitute is around 300 REQUESTS .

Typically, the district has a pool of about 500 SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS and the demand for a substitute is around 180 REQUESTS.

When a teacher is absent, a district may take the following actions:

The kids generally just miss out on learning opportunities when there’s not a fully certified teacher [in the room] who’s been planning everything for months.

Place a substitute teacher in the classroom Ask another teacher to cover the class Use campus paraprofessional support sta or other certied personnel Request district sta assist in covering the absence Combine classrooms

JAMES NOBLE, WALLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER

SOURCE: HAYS CISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

Summer in Kyle Find your family fun here Easter Egg-stravaganza Saturday, April 9th

At Gregg-Clarke Park James Adkins Pool opens May Movies in the Park April 29th, May 27th, June 10th,

July 8th, August 12th At Gregg-Clarke Park Dive In Movie Friday, July 22nd

At James Adkins Pool Kyle Market Days Juneteenth Event June 11, July 9, August 13 At Mary Kyle Hartson Park Cityofkyle.com/calendar Join Team Kyle! We currently have openings for full-time and Summer seasonal jobs! Whether you’re looking to start your new career or a fun Summer job, check out the jobs offered by the City of Kyle at JoinTeamKyle.com

Skate Nights at Ash Pavilion May 20th, June 17th, July 15, August 12th 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Youth Basketball Clinic Registration closes April 25th! Ages 15 & under Visit TeamSideline.com/Kyle for more info

Stay connected with the City of Kyle app!

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

RIVERWALK DR.

BLANCO RIVER

CHUCK NASH LOOP

SAN MARCOS SPRINGS DR.

Hays County Physical Therapy and Wellness

PHOTOS BY ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

meats, cheeses, and other produce and poultry products. Mattison Bills, founder of Three Six General, also plans to add outdoor seating where customers can eat and drink their low-intervention natural wine in the coming months. 512-667-6474. www.threesixgeneral.com ANNIVERSARIES 5 CPR Cell Phone Repair , formerly known as In & Out Smart Repair, cele- brated ve years of business in March. Located at 750 Barnes Drive, Ste. 116, San Marcos, the shop specializes in cell phone repair, battery testing and analysis as well as the sale of phones and other accessories. CPR Cell Phone Repair also oers servicing for laptops and tablets. 512-392-2656. www.cellphonerepair.com 6 Figaro’s Pizza & Pub , located at 243 Wonder World Drive, Ste. 100, San Marcos, is set to celebrate ve years of business in May. This franchise location was started by brothers Greg, Jack and Je Harper and oers a variety of pizzas, pasta, burgers, sandwiches and more. 512-667-7434. www.garospizzaandpub.cm 7 KnD’s Boutique , located downtown at 312 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos, will celebrate its 10 year anniversary April 30. The shop is locally owned by moth- er-daughter duo Kristan Alvarez and Della Lucio, the namesakes of the shop. Customers can shop from a variety of women’s and children’s clothes, shoes, jewelry and other accessories both in

AIRPORT DR.

SANMARCOS

1984

WONDER WORLD DR.

SAN MARCOS RIVER

123

COMING SOON 1 The McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, located at 601 University Drive, San Marcos, an- nounced March 24 it is set to open a new student success center that will prepare business students for academic, career, and lifelong success and leadership. The new student success center will be made possible by an $8 million gift from McCoy’s Building Supply. The new center is slated for completion in spring 2023. 512-245-2311. www.mccoy.txstate.edu RELOCATIONS 2 Hays County Physical Therapy and Wellness held a ribbon-cutting ceremony

March 24 celebrating it joining the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce. The business relocated to 324 Riverwalk Drive, Ste. 312, San Marcos, from 140 Kirkham Circle, Kyle, at the end of 2021. The clinic specializes in women’s health and issues such as pelvic pain, bladder issues, prena- tal and postpartum treatment, but it also oers treatment to men. In addition to physical therapy, Owner Nicole Laird and her team oer massages, yoga classes, and a strength and conditioning gym facility. 512-268-9130. www.hayscountypt.com EXPANSIONS 3 Guard Dog Storage , located at 250 Riverwalk Drive, San Marcos, has begun the second phase of its facility

that will add three additional storage units, or about 25,000 additional square feet. Crews are working on leveling the land to prepare for building and comple- tion is slated for July. The facility oers 5-foot-by-5-foot up to 10-foot-by-30- foot storage units, some of which are climate-controlled. 512-393-5000. www.guarddogstoragetx.com 4 Three Six General , located at 1904 Old RR 12, Ste. 101, San Marcos, expanded from 1,600 to 2,400 square feet in late 2021 and began utilizing the space in mid-March by oering dry goods as well as lunch service. Lunch service includes sandwiches and rice bowls with a variety of protein options and is oered from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Three Six General also sells a selection of in-house cured

