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Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 6 No. 5
www.hillcountryherald.net
Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
February 3, 2016
editor@hillcountryherald.net
LEAKEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT HONORS REAL COUNTY 50 YEAR VOLUNTEER JESSE PENDLEY INSIDE
by Julie Becker (with help from Hazel)
NEWEST REGISTERED
............................ Page 3
Ballad of a Night Rider ............................ Page 7
IOWA CAUCUS
At this years Chamber Gala, the Leakey Volunteer Fire Department honored one of it’s longest active volunteers, Jesse Pendley. Jesse was born June 18, 1934 in Leakey, TX. He attended school in Leakey and graduated High School May 1954. During his last two years of school, he worked summers for the Texas Highway Department. Jesse played in the first football game ever played at Leakey ISD in 1951. He joined the Air Force and went in Aug. 30, 1954 and got out Dec. 12, 1957. Jesse served in the fire department of the Air Force. He was in crash and rescue. He returned to work for TXDOT from Jan. 1958 until May 1987 when he retired. Jesse served on City Council from 1985-1999. Since he was mayor pro-tem, he was appointed Mayor in January 1999 upon the death of Joe Chisum, and served in the position of Mayor until May 2012 when he retired from that position. He served as a volunteer firefighter from the time he came back from the military in 1957. The first calls he made were when they had a siren in town that they set off. There was no truck, everyone fought it as best they could. G.W. Twilligear got a military truck and they became organized as a unit. He has been with the organization for 50+ years. Jesse married Hazel Silvers in 1967. They have two sons, Dennis (Brenda) and Aaron (Oil), two grandsons, Joshua Pendley and Caleb Pendley, and a granddaughter, Micayla Walsh. Jesse is the second oldest child of Arthur Lee and Rosalee
From left to right are: Jesse Pendley, Chip Davenport, Fern Navarro, Buck Neal, Hazel Pendley, James (Slim) Edwards, Jose (Kico) Sanchez, Carlos Navarro, Josh Dillard and Roel Gonzalez
Pendley. He is one of 8 children. Many hours of dedicated service is given by Jesse as well as all pictured here. This year’s officers are: Fire Chief - Kico Sanchez 1st Assistant Chief - Fern Navarro, 2nd Assistant Chief - Buck Neal, Secretary/treasurer - Hazel Pendley, Coordinator
- Buck Neal, Training Officer - Buck Neal, Safety Officer - Josh Dillard, Chaplain - Russell Bingham LVFD is one of the most important organizations of our community. Please remember all of the members are volunteers! If you would like to donate to the LVFD please send to P.O. Box 250, Leakey, Texas.
Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell presents program for Caddel-Smith DRT by Billie Nast
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Congressman Smith honors Bandera Electric Cooperative linemen with Congressional Record .............................. Page 7
“Silent Majority; Dead, Alive or Just Our Imagination?” ............................ Page 9
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INDEX Legals/Jail Register ...... Page 3 Community News ......... Page 4-6 Feature Story ................. Page 7 Obituaries ...................... Page 8 Classifieds ..................... Page 12
Today’s Weather
High:58° Low: 30°
The Caddel-Smith Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, met at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 14, 2016, in the McNelly Room at the First State Bank in Uvalde with 19 members and 2 guests present. President Burleson announced several events that have taken place and will be taking place. Missy Solbrig and her father, Tike Burleson, attended a Wreath Laying on December 15th at the Texas State Cemetery honoring Edward Burleson. It was a very nice ceremony and they were honored to attend. The Republic of Texas Museum symposium/ luncheon will be on February 24 at the Austin Club and will honor Frontier Families. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Mrs. Burleson for further information. A court date for determining the ownership of the library collection in the Alamo has been set for February 22nd. The Chapter Registrar, Roberta Himebrook, reported the application for membership from Chris Lacey was being processed, Joan Martin’s application had been sent to the state office, 2 supplementals for Missy Solbrig’s ancestors James Burleson and Nancy Rodgers had been approved, and seven supplemental applications for
Jo Ann Eanes were being processed. A request for information has been received from Frances Hardwick. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, please contact Roberta Himebrook by phone at 830-796-3495 or email her at HimebrookRL@totacc.com. She will be more than happy to help you. We meet the 2nd Thursday of the month at the 1st State Bank of Uvalde in the McNelly Room at 10:30. Visitors are welcome to attend.
