San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | February 2022

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SANMARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 10 FEB. 12MARCH 13, 2022

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BATTLE AN EVOLVING

From 2019-21, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services reported a downward trend in the number of children in foster care throughout Texas, while in Hays County, the number of children has remained steady. Statewide the number of children in foster care decreased by 21.71%.

STATEWIDE

HAYS COUNTY

18,000

150

16,000

135

Over the last three years on average

14,000

120

15,843 CHILDREN

130 CHILDREN in Hays County have been in foster care.

12,000

105

in Texas have been in foster care.

2019

2020

2021

2019

2020

2021

SOURCES: COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES OF CENTRAL TEXAS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Local counts of children in foster care remain steady while declining statewide BY ZARA FLORES

years. However, Hays County has not been so lucky. While the number of children in fos- ter care statewide has slowly declined, the countywide numbers remained steady over the past three years. A number that increased is that of Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA of Central Texas serves chil- dren in Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays counties by oering an addi- tional advocate to the roster of those helping children get placed into a per- manent home. Eloise Hudson, communications

manager for CASA, said that while the number of volunteers has continued to increase, they are still only able to serve about 50% of children in need. In 2020, CASA had 102 volunteers in Hays County and 267 volunteers in all four counties it services. The Hays County volunteers handled 136 cases in 2020, approximately 45% of the cases, according to CASA data. “Our main goal is to serve 100% of the children,” Hudson said. “Our biggest hurdle is that people hear about child abuse and neglect; they hear about going to court, interacting

With 102 volunteers in Hays County CASA took on 136 cases in 2020 to help children nd placements.

A year before the COVID-19 pan- demic stopped the world in its tracks, the number of children in foster care in Texas was 16,712, according to the Texas Department of Family and Pro- tective Services. Pandemic-related circumstances— such as children being out of school and out of sight—lead the number of children in foster care to decrease by more than 3,600 over three years. In December, DFPS reported 13,084 children in foster care statewide, the lowest it has been in the past three

with the parents; and they worry that they’re not qualied.” When a report of suspected abuse or neglect is made to DFPS, Child Pro- tective Services steps in and is respon- sible for investigating the report and CONTINUED ON 22

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Progressive Champion - Mom – 3x Jeopardy! Champion RE-ELECT STATE REPRESENTATIVE ERIN ZWIENER

Since she flipped this seat in 2018, Erin has been working for our families.

Directly assisted thousands of Hays County residents with findingmasks, testing, and vaccinations.

Secured an extra $100 million for student financial aid and funding for a new STEMbuilding at Texas State University.

Blockedmultiple bills that would have threatened local climate change action plans. Founded and chairs the Texas House Climate Caucus.

Passed legislation to expand sexual harassment protections to all Texas workplaces, giving 300,000more Texans access to due process.

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FOR Y’ALL TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE HD 45: HAYS COUNTY

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022

IMPACTS

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

4 10

BLANCO RIVER

UNIVERSITY DR.

FREDERICKSBURG ST.

HERNDON ST.

AQUARENA SPRINGS DR.

Blind Salamander Cantina

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

businesses and job seekers in Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano and Williamson counties. The new center will provide aid to Hays Coun- ty businesses and job seekers. www.workforcesolutionsrca.com 6 A new location of the Anchor Bar is expected to open in April at 1400 Aquarena Springs Drive, San Marcos. It will be replacing the previous business, Mamacita’s Restaurant. It is the third location in Texas after San Antonio and Schertz. Anchor Bar is based out of Bualo and is credited for inventing the Bualo wing. It is a family-friendly sports bar with a small kids play area and a sports environment. Anchor Bar is best known for its wings, which are made with an in-house recipe. www.anchorbar.com RELOCATIONS 7 The Christ Life SMTX Church held a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 12 to celebrate the location of the new church at the corner of Harris Hill Road and Hwy. 21 in San Marcos. The new church will be built on the 10-acre property slated for comple- tion in August. The church will remain at 150 Quail Run Drive, San Marcos, until the new facility is completed. The new church will be 30,000 square feet with wings to accommodate those with special needs. 737-484-2949. www.christlife.church ANNIVERSARIES 8 Fresco , located in the Lyndon Build- ing at 200 Springtown Way, Ste. 120, San Marcos, celebrated its one-year

SANMARCOS

1984

BROADWAY ST.

