AUGUST 21, 2019 FILINGS
FIRST DAY
NOV. 3, 2020 ELECTIONS
Six file for Buda, Kyle races in November election.
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Parents capture first day of school memories.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
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Vol. 124 • No. 21
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
Where will you vote?
Promoters of a mass gathering must now submit a description of security measures that will be taken, as well as a parking plan. Promoters must also let officials know if drones will be used and must give a description of how the device will be utilized.
County polling places being revised BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
A fight is on when it comes to which end of the county will get new polling locations and which will be cut back. A public discussion was held about future voting poll locations nearly five days before jurisdictions are required to turn in their
Several citizens expressed a need for more polling locations on the eastside of Hays County, especially east of I-35. list of polling locations to the court. The voting locations discussed are for the Nov. 5 general election, including constitutional amend-
ments, and also Buda and Kyle city elections. Residents and college students spoke up about more voting locations in Kyle and on the east side
of the county, about fewer in Wimberley, and adding a voting location on Texas State University’s campus. Several citizens expressed a need for more polling locations on the east side of Hays County, especially east of I-35. A general breakdown
VOTING LOCATIONS, 5
Back in session
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Kyle to regulate drone usage at mass gatherings
Brake lights as far as the eye could see was the view commuters had Aug. 15 as they were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Jack C. Hays Trail near Fairway during the first day of classes for Hays CISD. Despite some delays caused by municipal and county road construction and detours, Hays CISD officials said all went mostly according to plan and no major issues arose getting students to classes. See first day photos submitted by parents on page 6.
BY KATIE BURRELL
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
STAFF REPORT Authorities have identified a San Marcos woman as the victim in an Aug. 18 wreck on Post Road involving a motorized scooter and a vehicle driven by an off-duty Hays County Constable. According to a Department of Public Safety preliminary report, au-
FATAL WRECK, 5
Landowners awarded $3M in eminent domain cases BY MOSES LEOS III
More than $3 million was awarded to four Blanco County landowners involved in condemnation proceedings with Kinder Morgan and its Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP) over the past two weeks. Those decisions, made by a court-appointed panel, is leading officials with the Texas Real Estate Advocacy and Defense (TREAD) coalition to double-down on allegations Kinder Morgan is “lowballing” landowners for use of their land. According to a TREAD press release, the panel awarded settlements to
TREAD officials said none of Kinder Morgan’s appraisals for either of the three properties exceeded $21,000. In one instance, TREAD officials estimated the panel’s award to one property owner was 81-times what Kinder Morgan had appraised their land at.
owners of the Campbell Ranch, Neill Ranch and Gloore Ranch in Blanco County; the largest of the three awards was set at $1.3 million. TREAD officials said none of Kinder Morgan’s appraisals for either of the three properties
exceeded $21,000. In one instance, TREAD officials estimated the panel’s award to one property owner was 81 times the amount Kinder Morgan had appraised their land. Chris Oddo, an
KINDER MORGAN, 5
Fire destroys portable at Camino Real elementary BY MOSES LEOS III An electrical issue is the suspected cause of a fire that destroyed a portable classroom at Camino Real Elementary late Monday, which officials have ruled was accidental. Kyle Taylor, Kyle Fire Department chief,
said first responders were dispatched to the campus, located on Las Brisas Blvd. near Niederwald, at around 11:15 p.m. Monday. When firefighters arrived, one of four portable buildings behind the school was in flames, Taylor said. The structure was a total loss, but no other portables were dam-
HIKE & BIKE Kyle signs support for Emerald Crown Trail.
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INDEX
Scootertruck wreck leaves one dead
aged. No one was hurt in the fire. Hays CISD Chief Communications Officer Tim Savoy said 44 total students and two educators were impacted by the blaze. The district plans to house them within Camino Real Elementary for the
CAMINO REAL FIRE, 6
News………… 2, 4, 5, 12 School………………… 6 Community………… 7, 8 Business……………… 9
promoters of a mass gathering must submit Mass gatherings in a description of securiKyle, such as the annual ty measures that will be Pie in the Sky festival, taken, as well as a parkwill now go through ing plan. Promoters additional scrutiny must also let officials before the first patron know if drones will be ever enters the gate. used and must give a On Aug. 6, the Kyle description of how the City Council voted 6-0 device will be utilized. to amend the city’s Additionally, the upexisting mass gathering dated language allows ordinance allowing city Kyle’s Police Chief the staff and Kyle Police authority to approve to review and approve the specific date and specific details for a time of the event, as proposed event, includ- well as give the green ing the use of drones. light for road closures, According to the updated ordinance, MASS GATHERINGS, 5
Hays CISD earns a B from the TEA BY MOSES LEOS III Curriculum alignment and instructional support were factors Hays CISD officials cited as the primary causes for the district’s seven-point improvement in the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) A-F Accountability ratings. While there are areas for continued progress, Hays CISD Superintendent Eric Wright said in a statement the results, which showed the district climbing from a C in 2017-18 to a B in 2018-19, is a “win for our students and staff.” It also marked the first time since 2016 that no campuses in the district were labeled as failing or needing improvement. “I’m pleased that the systems we’re putting in place, and the teaching methods and instructional practices we are adopting, led to student success,” Wright said in a statement. “We have momentum and energy on our side.”
Classifieds…………… 10 Service Directory…… 11 Public Notices…… 10, 12
Hays CISD Superintendent Eric Wright said in a statement the results, which showed the district climbing from a C in 2017-18 to a B in 2018-19, is a “win for our students and staff.” As a district, Hays CISD improved by an average of seven points on student progress, student achievement and closing the gaps, all criteria measured by the TEA in its ratings. Meanwhile, individual Hays CISD campuses earned 28 total performance distinctions from the TEA, an increase from the 12 earned in 2017-18,
HCISD REPORT CARD, 6