August 5, 2020 Hays Free Press by Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch

AUGUST 5, 2020 ADOPT!

REFLECTIONS

Regional Animal Shelter aims to clear its cages

Our summer intern looks back on reporting pandemic

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Hays Free Press HaysFreePress.com

Vol. 126 • No. 19

Serving Hays County, TX

Vacancy persists in constable post BY ANITA MILLER

County Judge Ruben Becerra is trying again. Becerra has called a special meeting for 1 p.m. Friday concerning the vacancy created when Pct. 3 Constable Ray Helm on July 31 surrendered his peace officer certification for life in order to avoid prosecution for falsifying

1st public hearing on FY21 budget set Aug. 11

records and other offenses, some felonies. A special called meeting of the Hays County Commissioners Court to discuss the vacancy created by the Helm’s resignation was called off on Monday 30 minutes after it was to begin. The meeting was called off due to a lack of a quorum. Only Becerra, a Democrat, and Pct. 3

Commissioner Lon Shell, Republican, showed up for the meeting. Absent were Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, Democrat, and Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones and Pct. 4 Commissioner Walt Smith, both Republicans. Ray Helm turned in his gun and badge July 31 under threat of prosecution. He resigned his posi-

tion as Pct. 3 Constable as part of a deal with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE): Either surrender his license for life, or face prosecution of wrongdoing including felony offenses. While there is no constable in the Pct. 3 position, deputy constables and other personnel at the constable’s office can remain there until Dec. 31, as that is when

Helm’s term would have expired. Helm had held his position since 2016 and won handily over challenger Jessica Deatherage in the March GOP primary. He had no Democratic opponent and would have, on Nov. 3, secured his second four-year term. He had also overcome an

County allocates CARES funding

Feed the People

BY SAHAR CHMAIS

BY ANITA MILLER Hays County will hold budget workshops on Tuesday, Aug. 11 and Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. and on Tuesday, Aug 25 at 1 p.m. as part of the regularly scheduled meeting of the commissioner court. County Judge Ruben Becerra laid out the bones of the FY 2021-2022 document in court July 28. “It’s a tough budget for a tough time,” Becerra said as he opened his presentation, adding that since the new Fiscal Year doesn’t start until Oct. 1, “we don’t know what the sitution will be” when it becomes effective. The budget includes a slight tax increase that is a result of increased home valuations, even though the effective tax rate was lowered from .4237 to .4187. Becerra said the “average” home, which is valued at $262,755, would see an increase of $37.07 a year or $3.08 a month. “I can live with that,” he said. Some of the highlights: • Requests for the FY 21 budget were reduced to current FY 20 expenditures • 2% cost of living increase for employees (elected officials are excluded) • No new positions beyond where county is already obligated • Eliminates outsourcing inmate expense of approximately $4 million

COUNTY FY 2021 BUDGET, 7

CONSTABLE RESIGNS, 5

PHOTOS BY ANITA MILLER Dozens of volunteers were undeterred by rising heat on Sunday as they assembled 1,200 plates from San Marcos BBQ that were given out free at the Kyle Optimist Fields by county law enforcement officers and elected officials. Above, left, Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones chats with the occupants of a SUV. Above, right, Pct. 1 Constable David Peterson shows off some of the sausage. The event was one of four planned, courtesy of a grant from the Capital Area Housing Finance Corporation.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act has allotted $4.8 million to Hays County to spend on resident and staff COVID-19 safety. So far, the county has decided how 20% of the funds will be spent, and the rest is in the works. It is necessary that the county uses 75% of the CARES Act funds on medical, public health and payroll expenses for employees mitigating and responding to the emergency. The other 25% should go toward small business assistance. The rest of the funds will be purposed after the county spends the first 20%, or $966,000. The county also decided to use this money to open up a few more job opportunities for its understaffed health department. Hays County has a current commitment of almost $308,000 to spend on supplies for first responders, PPE equipment, COVID-19 testing, disinfecting county offices, call center data lines, staff hours and social services relief. While the county wants to hire more employees in its health department using this grant, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has hired an additional epidemiologist for

CARES FUNDS, 8

Businesses can apply for county ECAP funds Aug. 10 BY ANITA MILLER Hays County businesses with 10 or fewer employees that did not get assistance through the federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP) or the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) administered by the Small Business Administration may apply next week for assistance through the county’s Emergency Cash Assistance Program (ECAP). Although it won’t be “live” until Aug. 10, business owners can get a sneak peak at the documentation required to apply at www.hayscountyecap.com by download-

The program is being administered through People Fund and has $600,000 in available funding. Hays County put up $500,000 and the city of Kyle added $100,000. Grants of up to $1,000 per employee may be granted after applications are reviewed by an awards committee. ing a pdf. Grants will be issued on a first come, first served basis. The money can be used for working capital, payroll, equipment, furniture and supplies and fixtures, such as items required for social distancing. Nonprofits can also apply if they have been in operation since Jan. 1, 2019 or before. “Mom and pop”

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

• The pandemic and disaster preparedness • Texas State prepares for virtual commencement • TxDOT debuts distracted driving video

haysfreepress.com • haysnewsdispatch.com

businesses literally run by two members of one family may be awarded a grant of up to $2,500. Gustavo Lasala of People Fund said about 20 percent of small businesses in municipalities and cities outside major urban centers did not get federal help “for a variety of reasons,” and when his organization realized that included Hays County, they wanted

to help. “We immediately signed up for that and are glad and honored” to be a part of the effort to support the most vulnerable busineses. He said businesses can be paired with a mentor if they need help filling out the application or gathering required documents. “We will be there to guide them each step of the way,” Lasala said in a

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

Zoom press conference on July 30. He urged those possibly eligible for a grant to use the time until Aug. 10 to study what’s required. All assistance through People Fund comes without charge. John Ellis of the Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP), which is assisting the county with the program said according to three surveys, 65 percent of eligible small businesses did not get either PPP or EIDL. Although having received that assistance disqualifies businesses from the ECAP, those businesses that did not

BUSINESS STIMULUS, 5

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NEWS

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020 Seton

Free adoptions through August in Clear the Shelter annual event

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fee-free adoptions. But it has also opened up the door to a more organized adopAnimal lovers could tion system and a higher possibly find some joy in COVID-19; what once was a lost-pet return rate. Saadi day of free animal adoptions also noticed the kindness of her community expressed at the San Marcos Regional through their time and Animal Shelter, has turned donations. The San Marcos into a month. animal shelter has even “We’re having to readreceived a grant to help just how we do the event,” pet-parents facing hardships said Jeanne Saadi, animal who cannot afford certain services manager at the procedures. San Marcos shelter. “We’re During the pandemic, doing adoptions by appointment only because we the shelter has not seen a ght to couldn’t encourage a lot of difference in the number people to come on the same of adoptions, which Saadi eseArea day and we didn’t want to said is great considering just pass over the event this that they had to close their mmerce se doors to the public. At first, year. So we figured, if we it seemed like the pandemic ee Pressspread adoptions over a would put a stick in their month, we could still keep 15 wheels for the fee-free Office that momentum going.” adoptions, but the team got 15 The coronavirus has 21 Office created problems for animal creative and extended this y Pool shelters, but Saadi has seen opportunity. FF In order to avoid a crowdmany pleasant outcomes. y Pool I ed environment during The first is the extension of

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regular adoption hours and free adoptions, the shelter began taking appointments online and by phone – a practice they hope to continue after the pandemic. “I think even after we open up, we will continue,” Saadi said. “It’s not only beneficial for us to know 8 what people are looking for, we can make sure we have someone dedicated to helping them. If we have 30 peopleGcoming at a time reggClarke and only three P a r k members, Greggwe think many leave C l people arke P a r10 k because they don’t have anyone to talk to.” 10 5 Saadi said she believes the appointment method 11 yields a higher adoption 11 16 rate and smoother customer service. Although adoptions have remained relatively consistent, animal fosters have increased. The pandemic has given people more time