Our program was presented by Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell. He first apologized to Mrs. Ernestine Carson for any speaking rules he broke that she had taught him while in her Speech Class. His program was a history of the Powers Family in Real and Uvalde Counties. He stated that the Powers family, his mother’s ancestors, first came to Texas in 1834, settling in Falls County. His great-grandparents eventually settled in Barksdale, Edwards County, and finally in Camp Wood. His grandfather, Ross Powers,
for whom he is named, later became County Attorney for Real County and moved to Leakey. He told of Ross Powers being one of the few at the time who received his license to practice law by reading the law rather than attending university classes. Another who did this was John Nance Garner. Judge Mitchell talked of family members and landmarks known by DRT members. We enjoyed his entertaining stories of his family and growing up with a bushel of cousins. He had several pictures of his family from years gone by. It is always wonderful to view family pictures. Members enjoyed lunch at Ophelia’s and a time of visitation. Members present were Judy Burleson, Ernestine Carson, Karen Collins, Jakelynn Crawford, Billie Jean Davis, Virginia Davis, Jo Ann Eanes, Patsy Edwards, Roberta Himebrook, Francis Karasek, Patsy Keelin, Beverly Langford, Sandra Martin, Dianne McHugh, Malydaln Mitchell, Billie Nast, Cheryl Ratcliff, Vonne Dena Tumlinson, Sharon Tweedy, and Janie Van Hoozer. Guests present were Judge Mitchell and Geraldine Stutte.
Controversy Builds In The Leakey City Council Each month the Leakey City Council meets on the 2nd Monday to discuss and decide important issues facing their growing community. At last months meeting an agenda item was inadvertently left off to swear in a chosen replacement for Council member John Buchanan. Buchanan resigned following the December 2015 meeting, citing a disagreement with the decision to contract the City garbage collection to a selected private company. Council member Frankie DeLeon had questioned Mayor Harry Schneemann during the December meeting as to the need to go out for bid for the service. Schneemann said he had contacted the City’s attorney, Bobby Jack Rushing and was told the service did not have to go out for bids. Reportedly both Buchanan and DeLeon expressed a
desire to take bids to avoid any appearance of wrongdoing. Citizens have recently expressed a desire to be able to choose which trash collection service they want to use. Matt Knox of KWS Waste Service was recently awarded the trash service contract from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for trash collection inside Garner State Park. The contract for KWS was awarded at $304,000. per year. The contract had previously been held by Wilson Trash Service - WW Trucking, a trash service company located in Leakey. Wilson sold their trash service company to Rio Brewster Waste Mgmt, also located in Leakey. Rio Brewster is the company the Leakey City Council contracted with for inside the city limits trash collection. Knox, KWS owner, recently
approached Schneemann regarding providing services to Leakey citizens and was reportedly told by Schneemann that he could not conduct trash services inside Leakey City Limits. Schneemann has also reportedly said “If you do not use Rio Brewster for your trash service, I will cut your water off.” When contacted by the Herald, Schneemann said “We have contacted our attorney to see what the City can and can not do.” At press time, Schneemann reported the council will make that decision but he was unaware of a response from the attorney regarding the issue. City of Leakey Water Superintendent Larry Joe Chisum has previously oppossed the incoming City Sewer project, citing cost factors and water supply issues. Ironically, his wife owns the
by Julie Becker
Rio Brewster trash service which will charge citizens $27-30 per month for residential trash service, the same estimated cost for residential sewer service. Several of the City Council members are up for election in the May General Election. Mayor Schneemann, Council members Bob Bowers and Carl Jensen have stated they will run to retain their positions on the Leakey City Council. The deadline for candidates to apply for a position on the ballott is February 19, 2016. Applications may be obtained at the City of Leakey office. The next Leakey City Council meeting is February 8, 2016 at 6 pm at the Leakey City Hall, Leakey, Texas. Citizen input is limited to agenda items and when permission is given by Mayor Schneemann. Plan to attend the next meeting of the Leakey City Council.