The Lead: A pack of dogs causing trouble on Jackson Street

The news: Over the last few months, several dogs from a house in the 800 block of North Jackson Street have repeatedly escaped from their fence and roamed around the neighborhood. Residents in the area have expressed frustration that Animal Control has not done enough to address the problem. 

Within the last week, however, the pack of dogs has become increasingly violent with other dogs in the neighborhood. Last Wednesday, the group killed a dog nearby by dragging it through a gap in a fence and attacking it. On Sunday morning, the same pack of dogs escaped from their fence again and jumped a neighboring fence, where they proceeded to attack a chocolate labrador who was in her backyard. A next-door neighbor heard the dogs attacking the labrador and got them to stop attacking the dog by hitting them with a stick. If the neighbor wasn't there, the dogs would’ve killed the other victim. In the aftermath, both police and animal control were contacted in hopes that the city would take away the dogs causing trouble in the neighborhood. It is yet to be seen if animal control did that. 

Why this matters: Earlier this year in San Antonio, an older man was killed by dogs who escaped from their fence and attacked him and his wife. Those dogs were euthanized. Back in San Angelo, the pack of 8 (or 9) dogs roaming the neighborhood is not just a safety issue for other dogs, but it is only a matter of time before the dogs try to hurt a human. While the house where the pack of dogs live is on Jackson Street, the backyard faces Van Buren and is a few hundred feet from Austin Elementary. No one likes to see dogs euthanized, yet I’m not sure there’s a better option for the pack of dogs who have done this. Additionally, the owners of those dogs should get fined and ticketed. 

Ryan’s thoughts: In the spirit of transparency, the dog that was attacked and almost killed yesterday was my dog, Coco. She was in her yard and did nothing wrong. I understand that Animal Control is understaffed, and I know the city's policy regarding dogs that escape their fence even if I disagree with it. Their owner has failed the pack of dogs, and I think the best solution is to have them put down for the neighborhood's safety. I’m grateful that my dog was able to live. I’m not sure what else has to happen for the city to act. 

SAISD School Board to adopt Maintenance and Operation Tax Rate and the Interest and Sinking Tax Rate in special meeting tonight

The News: The SAISD Board of Education will meet tonight at 5:45 to adopt property tax rates for the upcoming year. To collect property tax revenue, school districts must adopt a tax rate for that year. During the special legislative session this summer, the Texas Legislature used some of its surplus to provide property tax relief to tax payers.

The “no-new-revenue tax rate” is calculated from the comptroller’s form 50-859 (Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet). This term presents a calculation of a tax rate that would produce the same levy in the coming year that was available to the district in the prior year. When a district adopts a tax rate that is higher than the “no new revenue” tax rate calculated by the local CAD, then specific language is required in the motion. In addition, when a district adopts a tax rate higher than the no new revenue rate, then the board of trustees must do so by a 60% vote (or at least a 5-2 vote based on a 7-member board). 

The no new revenue tax rate calculated on the 2023 Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet for SAISD is $0.9364 and the proposed SAISD tax rate is $.81231. Therefore, the proposed tax rate is less than the no new revenue tax rate and the specific motion language is not required.

Recommended Board action language is as follows:

Move to adopt the Ordinance to set the total tax rate at $0.81231 for the 2023-2024 school year. The rate is allocated as follows: $0.6949 of the total rate is specifically levied for maintenance and operation expenses and $0.11741 of the total rate is specifically levied for debt service.

News from around the globe

Trump’s Trials

By the end of Monday, another piece could be put in place in the complicated jigsaw puzzle of the four criminal cases facing former President Donald J. Trump: A date could be chosen for Mr. Trump’s federal trial on charges of seeking to overturn the 2020 election.

At a hearing on Monday morning in Federal District Court in Washington, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan was considering widely differing proposals for the date of the trial, and could select one. (NYT)

HISD Takeover.

The library at Houston’s Lockhart Elementary had been a refuge for 8-year-old Sydney, who has struggled because of dyslexia. The school’s librarian, Cheryl Hensley, curated a space that encouraged her to read.

