Hosted in conjunction with the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce, the ceremony honored the beginning of a business rooted in supporting the community’s well-being, offering a place to slow down, regulate the nervous system and care for both respiratory and overall health in a gentle, accessible way, according to a news release.

Salt & Light was created in response to the growing need for spaces that support deep rest in a fast-paced world. Through services, such as halotherapy (dry salt therapy), infrared and oxygen/mineral sauna sessions, sound therapy, somatic-based experiences and lymphatic support, the spa provides natural, non-invasive options that help clients breathe easier, release tension and restore balance, said owner Valerie Hemming. Halotherapy works by dispersing microscopic, medical-grade salt particles into the air, which are gently inhaled to help clear the respiratory system, reduce inflammation and support skin health. The environment is intentionally calm, welcoming individuals and families alike, with offerings designed to meet people where they are in their wellness journey.

“We wanted to create a space that holds people,” said Hemming. “A place where you can arrive as you are and leave with more of yourself. This is about supporting the body’s ability to reset, whether through the breath, the nervous system or simply giving yourself permission to pause. Salt & Light helps clients breathe easier, release tension and restore balance. Many clients also notice improved mental clarity and a deeper sense of calm as the body begins to unwind."

To celebrate its opening, Salt & Light is offering a limited number of complimentary 30-minute salt therapy sessions, giving the community an opportunity to experience the service firsthand.

Salt & Light is located at 701 W. US 290, Suite 102, Dripping Springs. For more information or to book a session, visit www.saltandlightatx.com or call or text 512-400-6067.

The request is associated with a plat application for a single lot located at 11704 Crumley Ranch Road, within the Dripping Springs extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and consists of a 1.189-acre corner reserve panel that was left unplatted when the Fitzhugh Corners Subdivision was originally subdivided in 1985. This has been used as a homestead, prior to the current owner acquiring the property, who is in the process of redeveloping the site for residential use.

According to the applicant, Phillip Lee, he purchased the property nearly four years ago to take it from a two-bedroom house to a three bedroom, with some modernizations, to host family and friends when they come to visit. He shared with the commission that his initial contractor said that the foundation was so old that it would be less expensive and faster to demo and rebuild, rather than adding on to the existing property — leading him to have the house disassembled to be rebuilt on a new foundation.

After having to find a new contractor, due to the initial one disappearing on the job after taking the money, Lee said that he was informed that they needed to go through the correct process with the city and county for proper paperwork.

“In doing so, we found out that the two-bedroom house that we purchased was not platted and so, that stopped us [and] set us back about seven or eight months,” Lee said. “I would just like to continue forward because otherwise, I'm going to end up with an unsellable property that I bought that I can't use.”

The property must be platted into a legal lot to comply with Hays County’s development requirements. The minimum lot size for properties in the ETJ that are served by surface/rainwater and septic systems is 1.5 acres, while properties served by wells and septic systems have a minimum lot size of 2.0 acres, per city ordinances.

Currently, the property is being served by an existing well and septic system that has been used for decades. The applicant is proposing to continue using the existing well, or use rainwater harvesting for drinking water, as there is no public water source system available.

The request is to reduce the minimum lot size requirement as follows:

Surface or rainwater and private septic: Minimum lot size in ETJ at 1.5 acres; variance request at 1.189 acres

Private well and private septic: Minimum lot size in ETJ at 2 acres; variance request at 1.189 acres

It is indicated in the request that the property will be served by rainwater and an advanced onsite sewage facility, also known as an aerobic system. When those two components are combined, it allows for the minimum lot size to be reduced — this is not just in Dripping Springs, but in wider regulations as well, said senior planner Sara Varvarigos.

“Looking into the requested variance in terms of our city of Dripping Springs’ requirements, if a lot that is in the Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone, which is considered a less permeable part of the aquifer, if it's served by a combination of rainwater and private septic, our minimum lot size is 1.5 acres. So, getting a little bit closer to what they have now, which they cannot increase, like, realistically, their neighbors are not going to give them a part of their lot to increase their lot size,” Varvarigos said. “If they keep the well as their water source and if they use the private septic, which we are and they are recommending to do an advanced on-site septic, we're still at a 2-acre minimum lot size requirement, so much further from what they currently have in terms of lot sizing.”

To qualify for a variance, an applicant must identify unique conditions or constraints on their property that would result in undue hardship if the city’s ordinance is applied to the property as-is. In doing so, the following description was provided by the applicant:

“This tract was created decades ago with the creation of the Fitzhugh Corners Subdivision as an outparcel that was not a part of the subdivision, but was created as a 1.189 acre tract. The current owner is needing to plat this tract to make it a legal lot. As such, regardless of water source, the city's minimum lot size in the ETJ is 1.5 acres if on rainwater or 2.0 acres if on a well,” the description read. “In either scenario, there's nothing that can be done to make this lot larger than it is, which is the size it was created in the 1970s or 1980s. This was not created by the current owner, but is how it has been for nearly 50 years.”

When city staff reviewed this request, they looked at the surrounding properties, which are primarily single-family residences, explained Varvarigos. The corner of Crumley Ranch Road and Fitzhugh Road was left unplatted and there is now an instance where 21 of 23 lots in the surrounding Fitzhugh Corners Subdivision are smaller than the subject property.

City staff also looked at criteria for the subdivision variance, including the following: possible concerns regarding public safety and health or welfare to other properties; if the conditions are unique to the subject property; if particular hardships to the owner would take place without the variance; effects of zoning; alternate designs; and preservation of more native trees, providing more open space, etc.

After reviewing the criteria, city staff recommended the approval of the request, subject to the lot being served by an advanced on-site sewage facility and rainwater or surface water for drinking water purposes.

P&Z chair Mim James asked for clarification on how the applicant was able to purchase the lot without knowing at the time that it was not platted.

“The survey that I have from [the title company], it says plat and number. Now, I didn’t look for that because I didn’t even know that was a thing when I purchased it, but when they told me it wasn’t platted, I said, ‘What do you mean? It says plat number on this,’” Lee responded. “So, had I known what a plat was, I would have thought it had a plat because it had a plat number.”

James later asked if the well would be used at all, to which the applicant said: “When I read this and it says rainwater or surface water for drinking, I don’t know, maybe they can do it, so the well goes to the toilets and the showers and the rainwater and surface water goes to the sinks. I mean, I'd be happy to do that. I’d like to use the well to save me money.”

However, Varvarigos said this could change her analysis, as the lot size requirements for the combination of the surface water or rainwater and private septic is smaller at 1.5 acres, as compared to the 2 acres for private well and private septic.

“We are trying to, I guess, be prudent in terms of promoting that public health and safety and meeting somewhere in the middle when it comes to what our middle lot size requirements are for the combination of rainwater and private septic, which is what is indicated on the plat, I should point out, and also what was approved by the Hays County Development Services,” Varvarigos said. “They approved on the condition that it is served by rainwater and advanced on-site septic.”

Following more discussion, the P&Z Commission unanimously approved the variance request, subject to the lot being served by an advanced on-site sewage facility, rainwater or surface water for drinking water purposes and the existing well for nonpotable water uses.

Because this was not a zoning variance, the commission had final authority, so the request will not be brought to city council for a vote.

The full meeting can be viewed on the city of Dripping Springs’ YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@cityofdrippingsprings9597. The P&Z Commission meets next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

The not-so-typical gala is designed to be a fully immersive community art experience inside of Dripping Springs Ranch Park, where hundreds of original pieces created by local artists surround the space.

The event will be hosted by the Dripping Springs Art League (DSAL), founded in 2023 by Steve Friedman, Jennifer Friedman and Alison Cairns, along with members of galleries and community members who were interested in bringing more art to the area.

“We wanted to bring something that would be available to all. So, it's not just an art league for established artists; it's an art league for everybody that's just got an interest in art. There's something for everyone in our art league,” said Cairns. “If you're an artist who lives here, or maybe you're just new to here and you have interest in art, we want to have a place for you where you can come along and interact with other artists.”

Since its founding, the league has grown to more than 200 members and volunteers and has expanded art throughout the Dripping Springs community through workshops, clubs, markets, art calls for different exhibits and public exhibits — like Night to Inspire.

Event attendees can expect to see various types of art, including oil and acrylic paintings, fiber arts, woodworking, writing, stained glass, metal sculptures, jewelry, photography and more on display.

