It’s time to hunt for those reading glasses again! This month, the Radiogram and Hester’s Books on the Square are bringing you “Books from the Villain’s Point of View.” Head there now to soften your hearts to the villains within the pages of these books - Cruel Prince, the first in a fantasy series by Holly Black; Assistant to the Villain, another first of a fantasy series, by Hannah Maehrer; Starter Villain, a humorous science fiction novel with an equally funny cover, by John Scalzi; Fragile Threads of Power, a magical adventure tale by VE Schwab; Butcher & Blackbird, a dark rom-com by Brynn Weaver. You can find these books and more right now at Hester’s Books on the Square. Happy reading! - MG

Another graduate took the stage this May, but not at Badger stadium - because he already walked it! Twenty-four-year-old Robert Wayne Lewis Jr, LHS Class of 2017, graduated a week before the Badger class of 2024 from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He is now studying for the Bar, scheduled for July, after which he plans to specialize in Criminal Law.
Lewis was 11 years old when his father passed away, and that was the same year he told his mother, Kat Boyd, he wanted to be a lawyer. “I wanted to become a lawyer since I was around 9 or 10 years old,” he remembers. “Initially, it was for superficial reasons like appearing grown-up or making lots of money. By age 11, I genuinely valued aspects of the profession…My initial interest evolved into a genuine respect for persuasion, compromise, and human psychology, all integral to the legal profession.“ Kat recalls the day similarly. “I said wow that’s great, work hard stay focused and it can come to pass sooner than later,” remarked Kat. “I thought as years went by he would possibly change his mind, however he did not, and that’s the main reason he is so young to graduate law school.” Lewis attended Concordia University out of high school, maintaining a 3.8 GPA and scoring well on the LSAT, earning himself a full-ride scholarship to the law school of his choice. “I chose TMSL because that school is a diverse college,” said Lewis. “The most challenging was not having any members of my family in Law, so I had no relatives to guide me through the process of law school, as many of my classmates did. I attended law school as the 1st person ever in our family and that made it difficult, but I knew it was going to be challenging.”
Lewis was never one to shy away from a challenge, wasting no time reaching his goals. “I took college courses at Lampasas High and I had 3 months of school left for my Associates [when I graduated], so when summer came I took the classes and received my Associates soon after graduation.” During his time at Concordia, Lewis also completed an unpaid internship at the Texas Capitol during the 86th Legislative Sessions. “My university matched me, not directly with a representative or senator, but a senate committee. I worked as an intern for the Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee,” said Lewis. “Our tasks included organizing documents for committee meetings, proofreading the assistant's documents, tracking important legislation, taking calls from constituents, and occasionally getting coffee…Overall, interning offers valuable connections, learning experiences, and great food, almost making the ‘unpaid’ aspect worth it.”
When asked how he managed to endure it all, Lewis had this to say - “The toughest obstacle was just ensuring I kept focused, knowing it will take awhile to get through law school. However,  the support of my Mom and family members always cheering me on helped out immensely.” His mother Kat commented, “My son was very studious not into Athletics, however he was proud to be a Badger and rooted for the teams…I am one proud Mama mainly due to the reason he never allowed others to distract [him from] his dreams. He set the goal at age 11 and I mean no one could influence him to do things he knew would put him at risk of not succeeding, and I am so proud of that. Now my granddaughter that’s 8 says she wants her Uncle to hood her when she graduates law school as she attended the ceremony as well.”
Lewis leaves recent Badger grads with this advice: “My advice is to always remember - don’t think you can’t do anything, even if it’s something you’re unfamiliar with, because if it’s something you want then you make sure you put in the work to get the return you dream of. If you don’t put in the work and allow others to distract you then you fall behind and it may take longer for that dream to happen. Family is important whether blood or not. As I say, blood is ‘we’re related,’ loyalty is family. So no matter your support system always be around people that want the best for you.” - MG