SAN MARCOS RIVER

WONDER WORLD DR.

123

1979

TRANSPORTATION WAY

NOWOPEN 1 Blind Salamander Cantina opened in January in downtown San Marcos at 301 N. LBJ Drive. The new restaurant has indoor seating and an outdoor patio upstairs overlooking the downtown area. Its menu features tacos, quesadillas and a variety of margaritas both frozen and on the rocks. 512-749-1108. www.facebook.com/blindsalamandertx 2 El Arco Pupusas opened in January at 714 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos. The restaurant sells traditional Salvador- an pupusas, which are round disks of

dough, much like tortillas, stued with cheese or meat and served with sauces and other toppings. 512-210-8005 COMING SOON 3 A new location of Burlington is slated to open in the fall at the San Marcos Pre- mium Outlets, 3939 N. I-35, San Marcos. Though there is no suite number yet, the new store will be approximately 22,000 square feet. Burlington oers a variety of men’s, women’s and children’s items as well as home decor. www.burlington.com 4 LaniKai Lounge and Tiki Room , a

new tiki bar and lounge, is set to open in February at 700 N. LBJ Drive, Ste. 113, San Marcos. While the new business is not a restaurant, it will oer “small bites” that have a Hawaiian and Asian fu- sion to them, according to owner Gabriel Sims. The lounge will primarily serve tiki cocktails to match the tropical decor. www.lanikailounge.com 5 The Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 23 to celebrate the grand opening of the Hays County Workforce Center in San Marcos at 4794 Transportation Way, Bldg. 5, Ste. 500. The WSRCA provides recruitment and employment services to

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Umami Sushi

San Marcos Art League

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

COURTESY SAN MARCOS ART LEAGUE

anniversary Jan. 26. Fresco oers food bowls for all lifestyles such as vegan, paleo and keto. There are four preselect- ed bowls customers can choose from, or they can customize their bowls with a selection of ingredients, such as arugula, kale, beans, chicken, falafel, tofu and 9 Orangetheory Fitness , located at 243 Wonder World Drive, Ste. 108, San Marcos, celebrated ve years of business in January. The studio oers high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, workout classes that incorporate rowing, cardio and strength training to provide a metabolism boost and burn calories. The classes are led by personal training coaches to ensure form and heart rates are monitored throughout the class. 512-357-3057. www.orangetheory.com 10 Umami Sushi , located across from Texas State University at 700 N. LBJ Drive, Ste. 105, San Marcos, will celebrate ve years of business in March. David Lee opened the restaurant in 2017 and oers a variety of sushi rolls and other Japanese dishes such as steamed chashu buns and more. 737-213-4052. www.frescoeats.com tempura. 512-667-7903. www.umamiumami.com IN THE NEWS 11 On Nov. 1, Christus Santa Rosa announced it will invest in the San Marcos area by partnering with Live Oak Health Partners to expand its medical footprint and oer aordable medical care. Formerly known as the Live Oak Community Clinic

at 401-A Broadway St., San Marcos, the lo- cation is now called Christus Trinity Clinic, one of almost 50 locations with over 1,000 clinicians in a handful of states. Live Oak Health Partners provides primary and spe- cialty care in San Marcos and Wimberley. 512-805-5650. www.christushealth.org COMMUNITY 12 The San Marcos Art League donated 4,000 meals to Hays County residents through the Hays County Food Bank, lo- cated at 220 Herndon St., San Marcos, as part of its holiday season fundraiser. The league raised $1,000 through ornament sales and donations, which was then passed onto the food bank. According to a representative from the food bank, $1 equals four meals, thus equating to 4,000 meals total. The Hays County Food Bank is dedicated to helping those who are food insecure throughout the county. The San Marcos Art league is a nonprot organization that helps foster art and community within the city. www.haysfoodbank.org, www.artleaguesmtx.org 13 All Bubba’s 33 and Texas Roadhouse locations, including the location at 1502 I-35, San Marcos, are organizing a fundraiser in support of the American Tinnitus Association. All locations are donating 100% of all prots Feb. 7 to the ATA in honor of the restaurant’s founder, Kent Taylor. Through March 31, Texas Roadhouse is donating 10% of online sales of Texas Roadhouse/ATA co-branded gift cards to the ATA. 512-353-7427. www.texasroadhouse.com

Texas State is one of the rst higher education partners Amazon announced for the program.

