JUNE 17, 2020 JUNETEENTH
DREAM IT
Juneteenth/Black Lives Matter parade begins in Buda.
Luling man becomes a veterinarian despite struggle, rejection.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
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Vol. 126 • No. 12
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Amazon to bring 100s of jobs to Buda
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
COVID-19 Testing
BY SAHAR CHMAIS The coronavirus pandemic has put millions of Americans out of work, and Hays County was no exception when the unemployment rate rose to 12.8 percent in April. Still, there may be a saving grace that will open hundreds of jobs in Buda. An Amazon shipping center plans to open outside of Buda’s city limits sometime later this year, and it is expected to bring hundreds of part-time and full-time jobs. Since the facility will be outside of the city limits, property taxes will be paid to the county and not the city of Buda. Wages start at $15 per
AMAZON IN BUDA, 11
Kyle mayor sets his sights on renaming Rebel Road BY ANITA MILLER The slow disassociation of the Hays ISD from the Confederacy has gone on for almost two decades, with the last major step taken in 2015 when “Dixie” was dropped as a fight song. In the wake of the murder of Houston native George Floyd beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, there have been calls on social media for the district to go further, with some suggestion the “Rebel” be replaced as mascot.
REBEL ROAD RENAME, 9
Arrest made in Caldwell County double homicide BY ANITA MILLER
PHOTO BY ANITA MILLER
Free COVID-19 tests were performed on 701 people Sunday at Bohnam Pre-K in San Marcos. Similar events will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 at Simon Middle School in Kyle, on Thursday, June 18 at Uhland Elementary in Uhland and on Friday, June 19 at McCormick Middle School in Buda. The tests are for anyone five years old or older. See full story on page 5.
‘Dialogue for Peace and Progress’ Kyle hosts summit Friday at City Hall BY ANITA MILLER An open conversation between local law enforcement and the community will be the focus of a “Dialogue for Peace and Progress” summit at 7 p.m. Friday at Kyle City Hall. City Council member
Dex Ellison will moderate the event, said to be the first such discussion. “This as a springboard to education and understanding of what is ailing or might be lurking in the shadows to breed distrust and concerns in our community,” Ellison said. “Only then can
we identify what truly needs to be addressed or changed about our approach to building mutually safe, respectful and empathetic relationships between those that make, those that enforce and those living by laws passed.” Ellison said the first
step to identifying issues is education and he hopes that many in the community will see the panel as a starting point for future conversations and action. “We must first educate ourselves, so we
PEACE AND PROGRESS, 9
COVID-19 cases especially high in Kyle, mayor questions why BY SAHAR CHMAIS
Last week, the city of Kyle was experiencing the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Hays County, making up almost half of the county’s coronavirus illnesses. Mayor Travis Mitchell wants answers from the county as to why his city is being hit by this wave. “There are simple levels of analyses that can be performed and the county is saying they are not willing to provide this information,” Mitchell said. Mitchell met with county commissioners and epidemiologists on Monday to understand his city’s situation. This week, San Marcos has reached more active cases than Kyle; San Marcos at 215 active cases and Kyle hitting 131.This data does not change the fact that Hays County is not disclosing detailed
The county said in a press release that it would not be releasing any data “that identifies particular business types or industries” where there have been positive tests, citing potential harm to the businesses “struggling to get back on their feet.”
information on possible hot beds of these cases so that cities better understand where they need to focus prevention efforts, he said. An official statement from the Hays County Local Health Department states that they “will not be releasing any data that identifies particular business types or industries where individuals have tested positive for COVID-19. We understand the basis for questions regarding trends that point toward
RELIEF
Dripping Springs launches business relief program.
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potential clusters or hot spots. However, we do not believe providing this type of information will assist with policy decisions or messaging. In fact, it could be harmful to businesses that are already struggling and trying to get back on their feet.” It is not the local health department’s job to withhold this type of information, rather, they should send this information to the commissioners who have an overall say in what gets disclosed to city
leaders, Mitchell said. When it comes down to it, the city’s residents have questions and they look to the mayor for answers. “The residents hold leadership accountable,” Mitchell said, “and we need commissioners to be our advocates. If we are not able to get reliable information from the county, we cannot help residents understand what is happening.” Kyle is working from a semi-blind point of view. The city knows its ETJ of about 20,000 residents is host to many of the cases. City leaders are doing what they can by posting COVID-19 safety messages on social media and placing posters in the area’s commonly-spoken Spanish dialect and English. These messages are
COVID IN KYLE, 7
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The man accused of fatally shooting two Caldwell County teenagers June 9 later told his brothers he believed they were “aliens” disguised HAYNES as firefighters that he had to kill. Investigators found more than 50 9-millimeter shell casings near the bodies of 18-year-old Klayton Manning and his 16-year-old cousin Landin Robinson along Tenney Road in a rural area of the county. Manning was a volunteer with the Southeast Caldwell County Volunteer Fire Department and the teens were riding in a fire department ATV along Tenney Road when they were shot multiple times – both in the vehicle and as they were
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County gears up for July 14 runoffs BY ANITA MILLER Securing additional ballots ahead of an expected surge in mail-in voting for the July 14 primary runoff elections, as well as sanitizing supplies for in-person voting, were among anticipated uses of a federal CARES grant discussed by the commissioners court on June 10. Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson explained to the court that the grant of more than $191,000, which commissioners voted to accept on June 2, will require a 20 percent county match, and can be used through the end of November for “anything above and beyond our normal budget” for an election. “Anything that can help us prepare,”
JULY 14 RUNOFFS, 5