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2020
Volume 34, Issue 6
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December 31, 2020 | 50 Cents
School officials set to watch Legislature closely
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When the Texas Legislature convenes for its 87th Session on Jan. 12, public education officials from across the state will be watching closely. Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell will be among those keeping a close eye on things. While public school finance is always on the radar, Snell believes that due to state revenue questions and so many other issues at the forefront right now, it is not anticipated that there will be much activity on how public schools are financed, or dramatic changes in budget numbers for schools. “I don’t see any legislative appetite for that right now,” Snell said of the long-fought battle over funding formulas. “The biggest thing for schools is finance, obviously, and increasing that basic allotment. There are different metrics on how good or bad the budget is going to be for this next biennium, but I think it is better than we were expecting six months ago.” The Texas Comptroller will publish the biannual Certification Revenue Estimate (CRE) in January that will guide the legislative budgeting process for the session. In January 2019, Comptroller Glenn Hegar projected a $119.1 billion revenue estimate for the 2020-2021 biennium. A revised estimate published last September showed $110.19 billion available for general-purpose spending in the 2020-2021 biennium, a 0.8 percent decrease from the 2018-2019 biennium. It is unclear at this time where the new revenue estimates for the state will fall. For Snell, the most important funding issue is maintaining the fast-growth allotment that LHISD receives. The district is funded for the next year based on snapshot data at the end of October and the district has already added more than 30 students since that snapshot date. From the 2019 to the 2020 snapshot dates, 670 new students moved into the district. The fast-growth allotment helps to mitigate increases that aren’t easily captured in the annual snapshot. “For Liberty Hill ISD it is very important we continue with the fast-growth allotment,” Snell said. “We get some extra revenue just based on the fact we are fast growth. We’re always concerned about that.” The district was forced to lower the maintenance and
See LEGISLATURE, Page 5 ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
ONWARD!
The Panthers celebrated after winning a thriller over Rouse Saturday to propel them into the Regional Final this Saturday. The game will be against Sharyland Pioneer at San Antonio’s Heroes Stadium at 5 p.m. See more sports on Page 6.
City Public Works reorganized, director Bonnet resigns
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor It was confirmed Wednesday that Public Works Director Wayne Bonnet – who had held the position since July 2014 – resigned Dec. 21, one day before the City Council voted in favor of a department reorganization proposed by City Administrator Lacie Hale. The City did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Bonnet’s resignation and Bonnet could not be reached for comment. In early December, the City Council authorized the hiring of consultant AJ Olson to evaluate the operations of the wastewater treatment plant. At the Dec. 14 meeting the Council took a second step in authorizing the newly-appointed Hale to
reorganize the Public Works Department, and that proposal was approved eight days later on Dec. 22. “As you know, I was elevated to the position of City Administrator in the last half of October,” Hale wrote in a response to questions from The Independent about the reorganization. “Since coming into this role I have been actively evaluating a number of the City’s operations including Public Works. Partly based on (Olson’s) recommendations, the City Engineer’s recommendations and discussions with the Public Works staff, a change was warranted.” Hale confirmed a change in leadership in the department, saying Jay Holmes, the City’s Project Manager, would serve as the interim
director as final decisions are made regarding staffing and potential policy changes. “As you know, with Wayne Bonnet stepping down, there has been a change of leadership in Public Works, but whether more changes happen with the current personnel is currently unsettled,” Hale wrote. “What I expect to see in the coming weeks and months are updated safety and operations policies as well as updated (standard operating procedures) related to all facets of that department, not simply wastewater, and Jay will be leading that effort.” The City is still facing a potential lawsuit connected to complaints about the effluent put into the South San
See PUBLIC, Page 10
Local Bishop shares stories of faith in ‘Come Ride with Me’
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Faith in a higher power can be a life-changing experience for some. Many believers chalk up miracles in their lives to their faith. Mantle of Hope Ministries Bishop Chris Nwoke has gathered over 100 testimonies of the power of faith and belief in God in his book, Come and Ride with Me. “It’s a call for action. God is saying you can depend on me. There are so much trouble and uncertainty in the world today,” said Nwoke. “With all that is going on, it is important to know that God is big-
ger than our problems. He can make a mountain a molehill if we let him through faith and look to him. The book is full of inspirational scripture messages, matters of faith, and issues of our time. It provides insight into how God has done extraordinary things in the lives of ordinary people.” The inspiration for Nwoke’s book comes from his desire to help those struggling to find solutions to their problems through God. “The feedback I received from people over the years as I shared these messages showed me the importance of putting all of these messages
COVID cases reach highest totals City of Liberty Hill won’t release local numbers
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Texas has grappled with COVID-19 for nearly 10 months as 2020 draws to a close, but to date, the state continues to struggle in that fight. December was predicted by health officials to be a record month for new cases and through 29 days Texas has seen 350,388, topping the previous record set in November by 70,000 cases. The number represents more than 20 percent of all cases since the pandemic reached Texas. An even greater concern are the increases in numbers elected and health officials have identified as key indicators
to gauge the state’s success against the virus – the testing positivity rate and hospitalizations. Gov. Greg Abbott said last spring that it was critical to keep the positivity rate below 10 percent, but it topped that number on Nov. 30 and has continued a steady climb throughout the month, reaching 17.15 percent Tuesday. Hospitalizations have also increased nearly 50 percent, sitting at 11,775 across the state. Williamson County has also been hit harder this month, with more than one third of all cases since March being confirmed in December. There
See COVID, Page 8
together. Through prayer, we did,” he said. “With that, we thought it would benefit more people because the word of God is eternal, and the messages as such also transcend time. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.” Nwoke’s journey saw him arrive at his faith in 1988, but it wasn’t until a decade later that he realized his true calling was spreading the word of the Lord. “It truly brought about a big change in my life,” said Nwoke. “I have seen the hand of God. Over time, as a Mantle of Hope Ministries Bishop Chris Nwoke is sharing over 100 stories of the power of faith and God in his book, Come Ride See FAITH, Page 8 with Me. (Courtesy Photo)
Page 2
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Robotics Team overcomes new obstacles on path to State By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Voyaging into uncharted waters, Liberty Hill High School’s Robotics Team navigated its way to state competition again this year, this time adapting to a new way of competing and overcoming COVID regulations to claim third place for the State Farm Workmanship award. “The theme of the contest changed when we decided to go virtual. Everything we’ve done with regards to the actual contest has been done in the classroom and in some cases from home,” said Daniel Paschal, Robotics program sponsor. “We had a marketing presentation, and they were all Zooming from home. Everything we’ve done leading up to the BEST hub contest was all virtual, and everything at the state level was all virtual.” A sea of new faces After losing several experienced team members to graduation, reaching state might be seen as a tall order. That certainly wasn’t the case for this year’s team. “Last year, we graduated 11 seniors from the team. That was half of our team. This year more than half of the team were freshmen,” said Paschal. “They jumped right in. They had to learn the software that they’d never used before. They got right in there and made it work for one round perfectly. They realized the mistakes, and when they competed at state, they had four perfect rounds.” A natural at working with power tools, sophomore Sean McKeon took the reins of a majority freshman build team. Thrust into the role of team lead, McKeon faced an uphill battle with his inexperienced team. “The biggest change for me
Members of the LHHS Robotics Team, from back row left, are Stephen Martin, Sean McKeon, Jasson Reyes-Escobar, Dhar Ramsingh, Ryan Levee, Ryan Moore, Dylan Couch, Ross Moore, Drake Lewis; (front from left) Cole Labay, Bren Masiakowski, Madelena Flores, Makenzy Webb, Dara Hawkins, CJ Colicher, Caylin Kosnick, Haylee Minton. (Courtesy Photo) was going from a very senior-heavy build team to an almost fully freshman team,” he said. “It was difficult at times. When you don’t have a mixed group. Normally you have half and half, with half being upperclassmen who have about two years of experience and newer kids with less experience. It was more difficult because the team had a lot of inexperience.” Adapting on the fly It was only a few weeks before competition rolled around that Paschal and the team learned how the contest would work. The most significant change to BEST was a move to a computer-simulated event. “We went from actually designing and building a robot to designing and building a robot and more of the design process. The contest itself was a computer simulation,” said Paschal. “They created a
simulated field and robot. The challenge for programmers is to control the robot using an Xbox controller. They also have to program the robot to run autonomously.” Despite a virtual competition, the robotics team still built their physical robot. One of the aspects of competition McKeon felt was vital to the team’s future success. “We couldn’t have gone into next semester’s competition with just one person who has experience building a robot,” said McKeon. “The robots there are difficult to build, and it’s a lot of tedious work. If we didn’t build a robot, they would have gone into things clean. We built this robot to help them understand and have a chance in FIRST robotics. It built a lot more confidence in them.” The team’s project manager Makenzie Webb took on the
leadership role this year, overseeing the entire team. With four years of experience, the team felt this was a role suited for the senior. Adjusting to a socially distant model of work created some difficulty in communication for Webb. “This year, I was over all the team and making sure they stayed on track. With marketing, we had to Zoom meeting every Thursday. As the competition started getting close, we were doing them every day that we could,” said Webb. “Some members I haven’t seen in person, and it made it hard to interact with them and push them because things had a hard deadline and needed to be done. Sometimes if people didn’t respond, we would have to shift responsibilities to make sure things got done.” As the Marketing Lead, Andrew Cucinotta is proud of his team and how their determina-
tion allowed them to adjust to their new arrangement. “It was weird at first with the Zoom meetings and all the emails. For me, I think our team did a really great job of adjusting to things,” said Cucinotta. “Especially the marketing division because we sat there for hours every week planning what we were going to do. It was a difficult transition, but I think we were able to overcome that barrier.” Echoing positive feelings, Programming Lead Syed Husain was impressed with how his team conformed to the virtual contest. “It did feel very odd to have to communicate on Zoom. Sometimes it was hard to keep on the same page, but I think in the end, we did a good job at communicating,” said Husain. “To get over this challenge, we actually spent some time going over plenty of new forms of
communication to implement. We created a Discord server to communicate effectively.” Part of last year’s state team, Husain knows the feeling of success and stays focused on repeating it. “It’s always exciting when our efforts pay off, and we get to advance and do a better job,” said Husain. “I like seeing us make use of all the feedback and improvements we’ve thought of. It’s always a good feeling, and I know everyone feels the same way.” Changing of the guard Cucinotta hopes the new group that has already found great success in their first year in robotics help create an almost generational growth for the team. “Robotics is very knowledge-based. You accumulate over the years a lot of knowledge about what to do and not to do,” said Cucinotta. “It’s important to us that the first years stay. Not only will it a good experience for them, but it does benefit the team if they learn and then pass on their knowledge.” Having experienced Robotics competition traditionally, Webb encourages first-year members to stick around for at least one more year. “It was hard not being able to be there in person. I made sure to tell the new members of robotics that I know this year hasn’t been what they expected, but please stay till next year because I want them to know what competition is really like,” said Webb. “I want them to see how much fun it is and to actually go to competitions, see the people and exhibits and do the stuff we weren’t able to do this year.”