ERIC WEILBACHERCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

FEATURED IMPACT SCHOOL NOTES Texas State University , located at 601 University Drive, San Marcos, announced Jan. 14 that online retail giant Amazon selected the school as a partner in its Career Choice program for its employees. Amazon’s program previously oered prepaid tuition to hourly employees for training in certain professions the company considers “high demand,” such as aircraft mechanics, commercial truck drivers and nurses, according to its website. Since 2012, more than 50,000 employees have taken advantage of the program globally. This year, Amazon is expanding the program to include hundreds of education partners across the U.S. and will pay full college tuition to hourly employees who have been employed with the company for more than 90 days. Now Texas State can count itself as one of those partners. The company is investing $1.2 billion nationally to facilitate the eort with a goal of 300,000 employees across the country taking advantage of the program by 2025, according to a press release. “We’re looking forward to Texas State

coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the hundreds of best-in-class oerings available to our employees,” said Tammy Thiemann, global program lead of Amazon’s Career Choice program. The program applies to both the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses, according to Texas State spokesperson Jayme Blaschke. Amazon operates two fulllment center warehouses in San Marcos and a sortation center in Kyle, and it employs more than 14,500 full- and part-time workers across the Austin-San Antonio corridor, Amazon regional spokesperson Daniel Martin said. www.amazoncareerchoice.com, www.txstate.edu

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022

IMPACTS

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

967

45 TOLL

BUDA

1626

Goldilocks Coee House

COURTESY GOLDILOCKS COFFEE HOUSE

2001

cleaning as well as glass cleaner and microber towels. The company oers monthly package deals for unlimited washes starting at $19.99. 512-221-1178. www.sudsdeluxe.com COMING SOON 6 Club Pilates is set to open a new studio located at 5581 Kyle Center Drive, Ste. 103, Kyle, at the end of April. The studio will oer reformer Pilates and cardio classes as well as classes utilizing TRX equipment and interval training. All classes are oered in varying diculties to suit beginners and those who are more experienced. 512-507-7022. www.clubpilates.com 7 Factory Gym , a new bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongman training facility, is set to open March 1 at 2581 S. Loop 4, Buda. Owner Bryan DeMartini hopes to make this gym an inclusive facility to all within the tness community, from well-versed athletes to novice lifters. The gym will open in phases, with the rst opening in March that will include all the equipment such as cable machines and dumbbells as well as a cardio area. The rst phase will also include amenities such as locker rooms, lounges and common spaces. Phase 2 will include amenities such as tanning, mas- sages, infrared saunas and group tness classes. www.factorygymatx.com 8 A new Starbucks is slated to open in the spring at 22449 I-35, Kyle. The new store will be down the street from downtown Kyle between O’Reilly Auto Parts and AutoZone Auto Parts. This will be the second new Starbucks to open in

2001

150

224

KYLE

150

NOWOPEN 1 Bravo Family Dentistry opened Feb. 14 at 4460 FM 1626, Ste. 200, Kyle. The dental oce was a new build at approximately 2,000 square feet. Bravo Family Dentistry oers general dentistry services such as cleanings and tooth extractions, emergency dental care, pediatric dentistry and Invisalign services. 512-537-4892. www.bravofamilydentistry.com 2 Bu City Soap opened a new location Feb. 10 at 5401 FM 1626, Ste. 310, Kyle. The shop specializes in handmade, plant- based products that are cruelty-free and feature approximately 30 customizable

scents. The retailer also oers a variety of products from face and body items such as cleansers, body butters and body scrubs to over a dozen types of bath bombs and laundry soap in a powder form. www.bucitysoap.com 3 Goldilocks Coee House , a mobile coee shop, had its grand opening Jan. 10 at the Longhorn RV Resort, 12921 Camino Real, Niederwald, situated at the border with Kyle. The new spot features coee shop classics such as lattes and cappuc- cinos as well as teas, hot chocolates and frappes. Flavors oered include vanilla, hazelnut, lavender, peppermint and more. It also serves snacks such as cinnamon rolls and bagels. Though parked at the RV

resort, it will be mobile for special events. www.goldilockscoeehouse.com 4 O’Reilly Auto Parts opened a new location Jan. 29 at 211 FM 1626, Buda. The store was a new build and is approximately 8,000 square feet. The store oers a variety of vehicle parts such as car batteries and brakes as well as accessories such as protective gear and rst aid kits. 512-361-2561. www.oreillyauto.com 5 Suds Deluxe Car Wash held a grand opening Jan. 13 for a new location at 18810 I-35, Kyle. The new car wash has an automatic conveyor belt car wash, a dozen free-use vacuums for interior

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The team at Kyle Parkway Dentistry has grown from three to 18 members.

