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Dripping Springs Century News
Two-Thirds of Public Defenders Office clients back in the community
The Public Defender’s Office has only been in operation in Hays County for one year with the mission of providing legal defense for lowincome people accused of crimes. The Hays County Commissioners Court heard a presentation by Neighborhood Defenders Service Texas Hays County Criminal Defense Team on the Public Defender’s Office progress and “positive impact” on the community at the regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. Meenu Walters, NDS Texas managing director, said the PDO has closed about half of the cases that have been assigned to date. Of those closed cases, 33% have received community based outcomes, 35% have received confinement and...
County Updates
, For a tenth year, the Greater San Marcos Partnership, the regional economic development organization for Hays and Caldwell Counties, will explore the topic of innovation when it hosts its annual 2024 Innovation Summit. This year’s Summit will be presented by the title sponsor, La Cima. The event will take place Thursday, July 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City of San Marcos Convention Center at Embassy Suites in San Marcos. The keynote speaker will be Harold Strong, Executive Director of Texas State Star Park. Strong came to Texas State in September 2023 from the Medical Innovation Collaborative in Dallas,...
AT&T opens new store in the Dripping Springs area
AT&T Cellular World opened its doors to the Dripping Springs-Austin area with a ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce. The ribbon cutting was followed by a grand opening on June 21–22. Customers came to see the brand new store, enjoy light snacks and win prizes. “Our team is excited and ready to meet everyone and ensure all of our customers are #GenuinelyHappy,” staff told the Dripping Springs Chamber. “Our customers can come learn about the latest deals AT&T has to offer including discounts on phone upgrades, super fast internet, discounts based off of where you work, and discounts for first responders, healthcare workers, military and teachers. If you’re not sure if you qualify, come visit us and find out!” The store is located off U.S. Highway 290 next to Chipotle. For any information or inquiries, contact (512) 996-3145. Store hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Le Muse celebrates second Dripping Springs location
, Le Muse Coffee & Wine Bar held a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 14, celebrating the opening of its second location at 1025 Cannon Dr Suite 105 in Dripping Springs. Le Muse opened in May 2016 as a purveyor of fine craft coffee and tea. Originally operating out of a food truck, they later opened as a full cafe in Caliterra at 505 Wynnpage, offering breakfast tacos, pastries, and more with their coffee. Then they expanded to offer wine later in the day. Now, they have expanded to a second location that will also offer special meals in the evening. The second location at the Dripping Springs ClockTower, will be open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Follow them on Facebook for the latest menu and updates.
Man arrested after reports of aggressive behavior, gunshots
A Dripping Springs man was arrested after the Hays County Sherriff’s Office was called to the 600 block of Terrace Canyon Dr. for reported gunshots. The incident took place shortly after 1:21 pm on Saturday, June 22. Witnesses there told deputies that a man — later identified as Nathan Nattin IV — was seen walking in the street, yelling obscenities and imitating a gun with his hand. The man was also seen running aggressively toward houses and down a driveway, according to witnesses. Witnesses said they heard gunshots fired and an explosion near the residence, but they did not report seeing a...
Festival draws local support for LGBTQ+ community
Hundreds of local Dripping Springs residents attended the annual pride festival at Dripping Springs Ranch Park on Saturday, June 22. ‘This event was our best ever,” said Juana Searc'ye, y, founder of Pride of Dripping Springs, which sponsors the event. 'There was a lot of positive energy and the talent we had was fantastic. We really appreciate all the entertainers who share their talents.” Pride of Dripping Springs, which puts on the event, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to broadening awareness and creating an environment of diversity and inclusion through education, resources and events for the LGBTQ+ community. This is the fourth year...
Vargas named editor for Dripping Springs Century News
Ken Vargas has been named the new managing editor for the Dripping Springs Century News. For more than two decades, Vargas was the communications officer for the Internal Revenue Service. In the past 30 years, he edited and published various newsletters and magazines. In 2007, he founded the Slaughter Creek Reporter in Manchaca. Vargas said he knew he would be a writer early in his childhood. “I produced my first newspaper, The Ascarate Eagle, in sixth grade. It was a onepage monthly broadside produced on a carbon- copy master using a manual typewriter, a ballpoint pen, and a straight-edge ruler. The big news was...
Patients turn to primary care for mental health
It took one cancer patient 15 years ago to convince Barbara Chapman that the model of mental health treatment needed some serious work. It was 2009, and she was an advanced practice nurse working in a Dallas primary care practice when she met a female patient diagnosed with breast and lung cancer. The same woman had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The woman didn’t have health insurance, but Chapman was determined to help her navigate the medical system for both cancer and mental health treatment. After several weeks, Chapman was able to find a place that would treat her physical and mental...
County Updates
Hays County will purchase a new emergency trailer and upgrade another trailer, thanks to a $9,885 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the city of San Marcos. The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $2,472 in matching funds from the county, will pay for an emergency trailer for the Buda Community Emergency Response Team. The grant also will allow the county to add new heating and cooling equipment to an existing trailer. “Our Community Emergency Response Teams are volunteers who expand the capacity of our first responders for any event,” Hays County Director of Emergency Services Mike Jones said....
DSISD hosts reunification training for county schools
Dripping Springs ISD hosted leaders, administrators, and safety personnel from Hays CISD and Wimberley ISD on June 3-4 for reunification training conducted by The “I Love U Guys” Foundation in the Center for Learning & Leadership. The two-day training covered the Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Model to safely reunite students with parents and guardians during a school crisis or emergency. The three school districts partnered with Hays County Office of Emergency Services and Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds to support the training for school staff and first responders. The Standard Response Protocol was created by The “I Love U Guys” Foundation and has been the foundation of all emergency responses for school staff, students, and first responders across Hays County since its implementation in 2013. The training is considered to be the premier standard of training in the area for reunification.
