Work progresses on a new home in South Temple near Taylor’s Valley. According to city spokesman Alex Gibbs, in the past two years 2,585 homes have been built or are under construction, and there is no end in sight to the housing boon as market demand remains strong. David Stone photo

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Nearly 11,000 new residences have been built in Temple during the past 10 years, and local experts don’t expect housing demand to decrease any time soon.

Since 2011, Temple has issued building permits for 10,947 new residences, including 8,272 single family homes, 1,174 duplex units and seven apartment complexes with a combined 1,501 units, according to city spokesman Alex Gibbs.

“We don’t anticipate residential construction in Temple slowing down any time soon because our housing supply has not been able to keep up with demand,” Gibbs said.

In 2011, 363 permits for new single-family residences were issued in Temple, and that number has steadily increased. According to Gibbs, 2020 saw the highest number of new single-family residences with 1,265 permits followed by 2021 with 1,068 permits.

So far this year, new-building permits for 252 homes and one duplex have been issued. While 2022 may be off to a slower start, Gibbs said interest in residential development hasn’t waned,

“West and South Temple continue to be the fastest growing areas, but we are seeing renewed interest in North and East Temple as well,” Gibbs said. “This coincides with the city’s efforts to promote balanced growth.”

Scott Kiella, president of Kiella Real Estate Group, also anticipates continued growth in the city.

“Temple’s central location within the state and being located on I-35 have fueled much of this growth,” Kiella said. “We have new communities under development that we expect to complete in 2022, including Hillside Village and an additional phase of South Pointe to the east, Hartrick Ranch to the south, and North Point in West Temple.”

“As a local developer deeply rooted here, we plan to continue to work with the city to contribute to the smart growth of our community,” he said.

Another developer, John Houston Homes, also expects to continue building in Temple.

“Temple has good schools, and it is in a great location in relation to other markets such as Austin and Waco,” said Chelsi Frazier, a spokesperson for the company. “This makes Temple an excellent hub for multiple building locations.”

“John Houston Homes plans to continue purchasing lots from other developers to expand our reach into the Temple area,” she said.

THURSDAY | MARCH 17, 2022

SPOTLIGHT: meet Megan Brucker

Megan Brucker performs at Dead Fish Grill at Belton Lake. A teacher by trade, Megan is a popular draw on the weekends at local establishments. She plays a mix of music, including country, pop and tunes from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Courtesy photo

Saint Patrick’s Day festivities include music, a scooter scavenger hunt, bar games and Irish food

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Megan Brucker — full-time teacher, part-time musician — will be one of four acts on stage tonight at O’Briens Irish Pub’s Saint Patrick’s Day celebration.

Megan is a relative newcomer to the Temple-area music scene, and she became a regular circuit musician quite unintentionally.

“It was actually a fluke. A little over a year ago I was asked by a friend if I would play at a fundraiser at 3 Texans Winery,” she said. “I did, and at the end of my set I was invited back. It kind of took off from there.”

Now, the Temple theater teacher and former coach performs almost every Friday and Saturday night, and sometimes on Thursdays. And, when not in the classroom or on stage, Megan can be found at teaching Zumba at Temple College.

When performing with her guitar, Megan plays a mix of favorites.

“I play a little bit of everything,” she said. “Old country, new country, pop…you name it.”

While Megan is a popular attraction at local businesses such as 3 Texans Winery, BJ’s Tasting Room, Fuzzy’s Tacos and O’Briens, just to name a few, don’t look for her in Nashville anytime soon.

“I’m mostly booked for the rest of the year,” she said. “I plan on filling those, but I don’t aspire to be a full-time musician.”

“I enjoy what I do — and that’s teach” she said. “Teaching is my first love, my passion and my career. Music is fun, but I don’t want it to become a job.”

Also performing tonight at O’Briens are Lilly & The Implements, Midnight Tradesmen and Madstone.

MO’S RAIL YARD SALOON

Another big party will be at Mo’s Rail Yard Saloon in Downtown Temple, located across Avenue B from The Yard food truck plaza.

“We will have the most requested DJ in Central Texas,” said owner Mike Mulholland. “Sammy G will be here, and it’s going to be a party.”

The bar will be serving green beer and shots at special prices throughout the night.

CORKY’S WINE & BEER

There will be a lot going on March 17 at Corky’s on South 2nd Street.

“Let me tell you, St. Patty’s Day is going to be big for us,” said Dan Elder, club co-owner. “Not only is this an awesome holiday, it’s also our one-year anniversary.”

WooHoo! Sounds like a party!

“We will have a Scooter Scavenger Hunt at 6 p.m.,” he said. “It’s a scavenger hunt, and you go around Downtown on scooters searching for certain items.”

“That’s just the start,” he said. “We will have green beer, green cocktails, comedians, live music and cake.”

