December 4, 2019 Hays Free Press

DECEMBER 4, 2019 REALIGNMENT

QUESTIONABLE

Lehman, Hays stay in District 6A, Johnson in 5A.

Campaign fund use by former state representative questioned.

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Vol. 125 • No. 35

HaysFreePress.com

Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX

Explosion destroys barn, vehicle Suspect, Buda officers injured County fire marshal investigating what went wrong by barbed wire

BY ANITA MILLER

BY ANITA MILLER

was able to communicate with officers that a Trying to get over or male subject was seen through a barbed wire actively tampering with fence is never a vehicles in the good idea. rear yard.”

But while the As the officers consequence approached, for some Buda Ramirez took off Police officers “and attempted was a trip to to jump over the emergenthe barbed wire cy room, the fence.” decision cost He and the 53-year-old officers were RAMIREZ Mike Ramirez treated for minor much more – injuries before the San Antonio he was taken to resident is facing second jail. degree felony charges Ramirez, who had because of the officers’ no previous criminal injuries. history in Hays County, Buda police were was charged with two dispatched to Truck counts of assault on a City Ford shortly after peace officer, second demidnight on Nov. 19 for gree felonies, as well as a business alarm, acburglary of a building, a cording to Brittany Tate, third-degree felony, and executive assistance to criminal mischief $2,500 Buda Police Chief Bo to $30,000, a state jail Kidd. felony. He remains be“The security compa- hind bars under bonds ny had surveillance and totaling $65,000.

Man suspected of setting wife’s truck on fire

BY ANITA MILLER

imately 4:24 p.m. on Nov. 29 to the Comfort A Del Valle man is Inn Suites in Buda to facing a charge of arson assist with a fire call. in connection On arrival with a fire that they found a destroyed a veDodge Ram hicle registered pickup fully ento his wife. gulfed in flame.

Ernest TaWitnesses mayo Jr., 34, was and security charged with video led to the second-dethe arrest of gree felony Tamayo. offense on Nov. Second deTAMAYO 29. He was still gree felonies are in Hays County punishable by a Jail on Tuesday under a prison sentence from 2 bond of $20,000. to 20 years with a fine of According to the up to $10,000.

Buda Police DepartThe case will next ment, officers were go to the Hays County called out at approxGrand Jury.

The Hays County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating what caused a Kyle-area barn to explode last week.

It happened on Wednesday, Nov. 27 in the 3800 block of Dacy Lane.

EXPLOSION, 2

The Christmas season will officially arrive in Kyle on Wednesday. Santa on the Square festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. and the switch that turns on the thousands of lights will be flipped by Santa himself at 5:25 p.m.

Feral hogs turn deadly. What now?

BY GENE HALL TEXAS FARM BUREAU

managed to discourage the aggressive male with a few pistol shots.

The scary thing about It was a grisly scene in last week’s attack is that it Anahuac, Texas, last week, occurred within a town. as wild hogs apparently at- Wild hogs are no longer tacked and killed a woman just a farm problem. outside the home where Estimates peg numbers she worked. of feral hogs in Texas at These attacks are rare, between two and four but anyone who comes million. Those guesses are across this destructive spe- nearly 15 years old and cies understands they are wrong. They are prolific aggressive. I once encoun- breeders. By my own arithtered a group of them alone metic, I believe there could in the Texas Hill Country. I be more than six million.

beverages and concessions will be provided

by Santa Cruz Catholic School, Project Graduation, Boy Scout Troop 967, Olympia Hills Cheer, and the Buda Lions Club.

Be sure to stop by their booths to purchase tasty drinks and snacks. Pets are not permitted at this event. The Trail of Lights will be open Dec. 6-8, 1315 and 20-22 and it will kick off with senior night (65-plus) on Dec. 5.

UNRESOLVED ISSUES County audit of District Attorney and elections office reveals errors.

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initially said the man had been frying a turkey.

“It was just a smoker that started a little fire,” Taylor said. “No residences burned, nobody was displaced.” He could not confirm reports that a chicken

PHOTO BY RAFAEL MARQUEZ

INDEX

Trail of Lights is a free holiday event held at Historic Stagecoach Park that features lighted and decorated displays provided by local businesses and organizations.

Visitors can walk the lighted trail in the park to view the dazzling exhibits, sip hot chocolate and meet Santa himself. Hot

using a smoker to cook a turkey inside the barn prior to the explosion and fire, which he said also destroyed an RV or camper that was parked in the barn. Other reports indicated neighbors saw a plume of black smoke; and Austin TV station KXAN

o t n w o d t n u o C s a m t s i r h C

COMING UP Buda Trail of Lights

Responding agencies included the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, the Kyle Fire Department and EMS. Kyle Fire Chief Kyle Taylor said his department sent nine firefighters to the fire call, which came out shortly past 10 a.m.

Taylor said a man was

First Saturday in Buda, Dec. 7 From the Buda Mill and Grain, to the Little House on Main, come down to historic downtown Buda for a day of shopping, dining, sips and specials.

Sights & Sounds of Christmas

The Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival will

News…………………… 2 Opinion Page………… 3 Sports………………… 4-5 Community………… 6-8

Some say a new law allowing hog hunting without a license will help.

It won’t. The hogs breed too fast for that to matter.

Other control measures are needed.

Let’s get an updated, realistic expert estimate of numbers, so we might know just how big a problem we have. This first death likely won’t be the last.

return to San Marcos Plaza Park and City Park on Dec. 4-7 and 11-14.

Festival highlights include: live entertainment, free photos with Santa, an ice skating rink, petting zoo, carnival rides, thousands of lights, Santa’s Jingle Bell Run 5K and Kids 1K, and more. For information and updates, please visit www.sights-n-sounds.org or www.facebook.com/ sightsandsoundstexas.

The event is hosted by the Sights & Sounds Foundation in partnership with the city of San Marcos. There will be stricter security this year.

See story on page 8.

Austin Flea comes to Buda Saturday

Service Directory……… 9 Classifieds…………… 10 Police Blotter………… 11

Two Wheel Brewery is bringing the Austin Flea to Buda! Come to this fun and funky event between noon and 6 p.m. at the brewery located at 535 S. Loop 4 in Buda.

The Austin Flea features all local handmade items and vintage wares from some of Austin’s most amazing and talented vendors. Entrance to the event is free and open to all ages! Shop local.

Shop the Flea!

NEWS

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Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

Campaign fund use by former state rep questioned

Hays Free Press

BY CYNDY BARTON & ANITA MILLER

than $21,000 in campaign funds to pay for the application fee, monthly rent, utilities, insurance and Former State Reprecable bill for an apartsentative Jason Isaac ment home in southwest may have Austin betrayed adjacent to From April public the private trust, but school through likely broke his two December of no laws, in children his use of attend. that year, Jason campaign listed Isaac used more Isaac funds, acthe expenscording to es as an than $21,000 an inves“officeholdin campaign tigation of er aparthis spendment” on funds to pay for ing after campaign the application he lost a finance primary reports. fee, monthly election in Isaac told rent, utilities, a race for the Hays the U.S. Free Press insurance and House of that it was cable bill for an Representhe camtatives. apartment home paign that Isaac rented the in southwest used apartment, campaign not him, Austin. Isaac funds to and that his listed the pay for wife Carrie, an Austin who was expenses as an apartment treasur“officeholder after he er of her lost the husband’s apartment” Republican campaign, on campaign primary in never lived a bid for there, nor finance reports.

Congress. did the From couple’s April two chilthrough December of dren. that year, Isaac used more “I had the apartment

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.

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Two appointed to Child Welfare Board

BY ANITA MILLER Hays County Commissioners appointed two people to the county’s Child Protection Board at their Nov. 26 meeting. Jodi Steen and Sarah Hall will each serve three-year terms ending on Dec. 31, 2022.

Steen, who was adopted as an infant, graduated from San Marcos High School and Texas State University, where she has been employed since 1991. For the past eight years, she has been director of Core Systems at the university.

She volunteers with Family4Life, an organization that works to reunite siblings that were separated by foster care

LETTERS GUIDELINES

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.

and adoption. “I believe that, with my skills and abilities, I can assist the board in improving the lives of children in Hays County,” she said in a letter.

Hall, who holds a bachelor of arts/psychology from Chadron State College, served on the leadership team for Campus Crusade for Christ and is an executive assistant with The Mallard Group. She has also volunteered at LifeAustin Church and has managed a satellite office for Hope’s Promise, an adoption agency.

Neither were in court for their appointment; commissioners did not offer any discussion on the action.

Three incumbents reappointed to TIRZs

HISTORY

Founded April 10, 1903,

by Thomas Fletcher Harwell as The Kyle News, with offices on the corner of Burleson and Miller streets in the town’s oldest remaining building.

It merged into The Hays County Citizen in 1956.

The paper consolidated with The Free Press in October, 1978. During its more than 100-year history the newspaper has maintained offices at more than a dozen locations in Kyle and Buda.

STAFF REPORTS Reappointments to two key Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ) were made on Nov. 26 by the Hays County Commissioners Court.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe and Bobby Warren were both reappointed to the TIRZ No. 5 in

downtown San Marcos and Pct. 3 Commissioner Lon Shell was reappointed to TIRZ No. 4, Kissing Tree. Terms for both run through December 2021.

The downtown TIRZ was formed in 2016 and the Kissing Tree TIRZ followed two years later.

TIRZs are created by cities and counties in order to implement tax increment financing.

JASON ISAAC

CARRIE ISAAC

in Austin as I was closing up my office, which a lot of legislators do. I don’t consider that living there, though I did stay there sometime during the week.”

Carrie Isaac recently announced that she is running for the same state representative seat that her husband held.

According to the state Ethics Commission, office holders are allowed to spend campaign funds on rent. However, tradition has been that those who live within driving distance of Austin typically do not rent apartments there.

Jason Isaac’s home residence when he was elected was less than two miles from the Travis County line and even had an Austin street address.

The Isaac campaign rented a property at The Preserve at Travis Creek, which advertises that

its “homes are stunning sanctuaries of pure luxury, with eco-friendly features, open design and handcrafted elements.”

The property is as close to his district as it is to the state capitol, about 8.5 miles from each.

Isaac was first elected in 2011, but the payment for the officeholder apartment did not begin until April 2018 – when he was no longer commuting to the state Capitol. By the time he rented the apartment, his final legislative session was concluded and he had filed to run.

During the previous seven years, Isaac commuted the approximately 18-mile drive from the Capitol to his home in the Dripping Springs area.

