Texas (KXXV) — Lacy Lakeview hosted a city council candidate forum on Tuesday night The community had the opportunity to meet the candidates The panel featured incumbents Victoria Lee and Ronnie Hurst along with new candidates Cody Daniel and David Nedbalek BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:In all, five people are vying for three seats on the Lacy Lakeview City Council the community got its chance to question the candidates “What incentives is the city willing to do to be a magnet to draw in these places these businesses?" one neighbor said at the meeting you can't just sit back on your hands and expect some big chain company to come in and say “You all talked about getting citizens' input the citizen gets three minutes in that council meeting and there's no interaction allowed," another neighbor said at the meeting "I think we need to look at more town halls where interaction is allowed.” and Jonathan Olvera want to return to the council while Cody Daniel and David Nedbalek want one of the three at-large seats Each candidate was asked how will they ensure transparency and accountability in their administration “I wanted transparency myself so I started attending meetings because I wanted to know what was going on," Cody Daniel said "I found out it’s very transparent if you show up to the meetings and show up to things “I guess the only thing I can add to that is you can always come to the city council meeting," Ronnie Hurst said but you can always ask any question that you’d like.” “I am trying to seek a newsletter only so that way we can continue not only to be transparent online and live but we can be transparent and reach those citizens that may not have the opportunity to access social media,” Victoria Lee said “I believe it’s inherent if you tell the truth and you’re open and honest with what you believe and what you say," David Nedbalek said "I don’t think there is anything more to be hidden “We do have every single document that we look at online We actually now have a live stream," Jonathan Olvera said “The city is trying to be as transparent as possible We try to keep everybody as informed as possible.” Lacy Lakeview has a total of seven council members Texas (KXXV) — Lacy Lakeview residents expressed some concerns about having a new property operate as a short-term rental in our neighborhood after the city sent out letters to surrounding homes alerting them to the permit application BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: Local real estate agent Cameron Gomez tells 25 News—that a short-term rental in our neighborhood could attract people for several reasons depending on where you are it's nice because you have the Brazos River," Gomez said they may be wanting to start that up or rent that out." A short-term rental or STR is a residential property rented out temporarily for less than 30 consecutive days like an Airbnb City Manager Calvin Hodde said while the city already has a few of these rental properties Neighbors near Faye Street across from TSTC got a letter in the mail— alerting them to a property on the street applying for a special-use permit for the multi-family home to operate as a short-term rental "I would say the biggest thing would be the flow of traffic especially if there are young kids around and more cars coming up and down the roads," Gomez said about short-term rentals 25 News spoke with some neighbors who live in the area off-camera One family says they don’t mind living by a STR property Another telling 25 News through Facebook— she's worried about the safety of the area if it's used as one Lacy Lakeview police say they have not received any complaints regarding parking or traffic issues regarding short-term rentals so far and they do not have any documented calls for service at the current short-term rentals The department says there is no correlation between these rentals and increased crime rates in our city Texas (KXXV) — The City of Lacy Lakeview received two violations from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:“There is absolutely no harm to our drinking water whatsoever,” Lacy Lakeview's city manager Hodde told 25 News despite receiving two violations from the TCEQ the water in our community has always been safe to drink The first violation Hodde said happened in the third quarter of 2023 when three pieces of information were left off a report that was sent to the TCEQ The city corrected that and came out of violation in April 2024 The second violation was on the lead and copper rule which means the city did not properly test for certain contaminants in our neighbor's homes "It's required to be reported on every three years and that was not done in 2022," Hodde said Hodde told 25 News that starting next week the city will be sending out sample bottles to collect all the information and send it to the TCEQ before June 30 and then again six months later before December 31 "The lead and copper rule really pertains to the resident's system," Hodde said "Once it leaves our meter and it goes into their yard line and then the plumbing pipes inside their house so what we're testing is the water that's inside their pipes." Lacy Lakeview purchases its water from Waco and is monitored monthly at seven different locations throughout the city "Once we take those samples from those seven locations it's sent to an independent lab and then that information is sent to TCEQ," Hodde said 25 News reached out to the TCEQ to get more information on the violations and they sent a statement: Texas (KXXV) — Woody Butler Homes will build 100 new houses in Lacy Lakeview BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: "It's just grown recently," Lary Vehue What used to be a forest is now an empty lot on the corner of Hooks Street and Conway Drive and it will soon be a cluster of new homes in our community but it'll increase the tax base of Lacy Lakeview," Vehue said Lary Vehue and his wife Linda live just down the street from the construction it will be a productive tax base," Vehue said "Maybe we can get better streets with that." The couple has lived around Central Texas for decades They tell me they've only recently noticed a lot of growth in the area the couple tells me they've noticed taxes increasing "Our taxes have gone up immensely anyway since COVID They say they're surprised by how many homes