AUGUST 26, 2020 GOT SHOT?
HAYS LEADS
Flu vaccinations urged amid Coronavirus
Hays leads five-county area in key real estate markers in July
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News-Dispatch
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Vol. 40 • No. 46
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Kyle City Council puts a fork in Fajita Drive While the Rebel sparked “There are many ways, so many ways to its own controversy, city Public outcry was raised council voted Aug.18 to honor the late great Sonny Falcon. Fajita after the recent renaming rename the road to Fajita Drive is a joke and Kyle, Texas, is not.” of Rebel Drive to Fajita Drive per Mayor Travis Drive. Kyle City Council Mitchell’s suggestion. –Joseph Fenity, former Kyle resident expressed their sentiments Mitchell said the decision for the aftermath of the was meant to bring a original vote in a special more positive name to the any disputes within the “I felt that the entirety meeting Aug. 25. road, rather than creating community. of the council had the best
BY MEGAN WEHRING
Cite & Divert delayed until Oct. 1
interests of the community at heart even if the action that we took was one where the public was just not on the same page as we were,” Mitchell said. Frank Molina, Kyle area veteran, questioned the city council’s decision to name a road after a person
Caring during COVID
STAFF REPORT HAYS COUNTY – County officials have delayed the implementation of the Cite & Divert policy past the original Sept. 1 date in order to better comply with the latest COVID-19 related guidelines from Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott pushed back to Oct. 1 guidelines concerning in-person court functions and, Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau said, the start of the policy at most county law enforcement agencies was changed “to coincide” with the relaxation of those guidelines. The policy was announced in early July by Mau and Sheriff Gary Cutler and would apply within the Hays County Sheriffs Office and the police departments of Kyle, Buda, San Marcos and Texas State University. The move is a step beyond the Cite & Release policy adopted by San Marcos police department earlier this year in that it gives officers the discretion to allow certain offenders the chance to avoid the criminal justice system entirely and keep their record clean. “We also have some work to do coordinating the process with our pretrial services office and with the defense bar to address issues raised by the defense counsel representative,” Mau said during the most recent meeting of the county’s Criminal Justice Commission, which met last week.
that some residents may not recognize. “Though the action on this council was done with good intentions, I feel it wasn’t thought out very well,” Molina said. “My only question was: Why
RENAMING REBEL DRIVE, 6
Suspect in police pursuit, exchange of gunfire dies BY ANITA MILLER
dences on Thursdays and Sundays. Commercial, mixed use and multi-family properties have designated days of Tuesdays and Fridays. Although twice weekly is allowed, limiting
WIMBERLEY – The Texas Rangers have launched an investigation into an officer-involved shooting following the death of the suspect in an incident HARRINGTON Aug. 20 that began in Wimberley. Nathan Harrington, 43, was pronounced dead at a local hospital by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Beth Smith. His last known address was in Pflugerville, reports show, although online records indicate he was a resident of Kyle when booked into Hays County Jail in 2017 and 2019. One deputy was injured during the Thursday incident. Lt. Dennis Gutierrez did not name the deputy but said his injuries were the result of a vehicle crash. He did not elaborate on the circumstances, but did say Monday that the deputy was fine, having received only bruises. Harrington came to the attention of authorities around 4:40 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20 when deputies responded to the Exxon station in the 14000 block of Ranch Road 12 in Wimberley for a report of a possibly suicidal subject. Subsequently, they learned the man had stolen a vehicle and was headed north on RR 12 toward Dripping Springs. While being pursued by Hays County deputies and a Texas Highway Patrol trooper, the suspect vehicle turned east on FM 150 and was brought to a stop by a “pursuit immobilization technique.” Once the suspect vehicle was stopped, Harrington began firing a weapon and deputies responded.
WATER RESTRICTIONS, 7
SHOOTING DEATH, 10
Pulling people up with pulled pork sandwiches BY ANITA MILLER WIMBERLEY – He is, admittedly, out in the “middle of nowhere.” But actually, given the constantly-connected state we’re all a part of nowadays, Rob Moon is right around the corner. Moreover, Moon recognizes that because of COVID-19 and other factors, people everywhere are hurting. Believing a hand up is better than a hand out, Moon figured his best way to help was simple: Putting a free pulledpork sandwich in every hand that needs one. From his driveway at 5995 Mount Gainor Road between Wimberley and Dripping Springs, Moon gives out free sandwiches every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., averaging about 30 sandwiches a week, which he says for four is about a $20 value. Since the first week in June, Moon has been smoking pork every Wednesday, then giving away sandwiches the
From his driveway at 5995 Mount Gainor Road, Rob Moon gives out free sandwiches every Thursday from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
“I just wanted to do something, with the COVID situation and millions unemployed. “Back in these hills where I live are a lot of working class people. I thought probably I could do something to help people at the margins. –Rob Moon, Dripping Springs resident
next day from under a colorful canopy decorated in red, white and blue. “I just wanted to do something,” he said, “with the COVID situation and millions unemployed. “Back in these hills where I live are a lot of working class people. I thought probably I could do something to help people
at the margins. People are very, very thankful when they stop.” Moon has also launched a web page, helpinhandsbbq, which includes a quote from Oscar Wilde: “One is not always happy when one is good; but one is always good when one is happy.” Each Tuesday, Moon
puts out homemade signs for free barbecue in tough times. To be sure, his ranch is remote, located “25 minutes from civilization, halfway between Wimberley and Dripping Springs.” Even so, stopping by his little stand is catching on. About onethird of his business each week is repeat customers, others simply saw the signs. “I think people are starting to spread the word a little bit,” he says. “The last two weeks I had people from Henly, 30 miles away.” Moon says he’s in it for the long haul, though he’s ready to be done with 100-degree heat. “I look forward to doing this in October, look at it that way.”
Buda enters Stage 1 water restrictions STAFF REPORT
BUDA – This week, Stage 1 water restrictions will go into effect for those who get their water from Buda’s municipal system. Weeks of no consistent rainfall and higher
than normal demands prompted the measure, officials said. Watering with a handheld or soaker hose or handheld bucket or drip irrigation system is allowed at any time. However, doing so with a sprin-
RE-OPENING PLAN
Dripping Springs and Wimberley ISD prioritize student safety during school re-opening.
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kler attached to a hose or automatic sprinkler system is limited to between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. twice a week: • Odd-numbered residences are allowed to water on Wednesdays and Saturdays; even-numbered resi-
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