Campaign finance records show that Isaac paid the application fee on April 6, 2018.

About the same time, Isaac and his wife put their house in the district on the market for sale.

According to real estate records, the house went on the market in June 2018. It was listed as a pending sale in July but went back on the market until finally closing on Nov. 29, 2018, when a deed filed in real property records of Hays County transferred ownership

to new owners. For the remaining 40 days of Isaac’s term as a member of the Texas House, he no longer had a residence in District 45.

Attorney Eric Opiela, a Republican, seems to question the legality of Isaac’s expenditures, though Democratic attorney Buck Wood said he didn’t see a problem.

According to Opiela, who also served for a time as the state Republican Party’s executive director, the legality of the Isaacs’ use of campaign funds for his apartment home in southwest Austin comes down to intent. Did Isaac intend the apartment to support his official work as the representative, or was it for personal use?

Isaac announced on March 29, 2018, via Twitter, that he had taken a new job in Austin as president of a public policy organization, saying he was “eager to get to work expanding [the organization].” Eight days later, Jason Isaac used campaign funds to pay the application fee for his apartment home in Austin.

“Just because you list something as an officeholder expense on a

FUND USE QUESTIONED, 12

County to repair two damaged low-water crossing monitors

BY ANITA MILLER

Damage to the monitoring system at two low-water crossings, one caused by a hit-and-run and another by a police chase, will be repaired, the Hays County Commissioners Court said Nov. 26, authorizing $2,360 toward the effort.

The standpipe rain gauge at Chaparral Road was damaged in a hit and run, as was the standpipe and

conduit, according to agenda background information. Damage to flasher #2 at Bunton Lane was due to a police chase and included the flasher base, LED light and housing, solar panel mount, battery and antenna pipe.

The work on both will

Explosion

Continued from pg. 1 died in the explosion and fire, which is believed to have been started after a propane tank ignited.

Hays County Fire Marshal Scott Raven refused to comment on the investigation Monday, saying one of his office’s six investigators had the case, and that a written report would be released when the investigation ends, except in the event some criminal act is discovered. If that happens, Raven would send the case to the office of District Attorney Wes Mau. Taylor said that even though the report from the fire marshal’s office has not been completed, it looks to have been accidental in origin. He characterized the investigation as “normal, pretty much.”

be done by Water & Earth Technologies. Regarding the flasher at Bunton Lane, the county is currently seeking damages from the party at fault.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones noted that both of the low-water crossings “flood quite frequently.”

Kanakadurga Govindaraju, MD PLLC, Kyle Family Medical Center, 147 Elmhurst # 200 Kyle TX 78640 Dear All, Effective 12/26/19, my practice will be merging with Communicare located at 2810 Dacy Lane, Kyle, Texas, Telephone 512-268-8900. I look forward to seeing you at my new office location. Thank you.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES: Fred Weber, Inc., has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for issuance of Proposed Air Quality Permit Number 158488, which would authorize construction of a Sand and Gravel Facility located at 7071 Camino Real, Maxwell, Hays County, Texas 78656. This application was processed in an expedited manner, as allowed by the commission’s rules in 30 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 101, Subchapter J. Additional information concerning this application is contained in the public notice section of this newspaper.

DECEMBER

6-8, 13-15 20-22

Special NIghts:

11TH ANNUAL

Senior Night \ December 5 Meet at Onion Creek Senior Center

Trail of Lights @ stagecoach park

6 pm 10 PM

Night Market \ December 6 & 7 Stagecoach House Lawn

Opinion

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Residency questions are difficult to prove as a matter of state law. It’s easy to claim to reside in a district without actually living there. It’s not so easy to have a candidate disqualified from the ballot, but it has happened in both primary and general elections.”

–Eric Opiela, attorney. Story on page 2.

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

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The best Christmas gifts don’t come from stores Guest Column

by Todd Purcell

W

hat’s the best gift you ever received?

Whatever it was, it surely wasn’t a material item bought in a store.

An experience, rather than a material good, is the best gift to receive. That’s what University of Toronto professor Cindy Chan and University of California professor Cassie Mogilner discovered in a study they conducted in 2018.

“The reason experiential gifts are more socially connecting is that they tend to be more emotionally evocative,” Chan told PsychCentral.

“An experiential gift elicits a strong emotional response when a recipient consumes it – like the fear and awe of a safari adventure, the excitement of a rock concert or the calmness of a spa – and is more intensely emotional than a material possession.”

What’s the best experiential gift you ever received? Whatever it was, it surely wasn’t something that someone bought for you.

Of all the Christmas mornings I’ve enjoyed and the many gifts I’ve been given, I can’t remember a single one of them – except the limegreen Huffy Spyder bike I got when I was 10.

But I vividly remember the wonderful experience of being a child in a big family with parents who put our needs ahead of theirs.

We’d sit around the Christmas tree, taking turns opening our presents, talking and laughing as our dog Jingles rolled around in the torn wrapping paper.

We’d enjoy a big breakfast that my Father made in his cast-iron skillet, talking and laughing more. Then he’d begin pleading with us to “get ready for church so we don’t end up standing in the aisles like we did last year.”

With five sisters and one shower – and the hours my sisters spent blow-drying their long Farah Fawcett hair – we’d be late for church and end up standing in the aisles like we did the prior year.

These are the things I remember. These are the real gifts my parents gave to my sisters and me – the experiential gifts we all hunger for.

So it puzzles me that we put so much time and effort into buying material gifts for loved ones.

It’s especially bizarre to me that people would rush to a store just after Thanksgiving dinner, because the real gift of Thanksgiving is sitting around the table after enjoying the feast, sharing joyful memories of family members no longer with us and talking about everything and nothing and all that’s in between.

My mother and father are in their 80s now.

Their good health is the biggest gift my family and I dream of and are praying for this Christmas.

The money I’d otherwise spend on gifts is going to a handful of my favorite charities.

My time is what I must give more of this Christmas. Elderly parents will tell you that all they really want from their children is more time with them.

But giving my parents more of my time is really a gift to me – a wonderful gift I will remember long after they’re no longer here.

Material gifts are great to get. But no material gift can ever compete with an afternoon listening to my parents’ hilarious story of the day they met. That sort of priceless experience is an unending joy – but it’s available, as Christmas ads say, only for a limited time.

Tom Purcell, author of “Misadventures of a 1970’s Childhood,” a humorous memoir available at amazon.com, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Tom@TomPurcell.com

Hays Free Press Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton News Editor Anita Miller Sports Editor Moses Leos III

The gleam in Rick Perry’s eyes S oon-to-be-outtahere Energy Secretary Rick Perry has certainly changed his take.

A couple of years ago he labeled Donald Trump a “cancer on conservatism” and called on fellow conservatives to “excise” it. Now that cancer is divine.

All praise. He says he’s told Trump: “Absorb that you are here at this chosen time because God ordained it.”

Perry talks in terms of royalty, comparing Trump to ancient kings – “Old Testament kings,” no less.

Perry is free to be frothy. However, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s job is to stay sober.

Trump’s efforts to dodge all accountability, the federal judge wrote: “Presidents are not kings.”

But you see, today’s Republican Party frantically begs to differ.

Trump is king. Like Johnny Carson – king of late night. Like Tarzan – king of jungle. Like Pablo Escobar – king of cocaine.

Today’s Republican Party has chosen the Pablo Escobar model.

There can be no other explanation. Trump simply is above the law.

Once upon a time, by remarkable numbers

can read a telephone transcript.

Witness after witness in the House hearings has affirmed he or she

by John heard what our eyes Young told us.

None of that matters Republicans, rejected to those who see things this. the Rick Perry way, the Republicans in Lindsey Graham way.

Congress came to Graham said if he acknowledge that believed an actual quid Richard Nixon pro quo was demanded abused his power and of the Ukraine with committed removable those tax dollars, offenses. It was they he might support who convinced him to impeachment. That step aside. he is leading point for Today’s Republicans the Trump defense are of another mind. No in the Senate can amount of evidence will only means Graham sway them. Their man is was wearing soundimmune from inquiry, limiting headphones immune from sanction, when European Union immune from the law.

Ambassador Gordon The “partisan witch Sondland said for all of hunt” they decry started the rest of us to hear, with a dogged, snail’s“Was there a quid pro pace investigation by quo? The answer is yes.” a stodgy Republican Ask Senate Majority careerist, Robert Leader Mitch Mueller, whose report McConnell and know identified 10 indictable that nothing Escobar offenses – and that was – er, Trump – has done just about obstruction with Ukraine would of justice, not colluding merit his conviction in with Russians and the Senate, no matter Wikileaks, which the how much evidence Trump campaign clearly mounts against Pablo – did. er, our king.

Now the focus is a As for Republicans in political shakedown the House, they know of Ukraine, extorting a as well as the rest of political favor with our us that Trump abused tax dollars. We don’t his power in extorting need Bob Mueller to Ukraine. They are tell us this is indictable simply gutless.

– that is, any of us who On this inquiry,

Young At-Large

says Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., “Many of my Republican colleagues have tremendous courage in the elevator on the way to the second floor where the House is and somehow leave that courage behind when they walk onto the floor of the House.”

The most amazing claim is that Trump is not getting a fair hearing. He and his team have every opportunity to set the record straight, even produce witnesses, but are seeking to run out the clock by refusing to participate and diverting attention to Hunter Biden.

This is where Judge Jackson inserted herself to rule that Trump’s people cannot ignore subpoenas in a constitutionally authorized procedure: impeachment.

So, whom or what will win the day?

King Trump or the Constitution?

God ordained Trump to be our burden? OK, then God also ordained Nancy Pelosi to impeach him.

Longtime Texas newspaperman John Young now lives in Colorado.

jyoungcolumn@gmail.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR FOR THE BIRDS ...

Re: “Cockfighting investigated in Buda’s Rolling Hills,” Nov. 27 Hays Free Press.

If you can’t feed them do not take them. These birds could have been held in place. The cages they were

in and the feed needed to care for them was all at hand. Just get a judicial order for Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law. However we all understand that if things go well the owner may continue to own his birds. When the

Barton Publications, Inc. News tips: news@haysfreepress.com Opinions: csb@haysfreepress.com

Reporters Camelia Juarez Columnists Bartee Haile, Chris Winslow, Pauline Tom, Clint Younts

Proofreaders Jane Kirkham Marketing Director Tracy Mack Marketing Specialists James Darby

birds are removed then the grieved care givers may pray to the court (beg) to have the birds killed, oops, euthanized. We are watching you San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter.

