INSIDE: 132 pages of events, attractions and information
F
The 2012 Spring & Summer Visitors Guide is included inside this issue of the Fredericksburg Standard. This year’s issue includes the best in area attractions, town events, and community coverage that is important to the thousands of visitors during the spring and summer seasons.
This year’s issue contains a story from a woman who has made the town a stop for she and her sister for nearly two decades. The Visitors Guide prints 60,000 copies in the spring and extra copies are available at local retailers or the Standard offices, 712 W. Main.
‘HELLISH’ RIDE — Cyclists will be all over Gillespie County roads this weekend for Texas Hell Week XXI, taking part in short (25-45 miles), medium (55-110 miles) and long-distance (120 miles or longer) rides. See page A11 for details, along with tips for sharing the road with cyclists. — Standard-Radio Post file photo
redericksburg Standard No. 39 - USPS 209-080 • Periodical
Radio Post
75 cents
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
OLD WAY MEETS THE HIGHWAY – Having just left the Gillespie County Fair Grounds, the Original Texas Star Trail Riders had to cross over State Highway 16 South as they headed down Boos Lane. – StandardRadio Post Photos by Danny Hirt
Council drama goes on as recall target files for mayor’s post
Redistricting maps settled, election set for May 29
regular meeting on Monday. Late Monday afternoon, Segner added his name to another election item, throwing his hat into the ring for the already contested mayoral race, where he joins current mayor Tom Musselman and former mayor Jeryl Hoover. Five candidates will also seek election for two available city council seats, with incumbents Tim Dooley and Graham Pearson facing opposition from Bjorn Kirchdorfer, Kathy Sanford and Curt Regester, who filed last week. Additionally, two bond election items will be on the May 12 Cont. on page A2
New filing period opened through Friday for primary
Embattled councilman allows petition to proceed, reserves right to sue later By Matt Ward After repeatedly stating his opposition to recall efforts and suggesting he may sue the City of Fredericksburg if such a measure were included on the ballot, Fredericksburg City Councilman Tommy Segner did not object when a proposition for his recall was placed on the May 12 city election ballot. All items on the May 12 ballot were finalized and approved by the city council during their
Reworking of swimming pool facilities up for May 12 vote Voters will have the opportunity to cast their vote on the future of swimming pools in Fredericksburg after two separate bond items were approved by the Fredericksburg City Council Monday evening to appear on the May 12 ballot. The first bond, labeled Proposition 2 on the ballot, will be for $1.8 million to be used on a rebuilt and expanded Lady Bird
Johnson Municipal Park Pool facility. Reutilization of most of the existing Park Pool structure is proposed to help develop a new eight-lane lap pool adjacent to a separate youth play area and zero entry beach. The second bond, labeled Proposition 3, will be for $1.4 million to be used on a new Town Pool facility at the existing location. A redeveloped Town Pool Cont. on page A2
Inside
Weather
By Matt Ward
• Don’t forget to “spring forward” for Daylight Savings Time — A5 • Former Texas Rangers plan open house, ribbon cutting at new offices — A14 • FHS boys finish second, girls third at Carlin-Wicker Relays — B1 • Team tennis finishes third at regional tournament — B1
Feb. 29-March 6, 2012 Rainfall This Week 0.00 Rainfall for February 2.82 Rainfall for March 0.00 Rainfall for 2012 4.29 Normal For Date 3.52 Same Date Last Year 1.56 Low – March 3 30 High – March 1 82 For real-time weather information, go online to: www.fredericksburgstandard.com
• Second round of district soccer for FHS boys, girls begins Friday — B1 • FHS Red-Hotts win honors at dance contest — C/D6 • Woman with local connection to chair eating disorders council — C/D 10
High Low Rain Wednesday 74 43 Thursday 82 50 Friday 76 44 Saturday 61 30 Sunday 72 34 Monday 73 46 Tuesday 73 58 Total Rain 0.12 (Courtesy Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.)
