San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | August 2022

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION 2022

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EDUCATION EDITION

VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4 AUG.15SEPT. 11, 2022

EDUCATION EDITION 2022

DISTRICT DATA

NONPROFIT

IMPACTS

6 TRANSPORTATION

BUSINESS FEATURE

Districts providing career and college pathways

SCORE snapshot Hays CISD and San Marcos CISD students have shown some improvement in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness for 2022 following a downward trend in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic learning loss. The data is reective of students who scored at “approaches” grade level or greater, which is considered passing. SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

San Marcos CISD Hays CISD GRADES 3-8 STAAR AVERAGE SCORES

BY ZARA FLORES

In recent years, school ocials said the career and technical education, or CTE, departments at Hays CISD and San Marcos CISD have seen tremendous growth, and there has been a notable shift in attitude when discussing postsecondary education paths. “10 years ago we had this culture where we were telling kids that every kid had to go to college, and that has really changed. As a society, we have real- ized we need electricians and we need plumbers and we need welders; every one of those careers can be a very lucrative career with good benets, good pay,” CONTINUED ON 29 GROWING PARTICIPATION Participation in career and technical education has increased over the past several years. It oers students professional experience and certications in a trade.

201920

202021 READING

202122

201920

202021

202122

MATH

Percentage point change from 202021 to 202122 +11.2% +11%

Percentage point change from 202021 to 202122 +6.8% +10.9%

Area STAAR test scores are back on the rise At a Hays CISD board meeting May 16, Superin- tendent Eric Wright touted the 2022 end-of-course State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, test results that point to a trend other area school districts have also seen—an improve- ment that meets or exceeds pre-pandemic scores following a signicant drop in 2021. districtwide,” Wright said. Test scores rebounded by more than 11 percentage points from 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic with all its waves and variants often kept kids out of the classroom and isolated, far from the support and instruction they needed to succeed, said Derek McDaniel, executive director of curriculum and instruction for HCISD. “Even this year was not a normal year, right? We feel like it was, but if you go back and remember delta and omicron and our attendance, January and February were really unlike anything we had ever seen with the number of students out and the number of sta out,” McDaniel said. CONTINUED ON 26 BY ZARA FLORES “We were very pleased with the eort of our stu- dents and our teachers across the district. We did not know really what we were going to get coming out of the pandemic, still being one foot in, one foot out, and so we were not really sure how we were going to fare, but we actually did very well

TOTAL ENROLLMENT IN CTE Hays CISD

5,872

2018-19 2021-22 San Marcos CISD

7,428

2,218

2018-19 2021-22

3,841

SOURCE: HAYS CISD, SAN MARCOS CISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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THIS ISSUE

ABOUT US

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and Pugerville, Texas. Now in 2022, CI is still locally owned. We have expanded to include hundreds of employees, our own software platform and printing facility, and over 30 hyperlocal editions across the state with a circulation to more than 2.4 million residential mailboxes.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH

FROM HEATHER: This issue includes our annual Education Edition. One of our front-page stories covers career and technical education programs oered at area schools. I had the pleasure of touring the San Marcos High School Career and Technical Education classrooms and was very impressed. Heather Demere, GENERAL MANAGER

Community Impact Newspaper teams include general managers, editors, reporters, graphic designers, sales account executives and sales support, all immersed and invested in the communities they serve. Our mission is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our core values are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

FROM ERIC: Students in both San Marcos and Hays CISDs overall saw improvements in State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test scores in the second year of testing after the COVID-19 pandemic pause on exams during the 2019-20 school year. This month, we dive into the data (see Pages 26-27). Eric Weilbacher, EDITOR

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

IMPACTS

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

BLANCO RIVER

159

FORTUNA RD.

SAN MARCOS

Arc Sentry

Valentino’s

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

ERIC WEILBACHERCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

AQUARENA SPRINGS DR.

4 Cooperative Laundry opened in July at 1225 Fortuna Road, San Marcos. The robotics-based commercial laundry service company is located in a 90,000-square-foot facility to serve the leisure and hospitality industries in Central Texas with close proximity to both Austin and San Antonio. Cooperative Laundry was founded in New Jersey in 2018 to provide fast, automated services for its clients. www.cooperativelaundry.com 5 Little Caesars held a grand opening ceremony Aug. 2 to celebrate the new location at 110 E. Martin Luther King Drive, San Marcos. The chain is known for its “Hot-N-Ready” menu of classic and deep-dish pizzas. The menu also features chicken wings, salads and 6 A new apartment complex called Oaks 35 Apartments opened Aug. 15 at 1635 Aquarena Springs Drive, San Mar- cos. The complex has 100 studio units at around 281 square feet each. There will be some larger apartments with adjoining units. The complex also has a clubhouse and outdoor activity space for residents. Due to the nature of the unit sizes, only one pet per unit is allowed. 737-727-4996. www.oaks35apts.com 7 Smoothie King opened July 9 at 200 N. I-35, Ste. 130, San Marcos. Smoothie King oers a variety of smoothies with additions, such as coee, protein powder, probiotics, ber and more. Customers can also add extras to their smoothies from fresh fruit and vegetables to Greek yogurt and peanut deserts. 512-210-8522. www.littlecaesars.com 1984 1979

