By Jason Clay Jansky

Kenedy school board members voted to censure one of themselves during their September 11 meeting last month.

Board members voted to officially reprimand board member Dwain Groff for violating a grievance resolution agreement between himself and school district secretary Irma Leal, according to draft minutes released by the Kenedy Independent School District.

By Jason Clay Jansky

Karnes City leaders are looking to get tough on ugly properties in town.

Council members passed an ordinance for the abatement of dangerous and substandard structures during their September 19 meeting, putting the city into compliance with state laws regarding abatement.

The city now has the power to go through a legal process that will allow them to clean up and ultimately acquire a dilapidated, substandard property. Decaying old homes, overgrown land with broken down vehicles and trash, and other properties not up to code may be targeted.

A vehicle owned by a Wilson County resident ended up crashed in a ditch on the side of County Road 210 during the early-morning hours of October 1, but the driver was nowhere to be found.

DPS Trooper Steven Bailey investigated the scene of the accident where the 2001 Dodge Ram had ended up crashed.

Local election officials are reminding Karnes County residents that Tuesday, October 10 is the last day to register to vote to be eligible to vote in the November 7 general election.

Residents can register to vote in person at the Karnes County Tax Office located at 200 E. Calvert Street in Karnes City, or they may print an application online at www.sos.state.tx.us.

Buying a used motor vehicle?

Effective October 1, 2006, a new law, passed by the Texas Legislature during its May 2006 special session, will take effect.

House Bill (H.B.) 4, by Representative David Swinford of Amarillo, establishes a "Standard Presumptive Value" that county tax assessors will use to compute the sales tax due when processing private party sales – one that does not involve a licensed motor vehicle dealer.

A Nixon man was sent to a local hospital the morning of October 2 after he survived a head-on vehicle collision with a cow.

Everados Veliz was traveling north on State Highway 80 four miles south of Gillett when the accident happened. It was about 4 a.m., very dark, and foggy out. A black cow was standing in the middle of the northbound lane.

Veliz’s car was totaled on impact, but he suffered only minor injuries despite his vehicle’s airbag not properly deploying. He was wearing his seatbelt.

United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison will visit Karnes County on Monday, Oct. 9 to host a Legislative Town Hall Meeting.

The senator is expected to arrive at 3:30 p.m. in the second floor district courtroom in the Karnes County courthouse and she will present a legislative update on what’s currently happening in the U.S. Legislature.