‘HERE’S TO THE WINNERS’ − These seven citizens were honored Thursday at the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce’s 92nd Annual Banquet and Awards Program, held at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds. Award recipients were, seated, from left, Cathy Collier, who with husband Terry (standing, second from left), were honored with the Community Achievement Award; Jenny Wieser, chief operating officer for Fisher & Wieser Specialty Foods, Outstanding Chamber Woman; Kendra Jones, Fredericksburg High School senior, Student of the Year; standing, Gary Neffendorf, retiring City of Fredericksburg manager, Outstanding Public Servant; Billy Johnson, owner Billy Johnson State Farm Insurance, Outstanding Chamber Man; and Tony Klein, president of Arrowhead Bank, Volunteer of the Year. See page A6 for story and more photos. — Standard-Radio Post photo by Ken Esten Cooke
Jail project ‘agent’ named By Lisa Treiber-Walter In another move toward a proposed new county jail, Gillespie County Commissioners have agreed to hire a construction manager-agent. Whether or not to build a new jail facility has yet to be decided by voters in a bond election in November. But independent consultants Justice Concepts, Inc., as well as the Texas Com-
mission on Jail Standards and the county’s appointed jail facility advisory committee, have all agreed the local jail is legally insufficient to house its current prisoner load and a new detention center should be constructed. County officials have taken measures over past months to determine the size and scope of a possible new county jail, plus where it would be located.
That will provide a firm cost estimate so voters can make an informed decision at the ballots this fall, according to Gillespie County Judge Mark Stroeher. “We don’t want to spend a lot of money if (the issue) doesn’t pass the bond election, but at the same time, we feel like we need to provide the public with enough information to see what we’d be dealing with going into Cont. on page A5
After months of wrangling between activists, politicians and state and federal judges, the 2012 election maps for congressional, state house and state senate districts have been ordered by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The state will now hold its delayed political primaries on May 29. New maps may be viewed in detail on the Texas Legislative Council website at http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/ redist/redist.htm. In Gillespie County, a new, reopened filing period for primary candidates began March 2 and continues through this Friday, March 9. GOP County Chairman Lucy (Jeanie) Pehl, and party secretary Betty Hahn of the executive committee will be available to accept applications for candidate filing. Also, from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, officials will be at the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center conference room, 1604 East Main Street, to accept applications. Other applications will be accepted by appointment. Applications forms may be downloaded from the Secretary of State web site, or by Cont. on page A7
Spring Break at Pioneer Museum State BB Gun contest aim here Saturday highlights early settler activities takes Top shooters from around the state will be in Seven days of activities on tap for history buffs
Spring Break activities at the Pioneer Museum begin Saturday with seven full days of family activities slated Monday through Saturday. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a wide variety of hands-on activities, demonstrations and reenactments each day, including blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, butter churning, flint knapping and rope making.
· A - Front · D - Community Sections: · B - Sports · E/F - Real Estate/Classifieds · C - Lifestyles · G - Entertainment
Re-enactors representing Buffalo Soldiers and mountain men will share their culture and history. Children can sit in a one-room schoolhouse, taste biscuits from an authentic chuckwagon, and make old-fashioned toys. Visitors can also enjoy the culture of the Lakota Sioux Indians. TaCha, Tatanka and Sunkmanitu Eagle Horse will be present daily and offer dances at various times. During a typical demonstration, Cont. on page A7
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Fredericksburg on Saturday to compete in the 2012 Texas State BB Gun Championships. Set for the Show Barn at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds, the contest is expected to draw over 90 youth on approximately 14 teams. Among the qualifiers will be 21 competitors from Gillespie County. They will shoot on three teams while several others will compete as individuals. Teams that finish first, second or third on Saturday are eligible to advance to national competition this summer in Rogers, AR. The written test will be administered at 8:30 a.m. and shooting in four positions — prone, standing, Cont. on page A4
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Second Front Page A2 — FREDERICKSBURG STANDARD-RADIO POST — WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Advertising Index
Pecan Creek set for open house of rural schools
NO ONE WAS HURT in this accident at 11:45 a.m. Monday at Linens & More, 302 E. Main. Russell Crawll of Kerrville was attempting to park in front of the building when his foot slipped off the brake and his 2003 Buick Ultra jumped the curb, hitting a support beam, a bench and a potted plant. Part of
