Chamber honors top Uvaldeans Crawford to leave UCISD post

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Making room for U.S. Marshals
Two to 10 members of the
Lone Star Fugitive Task
Force will be stationed in a
satellite office at the Uvalde
County Justice Center on
a daily basis with Sheriff
Charles Mendeke and his
staff.
“That’s huge,” U.S. Marshal Christian J. Casson
said Wednesday. “It gives
my guys immediate access
for this county.”
The force is tasked with
apprehending violent criminals for local, state and
federal courts; this week,
marshals were on hand to
assist deputies and police
officers round up area residents with arrest warrants,
and as of Friday morning
35 people had been booked
into the Uvalde County Jail
as a result of the effort that
began Tuesday.
Casson went on to say
that the number of law
officers working out of
the office will depend on
the type of cases being
addressed – this week, due
to the warrant roundup
and a hit-and-run accident
in Dimmit County that
resulted in the death of a
child, the office is seeing
more activity than it might
Lone Star Task Force
stations satellite office
at Uvalde Justice Center
during other times of the
year.
“It will be case by case,”
he said.
He said the satellite office
location is ideal because
agents will have more
timely access to area counties than if traveling from
Del Rio.
Last week’s warrant
roundup was the result of
filtering through stacks
of outstanding warrants
in Uvalde County, which
number up to 600, Mendeke
said, and coming up with
about 75 high priority cases.
Casson said officers
investigate the cases to find
the perpetrators, several of
whom turned themselves in
upon learning of the situation.
“I respect that,” Casson
said.
Hovering above the city
as warrants were served,
a helicopter owned by
Mendeke’s department
as well as the Uvalde Police
Department headed by
Robert Mac Donald are
members of the task force,
which is comprised of
Texas Rangers, U.S. Marshals, sheriff’s and police
departments and district
attorneys’ offices.
the Texas Department of
Public Safety was part of
the task force’s activities.
Although arrests were
carried out smoothly and
quickly, the helicopter provided assurance to peace
officers on the ground in
the case of a fleeing suspect
or other disturbance.
“The helicopter is a huge
asset,” Mendeke said, praising the task force and U.S.
Marshals. “It’s nice to have
the Marshals here. Anytime
we’re working an active
case... they bring a lot to
the table when it comes to
research.”
Chamber honors top Uvaldeans
Rachel Gonzales-Hanson was named Uvaldean
of the Year and Steven
Kerbow was selected as
Volunteer of the Year
during the 2012 Uvalde
Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet held
Friday evening at the
Uvalde Country Club.
“Well, I think I’m speechless, for once in my life,”
Gonzales-Hanson said of
the honor. “Well, I’m very
humbled; truly, I’m very
humbled and honored...I
Annual banquet lauds citizens
for dedication to community
did not expect this.”
Gonzales-Hanson was
introduced by both Uvalde
City Councilman J Allen
Carnes and Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department Fire
Chief Gene Ayala.
“This person has been
an extraordinary asset to
our community,” Ayala
said. “I have known her for
many years and consider
her to be one of the most
enthusiastic, passionate
individuals when it comes
to helping the citizens of
Uvalde.”
Gonzales-Hanson is a
life-long resident of Uvalde
and is the CEO of Community Health Development
Inc. – a nonprofit com-
munity-based health care
agency that provides comprehensive, integrated primary health care services
to Uvalde, Real, Edwards
and Zavala counties.
Her involvement in the
healthcare movement
began while serving as a
member of Community
Health Development Inc.,
CHDI’s, board of directors
in 1983. The following year,
after resigning her posiPLEASE SEE HONORS, PAGE 16A
LOGAN GARNETT|LEADER-NEWS
Steven Kerbow and Rachel Gonzales-Hanson display
the awards they received Friday evening as Uvaldean of
the Year and Volunteer of the Year at the Uvalde Area
Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
Crawford to leave UCISD post
Star power
CHARLEY ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
Uvalde Consolidated
Independent School District Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Diane Crawford is retiring after 30 years in education. Crawford will
finish out the 2011-2012
school year and complete
21 years of service to the
Uvalde CISD.
