News

Early voting opens Monday in the city’s May 7 local option liquor election asking voters to consider permitting the legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages (“liquor by the drink”) in the City of Cameron.
The City Council called the election Feb. 26 after City Secretary Amy Harris reported a petition issued in December had been returned and certified with 362 signatures, exceeding the required number of 307.
The Cameron Chamber of Commerce and local businesses filed the petition and gathered the signatures to seek the special election. Chamber members Daniel Willie, current president, and Neal Bhakta, former president, said the measure would help attract more businesses, especially popular restaurant chains.

The City of Cameron’s new website launched Monday, City Secretary Amy Harris told council members at their evening session.
The new site includes the ability for the city to accept online payments for the water department and municipal court. To take advantage of the site’s new services, residents should register at www.camerontexas.net. Instructions are available there and notices and other information are posted on the city’s Facebook page.
in other business Monday, the council approved on final reading the ordinance setting new water rates and increasing the utility deposit for new water customers. The new rates are part of the city’s efforts to repay financing for major water system improvements. The increase covers all classes of water service customers, residential, business and industrial. City Manager Rhett Parker said the average increase per bill is $34.
The new rates take effect with the May billing.

By Curtis Chubb, Special to the Herald

A Cameron man is in jail facing deadly conduct charges after police say he fired a shotgun at a car that had been racing in his neighborhood for several days.
Police responded to a call reporting shots fired at 4:10 p.m. Monday in the area of 6th Street and MLK, according to a statement released by Cameron Police Chief Randy Dixon. The incident occurred when two Hispanic males got into a verbal argument over street racing in the area, Dixon said.
Witnesses said someone had been racing a red Dodge Charger through the neighborhood for several days. Rodrigo Alvarado Tovar, 20, became so frustrated with the driver of the red Charger that he fired over the car with a shotgun. “There were a number of individuals, including children along 6th and MLK at the time,” Dixon said, adding that Tovar was charged with third-degree felony deadly conduct and booked into the county jail.

As the Little River crested this afternoon at 36.10 feet, the National Weather Service issued warnings of major flooding in low-lying areas.
The Little River was one of four rivers listed in the NWS flood warnings:
Brazos River Near Palo Pinto affecting Palo Pinto County and near Dennis affecting Parker County;
Leon River at Gatesville affecting Coryell County
Little River near Rockdale and near Cameron, affecting Milam County
Navasota River above Groesbeck affecting Limestone County and near easterly affecting Leon Leon and Robertson counties.
Also this afternoon, TxDOT’s Bryan District reported flooding/flood conditions continue on these roads in Milam County:
FM 1915 N at Big Elm Creek
FM 1915 S at Little River
FM 1600 at Little River
FM 2269 at Big Elm creek
FM 485 at North Elm creek

FM 437 at Little River and Donahue creek

FM 2227 at Pond Creek
FM 487 at San Gabriel River


As another line of thunderstorms sweeps thorugh the area, Milam and Falls counties are under another flash food warning until 9:45 p.m.

The Texas Water Development Board is holding a public hearing in Austin Monday on the Draft 2017 State Water Plan - which still includes the proposed Little River Off-Channel Reservoir near Gause.
The hearing for accepting public comment and questions is scheduled at 6 p.m. Monday, April 18, in Room 170 of the Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 North Congress Ave. in Austin. TWDB staff will be on hand to answer questions and accept public comment.
The Little River OCR is one of 26 reservoir developments recommended by the various regional water planning groups to meet the water needs of growing metro areas over the next five to 25 years. The Region G plan to flood 4,300 acres of private land in the Beaver Creek Watershed near Gause would create a 155,812-acre-feet capacity reservoir to supply water to Williamson County and potentially other counties.

The Williamson County sheriff’s office is investigating the death of former Thorndale High School basketball coach Jeff Lieberman, 64, who was found dead Tuesday at his home in Jarrell.
No details were released.
With the Thorndale ISD from 1991 until 2009, Lieberman led the Bulldogs to UIL Class A, Division I state championships in 2007 and 2008.
Retired from coaching and teaching, he had sports apparel printing business with a contract to sell items at UIL events. He was in San Antonio last month to watch Thorndale’s boys team play in the state tournament for the first time since 2008.
Former players and co-workers throughout Central Texas expressed disbelief and sadness at the news of his death.

The annual Cameron Police Department Shoot-out Barbecue Cook off is growing into an annual festival with literally something for everyone.
“We want a festival that offers a variety of entertainment and showcases Cameron,” said Daniel Willie, who is not only one of the organizers of the annual Shoot-out, but serves as president of the Cameron Chamber of Commerce this year. Other organizers are Julie Sulak, Sam Berry and Bobbi Weisman.
The newly minted Cameron Fun Festival and CPD Barbecue Shoot-out April 29-30 at Wilson-Ledbetter Park features a pet parade for children, 5K Beer & Brat Trot, washer tournament, horseshoe tournament, Kid Fish, bounce houses, arts and crafts booths, food and beverage concessions, live music on Saturday night and the Shoot-out Barbecue Cook off sponsored by the Police Officers Support Team. In addition the Cameron Car Club’s Classic Car Show will be Saturday, April 30, on the downtown square.

Tons of toxic sludge will not end up in Milam County, near Gause after an Arkansas company’s application for a state disposal permit was withdrawn, the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District (POSGCD) reported.