New Testimony Causes Doubt Help School
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See our Back to School section, P. 1B Think Twice Water just TWO DESIGNATED DAYS per week, before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. Odd Addresses Even Addresses waterthriftycedarpark.org on Wednesday and Saturday on Thursday and Sunday (Commercial addresses on Tuesday and Friday) HIILLLL COOUNTUNTRY NEEWSWS Volume 49, Issue 32 • 16 pages in 2 sections Serving Cedar Park, Leander and Northwest Austin since 1968 • HillCountryNews.com Thursday, August 10, 2017 • 50 cents Sales tax GREG KELLEY CONVICTION holiday to New testimony causes doubt help school By RICHARD LEGGITT assailed the torney, Shawn Dick, reopened the justice was served. The Cedar shopping Community Reporter handling of Kel- investigation into the Kelley case Park Police Department, which ley’s 2014 con- in May after expressing concerns was the target of extensive criti- By RICHARD LEGGITT Was Greg Kelley, a 19-year-old viction by pros- about the way the case had been cism during the hearing, has de- Community Reporter former Leander High School foot- ecutors, police handled. clined to comment. ball player, wrongly convicted of and even the de- “My commitment is to restore “Since this is an open and Friday through Sun- sexually assaulting a 4-year-old fense attorney. Kelley the public’s faith and trust in our ongoing criminal justice pro- day, Texas parents doing boy at an in-home day care center Kelley was criminal justice system,” Dick said cess, we will not be making any back to school shopping in Cedar Park? convicted in in his statement at the hearing Fri- statements until the matter is for their children will State District Judge Donna 2014 and sentenced to 25 years day. “I can’t do that by defending fully resolved,” said Tara Long, get a break on their sales King will rule on that question in prison. Now 22, Kelley has been a prosecution like Mr. Kelley’s.” the spokeswoman for the police taxes. later this month, but a string of serving his sentence at Huntsville Law enforcement and the department. The office of the Texas witnesses at a three-day hearing prison for three years. Current prosecutors originally involved Comptroller will imple- in Williamson County last week Williamson County District At- in the case have maintained that See KELLEY, pg. 9 ment a Sales Tax Holiday this weekend which ex- empts a long list of items from state sales taxes. Proposed From Friday, Aug. 11 through Aug. 13 sales tax- es on most clothing, foot- kennel wear, school supplies and backpacks priced below withdraws $100 will be exempt from sales taxes. The exemption will save Texans $8 on ev- application ery $100 they spend, ac- cording to the Comptrol- TRYING FOR TOLL Following an ler’s office. The Texas Legislature opposing petition, set the dates for this year’s sales tax holiday. Pet Paradise All sales of selected items seeks new site made during the holiday period will qualify for By NICK BROTHERS HCN Managing Editor the exemption including items sold online and by mail. Shoppers can also Officials for Pet Para- take advantage of the dise, a luxury dog kennel sales tax holiday by using Bill calls for halt of 183 North projects planned for east Whit- layaway. estone Blvd., have with- Among the items select- until free access roads along 183A built drawn their application ed to be exempt are most for a special use permit school supplies and a long following an opposition list of clothing items that petition from neighboring cost less than $100. Also By NICK BROTHERS landowners. exempted are adult and HCN Managing Editor All four of the sur- baby diapers. Sports shoes rounding landowners and and sports equipment are A proposed Texas House bill many nearby homeown- not exempt. is calling to stop several 183 ers signed a petition to the For a complete list, North toll road projects until Cedar Park City Council parents can go to www. free access roads are constructed against approving a spe- comptroller.texas.gov. alongside the toll road in Cedar cial use permit for board- Park. ing kennels to the planned The bill, filed by Rep. Tony Pet Paradise site at 2200 E. Inside Dale (R-Cedar Park), was heard in Whitestone Blvd. the House Committee on Trans- The group of commu- Community ....................... 2A portation Aug. 3. House Bill 361 nity members who signed Schools ............................. 3A follows a recent proposal from the petition expressed the Central Texas Regional Mo- concerns about continu- Opinion ............................ 4A bility Authority to construct ous, loud dog barking express toll lanes on 183 to by- from the kennel’s outdoor Sports ............................... 