they can fit in the area since they're used to bigger lots LuAnne Butler with Woody Butler Homes told 25 News that right now and more than four homes are under construction Texas (KXXV) — Our neighbors in Lacy Lakeview reached out to 25 News about receiving high water bills over the past couple of months BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: "I'm type one diabetic as well," Maltisha Brummett said Lacy Lakeview resident Maltisha Brummett tells me she was shocked to discover her water bill doubled—from $25 to $50 monthly I didn't think I was going to be able to afford my rent— although I had a job at the time I was still a limited income," Brummett said While she lives in an apartment and her water bill is fixed each month— she still felt the increase which I'm worried it might because I hear everybody else's is going up even if they are fluctuating," Maltisha said "I might not be able to afford my apartment anymore this is where I've lived for seven years." 25 News contacted the city to see what could affect our water bills City manager Calvin Hodde said there could be a few factors the city changed all of its old meters and added new ultrasonic meters Hodde said the newer meters pick up any usage whatsoever– so if you have a small leak in your house Also Lacy Lakeview had a water and sewer rate increase that went into effect in October What City Manager Hodde recommends you watch for in your home is leaky toilets He says a leaky toilet often causes people's water bills to skyrocket without realizing it Texas (KXXV) — The Lacy Lakeview Police Department is hosting its 2nd annual Live in the '05 event on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park from 4 p.m Lacy surrounding the Veteran's Memorial Park will be closed to traffic starting at 8 a.m it's the city's biggest community event yet There will be more than 30 non-profit organizations your Senior Neighborhood Reporter in Central Texas Texas (KXXV) — It’s no doubt that the City of Lacy Lakeview has seen some growth over the years with six of them opening in the last year — but what’s next Stacey Mitchell helped bring Cajun cooking to Lacy Lakeview a year go The Texas native has bloodlines throughout Louisiana and she’s cooking up Cajun flavors that can only be found by taking a look back to her childhood (had) our own garden — barely remember going to a grocery store for products and things like that when I was young girl," Mitchell said "The type of foods that we serve here are the types of food that I ate as a young lady." Mitchell says they decided to open up their only Black Pot Cajun Cuisine in Lacy Lakeview for many reasons including more affordable property compared to Waco and she says 80 percent of their customers live in the Lacy Lakeview area She says business "has been tough" but also says it is "picking up" and believes the city is continuing to grow Hodde says a new apartment complex recently opened and he expects it to be a capacity before too long A 400 multi-family unit complex is likely in the near future and industrial developments possible on recently sold piece of land and he says future growth will be driven by available land which he said Lacy Lakeview "We have some vacant land that’s along 77 and I-35 that’s very prime right now — we feel like the growth is coming our direction," Hodde said Calvin says one way the city is working to appeal to more people and businesses is by working to repair and improve roadways especially in residential neighborhoods To learn more click here Texas (KXXV) — Lacy Lakeview's former police chief is continuing a fight for justice turning to higher commissions for resolutions with the potential for a lawsuit on the horizon Marjorie A. Murphy is Jeron Barnett's attorney — Barnett is the former City of Lacy Lakeview police chief who was terminated last spring Barnett has made other attempts to get justice, even trying to overturn his termination they filed a charge of discrimination based on race and retaliation against the City of Lacy Lakeview with the Texas Workforce Commission along with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The short term goal is for the former police chief to recoup lost wages as part of an agreement with the city For this matter to be resolved sooner rather than later — but if an agreement cannot be reached — this is a step towards filing a lawsuit it’s in the TWC’s hands on how fast things move and those steps can include the TWC investigating and seeing if an agreement between Barnett and the City of Lacy Lakeview can be reached "The reality of this getting in front of an investigator is very slight — that’s the truth," Murphy said and I wouldn’t wait for 12 months before bringing a lawsuit." Murphy says after these charges are with the TWC for 180 days and if no agreement is met they will proceed with a lawsuit "The wage loss in this matter is very small at this point because he just got terminated so it’s just a few months of wage loss but in my opinion," she said "Jeron is more concerned about the emotional distress that this has caused him and a lot of clients file these types of claims it’s like — what is right and what is wrong?" 25News' Bobby Poitevint reached out to city officials on Tuesday for a response City Manager Calvin Hodde continues to stand firm in calling Barnett's allegations "groundless" saying Barnett's termination was appropriate and based on job performance The complaint to the TWC & EEOC are below as well: TEXAS (KXXV) — Black Pot Cajun Cuisine in Lacy Lakeview will be featured on America's Best Restaurants roadshow BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: For Texas native Stacey Mitchell "It's the different spices that we include in our different recipes to create that flavor for that dish," she said Stacey is the owner of Black Pot Cajun Cuisine in our neighborhood A restaurant is featured on America's Best Restaurant She told 25 News she learned how to cook for many people by being one out of 17 children in her family she's using those skills and her mother's recipes at her restaurant "We come a few times a month," customer Becky Shumake said For some of Stacey's customers—her cooking is a taste of home Becky Shumake has been coming to Black Pot for more than a decade and I'm always looking for good cajun food," Becky said "Many years ago someone told me to