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May 24, 2012
Warrant issued for San Marcos teacher accused of inappropriate conduct with a student
SAN MARCOS — A warrant has been issued for Steven De Leon, a San Marcos elementary school teacher and basketball coach accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, according to the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.
De Leon, 39, resigned from his position as a physical education teacher at Travis Elementary School on Tuesday amid allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a middle school student, according to a statement issued by the San Marcos school district.
De Leon has worked for the school district as an elementary school teacher for 16 years, district spokeswoman Iris Campbell said. He has taught at Travis since the 2002-03 school year, she said, and at DeZavala Elementary before that.
The parents of the middle school student told district officials Monday that they suspected De Leon of having a relationship with their child last summer, according to the school district. De Leon was suspended with pay that day and the district started an investigation involving local law enforcement agencies, according to the school district.
For earlier coverage, click here.
October 13, 2011
Emergency crews searching for body of swimmer hit by boat in Lake Travis
Rescue swimmers are searching for the body of a 24-year-old man who was struck by a boat in Lake Travis, officials said.
Crews were originally dispatched to where the man was last seen near Paradise Cove Marina in the lake before 7 p.m. Around 7:50 p.m., officials said the rescue was changed to a recovery, meaning rescuers are now focusing their efforts on recovering the body of a deceased person.
August 24, 2011
South Austin wastewater plant back online
FROM AUSTIN WATER UTILITY:
Austin Water Utility (AWU) crews worked through yesterday evening to repair the electronics of a control panel damaged by an accidental chlorine leak. As a result of the chlorine damage the treatment plant was taken off-line for repairs.
While crews worked for nearly 12 hours to get the plant back on-line there was a significant buildup of effluent in the system. During the course of bringing the plant back on-line there was a release of approximately 300,000 gallons of partially treated effluent into the Colorado River.
The effluent released into the river passed through the entire treatment process with the exception of the addition of chlorine because of the damage from the initial chlorine leak earlier in the day.
Austin Water has lifted the precautionary advisory to avoid contact with the Colorado River and for the need for private well owners in the area to boil water.
The plant is back on-line and crews will continue repairs of the electronic damage caused by the accidental chlorine leak.
UPDATE: Headline fix to correct the type of water treatment plant.
August 23, 2011
Possibly untreated wastewater spills into Colorado River
Updated at 8:43 p.m.: Officials are unsure whether the 300,000 gallons of wastewater released into the Colorado River near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have been treated or not, but are cautioning residents downstream against touching the water.
Any bacteria in the river will be diluted or gone in about two hours, Austin Water director Greg Meszaros said.
Chlorine gas leaked into the system that manages the plant’s chlorine, corroding computers and other electronics around 8:30 a.m. today, Meszaros said. The plant was shut down for about 12 hours as crews worked to repair the damage.
Plant officials needed to release the wastewater for about 15 minutes earlier in the evening to avoid an overflow while the plant was shut down, Meszaros said.
Meszaros said the water may have already been treated, but is still encouraging people to avoid contact with the river and any private wells near the river.
The city is asking residents in downtown and south of the river to limit their water use for the next hour or so as the plant continues to come back online.
The Lower Colorado River Authority will send a crew to monitor the water quality near the spill Wednesday, officials said.
Earlier: About 300,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from a water treatment plant have spilled into the Colorado River, prompting officials to warn against touching water in the river east of Fallwell Lane, which is east of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
A chlorine leak forced the shutdown of the South Austin Regional Water Treatment Plant earlier today. Untreated water kept flowing in, so the plant needed to release some of the untreated water to prevent an overflow, Austin Water Utility spokesman Jason Hill said.
Residents south and east of Fallwell Lane and those in Garfield are advised to boil water from any private well.
July 21, 2011
Teen dies after being pulled from Lady Bird Lake
Emergency officials said this afternoon that a 19-year-old died after being rescued from Lady Bird Lake near the MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) bridge.
The teen was with a 14-year-old, but it is still unclear what they were doing before officials received a rescue call about 4:30 p.m., said Warren Hassinger, a spokesman for Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services.
