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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 6 No. 11
INSIDE
Tennessee Jane’s Brothers Learn About Texas
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www.hillcountryherald.net
REAL COUNTY CHIEF APPRAISER SUBMITS RESIGNATION submitted by Real County Appraisal District (Real CAD)
At a special called meeting on Friday March 11, 2016, the Real CAD Board of Directors accepted the resignation of the Chief Appraiser for the district effective April 1, 2016. The resignation was originally presented on Monday, March 7, 2016 prior to the regular meeting of the board of directors for the Real CAD. Since the resignation was not expected and not on the agenda no action could be taken on it at the regular meeting on March 7th. The special called meeting on March 11 was convened to specifically address the Chief Appraiser’s resignation and the ramifications it would have on the district. While the Chief Appraiser’s departure will create some hardship because of her tenure and ongoing work to be done, it was a decision the Chief Appraiser made and the board accepted. With this, the Read CAD Board of Directors wishes Ms. Kelley Shults well and appreciates her work over the years for the district. With regards to some of the tasks immediately at hand, the most pressing
with be to respond to the State’s Property Value Study (PVS) for 2015 and to prepare for the upcoming 2016 study. Property Value Studies are conducted on a regular basis by appraisers sent into the district by the State of Texas. These appraisers take a random sampling of different types of properties in the county and the school districts and appraise them. They then compare them to the locally appraised values and, by state law, the values must fall within a 95%-105% range for value. If the values fall outside of this range the district is considered to have “failed” the PVS and the particular entity that has failed the study goes into Year-1 of a Grace Period. The next year the same process is repeated and if the entity fails again it is considered in Year-2 of the Grace Period. (Editor’s note: Leakey ISD has failed the PVS for two years in a row and is now in year 2 of the grace period) Three years of Grace Period is all the state allows. When a particular entity fails three years in a row the state will
High Speed Chase Burk Feed Saturday March 26 from 9am to 1pm
Somewhere in the West
Two motorcycles were driving over 100 miles per hour and chased by law enforcement, which began in Castroville, through Hondo, D’Hanis, Sabinal, Knippa, and then in Uvalde where one crashed. The other motorcycle turned back toward Knippa, again at a high rate of speed. Officers in chase then lost the vehicle at Knippa. However, Sabinal Police Chief Chuy Reyes noticed a man pulled off the side of the road, pointing below the west side of the
certify the values for the entity at the value they determined during their study. This, in effect, raises what the state uses to calculate the state funding portion for school districts. If the state certified values are higher than the local values the state sends the school district less money, assuming that the school district is collecting on the higher values. This means less money for the local school district since all school districts rely on a certain percentage of their operating funds coming from the state. County tax revenues increase when the actual property values go up if the tax rate stays the same. Counties are not affected by the state calculations since they receive very little to no funding from the state. In response to the immediate need for a Chief Appraiser the Real CAD Board of Directors has engaged Eagle Property Tax Appraisal & Consulting, Inc. Eagle will provide an experienced Interim Chief Appraiser for $4,000 per month. They will also provide all personnel
by Billie Franklin
Frio River bridge. It was there where the Chief found the second bike abandoned. Border patrol agents were notified and called in a chopper and a dog. The second driver was apprehended in a very brushy area shortly thereafter. They were chased by many law enforcement, created a lot of danger and more excitement than our small towns needed. Police Chief Chuy Reyes reported on the chase at City Council meeting Monday night.
MARCH 18TH, 2016 @ 5:30 PM @ AMERICAN LEGION HALL, LEAKEY, TEXAS Rib Dinner with potato salad, beans, desserts
By: Joel Pigg, General Manager
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EDWARDS COUNTY BURN BAN LIFTED The burn ban has been lifted for Edwards County.