“It has been an honor
and a privilege to serve
the patrons of this school
district and a distinct
pleasure working with
the parents. I have had
the pleasure of watching
children start their education, go on to graduate and have families,
and make innumerable
contributions to society,”
Crawford said.
“I am also very appre-
ciative of the opportunity
to have
had the
honor of
working
with such
an incredible staff
through
the years
Diane
and it has
Crawford
been just
an extraordinary journey,” she said.
“My husband is excited
about my decision and I
am so thankful for him.
He has supported me
through the years and
he’s looking forward to
seeing me more often,”
Crawford said of her husband, Charlie.
“Uvalde is our home,
we love the community
and will continue to supPLEASE SEE CRAWFORD, PAGE 16A
Hackebeil vying for district attorney job
Anton E. “Tony” Hackebeil has announced his
candidacy for District
Attorney of the 38th Judicial District.
“I’ve spent most of my
life in Medina County,
graduating from Hondo
High School, then attending and graduating from
Rice University and St.
Mary’s School of Law. I
was licensed to practice
law in May of 1983 and
began work as an assistant
Addison Brewster of Uvalde meets award-winning
singer Miranda Lambert Tuesday night at the San
Antonio Rodeo.
CONTACT US
110 N. East St. Uvalde, TX 78801
AREA DEATHS 6
Ronald Ross Lane
James B. Parks Jr.
Jimmy Eugene Ryan
Salvador Salas Sr.
Phone: 830-278-3335
Fax: 830-278-9191
Web: www.uvaldeleadernews.com
district attorney in San
Antonio,” Hackebeil said.
“I entered
private
practice in
September of 1984
(officed
in Castroville) and
was then
Tony
appointed
Hackebeil
district
attorney of this district
in March of 1994. I was
RAINFALL
2012 to date
2011 same period
2010 same period
108 year average
Edwards Aquifer
Previous level
2011 same period
elected four times and did
not seek reelection for the
term beginning January
2009,” he said.
“Since leaving office in
January 2009, I have been
in private practice doing
civil litigation, criminal
defense and mediation. I
have years of experience
in all matters pertaining to
criminal law, prosecution
and defense,” Hackebeil
said.
“During my tenure
1.64
1.22
2.98
2.21
847.9
847.9
862.7
as your district attorney, I and my staff were
instrumental in establishing the Bluebonnet
Children’s Advocacy
Center, having served as
a charter member of the
board of directors and
initial executive director. I worked to establish
the Attorney General’s
Triad Agreement to fight
crimes committed against
PLEASE SEE JOB, PAGE 16A
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16A
FROM PAGE 1A
UVALDE LEADER-NEWS
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2012
HONORS: Gonzales-Hanson, Kerbow grab top commendations at annual awards banquet
FROM PAGE 1A
tion on the CHDI board,
she took over duties as the
organization’s executive
secretary. Then, in 1986,
she took on the role of
CEO for CHDI.
Gonzales-Hanson is also
a founding member of the
Southwest Texas Network
and has held various positions on the Texas Association of Community Health
Centers’ board of direc-
tors, including secretary,
treasurer, vice president
and president – the office
she currently holds.
She has been recognized
for her commitment and
leadership in advancing
the philosophy of community health, both locally
and nationally.
In 1990, Uvalde’s American Legion Post 476 Auxiliary recognized her as
the Female of the Year,
and in 1995 the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation
awarded her the Community Health Leadership
Award.
Then, in 1996, Texas
State Senator Judith Zaffirini presented GonzalesHanson with a State of
Texas Certificate of Excellence.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
“It’s not because he
stands out as a well-known
recognized figure,” said
Uvalde Police Chief Robert
MacDonald, when introducing honoree Steven
Kerbow. “But because of
the dedication to the organizations he volunteers
for.”
MacDonald called
Kerbow an “unassuming
gentleman that does not
seek public recommendation” and lauded him for
his dedication to a myriad
of local causes.
Kerbow, who has a
bachelor’s and master’s
degree in History and
Political Science from West
Texas State University,
has taught Government
and History at Southwest
Texas Junior College since
1990.