Taking the animals does not give you ownership.

A property owner has a right to just compensation for property taken by the Government. A court order to kill the animals does not cancel the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.‬ Jim Demoruelle

113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640 www.haysfreepress.com 512-268-7862 Production Manager David White Production Assistants Elizabeth Garcia, Michelle Zimmerhanzel

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Page 4

NEWS

Sports

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

REALIGNMENT UPDATE

Lehman, Hays stay in 6A, Johnson in 5A

BY MOSES LEOS III

By just six students, Lehman High will remain within the 6A ranks after the UIL Tuesday unveiled cutoff figures for all six conferences prior to February’s biennial realignment.

Based on the cutoff numbers, Lehman High, which turned in a preliminary, or snapshot, enrollment of 2,225 students, will remain in Conference 6A for the third straight realignment phase.

The cutoff between Conference 5A and 6A schools is 2,220 students.

The UIL’s cutoff numbers will be used by the UIL in February when it realigns and reclassifies schools

and conferences.

Lehman High will be the fourth smallest school in 6A based on student population. Only Willis, which moves up from 5A, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) North and Waco High have smaller student enrollments than Lehman that are beyond the 6A cutoff figure.

Prior to Tuesday, Lehman High was on the bubble on either staying in 6A, the highest classification of athletics in the state, or dropping down to 5A. Lehman High, which opened as a 4A (now 5A) school, moved up to 6A in the 2015 season.

Having the cutoff figures now helps coaches build non-district schedules with a better degree of certainty, said Lehman High athletic coordinator Bruce Salmon.

But at the same time, Salmon said the program’s goals of growing and molding young athletes, as well as improving and getting better on the field remain the same. For Salmon, speculation of where they’ll end up in February and all of the subsequent chatter that goes along with that is “just white noise.”

“Yesterday was the first day of the offseason and the kids are off to a great start,” Salmon said.

Meanwhile, Johnson High, which will enter

GRAPHIC BY MOSES LEOS III

The cutoff between Conference 5A and 6A schools is 2,220 students.

The UIL’s cutoff numbers will be used by the UIL in February when it realigns and reclassifies schools and conferences.

its first full season at the varsity level in 2020, will open in Conference 5A for all sports except football, where the Jaguars will play in the Class 5A, Division I ranks.

Hays CISD officials said they will allow Johnson High to compete at the 5A level and will not opt to move them up to 6A with the other district schools. It will mark the first time in Hays CISD history the district will have high schools competing in different UIL conferences.

Johnson High’s snapshot enrollment turned into the UIL was 2,176 students, which was double the current student population of 1,088 students. Johnson High, which opened in August, currently houses freshman and sophomores.

While change is forthcoming for Lehman and Johnson, life for Hays, Dripping Springs, San Marcos and Wimberley athletics will remain the status quo.

Hays High will stay in the 6A ranks based on

its snapshot enrollment of 2,435 students, which is well above the 5A/6A cutoff. Also staying in the same conference is Dripping Springs, which will remain in 5A for all sports and 5A, Division I in football. Dripping Springs turned in a snapshot enrollment of 2,144 students, which was a substantial increase from the 1,800-plus during the last realignment in 2018.

However, the Tigers are expected to see an entirely new slate of district foes in football as nearly every school they compete with in 12-5A, Division 1 is moving down to Division 2.

Despite speculation of possibly moving up, Wimberley High will remain in the 4A, Division II, or small school, ranks in football for the next two years. The Texans turned in a snapshot enrollment of 795 students, which was under the 864 student cutoff for Division I. San Marcos’ stay in 6A will continue for another two years due to its snapshot enrollment of 2,309.

UIL CONFERENCE CUTOFFS FOR THE 2020-22 SCHOOL YEARS 6A – 2,220 students and above 5A – 1,210 to 2,219 students 4A – 515 to 1,209 students 3A – 230 to 514 students 2A – 105 to 229 students 1A (six man) – 104.9 and below

HOW DID AREA SCHOOLS FARE? HAYS AND CALDWELL COUNTIES Hays – 2,435 (6A) Lehman – 2,225 (6A) Dripping Springs – 2,144 (5A; 5A D1 football) Wimberley – 795 (4A; 4A D2 football) San Marcos – 2,309 (6A) Johnson – 2, 176 (5A; 5A D1 football) Luling – 390 (3A)

AUSTIN AREA SCHOOLS Bowie – 2,848 (6A) Lake Travis – 3,401 (6A) Westlake – 2,833 (6A) Austin High – 2,539 (6A) Akins – 2,770 (6A) Austin LASA – 1,284.5 (5A) Anderson – 2,211 (5A; 5A D1 football) Crockett – 1,543 (5A; 5A D2 football) Austin Johnson – 855 (5A; 5A D2 football) McCallum – 1,773.5 (5A, 5A D2 football) Austin Navarro – 1,646 (5A, 5A D2 football) Austin Northeast – 1,141.5 (5A; 5A D2 football) Austin Travis – 1,245 (5A; 5A D2 football) Eastside Memorial – 755 (4A; 4A D2 football)

COMAL COUNTY Smithson Valley – 2,980 (6A) New Braunfels High – 2,634.5 (6A) New Braunfels Canyon – 2,027 (5A; 5A D1 football) Canyon Lake – 1,136 (4A; 4A D1 football) Davenport – 1,034 (4A; no football)

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

Page 5

Sports

All Hays Free Press/ News-Dispatch Volleyball Team

Rebels top Regents Knights in 61-35 win

BY SHANE SCHOLWINSKI

court.

“That kind of letharOn the back of Hays gic attitude we’ve got to junior forward Jackson learn how to have a killer Deutsch’s 18 points, and instinct from the onset,” with highly effective play Sandoval said regarding from a deep bench rotathe first half. “That’s why I tion, the Rebels cruised to mixed it up in the seca 61-35 win over the Reond half with the starting gents Knights last Saturday lineup, because it gives a at Bales Gym. chance to some guys that “At the end of the day normally don’t get out I was pleased that we got there to start. They did a a little something from great job at the start of the everyone,” Hays head third quarter.” basketball coach Matthew As a team the Rebels Sandoval said. “We got the bench outscored the win, now 4-1.”

Knights bench 26-0 for Deutsch, standing at the game, with 13 points six-feet and six-inches, coming in the second half. scored in a variety of ways Coming off the bench to get to 18 points while Hays junior guard Connor also contributing four Cox had eight points and rebounds, and one block six rebounds, while junior and one steal. Deutsch’s 10 forward Mikey Boudoin points in the third quarter contributed six points, sparked the Rebels second three blocks, two steals half effort that outscored and one rebound and the Knights 31-15 in the assist. Junior guard Wilfinal two frames. liam Agnew led the team “I think Jackson Deutsch with four assists off the had a hell of a game,” said bench, while also contribSandoval. “He’s going to uting two points and two keep getting better. He’s rebounds. coming along very, very “We are pretty deep, well. He moves well, and and I think that our bench he does all the things that can outscore anybody’s coaches ask. He has a very bench,” Sandoval said. “I positive attitude and he think that is going to be wants to get better. I think the difference in a lot of you are starting to see him our games this year. Our flourish.” bench can come in and Hays extended its 30-20 score the same amount halftime lead to 49-29 or more than our starters by the end of the third can.” quarter thanks to a 16-6 In addition to their run that was jump started dominating bench play, by a lineup change at the the Rebels had their way start of the half. Sandoval’s with the Knights in both experiment with different team assists and rebounds. lineups provided a shot With a clear size advanof energy each time new tage, Hays controlled the players came on to the boards with 33 rebounds

Most Valuable Player(s) Ryann Torres, Hays and Avery Kalsu, Dripping Springs

PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III

Hays junior guard Connor Cox had eight points and six rebounds during the game against Regents Knights last week.

to Regents’ 12. The Rebels also did a good job moving the ball with 18 total assists compared to only four by the Knights.

“Regents they played zone (defense) so you’ve got to move the ball more so, I thought we did an OK job at that,” Sandoval mentioned. “As the game kind of wore on they kind of got deflated a little bit and the passes became a

little bit easier. Our group of guys — they are pretty unselfish.”

With a 4-1 record the Rebels move on to a Tuesday matchup versus the Canyon Cougars, then they head to the South San Antonio Tournament this upcoming weekend to play their final non-district games before starting district play versus Bowie on Dec. 10.

Hays CISD selections to the 2019 256A All District Volleyball Team

Trying to separate what made Ryann Torres and Avery Kalsu such phenomenal players during the 2019 campaign was practically splitting hairs.

Both athletes, who are continuing their careers at the Division I level next fall, were instrumental cogs on the court in their respective teams’ playoff runs this season. But it’s their effort off the court that also made an impact for their respective programs. What Torres and Kalsu brought to their teams in terms of experience, leadership and guidance helped to bolster their team’s success. That’s why we found it fitting to award our most valuable player award to Torres and Kalsu for not only their success during their senior seasons, but also during the remarkable four year careers. Kalsu, who was named 25-5A Most Valuable Player, completed her high school playing career with 813 kills and a school record 3,223 assists. In addition, Kalsu, who signed on to play at Tulsa next fall, notched 174 aces and more than 1,500 digs over the course of 527 sets played in her career. Meanwhile, Torres, a Texas State University signee, finished her career with 3,117 assists, which ranks second all time in Hays High volleyball history, as well as 651 kills. Torres, who was named 25-6A MVP in 2019, tallied 173 aces and 963 digs in 393 sets played in her career.

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

Outside Hitter Sydney Collins, Hays

Outside Hitter Rayna Pack, Wimberley Maddie Krafka, Hays

Mackenzie Murray, Dripping Springs Middle Blocker Payton Knight, Wimberley Madi Lund, Dripping Springs

Middle Blocker Trista Strasser, Hays Reagan Casey, Hays Setter Jordan McFarland, Wimberley

Setter Sarah Nading, Dripping Springs

Libero Nicole Herbert, Dripping Springs

Libero Rhyan Masur, Wimberley

Outside Hitter Joselyn Roberson, Hays Isabella Mantilla, Lehman Middle Blocker Kaylee Jackson, Lehman Kylar Raymond, Dripping Springs Setter Leah Lara, Lehman Libero Brooke Sheely, Hays

SUPERLATIVES

District MVP Ryann Torres, Hays

FIRST TEAM

Trista Strasser, Hays Joselyn Roberson, Hays Ryann Torres, Hays Sydney Collins, Hays

SECOND TEAM

Brooke Sheeley, Hays Reagan Casey, Hays Maddie Krafka, Hays

HONORABLE MENTION

Isabella Mantilla, Lehman Arianna Sanchez, Lehman Leah Lara, Lehman Emily Linder, Hays

COURTESY PHOTO

Torres signs with TXST

Strahan Arena is where Hays High senior Ryann Torres will set the volleyball next fall after she signed her letter of intent Nov. 20 to continue her playing career at Texas State University. Torres, who was recently named the 2019 District 25-6A Most Valuable Player, completed her volleyball career at Hays High with 3,117 assists, which ranks as the second most assists in school history. Torres tallied 963 digs, 173 aces, 144 blocks and 651 kills over the course of her four-year varsity career. Torres was also part of a Rebel volleyball senior class that reached the postseason in all four years they played. Joining in on the ceremony were parents Dorie and Darren Luera and Javier and Emily Torres. Also celebrating the moment was current Hays head volleyball coach Ashley Davis and former Hays head coach Stephanie Coates, along with the Rebel volleyball coaching staff and numerous family and friends.

