Here is a recap of what was featured in the Wednesday, Feb. 16, e-edition of the Taylor Press. The e-edition is mailed to subscribers and available at www.taylorpress.net.
MONTHS AFTER SHOOTING, TEEN DIES
HUTTO – A Hutto teen has succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head that happened in December.
According to a report from KXAN, the family of Faith Monreal, 15, said she passed away Saturday morning, Feb. 12.
On Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, Monreal was involved in a shooting in a home in the Hutto Town Square neighborhood. The incident involved her and one other teenage girl.
The investigation has been ongoing by the Hutto Police Department since the incident Dec. 12.
“As the investigation progressed over the past few weeks, it became increasingly complex,” Allison Strupeck, city of Hutto communications manager. “These additional complexities emerged that warranted an even deeper investigation.”
No arrests have been made.
FOOTBALL STADIUM, MORE IN GRANGER ELECTION
A bond election in Granger could mean a new high school campus, buses, upgrades and more — including a new place for Friday night lights.
On Feb. 11, the Granger ISD school board voted unanimously to call for a $44 million bond election on May. 7.
“The Board’s decision came after a recommendation was made by the district’s Facilities Planning Committee to address growth, aging facilities and additional facility needs,” said Granger ISD in a statement.
If passed, the bond would result in a tax increase of 35 cents per $100 valuation. The total tax rate would then be $1.26. The increase would not affect citizens ages 65 and older with a homestead and exemption application filed through the Williamson County Appraisal District.
The bond proposal includes the following plans or affects the following campus features:
• new football stadium with a track, weight room and field house;
• new secondary high school campus;
• renovations and upgrades to the existing elementary campus;
• baseball field;
• softball field;
• land purchase; and • bus purchases.
THRALL ISD TO HAVE 2 PROPS
Thrall citizens will have a couple of boxes on May ballots affecting their school district.
On Feb. 10, the Thrall ISD school board unanimously voted to call for a bond election May 7.
“Our board has decided to place some items onto a bond proposition for May,” said Superintendent Tommy Hooker.
There will be two propositions voted on by citizens. One prop mostly affects general education facilities along with some recreational and athletic features on campus. The second prop revolves around Tiger Stadium, Thrall ISD’s football complex.
The props are as follows.
• Proposition A: $64,816,680.00 — The prop has plans for a new elementary campus including playgrounds, gym space, cafeteria, and parking; addition to the high school campus including classrooms, gym space and parking; renovation of current elementary campus to convert to a middle school; and athletic facility upgrades including a new weight room, tennis courts and upgrades for baseball and softball.
• Proposition B: $3,683,320.00 — For Tiger Stadium, the prop would fund a bleacher expansion, parking and field/facility improvements.
If passed, the props would result in a tax increase of 5 cents per $100 valuation over the current tax rate of
$1.2897. Thrall ISD says the projection is conservative and a significant economic slowdown should be offset by the use of conservative property value growth assumptions.
A community-wide meeting on the bond propositions will be Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. Residents are encouraged to join and share their thoughts on future facility planning.
VIRUS RATE CUT IN HALF
The rate of new weekly COVID-19 cases in Williamson County was sliced by about half this past week.
Confirmed cases, which include past and current cases reported to the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD), increased by 1,299 in Williamson County Feb. 8-14.
As of Monday, Feb. 14, WCCHD confirmed a total of 108,433 COVID-19 cases in Williamson County during the pandemic.
During the previous week, Feb. 1-7, there were 2,532 new cases in Williamson County – almost double from this past week. In the week of Jan. 25-31, there were 5,404 new cases in Williamson County. Based on weekly tallies, the Jan. 11-24 average 7,938 new cases each week was the peak rate increase of new weekly cases since Dec 21, 2021. Before then, new cases each week has been well below a thousand since September.
WCCHD’s toll for deaths linked to the disease went up by 13 in seven days. The number stands at 830 as of Feb. 14.