His volunteer work
includes being a major
supporter of Uvalde High
School volleyball, Relay
for Life and the Uvalde
Food Pantry. Kerbow has
also been a member of the
Uvalde Rotary Club since
1991 and is a member of
the American Historical
Association, Political Science Association, Society
for Historians of American Foreign Relations and
Texas State Historical
Association.
Additional coverage of
the banquet will appear in
Thursday’s newspaper.
(LGARNETT@UVALDELEADERNEWS.
COM, 278-3335)
CRAWFORD: UCISD assistant superintendent plans to retire when school year concludes
great people,” she said.
“My mother was a long
time educator and she
inspired me to become a
teacher and then I worked
into administration. She
lives in Carrizo Springs
FROM PAGE 1A
port the students, the
staff and all connected
with this wonderful
school system. Uvalde is a
community full of really
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and retirement will afford
me the opportunity to
spend more time with her.
My aunt, Lillian Moore,
also had a tremendous
influence on my life and
career and I am deeply
indebted to my mom and
my aunt.”
Crawford came to
Uvalde in 1991 as a classroom teacher at Robb
Elementary. She grew up
in Carrizo Springs and
graduated from Carrizo
Springs High School. She
attended Southwest Texas
Junior College and Texas
Lutheran before hitch-
ing a ride to Lubbock
and eventually obtaining a Bachelor of Science
in education from Texas
Tech University in 1981.
“I worked in a doctor’s
office all those years I was
at Texas Tech to finance
my education,” Crawford
said.
She earned a master’s
degree in education and
a mid-management certificate from Southwest
Texas State University in
San Marcos.
She started her career
as a teacher in the Lubbock ISD, then went to
Needville ISD, Cypress
Fairbanks in Houston
and Northside ISD in San
Antonio. Before coming
to Uvalde she taught two
years in Carrizo Springs.
After a year teaching at Robb Crawford
became the campus principal. Five years later
she moved to the Central Office as director of
elementary curriculum
and served in a variety of
roles until 2001 when she
became executive director
of curriculum.
In 2010 she was named
assistant superintendent
in charge of Instruction
and Curriculum.
Superintendent Rick
Loesch remarked, “We
have lost a tremendous
administrator and an
excellent educator and
she will be extremely
missed. Mrs. Crawford
was a dedicated administrator who went over and
above her regular duties.
I truly appreciate her longevity and service to the
district.”
(CROBINSON@
UVALDELEADERNEWS.COM 2783335)
JOB: Hackebeil seeks return to district attorney position
FROM PAGE 1A
our senior establishment.
It was through my pros-
2012 Relay for Life
UVALDE COUNTY
ecution efforts that drug
forfeiture funds were seized
and forfeited and used to
purchase the current office
of the district attorney, the
first office of the district
attorney in Medina County
ever,” he said.
“I was the chief board
member and supervising
prosecutor of the Allied
Area Narcotics Task Force
covering four counties
(sometimes six), the firstever for the 38th Judicial
District,” Hackebeil said.
“My prosecution success
rate was well above 80 percent, and I personally tried
or supervised the trials of
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cases ranging from theft to
capital murder and everything in between,” he said.
“Considering all of the
work my staff and I have
invested in developing
the office to professional
status and maintaining that
status, I believe it is important for me and the communities of our district that I
be elected again to stop the
diminishing effectiveness
of this extremely important
office,” Hackebeil said.
“Our system of justice
demands an effective and
professional prosecutor,
and the citizens of our
communities are entitled
to be represented by a
professional who has the
most experience, the most
knowledge and the ability
to make difficult decisions,”
he said.
“To be effective, a professional prosecutor must
leave the job of law enforcement and investigation
to all of our very capable
sheriff’s and police departments, including training
their officers, and concentrate on the effective and
professional application
of our laws to investigations and guide the cases
through the complicated
maze of our judicial process,” Hackebeil said.
“I, Tony Hackebeil, can
and will do all of that for
you. My experience and
education as a prosecutor
and criminal defense attorney provide me the tools,
and those of you who knew
me while I was your district
attorney know I have done
the job effectively. I respectfully ask for your support
and your vote in the Republican Primary,” he said.