8 After a nearly four-year hiatus and change of ownership, Valentino’s pizza reopened Aug. 2 on the downtown square at 110 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos. For nearly 40 years the pizzeria served the public with dining, delivery and a service window facing the street for late-night pizza by the slice. The new incarnation of Valentino’s features a completely remodeled kitchen and dining area, two new full-service bar areas, a back patio and more. 512-967-1100. www.valentinosbar.com 9 Vape City opened a new location in July at 301 N. Guadalupe St., Ste. 155, San Marcos. The shop sells a range of rechargeable and disposable vape car- tridges in a variety of avors. Vape City was founded in 2012 in Houston and has expanded with locations in Austin, Round 10 A new location of IHOP is set to open in early 2023 at 3945 N. I-35, San Marcos, across from the San Marcos Pre- mium and Tanger Outlets. The restaurant will be a new build at approximately 4,500 square feet. IHOP is known for its array of breakfast items, such as waes, pancakes, omelets and more. The menu also features lunch items, including burg- ers and sandwiches. www.ihop.com 11 Skips Beer Wine and Liquor is anticipating opening a new location at 350 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos, at the beginning of September. The liquor store oers tastings and events, specials on a selection of products and a wine Rock, Corpus Christi and more. 512-210-8484. www.vapecity.us COMING SOON

WONDER WORLD DR.

SAN MARCOS RIVER

CLOVIS BARKER RD.

123

MAP NOT TO SCALE

NOW OPEN 1 Arc Sentry , a third-party logistics company, began operations June 1 at 1600 Clovis R. Barker Road, Ste. 106, San Marcos. Based in an 18,000-square- foot facility, Arc Sentry has a range of trucking and courier options to serve businesses in both Austin and San Antonio and can streamline logistics processes for clients. 737-279-5196. www.arcsentry.com 2 Captain Hook Dumpster Rentals held a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 21 to celebrate the new location at 16056 Hwy. 123, San Marcos. The Aus-

tin-based company specializes in roll-o dumpster rentals in dierent sizes to meet the needs of customers. Dumpsters are dropped o and picked up when ready for disposal in a landll. 512-719-4172. www.captainhookaustin.com 3 Chit House had its grand opening July 22 at 208 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos. Chit House serves hot dogs, hamburg- ers and hotlinks. The employees and customers are free to use any kind of adult language between each other, with the exception of hate speech. Custom- ers should be prepared to banter with employees and are encouraged to lm interactions. www.thechithouse.com

butter. 800-577-4200. www.smoothieking.com

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES, SIERRA MARTIN & ERIC WEILBACHER

IHOP

Everyday Zen, Gifts & Tea

COURTESY IHOP

COURTESY EVERYDAY ZEN, GIFTS & TEA

The art installation features more than 1,000 tiles of artwork created by local students.

club. Skips Beer Wine and Liquor also has three locations in New Braunfels and a location in Cibolo. 830-358-7520. www.skipsliquor.com 12 Texas Bean and Brew House will open a second location at 3939 S. I-35, Ste. 900, San Marcos, in the Premium Outlet Malls in October. Texas Bean and Brew House has operated its original location at 1328 N. I-35 since 2019. The establishment oers coee, beer, mimosas, bagel sandwiches, pastries and more. 512-214-8101. www.texasbeanandbrew.com RELOCATIONS 13 Everyday Zen, Gifts & Tea relocat- ed to 165 S. Guadalupe St., Ste 112, San Marcos, from 1305 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels, in June. The shop sells

items for meditation; sage; crystals; tea; and tea accessories, such as infusers and canisters. It also sells candles, books, tarot cards and more. Customers can shop in store and online. 512-720-9066. www.shopeverydayzen.com ANNIVERSARIES 14 The First United Methodist Church San Marcos celebrated 175 years in the San Marcos community Aug. 7. What began as a congregation of nine people in a log cabin home in 1847 grew into several incarnations of sanctuary buildings at the church’s current location, 129 W. Hutchison St., San Marcos. The current sanctuary was built in 1893. 512-392-6001. Service times and events can be found on the website, www.fumcsm.org.