the pot struck and shattered one window pane in the business, but there was no other damage to the structure. Two pedestrians avoided the damage, said Sherry Locklear, of the Fredericksburg Police Department’s downtown bike patrol. — Standard-Radio Post Photo
Council drama ballot, offering voters a chance to approve or deny a $1.8 million bond for a rebuilt Park Pool as well as a $1.4 million bond for a new Town Pool. Recall stays on ballot Despite threatening to sue the City of Fredericksburg if the petition was not thrown out by city officials, Segner said at Monday’s council meeting that he was willing to accept the recall election, but he added that he still reserves the right to bring a lawsuit at a later date. “I think this thing has been drug out a pretty good ways and there’s been a lot said in both directions, but if we’re going to go to a recall, then let’s go to a recall. The citizens can speak,” Segner said. “There’s a lot of people who don’t like the way the recall petition was done. They don’t like the way the city council handled it.” Recall efforts come four months after a federal lawsuit, which alleges that Segner failed to file and/or pay federal employment and unemployment tax returns and deposits totaling $324,828, some of them dating back to 2001, was filed Oct. 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas by Curtis C. Smith, attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division. At Monday’s meeting, Segner said that a verbal agreement had been reached in the suit and that he hoped the suit would be settled by the council’s next regular meeting on March
Cont. from A1 19. Eight area citizens spoke in defense of Segner during the meeting’s public comment section, with citizens calling the recall election “offensive and highly inappropriate” while maintaining Segner’s innocence until proven guilty. Council responds Unable to respond to the statements made by Segner during a special public hearing on the recall last week, councilmen voiced their opinions on the recall during Monday’s council comment section. Councilman Scott Jones, who along with Segner was elected to the council last May, said his problem with the recall did not come from the petition itself, but from the work of other councilmen in collecting signatures. “It is the right of every citizen in this community to voice their opinion about their elected officials,” Jones said. “My problem is when sitting city council members take it upon themselves to be judge, jury and executioner of a fellow city council member.” He also revealed during the meeting that he had previously owed the IRS $1,000 in back taxes and that it took more than three years to get the issue settled. “We have rushed into judgment on an allegation that is merely that, an allegation,” Jones said. “If your personal problems — not yet vetted in the courts — can be used against
Cherry Spring School opening doors Cherry Spring School will be open for visitors on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Former students and members of the Cherry Spring Community Club will be present to reminisce about school days at the historic country school. The limestone rock school building was constructed in 1885, and in the 1930s, a pavilion with a second classroom was built. The school served the community until 1962 when it was con-
Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post (USPS 209-080) (ISSN 87559331) Published Weekly by the Fredericksburg Publishing Co, Inc. 712 W. Main St. P.O. Box 1639 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 830-997-2155 • Fax 830-990-0036
Website: www.fredericksburgstandard.com
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solidated with Fredericksburg Independent School District. In the those 76 years, almost 400 students were taught by 42 teachers. The school is located at 5973 Ranch Road 2323. Visit the website www.historicschools.org for driving directions and information about the schools included on the Gillespie County Country Schools Trail and the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools organization.
you as a vendetta to punish you for your views on items and issues, then I feel very sad for anybody who comes before this council in its present condition who may have issues in their life that those issues may be used against you in the city’s deliberations about whether or not you get to have a permit.” Tim Dooley, one of two active councilmen who collected signatures as part of the recall effort, said that no vendetta existed and Segner brought the recall upon himself. “No one forced Mr. Segner to fail to pay his taxes. Those were decisions he made on his own,” he said. “Although Mr. Segner seeks to blame many people for his tax troubles and now the recall, he alone made these decisions to not pay his taxes.” Dooley added that the failure to pay his taxes “call into question the ability of Mr. Segner to manage and make decisions for the people of this city when he has made these kind of poor
decisions in his own business.” Councilman Graham Pearson, who also collected signatures for the recall, said that Segner’s legal response to the IRS was “tantamount to an admission of guilt” and that the recall effort is justified. “To continue the ‘railroading’ metaphor suggested in Bruce Kneese’s letter to the editor the other week, I believe the results of the May 12 ballot will be a dose of reality that will hit Segner like a freight train,” Pearson said. “That is unless he has the common sense and the decency to resign before that date.”