Wallace MS

at home which some have directed to fostering an animal, relieving the shelter. Those who could not help through fostering have helped by donating. “The community has been fantastic,” Saadi said. “They’re dropping off blankets, towels, pet food and cat litter. We can send that to fosters and people who need it for their animals.” The shelter wants to facilitate aids to pet-parents because they are afraid COVID-19 job loss or evictions could create higher 12 owner surrender. Saadi said 13 8 14 it is best to contact212the 13 shel19 13 1 they 10 ter if someone thinks 17 up14 3 their pet behave9to give cause the shelter might have some solutions or options to go over. For example, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals granted this shelter $20,000

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SAN MARCOS

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BY MEGAN WEHRING

“Whether that’s securing a contracted service to always have the ability to translate COVID-19 changed the way city staff communicates whenever we need,” Ellison C think we need to be said. “I with the Bpublic. Virtual definitely cognitive of those meetings are the new reality. services. Who knows how How can a language barrier long we will be in this virtual be prevented in this scenarworld asCwell.” io? B City Manager Scott Sellers Kyle City Council is one of many to move their meetings ensures there are translation services already taking place. to an online format. While “The court has a contract there is a Spanish speaking for an ASL interpreter,” Sellpopulation in Kyle, council ers said. “We also have the member Dex Ellison draws voice program that the police attention to those who rely on American Sign Language department has been utilizing that is now in the budget. (ASL). Blanco Vista ES

SANalso MARCOS They have ASL options as a part of their program.” City staff has been continuously reaching out to the SpanishDspeaking population to give them information about COVID-19 as necessary. Samantha Armbruster, director of communications, D said she believes they have the resources available to continue reaching out to all members of the community. “We have a number of staff members that have been tested and certified to help us with Spanish translation.”

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recently here trying to push to get them to go ahead and start.” City staff is waiting anxiously to continue the project with Hays County. Though staff only has a certain amount of work to do on their part, mayor Travis Mitchell said they need to make the Old Post Road project a priority for the community of Kyle. “Make sure at least, as far as it relates to the city of Kyle, that we are not doing anything to delay construction,” Mitchell said. “It barely qualifies as a road right now. The faster we can get that road rebuilt, the faster we can deliver something of incredible value to the folks who live in Post Oak subdivision in particular.”

Getting meetings across the virtual language barrier

last year. We need to move 16 forward with these things. ” City of Kyle staff has met Delays in construction 17 with the county regarding are the name of the game 16 the Old Post Road project. Prein some cases. Kyle City 17 the Council discussed why some liminary work, including 23 relocation of utility lines, was of the capital improvement program (CIP) projects were expected to start in the fall and winter months. Crews delayed at the Aug. 1 budget were expected to start the workshop. 18 remaining work next spring. The overall proposed Ellison is also concerned budget for CIP is $76.7 mil19 delays on the Old lion, including $250,000 for 184 about the Post Road construction and beautification corridor and whether the project can citywide projects. continue moving forward. Councilmember Dex El19 11 Harper Wilder, lison is concerned if the CIP 12 director of projects are moving forward public works, said COVID-19 brought all kinds of unexfrom the previous budget. pected delays in itself. “If I’m going to speak “When all the COVID frankly, it’s frustrating to go started, we got that they were from one year to next when we set these budgets,” Ellison not going to be able to do it this year,” Wilder said. “We’ve said. “I see the same line items I saw on my last budget been in repeated meetings

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Opinion

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We aren’t here to decide who does and doesn’t need food. We are just going to make sure you have it. –Robert Rizo, Kyle Council Member. Story on page 4.

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

Face coverings & ‘cancel culture’

hat do my pet store and the great grandson of Theodore Roosevelt have in common? Quite a bit, actually. First, my pet store. It’s a big chain – no surprise – and therefore nothing unusual. However, its devotion to people’s safety is remarkable – so much that it offers a 10 percent discount to get goods curbside. Hence customers don’t infect each other or store employees inside. Our cat and dog food are handed over from a gloved hand with a smile beneath a mask. Now to Teddy Roosevelt’s great grandson. In a commentary on “CBS Sunday Morning,” Mark Roosevelt said that the statue outside New York’s Museum of Natural History of Teddy astride a horse while a head-dressed Native American and a bare-chested African hold fast at his stirrups should go away. “If we wish to live in harmony and equality with people of other races, we should not maintain paternalistic statues that depict Native Americans and African-Americans in a subordinate role,” he says. Wait. Doesn’t Mark Roosevelt care about his family name? It depends on your definition of family. His is bigger than the House of Roosevelt. He is president of St. Johns College in Santa Fe, N.M. As such, he serves all cultures and colors, something anyone who subscribes, say, to the Christian faith would do as well. That would apply to my pet store. This has been a grim period in so many ways, particularly with a president whose sole concern appears to be serving his base and, not coincidentally, his race. By contrast, credit businesses and their employees for showing concern for everyone. File for history’s keeping the photos of store clerks in masks and gloves. They are among 2020’s heroes. At the same time, file for history’s keeping the image of Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert mugging and sulking about having to act responsibly in a pandemic. Now he’s infected, and he wants to blame the mask he mostly shunned. Right.

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Small newspaper, ... Big opportunities

Young at Heart by John Young

Back to that Teddy Roosevelt statue, and what defenders of gray eminence deride as “cancel culture.” Gohmert wouldn’t cover his face and protect others from a virus that often doesn’t show its own. Similarly, those who venerate symbols of racism and white supremacism don’t see that governments, like colleges and pet stores, serve every race and creed. Face coverings and “cancel culture” are one in the same. Both are discreet means of siding with smart over the opposite. True, not all of the grievances related to the latter are about racism. Some “cancellations” are about rank stupidity. Twitter said it was stupid for Donald Jr. to retweet a video promoting COVID medical theories that would make colonial-era bloodletters blush. I won’t call Ivanka Trump stupid. However, the administration of Wichita State University Tech realized it was stupid to have her speak to 2020 graduates once faculty and students asked what in the world she’d done to merit the honor. You mean being born to the House of Trump is insufficient? Oh, woe. In most cases, “cancel culture” is a grievance only for the hyper-privileged or the hyper-ridiculous, or both. And it’s most assuredly not about free speech. (Just as wearing a mask is not an abridgement of your freedom.) In the Washington Post, author Eve Fairbanks writes that when it comes to getting “canceled,” the argument from the aggrieved is not so much about speech but a protest from “people worried their points may be weak.” As with pet food, this is about the marketplace of ideas. Some win; some lost around the time we emerged from the ‘50s. Sorry, Don Jr. Sorry, Ivanka. Get a sign and stand out on the sidewalk. No one will abridge that freedom, unless your daddy has a photo op nearby.

PHOTO BY ANITA MILLER Hays Free Press/News Dispatch intern Megan Wehring is all suited up and ready for whatever COVID-19 has to throw at community journalists. Wehring is a 2020 graduate of Texas State University and will continue to write for Barton Publications.

Pandemic brings new challenges to community journalism BY MEGAN WEHRING College students are expected to have at least one internship under their belt before they graduate. What happens when life gets in the way and that just seems impossible? I was a full-time journalism student, involved at my university’s radio station while also working a part-time job to pay monthly rent. There was nothing left for me to give at that point. Nobody talks about the work-life balance when in college. We sit in class for most of the day and work through the night. We just have to roll with the punches on our own. My senior year rolled in and the determination to find a job after college hit me. Surprisingly enough, I was barely qualified and respectively declined offers became my middle name. My confidence

shattered. Then, one Tuesday morning at the station, I received an unexpected call. Stunned to read Hays Free Press on the screen, I immediately answered. Offered a full-time internship to cover the most important issues in the county, I was ready to pursue my journalism dreams right out of college. Dow Jones News Fund and South Texas Press Association generously made this happen. Imagine being offered a job by a group of people who have never even met you. The words “surreal” and “excited ”couldn’t even begin to explain it.