Additionally, they will be able to watch the magic happen with live painters turning canvases into masterpieces and artists sharing their creative process at demonstration booths — something that was previously done at the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, Cairns said.

“They're painting as the whole evening goes along and then, I think, at the end, if they want, they can try and auction off [their work],” she noted. “People love that. People like to watch them and see what it looks like at the end.”

A large component of the DSAL is involving the community, thus leading it to partner with Appamada School, Ledgestone Senior Living, the Marbridge Foundation, Dripping Springs Friendship Club and Sanctuary for the Night to Inspire event. Each organization will be showcasing their artists and creativity, as the league has worked with them through different programs and classes.

“We want to be part of the community. Let's face it; it's just like anything else. It doesn't work unless we're part of the community,” Cairns said. “I think that, at the end of the day, we're all living here, we love to be here, we want to enjoy it and we think that it's got great art here and we want to grow that.”

A five course tapas dinner presented by Chef Keii, as seen on the Food Network, drink tickets, photo booth and live DJ setting will be available with the purchase of tickets.

Cairns shared that they have a goal of 200 attendees, with ticket sales already reaching more than 100. Proceeds from tickets will go toward building a creative community in Dripping Springs.

Night to Inspire will be held at 6-9 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in the DSRP Main Event Room, located at 1042 Event Center Drive.

Learn more about the event and purchase tickets before the March 31 deadline at www.artindripping.com/nighttoinspire2026.

The city is implementing a comprehensive wayfinding signage program to improve navigation, strengthen community identity and enhance the visitor experience, as stated in agenda documents. As part of this are proposed gateway monument signs at key entrances into the city of Dripping Springs.

In the fall of 2025, council approved the bidding process for the wayfinding signage and staff wanted gateway monuments to be included in the same bid package to provide council with a comprehensive view of the project scope and associated costs.

Now that city staff has approval from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the initial design for the monument signs, it is required that the city enter into an agreement before the start of construction and for the bidding process to continue. This is due to the signs being proposed within or adjacent to state highway right-of-way along US 290 and Ranch to Market Road 12.

At its March 17 meeting, the agreement was brought before city council in the consent agenda, but was pulled out for further discussion by council member Geoffrey Tahuahua.

“What this is doing is it is just having the resolution saying that … if these signs were to be constructed, that we will maintain them since they are in the TxDOT right-of-way and they will be installed in accordance with the TxDOT guidelines,” explained city administrator Michelle Fischer.

This does not mean that council must approve them, but in order to move forward with the bidding process, TxDOT needs to receive the city’s submission of the resolution before official approval from the district engineer is granted.

There is $121,200 in this year’s budget allocated for signage that could be for the wayfinding or gateway monuments, Fischer said: “Last time when we bid it out, we just did the wayfinding. This time, we’d like to do all of them, but do them in different base bids or alternates, so that we can kind of pick and choose which ones we want to focus on and hopefully, do these in phases.”

The project is anticipated to be funded through local hotel occupancy tax funds.

Council member Sherrie Parks asked for clarification that this would not currently cost the city any money to approve and it allows the city to go out for bid: “This doesn’t mean we have to spend money this year or next year, but it would just give us an idea of what it is going to cost us?”

Fischer responded that Parks was correct and continued to state that the city does not want to go out for bid until official TxDOT approval is received.

Tahuahua shared his opposition to the agreement, due to the anticipated costs.

“I understand that there is no money being spent now, but there is likely to be money spent in the future and we’ve seen what these wayfinding signs are and I think, from a cost priority standpoint, the last thing we should be spending money on is signs, as nice as they may look,” he said.

Council approved the resolution 3-1, with Tahuahua dissenting.

Dripping Springs City Council will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7.

The school was initially established as a 501(c)(3) organization with a total of three students and then, became affiliated with a larger Apogee group. Pevehouse’s was one of 25 at the time and now, there are hundreds that can be found, even internationally. It has grown to nine full-time and four part-time students, as well as nine additional homeschoolers participating in a weekly Toastmasters for Teens enrichment program.

The Dripping Springs location was founded specifically with the high school age group in mind, utilizing a flexible approach to challenge each student with their own learning plan and inspire them through real-world projects and experiences. Knowing that her own child was aging out of her Waldorf's kindergarten through eighth grade co-op and there was a lack of options for her — and other students’ — education, Pevehouse found an alternative through creating her own school.

“I thought it was just really needed and it was really solving kind of a problem more broad than just my own home. Initially, it was just trying to problem solve for myself and then, realizing, I can't be the only person who doesn't want to go from being in these really small, non-traditional classroom settings to the public school or even just a really big private school,” she said. “I had a lot of interest immediately and have been waitlisted pretty much since I opened the program.”

Since opening in 2024, Pevehouse has subleased a classroom at Dripping Springs Presbyterian Church to house the school. However, she was informed at the beginning of August 2025 that the church would need the room back at the end of the school year, due to increased congregation size.

She began looking almost immediately to see if there was a commercial space where the school could relocate, but the rates were too expensive. When she was engaging with realtors who specialize in this kind of project, they were unable to help because the timeline was too far in advance to plan out.

Pevehouse then started to see if she could find something through her local connections. While there were several business owners who run afterschool programs, such as a dance studio that was willing to allow her to use the space, she ran into an issue where she would only be able to operate in the daytime and then pack up the classroom and set it up again every day.

Though she wanted to see if she could hold off on making a decision, the founder knew that she didn’t want to keep parents and students from missing enrollment windows for other programs.

“I just had to call it. I've been looking since the fall and haven't found anything and really, honestly, most of it was cost. When I looked at renting solo and just being in my own space, the cost was extremely prohibitive for a program as small as mine. I would have had to raise my rates ridiculously high. I would have lost enrollment,” she said. “If I would have raised my rates as high as I needed to cover commercial rent, I wouldn't have had families anymore.”

Families who have had their students attend Apogee Dripping Springs during its operation found solace in knowing that the hands-on learning, small community and mentors truly made a difference.

This includes Ashton Tautfest, who was one of the first students there and now attends public school. According to a letter sent to Pevehouse from the family, he came to Apogee during a season where he needed a reset and that is exactly what he received: “He watched you build something from almost nothing and I think there's something quietly profound about that experience for a kid who was still figuring out his own confidence,” read the letter directed to Pevehouse. “He got to witness vision become reality. That's not a small thing! He is thriving in public school now — loving the social energy and the new chapter — and I genuinely believe Apogee was a big part of what made that possible. You helped him reconnect with himself.”

The school has also had several other accomplishments, including: a nomination for Up and Coming Business of the Year in the Star Awards with the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce; receiving a full accreditation through Accrediting Commission for Schools WASC; and seeing a senior accepted to Belmont Abbey College and a sophomore accepted into the Author Conservatory dual-credit program.

Over the course of the last two years, students have also participated in more than 50 field-based learning experiences, Pevehouse shared. They have gone on various field trips to Newman’s Castle, Power Park, Burke Center, Austin STEM Center, Thriving Springs Wellness, Austin Spurs Day and many more, as well as hosted several guest speakers and presenters, all a part of their education.

Apogee could not have accomplished all that it has without the community it serves.

“It's been amazing to have been just so warmly welcomed with this model. It was kind of a hypothesis, like can you run a program that utilizes the community as part of their classroom? And the answer is yes, absolutely,” Pevehouse said. “People really do care about this younger generation; they want to pour into them. They want to mentor them.”

In this next chapter, Pevehouse said that she is returning to remote work for a company, allowing herself to focus on her daughters, 13 and 16, in a new season of worldschooling and roadschooling — going beyond just using the community as the classroom. She shared that she is going to take her passion for hands-on learning and continue to explore the state of Texas and the United States.

If she were to open up a school program again and return to education, Pevehouse would transition to a different model than the one she has been doing; she would prefer to focus on what brings her the most joy.

“What I would rather do, if I came back into it again, is just work with homeschool families and just provide enrichment, just provide projects and fun field trips because that, to me, was kind of, I think my zone of genius with all of this. I think that's where I had the most energy and the most excitement. Getting caught up in the academics and everybody being really worried about grade point averages and transfer credits and all those things; it's very stressful. It's necessary to get these kids ready for college or whatever they want to do next,” she said. “I think if I were to come back into education, especially locally, I would just really pour into the fun part that I had and just do something that's really more based on enrichment for homeschoolers.”