Liberty Hill Police Blotter Week of Dec. 21-27, 2020 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 521 incidents resulting in 17 cases, 23 citations, 79 warnings and one arrest. Weekly Highlights: - On Dec. 21 at approximately 2:42 AM, officers arrested a male adult for driving while intoxicated, as the result of a traffic stop on the 12000 block of W. SH 29. - On Dec. 21 at approximately 1:57 PM, officers responded to CR 277 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 21 at approximately
Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department
7:14 PM, officers responded to Bold Sundown to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 21 at approximately 11:37 PM, officers responded to the 18000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 22 at approximately 4:01 AM, officers responded to Trellis Blvd. for a theft complaint. - On Dec. 22 at approximately 1:10 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 to for an accident. - On Dec. 22 at approximately 1:41 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29
for an agency assist, for Houston PD. - On Dec. 22 at approximately 7:13 PM, officers responded to the 2000 Block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 23 at approximately 8:23 AM, officers responded to Hillcrest Lane for an assault complaint. - On Dec. 23 at approximately 10:38AM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RM 1869 for a fraud complaint. - On Dec. 23 at approximately 1:57 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Dec. 23 at approximately
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Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild meets Jan. 5
The Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild meets Jan. 5th. The program is “My Journey as a Quiltmaker” with Kathryn Groves, a Quiltworx Certified Instructor. Visitors are welcome. Email president@ctquiltguild.org for
the Zoom meeting information. A companion fee workshop will be held on Jan. 6th; an additional kit fee is also required and needs to be ordered prior.
Liberty Hill Garden Club meets Jan. 12
The Jan. 12th program for
the Liberty Hill Garden Club is “Waterwise Landscaping and Plant Adaptations” with speaker Bill Welch, Professor of Horticulture, Texas A&M University. This is a Zoom-based meeting. For Zoom information, write to gardenclublibertyhill@gmail.com.
Happy Holidays from First Texas Bank
6:30 PM, officers responded to Hummingbird Lane for a disturbance. - On Dec. 24 at approximately 7:42 AM, officers responded to S. Baker Circle to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 24 at approximately 4:36 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Lane for suspicious activity. - On Dec. 24 at approximately 9:01 PM, officers responded to Lewisville Lane to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 25 at approximately 7:36 AM, officers responded to Parryi Cove for a suspicious incident. - On Dec. 25 at approximately 3:18 PM, officers responded to Spotted Rail Ridge to assist Liberty Hill Fire/ EMS. - On Dec. 25 at approximately 8:46 PM, officers responded to Blessings Ranch Road to assist the Williamson County
Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 25 at approximately 10:06 PM, officers responded to Phillip Lane to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 26 at approximately 6:18AM, officers responded to Agave Azul Way for a welfare check. - On Dec. 26 at approximately 3:22 PM, officers responded to Snyders Trail for suspicious activity. - On Dec. 26 at approximately 3:47 PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 26 at approximately 11:15 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for suspicious activity. - On Dec. 27 at approximately 2:30 PM, officers responded to the 2000 block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Dec. 27 at approximately
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4:02 PM, officers responded to the 3000 block of RM 1869 for a hit and run accident. - On Dec. 27 at approximately 5:06 PM, officers responded to Stubble field Lane for a suspicious incident. - On Dec. 27 at approximately 6:07 PM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 29 for a prior accident. - On Dec. 27 at approximately 8:29 PM, officers responded to Tequilana Pass for an alarm call. - On Dec. 28 at approximately 12:50 AM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 29 for a traffic hazard. - On Dec. 28 at approximately 3:21 AM, officers responded to Independence Drive for suspicious activity.
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OPINION After the year we’ve had, y’all better eat your damn peas
By WILT CUTTER Columnist As a boy my family had a few traditions that were shared by most of you in Liberty Hill. My grandmother truly believed that if you didn’t eat Black Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day you were doomed. She would recite the evils that might befall a boy if he didn’t eat the peas. Car wrecks -- come to find out it wouldn’t be the seatbelt that saved you -- just black eyed peas. Appendicitis, this also was one of her worries. Peas, would save you. Lockjaw, come to find out it wasn’t the tetanus shot, just that bowl of peas. You may have different traditions. We don’t care where you come from or what your New Year’s traditions were back there in your sordid past. We don’t even mind if you continue on doing those silly superstitious things as long as we don’t have to join in the blasphemy. There’s a family that’s been in Liberty Hill so long that their kids and their grandkids have Texas accents. The sons all went through school here and married Liberty Hill girls and their children drive pickup trucks and appear as Texan as you. However, they have a strange secret on midnight on
New Year’s Eve. They have peppermint pigs sent from their original hometown in upstate New York. Complete with tiny silver hammers. Yes, you might reread that sentence! As the peppermint pigs are passed around the table these folks strike the pig with the tiny hammer and a piece of the peppermint pig is broken off. You eat that piece and pass it on. Strike and repeat. Sounds kind of weird but it’s legal and it’s not prohibited in the Bible. So, how about a little understanding and tolerance? What happens in your house is still your business. Another family we all know and love always head to the beach. The pilgrimage sometimes involves Port Aransas or if they have the time, South Padre Island, or sometimes another state or even another country. It doesn’t matter what they have to eat. They just have to get to the beach, walk into the ocean holding hands and jump seven waves. Not six, not eight. Seven. Every year. A local business owner did the “23 and Me” DNA test and found an entire family she never knew she had in Denmark. She was reunited with long lost cousins for the first time who stood on chairs and jumped into the New Year at the stroke of midnight. They also walked the streets on New Year’s Eve breaking dishes on the doorsteps of neighbors
and friends. The more broken dishes that you find on your steps on New Year’s Day—the more highly regarded you are and the more friends you know you have. I wouldn’t want to be the one trying to sweep up all the broken glass. A coworker of mine counts out 12 grapes for each member of his family. They all gather and as the clock strikes midnight they each eat one grape in the first 12 seconds of the New Year. One grape for each month. If you fail to finish your grapes your year will be incomplete. If you eat them too fast you may not have the good fortune but for the number of seconds it took to devour the grapes. Talk about timing being important! Sounds kind of stressful. He says the tradition was brought to America by his grandparents who were from Spain. My roommate at college was from South Louisiana. He believed that because fish only swim in one direction—forward, then you had to have fish on New Year’s Day. He also believed that you had to dress all in white for it to work. So, here’s a 6’ Cajun feller dressed all in white looking for fresh fish when the rest of Texas is eating chicken fried steak and peas. I haven’t spoken with him in a while, but I hope as an old man he still is doing that crazy stuff. My mama would always say that if you didn’t kiss your
loved one at midnight that you’d have no love in your life for the next 12 months. My father, Rock Cutter, always placed his faith in something so steeped in tradition that it reeks completely of the Scots-Irish world. There was a blowing horn or hunting horn whose origination was unclear. But he and his kin before him always stood outside and blew that horn to invite the new year in so it would feel welcome. And the sound would also warn bad omens, evil spirits and other bad calendar events that they were not welcome in the Cutter homestead. Sounds deeply provincial just typing it. Such ignorance and superstition from such good people. Now in my rational mind I just can’t believe in all that stuff. But I’ll admit that just at the stroke of midnight I kiss my girl with pea breath, grab my hat and that blowing horn and head to the back porch where I welcome in the new year, warn away all the bad spirits while my neighbors sip champagne and watch the ball drop in NYC. Whatever floats your boat. Wilt Cutter is the only man in the Free World whose name is his profession. Wilt’s typewriter hates injustice. He is a man who finds beauty in the people and naturally occurring poetry of the Shin Oak Ridge of Texas.