Hassinger said both teens were rescued, CPR was performed, and both were taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge. The 19-year-old later died; the other teen is stable, Hassinger said.
July 3, 2011
Rescue teams in 'recovery mode' for missing man at Devil's Hollow
Emergency crews say they’re working to recover a man who was last seen on a boat at Devil’s Hollow on Lake Travis this afternoon.
Austin-Travis County EMS officials said about 6 p.m., a caller reported the man, who name and age have not been released, missing from a boat. Multiple rescue crews began looking for the man but found nothing.
“Based on the time elapsed since the reported victim was last seen, the Devil’s Hollow incident has changed to recovery mode,” officials said, meaning rescuers are now focusing their efforts on recovering the body of a deceased person.
More details to come.
May 19, 2011
Water main break on Red River near 45th street resolved, officials say
Update: Water service was restored last night to 100 homes and businesses affected by a water main break in Central Austin that occurred yesterday afternoon, an official said today.
Crews today will repair the roadway damaged by the break, just one block south of the intersection of Red River and 45th streets at Ellingson Lane, Austin Water Utility spokesman Jason Hill said.
Service to all customers was restored about 10:30 p.m, following six to seven hours of repairs, Hill said.
“Everyone had showers this morning,” Hill said. “We were glad we were able to take care of it so people weren’t too inconvenienced. I want to thank our customers who were so cooperative.”
Last night, crews removed a damaged portion of cast iron from the 12-inch water main and replaced it with “state of the art PVC,” a hardy plastic otherwise known as polyvinyl chloride, Hill said. Engineers will now study that ruptured piece to determine whether internal failure of the main or exterior force played a role in the break, he said.
“The water main should be solid now,” he said.
Earlier: A 12-inch water main break near the intersection of Red River and 45th streets has left about 100 homes and businesses without water, Austin Water Utility spokesman Kevin Buchman said.
The line ruptured at 2:30 p.m. today. Buchman said repairs could take up to six hours. The cause of the pipe break has not been determined, he said.
Austin police said no streets have been closed in the area.
March 28, 2011
Woman charged with failure to stop and render aid
A woman was charged with a felony after police say she fled after hitting another woman with her car in Southeast Austin on Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit for Donmesha Jones, 18, said she was in her car in the 5600 block of Pecan Brook Drive. when a woman approached the car to get a VIN number to verify a repossession case. The woman, Jessica Allen, was working with her husband at Austin Express Towing and they were advised to tow Jones’ car, the affidavit said. It said Jones tried to “snatch several paper documents out of Jessica’s hand” before she drove away, striking Allen on her hip with the driver’s side mirror.
Police and EMS responded, however Allen did not sustain serious injuries, the affidavit said. It said that a few hours later, Allen called police because she and her husband had located Jones. Police responded and arrested Jones on a felony failure to stop and render aid charge.
Jones, pictured at right, faces up to 10 years in prison if she is convicted and was out after posting $10,000 bail.
November 30, 2010
East Austin intersection closed after water main break
A large water main broke in East Austin today, damaging the street but not affecting service in the area, officials said.
The 66-inch water main below East Third and Robert Martinez Jr. streets that had been offline because of construction broke about noon when water was reintroduced to the line, Austin Water Utility spokeswoman Jill Mayfield said.
Because the line had been rerouted, service was not disrupted, Mayfield said. The break will not affect drinking water quality, and no boil water notice is being issued, she said in a statement.
The intersection, which is in front of Zavala Elementary, will be closed for several days as crews repair the street, Mayfield said. The Austin Independent School District will reroute school busses until the repairs are complete, she said.
Mayfield said it was not immediately clear why the line broke, how old it was nor how much water was lost.
September 13, 2010
Sewage spills prompts "boil water" alert; Cedar Park investigating
A spokeswoman with the City of Cedar Park said this evening that wastewater has been spilling out of a manhole since about 10 a.m. this morning near the Read Oaks Subdivision.
Spokeswoman Melanie Carr said utility crews found the spill this morning in a field just south of Cypress Creek Road and west of U.S. 183. The water is spilling into a flood control reservoir.
Carr said bypass pumping operations are helping to reduce the spill.