Apogee will be concluding at the end of the school year, with its final day of May 29, after celebrating graduation and a student showcase.

This follows council’s decision to table the same application at its previous meeting, due to several concerns related to the chosen location at Pig Pen BBQ and the anticipated 1,000 people in attendance. Due to council’s hesitations, the item was pushed back to allow for further review by the applicant, city staff and emergency personnel.

At the March 3 meeting, community events coordinator Johnna Krantz presented several updates to council.

Consistent across the dais was a concern that the emergency services districts (ESDs) had not reviewed the site plans prior to the original submission of the application. However, the application was brought forward at the Feb. 19 Emergency Management Committee meeting, Krantz explained, and ESD 1 had since shared its satisfaction with the emergency access route during the event.

“There is a location just off of 290 where … in an event of an emergency, they would be able to bring an ambulance in, pick up any injured parties or address any issues and if needed, make an easy circle back toward the highway and address the situation,” she said.

It was also presented at a Feb. 20 meeting with the Hays County Precinct 4 Constable and ESD 6 — North Hays County Fire Rescue — which was attended by council member Travis Crow. The ESD implemented the following:

Breakaway fencing to allow for additional exits in case of an emergency

Emergency exit signs will be lit and visible

Parking attendants will wear reflective vests and use directive flashlights

North Hays County Fire Rescue will inspect all electrical equipment and temporary structures during set up of the event

Fire Marshal Dillon Polk will be on-site during the event

Additionally, Hays County law enforcement recommended there be two off-duty officers and one vehicle, along with two private security guards, for a total of four, to match the same ratio as what is required at Dripping Springs Ranch Park for this event size. They also recommended that there would be an LED message board installed on US 290 to inform drivers that there may be detours or slow traffic ahead — this would be provided by the city, if the applicant can’t find one to rent themselves.

Mayor Bill Foulds requested that the city check with Hays County to see if there could be a message board also on Ranch Road 12, along with US 290: “[Ranch Road] 12 is going to be a problem area and let’s go ahead and get some messaging up there to let people know to expect delays [and] maybe direct people to Village Grove Parkway, actually, and get it far enough back so they can turn and not come up to 290.”

Krantz said that she would reach out to the county in regards to installing an additional message board.

Council member Geoffrey Tahuahua said at the Emergency Management Commission —of which he is a member — meeting, there was some discussion as to whether or not the city would close or limit through traffic on Bluff Street because it is used as a passthrough when traffic gets backed up on Ranch Road 12.

“One of the concerns that was expressed by one of our constables was if we leave Bluff open, you run the risk of someone going down Bluff and realizing they can’t get across to [Ranch Road] 12 and then, they would have to do a [U-turn] and it turns into a mess on Bluff,” he said, asking if it came up at the meeting with law enforcement and emergency personnel the next day.

Crow responded that it was brought up and the constable addressed that Bluff Street will be closed off.

Ultimately, council unanimously approved the special event application, along with the temporary road closure permit application for portions of Hays Street and South College Street beginning March 27. The event will be held March 28 at Pig Pen BBQ, located at 301 US 290, Dripping Springs.

Dripping Springs City Council meets next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.

Mayor Bill Foulds Jr. will return to his seat to serve another term of two years, as he is running unopposed.

Along with the mayoral seat, Places 2 and 4 on the city council have terms expiring in even years. Incumbent Wade King is vying to keep his position in Place 2, on which he has served for multiple terms and, according to his candidate application, has lived in Dripping Springs for 26 years.

Going up against King for Place 2 is Ana Grace Husted, who, according to her campaign website, has served as senior policy advisor for city council member Geoffrey Tahuahua. She is focused on the following: making city services more efficient and transparent; managing growth with clear priorities, smart planning and fiscal responsibility; improving roads, utilities and public safety to meet the needs of a growing community; and listening to residents and leading with integrity.

Campaigning for the Place 4 seat is incumbent Wm. Travis Crow, who has resided in Dripping Springs for 46 years. He has served on city council for eight years and the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corp. Board of Directors for nine years.

Running against Crow is Mitchell Royer, who has lived in the city for five years, according to his campaign application.

Additionally, incumbents Kim Cousins and Rob McClelland are seeking to return to their seats on the DSISD Board of Trustees in an unopposed election. Both were elected in May 2023 and their terms end in May 2026.

More information for the upcoming elections  can be found at bit.ly/4cqgEER and www.dsisdtx.us/page/elections.

Businesses open for three years or less vied for the Up & Coming Business award, including Dynamo Dusty’s Tree Service, Fire & Flow Pilates, The Girly Birds, Natkhat Flavors and Slice Street Pizza. “So many of you, and many of you who are in this room tonight, came week after week, day after day, despite the fact that we made your pizza wrong, despite the fact that we were 30 minutes or 40 minutes or three hours late to make your pizza,” said Slice Street Pizza owner Darius Aram, as he accepted the award. “I think that this would not be possible in any other community and this community is really something special.”

Prior to the awards, Chamber President Susan Kimball, left, was surprised to be recognized for her 10 years of service to the organization. “I wouldn't be standing up here today if it wasn't for Susan Kimball, as well as many people here wouldn't be so involved in the business community. And we are a very tight knit community. We are a special community and it is 100% because of this lady right here,” said chamber board chair Eustacio Lara.

The Dripping Springs Community Library was voted Non-Profit of the Year. Executive director Mindy Laird accepted the award and thanked attendees. “Looking out right now, I see friends. I see library volunteers; I see staff members. I see other nonprofits that support us; I see business supporters and sponsors. Everywhere I look is someone that has supported us. So, thank you so much,” she said.

For 2026, the Hometown Hero award was changed from an individual to an organization whose mission it is to support other organizations and nonprofits. The finalists were Dripping Springs Community Foundation, Dripping Springs Cook-Off Club, Dripping Springs Lions Club, Hill Country Rally for Kids and Rotary Club of Dripping Springs. “We thank each of you for giving of yourselves to serve this community. Tonight, your dedication does not go unnoticed,” said award presenter Stephanie Moody of Ally Medical. “The winner is Dripping Springs Cook-Off Club.” 

Outstanding Customer Service Award winner Acopon Brewing Co. founder Dave Niemeyer, right, poses for a photo with the 2025 winner, Dr. Chae Tracy of Curis Functional Health. “This is, no offense to the other awards, but this is the most important one. If you don't have it, you're going to suffer,” Niemeyer said.

Bill Warren and Michelle Matthews of Pig Pen BBQ jointly accepted the award for Business Person of the Year. “These individuals exemplify what it means to be a true leader in business and their contributions have not only elevated their organizations, but have also enriched the broader Dripping Springs community,” said Paul Fletcher, CEO of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, when presenting the award.

The festival attracts thousands of people who gather in the downtown district during the last weekend of April each year to honor and celebrate the founding of the Dripping Springs community that occurred in 1850 by the Moss, Wallace and Pound families. Considered to be the city’s largest community event, the festival sees various attractions, including shopping opportunities, musical performances, culinary options and a parade.

The latter tradition will look a little different this year, as the Dripping Springs City Council and Founders Day Commission — with input from local first responders, emergency personnel and those overseeing the safety of the public in attendance — decided in the fall of 2025 to transition from float entries to a walking parade for the 2026 event.

However, conversations have been circulating amongst residents about the decision more recently.

Some residents, like Whitney Huey, have expressed their disappointment that the Founders Day parade this year will be on foot. She noted that one of the reasons that city officials made the decision was due to safety concerns, yet she believes that the walking parade could heighten that.

“There is no logical argument as to why this would be a safer option. No safety incidents have occurred in the past to warrant this change and concern,” Huey said. “It seems obvious that trying to wrangle kids on foot in large groups in a crowd would be much more unsafe than if they were safely together in a float.”

Residents have also shared that: limiting entries could have solved safety issues; the city should uphold the history and traditions of Founders Day; and this could impact the participation of people with disabilities or the older population.

On the other hand, community members, such as Shannon Fitzgerald, shared that she has felt the stress and fear that a child could get hurt by diving under the wheels of a car or trailer when she previously drove in the parade.