come out and try Miss Stacey says she chose to open a shop in Lacy Lakeview because of what she describes as a tight-knit community and I wanted to be a part of something that I could help grow," she said "There are not a lot of restaurants in the city of Lacy Lakeview the Executive Producer here with 25 News KXXV and 15 ABC KRHD Texas (KXXV) — Lacy Lakeview has chosen Tom Whitten as the new police chief "Following a rigorous and comprehensive selection process our panel has chosen Chief Whitten to lead the Lacy Lakeview Police Department," City Manager Calvin Hodde said Whitten also served in that role in Harlingen He has more than 19 years experience with the El Paso Police Department as a sergeant and was chief deputy with the El Paso Sheriff’s Office for 10 years Chief Whitten will begin work on October 1 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KWTX) - An undercover detective with the Lacy Lakeview Police Department arrested yet another man accused of going online to solicit a minor for sex is charged with an enhanced charge of online solicitation of a minor He is also being held at the McLennan County Jail on an immigration detainer meaning Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) has 48 hours to take him into custody for deportation if he is able to bond out De Leon’s bond on the solicitation charge was set at $20,000 the police detective assumed the persona of a 15-year-old girl on the social media platform Facebook the “girl” received a message from De Leon who was quickly informed he was chatting with an underage female Their conversation moved from Facebook messages to text messaging It wasn’t long before the conversation turned sexual in nature De Leon told the girl he would get a hotel room for sex and asked her to send him nude photographs The “girl” advised De Leon she would have to skip school in order to meet him and De Leon still agreed to the sexual rendezvous Undercover officers located De Leon “in the vicinity of the meeting place” and took him into custody De Leon said he agreed to meet the female because she agreed to trade sex for concrete work De Leon gave the detectives permission to search his phone and they located the messages in which he “acknowledged her age and planned to meet for sexual relations,” the affidavit states Since De Leon’s solicitation happened during normal school hours the solicitation charge was enhanced to a first-degree felony De Leon’s arrest is the latest in a series of similar busts during an ongoing undercover sting in the City of Lacy Lakeview. Lacy Lakeview police arrested a 17-year-old on a sexual assault charge Tuesday was booked in McLennan County Jail on a second-degree felony charge of sexual assault where a 16-year-old girl reported Sparks had assaulted her at about 12:30 a.m that day at a convenience store in the 6600 block of North Interstate 35 in Lacy Lakeview The girl told officers Sparks forced her into a stall She said she told him no and pleaded for him to stop Security video from the store showed her walking to the women's bathroom and Sparks following her soon thereafter Sparks told police the encounter was consensual He was released from jail Wednesday on $20,000 bail Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day The Turner Brothers firm tackling the Floyd Casey Village development is preparing to file counterclaims against a contractor that sued the fi… A Waco woman was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in her infant daughter's October 2023 death caused b… Baylor University has been ordered to pay almost $438,000 in attorney fees to a former student A 21-year-old Dallas man pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated robbery Monday and received two life sentences for the 2022 murder of Stanley… Here's a list of people who were indicted this week by a McLennan County grand jury Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLACY LAKEVIEW Texas (KWTX) - The Lacy Lakeview Police Department says they are searching for a driver who passed by a stopped school bus as children were entering and exiting on multiple occasions Police received complaints regarding a red Ford Explorer that passed a stopped school bus on two separate occasions on the morning of March 24th authorities say children were entering and exiting the school bus while the car was passing by “This is dangerous and unacceptable behavior of the driver and we are looking for assistance in identifying the individual,” Lacy Lakeview PD says Authorities say this is a traffic offense punishable by a fine of no less than $500 Lacy Lakeview PD says if you have any information or recognize this vehicle Lacy Lakeview police arrested a woman Tuesday in the February bludgeoning of another woman with a billiard ball 15 in an establishment in the 900 block of South Lacy Drive Security video of the incident showed Ivy picking up a cue ball from a pool table and striking the woman about 11 times in her face and head a second attacker who entered along with Ivy struck the victim “numerous times” in the face with a closed fist The victim was transported to an area hospital with deep lacerations that immediately bled as well as swelling and bruising to her face Ivy was arrested on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury She was released Wednesday from McLennan County Jail on $10,000 bail Texas (KXXV) — Less trash is coming into Waco's current Regional Landfill this year leaving more time for the city to transition to its new landfill near Axtell This is mainly because the Lacy Lakeview landfill received permits back in February to ramp up operations and take in more trash Claude Lotriguv moved to Axtell earlier this year to be close to family Lotriguv said he didn't know about the city of Waco’s new landfill in his neighborhood “I don’t have too much concern as long as there isn't any toxic waste or stuff," Lotriguv said The new landfill is located off of FM-939 in Axtell Claude tells me he isn't concerned as long as everything is safe for him and his family this new landfill received a lot of backlash at meetings and on social media from those who didn't want a landfill in our community “It should bring more jobs because you have to have people working there,” Claude said The old landfill was originally expected to hit capacity in May the city of Waco Solid Waste Department