Experience the magic!

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PEC Headquarters Johnson City, Texas Nov. 29-Jan. 5 Share your photos on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using #PECHolidayLights to be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card!

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NEWS

Page 6

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

Texas A&M develops tool to predict power failures that lead to wildfires Texas A&M researchers also are preparing to test DFA at utilities in Australia and New Zealand.

DFA uses a sophisticated set of algorithms based on patterns discovered and refined through 15 years of research, research that involved monitoring in-service distribution lines at more than a dozen electrical utilities.

The technology was developed by a Texas A&M research team led

by Dr. B. Don Russell, COLLEGE STATION – Distinguished Professor Imagine a tool that can of Electrical and Comdiscover problems on puter Engineering, and utility lines before outagResearch Professor Carl L. es, before power failures Benner. spark deadly wildfires, Russell and Benner likor before fears of wildened DFA to the computfires prompt massive, er-based diagnostic tools pre-emptive power outag- found in modern cars, es such as those suffered ones that warn fluids are recently by millions of running dry or that an enCalifornians. gine part is close to failure.

Well, the tool exists. It “Utility systems operis available today. And it ate today like my 1950s works.

Chevy,” Russell said.

Engineers at Texas A&M “They have some fuses University have developed and breakers and things, the tool, a one-of-a kind but they really don’t have diagnostic software called anything diagnostic. They Distribution Fault Anticidon’t have that computer pation (DFA). under the hood telling It is a software that them what’s about to go interprets variations in wrong.” electrical current on utility Electrical power outagcircuits caused by the dees are commonly caused teriorating conditions or by falling trees tearing equipment. It warns utility down lines or failures of operators to respond to devices such as clamps, particular problems switches, conductors and before they cause outages connectors. and possibly spark fires.

The devices often Electric power comdeteriorate over weeks panies have nothing else or months, impacting like it. electrical current in DFA has been tested small ways before an successfully by more than actual failure --- perhaps a dozen utilities in Texas triggered by high winds. and elsewhere over the DFA continuously monipast six years. tors current sensors and Now DFA is being tested applies its algorithms to by two of California’s detect and report abnorbiggest utilities, Pacific malities for investigation Gas & Electric (PG&E) and repair. and Southern CaliforUntil now, utility nia Edison (SCE), with companies have had little encouragement from the choice but to wait and California Public Utilities react to failures. Electrical Commission. The CPUC equipment is extremely administers a 2018 state durable and deterioration law requiring utilities to of devices is difficult or submit Wildfire Mitigation impossible to see. That Plans. makes visual inspection

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It is a software that interprets variations in electrical current on utility circuits caused by the deteriorating conditions or equipment. It warns utility operators to respond to particular problems before they cause outages and possibly spark fires.

and preventive maintenance only marginally helpful.

Utilities have long recognized that something new is needed, especially given the nation’s aging infrastructure. DFA answers this need.

Texas A&M engineers developed DFA to help utility companies improve reliability in general, but they also saw its potential for preventing wildfires.

While Russell and Benner emphasize that DFA will not detect all utility failures, they say it is the only diagnostic tool available to analyze in real time miles of working circuits and identify explicitly what is failing.

Not only could the DFA technology prevent

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fires, it would give utility companies a tool to reduce the number and size of pre-emptive power outages, which now are based on dry conditions and weather forecasts.

“Power is being turned off with nothing known to be wrong with a given circuit,” Russell said.

“Utilities need a crystal ball, something telling them which circuit is going to start a fire tomorrow because it is already unhealthy. We are kind of that crystal ball.”

Pacific Gas & Electric is now testing nine DFA circuit monitoring devices; Southern California Edison is testing 60 DFA monitors. Both utilities are conducting the tests under two-year research

contracts with Texas A&M. their circuits…..DFA does Commercial installation that!” for widespread use in California would cost far less than the billions of dollars in recent wildfire damage, or the billions in spending being discussed for other types of preventive ENTERTAINMENT measures.

3200 Kyle Crossing For example, San Francisco based PG&E, the (512) 523 9012 state’s largest utility, would Experience it in need several thousand devices to cover all 106,681 ENHANCED VIEWING miles of distribution EXPERIENCE circuit lines. A DFA device costs up to $15,000.

For all showtimes and PG&M filed for bankruptcy this past January, listings, please check our citing potential liabilities website or call showline! of more than $30 billion stemming from wildfires.

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Brooklyn brings the turkey

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Brooklyn Robertson, owner of Brooklyn’s restaurant in Buda, and his family went to Chapa Middle School on Tuesday of last week and gave turkeys and hamburger meat to 25 families for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

Master Gardener training back in session this spring SUBMITTED REPORT

The Hays County Master Gardener Association will hold a Master Gardener Training Course on 12 Fridays in the spring of 2020. The Master Gardener Training Program is an educational/volunteer program conducted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service designed to increase the availability of horticultural information and extend horticultural projects throughout the community.

The course will include presentations by experts in the field of horticulture, covering topics such as botany, plant pathology, vegetable and fruit growing and landscaping with native and adaptive plants. In addition to the lectures, there are tours and hands-on activities.

Master gardeners utilize their training to serve the Hays County communi-

Register Now Registration deadline is 5 p.m. Jan. 14, or when the class meets a maximum number of 25 students.

ties through approved volunteer projects. They establish educational and demonstration gardens.

The Speakers Network supports the mission of the Texas Master Gardeners by providing training on gardening related topics.

The classes will be 4 to 6 hours held from Friday, Feb. 14 until April 24. The class locations will be at AgriLife Extension Office, 200 Stillwater, Wimberley, Jacob’s Well Nature Area in Wimberley and Freeman Ranch outside San Marcos. Class capacity is 25.

Registration deadline is 5 p.m. Jan. 14, or when the class meets a maximum number of 25 students.

Submit the application

early to reserve a place in the class. The cost of the training is $225 if submitted with the application

by Jan. 14 and $250 after that. Payment must be made no later than the first day of class. Cash or check, non-refundable made payable to HCMGA are accepted.

Additional information and a downloadable application form are available at https://txmg.org/ hays/ or by contacting the Hays County Extension office at 512-393-2120.

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PAWS Shelter of Central Texas

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Faster, smaller, more eco-friendly

Texas State researchers work on AI innovations SAN MARCOS – Texas State University researchers Ziliang Zong, associate professor, and Yan Yan, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, have received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop more energy-efficient and compact artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The three-year grant was awarded by the Division of Computer and Network Systems and will fund Zong and Yan's project, “Interpretable Multi-Modal Neural Network Pruning for Edge Devices.”

AI systems, which use machine learning and deep logic techniques, have improved rapidly in recent years. Many AI tasks, such as image recognition and audio processing, have improved to the point where they are comparable to the capabilities of humans. The difficulty comes from the fact that the software driving these sophisticated AI networks is very large and consumes tremendous amounts of energy, making it impractical for use in common applications.

“The CO2 emissions released by training a single AI model of Natural Language Processing using the architectural search methodology was equal to that of five cars during their lifetimes,” said Zong.

“It has become unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly.

“The other downside, of course, is the size of the AI models. We want to use more AI on smartphones, but the model's too large,” he said. “The AI takes up so much memory, which makes it hard to fit into phones or other smart devices. Not only do we have to care about the AI's accuracy, but we also have to care about how small, how efficient the network is. If we cannot do that, we cannot apply AI everywhere.”

Yan and Zong are working to solve the problem from two directions. They are developing pruning and compression technology that won't impact the accuracy of the AI. If successful, this will result in AI models that can be loaded into smartphones and other devices collectively known as the Internet of Things. They are also tackling the energy consumption problem.

Because it's a computation-intensive process, AI consumes far more power than regular apps, even games. This poses a significant problem for devices that depend on extended battery life.

Manufacturing and other robotics-dependent industry also stands to benefit. When AI models

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Page 8

Community

NEWS

Locked up for a good cause Brown Santa Lockup is Dec. 6 SUBMITTED REPORT

fundraisers for the Brown Santa program, the lockup Want to put someone goes like this: Members of behind bars for a good the community (elected cause? officials, peace officers The Hays County and others) are “arrestSheriff’s Office Brown ed” and taken before a Santa will hold its Holiday magistrate who sets their Lockup Fundraiser Dec. 6 “bond” after which they from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at are placed in a mock jail. the Government Center Money paid for those on South Stagecoach Road “bonds” funds the proin San Marcos. gram.

One of the major Those “arrested” get

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

COURTESY PHOTOS Above, detainees wait to be bailed out at last year’s lockup. Below, Justice of the Peace Maggie Moreno prepares to set bail.

a free fajita meal after their release. Everyone else pays $10 a platter for chicken or beef fajitas and all the fixings, plus rice, beans and a drink.

To arrange to have a coworker “arrested,” call Lt. Dennis Gutierrez at 512-393-7788. Those wishing to volunteer to have themselves arrested should call the same number.

Texas survived state-splitting schemes W

hen the Reconstruction constitutional convention reconvened on Dec. 4, 1868, Radical Republicans sharpened their knives in eager anticipation of carving up Texas like a Christmas turkey.

Any Texan, who passed the required courses in junior high, knows that as a condition of admission to the Union the Lone Star State retained the right to subdivide into as many as four separate parts. Less well known is how often the idea of two, three, many Texas’ was tossed around and how close the state came to being dismembered during the post-Civil War occupation.

Division was first suggested in 1844 during the acrimonious debate over annexation as a way of maintaining the delicate balance between free and slave states. Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri recommended slicing the giant applicant in two, but the novel notion was not taken seriously.