Pet Resource Center launches microchip campaign
The Hays County Pet Resource Center is launching an area wide microchip awareness campaign, “The Power of Microchips,” to promote pet reunification and microchips for Hays County pet owners. The goal is to showcase the importance of microchipping pets, access to affordable services and to have pets chipped and microchips registered. Participating organizations include The Hays County Pet Resource Center, San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter (SMRAS), city of Kyle Animal Services, and Wimberley Adoption Group & Rescue. The campaign aims to share microchip information to the community, including events and clinics held during the month of June, and reduce the lost pet...
Pride festival returns to Drip for third year
Pride of Dripping Springs, a community- led nonprofit, will hold its annual LGBTQ+ Pride festival this Saturday, June 22. The festival, held at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center, takes place the last Saturday of June in celebration of June as National LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The free event is split into two segments, the first of which is a familyfriendly festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The family-friendly festival features a variety of games and activities for children, teens and families, as well as vendor booths for all ages. Additional features include drag storytime, live music, aerial, circus...
County proclaims June Elder Abuse Awareness Month
It is important to protect vulnerable populations in the community. With that in mind, Hays County Commissioners Court proclaimed June 2024 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. The proclamation stated that older adults and people with disabilities and diverse backgrounds contribute to the wellbeing of this city by working, caregiving, volunteering and actively preserving customs, ritual, and traditions. “As we age, we build momentum by accumulating knowledge, experience, insight and wisdom that can be shared to enrich our community,” the proclamation stated. “Abuse of older adults and people with disabilities is a community concern, affecting thousands of people across Texas.” The Supervisor for the Hays...
Strict rules over delta-8 and delta-9 likely for Texas
When Texas state Sen. Charles Perry sat down last week in a packed room at the state Capitol to hear testimony on whether to ban some psychoactive hemp products from being sold in the state, he already knew what was coming. The Lubbock Republican’s 2019 agricultural hemp legislation — a bipartisan, farmer-friendly bill — had opened up the state’s hemp industry and, in doing so, touched off a massive new consumable hemp market in Texas as well. Perry had suspected at the time, he said at a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, that the new law would eventually be exploited by an...
County Updates
, The Hays County Commissioners Court acknowledged the role of the USS Texas, Army Rangers and the Navy in the invasion of the beaches of Normandy, France during World War II on the 80th anniversary of DDay. The proclamation stated that June 6, 1944, marked a pivotal moment in the history of World War II, as Allied forces launched the largest seaborne invasion in history, storming the beaches of Normandy, France “The Army Rangers demonstrated unparalleled courage, determination, and heroism in their assault on the heavily fortified Pointe du Hoc, a strategic location crucial to the success of the D-Day invasion,”...
CHRISTUS unveils advanced robotic surgical systems
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System announced it has acquired a new high-tech robotic surgical system for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos. The Intuitive da Vinci 5 surgical system is used for minimally invasive procedures. It has robotic arms that surgeons completely control, translating their hand movements into smaller, more precise movements using tiny instruments. The system’s immersive vision system also provides surgeons with a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands throughout the surgery. “The device and minimally invasive approach allow our patients to undergo their necessary procedures with less recovery time and provides them with optimal results,”...
Former cheer coach sentenced to life in prison for sexual abuse of a child
Andrew Alan Brown, 38, of Dripping Springs, was sentenced to life in prison on May 30 after being found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 years old earlier this year. Brown was a real estate agent who also worked with young children as a cheer coach. According to a report following Brown’s arrest, the Dripping Springs Century News said that Brown was the owner of a cheer gym in Dripping Springs. The evidence showed that the defendant had sexually abused an eightyearold child for more than a year, according to a press release from Hays County Criminal...
Jail outsourcing costs $l64k for the last week of May
During Hays County Commissioners Court meetings, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra updates the community on the Hays County Jail population and outsourcing costs. The most recent report covered May 26 to June 1 and showed a $2,188 growth since a month prior, peak population shrunk by two inmates and average population grew by four inmates. “The Sheriff’s Office sends my office our inmate numbers the week that we come to court so that I can report them to the viewing public,” Becerra said. “Our current maximum jail capacity is 410 inmates. Jail standards recommend that we hold approximately 10% of that capacity...
Brow Sugar celebrates one-year anniversary
Brow Sugar Permanent Makeup and Piercing Studio celebrated one year in business with a ribbon cutting last week, sponsored by the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce. The ceremony on June 6 recognized the joint venture by coowners Trisha Bailey and Jennifer Dean, marking a milestone in their lifelong friendship and professional careers. “Seventeen years ago, we embarked on our careers in dental hygiene, driven by a shared passion for helping people look and feel their best,” the pair shared. “Last year, our dream of owning a business together became a reality when we opened Brow Sugar. Transitioning from dental hygiene to the...
Wimberley Music Festival scheduled for October
Barnabas Connection is marking a significant milestone later this year: its 20th anniversary. To celebrate, the nonprofit organization is hosting a two-day music event in Wimberley on Oct. 12 and 13. Titled Wimberley Music Fest 2024, the event will be held at the Wimberley VFW Fairgrounds as a testament to the nonprofit’s journey. Headlining the Saturday Music Fest is Wimberley native and Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Sarah Jarosz. There will be six other musical acts that day, including Bri Bagwell, Soma Jerome, Susan Gibson, Dallas Burrow, Dylan James Riley and Reintarnation. The show goes from 2 to 9:30 p.m., and gates...
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