Little bits of big news
Best of Hutto nominations open
HUTTO — There’s just about one week left to nominate your favorite business, restaurant, business person or community service in the Best of Hutto contest hosted by iHutto. Nominations end Feb. 16 and voting begins Feb. 18.
“Both the Best of Hutto and Best Decorated Hippo contests were started in 2019. I ‘retired’ it in 2023, but the community requested I reinstate it so this year is year four of the contest,” said founder Sydney Johnson.
A non-profit company, iHutto, raises money for local organizations, creates volunteer opportunities and is an advertising hub for small business owners.
Nomination categories and the nomination form can be found on bestofhutto.com. Johnson said more than 1,000 nominations had been received as of Feb. 6. iHutto is also the host of the Best Decorated Hippo contest held every August for the residential hippos and the Hippo Guide map.
Get right with the law Wanted? Through April 1, Hutto Municipal Court is offering a warrant reduction program, also known as a warrant roundup.
“Essentially, the court is trying to close outstanding cases without having to make an arrests. So anyone with an outstanding case is encouraged to take the opportunity to potentially reduce their fines or clear their warrants,” said City Manager James Earp.
Anyone with outstanding warrants can clear their name and potentially reduce fines and avoid arrest by contacting Hutto Municipal Court and arranging an in-person plea of guilty or no contest.
Earp said they will enter into an agreement with the prosecutor, which may include reducing the citation fine.
“On Saturday Feb. 10, Hutto police officers will be calling and visiting people with warrants to publicize the opportunity and hopefully avoid the need for arrests,” Earp added.
Something as simple as an unpaid traffic ticket can end up with the city issuing a warrant against someone. To check whether a person has a warrant against them, visit HuttoTX.gov and go to the Municipal Court page.
World Hippo Day coming up Hutto invites everyone to participate in hippo mania during the World Hippo Day celebration, from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 15 at City Hall, 500 W. Live Oak.
The free event will include activities, merchandise, books, music and photo opportunities. The community is encouraged to wear hippo-themed clothing or Hippo Nation attire.
World Hippo Day is recognized around the globe, and the city takes the opportunity to showcase the town’s river horse mascot. Last year, the communications department produced a video tale about how the city came to be associated with hippos.
“On World Hippo Day 2023, the city premiered a short film titled ‘Hippo Loose in Hutto: The Legend of Hutto, Texas.’ A ‘mustsee movie’ for anyone living, working or going to school in Hutto, the short film explores varying points of view about local hippo legends and the impact that this folklore has on the city’s modern-day culture,” according to a city statement.
“The legend is told through interviews with leaders from the city, Hutto Independent School District and the Hutto Chamber of Commerce, plus a variety of local residents with unique perspectives on Hippo Nation. The film also features an original song composed by Hutto ISD music teacher, Lexie DeAnda-Trejo and performed by elementary students from Veterans’ Hill Elementary.”
Showings of the Hippo Loose in Hutto documentary are scheduled at 4:15 and 5:15 pm.
Last dance for Directors of Chaos?
City Council granted promotional contractors Directors of Chaos an extension to develop a new management agreement for Brushy Creek Amphitheater, 1001 County Road 137, after the city issued a notice of termination in December. The contract would have ended Feb. 13 without receipt of the new contract. The organizers now have until March 7 to deliver a new proposal.
Council discussed the situation with the city attorney in executive session before approving the extension once they returned to the public meeting.
While the issue is a legal matter and no details were available to the public, comments from Mayor Mike Snyder indicated that he had received a preliminary proposal and not much had been changed from the previous contract.
“It was pretty much what they had before,” Snyder said. “We’ve actually had events fall out in Hutto due to fees and the way this thing happened last year. If these guys want to bring events here they can make money. If they want other people to bring events and they get a cut of everything, it doesn’t make sense.”
The city originally entered into a management agreement with DOC in May, 2023. The promoters scheduled three concerts for last year.
The first, a Ramon Ayala concert set for September, was canceled because the artist canceled his entire tour. The second, a November concert headlined by the Floozies, operated at a net loss with only 200 tickets sold. The city’s share of the facility fee and parking was $729.75, according to city documents. The third concert, scheduled for December, was canceled by the event promoter.
According to city attorney Dorothy Palumbo, the extension would mean council should receive the proposed new agreement by March 7, giving council members time to review it before the March 21 council meeting.
Council discusses the Directors of Chaos extension with city attorney Dorothy Palumbo. Photo courtesy of the city of Hutto
