50
Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 7 No. 2
INSIDE
Somewhere in the West ............................ Page 7
............................ Page 8
www.hillcountryherald.net
January 11, 2017
editor@hillcountryherald.net
The 2017 Real County Junior Livestock Show Association The Real County Junior Livestock Show Association is proud to announce the 69th Annual Livestock Show and Sale scheduled for Thursday and Friday, January 12-13, 2017 at the E. E. Bushong Show Barn on Ranch Road 337 West in Leakey. We have 124 exhibitors signed up for our show this year and our entries are: 46 pens of rabbits, 69 breeder rabbits, 58 meat goats, 71 breeder meat goats, 39 lambs, 22 swine and 8 pens of broilers. The horse division will not show this year due to lack of entries. Exhibitors are to bring their animals to the show barn between 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM on Thursday. The animals will be sifted, classified and weighed. Judging of the horses will begin at 1 PM followed by rabbits, broilers, breeder meat goats and finishing with the meat goats. On Friday at 9: 00 AM judging will begin with the lamb class followed by the swine class. We will provide a full concession on Thursday and Friday, as well as our traditional hometown barbecue lunch served Friday at 11:30 AM. Trophies and special awards will be presented Friday at 12:45 PM, followed by the auction beginning at 1:00 PM. You won’t want to miss the entertainment of the sale hosted by our long-time supporters, Southwest Livestock Exchange, out of Uvalde, Texas! ORDER OF SHOW THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017 – 1:00 P.M. BREEDER RABBITS Buck Rabbits CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Doe Rabbits CHAMPION
& RESERVE CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION RABBIT DIVISION Pen of Three Rabbits GRAND CHAMPION &
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BROILER DIVISION Pen of Three Broilers GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BREEDER MEAT GOATS Doe Kid Lightweight Mediumweight Heavyweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Aged Doe CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MEAT GOAT DIVISION Lightweight Division Class 1 Class 2 CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Mediumweight Division Class 3 Class 4 CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Heavyweight Division Class 5 Class 6 CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017 - 9:00 A.M. LAMB DIVISION Southdown Lambs CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Finewool Lambs Lightweight Heavyweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Crossbred Lambs Lightweight Heavyweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Mediumwool Lambs Lightweight Heavyweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION SWINE DIVISION Lightweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Mediumweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION Heavyweight CHAMPION & RESERVE CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION Mark your calendars and join us in supporting the youth of Real County! Hope to see everyone there!
Nueces River/Leakey Wastewater Project Update Texas Game Warden Field Notes ............................. Page 8
Governor Abbott Meets Taiwan President
Hoover Construction continued its assigned collection system construction along Live Oak Circle and Emerald Oaks South in the City of Leakey. These are the final portions of pipe and manholes to be constructed under this contract. Two-course pavement repair of streets affected by this project will take place later this winter or into the spring when warmer weather conditions are more prevalent. By dollars, the project is approximately 60% complete, with the majority of the remaining funds reserved for pavement repair. Roughly 30,000 linear feet of pipe has been installed, which is approximately one-third of the overall collection system, Hoover
TRUMP SO FAR…
Legals/Jail Register ... . Page 3Community News ......... Page 4-7 Feature Story ............... Page 8-9 Obituaries ...................... Page 10 Classifieds ..................... Page 14
Today’s Weather
High: 75° Low: 57°
field adjustments to the plans. This change order will also include a schedule extension. The NRA Board of Directors met on December 9, 2016, and voted to approve the termination of the office building contract with Fisher-Poirier Construction. Final paperwork required by the NRA and the TWDB is being compiled by Fisher-Poirier in order to complete the termination and process final payment. The project is being redesigned to reflect completed work and is planned to be re-bid this spring. continued page 6
By Patti Berkstresser
Tickets for the 2017 FOL Benefit Gala are now on sale at the Library and are $30.00. The Gala will be held on February 25 from 7-10 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. Celebrating Mardi Gras and the 25th Anniversary of the Real County Public Library Leakey, the event theme is “Sterling Mardi Gras”. Gala activities will include wine and craft beer tastings, small bite
............................ Page 9
INDEX
is underway. Excavations of the treatment structures are nearly complete, with rock trenching up to 20 feet into natural limestone. A change order was processed to include the excavation of the third treatment basin for 0.4 MGD buildout to save remobilization costs of future rock trenching. Earthwork activities to compact fill for the building pads and driveways are ongoing, as well as trenching for underground piping and electrical conduits. Efforts have been made to adjust the plans to avoid damaging or removing native oak trees as possible. By dollars paid, the contract is 14% complete. A third change order is currently being negotiated to reflect
Friends of the Library Benefit Gala Tickets Now on Sale! !