But now Texas has taken over Houston’s public school district, and her refuge has been repurposed as a space to be used in part for discipline. While students can still check out books, there will be no one to guide them. Hensley, the librarian, is gone.

“I’m hurt ... and now to know that Ms. Hensley is no longer on the campus, the library has been shuttered?” said Sydney’s mother, Lauren Simmons. “I’m at a point where, do I take my baby to school Monday because what’s going to happen to her?” (AP)

Rural Sheriffs get relief.

Sheriff Andrew Aguilar’s struggle with keeping the streets of his West Texas county safe is constant.

The Crane County sheriff makes do with four deputies, two supervisors and one chief. Two deputies are volunteers from the local academy. The county’s cash-strapped budget spreads his department thin protecting 5,000 residents over 785 square miles, he said.

A new law aimed at increasing pay within sheriff’s departments in rural Texas could help solve his staffing woes.

Senate Bill 22, sponsored by Muenster Republican Sen. Drew Springer, established a grant system that will boost rural law enforcement efforts by $330 million. The amount of money a county receives annually is determined by its population size. Once awarded, counties can spend the money on raising minimum salaries and purchasing new equipment. The law similarly puts aside funds for prosecutors' offices that are decided by the size of the jurisdiction. (Texas Tribune)

Obituaries

Sally May Reyes, 86, of San Angelo passed away on Thursday, August 24, 2023.
No services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home.

Mrs. Reyes was born on December 7, 1936 in Bakersfield, California to Clinton and Edna Denny Foust. She married Gerardo Reyes in 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He passed away in 2022. They owned and operated a process serving company for 15 years. During their retirement they moved to Arizona and managed mobile home parks for 10 years.

They officially retired to San Angelo in 2016.

Survivors include two daughters, Debbie Correa of San Pedro, California and Karen Reidenbaugh and husband Daniel of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a step-daughter, Gina Reyes of San Angelo; two grandchildren, Clinton Correa of San Pedro, California and Rachel Reidenbaugh of Los Angeles, California.

Bonnie Janette "Jan" (Smith) Skelton McCleery, 67 passed away Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Memorial Service will be at 10:30 Monday, August 28, 2023, at Robert Massie Riverside Chapel with Pastor Craig Myers, pastor of St. Mark Presbyterian Church and alum of Trinity University, officiating. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home.

Jan was born October 31, 1955 in DeRidder, Louisiana to James (J.V.) and Patsy Smith, but she got to Texas as quick as she could. Jan was raised in Ballinger and moved to San Angelo at the age of 15. While in San Angelo she graduated from Central High School in 1974. Jan married Marvin Skelton after High School, who later preceded her in death. Jan married Phillip McCleery on February 14, 1985 in Ft. Worth.

She graduated from Angelo State University in 1992 with an associate degree in nursing. Jan worked for the San Angelo Heath Department as a RN for 21 years retiring in 2014. She was a volunteer at Safe Kids. She was a member of the Harris Ave. Baptist Church.

Jan enjoyed painting and sewing. Her favorite memories growing up were all the family gathering with birthdays and Christmas being her favorites. Her life lessons would be to always fight fairly, appreciate and love what you have, and to tell people they are important.

Survivors include her husband, Phillip Douglas McCleery; a son David Bryan Skelton and wife Kim; three daughters, Christine Marie McCleery Correa and husband Jeff, Amanda Lee McCleery Gaylean and husband Bobby, and Katy Ann McCleery; a nephew, Christopher Lyle Smith; seven grandchildren, Clinton Douglas Correa and wife Shyann, Colt Dawson McCleery and wife Amber, Maddison Nicole McCleery, Genevieve Mackenzie Correa, Brooke Abigail Skelton, Ty Evan Skelton, and Chase Ian Skelton; a sister, Wyonia Castro and husband Richard, and a brother, Alan Smith and wife Jeanie; numerous nieces, nephews, and loved ones.