LISD bond approval, jail conditions top first half of '07
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

An icy blast of air passed through Central Texas in early 2007, leaving frozen vegetation in its wake.

A variety of stories highlighted the front pages of the Lampasas Dispatch Record over the past 12 months.

Excerpts from the top events in the first half of 2007 follow.

JANUARY

Lampasas County Judge Ed Lilley, who served two terms, retired with his wife, Sue, who had been the city library director for numerous years. The couple moved to their new home on the family ranch.

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Former Lometa City Secretary Marcia DeLaRosa was arrested for theft after officials discovered irregularities in city funds. Investigators uncovered several unauthorized credit card transactions and unauthorized use of the city's bank accounts.

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A bomb scare at Hanna Springs Intermediate School forced the evacuation of the campus, and had law officials and Fort Hood bombsniffing dogs combing the school grounds. A piece of paper found on the campus stated there was a bomb in the building.

A committee outlined needs of the Lampasas County Jail, which recently had major plumbing renovations.

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The Rev. Jim C. Wooldridge, rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault and one complaint of indecency with a child. Wooldridge's housemate, John Wood, also was picked up for sexual assault, indecency with a child and unlawful possession of a firearm.

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An arctic blast of air passed through Central Texas, leaving freezing rain in its wake. Some trees and roads in the area were coated with a quarter-inch-thick layer of ice that delayed the start of school.

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New Kempner Chief of Police Doug Kahlstrom was sworn into office by Mayor Gene Isenhour.

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Jimmie Don Aycock took the oath of office in Austin as District 54 state representative. A group of Aycock's supporters traveled to the State Capitol for the ceremony and reception that followed.

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Lampasas native Shanda Subia was named new director of the Lampasas Public Library.

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The Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District began to consider adding a Kempner campus to the proposed bond issue that also would provide a new high school for Lampasas and renovations to other facilities.

FEBRUARY

Brandon Stiewig was selected principal of Lampasas High School. Most recently, he served as a middle school principal in Marble Falls.

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John Parks, who announced his retirement as president of First Texas Bank, was tabbed as president of the Lampasas County Chamber of Commerce for 2007- 08.

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LISD trustees agreed to consider a bond in the neighborhood of $50 million to cover new construction and refurbishing of several campuses.

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Two Kempner teenagers and their father were killed in an accident while on vacation. Jade Cruz, a 2006 LHS graduate, her brother Christopher, an LHS junior, and their father, Frankie Cruz, died in the accident near Tucson, Ariz.

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Ryan Bailey was named new head football coach for the Lampasas Badgers. He served as offensive coordinator before the promotion.

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Lampasas residents, like their counterparts across the nation, returned jars of Peter Pan peanut butter to local stores after a recall of that and a similar product by its manufacturers.

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High winds, some gusting in excess of 70 miles per hour, uprooted and toppled trees and forced the precautionary evacuation of a local store when its roof tiles began to peel back.

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A one-vehicle wreck in the county killed a Lampasas High School teenager, 16-year-old Jordan Brittnie Evans, and injured four others.

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A $400,000 grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department helped bolster efforts for a proposed regional sports park just outside the Lampasas city limits on FM 580 West.

MARCH

Members of the Kempner City Council ordered an election for the adoption of a local one-quartercent sales and use tax, with funds earmarked for street repairs and maintenance.

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Longtime automobile dealer and civic leader Jim Hoffpauir died March 5.

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Due to a funding shortage for a number of maintenance issues, the Lampasas City Council announced Hanna Springs Swimming Pool would be closed for the summer. After extensive repairs, it should be reopened in 2008.

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A Lampasas County man died as a result of a gunshot wound at his residence in the northeastern section of the county.

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A committee was formed to discuss current and future needs of the Lampasas County Jail, which has undergone a major plumbing remodel.

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Lampasas City Council members agreed to issue $6 million in certificates of obligation to meet capital expenditures, including matching funds for the sports park facility.

