Billy Twayne Gibson

Billy Twayne Gibson, a registered sex offender who escaped from custody in Dallas last Saturday, was arrested this morning in Miami Springs, Florida, after police there received a tip about his whereabouts.

The Miami Springs Police Department received a tip that Gibson, 33, was at a hotel in Miami Springs. They located a car that had been reported stolen in Navarro County earlier this week.

Gibson was arrested without incident at 6 a.m. eastern time by the Miami Springs police. He was transported to the Miami/Dade County Sheriff’s Department and will be returned to Texas.

Gibson is a civilly committed registered sex offender with a violent criminal history who escaped early Saturday from the Wayback Halfway House at 899 North Stemmons Freeway in Dallas. After escaping, Gibson cut off the 24-hour GPS tracking device he’s required to wear at all times.

America’s Most Wanted had featured Gibson on their website, and the DPS and the Texas Governor’s Criminal Justice Division had offered a $5,000 reward for the information that led to Gibson’s arrest. Arrangements are being made to pay the anonymous tipster for that information.

Liberty Hill’s city council acted quickly at a special meeting Tuesday evening, taking less than two minutes to dispose of a couple items posted on its agenda.

Mayor Mike Murphy had hardly finished reading the first item on the agenda—discussion and possible action on the San Gabriel Crossing project—when Mayor Pro Tem Charles Canady moved that the item be tabled. Fellow council member Liz Rundzieher offered a second, and without any discussion, the vote was 5-0 to table the matter.

On hand for the meeting was Mark Mayfield, head of Texas Housing Foundation, and a number of his associates. The group left after the vote.

The project has been controversial since first being brought before the council more than two years ago, with many residents expressing concerns over the development which is designed to provide housing for families of low to moderate incomes.

The controversy erupted again this summer, when city building inspector Pete McKinney claimed contractors had missed various deadlines and owed the city thousands in fees.

The council eventually overrode McKinney’s objections, and in July voted to lift a stop-work order that McKinney had issued.

Murphy was disappointed in the council’s decision to postpone discussions, noting after the meeting that “I was prepared to moderate a discussion regarding the lack of planning and platting for the San Gabriel Crossing; there are inadequacies on both sides. Instead, when I arrived, I was informed that there would be no discussion from council and a motion to table upon opening. I thought it was disrespectful to everyone to table without an explanation. I don’t see the point of this action tonight.”

The council moved on to the second item on its agenda and quickly approved a canine search agreement with the Liberty Hill Independent School District. According to terms of the agreement, “The project is to assist in the detection of contraband and provide a safe and proactive deterrent from the use and/or possession of illegal contraband.”

The school district has agreed to pay $3,300 for the service that will include a minimum of 25 visits during the contract period, which begins Sept. 1 of this year and ends Aug. 31, 2011.

Randy Williams, Liberty Hill’s chief of police, said after the meeting the program was effective last year. He noted the school district is paying slightly more for the service this year than last.

Following conclusion of the special meeting, the council was scheduled to hold a budget workshop. Instead, Canady suggested that he and Murphy meet with deputy city secretary Rachel Austin later this week and finalize the budget before presenting it to the entire council. Canady noted there were a few remaining costs to be punched in on the budget, including cost of utilities.

The council, which early on faced a huge deficit in the budget, essentially bailed itself out last week during a meeting of the Economic Development Corporation as three members of the council who also sit on the EDC—Canady, Rundzieher and Glen Gavin—voted in favor of using EDC funds to cover more than $88,000 in non-personnel costs for the police department.

Two other members of the EDC—John Austin and Dave Parker—voted against the measure, while George Nassour (an officer with the police department) abstained from the vote. City planner Mel Yantis had informed the council earlier that it was permissible to utilize EDC funds in that matter.

Murphy told The Leader Tuesday afternoon that Yantis had stepped down from his position. The Leader was unable to confirm her statement as of presstime.

The council plans on meeting early next week to review the budget.

Liberty Hill FFA members Hannah Maedgen, Josh Massey, Colton Brewer and Cody Smith recently received their Lone Star Farmer degrees during the state FFA convention. (Courtesy Photo)

By Mykayla Lockhart, FFA Reporter

This year the Liberty Hill FFA traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas for the 83rd annual state convention. We traveled with the entire officer team (Hailey Robinson, Hannah Meadgen, Madison Prado, Colton Brewer, Mykayla Lockhart, Catherine Heath, Kristine Stifflemire, Josh Massey, and Cody Smith) plus five other FFA members (Jake Burkett, Casey Smith, Andrew Jackson, Jennifer Terbay and Ashley Naticchioni). It was a successful trip and a great time was had by all.

We took various tours of local attractions and visited the beautiful Texas beaches. The FFA chapter attended the Kyle Park concert and the convention dance. The speakers were very entertaining and enlightening such as Josh Sunquist who is a comedian and motivational speaker. Four of the senior members received their Lone Star degrees: Hannah Maedgen, Josh Massey, Colton Brewer, and Cody Smith. Aubrey McLean received his Ag Mechanics Proficiency Award placing third overall in the state.

