Goodness gracious we are thankful for this rain! Hays County is under a Flash Flood Watch until 6pm so we’ll be thankful and be safe! Latest updates from the National Weather http://wxch.nl/16guTpQ

UPDATE: Flash Flood Warning until 12:30pm.

Local Memorial Day weekend events in Dripping Springs:

On Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 9am, a Placing of American Flags on Graves of Local Veterans ceremony will be held at Phillips Cemetery on RR 12. Veterans, family members, boy and girl scouts, and community members are invited to place American Flags on the graves of local veterans. While this can be done at any cemetery, the main cemeteries in the Dripping Springs area that our local veterans will place flags are Phillips, Driftwood, Wallace Mountain, and Fitzhugh.

A group of neighbors in the Vistas of Sawyer Ranch neighborhood are banding together to host a multi-family garage sale on Sunday, May 26, from 8am – 2pm to help a neighborhood family that has been hard hit by unemployment and extremely serious medical problems. While new employment is sought, extensive medical treatment is undergone, and as children must be cared for, their neighbors are working together to help fill a financial gap. All proceeds from the sale, which will take place on the Tom Sawyer Road cul de sac and also includes lemonade and bake sale, will benefit the family.

On Monday, May 27, 2013 7:30am-9am, St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Fellowship Hall on Post Oak Rd. will host a Veteran’s Breakfast. All veterans and their families are invited.

Monday, May 27, 11:15am – Noon, a Memorial Day Program will be held at the Memorial Flagpole at the Dripping Springs Triangle. All veterans and their families and friends are invited to attend this ceremony. All local community members are also invited to attend this very important event honoring our departed comrades.

Westcave Cellars Winery hosts a Pig Pickin’ on Memorial Monday, May 27, from 2pm to 6pm. All-you-can-eat North Carolina-style pork barbeque and three sides and the music of Trailmix. Plates are $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12. Visitors are encouraged to bring chairs. Additional details can be found at www.westcavecellars.com or by calling 512-431-1403.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION FROM ZONING ORDINANCE
Public hearings will be held at the City of Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2013 and at the City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013 at Dripping Springs City Hall, 511 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs, Texas, giving all interested persons the right to appear and be heard on the Application for a Special Exception to DS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30 (Zoning), Exhibit A, Section 3.10.4(f) to operate a business out of a travel trailer for a non-residential purpose for the purposes of operating a massage therapy business and acupuncture services; the property is located at 511 Old Fitzhugh Road located behind the Pink’s West Salon. The property is currently zoned Local Retail (LR). Comments regarding the request for a Special Exception from Zoning may be emailed to jtouchstone@cityofdrippingsprings.com or mailed to PO Box 384, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. For more information call City Hall at 512-858-4725.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR SUBDIVISION
Public hearings will be held at the City of Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2013 and at the City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013 at Dripping Springs City Hall, 511 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs, Texas, to consider the proposed replat for Howard Ranch Commercial, Lot 63, Block B located at 23455 FM 150 W. This replat will increase the existing lot from 1.691 acres to 2.804 acres; there will only be one lot. This tract is located on the south side of FM 150 across from Springwood Road. Comments regarding the proposed subdivision may be emailed to jtouchstone@cityofdrippingsprings.com or mailed to P.O. Box 384, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. For more information call City Hall at (512) 858-4725.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF ZONING AMENDMENTS
The City of Dripping Springs will consider amending the Zoning Ordinance to define a Home Business that includes occupations carried on in a dwelling unit, amend the land use chart to establish the residential districts where the use is conditionally permitted, and define such conditions. Public hearings on the proposed amendments will be held at the Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2013 and again at the Dripping Springs City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013 at City Hall located at 511 Mercer, Dripping Springs, TX, 78620. If you have any questions or comments, please contact City Hall in writing at P.O. Box 384, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, or by telephone at (512) 858-4725, or email to jtouchstone@cityofdrippingsprings.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
Public hearings will be held at the City of Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2013 and at the City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013 at Dripping Springs City Hall, 511 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs, Texas, giving all interested persons the right to appear and be heard on the Application for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of an acupuncture clinic in a SF-4 (Two-Family Residential) zoned district. The property is located at 104A Grand Prairie Circle. Comments regarding the Application for a Conditional Use Permit may be emailed to jtouchstone@cityofdrippingsprings.com or mailed to PO Box 384, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. For more information call City Hall at 512-858-4725.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR VACATION OF DRAINAGE EASEMENT
Public hearings will be held at the City of Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 28, 2013 and at the City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013 at Dripping Springs City Hall, 511 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs, Texas, to consider the proposed VACATION of a drainage easement on Lot 1B2 (aka 171 Springs Lane), The Springs Subdivision located on the western side of Springs Lane (north of US 290). Comments regarding the proposed vacation of easement may be emailed to jtouchstone@cityofdrippingsprings.com or mailed to PO Box 384, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. For more information call City Hall at 858-4725.

A group of neighbors in the Vistas of Sawyer Ranch neighborhood are banding together to host a multi-family garage sale on Sunday, May 26, from 8am – 2pm to help a neighborhood family that has been hard hit by unemployment and extremely serious medical problems. While new employment is sought, extensive medical treatment is undergone, and as children must be cared for, their neighbors are working together to help fill a financial gap. All proceeds from the sale, which will take place on the Tom Sawyer Road cul de sac and also includes lemonade and bake sale, will benefit the family.

Dripping Springs Farmers Market is today, Wednesday, May 22, 3pm-7pm at The Triangle. Vendor line-up for today’s market:

Austin Honey Co. — Spring and summer harvests, various sizes available. Also, handmade lip balm.

Drippin’ Sauce — Gourmet ketchup.

