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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 6 No. 49
INSIDE
www.hillcountryherald.net
December 14, 2016
editor@hillcountryherald.net
LEAKEY WASTEWATER PROJECT UPDATE ADDRESSES CITY STREETS by Julie Becker
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Somewhere in the West “The Cowboy Christmas Ball”� ............................ Page 7
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JOHN GLEN AN AMERICAN HERO
Each month over the past year Naismith Engineering has produced a monthly update of the Nueces River Authority/City of Leakey Wastewater Project. Since TxDOT has a road construction project going on at the same time in some of the same locations there is a seperate category for them as well as the other categories for the project. The following information is taken directly from the November report. The TxDOT subset is a portion of the collection system of the project that is being constructed prior to paving and drainage improvements to U.S. 83 and RR 337 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 expanded the scope and schedule of the project to keep construction ongoing. Change order 7 authorized in November 2016 to add the sewer
lines and manholes along Live Oak Circle, and Emerald Oaks South. The project schedule was extended into March 2017. A final change order is anticipated to add two-course pavement surface treatment to the project’s scope, which will repair the City streets damaged during sewer line installation. The schedule for pavement reconstruction will be warm-weather dependent, as proper pavement construction cannot be performed in cold and/or wet conditions. Construction of the WWTP is underway. Revisions were made to the site piping plan to avoid existing oak trees. Excavation and earthwork activities at the influent structure, SBR basin, chlorine contact chamber, chemical building, and piping routes are currently underway. Office Building Renovation and Site Work Fisher-Poirier Construction completed its efforts to correct defective work at the Office Building. Credits
have been offered for the NRA to accept defective work. Negotiations are under way to finalize the terms of the contract termination, and are expected to be complete in the next reporting period. The project will be re-designed and re-bid in 2017. Collection System Packaqe A A pre-bid meeting for Package A was held on November 1, 2016 at the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment. 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 neighborhood lines west of U.S. 83. The bid opening date of December 7, 2018 was postponed one day to December 8, 2016, in order to give bidders adequate time to evaluate Addendum 2 to the project, which was issued on December 5, 2016. The NRA intends to award Package A as soon as a proper review of bids and recommendation to award is approved by the TWDB.
TWIN FORKS
EMERALD OAKS
337 VERMILLION
FRIO RIVER ESTATES
LEAKEY
MOORE
337 1120
FM 1120 AREA
83
STANFORD HOLLOW ROAD AREA
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT Map Source: TNRIS, Texas Department of Transportation, Real County, Texas. NOTES: 1) LOCATIONS OF WASTEWATER LINES ARE PROPOSED AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE 2) LIFT STATIONS ARE NOT SHOWN
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Legals/Jail Register ... . Page 3Community News ......... Page 4-7 Feature Story ............... Page 8-9 Obituaries ...................... Page 10 Classifieds ..................... Page 14
Today’s Weather
High: 66° Low: 46°
LEGEND WASTEWATER LINE (GRAVITY)
TEXAS
WASTEWATER LINE (PRESSURE) PHASE 1 (EDAP & CWSRF)
PROPOSED WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS NUECES RIVER AUTHORITY REAL COUNTY, TEXAS
PHASE 2 (CWSRF) CITY LIMITS
REAL COUNTY
by Karen Collins
Uvalde de las Encinas Chapter members, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), meeting at the beautifully decorated home of member Toni Hull in Uvalde on Saturday, December 10th, enjoyed a delicious pot-luck luncheon, a time of visiting, and a delightful program by musicians Nathan Lafrenz, Anna Lafrenz, and Toni Hull. About thirty members and guests attended the party. Chaplain Alice Hicks offered a prayer of thanks prior to the meal. All business was suspended until the next meeting. During the program, Nathan Lafrenz played the fiddle, Anna Lafrenz played guitar and Toni Hull played the piano to a most appreciative audience. The group participated in a SingAlong as the program ended. These musicians
are well known locally and in the surrounding area and will be doing several programs in January and February. Watch for announcements in local newspapers. The next meeting of the Uvalde de las Encinas Chapter, NSDAR, will be at El Progreso Library on Saturday, January 21, 2017. The program will be given by DAR member Virginia Davis and her subject is Preserving Archives. This organization meets on the third Saturday of each month at 11 am. Any woman 18 years of age or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership in DAR. For more information, contact Regent Lesley Jones at 830.563.2347.
Pictured are musicians Toni Hull, Nathan Lafrenz, and Anna Lafrenz.
Each year Hill Country Herald readers from Hondo gather to wish a very Merry Christmas to their neighbors to the North. Each week they ask how we are doing up in the mountains and talk of good times at the river and Garner State Park. I always appreciate the kind words of encouragement and concern they express for our communities. Though they are flatlanders we still love them and wish them all A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND THE LORD’S BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR!!
Christmas Social at Alsatian Inn INDEX
LEAKEY SPRINGS
TIMBERS
WOOD HOLLOW
DAR MEMBERS ENJOY CHRISTMAS PARTY AT HOME OF TONI HULL
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In lieu of a regular business meeting for December, the Huajilla Unit TRTA hosted a Christmas social and buffet luncheon at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 12 at the Alsatian Inn in Castroville. President Irene Dubberly greeted the 40 members who attended; she then called on Lola Hill, the community volunteer services chairman. Hill reported on the annual book project and thanked the Unit for donating monies and/or providing books for the effort. Because of the Unit’s generosity, Hill indicated that 700 books would be donated to the following projects and/or organizations that serve the needs of Medina County children: Blue Santa, Brown Santa, Child Protective Services, the Family Life Center, and Bluebonnet Children’s Advocacy Center. Hill and committee members Nora Winkler, Kathleen Carskadden, and Walter Huegele purchased the books, divided them equally, and wrapped them. Present to receive the
donation on behalf of the above organizations were Dee Dee Romero and Jamie Moore. Dubberly then led the group in singing Christmas carols, recognized those who had provided desserts, and called on Lewis Stroud to word a blessing before the meal. A highlight of the activities was a white elephant gift exchange. After members drew numbers for participation, 2nd Vice-president Kathy Carlson explained the rules. Among the many items were a “white elephant” and one unusual item: an old, non-electric clothing iron with a receptacle for live, hot coals. After the game Dubberly reminded members about the next meeting on Monday, January 23 at 10 a.m. in Devine. All present agreed that the social was a success. The food was excellent, the setting beautiful, and the company congenial.
by Irene Dubberly
In the photo are (L-R) Kathy Carskadden, Deedee Romero, Jamie Moore, Lola Hill and Walter Huegele. The committee, consisting of Chairwoman Lola Hill and members Kathy Carskadden, Walter Huegele and Nora Winkler (not pictured), labeled, packed and wrapped over 700 books which were distributed to Child Protective Services, Family Life Center, Bluebonnet Advocacy Center, and the Blue Santa and Brown Santa groups who were represented by Deedee Romero and Jamie Moore. The Book Project is a statewide activity carried out by the Texas Retired Teachers Association’s local units dedicated to providing books for school-aged children’s needs.