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Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 7 No. 18
INSIDE
www.hillcountryherald.net
Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
May 3, 2017
editor@hillcountryherald.net
THEY RANG THE BELL SO BILLY AND JIMMY COULD HEAR by Julie Becker
Following the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Rio Frio Cemetery Association on Saturday April 29th, a Dedication service for the newly erected Cavender Bell Tower was conducted. Willis Springfield presided. Anne Burns Woodley revisited memories of the twin boys roaming the Frio Canyon. The Cavender boys came for the summers with their parents and quickly and indelibly became a part of the Rio Frio community. Judy Cavender unveiled the plaque that will memorialize their devotion to the Frio Canyon. Woodley stepped to the bell tower and announced to Bobby, Judy, Steve and Mark, “Ring that bell so the boys can hear it.” And they did! The assembly roared with vigor and joyous enthusiasm.
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REAL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WANTED PERSONS AND FUGITIVES ............................ Page 3
MESILLA ............................. Page 7
Huajilla Unit TRTA “Treasures in the Attic”
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May is Elder Abuse Prevention Month
The Cavenders have played a vital roll in the canyon for many years, always willing to support and donate for a good cause. They will always be a part of the Frio Canyon. Following the celebration lunch was served in the Parish Hall.
Pictured LtoR: Bobby Cavender, Judy Cavender, Steve Cavender and Mark Cavender
Unwanted Intruder In Home You just never know what kind of call you will respond to as a Real County Deputy. Real County Deputy Mark Cox responded to a call on the mountain between Leakey and Camp Wood on Mitchell Ranch Road early last month to rescue property owners from a 5 foot rattle snake! The snake had made its way into the homes laundry room and took up residence. Deputy Cox quickly dispatched the critter, and it was relocated. So that brings us to our warning, IT’S GONNA BE A BAD YEAR FOR SNAKES! Well is there a good year, no! Our beautiful green hills hide more than beauty under their boughs this Spring. The extra rain, mild winter and hotter than normal spring have been a boon for small vegetation which is in turn a boon for small rodents which in its own turn
by Julie Becker and Elaine Carnegie
draws the snakes who depend on them for their food. Snake bite all over the country have increased this spring and the TDPW have issued a warning: Snakes in central Texas are coming out of hibernation sooner than usual due to increasingly warm weather. Texas Parks & Wildlife biologist Annaliese Scoggin said that a growing rat population is also prompting serpents to come out sooner this year. “This time of year, snakes aren’t usually out for good,” Scoggin told KTXS. “They’ll come out on warm days and then retreat to their hibernaculum’s when we have cold weather or overnight. So, we may see some snakes during the day, you have to watch where you’re stepping and putting your hands to keep you safe.” Scoggin suggests keeping homes clean and free of any-
thing that attracts rodents, since snakes are drawn to seek out their food source. That might include trash, rock and brush piles. Properly sealing homes is also important when it comes to avoiding a surprise house guest. In North Carolina at this time last year there had been 16 snake bites, today there are 71 reported. The same goes for California, and Oklahoma. Not a small increase but a huge one! Stats for Texas were not available at this writing. Texas A&M says, “It’s getting that time of year when snakes are on the prowl, or at least on the slither, and with Texas, a ground zero for many snake populations, people and pets should be aware that snakes are out and about, says a Texas A&M University expert regarding the creatures.” So beware out there!
Real County Deputy Mark Cox and a really BIG snake!
Sabinal Elementary School Recognized For High Achievement submitted by SISD
Texas Schools Selected for Prestigious Honor Roll Issued By a National Campaign of Business and Education Leaders. Sabinal ISD announced today that Sabinal Elementary School has been selected by Educational Results Partnership (ERP) and the Institute for Productivity in Education (IPE) as one of 727 public schools in Texas to receive the title of 2016 Honor Roll school. The Honor Roll is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and highlight successful
practices that improve outcomes for students. Schools receiving this distinction from leaders in the Texas academic and business communities have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. Sabinal Elementary received distinction in the “Star Schools” Award. Star Schools are those with significant populations of socioeconomically disadvantaged students that have shown a significant increase in grade-level proficiency over time. “We are honored to be recognized by education and business leaders in
Texas as an Honor Roll School District,” said Patrick Peabody, Sabinal Elementary principal. “Our teachers and staff have worked hard to keep our focus on high expectations and student academic achievement, and to continuously improve our practices. These past two years of change and hard work is improving our student outcomes and is benefiting all of our students, regardless of their background. We are focused on growth and providing a well-rounded education for our students, and through this we are finding success.” “These Honor Roll schools are clearly improving outcomes for their students, as the academic data show,” said
Charles Miller, chairman of IPE. “The next step is to understand how their educational productivity then translates to economic productivity. To do this, we must link academic and financial data to measure educational funding vs. student outcomes. Our economy will thrive when we are boosting student achievement without spending more – that is to say, when we are getting the biggest bang for our education buck.” “Many schools across the country are doing well, even those with high numbers of historically disadvantaged students,” said Jim Lanich, ERP President and CEO. continued page 4
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Discover the past along the Nueces River ............................ Page 13
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: 85° Low: 53°
In June archeologists from the Texas Archeological Society (TAS) and Texas Tech University will spend several weeks along the Nueces River near Camp Wood investigating several sites. Dr. Tamra Walter will direct the investigations. The primary target of the work will be Mission San Lorenzo, 1762-1771. It was established by the Franciscan missionaries for the Lipan Apache as a possible deterrent against the Comanche. Investigations in the 1960’s unearthed some building features that will be investigated further. These include sections of the walls that may contain additional structures, the central plaza, and several midden areas. Crews from the field school may also investigate a likely Lipan Apache village and
the 19th Century military outpost of Camp Wood. Additional reconnaissance survey will be conducted on local ranches to identify new sites and learn more about the people who lived here years ago. The Texas Archeological Society welcomes individuals and families who would like to learn archeological techniques and contribute to the history of the area. Membership in TAS is required (family $70; individual $60) and a field school fee for three days is adult $100, youth 7-17 $40. Work in the field is 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM every day with afternoon and evening programs. A “newcomers orientation” is offered on Sat. – Mon. mornings at 7:00 AM to introduce firsttimers to archeological concepts and get them assigned to field crews. See the TAS web site www.txarch.org for fur-
ther information about Society benefits – scholarly journal, annual meeting and academy sessions. During the week, June 10 – 17 the public will be invited to programs: Archeolympics near the campground on Highway 55 (Tues. 6:30 PM); A Program to summarize the investigations (Thurs. TBD); Artifact Identification at
the Senior Citizen Building (Thurs. TBD); and Open House/ Tour of sites location TBD (Fri. AM). More detailed information will be available on these opportunities. Teachers are encouraged to participate in the field school to receive CPE credit as approved by the Texas Board of Certification. You will receive credit for hours on the dig, as well as afternoon & evening programs. The background you receive in history and archeology is valuable in many disciplines. Your will also be given information on the Gault Site, a major archeological site in Central Texas. For further information on this program, contact Education Committee chair, Robin Matthews, annrobin@sbcglobal.net. Contact: Pam Stranahan 512 247-8497 pamwheatstra naha@gmail.com