BRIEFLY

Valentine’s program at St. Cecilia’s St. Cecilia’s Round Top is thrilled to present a special Valentine’s Day program, “Heart Song”, with Babette Fraser Hale on Friday, February 14th at 5:45 p.m. in the historic Haw Creek Chapel in Henkel Square.

Babette is a columnist for the Fayette County Record, an award winning author and a long-time resident of the Fayette- Washington County area.

She will share stories from her new and acclaimed book This Familiar Heart: An Improbable Love Story. Leon Hale and Babette Fraser were the unlikeliest of couples. He was 60, a “country boy” who wrote about ordinary people with humor and sensitivity. She was 36, a one-time socialite struggling in her career while raising a young son. No one thought it could work.

This Familiar Heart is an intimate portrait, told with clarity, honesty and race, of the deep personal connection that transformed their turbulent courtship into a happy marriage. Musical accompaniment for this evening celebrating the power of love to transform us will be provided by Stephen Mansolo. The event and the reception that follows are free and open to the public. For more information contact Father Bill Miller at padrebillmiller@ gmail.com

Weimar Public Library to host appraisal Q&A Feb. 21 Join the Friends of the Weimar Public Library on Friday, February 21st at 10:00 a.m. to examine homeowner questions about the property appraisal process in Colorado County.

Understanding how Texas appraisal districts work is crucial to helping you reduce your tax liability, and Jane Armentrout, chief appraiser in Colorado County will be on hand to do just that.

Taxpayers want to understand how home valuations are determined, why valuations fluctuate from year to year, how to challenge your valuation, and much more.

Armentrout will present the results of the Property Value Study that Colorado County passed for 2024 and the Methods and Appraisal Procedures review from the State Comptroller’s office.

In addition, she will discuss special use valuation, often referred to as 1-d-1 or ag use.

Armentrout was appointed as interim Chief Appraiser on Sept. 26, 2023. She worked as an appraiser from 1983 to 2022 in Travis, Lavaca, and Colorado counties. She will be accompanied by Molly Strunk Janak.

Please RSVP to the library at 979725-6608 so that we are better able to plan for and facilitate this important free program.