One of Gillespie County’s historic rural schoolhouses, the Pecan Creek School, will be part of a three-site open house Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The school, located at 3410 Pecan Creek Road, is part of the Friends of Gillespie County Country School’s monthly open house. Also being spotlighted are the Cherry Spring School (5973 Ranch Road 2323) and Christ Lutheran Church (1419 Cherry Spring Road.) A light snack lunch and drinks will be available at Pecan Creek School during the day. Visitors are invited to enjoy the history of the grounds and see all the improvements that have been made to the property in the past year. All Pecan Creek Community Club members are also encouraged to attend, since this date will also serve as the group’s monthly meeting. Guest speakers will be Wallace Britton and Jason Priess, who will speak about the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association. More information about Pecan Creek School or rental of the school facility is available by phoning 830-669-2546 or 830997-8267. More information about this event, a schedule of future open house dates and locations and a map of the Gillespie County Country Schools Driving Trail is available at the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, at 302 East Austin Street. It may be reached by phoning 830-9976523. Or, the map and related trail information is downloadable off the web from the following site: www.historicschools.org.
Swimming pool Cont. from A1 site would likely include a new 37x75 foot pool with one meter diving board, a separate 36-footdiameter tot pool as well as new bathhouse facilities. Councilmen said that though they were now locked into the finances of each pool site, no
final design for either pool had been approved. A late effort from Councilman Tommy Segner to add a $1.1 million bond item for repairs without expansion at Park Pool died for lack of a second at Monday’s meeting.
TRUNK SHOW Fashion Extravaganza
March 8 & 9 Cocktail Party ~ Thurs., March 8th ~ 5-8 p.m. Trunk Show ~ Fri., March 9th ~ 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Informal modeling all weekend. Friday, March 9th - join us for a lunch buffet. Our Sympli Rep, Sandi Truman will be here with the entire Sympli collection to view and order.
Secret Garden
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Section/page A Absolute Charm B&B............. A9 Agave Realty........................ E2 Allen Keller Company............ F7 Ambleside School...............C/D6 Arrowhead Bank................... B5 Auctions.............................. F8 B Bar O Bar Ranches Inc.....C/D11 Bierschwale-Rees Insurance... A8 Billies Support Page.............. B6 Boerne Dodge...................... B8 Brent’s Custom Odd Jobs .E2, F7 Bridal Registry...................C/D9 Brune Wedding Anniversary.C/D9 C Capital Farm Credit............... E2 Carol Hicks Bolton Antiqüités.. A3 Catholic Life Insurance.A7, C/D3 Century 21 Sunset Realtors.... E1 Cherry Spring School........... A10 Church Directory................C/D5 Church of Christ................... B7 City Cleaners........................ B3 Class. Business Directory.F11-14 Coldwell Banker-Heart of Hills.E5 Cornerstone Properties.......... E2 Crenwelge Auto Sales.......... A12 Crossroads Saloon................ B3 Culligan............................C/D8 D Davis Bonding Co...........B8, F10 Diamond K Construction...C/D12 Dittmar Lumber.................... F7 DQ.................................C/D10 DR Welding.......................... F7 Durham Land Co..............E3, E6 E Edward Jones....................... A5 Exit Realty........................... E3 F First Baptist Church............C/D4 Fonder Chiropractic............... B3 Frantzen, Kaderli & Klier........ A6 Fredericksburg Artist School... A8 Fredericksburg Art & More..... A9 Fredericksburg Car Cruise...... B2 Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce...................... B4 Fredericksburg Clinic..........C/D3 Fredericksburg I.S.D............. A3 Fredericksburg Medical Equip.C/D6 Fredericksburg Realty............ E5 Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post..........................C/D11 G Gillespie Central Appraisal District......................C/D11 Gillespie County Fair/Festivals.A3 Gillespie Livestock Auction..C/D7 Golden Hub........................ A12 Grape Creek Construction...... F7 Grimes, Fred, DDS...........C/D10 Groom & Groom................. A10 H Hartcraft Dirt........................ F7 Herber Real Estate................ E4 Heritage Realty..................... E2 Hester Window Coverings...C/D6 Highland Oaks Apts............... E6 Hill Country Home Center.C/D12 Hill Country Memorial Hospital.... ............................B5, C/D7 Hill Country Refrigeration..... A13 Hill Country SPCA............... A13 Hoerster, Rick....................... A8 Hometown Crafts.................. A5 Hondo’s .............................. B3 H&R Block............................ A6 I Immel Motors.......... C/D12, TV1 IPI Investment Professionals.. A7 J Johnsmith Music................C/D9 Johnson Newman Antiques... A10 Jones Ranch Realty............... E5 K K&C Lawnmower Service..... a10 Keller Williams Realty............ E2 Kerr Land Company............... E2 Kerrville Kroc Center............. B2 Kerrville Mattress Gallery..... A12 Kevin Kramer Construction..... F7 KNAF-KEEP Radio...............C/D7 Kneese Companies................ F8 Knopp Retirement Home...C/D10 Kovar, Lance, DDS...........C/D10 Kowert Real Estate................ E4 Kramer’s Wood & Metal Works.A11 Kuhlmann Realty................... E3 L LandTx................................ E5 Lazy S Western Wear.......... A11 Legal Notices...................... F11 Lenten Fish Fry..................C/D6 Lone Star Pump Service......... F7 Longhorn Land..................... E5 LPL Financial...................... A13 Luckenbach, Texas................ B4 M Main Streets of TX Mortgage.. A6 More Than Antiques.............. F7 Morning Star Memory Care... A14 N Nixon Real Estate.................. E4 O Obituaries.........................C/D4 Odeon Theater................... TV2 P Palo Alto Materials................ A6 Pat’s Hall........................... A11 Peach Basket...............A10, TV2 Pioneer Memorial Library....C/D6 Pioneer Museum................... A4 Property Management Svcs.... E6 Q Quality Lube......................... B8 R Ray Price Concert................ A13 Real Estate Advisory Team..... E2 Real Living........................... E3 ReMax Town & Country.......... E3 Rubicon Real Estate Svcs....... E5 S 72 Degrees.......................C/D1 St. Vincent de Paul...........C/D10 Secret Garden.............A2, C/D9 Seitz..............................C/D12 Shutter Factory..................C/D7 Singing Water Vineyards........ A8 Stagecoach Theater............. TV4 Stehling Bros. Tuxedos.....C/D10 Stehling, Will, DDS................ B8 Stock My Pond...................C/D7 T T-Ball Registration................. B3 Texas Steel Buildings............. F7 TexScan............................... E6 Tin Star Ranch.................... A12 Tivydale Business Park.......... A2 Too Late To Classify............... B2 Tootie Pie Co........................ A8 Troy Faust Motor Co.............. B2 V Valeska’s.............................. B7 Vapo Propane....................... F8 VFW Hall............................ TV4 Visiting Angels...................C/D6 W Walker, Michael, MD............ A12 Weather..........................C/D12 Weinheimer & Son................ B7 West End Pizza..................... B7 Western Beverages............. A12 Willow City School..............C/D9 Z Zgabay, Randy..................... A9
SHADY PROJECT
SPINNING TALES
WE LOVE A PARADE
Work begins on cover for Marktplatz play area, page A/B2
Columnist remembers early iPod — the Victrola, page D2
Photos of residents parading their patriotism, page C1, D1
Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post
No. 5 - USPS 209-080 • Periodical
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Pool plan changes will be reviewed tonight Design firm, pool committee look for workable solution By Matt Ward After pool committee members were highly critical of the initial design plan for Town Pool in a special meeting of the Fredericksburg City Council three weeks ago, city pool consultant Kimley-Horn will return this evening with an updated final design plan for the $1.4 million project. The meeting is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the conference room at City Hall.
Hospital dinged by fed rule changes
DOWN THE STRETCH The action was fast and furious during the weekend’s 2012 season-opening horse racing event at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds. More photos, as well as race results, are found on pages A/B 13 and 15. — Standard-Radio Post Photo by Danny Hirt
During a June 20 public hearing, pool committee members led by chairwoman Linda Langerhans criticized the initial pool design for ignoring many of the committee’s top priorities for the pool. While the city council rejected the committee’s proposal to close portions of Schubert Street for the park, Kimley-Horn’s initial proposal moved the committee’s designed Travis Street entrance to Schubert Street. After further examination, however, the consultant said in a July 6 report to the council that the Travis Street entrance is now preferred to the Schubert Street entrance, though both options will Cont. on page A/B8
County support sought for Aqua water rate hike
SHOWING THEIR COLORS
Reimbursements to fall after HCM no longer ‘sole’ provider
Customers ask for commissioners’ support in upcoming TCEQ preliminary hearing
By Ken Esten Cooke
By Lisa Treiber-Walter
Administrators and directors at Hill Country Memorial Hospital are studying ways to adjust after its recently revealed financial hit to reimbursement rates for the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. Mike Williams, HCM executive director and CEO, said last week that changes to the programs disqualifies both it and Kerrville’s Peterson Regional Medical Center from being “sole community hospitals.” The change in designation means up to $2 million less annually in reimbursements, and up to $8 million being owed back to the federal government. The change is not a penalty and was not unexpected as federal lawmakers seek to reduce spending. “We saw some of this coming, and have been working on solutions for some time,” Williams said Monday. “The $8 million [in reimbursements since 2007] is still up in the air.” Directors will mull over how to take $2 million a year out of a roughly $65 to $70 million net revenue model with minimal impact to services. Plans for expansion, including a move into area markets, may depend on how much of the back-owed $8 million can be negotiated down, Williams said. “Surely we’ll have to consider our options,” he said. “I think we’re in a position where we can’t stop. If we owe the full $8 million, that could affect plans.