PANDEMIC SUMMER When accepting the job offer, interning in a full-blown pandemic did not come to mind until my first day. Journalists are now considered essential

LETTER TO THE EDITOR MY CITY’S FUTURE

Services Officer. Winter wants San The publisher of the San Marcos to become an Marcos Daily Record pub- Austin. I do not want in lished his wish for the city’s San Marcos – another Sixth future. His vision for San Street, a police departMarcos, Texas is profound- ment who has declared ly different from my own. war on Blacks, Hispanics, Publisher Lance Winter the mentally ill and poor has been working in San Whites with fatal conseMarcos for three years. I quences, increased crime have lived in San Marcos and more. Taxing estabsince 1972. I worked at lished neighborhoods to the old Hays Memorial subsidize infrastructure of Hospital, Gary Job Corps, opulent developments. and two nursing homes. I want to decompress I secured my Teacher’s from life’s stressors safely Certificate and Master’s in my own home. Those Degree from Texas State stressors include: U.S. University. I served on the Citizenship and ImmigraSan Marcos Consolidated tion Services, Customs and School Board. As a former Border Protection, and Scoutmaster, I lay claim Immigration and Custom to nine Eagle Scouts. I am Enforcement denying fema former United States inine hygiene products to Merchant Marine Medical women, allowing juveniles

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If you think it’s news, we probably do too! • Newsroom phone: 512-268-7862 • E-mail: news@haysfreepress.com • Mail: 113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640

CORRECTIONS

to die in their detention cages, the separation of nursing babies from their mothers, and summary cross border executions of juveniles who throw rocks. Allow me to put forth a reasonable hypothesis for this disparity. At a nursing home where I worked and was fired, fellow employees who comprised the laundry and janitorial departments were 99.9% from Central American countries who worked for a mere pittance. Personal Protective Equipment was not available to them. Direct care staff who came in two hours LATE, allowing residents to wallow in their own excrement, were not disciplined because they did not have to pay them!

Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any person, firm or corporation which may appear in the pages of the Hays Free Press will be corrected upon being brought to the attention of the publisher.

DEADLINES

workers. We work tirelessly to share necessary information with the public. Now, we are in a new virtual reality. On-site interviewing and reporting are long gone. City council and school board meetings are held over Zoom. What’s next? We’ve adjusted our lives greatly around the COVID-19 virus for the past few months. We even wear face masks with business casual. While many are prompted to stay at home, I have the in-office exposure Monday through Thursday every week. Interns should have the opportunity to sit in the newsroom. They will learn more just by being around their superiors at work.

WHY JOURNALISM? From a young age, we are asked: what do you want to be when you grow up? Common answers are

teacher, doctor or maybe even astronaut. I shook my head out of uncertainty for the future. Toward the end of high school, I finally caught onto the idea that writing was more of a calling than just a gift. Storytelling. That’s what journalists do. We are given a beat and we give everything to have that story in our editor’s hands on deadline, if not before. We are equipped with a natural toolbox to tell all sides of a story. We are the voice of the voiceless. Megan Wehring served Barton Publications in a crazy summer, producing so many interesting stories. While other interns stayed at home, she was in the office every day, writing, taking what photos she could during a pandemic, and honing her skills. She will be missed by the staff and, most likely, our readers

Barton Publications, Inc. News tips: news@haysfreepress.com Opinions: csb@haysfreepress.com Mr. Winter, please realize that racism due to colorism is a fact of life in our country. The late Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Jr. personally sent a representative to my home whereby took my complaint of the San Marcos Record publishing notification that its continual “SLAVE AUCTION” would be held on ... The newspaper’s notification included a picture of the “slaves” to be auctioned with paper chains around their necks. Subsequent to this complaint, slave auctions are no longer held in the United States, its territories and possessions. James Bryant, Jr. bryantjoan12@yahoo.com

• The deadline for display advertising and any contributed news copy is 5 p.m. Friday the week prior to publication. • The deadline for Letters to the Editor and classified word advertising is noon Monday the week of publication, though we encourage readers and advertisers to observe the Friday deadline.

113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640 www.haysfreepress.com 512-268-7862 Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton News Editor Anita Miller Sports Editor Moses Leos III Reporters Megan Wehring, Sahar Chmais, Chase Rogers

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We welcome locally written letters to the editor on timely topics of community interest. We ask that you keep them to about 350 words in length and that you not indulge in personal attacks on private individuals. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters should be signed by the author and include a daytime phone number where the author can be contacted for verification. Letter writers are limited to one letter per month. Letters can be emailed to csb@haysfreepress.com.

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NEWS

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

City partners with food bank for weekday distribution The Central Texas Food Bank, in partnership with the city of Kyle, is hosting a mass food distribution event on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 8-11 a.m. at the Smile Direct Facility, 300 Vista Ridge Dr. — across from the Home Depot. Central Texas residents facing food insecurity can drive to the event to receive a box of assorted produce, milk, and a protein box. Actual contents may vary depending on availability. All are welcome and no registration is required. “We want to serve as many people as we can, and we want to make it as low a barrier as possible for receiving assistance,” Kyle City Council member Robert Rizo said. “We aren’t here to decide who does and doesn’t need food. We are just going to make sure you have it.” In response to the public health crisis, Central Texas Food Bank distributions have been converted to drive-thru.

Marching forward People needing food are advised to stay in their vehicles while volunteers load boxes of protein, dairy and produce.

DSISD hires new CFO At a special meeting on Aug. 3, the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved MENCHION Superintendent Todd Washburn’s recommendation of Cedric Menchion as the district’s new Chief Financial Officer. Menchion has been

the controller at Killeen ISD since 2014 and has more than 20 years of experience in financial and investment-related positions. At Killeen, he is responsible for the Payroll, Treasury and Accounts Payable departments. Menchion’s first position in the public school environment was at Austin ISD, where he spent two years as the district’s treasurer. “With eight years of experience in public schools and more than 20

years overall in the financial field, Cedric Menchion brings well-rounded experience to the position,” said Washburn. “He is a life-long learner who has shown commitment to helping his staff grow and develop professionally, and we are pleased to welcome him to our DSISD team.” In his position at Dripping Springs ISD, Menchion will direct and monitor the management and investment of all district funds as the chief financial and budget advisor to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees. Before working at Austin ISD, Menchion was an investment officer for the City of San Antonio and for an agency of the U.S. Air Force. He spent the first 10 years of his career as a financial accountant for a private firm. Menchion’s certifications include Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and Registered Texas School Business Administrator (RTSBA). He earned his bachelor’s degree in Management and Economics from Bellevue University (Nebraska) and his MBA in Accounting and Economics from West Texas A&M University. Menchion is expected to begin his new role in DSISD Sept. 1, 2020.

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PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III

The iconic ping of a metronome cut through the air at Hays High July 28 as the school’s marching band began its 2020 summer practice sessions. While the group has operated as normally as possible during the first week of band camp, they also stringently followed strict safety procedures and protocols put in place to curtail the spread of COVID-19. That included conducting wellness and temperature checks prior to rehearsal, adhering to social distancing measures, as well as requiring all participants to wear a face covering at all times. In addition, Hays band officials split rehearsals into two different days, so as to reduce the number of students participating at the same time. Lehman High’s and Johnson High’s marching bands begin summer rehearsals Aug. 10.