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FEATURED IMPACT ANNIVERSARIES KyleParkwayDentistry , located at 4650 S. FM 1626, Ste. 104, Kyle, celebrated ve years of business in December. Mahesh Dholariya and his wife opened Kyle Parkway Dentistry in 2016with a teamof three. They weremoving fromVictoria, Texas, and looking for a place near Austin and San Antonio to set up their practice. After looking in the surrounding areas and at over 20 dierent potential business locations, they chose Kyle to set up shop. “We just decided on this community. ... It was smaller when we decided; now it’s bigger,” Dholariya said. Five years later, the practice is now

awards at the 2021 Texas International Wine Competition held Dec. 3-4 in Buda. The TIWC is one of the largest wine competitions in Texas with a panel of experts judging over 660 wines from 140 wineries, according to a press release. W2W won three silvers and one 108 W. Center St. in downtown Kyle, caught re in the early hours of Jan. 27. The roof of the building collapsed and is a total loss. The re marshal concluded that where the re started is known, but it is not known how it started. There was nothing suspicious about the re, and the investigation has been closed. Greg Henry, owner of Papa Jack’s, said he is unsure how the business will proceed. www.papajackskyle.com bronze award. 512-312-9890. www.water2wine.com/buda 11 Papa Jack’s , located at

Kyle within a year. The chain oers hot and iced coees, cold brew, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pastries and more. www.starbucks.com RELOCATIONS 9 Beaux Southern Seafood relocated from the Cambria and Jordan’s Rail Switch food truck park and opened Jan. 27 at Wil- lie’s Joint located at 824 Main St., Buda. Upgraded from a food truck to inside Willie’s Joint, Beaux still oers seafood classics such as fried alligator, oysters, crab cakes and more. 512-804-8683. www.beauxseafood.com IN THE NEWS 10 Water 2 Wine Buda , located at 304 S. Main St., Ste. 103, won four

at capacity with seven rooms and 18 employees. Dholariya is opening another location in Georgetown in April. The new and existing locations oer general dentistry services such as regular checkup exams, llings, wisdom teeth removal, teeth whitening andmore. 5122560105 www.kyleparkwaydentistry.com

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022

TODO LIST

February-April events

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

26 EAT SOME CRAWFISH The Buda Amphitheater & City Park will be transformed for the Buda Crawfest, chock full of crawsh, food vendors, kids games and more. The festival will also feature live music followed by Hair Metal Giants, an 80s tribute rock band, at Willie’s Joint. 1 p.m. Free (kids 12 and under), $20 (until Feb. 26 at 10 a.m.), $25 (after 10 a.m. Feb. 26). 204 San Antonio St., Buda. www.budacrawfest.com 28 THROUGHAPRIL 27 KICK START YOUR CAREER Community Action Inc. will provide free Certied Nurse Assistant courses in San Marcos. The course will take six to seven weeks to complete, and classes will be oered Monday through Friday. Classes include Adult Basic Education, lectures and work in an externship at a nursing facility. 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free. 215 S. Reimer Ave., Ste. 130, San Marcos. 512-392-1161. www.communityaction.com MARCH 02 THROUGH05 SUPPORT LOCAL LAWENFORCEMENT The ninth annual Capital of Texas Police Motorcycle Chute Out will return to Buda for another opportunity to raise funds for Sunshine Kids, a nonprot organization dedicated to children with cancer. The event will feature local law enforcement agencies competing on dierent tracks, open practices, food, silent auctions and more. 9 a.m. (March 2), 7:30 a.m. (March 3, 5), 7 a.m. (March 4). Free (admission). Cowboy Harley-Davidson Training Pad, 15570 S. I-35, Buda. www.cotpmco.org 04 GO FOR A FAMILY SKATE Lace up the roller skates for a family night of skating at Ash Pavilion. The family-friendly event will feature food and music. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a chaperone over 21. Skates and other protective gear will not be provided. 6 p.m. Registration required. $1 (Kyle residents), $2 (nonresidents). 1231 W. Center St., Kyle. 512-262-3939. www.teamsideline.com/kyle