MOVIE REVIEW
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ falls short
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer After an almost universally loved debut in 2017 and a star-making turn for Gal Gadot as Diana Prince in the first “Wonder Woman”, its sequel “Wonder Woman 1984” was tasked with living up to a high standard. Director Patty Jenkins carries the weight of the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) on her shoulders in this sequel after the first movie was hailed as perhaps the best of the bunch. The plot of “Wonder Woman 1984” centers around the dreamstone -- a stone that grants wishes to those who come into contact with it. When businessman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) sets his sights on the stone, Diana is forced to muster all her strength, wisdom, and courage to best him and friend turned enemy, the Cheetah (Kristen Wiig). Set several decades after the first film, Gadot plays the iconic Wonder Woman with
far less curiosity of the world as she did in the first film. This time around, Gadot portrays a Wonder Woman settled into the world. Gadot physically captures the Amazonian heroine and brings to life the personality that makes her such a beloved character. Pedro Pascal trades in his Beskar armor and Baby Yoda for a sleazy suit in his turn as the devious Max Lord. His natural charm shines as he fully embodies the role of an overthe-top villain. Pascal’s turn as Lord sees him switching between his fake, often goofy facade and villainous antics. Lord is a villain that, at the same time, is still sympathetic. Pedro pascal shines through the entire movie and is the best part of it all. Kristen Wiig is a fantastic actress but is given a character who seems to be poorly fleshed out with weak motivation. Wiig plays a stereotypical archetype seen in many superhero movies. Wiig’s Barbra Minerva is the under-appre-
ciated, ignored, shy individual who becomes bitter and envious and eventually turns to the dark side. This is an overplayed and lazy trope very specific to superhero movies. To prove my point see Catwoman in “Batman Returns”, Riddler in “Batman Forever”, Poison Ivy in “Batman and Robin”, Electro in “Amazing Spider-Man 2”, and Aldrich Killian in “Iron Man 3”. Unfortunately the Cheetah can’t overcome this trope and never feels like a serious threat to Wonder Woman. Returning from the dead for this sequel, Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor. The move to bring back Prince’s former love interest worked negatively for me. His character added nothing to the film other than time. At 151 minutes long, the film does suffer from being overly long. The story being told ends up feeling bloated after so long. The most interesting interactions are the ones between Gadot and Pascal. Re-
moving Trevor and Cheetah would have allowed for a more focused plot centering on two great characters. The movie’s best moments come from Gadot and Pascal. Truly one of the biggest misses for WW84 is that it doesn’t take advantage of the music from the decade it’s set in, beyond one or two songs. There are times that it’s easy to forget this is set in 1984, and better use of music would have enhanced that feeling. Final Verdict: Overall, I enjoyed “Wonder Woman 1984”. Even with its flaws, the film is a fun romp with great performances from Gal Gadot and Pedro Pascal. It is overly long and can feel slow at times. The biggest fault is the film tries to do too much. Looking beyond that, it is absolutely worth a watch. Stick around after the film is done to enjoy a nostalgic mid-credit scene. You can watch it on HBOMax.
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, December 31, 2020 Page 3
EDITORIAL:
A perfect time to resolve to do better
Possibly to the exasperation of some, The Independent is taking this New Year opportunity to resolve to do a better job of watching and reporting on the public’s business going on at City Hall. The “some” would be those elected officials who seem to bristle at the long list of questions and regular public records requests submitted by The Independent regarding the decisions made by the City Council. It would be great if those same elected officials resolved to help improve the line of communication and focus more on making information available to the public rather than reacting as though public discussion of its actions or discussions is somehow no one’s business. Under former Mayor Rick Hall, communication was strained as it ultimately had to all go through him. City staff was prevented from talking to the newspaper, and it appeared that requests for information were not addressed without his consent. By late summer this year, Hall had essentially cut off all communication with the paper aside from a few moments given at the end of each Council meeting to ask questions on agenda items only. The hope was that would all change after the variety of changes made once a new Mayor was elected. But the change has only been piecemeal, and large questions continue to loom without answers. Information is slow to be released, and some is still treated as though it is some kind of proprietary information. Can communication of all kinds be dealt with through nothing but official legal channels that require documented requests, deadlines and legal loopholes? Of course. Should it be? Only in a place where the “public” in public information is not truly respected and trusting relationships between local leaders and others don’t exist. The Council continues to resist discussing the City budget publicly, but Council member Kathy Canady, who led the charge to shut down that question, assured The Independent she wanted the paper to have its questions answered. So we shared those questions – which have been asked times and again previously – with her first this time. Five days later, there’s still no response at all to the initial list of questions. It shouldn’t take a New Year’s resolution to reignite open government in Liberty Hill, but whatever it takes, right? Elected leaders in this city need to set the example and expectation that public information be treated as exactly that. The five members of the Council should join the new Mayor in calls for real transparency, and they should all go a step beyond saying they want to be open and prove it. The Independent will not falter in its resolution to continue to insist on it.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Development Foundation begins new work on restoration project
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Liberty Hill’s sculpture garden serves as home to a wide variety of statues from international artists from the U.S., Japan, Canada, Italy, Germany, and the Liberty Hill Development Foundation is in the midst of a lengthy and costly preservation process for the unique pieces. “We were wanting to spread the sculptures a little differently and have more than just one central sculpture-like right now. We have the Guardian, and everything gets dwarfed by it,� said Larry Nicholson with the Foundation. “What we want to do is move some of the other sculptures, particularly the ones by the trail. We want to take them away from the trail and put them out in the sunlight. It’s not good for the stone sculptures all the time because of the growth on them. That’s the idea.� Restoration work in recent weeks focused on Tom Sayre’s John’s Knot statue, which debuted during Liberty Hill’s
1976 International Sculpture Symposium. “John’s Knot is a large sculpture, and we wanted to highlight it. So, we built a concrete pad and ďŹ gured out how we could get it moved from its current location to that concrete pad,â€? said Nicholson. “We hired a piece of equipment to pick it up. We separated the two pieces and moved them as separate units.â€? Once in its new location, the Foundation began its restoration work on the statue. “We hired Joe Garcia, and he does sandblasting. He sandblasted the whole thing so it would be clean, and we wouldn’t have to worry about rust. Then we had to get the paint on it, or at least the primer, which is what’s on it now. We had to get it on there so It wouldn’t rust again. It is on blocks, and the next thing is to move the blocks so we can sand again and then paint those smaller areas. Then we’ll give it two coats of white at the end. It’ll be on the blocks for a while until the coats get to dry,
then we’ll drop it down onto three-inch stainless-steel.â€? John’s Knot may not be the most expensive sculpture in the park, but Nicholson sees it at the center of the park’s rearrangement. “It’s an unusual sculpture. It’s not amongst our most highly valued in terms of dollars, but it’s unique and can be surrounded by other smaller ones. We think that will help set up the whole group of them all. It’s a nice piece, and we feel it’s worthy of being centered. A lot of that is because of the size of it.â€? The plans for the restoration of the statues have been in the works for several years now. Members of the Development Foundation used the time to educate themselves on proper restoration methods. “It’s been about ďŹ ve years since the committee that held title to the sculptures decided to entrust that to us because we would do the right thing by them,â€? Nicholson said. “Since that time, we have been trying to do that. We received small
The Liberty Hill Development Foundation’s restoration effort is currently focused on the John’s Knot statue. The planned completion of the restoration is expected to be October 2021. (Courtesy Photo) grants to give us training on how to maintain the sculptures and properly clean them. People say, well, why don’t you blast them with water. You can’t because that destroys the integrity of the stone. You need to use appropriate mate-
rials, and we’ve studied that.� While Nicholson can’t guarantee exactly when the process will be complete, the foundation has a rough timetable set. “Our expected timetable to have those major things that we’re trying to accomplish is
by, what we hope is the next sculpture festival. So, probably in October of next year,� said Nicholson. “I expect we would have it in good order. As far as getting things restored, it’s a continuing process.�
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Page 5
LHISD teacher arrested for improper student relationship By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell conďŹ rmed that former Liberty Hill High School teacher Brian Miller was booked into the Williamson County Jail Tuesday, charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of improper relationship between educator and student. Miller, who turned himself in to the jail Tuesday morning, posted a total $60,000 bond on the three counts Wednesday. All charges are second degree felonies. In Texas, second degree felonies are punishable
by up to 20 years in prison and or up to a $10,000 ďŹ ne. Snell was informed of the initial arrest in the early-morning hours of Dec. 17. “There’s not a lot we can say because it is an ongoing case,â€? Snell said. “I found out about it at 2 a.m., and when he was released by the police we had him come meet with us the next morning at 8 a.m. He was told he would be terminated, and he resigned instead.â€? Though he was allowed to resign, the district did report the alleged conduct to the State Board for Educator CertiďŹ cation and Texas Child Protective Services.