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

FEATURED IMPACT COMMUNITY Six San Marcos High School students awared scholarships by the San Marcos Arts Commission to design a public art installation honoring the Coahuiltecan people titled “Guardians of the San Marcos River” at Ramon Lucio Park, 601 S. CM Allen Parkway, San Marcos. City leadership and community members gathered at the park July 28 celbrate the installation’s unveiling, which includes ve animal spirit guardians of the river: Pa-uta’p, the eagle; Miakan, the waterbird; Clam Paya Yuye, the wolf; Panama, the deer; and

Apamxuepet, the jaguar. Around 750 students from SMHS worked on the individual tiles used to create the mural, said Thom Rogers, project manager of the installation. www.sanmarcostx.gov

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IMPACTS

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

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COURTESY MIGHTY FINE BURGERS, FRIES AND SHAKES

OLD SAN ANTONIO RD.

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grand opening of Suneld Elementary School , located in the Suneld develop- ment at 155 Vista Gardens Drive, Buda. Suneld Elementary is the district’s 15th elementary school and was approved by voters in the May 2021 bond election. Ocials broke ground on construction of the $38.49 million school in June 2021. The new school was built on 16.5 acres of land and totals to 117,611 square feet. The school will serve about 900 students from the Suneld development and north up toward FM 1327. 512-268-8517. www.hayscisd.net 4 A new campus of Valor Education opened Aug. 17 at 2355 Windy Hill Road, Kyle. Formerly known as Valor Public Schools, Valor Kyle is a tuition-free charter school that will serve kindergar- ten through eighth grade. The school will expand through high school as students move through the grades. 512-521-0600. www.valoreducation.org/kyle 5 Violet’s Home Goods & Gifts opened July 23 at 310 Main St., Buda. Located in downtown Buda, the shop sells antiques; furniture; and home decor, such as coee tables, book shelves, hutches and more. Search Instagram: violetshomegoods COMING SOON 6 The Kyle Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional-use permit for the construction of a Willie’s Grill and Icehouse on July 26. The new build will be located at 19200 I-35, Kyle, next to Starbucks and in front of EVO Entertainment; the building will be 2001 21

about 6,230 square feet. Willie’s Grill and Icehouse has an array of menu items from seafood to chicken to tacos and sandwiches. Willie’s also has locations in New Braunfels, San Antonio, George- town and Houston. An opening date is not yet known. www.williesgrillandicehouse.com 7 A new location of Mighty Fine Burgers, Fries and Shakes is slated to open in mid-2023 at 19460 I-35, Kyle. Founded in 2007, the Texas-based chain has locations in Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Spicewood. The menu features burgers, chicken sandwiches, chili cheese dogs and fries, onion rings and more including milkshakes with avors such as vanilla and caramel sea salt. www.mightyneburgers.com RELOCATIONS 8 Strength & Endurance Academy relocated to 4354 Dacy Lane, Buda from 23703 I-35, Ste. 101C, Kyle, in early July. The warehouse-style gym has treadmills, stationary bikes, free weights, squat racks, cable machines and more as well as tness classes. 512-504-3001. www.strengthandenduranceacademy.com ANNIVERSARIES 9 The Hays Communities YMCA , located at 465 Buda Sportsplex Drive, Buda, celebrated 15 years of business July 30 with a birthday celebration. The Hays Communities YMCA opened in the summer of 2007 and oers a variety of activities and programs, such as youth

133

2001

150

KYLE

150

NOW OPEN 1 Texas Sausage Co. has expanded its footprint with a new shop, Big’s Meat Market . Big’s Meat Market held a soft opening July 1 at 270 Old San Antonio Road, Buda. The shop’s menu features a brisket burger, a chopped brisket sand- wich, a sausage dog and will continue to expand over time. There are also a variety of meats and spices available for purchase. 737-414-7013. www.bigsmeatmarket.com 2 Summon Cafe opened July 1 at

408 Main St., Buda. The business spe- cializes in 14-inch and personal pizzas. The menu features specialties such as the Chicken Alfredo with Alfredo sauce, chicken, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Summon Cafe also has classic pepperoni and cheese pizzas as well as personal-sized pizzas. The shop also sells pastries, such as cookies and cinna- mon coee cake. 737-300-9576. www.summoncafe.com 3 Hays CISD ocials held a ribbon-cut- ting ceremony Aug. 11 to celebrate the

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

From left: Dasha Rose, Sarah Compton and Cayce Herrera founded LMK Salon & Co.

Strength & Endurance Academy

Doc’s Drive-In Theatre

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

FEATURED IMPACT NOW OPEN LMK Salon & Co. opened June 7 at 140 Kirkham Circle, Kyle. The salon was founded by Sarah Compton, Cayce Herrera and Dasha Rose to create a fun and positive environment for Instagram-worthy hair, Compton said. She added that they are also invested in helping people and oer an associate program to help young and new stylists grow and learn more after cosmetology school through hands-on work. The stylists oer a variety of services, such as classic haircuts, balayage, highlights, root touch-ups, Brazilian blowouts and more. The salon also

