Campaign signs dot the lawn Saturday outside Woodway City Hall
one of the polling places available for McLennan County city and school elections
In Woodway’s city council elections Saturday
incumbent Mayor Amine Qourzal and two candidates he supported won seats
each with more than 60% of the votes in their respective races
the mayor is not directly elected by voters
but selected by a majority of the city council after each regular election
over challenger Michael Habern’s 617 votes
Qourzal said he is incredibly thankful for the opportunity to serve all residents of Woodway for another three years
I’m grateful for their contributions to Woodway,” Qourzal said after the results came in
He said he looks forward to a more united city
and earning the trust of all Woodway residents by the way he and the council will govern
“I encourage all residents to seek out the facts
rather than relying on Nextdoor and other social media,” Qourzal said
noting that the losing candidates often relied on outdated or unproven information in their campaigns
Whitby and Gilman ran campaigns focused on issues and avoided speaking ill of their opponents
Qourzal will be starting his third term in the Ward 1 Place 2 seat
Gilman was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Ward 3 Place 2 seat almost three years ago and will be starting her first full term
winning a race for the Ward 2 Place 2 seat after Council Member John Williams chose not to seek reelection
“The decisiveness of the ballot count speaks to me and the other winning candidates running uncontentious campaigns,” Whitby said
“We all stayed above board and never said anything bad about the other candidates.”
Gilman could not be reached for comment Saturday night
The Woodway candidates fell approximately into two camps
On one side were three candidates saying they have to do what residents say and running on issues similar to the ones wave-making council members David Russell and David Keyston have raised repeatedly over the past two years
Habern’s and Anderson’s campaigns were the recently completed walking and biking lanes on Estates Drive and the future use of the former Woodway Family Center building
On the other side were Qourzal and two candidates whose campaign websites he paid to set up: Gilman and Whitby
They said they would make decisions based on a full understanding of a given issue and what they believe is in the best interests of all residents of Woodway
Wilson and Habern portrayed the council’s decision to reconfigure Estates Drive as one that few residents knew was coming and that also ignored the wishes of a majority of residents
the traffic pattern on Estates Drive changed over a portion of the roadway from two lanes in each direction to one lane each way
and shared-use walking and cycling paths on one side
The council voted in favor of the reconfiguration twice
with public hearings that drew more than 20 speakers to each
Qourzal and Gilman were among the five council members who voted in favor of reconfiguring Estates Drive on both occasions
Whitby said he believes the reconfiguration was a good idea
Wilson and Habern each separately expressed confidence that renovations to convert it to a senior center would not be very expensive
but allowed that an engineering study should be done to ensure a conversion would be cost-effective
The council has not made a decision on the facility’s future
Gilman and Whitby during the campaign said the safety of the old building and the costs of its potential renovation and operation as a senior center need to be thoroughly studied
saying the costs of a renovation would be too high
and highlighting the range of senior programming the city added when the new Woodway Family Center building opened
According to a presentation Woodway City Manager Adam Niolet gave to the Woodway Parks and Recreation Commission a few weeks ago
renovations to reopen the old family center building for full-time use would also have to bring the building into compliance with standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Texas Accessibility Standards
An engineering study conducted before the pandemic estimated such renovations could cost $2 million or more
WATCH NOW: Grand opening of the new Woodway Family Center on April 6
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FINAL RESULTS—George Chase will return to the Waco City Council and Taylor Bledsoe is headed to the Waco school board
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your Senior Neighborhood Reporter in Central Texas
Texas (KXXV) — Woodway Public Safety Department calling their dispatcher a hero as he stayed calm during a 911 house fire call
A woman struggles to talk to the 9-1-1 dispatcher
overcome by the smoke— after her house caught on fire last Saturday on Bosque Boulevard
“There’s a fire in my room," the caller said
Woodway Public Safety took to Facebook to highlight what they called “professional dispatching,” saying they demand excellence and train constantly for such moments
The chief thanked his Assistant Dispatch Supervisor
for his incredible calm demeanor in understanding the caller and for his essential role in saving lives
I can still hear the fire alarm going off," Eckert said
Officers reportedly responded in 93 seconds
were able to remove an elderly man from the home
but they weren’t available for comment today
Texas (KXXV) — “This issue with the old family center was one of the three issues that mattered to me and what got me running for city council,” city council member David Keyston said
Several seniors showed up at the Woodway Parks and Recreation board meeting to talk about the future plans for the original Woodway Family Center
including renovations and demolition — leaving many residents frustrated
