Here's a picture of the Round Rock. The creek was high when I took this. It's about a foot or so lower right now.
News story
Seems that Round Rock's finest found a naked man running in the street after an argument with a family member. He grabbed the nightstick from one of them, and three officers shot him. He's dead.
Now, I am usually a strong supporter of Law Enforcement, but I don't like this. There has to be some other method of stopping a man with a nightstick besides having three officers gun him down.
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On to the rumour.
A lady came into Thundercloud today and said that she had heard that there was going to be a toll road fly-over constructed from RM 620 to HWY 79 in the vicinity of Chisholm Trail, and that it would necessitate the removal of the Round Rock, for which the city is named.
The doesn't make any sense to me, but neither does the astonishing proliferation of toll roads all over Central Texas.
The northbound toll road does end at RM 620, but that's several miles west of the Chisholm Trail. HWY 79 runs from IH 35 east. West of the highway, it immediately becomes the winding two-lane Sam Bass Road. I did find confirmation that the city of Round Rock is planning to widen Sam Bass Road to two lanes each way, in between the highway and Chisholm Trail. That's about a block.
The Round Rock has been the recipient of many coats of paint over the years, most recently about ten years ago, when the graduating class of Round Rock High School decided that painting it maroon (the school colours are maroon and white) would be a good idea. When caught, they were required to paint it grey.
If they decide to move it, it will probably get put over in Memorial Park, near the theater. That seems like the logical place, but it sux!
The rock marked the place where the cattle being driven north to the rail head in Kansas could cross Brushy Creek. Moving it a couple of hundred yards downstream sounds like rewriting history, to me. And for WHAT? Another damn toll road!
Of course, it's only a rumour. It's only a rumour. It's only a rumour.
Actually, I saw the proposed map a few months ago. I can't remember if the Round Rock has to go, but the historical buildings that are now businesses along that road toward Sam Bass Rd are indeed going to be right in the path of the rd. This was in an article in the little Round Rock paper that is mailed out - not the Leader. Grrr. Can't find any eveidence of it online, but I did read this months ago in a legitimate source as a proposal that would sacrifice historical sites.
ReplyDeleteSo much for "It's only a rumour!"
ReplyDeleteMarsha, if you find out if there is to be any sort of public hearing on this subject, could you let me know?
May be time to raise a little hell!
Can you snag a picture for those of us who haven't seen the round rock? I would love to see it!
ReplyDeleteOh, ronni! you rule. I am still gathering my splatters from the 2 weeks of chirren in muh hair an up muh bewtoxxes. I am a vairy oldt grannie and very run ragged and singin a song and loved every minute of it. xxoomoi
ReplyDeleteYour wish is my command!
ReplyDeleteMoi, it's good to see you. I figured you were grannying about!
Holy chit!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. There's got to be a better way. Scary all the way around.
Paint it grey? Why not turquoise? Why not just pave it over? Geez! Perhaps the class of about 10 years ago at Round Rock High School could find it a rallying point. Save Round Rock!
Well...they thought it would look more like its natural limestone colour.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they did and that it does. Beautiful photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love to go padding about right after a good rain. Sometimes I get to stalk the blue heron that lives down there. I only ever see him when the weather is as it was when I took the picture.
ReplyDeleteHerons like to nest in the tops of flattened out trees. There are a pair that live near here. Such a trip to watch take off and land!
ReplyDeleteI think someone was April-Fooling her, Ronni. Doesn't make sense at all.
ReplyDeleteThat shooting story is appalling. Looks like Mark Hacking was lucky!
Police in Britain do not carry firearms, which surprises me. They have been given the option and they have chosen not to.
ReplyDeleteThey feel it would put them in more danger if it was known they were armed.
In Texas, where carrying a gun is sort of a tradition, the police would be helpless without.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is true that one of those nightsticks can be a deadly weapon. The police all know that, being trained in its use.
And I know that they are also trained to react in just the way they did. They have to. I understand that.
I just think there has to be a better way...
Killing him does seem a bit extreme. Especially after backup had arrived.
ReplyDeleteIt seems shooting Naked Guy in the leg would have sufficed.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Round Rock and the historical buildings; you'd think they'd be willing to make a few changes to preserve those sites. So much for progress.
Nadine
Ronni,
ReplyDeleteI'm the Communications Director for the City of Round Rock, and forwarded your post on the RM 620-79 connection to our transportation department for a response. Here's the scoop:
"TxDOT had contracted with Halff Associates to study the widening of RM 620 and the possibility of a connection between RM 620 and US 79. The last meeting relative to this topic was held last May at Round Rock High School. Since that time, it is our understanding that because of their funding predicament TxDOT has stopped work on the contract, so the study has not moved forward. Because of this, the feasibility of a RM 620-US 79 connection and even its approximate location has not been determined. However, I do feel confident in saying that any connection, if it happens, would not impact the round rock."
Here's a link to the handout TxDOT provided at the meeting:
www.roundrocktexas.gov/docs/handouts_rm_620_public_meeting.pdf
The handout includes a map and lots of information about the project.
Let me know if you can't see the entire link. I can email it to you. My email is whampton@round-rock.tx.us.
I'll introduce myself to you next time I'm at Thundercloud for lunch.
Will Hampton
City of Round Rock
Thank you, Will, for this info. That is very reassuring. It did not make sense to me that they would put a flyover that close to IH 35, when the toll road ends by Parmer Lane.
ReplyDeleteI have some reading to do.
I'm only part time at TCloud, like, half a dozen days a month, as my other job is more demanding, but, if I'm there, I'd love to make you a sandwich!