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Vol. 3- Issue 17

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CannonThe Gonzalesby visiting judge Brenda Chapman of Comal County. Under the agreement, Tovar received deferred adjudication probation for the term of one year, was fined $500, and given 80 hours of community service in return of his guilty plea to a Class A misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury. The maximum sentence for such an offense is one year in jail and a fine not to exceed $4,000. Because authorities believed Tovars alleged actions were a result of him being intoxicated, he will also have to undergo drug and alcohol assessments by probation officials. The alleged victim in the case, Melissa Rodriguez, filed an affidavit of non-prosecution with the DAs office which requested that the state not go forward with the case. McMinn said that irregardless of that filing, the state felt there was enough remaining to proceed based on the merits of the case. The fact that Mr. Tovar was an

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Plea deal results in deferred adjudication, community serviceBy CEDRIC IGLEHARTnewseditor@gonzalescannon.com

Tovar steps down as Waelder Mayorelected official and a bar owner in Waelder, we felt it was best to go forward, she said. After speaking with his attorney during plea negotiations, in light of the fact that Mr. Tovar had no prior criminal history or convictions and he was willing to accept a 12-month deferred adjudication and step down as mayor of Waelder and not run for public office again, we went forward with the plea agreement. Despite the fact that Tovar said WAELDER, Page A3

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Waelder Mayor Roy Tovar has been forced to vacate his position as part of a plea bargain acceptance in his assault case at the Gonzales County Courthouse Tuesday morning. The case was originally set for a jury trial, but Tovar was offered a deal by District Attorney Heather McMinn, which he accepted in lieu of going to trial. The case was heard

Roy Tovar (File Photo)

By CEDRIC IGLEHART

Officials probe two drownings

newseditor@gonzalescannon.com

Two bodies have been recovered in the past week by the Gonzales County Sheriff s Office and both are believed to be the result of drownings. Last Thursday, Jan. 12, the body of Timothy Gregg Pergrem, 40, of Karnes City, was discovered about 3/4 mile above the city dam. Pergrem moved from Karnes City and had been living in Gonzales for some time. The medical examiner ruled Pergrems demise as an accidental death because there was no evidence of foul play. He had no bones broken, no stab or gunshot

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Inside This Week:Agribusiness..................... A7 Arts/Entertainment........A8 Business.............................. A7 Classifieds.......................... B4 Comics................................ B8 Crime Beat........................ A2 Faith & Family................... B3 In Our View........................ A4 In Your View...................... A5 Obituaries.......................... A9 Puzzle Page...................... B7 Regional............................. B1 Sports.................................. C1

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New H-E-B to open on March 16

Come and Hear It! Tune in to radio station KCTI 1450 AM at 8 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Tuesday for weekly updates from Gonzales Cannon news editor Cedric Iglehart and General manager Dave Mundy with KCTI personality Egon Barthels.

The City of Gonzales months-long investigation into possible financial misappropriation within the citys Parks & Recreation Department may be going before a grand jury in March. District Attorney Heather McMinn confirmed Tuesday that her office has asked for some additional information from the Gonzales Police Department concerning its investigation, and plans to move forward with the case once it has that information in hand. The citys investigation began in July 2011 when interim City Manager Charles Windwehen announced that police were conducting an internal investigation in the theft of cash or goods, and that one city employee had been terminated. Parks & Recreation employee Belinda Walker was fired, and department manager Billy Malaer and golf course manager Ricky Bazan were also terminated as the investigation continued. Police Chief Tim Crow said that not all of those terminations may have resulted from the investigation, however. The new H-E-B location on Sarah DeWitt Dr. takes shape as workers begin the final phases of construction. The City Council appoint(Photo by Debbie Toliver) ed Crow as interim Parks & Recreation manager during the investigation. Since that time, several asbefore that the exact time of the clos- to shop with a cart instead of playing pects of the citys parks and By DAVE MUNDY ing and opening, Garcia said. bumper cars inside the store, and you recreation department have manager@gonzalescannon.com The new facility has been taking wont have to park on the side street, been scrutinized, including An anticipated date has been set for shape rapidly and on Wednesday, said Rob Hall, H-E-Bs vice president the city-owned Indepenthe closing of Gonzales current H-E- crews with the Texas Department of and general manager for the Gulf dence Park Golf Course and B store and the opening of its new one. Transportation began installation of Coast region during groundbreaking the concessions stand at J.B. The current 19,000-square-foot a traffic light at Church St. at Sarah ceremonies last August. Were very Wells Rodeo Arena. store on St. Joseph St. will close DeWitt to improve the safety of the pleased to be able to bring this facility The Gonzales Police Dept. at 8 p.m. March 15, and the new intersection. That signal is due to be to the wonderful and historic Gonza- turned the results of its inves53,000-square-foot store on Sarah De- completed by the first of March. tigation over to the DAs office les community. Witt Dr. will open at 6 a.m. the next The new store is planned at 53,000 The new store will include a deli, in early November, with Capt. day, March 16, according to company square feet, nearly three times the size bakery, pharmacy, a drive-through Alan Taylor saying at the time spokesman Regina Garcia. Ribbon- of the current high-volume location, pharmacy lane, an expanded general that multiple charges have cutting ceremonies are scheduled for and will have acres of parking avail- merchandise, meat market, and pro- been recommended, and that 9:30 a.m. that day. able for shoppers. duce areas, as well as a separate fuel the report includes multiple We will announce about a month statements and affidavits. I know youll be pleased to be able stop area.

