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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 9 No. 14
INSIDE
SATURDAY ........................... Page 8
............................ Page 9
............................ Page 3
JUST FOR GRINS
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REAL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WANTED PERSONS AND FUGITIVES
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INDEX Legals/Jail Register ... . Page 3Community News ......... Page 4-6 Feature Story ................ Page 7 Community Events.........Page 8-9 Obituaries ...................... Page 10 Classifieds ..................... Page 14
Today’s Weather
High: 70° Low: 50°
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Track At Last! The vote last Tuesday night by the Leakey School Board was 5-1 to have Paragon Construction out of Fort Worth build not only the district’s first track...but an eight lane track! The track has been needed for a long time as Leakey track students traveled to Nueces Canyon to use their track and after it was no longer available, they traveled to Knippa ISD this year. The eight lanes are significant because that will allow the track to be used for track meets which will bring business to the local community. A few years ago the district purchased a small pie-shaped strip of land adjoining Eagle Stadium. That land provided just enough room for the track to be built. The cost of the track and enclosed field will top out at $1,144,451 million, which will be paid from the district’s fund balance. In addition to the track,
editor@hillcountryherald.net
April 4, 2018
submitted by LISD
lighting will be upgraded from the current budget and 6 track events will be added from the 2018-2019 budget. The track will be finished in July. When finished, the field will be irrigated, resodded, and set-up for the district’s first 6-Man Football Season set to begin in August. In addition, the track and field will be available for elementary PE use and Field Day use. The track will be made available for community use as well as daily walkers. Superintendent, Dr. Barbara Skipper, said that it has been exciting working in Leakey ISD and being part of the much needed capital improvements. Board President, Charlie Reagor, said that the benefit to the community and local businesses will be great as more and more track meets are held in Leakey.
Texas Rangers Speak at Huajilla Meeting Neal’s Dining Café in Concan hosted fifty members of the Huajilla Unit Retired Teachers on March 26. President Irene Dubberly called the meeting to order followed by the pledges to the flags and, since the meeting theme was “Texas Pride,” members sang “Texas, Our Texas.” Charles Carlson offered the prayer, calling to mind members who need to be in our thoughts: Gerry Bridges, Joan Langfeld, Patty Driskill, Dan Keath, and the families of Deloy Dawson and Elizabeth McAnelly. Of special note is Elenor Mathis from Castroville who is celebrating her 100th birthday! Members Ruth Davis and Ken Hanson celebrated milestone birthdays during the month and several members welcomed new grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dubberly recognized Gerry Bridges for planning the meeting; Bridges then introduced Texas Rangers Ryan Kindall and Wayne Matthews who presented a brief history and interesting facts about the Texas Rangers. The Texas Rangers, a division of Texas DPS since 1935, was established in 1823 as a paramilitary
submitted by Irene Dubberly
force of both the Republic of Texas and the state of Texas. A few interesting facts: unlike Walker, Texas Ranger, real Texas Rangers don’t sport facial hair; the Texas Ranger “star in a wheel” badges are made from five peso 99% silver Mexican coins and are becoming much more rare due to the rarity of the coin; Rangers choose their own side arm; the average of a Texas Ranger is 48; there are only four female Texas Rangers. For more interesting and historical information, visit the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco! Kindall and Matthews followed with a Q&A. After their program, Ranger Matthews asked for the person who had retired with the most years of teaching experience. Mrs. Alice Santleban had 50 years, all with Knippa ISD. She was presented with a special autographed Texas Ranger photo. In appreciation for their program, Gerry Bridges and Irene Dubberly presented the Rangers with a gift of Huajilla honey. continued page 7
Irene Dubberly (left) and Gerry Bridges (3rd from left) present a gift of Huajilla Honey to Texas Rangers Ryan Kindall and Wayne Matthews in appreciation for their interesting program on the Texas Rangers.
Leakey/Nueces River Authority Wastewater Project Update Each month an update to the Wastewater project for the City of Leakey/Nueces River Authority is provided. These are the highlights. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a permit to the NRA on December 2, 2014, authorizing irrigation of treated wastewater effluent onto a 194 acre tract of land purchased by the NRA with a $2.198M TWDB grant in 2010. The permit expires on May 1, 2018, and is in the process of being renewed. The TxDOT Subset scheduled completion date is now listed as 4/13/18. The TxDOT Subset is roughly one third of the overall project collection system that was constructed prior to paving and drainage improvements to U.S. 83 and RR 337 by TxDOT within the Leakey
city limits. Originally bid in September 2015, the scope included approximately 9,600 feet of pipe and 44 manholes only on U.S. 83 and RR 337, to be completed in March 2016. Change orders have more than doubled the scope, expanded the work area into residential streets, and extended the schedule of the project to keep construction efforts continuous and ongoing. Paving of City of Leakey streets affected by the wastewater project was also paid for by the NRA through the TWDB grant funds in this construction contract. As for the Waste Water Treatment Plant the scheduled completion dateis now 4/6/18. Forming, concrete, and masonry work continues at the WWTP. Additional concrete pours are planned before efforts will
transition from structural construction to equipment installation. The Office Building Renovation is still listed as To Be Determined. No change: architectural and engineering redesign efforts of the office building continue. The project is planned to be re-bid. This portion of the overall project is not critical to the commissioning of the new wastewater collection system and treatment plant, and is currently not a high priority. Hanson and the NRA will have to identify how to complete the office building project in a method approved by the TWDB. The first phase of the collection system - Package A now has a completion date of 7/11/18. Work continues at the lift station at the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment. Pier
caps for the elevated generator were placed in March, and columns are schedule for April. Line work continues along FM 1120. Package A includes the lines that extend from the WWTP to the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment, along FM 1120, into parts of Leakey south of RR 337, and neighborhoods west of U.S. 83, roughly the second one-third of the collection system. Package B of the collection system completion date is just listed as 2018 – 2019. Final design decisions are being discussed for Package B, particularly at Sherman Lane and Leakey Springs, and at the four planned lift stations. Plans and specifications are nearly complete. continued page 7
TPWD, Partners Launch Arundo Awareness Campaign New Awareness, Prevention Campaign Aimed at Road Maintenance Crews AUSTIN – Arundo donax, an invasive, non-native plant, is devastating Texas waterways. It causes erosion, increases the risk of fire, worsens flooding and harms native aquatic life. For several years, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and partners have been working to manage invasive Arundo on creeks and rivers in the Hill Country, offering treatment at no cost to landowners in priority areas, and expanding efforts to new areas. But help from key allies in roadside maintenance, fill material supply, road and bridge construction is needed to support these efforts and stop the spread of this aggressive invader into our waterways.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is launching a new awareness and prevention campaign developed in partnership with the Nueces River Authority, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Texas Department of Transportation. The campaign is calling on construction and road maintenance personnel to watch for Arundo and learn how to properly treat this invasive plant at the source to prevent its spread. Arundo, sometimes known as giant reed, giant cane or carrizo cane, is easy to spot when it’s full grown – it looks a lot like corn or bamboo, but has thick stalks that can reach up to 30 feet tall and forms large, dense
colonies that are often found along roadside rights of way. Its roots and fragments, which can contaminate construction fill dirt and other aggregate material, are harder to identify. Keeping the invasive plant out of waterways depends on learning to recognize and treat Arundo so that mowing and construction activities don’t introduce it and cause an infestation. “We encourage everyone providing fill dirt or aggregate to familiarize themselves with Arundo, look for it growing on their facilities and learn how to properly treat it so that fragments don’t find their way continued page 13