GPS tracker helped locate suspect who stole vehicle STAFF REPORT

It didn’t take long for the keys, computer and truck to disappear after a man arrived for work in Buda on July 29, but it didn’t take long to find the suspect either, in part because the vehicle was equipped with GPS tracking. Hays County deputies responded to the 900 block of Canyon Wren at 7:23 a.m. The victim

said he’d parked outside the building, gone inside the business and put the keys HARVEY and computer on a desk before going to the restroom. When he returned the keys, computer and truck were all gone.

The HCSO said the truck was spotted in the back yard of a residence in the Crosshouse Estates subdivision off FM 150 in Kyle, and that people saw a man running away from it. James Michael Harvey, 32, was apprehended and booked into Hays County Jail on charges of burglary of a building, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

Page 5

COVID-19 reshaping higher education There are those mornings when some university students wake up with the sunrise. They tick off their to-do list with an early workout, then a quiet walk to a sparsely filled building to get a head start on their work, after that they grab a coffee or tea and just revel in the morning’s stillness. It’s those types of mornings that Bronwyn Neale, a senior at Texas State University, will miss because of COVID-19’s life changing existence. And it is these types of mornings that Clementine Webre, a freshman at Texas State University, may not get to experience for a long time. Webre will miss out on a lot more than the serene mornings; she will not get to participate in tailgates, study in the library when she wants to, learn the ins and outs of campus by walking tirelessly from building to building. She will not get to connect with classmates over a project and have a chance to develop friendships outside of class. Though the college experience is one of a

kind, much of it has been put on hold for thousands at Texas State University, it’s the education quality that many students worry about. “I have a learning disability and I can learn better in person,” Webre expressed her concern, “but I’m not sure if I can do in-person classes because I don’t want to risk my health.” As a student who had to reconfigure her senior year in high school, Webre said she was very unhappy with the online model. Working from a screen made her education suffer and she even noticed that many people were finding it easier to just copy and paste instead of searching for the answers. “I’m a stickler for the traditional advent,” Webre said. Traditional is far gone for now and is not expected to make a comeback anytime soon. That notion has been made clear by some Texas State staff who discussed the extensive safety measures the university is preparing. Most courses will not be in person, at least not full-time. But even if students attend face-to-face

Vacancy in constable post Continued from pg. 1

year, Helm falsified evaluation forms and a memorandum “to memorialize a training class that was nothing more than a commercial for a drone company,” the TCOLE report reads. Helm apparently also attempted to retaliate against one of his deputies, Gary Griffin, who he accused of misuse of official information and other wrongdoing. Helm got warrants signed by 453rd State District Court Judge David Junkin, who is up for election in November but currently holds the post as an appointee of Gov. Greg Abbott since November 2018. Griffin turned himself in at Hays County Jail in January, but the district attorneys in both Hays and Caldwell counties refused to prosecute. Shell, who said he didn’t know why the other commissioners didn’t show for the first meeting, wants to see the position of constable filled. “I do not believe it is an ideal situation to go very long without a Constable,” he told the Hays Free Press. News-Dispatch.

COVID-19 once and has a newfound understanding of its dangers. Neale’s friend, Park, was also infected and shares the same concerns. Even though Park, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, has really struggled with the online model, she does not believe it is worth the risk. “If it’s helping stop the spread, let’s do it online,” Park said in an enthusiastic tone. “That’s my whole thing, I don’t want to spread it, I don’t want to put others at risk.” The statistics show that younger people are less likely to die or experience extremely painful symptoms. But after Park and Neale lightly suffered from the virus, they became adamant about protecting others. They do not want to be the reason that a student, staff or faculty member dies or gets an extreme case of COVID-19. Since Texas State is not an island standing on its own, university leaders hope that other students act in a similar fashion to Neale and Park. They want to make sure that students who live on and off of campus be careful

when going around San Marcos and hope that they wear masks in every public space they visit. When students do not follow these guidelines, not only could they bring the disease back to their campus, they bring it home to their roommates. Some students, like Webre and Park, feel uncomfortable using assertive language with their roommates and feel they cannot restrict their actions. “If I’m going to be honest,” Park said, “I don’t feel as safe because we can’t control our roommates. We can’t tell them not to meet their friends and go out – I’m not their mom. So do I isolate myself in

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home and dogs generally stay in the neighborhood. If these animals stay in close proximity to where they were lost, they have a better chance of being found. But if a dog is lost in Dripping Springs and gets taken to San Marcos, their owner will not come to San Marcos looking, especially that not everyone knows this shelter exists. The San Marcos shelter should be the last resort because municipal shelters were built to manage stray pet populations and manage rabies in communities. They definitely welcome animals, but if there are better options and solutions, they hope people will try them. Saadi wants the shelter’s message to be loud and clear, “we don’t want to take your pet, we want to help you keep it.”

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Clear the Shelter pet,” Saadi told the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. “I can’t imagine losing my home and job and then my pet; that might be the only thing keeping someone sane right now.” Of course, because funds are limited, the program has guidelines such as a person should be on government assistance to qualify. There are other ways the community has helped the shelter and animals. After the pandemic was declared, the shelter asked people who find lost pets to keep them to reduce the shelter’s population. Based off of Saadi’s “own non-scientific research,” she said when animals stay with their finder three days, 55% to 60% made their way back home. According to Saadi, this makes sense because cats do not wander too far from

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investigation into the legality of his being issued peace officer certification despite a prior criminal conviction for criminal mischief. The constable was accused of putting on a socalled “training exercise” in April 2018 that his employees later told investigators was instead a television commercial for a drone company. Helm and four deputies reported for the “training” to find a production crew had already set up cameras and for the rest of the day they all acted only on direction from the production company. There was no handout, no exam and notably, no instruction in flying drones. The “instructor” was the owner of the drone company and was not certified by TCOLE. Helm, however, submitted paperwork to TCOLE indicating the day was spent in training and all were given credit for undergoing the training. When he became aware he was under TCOLE investigation in February of this

lectures, the classrooms cannot host more than 50% of their capacity. Students will have to wear masks, sit six feet apart if possible, and they will have assigned seating to make contact tracing a little easier. Distancing will not solve the entire issue. Dr. Emilio Carranco, chief medical officer at Texas State University, said that the school will be adding UV light and HEPA air purifiers to their air conditioning units. Cleaning will be done more often using hospital-grade supplies. Still, no matter how many precautions the school takes to prevent the spread of coronavirus, many students feel discouraged to go back to in-person classes. Both Neale and her coworker, Jiwoo Park, do not feel prepared to do faceto-face lessons. While Neale feels comfortable learning online, which she said has helped her in her self-paced learning method, she is afraid of contracting and spreading the virus. Her biggest worry is infecting others because she already contracted