updated the city council this month saying our trash tonnage is down from last year The department now said it's not concerned about reaching capacity at the current landfill before the new one opens the new landfill area in Axtell has a completed entry road It's still expected to open on time by April Waco’s current regional landfill off Highway 84 will close in September Texas (KXXV) — "A mess" is how some people are describing the recent ongoing conflicts in the City of Lacy Lakeview We have brought you stories covering those issues in recent months city employees and people living in the City of Lacy Lakeview put city leaders in the hot seat during the latest city council meeting and asking the city and its people to pull it together for the greater good of their community It was the most packed out City of Lacy Lakeview Council meeting we've seen in recent weeks with many people even standing in the hallway in order to attend the meeting Some people told me the larger crowd was due to city employees packing out the council chambers to prevent others from voicing their thoughts about issues going on in the city But that didn't happen as people made their way to the podium to speak their minds "We're gonna get this city together and we're gonna get it right because we're not going anywhere." "Talked to people that I work with at the City of Waco 'man yall got a mess over there," said resident Cody Daniel referring to conversations he's had with other people outside of Lacy Lakeview Much of the conversations centered around last month's Lacy Lakeview Fire Department's training exercise where heat from the fire damaged John and Susan May's home Firefighters addressed city council members and said during training "things go wrong" "We went through every extensive effort to protect the May's house and the house was damaged," said Lt Matthew Young with the Lacy Lakeview Fire Department He thanked some council members for their support while criticizing others for their lack of support following the fire incident Two other firefighters also spoke at the meeting The fire is still causing pain and confusion for the May family weeks later John and Susan May's daughter Brandy addressed city council members and still questioned the actions taken by the city's fire department and city manager Calvin Hodde leading up to the fire She is pushing the city to take the right steps in repairing her family's home "My dad has dementia and this whole incident has caused him to be practically nervous." She said her family is not getting all of the help they need especially when it comes to the city taking proper steps to finance repairs and alleges Hodde is paying for some repairs out of pocket but the family questions what all will actually be fixed She addressed council members and people at the meeting and said they don't know the whole side of the story." Some people even pushed for a third-party investigation into allegedly questionable actions taken within the city before and following many of the incidents discussed above David Nedbalek was one of the people who brought up the investigation and addressed city council members and said "City council persons stand up and do your job Attendees also asked for city council meetings to be live-streamed and recorded so residents can go back and see what was talked about and voted on The topic was on the agenda but the council voted to table it until funds for the project could be found The council said the project totals $9,000 A budget meeting is expected in the coming weeks We spoke with Calvin Hodde and Mayor Niecey Payne after the meeting They both declined to comment at this time Texas (KXXV) — With 18 arrests made for online solicitation of minors since August local police stress the importance of online safety discussions for parents BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:"They have an online presence and that need and desire to be online," Andrea Clifton said Connally ISD Lead Counselor Andrea Clifton says she's seen the negative impact the internet could have on our students She also says most students don't ask for help navigating the digital space until something goes wrong "Then we're kind of picking up the pieces as counselors on the back end of things or when things already happened," she said Andrea tells 25 News Connally ISD's no phone policy helps students perform better in class and keeps them away from some of the trouble brewing online during the school day the police department is also working to keep our kids safe online Lacy Lakeview police report since August of last year 18 people were arrested on charges related to online solicitation of a minor "It's just something we never want to see children fall victim to," Detective Tyler Ziegler said but it's something that can impact them later in life and society the best thing we can do is try to protect the children at a young age." Police say there are additional investigations in the works and Texas State Technical College (TSTC) are working together to complete the North Interceptor sewer projects These projects are designed to increase downstream capacity and improve conveyance into the Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:It’s something Bellmead resident Michael Knudsen can expect every time it rains the sewer system backs up automatically," Michael said It's been an issue for some of our neighbors for a while now 25 News spoke to Michael in Bellmead a couple of months ago about sewage and flooding in his home we had a flood at the beginning of the year where it came into my house," he said and we had to have an environmental company come in and rip out the carpet and damaged areas." there may be some resolution in the future The North Interceptor project includes the city of Waco and TSTC—working together to replace a deteriorating sewer interceptor makes sure they turn on the water and the water comes on So these are too huge projects," Waco Mayor Jim Holmes said during a city council meeting on Tuesday Waco's water services presented updates on the project at a city council meeting earlier this week Phase 1A is under construction and 14% finished “You have to think about that because communities in our area right now and our surrounding areas are suffering because their infrastructure will not sustain their community and having to