News

If you’ve ever been around a nine-year-old boy for four hours, you understand the complaint that third grade teachers have with the new STAAR Test. The Texas Legislature voted on and approved the STAAR and wanted more “rigor” in the test. 

So starting this year third graders will have to sit still and take a timed, four-hour test in one sitting. Statistics show nine-year-olds can concentrate on a subject three to five times their age, 45 minutes maximum, not four hours.

Also in the test are more questions and the questions are a lot wordier than the test that the STAAR Test is replacing. There are also major points called TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that have to be taught by the teachers. Some of the teachers complain that they really can’t go into depth and have to move on to the next TEKS. 

Tempers flared and applause erupted in Tuesday’s meeting of the Hays County Commissioner’s Court as the officials considered the latest volley fired in the newest local water war.

The issue was developing an agenda and guest list for a special meeting on plans by Houston-based Electro Purification  LLC to pump up to 1.8 billion gallons yearly from the Middle Trinity Aquifer and sell it to thirsty cities to the east including Buda, Kyle and Mountain City and companies including Goforth Water Supply and Anthem Development.

While this would help to solve those municipalities’ water woes, some residents with Trinity wells worry that  drawing that much water would negatively affect their own supply.

While a date has not been set, it was agreed the meeting be held on a Thursday night.

Hundreds of people filled in to the Wimberley Community Center last week to hear a discussion from the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District concerning the Electro Purification test wells off FM 3237.

Last week, the city of Buda voted to negotiate an agreement for one million gallons of water per day from the well field bringing Electro Purification’s total contracted amount to 5.3 million gallons a day.  The wells are drilled in an area that is essentially without regulation when it comes to how much water could be pumped. 

“It is a real unfortunate situation,” Hays County Commissioner Will Conley said. “Nobody in Hays County should be able to distribute that amount of water commercially without any local oversight or permitting process. That is just completely irresponsible.”

With auction totals exceeding $500,000, it was another successful Hays County Youth Livestock Show this year. More than 700 4-H and FFA kids took part in the county wide event, that was held at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park.

“They exhibit projects that include livestock, home skills, ag mechanics as well as participation in a Queens Contest and scholarship program,” explained Roger Mikeska, Vice President of the Hays County Youth Livestock Show.

It’s an event many of the kids look forward to and offers a learning experience.

Eleven-year-old Gillian Guynes with Wimberley 4-H would like to be a veterinarian one day and is getting some first hand experience taking care of animals.

But was with most children, experience as been an enjoyable one.

The Wimberley Fire Department named Will Ammons as the Firefighter of the Year for 2014.

“He goes over, beyond and above the call of duty,” Fire Chief Carroll Czichos said. “If you need something, you can count on Will. He will get it done.”

Ammons has been at the Wimberley Fire Department for about four years now, and has quickly proven his worth.

“He is on most of our committees,” Czichos said. “He works with our Safe Halloween and our membership committee. He is also the Vice President of our department.”

Beyond that, Ammons was one of six firefighters named to the Night Watch Crew, an award for those who always willing to respond no matter that time of night.

In extraordinary news for Wimberley the FCC on Monday announced it had granted a construction permit to Wimberley Valley Radio to build a new low power FM radio station. Wimberley Valley Radio will have 18 months to complete the project and get on the air. 

Only when the station is built, has passed a rigorous FCC checklist, and is ready to broadcast would the actual license be granted.

In a statement announcing the news, Susan Raybuck, president and acting general manager of Wimberley Valley Radio, said, “We are now racing toward the last hurdles in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a radio station. Licenses are rare and hard to come by. This is Wimberley’s third attempt to get one and it’s essential to make sure this is a success. It’s the only chance for a radio station that we’ve got.”

The Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce named the Wimberley View the 2014 Business of the Year and Barnabas Connection the 2014 Non-Profit of the Year last week.

“We were thrilled just to be nominated for the award,” Wimberley View Editor Dalton Sweat said. “This just reaffirms all the hard work we’ve been doing and shows that we are making the type of impact on the community that we have been hoping for.”

Barnabas Connection is a local non-profit that works to help people in need find services and resources that can help.

“Last year is going down in the history books for us in many ways,” Executive Director of Barnabas Connection Vicki McCuistion said. “We really stepped out last year. We officially became a 501 © 3 and expanded on our projects while creating some new ones. This is just icing on the cake.”

Rep. Isaac to Address Water Concerns at Town Hall Meeting

 AUSTIN, TX – State Representative Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) will host a town hall to address water concerns at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10 in the Johnson Hall at the Wimberley Community Center.

Hays County Commissioner Will Conley met with Electro Purification, a company building wells near Rolling Oaks that plans to pump 1.5 billion gallons of water a year from the Trinity Aquifer, and asked them to create a “exit strategy” on Wednesday of last week.

Conley, along with Representative Jason Isaac and County Commissioner Ray Whisnant, met to learn more about the company, their future plans and to see the research done on that section of the aquifer.

“We asked them a few things,” Conley said. “First and foremost, we would like to see all the data in relation to the work and the test wells that have already been drilled for the lease so we can analyze that data.”

After getting delayed a month or two, the Wimberley Habitat for Humanity is working hard to make up ground, and the home for 2015 is going up fast.

Local volunteer Bruce DeHart was heavily involved in Habitat for Humanity and his passing in October slowed things up a bit. Now, the only thing holding the home back is the weather as volunteers come together each and every weekend.

“We have been moving at a good pace outside of the weather,” Rogers Holt, co-chairman of the Building Committee for the Wimberley Habitat for Humanity said. 

Every year, Habitat hosts a “Big Build” where dozens in the community come out to help get the construction off to a fast start. This year’s Big Build was delayed by weather in December, but nonetheless, they are off and rolling.