Over the next decade,

Because of the wholesale disenfranchisement Texas of the vast majority of former Confederates, only History a handful of Democrats

by Bartee Haile was present. To frustrate the Radical crusade for a divided Texas, they joined several schemes were put forces with the moderate forward for cutting Texas wing of the Republican down to size by spiteful Party. spokesmen from smaller Edmund J. Davis, a forstates. However, in 1852 a mer judge and future govnative politician presented ernor, James P. Newcomb, his own controversial plan a San Antonio editor, and to the Austin legislature.

G.T. Ruby, head of the James W. Flanagan of black Union League, were Rusk County intended to the threesome in charge turn the hostility between of the Radical RepubliEast and West Texas into cans. These ambitious geographic reality by parti- firebrands envisioned a tioning along the Brazos. separate state encom“Who will be willing to passing South Texas and a give up the name of Texsizable southern chunk of as?” a leading newspaper the West. asked. “Who will give up The triumvirate’s stratethe bloodstained walls of gy was to isolate die-hard the Alamo?” The house of Rebs in their traditional representatives answered eastern stronghold, while with a 33-15 vote in favor consolidating Radical of putting the unpopular power in a Unionist basproposal out of its misery. tion with San Antonio as Delegates to the 1868 the capital. The Germans constitutional convention of Central Texas, who met on the first of June suffered during the war to remold Texas in the for their pro-Union views, Reconstruction image. supported the Radical

plan as did the residents of the Alamo City, who craved the prestige and prosperity a state government was expected to bring.

The Radicals had the votes to elect Davis presiding officer of the convention but not enough to pass their program. After weeks of angry stalemate, the factional strife turned violent with daily brawls among the delegates. The frequent fisticuffs and shouting matches made for colorful copy in the press and gave the gathering a chaotic carnival atmosphere.

With the entrenched contingents at each other’s throats, the convention recessed on Aug. 31. But a three-month break failed to cool the combatants’ tempers.

When the proceedings resumed in early December, a state of war existed between the Radicals and their moderate opponents.

A roll call also showed the body was 11 delegates short. Three had died during the vacation, four

had resigned and four others had not bothered to return.

Davis declared the question of division in order on Dec. 18, and the furious debate picked right up where it had left off. Meanwhile, Davis, Newcomb and five cronies spent their nights secretly drafting the constitution of the “State of West Texas.”

On the morning of Jan. 6, 1869, bleary-eyed delegates discovered on their desks a copy of the bylaws for the yet-to-beapproved Radical creation. This heavy-handed tactic alienated potential converts and earned the Davis clique the derisive nickname of Coyotes.

In an emotional address to the skeptical assembly, Davis defended division as the necessary measure for keeping ex-Confederates politically powerless.

Condemning “magnanimity to rebels” as “weakness or stupidity,” he self-righteously thundered, “They are not fit to govern, and they shall not govern again!”

In a mockery of parliamentary procedure, the Radicals rammed through the State of West Texas resolution over the objections of the moderate majority. Following a hasty adjournment, both camps dispatched emissaries to Washington to plead their respective cases.

The incoming administration of President U.S. Grant realized the Coyotes were provoking a crisis that would aggravate an already grave situation.

The task of imposing Reconstruction rule on one Texas was tough enough, but two?

The Radicals were told to shelve their scheme, and the Lone Star State stayed in one piece.

Jimmy Dean, Joan Crawford, Johnny Horton, “Big Boy” Williams and forty more are all in Bartee’s book “Texas Entertainers: Lone Stars in Profile.” Order your signed copy at the Christmas special price of $21.50 by mailing a check to Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 130011, Spring, TX 77393.

Senator Zaffirini recognized by AARP for guardianship legislation SUBMITTED REPORT

Sights & Sounds in San Marcos to implement clear bag policy SUBMITTED REPORT

Hosting its 33rd year, the Sights and Sounds of Christmas in San Marcos will strengthen existing security measures by implementing a clear bag policy.

Bags allowed into the festival will include: clutch purses smaller than 5.5 inches-by-8.5 inches, clear bags smaller than 12 inches-by-6 inches-by-12 inches, and one-gallon plastic freezer bags. An exception will

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be made for medically necessary items and diaper bags after proper inspection at the entrances. All bags will be subject to inspection.

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to: backpacks, camera cases, mesh bags, purses, tinted plastic bags, oversized tote bags, binocular cases, and printed pattern bags.

This policy is subject to change.

Clear bags are available for purchase through two of the organization’s local sponsors, H-E-B and Amazon.

Limiting the type of bags allowed into the festival will help maintain

a safe environment and enhance guest experience. Attendees may be subject to search in order to enter the festival grounds and are encouraged to plan their arrival time accordingly if attending specific performances.

The Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival will return to San Marcos Plaza Park and City Park on Dec. 4-7 and 11-14.

Festival highlights include: live entertainment, free photos with Santa, an ice skating rink, petting zoo, carnival rides, thousands of lights, Santa’s Jingle Bell Run 5K and Kids 1K and more.

that went undiscovered throughout the Senator Judith state for years. I hope Zaffirini, (D-Laredo), guardianship cases received the now will receive 2019 Legislative more effective Achievement oversight, preAward from cluding further AARP Texas. harm."

The organizaZaffirini retion presented ceived multiple the award to awards followrecognize the ing the legissenator's leglative session, islative efforts during which ZAFFIRINI to improve the she passed 127 state's guardbills. The Meadianship system. ows Mental Her Senate Bill (SB) 31, Health Policy Institute, which went into effect the Combined Law Enon Sept. 1, established forcement Associations the Guardianship of Texas and the Texas Abuse, Fraud and Library Association also Exploitation Deterhonored the senator for rence Program, which legislation she passed will help prevent the in 2019. exploitation of per"Important legislasons who need a legal tion often must be filed guardian because they again and again before cannot care for themit is successfully passed selves. into law, such as the "I was delighted to Guardianship Abuse, receive this award and Fraud and Exploitation to have AARP Texas' Deterrence Program, support in passing this which I passed on my critical bill," she said. second try," she said.

"We developed SB 31 Preparation for the after hearing testimony legislative session about terrible physical and financial abuse ZAFFIRINI AWARDED, 11

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

Page 9

Texas among states with the worst teen drivers Despite improvements in seat belt use and impaired driving, national data shows no significant change in the number of teens who said they text and drive. From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of teens who engaged in this behavior remained flat at approximately 40 percent.

SUBMITTED REPORT

Driving a car means freedom, but it also comes with a great deal of responsibility and risk. For some teenagers, it can be difficult to fully appreciate that risk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teenage drivers are more likely than older drivers to make critical errors that result in serious crashes. For example, they are more likely to speed and less likely to keep a safe distance between vehicles. Young people ages 15 to 19 make up slightly more than 6

percent of the population.

Yet, the CDC reports that in 2016, they were responsible for 8.4 percent ($13.6 billion) of total motor vehicle injury costs.

While teens present a greater danger behind the wheel than adults, more

teens are taking preventive safety measures when they drive than ever before. In 1991, 25.9 percent of teens said they rarely wore their seat belt; today, that number is down to 5.9 percent.

Similarly, drinking and driving among teens has

improved over the years.

From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of teens who said they drink and drive fell from 10 percent to 5.5 percent. Yet, it is important to note that teen drivers are more likely than older drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes when they do drink and drive.

Despite improvements in seat belt use and impaired driving, national data shows no significant change in the number of teens who said they text and drive. From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of teens who engaged in this behavior remained flat at

approximately 40 percent.

At the state level, teen texting and driving shows a statistically significant positive correlation with teen motor vehicle fatalities by population.

In general, states with more teens who text and drive also have more teens who die in motor vehicle accidents.

With these trends in mind, researchers at 360 Quote wanted to use these statistics to identify the states with the most dangerous teenage drivers. To do this, their researchers created a composite score for each state based on several metrics, includ-

ing the percentage of teens who text and drive, the percentage of teens who drink and drive, the percentage of teens who rarely wear a seat belt, and the teen traffic fatality rate per 100k teens.

The study found that Texas teens are some of the most dangerous drivers in the U.S. In Texas, 39.3 percent of teens reported texting and driving, 7.1 percent of teens reported drinking and driving, and 7.1% reported rarely wearing a seatbelt. Considering these factors, the analysis ranked Texas teens the 13th most dangerous in the U.S.

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Newspaper For all the latest news in Hays County, go to .com

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Hays Free Press

Page 10

Employment

Public Notices

DIRECT CARE COUNSELORS Provide positive role modeling, structure, and supervision to adolescent boys. No exp. required, We train comprehensively. Pay starting at $12 per hour for flexible 8 & 16 hr shift schedules.

Health/life/dental insurance after 60 days. Min. requirements: Must be 21 yrs old, HS/GED, clean TDL, clean criminal history, pre-employment TB skin test, and drug screen. Growing (20+ year old) non-profit organization. www.pegasusschool.net.

Call (512)432-1678 for further information.

Wanted WANT TO BUY

Travel trailer or fifth wheel, even if repairs are needed. Trailer must have title.Cell 346-244-8907.

Trailer For Rent 1 ROOM TRAILER FOR RENT

1 person. Nice. East of Kyle near Uhland on Cotton Gin Rd. $400 Mo. Call 512-213-7952.

House For Rent HOME FOR RENT

Large home in country setting. Four BR, 2.5 bath, two living rooms,fire place, large office. Sits on 3/4 acre.

Will be available in March 2020. $2,200/month. Small dogs (under 20 pounds) allowed with non-refundable deposit. Call for information. Cyndy. 512.753.2700.

Texas State-Wide Advertising Network

WE BUY OIL, GAS, & MINERAL RIGHTS

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18-Wheeler Wrecks It’s easy to blame the driver when a big rig is involved in a wreck, but the truth is usually much more complex. When trucking company management cuts corners in training, equipment and maintenance, the rest of us pay the price. We have represented families for years who have been harmed by these parties. If you or someone you love has been killed or injured in a truck wreck, call us today. Evidence can disappear so CALL NOW.

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

EXPERIENCE

COUNTS

Lawyers with more than 100 years combined expertise.

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Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

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REQUEST FOR CQR

Hays CISD is Requesting Cooperative Quote Requests for CQR #08111901VL District-Wide Copier Fleet. Bids will be accepted until 01-17-20 at 2:00 p.m. local time.

Specifications are available in the HCISD Purchasing Office (512-268-2141 ext.