“The four other options they had were more oriented again
which we have an abundance of,” Keyston said
“Retaining the existing building and doing a renovation that wasn't in there
even though we talked very enthusiastically about that years ago,”
The new center building opened in April 2024
but David Russell told 25 News they usually have a full house
we have a ready-made asset that can meet these needs,” Keyston said
we've served the youth community quite well
but we don't want this to be at the expense of the senior community
which comprises the largest demographic in Woodway,”
A Woodway Forward survey shows a little more than 46% of the population are aged 55 and above
The council members told 25 News they are hopeful the old center could bring a sense of community for seniors
but those things that are important to seniors for health
whether it's stretching or exercising with even minimal weights,” Keyston said
“I've got a 91-year-old mother that one of the biggest things we have to be concerned about is one her being around other people
We need her to have that interaction,” city council member David Russell said
The councilors told 25 News they ultimately believe the voters should make the final decision on the center
“Someone could come and turn the key and start using it right now the way it is,” Russell said
“And we could do some of these repairs over time
we're not looking at a half a million dollars right now,”
Texas (KXXV) — “It's just a nightmare,” Woodway resident Myra Abendschein said
the City of Woodway was in the process of adding bike lanes for the Shared Path Project on Estates Drive
The project wrapped up about two months ago
our neighbors are upset about the traffic congestion moving from four lanes to two
It lines up perfect with the turn lane for Midway Drive
and it looks like you're going to have a head-on collision,” Woodway resident Gerry Abendschein said
Gerry and Myra have lived on Estates Drive for years
when school's letting in and out,” Gerry said
“I tried to get out of the driveway last Friday
took 10 minutes to get out of my driveway.”
They told 25 News they’ve almost got into wrecks multiple times in the last couple of months
“I have to pull directly out to oncoming traffic to get out of their driveways and hope they can get out,” Myra said
But nobody's using it because it's not safe.”
Myra says they rarely see people using the lanes—and speeding has been a major issue on Estates Drive
and it is insane when the people are trying to figure out what how to even navigate this road
The couple told 25 News they would rather see a sidewalk on Estates
TACOMA – Despite eight consecutive trips to state and four consecutive appearances in the semifinals
Spokane boys basketball coach David Wagenblast never takes it for granted – every team
But with all the considerable success for Mt
that last-game victory still remains elusive
The shooting woes and offensive limitations that the Wildcats battled through on Wednesday and Thursday appeared again on Friday – but this time
Cameron Hiatt scored 28 points and the Edmonds-Woodway Warriors beat the Wildcats 41-34 in a State 3A semifinal at Tacoma Dome on Friday
It’s the first time in school history Edmonds-Woodway (26-2) so much as reached a state semifinal
which takes on Garfield in the third-place game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
was limited to nine points in the second half
very solid half-court defensive team,” Wagenblast said
“We weren’t able to get out in transition like we needed to be able to do to score against them.”
The woes were systemic – the Wildcats shot 27% from the field and went 3 of 18 (16.7%) from beyond the arc
Spokane with 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the field and 10 rebounds
Greater Spokane League MVP Jaden Ghoreishi had 12 points and 14 boards – but was 4 of 11 from the field and 4 of 10 from the line
as it has been each of its games in the Dome this week
because we were so tough defensively,” Wagenblast said
“We held their best player in check for most of the game
and I’m really disappointed in how I didn’t get it done.”
Cade Stroscher and Vargas all had two buckets in the early going as the Wildcats built a 13-4 lead
Vargas hit his second 3-pointer of the quarter late and Mt
Vargas hit another 3-pointer at the start of the second quarter
but the scoring slowed for both sides as the teams turned up the defensive pressure
The Warriors were especially physical with Ghoreishi
using 6-foot-5 Julian Gray and 6-7 Harris Dobson to lead on and foul him
Ghoreishi went 11 of 11 from the line on Thursday
or setting screens to get him trying to get (Ghoreishi) open
“And in a game where (physical play) was not called
… We were just not able to finish today.”
drove for a pair of buckets with 90 seconds left in the quarter to make it a three-point game and the Wildcats got out of the half with a 25-21 lead
The teams combined for three points over the first four minutes of the third quarter
Hiatt hit a 3-pointer then drove the lane to tie it at 28
His steal and fast-break layup put E-W up 30-28 and Wagenblast asked for timeout
Spokane scored four points in the quarter and trailed 32-29 entering the fourth
The drought extended through the first 2½ minutes of the fourth until Ghoreishi’s layup through traffic
Hiatt hit a 3-pointer with a hand in his face to make it an eight-point game
but Ghoreishi made a free throw and Colt Kenison converted a steal into points and it was 39-34 with 3:01 left
because I get to work with some really great kids,” Wagenblast said
“I’m just disappointed for them that the result wasn’t the way we wanted
but we get to play on the very last day of the season.”
