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News-Dispatch
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HaysNewsDispatch.com
Vol. 42 • No. 19
Serving Hays County, TX
APPLY NOW Cutler gives a call out for Citizens Academy applicants
County mental wellness center in the works BY MEGAN WEHRING HAYS COUNTY — Addressing the area’s mental health needs is Hays County’s goal as officials are working to create a facility where residents can receive proper care. Over three million Texas adults are living with a mental illness, according to Mental Health Texas, and 60% of adults who needed treatment in the last year did not receive any. In Hays County alone, Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers (HCMHDDC) serves 1,000 people per month — the county makes up 60% of the organization’s resources. “Hays County is one of our fastest-growing areas [that we serve],” said Landon Sturdivant, HCMHDDC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, “just like the population of Hays County growing faster than most parts of the country.” HCMHDDC is one of the organizations collaborating with Hays County to address the need for mental health care. The county is currently in the process of finding a vendor to conduct a Needs Assessment, which will help county officials figure out the best way to serve its residents. “My ultimate goal is to create a facility or several small facilities, whatever the assessment decides that is most useful for us as a community,” said Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, “that will help destigmatize mental care. That’s why I’ve even taken the name and changed it from mental health hospital to mental wellness center with education and research tied to it, so we can incorporate Austin Community College (ACC) and Texas State University. [We can] use that research component to facilitate, support and also capture more dollars to run it in the most holistic, state-of-the-art way that our community deserves.”
MENTAL HEALTH, 10
Hays Youth Livestock show draws to an end BY BRITTANY ANDERSON Whether they were seasoned pros or it was their first rodeo, youth from FFA and 4-H clubs from across the county had the chance to showcase their showmanship and months of hard work at the Hays County Youth Livestock Show this past week.
Along with the Queen’s Court and Ambassador’s Horse Show, 409 students showed swine, poultry, goats, lambs, sheep, rabbits, cattle and home skills and ag mechanics projects between Jan. 22 and 29 at Dripping Springs Ranch Park.
STOCK SHOW, 10
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CARIAGA
PHOTO BY BRITTNEY ANDERSON
Kyle loses businesses, monuments to local history BY BRITTANY ANDERSON KYLE — A devastating fire destroyed two downtown Kyle businesses last week, but the community is rallying together to stay supportive while waiting for their comeback. Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 27, Kyle Fire Department (KFD) responded to a fire that broke out at Papa Jack’s Bar and Grill on Center Street. The fire spread next door to Jack’s Axes, a new axe throwing business that had not yet opened. While no injuries were reported, both businesses are a complete loss. Andreece Gutierrez had been a bartender at Papa Jack’s since March 2021 and had a shift scheduled later that day. She said she received a call from another bartender friend early that morning saying that the bar was on fire. “He jokes around a lot so I didn’t believe it,” Gutierrez said. “So I drove down here. I saw the smoke from a mile away. I ran over to my coworker as soon as I saw her,” adding that they stayed in the area for the rest of the morning, long after the fire was out. Gutierrez said that from her vantage point, it looked like the fire was contained at Papa Jack’s until it spread next door to Jack’s Axes, which was
PHOTO BY FIRE CHIEF KYLE TAYLOR Hays County 911 received a call about fire coming out of Papa Jack’s Bar and Grill before 2 a.m. Thursday morning last week. The fire spread to the Jack’s Axes building. Both adjacent structures were a total loss. Jack’s Axes, which never opened for business, used to be Center Grocery, and for more than thirty years before that, it was Tenorio’s Grocery. See page 4 for more.
HAYS FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO The Jack’s Axes building that burned down, along with Papa Jack’s, was the oldest standing downtown building. It was built in 1884 as the Schlemmer Store and later became Young Brothers Lumber Yard before Tenorio Grocery.
“full of cedar wood.” She recalled seeing thick black smoke and hearing the popping of the ceilings falling in. According to KFD, a cause for the fire has not yet been determined. The city also said that investigators do not know when
OBITUARIES – Pages 6 and 7
the fire started or how long it had been burning before it was discovered. Across the street, residents saw and heard all of the commotion. Some stayed out and spoke with numerous reporters, including Dana Davila, who was also a bartender at
Papa Jack’s and had been at work that night. Davila said that seeing the fire destroy her job was “terrifying,” but was thankful nobody was hurt. Gutierrez said she is heartbroken about what
KYLE FIRE, 10
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Sheriff Gary Cutler is pleased to announce that the Hays County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy is now accepting applications for the 2022 spring class. The course will tentatively start on March 10, 2022. The Hays County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy is a 45 hour program designed to give the citizens of Hays County a working knowledge of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office and the criminal justice system. This free program includes 12 weeks of instruction by Hays County Sheriff’s Office staff and other guest speakers. Classes are held on Thursdays from 6:00 to 9 p.m. at the new Public Safety Building located at 810 S. Stagecoach Trail in San Marcos, directly behind the Government Center. The objective of the Citizens Academy is to build a better understanding between citizens and the Sheriff’s Office through education. The academy will help increase public awareness, sheriff’s office and community relations and rapport. Consequently, the sheriff’s office becomes aware of the feelings and concerns of the community from the participants through interaction. The instructors of this academy are supervisors, deputies, correction officers, and guest speakers who work in the areas being taught. Their training will give participants insight into the day-to-day operations of the sheriff’s office. In return, class instructors receive direct feedback from the class participants on the effects the sheriff’s office has on their lives. Students will have the opportunity to tour the Hays County Jail, the Juvenile Detention Center, the Government Center, and the Public Safety Building including the state-of-the-art communications center if current COVID guidelines allow. Students will also have an opportunity to ride along with a deputy as an observer during a regular patrol shift. Due to Covid, class size is limited to 20 people per class to maintain social distancing, so it is important to get your application in early. Applications may be obtained in person at the Public Safety Building or by emailing Deputy Mark Andrews at mark.andrews@ co.hays.tx.us. Additionally, within the next few days you will be able to download the application from our website, http:// www.co.hays.tx.us/sheriff. aspx Applications must be received on or before February 28, 2022.