She said the Twin Lakes Family YMCA has been asked to restrict access to the creek near its facility, at 204 E. Little Elm Trail. And signs stating “Stay out of water” were installed Monday at the pond at Rosemary Denny Park in Riviera Springs.
Carr said well water users who live on the south fork of Brushy Creek, between U.S. 183 and Parmer Lane, should boil their water until further notice. She said the city is offering bottled water to those residents.
City officials are investigating the amount of sewage that spilled and are investigating what caused the incident, Carr said.
August 20, 2010
Water crews repair water main near airport
UPDATE, Saturday, 10:45 a.m.: Jason Hill, a spokesman with Austin Water Utility, said that service to 150 customers that had been cutoff during repairs was restored this morning at 1:30 a.m.
Austin Water Utility crews are repairing a leaky water main that forced the utility to shut off water to roughly 150 customers near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, officials said.
The water main failure is affecting customers south of McKinney Falls Parkway from Burleson Road to Highway 183, utility spokeswoman Jill Mayfield said.
Water utility crew initially responded to a leaking fire hydrant in the area, Mayfield said. When a work crew began to repair the hydrant, a valve on a 24 inch main failed and caused a larger leak, she said.
Water was shut off about 3 p.m. while crews replaced the valve, Mayfield said. Utility spokesman Jason Hill said he expected water to be turned back on early Saturday morning.
December 27, 2009
Water rescue on Lady Bird Lake
The Austin Fire Department is reporting a water rescue is underway on Lady Bird Lake, near the Lamar Boulevard bridge.
Check back here for details as they become available.
December 11, 2009
Water main leak repair could take several hours
The entire block of 39th Street between Avenue F and Speedway has been blocked off due to a water main leak, according to Kevin Buchman, a spokesman for Austin Water Utility.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area while crews repair the 6-inch water main leak. Buchman said repairs could take between four and six hours.
He said it was unclear why the water main started leaking, and he was unsure how many customers in the area will be affected by the leak.
October 12, 2009
Water main break downtown repaired; water restored to customers
A water main near the intersection of Colorado and Second streets that was ruptured this morning has been repaired, officials with the Austin Water Utility said, and water has been restored to affected customers.
Texas Gas Service Co. spokesman Larry Graham said the contractor who damaged the water line about 10:30 a.m. was doing work for Texas Gas.
Contractors for Texas Gas have been working downtown in recent weeks, identifying and in some cases moving gas lines to accommodate city street work, Graham said. The contracting crew somehow damaged a 2-inch water service line which, in turn, damaged the 10-inch water main that caused flooding for more than an hour, Graham said.
Two lanes of Colorado Street between West Second and Cesar Chavez streets had been closed as City of Austin crews repaired the rupture, spokesman Kevin Buchman said.
The utility confined its water shutoff to one business and one residential building in the immediate area of the main break, Buchman said.
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
A cyclist rides past a water main break on Colorado Street between Cesar Chavez and Second on Monday.
October 5, 2009
Sewage spill drains into Walnut Creek tributary
A broken sewer line Sunday spilled 250,000 gallons of sewage into a tributary of Walnut Creek in Northwest Austin, the Austin Water Utility said.
The spill will not affect the public drinking water supply, but the utility is urging residents of the area who get their drinking water from private wells to boil their water until they can have it tested.
The break is located in a 24-inch pipe buried 10 feet deep between Corpus Christi Drive and Dallas Drive, behind homes on Luckenbach Lane.
Crews are working on cleaning up the spill. The water utility is asking residents to avoid the area and to avoid taking their pets near the area until the clean up is finished.
August 21, 2009
Boil-water notice in western Travis County may last throughout weekend
About 500 customers in western Travis County will likely have to boil water for personal use throughout the weekend after a 12-inch water main broke about 3 a.m. Friday, said Jerri Strain, general manager for Travis County Water Control and Improvement District No. 18.
Strain said officials do not know what caused the break, which she said was about 10 feet long, but it could have been because of the uncommonly dry ground.
“Sometimes the dry ground will shift and something sharp will puncture the pipe,” Strain said.