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Page 6

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

Comanches Catching up I debate fate of Texas peacemakers T hree white peacemakers nervously waited for the Comanche council to decide whether they lived or died on Aug. 10, 1843. Making amends with the western tribes was one of Sam Houston’s highest priorities at the start of his second presidency. But in the bitter aftermath of his predecessor’s ethnic-cleansing policy, bringing peace to the frontier would be almost as hard as whipping Santa Anna. Mirabeau Lamar pursued his goal of an Indian-free Republic with a fanatical zeal that angered and alienated even friendly tribes. The bloody eviction of the Cherokees in 1839 followed the next year by the Council House Fight, the hand-to-hand combat in a San Antonio meeting hall that claimed the lives of 35 Comanches and seven Texans, poisoned red and white relations. Realizing the first move was up to him, President Houston planned an historic peace conference at Birds Fort, a Ranger station in the middle of the modern Metroplex. To extend the invitations he chose three young commissioners: Capt. Joseph C. Eldridge, a 25- year -old New Yorker fluent in many Indian dialects; Thomas Torrey, 24, who ran a trading post with his brothers north of present-day Waco; and Hamilton Prioleau Bee, the 21-year-old son of a prominent politician. The trio set out in March 1843 with several Delawares, who volunteered to act as mediators. From a camp near the three forks of the Trinity River, the go-betweens fanned out to round up representatives of nine small clans. The Waco, Anadarko, Towdash, Caddo, Kichai, Bidai, Tehuacano, Baluxe and Ione tribes all consented to the Birds Fort powwow. The search for the Comanches, who never stayed in one place for long, took more than a month. But the Delawares finally found them and guided the Texans to the nomads’ main village. Although the emissaries did not expect the red-carpet treatment from the Comanches, they were taken aback by the sullen reception. Capt. Eldridge tried to warm up their ice-cold hosts by explaining the purpose of the unusual visit. “Why should you ask us to be friends when our chiefs, who went to San Antonio to make peace with the whites, were all killed?” retorted a hostile warrior. “We will not make peace with you now but kill you all and even up the score.” However, as the apprehensive Texans were relieved to learn, no one dared harm a hair on their heads without permission from the principal chief, who was away on tribal business. Until his return, they were advised for

Texas History

by Bartee Haile

their own safety not to set foot outside their tent. Pahayuca appeared on Aug. 9, 1843 and called a council for the next dawn. The three Texans were barred from the gathering, but their Indian companions were allowed to sit in as observers. The elder statesman patiently listened to the views of the assembly. The younger chiefs without exception demanded death for the intruders in retaliation for the bloodshed three years earlier in San Antonio. After much prodding from the anxious Texans, the Delawares admitted the debate was definitely not going their way. They resisted the temptation to make a run for it because, as Hamilton Bee recalled years later, “We would have been followed and recaptured and put to an ignominious death.” Of the three only Joseph Eldridge never gave up hope. “When an Indian delays action,” he optimistically noted, “there is a chance he will reverse his opinion.” The great debate ended at noon. Seated in the center of a giant circle, Pahayuca considered the complicated question in complete silence. No one moved a muscle nor made a sound for four long hours. Rising to his feet at last, Pahayuca addressed the council. “The slaughter of our chiefs at San Antonio was a great crime, but we should not commit a greater one. This we would do were we to kill these men. These men came to us bearing a white flag, an emblem of peace. The Great Spirit will never look down upon the Comanche with favor if we dye this flag with their blood.” The principal chief’s persuasive pitch made the difference. The fate of the Texans was put to a vote according to Comanche custom, and the majority ruled in favor of mercy. But Pahayuca’s equally eloquent appeal on behalf of the peace talks fell on deaf ears. In a rare display of defiance, the chiefs voted to boycott the Birds Fort conference and to remain at war with the Lone Star Republic. Eldridge, Torrey and Bee quietly slipped away after the second show of hands. The three peacemakers were happy to escape the Comanches’ clutches but knew full well that other Texans would not be so lucky. Get your copy of “Texas Boomtowns: A History of Blood and Oil” at the reduced price of $20.00 by mailing a check to Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 130011, Spring, TX 77393.

New training facility named for late Sheriff STAFF REPORT

The new Hays County Sheriff’s Academy facility now under construction will be named in honor of the late Sheriff Allen Bridges. His widow accompanied current Sheriff Gary Cutler when he made the request to the commissioners court on July 28. The vote to approve was unanimous. Bridges passed away suddenly on Dec. 8, 2008

while in office. He began his time with the HCSO in crime prevention and served as the department’s public information officer before he was appointed Sheriff in 2005, replacing Don Montague, who left in order to join the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center (ALERRT). The Allen Bridges Training Academy is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall.

n July the new Loving Mountain City FaceBook got rolling. The old Loving MountainCity (note the combined words) will no longer be active. You’ll find the new one even more valuable. For instance, the route of the drivethrough Loving Mountain City Fourth of July Parade was published along with instructions on the COVIDsafe kids electric car races. An apology came afterwards, “We did drive a slightly different route, We do apologize. LMC tried to follow up on missed streets and still hand out goodies.!” Our Hays County Emergency Service District #5 fire truck, paid with our ESD taxes, led the parade. The text on the firetruck reads “Kyle Fire Department.” It’s not “City of Kyle.” Used to be, the Hays County ESD #5 trucks and stations were only in Kyle. The signage on the fire station’s mailbox in Mountain City spells it out in abbreviated format. LMC Facebook gave a shout out to “our local fire department who always supports our great community” and to Crystal Smith Dixon who coordinated the festivities. Without the traditional parade, RonTom and I decked out ourselves and KissMe and his stroller in red, white and blue and paraded around the block after the parade

Mt. City Montage by Pauline Tom

passed by. Two sad notes came to the LMC Facebook page recently, notices from Mountain City. Two deaths related to coronavirus have occurred here. Even without knowing the identity of the neighbors, residents posted condolences. Mountain Cityians care. As of the most recent notice, a total of five tested positive in Mountain City. My friend, mentioned in June, recovered and returned to work. Let me remind you, please, that inquiries from observations of the natural world in our backyards (and front yards) can be posted through iNaturalist, the website or app. With a photo, for me, identification usually comes within a day. In fact, many times the suggested identification is spot on. Here in Mountain City, a Greater Roadrunner’s streaks can be seen fairly up close and personal as one or two or more streak through yards and along the roads. What a delightful sight. In July, a roadrunner discovered the recirculating water of our “big boulder bird bath.” Roland Garza saw one most mornings on his side yard.

Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Public Utility Commission of Texas designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $8.00-$21.22 per month and business services are $14.00-$40.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be on either wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be 20 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload or faster to qualify. A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain a Lifeline discount can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-855-954-6546 or visit centurylink.com/ lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program.

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Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

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Recovered property:

OBITUARIES PULIDO

forklift driver for more than 40 years. Johnny was always referred to as “the life of the party.” Everyone who knew and met him could always count on a helping hand and joyous laughter. He was a devoted WWF/ WWE fanatic, never missing a single Smackdown. He was a devout member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church for 25 years. Johnny is proceeded in death by his father Victor Pulido Sr. and his sister Nora Pulido. Johnny is survived by his mother Herminia Pulido of Plainview, his wife of 47 years Elodia

Pulido of Kyle, and his children Annie Aguirre (Juan) of Kyle and Johnny A. Pulido Jr (Margaret) of Austin. He is also survived by his siblings Victor Pulido (Mary Lou) of Fort Worth, Jesse Pulido (Sandra) of Fort Worth, Bill Pulido of Plainview, Robert Pulido of Okinawa, Margie Hernandez (Mitch) of Plainview, and Melynda Garza of Plainview. He is also survived by his grandchildren Connie Aguirre, Christina Aguirre (Tyler), Israel Morales (Liz), and Juliana Morales (Joseph) and great-grandchildren Liam Ashmore, Alexan-

der Ashmore, Mark Cruz and David Morales, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held Aug. 3 at Saint Anthony Marie de Claret Catholic Church in Kyle, Texas with interment at the San Marcos City Cemetery. The honorary pallbearers were Tyler Ashmore, Israel Morales, Manuel Hernandez III, William Aguirre, Juan Trejo, Erik Gomez, and Corey Reyna. To sign the online registry, please visit thomasonfuneralhome.com.

she lived most of her adult life in Long Beach, CaliforMary nia, returning “home” in Ann Duerr 2011. (nee Mary enjoyed sewing, LeBlanc), crafts, volunteer work age 95 of with her church, family, Wimberfriends and getting people ley, Texas, to laugh. She served in the passed U.S. Marine Corps during away on World War II, where she July 29, 2020, due to commet her husband, Edward plications associated with James “Al” Duerr. Together, a stroke. She was born Feb. they raised seven children. 2, 1925 in Galveston to ArIn recognition for 20 thur James LeBlanc, Sr. and years of devoted volunteer Georgeanna Bell LeBlanc. work and more than 4,000 While she grew up in Texas, hours of service at home

and abroad, Mary received an award from President George W. Bush in 2007. Always busy, Mary also served as office manager for Golden Age Tours, a company who organized trips and activities for Senior Citizens. All who came in contact with her loved her caring nature, jovial sense of humor, positive outlook on life and memories she freely shared. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband, siblings Laura Wen-

zel and Arther J. LeBlanc, Jr., as well as grandson Paul A. Duerr. She is survived by her children Patricia Wilson, Irene Carey, Michael Duerr, James Duerr, Robert Duerr, Anita DeBarros and Timothy Duerr, along with 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Robert Earl LeBlanc and many nieces and nephews. Her sense of humor, caring nature and love of God is carried on and shared with others through her children.

to speak at all three public hearing. Questions may be submitted the day before the hearing to county-

clerk@co.hays.tx.us. The proposed budget should be available within days at haysountytx.com.