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COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

Three Six General

store and online. 512-557-5058. https://knds-boutique.square.site IN THE NEWS

nities reduce pollution and incorporate stormwater management techniques through 2024. The other $2 million grant will help promote research that will pro- vide climate impact information that can help inuence policy and decision making regarding climate change. 512-245-9200. www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu COMMUNITY The Edwards Aquifer Authority an- nounced Hays, Caldwell, Comal and other neighboring counties entered Stage 1 drought restrictions eective March 9. For San Marcos, the drought restrictions began March 13 at noon. In Stage 1, the aected areas must reduce water intake by 20%. San Marcos residents will only be allowed to water their property once per week via sprinklers; residents are also limited to one at-home car wash per week. The schedule is Monday: addresses ending in 0 or 1, Tuesday: addresses ending in 2 or 3, Wednesday: addresses ending in 4 or 5, Thursday: addresses ending in 6 or 7, Friday: addresses ending in 8 or 9. www.edwardsaquifer.org CLOSINGS 10 The UPS Store , located at 415 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos, closed Jan. 31. The store was an extension of the United Parcel Service and oered shipping, printing, shredding and mail- box services. San Marcos has four other UPS Access Points to drop o and pick up packages. www.ups.com

The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center is joined by the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce for the ribbon cutting of Marla’s Place.

8 San Marcos Regional Airport , lo- cated at 1807 Airport Drive, San Marcos, was awarded the 2022 Reliever Airport of the Year award in March by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division. The award is provided each year to an airport or airport manager that had a positive impact on the region. TxDOT ocials noted achievements by the airport, such as increased trac opera- tions, proactive airport management, and an upcoming multimillion-dollar project to reconstruct aircraft paths and other safety projects. 512-216-6039. 9 The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, located at 211 San Marcos Springs Drive, San Marcos, was awarded $1.7 million on March 9 from the Coastal Management Program through the Texas General Land Oce and an additional $2 million on March 31 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Climate Change Impact on Water Initiative facilitated by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin. The GLO grant is spe- cically meant for the Meadows Center to continue work on the Clean Coast Texas Collaborative to help coastal commu- www.ysanmarcos.com SCHOOL NOTES

FEATURED IMPACT NOW OPEN The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 25 for the grand opening of Marla’s Place , a transitional housing facility, named after the former HCWC Executive Director Marla Johnson. The new facility is 22,000 square feet and will oer 12-18 months of safe and aordable housing for those escaping family violence. Design for the project began in 2015, and HCWC began raising the funds for the new complex in late 2016. The groundbreaking for the project was in August 2020. Now completed, there are two one- bedroom, 12 three-bedroom and four four-bedroom apartments throughout the property. “Early on in working at the center, we realized it was the larger families that were returning to abusive homes because they had no other options. Often, they didn’t have any family

members that could accommodate [larger families] ... [the largest] apartment can accommodate seven family members,” Director of Programs and Services Elva Gonzalez said. Marla’s Place will also oer tutoring for children and classes for adults such as GED and budgeting to help individuals get back on their feet, Community Engagement Coordinator Veronica Medina said. There are also Early Head Start Centers on-site that will provide child care and early childhood education given that aordable child care is often a barrier in abusive situations. Additionally, residents of Marla’s Place will have access to HCWC’s counseling and advocacy services and other resources to develop critical life skills, access to job training, and more to help them gain stability and independence. For safety reasons, Community Impact Newspaper will not be publishing the address of Marla’s Place.

24-hour helpline: 512-396-4357 info@hcwc.org, www.hcwc.org

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

967

45 TOLL

BUDA

FIRE CRACKER DR.