The main was repaired by about 3:15 p.m., and water began flowing through the pipe, Strain said, but residents are asked to boil water as a precaution.
“We don’t believe anything is wrong with the water,” Strain said.
She said residents in the following subdivisions are affected: LakeRidge Estates, Westridge Estates, Woodlake Estates, Tumbleweed Canyon and Birdlip Circle.
How much water was lost is not yet known. The break occurred in the 300 block of South Tumbleweed Trail, near Commons Ford Road, she said.
Water samples will be sent to a lab Saturday for testing, but Strain did not expect to get the results back until Sunday at the earliest.
All affected customers should boil water for at least two minutes before use until the notice is lifted.
Strain sent out the following e-mail about 11:30 a.m. Friday:
AUSTIN, TX, August 21, 2009 — Due to a 12-inch water main break in Travis County WCID No. 18, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required the water district (Travis County WCID No. 18, PWS #2270083) to notify residents in affected neighborhoods to boil any water that will be consumed when service is restored. Boiling the water ensures the destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes.
This boil advisory is issued as a precautionary measure and only for customers in the following subdivisions: Lake Ridge Estates, Westridge Estates, Woodlake Estates, Tumbleweed Canyon and Birdlip Subdivision.
Repairs are under way. As a precautionary measure when service is restored, residents should boil water used for drinking, cooking or other purposes where water might be ingested — or use bottled water. This would include water used for brushing teeth, washing vegetables, making ice or washing dishes without a mechanical dishwasher. Water can be safely used for consumptive purposes after bringing it to a hard boil for two minutes, then letting it cool.
The water will be tested to ensure that no contamination took place during the main break. Customers will be notified through the news media when the boil advisory has been lifted.
Customers who have questions may call 512.263.2707 for more information.
Please share this information with all of the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).
August 16, 2009
Water collision injures at least one
UPDATE 10:36 p.m.
One person was rescued from the water at Emerald Point Marina on Lake Travis and another remained missing Sunday night after a jet ski collision, according to Warren Hassinger, spokesman for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. As of 10:30 p.m., it was unclear whether the jet ski hit another boat or one of the islands, Hassinger said. The person who was recovered from the water was evaluated by EMS but refused further treatment. The collision occurred just after 9 p.m. An hour later, EMS said the water rescue team was changing from a rescue to a recovery mode for the missing person. Callers reported the jet ski collision.
UPDATE 10:13 p.m.
One person was rescued from the water at Emerald Point Marina on Lake Travis and another remained missing Sunday night after a boat collision, according to the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. The person who was recovered from the water refused treatment. At about 10 p.m., EMS said the water rescue team changed from a rescue to recovery mode for the missing person. Callers reported the boat collision.
ORIGINAL POST
Water rescuers were searching for possible drowning victims at Emerald Point Marina on Lake Travis late Sunday night after one or more boats collided, according to the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Callers reported the boat collision at the marina, in the 5900 block of Hi Line Road, according to initial accounts provided by EMS.
One person has been rescued; another is still missing.
June 23, 2009
Man drowns swimming at Kerrville park
Kerrville police said a 23-year-old man drowned early Tuesday morning while swimming in the Guadalupe River at Louise Hays Park, officer Paul Gonzales said in a statement.
Jorge Montalvo was fishing with friends from the Tranquility Island Bridge when he went into the water to swim about 1 a.m., the statement said. Montalvo’s friends said he was swimming toward the island when he became distressed and went under the water, it said. A friend jumped into the water but was unable to pull him from the surface, Gonzales said.
After a search, Montalvo’s body was pulled from the river, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said.
April 7, 2009
Damaged wastewater line spills over 100,000 gallons in North Central Austin
Austin Water Utility crews discovered a broken wastewater line earlier today that caused approximately 110,000 gallons to spill near Little Walnut Creek.
The broken line is located near the creek in the 2300 block of Vanderbilt Circle near U.S. 290 and U.S. 183. Repairs have been made to the eight inch wastewater line and crews are working to clean the area.
