Thursday News Rundown (9-18-2014)

By Felicia DeInnocentiis
KTSW News Reporter

Heavy rainfall and flash flooding is possible across a good portion of South Central Texas tonight into Friday morning. Hays County is still on the National Weather Service  Flash Flood Alert list. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected in San Marcos tonight into Friday morning. Average rainfall amounts of one-to-three inches are expected with isolated amounts of three-to-five inches possible.

The San Marcos City Council voted six-to-zero on Tuesday to approve the 2,000-acre and 2,400-unit La Cima development project. Once the land is surveyed and mapped out the city can begin annexation. Hays County will establish a Public Improvement District to levy temporary property taxes in order to fund the infrastructure needed in the new development. The development sits atop the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, a known environmentally sensitive area. Required infrastructure, like water and sewer lines, could alter the geological properties of the recharge area. The development’s executive housing is expected to include houses ranging from $250,000 to $1 million that are intended to entice corporations to move into the development.

No lead has been detected in recent samples of the City of San Marcos’ water distribution system. Water quality technicians gathered samples on Tuesday from the original six test sites that detected elevated lead levels earlier this month. Executive Director of Public Services Tom Taggart confirmed today that lead is no longer present in the Stagecoach and Wonder World areas and that water is safe to use normally. The city has ruled out the source water from Canyon Lake and the Edwards Aquifer as the cause of the elevated readings. San Marcos city staff will meet with officials and consultants from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to determine the next steps into continuing the investigation.

Hays County Judge Bert Cobb has lifted the burn ban in the unincorporated area of Hays County until further notice. Because of recent rains in the past weeks, Hays County Fire Marshal Mark Chambers said it was safe to burn, however, if low humidity returns to the area the burn ban could be reinstated. San Marcos citizens are reminded to keep a water source nearby and to never leave a fire unattended until it is entirely extinguished.

San Marcos Police and the Hays County Sheriff’s Office arrested Elizando Ortiz Garza, Jr. and Lisa Marie Perez, known to be two dangerous convicts. San Marcos police stopped and arrested Perez around 6:30 p.m. yesterday at a local business off Interstate 35 for an outstanding warrant, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, driving without a license and speeding. Garza is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with physical evidence, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of marijuana. Police arrested Garza yesterday after responding to a public disturbance call made at 5:15 p.m. Perez and Garza remain in Hays County Jail with a $250,000 bond.