News

• 9 a.m. - July 4 parade begins at Old Taylor High, 410 Seventh St.

Next week, Alec Rojas will travel more than 1,100 miles from Taylor to Great Lakes, Illinois to begin serving his country through a career in the United States Navy. But Rojas is not shying away from the hard work ahead.

The Taylor Fire Department wants Taylor residents to remember this Fourth of July that it is illegal to pop fireworks within city limits. Adopted in 1998, a city ordinance prevents residents from buying, selling or shooting fireworks inside of Taylor.

“Deliberately Diverse” represents the individual thoughts and opinions of a group of Taylor friends who almost never completely agree about anything but are gratified by the opportunity to stimulate deliberately diverse discussions in our beloved community. Today’s column represents the thoughts and opinions of Rev. Terry Pierce, NOT the Taylor Press.

With 100 degree temperatures this summer, here are some safety reminders. • Always obey local burn bans and outdoor burning restrictions.

HUTTO – Every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., Rockabilly Brewing opens its doors for a free game night, 1133 CR 137, Hutto. Enjoy on-tap Rockabilly beers or other favorite selections while playing personal or provided games during happy hour.

On Saturday, July 1, pet owners will get the helpful opportunity to receive free microchips from the Texas Critter Crusaders at the Bull Branch Park Pavilion, near the Bull Branch boardwalk. According to TCC, more pets get lost during this holiday than any other, and microchips serve as permanent identification and proof of ownership.

Taylor Pride, a LGBTQ advocacy group for Taylor and its surrounding areas, hosted its third annual Music and Arts Festival. The festival was held Saturday at Heritage Park, which was a different location than previous years.

Last chance to weigh in on superintendent search HUTTO – The search for a Hutto Independent School District superintendent will soon move into the next phase. The district has scheduled the final community meeting for today at 6:30 p.m.

HUTTO – With no income and $9.4 million in debt, city officials say bankruptcy is not a viable option for lawsuit riddled Cottonwood Development Corp. “In my mind Cottonwood is insolvent and therefore bankrupt, and therefore it should just be dissolved, but, (city litigation attorney) George Hyde said there’s ongoing litigation and so you cannot dissolve a corporation that currently has active litigation in it,” Interim Finance Director Anne LaMere told the CDC board at a special meeting June 15.

HUTTO – Driven by an increase in staff, students and inflationary costs, Hutto Independent School District Board of Trustees approved an upcoming school year budget of $116,182,923 for the general fund, about $5.7 million more than last year.

The Greater Taylor Foundation, a new nonprofit organization in Taylor that is designed to pool community resources together, received a surprise announcement at its ribbon cutting event Monday, June 26. “A lot of people talk about change,” said Amy Merida, the Executive Director of the Central Texas Community Foundation.

Members of the Taylor Fire Department whose quick actions saved the lives of two apartment dwellers stranded in a house fire earlier this month recently received personal expressions of thanks from elected leaders and a standing ovation for their heroism.

Residents and business owners who need materials to patch alleyways and private property can receive them this Saturday. The city of Taylor announced July 1, as Street Millings Day, and will pass out street millings supplies from 8 a.m.

Creating a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community was a primary goal for the 2023 Taylor Pride Music and Arts Festival. Taylor Pride, an organization aimed at helping and providing resources to LGBTQ members in Taylor and the surrounding area, hosted its third annual Taylor Pride Music and Arts Festival at Heritage Park on Saturday.