sports, swimming, arts and crafts, and more. There are programs for kids as young as 6 months old. The YMCA also oers a range of tness classes from gentle yoga and aqua arthritis to Tai chi and Zumba. 512-523-0099. www.austinymca.org RENOVATIONS 10 Walmart , located at 690 Old San Antonio Road, Buda, held a grand reopening event July 16 to celebrate the completion of a two-year-long renovation. Portions of the store have been rear- ranged, aisles have been widened, oors have been repolished and other improve- ments such as new signage and replaced wood were done throughout. With the interior and part of the exterior now up- graded, Walmart will next tackle work on

the parking lot. The store will remain open while work is done on the parking lot. 512-295-1670. www.walmart.com IN THE NEWS 11 At the end of July, the owners of Doc’s Drive-In Theatre listed the property for sale for $3,999,000. Located at 1540 Satterwhite Road, Buda, the 7.9 acres of land is home to the drive-in theater with two large screens, a members-only club, a commercial kitchen and three short- term rental properties. The property is listed through Douglas Elliman. Doc’s Drive-In Theatre opened in 2018 and is host to a variety of movies; the site is also available for private parties

KIRKHAM CIR.

150

sells a range of hair care products from brands such as Olaplex and Pureology. The salon strives to stay on top of the latest hair styles and trends. 737-276-8551. www.lmksalon.com

and events. 512-960-4460. www.docsdriveintheatre.com

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

TODO LIST

August-September events

AUGUST 19 RAISE YOUR PAWS Denton-based band Brave Combo and Shaws of Awe will perform at The Porch in downtown San Marcos as part of a benet concert and donation drive beneting the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter. There will be a rae and a donation drive for items such as cat and dog food, treats, blankets, small beds and more. All proceeds from the event will go to the shelter. 8 p.m. $15 (through Aug. 18), $20 (Aug. 19). 129 E. Hopkins St., Ste. 110. San Marcos. 512-392-9824. Eventbrite: Brave Combo & Shaws of Awe: Benet for San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter 25 SWING THE RIVER AquaBrew will host the second annual ShotGun Seltzer Rope Swing Competition at Don’s Fish Camp in Martindale. The event will feature food, drinks, live music and the namesake rope swing competition with prizes going to the top three individuals. Registration is required. 4 p.m. Free. 105 Nelle Lane, Martindale. 512-353-2739. Eventbrite: Shotgun Seltzer’s Second Annual Rope Swing Competition 27 THROUGH 28 SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP Texas Market Guide will host a two-

day event called Main Street Market with vendors selling a variety of goods from clothing and jewelry to home decor, gourmet food and more. There will also be holiday decor and Texas handmade products for sale. Admission is a dollar less with the donation of a nonperishable food item and is good for both days. 10 a.m. (Aug. 27), 11 a.m. (Aug. 28). $5 (with donation), $6 (general admission). 1001 E. McCarty Lane, San Marcos. 888-225-3427. Eventbrite: Main Street Market San Marcos 29 LEARN ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES The Buda Parks and Recreation Department will host a program called Our Water is Precious at which residents can learn about important water topics. The program will be led by a certied Texas Master Naturalist and will discuss how to protect and conserve water. Registration is required. 6 p.m. Free. 405 E. Loop St., Buda. 512-523-1081. https://buda.recdesk.com SEPTEMBER 09 HONOR THE FALLEN Join the San Marcos Fire Department Honor Guard in front of City

SEPT. 03

CELEBRATE THE ‘PIE CAPITAL OF TEXAS’ Gregg-Clarke Park

Following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Kyle Pie in the Sky celebration returns for one day only during Labor Day weekend. The event celebrates the “Pie Capital of Texas” with a pie baking contest, pie eating contests, sweet and savory pie vendors, and more. The celebration will also feature live music, a vendor market, a kids play area and tethered hot-air balloon rides overlooking the Hill Country. Unlike in previous years, this year’s celebration will be held at Gregg- Clarke Park near downtown. Noon. Free (admission). 1231 W. Center St., Kyle. 512-268-1010. www.pieinthesky.com (Courtesy city of Kyle)

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Hall to raise the ag and honor the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony will begin with opening remarks from Fire Chief Les Stephens and Mayor Jane Hughson. Residents are invited to attend and can place owers on the Flower Memorial. 8:40 a.m. Free. 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos. 512-805-2660. www.sanmarcostx.gov 10 PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES The Hays County Oce of Emergency Services will host the fth annual Emergency Preparedness Fair to help residents be prepared for emergencies. Emergency preparedness experts, rst responders and vendors will be on-site to teach classes and demonstrations. The fair will also feature live music, food, a silent auction, a rae and a guest appearance from Smokey Bear. 10 a.m. Free. 979 Kohlers Crossing, Kyle. 512-393-7300. www.haysinformed.com 12 GO GOLFING The Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Kyle Classic Golf Tournament at the Plum Creek Golf Course. The theme this year is “Around the World in 18 Holes” and will feature a luncheon once all players have nished. Prizes will go to the top placing teams and the “Dead Ass Last”