5A Photo by NICK BROTHERS pass frequent traffic bottlenecks play areas and the amount A proposed Texas House bill calls for halting several CTRMA projects for 183 North Faith ................................. 6A between SH 45, 183 North and until free public access roads are constructed alongside 183A, one of the most expensive of dogs that could be stay- Mopac, between The Arboretum toll roads in the area. ing at the kennel. Classifieds ......................... 7A and Lakeline Mall. According to Texas Lo- If the bill were to pass, several criticizing the accuracy of the toll plaints from my constituents that cal Government Code, if a Back to School ................1-6B projects including the 183 North TxTag service — he once joked there are no free access lanes ad- proposed change to a reg- www.hillcountrynews.com project and planned flyovers at on Twitter his skeet shooting was jacent to 183A from Avery Ranch ulation or boundary is pro- Hwy. 290 Toll, Phase 3 of Toll more accurate than TxTag. Blvd to RM 1431,” Dale said. “The tested in accordance with 183A and SH 130 would be put In a letter sent to the CTRMA, toll on that segment is the high- the subsection, a superma- on hold. Dale specifically mentioned the est priced toll on the CTRMA sys- jority vote by the local While the bill will not be on cost of the toll road space be- tem... Too many constituents feel governing body — in this Gov. Greg Abbott’s list for the tween Avery Ranch Blvd. and that CTRMA is taking advantage case City Council — has to special session, it will likely be RM 1431, which does not have of them and overcharging this take effect, or at least a 6-1 considered by the committee free access roads. TxTag users segment of road.” vote. The protest requires before the next Texas legislative are subject to $1.49 and $1.97 Dale said many drivers try to a petition with a verified Thank a Veteran and session in 2019. for pay by mail at the Park Street avoid the often congested US 183 20 percent of neighboring Serviceman Every Day. The bill is a result of when the bridge, the most expensive sec- and high tolls on 183A by driv- land owners to qualify. CTRMA wrote to Dale to endorse tion of toll roads in the system. ing through neighborhoods. It’s The city notified the and prioritize the 183 North ex- Dale said some of his constitu- another factor some people have Pet Paradise officials of press tollway project. Dale re- ents pay as much as $162 in tolls complained about. this rule, and they then sponded to the request with fil- a month. ing HB 361. Dale has a history of “I consistently hear com- See TOLL, pg. 10 See WITHDRAW, pg. 10 Voted Best Residential Remodeler Probate? Voted Best www.ResearchPest.com of the Year last 7 years in a row. Lawyer 1st Residential • Commercial BEST Advertise Your OF Divorce? by Hill Place Locally Owned & BESTTHE Country Family Operated 2015 Business Here! Howton 2 2 2 2 C News 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 Wills? 0 0 0 Reach over 37,000 L Construction Readers 8 9 1 A 1 0 0 E R 1 0 ES CH 1 1 1 R 2 4 readers weekly AFFORDABLE • RELIABLE • EXPERIENCED DWI? 3 KITCHEN & BATHROOM COMPLETE • TILE & HARDWOOD FLOORS CallC ll forf an appointment Call 512-259-4449 P RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL REMODELS • CUSTOM CARPENTRY 512-918-3958 E OL ST CONTR for more information 512-296-4580 www.terrydavis.com Terry Davis & Associates www.clhowtonconstruction.com 512-258-5228 Serving Cedar Park & Insured (bonding avail.) • Read our rating reviews on Yelp.com ATTORNEYS AT LAW surrounding communities for over 30 yrs THURSDAY COOMMUNITYMMUNITY HILL COUNTRY NEWS Page 2A • August 10, 2017 www.HillCountryNews.com WiFi now offered at Elizabeth Milburn Park Service offered as a test program with Spectrum Cable By NICK BROTHERS tem could handle on July 4th,” said Tim HCN Managing Editor Scott, Cedar Park’s director of informa- Free WiFi is now available to patrons tion services. “We talked with some citi- of Cedar Park’s Elizabeth Milburn Park, zens who used it and they loved it.” officials said. City officials are evaluating future Following the city council’s ex- sites and city parks to expand the ser- pressed interest in offering public WiFi vice as they review the data from the in city parks, the city agreed to partner Milburn pilot program, Scott said. with Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable), who offered to run a pilot pro- HOW IT WORKS gram free of charge to install and test While Spectrum Internet customers the system. After the City Council ap- can receive unlimited WiFi access in proved Spectrum’s designs and system Milburn Park, guest users are only al- proposals, the city entered into a three- lowed a free hour per day before being year agreement with Spectrum to test changed $2.95 an hour for additional the program.