Earthwise Herbals & Sacred Moon — Seasonal produce, tinctures, teas, spritzers and more.

Fitzhugh Creek — Spinach, lettuce, beets, radishes and farm fresh eggs.

Gourmet Texas Pasta — Flavored pastas including gluten free.

Happy Hemp — Stop by and learn about the health benefits of hemp seed. Available raw or toasted. Also, reusable tote bags, perfect for shopping the market.

Mick Farms — Local, grass fed lamb and farm fresh eggs. Also, now offering pasture raised, hormone/antibiotic free pork from Glenewinkel Brothers, Inc.

Millwood Farm — Tomato and pepper transplants.

Moody Farms – Locally grown ruby red lettuce, baby romaine, curly lettuce, basil and basil plants, arugula, lemon grass, Swiss chard, Kefir lime, sweet peas, onions, tomatillos and peppers. Tomatoes and potatoes are here.

New World Bakery — Fresh breads, muffins, scones and pretzels.

Onion Creek Farm — Certified organic garlic, lambs chives, parsley, dill, sage, summer squash, asparagus, hen and Duck eggs as well as fresh breads and baked goods from Rolling in Thyme and Dough. Gluten free items available. New this week: Red potatoes from local grower Michael Pfullman.

Ottmers Family Farm — Kevin has been replanting after the hail storm. He will have fresh Non GMO/No Soy eggs, cucumbers from the greenhouse, carrots, 10/15 onions and sunflower sprouts.

Rocking B Ranch — Grass fed beef, goat and rabbit.

Sproutworks — Add to soups, salads, sandwiches or munch on for a power snack. Sample on site.

Sunshine Café — Tamales, tacos, rice and beans and chicken soup. Also this week, cold drinks to beat the heat. Pre-order tamales by calling ahead— 847-334-4992.

Texas Hill Country Olive Oil — Local olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Sample on site and taste the difference.

Did you know farm fresh eggs are far more nutritious than eggs from confined hens in factory farms.

We’ve been made aware of a couple of coyote attacks on dogs in the Sunset Canyon area (one dog survived, one did not). DogHeirs has a comprehensive article on how to keep your dog safe, how to deter coyotes, and what to do if you encounter them. Article with lots of information is online here: http://bit.ly/wosbEr

The National Weather Service has issued a “special weather statement” that includes Hays County and advises that “an extremely unstable airmass (is) poised to erupt in severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds by late afternoon through this evening.” Per KEYE, there is a “Slight Risk of severe weather for all of the Central Texas this afternoon and evening. Moderate Risk of severe weather for the northern portion of Burnet, Williamson, and Milam County.”

Hopefully all will be well, but it’s always a good idea to have a storm safety plan. YNN has put together tips for a variety of storm situations (including severe thunderstorms) here, and the Storm Prediction Center has a more comprehensive list specifically for tornadoes and a variety of situations (home, work, mall) which you can read here.

Storm Safety Links:
YNN Storm Safety tips:
http://austin.ynn.com/content/weather/watches_and_warnings/

Storm Prediction Center’s Tornado Safety:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html

With tornadoes ripping through surrounding states, we’ve received inquiries asking about local emergency notification systems. We’ve posted this information previously, but here is a round-up of ways to stay informed in the event of emergencies:

– The City of Dripping Springs is part of the Code Red community notification system. You can enroll here.

– Hays County also has an emergency notification system for cell phones. You can learn more here.

– North Hays County Fire Rescue has created Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep the community updated via social media. Look for the latest news and events involving the fire department, as well as important safety tips that will range from handling dangerous weather, to tips for the holidays, and everyday things that can keep a family safe.

Follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/northhaysfire
Follow on Twitter at Twitter.com/NHCFRtalk

Twitter emergency alert feed.
North Hays County Fire Rescue has also created a Twitter emergency alert feed. This Twitter feed will be used to broadcast emergency information only. Emergencies such as: severe weather, fires, road closures, and evacuations will be distributed through this feed to keep the community informed of important, up to date information.

The Twitter alert feed can be followed at Twitter.com/NHCFRalert

No Twitter account? You can receive alerts via text.
For those interested in this alert information but are not Twitter account holders, a text message can be sent with the message: follow NHCFRalert to 40404. Whenever an alert is issued by North Hays County Fire Rescue, a text message will be sent to your phone with the alert information.

From City of Dripping Springs press release:

“The City of Dripping Springs is currently preparing the Dripping Springs Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan 2013-2023 (Plan). Public input is an important portion of the Plan. To ensure the public has an opportunity to voice their opinion, City officials ask citizens living within the City of Dripping Spring, the Dripping Springs Extra Territorial Jurisdiction, and Dripping Springs Independent School District to participate in a short 21-question survey. Answering survey questions will allow individuals to express opinions, wants, and needs regarding City owned and managed parks, the future development of open space in Dripping Springs, and recreational programs.

“In 2007, the City produced a similar plan titled the City Dripping Springs Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan which drove substantial improvements in all city parks, including the Dripping Springs Ranch Park and other parkland acquisition. The new Dripping Springs Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan 2013-2023 will direct the next phase of park enhancements and recreational activities for citizens living in and around Dripping Springs. Please complete this survey by indicating the answers that best reflect your attitudes and opinions.”

SURVEY LINK
To participate in the survey go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MKTTZ69.

Preliminary survey results will be presented in a series of town hall meetings. The City of Dripping Springs officials will share the details for the town hall meetings in the coming months.

FOUND DOG: Male Chihuahua found in Deer Creek just off RR12 (appeared at finder’s back door). He is brown and white with a black collar. Know this dog? Call Will at 512-264-0939.