1626

Shipley Do-nuts

Abuelita’s Bakery Spot

2001

PHOTOS BY ZARA FLORES/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

4 A new location of Starbucks opened March 21 at 22449 I-35, Kyle, near downtown. This is the second new Starbucks location to open along the I-35 corridor in Kyle within the last six months with the other located in the Dry River District. The chain is known for its cold brew drinks and Frappuccinos as well as its seasonal items and variety of food items. 512-256-1624. www.starbucks.com 5 Taqueria Mi Gusto Es , a new food truck, opened March 25 at 1203 N. Old Hwy. 81, Kyle, in the parking lot of Con- oco. The truck offers breakfast and lunch tacos as well as quesadillas, burritos, torta sandwiches and more in a variety of meats. Tacos are available with either corn or flour tortillas. www.facebook.com/ migustoestx COMING SOON 6 Abuelita’s Bakery Spot , a food truck located at 21511 I-35, Kyle, is set to open a brick-and-mortar store toward the end of April in the same center the truck is located. The food truck opened in September by brother-and-sister duo Vanessa and Hector Rodriguez. They offer Mexican pastries such as conchas as well as cake and other baked goods. They also offer delivery through DoorDash. 956-483-8688. www.abuelitasbakeryspot.com 7 Buda’s Healthy Nutrition is set to open at 1949 Fire Cracker Drive, Ste. 110, Buda, near the end of May. The shop will offer protein waffles, bars and sand- wiches as well as shakes and coffee. The shop will also offer loaded iced teas with 2001 21

vitamins, aloe and other ingredients for digestion help that it is already serving through delivery. 737-222-9629. Facebook: Buda’s HN 8 The owner of Hays County Outfit- ters , Whitney Connell, is expanding the business with a new location set to open in Buda by early May. The new store will be located in the Buda Mill & Grain Co., 304 S. Main St., Ste. 102, Buda. Connell said the business has grown and sees a lot of customers from the Buda and Kyle areas, prompting the new location. The shop offers outdoor equipment for camping, hiking, fishing and more. 512-749-1514. www.hayscooutfitters.com RELOCATIONS 9 Buda Bike Co. announced March 30 it is relocating to 200 S. Main St., Buda, from 304 Main St., Ste. 102, Buda, in early April. Buda Bike Co. also cele- brated five years of business in February, having opened in early 2017. The locally owned shop offers bike maintenance and service and sells a variety of tools, acces- sories and other bike gear. 512-312-4780. www.budabikecompany.com IN THE NEWS The owners of Milt’s Pit BBQ announced March 7 that the restaurant will be relocating from its downtown location at 208 W. Center St., Kyle, to Live Oak, Texas, just outside San Antonio at the end of April. In the announcement, the owners explained that while they tried to find a new space in Kyle for the growing business, they could not. “After an

WINDY HILL RD.

150

KIRKHAM CIRCLE

KYLE

BLANCO RIVER

150

NOWOPEN 1 A new location of Action Behavior Centers opened Feb. 14 at 4650 FM 1626, Ste. 300, Kyle. ABC was founded in Austin and now has locations throughout Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Illinois. The new location offers center-based thera- py for those on the autism spectrum, at- home therapy with one-on-one support from a registered behavior technician as well as an after-school treatment

Medicine on April 1 at 151 Kirkham Circle, Kyle. The team of certified facialists and functional medicine providers offer a vari- ety of services from microneedling and waxing to acne treatments. The team also offers Chinese medicine practices such as cupping and acupuncture. 512-893-3367. www.bloom-medicine.com 3 Nationwide chain Shipley Do-nuts opened a new location March 28 at 4250 FM 1626, Ste. 100, Kyle. The new store is approximately 2,000 square feet and has a drive-thru. Shipley Do-nuts offers classic doughnuts in a variety of fla- vors, cinnamon rolls, kolaches and more. 512-256-5252. www.shipleydonuts.com

program. 737-404-3800. www.actionbehavior.com

2 Jazmine Collins opened a new loca- tion of Austin-based Bloom Traditional

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Austin Angels relocated to a larger space in Buda in February.

Buda Bike Co.

Ranger Robotics

FEATURED IMPACT RELOCATIONS Austin Angels , a nonprot dedicated to helping children and families in the foster care community, relocated its headquarters to 401 RM 967, Buda, from 191 Cimarron Loop, Ste. A, Buda, in February. Austin Angels was founded in 2009, serving those from San Marcos to Waco, and launched nationally in 2016, serving communities in 16 states. The nonprot moved into what used to be Resurrection Church on FM 967, which sits on a 2.5-acre lot, adding an extra 3,000 square feet of interior space to its headquarters compared to the previous oce.

