Jan. 27, 2016 Hays Free Press

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JANUARY 27, 2016 NFL IN SA?

TAKIN’ STOCK

Raiders show interest in San Antonio area.

A day in the life of a youth livestock show competitor.

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– Page 1B

Hays Free Press ©Barton Publications, Inc.

Vol. 119 • No. 44

HaysFreePress.com

Sheriff says no conspiracy

Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX • 75¢

Former DA agrees Following allegations by his political opponent of conspiracy and a cover up to a 2014 case, Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler announced last week that the matter was handled properly. And the former Hays County district attorney concurs with Cutler’s statement. In a Jan. 22 emailed response to the Hays Free Press, Cutler said the case, which was referenced by Tommy Ratliff

during a press conference two weeks ago, was reviewed internally by the Sheriff’s Office. He also said the case was forwarded to the Hays County District Attorney’s Office. “The District Attorney at the time, Sherri Tibbe, concurred that the matter should be closed,” Cutler said in the emailed response. Cutler added in his email that the Texas Rangers conducted their own independent review and “came to the same conclusion.”

Two local law enforcement officers competed in The Battle of the Badges last Friday. The event was hosted by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and is a sanctioned boxing event that pits Austin area law enforcement officers against members of area fire departments. Proceeds from the event went to area non-profit Partnerships for Children. Kyle police officer Matthew Wilson (above, right) and Hays County Sheriff’s Deputy Manuel De La Rosa were the only two Hays County boxers. See the full story on page 1B. Browse and buy photos online at www.haysfreepress.com under the photos link.

CUTLER, 4A

THE TRUCK STOPS HERE

Rounding the corner

Kyle P&Z says no to truck stop BY MOSES LEOS III

moses@haysfreepress.com

A standing room only crowd watched Tuesday as the Kyle Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) denied a developer’s application to rezone land that could have allowed a truck stop in the space. The Kyle P&Z denied a request from PGI Investments, LLC to rezone 47.74 acres of land from agricultural (AG) to warehouse (W) by a 5-2 vote. Chairman Michael Rubsam and commission member Michele Christie cast the dissenting votes. PGI, which saw two previous attempts to develop a truck stop fail, returned to P&Z after withdrawing an application in October 2015 to rezone the property to retail services (R/S). According to city

Kyle pushing forward with Burleson Street project Burleson Street will be closed for two weeks in the near future while the city completes construction of Marketplace Avenue, which will include a roundabout.

BY MOSES LEOS III

moses@haysfreepress.com

documents, Terry Irion, a representative for PGI, wrote on Jan. 4 the property is “ideal” for warehouse zoning. He wrote it could allow a variety of uses including transportation related services, such as a truck/travel center. Irion said Tuesday Kyle is a bedroom community and there’s no place “for small businessmen to have business.” He cited plumbing and heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) businesses that could fall under warehouse zoning. But Irion didn’t deny that his client was seeking a truck stop. “I can’t stand here and say that they don’t want to build a truck stop,” Irion said. “It does. But not on 47 acres, but about 28 acres if they had their druthers.”

Kyle citizens who regularly use parts of north Burleson Street to pass through the city may have to find an alternate route for up to two weeks in the near future. The closure will be a result of the city temporarily closing the road to give contractor Capital Excavation time to complete a roundabout that will connect Burleson to the city’s Marketplace Avenue project. The city has not selected a date for the closure. Marketplace, which will connect Burleson Street to City Lights Drive, is one of five projects that were approved by voters in 2013 as part of the $35 million road bond. Kyle City Engineer Leon Barba said construction on the roundabout will block through traffic from

TRUCK STOP DENIED, 4A

Spring Branch Drive to the northbound Interstate 35 access road According to Barba, residents living along north Burleson near the Marketplace intersection would have access to their homes. Northbound traffic would be detoured onto Spring Branch drive, with electronic reader boards and barricades alerting residents. “(The contractor) can do (the project) a lot faster and it’s also safer,” Barba said to council on the closure. In an update to the Kyle City Council on Jan. 19, Barba said the Marketplace project is 56 percent complete, as of Jan. 7. Barba said the city’s contract with contractor

COMING UP Weather Spotter Training

PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III

Battle of the Badges

Curious about severe weather? Want to help the National Weather Service by submitting severe weather reports? Come to the Skywarn Weather Spotter training Feb. 1 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Kyle Fire Station at 210 W. Moore St. Classes are free and open to everyone. No registration required. Get the full schedule online at www.weather.gov/ewx.

Knights of Columbus host Vegas Night

Knights of Columbus present Vegas Night Feb. 6 from 7-11 p.m. at 801 N. Burleson in Kyle. Enjoy a night of rollicking good fun with tables for everyone. Ticket are $35 at the door or $30 in advance (includes admission, pizza, 10K in poker chips and one reverse raffle ticket). Email GetTickets@ kylekc.com for info. The event is adults only and BYOB. Proceeds provide support to feed the hungry in Kyle, offer local students college scholarships and other community support projects.

DRINKIN’ UP Where and when locals are imbibing. – Page 1D

INDEX

BY PAIGE LAMBERT

Hays Free Press Reporter

Capital Excavation is to complete construction by the end of March. Jo Ann Garcia, project manager with the City of Kyle, said Capital Excavation is “well ahead of schedule” of the project’s June 2016 timeframe. She said the project is pushing toward a March completion date, which is dependent on various factors. But the city will be forced to close parts of Burleson Street to complete the intersection. According to Garcia, the intersection of Marketplace and Burleson roads didn’t show that a traffic signal was warranted. A stop sign is “still an option,” but Garcia said the decision to move forward

with a roundabout was based on support from council. “To us and to the council, there is a lot of benefit in a roundabout to move traffic through there,” Garcia said. Garcia said the roundabout would accommodate larger vehicles, such as buses and trucks. The city is utilizing a pavement option that has a 20-year design. But she said the lifespan of the pavement would depend on the volume of traffic on the road. Burleson Street currently has a traffic count of 7,000 to 8,000 vehicles per day, with the volume expected to double in 20 years. Garcia said there are a “lot of educated guesses” when it comes to the lifespan of the pavement. Cost of the Marketplace Avenue project is currently $3.8 million, with roughly $2 million having been paid.

‘Images of America: Kyle’ book signings Learn about the history of Kyle with the help of local author Betty Harrison and the Hays County Historical Commission with the newly-published “Images of America: Kyle”. Harrison will do a book signing at the Kyle Public Library on Jan. 29 from noon-2 p.m., and Jan. 30 at the Texas Pie Company from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Books will be for sale at both readings.

Mary Szybist poetry readings

Mary Szybist’s first collection of poetry, “Granted,” was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the winner of the 2004 Great Lakes Colleges Associations New Writers Award. Her second book, “Incarnadine,” won the National Book Award for Poetry. Her work has appeared in the Iowa Review and Denver Quarterly and was featured in Best American Poetry. Szybist will have a book reading at the Witliff Collection on Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m. and the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

News……………… 1-4A Opinions……………… 3A Sports……………… 1-2B Education………… 3-4B Community……… 1-4C

Best Bets…………… 4C Business………… 1, 4D Service Directory…… 3D Classifieds……………2-3D Public Notices…… 2, 4D


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