operations tax rate following the last legislative session, and while that is not expected again this time, Snell believes it is unlikely that funding will be increased from other sources either. “This last biennium we had to lower taxes, which is a good thing, but anytime you lower that taxpayer contribution the state contribution will go up a little bit,� he said. “We’ve kind of been told don’t expect anymore money other than what you got last time, other than what you see from increased student enrollment.� Aside from increased costs due to higher enrollment, the pandemic has also added unforeseen costs for the district. This fall, the district received $549,000 in funds through Williamson County as part of the $93 million the County received from the federal CARES Act. The hope is a new package will help further offset the increased costs. “We’re hoping to get another stimulus bill that will help with that,� Snell said. “We got
the CARES Act money from Williamson County and that helped quite a bit. The COVID expenses haven’t stopped. I feel conďŹ dent that Texas and the federal government will take care of COVID.â€? Even if budget cuts aren’t in the cards this session, Snell said it is important to look ahead. “We probably won’t see it this biennium, we’ll probably see some cuts two years from now,â€? Snell said. “It just depends how much the Texas economy can recover from what they’re seeing right now.â€? A number of bills have been ďŹ led regarding property taxes for public school funding, most notably, House Bill 59 by state Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction. His bill – which he also ďŹ led in 2019 during the last session –would abolish school district maintenance and operations taxes. There has been no indication at this point whether this bill, or any similar to it, will be given extensive consideration.
LEGISLATURE
An investigation conducted by the Liberty Hill Police Department and the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department led to the initial arrest and charges. “They’ve done a fantastic job of making sure this case was handled properly,â€? Snell said. “We have a lot of gratitude for the efforts of the City and ISD police departments.â€? The Independent has requested local police reports and the arrest afďŹ davit from Liberty Hill Police and the Williamson County Sheriff’s OfďŹ ce regarding the investigation that led to Miller’s arrest, but at press time the report had not been provided.
Continued from Page 1
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For Snell, this session is less about ďŹ nance and more about inuence. The ability for public schools to lobby is always in the crosshairs, and he believes it is essential to maintain. “We want to be able to lobby for the things that are important to us and our constituents,â€? Snell said. “There are some groups out there who try to keep public schools from lobbying for their interests.â€? One of the primary needs for lobbying according to public school advocates is the prominent lobby at the Capitol for charter schools. “The charter schools have a big lobby and when they’re lobbying for the same funds we’re ďŹ ghting for it helps to have people on our side ďŹ ghting for public education,â€? Snell said. A level playing ďŹ eld is what Snell wants to see when it comes to the balance between public and charter schools. “We can argue all day that they’re held to the same accountability as we are, but
at the end of the day, charter students get funded at a higher rate than public education students and we think that’s inherently unfair,â€? he said. “What we’re worried about more is we don’t want the expansion of charter schools. We feel that takes money away from public education. We don’t want to lose any money. We want to work as hard as we can to keep the funding we have. Last session was a big win in that area. It’s not that we’re against charters, its that we want to be funded the same and see them held to the same rules of engagement that public schools are.â€? One area that LHISD is able to lobby is as a member of the Fast Growth Coalition. “Having them as a voice for LHISD while the Legislature is in session helps protect all students and staff of LHISD from bad legislation that takes funding away or equally important create legislation that is beneďŹ cial for LHISD and all public school children,â€? Snell said. “I feel that protecting
LHISD from those who lobby against public schools and legislative efforts that are harmful to our district is critical for the future of LHISD.â€? In early meetings and conversations with elected ofďŹ cials, Snell believes that public school interests have some reliable advocates. Snell met with members of the House Education Committee and presumptive new Speaker of the House Dade Phelan and came away feeling good about the meeting. “The new presumptive Speaker seems to be public education friendly,â€? Snell said. “The su-
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hiring process that is standard for the district. “The interview process is thorough,â€? Snell said. “The reference check is thorough. You do a criminal background check, but also every employee in the school has to be ďŹ ngerprinted and those ďŹ ngerprints are run. They only catch what’s in the system. They don’t catch what’s in your mind or your intentions. If it’s never happened or never been caught before, school districts aren’t going to know.â€? Snell said even with no sign of a previous issue, the shock doesn’t mitigate the frustration and disappointment.
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In an emotional conversation, Snell shared his frustration over the incident. “My biggest deal is, besides all the emotions of being upset, angry and all that, is the bottom line is parents entrust us to take care of their children,� he said. “Innocent until proven guilty, but this is absolutely unacceptable at the highest level. I couldn’t be more angry right now that he betrayed the trust of the community, the school district.� Miller was a Career and Technology Education teacher at LHHS, who had been employed since January 2020. Miller went through the same
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BRIAN MILLER “As far as we know nothing like that has ever happened before, but this is the ďŹ rst district he has taught in,â€? Snell said. “Our hearts go out to the family of the victim. There’s nothing good that came from this decision, and in my opinion it is permanently damaging two families.â€?
perintendents from his region say he has got a listening ear toward the needs of public education.â€? Closer to home, Snell also believes LHISD has an advocate in the State Representative. “Rep. Terry Wilson has been very supportive of Liberty Hill ISD,â€? Snell said. “When bills come across it is good to have that relationship and he can call me or I can call him and I can at least give my input and ďŹ ght for Liberty Hill ISD a little bit.â€?
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SPORTS
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, December 31, 2020 Page 6
ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS
Blake Simpson (#42) took over in the second half of Saturday’s playoff win over Rouse, racking up 218 of his 296 total yards and scoring four of his five touchdowns in the final two quarters.
Lloyd Johnson Jr. closes in on Rouse quarterback Mason Shorb for one of his two sacks on the day in the Panthers win Saturday.
Panthers outrun Rouse Raiders’ air attack
Panther defenders Kaden McMahan (left) and Canyon Schirpik disrupt a Mason Shorb pass in Liberty Hill’s 56-42 win over Rouse.
