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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 7 No. 45
INSIDE
www.hillcountryherald.net
November 8, 2017
editor@hillcountryherald.net
MERRITT ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION/RETIREMENT AS REAL COUNTY JUDGE by Julie Becker
REAL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WANTED PERSONS AND FUGITIVES
After seven years as Real County Judge, Garry Merritt announced this week he will resign/retire from his position as Real County Judge effective January. Efforts to confirm this resignation would be effective January 2018 went unanswered. Merritt assumed the leadership of Real County from former Judge W.B. Sansom, Jr. when Sansom decided not to run for the office. Merritt ran unopposed in his first term. If the resignation is for January 2018, he is resigning his position with one year left on his second term. If not and Merrit will retire from the position it will be effective January 2019, when the newly elected Real County Judge takes office. Merritt submitted the following statement: “It has been my honor to serve as Real County Judge since 2010 and as Real County Attorney from 2001 to 2009. However, after 17 years of public service, I have decided not to seek re-election in 2018 and to step down from office in January. I love Real County and I love serving as your County
Judge. I am proud that my children are the 6th generation in our family to grow up here. I will continue to work to make this county a better place for all of us to live and raise families. I am deeply appreciative of the people with whom I have worked who committed their lives and careers to the same efforts. We have accomplished amazing things in my time with the county. We have added tens of millions of dollars in county infrastructure using state and federal grants. We have strengthened numerous county programs and services, built a more efficient government, and saved the taxpayers money. And we did it while keeping our tax rate among the lowest in the state. But everything has a season. For me, it is time for other professional challenges and to give others the opportunity to lead in Real County. I ask that you join with me in supporting our local governments and those who serve in them. As I’ve said many times, we can do more when we work together than we can when we work apart.”
This month will bring the names of those vying for the position of Real County Judge. The primary in March will decide the candidates for each party for the November 2018 election. The winning candidate will take office January 2019. As we progress on to the campaign the Herald will feature each candidate and their perspective platforms. Real County positions up for election will be the Real County Sheriff, Real County Judge, Real County District/County Clerk, Real County Justice of the Peace, Real County Commissioner’s Precinct 2 and Precinct 4 and Real County Constable. November 11, 2017 is the first day to file for all candidates to be on the Primary ballot. December 11, 2017 is the last day to file to be on the Primary ballot. February 5, 2018 is the last day to register to vote. March 6, 2018 is Election Day for the Primary. November 6, 2018 is Election Day. Coverage will continue as candidates announce their intentions to run, be informed, be prepared and above all VOTE!!
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World War II Made Me
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Dub’s Corner ............................ Page 7
Lots throughout
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I am a product of North and South. My dad, William Edwin “Bill” Chamberlin was born in East Concord, New Hampshire, son of World War I ambulance driver in France, Harold Curtis Chamberlin, and Ruth Marian Bachelder Chamberlin, housewife. My mother, Dovie Maddalean Boultinghouse Chamberlin, was born in Utopia, Texas, daughter of John Franklin Boultinghouse, a farmer, and Martha Louisa Smart Boultinghouse, a homemaker. The story of how my parents met begins just before World War II. Bill loved motorcycles and often partied late into the night. One night in particu-
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: 46° Low: 39°
lar, his sister, Margaret, recalls awakening to the sound of a thief scampering across the roof of their home on Shawmut Street. As she peered into the night, she discovered it was her oldest brother, Bill, sneaking into the house after a late night of partying. Eventually, because of his drinking problem, he had a serious wreck, almost died. According to The Union article of September 4, 1940, Julius B. Treisman, treasurer of Treisman Brothers, Inc., was walking across South Main Street in Concord, New Hampshire. Bill, riding his motorcycle, was driving north on Main near Freight
Street. Both tried to dodge each other, but instead, collided full force. Both were hurt, but Bill was unconscious. Both were taken to Margaret Pillsbury Hospital. Julius was not seriously injured. However, Bill, who was given his last rites by a priest, had to have surgery in which he had a metal plate installed in his head to protect his skull. This remained with him all his life. Because of this wreck, he lost his driver’s license forever in the State of New Hampshire. Enter World War II and the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. Bill enlisted as soon as he could, December 12, 1941, in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, where he continued to ride motorcycles. His nickname was “Chaindrive”. Bill quickly rose in rank, Tech 5 on April 1, 1942, and Staff Sergeant on September 19, 1942. Maddalean was a petite, young woman, attractive with her natural, curly, black hair. At the age of 27, she got a proposal of marriage from a man in Utopia. continued page 4
REAL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HOSTS FORMER SHERIFFS
The Real County Sheriff’s Office would like to cordially invite citizens of Real County, friends and family to be present during the dedication of a plaque commemorating all person who served as Sheriff of Real County since the counties inception in 1913. The event will take place on Tuesday, November 14th, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. The dedication event and photo opportunity will take place on the steps of the Sheriff’s Office in Leakey, Texas. The Sheriff’s Office is located on the east
side of the Real County Court House, located at 146 South Hwy. 83 in Leakey, Texas. Over the past 104 years, Real County has been served by a total of seventeen Sheriff’s, including our current Sheriff Nathan T. Johnson. Three of the past Sheriffs are James Earl Brice, Buck Miller and Rodger Carlile. Each of these retired public
servants plan on attending the dedication. The memories will abound, don’t miss the stories! Additionally, Lana Carr will represent her late husband Bruce Carr. We encourage all the elected officials of Real County and the public to attend the event to commemorate the historical service of our past sheriff’s and to dedicate a
plaque in their honor. In today’s world and the society we live in there are fewer occasions to show the respect that is due to our law enforcement. As we celebrate Veteran’s day this weekend, remember the sacrifices that Texas law enforcement officers make everyday to keep our citizens safe. We have been blessed in Real County to have the caliber of officers in service to Real County citizens. Please plan to attend and show your support for our officers of the past, present and those to come.
TRADE IN YOUR PADS FOR A KEVLAR HELMET by Heidi Hansing
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by Billie Franklin
reprinted with permission from The Dam Good Times
I do not care two spits about mega-millionaire megalomaniac athletes/entertainers/celebrities. Their personal expressions of ill will, disrespect, scorn, and ingratitude are utterly meaningless to me. They may be notorious, but they will never be heroes or legends (except in their own minds) They will never, “ever” measure up to the men and women who make their lifestyle possible. They are nonentities, personas non-grata in my world, thus I am not offenses by them in the least. BUT I DO care a great deal-how service members and veterans feel about it all and especially how Blue Star (I am one) and Gold Star families are perceiving it. The warrior mindset that led Alejandro Villanueva (former Army Ranger) to stand solitary on the field today during the National Anthem while his quisling Steelers teammates and coaches huddled in the locker room behind him-that is all that matters to me in this whole sordid hot mess of temper tantrums and pity parties. And anyone who knows me knows that my unwavering commitment, loyalty, and OATH is to uphold and defend the Constitution and the values of the liberty therein. It is NOT to the current bastardized form of government, not the politicians who have forsworn their own oaths. So, I have no interest in even arguing about that tragedy. Bearing that in mind, I’m going to share one last thing on this tiresome topic and then I am done.
To the NFL players who took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem: by Stanislaus Drew. So, you want to take a knee? Take a trip to Valley Forge in January. Hold a musket ball in your fingers and imagine it piercing your flesh
and breaking a bone or two. There won’t be a doctor or trainer to assist you until after the battle, so just wait your turn while listening to the screams of pain from the wounded. Then take a knee. continued page 4