45092) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Bid responses must be returned to the HCISD Purchasing Office, Valerie Littrell, 21003 IH 35, Kyle, TX 78640, by the date and time indicated above.

Late Bids will be returned unopened. The HCISD Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids and waive all formalities in the bid process.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 9, 2019

In accordance with Sections 505.159 and 505.160 of the Texas Local Government Code, the Buda 4B Corporation, a Texas non-profit 4B economic development corporation (the “Buda Economic Development Corporation”) will receive public comments related to a proposed economic development project being considered by the Buda Economic Development Corporation as follows: 1. Performance Agreement. Pursuant to Local Government Code Section 501.158, the Buda Economic Development Corporation proposes to enter into a performance agreement with Fat Quarter Shop, LLC, to grant economic development incentives in the form of a partial sales tax rebate to Fat Quarter Shop, LLC, in exchange for Fat Quarter Shop, LLC’s capital investment in an existing or new facility within the City of Buda and the creation of a specified number of new jobs in the City of Buda.

The Buda Economic Development Corporation will hold a public hearing at which all interested persons shall have the right to appear and be heard regarding such project.

The public hearing will be held on December 9, 2019 at 6:00 pm, at the Buda Municipal Complex – Council Chambers located at 405 East Loop

Texas State-Wide Advertising Network

Street, Bldg. 100, Buda, Texas Should you not be able to attend and wish to comment, please mail your comments to Traci Anderson at 405 East Loop Street, Bldg. 100, Buda, Texas 78610.

Persons with disabilities that wish to attend this meeting should contact the Buda Economic Development Corporation at (512) 295-2022 to arrange for assistance. Individuals who require auxiliary aids or services for this meeting should contact the Buda Economic Development Corporation at least three days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

It is requested that you make your views known, either in person or by writing to the Buda Economic Development Corporation.

Notice posted at the Buda Economic Development office and Buda City Hall, December 4, 2019.

Traci Anderson, Executive Director Buda Economic Development Corporation

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DECEMBER 9, 2019

In accordance with Sections 505.159 and 505.160 of the Texas Local Government Code, the Buda 4B Corporation, a Texas non-profit 4B economic development corporation (the “Buda Economic Development Corporation”) will receive public comments related to a proposed economic development project being considered by the Buda Economic Development Corporation as follows: 1. Performance Agreement. Pursuant to Local Government Code Section 501.158, the Buda Economic Development Corporation proposes to enter into a performance agreement with RDO Equipment Company to grant economic development incentives in the form of a partial sales tax rebate to RDO Equipment Company, in exchange for RDO Equipment Company’s

capital investment in an existing or new facility within the City of Buda and the creation of a specified number of new jobs in the City of Buda.

The Buda Economic Development Corporation will hold a public hearing at which all interested persons shall have the right to appear and be heard regarding such project.

The public hearing will be held on December 9, 2019 at 6:00 pm, at the Buda Municipal Complex – Council Chambers located at 405 East Loop Street, Bldg. 100, Buda, Texas Should you not be able to attend and wish to comment, please mail your comments to Traci Anderson at 405 East Loop Street, Bldg. 100, Buda, Texas 78610.

Persons with disabilities that wish to attend this meeting should contact the Buda Economic Development Corporation at (512) 295-2022 to arrange for assistance. Individuals who require auxiliary aids or services for this meeting should contact the Buda Economic Development Corporation at least three days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

It is requested that you make your views known, either in person or by writing to the Buda Economic Development Corporation.

Notice posted at the Buda Economic Development office and Buda City Hall, December 4, 2019.

Traci Anderson, Executive Director Buda Economic Development Corporation

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice is hereby given that Letters Testamentary were issued to SAMUEL ARNOLD SPEARS on December 2, 2019 in Cause No. 19-0391P, styled “The Estate of MILDRED LUCILLE SPEARS, Deceased”, pending in County Court At Law No. 2 of Hays County, Texas. All claims should be addressed in care of SAMUEL ARNOLD SPEARS, Independent Executor of the Estate of MILDRED LUCILLE SPEARS, Deceased at 10605 Kit Carson Drive, Austin, Texas 78737.

CITY OF BUDA LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to City of Buda Charter, Article III, Section 3.11 (D).

Ordinances, that the Buda City Council, at its regular meeting on December 3, 2019, adopted an ordinance(s) amending Chapter 4 Article 4.04 Animal Care and Control of the Buda Code of Ordinances; providing rules and regulations related to animals in the city; providing for penalties for failure to comply with such ordinance(s); providing for publication; and, providing for an effective date. By: Mayor George Haehn.

Attest: Alicia Ramirez, City Clerk. (full text is available in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 405 E. Loop Street, Building 100, Buda, TX, during business hours and on www.ci.buda. tx.us.)

LEGAL NOTICE An application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Package Store Permit (P) by BU FMC LQ doing business as Buda Liquor to be located at 17020 S. IH-35, Suite A/B/D, Buda, Texas 78610.

Owner: Heather Wiseman.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PRELIMINARY DECISION FOR AN AIR QUALITY PERMIT PROPOSED PERMIT NUMBER: 158488 APPLICATION AND PRELIMINARY DECISION. Fred Weber, Inc., 2320 Creve Coeur Mill Road, Maryland Heights, Missouri 63043-4207, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for issuance of Proposed Air Quality Permit Number 158488, which would authorize construction of a Sand and Gravel Facility located at 7071 Camino Real, Maxwell, Hays County, Texas 78656. This application was processed in an expedited manner, as allowed by the commission’s rules in 30 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 101, Subchapter J. This application was submitted to the TCEQ on September 19, 2019. The proposed facility will emit the following contaminants: particulate matter including particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less.

The executive director has completed the technical review of the application and prepared a draft permit which, if approved, would establish the conditions under which the facility must operate. The executive director has made a preliminary decision to issue the permit because it meets all rules and regulations. The permit application, executive director’s preliminary decision, and draft permit will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, the TCEQ Austin regional office, and the Kyle Public Library, 550 Scott Street, Kyle, Hays County, Texas, beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review at the Austin regional office of the TCEQ. PUBLIC COMMENT/PUBLIC MEETING. You may submit public comments or request a public meeting about this application. The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comment or to ask questions about the application.

The TCEQ will hold a public meeting if the executive director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing. You may submit additional written public comments within 30 days of the date of newspaper publication of this notice in the manner set forth in the AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION paragraph below.

RESPONSE TO COMMENTS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACTION. After the deadline for public comments, the executive director will consider the comments and prepare a response to all relevant and material or significant public comments. Because no timely hearing requests have been received, after preparing the response to comments, the executive director may then issue final approval of the application. The response to comments, along with the executive director’s decision on the application will be mailed to everyone who submitted public comments or is on a mailing list for this application, and will be posted electronically to the Commissioners’ Integrated Database (CID).

INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE. When they become available, the executive director’s response to comments and the final decision on this application will be accessible through the Commission’s Web site at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Once you have access to the CID using the above link, enter the permit number for this application which is provided at the top of this notice. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility's general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/ public/hb610/index.html?lat=29.930053&lng=-97.836104&zoom=13&type=r.

MAILING LIST. You may ask to be placed on a mailing list to obtain additional information on this application by sending a request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below.

AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the Public Education Program toll free at 18006874040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040.

Further information may also be obtained from Fred Weber, Inc. at the address stated above or by calling Ms. Andrea Kidd, Project Engineer, Westward Environmental at (830) 249-8284.

Notice Issuance Date: November 26, 2019

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

Page 11

AI Innovations

Police Blotter

Continued from pg. 7

are very large, processing times dramatically increase. At their most efficient, industrial robots complete tasks at the millisecond level. Complex AI processing can slow robotic decision-making down to a half second or even longer, which is unacceptable on assembly lines. Faster, smaller, more efficient AI would solve this issue.

“Current AI is not like human intelligence,” Yan explained. Traditionally, AI is designed to focus on a task that roughly corresponds to human senses, that is, image recognition is akin to human vision, speech recognition is akin

to human hearing, etc.

Rather than dedicate a specific AI to each set of sensory inputs, the Texas State project proposes a multi-modal approach to all the senses, in which a single AI is flexible enough to interpret the different channels of incoming data.

“Our goal is a more general type of AI model that can synthesize all this information together,” Yan said. “Our hope would be that this increases the accuracy and gives us a better understanding.”

The researchers already have three doctoral students assisting in their research, and as the project

Zaffirini Awarded

matures, they will involve talented undergraduate students in the coming year.

Yan and Zong have already had a paper based on preliminary results accepted, which they will present during the IEEE Winter Conference on Computer Vision in March 2020.

“We always want to go to a conference first with the latest, newest ideas. Then we'll take our extended version to a journal for publication,” Zong said. “We're excited to see our preliminary results recognized by the community as valuable work.”

Give your Longhorn the perfect gift

Continued from pg. 8 that begins in 2021 is underway, and Zaffirini encourages advocates to begin working with her now to enhance their future success. "My staff and I already are working with stakeholders to re-file worthy bills that failed and to develop new legislation."

Zaffirini's work ethic is reflected in her career-long 100 percent voting record and her perfect attendance in the Texas Senate since 1987, except for breaking quorum deliberately to prevent an untimely re-redistricting that the U.S. Supreme Court (2006) ruled violated the Voting Rights Act and disenfranchised voters in SD 21. She is the second highest-ranking senator and the highest-ranking woman and Hispanic in the Texas Senate.

The following is a tally of all calls made to law enforcement within Hays County between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1, 2019.