MARCH 1418

KYLE SPRING BREAK CAMP KRUG ACTIVITY CENTER

Travel back in time to the 1980s through the Kyle Parks and Recreation spring break camp. Children will participate in outdoor activities such as hiking and shing throughout city attractions such as Mary Kyle Hartson City Square Park and Lake Kyle at the 1980s themed camp. The camp will provide snacks and supplies needed for daily activities. Registration closes March 9 for the 30 spots available. Twenty spots are reserved for second through fth graders while the remainder are for sixth-ninth graders. 7 a.m.-5 p.m. (daily). $100 (per child). Krug Activity Center, 101 S. Burleson St., Kyle. 512-262-3939. www.cityoyle.com/recreation (Courtesy city of Kyle)

Participants paint while sipping wine. (Courtesy Fall Creek Vineyard) WORTH THE TRIP FEB. 25 UNWINDWITH SOME WINE ANDART The Fall Creek Vineyards will host a paint and sip party for beginners, lifelong artists and everyone in between. Bring some friends and sip on some wine while being guided through the painting. All supplies needed to create a masterpiece will be provided and are included in the price of admission. 6 p.m. $25 (per person). Fall Creek Vineyards, 18059 FM 1826, Driftwood 512-858-4050 www.fcv.com/product/paint-and-sip

FEBRUARY 14 WATCHAMOVIE Grab a picnic blanket and head to the Hays Historic Courthouse lawn in downtown San Marcos for a free Valentine’s Day movie date. Free popcorn and jumbo-sized lawn games will be available during the feature lm “La La Land.” 6:30 p.m. Free. 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos. 512-393-8430. www.visitsanmarcos.com 16 WITNESS A SPECTACLE The Harlem Wizards will be in Buda to put their spin and tricks on a traditional basketball game. The Harlem Wizards were established in 1962 and fundraise for schools and nonprots through leaping tricks and comedic basketball games. 7 p.m. $12 (students), $15 (general admission), $25 (reserved seating), $35 (courtside seating). Johnson High School, 4120 RR 967, Buda. www.harlemwizards.com/ schedule-tickets 18 THROUGH 21 SHOP A SALE Shops at the Tanger Outlets will have sales in honor of President’s Day. The shopping center is home to shops for

clothing, shoes, home decor, food and more. 10 a.m. 4015 S. I-35, San Marcos. 512-396-7446. www.tangeroutlets.com 19 CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORYMONTH The city of Buda will host its annual Black History Month celebration with the theme of “Black Health and Wellness.” The celebration will feature public speakers, music, poetry, food trucks and more. 10 a.m. Free. Buda Amphitheater & City Park, 204 San Antonio St., Buda. www.visitbudatx.com/96/events-festivals 22 EXPLORE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment will host a fully guided tour through hands-on activities for students at its Spring Lake Outdoor Academy: Climate Explorers. Children will learn about the eects of climate change on the environment, water movement around the world, solution-based thinking about the environment and more. The group will also take a ride on the glass-bottom boat to learn about endangered species. 10 a.m. Free (children under 2), $8 (per person). 201 San Marcos Springs Dr., San Marcos. 512-245-9200. www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu

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CAMP BEN MCCULLOCH

Find more or submit San Marcos, Buda & 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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LIVEMUSIC CALENDAR

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES & ERIC WEILBACHER

Live music in San Marcos, Buda & New Braunfels

BUCK’S BACKYARD 1750 FM 1626, Buda 512-312-9456 www.bucksbackyard.com FEBRUARY 16, 23 The Rowdies, 8 p.m. 17, 24 W.C. Clark, 6 p.m. 19 Micky & the Motorcars, 8 p.m. 20 Ken Simpson Band, 3 p.m. MARCH 04 Jacob Bryant with Hayden Coman, 7 p.m. 05 Diamond Rio with Love & Chaos, 8 p.m. CHEATHAMST. WAREHOUSE 119 Cheatham St., San Marcos 512-353-3777 www.cheathamstreet.com FEBRUARY

