DECEMBER 28, 2022
Year in Review
News-Dispatch © Barton Publications, Inc.
75¢
HaysNewsDispatch.com
Vol. 43 • No. 14
Serving Hays County, TX
How It Started ... New Year's Babies The community’s first babies of 2022 were welcomed in local San Marcos and Kyle hospitals on New Year’s Day. Ezra Bernal was born at 8:46 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos to parents Janet Salazar and Jovanne Bernal, weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 19 inches. He was delivered by Dr. Virginia Smith. Fernando Villegas was born at 2:22 p.m. on Jan. 1 at Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HOSPITAL – SAN MARCOS AND CITY OF KYLE/ASCENSION SETON HAYS HOSPITAL
Above, Fernando Villegas with his mother. Left, Janet Salazar and Jovanne Bernal with baby Ezra.
... How It's Going CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Emma Respondek, a Carpenter Hill Elementary fifth grader, won the 2022-23 Spelling Bee title. Her correct spelling of the winning word, “retribution,” came in the schoolrecord 16th round of competition, where she outlasted a field of 20 talented spelling bee participants.
Most Read Stories HERE, WE COUNT DOWN THE TOP FIVE STORIES OF 2022, BASED ON WEB ANALYTICS.
No. 1 - Texas announces over $600 million in pandemic food benefits By Megan Wehring
megan@haysfreepress.com
Some Texas parents can now feel a bit of relief when it comes to feeding their families. On April 12, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a fourth round of federal Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer food benefits for Texas families with children who temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to COVID-19. HHSC received federal approval
to provide more than $626 million in benefits to approximately 2.1 million eligible children in Texas for the 2021-2022 school year, according to a news release. At the time of the story, HHSC has distributed approximately $6.13 billion in P-EBT food benefits to Texas families. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to continue this successful P-EBT program in Texas,” said Wayne Salter, HHS deputy executive commissioner of Access and Eligibility Services. “These food benefits provide muchneeded assistance to families and children impacted by school closures.”
No. 2 - Wildfire ignites near Hays/Blanco County line Staff Report A wildfire on the Hays/Blanco County line ignited Aug. 2. The Smoke Rider Fire moved northwest towards Highway 290 and prompted evacuations in the area. The fire was 100% contained six-days later after spreading through 1,210 acres, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service incident viewer. Among the losses were seven homes and recreational vehicles with multiple barns and other equipment, according to the Blanco County Emergency Management.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A wildfire on the Hays/Blanco County line ignited Aug. 2. The Smoke Rider Fire moved northwest towards Highway 290 and prompted evacuations in the area.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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