E-EDITION HIGHLIGHTS

E-EDITION HIGHLIGHTS

SEMICONDUCTOR CHOOSES FRIEND- CHIP

As its fab plant inches closer to becoming operational, Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s reach in the community widens.

The semiconductor hosted a Friend-Chip event at the Taylor Mansion Wednesday, Sept. 20. The ceremony served as a chance to celebrate local nonprofits.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a local subsidiary of South Korean-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Their Taylor plant, which is referred to as the T-Project, is expected to be completed in 2024.

Jon Taylor, the semiconductor’s corporate vice president of fab engineering and public affairs, spoke about the company’s efforts to financially help nonprofits in the area.

He said the semiconductor has supported 44 community organizations that serve the city and Eastern Williamson County. This investment totaled $1,520,000 this year.

Taylor added that this number represents about 93,000 locals who were impacted by the investments.

TEXAS CRITTER CRUSADERS HOLD FUNDRAISER DINNER

As forks twirled spaghetti noodles this past weekend, funds were being raised to help Taylor animals in need. The Texas Critter Crusaders hosted its SPAY-ghetti dinner and dance Saturday, Sept.

23 at the S.P.J.S.T.

Lodge.

The event started with a “Yappy Hour” at 5 p.m., where guests could mingle with others in attendance.

Meanwhile, opportunities to participate in raffle drawings were available as well.

The contest functioned as bucket raffles with participants placing tickets inside of a bucket designated for what item they wanted to bid on. Since there was not a limit to the number of ticket entries, contestants were allowed to increase their odds by dishing out more tickets.

After the spaghetti dinner, which started at 6 p.m. and lasted about an hour, event organizers drew for the raffle prizes and held a twostepping dance.

Sponsors for SPAYghetti included both local staples and chain businesses, like Golden Chick providing sweet and unsweet tea to pair with the spaghetti.

HUTTO ISD JOINS LAWSUIT CHALLENGING NEW STATE STANDARDS

HUTTO — Hutto Independent School District’s board of trustees voted unanimously to join more than 50 other districts across Texas in a lawsuit protesting changes to the Texas Education Agency’s school accountability system.

The board authorized Superintendent Raúl Peña to sign a letter of engagement to join the lawsuit at a special meeting on Sept. 20.

The system, which assigns all campuses and districts an A-F grade based on performance factors, was changed in a way which officials say will result in a lower grade for almost all schools, even those who have performed better. The new evaluations will be retroactively based on the previous school year’s performance so there is nothing schools can do to improve their scores.

The lawsuit seeks to postpone the implementation of this new system until at least next year and to retain the district’s present rating for the current year.

PRESSURE ON TCEQ FOR WATER TREATMENT PLANT HUTTO — Earlier this year both Hutto Independent School District and Hutto City Council submitted letters to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality protesting an application submitted by developers to build a wastewater plant on Limmer Loop in front of Veterans Hill Elementary School.

Ashley Bailey, Hutto director of development services, explained during an earlier council meeting that the developers had chosen to build their own wastewater plant to service their pending housing subdivision because the city of Hutto would require the developer to pay the costs associated with bringing new wastewater services to the area. She also said the developers contacted Round Rock for wastewater services but were denied.

The location of the future housing development is in Hutto ISD but is part of the Round Rock extra-territorial jurisdiction.

Hundreds of community members contacted TCEQ to protest the application, initiating a public hearing to be scheduled before the final decision could be made on the permit.