News

A federal court in Austin took little more than an hour to decide an 18-year-old Austin youth was guilty of aiding and abetting in the June robbery of a Smithville bank. Two women charged with actually performing the theft had pleaded guilty earlier. The maximum sentence for the crime was 25 years in prison. In other old news, at a public hearing held by city council, no one contested the proposed annexation of the Horton Hill addition into the City of La Grange. As a result, the 5.82-acre area was to be formally tacked onto the city at a special council meeting on Sept. 27. Residents of the addition, including Coy E. Hicks, Harold Maas, Charlie Vasut, Emil Kern and Anton Weber, signed the original annexation petition. County commissioners, funeral home operators, city officials from La Grange, Schulenburg and Flatonia, and two representatives from the Texas Department of Health, held a meeting to discuss future ambulance service. Since all Fayette County funeral homes were going out of the ambulance business at the end of the year, alternatives had to be sought. No decisions were made at the meeting, however.

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Flatonia Police Chief Dick Lee Dick reports there were 669 calls for service during the month of August his department responded to. On Aug.

Schulenburg Police Chief Troy Brenek reports on the following incidents his department responded to during the week of Sept. 4-10.

La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath reports on the following incidents his department responded to during the week of Aug. 21 through Sept.

The Fayette County Firefighter’s Association reports the following calls for the week of Sept. 4-10: Illegal Burn - 1 Accidents - 4 Medical - 4 Fuel/Diesel Spill - 1 Grass Fires - 4 Smoke Reports - 2.

The District 13 Retired Teachers’ Association Fall Conference was held on Sept. 8 at the Plum Creek Events Center in Kyle, with 75 in attendance. Fourteen units (counties) of retired teachers comprise District 13; there are 20 districts in Texas. In attendance from Fayette County were Fayette County President Lisa Slinkard, and Secretary Karen Fitch. Presentations were given by TRS officers, and Terri Navrkal, TRTA State Secretary and Treasurer. An unexpected visit by Tim Lee (TRS Executive Director) followed, as he thanked District 13 for their tireless work, and encouraged those present to continue to stay organized and motivated, as all move toward retired teachers getting a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) after 14 years without one. His presence, as always, rejuvenated the spirits of those in the room.

The Colorado Valley Quilt Guild is once again sponsoring a bus to the Houston International Quilt Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5. Come along to see artwork in fabric and a chance to shop hundreds of vendors. Seats on the bus will cost $60 for guild members and $65 for non members, which will include a ticket into the show. Come along for the ride, enjoy the show and leave the driving to someone else.

Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek reports that on Wednesday, Sept. 14 around noon, the Fayette County Sheriff’s office dispatchers were advised of a pursuit in Colorado County on State Hwy. 71 westbound headed towards Fayette County at speeds that reached 130 mph. The vehicle was described as a white Honda four door passenger car and DPS was in pursuit. Numerous deputies from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and La Grange Police Department officers were set up to deploy spike strips to disable the vehicle. The driver avoided a set of spike strips and went around vehicles on the shoulder of the road continuing westbound on Hwy.71 until turning on Hattermann Rd. near La Grange. The vehicle lost control and went into the ditch on Hattermann Rd. and the two occupants bailed out and a foot pursuit entailed.

Please join the Colorado Valley Quilt Guild on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m. as our very own, Kathi Babcock will tell us about the upcoming St. Mark’s Raffle Quilt and share some tips for accurate 1/4” piecing for this annual service project. Kathi will have packets of “parts” ready for members to take home and make a block or two.