Rural Texas sheriffs, stretched thin, are getting an injection of cash from state lawmakers
With little in local tax revenue to help pay staff, rural Texas sheriffs are often forced to do more with less. Lawmakers hope a new grant program will help rebuild the ranks of rural law enforcement.
2 horses rescued after 10+ years of neglect, Hill Country animal care officials say
Two horses are on the road to recovery thanks to Gillespie County Sheriffโs deputies who saved them from โappalling conditionsโ after 10 years of neglect.
Years of drought forcing farmers to make changes to water crops in Gillespie County
Farmers in Gillespie County are dealing with a slow rain start to the year and seeing less than half the average rainfall they usually get.
Rabbit in Hill Country found with highly contagious disease that causes sudden death
The deadly Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 has moved eastward in Texas and was detected for the first time in the Hill Country.
The fringe ideology of โconstitutional sheriffsโ is attracting believers within Texas law enforcement
Some 50 Texas sheriffs and numerous elected officials have attended trainings on the unsupported notion that sheriffs can single-handedly overrule state and federal law. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which offered state peace officers credit for the seminars, is now investigating.
Power back on for residents in Bandera, Gillespie counties after outages during freezing weather
Hundreds of residents in Bandera and Gillespie counties are experiencing power outages on Friday morning amid freezing temperatures.
Reports: Volunteers, retirees, national groups targeting election offices
Based on her reporting for Votebeat, a national nonpartisan nonprofit news organization, its Texas reporter Natalia Contreras said volunteers and retirees, many part of national networks spreading misinformation, have been targeting election administrators and their staffs in Texas since the 2020 election.
Gillespie County Youth Livestock Show raises $100,000 for 8-year-old battling cancer
The Gillespie County Youth Livestock Show earlier in January really showed how a community can band together and raise money, this time in support of Anders and the Eckert family.
![Man arrested after killing another man, wounding 10-year-old girl, Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office says](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/zKpvhgK97skxvNrKKG8OlU-z4iE=/800x450/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/06-02-2021/t_e4686420ff0a4ecbb8e83c7438209973_name_image.jpg)
Man arrested after killing another man, wounding 10-year-old girl, Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office says
A man was arrested and booked on three charges, including murder, after shooting and killing a 33-year-old man and wounding a 10-year-old girl, according to the Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office.
![Hill Country power outages pass two weeks, some could be out into a third](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/DZwo1bD8EILihJMVp7D7M9vJeBQ=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/02-27-2021/t_28c24749536049e2a6516443eb13b74c_name_image.jpg)
Hill Country power outages pass two weeks, some could be out into a third
AdThe original rain and ice storm that began on Thursday, Feb. 11, knocked out power to 10,000 to 12,000 meters, Loth estimated. At its peak, Loth said, about 35,000 of 43,000 CTEC meters had no power. By Sunday, Feb. 21, Loth said CTEC was in its โrebuildโ stage, meaning it couldnโt restore power without rebuilding something. AdThe downed power lines and poles are in hard-to-reach places, too, with bulldozers sometimes required to pull the trucks where theyโre needed. Every mile of CTECโs rural power lines serves just a handful of power meters.
![Here are the boil water notices in the San Antonio area](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/FVR6ZDbyUIX5Ft8kMZ8WJwJistc=/640x360/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/C26DWTCYEFDKFDW44FOCP5QIZM.jpg)
Here are the boil water notices in the San Antonio area
A Boil Water Notice means residents should boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). 1, located in Bandera, PWS#0100011Bexar CountySAWS has rescinded its boil water notice for all of San Antonio. **NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Coolcrest water system , Public Water System ID No. Gillespie County**NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Oakview water system, Public Water System ID No. **NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Rocky Creek Subdivision water system, Public Water System ID No.
![Hill County contractor accused of theft faces more family violence charges](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/CsMpqLNAuybHbWZFUm_PvaEtsGo=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/FQW4GPA3TZA6JF44Z7UJTW7ISY.jpg)
Hill County contractor accused of theft faces more family violence charges
La Salle County Sheriffโs officials have released limited details about the arrest but stated Wolfe used his hands, feet and teeth as weapons during the incident. Wolfe had been on bond since June, after his arrest in Jim Wells County on a felony family strangulation charge. In that case, sheriffโs department investigators arrested Wolfe days after they were called to a home in Orange Grove for a disturbance. A sergeant with the Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office told the Defenders in 2019 that he was, at one point, working seven criminal cases against Wolfe. The state attorney generalโs office eventually took over the case because it had the resources to properly handle it, Gillespie County officials said.