LHHS faces second potent passer in as many weeks
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Vanquish prolific passer. Check. Draw more prolific passer in next round. Check. It appears as though it wasn’t enough to outrun a high-flying passing game in the third round of the playoffs. What someone really wants to see is if the Panthers are up to rushing past a second passing squad a week later. That’s what Liberty Hill has drawn in the Region 4 Championship in opponent Sharyland Pioneer. The Diamondbacks are led by senior quarterback Eddie Marburger. “They’re a very high-powered offense,” Panther head coach Kent Walker said of Pioneer. “Their quarterback is special. He is one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen on film and he can do it all. He can beat you with his legs if he needs to, but he’s got a great arm and a quick release.” To put “special” in perspective, in eight games this season, Marburger has passed for 363 yards per game, then added another 130 yards per contest on the ground for good measure. He’s thrown for 30 scores – against only two interceptions, both on Oct. 16 – and tacked on 24 rushing touchdowns for himself. Walker said Pioneer is not a one-dimensional team, but there’s no mistaking the greatest threat. “They have a good defense, but their offense is what stands out the most,” Walker said. “They’ve got receivers he can get the ball to and they are all good. They run great routes, they find holes and sit
in the holes and (Marberger) does a great job keeping his eyes downfield while he’s scrambling. You can’t come off the receiver because if you do he will hit them.” The Diamondbacks are allowing 37 points per game this season, giving up 47 to Liberty Hill district foe Marble Falls in a playoff win two weeks ago. The Panthers held Marble Falls to seven points, that score coming on a fumble recovery and return by the Mustang defense. Pioneer is most recently coming off a 77-64 shootout win over Georgetown East View. After Marburger, the Diamondbacks’ leading rusher is Taylor Esparza with 300 yards and four scores. Three receivers have 500 or more yards connecting with Marburger. Tristan Castillo has 935 yards on 55 catches and seven touchdowns, Joseph Graham has 40 grabs for 893 yards and a dozen scores, and JJ Snyman has 29 catches for 500 yards and five touchdowns. In all, 11 players have caught passes for Pioneer. All the numbers for the Diamondbacks aside, Walker said his Panthers would have some wrinkles for the new opponent, but would be focused most on their own game plan. “We will have a few things for them of course, but this will be our 11th game of the year so our kids have been going at it for a while now,” Walker said. “They know what to do and what’s expected of them so at this point in the season both teams know what they want to do and we’re going to do what we do, they’re going to do what they
do and it should be a lot of fun come Saturday.” That game plan is no secret, it is run, run and run some more. Liberty Hill has ripped off 398 yards per game on the ground in an unapologetically single-focused attempt to run the ball. That rushing game is expected to be a big weapon against the high-powered Diamondback offense, something Walker sees as an advantage. “It is because a lot of times as a defensive coach I always say our best defense is our offense,” he said. “Our offense being on the field and taking time off the clock is going to be huge for us this week.” Time and again this season, in critical moments, Panther quarterback Charlie Calabretta has shown he can connect with a receiver, catching the defense off guard. Just such an occasion set up a score late against Rouse when he hit Blake Simpson for 45 yards and a critical first down. Calabretta has completed 10-of17 passes this season for 259 yards, five of those for touchdowns. But the run is the focus, and Simpson is the leading carrier in the multi-back attack. Simpson has 1,480 yards, averaging 11 yards per carry, while fellow senior Trey Seward is a close second with 1,239 yards. The pair has combined for 40 touchdowns. Eric De La Cruz has 569 yards and nine scores, Noah Long has 304 and six touchdowns, while Calabretta has racked up 286 yards rushing and four trips to the end zone carrying the ball.
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor ROUND ROCK -- The Panthers have found inspiration playing under a pair of modern-day mantras through their playoff run – #WalkerTough and #AllOfUs – hashtags both honoring the coach they lost, and reminding them of the importance of teamwork in achieving a goal. The Panthers put those words to work Saturday – needing that toughness and everything from each player – to extend the season with a 56-42 win over Rouse. “We hadn’t been challenged like this all year long,” said head coach Kent Walker. “We tried to challenge the kids in practice and in the offseason, but until you’re in that moment and have to face that adversity you don’t really know how they’re going to respond. I was extremely proud of our kids and how they responded from being down at halftime and coming out in the second half and tying it up then being down again. I’m proud of the fight they showed throughout the game.” The victory not only bought Liberty Hill another week in the title chase, but notched a milestone for Coach Jeff Walker, who passed away Nov. 30. “It’s been a lot of fun and it’s been awesome,” Jeff’s brother Kent said of the playoff run. “It’s been very therapeutic for me, you know losing my brother. I still can’t really talk about him without tearing up, but this was his 100th win. I feel like this was his win, so I put him at 100. I feel like our kids and coaching staff are doing a great job and I couldn’t be more proud.” The challenge going in was a passing game like Liberty Hill had not seen all season. The Panthers had little doubt going in they’d have their hands full with Rouse signal caller Mason Shorb, but after four passing touchdowns in 14 minutes, it looked like it might boil down to trying keeping pace with the Raiders air attack. Big runs in the first half kept
pace, but didn’t provide much rest for the defense as the Panthers scored on a three-play drive, a one-play drive and a kick return in the opening quarter. “I always tell the offense ‘when you’re scoring, you’re scoring, and I love it’,” Walker said. “We want to keep the ball and clock moving but we’ll take the big plays.” Noah Long, on a third and nine play during the Panthers first drive, answered the initial strike by Rouse with a 77-yard scoring run down the sideline. Four minutes later, on the Panthers next offensive play, Blake Simpson barreled through the middle of the line and outran the defense, this time for 70 yards to even the score. Not to be outdone, Trey Seward made sure the offense didn’t even need to take the field when he put in a third run in excess of 70 yards in as many plays, returning a kickoff 77 yards to again tie the score, this time at 21-21. The offense churned up real estate throughout the contest, but it was the stiffening of the defense early in the second quarter that helped turn the tide in the shootout. A more aggressive defensive effort after the initial barrage of four scores by the Raiders opened the door to letting the Panther offense take control. “We played a much better second half,” Walker said. “You know, we came out a little bit flat-footed I felt and they came out and started hitting some passes on us and our kids kind of got back on their heals. We made some good adjustments, our kids made some good adjustments at halftime and we played a much better second half.” With the defense slowing Rouse down, the always-potent Panther rushing attack shifted gears behind a half for the ages by Blake Simpson who scored four times and rushed for 218 yards on 15 second-half carries. In all, Simpson logged 296 yards and scored five times in the win.
“Blake Simpson had one heck of an afternoon,” Walker said with a wide smile. “You can’t go on without saying something about him and how well he ran the football, and then the big catch.” The second half saw its share of big plays on offense for the Panthers – a 75-yard run by Simpson on the first play from scrimmage to tie the game again, and a 50-yard burst to ice the game in the final two minutes – but three methodical drives, two of which ended in scores, helped the Panthers keep Shorb on the sidelines. The three drives together consumed more than 13 minutes of the second half. The first of those drives didn’t put points on the board, but served up a steady diet of 12 consecutive runs by the Panthers from four different ballcarriers and consumed 5:10 of the quarter. After a three and out by Rouse, a second longer drive did find the end zone, but got a little help through the air. The Panthers only completed one pass on the afternoon, but it was a 45-yard strike from Charlie Calabretta to Simpson on third and 17 to keep the drive alive for a game-tying score early in the fourth quarter. Trailing 35-28, the Panthers looked to be in a hole after a penalty and rush for no gain left them needing 17 yards on third down to keep the drive alive, and that’s when Walker dipped into the bag us surprises. “That was a big difference in the game,” Walker said of the completion. “To be able to hit that pass was a momentum changer.” The pass and catch set up a one-yard score by Simpson on the next play. It tied the game, and Liberty Hill would not trail again. An interception and return by Andon Thomas saw him snag the pass in the middle of the field, just inside the Rouse 40 yard line, and rumble all the way to the four. Simpson got the call once again and took it
See ROUSE, Page 7
Thursday, December 31, 2020
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Page 7
Sierras leads Panthers past Leander
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
Kadin Knight (#12) scored 10 points in Liberty Hill’s 69-54 home district victory over Leander on Dec. 22.
PANTHER OF THE WEEK
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Late in the third quarter of Liberty Hill’s home district game against Leander on Dec. 22, the Lions had pulled to within a basket of the home side after completing 13-3 after the Panthers had led by as much as 40-29 earlier in the period. However, the Purple-andGold responded in kind with a 16-2 run if its own in restoring a lead which would ultimately end up in a 69-54 victory. Both clubs entered the contest ranked in the top 25 of Class 5A, with the Lions at No. 9 and the Panthers at No. 24 in the state, so a decisive victory over a quality opponent was exactly what the doctor ordered, with the team now entering a period in which they won’t play another district game until hosting Georgetown on Jan. 5, said Liberty Hill head coach Barry Boren. “It’ the best win we’ve had this year,” he said. Anthony Sierras led the Panthers with 28 points in a game which was hotly-contested throughout, took on a physical nature and resulted in a combined 27 fouls between the teams. As has been the case more times than not this season, it was Sierras who proved to be the catalyst for Liberty Hill, with four points in the opening
quarter, as the home side led, 18-15, after one. The Panthers began the second period with back-to-back buckets by Sierras and Kadin Knight before Leander’s Noah Robledo hit a three, which was answered in turn by another Sierras score. Knight then followed up a nifty, up-and-under spin move on a drive to the hoop with a 3-pointer and the Panthers led, 34-28, at halftime. Sierras scored the first two Liberty Hill baskets of the second half, which included a 3-point play after being fouled on a strong drive to the basket, which opened up a 39-29 lead. Soon after, Leander began the run which would get them back into the game, but after the Lions had closed the gap to 45-43, Gunter Daniels stamped his authority on the game with a three to end the third with Liberty Hill up by a score of 48-43. Daniels went on to score eight more points in the final period to help the Panthers finally pull away to victory. After Sierras was held to only12 points in the Panthers’ previous outing – a 91-34 away win over Marble Falls – the junior forward was back at his best, which is something Boren has come to expect from the California kid – although in a rather understated way, he said.