“Over the years, there have been measures added to try and keep the parade route clear, but they are not foolproof. The barricades stop some, but not all, and it is impossible to keep an eye on all the kids who decide to run out and reach under a moving car to grab a tiny football. I've even seen adults lift a child over the barricade, so he/she can, basically, run into traffic,” Fitzgerald said. “Granted, its slow-moving traffic, but low-speed crashes can still cause catastrophic injuries and, if something terrible were to occur, emergency services would have an extremely difficult task in getting to the accident through spectators and floats and down closed streets.”

She added that there should not be a tragic experience to realize that “unless the parade is moved to a bigger, wider area, a walking parade seems the safest option.”

Fitzgerald is not the only one to have expressed satisfaction in the city taking the community’s safety into consideration, with others sharing that whether walking or using floats, they can still be a “community with joy and pride.” One community member took to social media to state that the parades have had less of a small town feel over the years, with more business advertisements, political campaigns and motorized floats, so this is an opportunity to see how the walking parade goes and the city can reevaluate for the following year, if needed.

With several residents sharing their thoughts and concerns, the mayor addressed the decision in a city-hosted question-and-answer podcast that was released Thursday, Feb. 26.

Founders Day has been constantly changing, as the city has had to adjust and adapt, Foulds said, noting that the carnival has had to be moved from the other side of Ranch Road 12 to school district property because the location was no longer feasible, due to the growing event.

The change in the parade format comes on the heels of a culmination of factors, said Foulds. The transition to a walking parade can reduce hazards that have been seen over the years, he continued, such as limited driver visibility, mechanical failure, accidental acceleration and pedestrians, especially children, moving near or reaching outside of the vehicles when they are in the parade.

“When you view the parade in a holistic view from the beginning of where the staging takes place, all the way to the end, where it comes back around, it creates a lot of obstacles that present obstacles that could be potentially life-threatening,” he explained. “Not any one thing is part of that, but the parade route [and] our staging area was becoming an issue.”

The mayor shared that when the parade would go down Mercer Street, the city had to put barriers on the sides to ensure the children would stay out of the road, but last year, parents were disconnecting the barriers and letting them through anyway. Drivers also had to back up, so that they could make the turn onto Wallace Street — a smaller, narrower road than the others — while children were sitting on the larger floats and people walking in front of and behind.

“It's putting our drivers in a dangerous situation, so this was a big concern. Then, you're on Wallace Street, which is the narrowest street, there's not even room to put up the barricades, so the kids then are literally touching the floats and it's an accident waiting to happen,” Foulds said. “It's gotten worse over time and we are trying to figure out a way to help with that. Not to mention, when you get to the end of Wallace Street, we have to exit off on [US] 290, so we've blocked one lane of 290 off [and] the parade now takes almost two hours of street blockage at least on 290. [At] six o'clock in the evening on Friday nights, it's going to be a problem on 290; it always is. Those of us who live here, we understand it and we adapt and we drive safe. We can't put enough law enforcement to make sure it's safe. Those kids are still on the floats. We have angry drivers coming from that community just west of town and we've got to make sure those kids get back safely.”

The city also did not have a screening or background check process for the float drivers, Foulds said, and some were found to be drinking while driving in the parade last year: “When we're taking responsibility for other people's kids, that's unacceptable,” he said. “So, there's just a lot of things we need to modify to try to make it safer. That's all we're trying to do, is make things safe.”

However, the city could possibly be looking into some kind of screening process if the floats are brought back in the future, Foulds said in a separate interview with the News-Dispatch.

In response to questions of whether the walking parade format is going to be forever, Foulds said that he does not think it will be permanent, but there would need to be some changes before being able to include floats again.

“We need to find a route to have the parade go, so that it can end back where it starts, without driving out on the highways. We can certainly look if it might be better to go out to Ranch Road 12 and take one lane there,” he said. “I don't know, but those are the type things we're going to be looking at and seeing if we can find a better route to keep it running [smoothly]. There's a lot of changes coming next year. Old Fitzhugh Road is going to be redone. I don't know that it'll be finished by the next Founders Day, but we're looking at Old [Fitzhugh Road] to see if there's something there that could make it work. We're going to work together.”

This year, the parade will travel in a counterclockwise loop around the downtown block between Bluff Street and San Marcos Street, rather than clockwise, and proceed down Mercer Street from east to west, returning to its point of origin without ever accessing the highway, according to Johnna Krantz, community events coordinator.

Other changes that residents and visitors can expect to see at this year’s Founders Day Festival include moving the booths that were previously set up in the middle of Mercer Street to be on the sides and going down to the bridge for easier emergency management access, as well as to give a space to local restaurants and vendors in order for them to still attract business during the festival.

Foulds concluded that he acknowledges the major change the walking parade will bring to this year’s festival, but he invites everyone to attend, along with getting involved with local groups — such as the Dripping Springs Cook-Off Club, Knights of Columbus and St. Martin de Porres — that have a seat on the Founders Day Commission and showing up to city council meetings to share their feedback.

“This is a major change. I acknowledge it. I see it, I hear you. It is a major change, but we're looking at how we can make it safer. If we wait until an accident happens — a major accident — there's no going back. Once that has happened, the door closes and I didn't want the door to close on us. Let's take a breath. Let's plan this,” Foulds said. “I want everybody to come out to this year's Founders Day. Have a good time. Don't focus on the negative. The parade, I think it's going to turn out great, but it may not. It may not, but we're going to look for a way to make it better every year.”

To learn more about the Dripping Springs Founders Day Festival, which will be helf April 24-26, and listen to the mayor’s full Q&A podcast, visit www.cityofdrippingsprings.com/founders-day.

Fifteen soloists earned state qualification, joined by three ensembles: Clarinet Quartet, Flute Choir and Trombone Choir.

Soloists

Erin Clarke, Flute

Abigail Jang, Clarinet

Johns Kurian, Clarinet

Nathaniel Wrana, Clarinet

Micaiah Ternes, Alto Sax

Carson Bone, Bari Sax

Donald Bush, Trumpet

Ian Jensen, Trumpet

Ethan Leone, Trumpet

James Sowrey, Trumpet

Callum Martin, Trombone

Jacob Zara, Euphonium

Iris Lucas, Tuba

Kaleb Oliphant, Tuba

Luke Pacelli, Tuba

Ensembles

Clarinet Quartet: Abigail Jang, Johns Kurian, Maddison Reigoux and Addison Waller

Flute Choir: Erin Clarke, Juliana Cowsar, Rosie De La Cerda, Bella Hajari, Jacob Parmeson, Elizabeth Vest, Eliot Wells and Robert West

Trombone Choir: Blake Bassford, Robert Burns, Griffin Fushille, Cameron Greene, Callum Martin, Gabriella Mulder, Reagan Nolan and Jackson Williams

The UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest will take place May 23-25 at Hays High School.

Initially founded in 2013 in Illinois, the HGG brand is owned by military veterans and former first responders, using an approach that combines obstacle course-based fitness and teambuilding challenges to provide a unique and fun experience for the kids who participate.

At the local level, the Dripping Springs location — the fifth to be built and first to be franchised — opened in October 2024 by a family of local veterans who had their kids in HGG’s programs up north before relocating.

“[We said] if there was a way to bring it down to Texas, we would and then, we moved down here. I started working building houses and we tried signing up our kids for camp and it was just a pain,” said Justin Teliga, co-owner and primary instructor of HGG Dripping Springs. “So, my wife turned to me and she’s like, ‘What do you think about starting the gym here?’ And I said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

HGG offers camps during times of localized school closure days and national holidays, as well as summer, spring and winter breaks. There are also afterschool classes Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, geared toward being engaging, discipline-demanding and teambuilding with obstacle courses for three age groups — Alpha Company (kindergarten through second grade), Bravo Company (third through fifth grade) and Charlie Company (sixth grade and up).

Every week is different though, with a new class theme, exercises and challenges that the kids can expect.

“It's going to change every week. This week is our last week of ropes. The first week we did like coming down, teaching the kids how to go down rope. The second week, we taught kids how to climb up the rope. Last week, we did rope wrestling. This week, we're doing knot tying to teach kids some basic knots that they can learn,” Teliga said. “Then, next week we're going to break out the zip line … Just fun things that the kids love to do, but teaching about it and teaching how it's [not only] fun, it's also a tool. We're gonna have fun while we learn.”

