DECEMBER 21, 2022 CHRISTMAS AROUND NORTH HAYS COUNTY
FIFTH GRADER WINS SPELLING BEE PAGE 3
INSIDE
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HaysFreePress.com
Vol. 128 • No. 40
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HCISD approves Academic Support Center By Amira Van Leeuwen amira@haysfreepress.com
“I practice every day, most of the time on Sundays [too],” Lona said. “And every training’s different. There’s different things to work on, to study, to improve on, to get stronger on. There’s mental practices and also physical practices, like strength and conditioning.” Lona began training for the championships about six to eight weeks prior to competing, describing the experience as “hardcore” — eating, sleeping and breathing boxing. “You have to wake up at 5 a.m., run, work out then go to school.
HAYS COUNTY — The Hays CISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the design for the Hays CISD Academic Support Center (ASC) and guaranteed maximum price (GMP) 1 from Bartlett Cocke General Contractors on Dec. 12. The GMP 1 includes long lead items like HVAC equipment, electrical equipment, structural steel, a roofing package, select demolition and site work. The center, which will cost $11,552,361, is slated to become the new home for the board, superintendent, curriculum and instruction, special education, human resources, benefits, finance, payroll, safety and security, communications, technology and operations. According to agenda documents, the proximity of these workspaces will “enhance productivity” and “increase customer satisfaction.” The A&E Design Group began programming for this building in 2020 and the original schematic design was presented to the voters in a 2021 Bond proposition, but was unsuccessful. The firm continued the design process and produced a revised layout, which voters approved in May. Since then, A&E Design Group has partnered with O’Connell Robertson Architects to deliver the project. Trustee Raul Vela Jr. thought the ASC design would give him “plenty of room to work and be comfortable.” Trustee Courtney Runkle agreed. “I think it looks great,” trustee Byron Severance said. Hays CISD staff anticipates bringing forward a guaranteed maximum price for the balance of the work in early 2023. “We’re real excited about the Academic
See BOXING, Page 3
See CENTER, Page 3
PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA LONA Anthony Lona, 15, recently placed third in the USA Boxing National Championships in Lubbock.
Local teenager’s journey to boxing championships ‘I want to be a world champion’ By Brittany Anderson brittany@haysfreepress.com Being able to commit to a sport takes immense discipline and enthusiasm and one local teenager has been able to take his love for boxing to new levels. Anthony “The Ghost” Lona, a 15-year-old boxer and student at Lehman High School, recently competed at the USA Boxing National Championships from Dec. 3-10 in Lubbock. Lona’s boxing journey started many years ago. After following
in his father’s footsteps of playing football, it was boxing that truly piqued his interest one day. “Out of nowhere, I was just interested in boxing. I kept seeing it everywhere, so I begged my dad for two years and he finally put me in it,” Lona said. “We went to a gym on the east side [of Austin] and that is where it started. I started training every day; I was watching everybody.” Now, Lona is going on eight years of being a boxer. His rigid practice schedule was instrumental in getting him to the championships, which was no easy feat.
New restaurant headed to Buda’s Main Street By Brittany Anderson BUDA — An upcoming restaurant in Buda is getting ready to bring something fresh to the community and continue to amp up the city’s robust restaurant scene. Tamra Tindol and her husband Travis have owned the renowned and well-loved restaurant Hays City Store in Driftwood for nearly eight years. The couple is embarking on another exciting food venture: a seafood and steakhouse situated on Buda’s Main Street, appropriately named TasTe on Main. “Buda’s always been a great town, both historically and community-driven,” Tamra said about their decision to open up shop here. “There’s so much going on, so that was intriguing.” Tamra said that TasTe on Main will be “completely different” from Hays City Store, and that while there will be a few similarities between the two, such as having two bars and three dining areas, the atmosphere itself will bring something PHOTO COURTESY OF TAMRA TINDOL TasTe on Main, located at 116 Main St. in Buda, is planning to open in January 2023.
SAN MARCOS ART LEAGUE SUPPORTS COUNTY FOOD BANK PAGE 2
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See TASTE, Page 2