“Anthony’s like a silent assassin,” said Boren. “You watch him and it doesn’t seem like he’s doing much and then you look up and he has 28 points.” Sierras was also responsible for guarding Robledo, an individual battle he won in outscoring the 6-foot-5 Lions forward, 28-23, in the game. With a 6-8 player also on the court, Boren said the Panthers’ game plan was to nullify the extra size the visitors had going for them. “Leander’s big, so we had to overcome their height advantage,” he said. “They also played a tough half-court game.” Daniels added 14 points for Liberty Hill, while Knight scored 10 on the game. Liberty Hill 91, Marble Falls 34 Walker Weems led Liberty Hill with 23 points, as the Panthers defeated Marble Falls in an away district game on Dec. 18. Liberty Hill lead 24-6 after one quarter and 57-22 at halftime, after the Panthers poured in 33 points in the second period, including 11 by Weems. After leading 75-30 after three, the visitors cruised to an easy win. Knight and Hunter Clayton added 13 for the Panthers, while Sierras and Daniels each contributed 12 in the victory.
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
Gunter Daniels (#22) has shown more grit on the defensive end to go along with his offensive skills since moving up to the Liberty Hill varsity this season as a sophomore.
Always a hoopster
Panther sophomore fell in love with basketball early on
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Gunter Daniels has loved basketball for almost as long as he can remember. “I played baseball for one year when I was in first grade,” said Daniels. “But, it was boring and I didn’t like being outside for that long.” So, he did what any good gym rat does. Daniels quickly found a refuge for himself in buildings with shiny, hardwood floors and backboards with iron buckets suspended from the roof. Home sweet home. “From a young age, I was always taller than everyone else and I was really good at basketball,” he said. “All I did was watch basketball on TV and I knew it was what I wanted.” He also shunned the gridiron as a youngster – although that was more parental guidance, said Daniels, whose father, Mark, played football at the University of Chicago. “I had to choose between baseball and football,” he said. “But, my parents were pretty protective and were worried about me getting hurt.” So, baseball it was. But, not for long, as shortly thereafter, Daniels gave up all other sports pursuits due to his passion for roundball and hasn’t looked back. Daniels – a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward – has had an immediate impact on the Panthers’ varsity squad this season, averaging 10.7 points-per-game, including a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Liberty Hill’s 6563 home victory against Copperas Cove in the home opener on Nov. 14. Panthers head coach Barry Boren knew all about Daniels long before he stepped foot on the high-school campus, he said. “I’ve been watching Gunter
since he was in eighth grade,” said Boren. “He’s always been a really skilled kid who always thinks through his moves and shots.” Boren added Daniels’ lankiness and length makes him a nightmare for opposing defenders to contain at either end of the court. “Gunter’s very slinky in how he plays,” he said. “He’s like Gumby, the rubber man.” According to Boren, Daniels has always been a scorer, but had some defensive deficiencies at the lower levels – something he has begun to conquer since his arrival on the varsity level. “He always had a reputation as a guy who would always be flying high on offense, but rest on defense,” said Boren. “But, he’s really started coming around this season because we’ve made it a point of emphasis.” Boren said he knows Daniels has given all he has at both ends of the floor by a basic barometer. “As a coach, you can always tell when a player is physically spent,” he said. “Gunter plays like that now all the time.” After moving up to the varsity to begin the current campaign, Daniels said he has already come leaps and bounds in his progression since first stepping onto the court this year. “I think I’m a lot more comfortable now than at the beginning of the season,” he said. “I’m more confident and I think the coaches are impressed with how hard I play and how I know my role on the team.” Exactly what is that role? “To be a guy who can make shots, play defense and make a difference when it matters most,” said Daniels. Despite the fact his playing career is still just getting going, Daniels has already expressed an interest in coaching someday.
“I feel like I’d be a good coach,” he said. “I think I’m a good leader.” He has one trepidation about patrolling the sidelines, though. “Sure, it would be stressful,” he said. “But, when I’m out there as a player, I’m always looking for what we need to do to beat a team.” When Daniels isn’t helping his Panthers teammates beat opponents on the court, he’s laying down beats of his own in his hobby of creating his own rap tracks. “I started doing it back during the shutdown,” he said. “I looked it up on YouTube.” Along with his musical endeavors, Daniels is also a quite the student and was ranked 17th out of approximately 400 in last year’s freshman class – although it doesn’t all come natural, he said. “Some of it is easy,” said Daniels. “Some takes a lot of studying and I take a lot of time to do homework, which is definitely hard – especially late at night when I just want to fall asleep. But, I just enjoy being a basketball player and a good student.” Daniels also rebounded from a torn MCL he suffered before his freshman season while playing for his AAU Select team – although it was an episode which was a new experience, he said. “I had never got hurt badly like that before,” said Daniels, who required an arthroscopic procedure to repair the joint, which caused him to remain inactive for three months and then even when he was cleared, he said it was awhile before he was all the way back mentally. “At the beginning, I was a little worried about hurting myself, but I just really wanted to get stronger.” Consider him back – and better than ever.
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
Bobby Mundy (#11) and Liberty Hill teammates Hunter Clayton (#20) and Walker Weems (#34) are capable of winning games in a variety of ways.
Winning in different ways
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor One very successful way to win basketball games is having the ability to post victories in a variety of different ways. Which is exactly what the Liberty Hill boys’ hoops squad has proved to be quite proficient at so far this season. Witness back-to-back contests on Dec. 7 against Cedar Park and Marble Falls on Dec. 11 – which just also happened to coincide with the beginning of the district schedule. A low-scoring 46-42 home victory for the Panthers over the Timberwolves was followed up by an offensive outburst which nearly broke the century mark in a 91-34 away win against the Mustangs. Against Cedar Park, Liberty Hill head coach Barry Boren was forced to make changes and adapt to the playing style the visitors were displaying as they attempted to impose their will on the contest with a slow-down, half-court brand of basketball. “They were very patient with the ball,” said Boren. “Taking seven or eight seconds before they would finally take a shot.” When this kind of situation unfolds, the “Runnin’ Panthers” must figure out a way
Rouse
to pick and choose as to when they employ their usual, trademark uptempo game and when to simply settle for what the defense gives them. On this night, the score stood even at 22-22 at halftime – a score which can easily occur after one quarter – with how his team usually – and prefers – to play, but Boren knew he and his squad were in for a different kind of battle. “A team like Cedar Park wants to keep the game in the 40s, while we want it to be in the 60s,” he said. “We were unsettled all night.” However, the Panthers still found a way to win – despite the fact the final could’ve easily been mistaken for a halftime score. But, a win is a win and it was on to the next game against Marble Falls, in which there was no doubt from the outset as to which side was going to boss the contest. Walker Weems led the Panthers with 23 points on the game, while Kadin Knight and Hunter Clayton each added 13 and Gunter Daniels and Anthony Sierras poured in 12 apiece. Balanced scoring has also been a hallmark of Boren’s team thus far in that even
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in from four yards out to give the Panthers the lead for good with 10:29 left in the game. A 10-play drive that also consumed more than five minutes, this one in the fourth quarter, included runs that converted on third down and later on fourth down to keep the drive alive before Seward scampered 15 yards for the touchdown and the widest margin for either team in the game at 14 points for Liberty Hill. The Panthers finished with 507 rushing yards on 50 car-
ries, outpacing the Rouse offense which racked up 395 through the air and 65 on the ground for a total of 460 yards. “Our offense seemed to be clicking extremely well,” Walker said. “All the running backs did a great job. It was impressive to watch our offense and how well they’ve done. The kids have done a great job. We were down but we kept coming back and you know other teams would go try to throw the football when they get down, but that’s not
when leading scorer Sierras missed four games due to a quarantine, others stepped up to fill the 20-plus point void which was left by the junior forward’s absence from the lineup, resulting in three wins out of four, with the only defeat on the road at Class 6A Hutto. Currently, five Panthers are averaging double-digits, as Sierras (23.1), Weems (11.6), Clayton (11.2), Knight (10.8) and Daniels (10.6) can be counted on for at least 10 points per outing, which provides Boren with multiple options to generate offense. Liberty Hill is scoring 70.9 points per game after the first 11 contests of the season, while allowing opponents only 53.5 and as tougher games arise on the schedule against the likes of Leander and Glenn, the ability to not rely solely on a single scorer will bode well for the Panthers in their first season of Class 5A competition. Boren takes great satisfaction in knowing his club can prevail whether they’re the “Runnin” Panthers or just a half-court version. “We can change pace and still find ways to win,” he said. “It’s what good teams do.”