GRAY HORSE SALOON 1904 Old RR 12, San Marcos 512-878-8080 www.facebook.com/horseies FEBRUARY 18 Thunderosa, 10 p.m. 19 Perro Amargo, 10 p.m. 25 Los Gatos 512, 10 p.m. 26 183 South , 10 p.m. MARCH 04 Trout Myer, 10 p.m. 05 Christian Shields, 10 p.m. THEMARC 120 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos 512-757-5443 www.themarcsm.com FEBRUARY 17 Cheat Codes, 8 p.m. MARCH 03 Dabin, 8 p.m. 04 Sickick, 7 p.m. RILEY’S TAVERN 8894 FM 1102, New Braunfels 512-392-3123 www.rileystavern.com

FEB. 18

THE HOMEBODIES RILEY’S TAVERN

MARCH 5

CHRISTIAN SHIELDS GRAY HORSE SALOON

The Homebodies are a blues band featuring Ace Pepper and Bruce Weldy (guitar, vocals); Matt Curtis (drums); Mel Nolte (bass guitar); and Jill Holechek and Tracy Mock (vocals). (Courtesy The Homebodies)

Christian Shields is a rock ‘n roll musician and tours throughout Texas and beyond with Marshall Benson (lead guitar, vocals); Jake Allard (bass guitar, vocals); and Rom Gov (drums). (Courtesy Christian Shields)

ZELICKS ICEHOUSE 336 W. Hopkins St., San Marcos 512-757-8787 www.zelickssmtx.com FEBRUARY 18 Marco Lozano, 5:30 p.m. 25 Adam Johnson, 5:30 p.m. 26 Mardi Gras Day Parade After Party,3 p.m.

FEBRUARY 17 Mike Ethan Messick and Friends, 7 p.m.

18 The Homebodies, 6 p.m. 19 Nathan Hamilton, 8 p.m. 24 MC Young, 7 p.m. 25 Scott H. Biram, 9 p.m. 26 Dallas Burrow, 8 p.m. MARCH 03, 05 Manzy Lowry, 7 p.m. 10 Hartley Hall, 7 p.m.

18 Triston Marez, 8 p.m. 19 Southern Brave, 8 p.m. 25 Ben Cearley, 8 p.m. 26 Kody West, 8 p.m. MARCH 04 Matt Castillo, 8 p.m. 10 Josh Weathers, 8 p.m.

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022

TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES Phase 1 of CottonGinRoad reconstructioncompleted Hays County ocials announced Dec. 30

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

ONGOING PROJECT

HILLSIDE TERRACE

HALFWAY THERE HA Reconstruction on Phase 1 began in November 2020 and Phase 2 will begin within three years.

the rst phase of reconstruction of Cotton Gin Road in Kyle was completed after storms and ooding in 2015 and 2016 caused damage to roads and drainage channels in the area. After the May 2015 and October 2016 storms, Hays County was deemed by the Gen- eral Land Oce a distressed county within Texas and received an infrastructure grant of $5 million from the GLO for the project. Decient drainage channels were unable to properly drain the stormwater in 2015, and as the streets ooded it posed a safety threat to the public, according to the county. Construc- tion was split into two phases, focusing on dierent segments of the road to keep trac owing, and the road was repaved along with drainage improvements. The rst phase began in November 2020 and worked on Cotton Gin Road from Goforth Road to Bonanza Street. The county has yet to determine when the second phase will begin as additional work and funding is being sought for the work from Bonanza Street to Camino Real. All $5 million from the GLO grant went to phase 1 of the project.

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McCormick Middle School

PHASE 1: COMPLETED The rst half of Cotton Gin Road reconstruction from Goforth Road to Bonanza Street was completed with the $5 million GLO grant in November.

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Timeline: November 2020-November 2021

KYLE

ChapaMiddleSchool

BONANZA ST.

PHASE 2: COMING SOON The remainder of the construction on Cotton Gin Road will begin after design, additional culvert and pipe work is completed. Timeline: Est. within three years

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JAN. 20. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SBKNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Schools. The project is slated for completion in the fall of 2023. Timeline: March 2021-fall 2023 Cost: $20 million Funding source: Hays County 2016 Bond Dacy Lane improvements Construction continues on improve- ments for Dacy Lane in Buda and Kyle. Construction for the project broke ground in March 2021 and recent activity included continued excavation and work on the Go- forth water line. The project is set to expand the two-lane road into a three-lane road from Amberwood Loop to Hillside Terrace Drive and a ve-lane road from Bebee Road to Amberwood Loop. There will be one or two lanes going in either direction with an additional lane in the center for turns. Sidewalks will also be add- ed near Chapa and McCormick Middle