Civil Matter............................................................. 13 Information............................................................... 2 Compliance Check................................................ 11 Property- Lost/Found/Imp.................................... 12 Alarm Business...................................................... 44 Alarm Residential.................................................. 47 Animal Calls........................................................... 46 Field Euthanasia...................................................... 3 Loose Livestock.................................................... 18 Sexual Assault – Child............................................. 4 Assault – Aggravated.............................................. 1 Assault..................................................................... 4 Sexual Assault......................................................... 1 Assist EMS............................................................. 16 Assist Fire Dept..................................................... 16 Assist Outside Agency.......................................... 21 Burglary Building..................................................... 5 Burglary Coin-Op Mach.......................................... 1 Burglary Habitation................................................. 2 Burglary Vehicle..................................................... 14 Arson........................................................................ 1 Criminal Mischief..................................................... 8 Illegal Dumping........................................................ 2 Reckless Damage.................................................... 1 Enviromental Crime................................................. 2 Death Investigation................................................. 1 Disturbance Noise................................................... 9 Disturbance Physical Fight..................................... 8 Disturbance Verbal................................................ 20 Child Custody........................................................ 10 Public Intoxication................................................... 2 Fraud........................................................................ 9 Harassment.............................................................. 2 Threat....................................................................... 4 Indecent Exposure.................................................. 1 Mental Health Follow Up......................................... 4 Mental Health Invest............................................... 4 Mental Health Transport.......................................... 3 Drone Deployment.................................................. 2 Viol City Ordinance.................................................. 2 Missing Person........................................................ 3 Runaway.................................................................. 4 Public Assist............................................................ 7 Community Contact.............................................. 10

Disabled Vehicle.................................................... 23 Foot Patrol............................................................... 9 Close Patrol......................................................... 116 Parental Discipline Assist........................................ 1 Flagged Down......................................................... 2 Welfare Concern.................................................... 29 Suicidal Person........................................................ 3 Investigation............................................................ 7 Supplement........................................................... 43 Suspicious Circumstances................................... 27 Extradition................................................................ 1 Suspicious Person................................................. 18 Suspicious Vehicle................................................ 38 Wanted Person........................................................ 4 Indentity Theft.......................................................... 2 Theft....................................................................... 17 Vehicle Theft............................................................ 3 Recovery Stolen Vehicle......................................... 1 Accident Minor...................................................... 32 Accident Hit and Run............................................ 10 Accident Major/Injury............................................ 21 Accident Fleet.......................................................... 1 Accident Unknown.................................................. 3 Abandoned/Stored Vehicle..................................... 7 Traffic Control/Direction.......................................... 2 Directed/Area Enforce........................................... 30 Traffic Hazard......................................................... 22 Attempt to Locate................................................. 55 Parking Enforcement............................................... 5 Traffic Stop........................................................... 376 Trespassing/Unwanted......................................... 12 911 Abandnoned/Open....................................... 181 911 Hang Up............................................................ 1 Deadly Conduct....................................................... 2 Discharge Firearm................................................. 11 Unconscious/Fainting............................................. 1 Private Tow/Repo.................................................. 22

Below is a sample of events reported by law enforcement from Nov. 25 through Dec. 1, 2019. The location is where the event was reported or responded to and may not necessarily be where the event occured.

Agency Activity

Date

Time

Location

HCSO

Burglary - Building

11/25/2019

8:23:13

1750 S FM 1626 Bucks Backyard Buda

BPD

Burglary - Coin-Op Mach 11/25/2019

11:29:20

15359 IH 35 FR Buda Chevron of Buda

BPD

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

7:52:25

Tilly Ln Buda

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

9:24:44

Trails at Buda Ranch Apts

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

9:27:33

Trails at Buda Ranch Apts

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

12:28:26

Trails at Buda Ranch Apts

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

12:43:47

Andesite Trl Buda

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/25/2019

17:37:19

Trails at Buda Ranch Apts

BPD

Indecent Exposure

11/25/2019

6:43:45

HEB of Buda

HCSO

Suicidal Person

11/25/2019

21:27:42

Barton Bnd Dripping Springs

BPD

Theft

11/25/2019

20:22:52

Walmart of Buda

HCSO

Theft

11/25/2019

9:48:41

Pelican Bay Cir Kyle

HCSO

Theft

11/25/2019

9:50:12

Spinnaker Loop Kyle

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/25/2019

9:26:03

River Rd/RR 12 Wimberley

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/25/2019

11:24:34

3900 Elder Hill Rd Driftwood

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/25/2019

12:25:03

Exit 217 NB Kyle

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/25/2019

16:32:30

Lone Man Mountain Rd/RR 3237 Driftwood

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/25/2019

17:35:44

7312 RR 12 San Marcos

HCSO

Sexual Assault - Child 11/26/2019

17:33:22

Lone Man Mountain Rd Wimberley

HCSO

Sexual Assault - Child 11/26/2019

19:25:36

Springs Apartments Dripping Springs

BPD

Burglary - Building

11/26/2019

7:52:16

1750 RR 967 Buda Budaful Threads

HCSO

Burglary - Building

11/26/2019

11:29:28

Rolling Oaks Dr Driftwood

HCSO

Burglary - Building

11/26/2019

13:20:53

Crumley Ranch Rd Dripping Springs

BPD

Burglary - Vehicle

11/26/2019

13:22:50

340 Old San Antonio Rd Buda Double Daves

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/26/2019

21:39:02

Circle K of Dripping Springs

BPD

Missing Person

11/26/2019

23:46:08

Bonita Vista Dr Buda

HCSO

Missing Person

11/26/2019

17:25:09

Maybrook Dr Buda

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/26/2019

17:57:46

Twisted Oaks Ln/Spanish Trails Blvd Buda

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/27/2019

11:19:28

Oak Forest Cv Buda

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/27/2019

12:50:36

Oak Forest Cv Buda

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/27/2019

18:31:57

Needham Rd Dripping Springs

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/28/2019

1:43:42

Springs Apartments Dripping Springs

BPD

Theft

11/27/2019

14:22:34

15301 IH 35 Fr Buda Truck City Ford

HCSO

Theft

11/27/2019

22:45:11

311 Oak Forest Cv Buda

BPD

Vehicle Theft

11/27/2019

21:47:43

984 W Goforth St Buda

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/27/2019

12:28:44

S Sunset Canyon Dr/E Us 290 Dripping Springs

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/27/2019

12:28:25

S Sunset Canyon Dr/E Us 290 Dripping Springs

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Accident - Major/Injury 11/28/2019

2:24:57

3600 block W RR 150 Kyle

HCSO

Burglary - Habitation

11/28/2019

12:27:28

High Rd Kyle

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/28/2019

10:23:51

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Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/28/2019

9:45:17

Acorn Ln San Marcos

HCSO

Missing Person

11/29/2019

5:39:33

Country Oaks Dr Buda

BPD

Theft

11/29/2019

3:11:17

5065 Royston Rd Buda Speedy Stop

HCSO

Theft

11/28/2019

13:26:52

San Marcos Regency MHP

HCSO

Vehicle Theft

11/28/2019

13:29:31

Foster Pl Kyle

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/28/2019

16:14:39

9740 RR 967 Buda

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

5:18:37

9313 Camino Real Kyle

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/29/2019

9:49:33

Moon Stone Trl Buda

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/29/2019

16:43:10

Moonwalker Trl Buda

BPD

Arson

11/29/2019

16:24:06

Comfort Inn Suites of Buda

BPD

Theft

11/29/2019

8:53:00

15705 IH 35 Buda Burger King

BPD

Theft

11/29/2019

18:17:53

15570 IH 35 FR Buda Cabelas

BPD

Theft

11/29/2019

18:58:36

Walmart of Buda

HCSO

Theft

11/29/2019

15:56:52

Sunrise Cir Kyle

HCSO

Vehicle Theft

11/29/2019

10:19:44

Tuscany Park Apartments Buda

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

10:28:27

Nutty Brown Rd/W US 290 Austin

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

10:38:13

Six Pines Rd/Lime Kiln Rd San Marcos

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

11:35:34

14321 Camino Real Kyle

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

14:43:40

300 block Hugo Rd San Marcos

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/29/2019

16:01:08

20710 W RR 150 Driftwood

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/30/2019

3:36:46

Spanish Trails Blvd/Windy Hill Rd Buda

HCSO

Deadly Conduct

11/29/2019

22:57:59

Ridgetop Rd/Satterwhite Rd Buda

HCSO

Deadly Conduct

11/30/2019

1:04:46

Camino Real/High Rd Kyle

HCSO

Assault - Aggravated

11/30/2019

21:44:12

Destiny Dr Kyle

BPD

Assault

11/30/2019

23:11:39

Still Hollow Crk Buda

HCSO

Assault

12/01/2019

0:52:22

Huber Ln Kyle

HCSO

Burglary - Building

11/30/2019

13:40:20

Old Fitzhugh Rd Dripping Springs

HCSO

Burglary - Habitation

11/30/2019

19:09:41

Dove Ln Kyle Dove Hill Ests

HCSO

Burglary - Vehicle

11/30/2019

7:27:31

Robin Rd Manchaca

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/30/2019

7:51:22

12020 W US 290 Austin

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 11/30/2019

21:43:59

Destiny Dr Kyle

HCSO

Disturbance - Phys/Fight 12/01/2019

0:06:17

Blackbird Ln Buda

HCSO

Suicidal Person

11/30/2019

22:21:25

La Vista Retirement Community San Marcos

HCSO

Theft

11/30/2019

11:58:45

Pond View Pass Buda

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/30/2019

7:29:51

9245 Camino Real Kyle

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/30/2019

19:44:18

Scudder Primary School Wimberley

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 11/30/2019

23:24:36

101 Oakwood Loop San Marcos

HCSO

Accident - Major/Injury 12/01/2019

5:34:59

River Hills Dr/Staples Rd San Marcos

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– Page 4

s Hays Free Pres use by former Campaign fund questioned. ative state represent 2

s, inc.

© Barton PuBlication

– Page

Serving Buda,

County fire mar Responding agencies

iwas able to commun that a cate with officers seen

BY ANITA MILLER male subject was g with or Trying to get over actively tamperinin the wire vehicles through a barbed a rear yard.” fence is never As the officers good idea. hed, the approac But while off Ramirez took consequence d “and attempte for some Buda to jump over Police officers the barbed wire was a trip to fence.” the emergenHe and the cy room, the officers were decision cost treated for minor 53-year-old RAMIREZ injuries before Mike Ramirez to he was taken much more – the San Antonio second jail. had Ramirez, who resident is facing charges degree felony officers’ no previous criminal County, because of the history in Hays two injuries. was charged withon a Buda police were counts of assault Truck second dedispatched to peace officer, well as after as City Ford shortly 19 for gree felonies, ,a Nov. building a on midnight burglary of and aca business alarm, Tate, third-degree felony, $2,500 cording to Brittany e to criminal mischief jail executive assistancBo to $30,000, a state beBuda Police Chief felony. He remains bars under bonds Kidd. compa- hind $65,000.

“The security and totaling nce surveilla ny had

to cook using a smoker the barn a turkey inside n County prior to the explosio included the Hays

BY ANITA MILLER he said the Kyle Sheriff’s Office, and EMS. and fire, which Fire an RV or ent also destroyed parked The Hays County Fire Departm Kyle Taylor is invescamper that was reports Kyle Fire Chief ent sent Marshal’s office caused a in the barn. Other rs saw a said his departmto the fire tigating what to explode rs nine firefighte out short- indicated neighbo Kyle-area barn smoke; and which came plume of black KXAN last week.