what we do. We just kept doing what we do and the offense played extremely well.” Trey Seward rushed for 66 yards and one touchdown, but also had the kick return score in the first half. Noah Long had four rushes for 101 yards. Eric De La Cruz carried eight times for 34 yards. Liberty Hill travels to San Antonio’s Heroes Stadium Jan. 2 for a 5 p.m. start against Sharyland Pioneer in the UIL State Quarterfinals.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Lady Panthers look to light up new district on the pitch
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Since the inception of Liberty Hill’s girls’ soccer program seven years ago, the Lady Panthers have faced Class 4A competition during the district portion of the schedule and results haven’t been pretty. For the opposition, that is. Take the 2019-20 campaign, for example. Liberty Hill posted a perfect 11-0 league record, scoring 140 goals in the process, while conceding zero. Included in the deluge of district destruction were scorelines more resembling low-scoring contests in the American game than the global version – such as 19-0, 16-0, 13-0, 12-0, 10-0, 17-0, 22-0, 11-0 and 13-0. Only second-place Salado even remotely tested the Lady Panthers, resulting in victories by scores of 3-0 and 4-0. However, this season presents an altogether new challenge for head coach Darren Bauer’s side, as the Purpleand-Gold will move up to Class 5A for the first time in the history of the program and will find themselves in District 25 with the likes of Cedar Park, Georgetown, East View, Glenn, Rouse, Leander and Marble Falls. Which means the games against Salado last season – which were aberrations –
COVID
might be the new normal, as the Lady Panthers’ new opponents will feature rosters stocked with talented club players, much like themselves, meaning the playing field will be considerably more level than in years past. Cedar Park finished last season with an overall record of 17-3, including a spotless 13-0 district mark – meaning the Timberwolves were a local, Class 5A version of the Lady Panthers, although interestingly enough, one of its three defeats was a 2-0 loss to – you guessed it – Liberty Hill. So, the jump-up in class might not be as daunting a task as many would have one believe and having played many matches against so-called superior sides in non-district play in the past has already proved the Lady Panthers can not only hold their own against them, but beat them – which has been a goal of the program all along, said Bauer. “We’ve worked hard to make sure we could compete at all levels,” he said. “Our goal was never to just be the best 4A team, but to compete as the best team. The competition this year overall will be tougher, but we have the same expectations.” In other words, it’s state title or bust – an objective which was within grasp when last season was ended prematurely
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have been more than 6,800 new cases in December, bringing the County total over 20,000 since March. Hospitalizations in Williamson County also topped 100 for the first time this week. Fatalities in Texas are at 26,762, with more than 5,000 of those in December. Deaths in Williamson County reached 201 on Tuesday. There have been more than 334,000 deaths nationwide this year. The City of Liberty Hill has declined to provide local confirmed case numbers, with City Administrator Lacie Hale responding to The Independent’s request by writing, “We have been advised by Derrick Neal, Williamson County and Cities Health District, that releasing COVID numbers is a HIPAA vio-
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PUBLIC NOTICES MISSING PROPERTY If you believe the police department may have a found item that belongs to you, you can call the Property Division directly at 512-548-5530 or email at ekrause@libertyhilltx.gov. When contacting the Property Division, describe the item(s) you are looking for, in detail, and we will let you know if we have it. If we do, we will make arrangements to get it back to you. (12/31)
LEGAL NOTICES COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright Notice: All rights reserved re common-law copyright of trade-name/trademark, ANTHONY RENE VANCE©️ --- as well as any and all derivatives and variations in the spelling of said trade-name/trade-mark--Common Law Copyright ©️ 2008 by Anthony Rene Vance©️. Said common-law trade-name/trade-mark, ANTHONY RENE VANCE©️, may neither be used, nor reproduced, neither in whole nor in part, nor in any manner whatsoever, without the prior, express, written consent and
Thursday, December 31, 2020
by the pandemic after having come close in previous seasons, including a state semifinal appearance in 2018 and a championship-game berth in 2019 – ultimately falling short of the finish line on both occasions. But, with the move up in class, the chance to finally hoist a state championship trophy might have just inched a bit further away – although don’t tell that to Bauer. “I think last season will help out just with the fact we grew so much as a team last year and everyone coming back just allows us to build upon that very easily,” he said. “However, we’re always bringing in new faces, so we still have a lot of SHANNON HOFMANN PHOTO work to do.” Emma Stephens (#8), who will lead the Liberty Hill line this year, was the Lady Panthers’ leading New faces, yes, but plenty scorer last season, with 38 goals. of familiar ones – especially considering the Lady Panthers Madi Fuller (17), Piper Tabor Bauer said he and his squad ed, Bauer said his players ardidn’t lose a single senior off (17) and Abby Janicek (10), so aren’t focused on the classifi- en’t necessarily looking to take last season’s squad, as there the scoring will be balanced. cation on the trophy. care of unfinished business as weren’t any. According to Bauer, the fact “After last year, we just want they embark on the new camOnly goalkeeper Sam Carter the Lady Panthers’ attack will the opportunity to compete paign, but rather show what is gone this year after gradu- be multi-faceted plays along for the title – no matter 4A or they could’ve accomplished ating early, meaning the rest with his overall offensive phi- 5A.,” he said. “In order to be last year by excelling in their of Bauer’s lineup is intact, in- losophy – as well as the self- there at the end, we need to be new environment this season. cluding last season’s leading lessness of his players. even more efficient on offense “Since we moved up to 5A, I scorer, junior Emma Stephens, “Our offense isn’t built around and stingier on defense.” don’t think there is necessarily who scored 38 goals and pro- a single person,” said Bauer. Speaking of which, senior an incentive to finish what we vided 14 assists. “We’re dangerous going for- Kylee Bush will don the started,” he said. “But, I beAlso returning is sophomore ward because we look for the gloves between the sticks, lieve there is an incentive to striker Kaylie Fowler, who best option available – not just while Kassidy Contreras, Cor- show we should have a gold burst onto the varsity scene last one option. Also, the girls are delia Brown, Bella Jaimez and medal and to prove we can season as a freshman, netting very team-focused and want to Bryden Bourgeois will pro- have the same success in 5A.” 26 goals, along with seniors win, no matter who gets on the vide a solid defense. Mykenna Russo (22 goals), score sheet.” Despite how last season end-
lation, given our population size.” The City has previously provided numbers to the newspaper. According to Williamson County reporting, the 78642 zip code has had more than 300 but less than 700 confirmed cases to date. But that data does not reflect active versus recovered cases. Through it’s dashboard, Liberty Hill ISD is reporting six active cases currently, though school is not in session. Two cases are among auxiliary staff, one is a staff member at Bill Burden Elementary, and there are three student cases, one each from Liberty Hill Elementary, one from Liberty Hill Junior High and one at Rancho Sienna Elementary. Initial concerns over virus spread last March led to many restric-
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Faith
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Christian, I made a deeper commitment to serve the Lord. I have seen a lot of people die without knowing him, and that is a tragedy. I was called into the ministry in 1997 after attending a seminar by Billy Graham. I wasn’t always a Christian, but three years after school, I gave my life to Christ, and he has taken me various places and shown me his power.” Come Ride with Me is the culmination of Nwoke’s desire to spread the word of his mission to help people know God. “No matter the difficulty, no matter the challenges we face as individuals, families, and as a nation, we should know that God is still able to help us,” said Nwoke. “These are testimonies of what God has done for those that believe and look to him. He has healed lives no matter what the situation might be. Our
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problems can drain or overpower us, but we have to look to a source bigger than us to rise over our problems.” One of the most striking examples of God’s power in the book is the story of Liberty Hill resident Wana Pleasance’s miracle healing. “They determined that she had six tumors of various kinds in her body. They told her that she needed to have surgery or medication,” said Nwoke. “I told her we would take it to God in prayer. Time passed, and one day the Lord put it in my mind to pray for her, and the power of God came to her. It touched her in such a way that it took away all of the tumors. She went back to the doctor, and they examined her again, and he asked what happened, and she said she took it to her minister, and her minister prayed for her. So, God can do anything.”
