NOVEMBER 14, 2018 STATE-BOUND
VOTING TRENDS
Rebels ready for playoffs following win over Del Valle.
A breakdown of voting patterns by each precinct in Hays County.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
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Vol. 123 • No. 33
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
Democrat wins HD 45 race in a landslide BY KATIE BURRELL
Zwiener becomes the first Democrat to be elected For the first time in to the HD45 office since roughly a decade, voters in Patrick Rose, who served Hays and Blanco counties from 2003-2010. selected a Democrat as Zwiener secured 42,999 their Texas House repretotal votes between Hays sentative. and Blanco counties and Democrat Erin Zwiener, claimed victory with just a Hays County resident over 53 percent of the vote and educator, defeated in the General Election. Republican Ken Strange Zwiener won the DemoNov. 6 to secure the Texas cratic nomination in March House District 45 seat. by taking 51.4 percent of
the votes against Texas State Professor Rebecca Bell-Metereau in a runoff. At 11:04 p.m. Nov. ZWIENER 6, Zwiener said she got a concession call from Strange, a Wimberley res-
ident and Wimberley ISD school board member, who gave in after 95 percent of Hays County precinct results came in showing Zwiener in the lead. Although Strange won all seven precincts in Blanco County, Zwiener held the edge in Hays County. Zwiener takes the place of Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs), who opted to forgo a reelec-
tion bid for a run at the Texas Senate; Isaac came up short in the March primary for that position. Zwiener, a mother, teacher and activist, ran a grassroots campaign throughout the district in an effort to secure votes on foot. “I’m eager to get to work now,” Zwiener said. “I plan to get stated on all the things I promised from finance reform and public
Kyle Fire Dept. aids Cali fires
Six Kyle charter amends approved by voters
BY MOSES LEOS III
later took her into a different room and sat on the bed. It was at that point the victim said he felt a pistol pressed against his head and a man’s voice telling him not to get up and not look at him. The victim allegedly told authorities he saw at least two black men in his house, one carrying a shotgun and another carrying a pistol. He also said he thought there were two other men in the house as well, but could not provide descriptions. One of the men took an oxygen hose out of
Strewn about the vehicle bay of Kyle Fire Station No. 1 Monday were several large black crates packed with clothes, bunker gear and various other items. Mike Vasil, Kyle Fire Department (KFD) assistant chief, along with longtime firefighter Brandon Kitchens, spent time taking stock of what they packed, checking to make sure they have everything they need before tossing it into their truck. Vasil and Kitchens, along with two other Kyle firefighters, are part of a legion of 200 Central Texas first responders that will be heading to help California officials combat a pair of deadly, raging wildfires. For Vasil, providing respite for officials who might also be affected by the disaster is ample motivation, even if it means missing out on the holidays. “It’s good to know we can help other firefighters in California. It’s been a long fire season for them,” Vasil said. “The thing is, we can help them, so they can go home to family and deal with any losses they might have themselves.” KFD, along with a firefighter from San Marcos and many more from the Austin area, are part of the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), which was dispatched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this week. KFD, Kyle fire chief, said the mobilization of TIFMAS to California is only the second time firefighters have been dispatched to help out of state. In recent years, TIFMAS has been moblized to assist in natural disasters affecting Texas, such as rescue and recovery efforts in Hurricane Harvey. Taylor said firefighters from Kyle, San Marcos and New Braunfels will be part of two strike teams when they get to California. Firefighters
KYLE ROBBERY, 2
CALIFORNIA FIRES, 4
BY KATIE BURRELL
KYLE CHARTER AMENDS, 2
Honoring our vets
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Members of the Kyle VFW Post 12058 Color Guard present the colors and salute as they raised the flag during a Veterans Day ceremony at Bradfield Park in Buda, Saturday.
San Antonio man indicted for role in 2017 Kyle armed robbery BY MOSES LEOS III
A Hays County Grand Jury last month indicted a San Antonio man for his role in a 2017 armed robbery where he and at least three others allegedly held up a Kyle man in his home, while his daughters were sleeping. Charlie King Thompson, 26, was indicted on felony counts of aggravated robbery, engaging in organized criminal activity, credit card abuse and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Thompson also faces a felony count of endangering a child. According to a Hays County arrest affidavit, Kyle Police were dispatched at approximately 12:11 a.m. Sept. 13, 2017 to the 700 block of West Third Street in Kyle for a reported armed robbery. Upon arrival, authorities met with a
The suspects escorted the victim out of the bedroom into the hallway, then into another room where they took his wallet and cell phone while he laid facedown on a bed. The two men also questioned him about his PIN number on his credit card and threatened to “kill him and his daughters” if he lied, according to the affidavit.
nearby resident who told them she was awoken by her neighbor who asked to use her phone because he had been robbed. The male victim told authorities he was browsing backpage. com, a classified website that’s been accused of enabling prostitution, when he opted to call a woman on an advertisement on the page at around 11 p.m. that night. While the victim didn’t recall the description of the ad, he told authorities the woman’s name was “Racheal,” who was identified as a black woman in a red thong, according to the affi-
WORKFORCE HOUSING
Kyle leaders approve workforce housing complex despite debate.
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INDEX
Updating procedures on how Kyle determines stipends and pay for its city leaders was approved by voters Nov. 6. The item was one of several propositions calling for language changes to the Kyle city charter. Of the seven total propositions on the ballot Nov. 6, all but one were approved. Changes include allowing the city council to adjust their salary and compensation, deferring the appointments of law enforcement personnel to Kyle’s Police Chief and requiring state law to govern various election operations. Many of these changes are procedures council already follows, but are “miswritten” in the charter, according to city leaders. Kyle residents only voted down one proposition, which called for council to have less than a quorum to approve canvassing election results. Per the current Kyle city charter, a quorum consists of three or more city council members. However, the charter allows
education, to protecting our rights as Texans and defending our groundwater.” Zwiener said she owes her win to her campaign and her grassroots strategy, which she believes won over her voters. “We’ve been a grassroots campaign since day one and I know I was outspent in both primary and general elections,” Zwiener said.
davit. The victim called the woman and provided his address; he continued to text the woman until she arrived roughly 30 minutes later, according to the affidavit. While the victim was texting the woman, he told her to “just walk in” as his front door was unlocked and his children were sleeping. The woman, who arrived but briefly walked out after the victim told her he didn’t have a condom. He later walked her to the back of the house and showed her the room where his children were sleeping. He
News……………1, 3 & 4A Voting Trends……… 3A Sports……………… 1-2B Education………… 3-4B Community……… 1-4C
Obituaries…………… 3C Service Directory…… 5C Business…………… 1D Classifieds………… 2 & 4D Public Notices…… 2 & 4D