wounds, no bumps or bruises or anything, said Gonzales County sheriff Glen Sachtleben. We know the man used to fish a lot on the bank of the river. Sachtleben said the last time Pergrem was seen was in late December, which prompted the deceaseds father to come up from Karnes City to check on him. He stopped by here (Gonzales) and made a report with the police department, said the sheriff. Then right after that some fishermen found the body in the river and called us. I met with the game warden, Chief (Tim) Crow and some of his staff at the Members of the Shadydale Elementary drum corps added a very lively sound to scene. We talked to the this years annual MartinLuther Kind Jr. Day of Service parade and ceremonies. For DROWNINGS, Page A3 more photos, see Page A10. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

Grand jury may get city case in MarchBy DAVE MUNDYmanager@gonzalescannon.com

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For The RecordThe Cannon

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Today in Texas HistoryJanuary 19, 1839 On this day in 1839, Waterloo (soon to be renamed Austin) was approved as the new capital of the Republic of Texas. In 1836 Columbia (now West Columbia) had become the first capital of an elected government of the republic. It remained capital for three months. The city of Houston was then selected as a temporary capital until 1839. A capitalsite commission selected a site near La Grange in 1838 and Congress passed a bill to build the capital there, but President Sam Houston vetoed it. Mirabeau B. Lamar, Houstons successor as president and a proponent of westward expansion, instructed the commission to inspect a site he had visited on the Colorado River. Impressed by its beauty, abundant natural resources, and central location, the commission purchased 7,735 acres comprising the hamlet of Waterloo and adjacent lands.

Thought for the Day

Traffic stop results in arrestterview, it was determined that Claytons drivers license was suspended and that answers to questions were evasive. A K-9 Unit was deployed and resulted in a positive alert. The K-9 unit found a usable amount of marijuana and 7.5 grams of crystal meth in the vehicle. Clayton was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, a 1st degree felony, and bond was set at $100,000. Clayton had an exten-

Cannon News Servicesnewseditor@gonzalescannon.com

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. Alexander the Great

Caldwell County Sheriff Daniel C. Law announced that on Thursday, Jan. 12 at about 11:44 p.m., a sheriff s deputy was conducting a close patrol check at the Mustang Travel Center, located on Hwy 183 north of Hwy 21, when he saw a vehicle with expired registration plates. The driver was identified to be Tara Clayton, 37 of Austin. During the in-

Cannon News Servicesnewseditor@gonzalescannon.com

Phone scammers may be working areaclaiming to represent various financial institutions and seeking to confirm individuals personal financial information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or bank account passcodes. They represent themselves in a very official manner, the Sheriff said. I even received one of these calls. Sachtleben said to re-

sive criminal history that included felonies such as aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, DWI, evading arrest, bail jumping, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and manufacturing/delivery/ selling/possession of controlled substances, stated Sheriff Law. An alert patrol officer and drug interdiction officer with K-9 partner successfully removed this offender from the streets of Caldwell County.