On Wednesday, Lampasas’ newest Chinese eatery shared an “exciting announcement” to their Facebook page. “Happy Panda Chinese Cuisine is thrilled to unveil our new name – formerly Mei Yuan Chinese Cuisine” the post stated. It goes on to mention features such as a new buffet coming and reminded customers they can always BYOB. “We’re working diligently behind the scenes to ensure a smooth and seamless reopening for all our amazing customers.” Amid rumors and backlash over circumstances surrounding the re-branding, it seems that the company’s owners may have an uphill battle ahead of them. But what I have also seen is that some Lampasans have been presented with a great opportunity to decide what kind of neighbors they will CHOOSE to be. It is with a “love thy neighbor” mentality that I am speaking to you now to remind you it’s ok to be angry, but sin not. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:26-29, mixed versions). Let it be, leave the judgment to the Lord, and look for another “happy place” if the Happy Panda’s not it for you. - MG

​by Dawn Janecek

We live in a town that has a rich and diverse history. Originally, Lampasas was inhabited by different Native American tribes, such as the Tonkawa and Lipan Apache. Eventually, European settlers arrived in the mid-19th century. Because of the many springs in the area, our town’s name comes from the Spanish word, “lampazos,” which means “lilies” or “watercress.”
When the settlers arrived, Lampasas became known for the healing properties of its mineral springs. This brought people from all over the region, and soon, resorts and spas started to develop in the area.
Lampasas became the location for Confederate recruiting and training during the Civil War. Eventually, our town grew, with more settlers looking for more land and opportunities
Soon, Lampasas became a commercial and agricultural center, growing and contributing to its economy. This included farming, ranching, and wool production, taking place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Like any location, Lampasas had its challenges throughout history. Droughts, floods, and economic struggles were evident, yet our town continued to persevere and thrive. Today, we value our town of Lampasas, a community known for its historic downtown, friendly community, and plenty of recreational activities throughout. We celebrate our history through these events, landmarks, and the great people who reside and visit here. Check back often to see what’s happening in town. There is always something to do and see and there are always friendly people who are willing to share the things which make our town special!

By Rachel Stanford

Theatre veteran Jennifer Wisian is bringing community theatre to Lampasas County with the brand new Lometa Community Theatre!
On August 10th, Lometa Community Theatre will debut with Scott Haan’s “Superhero Sanitarium,” a comedy about a mental health ward populated by inmates who believe they are superheroes. The play will be performed in the Lometa High School cafetorium. Catering for the event will be provided by  local Mexican restaurant, Rancho Seco. Ticket pricing has not yet been decided.
Currently, the community theatre does not have a dedicated stage to perform on. Until then, Wisian plans on staging plays with the assistance of other businesses and entities throughout Lometa. Wisian explained in a Facebook post: “Like most community  theatres, we start with shows to build excitement while we wait for our home theater to manifest itself.”
Originally, the closest community theatre to Lampasas was Goldthwaite Community Theatre half an hour away, where Wisian worked as artistic director before moving on to build Lometa Community Theatre. Lometa Community Theatre is the only community theatre in Lampasas County.
As Lometa Community Theatre grows, Wisian plans on developing a summer youth drama camp, and working with local organizations to assist with fundraising through benefit performances.

As we round the corner into May, it’s time for us to pick out a new book! Head to Hester’s Books on the Square to chose from a selection of (drum roll please)… “A Book with the Word ‘Secret’ in the Title.” Hester’s shelves are stocked with copies of The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling, and The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden. Check back on the 15th to for our bi-monthly check-in on our reading progress!
Last month, the Radiogram and Hester’s Books on the Square brought you “Memoirs by People You Admire.” With April dedicated as a Child Abuse Prevention Month, I selected a copy of I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. “The complicated story of child actor, Jennette McCurdy, coming to terms with her mother’s mental health issues and how they have impacted her life.” – Alyson Morrow.
The memoir highlighted a key aspect of child acting and television in general – what we see on our screens unfortunately does not always reflect what’s going on behind the scenes. Jennette painstakingly recalls countless moments in her life when she had to fake a smile and get through a scene she was dreading, all while dealing with a mother who had forced her own acting dreams upon her with no regard of the costs to her daughter’s childhood. Though there were several people whom Jennette remembers commenting on the obvious stress she was undergoing, and the eating disorders and mental health issues that came along with it, her own voice was missing among them until her mother’s death. I’m Glad My Mom Died is an extremely raw look at the turmoil she endured for 22 years and the challenges she faced in undoing them. It is also a reminder to us all not to be afraid to speak up and take the wheel when we witness injustice and abuse in our own community.
If you or someone you know is struggling with physical or mental abuse, you have options and you are not alone. The Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center has been serving their community for over 20 years, with a mission to “empower child abuse victims, their families and our community through education, healing and justice.” There are many resources available on their website for parents, guardians and community members seeking assistance.        
- MG

