6 minute read
City Headlines
from July 2021
Clemens Graduate Receives Hal Baldwin Scholarship
On June 1, 2021, City Council approved Resolution 21-R52 awarding the 2021 Hal Baldwin Scholarship to Emma Jachimowicz. The Hal Baldwin Scholarship Committee, a committee that assists the City Council with the scholarship process, reviewed the applications and recommended that Ms. Jachimowicz receive the scholarship. The Committee selected Ms. Jachimowicz to receive the top scholarship at $5,000. Emma is a graduate from Samuel Clemens High School and will attend Texas A&M University in the fall. The Hal Baldwin Scholarship was established in 2009 to encourage high school seniors who are residents of Schertz to consider public service as a career path in education, local, state and/or federal government. The scholarship honors Hal Baldwin, who served the City for more than 30 years as a civic volunteer, an employee, a Councilmember, and Mayor. Funds for the Hal Baldwin Scholarship come from donations and profits from the Hal Baldwin Golf Tournament which is held annually in the fall; this year the tournament will be on November 12, 2021 at Olympia Hills Golf and Event Center. To date, over $50,000 has been awarded in scholarship money.
Renovation Completed at Veterans Memorial Plaza
The Schertz Parks & Recreation Team has been hard at work renovating the landscaping and adding accessibility at the Veteran's Memorial Plaza after the paver renovation was completed last year. The landscape bed was reworked to be a symmetrical shape encircling the plaza and filled with various types of new rose plants. Additionally, amphitheater-style seating was added using limestone blocks and placed in a semi-circle around the two sides of the plaza. A new accessible route was created to the parking lot and an ADA accessible parking space was added next to the existing two Purple Heart Recipient spaces. The last touches include irrigation system repairs and new flowers around the entrance sign. The Veterans Memorial Plaza is host to the annual Veterans Day Ceremony hosted by The Chamber Military Affairs Committee, and the annual Memorial Day Ceremony hosted by the VFW Post 8315. The plaza contains over 1,500 memorial pavers honoring those who have served our country. Pavers can be purchased online at Schertz.com or by calling (210) 619-1850.
The iconic Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) is the Texas state reptile and was once abundant throughout a large range. They prefer arid to semi-arid areas with sparse plant cover and loose sand or loamy soils; their diet consists primarily of native harvester ants, but they will eat other insects. Horned lizard populations have declined or disappeared in many places in Texas since the late 1960s due to factors including fragmentation and habitat loss, the introduction of exotic grasses, red imported fire ants, and pesticide use. In early 2017, San Antonio Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research established the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project. This project seeks to release large numbers of captive-hatched horned lizards to suitable areas of their native range in Central Texas, where they have been extirpated. San Antonio Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research staff are involved in all aspects of the project, from lizard husbandry to site evaluation. A unique component of this project is utilizing trained horned lizard detection dogs from Chiron K9 to locate the cryptic lizards in the field. Dog handlers will travel with their trained companions to release sites to monitor post-release success and assist in ongoing conservation research. San Antonio Zoo’s longterm goal is to develop replicable methodologies to share with other conservation entities, create awareness of native biodiversity and opportunities for its preservation, and return this species to areas where they were once abundant. The project focuses on counties in Central and South-Central Texas, including Bexar, Bandera, Comal, Hays, Blanco, Kerr, and Kendall counties, with properties covering about 250 acres of contiguous high-quality horned lizard habitat. Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz is a part of this area and contributes to the project by allowing the collection of harvester ants in the park to help feed the Texas horned lizards at the Center for Conservation and Research.
Many Texans born before 1970 and who lived in the urban corridor from Houston to Dallas have fond memories of abundant horned lizards. Children and grandchildren of that cohort are largely unfamiliar with the species, and very few have ever seen a living horned lizard. This includes residents of rural areas and those who live(d) in urban and suburban landscapes. Most releases are expected to take place on large tracts of private land. San Antonio Zoo is working with corporate landowners, city and county entities, and preserves that provide access to the public. People who are fond of the horned lizards but may not meet the program’s habitat requirements can learn how to manage their properties so that horned lizards may naturally establish on their property after nearby reintroductions. The new Schertz Parks & Rec First Ed-ZOO-cation in the Park program invites people to learn about Texas Horned Lizards, harvester ants, the history of the animals, and their importance. We encourage you and your family to come out to Crescent Bend Nature Park for the next EdZOO-Cation in the Park event and learn more about the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project at sazoo.org/ zoo-conservation-efforts/texas-horned-lizard/ and texanbynature.org/projects/san-antonio-zoo-horned-lizardreintroduction-project/.
HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE
Hurricane Season runs from June 1st through November 30th each year. Typically, the Texas coast experiences their most severe storms during the latter part of the summer.
2020 and 2021 have proven to be anything but typical and we must prepare ourselves for whatever mother nature may have in store for us next. While Schertz is not a coastal community, we are subject to the inland effects of a hurricane which often includes large amounts of rain and high winds. It is important for every resident to identify their individual risk, asses their ability to respond, and make a plan. Get prepared, then enjoy your summer! It is always best to prepare for the worst, then hope for the best! The City of Schertz Office of Emergency Management encourages all residents and businesses to:
DETERMINE YOUR RISK
Find out today what types of wind and water hazards could happen where you live, and then start preparing how to handle them.
DEVELOP AN EVACUATION PLAN
The first thing you need to do is find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. If you do, now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
ASSEMBLE DISASTER SUPPLIES
Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of three days.
GET AN INSURANCE CHECKUP
Call your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough homeowners insurance to repair or even replace your home.
STRENGTHEN YOUR HOME
If you plan to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications.
HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR
Many Americans rely on their neighbors after a disaster, but there are also many ways you can help your neighbors before a hurricane approaches.
COMPLETE A WRITTEN PLAN
Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know who issues evacuation orders for your area, determine locations on where you will ride out the storm, and start to get your supplies now.
Sign Up for Emergency Notifications at Schertz.com/Alerts