Also while at the convention Mykayla Lockhart and Mason Adams competed in the state FFA rodeo. Mason competed in steer wrestling and team roping. He wrestled his way into a fifth place finish. Mykayla competed in breakaway roping, team roping, and barrel racing. She managed a fourth place finish overall in breakaway roping. Together Mason and Mykayla competed in the team roping competition and managed themselves a 10th place finish.

In other news, Chelsea Pavliska and Megan Dawson were accepted into the National FFA band. Due to conflicts Megan is the only one who has accepted the offer and will be playing in front of 50,000 students at the convention in October. This year our chapter was also awarded with the National Chapter Award created by Josh Massey and Hailey Robinson. Each year hundreds of chapters apply for this award and few are chosen to accept it. We were chosen from a pool of 650 applicants from the more than 7,000 chapters. Our chapter looks forward to at attending the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana where we will be presented with our award.

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Editor’s note: The following article was submitted by the Liberty Hill Lions Club.

So many times we see the bad things that some youth do in our communities. Last Saturday, we saw our youth doing good things at Foundation Park. Lion President Larry Nicholson contacted Mike Rempe, one of the FFA sponsors at LHHS, to see if some of those students would be interested in coming out to the park and helping the Lions Club members on some work that needed to be done. Mr. Rempe was sure he could get several youth out to work, so the day was scheduled. There were 12 students attending and working, along with the Lions and Marian Tully of the LH Development Foundation. The students participating were: Madison Prado, Hailey Robinson, Joshua Massey, Cody Smith, Colton Brewer, Ashley Natichioni, Kody Kindle, Dylan Carpenter, Zach Styles, Kenna and Hannah Wright, and Ryan Tully.

The students and Lions did painting on the restroom building, inside and out; there was trash and rocks picked up around the trail; weeding done in the flowerbeds at the entrance; power-washing of some of the buildings; and Lion Gary Jackson worked on the road to the library, where the asphalt ends. Along with Lions Larry and Gary, were Lions Jimmy and Janet Oliver, Darwin and Nelda Wiggers, Lois Hellenga, Robert Svetlik, Ray Anderson, and Angie Nicholson. Lions also fed the youth at noon, with hot dogs, chips, lemonade, and cookies. The LH Development Foundation, which owns the park, needs all the help they can get in keeping the park looking good. The Lions are also involved in the park, by their support throughout the year. We thank Mr. Rempe and the FFA students for their hard work. Let’s all do our part, by being good stewards of our park and leaving it better than it was when we entered the gate.

Six high school students in Pedernales Electric’s service area will win a trip to Washington, D.C., as part of PEC’s 2011 Youth Tour Contest. Students on the annual Youth Tour learn about electric cooperatives, American history and U.S. government; participate in National Youth Day; visit with their House and Senate representatives; and explore historic sites around Washington, D.C.

This year, students will write 700-word essays that respond to the question, “As new technology emerges in the renewable energy industry, what types of green jobs, products and/or services would have a positive impact on the energy sector of the Central Texas economy?”

“This year’s contest asks high school students to consider green careers, which are becoming so prevalent today,” said PEC Communications Manager Michael Racis. “We also look forward to hearing students’ ideas about products and services that can help PEC members conserve energy. Each year, we are more impressed with the creative and thoughtful essays that our PEC-area students submit.”

Essays and applications are due Oct. 25, 2010, and all eligible applicants will receive cell phone ringtones on seeded paper. Twelve finalists will be selected to present their essays at the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Redbud Center in Austin on Saturday, Nov. 20. An independent panel of judges will select six students as winners of an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., June 9-17, 2011, and six alternates will receive $100 for their participation.

The Youth Tour contest was established by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in 1964, and PEC has been participating for 29 years. Almost 1,500 young people now make the trip to Washington each year as a result of nationwide electric cooperative sponsorship.

Students are eligible to participate if they have a parent or legal guardian who is a PEC member or receives PEC electric service at their residence. Contest applications are available at www.pec.coop, PEC offices and area high schools. For more information about the 2011 Youth Tour contest, send an e-mail to youthtour@peci.com, go online or call toll-free 1-888-554-4732.

Billy Twayne Gibson

August 28, 2010

DPS investigators are looking for a registered sex offender who escaped from a Dallas halfway house shortly after midnight Saturday morning and then cut off the 24-hour tracking device that he is required by law to wear.

Billy Twayne Gibson, a civilly committed sex offender, absconded from the Wayback Halfway House at 899 North Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.

Authorities have issued an arrest warrant against Gibson for failure to comply with civil commitment requirements, which is a third degree felony. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Gibson has an extensive criminal history involving aggravated sexual assault, aggravated robbery, unlawfully carrying a weapon and compelling prostitution by force or threat.

In the past, Gibson has also gone by these aliases: Billy Bruton, Billy Gibson, Tuloo Gibson, Joseph Mohan and Tulu.

Anyone with information about Gibson’s location should immediately call 911. No one should ever try to apprehend a dangerous criminal themselves.