Editor’s be aware: This story is the second installment of a four-part collection trying again on the yr that was — 2021.
As 2021 continued, San Marcos noticed it named the official Mermaid Capital of Texas, San Marcos CISD college students return to in-person studying earlier than the tip of the tutorial yr, requires justice for a lady killed in a crash attributable to a metropolis police officer and the general public library enlargement challenge come to completion.
April
San Marcos Consolidated ISD introduced it could anticipate college students to return to their respective campuses, except already medically exempt, starting April 12. The transfer marked the primary time courses weren’t restricted in measurement due to COVID-19. The district stated its principal aim was to convey college students again to verify on them mentally, socially, academically, and to organize for the 2021-22 tutorial yr.
In early April, Texas State College introduced it could return to in-person studying in “full pressure” for the autumn semester. The college stated the autumn semester will appear like the pre-pandemic fall 2019 semester with a full-slate of in-person courses and actions resuming at its San Marcos and Spherical Rock campuses.
A person, later recognized as Rescue Eram, was killed when a San Marcos Police Division officer shot him. SMPD responded to southbound I-35 close to mile marker 204 for Seguin (TX-82, TX-123) after they have been alerted to a person strolling in site visitors at roughly 12:19 a.m. on April 10. Officers stated officers tried to detain Eram however he turned and charged towards the officers with a weapon held above his head in “a way just like a hanging or slashing movement.” Eram was shot and killed.
In April, Pamela Watts started exhibiting her indicators throughout San Marcos elevating consciousness concerning the dying of her life-partner, Jennifer Miller.
San Marcos Police Division Sgt. Ryan Hartman crashed into Miller’s car on June 10, 2020. Police data present Hartman ran by a cease signal and collided with the automobile carrying Miller and Watts. Miller died on scene and Watts was transported by helicopter to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle to be handled for extreme bodily and mind accidents.
In keeping with Hartman’s deposition, police studies and forensic proof, Hartman was driving 16 mph over the 30 mph velocity restrict on {a partially} gravel street with an open container of Dos Equis that was ¾ empty, speaking on the telephone, and he did not cease at two cease indicators earlier than colliding with Watts’ car. A press release later launched by the Metropolis of San Marcos, refuted claims that Hartman was on his telephone whereas driving. The town said that cellular phone tower knowledge confirmed that Hartman wasn’t texting whereas driving. On physique cam footage launched, Hartman stated that he induced the dying of somebody as a result of he wasn’t paying consideration.
“I’m already, I induced the dying of any individual by me not paying consideration,” Hartman stated on the scene.
Hartman refused to take a blood alcohol take a look at on scene and was detained on the scene. A search warrant was obtained on suspicion of driving whereas intoxicated as a result of open container detected.
The blood-alcohol take a look at taken hours after the crash discovered no alcohol in Hartman’s system.
Lockhart Police Division’s investigation beneficial a cost of criminally negligent murder. A grand jury reviewed the cost and returned a no-bill, leaving civil motion as Watts’ solely recourse the place she might file for damages for her sustained accidents.
Watts’ indicators round San Marcos have been simply the beginning of her efforts to hunt justice for Miller.
On April 18, one yr after San Marcos Police Division Officer Justin Putnum was killed within the line of obligation, a whole bunch gathered to recollect his life at a memorial service held at 5 Mile Dam Park Soccer Advanced.
Metropolis of San Marcos officers, Hays County Choose Ruben Becerra and members of the Higher San Marcos Partnership and San Marcos Space Chamber of Commerce gathered on April 19 to interrupt floor on a brand new state-of-the-art hashish cultivation, manufacturing and retail facility. Parallel, father or mother firm of Goodblend Texas, invested $25 million within the 63,000 sq. foot facility, which can present sufferers with entry to medicinal hashish merchandise in quite a lot of varieties which might be cultivated and produced regionally. Parallel stated the brand new Goodblend facility will convey a whole bunch of latest jobs.
On April 24, Gianna Moreno, who was in her senior yr at San Marcos Excessive Faculty, turned the primary Rattler wrestler to win a state championship. She received the UIL 6A women’ 138-pound title.
Could
San Marcos CISD held an election for 2 at-large positions on Board of Trustees. Incumbent Anne Halsey and Mari Salmi have been elected to the varsity board in a six-way race for the 2 at-large spots.
The San Marcos Public Library’s newly expanded library opened to the general public on Could 24 after greater than 18 months of labor on the challenge. The enlargement added 28,000 sq. ft to the constructing and can function an enclosed youngsters’s room, a makerspace, teen room, expertise hub, youngsters’s space, classrooms, convention rooms and a 240-person assembly room.
A brand new $11 million, 135,000-square-foot speculative house facility to be constructed in San Marcos was introduced by the Higher San Marcos Partnership on Could 24.
Dwell Oak, a Texas-based actual property improvement and brokerage companies agency, would assemble the 135,000-square-foot industrial house for operations needing a newly constructed constructing at 320 Barnes Highway near Surprise World Drive and Interstate 35.