Gillespie County residents who recently saw their water service costs spike have appealed to county officials for help in fighting back. “My water bill is doubling,” Northwest Hills resident Forrest Nikorak told commissioners meeting in regular session Monday as he asked them to support the more than 400 local customers feeling pinched by the Aqua Texas rate hike. Consumers affected by the increase are those formerly served by Harper Water Company Systems and who live in
READY TO SHOW her patriotism with plenty of red, white and blue, Kaydince Ariqullin, 4, of Fredericksburg holds onto her bunch of balloons at last Wednesday’s breezy July 4th Children’s Parade on Marktplatz. More photos on D1. — Standard-Radio Post photo by Lisa Treiber-Walter
Less state funding means deficit shown in 2012-13 budget By Ken Esten Cooke STEPPING OFF, members of the Navy JROTC from Fredericksburg High School marched in the Community Fourth of July Parade on Wednesday morning in Fredericksburg. Among those representing the FHS NJROTC in the parade were, from left, Austin Beals, Dustin Crenwelge, Cassidy Brenner, Cassandra Camacho, Taylor Manning, Jesse Aleman and Marcus Robles. More parade photos on C1. — Standard-Radio Post Photo by Yvonne Hartmann
WEATHER
• Top talent will take stages around town at upcoming 2nd Annual Opera & Music Festival — A/B10 • County OK’s jail project budget — A/B2 • Fredericksburg Theater Company’s “HONK!” to wind up summer run this weekend — A/B5 • Bettors wage over $300,000 in first weekend of horse racing — A/B13 • Letter writers take exception to politics in July 4th parade — D3
For real-time weather information, go online to: www.fredericksburgstandard.com
High Low Rain Tuesday 92 74 Wednesday 93 70 Thursday 94 72 Friday 95 70 Saturday 96 74 Sunday 92 73 0.33 Monday 91 69 1.21 Tuesday 90 70 0.50 Total Rain 2.04
(Courtesy Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.)
SECTIONS:
A - Front B - Sports C - Lifestyles
School trustees for the Fredericksburg Independent School District met Monday and changed the way course work is weighted in an effort to encourage more students to try Advanced Placement courses. Board members adopted a University Interscholastic League course waiver that lets a student who attempts an AP class, yet fails, a pass so he or she can continue UIL activities. “This leaves a safety net in places, and encourages students to
‘War Dogs’ demonstration will showcase attack, healing skills
July 3-10, 2012 Rainfall this week 2.04 Rainfall for July 2.67 Rainfall for 2012 18.27 Normal for date 15.02 Same date last year 4.76 Low – July 9 69 High – July 7 96
“War dogs” will show off their tail-flying attack skills, their ability to conduct disciplined drug searches and their power to heal soldiers with trauma during a free public demonstration Saturday at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Starting at 10 a.m., the 341st TRS (Military Working Dogs) from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio will be in the museum’s
D - Community E/F - Real Estate/Classifieds G - Entertainment
Guadalupe Heights, Harper Road Estates, Northwest Hills, West Oak Heights and Highlands Ranch subdivisions. Nikorak said Aqua Texas is a large, out-of-state company that has been buying up small water companies over the past decade and is now raising rates, it says, to help it recover an estimated $31.7 million spent in improvements and investments to water quality, service and reliability for 43,500 residents in its Southwest Texas region. “It feels like we’re basically going to be paying for those customers who are in a tougher situation than us,” Nikorak said, adding that money spent on higher water bills will add up to $3.375 million more annually for Aqua Texas, but some $200,000 in income lost to the local economy. Cont. on page A/B4
FISD tweaks AP, regular courses weighting criteria
BRIGHTENING the night sky, a large fireworks display greeted visitors to Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park July 4. This year’s display was 50 percent larger than normal after the fireworks show was cancelled in 2011 due to weather conditions. City Director of Parks and Recreation Jimmy Alexander said the budget for this year’s show — which lasted eight minutes longer than normal — was increased to $21,000 from $14,000 as a result. — Standard-Radio Post photo by Matt Ward
Cont. on page A/B11
INSIDE
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Memorial Courtyard to offer a look at what they are learning in training. They will demonstrate not only their abilities for patrol/defense, but also the art of detection and finding drugs and explosives. Then at 1 p.m., the focus