![Republican Chip Roy defending his Congressional seat against former state Sen. Wendy Davis in District 21](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/oX_UkiogDEfyxSyBPsffkSEbKFk=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/AQSKHV2E6NGLJJHDWSMAK4FZEU.jpg)
Republican Chip Roy defending his Congressional seat against former state Sen. Wendy Davis in District 21
The race for U.S. Congressional District 21 has been one to watch since the primaries when election officials announced Wendy Davis won the Democratic nomination and would challenge Republican incumbent Chip Roy on Election Day. Davis is a former state senator for State District 10 who led a 13-hour filibuster to block a bill restricting abortion rights in Texas. The AreaU.S. District 21 covers a vast area north of San Antonio and many communities along the I-35 North and I-10 West corridors, including parts of Bexar, Hays Travis, and Comal counties. Texas Congressional District 21 (ESRI/Chip Roy, U.S. House)Campaign FundsAs of June 30, Davis has raised more than $4.4. Voters will decide who they want as their next congressional district representative in less than one month.
![About 30 Wilson County residents tested at COVID-19 mobile testing site](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/MJ6ytfUpzrCk9wnQaMbt_QpTxxs=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/04-21-2020/t_a362ccf12ec44f10a1976b452f95d9fc_name_image.jpg)
About 30 Wilson County residents tested at COVID-19 mobile testing site
FLORESVILLE โ Gillespie County and Wilson County were named as sites to be visited by the Texas National Guard for setting up mobile COVID-19 testing. So far in Wilson County, Floresvilleโs Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home has seen several cases of the virus. At least 10 residents, 5 staff have COVID-19 at Floresville veteranโs home; 159 tests still pendingFloresville Mayor Cissy Gonzalez-Dippel said about 30 other Wilson County residents have been tested for the coronavirus so far. According to the governorโs office, the Texas National Guard mobile testing team has the capacity to test 150 people per day. Texas National Guard to deploy mobile testing sites across state, starting in Floresville, Fredericksburg
![Laboratory errors result in two fewer cases of coronavirus in Gillespie County](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/ClRFmSNds3L_CFv2Pg6TXxr2R0A=/1280x720/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/CEMFSZMYOBBQFMMBITIN5TI3KM.jpg)
Laboratory errors result in two fewer cases of coronavirus in Gillespie County
GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas โ Two laboratory errors have resulted in Gillespie County having only one case of the coronavirus instead of three. According to a city of Fredericksburg press release, information reported by Gillespie County on the original two COVID-19 cases came directly from the Texas Department of State Health Services, which was notified by two independent labs that lab errors resulted in two false-positive reports of the virus. The news release said the state health agency has never encountered a situation like this. COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
![Gillespie County now only has one case of coronavirus](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/cFgEIKcqPatNVVz0bVe-1l4Fktw=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2EIASBH2YZE6DP3ZWRNVFTQIAE.jpg)
Gillespie County now only has one case of coronavirus
SAN ANTONIO โ 4/6/20 Update:Two laboratory errors have resulted in Gillespie County having only one case of the coronavirus instead of three. The news release said the state health agency has never encountered a situation like this. 4/5/20 Update:A third case of COVID-19 is confirmed in Gillespie County, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Working together we can minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,โ said Gillespie County Judge Mark Stroeher. Gillespie County is located about 75 miles northwest of San Antonio.
![First case of coronavirus reported in Gillespie County](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/Da4mW31t4s5e4q5Haj2lIn-rMu0=/1377x828/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/DPAHETFLR5DI3GIEJUI6A4B3MY.png)
First case of coronavirus reported in Gillespie County
SAN ANTONIO โ Gillespie County has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, Fredericksburg officials said Wednesday. The county resident contracted the virus while traveling within Texas, according to a news release. The Texas Department of State Health Services is investigating possible exposure to anyone who had contact with the person. Gillespie County is located about 75 miles northwest of San Antonio. COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019.
![Son of woman found dead in Gillespie County home arrested, officials say](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/-bGTTi7GcRn1CRhNcKKYCMkWO58=/640x360/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/M7ITAHX7HZDSXOAFRSGTPSAZ6M.jpg)
Son of woman found dead in Gillespie County home arrested, officials say
GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas โ The son of a woman who was found dead in her home has been charged, according to the Gillespie County Sheriff's Office. Officials said Kimberly Smoot, 57, was found dead Dec. 13 in her Stonewall, Texas, home. Deputies and investigators served an arrest warrant Thursday afternoon on Justin Smoot, 33, of San Antonio, officials said. Justin Smoot is being held in the Gillespie County Jail on $1,000,000 bail, according to the Sheriffโs Office.
![Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office, Texas Rangers make arrest in murder dating back to February 2000](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/VItBuW24HisfaKjff1FTfQhEcgU=/1440x1080/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GONW7IJTSNH3HJV662GLWTTCTA.jpg)
Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office, Texas Rangers make arrest in murder dating back to February 2000
GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas โ Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office investigators and a Texas Ranger with the Unsolved Crimes Investigation Cold Case Program have made an arrest in a cold case involving a murder dating back to February 2000. The Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office said 47-year-old Hyon Jordan Hing was arrested in Floresville on Tuesday afternoon. A grand jury issued an indictment against him for the murder of 26-year-old Juhuai Yan, who was from San Antonio. Hong is being held in the Gillespie County Jail with a $300,000 bond. The Wilson County Sheriffโs Office assisted with the arrest, according to the Gillespie County Sheriffโs Office.