Mobile Emergency Food Kitchen
Wimberley ISD hires new CFO
SH 45 SW to open June 1
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXIX No. 33
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
A former Hays Hills Baptist Church deacon faces charges of indecency with a child by contact after authorities accused him of abusing two girls, now adults, in the past. During the course of a joint investigation conducted by Austin Police and the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, authorities
believe “multiple” women had been sexually abused by Charles Sweet, 85, of Austin over the SWEET course of several years. Sweet was arrested Thursday and was booked
into the Travis County Jail, according to multiple reports. Sweet had been a deacon at Hays Hills Baptist Church in the Buda area until he was removed following a 2012 sexual abuse of a child investigation conducted by Austin Police, according to KXAN. Sweet was released on a personal recognizance bond. Eric Guevara, a detective
with the Austin Police Child Abuse Unit, said the Hays County Sheriff’s Office in January received report from an adult woman who accused Sweet of sexually abusing her when she was younger, Guevara said. The alleged abuse took place in Hays County and in the Austin area. Guevara, who reopened the 2012 investigation, discovered “multiple” girls,
who are now adults, were abused by Sweet. Authorities interviewed Sweet and several now adult females who were identified as victims of abuse. Guevara said the victims ranged from 6 to 12 years old at the time of the incidents with the alleged abuse taking place at Sweet’s residence in Austin
DEACON CHARGED, 3
Dripping Springs moves forward with flood recovery BY EXSAR ARGUELLO The May 4 flood that swept through Dripping Springs caused immense damage to local businesses and infrastructure, pushing city officials to take action. On May 14, the Dripping Springs City Council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Todd Purcell to reduce or waive building permit fees related to disaster repair and construction. “This will make the rebuilding process a little less stressful for our neighbors who were affected by the flood,” Purcell said. If approved by the city, building permit fees for residential construction repairs will be waived entirely, according to the release. Meanwhile, building permit fees for commercial construction will be reduced by 20 percent. While immediate action was taken by city officials, more work needs to be done. As local businesses recover from the flood both financially and
FLOOD RECOVERY, 3
75¢ Thursday, May 23, 2019
Hays Hills deacon facing multiple charges of indecency with a child BY MOSES LEOS III
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San Marcos officer injured after being struck by drunk driver BY MOSES LEOS III A San Marcos Police officer is in stable condition after she was struck late Saturday while responding to a call on InterCORMIER state 35 by a vehicle operated by a suspected drunk driver. Authorities have arrested SHEEHAN Neil Sheehan, 59, of Flower Mound, who has been booked into the Hays County Jail on a charge of intoxication assault of a public servant, a second-degree felony, and failure to slow causing serious bodily injury, a Class-B misdemeanor.
DUI INJURY, 3
IMAGES COURTESY OF DS SKATE PARK INC
Currently, local skaters can enjoy their craft on Wednesday nights, when Dennis Baldwin of Dripping Springs Skatepark Inc. teaches skate classes at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. Baldwin’s corporation has entered into an agreement with the city that allows them to fundraise for a new skate park.
Dripping Springs greenlights funding agreement for skate park BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
A proposed 12,000-square foot, $450,000 park could soon bring western Hays County skateboarders together one kickflip and ollie at a time. On May 14, Dripping Springs city leaders and DS Skatepark Inc., a local nonprofit, entered into a donation agreement that would allow the latter to fundraise to create the park. This agreement was a key component of the park’s conception. Once the park is built and completed via the private funding and
“I’ve never skated in my life, but I put my son in those classes and he learned to skate in a week. Ever since then, I knew we had to give these kids a home. I saw the value skating gave to someone who didn’t fit into the typical school athletics model.” –Eric Henline, a commissioner on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission
fundraising initiative, it will then be donated to the city, which would be responsible for its maintenance.
Lagniappe Color Me Camo
Color Me Camo is a peer-to-peer program specifically designed for women veterans and occurs every fourth Tuesday of the month at the Hays County Court House on 111 E. San Antonio Street in San Marcos. The next meeting is May 28. Topic discussions are self-analysis, relationships, self-development, life management and community resources. For more information, email Alamo Region Outreach Coordinator Laly Cholak, laly@ graceafterfire.org, or phone (210) 247-7662.
“We have kids all throughout Dripping Springs skating in their neighborhoods and with their friends,” said Den-
Memorial Day recitation of names
Hays County officials will remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country by reciting the names of all Hays County soldiers who have been killed in action. The tribute is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Hays County Veterans Memorial on 450 E. Hopkins Street in San Marcos
nis Baldwin, one of the masterminds of Dripping Springs Skatepark Inc. “Now we just have to bring those kids together in one place to continue the skate culture.” DS Skatepark Inc. officials said they will begin fundraising for the park and will have a completed concept blueprint by the end of the year. Eric Henline, a commissioner on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, said the project has been five years in the making; the park is expected to open
SKATE PARK, 3
Memorial fundraiser and event
The Kyle VFW will host a barbecue fundraiser to raise funds for local veterans programs at the VFW Post on 103 Front Street in Kyle. Barbecue plates will be on sale from 9:30 a.m. until sold out. Plates include brisket, sausage, beans and potato salad and drinks are available for $1. On Monday, May 27, beginning at 9 a.m., there will be a Memorial Day event featuring guest speaker Lawrence K. Wilson, senior enlisted member of the unit that captured Saddam Hussein in December 2003. Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.
Out in the open Wimberley OKs new rules for transparency
BY EXSAR ARGUELLO With a new city council in place, Wimberley city leaders approved adopting and amending protoocols they feel could improve transparency on the dais. These changes include an amendment to the city’s rules and procedures regarding public comment, as well as scheduling two public workshops regarding the rules and decorum of council meetings and the city’s wastewater treatment project. Wimberley city council approved those changes unanimously. The changes come off the heels of criticism by residents regarding transparency in Wimberley city business. Councilmember Bo Bowman’s agenda item included moving meetings to 6 p.m. instead of the current meeting time of 5:30 and amending the public comment portion of meetings to allow comments from the general public. Before the change, the agenda only allowed comments from “citizens who have a direct stake in the business of the city, such as a landowner, resident, vendor or business owner on issues and items of concern not on this agenda.”
TRANSPARENCY, 8