will be on how important the dogs are for helping wounded warriors. That free presentation will be staged in the Admiral Nimitz Ballroom and will spotlight the TADSAW (Train a Dog Save a Warrior) program. More information about either program is available by contacting Helen McDonald by phoning her
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stretch themselves and attempt more difficult courses,” Supt. Marc Williamson said. “If they don’t pass the first six weeks, we will move them to regular courses.” However, Williamson said if two AP courses are failed, students will not be eligible for UIL activities. This provision will keep students from taking AP classes for social reasons, or because their friends are in an AP class, he said. “Our AP minority enrollment is better than in the past,” he said. “It’s still not at the percentage of enrollment, but it is much improved over where we started when we began offering advanced placement. We are Cont. on page A/B4
Indian Artifact Show returns this Saturday The Fredericksburg Indian Artifact Show will return from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, July 14 at Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Admission is $6 for ages 14 and over, while law enforcement and their families, along with those under 14, are admitted for free. The show will feature a wide variety of Native American artifacts from Texas and the United States, including arrowheads, pottery and other collectibles. Breakfast and food by Buzzie’s Barbecue will be available. More information is available by calling Richard Metzger at 830-626-5561 or Rob Bartell at 830-329-2636.
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A/B4
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July 4, 2012
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Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
FISD trustees doing some things right, and getting lots of kids in AP and passing.” The board also changed the way it weighs advanced versus regular courses, giving AP courses 10 points toward GPA and regular courses at 5. “We don’t want to give the impression that regular classes aren’t good ones,” said Kay Stech, board president. “Students are not being punished for taking regular courses. Students can take all regular courses and still go to college.” Williamson said most colleges look at class rank and SAT scores “to make the first cut,” then will look at AP versus regular course work on student resumes. Budget expectations Trustees held a budget workshop preceding the meeting. As it stands now, the 2012-2013 budget will be based on revenues of $30,651, 860 and anticipated expenditures of $32,881,432. Most of the anticipated shortfall is due to $2.3 million less in funding from the state school fund as well as less in federal funds. “We budget very conservatively, so we will not end up near the $2.2 million shortfall,” said Deborah Ottmers, assistant superintendent for business and finance. “While we’re still making changes to the budget [before its Aug. 31 adoption], we anticipate about a $1.2-million shortfall.” A public budget hearing will be held Monday, Aug. 27 preceding the Aug. 31 adoption by the board. “We also will change our budget cycle next year, so this will be a 10-month year,” she said, adding that the district’s fund balance of $10.4 million should remain at the same levels preceding the 2013-2014 year.
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“We spent the morning talking about curriculum and instructional issues,” he said. “And we talked about programs in our emphasis areas. For instance, the middle school is beginning an English Academy, which is kind of a school within a school to help non-native speakers become more proficient.” Trustees also heard from Athletic Director Lance Moffett and Construction Manager John Courter. Trustees also toured the major summer construction projects on district campuses and heard a report from architects Pfluger & Associates of Austin. “There are several time-sensitive projects, like the lunchroom at the high school, science labs and air conditioning work at the middle school,” Williams said. “But we are on schedule to be finished.” Other business Board members heard an update on kindergarten through second grade testing procedures. While not as intensive or intrusive as the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests, the testing for early elementary-aged students can help the district develop its curriculum and set up intervention for individual students who are behind. The board also okayed a new food allergy policy, and heard a report on changes to the district’s meal program. Also, David Oehler, chief appraiser for the Gillespie Central Appraisal District, gave a report to trustees as part of his communication efforts with taxing entity officials. His report was profiled in last week’s paper.
