NOVEMBER 7, 2018 EMPTY BOWLS
NAIL-BITER
Helping Hands holds fundraiser to fight food insecurity.
Lady Rebel basketball stuns Aldine in 40-39 thriller.
– Page 1C
– Page 1B
Hays Free Press © BARTON PUBLICATIONS, INC.
75¢
Vol. 123 • No. 32
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
Dem stuns GOP for top county seat BY EXSAR ARGUELLO An underdog Democratic candidate stunned a former 14-year commissioner Tuesday to take the highest elected office in Hays County. Ruben Becerra, a San Marcos business owner, defeated Will Conley by 2,649 votes, according to unofficial, final results. All
results will be canvassed by the Hays County Commissioners Court at a later date. Becerra, who unsuccessfully ran for the San Marcos CISD school board and Mayor of San Marcos in previous years, won his first elected position. It also marks the first time since 2006 a Democrat claimed the County
Judge seat, when Liz Sumter was seated. Becerra replaces Bert Cobb, BECERRA who stepped down from the seat in
August after announcing his fight with leukemia. Cobb’s leave of absence paved the way for Conley, who was a commissioner at the time, to step down from his Pct. 3 Commissioner seat to throw his in the hat in the ring for County Judge. According to unofficial, final results, Becerra won by a three-
Unofficial Total:
Ruben Becerra(D): Will Conley(R):
39,859 37,210
percent margin over Conley, who currently serves as the chair of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). Based on unofficial election results, Becerra
WALT SMITH
(51.72%) (48.28%)
will lead a predominately Republican commissioners court. Debbie Ingalsbe, Hays County Commissioner for Precinct 1, is the only other Democrat on the court with Becerra.
LON SHELL
In the Red
MARK JONES
Republicans sweep county commissioner races Unofficial Total:
Dia de los Muertos
Hays County Commissioner Pct. 4 Walt Smith (R): 11,513 (51.41%) Omar Baca (D): 10,296 (45.97%) Jon Thompson (w): 587 (2.62%)
PHOTO BY JIM CULLEN
A trio of McCormick Middle School volunteers and educators dress in traditional garb for the school’s Dia de Los Muertos celebration last week.
More than 170 animals seized from Buda area home More than 176 animals were seized from a Buda area home Nov. 2 from residents who alleged they are a nonprofit animal rescue, according to a Hays County Sheriff’s Office press release. Officers received a complaint about inhuman animal care at a residence in the 200 block of Towhee Drive, where a registered nonprofit resides
Due to the shelter housing the seized animals, the facility was overcapacity and did not take in any other animals over the weekend.
according to a database of nonprofit organizations. The 161 cats and 15 dogs removed from the property were all in various states of health, according to HCSO officials. All of the animals are in the custody of the San
Marcos Regional Animal Shelter until the department completes the investigation for welfare concerns. Hays County does not limit the number of pets in a residence, but does require all pets to be regis-
tered with the county and be maintained in healthy conditions. Due to the shelter housing the seized animals, the facility was overcapacity and did not take in any other animals over the weekend. The Hays Free Press reached out to the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter for more information on the animals. SMRAS did not respond prior to press time.
COMING UP Veterans Day Parade
Starting at 9 a.m. Nov. 10, the Buda VFW Post 12161, in conjunction with the Buda Area Chamber of Commerce, is hosting the city’s inaugural Veterans Day parade, which will go down Main Street in the downtown area. Citizens, businesses and community organizations are invited to participate in the parade. For more info, contact VFW Commander David Condel at cw4dlc@yahoo.com.
Marie Howe Reading
Author Marie Howe will hold readings and signing at Texas State University, Flowers Hall Rm 230 on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 3:30 p.m. and at the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center on Friday, Nov 16 at 7:30 p.m. Howe is the author of four volumes of poetry: Magdalene: Poems, The Kingdom of Ordinary Time, What the Living Do, and The Good Thief. She is also the co-editor of a book of essays, In the Company of My Solitude: American Writing from the AIDS Pandemic. Her honors include National Endowment for the Arts and Guggenheim fellowships.
Buda Farmers Market
Shop, eat, buy local every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the weekly farmers market at Buda Mill & Grain in downtown Buda, 308 Main Street.
VENUE OPPOSED Subdivision files suit against Driftwood wedding venue.
– Page 1D
INDEX
BY KATIE BURRELL
News …………1, 3 & 4A Opinion …………… 3A Sports …………… 1-2B Education ……… 3-4B Community …… 1-4C
Hays County Commissioner Pct. 3 Lon Shell (R): 10,048 (50.11%) Jimmy Alan Hall (D): 10,003 (49.89%) Hays County Commissioner Pct. 2 Mark Jones (R): 10,751 (53.38%) Richard Cronshey (D): 9,390 (46.62%)
BY MOSES LEOS III An early voting deficit wasn’t enough to keep incumbent Hays County Pct. 3 Commissioner Lon Shell from securing his seat on the dais Tuesday. Shell, a Republican who has served as Pct. 3 commissioner since
BETH SMITH
December 2017, outlasted Democrat Jimmy Alan Hall by a narrow 45 votes, according to unofficial, final results. Votes will be canvassed by Hays County Commissioners at a later date. Hall led the Pct. 3
COMMISSIONER RACES, 2A
SCOTT CARY
RICK KOCH
Dems take local JP races, Koch joins Kyle council Unofficial Total:
Hays County JP2 Beth Smith James Kohler
9,932 5,524
64.26% 35.74%
Hays County JP 5 Scott Cary Karen Marshall
7,438 6,029
55.23% 44.77%
Kyle City Council, Place 5 Rich Koch 3,268 Robert Rizo 3,189
50.61% 49.39% LOCAL RACES, 4A
Obituaries ………… 3C Service Directory … 5C Business ………… 1D Classifieds ……… 2 & 4D Public Notices … 2 & 4D