Teliga added that he has seen the kids’ confidence and bravery grow through the various programs that they participate in — and the parents love it, too.

“It's really building on motor skills and also, as they go through the obstacles, getting that exercise in. Building that confidence in them is really key for this gym. We see so many kids shine and the parents absolutely love it,” he said. “I've never had a parent come in and say, ‘I don’t like what you guys do here.’ That's the biggest thing for us is just really seeing the kids become men or women and learn how to grow up and learn to do grown up things.”

HGG is located at 12475 Trail Driver, Austin. Learn more about what all the gym offers at www.hotgroundgymds.com.

The district is beginning the naming and branding process now, so it can be incorporated into the design of the new campus. The comprehensive high school will serve approximately 2,500 students in grades 9-12 and will be located on Darden Hill Road, just east of Cypress Springs Elementary School.

Community feedback collected through this survey will help the High School #2 Naming & Branding Committee develop a recommendation for the DSISD Board of Trustees to consider, including the school’s name, colors and mascot.

Construction of High School #2 was included in DSISD’s bond program approved by voters in May 2025, with campus design funded through the 2023 bond.

The survey is open through Thursday, March 5, and can be found at www.dsisdtx.us/hs2survey.

Evilhawk Entertainment had its eyes set for a single-day concert and crawfish festival — titled Swampy Tonk: Mudbugs & Music — to be hosted Saturday, March 28, at Pig Pen BBQ in Dripping Springs. In doing so, the event organizers requested a temporary road closure permit for a portion of Hays Street between S. Bluff Street and S. College Street, as well as a portion of S. College Street between US 290 and Hays Street, beginning at noon Friday, March 27, and ending at 5 a.m. Sunday, March 29, or when Hays County officers deem it safe to reopen.

According to community events coordinator Johnna Krantz, the ticketed event will be capped at 1,000 people and property owners within 500 feet have been notified of the application by mail prior to the city council meeting. Two property owners contacted city staff with concerns about this event, but their concerns have been resolved and they have no objections.

“The applicant has been working with nearby property owners to secure designated parking for the attendees of the event,” she said. “They have received permission from the First Baptist Church to use both the paved property and also the field just to the south, which is also owned by the church. I know that the applicant has been in conversation with one or two or maybe more property owners nearby, so we believe that they have made arrangements for an appropriate amount of parking to hold the attendance they are planning on having.”

While she was the sponsor of the item, council member Sherrie Parks stressed that she has some serious concerns of having 1,000 people in a small area for an event. She then asked, knowing that city staff reviewed the item before it was brought to council, what emergency management coordinator Roman Baligad’s thoughts were.

“He didn't give me a lot of feedback about concerns about the attendance level, so more of our discussions, or discussions that I had with Roman, were about traffic management. Making sure that everybody had an accessible route to and from 290 and that the signage was clear, so that people knew how to get in and out around the event while it's happening and also to ensure that in case of emergency, the neighborhoods surrounding the area were still accessible by emergency services,” Krantz responded, as Baligad was not in attendance at the meeting.

Council member Travis Crow agreed with Parks that the event sounds fun, but he emphasized concerns related to overcrowded bathrooms, trash cleanup afterwards and traffic. With the event being in a small area along US 290, and the number of people expected, he asked if the event organizers have been in contact with local law enforcement, as well as clarification on parking.

Applicant Ian Evilsizor explained that for 1,000 people, they plan on about two- and-a-half people per vehicle, so it would be about 500 parking spaces: “I believe we’ve secured enough property for that. Working with the city, the concerns, like Johnna said, was more about traffic flow. We’ve addressed those concerns, as well as in the event of any kind of emergency.”

He added that they have three or four breakaway emergency exits and are in contact with an external security company. There is one currently in contract with an armed guard and two unarmed personnel, as well as an emergency medical technician on site.

Crow said that while he is not saying he disagrees with the applicant, he is voicing his concerns as it may not work out as it is planned.

“It worries me in a way because I see how Founders Day is and Founders Day is a bigger thing, but on this scale, we’ve never done something like this. That location, with people living there, with residents, with 290, it concerns me,” he said. “It all sounds good, but we all know how one thing snowballs into another effect.”

Evilsizor noted that they are targeting an older demographic, as well as the family aspect, for Swampy Tonk: Mudbugs & Music. In the past, they have never had an incident where there has been a medical emergency or law enforcement situation, he said, as they have held events in Stonewall, Houston and concerts at Dreamland before it closed.

However, to his knowledge, they haven’t done anything in a neighborhood like this before.

“We do want to work with the city … We understand that the city hasn’t done anything on that side of the city before. I’ve been in the city for 15 years, so I know it’s new to you guys,” Evilsizor said. “It’s certainly new to us. It’s new to the permitting process, everything. We want to work with you guys. We want to do more events like this, so I understand your concerns.”

He added that all they can do is plan for the best and figure out what worked, what didn’t and how to move forward in the future.

Mayor Bill Foulds said what he is “extremely concerned” about is how bad this will destroy the Ranch Road 12 and US 290 intersection. He said that the traffic would have to go down either San Marcos Street or turn left onto RR 12 to get onto US 290, which would cause even heavier congestion on a weekend.

“I already know how bad [RR] 12 is on a Saturday. We are backed up all the way to Village Grove Parkway on 12, so I can only imagine 400 cars coming and going. They'll be there most of the day. Either turning on San Marcos, but that stacking is not that hard or they're going to go straight on down to 12 and then try to turn left. You'll have two entrances of Walgreens completely shut down to where they can't get out of their parking lot,” Foulds said. “Those are the things that are going through my mind as our residents who live in that area. I think it's a great idea, and I don't vote on this, but I do think just saying yes right now without thinking this through a little bit more on the traffic side, that's my biggest concern.”

Council member Geoffrey Tahuahua also added his concerns of security — with the private security not being as experienced as law enforcement — traffic control and trash.

“Having dealt with the pumpkin festival that was at Founders [Memorial] Park, one of the biggest complaints we heard from the neighborhoods was just the trash that would flow and end up in people’s neighborhoods,” he said. “If we are trying to make this event a success, I think keeping the neighbors as happy as possible and I think having that trash a bit more efficiently handled would be important, as well.”

The city works with Emergency Services District No. 1 and 6, who ultimately, if it becomes a significant event, would be the ones who would respond, Tahuahua said, so they need to have a chance to review it before the event is approved.

“I want to see this event happen, but I think we have a lot of questions … In order for at least me to feel comfortable, you are going to have to hire law enforcement. I think we’ve got to bump up the ratio to match what we require at Ranch Park, which I think at four, they end up requiring a supervisor of some sort,” he stressed. “The other thing is, I’d like to have the ESDs take a look at this.”

Parks agreed that it looks like a great event, but it’s not “sitting well” with her that the ESDs and constable haven’t reviewed this from a traffic standpoint.

Council ultimately voted unanimously — with council member Taline Manassian not in attendance for the item — to postpone the item until the March 3 meeting to allow for further review and updates to the plan by the applicant.

The bill was adopted during the 89th Texas Legislature, amending Section 25.901 of the Texas Education Code, “Exercise of Constitutional Right to Pray” by allowing prayer or meditation to be encouraged in school, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch. However, requiring or coercing someone to pray or meditate is still prohibited under law.

According to the bill, school boards statewide were given the option to require campuses to provide students and employees the opportunity to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text on each school day.

While they are not required to adopt the bill, there was a deadline to make a decision by March 1, 2026, bringing forth the item to the DSISD Board of Trustees at its most recent meeting.

Before the item was introduced, several members of the community stepped up to speak during public comments.

One of those was Cathy Thomas, whose daughter graduated from DSISD in 2019. She urged the board to vote against the school prayer and religious text reading policy. She has felt firsthand — growing up in a small town among people of different denominations — the pressure that she needed to have a different faith.

“It was from my science teacher, who was also our principal. It got so bad that my mother had to go to the school board about it. We don’t want kids to feel that kind of pressure and this bill, I am afraid, will make it have that. There is already a time of reflection and student-led prayer, if it’s open to all students of any and all faiths, schools are welcome to do it,” Thomas said. “I really draw the line at teacher-involved prayer and Bible study during school hours.”

