Here is a recap of what was featured in the Wednesday, June 12, e-edition of the Taylor Press. Read the e-edition for the full stories and more. The e-edition is emailed to subscribers and available at www. taylorpress.net.
TAYLOR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATES INCLUSIVENESS
Dozens of volunteers and hundreds of volunteer hours culminate next week in a three-day celebration of Juneteenth in Taylor.
“I’m really proud of the way Taylor celebrates its diversity,” said City Council member Gerald Anderson.
We’re the first town in Williamson County to celebrate Pride as a city and we have the only Juneteeth parade in Central Texas that’s actually on June 19.”
The celebration is put on by a Juneteenth committee with members from City of Taylor, Dickey Museum, Bill Pickett Educational Foundation, Blackshear OL Price Ex-Students Association, Southside Community Engagement, The First Baptist Church, OLH Foundation, Salvation Church and Braided Faded Crew. Sponsorships from Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Atmos Energy, Texas Commission on the Arts and Boys & Girls Club of East Williamson County support the events.
The festivities will start June 14 at 6 p.m. at the Dickey-Givens Community Center, 1015 E. Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Blvd., with a meet and greet game night honoring OL Price High School class of 1965. On June 15, the committee will host a freedom festival at Fannie Robinson Park, 206 S. Dolan St., beginning at 5 p.m. with a gospel fest, live entertainment, free Kona Ice, children’s activities and vendors.
The celebration commences on June 19 with a parade starting at 9 a.m. followed by a free brunch in Fannie Robinson Park immediately afterward.
The parade travels up Fifth Street to Main Street before traveling south to Fannie Robinson Park, where it ends.
DIESEL DUMPING INCIDENT FUELS FAST ACTION
HUTTO – After an alert resident reported a strong fuel smell coming from a storm water drain near her home on Steven Street, a full contingent of city and county resources leapt into action.
Hutto Emergency Management Director Jake Isbell explained that in this instance the contamination was stopped before it could spread to any of Hutto’s drinking water sources.
The fuel odor was reported May 30 and Hutto Fire Rescue, Emergency Services District 3, was first on the scene, according to Isbell. He said that after stabilizing the site ESD No. 3 contacted Hutto Police Department to investigate the incident.
The city’s emergency management department was alerted to begin the hazardous materials protocols, the public works department came to evaluate infrastructure damage, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was notified and CS Environmental Solutions, a local hazardous materials remediation company, was called out.
The illegal fuel dumping, which is under investigation, was estimated at about 25 gallons. The public works department found that the diesel had already begun to break down the strength of the asphalt, so a portion of the street had to be removed and sent for hazardous material disposal. They determined the runoff also penetrated the storm water system and the surrounding grass.
GAMBLERS BET IT ALL IN TAYLOR
The Williamson County Expo Center in Taylor recently played host to professional bull riding’s version of American Idol. The Next Gambler competition was held Saturday, June 8, with 20 riders from around the world competing to earn a provisional spot on the Austin Gamblers star studded Professional Bull Riders roster.
Tristen Hutchings, of Stephenville, by way of Blackfoot, Idaho, emerged as the top overall scorer allowing him to join a loaded Gambler roster which includes Jose Vitor Leme, Dalton Kasel, Lucas Divino and Rockdale’s own Ezekiel Mitchell.
“Everybody here at the Gamblers association greets you with a smile and a hug and a pick you up whenever you are down,” Hutchings said. “So, it means a lot to me not only that I get a chance to go into the PBR, but that I get to go in with a dominant team and a team with good financial backing, a Hall of Fame coach and a great GM.”