team as well as a special Hole-In-One prize. 7 a.m. Prices vary. 4301 Benner Road, Kyle. 512-268-4220. www.kylechamber.org 13 THROUGH 17 WATCH LIVE ART Inspired Minds Art Center will be bringing its Buda Plein Air Art Festival to downtown. The annual art fair spans ve days packed with a variety of workshops, live art demonstrations, live music, vendor markets, performances and more. Some events require ticket purchases though most are open to the public. Times, cost and locations vary. 512-256-0181. www.inspiredminds.art/ FEAST ON FAJITAS The Buda Area Chamber of Commerce will host the sixth annual Fajita Fiesta at the Buda Amphitheater & City Park. The esta will feature a fajita cook-o where competitors compete for cash payouts, a margarita competition, a jalapeno- eating contest, a grito contest, live music and more. There will also be arts and crafts for kids and a Chihuahua beauty pageant. 5 p.m. (Sept. 23), 9 a.m. (Sept. 24). Free. 204 San Antonio St., Buda. 512-295-9999. www.budachambertx.com/fajita-esta budapleinairfestival 23 THROUGH 24

Grady Spencer & The Work performs at Cheatham St. Warehouse in San Marcos on Aug. 20. (Courtesy Cheatham St. Warehouse)

LIVE MUSIC

20 Grady Spencer & The Work, 8 p.m. 25 Carson Jerey, 8 p.m. 26 Drew Fish Band, 8 p.m. THE RAILHOUSE BAR

BUCK’S BACKYARD 1750 FM 1626, Buda 512-312-9456 www.bucksbackyard.com AUGUST 18, 25 W.C. Clark, 6 p.m. 19 Rick Trevino. 9:30 p.m. 20 Del Castillo, 9 p.m.

107 E. Center St., Kyle www.railhousebar.com AUGUST 19 Josh Field, 8 p.m. 21, 26, 28 DJ 2DQ, 3 p.m. WILLIE’S JOINT 824 Main St., Buda 512-295-0483 www.williesjoint.com AUGUST 20 Brodie Lane Band, 9 p.m. 27 LC Rocks, 9 p.m.

21 Ken Simpson Band, 3 p.m. 24, 31 The Rowdies, 8 p.m. CHEATHAM ST. WAREHOUSE 119 Cheatham St., San Marcos 512-353-3777 www.cheathamstreet.com AUGUST 19 Ryan Ross Band, 8 p.m.

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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*All eligible sales must be original contracts with Highland Homes signed by or after August 1, 2022 and by August 31, 2022. Valid for all Highland Homes in any community in the Austin area. Must close and fund within 12 months of contract date to qualify. Highland Homes to contribute up to $15,000, amount dependent on third party loan contribution limits, which can be used towards title policy, closing cost and/or pre-paids. Amounts will be reflected on the Closing Disclosure. Must finance through Highland HomeLoans. This is not a commitment to lend, availability subject to change with-out notice or prior obligation. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Exclusions apply. See Sales Counselor for details. Highland Homes reserve the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time. All rights reserved, Highland Homes, LLC. © 2022 Highland HomeLoans (NMLS: 124684). All loans subject to credit approval. Rates and fees subject to change. Equal Housing Lender. Highland HomeLoans is a subsidiary of PlainsCapital Bank and exempt from mortgage banker licensing in TX. Highland HomeLoans is an affiliated business arrangement between Highland HomeLoans Ventures, LLC (HHLV), and PrimeLending Ventures Management, LLC. HHLV is affiliated with Highland Homes, LLC.

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Last closed stretch of Hopkins Street now reopened

COMPILED BY KAITLYN WILKES

After more than two years of closures, the Hopkins Street improvements are now complete and trac between Bishop and Moore streets was reopened Aug. 3. Another stretch of Hopkins between Endicott and Blanco streets was completed in June. The project set out to reduce trac congestion in the area with reduced roadway section and three raised intersections. According to Project Manager Richard Reynosa, these new additions slow down trac because they act as a kind of speed bump. Reynosa said the improvements made to Hopkins are similar to those made on Charles Austin Drive, but these improvements are more pronounced. In addition to road changes, there have also been improvements on the sidewalk on both sides of the street, and more lampposts have been added for pedes- trian safety. The Capital Improvement Projects In Design and Under Construction website said drainage was a key component for the project in the areas that had no infrastructure. Water and wastewater were also replaced, according to the website. Reynosa said adding drainage was key in order to prevent street ooding. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization awarded the city a $3 million grant for the project, and its total cost is estimated at just over $10 million.

Improvements to this section of I35 include water and electric bore updates.

ONGOING PROJECT

The improvements on Hopkins Street from Bishop to Moore streets will reduce speed and trac congestion and have better sidewalks and street lamps.

RIVER RIDGE PKWY.

FINAL STAGES

AQUARENA SPRINGS DR.