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Councilwoman Judith Hetherly filed for the mayor's post after Mayor Jack Calvert decided not to run. He had spent 16 years at the city's helm.

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Former Democratic Party Chairman C.W. Burkes, 70, died March 19.

APRIL

High waters kept county rescue crews and emergency personnel busy, as storms packing high winds and flooding waters came through the area. The weather caused a swift-water rescue, and several cars were swept off the road.

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Mike Adams was named president of First Texas Bank, succeeding John Parks, who retired.

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The Lampasas Badger Band earned sweepstakes for the second consecutive year at University Interscholastic League competition with superior ratings in sightreading, concert and marching divisions.

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Margarite "Margarita" Medina, who founded Margarite's Cafe -- the first Mexican restaurant in Lampasas County -- out of her home in the late 1950s, died April 19 at age 94.

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Tom Yantis, Georgetown assistant manager, was in Lampasas to share how Williamson County has been successful in its efforts to rehabilitate the downtown area. Yantis' visit was tied to Lampasas' endeavors to bring its downtown back to prominence.

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Kids First committee members stepped up efforts to garner support for the school district's proposed bond to build an elementary school for Kempner and a new high school campus in Lampasas.

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Superintendent Dr. Brant Myers headed to Kempner for a presentation on the proposed school bond issue. He shared the plan's basics and answered questions from the audience.

MAY

Gov. Rick Perry declared Lampasas County and several other Central Texas counties a di- saster area in the wake of flooding, making the county eligible for grant money to cover flood damage.

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Lampasas Independent School District voters overwhelmingly approved a $48.85 million bond measure that will provide a new high school campus, an eastend elementary school, and renovations to several other campuses. An earlier bond proposal failed in November.

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Lampasas County commissioners voted to purchase a 12-acre tract south of the city between U.S. Highway 183 and County Road 4030 as an additional proposed location for a new law enforcement center. Commissioners previously purchased property a block east of the courthouse square as a possible jail site.

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A number of residents were left homeless after raging flood waters devastated a senior citizens' apartment complex adjacent to Sulphur Creek.

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Heavy debris and churning flood waters also wreaked havoc on the Hancock Park Municipal Golf Course, downing trees, ruining greens and washing away structures.

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Lometa High School seniors Christopher Crain and Aurora Reyes were named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the Class of 2007.

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Earning top honors for the Lampasas High School Class of 2007 were valedictorian Ashley Lowe and salutatorian Connie Rosado.

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The Lometa Independent School District was forced to hold a runoff election, as two candidates polled equal votes for one of two at-large seats on the board of trustees. Incumbent Stephen Stone polled the highest vote count with 145, and Jacob Williams and Ben Leggett each garnered 91 votes. Leggett, the incumbent, reclaimed his seat.

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James Briggs was re-elected president of the Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District after May elections and board reorganization.

JUNE

Lampasas businessman Les Gerhardt was appointed to fill the City Council seat vacated by Judith Hetherly after she was elected mayor.

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The Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District began discussing repairs to several facilities damaged in May flooding, including the high school's old gym where about two inches of water were left standing on the wood floor.

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Lampasas officials declared a Stage 2 water shortage because of pump problems experienced by Central Texas Water Supply Corp., which supplies water to the community. Residents were asked to limit water use for a short time.

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Officials from the Governor's Division of Emergency Management toured the town to assess the cost of May flood damages. City of Lampasas officials submitted a preliminary $3 million claim to the state emergency management division.

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A tornado in far east Lampasas County damaged 12 homes, but residents escaped major injury. The storm touched down just inside the Lampasas County line near Sleepy Hollow Lane and Carroll Drive in Copperas Cove, where it displaced 18 people from their homes and left one person with minor injuries.

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The Downtown Task Force began formulating a long-term action plan to address the downtown historic district. A four-hour workshop session allowed a number of community members to gather to share and research ideas to develop a vision for the historic district's future.

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A number of Lampasas County residents who reside near the 12-acre tract the county recently purchased as a proposed jail site expressed their opposition to the facility, noting they are concerned about safety and property values in the area.