Tools needed for battling climate change
Lady Tigers force 33 turnovers
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The top volleyballers in Drip/Hays
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXIX No. 15
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
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75¢
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Wimberley wastewater dissonance continues BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
More questions than answers on Wimberley’s proposal to change the scope of its wastewater plans was the feeling many residents had following a mandatory Jan. 10 public hearing at the Wimberley Community Center. As a result, resident’s fears are growing over how
Wimberley will restructure plans to bring wastewater service to the downtown sector. The public hearing, required by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), was meant to gather public comment on Wimberley’s plans to shift the scope of its wastewater facility. It was held after officials terminated a con-
At the hearing, 95 residents signed up to speak, but only 27 people addressed the council. Speakers were called in random order by Wimberley council member Gary Barchfeld.
tract with Black Castle for a city-owned plant, shifting to a facility that would be operated by Aqua Texas, a
third-party management company. But dissonance over the subject spilled into the
public hearing. At the hearing, 95 residents signed up to speak, but only 27 people addressed the council. Speakers were called in random order by Wimberley council member Gary Barchfeld. Former Wimberley Mayor Steve Thurber, a critic of Wimberley’s plans for a third-party facility, issued a
protest on how the city “arbitrarily decided to change the rules” and randomly selected speakers. However, Wimberley Mayor Susan Jaggers said the city council had the discretion to run the meeting as it saw fit. Councilmember Allison Davis asked the council to call members of the
WASTEWATER WOES, 2
County supports call for Travis Trail in Driftwood
Truck turned over on Trautwein
BY MOSES LEOS III Upon purchasing his little piece of heaven along FM 150 nine years ago, Driftwood area resident Casey Cutler always maintained the land he stood on was sacred ground. But it wasn’t until recently that Cutler discovered his land, along with the area along FM 150 in Driftwood, was once part of a land grant issued to famed Alamo defender William Barret Travis more than a century ago. Ever since then, Cutler, with the help of many others, is advocating to local and state lawmakers to preserve a piece of Texas history by renaming FM 150 from FM 3237 and Ranch Road 12 as the W.B. Travis Heritage Trail.
Authorities inspect the wreckage of an 18-wheeler that overturned along Trautwein Road in the Dripping Springs area Jan. 9. No one was hurt after the semi-trailer turned over at a low-water crossing bridge spanning Onion Creek on Trautwein Road between U.S. 290 and Fitzhugh Road. Emergency officials closed the road for several hours as they worked to clean up the wreckage and the trailer’s load.
The path toward the W.B. Travis Trail began when area resident Casey Cutler found documentation of Travis’ land grant in the DHCS’s meeting place, which was once was a school building. It’s a move Cutler said could help maintain a quality of life the Driftwood Historical Conservation Society (DHCS) is hoping to keep. “We seem to be
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PHOTO COURTESY NORTH HAYS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE
Canyon Lake man killed in officer- Windy Hill water woes worry Kyle involved shooting in San Marcos residents BY STAFF REPORT
A Canyon Lake man was shot and killed by San Marcos Police Jan. 4 after authorities say he pointed a pellet pistol at officers during a traffic stop. John Richard Camacho, 27, was identified as the person killed in the incident. Authorities said Camacho had an extensive criminal record that included weapons-related
and violent offenses. Camacho was currently on parole at the time of the shooting. AccordCAMACHO ing to a press release, San Marcos Police were dispatched to the 100 block of South LBJ Drive after a resident reported a man shooting a handgun at a vehicle. Bystanders told authorities the shooter then got into a vehicle and fled the scene. Authorities located a vehicle matching the description traveling away from the downtown area
on West Hopkins Street; they later conducted a “high-risk” stop at the intersection of West Hopkins and Bishop streets. The passenger in the vehicle, later identified as Camacho, exited the vehicle and faced officers. Camacho initially complied to verbal commands from officers, but lowered his hands toward his waistband, where he reached and grasped for what looked like a semi-automatic handgun. According to the release, the firearm was later determined to be a pellet pistol. Two San Marcos Police officers simultaneously fired at the man. Camacho was pronounced dead at
the scene by Hays County Pct. 1.1 Justice of the Peace JoAnn Prado. The driver of the vehicle was not injured and is cooperating with police. “The San Marcos Police Department values the sanctity of human life above all things, and any time we are forced to take a life in the course of our duties, we will do our best to provide as much information as we can as quickly as we can to our community,” said San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp. The San Marcos Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident.
Shelter continues care for remaining animals from bust BY KATIE BURRELL
Months after being seized from a Buda-area home in late 2018, dozens of animals are still receiving treatment at the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter. While shelter officials continue to deal with the fallout from the incident, they’ve also received assistance from the community at-large. When area residents heard the shelter was over
capacity, volunteers and local organizations donated money and supplies that were used to feed and treat the animals. Toward the end of 2018, shelter staff had relocated care for more than 50 animals and was able to open the shelter’s doors again for intake. “It took quite a while (to return to normal shelter functions) with legal proceedings and other issues,” said animal services manager Kara
Montiel. “We’re back to normal operations and as of two weeks ago, we were back to our regular intake policies.” Montiel said the majority of the animals have been transferred out of the shelter to rescues, foster homes and shelters capable of adopting out the animals or treating their conditions. A majority of the sick animals are being treated for ring-
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BY KATIE BURRELL
asking them (P&Z) to recommend it.” Concerns over the local Usually before a develwater supply were raised opment comes before the Dec. 11 as Hays County council, the P&Z and staff residents questioned the review it. contractual relationship However, questions between Goforth Special were raised by residents Utility District (SUD) and at the P&Z meeting as to Houston-based water where Goforth SUD will firm Electro Purification obtain water to supply the (EP). new subdivision. At issue was the Kyle Members of activist Planning and Zoning group Save Our Wells Commission taking up (SOW) said the water a preliminary plan for supply in Kyle is likely to the Trails of Windy Hills be in danger if wells and subdivision, a DR Horton natural waterways in the Project, that will receive area are used for incomwater from Goforth SUD. ing subdivisions. A development “This particular subdiagreement involving vision is being supplied Windy Hills had been with water from Goforth reviewed by the Kyle City SUD,” said Save Our Council in 2018, and was Wells representative Lila later brought to P&Z for Knight, who attended the additional approval. The P&Z meeting. “Goforth P&Z granted the approval SUD does not have water. and the plan is scheduled According to their own to go back before the engineer’s report, they council later this year. The will have used 90 percent planned development of their water supply by came before P&Z with the summer of 2019.” recommendation for apKnight said SOW has proval from Hays County not been able to deterpersonnel and the Kyle mine if Goforth SUD has city council. secured another water Kyle Mayor Travis supply. The Hays Free Mitchell said the plan Press reached out multicame before the council ple times to Goforth SUD first instead of the P&Z officials for comment, but because there was no response “the agreement had prior to press time. aspects that needed to be EP, which was at the determined and agreed center of the 2013 Hays upon that were outside County water wars, that the scope of planning year filed a permit request and zoning, so we worked out those details before EP UPDATE, 2