exhaustive and fruitless search for a new location in Kyle, we expanded our search area and found a great spot just a few miles down I-35,” the announcement read. 512-268-4734. www.miltspitbbq.com Gov. Greg Abbott announced March 18 that California-based beverage company Sovereign Flavors will be relo- cating its corporate headquarters to Kyle. Sovereign Flavors is known for its craft of flavors and beverages created by a team of chemists. The new 80,000-square-foot facility will also be home to the manufac- turing, quality assurance, and research and development departments. 714-437-1996. www.sovereignflavors.com SCHOOL NOTES 10 Two teams from Ranger Robotics

at Wallace Middle School, located at 1500 W. Center St., Kyle, won at the Texas Region 4 Championship of the Vex Robotics Competition in February, secur- ing their spots for the Vex World Cham- pionship in Dallas in May. The 2021-22 season started off with five teams, but two made it through to the end of the season. This is the first time that Ranger Robotics has qualified for the world championship since its inception six years ago. Students spend three days a week after school programming, build- ing, modifying and scrimmaging robots in preparation for competitions. Ranger Robotics will be hosting fundraisers and accepting donations to go toward transportation costs, entry fees and other expenses surrounding the world championship. www.facebook.com/ rangerrobotics

The facility will not just be an oce but will also serve as a foster care community center serving families and children, where they can conduct strength assessments to match volunteers with a family or youth for the Dare to Dream mentorship program and provide other resources. The Dare to Dream program matches a youth in foster care with a mentor. 512-312-4500. www.austinangels.com

967

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

TODO LIST

April events

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

mances of “Seussical the Musical,” a play about a character, JoJo, going through life trying to embrace their uniqueness in a conformist society with encouragement, featuring a special appearance from The Cat in the Hat. 7:30 p.m. (April 19-23), 2 p.m. (April 23-24). $10 (Texas State stu- dents), $13 (per person for groups larger than 10), $20 (general admission). Patti Strickel Harrison Theatre, 405 Moon St., San Marcos. 512-245-6500. http://txstpresents.universitytickets.com 23 CELEBRATE EARTHDAY The city of Kyle will host an Earth Day celebration at the Kyle Public Library with a day full of indoor and outdoor activities. The Austin Bat Refuge, Hill Country Alliance, Scenic Texas and other organizations will provide educational workshops and presentations. The Kyle Parks and Recreation Department will also sell native plants. 10 a.m. Free. 550 Scott St., Kyle. 512-268-7411. www.cityoyle.com 24 SUPPORT LOCAL TROOPS Join Kyle Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12058 for Operation: Hats O for Veterans, a fundraiser beneting veterans and their families. Food will be provided by Black’s BBQ. Guests are welcome to bring their own beverages, cooler, lawn chairs and blankets. The event will be capped o with a silent auction and live music from Roger Creager. 2 p.m. Free (age 10 and under), $10 (ages 11-17 with barbecue plate), $20 (general admission, music only), $40 (general admission with barbecue plate and music). 1205 Roland Lane, Kyle. 512-686-8501. Eventbrite: Operation: Hats O for Veterans MAY 06 ,13,20, AND 27 LISTEN TO LIVEMUSIC The city of San Marcos’ Music on the Square concert series returns for May. The concerts take place on Fridays and will fea- ture local musicians. Guests are welcome to bring their own chairs, blankets and drinks with the exception of glass contain- ers. 6:30 p.m. Free. 111 E. San Antonio St.,

The Homebodies will preform at Riley’s Tavern on April 15. (Courtesy The Homebodies) LIVEMUSIC BUCK’S BACKYARD 1750 FM 1626, Buda 512-312-9456 www.bucksbackyard.com APRIL 13, 20, 27 The Rowdies 14, 21, 28 W.C. Clark 15 Reverend Horton Heat 16 Devin the Dude, Afroman, Audic Empire 107 E. Center St., Kyle www.railhousebar.com APRIL 16 Jason D. Williams 20 Jonny Lurie 23 Chris Colston 27 The Barlow 30 Josh Weathers RILEY’S TAVERN 8894 FM 1102, New Braunfels 512-392-3123 www.rileystavern.com APRIL 14 Hartley Hall 15 The Homebodies 16 Beth Lee and The Breakups 17 Ken Simpson Band 22 Midnight River Choir THE RAILHOUSE BAR