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The event will not affect the public drinking water supply, utility officials said. The city is urging area residents and their pets to avoid the area until the cleanup is completed. Officials said residents in the area that receive their drinking water from a private well should boil their water until they can have their water tested.
September 15, 2008
Boil water advisory issued for Maxwell customers
The Maxwell Water Supply Corporation has issued a boil water advisory for more than 5,000 of its customers in Maxwell and parts of Fentress, as well as customers near Lockhart and San Marcos who will be in effect for at least two days.
Officials with the water utility say there was a loss in pressure created by a broken 12-inch main in Maxwell on Saturday. The advisory will be lifted in two to three days after tests confirm there are no harmful microbes in the drinking water, officials said.
This only affects members of the Maxwell Water Supply Corporation and not customers of the City of San Marcos water company.
Residents with questions can call Maxwell Water Supply at 512-357-6253.
August 28, 2008
Damaged wastewater manhole cover spills 100,000 gallons near Pleasant Valley
AUSTIN — Austin Water Utility (AWU) crews discovered a broken wastewater manhole cover earlier today that caused a wastewater spill of approximately 100,000 gallons in the Onion Creek Basin. The manhole is located in a remote wooded area approximately 200 yards west of 1700 block of South Pleasant Valley Rd. and 100 yards north of the intersection of Meadow Lake Blvd. and Quicksilver Blvd. It is believed that the manhole cover was damaged and fell into the wastewater line causing the line to be blocked.
Repairs have been made to the manhole cover and wastewater line. AWU crews will work to clean the affected area and flush the area to dilute any unrecoverable wastewater. The event will not affect the public drinking water supply.
AWU officials urge area residents, and their pets, to avoid the area until clean up is completed. AWU also urges any residents in the area that receive their drinking water from a private well to boil their water until they can have their water tested.
August 14, 2008
City of San Marcos boil water notice
Due to low system water pressure and water outages resulting from a main break occurring Wednesday, August 13, 2008 in the San Marcos water system the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the system to notify affected customers to boil their water prior to consumption.
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.
Boiling water will be advised as of Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 5 p.m. Water samples will be taken Thursday morning, August 14, 2008.
We anticipate receiving test results showing that water is safe to drink by 12 noon, Friday, August 15, 2008. At that time, boiling will no longer be necessary unless a Boil Water Notice Extension is posted.
A Boil Water Notice does not necessarily mean that your water is contaminated, only that there is a possibility of contamination due to lack of pressure in the main lines for an extended period.
If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Jon Clack, Assistant Director of Water/Wastewater Utilities office at #393-8010.
San Marcos water crews isolate water break
San Marcos water utility crews isolated a break in a 12-inch water main about 9:45 p.m. on the east frontage road of I-35 about a quarter mile north of Luciano Flores Street that caused widespread water outages across the city today.
The main feed along the frontage road caused pressure to drop and water loss in the Sunset Acres, Highway 123, Wallace Addition, Wonder World Drive areas on both sides of I-35, putting an estimated 5,000 homes and businesses out of water. They were notified by telephone through the City’s emergency notification system.
“The leak was difficult to find because it occurred near Willow Creek where the discharge of water was difficult to see,” said Assistant City Manager Laurie Anderson. “As the leak was isolated, it allowed pressures to rise and water service in the system to resume. All of our customers should now have water.”
Residents are asked to conserve water until the line can be repaired on Thursday, avoiding outdoor watering and limiting indoor use to what is necessary.
A boil water notice will be issued based upon the area affected by the outage. However, any residents experiencing low water pressure are encouraged to boil water as a precaution.
Water utility crews also discovered problems in a 30-inch transmission main where closed valves may be blocking the flow to the southeast section of the City. Crews are addressing that issue as well, Anderson said.
About 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Mayor Susan Narvaiz issued a state of emergency and a request to Governor Rick Perry for assistance after the water main break left at least a quarter of the community without water. The letter asked for help with emergency information and directives to require immediate conservation of water resources.
San Marcos residents have been asked to stop immediately any unnecessary water use, including outdoor watering, dish washers, and clothes washers.
Residents may get information from Time Warner Channel 10, Grande Channel 16, the city information recording at 393-8488 or the City web site: www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us
