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Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 7 No. 11
INSIDE NEW REAL COUNTY REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER ............................ Page 3
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BACKYARD GARDENS FOR SPRING 2017
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Open to the Public
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www.hillcountryherald.net
editor@hillcountryherald.net
TRUMP SO FAR ............................ Page 13
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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: 72° Low: 56°
March 15, 2017
Nueces River/Leakey Wastewater Project Update
Each month I receive an update report on the Nueces River Authority/Leakey Wastewater project. In its entirety it is too lengthy, but here are the top points: • On October 21, 2011, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved a $9.961M loan forgiveness from the CWSRF and a $1.082M grant from the EDAP. • The TWDB signed an agreement with the NRA on April 10, 2012 to fund the project. • A notice to proceed was given to Naismith Engineering on April 16, 2012. Naismith Engineering merged with Hanson Professional Services on September 12, 2016, which is now known as Naismith/Hanson. • A request to amend the project schedule was submitted on February 14, 2013, discussed with TWDB Board Members on February 28, 2013, and approved by the Executive Administrator in a letter dated March 4, 2013. • On December 14, 2015, an additional $16.547M grant was approved for construction funding by the TWDB. • In brief, the scope of the project is to provide firsttime wastewater collection and treatment service to the City of Leakey and surrounding communities within a determined project boundary. Effluent from the 0.4 MCD wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will be disposed of via land application on a 194-acre tract of land purchased by the NRA. Construction of all new manholes and sewer lines assigned to Hoover Construction under the TxDOT Subset contract is complete. Cleaning and testing of lines is ongoing before the contract can be closed out.
Change order 8 was executed in February 2017, which included authorizing fullwidth, two-course surface treatment of City of Leakey streets. Hoover Construction is scheduling the pavement repair in coordination with warmer weather. Change order 8 also extended the contract to May 6, 2017 to provide adequate time for pavement repair and clean-up. Construction of the WWTP is ongoing. Extension of 3-phase electrical service to the WWTP was completed by Bandera Electric in February 2017, with the installation of new poles parallel to Stanford Hollow Road. Earthwork activities are continuing throughout the site, with final cuts for process units and building pads for at-grade facilities being reached. Concrete placement is the next milestone to be achieved. The TWDB is reviewing final paperwork to close out the first office building construction contract. Meanwhile, as-built surveying took place the week of February 27, 2017 to document the current status of the office building site, including existing trees, new fence lines, new power poles, etc. Revised architectural and engineering construction drawings are being prepared in order to re-bid the project this spring. Beginning construction of Package A has been pending an official Notice to Proceed from the TWDB. This authorization is expected to
by Julie Becker
PROJECTED OFFICE
ACTUAL OFFICE occur early in March 2017. continued page 3
LEAKEY CITY COUNCIL VOTES YES TO CITY PRIDE SIGN by Julie Becker
At Monday’s Leakey City Council meeting, city leaders voted to erect City Pride signs on US Hwy. 83 at the North and South entrances to Leakey city limits. The signs will follow the TxDOT requirements but will be a welcome addition to the new look in Leakey, Texas. Recently downtown Leakey saw planting of new trees and the courthouse trees are getting a cleaning and spraying of ball moss. TxDOT developed the City Pride Sign Program to give cities the opportunity to display the names and logos of their civic organizations along state highways without interfering with official highway signs. Participation in the program is voluntary. When a city decides they want a City Pride Sign, they enter into a written agreement with TxDOT that determines the
exact placement of the display as well as the construction and maintenance requirements. State and federal laws limit where these types of civic organization signs can be placed. Signs are primarily designed for non-controlled access highways such as US or State highways, Farm and Ranch to Market roads, spurs and loops. City Pride Signs are located along highway entrances to the city and are placed 300 to 800 feet from existing city limit signs. A sign may be placed on each highway entering the city. For controlled access highways, such as Interstates, signs are placed on the frontage road.
Water News and River Flows ........................... Page 8
Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Flows at all crossings on the Frio River were taken on March 9th, 2017. I received 0.9” of rainfall on Saturday, March 4th both in Leakey and at the District Office in Camp Wood. Fulgham’s Crossing just south of the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment had a flow of 50,279 gpm last month and now has a flow of 42,604 gpm; this is a reduction in flow of about 15%. The Leakey Springs crossing had a flow of 5,085 gpm last measurement, and a flow of 5,435 gpm this reading; a 6% increase in flow since the last measurement. This crossing has remained very constant since last summer with only slight variations from one measurement to the next. The Mill Creek Crossing showed a reduction in flow this measurement of about 35%; there are culverts on the south end of this crossing that continue to have no flow. This crossing has a flow of 16,174 gpm this measurement which
By: Joel Pigg, General Manager
is down from the last measurement of 24,816 gpm last month. On the west prong of the Frio River, the Rancho Real crossing had a flow of 17,083 gpm last month compared to a flow of 8,466 gpm this measurement decreasing approximately 50%. The Kent Creek crossing showed a very large decrease in flow since the last measurement down to a flow of 2,069 gpm (which is very close to the normal flow for this crossing) this month down from a flow of 10,361 gpm last measurement. This is a decrease of approximately 80%. The Nueces River flows were taken on March 9th, 2017. McDonalds Crossing was flowing at 33,233 gpm last measurement and decreased to a flow of 31,921 gpm this measurement or a decrease of about 4%. continued page 9
GRASS FIRE TAKES SEVEN LIVES AND BURN MORE THAN ONE MILLION ACRES The cause of the grass fires that devastated six Texas Panhandle Counties remains unknown. Gov. Greg Abbott has declared six Texas Panhandle counties disaster areas after deadly wildfires there. Abbott issued the proclamation Saturday to help clear the way for government assistance in Gray, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts and Wheeler counties. A statement from Abbott says Texas officials have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a disaster designation to activate the agency’s emergency loan program. The funds
would be used to help eligible farmers and ranchers rebuild and recover from losses sustained by the wildfires. Officials say wildfires burned an estimated 750 square miles in Texas, displacing about 10,000 cattle and horses. Four people have died in the wildfires, including three ranch hands — Cody Crockett, Sloan Everett and Sydney Wallace — who were trying to save cattle from the approaching flames Monday. continued page 3