She then pleaded for the board to protect students’ education by not taking away more time from the instructional time, their right to belong by not being made to feel different because of their beliefs and their right to be who they are without governmental coercion.

“Reject state-organized prayer in our schools. Let the parents and faith communities they choose continue to be the primary teachers of their children when it comes to faith and respect to those who don’t subscribe to a particular faith, but teach that ethical behavior at home,” she said.

Victoria Holtom, a parent of Sycamore Springs Elementary School students, agreed that the board should vote against the bill, maintaining a “clear separation of church and state.”

“My 7-year-old should absolutely not receive religious instruction from his teachers at public school,” Holtom said, fighting back tears. “He has been alienated already among his peers. Many biblical teachings vary widely across denominations, as we’ve heard, and our educators can not be aligned on how to deliver these messages. For many of them, the suggestion that they try would be a huge violation of their rights and ethical obligations as teachers and mentors.”

Another community member, Natalie Kemp, pointed out that students and staff already have the right to pray or read religious texts during non-instructional time. Creating an official district-sanctioned prayer period “does not expand religious freedom, it simply creates new administrative responsibility and legal risk for our district.”

She added that, as stated in SB 11, school districts will be responsible for their own attorney fees and legal costs if disputes arise. This would expose DSISD to potentially significant liability, Kemp said.

“Every dollar spent on attorney fees is a dollar taken away from classrooms, teachers and students,” Kemp said.

Following discussion in closed session, what was brought before the board is a resolution in favor of declining every campus of the district to provide a period of prayer and reading of religious text for students and employees.

According to trustee Rob McClelland, the board acknowledges and respects the rights of students and employees to engage in religious expression, prayer and reading of religious texts in school, as allowed under the Constitution.

“A public school student has the absolute right to individually, voluntarily and silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not interrupt instructional or other activities of the school,” McClelland said. “Lastly, the board directs the superintendent to continue to take efforts to protect the ability for our students and our employees to exercise these rights without discrimination or retaliation.”

The board unanimously approved the resolution, ultimately declining the adoption of SB 11.

The DSISD Board of Trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. March 30.

A lot of other cities, such as Wimberley and Austin, have community bands, said member John Tullis, but Dripping Springs was lacking this creative outlet. According to Tullis, the idea stemmed from a parent band project put on by the Dripping Springs High School band for the holidays.

“I think this was the second or third year that they had a parent band that gets together and they play a couple of Christmas songs at the student holiday concert. So, I joined the parent band and dusted off my saxophone,” explained Tullis. “Everybody [was] a little shy and nervous at first, but at the concert, man, it was great.”

Afterwards, the director for the band, Kenny Vise, reached out to the participants and asked if anyone wanted to continue. Tullis shared that everyone had so much fun at the holiday concert that they wanted to open up the opportunity to all adults in the city, not only parents of students in the program.

“Everybody says they’re excited. They think it’s a cool thing,” shared Tullis. “I’m doing it because [it’s] a creative outlet. I love music; I love to play music [and] I’ve been super inspired by my son being in the high school band. Like, ‘Yes, let’s do this again.’ I think it’s just exciting for people to get back into something that they may not have done for a long time.”

Rehearsals will take place at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday in the Orchestra Hall at DSHS. The first meeting was Feb. 10, but community members are welcome to join at any point.

All adults are welcomed, he continued, as long as they are able to play their instrument and read music. So far, there have been approximately 40-50 people that have signed up, following Tullis’s social media posts.

Currently, the group is beginning to work on a few pieces to perform at the annual Dripping Springs Founders Day Festival April 25-26, but Tullis stated that they hope to do several performances a year.

“Don’t be shy; don’t be nervous. We were all out of tune and trying to figure it out, but in the end, it was amazing. So, show up and just meet your neighbors and make some noise together,” concluded Tullis.

To learn more information or to find out how to sign up, visit www.facebook.com/dstxband or email dscommunityband@gmail.com.

The donation was presented by Kristen Rummel, chair of the DS Elite Charitable Giving Committee, alongside fellow committee and board members. Lisa Little, president of Project Connect, and Lisa Hargraves, second vice president, accepted the donation.

"We are honored to be chosen by DS Elite for this generous support,” Little said. “Project Connect is a small nonprofit focused on helping families in need within Dripping Springs ISD. Many in the community recognize our Tiger Santa program and we are especially grateful to DS Elite for sponsoring a family and for the individual members who stepped up to help last Christmas. This donation will make an immediate difference for families who may be struggling to pay a bill, put food on the table or cover a necessary expense, like a tire needing repair, so they can get to work. Every dollar stays right here in our community.”

Project Connect, founded in 2019, offers one-on-one mentorship, guidance and access to local resources for individuals navigating difficult life events, such as divorce, financial hardship, family loss or transition to single parenthood. The organization is powered by trained volunteer mentors and strategic community partnerships.

“As professionals rooted in Dripping Springs, we believe it’s our responsibility and our privilege to give back to the people and organizations who make this community so strong,” said Rummel. “Project Connect is a powerful example of local care in action.”

This marks the first of four charitable donations planned by Dripping Springs Elite in 2026, as part of a commitment to support a different local nonprofit each quarter through both financial contributions and community engagement, according to the organization.

The series started in October 2025 as a way to provide a space for: authors to share their writing, editing and publishing experiences; sell their books; and build a supportive community of local writers and readers, said programs manager Jessica Sigur. It’s to celebrate local authors — even those who don’t necessarily live in Dripping Springs — as well as create a culture of writing at the library, where up-and-coming authors can come and learn from those who are already in the industry.

It was also inspired by the “Face to Face with Area Authors” — where two to three authors gather together and support one another — that is done at the Wimberley Village Library, which also has a specialized collection by local authors.

DSCL’s series is sometimes similar to a roundtable discussion with a full room, but other times, it’s a more intimate setting with five to eight people, with a range from all authors or mixed in with authors, said Sigur.

“It really is a very down to earth, just roundtable kind of discussion. It's not like a reading. This is really a time to be able to ask them questions about their work,” she said. “I think libraries are known for where to get books to read, but then, on the flip side of that, someone has to be writing these books and it's really to give back to our authors and have them create a culture together of local authors that can come together and talk about how it's going.”

Toby LeBlanc

LeBlanc had a novel, “Dark Roux,” published in 2022 and a short story collection, “Soaked,” published in 2025.

For him, there are several aspects that he loves about being an author, specifically for the fiction genre, but he really enjoys being able to take his personal experiences and those of the world into the stories that he writes.

“To be able to put stories together with characters that really put it in places, where, hopefully, I can begin to understand it better and maybe even a reader can begin to ask questions of their own experiences and begin to understand their piece is in it, as well,” he said. “As an author, I'm writing a book and it's a lot of my ideas on a page I love that often starts a conversation, that it is kind of automatically a conversation between you and the reader that could eventually lead to even bigger conversations when that reader continues to talk about something that they saw in the book or something that they experienced with someone else and it continues the conversation from there.”

He joined the Author Spotlight Series at DSCL because he resides in a corner of north Hays County where his address says Austin, but his kids go to Dripping Springs ISD schools and he wanted to grow in the close-knit, accessible community.

LeBlanc was the inaugural author in October 2025, when he saw an opportunity to connect with other people who are working on in Dripping Springs, see what they are working on and be part of the conversation. He added that he was able to talk about his own writing journey — including the ups and downs — and give insights that he has about the publishing business on how to get a book in front of people who want to read it.

“While writing is something that you're going to do by yourself, it is a very lonely endeavor and you're going to be in solitude a lot while you're doing it. No writing should happen in a vacuum. Having other people to talk to your writing, connecting with people who will potentially be readers and also give you feedback on your writing and just having other people who are going through the same process as you can understand what it's like to try and find these words and do these things and create these worlds. That community is so crucial,” he said. “I think everybody should be able to find someone they can connect with at one of those events.”

For the writers who are looking at getting started in their journey, but don’t know where to begin, LeBlanc emphasized that they should write what they know — what they care about, makes them angry, brings them joy, the places that they have been, etc. — because the more they write, the better they will become.