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INDEX Legals/Jail Register ...... Page 3 Community News ......... Page 4-6 Feature Story ................. Page 9 Obituaries ...................... Page 8 Classifieds ..................... Page 12
Today’s Weather
High: 82° Low: 60°
As I sit here to update the flow readings it is coming a slow shower in Camp Wood. I had 0.25” of rainfall overnight (March 8 th) here at the office and I poured 1.2” out of the rain gauge at the house in Leakey from the March 8th thunderstorm. I observed a little hail in the storm last night ranging from pea to marble sized. The forecast is for more rain for a couple of days and I for one welcome this because as soon as the trees start budding the river levels are going to take a dive. Flows at all crossing were taken on March 9th and 10th . Fulgham’s Crossing just south of the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment had a flow of 25,408 gpm last measurement and now has a flow of 26,153 gpm; this is an increase of about 3%. The culverts on the south end of this crossing are still flowing, but it is a lot lower than in January. The Leakey Springs crossing had a flow of 4,967 gpm last measurement and a flow of 4,436 gpm this reading; decreasing about 11% since the February measurement. This crossing still has a plugged culvert, but the water is a little too cold for me to worry about that just yet. The Mill Creek Crossing showed a 9% increase in flow since the last measurement; there are culverts on the south end of this crossing that continue to have no flow and now half of the culverts on the north end have no flow. This crossing has a flow of 15,574 gpm this measurement up from the flow last measurement of 14,138 gpm. On the west prong of the Frio River; the Rancho
Real crossing had a flow of 11,374 gpm this reading compared to a flow of 6,812 gpm last measurement for an increase of about 40%. This was by far the largest flow increase, there must have been a good cloud over the area last night. The Kent Creek crossing showed about a 30% increase in flow since the last measurement with a flow of 2,889 gpm this month up from a flow of 2,029 gpm last measurement. The Nueces River showed reductions in flows this month as a result of very little rain activity. McDonalds Crossing was flowing at 26,703 gpm last measurement and decreased to a flow of 24,150 gpm this measurement or a decrease of about 10%. The Nueces River Dam on Highway 55 south of Camp Wood had a flow of 53,402 gpm last reading and this measurement the culverts had a flow of 44,997 gpm or a decrease of about 16%. This crossing looks amazing right now with a ton of water flowing over the dam. For those of you that live in the northern portion of Edwards County near Telegraph here are the latest flow measurements for the crossings in your area. The first crossing on Highway 377 near Telegraph had a flow of 37,952 gpm in February and has fallen slightly to a flow of 37,128 gpm or a reduction of about 2%. The second crossing on Highway 377 near the Evergreen School had a flow of 40,501 gpm in February when I last checked the flow and now has a flow of 42,771 gpm or an increase of about 5%. continued page 4
DRT Honors Texas Essay Winners The Caddel-Smith Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, met on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the United Methodist Church in Leakey with 13 members and 11 guests present. The meeting was called to order, the invocation presented, and the pledges to the United States and the Texas flags recited. The regular order of business was suspended. The meeting was turned over to Education Committee chair, Kay Anderson. The Texas History Essay contest winners were recognized and honored. She announced the fourth grade winners as Kristopher Allen of Leakey, first place; Claire Burleson of Nueces Canyon, second place; and Andres Reyes of Utopia, third place. Seventh grade winners were Kayley Philippe of Utopia,
assets necessary to statistically reappraise the district as well as complete all mandatory processes mandated by the Texas Property Tax Code for $2,000 per month. The contract will be a monthto-month contract and can be terminated with a 30-day notice. The total amount for Eagle will be less than 60% of what the district currently has budgeted for the Chief Appraiser position. The Real CAD Board of Directors will start the search in the future for a permanent Chief Appraiser. The board will also continue to focus on improved service and controlling costs for the entities and the taxpayers it represents. The members of the board can be reached at any time with questions or comments. The board members are: Carrie Chisum – Chairman Charlie Reagor – Vice Chairman Melissa Bates Gene Buckner unfilled position and Secretary – to be filled by April 11, 2016
2016 LEAKEY LIONS CLUB ANNUAL RIB DINNER
Water News and River Flows
“Quanah, Son of Cynthia Ann Parker A Man of Two Worlds”
March 16, 2016
editor@hillcountryherald.net
tea and water COST IS YOUR DONATION PROCEEDS BENEFIT LIONS CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS
by Billie Nast
first place; Hailey Spaniel of Leakey, second place; and Riley Smothers of Utopia, third place. First place winners were presented $50, second place winners $30, and third place winners $20. All were presented certificates, and told of the opportunity for first place winners to apply for the DRT scholarship when they are seniors. The two first-place winners read their essays to the audience present at the meeting. The teachers from their schools were also recognized and thanked for their encouragement to the students. John Garcia is the scholarship recipient this year and was awarded $1,000. He won the essay contest as a seventh grader and is now a senior at Woodville High School. He plans to attend Texas A&M University
in the fall. Members of DRT Education Committee were recognized as follows: Chairman Kay Anderson, members Judy Burleson, Pat Burrier, Karen Collins, Jakelynn Crawford, Patsy Keelin, and Beverly Langford. Following the program, refreshments of cookies and punch were served. Attending the meeting were members Kay Anderson, Judy Burleson, Ernestine Carson, Karen Collins, Jakelynn Crawford, Roberta Himebrook, Betty Hussey, Patsy Keelin, Beverly Langford, Cheryl Ratcliff, Missy Solbrig, Amanda Van Hoozer, and Jane Van Hoozer. see picture page 2