Gonzales Police ReportGonzales Police Department Report From Jan. 3-16 January 3 Reported Hinder Secured Creditors at 1500 Blk Sarah Dewitt Dr. Brittanie Danielle Bailey, 22 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Criminal Trespass at 2000 Blk St. Joseph St. Reported Disorderly Conduct at 1600 Blk Sarah Dewitt Dr. January 4 Betty J. Wright, 53 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Possession Of Controlled Substance at 100 Blk Mcclure St. Reported Burglary Habitation at 1200 Blk Norwood St. Reported Burglary Habitation at 1600 Blk Waco St. January 5 Reported Assault at 1800 Blk Sarah Dewitt Dr. Shawna Cherie Zahn, 38 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Driving While License Suspended at 800 Blk Seydler St. Lynnette Angela Castillo, 35 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Theft At 100 Blk Wallace St. Marvin Anthony Trejo Perez, 19 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with No Drivers License at 183 North. January 7 Jose Alfonso Reyes-Hernandez, 28 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Public Intoxication at 3000 Blk Hwy 90-A. Reported Criminal Mischief at 600 Blk St. James St. Lajuane Catrell Clark, 35 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Interfering With Public Duties At 600 Blk College St. Reported Criminal Mischief at 1400 Blk Blair St. January 8 Reported Runaway at 600 Blk Dunning St. Reported Assault at 1000 Blk St. Andrew St. January 9 Reported Disorderly Conduct at 400 Blk College St. Stacy Eugene Hunt Jr, 29 Of Gonzales, arrested and charged with No Drivers License at 1200 Blk St. Andrew St. Reported Assault at 2400 Blk Church St. January 10 Reported Runaway at 600 Blk Dunning St. Reported Criminal Mischief at 1000 Blk Hastings St. Reported Burglary Habitation at 600 Blk St. John St. January 11

Reported Assault at 1100 Blk St. Peter St. Reported Criminal Mischief at 2600 Blk Winding Way Drive. Reported Burglary of a Habitation at 600 Blk St. John St. 16-year old male issued citation to appear in City Court charged with Disruption of Class at 1800 Blk Sarah DeWitt Dr. January 13 Dominique LeKeith Ormales, 21 of Gonzales, arrested and charged with Assault at 2000 Blk St. Joseph St. Juan Ortiz Lopez, 19 of Gonzales, arrested and charged with By FELICIA FRAZAR No Drivers License, Possession of of the Seguin Gazette Marijuana, and Possession of Controlled Substance at 1800 Blk St. Special to The Cannon Joseph St. SEGUIN Cody Lorenz January 14 Reported Harassment at 700 has been arrested and will Blk St. Paul St. be charged with murder Reported Disorderly Conduct at in connection with the car Morey and Water St. Reported Theft at 500 Blk Dun- wreck that claimed the life of a 19-year-old Gonzales ning St. January 16 woman. Reported Forgery at 700 Blk Detective Lt. Jerry HerSarah DeWitt Dr. Reported Theft at 900 Blk St. nandez said Lorenz, 20, was arrested Friday evening after Andrew St. Reported Criminal Mischief at investigators received the re200 Blk Oil Patch Ln.

Murder charge filed in wreckreceived a report from the Texas Department of Safety Alcohol Laboratory indicating Cody James Lorenz had a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of 0.17 - over twice the legal limit, he said. Seguin Police Chief Kevin Kelso said Lorenz had two previous convictions for driving while intoxicated and thats what spurred the murder charge. He had two prior DWIs, making this - his third offense - a felony, Kelso said. During the course of a felony, if you take someones life, it meets the elements of murder. We did confer with the district attorneys office

Gonzales County Sheriff Glenn Sachtleben on Wednesday issued a caution to area residents, particularly senior citizens, about a group of possible phone scammers out to steal financial information. Sachtleben reports that a group of phone scammers is calling area residents

member that legitimate financial and government representatives will never solicit such information over the phone. Just remember to never give out that information over the phone, he said. If you have received or receive a suspicious call seeking personal information, contact the sheriff s office at 830-672-6524 to report it.

Gonzales Co. Sheriffs Office ReportGonzales County Sheriffs Office Sheriffs Report for Jan. 8-14: 01/11/12 Gonzales, Justin Matthew, 07/1993, Nixon. Commitment/ Sentence Burglary of a Building. Released Work Release/ Weekender. Jasso, Grace Marie, 01/1964, Waelder. Guadalupe County Warrant Reckless Driving. Released on $1,000 bond. Stewart, Jon Cameron, 04/1976, Harwood. Local Warrant Theft $50