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The Amber Alert was discontinued after Temple Police said Aunastasia and Natalia were found safe on Thursday
The Texas Department of Public Safety issued an Amber Alert for two missing girls out of the Temple and Woodway areas
DPS says 15-year-old Aunastasia Herrera was last seen in Temple on Sunday
while 14-year-old Natalia Herrera was last seen in Woodway on Friday
ALSO| Austin faces growing budget deficit as federal funding becomes uncertain
Law enforcement officials believe the girls may be in grave or immediate danger
Anyone with information on the girls' whereabouts is asked to contact Temple police at 254-298-5500
Texas (KXXV) — Police officers recovered nearly 500 stolen items from the Woodway Walgreens on Sunday
and learned several other crimes were committed by the individuals around Texas
This incident is still under investigation
Texas (KXXV) — The city of Woodway is replacing and expanding its main sewer line
which runs through Estates Drive to Highway 84
A study on the current sewer line shows it's around 50 years old
“It started to hit the end of its design life,” Director of Community Services Mitch Davison said
“We're starting to see infiltration and inflow from the creek
Some creek areas had eroded so much that you could expose the old line.”
After starting the expansion five years ago
the city is currently in the project's final phase
Jimmark Circle has been closed for two weeks due to construction
“They closed that road during that time frame so they can do that safely
"We just don't want people walking through a construction zone."
Davison tells me no other streets in this neighborhood should be impacted
“I think they will have to close a couple of lanes of Woodway Drive
but that would be right at the end of the job,” Davison said
Davison said he's received several calls about this project over the past few years
We certainly appreciate the people that live along the projects
doing all the different phases,” Davison said
we can kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel so we're looking forward to wrapping this project out.”
a leadership consultant appointed to the Woodway City Council in 2022
will face her first election May 3 against Michael Wayne Habern
as she seeks to keep her Ward 3 Place 2 seat
said he is running for city council to give residents a greater voice in how their city tax money gets spent
“I believe that if we’re going to spend more than $1 million or $2 million on something optional like a building
not on something needed like a water line or a sewer line
we should put it to the voters,” Habern said
Woodway’s city charter allows residents to petition the city for a referendum aiming to enact an ordinance or to repeal an existing ordinance
excluding measures that appropriate money or implement a tax
The charter does not include a process for the city council to call a referendum without a petition
Gilman said she is running to continue to serve her city
and to listen to residents of all ages in making decisions
Gilman said it is important to have a full understanding of all the facts around an issue or a decision before she makes a vote on the Woodway City Council
She said she will always make her decisions and cast her votes for what is in the best interests of all Woodway residents
Gilman has owned and operated a leadership consulting company
Her company provided leadership and teambuilding training to other companies and most recently to inmates at the Alfred Hughes prison unit of Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Gatesville
from 2002 through 2014 she was an executive
with Curves Women’s Health and Fitness Clubs
Gilman was also a board member of the CareNet Pregnancy Center of Waco and of the Waco Opera
One of the achievements she points to as a reason for voters to choose her is her role chairing the committee that oversaw preparation of the Woodway Forward comprehensive plan
Gilman said she believes the comprehensive plan provides a guide to preserve residential areas
improve parks and complete development of some of the undeveloped parcels on the edges of the city
She said if voters choose her for the next term
she would like to see Lakeside Park at the end of Estates Drive
developed with restrooms and recreational facilities for lake activities
Since the city started work on its new Woodway Family Center building in 2022
a vocal group has called for the city to use the old family center building as a senior center
The city is in the process of exploring the costs of repurposing the old building
A new Woodway Family Center building is under construction
senior activities at the family center and at the Carleen Bright Arboretum were not well attended at all
with about a dozen or fewer turning up one or two days per week
The city added senior-specific programming when the new family center building opened early last year
including pickleball; classes for chair yoga
The family center’s overall visitor count in the new building’s first three months surpassed its highest annual total from the years the old building was open
though the changed its method for counting visitors with the move
Gilman said she needs all the facts of what would need to be done to the old building and what it would cost to renovate it as a senior center before she can make a decision about its future
She said the state requires buildings used for senior centers to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards and be staffed with people who know CPR and first aid
A study conducted in 2019 before the council approved the new construction found renovating the old building would have cost a minimum of $2 million
