San Angelo in 2013: The Year in Review

2013 was a big year for San Angelo, and in case you've been wracking your brain trying to remember all that has happened, here's our year in review.

Elected Officials

2013 Saw the new City Council take flight, with Dwain Morrison as the new Mayor, vacating his Single Member District Two (SMD-2) seat and supplanting Alvin New.

Rodney Fleming became the new representative for SMD-1, replacing Paul Alexander.

Marty Self filled the void left by Morrison

Johnny Silvas is up for re-election in 2014, and Don Vardeman filled the prior vacancy in SMD-4.

H.R. ‘Winkie’ Wardlaw III became the new SMD-5 representative, and Charlotte Farmer kept her seat in SMD-6.

Catholics

The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo announced on Dec. 12 that Pope Francis had named Rev. Michael Sis to succeed Most Rev. Bishop Micahel Pfeifer as the Bishop of San Angelo.

Pfeifer will offer a Farewell Mass of Thanksgiving on Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in San Angelo and the Ordination of Bishop Micahel

The ordination of Sis will take place Monday January 27, 2:00 pm at The Junell Center.

Tom Green County Commissioners Court

Judge Mike Brown retired with Steve Floyd taking on the County Judge position in the interim. 

Mueller Trial

In 2008 Frederick Mueller was accused of murdering his wife Dr. Leslie Mueller while the two vacationed in Colorado. After four years of investigation, Mueller was brought to trial.

The first jury voted 11-1 in favor of acquittal in January 2013, the second trial jury voted 8-4 in favor of conviction in October 2013.

At first it seemed another trial was in order, but Seventh Judicial District Attorney Dan Hotsenpiller filed a motion to dismiss the trial, ending the five-year ordeal.

West Texas Water Partnership

In September, Charlotte Farmer uncovered some things that didn’t add up about the West Texas Water Partnership.

The WTWP was first implanted in 2011 under Mayor New and City Manager Harold Dominguez, with the plan that the City of San Angelo would not pay more that $100,000 per year on it.

A mistake that left the cap out of the contract meant that spending exceeded the cap by at least $148,000.The mistake slipped through the cracks of an administration change when the new City Council and City Manager took office.

Farmer uncovered the mistake and Council voted to stay in the partnership and pay the current charges, but to find a better solution to the overspending.

Cline Shale

In light of the oil boom around San Angelo and the implementation of a grant, the Workforce Solutions of Abilene and San Angelo hired Dr. Tom Tunstall from The University of Texas San Antonio Institute of Economic Developments to do a study on the economic impact of the Cline Shale.

The first leg was completed in December, with the second stage to be completed in the Spring.

Some notable mentions are that many companies do not believe that the bust and boom cycle is accurate, but rather that a slow growth will occur. 

Planned Parenthood

San Angelo’s clinic was among a number of Planned Parenthood’s Texas locations that closed in response to the signing into law of House Bill 2. Planned Parenthood in San Angelo offered health care services and provided testing for sexually transmitted diseases; it’s last operating day was Aug. 30.

Sports

The Wall Hawks made it to State the state final in Football, but lost to Cameron Yoe at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Central, Lakeview, and TLCA all made the playoffs as well.

ASU’s own Jeremie Calhoune made Sportcenter

River Fest

To celebrate the completion of the improvements made along the Concho River, San Angelo hosted River Fest in October. The weekend included San Angelo’s first ever color run, as well as a golf tournament, Eco Fair, canoe and kayak races, a carnival at Neff’s Park, and a concert by Little Texas and Casey James. The city is looking at making the River Fest an annual event.

Restaurants

Throughout 2013 San Angelo both welcomed and said good-bye to a few dining options. 

Dragonlicious opened on Sherwood Way and offers a selection of Chinese dishes. 

San Angelo’s growing population saw a second location for Rosa’s Cafe built on Knickerbocker Rd. Across the street, the city found it’s possibly most controversial business opening--Twin Peaks.

The city lost a downtown favorite with the closing of Sealy Flats

In February this year, local restaurant Catfish Corner burned to the ground.

The rest of the year was spent in construction, and the new and improved Catfish Corner is set to reopen sometime in January.

Bars

The bar scene had a few changes.

Wise Guys opened on Ave. A and Oaks, and Roxy’s Sports Bar and Woofers and Tweeters closed down.

Entertainment

Rodeo is always the biggest event in San Angelo, drawing the biggest crowds and many of the world champions and rodeo finalists.

February was no different as many of the finalist hopefuls were competing for the large purse that would allow them to make it to the finals.

But for Tuf Cooper, San Angelo’s prize money in his pocket made him the youngest cowboy to ever gross $1 million in earnings. Cooper is likely going to be at the 2014 rodeo as well to continue his streak.

The weekend of June 21 through 23 was host to the seventh-annual dragboat races at Lake Nasworthy. The day allowed for residents to see boats lined up side by side and gave the chance for people to talk to the drivers and see them working on their boats.

San Angelo LIVE!

Finally, San Angelo LIVE! kicked off again in September of this year, with a new mission and a lot of focus to offer the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage in San Angelo.