SOURCE: HAYS COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Work continues onRobert S. Light Boulevard expansion Three months after the groundbreaking in Buda to extend Robert S. Light be about 2 miles long and will have four lanes—two going in each direction—as

FM 1626, crews have made progress on various aspects of the project. Set to help alleviate trac on FM 967, the new road will

installed to prepare for the new overpass at Mustang Branch near FM 1626. Given that the initial groundbreaking for the project was postponed, all construction is weather-permitting. Timeline: October 2021-early 2024 Cost: $17.7 million Funding source: Texas De- partment of Transportation

Boulevard from its end at South Loop 4 to meet

well as new overpasses crossing Mustang Branch at Onion Creek, Union Pacic Railroad and a road near Centex Materials. The project will also serve as a connection from I-35 to FM 1626 and vice versa. Shaft foundations have been drilled and

1626

Robert S. Light Blvd. Extension

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

RENDERING COURTESY ORIGO WORKS

RENDERING COURTESY CASATA

RENDERING COURTESY CUASO DESIGN STUDIO

BUDA BEND TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT HALTED

CASATA BRINGING MICROHOMES TO SANMARCOS San Marcos City Council unanimously approved a development agreement Dec. 7 with Austin- based startup Casata to build a new micro-home development a few miles from downtown. Just over 200 rental homes will be built, ranging from 400- 1,100 square feet with one to three bedrooms for rent from $1,175-$1,800. “We’re in between tiny homes and regular homes. They’re more ecient, and they’re independent, physical homes,” Technology and Marketing Manager Forrest Hardy said. “They are attainable housing, so they’re housing for the middle class, and it’s a really nice alternative for apartment homes.” Hardy added that 90% of the homes will be regular, long-term rental units while the remaining 10% will be short-term rentals listed on AirBnB and Vrbo. “This will be a really signicant new addition to San Marcos and something that San Marcos doesn’t have right now: micro-homes for rent,” Hardy said. The development is expected to break ground this year, though there is no denitive timeline set for completion. Space: approximately 25 acres Timeline: TBD

DRIVETHRU TORCHY’S TACOS PERMIT APPROVED The Kyle Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 11 unanimously approved a conditional-use permit to build a new Torchy’s Tacos within the Dry River District development at 19110 I-35, Kyle. Torchy’s Tacos is an establishment that has been in the works for Kyle since mid-2021, and permits have been led and approved to move the project forward. The new restaurant will be approximately 4,000 square feet and will also feature a drive-thru, a rarity for the chain. The new Torchy’s will be located next to the drive-thru Starbucks, another newer addition to the development. The restaurant is slated to open in 2023. The conditional-use permit also applies to the construction of two additional retail buildings a little further south within the development, totaling 19,600 square feet. At the planning and zoning meeting, Senior City Planner Will Atkinson said letters of intent may have been led, though it is unknown at this time what will be in the two retail spaces. The two retail buildings will be on the same lot, connected through a shared, open walkway. Space: 4,000 square feet Timeline: to be completed in 2023

Buda City Council denied an ordinance Dec. 7 to change the zoning of a 2.89-acre plot of land on the corner of FM 967 and Arveda Lane from form district 4H to planned development for Buda Bend Townhomes, a new development by Origo Works citing trac concerns and the desire for more retail in the area. The proposed development would have featured 26 units sold as condominiums and a homeowners association would have been established. According to the city’s Unied Development Code, a form district 4H, or F4H, is meant to “transition from higher to lower density development” that matches the characteristics of the historic downtown area. Under the F4H, each condo is required to sit on its own lot, which would reduce the number of units that could be built on the land, hence the request to change to a planned development, or PD. Though the denial of the zone change was disappointing, a representative from Origo Works said it will be taking the feedback provided to modify the project and bring it back to the council. Space: 2.89 acres Timeline: TBD

KYLE

967

BUDA

SANMARCOS

PAINTBRUSH ST.