It also generated debate about how much longer the building’s foundation would remain sound without rehabilitation
The cost estimate came before pandemic-related construction cost increases
owned a concrete contracting business with 10 to 12 employees from 1972 until 2013
After that he had a store with his wife from 2014 to 2018
Habern serves on the Woodway Planning and Zoning Commission
he has gone back and forth between the Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment
He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Waco
He said the main achievement he would point to is his long-term concrete contracting business
supplying for home and commercial construction
Habern said he knows the zoning laws and he knows the land in Woodway
He said the main reason people should vote for him is his honesty
Habern has criticized the city spending more than $6 million on the new family center building and in a Facebook video posted Monday calls for the old building to be used as a senior center and Meals on Wheels center
saying it found the building is structurally sound and in relatively good condition
Habern said any decision to tear down the old family center should be put to a vote of the residents
He said he believes senior citizens make up 46% of Woodway’s population and should have their own place for recreation and activities
Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for 2024
people 55 and older make up 35.3% of Woodway’s population
Habern also has criticized the city’s reconfiguration of much of Estates Drive and said he does not think the council listened to residents
Work wrapped up in December on the $468,000 project
which reconfigured the street from two driving lanes in each direction to one driving lane in each direction with a central turn lane
along with shared bicycle and pedestrian lanes divided from the driving lanes by bollards
“Woodway has encountered several traffic accidents since this bike lane has been installed,” Habern said in a Facebook video posted last week
Texas Department of Transportation records show 34 crashes have been reported in Woodway so far this year
Law enforcement officials are required to report to TxDOT crashes that cause an injury or an estimated $1,000 or more in damage
The council held two public hearings and two votes on the Estates Drive project
Both the public hearings had around 20 residents speak
and the reconfiguration passed both times with five council members voting in favor of it
Gilman has received $1,430 in cash contributions and $700 in in-kind contributions
The rest of the cash came from five donors
including Mayor Amine Qourzal and three others who live in Woodway
The in-kind contributions were from Qourzal for a website and sign frames
Gilman spent $1,202 on yard signs and $426 on banners
She had four other campaign-related expenses
Habern has received one contribution of $50 and spent $47 on a website
He has also spent $2,493 of his own money on campaign-related expenses including $1,182 on yard signs and stakes
He had three other campaign-related expenses
All three of Woodway’s city council seats up for election this year have contested races
Mayor Amine Qourzal is seeking reelection to his Ward 1 Place 1 council seat against challenger Charles Harold Anderson
council members select a mayor from among their ranks
Ward 2 Place 2 incumbent John Williams is not seeking reelection
David Coy Whitby and David John Wilson are competing for the seat
Early in-person voting for the May 3 election will run from 8 a.m
April 22 is the deadline for the elections office to receive an application for a mail ballot
Early in-person voting will be available at five locations: the McLennan County Elections Administration Office
Lyndale Ave.; the Waco Multi-Purpose Community Center
1020 Elm Ave.; the West Waco Library and Genealogy Center
5301 Bosque Blvd.; and the Hewitt City Hall and Library
In Woodway's city council elections Saturday
Waco businessman Taylor Bledsoe won election to the District 4 seat on the Waco Independent School District Board of Trustees on Saturday
Voters on Saturday in several local cities and school districts are choosing their closest elected leaders
Turner said the lack of interest in shaking up the council does not indicate apathy in Hewitt
The Boil Water Notice has been lifted for Jonesville customers
Woodward reports all the samples have come back good
Texas (KXXV) — Operation Finally Home is a nonprofit serving veterans across the country
the nonprofit is building one military family a mortgage-free place to call home
"In 2017 I was actually living in the back of a garage
just due to a bunch of uncertainties and the VA actually cutting my rates there for a bit,” veteran Jakob Spraggins said
Operation Finally Home is a nonprofit serving veterans across the country
Jakob Spraggins was born and raised in Waco
Army after graduating from Robinson High School in 2010
“Deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and then came back,” Spraggins said
and ended up getting injured there and medically retired in 2015,”
Jakob and his family found out they’d be moving to the Woodway home in December 2024 — an opportunity he told 25 News he never thought he’d have
“I’ve been renting here in Waco for the past six years,” Spraggins said
and it got really defeating there for a bit."
“Each one's different because it's designed to meet the needs of that one individual that we're serving in that family,” said Operation Finally Home vice president
"The size of the family has a determination
the injuries that the veteran has sustained in combat-- that has a determination on how the house is designed and built."
