February 2, 2022 Hays Free Press

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FEBRUARY 2, 2022 TIME TO PLANT

SPORTS SHOTS

Local gardener gives tips for the beginning gardener.

See some of the latest district high school sports highlights.

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Vol. 127 • No. 45

Serving Hays County, TX

Kyle loses icons of local history

PHOTO BY FIRE CHIEF KYLE TAYLOR Hays County 911 received a call about fire coming out of Papa Jack’s Bar and Grill at before 2 a.m. Thursday morning last week. The fire spread to the Jack’s Axes building. Both adjacent structures are a total loss. Jack’s Axes, which never opened for business, used to be Center Grocery, and for more than thirty years before that, it was Tenorio’s Grocery. See page 4 for more.

Two downtown Kyle businesses lost to fire BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

KYLE — A devastating fire destroyed two downtown Kyle businesses last week, but the community is rallying together to stay supportive while waiting for their comeback. Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 27, Kyle Fire Department (KFD) responded to a fire that broke out at Papa Jack’s Bar and Grill on Center Street. The fire spread next door to Jack’s Axes, a new axe throwing business that had not yet opened. While no injuries were reported, both businesses are a complete loss. Andreece Gutierrez had been a bartender at Papa Jack’s since March 2021 and had a shift scheduled later that day. She said she received a call from another bartender friend early that morning saying that the bar was on fire. “He jokes around a lot so I didn’t believe it,” Gutierrez said. “So I drove down here. I saw the smoke from a mile away. I ran over to my

The city is encouraging the community to leave encouraging messages or to share their memories of the businesses on the ‘Wall of Love’ in front of the buildings on Center Street.

coworker as soon as I saw her,” adding that they stayed in the area for the rest of the morning, long after the fire was out. Gutierrez said that from her vantage point, it looked like the fire was contained at Papa Jack’s until it spread next door to Jack’s Axes, which was “full of cedar wood.” She recalled seeing thick black smoke and hearing the popping of the

50 years ago, this week

The city of Kyle proclaimed Jan. 21, 1972 as Blas Tenorio Day for his lifetime of achievements. Besides being a grocery store owner, Tenorio was an awarded veteran, first hispanic on city council, family man, and served on many other councils and boards for the betterment of his community. Above is Blas Tenorio with his granddaughter Tammy Tenorio Boddy in the grocery store. See story, page 4.

ceilings falling in. According to KFD, a cause for the fire has not yet been determined. The city also said that investigators do not know when the fire started or how long it had been burning before it was discovered. Across the street, residents saw and heard all of the commotion. Some stayed out and spoke with numerous reporters, including Dana Davila, who was also a bartender at Papa Jack’s and had been at

PHOTO BY BRITTNEY ANDERSON Employees and neighbors of Papa Jack’s bar and grill Dana Davila, left, and Andreece Gutierrez, witnessed the Friday morning cleanup of the fire and were questioned by several news outlets while they tried to assess the damage.

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Coming Up Dialogue for Peace and Progress

HAYS FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO

The City of Kyle is hosting its Dialogue for Peace and Progress event series to celebrate Black History Month on Feb. 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Kyle City Hall. It will also be available to watch live online through the city’s YouTube chan-

nel, the city’s Facebook page and Kyle10. Panelists will include Pastor Jonafa Banbury, Michelle Benziger Winn, Sheila Henderson, Vanessa Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Micheal Moore and Naissa Bayo. Council member Dex Ellison will serve as moderator. The series is held in conjunction with Black History Month, Juneteenth and Hispanic Her-

OBITUARIES – Pages 6 and 7

itage Month, and aims to promote discussion and facilitate change within the community. For more information, visit www.cityofkyle.com/ dialogue.

Night to Shine Radical Church in Kyle is hosting a Shine Thru Parade on Feb. 11 at Negley Elementary, a drive-thru adaptation of Night to Shine — a prom night experience centered on “God’s love and celebrating people with special needs.”

The event is sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation and will feature a drive down the red carpet, paparazzi, photography opportunities, music and more. Following the parade, a worldwide Night to Shine Virtual Celebration will be held with more events and where each guest will be crowned a king or queen of the prom. For more information on how to register as a guest or volunteer, go to www.radicalchurch.life/ night-to-shine.

COMING UP, 10

The Hays Free Press Barton Publications, Inc. The Hays Free Press (USPS 361-430) published weekly by Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. Periodicals postage paid at Buda, TX 78610 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. ISSN#1087-9323

APPLY NOW Cutler gives a call out for Citizens Academy applicants Sheriff Gary Cutler is pleased to announce that the Hays County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy is now accepting applications for the 2022 spring class. The course will tentatively start on March 10, 2022. The Hays County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy is a 45 hour program designed to give the citizens of Hays County a working knowledge of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office and the criminal justice system. This free program includes 12 weeks of instruction by Hays County Sheriff’s Office staff and other guest speakers. Classes are held on Thursdays from 6:00 to 9 p.m. at the new Public Safety Building located at 810 S. Stagecoach Trail in San Marcos, directly behind the Government Center. The objective of the Citizens Academy is to build a better understanding between citizens and the Sheriff’s Office through education. The academy will help increase public awareness, sheriff’s office and community relations and rapport. Consequently, the sheriff’s office becomes aware of the feelings and concerns of the community from the participants through interaction. The instructors of this academy are supervisors, deputies, correction officers, and guest speakers who work in the areas being taught. Their training will give participants insight into the day-to-day operations of the sheriff’s office. In return, class instructors receive direct feedback from the class participants on the effects the sheriff’s office has on their lives. Students will have the opportunity to tour the Hays County Jail, the Juvenile Detention Center, the Government Center, and the Public Safety Building including the state-of-the-art communications center if current COVID guidelines allow. Students will also have an opportunity to ride along with a deputy as an observer during a regular patrol shift. Due to Covid, class size is limited to 20 people per class to maintain social distancing, so it is important to get your application in early. Applications may be obtained in person at the Public Safety Building or by emailing Deputy Mark Andrews at mark.andrews@ co.hays.tx.us. Additionally, within the next few days you will be able to download the application from our website, http:// www.co.hays.tx.us/sheriff. aspx Applications must be received on or before February 28, 2022.


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