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022

EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Hays & San Marcos CISDs

Mask mandate upheld through at least spring break

BRIDGING THE GAP The board approved allocating funding to help combat staffing shortage. The incentive and budget allocation will hopefully replenish the vacancies and fill the new positions opened. SOURCE: HAYS CISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

District currently has

District hopes to fill an additional

bilingual educator positions

dyslexia specialist positions

BY ERIC WEILBACHER

SANMARCOS CISD The board of trustees unanimously voted Jan. 18 to uphold the districtwide mask mandate through spring break and to allow Superintendent Michael Cardona the discretion to prolong masking should he determine it necessary. “[If] the superintendent believes that masks are still necessary when students and teachers return from spring break, then he would have the authority to continue to implement it until which time the board meets and can reconsider whether or not we need to continue or we can start lifting [the mandate],” Board Member Anne Halsey said. “God willing, there’s a miracle we can start with lifting restrictions, right? If that is the case, I think we should have the opportunity to do so.”

speech language pathologists

licensed specialists in school psychology (with two vacancies)

licensed specialists in school psychology

Incentive deal for high-need positions approved

BY ZARA FLORES

we know we have an immediate demand.” The district has identified specialists in dyslexia, bilingual educators, speech language pathologists and licensed specialists in school psychology as high-need positions. A hiring incentive of $1,500 will be allotted to those positions upon hiring. The district also identified specific campuses as high-need areas wherein incoming and existing teachers will also receive the incentive as a means of retention, including Camino Real, Uhland and Hemphill Elementary Schools; Simon Middle School; and Lehman High School.

HAYS CISD Due to the high demand for teachers, the board of trustees approved $301,000 for hiring and reten- tion incentives Jan. 31 to bring in new teachers to the district and retain the existing ones in high-need areas. Part of the incentive deal includes an approximate $1.5 million allocation from the 2022-23 budget for up to 21 new positions. “It’s very challenging right now to predict exactly how many [positions] we’re going to need,” Chief Human Resources Officer Fernando Medina said. “We’re asking for up to [21] allocations … knowing that we may need it,

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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Hays CISD Meets Feb. 22, 28 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 Meets Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. and 28 at noon at San Marcos High School, 2601 Rattler Road, San Marcos 512-393-6700 • www.smcisd.net MEETINGSWE COVER DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS HAYS CISD The district announced Jan. 26 that Victor Figueroa is the new mariachi program director for the district and will be based out of Lehman High School. The Texas State University graduate has worked for other nearby school districts and has performed professionally for more than 15 years with Grammy-nominated groups. Figueroa will assume his position by the end of January. HAYS&SANMARCOS CISDS The districts will hold elections May 7. Hays CISD has a four-project bond totaling $115 million and two positions up on the ballot, single- member District 3 and trustee at-large. The San Marcos CISD ballot will also have two positions up for grabs, Districts 4 and 5.

2022-23, 2023-24 academic calendars approved for HCISD

ONVACATION Here is a rundown of the days students will not be in school either for holidays or weather makeup days, which are subject to change.

BY ZARA FLORES

May 25. The 2023-24 school year will begin Aug. 15 and end May 23. There are two weather makeup days allocated for each school year, though they may not be necessary, and updates will be provided as necessary by the district. The 2023-24 academic calendar’s spring break is subject to change in order for it to align with the University of Texas’ spring break. The board may amend the calendar at a later date. Elementary schools will be in session from 7:30 a.m.- 2:55 p.m. Middle schools will be in session from 8:10 a.m.- 3:35 p.m. High schools will be in session from 8:45 a.m.- 4:10 p.m.

2022-23 DATES

2023-24 DATES

HOLIDAY

HAYS CISD The board of trustees approved the 2022- 23 and 2023-24 academic calendars at a regular meeting Jan. 31. A 90% favorability rating of the calendars was garnered through a survey taken by over 2,700 students, parents, teachers, other district staff and community members, according to agenda documents. The original drafts of the calendars, which were presented at a workshop meeting Jan. 24, had the school years starting on a Monday. After comments from the board, the calendars were changed to begin on a Tuesday. The 2022-23 school year will begin Aug. 16 and end

Labor Day

Sept. 5-6 Sept. 4

Additional staff workdays Indigenous Peoples' Day

Oct. 7

Oct. 6

Oct. 10

Oct. 9

Halloween Oct. 31, Nov. 1 Thanksgiving break Nov. 21-25 Nov. 20-24 Oct. 31, Nov. 1

Dec. 19- Jan. 4

Dec. 18- Jan. 3

Winter break

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 16

Jan. 15

Presidents' Day

Feb. 20

Feb. 19

Spring Break

March 13-17 March 11-15

Good Friday

April 7

March 29

Weather makeup days

Feb. 17, April 10

Feb. 16, April 1

SOURCE HAYS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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