CHESS (Christian Home Educators Support System) has been in existence for three decades. The home school Co-op consists of parent-led classes offered on a semester basis, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Each semester is 9 weeks long with classes held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Victory Baptist Church in Copperas Cove, a home the group is quickly outgrowing, says Alaina Frederick, CHESS Secretary. There are 93 families currently enrolled from several local counties, including Lampasas. On average, each family has 4 kids enrolled, Alaina included, with 4 of her 5 boys attending regularly. CHESS accepts children from the nursery all the way to high school senior, but families must have at least 1 school-aged child enrolled at all times.
A look at the curriculum for CHESS shows how they’ve managed to grow so quickly. Though there are several classes offered regularly each school year, such as life skills like baking and grammar, oftentimes, the students have a voice as to which classes make the cut – they speak up and their parents show up to support those passions. And not all who join CHESS need participate in the class work. Alaina says many families join for the opportunity to meet up with other homeschoolers in the area for field trips, outings, graduation events and even Prom, which the Co-op celebrated last night for the 2023-2024 school year.
We had an opportunity to sit in on the last class of the year on Friday, April 12th, a CSI class taught by Cheryl Feinberg, CHESS teacher of 7 years. Cheryl offers the class at least once a year, with the goal of exposing students to laboratory skills and the overall scientific process, with lots of hands-on experiments. To this end, each semester students are presented with a murder case they must investigate, analyze and solve, with the objective of building a case solid enough to obtain an arrest warrant. This year the students were in for a real treat, as local Judge F.W. Bill Price volunteered his time to hear their cases. Price is the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2 in Coryell County, as well as a Copperas Cove Municipal Court Judge, which means he magistrates for Lampasas County cases as well. With 30 years of experience under his belt, the students were hard-pressed to find a better evaluation of what they’d learned. Judge Price remarked that he was greatly impressed with their cause of death report, analytic theory of what “probably” happened, and use of forensic instruments for measurements of the physical evidence. “A medical examiner’s report is usually gibberish,” laughed Price, “but I could read theirs. By and large these kids did a great job.”
After the hearing, we spoke with three young ladies who presented their investigation to the judge, Seniors Serenity L. and Millie C., both lead investigators of their respective cases, and Sophomore Katie B. As we spoke, they described in detail the skills they needed to learn to build their cases, including DNA analysis, serology (the study of bodily fluids), chromatography and handwriting analysis. It was clear all three girls enjoyed and participated whole-heartedly in the class, and all were grateful for the “real-life” opportunity to present their work and earn the arrest warrant (which both classes did successfully). Serenity, a Lampasas resident with hopes of a career in Law Enforcement as an Investigator, expressed her gratitude to Judge Price for volunteering his time: “It was a real honor meeting the Judge and getting to experience the actual issuing of a warrant.” Katie remarked that they all knew there’d be a mock investigation, but not that there’d be an actual judge to present their case to and convince. She has hopes to become a Paramedic in the future, while Millie wants to become a Florist (a well-rounded one at that!). From theater production to mock hearings, fellowship to career development, CHESS has continued to produce well-rounded members of our community and invites everyone to follow their journey as it unfolds. - MG