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Tri-Canyon’s Only Weekly Newspaper!
Current Weekly News for Leakey, Camp Wood, Sabinal, Utopia and Surrounding Areas Vol. 5 No. 52
INSIDE
January Hill Country Blood Drives ........................ Page 5
Being a Young Voter
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www.hillcountryherald.net
Water News and River Flows Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, this flow measurement will be the last of 2015 and I am looking forward to an exciting and hopefully wet 2016. I am still waiting on the El Nino to arrive and bring the wetter and cooler than normal patterns that have been predicted. As of the writing of this article I have measured 45.65” of rainfall at the District office in Camp Wood for 2015. This is significantly more than in the last several years with the high measurement coming in May with 14.6” and the low coming in February of 0.1”. This year was one of feast or famine; from the abundance of rainfall in May to the fires of August and September. Again Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!! River flows were taken on the
December 30 2015
editor@hillcountryherald.net by: Joel Pigg, General Manager, RECRD
Frio and Nueces Rivers on December 21st, 2015 with flows once again rising due to a rainfall event on December 13th. As of the writing of this article forecasts are calling for a good chance of rain for the weekend after Christmas along with some springlike temperatures. Then the last week of December some more fall-like temperatures begin to come back into the area. The flows have increased on average 15% since the November flow measurement. Fulgham’s Crossing just south of the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment had a flow of 36,744 gpm last measurement and now has a flow of 43,495 gpm; this is an increase of about 16%. The culverts on the south end of this crossing are once again flowing. continued page 7
Golden Trowel Posthumously Awarded to Hugh Buchanan The late Hugh Buchanan was presented with the Golden Trowel Award at the annual Masonic & Eastern Star Christmas Party held on Saturday, December 12th at the home of Johnny & Bridget Preece. Accepting the award was Beth Buchanan, Travis (Buddy) Buchanan, and Susan (Kay Kay) McKay, along with Joe Waligura. Since its inception, the Golden Trowel Award is a means for Lodges to recognize and honor distinguished members for his devoted service to Masonic principles in general or to his Lodge. It is intended for the Brother who, year after year, quietly, but actively demonstrates his devotion to the teachings of Masonry without thought of recognition or special honors. Hugh was a devoted member of Lodge #622 for 30 years. and often spoke of the three men who influenced him to become a Mason. His great grandfather, W.A. Buchanan was a member when Masonic Lodge #622 was formed, as well as Leroy and Red. Through the years, Hugh helped many younger men with their work and studies to become a Mason.
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Avalos Family’s Generosity Benefits RGC Students
Pictured LtoR: Joe Waligura, Susan (Kay Kay) McKay, Beth Buchanan and Travis (Buddy) Buchanan
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Mark your calendars! Chicken Earl’s is coming home!
by Elaine Padgett Carnegie
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REAL COUNTY COURT RESULTS ............................ Page 3
Mark your calendars! Chicken Earl’s is coming home! Featured in the Texas Country Reporter, as the #2 BEST CHICKEN IN TEXAS, Chicken Earl’s is returning to Leakey! Scheduled opening is January 5th right there on south 83 where they began, so y’all get ready. The Chicken with its golden, homemade crust glistening on your plate, potatoes beans and other sides will be available again in January right here in our little town. They don’t do anything instant, they do it like Mama used to do it! Every Tuesday people would be lined up and waiting. It was always first come first served so you have to be prepared! They historically served 250 pounds of chicken a day with sides. One review said, “Exactly like Mama’s chicken.” Another said, “The fried okra was fresh and crispy, the corn buttery and juicy, and the chicken was the
best I ever had!” That’s making me hungry already! Several reviews online from tourists tell about the wonders of Chicken Earl’s fried chicken, “home made mashed potatoes and pinto beans.” It is the homemade taste of the fried chicken they rave about and that is what why the Texas Country Reporter came all the way to our small town to review for the entire state, the best fried chicken in Texas (we think so!). With no fatty clumps or pre-prepared and processed ingredients, Chicken Earls serves food with a taste that reminds us of a better place and time! I have to admit when I am in Leakey, almost every Tuesday found me there and I am glad they are coming back to town. So remember January 5th at the same place 703 S US Highway 83, Leakey, TX 78873. Y’all go see them!
THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD DID IN 2015 ............................ Page 9
INDEX Legals/Jail Register ...... Page 3 Community News ......... Page 4-6 Feature Story ................. Page 7 Obituaries ...................... Page 8 Classifieds ..................... Page 12
Today’s Weather
High:63° Low: 38°
Happy New Year Everyone! I love the Irish Blessing and I am going to start with that, although we usually use it here in the States for St. Paddy’s Day, it is appropriate for any journey so I thought I would offer it today for the journey of the New Year: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.” In review of 2015, there is not much cheer so before I begin the review I would like to stress to you that if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the ridiculous antics of our government and media in the US; that you use the elections this year to make your voice heard! Again, I stress…look at their records! Look at their actual performance of the past. Do not believe or be swayed by rhetoric, propoganda or someone’s name or if Uncle Joe is voting for him/her. Vote as if your future and the future of your children are at stake…because they are! So, I challenge you to arm yourself with knowledge and VOTE! Help make 2016 a better year for the United States of America! To begin, 2015 was the year of being offended in the United States of America. We have been continually offended by every imaginable notion our corrupt
major media could possibly contrive for our viewing purposes. It keeps us busy and divided, one against another! It gives us something to think about rather than watching the “important” happenings being perpetrated right under our nose! It seems 2015 was the year freedom of choice and religion and speech took a nosedive in importance to the “popularly offended” in America, featuring everything from the Confederate flag to gender and race! Obviously, those that don’t like our way of life in America should just go back where they came from and let us live in peace in our own Country. However, that is wishful thinking since half of our Country now belongs to foreign interests, including sources of clean water and infrastructure! Yeah, 2015 was not our proudest moment in the good old US of A! So let’s take a look back at the world in 2015. Crazy and worsening weather patterns, the El Nino brought on by our neglect of the Earth or by normal weather evolutions? We’re going to disagree over that, not that it matters because the weather has continued to warm with 2014 being the hottest year ever recorded and 2015 breaking the record set the year before. That mechanism is in motion no matter what we do; the weather doesn’t care if we argue about it, or even who is to blame. It will continue on its path… whatever that might be. 2015 was a year of instability! Other news sources called it “Horrific, disheartening and brutal. A year of great turmoil and drama that showed the worst of humanity. A year filled with beheadings, plane crashes, and natural disasters.” I could not argue with any of that as I agree, so I put it here for your review. Other things that happened in 2015 ISIS ushered in 2015 with the terrifying displays of brutality, which initially put the group in the international community’s crosshairs. They beheaded Japanese hostages, burned a Jordanian pilot alive in a cage, and announced the death of American captive Kayla Mueller. continued page 4