Currently, LeBlanc is working on a novel about two neighbors who are stuck in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricane Katrina, as their survival and ability to leave the city depends on trusting each other through various obstacles, like racism and sexism, that have forced them to be strangers in their own neighborhood. He is also developing a novella that is set across the Southern Hemisphere as a woman deals with parenting and nostalgia and how to move into a world where everything is changing.

Details on LeBlanc’s books and more can be found at www.tobyleblancauthor.com.

Steven Morris

Another author, Steven Morris, has seven books in the fantasy genre that he has self-published.

An engineer by trade, he recalls wanting to become an author and write books since he was younger, but did not officially start until after he saw a friend retire and follow that path. He shared that one of the first things he did when he decided to write a book was contact an author friend of his wife’s, Eric McPhearson, and got in touch with an editor, Marla Taviano, to teach him.

Morris, who lives in South Austin closer to DSCL, said that he decided to join the Author Spotlight Series after getting connected with the people in a writing club in Belterra. He recently participated in a session held Wednesday, Feb. 11, where he was able to share his experience in self-publishing.

“I think people are wanting to understand better what it takes if you're not going to need [traditional] publishing. So, I walked them through a little bit of my journey, but mostly sort of what I have found works in my journey, but more what was positive in the end,” he said.

He continued that this series helps other writers by making connections, as there have been a couple of people — even someone who has more experience — that have reached out since the event to exchange notes and more. Morris advised that the most useful thing that young, or newer, writers can do is to connect with people who are further ahead in their journey to help them figure out how to get there.

He will be publishing the final book in his series, titled “Shepherds of Truth: An Epic Fantasy”, with an April 13 release date. It will be available on Amazon. More information about Morris can be found at www.sjmorriswrites.com.

The DSCL Author Spotlight Series is held on the second Wednesday of the month. Authors who are interested in participating can email programming@dscl.org or use the contact form on the library’s website, which will add them to an email list for a group of local authors to learn about various opportunities offered.

To view all of the upcoming events at DSCL, visit www.dscl.libcal.com/calendar/dscl-event-calendar.

Locally owned and operated by licensed massage therapist Jennifer Luo, the spa was founded with a clear mission — to support the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the community through personalized, results-driven wellness care.

Soul Retreat Spa specializes in therapeutic massage, head spa treatments, lymphatic therapy and holistic wellness services, according to a news release. Each treatment is thoughtfully customized to address individual needs, whether clients are seeking pain relief, stress reduction, improved circulation or overall body balance.

By combining professional hands-on techniques with modern wellness approaches, Luo creates meaningful experiences that promote both immediate relaxation and long-term health benefits, the release continued.

Luo believes that wellness should not be viewed as a luxury reserved for special occasions, but rather as an essential part of maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle, she said. Her approach emphasizes attentive care, client comfort and treatment plans designed to support each guest’s personal wellness goals.

Soul Retreat Spa serves individuals, couples and families throughout Dripping Springs and surrounding Hill Country communities. Known for professionalism, cleanliness and exceptional client care, the spa has become a trusted destination for those seeking healing, relaxation and restoration, according to the release.

As an active member of the local business community, the owner values building meaningful relationships and contributing to the overall well-being of the area she calls home. Whether guests are managing chronic tension, recovering from physical strain or simply looking for a moment of peace, Luo is ready to help clients feel their best.

Soul Retreat Spa is located at 2400B U.S. 290, Suite 5, Dripping Springs, and appointments can be made by calling 512-846-6888.

The discussion surrounding site development permit fees follows DSISD’s previous waiver requests to remove several heritage trees for the construction of Dripping Springs High School No. 2. The requests were approved 4-1, with council member Taline Manassian dissenting, at council’s Jan. 20 meeting, subject to the performance of mitigation measures, which could include a fee-in-lieu if mitigation options have been exhausted.

This also comes after a meeting between school district officials, Mayor Bill Foulds and city staff, said DSISD chief operations officer Scott Berry, where there was "good progress" made toward an interlocal agreement (ILA), which has been in the works for this project.

“During that discussion, a proposal for the issuance of a conditional site permit was presented. This permit would include stipulations concerning deferred payment of fees, wastewater and Darden Hill Road contingencies,” Berry said to council. “We respectfully request your approval tonight, so that we can secure the permit without delay. This step allows us to avoid costly construction setbacks while we continue to collaboratively work on the final ILA.”

Planning director Tory Carpenter said that the real push is related to the site development permit and this being the only “outstanding comment” keeping the city from being able to issue the full permit.

He added that it is up to council to decide if it is willing to defer payment of both the site development and tree fees-in-lieu until “either when the interlocal agreement is executed and those fees are established through that document itself or potentially a date certain, as well.”

On the legal side, city attorney Aniz Alani noted that if council wanted to specify a due date for the delayed payments, whether that is when the ILA is entered into or not, then that would need to be added as an amendment or specified in the item’s motion.

Manassian questioned Carpenter’s mention of the tree removal fees, as she believes that was addressed during the previous council meeting.

“I may be kind of combining the two requests, but the request tonight is really specifically for the site development fee because you are right, it was addressed for the tree removal waiver, as well, in the previous meeting,” Carpenter responded.

Alani reminded council that the resolution at the last meeting, with respect to the tree mitigation, was deferred until no later than May 1 and entering into an ILA, which could be mirrored for the site development permit fees.

“Those of us that have been working on holding these meetings, that gives us a certain date that we need to get this done and sit down together,” Foulds said. “So, I’d really like to keep that date. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem to make it, but if we know what we are working towards, I think we’ll all see that we are getting there quicker and if we have to, we’ll come back to council for an extension if we have to, but I don’t anticipate it.”

Council member Geoffrey Tahuahua asked for clarification on Alani’s preference on a motion: “If I understand, Aniz, what you are suggesting is if we were to make a motion related to this, your preference would be is we say something like a date, example May 1, which mirrors our previous motion, or date of the ILA … whichever comes earlier. Is that your intent?”

Alani responded that council can specify a due date, unless it’s important that at the same time the ILA is signed: “You have a check in hand for the permit application fees.”

He later explained that the tree mitigation deferral stop date is May 1, but it’s a question of the payment amount because it could be reduced through negotiation of the ILA.

“I would say the same thing should be the case with the site development permit application fees. There is the standard amount that’s due under the ordinance, under the fee schedule, but that amount may well be reduced by negotiation under the ILA,” Alani said.

Ultimately, council unanimously approved DSISD’s request for a delayed payment of site development permit application fees for the second high school to May 20, after deciding to have the deadline be after a meeting date that month.

Dripping Springs City Council meets next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Spero Rehab offers outpatient physical and occupational therapy for a range of orthopedic and neurological conditions, from joint pain and post-surgical rehab to stroke recovery, Parkinson’s rehabilitation and prosthetic gait training.

Founded by occupational therapist Katie Bouchillon in 2010, Spero Rehab was built on the belief that people navigating injury or diagnosis deserve expert care, genuine connection and hope for what comes next, according to a news release. This clinic is led by Dr. Kate Morretta, PT, DPT, NCS, a board-certified neurological specialist who brings years of clinical experience and local roots.

Morretta is a part of this community and is grateful to be able to serve the people she sees every day, the release continued.

Spero Rehab Dripping Springs, located at 249 Sportsplex Drive, Suite 208, accepts most major insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid, and no referral is needed to begin. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call or text (512) 650-4481, email contactdripping@sperorehab.com or visit www.SperoRehab.com for more information.

“They are intentionally preliminary, I guess you could say, so that we can start building and coming up with some of those base revenue calculations,” said chief financial officer Randy Rau during his presentation to the board. “Just as late as today, some of those assumptions changed when we got our certified values in from the state just this past Friday. So, I’ve been working even today on some of the revenue calculations, but, again, these are just a starting point to get it going.”

The key assumptions and parameters include the following:

•   Student enrollment of 8,940 — reduced to 98% for funding estimates

•   Average daily attendance rate of 95.25% — based on a five-year average

•   Property value growth estimate of 4%

•   99% collection rate for property taxes

•   1% pay increase for all staff

•   Number of new full-time employees to be determined

•   Health insurance contribution at $405/month

•   1% projected increase in operational budgets to account for inflation

•   Budget parameter level of deficit approval based on board policy of 2%

•   Maintaining the same tax rate

According to agenda documents, general fund revenue projections are based on current law and assume the maximum compressed tax rate and, while the Teacher Retention Allotment provided additional funding in the first year of the two-year cycle and increased the compensation baseline for teachers, the allotment does not increase in the second year. As a result, any locally-funded pay increases in 2026–27, slower student growth and impacts on inflation place additional pressure on district resources and limit revenue growth.