May 28, 1955 – July 23, 2020 Johnny Anthony Pulido, Sr., 65, of Kyle, Texas, passed away on July 23, 2020. He was born May 28, 1955 in Lubbock to Victor A. Pulido Sr and Herminia M. Pulido. On Dec.30, 1972 Johnny married Elodia in Plainview. Johnny was a hard worker and made a career as a

DUERR

County seeking owners BY ANITA MILLER

numerous thefts in the Central Texas area,” said Deputy Bruce Harlan in a Authorities want to hear from anyone in Hays, news release. Property he is accused Travis, Williamson, Comal, of stealing in Hays County Caldwell or Guadalupe counties who had property included scrap metal, stolen from rented storage vehicle batteries, a “large TV” and aluminum. Some facilities before May 29. Timmie Foster Reed, 40, has already been returned, but other items remain to was arrested by the Hays County Sheriff’’s Office for be claimed. Anyone who thinks burglaries at an Anytime their property might Storage on Windy Hill be among what’s been Road in Kyle and United recovered should contact Storage on SH 123 in San Detective Brian Wahlert, Marcos. There was an ac512-393-7343, brian. tive Hays County warrant for his arrest when he was wahlert@co.hays.tx.us. Reed reportedly told inarrested by Austin Police vestigators that addiction in mid-June. had forced him to steal. “Reed admitted to

Where Love Lives On ®

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County: FY 2021 Budget Continued from pg. 1

$1.5 million salary market increases for law enforcement per Collective Bargaining Agreement

• $715,000 for new positions for expansion of jail operation The public will be able

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Southern Hills Church of Christ 3740 FM 967, Buda

First Baptist Church-Buda 104 San Marcos St., Buda

The Connection Church 1235 S. Loop 4, Buda

EPISCOPAL

Antioch Community Church Old Black Colony Rd., Buda

First Baptist Church-Kyle 300 W. Center St., Kyle Hays Hills Baptist Church 1401 FM 1626, Buda Sledge Chapel Missionary Baptist Church 709 Sewell, Kyle Southeast Baptist Church 5020 Turnersville Rd., Creedmoor Manchaca Baptist Church Lowden Lane & FM 1626

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Immanuel Baptist Church 4000 E. FM 150, 4 miles east of Kyle Center Union Baptist Church Goforth Rd., Buda

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church 725 RR 967, Buda St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church RR 3237 (Wimberley Rd.), Kyle St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 11819 IH-35 South JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses FM 2770, Kyle Jehovah’s Witnesses South 10802 Manchaca Rd., Manchaca LUTHERAN

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Santa Cruz Catholic Church

1100 Main Street • Buda, Texas 78610 Office: 512-312-2520 • Fax: 512-295-2034 • santacruzcc.org Rev. Jesse Martinez, Pastor • Fr. Rito Davila, Parochial Vicar CONFESSION Saturdays: 4 p.m.-5 p.m. MASS SCHEDULE: Saturday evening: 5:00 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m. (Spanish), 10:30 a.m. (English) 5 p.m. (English)

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St. John Lutheran Church 9865 Camino Real, Uhland

Baptist Church of Driftwood 13540 FM 150 W.

The Well Buda

CATHOLIC Santa Cruz Catholic Church 1100 Main Street, Buda

Kingdom United Christian Church 100 Madison Way, Buda Mission Fellowship Church 200 San Marcos Street, Buda New Covenant Community Church 1019 Main Street, Buda (in Dance Unlimited) Vertical Chapel 5700 Dacy Lane (McCormick M.S.), Buda

Living Word Lutheran ELCA 2315 FM 967, Buda

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Completed & Perfected Faith Church Tobias Elementary Cafeteria, FM 150, Kyle

METHODIST Buda United Methodist Church San Marcos & Elm St., Buda

A Fountain of Life Church 302 Millenium Dr. Kyle Fellowship Church at Plum Creek 160 Grace Street at 2770, Kyle Word of Life Christian Faith Center 118 Trademark Drive, Buda Por Tu Gracia Fellowship 701 Roland Lane, Kyle

Journey United Methodist 4301 Benner Rd, Kyle, Tx

CHRISTIAN

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 7206 Creedmoor Rd., Creedmoor

New Life Christian Church 2315 FM 967, Buda

Manchaca United Methodist Church FM 1626 & Manchaca Rd., Manchaca

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 12420 Hewitt Ln., Manchaca

Iglesia Israelita Casa de Dios 816 Green Pastures Dr., Kyle

Driftwood United Methodist Church RR 150 at County Road 170

First Presbyterian Church 410 W. Hutchison, San Marcos, TX 78666

Sunday School (all ages)-10:00 a.m.

*Informal Worship (Worship Center)-11 a.m. Wednesday Evening (Chapel)-6:30 p.m.

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Kyle United Methodist Church Sledge & Lockhart St., Kyle

Elm Street & San Marcos

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Trinity United Chuch of Niederwald 13700 Camino Real, Hwy. 21, Niederwald

St. Anthony Marie Claret Church 801 N. Burleson, Kyle

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9:30 a.m. Classic Service 10:45 a.m. Contemporary service Adult (including an 8:30 a.m. early bird class), teen, children’s classes * Children’s worship Professionally-staffed nursery & pre-school

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Page 8

Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

COVID-19 Reshaping College Experience

CARES: County allocating funds

Continued from pg. 5

Continued from pg. 1

my room? It’s a weird limbo feeling. No one knows who they’re contacting, and obviously our roommates have to work, too.” If a student were to contract the virus, the university does have some systems in place to help. Texas State University has set up its own team and online system for contact tracing. They are even providing isolated spaces for students who do get infected to quarantine in for 14 days. Students can go back home if they are able to, but because some of them live far away or do not want to infect their family, the backup option is to get the care needed on campus. They will even have a meal service for those in quarantine to keep the virus at bay. The school

is also providing COVID-19 tests on campus in their healthcare center for all staff, faculty and students and can administer several hundred tests per day, if needed. Indeed, there are many drawbacks in the new way of life for university students. Joshua Gray, a senior at Texas State, said he will miss sneaking in his exercise of the day by walking the unnerving hills on campus. Gray does see a few positive outcomes. One thing he looks forward to is moving to Mexico City for several months while getting his education. He also said that driving to campus everyday eventually adds up, so perhaps online courses are one way this college student can save money. In light of the limited campus

accessibility, the university will also implement a few money-saving rules. They will waive $342 in on-campus fees if a student only takes online and hybrid courses, but will charge an electronic course fee. If a student has at least one face-to-face class, that online course fee will not be charged. But as the saying goes, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and the vice president for university administration, Dr. Lisa Lloyd, understands this notion. As she spoke during a higher education panel, Lloyd told the attendees, “it is very important for us to lay out a plan, make it as transparent as possible; one that is fluid and continues to change as we know more about COVID.”