Cody Culp will be providing the music, and Rolling Stogies Mobil Cigar will be on location. JohnJohn Montelongo and his Artist-2-Artist will be presenting an art show and sale.

FIRE BASE BREWING COMPANY

Expect fun and games at Fire Base Brewing on South 1st Street.

“We will have green beers on St. Patty’s Day and the Friday after,” said JD McBride, co-owner of the Temple brewery.

Caroline of Texas Red Entertainment will be presenting Rockin' Drinking Tunes for Name That Tune BINGO.

BOLD REPUBLIC BREWING COMPANY

The Bold Republic Brewing Company in Belton will have expanded hours and very special beers for Saint Patrick’s Day, owner Patrick Hodges said this week.

“We will open at 2 instead of 4, and will close at 11 p.m. instead of 10,” Hodges said. “We also will be releasing our Dublin Down Irish Stout that day.”

In addition to the Irish Stout, Bold Republic will offer a green, glittery cider-hybrid called “Leprechaun Farts,” he said.

“It’s fruity and sparkly and people go crazy for it every year.”

GREEN DOOR

Brad Bush, entertainment director at Green Door, said the bar will hold its regular Karaoke Show with a “green flare.”

“Saint Patrick’s is always a good time,” he said. “We will have Happy Hour until 7, and Karaoke kicks off at 9. There will be a lot of party favors and Saint Patrick’s Day fun.”

Local residents favor ending time changes

Our Town Temple

Republicans and Democrats finally agree on something: The twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks needs to end. And, for the most part, Temple residents agree.

The U.S. Senate earlier this week unanimously approved legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, which would eliminate the need to “fall back” or “spring forward,” as the saying goes, to help Americans remember which way to adjust their clocks.

"I wanna take 'setting clocks back' out in a field and beat it to death," tweeted Jason Kander, a Democrat who formerly served as Missouri Secretary of State.

That sentiment is shared by several Temple-area residents, who overwhelmingly favor the Senate’s measure.

“Give me late sunsets any day,” said Nanci Kelly of Little River/Academy. “I have several friends who have a hard time driving at night. This would help them greatly.”

Several Temple residents — Suzanne McClintick and Virgil Smith, to name a couple — hope they can end their clock-changing routines.

“I’m all for picking a time and sticking with it,” McClintick said.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives, taken by surprise by the Senate's swift approval, promised they would tackle the issue as well.

Reuters News Service contributed to this report

TODAY’S BEST BETS :

• SAINT PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATIONS! Check out the parties at Corkys, Fire Base Brewing, O’Briens Irish Pub, Green Door, Mo’s Rail Yard Saloon, Bold Republic Brewing and Barrow Brewing.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To include your events in What’s Happening and Today’s Best Bets, email information to OurTownTemple@gmail.com. Photos are welcome to for use in the publication as space permits!

NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

What was the name of the Downtown record store, located on Adams Avenue, that was in business until the early 1980s?

On this day in 1836, the Convention of 1836 adjourned in haste as the Mexican army approached Washington-on-the-Brazos. The convention, which met on March 1, drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, organized the ad interim government, and named Sam Houston commander-in-chief of the republic's military forces before the delegates evacuated Washington-on-the-Brazos. Their hurried departure was part of the so-called Runaway Scrape, in which Texans fled the advancing troops of Antonio López de Santa Anna. Richmond was evacuated about April 1, and Houston's subsequent retreat toward the Sabine left all of the settlements between the Colorado and the Brazos unprotected. The settlers in that area at once began making their way toward Louisiana or Galveston Island. The section of East Texas around Nacogdoches and San Augustine was abandoned a little prior to April 13. The flight was marked by lack of preparation and by panic caused by fear both of the Mexican Army and of the Indians. The flight continued until news came of the victory in the battle of San Jacinto.

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On this day in 1855, the first law school in Texas was established at Austin College. Austin College, an independent liberal arts college, was incorporated at Huntsville in 1849. Five years later James Addison Baker, attorney and founder of the firm now known as Baker Botts, was appointed to a committee of three to consider adding a law school to the college, of which he was also a trustee. Previously, all legal training in Texas had taken place by apprenticeship. The innovation was discontinued at Austin College after four students had completed the one-year course, and in 1876 the Texas Synod of the Presbyterian Church, United States, decided to move the college to Sherman.

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On this day in 1884, Frank "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Buck, hunter, author, and film maker, was born in Gainesville, Texas. He traveled over the world trapping and transporting exotic animals to zoos and circuses. He wrote at least seven books and produced several motion pictures about animals and his adventures. Buck died in Houston on March 25, 1950.

Our Town TUNES

OurTownTemple@gmail.com | (254) 231-1574

TODAY’S TEMPLE TRIVIA ANSWER: Kay’s Records & Things sold albums and tapes, and the “Things?” It was also one of Temple’s first “Head Shops” and sold a variety of smoking devices.