APRIL 2324

CHEER ON YOUR FAVORITEWIENER DOWNTOWN BUDA

Head to downtown Buda for the 25th annual Buda Wiener Dog Races hosted by the Buda Lions Club, where wiener dogs will race and compete to be crowned “The Wiener King” (or queen) in line with this year’s theme, a spin on “The Lion King.” There will be races for wiener dogs as well as mixed-breed wiener dogs. Stick around for a barbecue cook-o, crafts, kids games, a pet parade, and other craft and food vendors as well as live entertainment. There will be shuttles running from Cabela’s and the parking lot north of Buda City Park. 8 a.m. Free (age 12 and under), $5 (age 13 and up). Buda Amphitheater & City Park, 204 San Antonio St., Buda. 512-914-2858. www.budalions.com (Courtesy Buda Lions Club)

APRIL THROUGH 25 UNDERSTAND THE ART

512-295-9999. www.budachambertx.com/ market-in-the-park 15 HUNT FOR EGGS Hays County will host its second annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Historic Courthouse Lawn. There will be 4,000 eggs for kids to hunt for along with crafts, games, prizes, story time and other activi- ties. The hunts will be split by age groups. Noon (age 5 and under), 12:30 p.m. (ages 5-7), 12:45 p.m. (ages 8-11), 1 p.m. (age 12 and up). Free. 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos. www.hayscountytx.com 16 WORK UP A SWEAT Get Right Get Tight Fitness will host a morning of community tness at The Railhouse Bar. There will be an outdoor group workout of body weight strength training and conditioning exercis- es. Fitness instructor and personal trainer Jeremy Jacobs will lead the group. 11 a.m. Free. 107 E. Center St., Kyle. 512-617-1412. www.getrightgettighttness.com 19 THROUGH 24 GET SEUSSICAL Ryan Scarlata, a Texas State University graduate student, will be directing perfor-

Texas-based artist and activist Jennifer Epperson will open an exhibit at the Price Center titled “Reshaping Trauma Through Art” to help educate others about sexual assault and trauma. The exhibit will show- case art created as part of healing from sexual assault and will include a formal presentation April 23 at 6 p.m. There will also be informal tours led by Epperson April 21 at 3:30 p.m. Noon-5 p.m. (Wed.- Fri.), 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Sat.). Free. 222 W. San Antonio St., San Marcos. 512-392-2900. www.price-center.org THROUGH SEPTEMBER SHOP LOCALLY The Buda Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes the return of Market in the Park, a monthly market on the rst Saturday of the month, rain or shine, at the Historic Downtown Greenbelt. The market kicks o on April 2 and features a variety of local vendors, chamber members, farmers, artisans, antique dealers and musicians. 9 a.m. Free (admission). 319 Main St., Buda.

22 Rollfast Ramblers 23 The Golden Roses 29 Sophia Johnson

San Marcos. 512-393-8430. www.visitsanmarcos.com

Find more or submit San Marcos, Buda and Kyle events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.

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TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES Craddock Ave. bike lane project reduces lanes

UPCOMING PROJECTS

290

OAK SPRINGS DR.

BY ERIC WEILBACHER

DARDEN HILL RD.

The city of San Marcos began work on a pilot bicycle lane project along Craddock Avenue in mid-March as part of the city’s master transporta- tion plan concerning bicycle transit. The city reduced car lanes from four to two lanes on a portion of Craddock Avenue from Old RR 12 to North Bishop Street as part of the six-month pilot project with buered bike lanes in each direction. Repaving of the road began in March. On Jan. 4, City Council approved a second stretch of buered bike lanes on Sessom Drive fromHolland Street to North LBJ Drive, but that project does not have a scheduled timeline. “One of the advantages of what we’re trying to do is that we’re working within our existing pavement

150

The Craddock Avenue bike lane pilot project began in mid-March.

RM 150 improvements Several contracts were recently ap- proved by the Texas Department of Transportation to increase safety and mobility throughout Central Texas. Work is slated to begin this summer on improvements on RM 150 in Hays County. Six-foot shoulders will be constructed along portions of the road. Timeline: summer 2022-summer 2023 Cost: $3.6 million Funding source: TxDOT

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

limits. And so it’s basically just striping that we’re using to implement this,” said Richard Reynosa, assistant director of engineering for the city, during the Jan. 4 council meeting. The city plans to use that six- month period to study trac issues, such as congestion and speeding. Findings of the study are to be sent to City Council by the end of October. Reynosa said the city’s trac count studies show the reduction in trac caused by reducing lanes would be manageable with current trac ow

and patterns. City Council could ultimately opt to revert the road back to four car lanes. “If we nd that it’s not working, it’s just striping to revert it back,” Reynosa said.

RODRIGUEZ ST.

BARRERA ST.

