HCSO Racial Profiling Report released page 2
Wimberley community cleans up
Veterans counseling expanded
page 3
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXX No. 22
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
75¢ Thursday, March 5, 2020
Veterans Court program at risk despite results BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
The graduation rate of the Hays County Veteran’s Court graduates increased from 73 percent to 90 percent between 2018 and 2019, but grant funding is unsustainable to maintain future success. An executive summary says more veterans are becoming stabilized thanks to
The Veteran’s Court is a one to two-year drug and mental health treatment program focused on accountability and strives to help put veterans on the right path after facing criminal charges.
robust screening changes, by using local treatment providers with military experience and creating a “Recidivism Prevention plan.” The most beneficial
addition is clinical staff, but the current budget does not accommodate for staff with higher education and experience. The Veteran’s Court is
a one to two-year drug and mental health treatment program focused on accountability and strives to help put veterans on the right path after facing crim-
inal charges. The program utilizes traditional judicial system players like prosecutors, lawyers, probation officers and judges, but their
roles are not adversarial and punishment based. That doesn’t mean the veteran is off the hook, but the court players are looking for accountability and someone interested in self-improvement. The court’s role is to provide resources and structure that treats the disabilities that
VETERANS COURT, 6
TIRZ for Town Center
Project to develop underutilized property
Dylan Meek was nominated for a Grammy for co-writing the song “Invincible” featured in the movie “Into the Spider-Verse.”
Wimberley Grammy nominee performs at WUMC BY CAMELIA JUAREZ A recently Grammy-nominated Wimberley native will give tribute to the town who raised him in a jazz performance on Thursday, March 12. At the Wimberley United Methodist Church, Dylan Meek will play original jazz, blues and soul with piano, guitar and vocals. The concert begins at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early. Tickets available at the door are $20 donation for adults, $5 for college students, free for 18 and under. Since his departure from Wimberley, Meek has
GRAMMY NOMINEE, 5
BY CHASE ROGERS PHOTOS BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
Dating violence awareness BY CAMELIA JUAREZ To promote an understanding of dating violence, Dripping Springs ISD high school students participated in a mock trial playing the role of all participants from defendants to lawyers and jury members. For the 8th year in the “courtroom” of retired Judge Brenda Smith, a realistic dating violence trial took place at the Hays County Government Center with the
assistance of the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center. High school students playing as prosecutors accuse “Paul Radford” of choking and abusing his ex-girlfriend, but the defense argued that his former girlfriend Monica Watkins is an exaggerated drama queen making false accusations. Students explored the emotional trauma of the
TOWN CENTER PROJECT, 3
Mulcher catches fire at pipeline site
DATING VIOLENCE, 6
LAGNIAPPE
Get ready to ‘Spring Forward’ on Sunday, March 8
It’s an idea first proposed in 1895 to benefit agricultural producers, but increasingly in recent years, challenges have arisen in Texas to Daylight Saving Time (DST), which officially begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8. Legislation that would have allowed portions of Texas to opt out of the annual “Spring Forward” and “Fall Back” exercises Texans have been accustomed to has been introduced during the last
Above are Patrick Pendergrast, Katherine Mihaly and Shaye Ladzinski. Left is Natalie Chavez. Below, Patrick Englehart.
three meetings of the Texas Legislature — twice by Republicans and once by a Democrat; however, all three times it has failed. First suggested in 2015 by State Rep. James White (R-Tyler), the elimination of mandatory DST was suggested again in 2017 by Jose Menendez (D-Austin) and in 2019 by Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio).
Implementation of two Tax Increment reinvestment Zones (TIRZ), adopted in 2016, resurfaced at the Hays Commissioners Court in February. The two TIRZs in Dripping Springs were implemented to create revenue for prospective development projects in the city, specifically Dripping Springs Independent School District, the Dripping Springs Community Library and Hays County. The first TIRZ covers the downtown area of Dripping Springs, including city hall, the administration building for Dripping Springs ISD, Mercer Street and Old Fitzhugh Road. The second covers plots near Bunker Hill and Arrow Ranch. Having started in 2017, the city, concurrent with Hays County, contributes
Virtually all of the U.S. observes DST. Arizona is an exception; however, the Navajo observe it on tribal lands located in that state. Hawaii also does not observe DST. Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Free microchips available in Wimberley on March 14 The Hays County Sheriff’s Office will be performing free microchipping of the first 75 pets that show up Satur-
day, March 14 at the Ace Hardware in Wimberley. Chipping will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also on hand will be personnel from the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter, who will have with them adoptable pets. The service is available first-come, firstserved and for residents of Hays County only (bring a photo ID). A similar event held Feb. 22 in Dripping Springs result in 25 animals chipped and three dogs adopted. The HCSO says it will hold similar events in San Marcos, Kyle and Buda over the coming months. For more information call the Animal Control Unit at 512-393-7896.
BY ANITA MILLER A fire that heavily damaged a large mulching machine along the route of the Kinder Morgan Permian Highway Pipeline in Blanco County last week is under investigation. The Blanco Volunteer Fire Department said firefighters were alerted to the fire at 1:55 a.m. Friday and that a fire crew of 15 personnel brought it under control in about two hours. It did not spread from the machine itself. The mulcher had been operating on property off Chimney Valley Road in Blanco County, said Lt. Robert Woodring of the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.
FIRE AT PIPELINE SITE, 2