Hays County and one contact tracer. Although having these added personnel on staff has helped the county, the county has job listings for four contact tracers, four data entry personnel, two statisticians and a part-time communications specialist. Adding on these staff members will cost almost $112,000. Nearly $30,000 will go toward equipment and operating costs. The county also plans to expand its testing sites, at a price of about $246,000. Maintaining cleanliness in county buildings is going to cost around $129,000. But Hays County wants to utilize its funds beyond the physical safety measures. Hays County’s emergency

management coordinator, Alex Villalobos, said he is working on a program that aids residents affected by COVID-19. The program will help with rent, mortgage and utility assistance. Villalobos does not know when the project will take off due to the complexity of setting it up. Kicking off the program means finding organizations that will help facilitate the program, working on the registration process and synthesizing the data and types of qualification criteria. The CARES Act funds should be utilized by Dec. 31 if the county wants financial reimbursement. Villalobos believes there might be an extension, but nothing is official yet.

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Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch • August 5, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice is given that original Letters of Administration for the Estate of Diana Ray Watson were issued on July 31, 2020, in docket number 19-0369-P, pending in the County Court at Law of Hays County, Texas, to Malcolm Alan Watson, Jr. All persons having claims against the estate, which is presently being administered, are required to submit them, within the time and manner prescribed by law, and before the estate is closed, addressed as follows: Representative Estate of Diana Ray Watson c/o Hollis W. Burklund 403 W. San Antonio St. Lockhart, TX 78644 Dated August 3, 2020 By Hollis W. Burklund Attorney for Administrator of the Estate of Diana Ray Watson

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice is hereby given that Original Letters of Administration for the Estate of Lila May Jancha, Deceased, were issued in Cause No. 9283-P, pending in the County Court at Law of Hays County, Texas, to David H. Morris, Dependent Administrator of the Estate of Lila May Jancha. David H. Morris Morris & Wise Attorneys at Law 1921 Corporate Drive, Ste. 102 San Marcos,

Texas 78666 All persons having claims against this Estate, which is currently being administered, are required to present themselves within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. DATED this the 3rd day of August, 2020. Respectfully submitted, DAVID H. MORRIS State Bar No. 14476600 Morris and Wise Attorneys at Law 1921 Corporate Drive, Ste. 102 San Marcos, Texas 78666 (512) 396-7525 (512) 396-7599 Fax david@morrisandwise.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Notice to all persons having claims against the Estate of Frank Maldonado, Deceased. Notice is hereby given that original Letters Testamentary upon the Estate of Frank Maldonado, Deceased, were issued to Kelly Lynn Maldonado on July 15, 2020, in Cause No. 20-0187-P, in the County Court at Law of Hays County, Texas, which matter is still pending. All persons having claims against said Estate are required to present same within the time prescribed by law to: Kelly Lynn Maldonado, 51 Country Oaks Drive, Buda, Texas 78610.

LEGAL NOTICE

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit by Petro Park LLC dba Petro Park Buda to be located at 401 N. FM 1626, Suite A, Buda, Hays County, Texas. Managing member of said LLC is Kamil K. Ali – Managing Member.

NOTICE OF SALE

Pursuant to chapter 59; Texas property code; Cornerstone Storage 281 N FM 1626 Buda, TX, 78610 will hold a public auction of property being sold to satisfy a landlord lien. The sale will end on or around 10:00 a.m. on August 27, 2020 via storagetreasures. com. Property will be sold to the highest bidder for cash. A $50.00 clean up deposit will be required. Unit must be cleaned out 48 hours from end of sale. Sale is subject to adjournment. Seller reserves the right to withdraw the property at any time before the sale. Unit 5185 - Michelle Sanchez.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

By Order of the Village of Bear Creek City Commissioners, notice is hereby given that on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 7:00PM via Zoom teleconference URL: https://financialguide.zoom. us/j/5128262602. Meeting ID: 5128262602, the Village of Bear Creek City Commissioners will hold a Public Budget Hearing for the Village of Bear Creek fiscal year 10/1/2020 to 9/30/2021.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Morningstar Storage wishes to avail themselves of the Texas Provision of chapter 59 of the Texas Property Code by conduction a Public Sale to the Highest bidder for cash on their premises. The company reserves the right to reject any bid and withdraw any from the sale at any time. This sale is listed below. Date : 8/21/2020 Time: 12:00 AM Location: StorageAuctions. com Units: Unit # 2126 - Dani Villalpando - Baby bed, metal side table, dryer, flatscreen TV, mattress and box spring, bed frame, night stand, boxes, totes.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO AMEND A CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO PROVIDE WATER UTILITY SERVICE IN CALDWELL AND HAYS COUNTIES, TEXAS County Line Special Utility District has filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to amend its Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) No. 10292, Decertify Portion of CCN No. 10292 and Decertify Portion of Polonia WSC’s CCN No. 10420 for the provision of retail Water utility service in Caldwell and Hays Counties. The requested area overlaps the district boundaries of the Canyon Regional Water Authority, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, and Ranch at Clear Fork Creek MUD 2. If those districts do not request a public hearing, the Commission shall determine that the districts are consenting to the County Line SUD’s request to provide retail water utility service in the requested area. Area #1: Portion to Amend Uncertificated Area to County Line SUD (10292) The requested area is located approximately 1 mile north of downtown Uhland, TX, and is generally bounded on the north by Rohde Road; on the east by State Highway 21; on the south by High Road; and on the west by the intersection of CR 128 and High Road. The requested area includes approximately 202 total acres and 0 current customers. Area #2: Portions to Decertify from County Line SUD (10292) The requested area is located approximately 1.8 miles southeast of downtown Uhland, TX, and is generally bounded on the north by Cottonwood Trail (CR 228A) and Plum Creek; on the east by FM 2001; on the south by Jolly Road (CR 230); and on the west by the intersection of FM 2720 and CR 228. The requested area includes approximately 17.4 total acres and 0 current customers. Area #3: The requested area is located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of downtown Uhland, TX, and is generally bounded on the north by the intersection of Drue Drive and Ranch to Market Road 150; on the east by State Highway 21; on the south by intersection of FM 1966 and State Highway 21; and on the west by CR 158. The requested area includes 0 current customers and includes the following approximate acres: • Dually Certificated Area to Decertify Portion from Polonia WSC (10420) = 18 acres; • Portion to Decertify from Polonia WSC (10420) and Amend to County Line SUD (10292) = 222 acres; and • Amend Uncertificated Area to County Line SUD (10292) = .55 acres The total requested area to be amended to County Line SUD (10292) includes approximately 425 total acres and 0 current customers. A copy of the map showing the requested area is available at: 8870 Camino Real, Uhland, TX 78640 Persons who wish to intervene in the proceeding or comment upon action sought should contact the Public Utility Commission, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, Texas 78711-3326, or call the Public Utility Commission at (512) 936-7120 or (888) 782-8477. Hearing- and speech-impaired individuals with text telephones (TTY) may contact the commission at (512) 936-7136. The deadline for intervention in the proceeding is (30 days from the mailing or publication of notice, whichever occurs later, unless otherwise provided by the presiding officer). You must send a letter requesting intervention to the commission which is received by that date. The letter must include the person’s name, address, email address and fax number if applicable. If a valid public hearing is requested, the Commission will forward the application to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for a hearing. If no settlement is reached and an evidentiary hearing is held, SOAH will submit a recommendation to the Commission for a final decision. An evidentiary hearing is a legal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court. A landowner with a tract of land at least 25 acres or more, that is partially or wholly located within the requested area, may file a written request with the Commission to be excluded from the requested area (“opt out”) within (30) days from the date that notice was provided by the Utility. All opt out requests must include a large-scale map, a metes and bounds description of the landowner’s tract of land, landowner’s name, address, email address and fax number, if applicable. Persons who wish to request this option should file the required documents with the: Public Utility Commission of Texas Central Records 1701 N. Congress, P. 0. Box 13326 Austin, TX 78711-3326 In addition, the landowner must also send a copy of the opt out request to the Utility. Staff may request additional information regarding your request. Si desea información en español, puede llamar al 1-888-782-8477.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Separate sealed Bids for the County Line Special Utility District – BUNTON LANE WATER LINE RELOCATION AT BUNTON CREEK, SWE Project No. 0017-066-20 will be received by and at the office of the General Manager, County Line SUD office, 8870 Camino Real, Uhland, Texas 78640 until 10:00 AM, Tuesday, August 25, 2020 where they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids must be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope or package with the words “County Line SUD – Bunton Lane Water Line Relocation Project”. Bids received after this time will be rejected and returned unopened. “In accordance with DSHS guidance, the County Line Special Utility District is practicing good hygiene, environmental cleanliness and sanitation, and implementing social distancing by minimizing social gatherings; therefore, no more than ten (10) people can attend the bid opening and each person in attendance should also be practicing good hygiene and will be required to implement social distancing to minimize in-person contact. Project consists of, but is not limited to the following: Furnish and install one 12inch waterline crossing and two 8-inch water line crossings across Bunton Creek along Bunton Lane. The crossing will be installed in steel casing to be installed by open cutting. The project will consist of approximately 360 linear feet of 8-inch water line and 150 linear feet of 12-inch water line and will include open cut steel casing, gate valves, hydrants, tie-ins, etc. Each Bidder shall also include the time when he could begin work and the number of days needed to complete the project as part of his bid. This may factor into the award of the project. The Information for Bidders, Bid, Bid Bond, Contract, Plans, Specifications, Performance and Payment Bonds and the Contract Documents may be examined at the following locations: SOUTHWEST ENGINEERS, INC., 307 ST. LAWRENCE STREET, GONZALES, TEXAS 78629 (830) 672-7546 Plans and Specifications are available at the office of Southwest Engineers, Inc. in three different formats: Hard Copy - $80.00 (Non-Refundable) CD in PDF Format - $30.00 (Non-Refundable) Download - $25.00 (Non-Refundable) A bid bond in the amount of 5% of the bid issued by an acceptable surety registered with the U.S. Treasury shall be submitted with each bid. A certified check payable to the County Line Special Utility District may be submitted in lieu of the Bid Bond. The County Line Special Utility District reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities in the bidding. Bids may be held by the County Line Special Utility District for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days from the date of the bid opening for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the bidder's qualifications prior to the contract award. July 30, 2020 County Line Special Utility District Chris Betz, President

