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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 7 No. 5
INSIDE
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Southwest Texas Junior College Alumni Participates in Presidental Inaguration ............................. Page 9
2017
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THE MECHANICS OF OUR TEXAS LEGISLATURE ............................ Page 11
www.hillcountryherald.net
February 1, 2017
editor@hillcountryherald.net
TxDOT Road Construction Update When you look around the area in Real County most specifically Leakey, you find lots going on. There are new stores, new visitors and last but not least, new roads. The Texas Department of Transportation contracted with Allen Keller Company for three major road projects in Leakey, Texas. The notice to proceed with the projects was given on January 28, 2015. Area Engineer Lewis Nowlin says to date the project is 80% time complete. The TxDOT Project Tracker website lists the date work began on June 8, 2015. Project 079201031, .0.538 miles West of US 83 on RM 337. The project listed cost is $1,604,637. The next project listed is Project 003605033, North US Hwy 83 from RM 337 to RM 336. The project listed cost is $3,155,233. The third project listed is Project 003606021, South US Hwy 83 from RM 337 to FM 1120. The project listed cost is $2,229,276. The original total budget for these three projects is $6.9 Million, Nowlin said this week the project is slightly over budget by 3% which is just over $200,000. Now lets talk time line. In October of 2016 crews began to pour the concrete roadways, so naturally citizens and business owners were excited and thought they could see the light at the end of the tunnel. So now here were are, RM 337 not complete
By Julie Becker
and only the roadway complete on US Hwy 83. As of today’s date, there are approximately 28 driveways on RM 337 with approximately 4 incomplete. That’s not bad. However, on US Hwy 83 North there are approximately 44 residential and commercial driveways, none have been completed. On US Hwy 83 South there are approximately 49 residential and commercial driveways, none have been completed. Curbs have been completed at US Hwy 83 and 3rd street in Leakey to Main Street and from 4th Street to RM 337 on the
West side only. Curbs pick up again at the old Chicken Earl’s location and continue to FM 1120 on the West side only. So, that leaves 90% of the curbs left to do and approximately 100 driveways. Tony Mangus, project supervisor, at our last meeting stated the project would be completed at the end of April or May, 2017. When I contacted Allen Keller Company directly, I spoke with Project Director Jim Brandenberger, who quickly advised me to contact TxDOT at the Junction office, otherwise he had no comment. If you have questions regarding this project please contact Allen Keller Company project manager Tony Mangus at 210.422.5319 or TxDOT Area Engineer Lewis Nowlin at 325.446.2413. In closing, I want to make sure that you understand the local TxDOT project supervisor Jayme Wooten has been very informative and cooperative since the beginning of this project and deserves only our appreciation for dealing with such a difficult project. Regarding the time line, Nowlin said “We will do everything we can to get out of there by mid-May. In four months there were 28 driveways completed, I certainly hope the pace picks up to complete the other 100 before our tourists arrive.
DAR MEMBERS LEARN TO PRESERVE FAMILY HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS by Karen Collins
Uvalde de las Encinas Chapter members, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), meeting at El Progreso Library in Uvalde on Saturday, January 21st, heard a most interesting presentation from member Virginia Davis about preserving family historical documents. She explained how families are losing their histories because pictures and personal papers are not archived for preservation. She told how the local library treats documents and pictures so that they will last for one hundred years, and encouraged members to check into preserving their personal pictures and important papers so their history is not lost forever. Too many such records are stored in plain boxes where dampness and
even insects and rodents destroy them over time. She displayed several properly archived boxes of records owned by the library. About twenty members attended the meeting, and Regent Lesley Jones recognized Mona Booker, Winter Texan Vicki Lee, who is a a member of a Minnesota chapter, and three prospective members as guests. The report given by Secretary Diane Carrillo was approved as read, and Registrar Nancy Baker reported that the paperwork for several prospective members is almost complete. We now have 61 members with ten prospective members. Regent Jones presented the treasurer’s report, in the absence of Sharon Hubble, and it was approved. Billie Franklin read Ann Turner Dillon’s President General’s Message which emphasized that all DAR members should embrace the opportunity to serve our communities. The National Defense Report, read by Diane Dooley, discussed how we should educate our citizens about WWI veterans and how they should be honored for their courage and patriotism, “being gone but never forgotten.”