Because of this, the administration recommended a 1% pay increase for all staff as a  preliminary planning assumption.

Trustee Rob McClelland asked if there were any major deviations from previous budget parameters and assumptions.

The chief financial officer responded that the only thing that was scaled back on was the property value growth, which is currently at 4%, but it was at 5% last year: “Since they changed [the homestead exemption] going from the $100,000 to $140,000, it almost reset everything, so the year we are in is almost like base year. So I kind of wanted to scale it back and keep in mind, some of these were done before we even got our state values in,” Rau said.

Traditionally, the budget parameters would be conservative estimates, McClelland explained, so preliminarily looking at a 4% property value growth is a good place to start.

Rau explained that as district administration goes through the budget process, the board will be informed of any updated assumptions and parameters. Additionally, the child nutrition and debt service fund budgets will be developed and presented to the board at a later workshop.

The Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees meets next at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23.

The event marked the reopening of the building, following six months of extensive interior renovations. The renovations created a more open and welcoming layout and included new windows, fresh paint and flooring, a coffee bar, updated furniture and a new HVAC system.

The church purchased the adjacent lot and home in June 2001 to be used as a dedicated meeting space for Canyon students in grades sixth through 12th. Those in attendance at the ribbon cutting included Canyon students, church staff, members of the congregation, contractors and community members.

In September 2025, Canyon Church members were invited to bless the rebuild by writing Scripture on the interior studs that support the building, stated a news release. These verses now serve as a foundation of faith for the generations of students who will gather, grow and be transformed within the Youth House, the release continued.

The church continued the celebration Sunday, Feb. 1, with refreshments and a special unveiling following the worship service.

The Youth House is located at 4003 Spanish Oak Lane on the Canyon Church campus at 4000 E. US 290. For more information about youth events at Canyon Church, visit www.thecanyonchurch.org.

After a brief introduction from Foulds, Planning director Tory Carpenter began by giving an overview of city boundaries and explained to attendees the different levels of regulation the city has.

In the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) — the area outside of city limits that the city has limited control over — it can regulate things, such as subdividing, site development — impervious cover, water quality, tree preservation and sidewalk requirements — signage and hotel occupancy tax.

In addition to this authority, inside the city limits, the city has control over zoning and land use — parking, building setbacks, residential density and accessory dwelling units — building permits and inspections and outdoor lighting.

Carpenter then outlined housing development. According to his presentation, over the last six years, the number of new homes built per year has ranged from a low of 444 in 2024 to a high of 928 in 2021. In 2025, it is estimated that 469 new homes were built in the city.

Upcoming and ongoing developments include:

• Double L, with 2,231 lots and 250 senior multi-family units;

• Wild Ridge, with 863 lots;

• Cannon Ranch, with 375 lots;

• New Growth, with 245 lots;

• Ranch at Caliterra, with 234 lots;

• Village Grove, with 511 units; and

• Ariza Springs — in the ETJ — with 293 units

Carpenter discussed new and upcoming businesses, such as Oakwood Public Market, Smoothie King, Taco Bell, Dripping Springs Sports Club and Golden Chick.

“You may be saying, ‘But we already have a Taco Bell,’ but we don't just have a gas station Taco Bell. We have an actual standalone Taco Bell,” Carpenter said with a laugh. “If you're worried about not being able to go to the gas station and grab a bite to eat right after that, Golden Chick is taking the spot in the gas station.”

Short Mama’s, Roxie’s, Terra Cotta Botanical Boutique, The Sated Sheep and Face Alchemy will all be opening in or moving to downtown, as well.

Carpenter also quickly discussed Headwaters Station development and recent updates to the Landscape and Tree Preservation Ordinance, Building and Fire Code and Sign Ordinance.

Next up, the planning director provided an update on wastewater.

Carpenter reviewed the history of the city’s wastewater expansion plans, including the issuance of a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permit in May of 2019. This permit was subsequently challenged, but in 2025, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in the city’s favor.

The city then identified that an additional $51.5 million is needed to complete the project, due to inflation and rising costs, so staff applied for a grant from the Texas Water Development Board, which is currently pending.

Despite this, construction of the wastewater line extensions has begun.

Rounding out his presentation, Carpenter discussed transportation.

“So, just to touch on our Transportation Master Plan, which was adopted in 2021. This generally shows when developments come to develop in Dripping Springs — if you have a subdivision or sizable development — these are the roads that are going to be built. So, we're starting to see that plan come to fruition, which is really exciting,” he said.

The Old Fitzhugh Road improvements are expected to begin in the next year, as well, but Carpenter clarified that this is not meant to move more cars through, as it is a revitalization project, meant to improve irrigation and create curbs and sidewalks.

Other projects include the FM 150 and Ranch Road 12 roundabout, which Hays County is working on, and the Texas Department of Transportation's US 290 widening project.

Finally for the city projects will be a revitalization effort on Mercer Street, which is not currently funded, but is in the early phases of discussion.

City administrator Michelle Fischer spoke about the Mercer Street Paseo — or walkway — which is in the works to connect the Mercer Street restrooms to the Stephenson Building and the warehouses in that area.

Additionally, she discussed the sunsetting of nonconforming outdoor lighting for businesses.

“In 2016, we did a massive rewrite of the lighting ordinance and, at that time, the city council decided that in 10 years, we would like to see all the commercial outdoor lighting comply. So, whatever was not compliant in 2016 when the new ordinance was adopted, will need to be brought into compliance,” Fischer explained.

Nonconforming lighting includes:

• Light trespassing onto a neighboring property.

• Sky glow lighting.

• Over lighting or more light than needed for an area.

• Glare.

• Luminaries rated at more than 3,000 Kelvin.

• Being on after curfew.

• Mercury vapor fixtures.

She explained that the city is working to educate property owners and willing to assist them in making a plan to become compliant.

“A lot of these lights can be very easily brought into compliance,” Fischer said. “You might go around your property and find [that you don’t know] what a light's purpose is, so you're just going to take it down- or you might want to replace it and, if you need to replace it, then we'll be able to help you all and give you resources and where you can get lights that comply with our ordinance.”

Andy Binz, parks and community services director, outlined recent park improvements in the city, which include:

• New outdoor arena at Dripping Springs Ranch Park — Ribbon cutting is scheduled for Feb. 11.

• Improvements to the pavement, new dumpster enclosure and speed bumps at Founders Memorial Park.

• New fencing around the soccer fields at Sports & Recreation Park.

• New plantings at the entrance and southeast corner of Sports & Recreation Park.

• New Free Little Library at Sports & Recreation Park, courtesy of Girl Scout Troop 44949.

Deputy City Administrator Shawn Cox provided a recap of fiscal year (FY) 2025.

According to his presentation, there was a 6.27% increase from FY 2024 in sales tax received, which totaled $4.9 million.

The hotel occupancy tax revenues were $1.1 million, an 8.55% decrease from FY 2024. This decrease is due to the city locating numerous short term rentals in the area that had to make up for lost payments in 2025, which resulted in a jump in revenues that is now expected to level back out, said Foulds.

Cox also touched on the new tax rate. For the first time, the city adopted not only a maintenance and operations (M&O) rate, but also and interest and sinking (I&S) rate. This change, which is a total increase of $0.04/$100 valuation, will help fund the bigger projects discussed, he said.

The final speaker was Visitor Bureau manager Pam King. In addition to upcoming events — Wedding Winter Showcase, which was rescheduled to March 8, and Songwriters Festival, which is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 16-18 — King shared an update about the Stars Of Dripping Springs Project.

In 2024, the city unveiled six decorated stars. There were 10 stars installed in 2025, including Ally Medical ER, Deep Eddy Vodka, Flying Fish, H-E-B, city hall and all five city parks.

King’s goal for Phase 3 in 2026 is to bring eight-10 new stars to the city.

“What that will do for us, I believe, is create a tour of stars for our city that will be a draw for people to come when they're staying and visiting, to tour our city and ETJ and visit a lot of different areas,” she said.

To see the full presentation, visit https://bit.ly/4te4Hbp.