Final courses of asphalt, lighting,

Timeline: April 2020-summer 2022 Cost: $10.07 million Funding sources: city of San Marcos, CAMPO signage and striping of the road is set to conclude by the end of summer.

Mobility I-35 River Ridge Parkway to Aquarena Springs Drive upgrades According to the Texas Department of Transportation, crews are construct- ing extended entrance and exit lanes on the I-35 frontage road between Aquarena Springs Drive and River Ridge Parkway. Next, the construction crews would construct the curbs and gutters along the frontage road followed by the nal paving and striping. In addition to the TxDOT updates, according to The Capital Improvement Projects In Design and Under Con- struction website, an exit ramp to River Ridge will be built, and an existing ramp will be relocated in order to pro- vide enough distance for weaving. The frontage road between River Ridge and Loop 82 will also be reconstructed. Timeline: January 2021-summer 2022 Cost: $555,400 Funding source: TxDOT

SOURCE: CITY OF SAN MARCOSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Guadalupe Street bike lane improvements now open The bike lane on Guada- lupe Street running from University Drive to Grove Street and the proposed

and exclusive bike lanes at the last few intersections in July. Vij said several safety measures have been implemented to protect both cyclists and motorists. Measures include: a buer provided between the bike and driving lanes, green ring delineators, armadillo plastic bike lane dividers

and bike trac signals devoted to the bike lanes. The trac of the intersections of Hutchin- son, Hopkins and San Antonio streets would be impacted. Timeline: March 2021-August 2022 Cost: $214,169 Funding source: city of San Marcos

bike lane running from LBJ Drive to MLK Drive opened at the end of July with a designated bike lane and bike signals. Project manager Rohit Vij said workers completed the last few green lights

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF AUG. 3. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SBKNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.

CHECK IN FOR A CHECKUP Get updated vaccines. See a full picture of your child’s health. Ask learning and behavioral questions. Schedule daytime, evenings & weekends!

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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

Want to take the family to something sweet this Summer?

September 3rd Gregg-Clarke Park 12 - 8 pm

Pie Eating, Pie Baking, Tethered Rides, Vendors, Kids Zone, Food & Drinks, and MORE ONE DAY ONLY & FREE

PieintheSky.com

We’re Hiring! Full and part-time positions availabe in Team Kyle! JoinTeamKyle.com

Heroes Memorial Park Ribbon Cutting Join us to honor the heroes of our community. Visit CityofKyle.com/Heroes for details.

Sept. 11 th , 9 am

Squeezebox Market Days Sept. 24 th , 10 am - 6 pm Enjoy the market, live music, and festivities at Mary Kyle Hartson Park! Visit CityofKyle.com/Calendar for details.

Citywide Cleanup Sign up required Aug. 27 th , 7 - 11 am Drop off electric appliances & tires, and a paper shredding service. For exclusions and details visit CityofKyle.com/Cleanup.

Download the City of Kyle app today for news, the city calendar, and Uber Kyle $3.14 vouchers!

Founders’ Parade

Oct. 8 th , 10 am

Registration is now open for our Founders’ Parade! For details or to register visit CityofKyle.com/FoundersParade .

To see everything we’re offering this Summer, visit CityofKyle.com/Calendar.

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

CITY & COUNTY

News from San Marcos, Buda & Kyle

San Marcos City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos 512-393-8000 www.sanmarcostx.gov Buda City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. 405 E. Loop St., Buda 512-312-0084 • www.ci.buda.tx.us Kyle City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. 100 W. Center St., Kyle 512-262-1010 • www.cityofkyle.com Hays County Commissioners Court Meets Aug. 16, 23, 30 at 9 a.m. 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos 512-393-2205 • www.co.hays.tx.us MEETINGS WE COVER resources to investigate abortions at an Aug. 2 meeting. Stapp said in mid-July Police Chief Stan Standridge issued an administrative directive that states the police department will not investigate elective abortion since the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Discussion centered around how to implement some of the policies of the Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone Act—an ordinance passed by Austin City Council July 21 to limit the enforcement of state abortion laws—within San Marcos. NUMBER TO KNOW of American Rescue Plan Act funds was approved by the Hays County Commissioners Court Aug. 2 for cancer screening and treatment for those living at or below 250% of the federal poverty line. $1,187,219 CITY HIGHLIGHTS KYLE City Council accepted the resignation of District 1 Council Member Dex Ellison on Aug. 2. Ellison was first elected to the council in November 2017 and was serving his second term, which was set to end this November. He also served on the planning KYLE City Council approved an ordinance request for construction of the new Costco set to open at 19086 I-35, Kyle, at a meeting Aug. 2. Noise from excavation, construction, demolition or alteration of a building or structure is not allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, pouring concrete during the day in the heat will cause cracking and render the foundation unbuildable. The contractors aim to start pouring concrete Sept. 12 at 2 a.m. SAN MARCOS Chief of Public Safety Chase Stapp told City Council that the San Marcos Police Department will not devote and zoning commission. His seat will remain vacant until elections this November.

