The Kerrville Daily Times March 22, 2015 by The Kerrville Daily Times

Weekend, March 21-22, 2015

$1.50

80% chance of showers or storms High: 64 Low: 54 ➤ SAVINGS INSIDE: More than $300 in savings in today’s paper. INSIDE

Republican group hosts ex-congressman

➤ GAMETIME: Local teams host district opponents. 1B

Moving West

DeLay: Public schools, elected officials must promote Christianity By Sean Batura Staff Writer

sean.batura@dailytimes.com A former Texas congressman exonerated last fall of a felony money laundering charge was the guest of honor at a local Republican club fundraiser Thursday evening in Kerrville. About 130 people attended the Republican Women of Kerr County’s dinner at the Y.O. Ranch Hotel & Conference Center, netting the organization an estimated $10,000 to support charitable and conservative causes. The crowd was there to hear former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay speak about his decades as an elected official, his views on politics and religion and his legal battles over the years. Within a few minutes of beginning his talk, DeLay lashed out at the Travis County jurors who, in 2010, convicted him of money laundering and conspiracy to DeLay commit money laundering. He noted the Travis County District Attorney’s office went through six grand juries before and indictment could stick, and he said the whole thing was politically motivated. “There’s nobody in Travis County but wacko, leftist, pinko — the foreman of my jury was a Greenpeace activist, and it went downhill from there,” DeLay said. “So, of course, I was found guilty, but thankfully, saner heads prevailed, and this last October, I was totally exonerated. But all of that took almost 20 years and over $12 million in legal fees.” Last October, a panel of judges with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld a lower court’s acquittal of the money laundering and conspiracy charges, holding that the state had failed to prove both that DeLay intended to violate the Texas Election Code and that the code had been violated. DeLay told the crowd that his faith in God helped him through his recent travails, and much of his talk included references to Christianity. He told the story of how he “came to Christ” after being elected to Congress. Before this spiritual transformation, DeLay was a state legislator out of Fort Bend County. See DeLay, page 10A

Guadalupe Street residents get city requests for river trail easements Staff Writer

caitlin.clark@dailytimes.com As construction continues on the city’s river trail project, a new group of residents have been asked to grant easements to build a portion of the path through their properties. Residents of homes along Guadalupe Street received certified packets from the city Monday making them offers for easements through their properties for the river trail. If the residents do not accept the offer or price negotiations fall through, the city could exercise eminent domain and enter into condemnation proceedings. At least one property owner declined to be interviewed for this story on the advice of an attorney. Councilman Carson Conklin said some of the Guadalupe Street residents have already accepted easement offers. The city has not had to go into any eminent domain processes with any of those residents at this time, Conklin said, and he “would hope not to.” See Trail, page 10A

history like that,” Wilke said. “He is mildly mentally retarded, but you wouldn’t know that unless you talked to him. He poses the same victoria.aldrich@dailytimes.com risk as anyone else behind the wheel.” Court records show Trevino was arrested A Kerrville man with five prior convictions for driving under the influence will serve 50 years April 22 on Water Street by Kerrville police, four months after violating probation for a in prison for his sixth conviction. 2011 DWI conviction. Robert Gene Trevino, 34, was senTrevino also was convicted of DWI tenced by Judge Keith Williams on twice in 2002, and again in 2006 and Friday, according to 216th District 2007. In 1999, he also was sentenced prosecuting attorney Lucy Wilke. to community service for driving The sentence reflects his lengthy under the influence while a minor. history of arrests and convictions, Trevino will be eligible for parole Wilke said. with good behavior after serving one “He has had 29 different criminal quarter of his sentence, but Wilke convictions through the years in Kerr Trevino doubts he will be released. County,” Wilke said. “The parole board doesn’t usually parole peoThose convictions range from assaulting a public servant and burglary of a habitation to ple convicted of DWIs, sex offenses or violent crimes when they first become eligible,” Wilke evading arrest. “We don’t normally get someone with a said. “He’s going to be in for a long time.”

Parton finalist for Abilene job Kerrville city manager, 4 others up for post By Caitlin Clark

By Victoria Aldrich

Staff Writer

➤ Index

caitlin.clark@dailytimes.com City Manager Todd Parton has been named a finalist for the city manager position in Abilene. Parton is among five finalists for the city manager post selected by the Abilene City Council, which received 31 applicants from 13 states through a nationwide search led by a Keller-based local government executive search firm. Parton and the other candidates have been invited for interviews April 8 and 9. “There was a strong applicant pool for the city manager position, and we are extremely pleased with the qualifications of the five finalists,” said Abilene Mayor Norm Archibald in a press release. “We look forward to the upcoming interview process and to selecting the candidate who will be the best match for the city of Abilene and our unique culture and needs.” According to a Wednesday press release from the city of Abilene, candidates were vetted through a comprehensive

Close: 18,127.65

questionnaire, online interviews, a psychometric assessment, a thorough media search and a rigorous background investigation. The other candidates are Gary Greer, city manager of Farmers Branch; Robert Hannah, city manager of Denison; Jeff Jones, assistant city manager of Hurst; and David Vela, who has served as deputy city manager of Abilene until moving into the interim city manager position in October. Parton has served as Kerrville’s city manager since 2009. His previous positions include city manager for the city of Cibolo; senior planner for Dunkin, Sefko & Associates Inc.; Parton director of planning for the Denton Independent School District; city administrator for the city of Manvel; director of planning and assistant to the city manager for Midlothian; and urban planner for the city of Denton.

➤ Subscribe today

➤ Dow Sports.............................. 1-3B Television........................... 4B Weather.............................. 3B

See Park, page 10A

Bonnie and O.V. Stidham take advantage of the open section of the river trail behind the Riverside Nature Center on Friday morning.

Tom Holden/Times Photo Editor, photo@dailytimes.com

Man gets 50 years for DWI

Nation ................................2A Obituaries..........................3A Opinion..............................4A

The city says improvements at Louise Hays Park will be complete by the end of the spring, not the summer, as previously stated during a Parks Advisory Board meeting. Malcolm Matthews, director of the city’s parks and recreation department, told Parks Advisory Board members Thursday that the city was aiming to reopen the park before students return to school in August. According a statement released Friday, “staff unfortunately misspoke during the presentation and meant to state that the park

By Caitlin Clark

JUDGMENTS

Classifieds...................... 4-9C Comics .......................INSIDE Life & Times ........ 1-3 & 10C

City says park to reopen by end of spring

Change: +168.62

To subscribe, call 257-0329 or visit www.dailytimes.com.