The Metropolis of San Marcos was formally designated because the Mermaid Capital of Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a ball making it official on Could 24.
“I’m so enthusiastic about all the chances this designation will assist to encourage in my hometown,” July Moreno, founding father of Mermaid Society SMTX, advised the Each day File in Could. “My want is that it’s going to convey consideration to the San Marcos River’s magnificence and significance, spotlight the humanities and tradition in our group, and protect and rejoice the historical past of the San Marcos Mermaid. Fortunate me — I get to say I reside in The Mermaid Capital of Texas — my House Candy House.”
San Marcos Excessive Faculty celebrated commencement on Could 28 at an outside ceremony at San Marcos Toyota Rattler Stadium. The ceremony started as deliberate however stormy climate pressured the celebration to proceed within the faculty’s scholar exercise middle.
San Marcos Excessive Faculty’s Class of 2021 celebrated commencement at San Marcos Toyota Rattler Stadium. Over 430 college students graduated. Inclement climate impacted the ceremony as heavy storms entered the world because the occasion began. Commencement was accomplished inside the highschool’s Pupil Exercise Middle.
June
On June 1, The Hays County Commissioners Court docket authorised an interlocal settlement and memorandum of understanding with the Metropolis of San Marcos concerning the Cape’s Dam Advanced.
The authorised MOU offers a framework for collaboration and cost-sharing in regard to the proposed rehabilitation of the Cape’s Dam Advanced.
“It lays out the inspiration and tasks of each town and the county and us working collectively because it pertains to Cape’s Dam,” Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe stated through the court docket’s June 1 assembly. “I need to point out additionally that due diligence will likely be carried out to find out whether or not or not the dam might be rehabilitated or if removing must occur and we’re hoping to get outdoors engagement with these points.”
The county’s dialogue concerning the Cape’s Dam Advanced follows the San Marcos Metropolis Council’s choice to approve the interlocal settlement and MOU with the county throughout its common assembly on Could 18.
On June 3, household, mates and regulation enforcement officers honored the lifetime of fallen San Marcos Police Division Officer Justin Putnam on Thursday.
Following a procession from Thomason Funeral House in San Marcos, a whole bunch gathered at Shoreline Church in Austin for a public funeral.
“Covid prevented us from having a extra well timed service,” stated Rob Koke, senior pastor at Shoreline Church. “However giving honor and tribute to a selfless sacrifice, to braveness, and to a life effectively lived is rarely one thing that must be taken as a right. It’s at all times definitely worth the wait.”
On June 10, Protesters gathered outdoors San Marcos Metropolis Corridor. searching for justice for Jennifer Miller. Previous to the protest, San Marcos Chief of Police Stan Standridge arrived at Metropolis Corridor to carry a dialogue with Watts concerning Hartman’s return to work for SMPD.
“I can’t communicate to something the investigating company did or the district lawyer or the grand jury, that’s fully outdoors of my wheelhouse,” Standridge advised Watts earlier than she questioned why he confirmed as much as the protest. “In equity, you and I’ve had this dialog. I needed to go to with you once more as a result of there’s quite a lot of misinformation on the market. From the employment perspective, I’ve to go by the rule of regulation. The rule of regulation says I’ve 180 days because the chief administrator to impact self-discipline. That 180 days expired by the point I get right here, I be taught that the grand jury has returned a no-bill. So, by regulation as a civil service company, you can not terminate his employment.”
Watts responded by saying Standridge’s predecessor ought to’ve taken motion earlier than the 180 days expired.
“When you took over the workplace after he did, you continue to have to face in these sneakers and act as if it have been him,” Watts advised Standridge. “He ought to’ve acted. There was sufficient data on the market and I assure you I’ll launch each rattling little bit of it as a result of the general public must know and we have to begin having transparency in our authorized system.”
Standridge left Metropolis Corridor previous to the official begin of the protest as increasingly more members of the group started questioning him.
After a hiatus attributable to COVID-19 in 2020, the Texas Water Safari started on June 12 on the Meadows Middle for Water and the Surroundings. The 260-mile competitors, dubbed “The World’s Hardest Canoe Race,” begins in San Marcos and ends in Seadrift.
A big gathering of residents and dignitaries met contained in the San Marcos Public Library on Friday to rejoice the library’s accomplished renovation and enlargement challenge on June 18.
San Marcos Public Library Director Diane Insley cuts the ceremonial ribbon throughout Friday’s dedication ceremony. Each day File photographs by Lance Winter
In late June, a lawsuit was filed in opposition to San Marcos Director of Public Security Chase Stapp and two different unnamed metropolis staff over a Biden marketing campaign bus incident that occurred in October 2020.
Former State Sen. Wendy Davis, a Biden marketing campaign volunteer, marketing campaign staffer and a bus driver suing, claiming that Stapp and the San Marcos Police Division failed to supply them safety because the Biden-Harris bus drove by San Marcos on Interstate 35. The bus was surrounded and adopted by supporters of former President Donald Trump who shaped a self-labeled “Trump Practice,” the lawsuit states.