Cannabis initiative wins spot on November ballot SAN MARCOS City Council certified the signatures for an initiative to decriminalize marijuana at an Aug. 2 meeting and sent the measure to voters in November. The petition, brought by the organizations Ground Game Texas and Mano Amiga, submitted 10,624 sig- natures, of which 4,667 were deemed valid by the city clerk’s office. About 4,100 were needed, or about 10% of registered voters. BY ERIC WEILBACHER WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT? The ballot initiative—if passed by voters on Nov. 8—would prohibit San Marcos police officers from issuing citations or making arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession except in cases involving felony-level narcotics cases or investigation of a violent felony. The measure also provides other enforcement limitations that include:

According to city charter information provided by city staff, the council had 30 days to either pass the ordinance without amending it or call an election for the adoption of the initiated ordinance without amendments. Council Member Alyssa Garza said that support from the voters would be a clearer communication of the position of the community rather than council passing it. “I think there needs to be that strong stance that can only come from it being on the ballot, right. Because even with a petition some folks are like, ‘Well you know, with only 10,000 signatures.’ ... But if we put it on the ballot then the people—everybody, not just the folks that you know, knock on doors, they’ll all have the opportu- nity to voice their opinion on the ballot,” Garza said.

seizing marijuana if the officer has probable cause but release the individual if that is the offense; no citations for drug residue or paraphernalia; testing of a substance to see if it’s legal or illegal cannabis product; detection of the odor of marijuana or hemp cannot be used as probable cause; violations of enforcement could subject police officers to disciplinary measures; and reporting to the council of the city’s implementation efforts is required.

SOURCES: CITY OF SAN MARCOS, MANO AMIGA/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Budget for economic development board approved in Buda

$279M road bond inches forward

BUILDING BETTER ROADS

The proposed $279 million road bond will aim to build and reconstruct better roads and infrastructure that is needed throughout the city. ROAD PROJECTS: roads will be upgraded 3 road will be constructed 1 roads will be a mixture of an upgrade and new construction 6

BY ZARA FLORES

BY CHRISTOPHER GREEN

KYLE City Council held a spe- cial workshop meeting July 23 to discuss the direction of the upcoming road bond election. The council approved preliminary engineering work on six of the proposed roads within the bond in April to determine what the cost estimates may be, what challenges and opportunities may arise, and what a schedule for design and construction could look like, as previously reported by Commu- nity Impact Newspaper . While Mayor Travis Mitchell speculated the bond could be around $100 million at previous meetings, agenda documents indicate the bond could be $279 million for 10 road projects totaling around 15.6 miles in new, reconstructed and widened projects throughout the city. Following discussion regarding how to divide the roads into two propositions, the council voted 4-2 to have all road projects in one proposition, meaning Kyle voters will either approve or reject all

BUDA The Buda Economic Devel- opment Corp. budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year was approved Aug. 2. President Jennifer Storm presented changes to the budget from the 2021- 22 fiscal year. The BEDC is tasked with creating diverse business development and expansion. A primary focus for the BEDC is new developments and existing business expansion. The BEDC also focuses on infrastructure and city development. Storm highlighted some of the important changes of the budget. The capital improvements budget was increased from $500,000 to $700,000. Storm said the increase was made to ensure there would be additional funds if needed. The budget for an economic development specialist was increased from $70,040 to $80,250. Storm said the position is vacant, and the BEDC is seeking to fill the position, which is greatly needed for performance agreements and budget documents. The budget passed 7-0.

SOURCE: CITY OF KYLE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

roads proposed on the bond. Council Members Yvonne Flores- Cale and Michael Tobias voted against the motion. Based on an election timetable presented by the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, the council must adopt the ordinance calling for the Nov. 8 bond election with two readings between Aug. 10-22. The city’s previous road bond in 2013 was $36 million for work on five road projects. As of press time Aug. 11, final action had not been taken by the city council.

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

TXST FINE ARTS

Curious what is selling in your neighborhood? Scan me

*All prices shown are list price

Eugene Lee in HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED September 8 – 23 ( pictured )

ACTIVE

ANTIGONE (PLAY) September 27 – October 2

realtyaustin.com/p/9077574

realtyaustin.com/p/9814212

HEATHER PIERSON DUO October 19 ( pictured )

