DECEMBER 25, 2019 ALL AMERICAN
SMART WATCH
Two Lobo football players selected to play in All-American Bowl.
Crime prevention program invites locals to share security camera footage.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
75¢
Vol. 125 • No. 39
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
Fajita King dies at age of 81 BY DAVID WHITE
A local area icon whose claim to fame was introducing the fajita as a mainstay in Tex-Mex cuisine has died today at the age of 81. Juan Antonio “Sonny” Falcon was originally from Mercedes, Texas and made his way to Austin in 1959 where he got a job in shipping and receiving at the Austin Meat Market. In 1962 Falcon married Guadalupe Guajardo and soon thereafter became the meat market manager in his wife’s parents’ East Austin neighborhood store, called Guajardo’s Cash Grocery. It was during this time Falcon experimented with an old Rio Grand Valley recipe in which he took beef skirt, cooked it until tender and served it with tortillas. The meat was cut into little strips, thus the name fajitas – fajitas being the Spanish word for little belts. The normally tough-tochew beef skirt was never thought of as a prime piece of meat and was usually ground up or sold as
“Anybody that knows fajitas, or that are a part of these cooking competitions, knows the name Sonny Falcon. He’s an icon … I can’t eat a fajita without thinking of Sonny.”
BY CYNDY SLOVAK-BARTON
–J.R. Gonzales, Executive Director, Buda Chamber of Commerce
PHOTO COURTESY OF J.R. GONZALES
Sonny Falcon serves up fajitas at Buda’s Fajita Fiesta. Falcon popularized the Tex-Mex delicacy when he introduced them at a weekend-long Diez y Seis celebration in Kyle 50 years ago.
scraps, but Falcon had the realization that he could turn this scrap meat into a delicacy that he could promote at the Guajardo
Hays CISD looks at $221 Million bond package
family store. Diez y Seis celebration. Falcon introduced his fa- The introduction wasn’t jitas to the public in 1969 at an overnight success, but a concession stand in Kyle during a weekend-long FAJITA KING, 2
Residents wanting a say on whether or not Hays CISD should call a bond election – and on what should be included in a bond election – have three forums in January to look at the proposed bond. School district officials will be on hand to answer questions about the possible bond election and what will be included. The proposed bond election proposal came about after the Facilities and Bond Oversight Committee (FBOC) reviewed student population growth as presented by a demog-
THE PUBLIC FORUMS WILL BE HELD AS FOLLOWS:
• Jan. 11, 2020, 10: 30 a.m. – McCormick Middle School (También en Español) • Jan. 13, 2020, 6 p.m – Dahlstrom Middle School • Jan. 15, 2020, 6 p.m. – Wallace Middle School
rapher, necessary new facilities and maintenance issues, what the district’s bond capacity sits at, and the latest legislative rules on new Bond Laws. Currently, Hays CISD has 25 campuses and
HCISD BOND PACKAGE, 8
Special election Two killed in head-on crash on FM 1826 in Kyle Jan. 25 STAFF REPORTS
tin was traveling through a curve northbound on Two people were killed FM 1826 as a 2018 Ininin a three-vehicle accident iti QX8 driven by Kaylee on FM 1826 Dec. 18. Rosales, 30, of Austin, According to DPS Sgt. followed by a 2016 Subaru Deon Cockrell, the crash WRX, which was travelhappened at 3:27 p.m. ing southbound through approximately nine miles the same curve. “For uneast of Dripping Springs. known reasons, the Toyota Cockerell said a 2016 traveled into the southToyota 4Runner driven by bound lane and struck the Cranda Mathis, 38, of Aus- Infiniti head-on,” he said.
“As a result of the impact, the Infiniti then struck the Subaru.” Both women were pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace John Burns. The driver of the Subaru sustained minor injuries, and was treated on scene. The investigation is ongoing and all contributing factors are currently
unknown. The Texas Department of Public Safety would like to remind all drivers to slow down and adjust to adverse weather and road conditions. Drivers should minimize distractions, don’t drive fatigued, don’t drink and drive, obey traffic control devices and always wear your safety belt.
Main Street, historic preservation team up to oversee construction, expansion in Buda BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
HAYS FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO One goal of the Main Street program is to expand district boundaries through historic preservation.
Main Street plans to use its Historic Preservation grant, valued at $65,000, to help businesses that may be affected by the construction over the next two years. Street seeks to expand, the HPC will help make sure their goals are aligned. “Because the Historic Preservation boundaries are larger than ours (Main Street), if we want to add to our district, we want to make sure that the areas we’re doing research on are compatible and allowable because we
DEAR SANTA
Local kids tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
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INDEX
in its grant application process, kick-off the first Buda’s Main Street HPC month celebration program in joint effort in May and work together with the Historic to expand Main Street Preservation Committee boundaries. will bring several projects As downtown sees an benefiting business influx of construction, owners and local residents Main Street plans to use in 2020. its Historic Preservation Main Street Program grant, valued at $65,000, Manager Maggie Gillespie to help businesses that said it will include HPC may be affected by the construction over the next two years. The joint effort between programs will make sure that grant recipients follow HPC guidelines. “As we are administering this grant, we’re making sure that the HPC has insight on how the grants are administered and making sure that each of the applicants follow the correct process through the city and receive their certificate of appropriateness,” Gillespie said. One goal of the Main Street program is to expand district boundaries through historic preservation. Gillespie said as Main
have to go through a process with the Texas Main Street program,” Gillespie said. Gillespie said she is looking forward to Historic Preservation Month in May. The details for the event, along with other team efforts for 2020, will be discussed in a future joint meeting.
News…………………… Opinion Page………… Sports…………………… Community……………
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Two in the running to fill Tenorio’s council seat STAFF REPORTS
board of trustees of the Hays CISD and Tobias An unexpired Kyle Elementary School is City Council seat for named after his father, District 6, that Rosalio Tobias Jr., was held by who was a Hays council member CISD school Daphne Tenorio, board trustee for is expected to be over a decade. filled by a special “When I look election Jan. 25. at relationships The seat remains that I have open after Tenformed here in orio resigned in Kyle, I realize it order to run for is like a second the office of Hays HEINDL family; I want County Tax Asthe best for all sessor-Collector. of us in Kyle beTwo candicause people are dates, Michael what makes Kyle Tobias and Brangreat,” Heindl dy Heindl, threw said. “I view a their hats in the seat on council ring prior to the as a chance to Dec. 16 filing represent the deadline. best that Kyle Tobias has has to offer, its TOBIAS been an officer citizens. I will with the Travis work for and County Sheriff’s Office with the citizens of Kyle, for 16 years. He has lived I will help bring the in Kyle for 15 years. citizens of Kyle into the “Kyle has grown quite decisions about what a bit throughout these Kyle is and what we will years, and I am excited become in the future about the businesses while respecting the and opportunities that greatness that brought we have attracted,” he us here today.” said. “Unfortunately, as Only persons living in with all cities that exand registered to vote in perience rapid growth, this district can vote for we also face challenges. this representative. The Public safety, infrastruc- District 6 term will expire ture and keeping up with in November 2021. citizen demands are just The last day to register a few of the challenges to vote in the special that we face. I decided to election is Dec. 26. Early run for Kyle City Council and election day voting because I care about this will take place at the community and I would Hays CISD administralike to serve its citizens.” tion office, 21003 InterTobias’ wife Teresa state 35 North. is currently serving her second term on the SEE VOTING DATES, 2
Santa Letters………… 6-9 Classifieds…………… 10 Public Notices…… 10-12 Service Directory…… 11