increase rates because they have no choice but to find a way to fund the expansion of their infrastructure," Waco City Council Member Andrea J The city says they have been slowly increasing water rates to fund these projects and think about future needs "So this is a way we are trying to be as mindful and as good of stewards as we can be of these dollars today while thinking about those needs of tomorrow," Barefield said Texas (KXXV) — Multiple Bellmead residents on Bluebird Street tell 25 News their cars were broken into early November 4 BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: Security camera video captures a person walking down Bluebird Street who appears to be breaking into cars early Monday morning "We're going to make sure everything is locked up from here on out," Bellmead resident Davis Castaneda said Davis Castaneda said the thief took things from his wife's car but it's the first time they got me," Castaneda said "One of the neighbors came to me and told me that they had been broken into and asked me if I had anything broken into there were things thrown around and a little bit of cash in the console was gone," Castaneda said Another neighbor posted more security videos on a Facebook page showing the same person in a light-colored hoodie trying to get in different cars Davis has lived in Bellmead for over 30 years and said he's surprised this happened and we don't have many problems," Castaneda said Another neighbor said off-camera that she's seen other cars on her street get broken into Bellmead police received a call just before 12:30 a.m on Monday about a person getting into a car on Bluebird Street Police remind people that the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to always lock their vehicles and never leave valuables in plain sight Texas (KXXV) — There have been some questions among City of Lacy Lakeview residents following a controlled burn of a house by the volunteer fire department for training on Sunday While other news outlets ran the story as is 25 News held off to take our time and do our due diligence as journalists in order to gain a better picture of what’s going on and to clear up some confusion and help get answers to your questions It was Susan and John May's home of almost 50 years that was damaged on Sunday — they said heat from the fire training next door damaged most of the left-side exterior wall of their home and cracked a vanity mirror that was inside the home is put in place for controlled fire trainings “Done this many of times over the years that I was in the fire department with my other fire chiefs back in the day — never really had nothing like this ever happen," said City Building Inspector but again we focused on keeping the people’s house safe.” Now the May’s just want their home repaired to how it was before and want an ozone machine brought in to have any remaining toxins taken out “I expect them to do everything correctly to make it as good as it was," Susan told 25 News' Bobby Poitevint on Monday But conflicting information from city officials about repairs have been mentioned leaving the couple with little confidence from the city that the work will get done correctly “It’s hard to really feel a 100% confident," Susan said 25 News' Bobby Poitevint asked city council members City Manager Calvin Hodde and Tomas Cardoza These questions along with others including questions emailed to 25 News' Bobby Poitevint were sent over to city leaders on Tuesday Lacy Lakeview community members believe Calvin Hodde owns the condemned house that was used for training Calvin Hodde responded and said they are investigating the “unfortunate” situation.In a partial statement he said via email: “Based on the results of the investigation including remedying any damage that may be the responsibility of the City Since a claim is pending the City will defer any further comment until after the investigation has been completed.” City officials have visited the May family The May family said they are looking at other options for repairs Lacy Lakeview police arrested a 34-year-old woman Tuesday after two young children in her care were found walking naked on the Interstate 35 frontage road in September Vanessa Martinez was booked in McLennan County Jail on two state jail felony charges of child endangerment Lacy Lakeview responded to a call about the children Investigators determined the children were in Martinez's care at the time but she "was not providing adequate supervision," the affidavit says The children were able to leave the home and walk toward the highway unsupervised for 30 to 45 minutes Martinez was no longer listed as in custody Wednesday Lacy Lakeview police arrested a 25-year-old man Saturday after he solicited who he thought was a 15-year-old child Nichlos Walter McCleney was booked in McLennan County Jail on a second-degree felony charge of online solicitation of a minor a detective posing on Facebook as a 15-year-old girl interacted with McCleney telling him several times in their first conversation that he was speaking with an underage female McCleney asked the child to send him an explicit photograph and sent two photos of his genitals along with messages “telling the child the sexual acts he wanted to perform on her,” according to the affidavit McCleney arranged to pick up the child Saturday evening and police arrested him when he arrived at the meeting spot in the vehicle he described He remained in McLennan County Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $7,500 THE NEW WACO TRIB APP: Users can customize the app so you see the stories most important to you. You can also sign up for personalized notifications so you don't miss any important news. Download it today for Apple or Android A Lacy Lakeview Fire Department crew heads out to respond to a gas spill in 2023 Lacy Lakeview’s new fire chief could face certification issues because of a criminal record that includes a long-ago felony car theft a longtime Lacy Lakeview volunteer firefighter and captain was hired in early fall 2023 by City Manager Calvin Hodde to the paid city position supervising a mostly volunteer force He had one year to obtain full licensure as chief from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection The state commission certifies full-time firefighters fire investigators and other roles in fire departments The