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Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 8 No. 1
INSIDE
www.hillcountryherald.net
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JUST FOR GRINS
editor@hillcountryherald.net
January 3, 2018
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING LEAVES ONE DEAD by Julie Becker
On Tuesday morning at approximately 6:15 a.m. Real County Deputy Jonathan Ortiz responded to a disturbance at 206 E. 4th Street, Camp Wood, Texas. Upon arrival at the Hill Country Motel, Officer Ortiz encountered Shana Musquiz of Harper, Texas and other family members embroiled in a child custody argument. Musquiz opened fire on the officer. Deputy Ortiz returned fire, striking Musquiz. Musquiz was transported to Uvalde Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Officer Ortiz had served in a reserve and contract deputy position until January 1, 2018 when he became a full time Real County Deputy. Muzquiz had reportedly called the Veteran’s Affairs Suicide Hotline to seek
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REAL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WANTED PERSONS AND FUGITIVES
Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Shana Musquiz
help before becoming embroiled in a family confrontation regarding removing a four year old child from parental custody without permission. Real County Sheriff Nathan T. Johnson said “The officer responded to the 911 call in Camp Wood for a child custody issue at the Hill Country Motel. The subject engaged the officer with a firearm, discharging a round at the officer. The officer returned fire and summoned EMS. Nueces Canyon EMS transported the subject to Uvalde Memorial Hospital where she expired. Texas Rangers, Real County District Attorney’s Office and Real County Sheriff‘s Department are conducting an investigation into the incident. This remains an ongoing investigation.”
Reports indicate Musquiz was a military veteran, but which branch of service is unclear at this time. veteransandptsd.com says “PTSD statistics are a moving target that is fuzzy: do you look only at PTSD diagnosed within one year of return from battle? Do you only count PTSD that limits a soldier’s ability to go back into battle or remain employed, but that may have destroyed a marriage or wrecked a family? Do you look at the PTSD statistics for PTSD that comes up at any time in a person’s life: it is possible to have undiagnosed PTSD for 30 years and not realize it-possibly never or until you find a way to get better and then you realize there is another way to live.” We send prayers for all involved.
Former Justice of the Peace JD Martinez Seeks County Judge Position To The Citizens of Real County, My name is J.D. Martinez and I am announcing my candidacy for Real County Judge under the Republican Party. I was born in Mercedes, Texas in the lower Rio Grande Valley on August 29, 1950. I graduated from Weslaco High School and earned my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas Pan American at Edinburg, Texas. I married my lovely wife Sylvia in 1989 and together we have five children, 12 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Sylvia and I are active members of St. Raymond’s Catholic Church and serve on the Pastoral Council. I have over 27 years of Law Enforcement experience in which I worked as a County Deputy Sheriff, State Trooper and Chief of Police for
the city of Weslaco. I served 20 years in the Texas Army National Guard and I retired at the rank of Major. I am a proud veteran of the Gulf War. I am active with the American Legion Post in Leakey where I served as Post Adjutant and Post Commander. I also currently serve as Chaplin for the Leakey Lions Club. I currently volunteer my services to the citizens of Real County as the Emergency Management Coordinator and also the County Veterans Service Officer. I was elected by the citizens of Real County as Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 and 4 in March of 2014 and served in that capacity with the utmost honesty, dependability and fairness. I was appointed by the Camp Wood City Government as their Municipal Judge in 2016, and I am currently still serving
in that capacity. I am an active member of the Justice of the Peace and Constable Association of Texas and the Texas Veterans Officer Association. My reason for seeking the position of Real County judge is for a better quality of life to all citizens of Real County. To bring about new development for growth in the entire County that will bring more jobs and revenue to this County. If elected, I pledge to work closely with both City Mayors, City Councilmembers and both Chambers of Commerce to better promote their interests, so together in a united effort we can make Real County a better place to call home. Yours for a better tomorrow, J.D. Martinez
COWBOY CHURCH IN HONDO MAKING A DIFFERENCE by Billie Franklin
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CANDIDATES ROLL THE DICE FOR BALLOT POSITION ............................ Page 8
The Cowboy Church in God’s Country, Hondo, Texas, located at 374 CR 341, just outside the City limits, is living the words of scripture found in Matthew 25:35. They offer a meal every Sunday and Wednesday following the church service for anyone who comes. On Wednesdays, they provide meat for the tables of any who want to take it home with them. On the front of their bulletin is the invitation “Let’s Eat! Please stay & fellowship with us every Sunday, let us get to know You!” And they really mean it. During the week, Pastor Ross or meat team leader Gilbert Tovar or possibly some other meat team member will take a deer to a family who can use it and process it. How did this all begin I asked. Pastor Hardwick explained that his uncle and aunt from George West, Fred and Evelyn Johnson, began the Cowboy Church there and introduced him to Ron Nolan. Hardwick felt the tug from God to form a Cowboy Church in Hondo and contacted Nolan who was
with the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches. The plan was written on a napkin, that simple, and that was the beginning of a long, fruitful journey. This band of believers began their church in 2008 at the Medina County Fairgrounds in a show barn. On January 11, 2011, Pastor Ross prayed for the Lord to provide them a suitable meeting place. Three months later, Jimmy Dixon called him to offer to sell him a building, “The Backroads Bar”. Puzzled, Ross asked how he knew about his needing a building and Dixon had no answer, just wanted to close his bar. By September 2011, they had moved in. In 2009, a friend who had a ranch at Waring, Texas, offered Hardwick to provide 100 deer a year to give them
Christmas Eve service
out to church members as a means to cull his herd and to help the church. Soon other ranches joined in, offering members a chance to hunt in order to thin their herds also. After several
church member Terri Satterwhite who led me to Pastor Ross Hardwick & the Cowboy Church in God’s Country
years of processing deer in the open, out back of the church, the leadership decided to build a meat room where they could process the meats properly. continued page 6
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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: 54° Low: 29°
Hunger Seeks Election to Real County Commissioner Precinct 4 Charles E. Hunger is 54 years old and was born in Kerrville, Texas. The Hunger family is native to Kimble County and his family moved to Nueces Canyon in 1967. Charles graduated from Nueces Canyon High School in 1982. From there, he attended Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, Texas. Mr. Hunger received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Sul Ross State University in 1987. Public service is a family tradition. Charles Hunger is the presiding Vice President of the Nueces Canyon CISD Board of Trustees. He has been a school board
member for the past thirteen years holding positions of both President and Vice President. Mr. Hunger has been involved in the ranching and hunting business for many years. He is a former member of the Nueces Canyon Volunteer Fire Department. Charles became an EMT and in the past, worked and volunteered for the Nueces Canyon EMS. Mr. Hunger is still currently ranching and is also employed as an EMT with Uvalde Emergency Medical Service. He and his wife Tena live in the Nueces Canyon. After being approached by sev-
eral members of the community Charles chose to run for the position of Real County Commissioner for Precinct 4. If elected he will continue with the same philosophy that has served him well. That is to do the very best for all the persons you represent with no partiality and maintain the financial stability of the whole. He comes in with no pre-set agenda and is ready to settle in for the long term. Charles pledges to do what is best for and proudly serve all the citizens of Voting Precincts 4, 6, & 7 equally while keeping Real County strong.