The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 26, 2008 Page: 1 of 14
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THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008
500
Wk Bastrop Sducrtiscr
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper Since March 1, 1853 Semi-Weekly Since Sept. 5, 1977
Volume 155, Number 35
Bastrop, Texas
20 pages in two sections
County plan aims to cap wildfires
By Terry Hagerty
Assistant Editor
There are inadequate roadways into at
least 70 existing neighborhoods in Bastrop
County — a situation that can add to poten-
tially devastating wildfires and loss of life.
Also, the current trend of expanding
homes and businesses into areas that are his-
torically farm, ranch or woodlands is setting
up a potentially dangerous situation.
The risks are two of many addressed in
the recently completed Community Wildfire
Protection Plan, a collaborative effort
between the county's Office of Emergency
Management, the Texas Forest Service and
local agencies and advisors.
On Monday, Mike Fisher, the county's
Emergency Management Coordinator, dis-
cussed some of the plan before the Bastrop
County Commissioners Court.
"This plan will be a valuable tool for
guiding a variety of fire protection strate-
gies, such as public education, mitigating
actions for fire prone areas, subdivision
planning and protection of critical infra-
structure and historically significant sites,"
Fisher said.
The lead planning group for the plan is
the board of the Fire Citizens' Advisory
Panel, Inc. (FireCAP).
The study is a detailed look at existing
situations that are putting the county at risk
for potentially large wildfires.
The plan includes discussion of topogra-
phy including type of vegetative "fuels" in
the area that can contribute to the rapid
spread of wildfires.
One note about county topography is that
deep, steep-sided ravines would limit
res ponder access to wildfires in some rural
areas.'Tn general, however, topography is
not an impediment to fighting wildfires in
the county," the report notes.
Also, Bastrop officials are currently
developing a set of subdivision regulations
that would encourage developers to design
communities to be more prepared for wild-
fires.
"The recommendations of the
Community Wildfire Protection Plan will
provide a roadmap . . . toward a safer and
stable wildfire protection environment,"
Fisher said.
The joy of Juneteenth
r
Last Saturday's
Juneteenth celebration
featured a morning
parade, a gathering at
the Kerr Center and a
rollicking night street
dance on Main Street.
Pictured above, Liz
Williams, center, dances
to the music of Austin's
Blue Mist, with a little
help from friends Wanda
Tarver-Davis and Renee
Brown. At right, the
bright float of the Veal,
Clemons and Holmes
families makes it way
down Main Street. The
parade also had cus-
tomized autos. See page
3A for more photos.
Bastrop Advertiser photo/Terry Hagerty
n
$
The Bastrop Advertiser photo/Jacqueline Davis
INSIDE
Simmons Remembers 4A
Rocky Hill Ranch re-opens 5A
Ellen Moore 10A
WEATHER INDEX
■ Thursday's fore-
cast:
Partly cloudy
High: 96
Low: 72°
Rain: 20%
Next few days:
Classified ads 2B
Community 3A
Looking Ahead 2A
Obits 9A
Sports 1B
Religion 11A
Burn Ban
in effect
High
Low
Prec.
Friday
96
73
0%
Saturday
97
72
20%
Sunday
94
71
20%
Monday
97
73
20%
Tuesday
97
74
30%
AUSTIN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
65668 78602
C 'ailing all brides
By Jacqueline Davis
Staff Writer
In a couple months, local
brides-to-be will be able to
find a new wedding dress
right on Main Street.
The Bridal Flouse &
Company is slated to open
in August at 1004 Main
Street next to Bastrop
Copier. The shop will offer
hundreds of wedding
gowns, along with brides-
maid dresses, shoes and
accessories, said Jenn
McCormick, who is closing
her store in Giddings so she
can open up in a larger
space here in Bastrop.
The bridal store will also
offer event planning servic-
es as well as a link to local
wedding vendors,
McCormick said.
"It's going to be a full-
service bridal salon,"
Fireworks
sales delayed
By Terry Hagerty
Assistant Editor
Owners of Central Texas
fireworks stands have done
Bastrop and neighboring
counties a service by decid-
ing to withhold sales until
July 1, said the county' s main
emergency coordinator.
"The (fireworks) distribu-
tors got together and agreed
on their own initiative to
hold off on sales until July
1," said Mike Fisher, Bastrop
County Emergency
Management Coordinator.
Fisher said the companies
could have started sales on
June 24, but members of the
Texas Pyroteclmic Association
have said they won't begin
sales until July 1.
"They realized the
drought season is serious
enough that fireworks have a
large potential right now for
starting fires," Fisher said.
Among the stands that
will hold off sales near
Bastrop is the American
Fireworks stand near the
intersection of Texas 71 and
Texas 21 is one of the busiest
in Bastrop County, Fisher
said, "I didn't prompt them
to (delay sales), they did it on
their own."
Fireworks owners have also
decided to delay sales in Hays,
Travis and Williamson counties.
"This delay has never
happened here," Fisher said.
"The companies are demon-
strating that they are good
citizens, and their action is a
statement about their (con-
cern) for the communities."
Fisher said he was not
surprised by the action.
"I've had a good relation-
ship with the fireworks
industry for a number of
years and they've never
wanted to be a contributor to
problems with the fire
department."
t hagerty @ BastropAdvert i
ser.com
McCormick said. "It's
mainly gowns...I have over
five designers, including
Casablanca, Raylia and
Mori Lee. We're (also)
going to bring back Maggie
Sottero."
McCormick is also lead
event specialist for the
Event Planners of Texas, a
corporation with locations
in Austin and San Antonio,
and said she is experienced
in wedding planning and
linking brides to wedding
vendors.
McCormick said she fre-
quently works with florist
Brenda Abbott, who owns
Meadow's Edge Bed and
Breakfast in Smithville and
also has a booming business
in floral design and style.
"She's part of my team,"
McCormick said.
See BRIDES, Page 5A
On the move at
Burleson Crossing
By Jacqueline Davis
Staff Writer
Negotiations are ongoing between the developers of the
Burleson Crossing Project and the retailers that will fill the
yet-to-be-built pad sites.
The first to open across Texas 71 from the Bastrop Home
Depot will be its longtime competitor, Lowe's. Lowe's can
send in a crew and build a store in about 90 days once the
grounds are ready, said Gail Whitfield, a partner in the devel-
opment.
Following Lowe's are IBC Bank, Petco, Spec's Liquor
and a West Coast chain restaurant called Carls Junior, said
Whitfield, who has worked with Durhman & Bassett Realty
Group to negotiate with retailers in recent months.
N o t
signed yet is
Best Buy, but
deals with
the retail
chain will
likely come
to a close
soon,
Whitfield
said.
Whitfield did
not confirm a Burleson Crossing
Kohl's
department store coming to the development.
"We're in talks with a sporting goods store, a crafts and
hobby store, which would be something like a Michael's or
a Hobby Lobby, and several excellent restaurants," Whitfield
said.
The process of lining up retailers can be lengthy, she
added."Negotiations take a while," Whitfield said.
"I think as you see more steel going up, you' 11 see more
interest."
See BURLESON, Page 5A
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Hagerty, Terry. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 26, 2008, newspaper, June 26, 2008; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252489/m1/1/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.