fire protection commission sets background check and service requirements for licensing chiefs of department Chiefs of a volunteer department must have 10 years of experience as an active volunteer firefighter But Huff’s 1979 felony conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle could prevent him from getting the license Chapter 403 of the Texas Administrative Code allows the commission to deny or revoke his license as chief of department for a felony conviction for a property crime under Title 6 of the Texas Penal Code Huff was convicted of car theft as a felony under that law and sentenced to serve two to four years in a state penitentiary He applied for parole after two years and Judge Walter Smith of the 54th State District Court did not oppose the application “I served my time for that,” Huff said Tuesday “I don’t wear a T-shirt that says I’m an ex-felon but I don’t deny it either.” The commission has discretion to consider “mitigating circumstances” in deciding whether to deny or grant licensure to a candidate with a criminal record The commission can consider the nature and seriousness of the crime the age of the offender at the time and their work and criminal record since the offense The commission also has an appeals process for such cases It is unclear whether Huff is seeking a waiver or whether he has even applied for the license The Texas Commission on Fire Protection has no record of Huff applying to be licensed as the chief of a department Huff declined comment on his current employment saying he would speak to the Tribune-Herald only about his history before taking the job City Manager Hodde did not respond this week to numerous requests made by phone and in person for comment on the fire chief’s employment and other fire department issues Huff said he disclosed the conviction on his application for work with the city of Lacy Lakeview Huff said that he was around 18 at the time he took the car “I was trying to get away from a very bad situation in Houston,” Huff said He made it to McLennan County and then found a car that was unlocked with the keys inside He drove it to Mexia where his girlfriend lived “I left it in the center of town,” Huff said I admitted what I had done and went with him.” Huff was also arrested in 2011 on a felony charge of tampering with a government record after he applied to run for Bellmead City Council McLennan County Sheriff’s Office officials at the time accused him of signing the application with the statement that he had no felony convictions which disqualify candidates for office in Texas Huff defeated Doss Youngblood for the Bellmead position but could not be seated because of the state law because I did not believe that what I did was tampering with a record,” Huff said this week “I signed something without reading it first.” Huff said he filled out two sets of paperwork with the city secretary and for the last document she asked him to sign “After I signed it I saw that it was a declaration that I had never been convicted of a felony and she was about to notarize it,” Huff said Huff received deferred adjudication probation as his sentence and completed the probation in August 2017 meaning he was never adjudicated as guilty In the order releasing Huff from probation Judge Matt Johnson indicated that Huff could petition for an order of nondisclosure for the case in 2022 “I didn’t see a need to pay a lawyer for that,” Huff said Volunteer firefighters in McLennan County discuss the funding challenges for the service they provide Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter FINAL RESULTS—George Chase will return to the Waco City Council and Taylor Bledsoe is headed to the Waco school board In Woodway's city council elections Saturday incumbent Mayor Amine Qourzal and two candidates he supported won seats Despite recent arrivals with big operations McGregor's industrial tax base has dropped by a third Waco businessman Taylor Bledsoe won election to the District 4 seat on the Waco Independent School District Board of Trustees on Saturday what it means to advocate for your community and demand that the door of opportunity is never sh… LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas — You may remember 25 News reporter Bobby Poitevint reporting on anonymous letters sent to our newsroom last week signed by “the city employees of the City of Lacy Lakeview.” there are allegations of a hostile work environment created by city leaders like City Manager Calvin Hodde — alleging questionable actions made by Hodde — but other city employees tell a different story Tomas Cardoza is the building official for the City of Lacy Lakeview — he says he has been a city employee for 20 years I love coming to work — I've got more vacation than anybody combined and I still come to work because I love my job," he said He supports Calvin Hodde and doesn't feel like the city manager has created a hostile work environment "This man has come in and brought positive in this city," adding Hodde has made "everybody feel important." Cardoza was the first person to sign a letter with 21 signatures from "the undersigned employees of the City of Lacy Lakeview" The letter says allegations laid out in the anonymous letters released last week "do not represent the sentiments of the majority of employees within our organization" and they do not feel "coerced" or "fearful" and feel that Hodde is "transparent" and they are "confident" in Hodde's abilities to lead as City Manager "Over half of us are not mad at this gentlemen" and "I have no problem with this man," Cardoza said Cardoza approached 25News' Bobby Poitevint Tuesday night wanting to share what he and other employees are saying A City Council executive session was held Tuesday night where no action was taken on the matter In her first media interview about the allegations Mayor Payne says the matter is not "debunked" and calls the letters from the anonymous employees "alarming." "I think for some of the other city council members they were not as alarmed or it has a sense of value because they were anonymous." that it was sent anonymously — It is my hope that some of them if they feel like that and have a real hostile work environment to come forward," Mayor Payne said City Manager Calvin Hodde declined to do an interview Tuesday night He says he does not believe in anonymous letters