........................... Page 13
............................ Page 13
Construction has been authorized $1,552,676.33 in payment to date. As a reminder, the TxDOT subset is a portion of the collection system of the project 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 tripled the scope, expanded the work area into residential streets, and extended the schedule of the project to keep construction ongoing. Construction of the Treatment Plant
by Julie Becker
appetizers, live and silent auctions, a mask contest, and more. Varying levels of Gala sponsorships are available and include reserved seat Gala tickets. If you are interested in a Sponsorship, please contact Patti Berkstresser at patti.be rkstresser@gmail.com or 232-5877. Our Gala raffle ticket sales are also available at the Library. This year’s prize is an inflatable and portable
Stand Up Paddle Board, which is on display at the Library. Last year our Gala was a sell out with rave reviews, so get your tickets or Sponsorships as soon as you can! Remember, all of our FOL fundraiser proceeds provide the means to operate our Real County Public Library Leakey. We hope to see you at the Gala!
Thank a School Board Member Leakey, Texas—January is School Board Recognition Month and Leakey ISD will join other districts across the state to thank these local leaders for their dedication and willingness to serve as advocates for our children and public schools. As elected officials, they are the voice of their communities, serving first and foremost in the best interest of Texas schoolchildren. “Even though we are making a special effort at the January School Board meeting to show appreciation to our board members, we realize their many contributions reflect a year-round commitment. They generously give of themselves to ensure that decisions directly affecting our local schools are made by representatives of this community, people who are close to our schools and know our teachers, parents, and
students,” said Dr. Barbara Skipper, Leakey ISD Superintendent. “Board members shoulder critical responsibilities and often make difficult choices. Their ultimate goal is always focused on the future success of the children in our district,” Skipper said. “It’s more important than ever before that the public supports our schools so that today’s students are prepared to be productive citizens and the leaders of tomorrow. Our board members provide vision and leadership in their roles as advocates, and they will continue to stand up for public education and guard against anything that takes away from our children,” she said. The current Board is led by Board President, Charlie Reagor, Board Vice President, Jerry Bates, and Board Secretary, Shawn Gray. Board members
also serving Leakey ISD include: Ruben Navarro, Joel Pigg, Tammie Dugat, and Amy Springer. Along with the Superintendent, Dr. Barbara Skipper, they have formed a strong Team of Eight! In a short time, they have stream-lined the use of district funds, led the passing of a bond election, and the addition of over 58,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the- art science labs, computer labs, gymnasium, and classrooms for grades 6-12 plus a cafetorium shared PK-12 and used for local community events. Campus-wide renovations include an elementary covered play area and covered walkway from leftover red steel and renovation of the former cafeteria into a Band Hall. At the urging of the board, the district added a prekindergarten program open to all students age 3 1⁄2 by September 1. In addition, the district now offers
over 60 hours of college classes online, and in some cases taught by Leakey ISD teachers, so that our high school students earn college credit. Last but not least, the board is leading the use of donated funds to complete a field house and weight room for our athletes. “Our district benefits from the tireless work and countless hours contributed by these local citizens who work without pay. Serving as a crucial link between the community and classroom, this board is responsible for an annual budget of over $ 3,000,000 million, 306 students, 49 employees, and an expanded campus. Please help us thank these dedicated volunteers for their efforts to make a difference and their unfailing commitment to the continued success of our students now and in the future,” Dr. Skipper said.