STAR OF TEXAS DR.

SELVERA ST.

TxDOT breaks ground on FM 110 N. project

O A

TENORIO ST.

YARRINGTON RD.

MORENO ST.

BY ZARA FLORES

TxDOT Public Infor- mation Ocer Bradley Wheelis told Commu- nity Impact Newspaper in an email. The FM 110 North project is the last of three projects meant to complete a loop on the east side of San Marcos. A new roadway will be constructed with a travel lane in each direction, 10-foot shoulders from

SH 80 and I-35, and a bridge over SH 21.

Downtown Kyle road closures The city of Kyle began roadwork repairs in March on Rodriguez, Barrera, Selvera, Tenorio, Moreno and Deleon streets, closing roads one at a time. Timeline: March-May 2022 Cost: $69,500 Funding source: city of Kyle

Hays County, San Marcos and the Texas Department of Trans- portation held a ground- breaking ceremony for the FM 110 North project March 1. Hays County Commis- sioner Debbie Ingalsbe championed the project, and the county paid for the project planning and right of way acquisition,

The 6.5-mile road will connect to the southern and middle sections of the road and create a new section of roadway from SH 80 to I-35. Timeline: March 2021- spring 2024 Cost: $36.5 million Funding sources: Hays County, TxDOT

110

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MARCH 29. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SBKNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.

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PARKS&RECREATION RioVista Falls project completion timelinemoved tomid-May

BY ERIC WEILBACHER

amount due in part to those delays. “On several occasions, they’ve been sliced overnight, and the contractor comes back, and the work area is lled with water, so he’s got to patch those barriers, reset everything up and pump water out,” Schwarz said. In 2006, the city initially trans- formed the area from a single dam into three sets of rapids, according to a press release. The structures endured strong ow and three major ooding events in that time, creating underwater voids, undercuts to the bank and other damage. The scope of the project includes deepening the foundation toe of the bank and instream structures and adding a protective layer of rock around the foundation. Work is mostly complete on the two rapid structures that are more upstream, but the downstream structure is requiring added work, Schwarz said.

Maintenance work on Rio Vista Falls, which has caused a portion of the San Marcos River to be closed since October, will continue through mid-May. The closure runs from above the falls in Rio Vista Park and under the bridge at Cheatham Street. The $966,000 project, funded through city general funds, was projected to be completed in March, but delays—some of which resulted from vandalism to the blue water-lled barriers used to drain the river and divert water for foundation work on the river bed—have extended the timeline, said Greg Schwarz, a senior engineer with San Marcos Capital Improvements and Engineering. He said the project, which is being completed by Austin Filter Systems Inc. Construction, might end up costing up to $100,000 over the initial

The blue water storage containers seen here are what have been repeatedly sliced open or punctured, resulting in construction delays.

“We had concerns about its integ- rity and lasting for many years in the future,” Schwarz said. He added that extra ow pressure on the left bank created accelerated erosion. “We are now in the process, the contractor is in the process of redoing that chute. And once he does that, he has a little more bank work to do in that area, and then they will be done and nished with the project.” As most of the work on Rio Vista Falls is underwater and foundational in nature, most of the work will go unnoticed once the falls reopen, Schwarz said. The third rapid down- stream, however, will have notable changes with a slight change in ow

RIO VISTA PARK

RIO VISTA FALLS

SAN MARCOS RIVER

allowing for a walking path for pedes- trians due to better stabilization on the right bank. Once complete, work will begin upstream that will close o Dog Beach access, but access to the river will not be blocked on the opposite bank.

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Hays & San Marcos CISDs

Hays CISD Will meet April 18 and 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Buda Elementary Campus, 300 San Marcos St., Buda 512-268-2141. www.hayscisd.net San Marcos CISD Will meet April 18 and May 16 at 6 p.m. at San Marcos High School, 2601 Rattler Road, San Marcos 512-393-6700. www.smcisd.net MEETINGSWE COVER NUMBER TOKNOW of bond funds were approved by the Hays CISD board of trustees on Feb. 28 for improvements at Hays and Lehman high schools as part of the 2021 bond. Hays will receive new HVAC units, while Lehman will get roong, ooring and a tennis court. $12.56M DISTRICT HIGHLIGHT HAYS CISD The board of trustees approved a payment of $40,115.45 to the Hays County Emergency Services District No. 5 on March 28 for student participation in the Fireghter Academy and Emergency Medical Technician Industry- Based Certication exams.