Operation Finally Home started in 2005 with a single house — now
the nonprofit is at nearly 500 homes since it started
“We depend on the community as a whole to come together
we have to have labor and we want everyone to be a part of what's going on,” Kirgan said
The organization recently held a “Notes of Love” event
where neighbors were invited to write encouragement on the framing of the Spraggins’ home
and now they have a whole house with a backyard and a great community that is here in this neighborhood,” Spraggins said
Click here to visit the Operation Finally Home website, and here to visit the Operation Finally Home Facebook page
McLennan Central Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Jim Halbert sits in the waiting area of the district’s newly renovated offices at 315 S
The district will start considering informal protests of this year’s appraisals Monday
McLennan Central Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Jim Halbert stands at the service counter in the district's newly renovated offices at 315 S
The McLennan Central Appraisal District office building has a new look after a renovation that wrapped up last month
The McLennan Central Appraisal District lobby has a new look after a renovation that wrapped up last month
The McLennan Central Appraisal District office lobby has a new look after a renovation that wrapped up last month
Preliminary market-value home appraisals in McLennan County are up an average of 2.4% over last year’s certified values
and notices are hitting mailboxes with specifics for individual properties
With the effects of double-digit percentage jumps in 2022 and 2023 still being felt
the taxable value of McLennan County homes is up about 7%
but that does not necessarily translate to tax increases
chief appraiser at the McLennan Central Appraisal District
some cities and school districts have seen the average market value of homes dip
Woodway and Lorena Independent School District
Robinson ISD and Waco ISD are enjoying an uptick
With appraisals hitting the mail this week
so they informally or officially protest the numbers
Halbert and his staff work to account for the protests and certify the preliminary numbers for local taxing entities
School boards and city councils apply the appraisals to the budgeting process that includes setting a tax rate
taxpayers are a couple years removed from double-digit appraisal increases that incensed taxpayers
who lined up to argue their cases before the independent board appointed to hear protests
The market value of the 83,000-plus houses in McLennan County hit $23.06 billion during the latest appraisal process
up about $700 million from the $22.3 billion last year
Taxable values reflect market values minus exemptions
including the homestead exemption that knocks $100,000 off the taxable value of owner-occupied homes for school taxes
Taxable values countywide rose about $1.3 billion
Because taxable-value increases are capped at 10% annually for properties with homestead exemptions
this year’s increase in taxable value is still reflecting previous years’ larger jumps in market value
The appraisal district on Monday will begin hearing informal protests from property owners taking issue with new appraisals
It has until April 30 to send preliminary appraisals to local taxing entities
after which the appraisal district will send cities and school districts certified appraisals
we’re not seeing values going up like we did during the 2021-2022 cycle
when appraisals went up 30% to 40% in ‘21 and something similar the next year,” said Halbert
who recalls disgruntled taxpayers swarming the appraisal district offices
In addition to facing smaller jumps in value
property owners showing up at the offices on South 26th Street this year will be greeted by a freshly remodeled facility
Halbert said in interviews last year growth typically hovers between 3% and 5% annually over time
The county saw 16% growth in certified appraisals from 2022 to 2023
following a 17% growth spurt between 2021 and 2022
Commercial appraisals grew from $5.06 billion to $5.5 billion
The appraisal district contracts with Austin-based Capitol Appraisal Group to handle industrial appraisals
The firm has not yet shared this year’s figures but will soon
Waco and its suburbs have enjoyed considerable industrial growth the last few years
the list including a $1 billion Graphic Packaging International paper mill under construction
a $410 million Walmart milk processing plant in Robinson and a $400 million Electrolit sports drink plant
Halbert said whether these plants will impact local appraisals at this point in their construction remains to be seen
coincides with what has been a cooling housing market in Greater Waco and beyond
Appraisals are based on property values as of Jan
and early indicators point to further cooling so far this year
who owns a brokerage firm and real estate consulting firm
homes sold languished on the market 80 days on average
Local real estate agent Mario Gonzalez said
including topsy-turvy interest rates and difficulty among first-time homebuyers in qualifying for mortgage loans
Gustafson said inventory is tight in the $200,000 to $400,000 price range
which is a popular target for the homebuying public
Examples abound that the market has stagnated
saw its average appraised market value slip from $437,000 to $433,074 during the past year
Lacy Lakeview suffered a slip from $211,000 to $196,229
McLennan County jumped slightly from $289,000 to $296,045
which saw its average market value jump from $323,000 to $349,102
Despite recent arrivals with big operations
McGregor's industrial tax base has dropped by a third
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