Hires Trustees also made three hires. •Lamar Raders, special educaRetreat tion co-op, elementary campus The board also held its annual speech therapist. retreat on June 29. •Terry Holmes, high school Williams said the meeting gave teacher, building trades, ISS. a chance for focused conversa•Stephen Crowley, high school tions on the district’s vision. math teacher.
County support Getting organized against such a large corporation has been difficult, but Nikorak said he put flyers around in the affected neighborhoods and a meeting was held June 28 in Fredericksburg. Another meeting is planned in Kerrville today, July 11. (See related story in today’s issue.) Informed local water customers then banded with others in the Southwest Texas region to collect enough signatures to warrant a preliminary hearing with the only agency that has the ability to regulate the water utility company’s actions — the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ.) “Nothing would even be looked at very seriously had we not collected over a thousand signatures,” Nikorak said. Aqua Texas’ higher rates have already gone into effect back in February, but Nikorak and others are hoping to gain back some lost ground with a favorable ruling from TCEQ. But, the preliminary hearing is set for Monday, starting at 10 a.m. on the fourth floor of the William P. Clements Building, 100 West 15th Street in Austin, giving little time for those opposed to the rate increase a chance to build their case. “That’s what these big companies rely on is that folks can’t get organized in time … to put up a good defense to what they want to do,” said Judge Mark Stroeher. “I hate to put this on you” in such a rushed manner, Nikorak said, but asked the commissioners to sign a resolution that might
help in the local water customers’ defense against the higher rates. “I would also like to see the county commissioners come to the hearing on Monday and at least register themselves as a party,” Nikorak said, explaining that after that preliminary hearing, no additional parties would be accepted in the case. Commissioners, who already had a special budget workshop planned Friday, at 9 a.m. in the Gillespie County Courthouse have added an agenda item to consider approving and signing the resolution in support of the water users protesting Aqua Texas’ rate increases. “It’s hitting our residents extremely hard,” one Deerwood subdivision resident told commissioners, adding that, even if residents there use no more water than they have been, they’re going to pay $50 more. “We’re fighting out there and, for some folks, 50 bucks at the end of the month will be a big deal,” Nikorak said. Another Gillespie County resident who is on the Aqua Texas system also pleaded with commissioners for their help. She explained that she’s on disability, has custody of her sixyear-old grandson and her family uses less than 5,000 gallons of water a month. Her family cannot have any extra plants and she has to tell her grandson he cannot play in the sprinkler when it’s hot “because we cannot afford it,” she said. “It hurts to see my grandson affected because of a big corporation like this.”
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TCEQ reps to take part in meeting tonight to talk about increases, process Aqua Texas water customers concerned about recent rate increases will meet with company officials at 6 p.m. today in the Upper Guadalupe River Authority auditorium, located at 125 Lehmann Drive in Kerrville. Aqua Texas President Bob Laughman will be joined by representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. A two-hour program will include an overview of Aqua Texas capital expenses in Kerr County during the past five years and an overview of “rate regionalization,” which is responsible for larger increases for some local customers. Attendees will also get an explanation of rate increases and a discussion of other water-related issues. Rate hikes put into effect in February affect roughly 400 water customers. A meeting two weeks ago in Fredericksburg drew 60 con-
cerned customers. State law allows for increased rates to go into effect before approval by the TCEQ. Aqua Texas said area customers are being “regionalized” and price hikes help the company recoup investments in lines and other service equipment. “This is going to have a large impact on Gillespie County,” said Forrest Nikorak, local protest organizer who lives in the Northwest Hills subdivision. “An annual loss of about $200,000 of income that could be spent in our county is at stake. This is based on an estimated monthly average water usage of 8,600 gallons with the proposed increase of $44 per month.” A preliminary hearing by the TCEQ is set for 10 a.m. Monday, July 16 on the fourth floor of the William P. Clements Building, 100 W. 15th Street in Austin. More information is available by contacting Nikorak at 830-9980261 or by visiting a web page at www.aquaprotest.tumblr.com. Aqua Texas is a subsidiary of the publicly-traded company Aqua America.
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Harper students earns Cottey College degree Harper resident Sarah Lester was among those graduates receiving degrees from Cottey College in Nevada, Mo., in May. She received an associate of arts degree and was also named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester. A 2010 Harper High School graduate, Lester will now be attending Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education.
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