SanMarcos CISD dropsmaskmandate

BY ZARA FLORES

SANMARCOS CISD In an email to parents and a post on the district website, ocials announced that eective March 8 the use of face masks will be optional, though they will still be recommended. The San Marcos CISD board of trustees voted to instill a mask mandate in August and revisited it in January, when they voted to extend the mandate through spring break, as reported by Community Impact Newspaper . “The mask mandate worked when vaccines were not available for all students and helped students and sta weather the delta and omicron surges. Now that guidance from public health experts is changing, we need to update our protocols,” the statement said. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Community Levels tool, Hays County is deemed a low-risk county.

The Centro Cultural de Hispano has rented the school for 10 years.

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

District donates former school to local nonprot

nonprot has used for 10 years to provide classes and activities in Hispanic culture, heritage and art. SMCISD Trustee Kathy Hansen voted against the donation, and Trustee Margie Villalpando—who stated that she is a founding mem- ber of Centro—abstained. Centro Cultural de Hispano rented the 12,795-square-foot building from SMCISD for $6,650 a year. Part of the donation resolution creates stipulations for what the nonprot can do with the property and what actions would revert it back to SMCISD ownership.

BY ERIC WEILBACHER

SANMARCOS CISD The board of trustees voted March 7 to donate the former Bonham Prekindergar- ten School campus to the nonprot organization Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos. The school district owns the building at 211 Lee St. that the

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CITY& COUNTY

News from San Marcos, Buda, Kyle & Hays County

QUOTEOFNOTE “WE’VE ALWAYS BUILT UNIQUE PROJECTS THAT SOLVE LOTS WE’RE TRYING TO DO HERE, AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SIT DOWN AT SOME OF THESE RESTAURANTS AND DINE. I KNOWA LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY FEELS THE SAMEWAY.” TRAVIS MITCHELL, KYLE MAYOR, ON KYLE CROSSING 2 NUMBER TOKNOW was awarded to Hays County from the Texas Department of State Health Services for public health emergency preparedness. $126,721 OF PROBLEMS. THAT ISWHAT CITY HIGHLIGHTS BUDA The city announced March 15 applications are being accepted through June 1 for human services funding for projects and programs addressing a variety of community needs that are likely to aect the quality of life of a signicant portion of the community, address issues or problems the city’s governmental entities do not, propose practical solutions to community issues or problems, and are sustainable over time. KYLE Director of Library Services Paul Phelan announced at a San Marcos City Council Meets April 19 at 6 p.m. 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos 512-393-8000 www.sanmarcostx.gov Kyle City Council Meets April 19 and May 3 at 7 p.m. 100 W. Center St., Kyle 512-262-1010 • www.cityoyle.com Buda City Council Meets April 19 and May 3 at 5:30 p.m. 405 E. Loop St., Buda 512-312-0084 • www.ci.buda.tx.us Hays County Commissioners Court Meets April 26 and May 10 at 9 a.m. 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos 512-393-2205 • www.co.hays.tx.us MEETINGSWE COVER March 22 meeting that the library will oer an information desk from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday to help residents with computers, applications and other needs.

City breaks ground on Kyle Crossing Phase 2

BY ZARA FLORES

The project has been in the works since 2019, through which a partner- ship was formed, CSTD Development Partner Travis Sawvell said. Through the partner- ship, the developer and the city formed their development agreement as well as a Chapter 380 agreement that oers incentives to promote economic development through commercial and retail projects, according to the city’s economic development website. With the agreements in place, the developers will be able to deliver

Kyle Crossing Phase 2

KYLE City leadership and Central Southwest Texas Development LLC gath- ered at the corner of FM 1626 and Marketplace Ave- nue on March 22 to break ground on Kyle Crossing Phase 2, which will be home to the city’s rst mixed-use development. City Council recently approved a zoning ordinance change to allow for mixed-use buildings on 27.8 acres of land; how- ever, the entirety of the land for the Kyle Crossing Phase 2 development is 38.5 acres on two separate tracts of land.

Kyle Crossing Phase 2 broke ground onMarch 22.

restaurants, retail and outdoor spaces for the city of Kyle. “More importantly, we’re now being integrated with The Vybe, which we are so thrilled to be a part of. ... It gives us that ability to go and connect with the city of Kyle and its residents and plugs us in a way that we didn’t see possible,” Sawvell said. An addition to the development will be a $3 million tunnel built underneath Kyle Crossing

1626

KYLE CENTRE DR.

into Cromwell Street, allowing residents to walk or bike from Plum Creek to the new development, Mayor Travis Mitchell said.