and says the anonymous letters do not represent the city Hodde directed 25 News to the letter from "the undersigned employees of the City of Lacy Lakeview." Texas — City of Lacy Lakeview City Council members held an open executive session at the request of former Lacy Lakeview Police Chief Jeron Barnett on Tuesday night on April 3 — he spoke to council members and the public on Tuesday to appeal his termination and bring to light the latest allegations of a hostile work environment brought on by City Manager The meeting lasted around three hours with several members of the public representatives from The Combined Law Enforcement of Texas on behalf of Barnett going in front of council to share their stories 25 News received Jeron Barnett's termination letter Tuesday and it says in part: the necessary level of trust and cooperation has not been achieved.. your ability to address critical issues within the department has lessened the trust between administrative leadership and the police department." The letter was signed by city manager Calvin Hodde Barnett believes there was more to his termination "He was retaliating against me for exorcising my lawful right to file a hostile work environment claim," Barnett told the council during the meeting Barnett's hostile work allegations go beyond disputes over Barnett requesting an employment contract for job security from Hodde Barnett says there was an alleged "scheme" to get him fired from the police department from others within the city "All due to the jealousy and anger of Howell for not being selected to be chief of the police department," he said He says that "scheme" was laid out in an investigation done by previous city manager Keith Bond Barrett's employment application came under question during the meeting Hodde told council how he looked into Barnett's employment application following the police chief's termination He says Barnett's application did not include key information needed that could help determine hiring eligibility like several "write ups" from a previous law enforcement agency and even allegations of "warrant issued for theft by check" — after he read his findings to council members Hodde said "that right there is grounds for termination" Barnett says he did not know about these allegations and claims he's always done the right thing "They went back to find whatever they could find and they basically threw it up on the wall to see what sticks," Barnett said after the meeting "The question — why you waiting 'till after I'm terminated to go back and try to find something?" Mayor Pro Tem Charles Wilson took those new founded claims serious but we know it now," he said in the meeting "I knew they were going to vote negativity for me," he said after the meeting "I just want the people to know that my firing was not done in lieu of me being dishonest." We have attached Barnett's termination letter in full and a letter Barnett sent to city manager Calvin Hodde Below is former Chief Barnett's bio as it appears on the City of Lacy Lakeview's homepage Chief Jeron Barnett is a military veteran who served in active duty in the United States Army and reserve duty in the United States Navy His career in law enforcement began 36 years ago with the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston For over three decades he has served in several different divisions including serving on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Advisory Board (T.C.O.L.E.) at Prairie View A&M University After serving as Chief of Police for the City of Prairie View He was elected twice as County Commissioner in Waller County Texas where he served for a total of eight years A graduate of the Leadership Institute Command College he also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and several certifications in leadership and emergency management Chief Barnett has received several awards for military and law enforcement service but he says one of the greatest honors received was a Congressional Award from the United States House of Representatives where the United States Flag was flown over the White House in his honor for being "Law Enforcement Officer of the Year." He attests “there is no greater service than service to God Chief Jeron Barnett — Letter of Termination: Letter to the City Manager from Chief Jeron Barnett: Texas — Fixing roads and infrastructure is a major focus for many Central Texas cities including The City of Lacy Lakeview ahead of May’s election The City of Lacy Lakeview is looking to improve parts of Walnut Street and West Craven Plans include improving water and sewer infrastructure through a bond that's estimated to be around nine and a half million dollars City Manager Calvin Hodde says any money left over will go towards fixing other roads in the city "Most of these streets have never been redone from the time they were put in" he said "85% to 95% of our streets are in very poor condition and there's a lot of potholes and things like that He says a similar bond was voted down 24 years ago Governor Greg Abbott signed the largest property tax cut in Texas history last Fall giving property owners an $18 billion dollar break Hodde and others are banking on this tax cut to get this bond passed "They're still going to be paying less than what they were last year and that's what we're trying to get across as well." He spoke in favor of the bond at a town hall last week "If you could afford to pay your taxes then you're still going to be able to afford to pay your taxes now," he said to the audience "Everybody in this town keeps screaming 'We need roads fixed the estimated property tax increase would be $0.15 cents per $100,000 home valuation if your home is valued at $150,000 — your estimated annual increase is $225 Forty percent of the city's 2023-2024 General Fund Revenue Budget came from property taxes however only 13% of that budget went to streets with more than half of those funds going to police Bobbi McCormick also spoke at the meeting and says no to the bond She questions where her tax dollars are going "How many years have we paid taxes to the City of Lacy Lakeview?" "You cannot dodge the holes — they come out and throw a little black crap in them and go about their business The election is on May 4 — you can read more about the tax adjustments in the documents provided in this story Texas — The City of Lacy Lakeview leadership is under fire by anonymous city employees who claim they have a hostile workplace and no trust in leaders like City Manager Calvin Hodde That information was documented in letters addressed to City Council members and Mayor Niecey Payne These documents were sent to our newsroom on Tuesday addresses Mayor Payne and City Council members saying city employees: “No longer trust the city manager human resources department and department heads as they appear to merely serve as puppets to the city manager.” Employees accuse City Manager Calvin Hodde of “misuse of power” and said he “casts a shadow of fear over us all.” Another letter questions Hodde’s alleged actions following this month’s termination of former Police Chief Jeron Barnett. The letter calling them “personal motives” and states officers reported their “discomfort and suspicions” to the Texas Rangers Another allegation points to Hodde’s visit to the “fire department seeking information about the termination of Fire Chief Brandon Cody Newman.” Newman was let go at the end of his probation period in August according to a letter addressed to Newman from the City of Lacy Lakeview I emailed all of these documents to city leaders and council members For the protection and privacy of all parties involved we will not be issuing any further statements Council member Jonathan Olvera would not do an interview and told me over the phone he also could not comment City employees are demanding the city council and Mayor Payne to take action and call on a third party investigation You can review the documents sent to us below Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KWTX) - Three people are dead after a fire destroyed an apartment complex according to Lacy Lakeview Fire Chief Cody Newman Newman said The Red Cross has 14 cases open and is helping around 30 people displaced by the fire All of the families affected have received hotel vouchers to get them by for the next few days Cribs for Canines is temporarily offering crates and food Firefighters first responded to a call at 11:30 p.m. July 16 to the Northgate Apartments at 115 Faye Drive the two-story apartment complex was engulfed in flames At the time of the incident many tenants were already in bed ”I was asleep and my fiance and her friend Sydney were asleep on the couch,” tenant Austin Davis said So some like Acacia Adams began banging on doors to alert the others ”I warned everybody because I understood I can’t save everybody so maybe if I scream or yell I can alert them to get out,” she said By the time word got around flames already blocked tenants Bryan Brooks and Catie Rhey’s door ”My partner pushed me out the window and it was pretty scary because I’m scared of heights but thank God we’re alive and we don’t have any broken bones,” Rhey said One of the deceased victims was identified to KWTX as Marshall Burns. “He was a veteran who loved his country and his family and friends,” states a GoFundMe account set up to help his family Fire officials said 16 apartment units burned to the ground The fire also led to a power outage from Faye Drive to Smith Street Tenants like Davis and his fiance Rheannon Rivero say they found the perfect place to call home at Northgate Apartments ”We got denied from literally every other place before we found this place,” Davis said along with the rest of their neighbors have lost not only their home Davis’s family has set up a GoFundMe as they begin the long road to recovery The state Fire Marshal’s office is still investigating the cause of the fire Texas — It took only a matter of minutes for an intense fire to spread through the Northgate Apartments on Sunday night It took Roman Cordero only seconds to react “I saw my neighbor — ran over and took my shirt off there’s a fire.’ It was going really quick,” Cordero told 25 News on Tuesday as Roman and his family were returning home from a birthday party they noticed something not quite right across Faye Street flames were pouring out of the building as smoke engulfed the entire block Roman and his kids jumped into action by pounding on apartment doors yelling ‘Fire,’ and helping tenants get to safety The young father helped one couple escape their second-floor unit ‘Turn around and hold on as much as you can I’m trying to soften your blow.’ The lady came out so when he came I fell with him,” Cordero said As much as the community effort made a difference Lacy Lakeview fire officials say three people died authorities say the loss of life could’ve been far worse had neighbors like Roman not rushed to do their part when the moment came I just stepped up and got people out [….] luckily for that everyone we could see got out,” Roman said The state fire marshal is investigating the cause in Lacy Lakeview is seen the day after a training fire there May 19 The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and State Fire Marshal’s Office have opened investigations into a training fire Sunday in Lacy Lakeview that melted siding on a home next door The Lacy Lakeview Volunteer Fire Department conducted a training burn Sunday morning at 218 Birch St. a house owned by City Manager Calvin Hodde since January Lacy Lakeview officials have said that when the heat from the flames at 218 Birch began to melt the vinyl siding on the home next door the focus shifted from the training fire to preventing further damage to the home where John and Susan May have lived for 46 years The Mays and their pets were able to get out safely and despite the intense heat that even melted interior blinds “The city takes responsibility and we will make it right,” Lacy Lakeview Building Official Thomas Cardoza said Monday The TCEQ received a complaint Monday relating to unauthorized outdoor burning in Lacy Lakeview “An investigation was conducted the following day which is currently ongoing,” Lopez said by email Thursday “Additional information will be available upon approval of the investigation report.” at the requests of the Lacy Lakeview Police Department and a local resident opened an investigation into the fire at 218 Birch St McLennan County District Attorney Josh Tetens said the fire and damage to the Mays’ home likely does not meet the statutory definition of arson or any other criminal act A civil law attorney could file a lawsuit to establish liability and seek damages though