Wednes- call, 10 a.m. on station d TV Austin It happene ly past was the 3800 Taylor said a man day, Nov. 27 in Lane. block of Dacy

TX

man had initially said the turkey. been frying a smoker “It was just a little fire,” that started a residences Taylor said. “No was disburned, nobody not conplaced.” He coulda chicken firm reports that

EXPLOSION, 2

to Countdowns a m st ri h C

Man suspected of setting wife’s truck on fire

PHOTO BY RAFAEL

Square festivities ay. Santa on the in Kyle on Wednesd himself at 5:25 p.m.

Santa officially arrive s season will of lights will be flipped by The Christma s the thousand that turns on

on imately 4:24 p.m.

Comfort Nov. 29 to the

BY ANITA MILLER Buda to Inn Suites in is call.

A Del Valle man arson assist with a fire of On arrival facing a charge they found a in connection Dodge Ram with a fire that pickup fully endestroyed a ved gulfed in flame. hicle registere Witnesses to his wife. and security Ernest Tavideo led to mayo Jr., 34, was the arrest of charged with Tamayo. the second-deSecond degree felony are gree felonies a TAMAYO offense on Nov. punishable by 2 29. He was still from in Hays County under a prison sentence a fine of Jail on Tuesday to 20 years with bond of $20,000.the up to $10,000. next According to The case will County Buda Police Departgo to the Hays were ment, officers Grand Jury. called out at approx-

ge the managed to discoura with a few aggressive male

BY GENE HALL pistol shots. about TEXAS FARM BUREAU The scary thingis that it last week’s attacka town. scene in within It was a grisly last week, occurred are no longer Anahuac, Texas, tly at- Wild hogs problem. apparen a farm as wild hogs a woman just numbers Estimates peg tacked and killed where law Texas at Some say a new of feral hogs in four outside the home and hunting between two guesses are she worked. allowing hog are rare, will help.

These attacks million. Those old and without a license breed comes 15 years but anyone who It won’t. The hogs ve spe- nearly They are prolific matter. fast for that to wrong. across this destructi s they are my own arith- too cies understands encoun- breeders. By there could Other control measure aggressive. I oncethem alone metic, I believesix million. are needed. of be more than tered a group Country. I in the Texas Hill

MARQUEZ

p.m. and the switch

is a Trail of Lights held free holiday event ch at Historic Stagecoa lighted Park that features d displays and decorate busiprovided by local tions. nesses and organiza the Visitors can walk park to the lighted trail in exhibview the dazzling e and its, sip hot chocolat Hot meet Santa himself.

, Let’s get an updated estimate realistic expert we might of numbers, so big a know just how This problem we have.won’t be first death likely the last.

Austin Flea comes to Buda Saturday

Marcos return to San City Park Plaza Park and 11-14. on Dec. 4-7 and ts Festival highligh include: live entertain with is ment, free photos Two Wheel Brewery skating Flea Santa, an ice bringing the Austin zoo, carniMill to this fun rink, petting From the Buda to Buda! Come between concesthousands of and s Little rides, the val to beverage and funky event at the and Grain, Jingle Bell come lights, Santa’s sions will be provided 1K, and noon and 6 p.m. at 535 S. House on Main, downCatholic Run 5K and Kids tion historic

by Santa Cruz to brewery located down Gradumore. For informa visit a day of School, Project Troop please Loop 4 in Buda. featown Buda for and updates, g, dining, sips Austin Flea unds.org ation, Boy Scout Cheer, The shoppin hts-n-so Hills www.sig handmade m/ 967, Olympia tures all local and specials. or www.facebook.co wares Lions Club. texas. and the Buda items and vintage sightsandsounds by by their Austin’s Be sure to stop from some of e tasty The event is hosted and talentbooths to purchas Pets most amazing the Sights & Sounds to partnerdrinks and snacks. ed vendors. Entrance Foundation in d at this and open city of San are not permitte Lights the event is free local. ship with the will be of Shop There ages! all event. The Trail 6-8, 13to Marcos. this year. will be open Dec. it will Shop the Flea! stricter security 8. and Sights & Sounds story on page The 15 and 20-22 See will night Festival kick off with senior5. of Christmas (65-plus) on Dec.

COMING UP Buda Trail of Lights

begin at 4:30

w? deadly. What no Feral hogs turn

ES ED ISSU UNRESOLV and of District Attorney County audit reveals errors. elections office

First Saturday in Buda, Dec. 7

Sights & Sounds of Christmas

INDEX

om HaysFreePress.c

Suspect, Buda officers injured by barbed wire

st Hays County, Kyle and Northea

e rn, vehiclng destroys bawha t went wro Explosionshal investigating 5 Vol. 125 • No. 3

75¢

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9 Directory …… ……… 2 Service 10 News ………… ds ………… ……… 3 Classifie 11 Opinion Page Blotter ……… …… 4-5 Police Sports ………… ……… 6-8 Community

– Page 12

For all the latest news in Hays County, go to

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NEWS

Page 12

Hays Free Press • December 4, 2019

UNRESOLVED ISSUES Audit of DA and elections office reveals errors In the DA’s office, the audit found “internal control weaknesses” consisting of “multiple clerical errors, disbursement shortages and overages and untimely disposition of forfeited funds.”

BY ANITA MILLER

came clear our forfeiture accounts were not moving Errors discovered in forward,” but instead, a routine county audit “languishing.” of the offices of Hays He said he began an County’s District Attorney effort to “get caught Wes Mau and Elections up” and make sure the Administrator Jennifer books were in order, and Anderson have been found that “accounting corrected, Hays Counover the years had not ty Commissioners and been adequate.” He said County Judge Ruben disbursements were Becerra were told at their erratic and records did Nov. 26 meeting. not show the resolution of Mau, who took office some cases that had been in 2015, said the errors resolved. Office Adminisoccurred prior to his trator Emily Sierra “spent administration, and that months with the county steps have been taken auditor attempting to find to correct the problem. all the cases that were reAnderson’s remarks were solved prior to my taking similar, and both said they office,” he said, adding expect their departments that multiple errors were to be on better footing in discovered. the future.

They included, he said, In the DA’s office, the some cases that dated audit found “internal con- back as far as 2001 that trol weaknesses” consistwere not resolved until ing of “multiple clerical early this year. “We took errors, disbursement care of that after we got shortages and overages the books straightened and untimely disposition out,” he said, adding that of forfeited funds.” the “upside” of the audit Mau admitted that after was it “brought to light he was elected, “it bea number of things we

needed to be doing.” One fix he mentioned was putting disbursements on a schedule of once every other month. “We’re not getting behind,” he said.

“We’re doing it six times a year.”

In a formal response to the audit, Mau wrote that his office has “put procedures in place” to avoid issues from recurring, noting that notices of seizures, judgments and disbursements all must be approved by an office manager and a prosecutor.

Anderson, who took office in 2017, said she became aware of some of the problems the audit

encountered before it was conducted, and has already initiated corrective actions. Other things, she said, the audit helped her to identify.

Specifically, the audit found insufficient segregation of duties in the Elections Office as well as the lack of a “written cash handling procedures manual.” In her written response, Anderson said she has implemented procedures that all office staff are now following, and that a copy of the manual has been provided to the office of the auditor.

Responding to the auditor’s discovery that some required informa-

tion was missing from receipts, Anderson said she has instructed staff to make sure to include all that information that is required and that she has also “implemented a daily review process that ensures information showing proper receipt.”

The audit also found inadequate safeguarding of the receipt book, improperly billed election invoices, contracts that had not been updated to include current fees and improper calculation of pay for election workers.

Regarding the latter, Anderson said election

Fund Use Questioned Continued from pg. 2

finance report doesn’t make it one. The facts here certainly have the appearance of using campaign funds for personal use rather than the performance of one’s duties as a public official,” Opiela said.

“Residency questions are difficult to prove as a matter of state law,” explained Opeila. “It’s easy to claim to reside in a district without actually living there. It’s not so easy to have a candidate disqualified from the ballot, but it has happened in both primary and general elections.” The bigger problem with residency claims, according to Opeila, is how voters react to a candidate who claims to live in their district without actually living there.

Wood confirmed there are roadblocks associated with proving residency in Texas. “Residency in Texas is so elastic it’s almost impossible to challenge,” he said, adding that he’s made that challenge“a number of times.”

He cited a 1960s decision by the Texas Supreme Court that

essentially said a residency can be where an elected official intends it to be. “You’ve got to have somebody do something that’s totally incompatible with that residency.

One of them is voting in another jurisdiction,” he said. Both Jason and Carrie Isaac have maintained their voter registration in Hays County.

Although the Texas Legislature ended its session in May 2017, Wood noted that Isaac’s term did not expire until the end of 2018, and that Governor Greg Abbott can call a special session at any time.

Wood said the only way he sees an ethical violation would be if Isaac used his campaign funds to pay for the apartment because he was personally unable to afford the rent. Concerning possible ethics violations, he said due to the difficulty of challenging residency in Texas, “the Ethics Commission would not want to get involved in trying to second-guess his declared residence.”

Wood said that where the Isaac children were

enrolled in school probably doesn’t have any bearing in the case. “I claimed once that putting kids in school somewhere else destroyed their residency.

I lost that case.”

Wood declined to say whether Isaac’s actions passed the “smell test.” “I don’t get into the political,” he said. “I stay with the law.”

While Jason Isaac concluded his term as District 45’s state representative no longer residing in the district, the residency question may carry over for his wife, Carrie. On March 28, 2019, a deed was filed transferring ownership of a two-bedroom home in Woodcreek to the Isaacs from two longtime political donors.

Public filings indicate the home was provided via owner-financing with no down payment and a balloon note for the full purchase price of $260,000 due five years from the date of purchase.

Address searches also indicate another current home address for the Isaacs in a four-bedroom

rented home less than two miles from their former apartment home, also adjacent to their children’s private school.

The deadline to file for the March 3 primaries is Monday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. So far, Carrie Isaac, Kent Bud Wymore, Austin Talley and Holly Newson are filed to run as Republicans; Zwiener has drawn no opponents in the Democratic primary.

workers now punch in and out instead of manually keeping track of hours worked. “We have updated our fee schedule,” she said, “and we are working with the treasurer’s office” to make sure the procedures that have been implemented are adequate.

The meeting was held in Courtroom 10 of the Hays County Government Center, as work to upgrade audio/visual equipment is still ongoing in the regular meeting location on the third floor of the historic Hays County Courthouse in downtown San Marcos.

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