SanMarcos City Council approvesmid scal year cost-of-living pay increases

OVER CAPACITY If the Hays County Jail is at capacity, it will send inmates to one of the counties it has an interlocal agreement with.

BY ERIC WEILBACHER

knew that was being accounted for, and so they were able to make sure that things were funded appropriately. ... They just didn’t realize that that’s how it was taken care of, and I will be very candid with you: We have a lot of turnover in our nance department,” City Manager Stephanie Reyes said. Reyes added that new employees might not have understood the methodology used by prior personnel in cal- culating overtime expenditures. FUNDING THE RAISE The city budget was amended

Actual usable capacity

Jail capacity: 410 However, standards recommend leaving 10% open.

SANMARCOS City Council unanimously approved a mid-scal year 2% cost-of- living pay increase March 23 for city employees, overtime for public safety personnel and other sta budget amendments on the rst of two readings. According to city documents, sales tax revenue in the rst six months of scal year 2021-22 exceeded projections by more than $1.2 million and could fund the increase. Police Chief Stan Standridge said the request was presented due to an error in overtime charges for police and re departments discovered late in the scal year budget process. Some council members questioned how long the discrepancy might have gone on and if the city could guarantee the issue will not happen again. “The nance personnel in the department at that time

369

Average number of inmates

675

Peak inmates March 16

681

SOURCE: HAYS COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Courtmoves to address Hays jail overcrowding

BY ZARA FLORES

HAYS COUNTY The Commissioners Court approved an interlocal cooperation agree- ment between Hays County and Lee County on March 22 for jail services. Lee County will house the overow of Hays County inmates, when needed, for $75 a day per inmate, according to the agreement. Lee County, if housing Hays County inmates, will be responsible for their hous- ing, care and any medical services needed during the inmates’ stay. Hays County will be responsible for transporting inmates to the Lee County jail, and the county has similar arrangements with other counties.

to reect sales tax revenue collected that came in over projections. That added revenue will in part fund the salary bump.

General fund Increase Revised budget

+ $90,955,663 $1,208,300 $92,163,963

SOURCE: CITY OF SAN MARCOS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • APRIL 2022

2022

L O C A L V O T E R G U I D E GUIDE Candidates and information for local elections

D A T E S T O K N O W April 25 First day of early voting

W H E R E T O V O T E

May 7 Election day May 7 Last day to receive ballot by mail (or May 9 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election)

Hays County is a vote center county, meaning anyone registered to vote in the county can vote early at any voting center location as well as on election day. Early voting and election day vote center locations can be found on the county’s election website.

April 26 Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) May 3 Last day of early voting

SOURCES: HAYS COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE, HAYS COUNTY ELECTIONSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

SanMarcos CISD, District 4

S A M P L E B A L L O T

*Incumbent

GABRIELLE MOORE

Occupation: San Marcos-area Realtor Experience: former city of San Marcos Planning and Zoning commissioner, a former member of SMCISD SHAC—the city of San Marcos bond committee. She is a current board member of Sustainable San Marcos, League of Women Voters, Hays County Women’s Political Caucus, MoveSM and the Four Rivers Board of Realtors Governmental Aairs Committee. Gabrielle and her partner have been proud Rattler parents from Bonham Pre-K to San Marcos High School graduate. www.votegabriellemoore.com, gabrielle@votegabriellemoore.com

SAN MARCOS CISD District 4 Gabrielle Moore Brian Shanks

HAYS CISD

District 4 Amy Grant Byron Severance District 5 Bear Heiser Esperanza Orosco*

Note: The District 5 election was canceled as incumbent Clementine Cantu drew no challengers.

Note: The District 2 election was canceled as incumbent Esmeralda Pérez-González drew no challengers.

BRIAN SHANKS

Occupation: director of Learning Spaces at Texas State University Experience: 13 years military veteran; 19 years in higher educa- tion; 30 years leadership experience; current Boy Scout leader and martial arts instructor; past youth soccer, T-ball, softball

V O T E R T U R N O U T

May elections in Hays County

Turnout

Registered voters

and ag football coach bkshank@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/brian.shanks.1004, www.briankshanks.com

2021

8,743

141,065

2019

5,021

73,329

2018

7,359

118,791

2017

7,592

110,384

2015

Answers may have been edited for length and style. Read full Q&A’s at communityimpact.com .

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85,097

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