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Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Wholesaler’s Permit by De Amor Tequila dba Amorada, to be located at 706 Leander Drive #801, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Officers of said LLC are Terray Glasman (owner).
Thursday, December 31, 2020
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Page 9
Defensive gut-check helps Panthers secure win
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor No football coach is going to heap praises on a defense that surrenders 42 points. But a win is a win. And even in the midst of a shootout victory that took all of the game’s 48 minutes to seal, there were defensive moments as critical to the win as the 70-yard highlight-reel runs put up by the offense in the Panthers 56-42 victory over Rouse. As the defense lined up across the ball on the game’s opening drive, they faced a quarterback – Mason Shorb – who had passed for more than 2,600 yards and 34 touchdowns in 11 games. In his first three drives it was easy to see why. Shorb opened the game with 10-straight completions, and connected on 13-of-16 for four scores before the Panther defense could steady itself. “On defense we had our moments, but we didn’t play very well on Saturday,” said Liberty Hill head coach Kent Walker. “Really that was the first time all year, other than the first half against Ellison that I felt like we didn’t come out and play
as well as we ere capable of. Rouse had something to do with that. They had a good game plan and executed well.” The 28 points scored by Rouse in the first 14 minutes of Saturday’s contest was unfamiliar territory for a defense that had recorded six shutouts, and had not allowed an offensive touchdown since the first Friday in October. “I felt like we did some really good things Saturday, but what we weren’t doing in the first quarter we did a little bit better in the second half,” Walker said. “I think we got a little bit complacent to be honest, but it was nice to see our kids respond. Our kids found a way to win and I couldn’t be more proud of them for fighting through and showing that toughness.” Facing the rouse offense, that averaged 44 points per game all season, was something new for a squad that hadn’t been tested essentially all season. After the initial punch, it took some steadying for the defense to start making some stops. Missed opportunities and the stat sheet may not make it obvious, but the unflappable
Shorb never had as much success in the final three quarters that he opened with. Liberty Hill held him to only 12 more completions and one more score – while forcing two interceptions – the rest of the way. Late in the first quarter marked that turning point in the Rouse passing game when Lloyd Johnson Jr. sacked Shorb, forcing Rouse to punt for the first time. He would do the same two possessions later. Two plays after the second sack, Kaden McMahahn batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage and Shorb was no longer in control. “That’s huge,” Walker said of the pressure the defense was able to bring. “(Shorb’s) a great quarterback and getting pressure on him and him not having comfort in the pocket was huge for us.” On the next Rouse possession, Shorb had three incomplete passes – including a penalty for intentional grounding – and went into halftime without the comfort level he began the game with. The offense ratcheted-up the pressure by scoring on the first
ALEX RUBIO PHOTO
Freshman Noah Long broke a 77-yard touchdown run on the Panthers’ opening drive to start the scoring on the big rushing day for Liberty Hill. play in the second half to tie fore having to punt. nal quarter were critical defenthe game, and while Rouse Early in the fourth quarter sive plays in the win. responded with a touchdown, Andon Thomas hauled in the With a two touchdown lead it took some help of a costly first of two Panther intercep- and the clock winding down, Panther penalty to keep the tions, the second coming on the game ended very differdrive alive, and Shorb only the Raiders’ next drive by ently than the passing display completed two passes during Carter Hudson – whose grab Shorb opened with, as Canyon the drive. foiled a touchdown that would Schirpik batted down one final The last drive of the third have tied the score with under pass attempt as time expired quarter saw Rouse throw three 9 minutes to play. For Walker, and the Panthers celebrated consecutive incompletions be- the two interceptions in the fi- victory.
GIRLS BASKETBALL BRIEFS
Lady Panthers return from quarantine with win
For 14 days, Liberty Hill’s girls’ basketball squad was kept off the court as the entire team was quarantined. But, all that finally ended on Dec. 29, as the Lady Panthers resumed their season with a 45-36 home victory over Marble Falls. Jessica Holliday led Liberty Hill with nine points, while Taylor Swieczkowski added eight and Morgan Jackson six in the victory. After the contest was deadlocked at 9-9 at the conclusion
of the first quarter and remained level at 19-19 at halftime, the trend continued, with the numbers on the scoreboard still level at 28-28 after three periods. But, Holliday drained a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to go with another from Jackson, as the home side outscored the Mustangs by a 17-8 margin in the final period. Liberty Hill (4-6, 0-2) will next play a road game against Cedar Park on Dec. 31 and another at Georgetown on Jan. 5
before returning home to host Glenn on Jan. 8. (RIGHT) Jessica Holliday (#2) led Liberty Hill with nine points in the Lady Panthers’ 45-36 home win against Marble Falls on Dec. 29. ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO
PANTHER R GAMES FOR DEC. 31
PICKS
Bret Smith
Seth Slye
Jay Baker
Jamie Etzkorn
Travis Reid
JD Davis
Scott Aknewich
Owner Goosehead Insurance
Graphic Designer Two Brand It
CEO American Water Kinetico
Owner Jamie Etzkorn Law
Owner Reid’s Triple T
Owner Davis Tire & Automotive
Sports Editor Liberty Hill Independent
1. Liberty Hill vs. Pioneer
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill
2. Cedar Park vs. Manvel
Cedar Park
Manvel
Cedar Park
Cedar Park
Cedar Park
Cedar Park
Cedar Park
3. Vandergrift vs. Hays
Vandergrift
Vandergrift
Hays
Vandergrift
Vandergrift
Vandergrift
Vandergrift
4. Westlake vs. Steele
Westlake
Westlake
Westlake
Westlake
Steele
Westlake
Westlake
5. Alabama vs. Notre Dame
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Notre Dame
Alabama
Alabama
6. Clemson vs. Ohio State
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Ohio State
Clemson
Clemson
7. Texas A&M vs. N. Carolina
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
N. Carolina
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
8. Iowa State vs. Oregon
Iowa State
Iowa State
Iowa State
Iowa State
Iowa State
Iowa State
Oregon
Bills
Bills
Bills
Bills
Dolphins
Bills
Bills
Browns
Browns
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Browns
Steelers
9. Bills vs. Dolphins 10. Browns vs. Steelers 11. Giants vs. Cowboys
Cowboys
Giants
Giants
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Giants
12. Rams vs. Cardinals
Cardinals
Cardinals
Rams
Rams
Cardinals
Rams
Cardinals
10-2 95-47
8-4 102-40
6-6 88-54
9-3 96-46
4-8 80-62
8-4 97-45
8-4 89-53
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PUBLIC
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Continued from Page 1
Gabriel River from the wastewater plant, and Hale said she is limited on what she can discuss due to the potential litigation, but said that attention on the issue did play a role in considering the reorganization. “It goes without saying that receiving the notice letter from Stephanie Morris has had a focusing effect and drew the community’s and the City’s attention to the South Fork treatment facility,” she wrote. “At this point, I do not want to speak about specific details that could impact that ongoing negotiations with Ms. Morris’ team, but I will say that the City of Liberty Hill is committed to meeting its permit limits and keeping the San Gabriel River clean. I believe this reorganization puts the proper people in the proper jobs to make that happen, and I am very, very excited about the future of Public Works.” The reorganization plan expands the Public Works Department by three and also redefines how parts of the department are divided. “We will break it into wastewater treatment plant operations and wastewater collections, which is your grinder pumps, your lift stations, your forced mains, kind of what’s on the ground outside of your wastewater treatment plant,” Hale said at the Dec. 22 meeting. The new positions fall under the newly-designated administrative arm of the department, bringing Public Works to 22 total positions. Five were open under the previous structure. “The newest department in Public Works will be administration and we’ll have an operations tech who will do more of the asset management programing piece of it,” Hale said
in her explanation at the meeting. “A new position will be an administrative assistant for the Public Works Department and then we’ll have a compliance operator.” All of the costs associated with the reorganization fit within the current budget, said Hale, and all are funded through the water and wastewater funds, not the general fund. The City previously engaged attorney Andy Barrett for representation regarding the potential lawsuit, but that changed also on Dec. 22, when Council voted unanimously to go with Natasha Martin of Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody going forward. “Regarding the changes to the
City’s legal team, the threatened litigation was a factor,” Hale wrote. “Natasha Martin and the firm she works with can represent the City in all facets of regulatory compliance from day-to-day compliance con-
cerns through litigation in Federal Court. With the potential of a Federal lawsuit looming, a change was prudent. This was about being ready for the future rather than any issue with previous counsel.”
Thursday, December 31, 2020
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