$398,000

$675,000

3 bds

2.5 ba 2,178 sq ft

4 bds

2.5 ba 2,958 sq ft

OPENING DOOR DANCE October 20 – 22

160 Meadowlark Ln, Kyle, TX 78640 Gabi Spreitzhofer | 512-496-9354

11310 Birlandier Ct, Manchaca, TX 78652 Heather Swick | 512-545-5244

TEXAS STATE OPERA: TWO COMIC OPERAS October 27 – 30

ACTIVE

ALONZO BODDEN (COMEDIAN) November 2 ( pictured )

realtyaustin.com/p/6633720

realtyaustin.com/p/9149936

INTO THE WOODS (MUSICAL) November 15 – 20

$735,000

$850,000

3 bds

2 ba

1,984 sq ft

3 bds

3 ba

2,833 sq ft

TXST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA performs Gershwin’s RHAPSODY IN BLUE November 18 CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD with TXST Chorale and Craig Hella Johnson November 20 ( pictured )

13015 Stagecoach Way, Manchaca, TX 78652 Ben Pierson | 512-567-0929

908 Mockingbird Dr, Manchaca, TX 78652 Brigitte Thompson | 512-387-7269

ACTIVE

DUKE ELLINGTON’S JAZZ NUTCRACKER December 1 – 2

realtyaustin.com/p/9896972

realtyaustin.com/p/1518356

$1,190,000

$1,300,000

6 bds

4.5 ba 4,103 sq ft

3 bds

2 ba

1,838 sq ft

MERRY-ACHI CHRISTMAS December 3

914 Ranchers Club Ln, Driftwood, TX 78619 Amy Mills | 512-762-0585

140 Summer Breeze, Wimberley, TX 78676 Angie Balentine | 210-844-4474

VOCALIBRE HOLIDAY CONCERT December 3 – 4

PENDING

ACTIVE

DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA February 4 ( pictured )

JACKIE VENSON February 10 ( pictured )

realtyaustin.com/p/6337417

realtyaustin.com/p/3499335

$2,500,000

$800,000

PIPPIN (MUSICAL) April 18 – 23

4 bds

3.5 ba 4,444 sq ft

3 bds

3.5 ba 4,029 sq ft

3152 La Ventana Pkwy, Driftwood, TX 78619 Gigi Jacks Mcclaskey | 512-968-0482

487 Hill Country Trl, Wimberley, TX 78676 Clark Gray | 512-554-9618

FERIA DEL MARIACHI May 6 ( pictured )

PENDING

SOLD OVER ASKING

Art Exhibitions featuring Faculty, Students, Alumni and Guest Artists: txstgalleries.org

realtyaustin.com/p/7464582

realtyaustin.com/p/5865220

For more info on these and many more events, please visit: TxStatePresents.com

$1,225,000

$435,000

3 bds

3 ba

3,394 sq ft

4 bds

3.5 ba 2,428 sq ft

128 Hidden Canyon Cv, Driftwood, TX 78619 Jackie Horton | 512-706-5951

334 Fossilstone Trl, Buda, TX 78610 Raymond and Catherine Team | 512-297-5133

Be confident and secure in selling your home. Visit RealtyAustin.com/Sell to look up your home’s value.

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

2022 EDUCATION EDITION COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER IS PROUD TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS.

SILVER SPONSOR

Doral Academy oers a rigorous STEM- focused curriculum that prioritizes individualized learning, creativity, critical thinking, and project-based learning. Application and admission to the school is free. Any family living in the school district boundaries of Hays, Wimberley, San Marcos, and Lockhart are eligible to apply.

Ladybird Montessori is an American Montessori Society (AMS) member school located on 14.5 acres in Buda, TX. We serve children from 8 weeks - 6th grade. You can learn more about our programs and availability by visiting our website at www.budamontessori.com or by contacting our oce at oce@ budamontessori.com.

SILVER SPONSOR

TO READ ALL COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER GUIDES AND SEE REGULAR TOPIC UPDATES, ANNUAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE REAL ESTATE EDUCATION COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. VISIT

The mission of San Marcos Academy is to educate you, men and women, within a nurturing community based upon Christian values. San Marcos Academy aims to produce leaders whose lives are built on integrity, a strong moral compass, a total commitment to lifelong learning, and who exemplify Christ's devotion to service.

DISTRICT DATA

Data and information from local school districts

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

SOURCES: HAYS CISD, SAN MARCOS CISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

HAYS CISD

SAN MARCOS CISD

Hays CISD serves more than 20,000 students from Buda, Kyle, Uhland and other parts of Hays and Caldwell Counties. The district has ve high schools, six middle schools and 15 elementary schools, including the new Suneld campus in Buda that was built to accommodate the increase in enrollment over the years.

San Marcos CISD is about half the size of Hays CISD and serves students from Hays, Guadalupe and Caldwell counties. The district has one prekindergarten school, seven elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Enrollment has remained steady at around 8,000 students over the past few years.

202122 STUDENT STATISTICS

STUDENT ENROLLMENT

Economically disadvantaged students

English learners

Special education students

Percentage change from 2019-20:

46.02% 19.51%

13.67%

+10.02%

77.77%

13.18%

14.82%

0.29%

Statewide

60.61% 21.66%

11.7%

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23*

*PROJECTED

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

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