Parliamentarian Betty Lawrence noted that the DAR Bronze Eagle Lectern was used at the Inaugural Lunch honoring President Donald Trump in Washington, DC on January 20th. Regent Jones stated that the April DAR meeting is scheduled on the second Saturday of the month, rather than the third, and will be held at Fort Clark Springs Association, Brackettville. The State Convention will be held in Dallas this summer. Regent Jones has more information to share with those interested in attending. The next meeting of the Uvalde de las Encinas Chapter, NSDAR, will be at The El Progreso Library on February 18. The program will be about the Vietnam War and will be presented by David Ross. This organization meets on the third Saturday of each month. 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 Lesley Jones at 830.563.2347.
2016 Tax Payments Due January 31, 2017 was the deadline to pay all 2016 property taxes. Taxes are delinquent on February 1 of each year, with penalties accruing. Property owners in Real County generally receive two Tax Statements, one from a school district and the other from the Real County Assessor/ Collector’s office. In Real County, our taxing enti-
ties are Real County, City of Camp Wood, Leakey ISD, Nueces Canyon ISD, Uvalde ISD, Utopia ISD, Southwest Texas Jr. College (SWTJC), Real-Edwards Water Dist., & Utopia-Vanderpool ESD. Property owners may pay at the Real County Courthouse for Leakey & Nueces Canyon schools as well as for the remainder of County & other entities. Uvalde & Utopia
schools are paid elsewhere. Payments may be check or money order by mail or walk-in delivery. Credit cards are now accepted in-house & online through Certified Payments. Search online for www.realcad.org, go to Pay Taxes. For the County side of collections go to http://co.real.tx.us, and open the Assessor/Collector page. Owners will need to know their Property ID number & the amount of taxes due. Please fill in all blanks and follow the prompts. Certified Payments uses a 3% service fee. When taxes become delinquent, the accounts are directed to McCreary Vaselka Bragg & Allen, who generate delinquent notices.
Huajilla Unit TRTA January Meeting in Devine ............................ Page 13
INDEX Legals/Jail Register ... . Page 3Community News ......... Page 4-7 Feature Story ............... Page 8-9 Obituaries ...................... Page 10 Classifieds ..................... Page 14
Today’s Weather
High: 78° Low: 43°
On January 23, 2017, the Huajilla Unit TRTA met at Triple C Restaurant in Devine. After the call to order at 10:15 by President Irene Dubberly, Lewis Stroud led the gathering in prayer and a blessing for the meal after adjournment. The group then joined in singing the “America the Beautiful” (1913) by Katherine Lee Bates. Dubberly introduced the 2017 Huajilla officers; welcomed all present; thanked callers; highlighted new members Cindy and Pat Weems, and Pat’s sister Mary Weems; greeted first-timers; and recognized those with recent birthdays. Dubberly also congratulated Verlie Nietenhoefer for her recent 62nd wedding anniversary. The November meeting minutes and treasurer’s reports were given. There being no corrections or additions, they were approved for filing. The committee reports were subsequently presented as follows: Informative and Protective Services Chair Linda Perkins and Health Committee Chair Pat Havel provided handouts: “Identity Theft: Avoidance Is Key” and the January 2017 “Health Bulletin.” The Scholarship Committee Chair Charles Carlson reported that sufficient funds are available
for the Dewey Davis Memorial Scholarship and applications will be disseminated to area schools this month. Future contributions may allow for an additional scholarship. Historian-WebsiteFacebook Chair Irene Dubberly suggested that members friend the Huajilla Facebook page to view Unit information. Retirees were also reminded to think about serving as officers for 2017-18, and nominations will be accepted at the next meeting. The Book Project chair Lola Hill reported that 700 books were collected and were presented to five area organizations at the December 2016 Unit’s social gathering. Hill also encouraged members to turn in their volunteer hours by phone, email, text or regular mail no later than January 31. Legislative and Health Care Committee Chair Ken Hanson presented information about two legislative issues of interest to retirees: health care bills and insurance. At present legislators are working on a very tight budget that will include items to be funded. Members are encouraged to contact their representative and senator focusing on the needs of retired teachers. continued page 7
by Linda J. Perkins
In the photo are James Dunn who presented the program “Death and Taxes,” Irene R. Dubberly, president of Huajilla Unit, and Ernest Evans, who accompanied Dunn. Irene Dubberly is presenting an appreciation gift, a jar of David Park’s Huajilla spun honey, to Dunn for his program presentation.