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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 5 No. 1
INSIDE
www.hillcountryherald.net
January 7, 2015
editor@hillcountryherald.net
NEW YEAR’S DAY CEREMONY FOR REAL COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS by Julie Becker
On January 1, 2015 Judges, Justices of the Peace, and other elected Real County officials took the oath to uphold the law and serve the community. Local elected officials participated in a Swearing In Ceremony at the Real County Courthouse. A nice sized crowd attended the ceremony. All officials were incumbents except JP#3&4, JD Martinez and Sheriff Bruce Carr. Martinez won the Republican primary election for the JP position. Carr was recently appointed to fill the unexpired term of retiring Sheriff James Brice. LtoR Real County Judge Garry Merritt, Real County Commissioner Pct. 2 Bryan Shackelford, Real County Commissioner Pct. 4 Joe Connell, Jr., Justice of the Peace Pct. 1&2 Dianne Rogers, Real County Treasurer, Mairi Gray, Real County Combination Clerk, Bella Rubio, Justice of the Peace Pct. 3&4, J.D. Martinez, Real County Sheriff, Bruce Carr and seated 38th Judicial District Court Judge Camile DuBose
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FROSTS & FREEZES
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WHY pH BALANCE IS IMPORTANT
UTILITY DIRECTOR SOUGHT FOR WASTEWATER PROJECT by Julie Becker
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IT’S STOCK SHOW TIME!
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The last week of 2014 the Nueces River Authority advertised for a Utility Director for the Leakey Wastewater Project. It was realized during the reporting period that the grant agreement required a Utility Director be in place before construction funding can be released. The need for a Utility Director was always a priority, it had been postponed until construction was closer, since the position’s salary will be paid from the grant funding until the new wastewater system cash flow can cover the salary. The Utility Director position will be a fulltime job with the NRA, with the overall task to oversee construction and then run
the newly operational wastewater treatment plant and collection system. Job requirements include at least 5 years of supervisory experience at a wastewater plant and a Texas Grade B Wastewater License. The full job description can be viewed on the NRA website. The anticipated schedule is to close the job opening in late January, conduct interviews in February and have the Utility Director in place in early March. This process is the next crucial step in this project. During the most recent NRA Board of Directors meeting held on December 12, 2014, the board authorized solicitation of bids for the construction of the
TEXAS IN TROUBLE
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84th Texas Legislature ........................... Page 3
INDEX State News .................... Page 2 Legals/Jail Register ...... Page 3 Community News ......... Page 4-6 Feature Story ................. Page 7 Obituaries ...................... Page 8 Classifieds ..................... Page 12
Today’s Weather
High: 45° Low: 19°
George Wyatt “Dub” Haney was born in Yarbro, Grimes County, Texas, in the home of his grandfather, Sheriff elect Wyatt H. Binford. His parents were L. T. and Ida Lee Haney. He went to school in Navasota, played baseball and was injured, hit by a baseball bat in the knee. While still in high school and at the age of 17, he persuaded his parents to give him permission to join the Navy in June of 1945. While in boot camp at San Diego, California, the old injury resurfaced and he was sent to Balboa Hospital for surgery. On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped “Little Boy” over Hiroshima followed by another bomb over Nagasaki, and Japan surrendered August 15. Still at Balboa Hospital and awaiting surgery, Dub spent his time assisting wounded soldiers. Surgery was never done on his knee, he did not qualify for the G I Bill, and when he got out, he resumed high school in Navasota. He was president of the Senior Class of 1947; played in the band. Like his father before him, he worked at Gulf States Utility Company. He was a customer service representative in Navasota. He met May Estes of Mountain Home on a blind date and they were married in 1948 and made their home in Navasota. Her parents owned Mountain Home Cottages; the
the TxDOT project. TCEQ approved the request and will not require agency review of the plans. Utility Installation Requests were filed with TxDOT for the Phase 1 of the collection system which included open-cutting most trenches across TxDOT Right-of-Way. With TCEQ, TxDOT and NRA Board of Directors approval, construction of the Phase 1 collection system TxDOT subset is in place to begin, pending release of construction funds from the Texas Water Development Board. Thanks go to Adam Luke for submitting the monthly reports and the updated information necessary to keep the public informed of the status of the project.
by Elaine Padgett Carnegie
It is not a good forecast for the New Year for the state of Texas, and other oil producing states! Dropping crude prices will take their toll on our economy in the year 2015, according to all economic indicators. Texas is producing more oil right now that it has in the last 3 years and crude oil prices have taken a freefall since June 2014. Crude oil prices have fallen more than $50 a barrel in the last 6 months and many companies have seen their market value drop by as much as two thirds. In Texas, from January to September, 2014, crude oil production increased
The Spirit of ‘45
Phase 1 collection system TxDOT subset along U.S. 83 and RR 337 in advance of TxDOT’s upcoming paving and drainage project; bids for renovations to the administration/laboratory building at U.S. Hwy. 83 and Stanford Hollow Road; solicitation of applicants for the position of Utility Director. Various on-site and telephone meetings have been regularly occurring between Naismith Engineering, NRA, local representatives, vendors, landowners, and other project team members. TCEQ responded to Naismith’s letter announcing the intent to construct wastewater collection lines and manholes as part of the Phase 1 of
from 2.8 million barrels per day to more than 3.2 million barrels per day, a 15% increase. Normally that’s great for Texas oil producers when crude oil sales hit $107 barrel(as they did last June); but it is quite a catastrophe when demand falls and the biggest oil producer in the world (Saudi Arabia) vows not to slow production… No matter the cost! Michael Plante, a senior research economist at the Dallas Fed said, .“While consumers cheer $1.99 gasoline prices, the real negative impact to Texas will be because of those tumbling crude oil prices, that could cost Texas up
to 125,000 jobs by mid-2015. Texas produces 36 percent of the crude oil in the United States, so Texas will be harder hit than other states,” he said. “The states of North Dakota, Oklahoma and Louisiana also would be hit hard.” Plante is citing economic models that predict how falling crude oil prices could affect the economy nationwide. The Keystone pipeline may be old news before our government can even decide to approve it. As West Texas crude oil sold last Friday for roughly $77 per barrel. continued page 2
by Billie Franklin
buildings are still standing today. As they aged, they needed help and Dub and May moved to Mountain Home to help with running the business. The postmaster, Loy Estes, decided to go into the ministry and Dub applied for the job, taking the test and meeting all qualifications for the job. He was appointed Postmaster at Mountain Home in January, 1950, and served until 1973. He also went to night school at San Antonio College for 5 years. They adopted a three month old baby girl, Gayle, in 1950. In 1954, a terrible accident occurred in which May lost her life, but Gayle, age 4, survived. In 1956, he met Raye Pickett of Kerrville, again on a blind date. They were married in April, 1957, and had a daughter, Joan. He then transferred to the Ingram Post Office where he worked for 4 years, worked at Comfort 6 years, was President of the National Association of Postmasters from 1978-1979, retiring from the Postal Service in 1982. He then worked at Ingram State Bank, a part of the Schreiner Bank Share as a Special Services officer. He also worked with Ultra Fit Fitness Center as a personal trainer; worked for Cecil Atkisson Motors where he transferred vehicles within the dealership in Arkansas, Illinois, Louisianna, Oklahoma, and Texas for 18 years. He had a wedding photography business
for 30 years also. Health problems have slowed him down and he and his wife of 57 years are active in their church and enjoy their only granddaughter, Kate.