Hays CISD Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) In the 2020-2021 school year, the Hays Consolidated Independent School District will use a portion of the federal funds it receives under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for participation by private school children with disabilities in the District’s special education services. Children with disabilities who are 5 years old and older or eligible to attend a public school kindergarten program when the new school year begins, may be entitled to be considered for participation in the District’s special education services if they attend a private elementary or secondary school located in the District, regardless of the child's residence. The children in private schools who are eligible to be considered for participation in the District’s special education services are those who meet the following criteria: • Evaluated by a public school district, or the public school district has accepted a private evaluation; • Determined by an Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee (ARD Committee) to have a disability covered by IDEA and need special education and related services;* • Parent has chosen to voluntarily enroll the child in a private elementary or secondary school, including a religious school or home school; and • The private elementary or secondary school is located in the District. We appreciate your assistance in helping the District accurately count the number of children with disabilities attending a private school located in the District and determine the special education and related services appropriate for them. Please feel free to call Margarita Limon-Ordonez at Hays CISD Special Education Office at 512.268.8250 ext. 45951 or email Margarita.Limon-Ordonez@hayscisd.net if you have questions regarding your student who attends private school in our district. In order to be considered for this school year, please contact Margarita Limon-Ordonez by August 31, 2020. *Disabilities covered by IDEA include autism, auditory impairment including deafness, deaf/blindness, emotional disturbance, learning disability, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment including blindness, and noncategorical early childhood disability (3–5 years old). Hays CISD la Ley de Educación de Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA) En el año escolar 2020-2021, el Distrito Escolar Independiente Consolidado de Hays (Hays CISD) usará una parte de los fondos federales que recibe bajo la Ley de Educación de Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA) para la participación de niños con discapacidades en los servicios de educación especial del Distrito. Los niños con discapacidades de 5 años de edad o mayores o elegibles para asistir a un programa de temprano de infancia de la escuela pública cuando comience el nuevo año escolar pueden tener derecho a ser considerados para participar en los servicios de educación especial del Distrito si asisten a una escuela primaria o secundaria privada ubicada en el Distrito, independientemente de la residencia del niño. Los niños en escuelas privadas que son elegibles para ser considerados para participar en los servicios de educación especial del Distrito son aquellos que cumplen con los siguientes criterios: • Evaluado por un distrito escolar público, o el distrito escolar público ha aceptado una evaluación privada; • Determinado por un Comité de Admisión, Revisión y Despedida (Comité ARD) que tiene una discapacidad cubierta por IDEA y que necesita educación especial y servicios relacionados; * • El padre ha escogido voluntariamente matricular al niño en una escuela primaria o secundaria privada, incluyendo una escuela religiosa o una escuela en casa; y • La escuela primaria o secundaria privada está ubicada en el Distrito. Agradecemos su ayuda para ayudar al Distrito a contar con precisión el número de niños con discapacidades que asisten a una escuela privada ubicada en el Distrito y determinar la educación especial y servicios relacionados apropiados para ellos. Por favor llame a Margarita Limon-Ordonez en la Oficina de Educación Especial de Hays CISD al 512.268.8250 ext. 45951 o por correo electronico Margarita.LimonOrdonez@hayscisd.net si tiene preguntas sobre su estudiante que asiste a una escuela privada en nuestro distrito. Para ser considerada para este año escolar, por avor comuníquese con Margarita Limon-Ordonez antes del 31 de agosto de 2020. * Las discapacidades cubiertas por IDEA incluyen autismo, impedimento auditivo incluyendo sordera, sordo / ceguera, alteración emocional, discapacidad de aprendizaje, discapacidad intelectual, discapacidades múltiples, impedimentos ortopédicos, otros impedimentos de la salud, impedimentos del habla, lesión cerebral traumática, impedimentos visuales incluyendo ceguera y falta de categoría discapacidad en la primera infancia (3-5 años de edad).

SEE EMPLOYMENT, PAGE 10

Page 10

County looking at $75 to $80M parks bond for November ballot BY ANITA MILLER

Hays County is looking to add a $75 to $80 million bond election to the Nov. 3 ballot. The money would be to fund new parks, trails, open spaces, natural areas and habitat conservation, as well as water quality and flood mitigation projects throughout the county. The last time Hays voters were asked to approve a parks bond was in 2007, when 68 percent of voters approved $30 million that was leveraged for more than $76 million in projects. The county’s Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) recommended the ask to the commissioners court on July 28. POSAC has received 18 proposals for projects that have already been reviewed according to the county’s Parks, Open Space and Natural Areas Master Plan, which was approved in 2012. All told, those projects added up to more than $176 million and were suggested by county staff, municipalities, nonprofit and land trusts working with landowners. Voter support for a bond election has been shown, the county said in a news release, by a poll that showed 71 to

77 percent voter support. The bond election would not affect the county’s tax rate and includes the Sentinel Peak Park and Preserve. Commissioners will

consider calling the bond election at their Aug. 11 meeting. By law, they must act before Aug. 17 in order to have it on the November ballot.

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